The portal opens on top of a plant-infused cliff. Viperish Night moves to the edge and looks down upon the clearing below. "I will raise the dragon here. And then there is one more place we must go," Viperish Night says and then turns from the clearing and starts to walk into the jungle. "Zirasha and Egg-mother, guard. I need to speak with Tyranius."
Zirasha looks at Tyranius for a few moments then moves to the cliff edge with Duskhollow trailing behind her. Tyranius follows Viperish Night into the jungle until they reach a small clearing. Viperish Night stills then slowly turns to Tyranius. "Take off your armor," Viperish Night orders. Tyranius stares at Viperish Night and then starts to raise his hand to unsummon his armor and Viperish Night stops him, hissing, "Not that way. Take it off the normal way."
Tyranius lowers his hand. Though it is tempting to raise it. Tempting to take his scythe in his hands. Molag Bal had him disarmed and helpless on his knees once. Once, Tyranius would have asked why. But now... certain thoughts move through Tyranius's head, ones he had just started to figure out. "Damn it, you better have a good reason for this," Tyranius says as he reaches up and takes off his helm, casting it to the ground. Viperish Night's eyes follow it as it hits before snapping back to Tyranius who continues to remove his armor, tossing it with the helm.
Viperish Night moves closer to Tyranius and holds out his hand. "Your scythe," Viperish Night hisses.
Tyranius's eyes narrow a fraction before he hands it over. "You got a strange way of testing loyalty," Tyranius says as he folds his arms over his chest.
Viperish Night's claws move over the scythe and necromantic energy flows down his claws into it. It flares brightly for a moment before fading leaving Viperish Night hissing angrily. "Leave me to this," Viperish Night commands and Tyranius turns and walks out of the jungle. Viperish Night's eyes follow him before turning to the scythe. So many tricks his Egg-father had. So very many tricks. Viperish Night's eyes move to the jungle. Ferns and grasses, flowers of all kinds and tropical trees, and in the moist dark spots mushrooms. A faint smile crosses Viperish Night's face. "What you think is yours, is mine, Egg-father." Viperish Night hisses as his claws grip the scythe and he slowly starts to tear Molag Bal's grip from it to replace it with one of his own making.
Tyranius walks back to Duskhollow and Zirasha who sit at the edge of the cliff. Zirasha startles slightly. "Your naked again..." Zirasha says before turning her eyes back to the ground below.
"Wish you'd stop saying that. I do wear something under my armor," Tyranius says as he walks toward the two.
"But you hardly take it off..." Zirasha says, once more trailing off.
"Don't want the world to see my ugly mug," Tyranius says but then as Zirasha curls her fingers around the grass Tyranius sighs. "Girl... makes me look more like a monster. Not just a thuggish brute of an Imp."
"You want to be a monster. You always wanted to," Zirasha says softly.
Tyranius shrugs as he answers. "Intimidation. No ones stupid enough to mess with me when they see me in my reaper armor and the few that are cease to exist soon after."
Zirasha moves one hand to rest upon Duskhollow's back. "...I don't know if she..." Zirasha starts then stops hissing softly before trying to continue. "Should we...leave Tyranius? I...he's not our Viper. He never will be again. But Jez might, won't she?"
"Girl, if I tried to remove the collar around her neck it would kill her. Viperish Night may be the only one who can remove the damn thing now. We take her from this she'll always be as she is and eventually...if what that lizard said is right...even the mer deep in that fur coat will be gone," Tyranius answers her.
A tear falls down Zirasha's cheek. "Both of them are gone then. This Viperish Night will never remove it." Zirasha whispers and Duskhollow whines softly and leans in closer to her.
Tyranius pauses before speaking again. He could be wrong about this. But in his soul, Tyranius knows he's not wrong. The way Viperish Night looked at Wolfy, the icy hatred he saw in his eyes. That he must know that the collar would destroy Wolfy's mer and even if it did not... "Girl...he might remove it when the war's done. But he might just give her to Molag Bal then if she's even still in there at that point."
Zirasha freezes her hand curling on Duskhollow's fur. "Why would he do that?" Zirasha hisses. "Even if he is not our Viper, we are his pack. We are his monsters!"
