(A little longer then I like but still I think it turned out good. Let me know what you think. Also, did I still keep Sheogorath in character? I hope I did. His type of character is awesome to write. Method to his madness archatype.)
Scar-Tail sat straight up from the guarding wall, walking angrily right up to the watch box. He spun his swords back into their sheathes as a group of golden saints and dark seducers came out and began to haul the corpse of the dead daedra from the arena grounds. Pointing up at Sheogorath he demanded, "We past your crazy test, let him go! Now!"
Sheogorath was still standing when he said, "Argonian, you own nothing here and command even less. No mortal, no matter how powerful they are, gives me orders. You will…"
"Forget this!" Scar-Tail said, running up the barricade wall traveling right up into the bleachers of the arena. Unsheathing both swords, he forced most people out of their seats. Some producing their own weapons but gutlessly got out of the way of the rampaging argonian. He sped right up to the watch box looking at Sheogorath with fire in his reptilian eyes. His amber-scaled hands tightly around the hilts of his swords.
Two golden saints behind Sheogorath were ready to fight and die for their lord. The irate beast person not intimidating them one bit.
Quicker than any of them could see, Scar-Tail slammed a silver short-sword down on the cage binding that held Apoltis prisoner thinking it would free Apoltis. The sword's blade bounced back at him and he looked at it in surprised despair.
Sheogorath smirked asking, "What did you expect, argonian? Did you think you could just free him with little to no effort?"
Scar-Tail looking at Apoltis in the cage with sad eyes, "Look, I will make you a deal, daedra. You let the kid go and you can keep the khajiit."
Apoltis yelled out, "No!" He turned to Sheogorath, "Do not do it!"
Bending down to come face-to-face with Apoltis, Scar-Tail asked sympathetically, "Why? If it gets you out, then why would you sacrifice your life for this cat that you do not even know?"
"But I do. He came for me same as you."
"So what? Care for yourself."
"I cannot. That's not what heroes do."
"Do not be a hero. It does not pay off like you have read. You think I am a knight. At one time I was. I served a kingdom and I never refused an order. The one time I did, I was exiled and marked for death. That's what being a hero can get you. Do not be a hero. Care for yourself because no one else will."
"You do."
"That's why I came for you. I used him to save you. And I will do it again if need be."
"It is not. He came for me same as you. Is that not enough reason?"
Scar-Tail looked back down at the arena at Ra'tarnik. He was standing right at the edge of the open gate looking up at the royal box. His eyes filled with concern. He no longer looked like a khajiit warrior but a concerned family member. He was not as agile though as Scar-Tail so he was unable to make it up the wall like the argonian assassin had. However, he was ready for anything and had a plan in mind if Scar-Tail failed.
Sheogorath looked down at the khajiit then back at Scar-Tail. He snapped his fingers and suddenly Scar-Tail's silver short-swords went flying out of his hands planting themselves right next to Ra'tarnik's feet. Ra'tarnik jumped back a bit from the flying blades looking back up at the box with more concern than before.
Next, Scar-Tail was raised in the air with an unseen pressure wrapped around his throat. He struggled as he was hoisted into the air and floated right out of the box hovering right out over the stunned khajiit. Ra'tarnik yelled up, "Hold on Scar! I am going to try to find a way up there!"
A sly smile came over Sheogorath as he said to himself, "Try as you might khajiit, you try in vain. Come save this brat and I will blood soak your mane!"
Kicking and hissing at the deadra lord, Scar-Tail struggled against the force. He choked and gagged but still had the power to speak. It was about all he could do in protest, "I warn you deadra, I have killed more denizens of Oblivion then you could possibly realize!"
Sheogorath snapping a wicked jeer at Scar-Tail, enclosed his hand into a fist right at the troublesome lizard-man. Scar-Tail choked with his eyes rolling into the back of his head as his windpipe was strangled and he could barely get a breath. Sheogorath said in anger, "Mortal, I am no simple denizen of Oblivion! I am Sheogorath, the lord of madness. With my intellect and chaos I have driven whole civilizations to the brink of self extinction! You dare make threats towards me? This is my arena - my people - my world! I control it all! The Shivering Isles is mine! And everything in it bends to my will! Yet, you still threaten me when you have no chance of wining and I could dissect you just as easily as I could think a thought? You dare?"
Scar-Tail struggled to choke out words but he did with an evil snake-like hiss that even Sheogorath was impressed with, "For him," Scar-Tail said, referring to Apoltis, "I would declare war on the Nine Divine themselves!"
Sheogorath got this big, bright smile on his face and clasped his hands together with excitement, "See, now that is what I call mad! You do me proud, argonian. Not only do you challenge me in my own world but you challenge the Nine as well. That is either pure insanity or pure stupidity. Either way, I am proud and honored to have it in my presence!"
