ScarTail: Book Of Apoltis

by Liam R. Woods

In this first book - Some 30 years before the Oblivion Crisis - The young renegade Shadowscale befriends a small imperial child on the run from daedra and an evil wizard. All OCs except for the main character.

6. Cave Of Madness

Meanwhile, deeper in the cave, the two were lost in the darkness. Not knowing where they were going but they were about to get a very strong hint.

Scar-Tail was literally dragging Apoltis by his arm deeper into the cave. Apoltis was struggling against him. He was trying to get him to go back for Ra'tarnik. Scar-Tail wasn't going to go back for him though. No matter how much Apoltis struggled against him.

Scar-Tail was attracted by some dim firelight. He could smell the cooking smell of food as well. Meat on a very strong fire. Either somebody was cooking food or somebody was on fire. He doubted the latter since he heard no screaming.

Apoltis finally yelled out with a hard tug, "We should not have left him out there!"

Scar-Tail turned around and hissed at Apoltis. It was a loud open-mouthed hiss. Just like a snake. His forked tongue writhed about inside his gaping maw and he finally said, "You need to be quiet!"

Apoltis just bellowed out, "Why?"

Scar-Tail stood erect and pointed down the cave to the lit stone and the burning fire beyond. Apoltis looked down at the dirt of the cave floor and then whispered to Scar-Tail, "We should not have left him!"

Scar-Tail did not even look at Apoltis as he scanned the corridor they were in. Trying to see around the well lit corner about twenty feet away from them when he said, "He can take care of himself."

Apoltis just shook his head, "That matters not! He could get hurt or worse!"

Scar-Tail hid his smile from Apoltis as he took a step near the orange fire light. "Well that would be just tragic." His facetious tone went unnoticed by Apoltis.

Buying into what he had said, Apoltis replied with, "Exactly! That is why we need to go back for him!" He was still slightly whispering but it was getting harder to do so. His emotions were welling up inside of him and he felt like they were going to explode out of him. He began walking toward the entrance to the cave but Scar-Tail grabbed a hold of his hood and held him back. It took at least five steps before Apoltis noticed he was not going anywhere! Turning around he asked, "Why are you stopping me? Do you hate him that much?"

Scar-Tail just sneered and made a long drawn-out hiss through his teeth. "Not as much as I would hate something happening to you."

Apoltis cared about both Scar-Tail and Ra'tarnik. He could not just leave him to die. He had just left his mother to die and he was not going to do that to Ra'tarnik. He was going to go back to the entrance of the cave and find him. No matter what the costs. Locking his small feet in place he said, "I am going to go back for him. If you do not want anything to happen to me then come with me. Or keep going towards that fire light. Either way, I am not going to leave him to die like I did my mother!" His eyes grew heavy with tears and his emotions were swelling up even more inside of him. Scar-Tail saw this and from what Apoltis had just said, now understanding his drive for Ra'tarnik.

Bending down to one knee to face him, Scar-Tail held Apoltis by the shoulders. He then said, "Look kid, it was not your fault that your mother died. People die. It is the way of things. I understand that you are hurting inside but getting yourself killed really is not going to help anybody." Scar-Tail gripped the small boy's shoulders tightly and then choked out, "Including me."

Again, Scar-Tail's emotions were coming through. He cared about the boy. He was not going to risk the child's life for the sake of one khajiit. He would not sacrifice him for any of the khajiits in all of Tamriel. He was not going to let Apoltis go at all. If he could not talk the boy down from going, then he would have to knock him unconscious. It sickened him to his very core to even think about hitting him but if he had to, he would lay him out flat on the ground and carry him the rest of the way. All the way to another exit out of the cave. He certainly was not going to try his luck with an unconscious child on his back and against two monsters that seemed to be masters of the elements.

Apoltis thought about his words but he did not have to think about them for too long because both of them heard a noise in the darkness behind them. Scar-Tail had one of his short swords pulled and in the other arm he grabbed Apoltis. He held onto him tightly and pushed him behind his back. He held his sword and waited for another noise.

