Cearbhail: And...I've done it again. I've strayed away from what I originally wanted from this story. And NO! I will not change it. because I believe this could be so much better. Things have evolved beyond what I originally wanted and NO! I will not change it. but just so you know... it was going to happen eventually but then way it ends in this chapter...was not how it was supposed to happen. but now a whole new thing has come into my mind of how it will play out... and I love it.

[Nexa]

"We have wounded!" I cried into the tent. Vatu leaned lifelessly in my arms and I struggled to keep him up on his knees as I tried as quickly as I could to get him into the medical tent. Nakuma was on the other side of Vatu, trying to keep him up and awake.

Normally, we would have let Primrose do her thing, but she's just as out of sorts as Vatu was. While Erandur and Lilly covered our retreat with the Lich Khajiit and the little Khajiit flying around in circles above us (keeping us clear from sky bombs), the rest of us were ushering our wounded and knocked out to the medical ward. Oleeme and Huir were transporting Primrose. Huir was almost in tears at seeing Primrose injured, almost fatally. I had no idea Primrose was his daughter. Heck, I'm not sure anyone knew, even Primrose. Imagine that family reunion in a few minutes. I'd rather not.

A White Robe stuck her head out of the tent, pushing the tarp away so that we could enter unhindered. She waved us in, nodding in welcome. "We have some space left. Hurry, hurry." She said as several explosions showered dirt on us.

Nakuma and I rushed as fast as we could. Vatu was barely holding on, his breathing growing raspier. If we didn't treat him soon, we might lose him. I scanned the tent to find some location to set Vatu down. I found a nice spot next to some Breton girl that was rubbing her lightly bleeding head. I nodded a welcome to her as she glared at the unconscious Vatu in my arms. Nakuma and I took a nice deep breath as we set him down. As soon as his arm slid off my shoulder, I felt myself falling down as well. I was beat. Looking over at Nakuma, who was panting as if she was going to die, I think I was the better trained. I wonder how much magic she had to use just to be able to carry him like she did. I know she's not as physically strong as I am but…she managed to carry a wounded member of our team just as easily as I did.

As Nakuma started to come back to the world, she looked up at the White Robe, glaring at her in confusion. "Pakinla? What are you doing here?"

She bent down to check out Vatu, running her glowing hands over his wounds. "I'm here under our Queen and Warlord's orders. Most of the Argonian military is here in this battle. All the Shadowmaster, shadowblades, white robes, shadowwraiths, and scales. There are Black Marshals also lending aid to combatants."

I shook my head. "Black Marshals? Towers? Town guards?" That didn't make any sense. Why would Father pull the Black Marshals for this battle? There had to be more to this. "Why would Father do that?"

Pakinla looked over at me. "You don't know? This battle…is everything we can throw at these Aedra. We're putting all our resources into this battle."

"But that's stupid. If someone wanted to get rid of the world leaders at the war council…now'd be the time to do so. There would be no guards or shadowmasters to protect the Queen. Father must be losing his mind!" I screamed quietly to Pakinla, who only shrugged in return.

"I am only a White Robe, a healer. I do not think beyond my duty to heal." She paused to run her hand over Vatu. "I do not feel any injury inside him. In fact, he's only growing stronger inside." She started to stand up, grabbing her head in pain. "Ahh!" she cried. "That…what was that….that thing?" She backed up. "Everyone, we need to clear out."

I looked back down at Vatu. He was looking right back up at me…his eyes shining bright red. "Blood-rager!" I just had enough time to scream before a claw found its way into my stomach plate.

…

[Warlord Zeelius]

{Blood rager!}

That was the magic word I needed to hear. We had successfully barred off the entire battlefield, and now every Aedra was trapped in that bubble with a crazy Khajiit that couldn't feel any pain. If I was lucky, he'd die in battle, but only after wiping out half of them.

I tapped my transmitter. "Code Red-Eye to all Shadowmasters. We have a Code Red-Eye. Priorities: watch and wait. Wait for my signal to eliminate."

I got several blinks of acknowledges and I sat back in my seat. "This should be a good show."