"He hates everyone that took from him," Tyranius says as he moves to sit on the other side of Duskhollow. "He'll hurt everyone who did. Wolfy changed us, girl. Even me. We started to bring out the Viper we never knew...the one Wolfy saw through the madness." Zirasha's eyes close as her head lowers and Tyranius slowly continues. "Wolfy... all of us almost kept this Viper from rising. If not for Prince he may have been locked in the depths forever."
Zirasha is silent as she tries and fails to control the shakes that wrack her at this truth. Duskhollow puts her head on Zirasha's lap as she tries to comfort her pack-sister and Zirasha leans down to bury her face in Duskhollow's scruff. "Jez almost saved him. Almost saved us all. Saw us all as something other than monsters," Zirasha whispers. "We would have been something else, Tyranius. I never even thought I wanted that!"
"Same, girl," Tyranius says and rests his hand on Duskhollow. After a few moments, Zirasha reaches out for his hand, clinging to it as she clings to Duskhollow.
"Every way we lose. If we run we lose Jez. We stay they will kill us all or Viper will win and we still lose Jez..." Zirasha trails off. "He'll hurt both of us too..."
Tyranius frowns. "Going might be the best option," Tyranius admits.
Zirasha raises her head. "He'll chase us down down, Tyranius. You know that. What are we to do? Beg the heroes for help? After...what we helped do to one of them?"
"They'd put us in chains. Execute us at the end of all this even if we helped them." Tyranius responds.
"No way out...Tyranius tell me what to do, please," Zirasha whispers.
Tyranius is silent for long moments before he gets up and moves in front of the girls, kneeling before Duskhollow who moves her head from Zirasha's lap to regard her pack-brother. "What do you want us to do Wolfy?" Tyranius asks her and Duskhollow stares up at him with her golden eyes that start to glow and the world fades away from Tyranius.
Darkness and then light again. Tyranius rises and looks around. A clearing lit by moonlight surrounded by wild woods. Tyranius's hand instinctively goes for a scythe that is no longer there.
"You are without your teeth and claws, Champion of Molag Bal,"
"Damn it," Tyranius says as he looks up into the night sky where Hircine towers over the forest. "Well get it over with. Smite me."
Hircine laughs. "And why would I do that? You amuse. You are no longer loyal to Molag Bal, and have not been in a very long time."
"Liked pup better. Before that damn serpent killed him." Tyranius says with a shrug.
"You think to lie to me?" Hircine booms as his eyes narrow slightly as he looks down at Tyranius. "You have not been loyal to your Prince for far longer than that. I noticed your hunts. The Zero Legion you brought to the vampire were not the only ones you hunted."
Tyranius crosses his arms over his chest. "They took Molag Bal's teachings too literally. They got what was coming to them for that mistake." Tyranius says.
Again Hircine laughs. "The one who fancies himself as a near soulless brute, commenting so many atrocities will not tolerate that one nor tolerate it in others. Molag Bal must have been blind about that to make you his champion. All he saw was the monster you want the world to see and nothing behind it."
"Am a monstrous brute," Tyranius says. "I make no secret of that. War, blood, and killing. But every man has their line, Hircine. What do you want?"
"My Champion's wolf has a name because she needed it. Duskhollow. And as you know, Molag Bal's collar will destroy her mer in time. He seeks to take what is mine, yet again."
"Know that," Tyranius says with a growl, a near hint of anger in his eyes. "I can't just yank it off. You could though."
"There are forces that can vex even a Daedric Prince. It would be interfering in this hunt...and yet I am tempted. Yet, I have my reasons for holding back," Hircine tells Tyranius.
"In other words your not sure you can remove something made by another Prince without killing your Champion," Tyranius says with a small smirk.
"Watch your tone, hunter," Hircine warns and then continues, "Other forces are at play. One claims he has the means to reach my Champion in the dark pit the collar has chained her in. If he fails to do what he claims, he will deal with my wolves."
"Still asking. What do you want from me?" Tyranius asks.
"I give you the answer Duskhollow cannot. She strives to reach the one she has lost. Whether or not there is anything to reach, is another question." Hircine answers.
"Pup..." Tyranius says with a frown. "Odds are he's not. I cannot see him letting this new Viper do the things he has done to his pack, to his Egg-mother."
"This may be true, but Duskhollow wishes to remain with Viperish Night and she very much wishes to remain with the rest of her pack as well. The question is, will you abide by her choice despite what this Viperish Night may do to the ones he feels responsible for keeping him in the depths?" Hircine asks.