A soft shambling. The weird part was that it sounded above him. He looked upwards and there, in the darkness of the stone ceiling of the cave, were two green, emerald, jewel-like sparks. As if two emerald stones had been up there always and the two had just missed them. They shined down and suddenly the two heard a growl from in the darkness.

The small imperial hands of Apoltis grabbed a hold of Scar-Tail's clothing for some sort of protection. He was deathly afraid of whatever was making that shine. Scar-Tail even was a little shaken by what the glints in the darkness meant. Again, a deep bellow came from its direction and whatever manor of beast it was, it sounded powerful.

Suddenly, a voice came from the darkness along with a good look at the creature with the green glowing eyes! "Darkness to me is as clear as daylight!"

Apoltis yelled out in surprised delight, "Ra'tarnik!"

Ra'tarnik jumped off of a small stoop that was hidden by the darkness and his eyes returned to normal no longer having that cat-like glint to them. His fur was a bit dirty but looked no worse for wear.

Apoltis came out from behind Scar-Tail and hugged Ra'tarnik hard. Ra'tarnik actually had to take a step back from the boy pouncing on him and he said in reaction, "Whoa! Take it easy there champion!"

Apoltis looked up at him and said, "I was going to come back for you!"

A feline-like grin stretched across his face with the small boy still wrapped around his waist. He made a slight purring noise as he then said, "Well, I am glad you did not."

Confused, Apoltis looked up at Ra'tarnik with a perplexed look on his face. He then asked, "Why?"

Patting the kid on the back like one of his own cubs, Ra'tarnik said, "Because you would have been in harm's way. That is no way for you. Stay with your uncle."

Apoltis slowly turned his head to look at Scar-Tail while the argonian assassin was staring a hole right through the strong cat person. Finally he let go of Ratarnik and walked over to Scar-Tail's side with Scar-Tail finally speaking up having not one kind thing to say to the warrior khajiit. "It took you long enough to catch up."

A sly smile from Ra'tarnik walking towards Scar-Tail, "I did not see you sticking around to prove yourself superior." He walked past the two and once again Scar-Tail found himself restraining his sword hand from striking down the khajiit. He figured he should. It would save him a lot of trouble later but this time he was abruptly brought back to his senses by Apoltis quickly coming into view behind the khajiit telling him to follow them.

Quickly calming down, Scar-Tail retracted his sword back into its sheath and began to walk in their direction. His eyes being pools of rage. His teeth almost taking a mind of their own wanting to plunge themselves deep into Ra'tarnik's throat. Not because he was hungry or it was a fighting style he had been taught. No. Just because he was malicious by nature. Some of it was his training but most of it was his need to eviscerate Ra'tarnik in the most brutally way possible. How he hoped there were decomposing dead creatures ahead. Oh what he could do to his nemesis with a good, thin, sharp, rotten bone. Or just a little bit of cold, thick blood mixed with a pinch of dirt. Scar-Tail's mind began to race with possibilities of what he could do and his hopes were now starting to change. He started to hope that there was at least one dead animal down in this cave. Just a dead rat would do nicely. Maybe a horse abandon by its owner and left to starve in the cave. Even better…

The two ahead of Scar-Tail stopped abruptly and were staring off into a natural cave formed room. Scar-Tail's hands quickly grabbed his two short-sword hilts but then he got an eye full of what the two were staring at.

The three were gazing at a whole suburb underground. The large number of torches lit-up the large cavern that contained three story wooden huts. Most of the structures had these stairs that traveled upward like strange stalagmites. At each section of the stairs were three, small, square living quarters no bigger then a small town shop. They each had a small, square hole in them acting as windows to the outside. They had light in them as well.