{Nakuma and Shadowblade Nexa are wounded! Watch out…he's left the medical tent. He's…he's engaging the Aedra.} I heard one of the shadowscales report. I think it was Meesei.

What? My daughter was injured? By that…thing? I would not have that. "What? What happened to my daughter?"

{That Khajiit, sir. When he woke up, he had these bright red eyes. He slashed at everyone in front of him. I don't think he's mentally responsible, though. He was screaming something about Dunmer slavers at the time. I think he's in a hallucination.} I heard a new voice call over the receiver. It sounded like one of the White Robes.

"I don't care where the oblivion he believes he is, did he kill my daughter?" I screamed into my transmitter.

{No, sir. Both Nakuma and Nexa were only lightly scratched. They were knocked unconscious by the Khajiit before he charged out of the tent. The Khajiit seems to be focusing all his efforts on the Aedra now, sir. You should take this opportunity to observe him.} She cooed lightly through the comms.

I nodded and started to focus my screen on the now almost impossible to track blip that was quickly making red dots blink out. I zoomed in and locked onto the creature, putting up the visual screen. I turned my attention back to the image on the globe as I watched one of the most violent actions I've ever seen in my life. The Khajiit had a full shield covering his body as he slashed his claws in a fury at the Aedra that swarmed over him. His claws moved so quickly that his arms were a blur. All I could see were the countless Aedra attempting to swarm turn into bloody messes. No really, that's all I could see. Aedra coming around him and then just blood everywhere. It was a marvelous sight.

I zoomed the picture out to see that more of the Aedra were beginning to swarm around the Khajiit. Their dots were blinking out rapidly as the Khajiit started pushing himself out. It was a good thing that this Khajiit had gone mystical because our numbers were beginning to fade. We had exhausted our Daedra numbers for the day and our magical defenses were worn down. It was almost about to become a massacre. Good, now was the time for the decisive strike.

I looked over at Sosia, who shook her head in horror. "My son is in so much pain…" She breathed out lightly. She covered her face and leaned back in her chair. "I wish I could help him."

I held a small laugh and looked over at the globe. "Now's our chance for a quick victory. That Khajiit has assembled every Aedra into the center. I say we launch everything we have at it while we have the chance. If we were to launch every oil-filled arrow into the center of this conflict, I believe that we could actually burn and melt every living Aedra inside this bubble. Of course…the Khajiit in the middle of it all would most likely die in the aftermath."

Fiirnar nodded and started consulting his crystal balls. "I do believe that will be the best outcome we can deliver. In all my calculations, we may end up killing the Khajiit, though."

Sosia stood up from her chair. "Then we're not doing it! He's my son and one of my battlemages. If there is a chance that he might die…we're not doing it."

Fiirnar turned to look at her. His face was contorted into a sinister smile. "If that is your wish, milady. I do find it hard to believe that you are willing to risk every other battlemage, soldier, and just about every one of our forces just for one tiny cat. If we just do this little…insignificant finishing move…we could spare hundreds of lives, including the ones of all the civilians still inside Cheydinhal…who never volunteered to die in honor."

Ri'saddo jumped up from his seat as well, hissing at Fiirnar. "You may be an ally of Elsweyr, but watch your tongue, Elf. While Ri'saddo agrees with your plan, he cannot agree with your statement about this Khajiit being a tiny cat. He is a Sengar, a warrior of Khajiits' great Alkosh, the Sen'che. He is no insignificant cat…he is one of the last of noble blood."

I smirked at hearing that. One of the last? After today, there would be one less. I looked over at Sosia and smiled. "Ma'am, how does that make you feel? Your son is one of the last crazy murderous Khajiits still alive. I bet your…other daughter is one as well." And I plan on having them both slotted now that this one has revealed to me just how deadly he really is.

Sosia only shook her head before standing up. "I can't watch this anymore. I need a quick breath."