Plummeting down, Scar-Tail landed back in the arena next to Ra'tarnik with the khajiit coming to his aid. Scar-Tail thought about shoving him away but he was more concentrated on the pain he had felt from the fall.
He also did not shove him away because Apoltis had struck a cord with him. He saw Ra'tarnik in a new light. He had come through with him to help Apoltis. Even though he could not stand the khajiit, he did realize that Ra'tarnik did care for the boy. He just hoped that if Ra'tarnik was following Apoltis for the reason he believed, that Apoltis would not be effected by it.
Taking a breath, Scar-Tail stood ready with Ra'tarnik for what was going to come out of the darkness now. They both thought they were ready for what laid beyond the darkness. Killing the biggest beast of Oblivion either of them had seen, they felt amply prepared for their next challenge. They were wrong.
A slight tremor came from the dark archway. Looking at each other, the two wondered if the other had felt it.
Another. This one was more noticeable.
A third. The two warriors actually saw the small particles in the dirt move.
The two gripped their weapons as Ra'tarnik was ready with his war axes while Scar-Tail ripped his two swords from the dirt with skill. Their combat trained eyes locked on the darkness deep in the arena's bowels.
Out of the blackness came a being both faltered at. A Dremora of incredible size and power. It's footsteps making the sand in the pit tremble with every impact of its boot. Most likely a Mehrunz Dagon creation. Close to ten feet tall having two daedric claymores on his back. His gauntlets and boots were made of a mesh of armor and chains crafted with metal teeth attached. Sawing and grinding into the large Dremora's flesh. Moving as easily as blinking an eye and as painfully as barbwire being raked across skin. Across his lower back seemed to be a strange daedric weapon. One neither one of the experienced fighters had ever seen before. A double-headed spear with a tip on each end. The heads of the spear had deep serrations in them so big that they seemingly would tear out at least half their internal organs.
Ra'tarnik could not help but comment, "So, that is Big Red."
Sliding his reptilian eyes over at the khajiit warrior with worry Scar-Tail said, "I can see why they call him that."
Red grabbed both hilts of the two claymores with both hands forcing them from his back. Spinning them like normal swords just as easily and efficiently.
Nearly loosing the grip he had on his war axes, Ra'tarnik eased over to Scar-Tail asking, "Tell me argonian, honestly, have you ever seen anybody wield claymores like that?"
Licking his sharp, lizard-like teeth in contemplation Scar-Tail answered, "A claymore, most assuredly. Claymores? That is a bit - daunting."
The Dremora known as Big Red swung his swords in front of him charging right for the two. He came at them like a raging red bear as the two rolled out of the way of the charging daedra. Winding up on opposite sides of the arena, both of them looked at Big Red with determination in their eyes.
Ra'tarnik and Scar-Tail were both on one knee as the two prepared for another attack from the monster-sized assailant. Big Red swung his armored head Scar-Tail's way and came at the argonian like a runaway bull.
Rolling out of the way, Scar-Tail easily avoid the charging daedra but only for a second. Once Big Red had seen one of his claymores had stabbed nothing but air, he swung the other near Scar-Tail causing the agile argonian to pounce back onto his feet. Faster then light, the two claymore blades sliced right in front of Scar-Tail as Big Red started an all-out assault against his picked opponent.
Circling the two combatants, Ra'tarnik eased his way close to try and get a calculated strike on Big Red. His feet slowly and quietly stepping over each other showing the prowess of the khajiit warrior. His feline eyes watching in awe as Big Red overwhelmed the highly trained Dark Brotherhood killer.
Flipping back twice to avoid the slashes, Scar-Tail knew that he could not keep up all this dodging. He had to land a strike. It was not exhaustion that clawed at him but failure. Three more long slashes missed their mark against the argonian. He looked over and saw Ra'tarnik trying to get into a good position as Big Red came at him with a scissor-like attack. The two blades nearly shaving some scales from his hide.
Scar-Tail was quick with his dodge as now he had a plan. If he could keep up for a little while longer, he could get the beast of a Dremora over to Ra'tarnik and the both of them could go at him. He did not blame Ra'tarnik for not going headlong into the monster while he was distracted on him. It would have been suicide. Scar-Tail did not even know if their combined efforts could bring down the ten foot, giant daedra.
Without warning, he watched a quick maneuver from Big Red that he was too confused by to avoid. Big Red swung his swords and came at the argonian with the bottom of the hilts. Sending the right hilt at Scar-Tail quickly with three misses while a fourth came from the left, sending the left hilt into the side of the skilled argonian's head. Scar-Tail's head bounced off the guarding wall from the force of the impact and he was down on the ground unconscious.