Ra'tarnik and Scar-Tail both could smell the cooking meat as well and both of them were fighting not to be lost in the aroma of the delicious fragrance. Both of them being beast people and both of them being taught to obey their instincts. It was hard for the both of them not to lose themselves in the provocative smell of burning food. Especially burning flesh!

Apoltis was in front of the two and even his mouth began to water at the tasty aroma which filled the cave. It had not been that long since he had ate but that did not mean he did not have a nose for cooking. It was all over and becoming increasingly more succulent to smell.

The three began to walk towards the smell but only Scar-Tail was still aware of Apoltis and held onto his shoulders. He slowed down the advancing child while Ra'tarnik walked ahead about a couple of steps letting his cat-like nose sniff at the air pointed towards the ceiling. His tongue washing his nose and upper lip in a hungry display.

Suddenly, the three heard a voice that Ra'tarnik knew all too well. It had a thick accent to it, sounding like a mad imperial man. Ra'tarnik knew it was not that though. Knowing exactly who it was. "The food is free. Your presence is not."

The three spun around with Scar-Tail having his free arm wrap around Apoltis while the other had a short-sword at the ready. Ra'tarnik had both of his war-axes ready at the hip with a wide stance ready to dive into the first part of the daedra lord that seemed to be befitting of his steel.

Problem was, was that a daedra lord no matter how much power they had, could not enter the living world in a physical form. They either had to influence a mortal to carry some of their power and be willingly possessed or have a mortal do some outlandish deed for their power to have any kind of effect in the mortal world. They could not make direct contact. They could only influence mortals.

That was why all they were looking at was a stone statue of the daedra princess's face. It had a slight beard and mustache combination with his mouth wide open. He had narrow eyes and a predominant forehead. It was scattered with wrinkles and his eyes were featureless. (at least, on the statue.) He had average hair that came down to the mid-point of his neck.

Ra'tarnik could not help himself but to say, "Well, you are an ugly thing, aren't you?"

Sheogorath's voice yelled out a bit, "Oh yes Ra'tarnik, make jokes against a daedra prince! That is mad even for me! Maybe that is why I like you!"

Scar-Tail was confused at how calm Ra'tarnik could be at this point in time. They were talking to a man-sized stone statue of a person's head. Not a person - a daedra prince! Scar-Tail tried not to admit the existence of such powerful beings, outside of Sithis, but now that he was staring one down, he could not help but be a little taken back and have a feeling creep up on him with the strength of twelve stampeding horses. 'Run! Take Apoltis and run!'

Ra'tarnik continued his awkward conversation with the stone head. "Like me? And here I thought you hated me? I mean, I would hate me if I had spoiled my fun in Border Watch."

They heard a booming laugh come from the statue. It literality shook the cave and small fragments of rock came down from the cave ceiling and even some of the torches fires went out! "Hate? No Ra'tarnik! Such a confused mortal you are! You did not ruin my fun in Border Watch. You created it!"

Ra'tarnik's eyes now scoured the cave with confusion. He did not understand the daedric overlord. He did nothing to perpetuate the sadistic glee of this mad entity. Although, he was getting a keener idea as to why this particular daedra was named the Prince of Madness.

Sheogorath decided to clear the matter up a bit. "Border Watch was such a dull place. Bunch of kitties all worried about their cheese. They do not even use it to catch mice! Not very cat-like, is it?"

Apoltis had had enough! He stepped forward from Scar-Tail's grip and yelled out, "They are good people! Just trying to go about with their good lives!"

Scar-Tail pulled him back and got a tighter hold on him this time. He would make sure not to let go again.

If Sheogorath could shake his head right now, he would have. "Little do you know of me child. Such insolence towards a daedra prince as well! Apparently you know little of manors." Then Sheogorath thought about that for a moment and then said the following, "I like that. Your parents should be proud."

Apoltis eyes were stretched with anger. "I know manors all too well, daedra. Using manors requires respect and you deserve none from me."