I watched as she quickly slid out of the room. I could understand where she was coming from, being a father. This cat was her son, however trivial of a thing that was, and we were just discussing how to best kill him and every known Aedra. Fiirnar paced around the map, glancing at me and then at my Queen. I suddenly felt a very cold trickle over my back-spines. I felt…I felt…

My air started to escape my lungs and my vision started to blacken. I found my body growing weak. I glanced up to see that everyone else was reacting similarly as I was. My guards were falling over, grasping their lungs as they fought whatever it was that they were fighting. My council leaders were falling down left and right. I looked back at the Queen to see that she had an arrow sticking out of her head and blood was already staining her chair.

I saw movement and tried to focus my eyes. Fiirnar paced back and forth, holding a small bottle with green fumes that poured out into the air. I looked up to see that it had been floating up there for a while now. Fiirnar was still pacing back and forth, looking at the rest of us. He had a sick smile gathering on his face.

"I heard what your daughter said…about how wrong it was that every single soldier in the world was gathered in one small spot. She prattled on about how easily it would be for someone to just…kill the council since they had no protection. Imagine: a bubble that keeps everyone locked in, a bubble that will not allow teleportation out. Your 'Shadowmasters' are all out in that bubble, unable to come and help you in your time of need. That was an exciting thought for me to run through my mind. I thought…if I was going to enact my plan to overthrow all of Tamriel's forces and submit an order to surrender to all the insignificant countries…now would be the time. She was right. It was too easy." Fiirnar said as he gazed around us. "The only one that could have negated this poison has stepped out to get her breath back. I'll just be waiting here for her alone. But first…"

He walked up to me and grabbed my transmitter. He pulled it up to his mouth and smiled wickedly at me. "Initiate order: eliminate blood-rager." His voice sounded exactly like mine! I felt my heart skip a beat. He smiled at me and pushed me down. "Ever hear of Illusion magic? It can do wonderful things. Like…change your voice…or at least make everyone else believe it's changed." He looked into my eyes and started laughing maniacally. "You look so pathetic. You all do. This is why the Altmer deserve to be on top! This is why we are taking back our birthright! The Aldmeri Dominion will never bow down to you insignificant worms ever again. We are perfection; we are the true rulers of Tamriel: not some spineless lizards or brutal humans."

Ri'saddo looked over at Fiirnar and hissed at him. "You…you are filth…"

Fiirnar chuckled to himself as he spun away from me. "And you…" He said. "Are just a lowly cat." With a snap of his fingers Ri'saddo's head rolled off his shoulders and exploded into blood. He turned to face me with a smile growing on his face. "Be glad I have completed your final wish. I will see that this blood-rager is killed. I will make sure the entire planet knows that he's the enemy." He pulled up his sleeve and I caught a small glimpse of a dart-launcher. He pointed his launcher at my head and said, "Goodbye, lizard."

Just as he was about to fire, we both heard the door open up. Sosia walked in to see us all lying dead. Fiirnar and I were the only ones still remaining. She growled at both of us before pulling out her staff. Fiirnar raised his hand and I heard one of his darts snap off. Sosia seemed to block the shot with some sort of spell and just like that…she vanished.

I found myself laughing deeply. "You see that? Your plan has just failed."

He frowned as he pointed his hand back at me. "A minor setback." I heard him release the arrow and I felt something fly into my head. After that…I didn't feel anything at all.

…

[Nexa]

My chest cried out in pain. My ribs felt like they were shattered on my left side. But that didn't stop me from standing up, or from chasing after Vatu after he charged through the door. {Initiate order: eliminate blood-rager.}

My heart sank into my chest and I found myself falling to my knees. NO! He did it…he really did it. Now I had to do my duty…and choose what path I was going to follow. In front of me was a crazy Khajiit that couldn't tell me friend from foe. On one path, I could charge in and attempt to kill him. I could do it too. Then I could go home and live out the rest of my life with my Father. I could become Queen after the current one passes and I could get married to some prince. I could live that life as one of the most powerful Argonians in history.

But…the other path. That was a tricky one because it splits into two paths. I can defend Vatu with everything I have. I would be against every shadowscale, every shadowblade…every shadowmaster. And I could die…as well as Vatu. Or Vatu could die, and I'd be either tortured for the rest of my life or just killed on the spot as a traitor. Or…we could both outlive this fight. And then what? The two of us fall in love and constantly run from Argonians. Or he could fall in love with the Wood Elf and I'd have done all this for pretty much nothing. I'd be alone…forever. And I bet I'd still be following him, protecting him from all Argonian threats.