"Molag Bal never doubted my loyalty," Tyranius says. "I'll make sure Viperish Night does not either. I stay with my pack. Not like there is anything else for any of us." Tyranius falls silent and then shakes his head. "Don't want anything else...sides Jez and Viper back."
"A boon then for staying by my Champions' side," Hircine says. "Viperish Night seeks to break Molag Bal's control over you and replace it with one of his own. I will give you means to break it, when you need to. Only when you must, he will know the instant you do." Hircine's eyes glow and a burning sensation briefly crosses Tyranius's upper arm.
Tyranius lifts his shirt sleeve to look at the crossed antler marking that has appeared and then looks up at Hircine. "Prince's like marking me. Gonna take it personally one of these times." Tyranius says.
Hircine smiles at this. "I do not think I would mind you in my Wild Hunt. But you will never seek that, will you?"
"Already belonged to one Prince. Think I'll pass." Tyranius says.
Hircine laughs. "Very well hunter. Go and take the knowledge that more than just one force has the desire to aid your pack. Circumstances prevent any of them from acting openly, however."
A strange look crosses Tyranius's face. "...Aid. Aid for monsters who've unleashed Oblivion upon the world," he says in disbelief.
"It is puzzling, is it not? You see why this hunt amuses me, even as my anger against Molag Bal grows. Now go, hunter. Watch over my Champion as she sleeps and protect your pack." Hircine says and the world goes dark once more.
The world returns and Tyranius hears Zirasha's call for him. Tyranius blinks and sits back on his heels shaking his head. "Damn..." Tyranius swears and at Zirasha's questioning look Tyranius turns his head to look at her. "Got an answer. We stay," Tyranius says and then turns back to Duskhollow. "This girl's name is Duskhollow."
At the sound of her name, Duskhollow's eyes brighten and she wolfs happily nuzzling Tyranius, and then she turns to Zirasha and nuzzles her as well. A faint smile crosses Zirasha's lips before fading and she turns to Tyranius. She and Duskhollow had watched as he slipped into a trance. As his body rested here, his soul had gone...elsewhere. It had frightened her for a few moments and only Duskhollow's calm had calmed her as well. "Tell me there is hope for Jez, at least," Zirasha asks.
Tyranius rests his hand on Duskhollow and looks back to Zirasha. "Damn Hircine can't, or won't remove it. But Wolfy's in there somewhere. Someone's trying to reach her. We just got to play the long game now." Tyranius pauses. "I know you said you'd stay already, but you sure?"
Zirasha stares at Tyranius. "Viper...," Zirasha whispers.
Tyranius looks back to Duskhollow. "Girl, he can't be in there still. But Duskhollow... just like Wolfy. She had hope when there should be none."
Zirasha stands and turns to the jungle. Hope is so very little. But there is a faint glimmer of it in the darkness they are lost in. Back when this started, it was enough for Jeziasi to embrace being a monster, in hopes she could save her son, save the pack she had embraced, loved. Enough to endure pain and despair, and near utter hopelessness. "Jez did it. I will too, Tyranius," Zirasha whispers. "I will endure what he does to me. For Jez...for our Viper. For what little hope we have."
Tyranius rises and turns toward the jungle and Duskhollow rises to stand between the two. "We follow this Viper then. Every order and command. No hesitation, girl. None. Make him think we are his monsters and nothing more."
"Can we?" Zirasha asks, her eyes sliding to his.
Tyranius smirks. "Secret girl. Though not so secret if Hircine knows. Stopped being loyal to Prince long before Viperish Night. He never knew. This Viper won't either." At Zirasha's questioning look Tyranius shrugs. "Never thought it was strange how fast I tracked down those Zero Legion for you?" Tyranius smirks. "Got good at it after the war. Mercenary work was just a side gig to feed my blood-lust."
Zirasha looks started. "I would have all of them dead," Zirasha hisses as anger flares in her eyes. "But they were your..." Zirasha trails off at Tyranius's look.