Scar-Tail again having to hold Apoltis back with his arm. The boy was so full of life and vigor that the trained shadowscale wondered if he could manage to hold the child back for another five minutes or so. What Scar-Tail didn't realize was that there was another power at work making the boy stronger. A power that none of them could pick up on. Even Sheogorath.

Sheogorath then seemed to turn his attention to the argonian in the cave. "And who is this with you Ra'tarnik? The brat's wet nurse?"

Scar-Tail's grip on his short-sword tightened. He then hissed out against the stone statue, "Yes I am. And I am very, very good at my job."

Sheogorath let out this grizzly chuckle and said, "Are you now? Mind if I put that to the test."

The statue head began to shake suddenly and Scar-Tail and Ra'tarnik both backed away with Apoltis still in the argonian's clutches. The head's mouth began to open showing a purple glow inside the stone. It swirled about like churning water and as the statue opened, more of that purple glow shinning through. Scar-Tail held onto Apoltis tightly and Ra'tarnik readied himself with his two war-axes for anything that might charge out of the swirling vortex of purple illumination.

Nothing charged out of the vortex but something did indeed come out of it. At first, both warriors were ready to pounce but they stayed themselves at the mere sight of the exiting being.

It was a woman. Not just any woman either. She seemed to be a beautiful elf. She seemed to be a mixture of high elf and wood elf. Both of them knew though that she was probably neither. They knew she was probably a deadra. She was dressed in this golden armor that was scaled like a Daedroth's hide. She was tall and armed with a sword and shield.

Two more like her stepped out and joined a formation right behind the first. Then another two and more came from the other side until there were a total of nine of the well armed, well armored daedra standing before them.

Scar-Tail looked over at Ra'tarnik and said, "I have faced down many fighters, assassins, and monsters in my day. I think this is a first that I have ever faced down nine woman and been nervous about it."

Ra'tarnik just gave him a growl and said in response, "Not me."

Scar-Tail just looked over at him and said, "Let me guess, you weren't battling them."

Ra'tarnik's feline eyes glided upward thinking about what to say and replied, "Not those ones, no."

Again, Scar-Tail had to give him a quick glance.

Apoltis looked into the eyes of these deadra and wondered if they could be reasoned with. He wondered if there was any shred of humanity in them. He tried to convince himself that behind those golden-colored eyes of anger that there may be some kind of good. He decided to act on his suspicions. Picking at his clothes like an anxious child would, he finally spoke, "I know you follow Sheogorath and that you are at his beckon call."

Scar-Tail did not take his eyes off the golden-armored warrior women but he did think to himself about how much of a mistake Apoltis was making.

Unaware of Scar-Tail's thoughts, he went on, "I believe that there is some good in you. Please, let us talk about this. Either outside these cave walls or in some other, more pleasant part of the cave."

The golden saint in front of the other eight, wielding the golden long sword, did not take her glair away from the boy and just tightened the grip on her sword more. Her eyes burned with anger. A hidden anger. As if she was mad at the boy for just being there period. The other golden saints around her had an identical look as they too were transfixed on the small child.

Thick, cat-like claws dug at the hilts of Ra'tarnik's war axes as he became more and more uneasy with the looks the warrior women were giving the small lad. He spun the two axes in his hands and then said, "Or - we can settle this in a more productive fashion. One that will not only appease your ignorant master but also give me quite the thrill."

The golden saints suddenly attacked having vile words about their master irresponsibly flung about. It had hit home with the saints and now they were on the attack against the two mortal combatants.

Reptilian scales spun like a whirlwind as Scar-Tail blocked an oncoming golden blade aimed directly at Apoltis. He then tapped the blade with his short sword and drove his blade right into the throat of the golden saint. He reminded himself to be mad at Ra'tarnik later for putting Apoltis in harms way.

