Cearbhail: And a new chapter, like I promised. It's a little on the slow side, but I feel that the ending is quite exciting. And, I'm sure you guys will enjoy this chapter because I'm finally going to start showing the relationship between Nexa and Primrose...or the rivalry that's to come throughout the series. I might as well take it slow since I'm planning on going for a while. And Lilly's going to be blind for a few more chapters, like maybe ten or more. I enjoy seeing her all helpless, since she's a badass in every other story excluding the one where she dies in three chapters. anyway, enjoy.

[Nexa]

The medical tent was right in front of me. I was so glad that I had made it. I was so exhausted from my fight with Vatu that I could barely stand anymore. It was worth it, however. I managed to carry Vatu in my arms the whole way, while dodging the random Aedra. I had some help. A few shadowscales that were still loyal to me helped distract the Aedra while I trudged Vatu along.

My arms were burning with white fire as I started dropping Vatu. My vision blurred, my knees buckled, and I was crying out in pain. "Someone? Help!" It felt like an eternity while my lungs burned with the need of oxygen. I looked down at Vatu with my blurring eyes. He looked so peaceful, and covered with blood. I don't know why, but I found that attractive. Maybe I'm just sick like that. I don't know.

The flap to the medical tent snapped open and that green-haired wood elf Vatu liked stepped out to look at us. She took one look at Vatu and instantly broke down into the concerned girlfriend mode.

"Oh my gods, …Vatu." She said; bending down to help me pick him up. Once she had him wrapped up in his arms, she smiled at me, and nodded. The way she curled his fingers around his fur; the way she smirked at me while she hugged him close…it made me want to kill her. Vatu was mine! How dare she take him away from me. If only I had more time with him, he'd have grown closer to me. I saved his sister's life on multiple occasions, once even risking my own life. I did it because I cared for Vatu. And then he had to go and develop feelings for this elf instead of me. Why couldn't he just love me instead?

Of course, I'm not crazy. I heard him muttering in his passed out blood-drunk state. He kept muttering her name: Primrose. The entire way over here, he kept saying her name; while I was carrying him through what remained of the broken Aedra and battlemages. I trekked him halfway across the massive bloodbath that was a battlefield not even ten minutes ago. I did it even with the many wounds I had encountered to safely knock him out. I even strapped a very poisonous needle to my tongue for him. And this is how he thanks me? I'm almost ready to give up on him, but not yet. He still needs me; and he needs me more than he needs this girl.

"He'll be fine. I'm the best healer in Cyrodiil…and his personal healer." She arched her eyebrows at me, giving me that knowing look. She lifted him off the ground and nodded to my wounds. "I suggest you grab a cot. I'll see about sending a healer to you as soon as I can."

The wood elf started carrying Vatu inside, trying to leave me behind. But I wouldn't have that. I pushed myself back up onto my feet, keeping up behind her. "I'm fine, but I'm not leaving Vatu alone."

"He won't be alone; I'll be with him. Besides, you really need to find a cot." She retorted back to me, trying to speed up her walking.

"I'm not leaving Vatu alone with you. He's my friend too." I told her back, as I pushed my bleeding leg to catch up with her.

The wood elf snapped her head around, screaming, "Davilia! We have a wounded shadowscale. I think her name is Nexa. Please find her a bed to rest on." The wood elf smirked at me again as a dark elf came up to me, grabbing my shoulder plate, pushing me away from Primrose.

"I have a cot over here if you want it." The dark elf said very softly, her voice smooth and silky. Her voice was so calming that I suddenly didn't mind getting off my feet for a second or two.

"Yeah…sure. But… Vatu." I replied back, my head feeling woozy. Was…was she using a spell on me? What type of spell was this? Illusion, Mysticism, Alter…alter…why am I …

I'm not sure what was happening; my vision blurring again. I stumbled forward and the elf girl caught me. She tried saying words but I couldn't make out what they were. I couldn't even tell where she was. I felt so very tired, like my chest was done taking in air. My limbs felt heavier than stone, and my what? …I can't remember what it's called or what it does but it involves my head. All I know was that my body felt so relaxed, lying on this cloud of white sheets. The needle stabbed in my arm wasn't too much fun, but the cold feeling that accompanied it made me feel better.