"The worst of the Imperial Legion. Out for money, and worse," Tyranius says. "They got off on the power. On doing whatever they wanted. All I wanted was war. Mannimarco gave me that. But when I was in it...I saw what some of those bastards did. Killing, even civilians, torture when needed, sure I have no problem with any of that. But they took things too far. I would have gotten my head knocked off if I took care of them then...but I kept a list." Tyranius taps one finger to his head and then laughs at Zirasha's expression. "Come on girl, you knew I was something more than those. You would have ripped my throat out long ago if you thought I was like them."
Zirasha crosses her arms across her chest. "...I thought about it. I've been in your room more than you know," Zirasha admits. "But...you took care of me in the cave. You took care of all of us in your own way."
"Worth taking care of," Tyranius says and then stills. "Viperish Night's coming back."
Viperish Night stalks from the jungle and stops in front of Tyranius, holding out the scythe. "Take it," Viperish Night commands.
Hircine's words echo in Tyranius's mind. Viperish Night sought to truly bind him and would do the same for Zirasha. The only reason he had not mentioned it to Zirasha, was because she had no protection for it and he needed to keep some cards close. Just in case. But damn the sting it caused him to keep it to himself. Without a second's hesitation, Tyranius reaches for his scythe, silently noting the differences in the blade. The greys were darker, the blade seemed to shimmer with a faint crimson glow and icy necromantic energy was imbued throughout. Tyranius grips his scythe with both hands and summons his armor. Icy cold at first seeming to stab into his very soul until the armor and the new binding settled upon him. Tyranius keeps ahold of his scythe with one hand as he holds up the other. The armor is darker with the same shimmer of necromantic energy. "Look even more like a reaper now," Tyranius says.
"The other Viper's had no idea they could break our Egg-father's hold on both of you," Viperish Night says with a small laugh. "I can, however. I can even turn the Mace of Molag Bal against him." Viperish Night then turns to Zirasha. "Once all the dragons are raised, I will free you from his grip as well. It is...more involved and far less pleasant. But you will allow me to free you from Molag Bal, won't you, my vampire?" Zirasha's eyes flash with fear but she nods without a second's hesitation. Duskhollow's warm presence and the small hope Jeziasi will return keeps her fear under control. Viperish Night turns from his pack and moves down to the hill to raise the dragon. Duskhollow watches him for a few moments before curling up in a ball and falling into sleep.
-Deep in the Dark-
"Do you even understand what your son is doing?"
Words...they seem so very meaningless down in the dark. Each time they pierce the veil of sleep they seem to lose a little more meaning. Her son...is he not gone?
The voice seems to read her thoughts. "Perhaps not the son you dove into the dark to find. But he came into being just as the other aspects did. He is just as much yours as he is Swims-In-Silence...or perhaps if I call him what he truly is it will snap you out of this. Molag Bal."
Those names...enough to make Jeziasi retreat further down in the dark, further away from the voice that intrudes. That brings memories and pain, of so very much lost.
"Damn you Jeziasi, you will respond to me!"
The voice... is it even familiar to her? Jeziasi can no longer tell and then the everlasting sleep pulls her under once more.
-Elden Root-
The portal snaps shut causing Theodyn to spin around. "Iveryni!" Theodyn shouts, but the portal remains closed.
Rufico looks back. "Damn it. I knew she was going to pull something like this. Just..." Rufico turns his head away, eyes closing briefly before he starts walking toward the infirmary. He knew that look in her eyes, full of pain and vengeance. But Softly-Speckled-Crab had to take priority. Saving Iveryni...if she could be saved would have to come secondary.
Theodyn follows Rufico in silence, he heard the pain in Rufico's voice, and it echoed what he felt. Softly-Speckled-Crab hovered on the brink of death, and Iveryni may very well fall. Theodyn's fist clench at the helplessness he feels. The war had taken its toll on them, but until Viperish Night changed none of them had come this close to death. First Rufico, and now Softly-Speckled-Crab, and Iveryni may follow soon after. Theodyn's fist unclenches as a strange thought crosses his mind. "Did... they try not to kill us before, Rufico?" Theodyn quietly asks.
"Not consciously, Theo," Rufico responds. "But perhaps on some level, they held back with us. The shadows are every bit as complicated as the light. And our enemies never were creatures of pure evil." Rufico's eyes move down to Softly-Speckled-Crab. "Until now. This new Viperish Night...he is. And he'll either destroy his pack or make them just as he is."
"I...want this war over, Rufico. I..." Theodyn trails off unable to put all the pain into words.