Right now though, he was focused on the wounded saint. She dropped to the ground to her knees and Scar-Tail quickly pulled his sword from the throat of the dead daedra. She dropped face first to the ground and then her entire body faded away. Scar-Tail was at a loss for action until he dodged two golden arrows that nearly caught him in the shoulder keeping his death grip on Apoltis. Keeping him from harm.

Meanwhile, Ratarnik was already dealing with five saints. He had dealt with highly trained fighters before but the way they moved and how fast they were was unimaginable. He was having the time of his life too as he blocked incoming arrows and dodged around the five saints like a cat zipping underneath a table after a mouse. He wound up behind one of them near the open mouth of Sheogorath and drove the bladed-edge of one of his axes right into the ribs of the woman and then slashed at the back of her neck with his free ax. Her head spun off like a twisting stone caught in a strong wind and both her body and head fell to the cave floor. Both of them fading away in mere moments.

Ra'tarnik made a slight crazed snicker and focused on the other four sending one of his war axes right into the head of one of the saints. It flew from his hand twisting through the air right towards its intended target. It smacked right into the brain base and a spurt of blood came from the saint's forehead. She dropped like a rock with the war ax still sticking out of her cranium. She then disappeared and the ax hit the ground with a chink echoing throughout the cave. A strange sound of victory.

Ra'tarnik rushed to grab it and as he did, he was attacked by the three remaining saints. One slammed her sword on the ground trying to lob off the cat man's head. Another, had two daggers and sent them right for the rock floor nearly planting them deep in the spine of the fast moving, combat educated khajiit.

He missed them both with execution of some great skill and movement that he believed that only a khajiit could pull off. He came up with both of his axes but one of the golden saints was ready with a war ax all her own, blocking the move.

Apoltis was still being held onto by Scar-Tail as the argonian had him hidden behind a rock wall along with himself. The golden arrows bounced off the side of the wall as all Scar-Tail thought about was keeping the boy safe. His silver short-sword was at the ready and all he could do was look around the corner of the wall as another arrow was sent his way. It bounced off the wall though and missed him. He slide back behind cover as Apoltis was looking at Ra'tarnik from behind cover. He watched the cat person move with the fluidity of water and the grace of a dancer. He could not believe that a person as big as Ra'tarnik could move with such grace and not only that, but in the armor he had on.

Apoltis pulled at the grip of Scar-Tail and Scar-Tail grunted a bit, "What? What are you trying to do? They wish not to speak to you, unless they get to cut your tongue from your head afterwards."

"We have to help him." Apoltis whined out.

"Like Oblivion we do!" Scar-Tail growled out.

"He is our friend, uncle!"

Scar-Tail tried to figure out if Apoltis was still acting or if he was starting to believe that Scar-Tail was actually becoming family to him. He could not think about that now. "He is your friend," Scar-Tail said, "not mine. Especially since he is the cause of all this!"

Apoltis grunted at Scar-Tail, "You are right, he is my friend. Let me go!" He struggled against Scar-Tail's tight grip but the well-trained argonian assassin was too much for his tiny body to fight.

Holding back Apoltis, Scar-Tail thought about actually helping the battle hardened khajiit. Sure, Scar-Tail figured he was some kind of gold hunting killer, probably wanting some of Scar-Tail's blood, and he was the most annoying khajiit he had ever ran into. One thing above all this though, stuck out in his mind though. He was indeed Apoltis's friend, whether he wanted to admit it or not. He cursed himself more times then he should of and finally let go of Apoltis.

He held onto the boy's shoulders and knelt down in front of him. He winced as he stared at the boy's eyes and heard two more golden arrows hit the wall. He spoke softly to the child, "You do not move from this spot. Okay? Don't you move."

Apoltis knew what he was about to do. He looked at the scaled hands of Scar-Tail as they gripped his shoulders. He looked at them in a whole new light. The dark yellow scales with black-faded claws. Even though they still had that predatorily look that Apoltis feared, he now saw them in a whole new way. He looked at them with care and respect.

Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around the argonian assassin's neck and gave him a tight hug. Scar-Tail eyes grew wide with shock and his hands still gripped on shoulders that were no longer there. He was frozen as he felt the tight hug from the boy. A slight hiss came from Scar-Tail. One that had not escaped the argonian's lips in a long time. One of the joy of being held by a loved one. Scar-Tail had not felt actual love since his time with the royal court of Argonia, training as a shadowscale. His arms slightly bent towards the boy's back and he was going to return the embrace. His reptilian eyes forming tears just like back at the tree outside the cave. He closed his eyes and let two of the tear droplets slide down his face and roll down to his chin.

He stopped himself from hugging the boy back though and just held him by the shoulders again, pulling him away from him. Apoltis was a bit confused but he swallowed and nodded his head. Scar-Tail patted him on the head and revealed both his silver short-swords.

Dodging out of cover, he walked with purpose towards the golden suited archer. The archer pulled back on the bow and adjusted her vision. She let one of her arrows fly but it was smacked out of the air by Scar-Tail's sword. The arrow was cut in half and the two pieces fell on the ground in shambled bits.

Slipping to his left, he went for a lunge for the archer and drove his sword right into the ribs of the female rogue. She tilted her head back to let out a gasp but Scar-Tail had already cut her throat with his free sword.

Blood escaped the wound like pouring water and she fell to the ground dead. Not before Scar-Tail ripped the sword from her ribs though and with it, the only thing holding him back from aiding Ra'tarnik. Her body disappearing as Scar-Tail rushed to Ra'tarnik's side.

Ra'tarnik was still fighting off four of the golden saints as Scar-Tail joined the fray with a silent and deadly maneuver. He spun on the ground with his two swords trying to lob off the feet of one of the saints. She jumped barely hearing the silent, quick assassin.

She turned and sliced at him with her golden sword. He rolled forward and jumped up right next to Ra'tarnik who was having a one-on-one battle with the saint holding the war ax.

Turning his head, Ra'tarnik growled at Scar-Tail, "What are you doing?"

Scar-Tail blocked an incoming blow from one of the saints and replied, "What does it look I'm doing, fleabag? I'm saving your sorry, tick infested, furry hide!"

"And what in Tameriel makes you think I need saving?"

The saint Scar-Tail was fighting slashed her sword out of place of the argonian's two blocking swords, she tried for another swing as Scar-Tail said, "Not me!"

Ra'tarnik blocked two shots from the saint he was fighting and took three swings of his own as he now knew who Scar-Tail was referring to. He smiled on of his toothy grins and said, "That must eat away at you that he cares about me."

Scar-Tail jumped back and threw one of his daggers right at the saint with the sword. The dagger sunk deep into her chest of the golden-armored girl and she dropped to her knees dropping her sword to the ground. She then disappeared from existence along with her sword. The dagger fell to the ground and was clean as if Scar-Tail had just launched it at air.

Reptilian eyes looked at Ra'tarnik with hatred and said, "You have no idea!"

From behind cover, Apoltis watched the two fight with a grace that he did not know that the two warriors could have. He slightly smiled to himself and said silently to himself, "I knew those two were knights!"

An arm slithered around Apoltis's stomach and he felt a tight grip suddenly around his waist as he was hauled into the air. He struggled a bit and tried to call out for Scar-Tail until a hand gripped his mouth to keep him silent. It was one of the worshippers of Sheogorath. He had the boy in a tight grip and started to drag him over to the stone statue of Sheogorath. There was only one of him since all the others had either left or had commited sucide to appeases their daedric overlord.

The statue had its mouth open and the purple light began to swirl inside the mouth of the stone face. Apoltis tried again to struggle out of his captors grip but it was no use. He watched the statue get closer as the light inside began to swirl larger. It covered the entire mouth in time and it was big enough for Apoltis to fit through. That was what he was scarred of and that was what the worshipper was planning.