I stared up at the top of the medical tent, my eyes staring at the white walls that led up to a point. Why couldn't I move my body? What was wrong with me? I tried to move a finger, and I think I managed to curl my hand. But it took so much of my energy. Why? I'm a highly trained assassin that has spent the last few weeks doing nothing but getting in shape. Why was I suddenly so suck-ish?

My eyes felt heavy and they started to close. As they did, I remember the look on Vatu's face as I snapped him out of his blood-rager mode. His eyes fixed on mine, he grabbed my sleeve, squeezing it in fear of what he had done. And then…he apologized for my mother. Why? What did he have to do with my mother? She died when I was a child. She was killed by a Khajiit. Maybe, maybe Vatu knew something about how my mother died. Maybe he's always known? I doubt that. I'm not my father's daughter in any sense of the word. If I start doubting Vatu now…what would I become?

…

[Primrose]

I had already prepared a cot for Vatu once he rushed out of the room in his mood. I wanted him to come back without severing my major arteries. I can tell my looking at his body that I should never consider that a possibility for now on. He used to look yellow with an orange-ish tint. Now he looked blood-red. At least his eyes were back to amber. I loved his eyes. Too bad I couldn't focus on that right now. I needed to fix his body before his condition worsened.

I felt bad for Nexa. I know all too well what she felt for Vatu. She might even love him more than me; I have no idea. But with that large gash on her chest from where Vatu slashed her when he stormed out of the tent…I knew she wouldn't be up on her feet for much longer. I would have seen to her wounds personally, but Vatu's condition compared to hers was ten times worse. I think Davilia could handle healing her wound, even though she's run out of magicka almost.

I took my eyes off of Vatu to look over at Davilia. She had Nexa already lying on a cot, out cold. She had hooked up an I.V. to Nexa's arm; pumping blood and water into her body. That was good. Now all she needed was some rest while Davilia healed her wound. With her taken care of, I could focus my attention on Vatu. Looking at his mangled body, I was surprised that he was still alive. How many times would I have to see him like this before it was the last time? How many more times would I have to bring him back from the brink of death before it was over? And…would it be because the wars were finally over, that we had won and earned a peaceful life? Or would it be because I failed to keep him alive and would have to watch him disappear forever? I shook my head, forcing that thought away. I couldn't think of that; not now, not ever.

I brought my hands up to his head, feeling for an auratic pulse. I closed my eyes to focus on the vibrational pattern that he emitted. It was a feint hum, but I could feel a steady pulse. It wasn't weak or anything; he wasn't facing life or death if I laxed even a little, but I still felt an urgency to strengthen his aura as quickly as possible. I understood that he was exhausted because of the battle he'd just gone through. I understood that his body took bomb after bomb of Aedra magic. So, knowing all that I knew, I took a deep breath before I reached into his body and saw what his body really looked like: layer for layer.

I released the breath, fully plunging my spiritual hands into his spiritual body. I opened my new eyes and looked at him. His outward body (the one that existed on skin level) was laced with open cuts and bruises. Underneath all that skin were the muscles and blood vessels. His blood vessels were heavily damaged: smashed and slashed by swords and magicka. The entire system of vessels was chaotic at best, trying to circulate blood throughout the whole body while keeping most of the blood away from already open arteries. Vatu had enough sense to put a spell on his body that redirected all massive blood flow away from damaged arteries. It's what kept him from bleeding out so far.

The nerves all over his body were shot. They would take a while to fix, and until then he wasn't going to be doing much moving, not without heavy resistance and twitchy unresponsive ticks. I doubt he'd hold a sword for at least a week or two, even at my best ability. Even past the blood vessels and the nerves were the muscles themselves. He clawed so viciously at his opponents that he'd torn almost every muscle. I'd have to reach in and reconnect all those muscles while spiritually sewing them back together.

I pushed even further into his body. His organs seemed mostly intact. They suffered from an overdose of adrenaline mixed with being slammed around the battlefield. His stomach took a real pounding, which shot stomach acid up into his lungs. I'd have to flush those out eventually; otherwise he might burn a hole in his lungs. I pushed past the physical body, and opened up his spiritual body. His energy wavered in six different bodies, all fighting to take control of him. None of them seemed to be him, except one lone soul that seemed pushed into a corner to suffer quietly while the other souls pushed to take control of the body. I examined them and even reached out to touch one. As my hand took the hand of the soul, I saw something flash in my mind.