"I know, Theo. I want our after." Rufico suddenly comes to a halt as Wyress Tiasiesa steps in their path.
"She is too far gone for the healing mages to save," Wyress Tiasiesa states.
"I know," Rufico quietly says in a voice tinged with sorrow. "I can feel her drawing closer to the end, even as she tries to fight against it."
"We...need her," Theodyn whispers.
"She is needed, she knows but this is beyond her power. Beyond the healer's power," Wyress Tiasiesa continues.
"Then what do we do? Let her die?" Rufico asks.
"Bring Softly-Speckled-Crab deep into the Valenwood. If anything can save her, it is her link with nature. Our home has power. Perhaps it will be enough," Wyress Tiasiesa says.
Theodyn moves to Wyress Tiasiesa and places a hand on her shoulder, the other on Rufico's. The golden light covers them and takes them away.
-Deep in Valenwood-
The forest is all around them and what remains of the Wyrd Sisters circle a small clearing where a bed of soft leaves and grass await. Rufico moves to it and gently lies Softly-Speckled-Crab on her belly, where the full scope of her injuries can be seen and is truly horrific, so very many scales gone and blood oozing even now, Rufico's armor is stained with it. Rufico steps away, his eyes never leaving Softly-Speckled-Crab. She is so very pale and barely breathing. "The Void cannot have you. Come back to us." Rufico says.
Theodyn moves to stand by Rufico's side. "Softly-Speckled-Crab, we need you. We love you. Find your way home to us. All of us need our after. All of us." Theodyn says softly.
The Wyrd sisters start chanting and ferns and vines emerge from the ground and gently wrap around Softly-Speckled-Crab until she's hidden from view, protected in the depths of the woods that hold such power.
Wyress Tiasiesa steps toward the boys. "We will watch over her. What comes, comes. Go. You have more than just her to save." Wyress Tiasiesa tells them.
"I don't want to leave her," Theodyn says and turns toward Rufico as Rufico places a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"Iveryni needs us too, even if she does not think so," Rufico says. "Let the Wyrd care for Softly-Speckled-Crab. The last thing we want her to awaken to is Iveryni's death." Rufico sighs softly and turns from the clearing. "I know where she's going, Theo. We have to get there before it is too late to stop her."
Theodyn turns as well and then freezes. "She would not go that far, Rufico," Theodyn says.
"The look in her eyes, she will. She'll destroy her soul to stop Viperish Night." Rufico says grimly. "Take us to her, Theo. Before we all lose our after."
Theodyn puts his hand on Rufico's shoulder and the light takes them away.
-Underground Cavern-
The light fades leaving Theodyn and Rufico in a cavern lit only by a stream of lava. Theodyn stiffens. "I...this is not right. Rufico I... I can't get us out of here."
Rufico raises his hand, but the dark portal fails to appear for him. With a frown Rufico's hand falls and moves to his dagger as a fiery portal opens near them, a Daedra emerging. Theodyn's hand moves for Dawnbreaker but Rufico shakes his head slightly. "Hold, Theo," Rufico says and then he steps toward the Daedra. "Let us out of here or face the Void," Rufico threatens.
"I am Deimyite, mortals," Deimyite says. "And you think to threaten me?" At Rufico's glare, Deimyite continues. "You seek to interfere with Mehrunes Dagon's champion. Again. We will not allow it this time."
"Seek?" Theodyn suddenly snaps. "We seek to save our friend! This will destroy her."
"You think so little of her," Deimyite says. "If it destroys her mortal soul, all the better. She'll be stronger for it. A true force of destruction for our Prince." Deimyite raises his hand and portals snap open, Clannfear and Banekin pouring out followed by Daedra warriors and a Daedroth. "Mortals, so foolish, so short-sided. The cost of saving your friend is the world. Would you do that again?" Deimyite turns his back on them. "Perhaps this will keep you occupied. You will be released once Iveryni's task is done." Deimyite enters the portal and it snaps shut behind him and the Daedra advance on Theodyn and Rufico.
-The Ruins of Vahlokzin's Lair-
Vast ruins spread along the valleys and peaks of the mountain, slowly being reclaimed by the jungle. It would be a peaceful tranquil place if not for an aura of evil that permeates the mountain. Once, dragons with dark intentions toward Nirn were here. Some perhaps fell in and around this mountain.