He situated the boy with his head pointed right for the swirling vortex of purple light. Apoltis shook his head and with scarred eyes he bit the worshipper's hand. The worshipper took his hand away from Apoltis's mouth but still had him captive. Apoltis screamed out, "Scar!"

Scar-Tail let out this loud hiss as he heard the fear-ridden voice of Apoltis. He sliced off the hand of a golden saint and flung her to the ground easily making her body disappear. He looked over where Apoltis was captured and ran right for the worshipper with both of his swords out and ready for the acolyte's blood. His two arms outstretched like a bird of prey flying through the air at its next meal.

Maine covered ears twitched and Ra'tarnik looked over as well and saw Apoltis's predicament. He could not leave the heat of battle as he was in a struggle with two golden saints at once now. He just hoped the argonian could save the kid.

Swinging back one of his swords, Scar-Tail swung for the acolyte and hit home cutting a large gash right in the back of the worshipper. He fell to the ground but not before he had chucked Apoltis through the swirling vortex of purple light.

Scar-Tail came to an abrupt halt in front of the spiraling gateway and yelled out, "Boy? Come on kid, say something!" After a few second of silence from the vortex, the wounded worshipper on the ground started this maniacal laughing, and Ra'tarnik finished off one of the two golden saints as Scar-Tail yelled at the stone gateway, "Apoltis!"

Nothing. He was gone. Trapped inside the plane of madness. Alone in that demented daedra lord's world. Scar-Tail curled his lips back showing his teeth as he opened his mouth and let out this loud, blood curdling, raspy roar. Sheathing one of his short-swords, he swung his head downward at the acolyte and grabbed him by his dirty tunic and hauled him up by it. He brought the worshipper right to his face and locked his eyes on his.

Those reptilian eyes stared a hole right into the evil monk. The random worshipper shook with fear as he stared directly into the eyes of the dangerous argonian. His two fins on his head looking like horns. His slit eyes held a fury that Scar-Tail had never felt before and he knew exactly how to take it out.

Tilting his head a bit, Scar-Tail saw that Ra'tarnik was still locked in combat with one golden saint. He figured he had a little time. Tilting his head back he heard the voice of the worshipper start to speak, "Sheogorath demeaned it! You can not…"

Not even letting him finish, Scar-Tail ran one of his short-swords right through the side abdomen of the monk and heard him let out this thin, raspy cry. It reminded him of when he had seen younger argonian's die on the battlefield. Unlike before though, it was satisfying to him. He knew it was not enough to kill the worshipper, just to get him to talk. Then he would kill him.

The random monk grabbed Scar-Tail's shoulders and a slight bit of red blood flowed from his weak lips. He shook on the sword's blade and the color in his skin seemed to fade away. He looked back up at Scar-Tail and tried to talk but Scar-Tail just turned the blade ever so slightly and it made the monk shake more and kept him quiet.

"If it's not about where the kid went, I care none for it." Scar-Tail said almost innocently. He tilted his head a bit as the worshipper let out this soft cry looking down at the blade stuck in his anatomy. "Where is he?" The sadistic, scaled assassin asked.

The monk struggled against the pain of the sword to speak but all he could do was let out these half words. Not making sense to Scar-Tail. Again he tilted the sword just a bit. Not even turning his wrist a fraction of a rat's hair and it made the monk quiver with pain. Scar-Tail then hissed out, "You won't live long. Answer my question and I will relive your suffering."

Tilting his head back, the worshipper let out this agonizing gurgle and then floated his head back down and struggled to say, "The Shivering Isles."

Scar-Tail looked at the ground and thought about where in Tameriel that was. He then put a bit of pressure on the hilt of the sword causing the random monk to squeal out in extraordinary pain. Scar-Tail then asked, "Where are these Shivering Isles?"

Weakly, the monk raised his hand and pointed to the spinning purple vortex that was still in the mouth of the stone statue. Scar-Tail turned his head slowly and looked at the vortex. He then looked back at the monk and twisted the sword more then he had before, turning it almost at a 90 degree angle.