I was suddenly standing in a field of wheat and ash yams. My claws were laced with the blood of a Dunmer. I looked up to see that guards were coming at me; to punish me for protecting my sister. I…I could see her memories like they were mine. I could reach out and know everything about her, this person who I was touching through my soul gaze. She was a part of Vatu, a part of his family, a part of his past. So, this is how Khajiits touch their ancestors. I finally understood it. The milk they drink, it has the soulic energy of their past ancestors. When they take in the milk, they take in the essence, the DNA, of their past family members. And their memories could be called upon in times of stress or clarity. Only the strongest of monks and scholars among the Khajiit could trace their heritage back by several generations. Vatu was lucky to see this far back.

I wanted to touch more of these souls, to see who they were and what they were trying to show Vatu, but someone actually grabbed my shoulder and pulled me out of my trance. When I snapped my eyes open, I could see that my healing hands had already begun sealing Vatu's bleeding arms and legs. His chest was still gaping in a few spots, but without massive amounts of blood gushing out, I didn't need to hurry on that. I looked up to see Erandur standing above me.

He nodded to me, saying, "Hans wants us out of here. Pack up your stuff, we have to leave."

I shook my head immediately, grabbing onto Vatu's arms. "No. Vatu's condition is too critical to move him. We have to stay until I can at least repair is tissue damage and his blood vessels. If I don't, he'll either bleed out or die of internal bleeding."

"And Nexa needs more blood. I'm almost done with her wounds, but she's still losing a lot of blood." Davilia called from the other side of the tent.

Erandur nodded at Davilia before sighing. "Hans said to protect the Princess at all costs." He ran his hand through his hair, sighing in exhaustion. He finally nodded, turning around and facing Crassi. "Ok, set up a perimeter. We're going to buy as much time as these healers need." He turned to face a creature I've never seen: a Khajiit with a fox's face. "Brinsa, stay here with Primrose and help heal Vatu."

Brinsa nodded, looking down at me. "Yes, sir."

Erandur looked over at the vampire girl, saying, "Babette, I need your help with Nexa. Think you can handle that?"

The girl looked puzzled for a second before nodding timidly. "Y-yeah. I think I know a potion that can help." She rushed off as fast as she could to go help Davilia.

I looked over at Brinsa, who I guess was a healer of some sort. "So, you're healer?"

He looked over at me, slightly puzzled. Then he pulled out a clear crystal and showed it to me. "When I'm holding onto this, I am." He said, smiling. He looked at Vatu, saying, "So, we need to seal his wounds and recreate his blood vessels, right?" He opened his eyes, scanning Vatu's body. "That's a lot to fix. I'll work on the wounds, you recreate his vessels. Is that ok?"

I found myself nodding. He talked like a healer. I sure hope he was a good one. "Yes, fine." I closed my eyes, focusing on Vatu's blood stream. I could see how the blood flowed: which vessels were pulling overtime to get the blood circulated throughout his body, which vessels were ruined, and which were leaking blood into his body. I started with the vessels leaking blood into his body. I reached in, my fingers laced with Restoration threads. I started grabbing the broken vessels, visualizing them as whole and willing my Restoration magic to make it happen. It was not a quick fix, but I could see the blood vessel starting to repair itself. I let out a breath and continued the healing process. It took a few more long breaths before that one vessel was repaired. I took a mental count of his body and counted 45 more that I had to fix. Great…I won't be standing up for at least an hour.

…

[Erandur]

"Crassi, take your team and set up on the right side, protect our right flank. Travis, you take your squad and form up on the left. William, take our six. I will take the front."

"William's dead." Travis said to me. "And Crassi shouldn't even be standing."

I allowed a breath to escape. I had to think about this. We still had plenty of battlemages left, but we were all tired. I don't know how long we could survive. "Ok, fine." I had to think about this. Davilia and Primrose were both indisposed, healing our wounded. Vatu was gone as far as I could tell. Babette was healing our shadowscale, the other shadowscales had defected from Shadow Squad. The other members of Shadow Squad were missing in action, probably KIA. Hans wanted us to evacuate as soon as we could but we couldn't go anywhere until our wounded were ready to transport. I grabbed my head. I didn't know what to do. This was almost too much.

"We can offer up our services." A heavy voice growled behind me.