The valley near the peak is where Iveryni's portal opens and she quickly moves inside one of the ruins and sits cross-legged. A shield forms and shimmers around her to block her presence and she closes her eyes as she presses her hands against the ground. For now, she is alone. For now. Viperish Night and his pack will come. He will be unable to resist the treasure trove of dragon bones Iveryni feels deep within the earth. And...she also knows this may very well cost her everything. But the simple fact is, she hesitated, she underestimated Viperish Night's malevolence. She was blinded, which allowed him to take Softly-Spoken-Crab. That boiled within her but when she saw what that monster did to her...she understood the depths of malevolence and cruelty that she had somehow failed to see. That the old Viperish Night, with all his thoughts on purging Nirn of all life, with all the death and pain he caused, lacked. This Viperish Night was altogether another type of monster. Before they had faced a broken damaged necromancer on the verge of madness pushed past the brink, now? Now they faced a creature of pure evil without a hint of mercy, who had murdered a part of himself without a moment's hesitation, a true spawn of the Lord of Domination. Iveryni knows she should have never hesitated. Fear of killing innocents again, fear of losing herself and what remains of her mortal soul, fear of what the future held with her bound to Mehrunes Dagon. That hesitation had cost her, dearly. But no more holding back, no more fear. Iveryni would end it here today and with that final thought in her mind her eyes open as she feels Viperish Night's portal opens. Once he starts to raise the dragons, she will unleash Oblivion upon him, and make him pay for every moment of agony he put Softly-Speckled-Crab through before he, and his pack died.
The portal closes behind Viperish Night and his pack and as Viperish Night moves across the valley and settles into a spot to raise the dragons, Duskhollow starts to pace, growling softly as if she can sense the taint of darkness is heavy here and it seems to set her wild instincts on edge. Tyranius holds his scythe loose as he stands by Zirasha watching for danger. Tyranius glances over his shoulder at Viperish Night as the necromantic energy flows down into the ground. "He should not raise these dragons," Tyranius says quietly.
"But he will as long as we let him," Zirasha says and then stumbles as a small quake shakes the ground. Duskhollow barks at the ground once before running to Zirasha and standing by her side. Zirasha's fingers curl in her fur.
The air suddenly crackles and a burst of flame briefly blinds them as Iveryni steps out from the ruins, dropping her shield. "Damn it," Tyranius says as he raises his scythe as sight returns. "Viperish Night should have killed her."
Iveryni's eyes move to them, the solid white of white-hot fire and flames pour down her arms as she transforms in an instant becoming a creature of elemental fire. Hair flowing, skin translucent she floats into the air and slowly floats toward Viperish Night's pack. "I would give you warning to flee, but you chose to follow that monster. Chose to hurt Softly-Speckled-Crab," Iveryni hisses.
Zirasha's fingers curl on Duskhollow's fur as she briefly looks away from Iveryni. "We did not want to," Zirasha whispers.
"Too late for reason girl," Tyranius says as he steps forward towards Iveryni. "Fire witch is lost to rage, and its too late for anything but this." Tyranius raises his scythe. "Kill us if you can. Might even be a damn mercy at this point. But we'll still fight you with all we got," Tyranius smirks under his helm. Despite all that had happened, the thought of battle still made his blood flow faster, made all the worries distant for a brief time. "You can't take us all on alone, witch."
Iveryni smiles a smile of terrifying intent. "Perhaps not...but this can," Iveryni says. "Your right, it is too late. Too late for anything but utter destruction."
The ground starts to shake again causing Zirasha and Tyranius to stumble and Duskhollow to howl as if the ground itself is the enemy. Viperish Night at last snaps out of his trance and he breaks the necromantic energy off and stalks forward. "Cut her down," Viperish Night hisses. "I want her blood to stain the ground for daring to interrupt me."
Iveryni laughs. "Once, you could have done that. Now? I will have my vengeance. You will face Mehrunes Dagon's champion in every regard now!" The shaking intensifies and Iveryni throws her arms out. "You should have known this mountain was a volcano. That it was not just dragon bones that lurk inside." Iveryni says and then she clenches her hands into fists and a massive crashing burst of sound pierces the air and suddenly the world is filled with fire raining down from above as the volcano starts to erupt.