Flinging back his head in agony, the monk screamed out in pain and yelled out through gritted teeth, "I though you were going to let me go?"

Gently, Scar-Tail let go of the monk's tunic and grasped the hilt of his sword with both hands and then said, "I did not say anything about letting you go. Just that I would relieve you of your suffering and so I shall." With that, the skilled argonian assassin; trained in the art of murder and torture, sliced the worshipper's entire body right open spilling his guts on the stone floor.

The monk let out these muffled gasps of air and fell to his knees holding onto what was left of his innards and then onto the ground, face first in a pool of his own blood.

Scar-Tail swallowed hard and a slight smirk crossed his face. He looked over at the purple swirling vortex inside the stone Sheogorath's mouth and said to it, "I am coming for you Apoltis!"

Slamming his ax down on the last golden saint's head and beating the last one, Ra'tarnik looked over at Scar-Tail and saw him disembowel the random monk. He removed his ax from the saint's head and walked over to Scar-Tail and saw him staring at the swirling vortex. He then asked, "Was that really necessary?"

Scar-Tail did not even hesitate bringing both of his short-swords out and attacking Ra'tarnik. Ra'tarnik acted accordingly and defended himself. Both of them fighting with each other. Both blocking combinations from each, Scar-Tail being the aggressor until both came to the edge of a cave wall with Scar-Tail holding back Ra'tarnik from slicing off his arms and Ra'tarnik keeping both silver swords away from his neck. Locked in a deathly stalemate.

With anger and hate in his voice, Scar-Tail said to Ra'tarnik, "You might not care what happens to that kid but I do! Gutting that pathetic imperial was the best way to get any answers out of him!"

Ra'tarnik responded, "You Brotherhood monsters! You think gutting someone is the answer to everything!"

"Do not act so high and mighty in front of me! Your blood thirst rivals even my own. Admit it kitty, your claws have sunken into more flesh then mine."

With a grunt, Ra'tarnik said, "I highly doubt it! If you don't let me go, your scales will know the touch of my claws, axes, and teeth!"

Scar-Tail alleviated some of the force and Ra'tarnik did the same. Neither one though letting either out of their predicament. Scar-Tail then said, "We will finish this later. Right now, all I care about is the safety of that kid. Nothing else matters." More pressure was released and Ra'tarnik was a little free to move but he dared not to let his guard down completely as the shadowscale went on. "I have not cared for anybody in a long time. I care about him. If you dare stand in my way, I will cut you down where you stand."

Ra'tarnik was still not sure if the argonian assassin was telling the truth or if he was lying. He just was not sure. His eyes were too hard to read. What he did read though was pain. Whether the shadowscale was telling the truth about caring about the kid or not, one thing Ra'tarnik was sure about, was that the very soul of the argonian was broken. He had nothing left to live for. After studying the argonian, Ra'tarnik finally said, "If you are serious about saving that kid we better get moving."

The silver blades withdrew away from the khajiit's throat and Scar-Tail said solemnly, "Agreed." He let Ra'tarnik go and Ra'tarnik let Scar-Tail walk over to the portal. He was about to go in when he was joined by the warrior khajiit. He looked over and said, "What are you doing?"

Swiftly looking at Scar-Tail, Ra'tarnik said, "You know, I think Sheogorath stole the kid to bring me into his realm, not you."

"He does not know me too well." Scar-Tail said spinning his two swords in his hands.

Ra'tarnik looked at his war axes and said, "He does me. I just hope he also knows that if he has hurts a hair on that kid, I will dissect him limb from limb!"

"If that is the case, you can have what is left of him when I am done. It will not be that much."

The two stood in front of the portal and Scar-Tail was the first one who jumped in followed by Ra'tarnik. Their two bodies disappearing from their own world and traveling to the other. The realm of madness. The Shivering Isles.