I had to choose. I had my orders. Which path was right for me? I shook my head and pushed myself up onto my feet. I found tears rolling down my eyes. It wasn't fair that my father would put this burden on me. I knew he would do it, but it didn't help lessen the burden any. But now…it was time for me to abandon everything I knew and loved. I'm sorry, Mother. I hope you didn't have to see this.

I looked back to see both Ram-ku and Meesei look at Vatu. Meesei was smiling, saying, "Finally."

I stood up and stepped in front of them. "No." I said. "I won't let you hurt him." I pushed my hand out, snapping one of my short blades to my hand. I aimed it at Meesei's throat and pushed against it. "You will back off…or you will die."

She glanced at me, her orange eyes glaring at me. "Gee, who would have guessed? The traitorous Khajiit-lover has shown her true scales." She flicked her own blade out and pointed it at my unprotected stomach. I had forgotten that my armor had taken a serious beating from Vatu earlier. "You do realize that right now…you're a traitor, right? If you just pull your blade back and help us kill him…it won't end with you dead."

I glanced at both of them with mercy in my eyes. "Please, think about this. He's not as dangerous as you think. If you just…" I felt Meesei's blade sink into my stomach. I gazed down to see that my stomach was slashed open.

"We're shadowscales. We're not trained to think…we're trained to kill." She replied and marched past me, leaving me to deal with my stomach. Or…so she thought.

I watched from the tent as my illusion vanished. I glanced down at Nakuma, who was still catching her breath. "Nakuma…are you with me?"

Nakuma nodded. "That voice…it wasn't the Warlord's. I could hear through the Illusion spell. It was some Altmer's voice."

Oleeme nodded. "I came to the same conclusion. If the Warlord's voice was not his own…I believe the Warlord is dead."

I felt my heart skip another beat. "An Altmer's voice…" I stopped to think about it. Then it popped into my head. "Councilor Fiirnar. My Father…he was always trying to warn me that he was dangerous. He must…oh no…he heard what I said about the council being easy targets. He must have figured that if he was going to do something that…that it was the time to do it. This is my fault."

Oleeme stuck his hand out to me, pulling me up. "Shadowblade…now is not the time to dwell on that line of thinking. Now is the time to defend your Khajiit friend."

Nakuma nodded. "Yeah, we're behind you. Even if the Warlord did issue the command, I still wouldn't do it. And I bet Oleeme wouldn't either."

Oleeme looked over at Nakuma with his glowing white eyes. "I would. It would be an official order from our Warlord. However, the order was not given to us by the Warlord, but by an imposter. That makes the previous order: protect the blood-rager still in effect."

"Ah…so you all caught it too." Julanza said as he appeared by the doorway with both Meesei and Ram-ku next to him. They were both knocked out. He dropped the knocked out shadowscales onto the ground and glanced at us. "I also heard through the Illusion spell. That was Fiirnar's voice, definitely. He must really want the Khajiit eliminated if he were too use my brother's voice just to issue the order. What I do not understand is why my brother has not contradicted this order yet. He must be incapable of speaking. I should go and see if he needs help."

He closed his eyes and made the hand-sign for shadowporting. He stood there for a few seconds before glancing around the room. "I…my shadowport is not working."

Lilly stepped into the room, nodding. "The Aedra have set up a non-teleportation barrier. We can't leave by teleporting…and we can't leave by walking either. Not until this battle is over. Or…until our mages drop the Shield. And if they do that too early…we'll be in another wave, and this one…will be harder."

Julanza glanced around the tent. "Then we must fight. If we help Vatu clear out what is left of the Aedra…we should be able to leave." Then he glanced at Lilly and narrowed his eyes. "What is happening to the Council?"

Lilly looked confused but then she closed her blind eyes. When she opened them, she frowned. "Everyone is dead."

Julanza nodded, looking over at me. "My Princess…what are your orders?"

What? That is not what I was expecting to hear.

Cearbhail: Who says you can only have one of the two paths when you can have both?