Zirasha mists briefly as a lava bomb slams down where she had been and Duskhollow races to the side snarling. Tyranius's scythe whirls sending deadly bombs away from him and Daedric energy bursts from Viperish Night eradicating the balls that get close to him. "Annihilate her, NOW," Viperish Night commands.
Tyranius moves toward Iveryni but an intense wall of flames burst from the ground and move around Viperish Night's pack. Viperish Night hisses angrily as he stares at Iveryni. Iveryni throws her head back and laughs. "Surprised? Why would you be? You know the type of monsters that hide in the dark, for you are one of them. This is my monster!" Iveryni says as she floats up higher in the air and stares up at the peak of the volcano as lava streams down it. "If losing my soul and becoming what Dagon wants is the price of destroying you, I pay it gladly!" Iveryni hisses.
Viperish Night's response is to smile savagely. "To think all I had to do was tear your friend apart to unleash this monster!" Viperish Night hisses as his eyes began to glow. "Try and kill me, little fire monster. Scream for me in rage, just as your lizard screamed for me in agony!"
These words are enough to tear away the last tiny bit of hesitation and control from Iveryni and she throws her head back and howls a scream of rage and pain and the volcano seems to shatter in a earth-shattering explosion sending a wave of ash and fire down upon Viperish Night and his pack. The world is nothing but darkness and heat for long long moments and when at last the valley is buried under volcano debris Iveryni's scream stops and she falls from the sky as the fires retreat from her transforming her back as she crashes unconscious upon the ground.
-Underground Cavern-
Rufico and Theodyn stand back to back, sword, and knife wet with Daedric ichor. As the last Daedra falls Rufico barks out a laugh. "Deimyite, anything else you want to throw at us?"
Deimyite reappears the portal staying open behind him. "You are free to go," Deimyite says as he steps away from the portal. "Go to her, if you wish. What is done, is done." The smile on Deimyite's face is one of triumph.
Theodyn's eyes narrow with anger as he stalks to the portal silently. Rufico follows him but pauses before entering the portal to turn his head back to Deimyite. "I am what lurks in the shadows. One night, you may find my blade at your throat," Rufico warns before following Theodyn.
-The Ruins of Vahlokzin's Lair-
Rufico nearly slams into Theodyn who's standing in shocked silence at the utter ruin and destruction that is spread before them. The volcano is half destroyed, the carnage it has left behind is terrifying, a wasteland of ash and lava where a jungle once stood. "If this had been near any Khajiit settlements..." Theodyn trails off in horror.
Rufico's eyes dart around and at last, he sees Iveryni, half-buried under a blanket of ash. "There," Rufico tensely says as he moves to her and rakes the ash to the side.
Theodyn follows and kneels on the other side of Iveryni. "Is she..." again trailing off as words for all of this, fail.
Iveryni's eyes suddenly bolt open and Rufico and Theodyn both startle, once her pupils were crimson, now white-hot in color. "What have you done?" Rufico breaths as Iveryni sits up.
Iveryni presses her palms against the ground. "What was needed," Iveryni says, "I no longer feel Viperish Night's presence. My power has destroyed him, and his pack." A smile crosses her lips briefly. "I made sure he could not flee. I felt him, and his pack die."
"She's right, all I feel is death, destruction," Theodyn says as a look of loss crosses Theodyn's face. "We had to kill what Viperish Night became. But his pack..." Theodyn trails off as Iveryni snaps.
"His pack helped torture Softly-Spoken-Crab to the brink of death. They followed him into the abyss, they sealed their fate." Iveryni snaps as she rises, followed by Rufico.
Theodyn remains a moment his hand pressed against the ashy ground, eyes closed as if in prayer. "Theo..." Rufico says gently and Theodyn at last rises.
"They deserved more. but...not at the cost of the world," Theodyn says.
"I do not delight in their deaths either," Rufico admits, "Save for the bastard that hurt Softly-Speckled-Crab. He's not the Viperish Night we tried to reason with." Rufico turns toward Iveryni. Starts to ask if she's alright but the truth is in her eyes. All trace of kindness eradicated by the power she unleashed, and perhaps all traces of mortality. "Iveryni," Rufico simply says instead.
Iveryni opens a portal. "Do not speak it. What is done, is done. You just have to worry about the next war now." Iveryni walks through the portal followed by Rufico and Theodyn.