I snapped around to see the faces of that Lilmothiit squad that helped evacuate the wounded. The four of them stood near the entrance of the tent, all of them armored and ready to fight. So, I nodded to them and said, "I could use the help. Our wounded need time to heal, and the Aldmeri Dominion is popping up all around us like it's a party. Can you help us hold them off until our wounded can leave?"

The older female with the missing arm and eye nodded and started directing her troops. "Ok, everyone, take up defensive positions. Mnaling, I want you defending our rear; Gtuja, take our right; Cyanna, take our left. I will take the front with our elven friend. Remember, our leader is in this tent getting his legs fixed. He needs our support, as do these battlemages. Let's not disappoint them. And also remember, the future of the Argonian royalty lies in this tent as well. If this tent falls, so does Argonia. We owe it to her to keep her safe. It is as much our land as hers, and she is our ally. Ok, break."

The Lilmothiit started separating. I felt a feeling of relief spread over my hands, calming me down. Ok, we had some seasoned warriors now. I could feel more relaxed about my exhausted troops. The ground in front of me started to groan. Faces started forming in the dirt as it started changing to mud. Heads started poking out of the ground, all moaning. Zombies! I hadn't seen a zombie in forever. As arms started clawing out of the dirt, I heard the sickest of cackling I've ever heard. A body started coming out of the mud like it was levitating. A long-robed figure dripping with mud cackled as it flew out of the mud, looking over at me with sullen eyes filled with dark magicka. I smelled necromancy on her.

The head snapped around to look at me, the twisted smile playing on its lips. Finally, it spoke. "My name is Councilor Nrillia. I have been watching you. I want your body. Give it to me."

It was a woman's voice, and an Altmer at that. I reached for my katana, surprised that my arm wasn't listening to me. When my body all but froze up on me, I looked at the woman to see that one of her arms was snaked out towards me like I was a puppet. "Now, now. That's no way to treat a lady. Just be a good little mage and walk over to me."

And…my legs started walking. I couldn't control it. I couldn't stop myself as I started walking forward. Oh man…I can't believe this was happening. I had no defense for this. I couldn't even call out. What was wrong with me? I'm usually better than this. I tried to look over at the Lilmothiit to see if she was better off. She was resisting like I was, but she was growling as she slowly advanced up to her. All my soldiers that were behind me were standing still as the zombies started pulling them underground. They cried out in horror as their limbs were torn to shreds as they were pulled underground. This was a sick battle. I never expected this from a necromancer.

The woman cackled sickly as I slowly marched up to her. When I finally came without grabbing distance, she reached out, clamping her hand around my throat. She started squeezing, and I tried to build up any amount of magical resistance that I could. I couldn't even get a flame to form on my hand. I was useless. She grabbed the Lilmothiit with her other, smiling at us with a sick grin.

"You two will make great servants. I'm guessing a fur coat for you." She looked at the Lilmothiit. And then she looked at me, undressing me with her eyes. "But you, I will dominate. I will take great pleasure in making you pleasure me."

That's when I heard an electrical discharge. The Altmer necromancer screamed out in horror as she was suddenly lifted off her feet, flying into the mud that she crawled out of. I felt the invisible strings holding me together fall apart and I fell to my knees. The Lilmothiit had her mechanical arm raised up, electricity humming on her fingertips.

The necromancer hissed as she rolled up onto her chest. "How did you break my hold? No mortal flesh can do that."

The Lilmothiit smirked as she tugged at her tunic, ripping it off. Underneath, I could see that most of her body was replaced by Dwemer parts. She was almost a living machine. The Lilmothiit screamed out, "I lost most of my flesh in an explosion. I'm more machine than beast on the outside now. You can't control my flesh because I have none. I just played along until I was at point-blank range." She raised her fists and said, "My name is Tryana. It stands for 'Burnt One'. Let me show you how I earned it…by burning you to a crisp."

Cearbhail: Can you believe that Councilor Nrillia is fighting two fights at once? It's almost like she's not really there at all, but controlling all these flesh golems from her safe room in one of the portal jammers. Oops...did I spoil that? Oh well, I'm sure there will be a lot of fighthing to get through. And next chapter, a new character will be joining us. I've mentioned him before, and he'll be back again. Adam...the Champion of Cyrodiil. Yeah...next chapter is his debut. I almost can't wait.