-Valenwood-
Theodyn sits by the mount of ferns that hide Softly-Spoken-Crab as the wild woods heal her, his hand pressed against the ground, the closest he can get to his friend. "It is over, Softly-Spoken-Crab," Theodyn says pausing briefly before continuing. "The cost...the cost always seems too high. Iveryni...she did it, but I think it cost her everything." Theodyn closes his eyes pain crossing his face. They had all paid a heavy price, from all they let go to become what they had to be, to the horror that happened to Softly-Spoken-Crab, too this. All too much. "We have our after, but it feels akin to shards of glass," Theodyn pauses a moment before continuing, "I stopped trusting The Divines after my sister's death. If they could not protect her, someone who was so kind and innocent, what good were they? But...for Viperish Night's pack, despite all they did, I prayed for them to somehow find the peace in death that they never had in life." A tear falls from Theodyn's eye to trail down his cheek. "All of us, so broken. None of us deserved any of this."
-Elden Root-
Rufico paces back and forth in the room he shares with Theodyn. Theodyn will return in time but for now he is alone and thoughts consume. The drastic change in Iveryni and the utter annihilation she unleashed. And the silence... he who was so used to silence, who was made into what he is by it, the silence unnerved him. The war was over, upon returning to Elden Root they had word the armies of the dead had fallen silent, returning to the ground to sleep the eternal sleep of death once more. A quiet had settled over Tamriel at the news. Too many had died for celebration. And more to the point? Where were the Princes? Rufico had been ready to fight Meridia if she came for Theodyn but nothing. Silence greeted them. Even Sheogorath was nowhere to be seen. Rufico frowns. "Perhaps...I just cannot believe we have our after. After so much." Rufico sighs and lies back on the bed staring up at the ceiling. Wishing Theodyn was here, perhaps he could calm these thoughts. Remind Rufico that this is what they wanted, the war to end and the after to be theirs. "The cost..." Rufico whispers. The cost... had been far too high.
Iveryni sits by a small lake in the Valenwood looking down at her reflection. Eyes that seem to belong to something otherworldly, the runes more complex, the fire so much closer to the surface. Unleashing the full power she had been given by Mehrunes Dagon had done this. The volcano that Iveryni had summoned to life had been nowhere near any villages...but in truth that would not have stopped her. The rage she had felt, the sheer power of destruction. Iveryni closes her eyes and tries to reach for an emotion, any emotion. The hatred and fury she felt towards Viperish Night and his pack, the love she felt for her friends, but they illude her, lost under the fire, under it all. Iveryni opens her eyes and stares into the water once more. She should feel something, anything, but...Iveryni moves her hand to her heart just to feel if it still beats within her. "Have I lost it then? Or is it still there hanging on by the faintest of strings?" Iveryni whispers as her hand falls. Mortality was something lost, perhaps. She could not tell. She did not even know if she cared any longer.
Deep in the Valenwood at the Shrine to Hircine, Razum-dar stands, staring up at the aspect of the Prince of the hunt. "She is with you then?" Razum-dar says. "The wild one this one never could catch never could hold but for a brief time." Razum-dar's eyes briefly close as rays of warm sun move through the forest leaves to caress his fur. There is no answer, but Razum-dar never expected one. The news of the undead armies falling had come first. It was not until the heroes returned that the news of how the war had ended had been told. That Iveryni had taken it upon herself to end it. Not just Viperish Night, but his pack as well...including Jeziasi. Razum-dar had known she had been trapped in wolf form by this new version of Viperish Night, but his duties kept him close to his Queen at the center of the Dominion during this war. No chance to see her again, although they made their peace with each other, and what would happen at the end of the war. Still... for a brief amount of time he had hoped Jone and Jode would show mercy and end this war peacefully. The heroes had tried. His Queen had been furious at not being told about the attempt and the consequences of failure that had been wrought. Razum-dar's heart had broken then, that his wild one had fallen...but then to learn she was alive had lifted it once more, though the circumstances were ghastly. But now...she was truly gone...but not gone in truth. Razum-dar's eyes open again and he stares up at Hircine's statue once more. She was his wolf and would be by her Prince's side in his wild hunt. Just as one day Razum-dar would be in the Sands behind the Stars. "Hunt well, my wild one," Razum-dar says before turning and vanishing into the forest.