Spinning the large claymore in his left hand, Big Red was about to burry the blade into the body of the lizard man when Ra'tarnik got his attention. He yelled out at Big Red and using one of his war-axes like a scoop, he scooped up a pile of sand in the arena and threw it at Big Red's head.
The sand splashed on the red armor of Big Red and he just slowly looked at Ra'tarnik with one of his claymores still held high. He lowered it slowly with a deep growl that blasted steam or fog from his helmet as Big Red began to stomp towards the khajiit warrior.
Looking around frantically, Ra'tarnik wondered if he should have gotten the beastly daedra's attention at all. He spun his two war axes, saying to himself, "You owe me for this one, lizard."
Big Red brought down one of his claymores right for Ra'tarnik, the big blade slamming into the dirt like a hammer. Even though Ra'tarnik was not as agile as Scar-Tail, he was still skilled in combat and knew how to dodge.
Recovering quickly, he had not a split-second to loose as Big Red slashed at him with both claymores. Bringing them down with Ra'tarnik throwing up his two war axes to block the incoming blades. The large weapons hit the war-axes knocking Ra'tarnik to the ground with force. A small cut went across Ra'tarnik nose as he wiggled it from pain. Blood coming from the wound; a small price to pay for keeping his face.
Apoltis looking on with his fists tight around the bars. Worrying for Ra'tarnik but also worried about Scar-Tail. He was still out and Apoltis could not help but think he might be dead. He gripped the bars of his cage with concern and thought about asking Sheogorath if he was alright. He knew better then that. He would just watch on and pray that Scar-Tail was still okay. "Akatosh, please let him be okay!"
Backing off from the large champion, Ra'tarnik still had blood continuing to ooze from his wound. His cat-like eyes full of rage. He raked his tongue across his face and licked the blood from his gash. It put him in the perfect mind set as that sickly-sweet taste of blood entered his mouth. He licked some more and enjoyed the taste of it. He was getting hungry for blood now.
That did not matter though as Big Red extended his arms out as far as they would go on either side spinning his entire body like a tornado.
Ra'tarnik ran at Big Red while the champion spun a few times with the khajiit brute going under the spinning blades, sending one of his axes right into the side ribs of Big Red. The force was so great though that Ra'tarnik went along for the ride being pulled by the force, sending him off into the dust of the arena near the huge archway.
The champion stopped and came after the infuriated khajiit. Ra'tarnik had not lost his adrenalin as he roared out against the incoming Big Red. He charged at the big Dremora hell-bound to cause some kind of lasting damage. Raising his axes, slamming them down into the cuirass of Big Red, trying to plant them in his chest but all they did was chink off his daedra armor.
Big Red raised one of his claymores over his head and sent it careening down towards Ra'tarnik hoping to slice him in half. Quickly, Ra'tarnik brought up his axes in an X blocking form and the claymore sloppily sliced off of them. It brought the mortal warrior down to one knee as the force was too great. The large blade came down again and again, Ra'tarnik doing his best to block them. His adrenalin was fading away fast. Again, the blade sloppily came off the war axes and Ra'tarnik began breathing heavy being beaten down by the force of the weapon. Three more times the champion slammed his giant sword down on the beaten khajiit until Ra'tarnik was unable to hold his weight dropping down to both knees. The two war axes finally breaking into pieces from the final slam, laying on the ground in dismantled, wooden, steel bits.
On his knees, Ra'tarnik was nearly broken himself. Big Red had not only broken his weapons, his spirit, but had broken him out of his blood rage faster than anybody had ever done in his life. Blood still dripping from his wound on his nose as he lay on the ground a broken man.
Raising his blade one more time, Big Red made a slight grunt right in the khajiit's face. He was going to cut him right in two. Ra'tarnik nearly about to collapse, too exhausted to defended himself anymore.
Just then, a silver blade chinked off of Big Red's armor. Big Red looked down seeing a silver short sword. Looking back up he saw Scar-Tail barely conscious but still in the fight. He swung for the argonian's head but missed as Scar-Tail slung his remaining sword at the armor on Big Red. The silver blade bounced off the armor, landing in the dirt as Ra'tarnik got off his knees and barely got away from the fighting pair.
Scar-Tail backed off from the monster weaponless joining Ra'tarnik, away from Big Red. He looked over at Ra'tarnik and asked, "What happen while I was out?"
Making a gruff sound, Ra'tarnik simply said, "He made short work of my axes."
Barely being able to stand and staring at the beast with a forlorn look to his eyes, Scar-Tail then asked, "You got a plan?"
Ra'tarnik just breathed out a huff of apathy answering, "Nope. You?"
"Not a one."
Big Red spun the claymores in his hands and began stomping towards the two. They watched each foot trample the dirt and shake the ground. Both of them not knowing what to do.
Looking over at the killer argonian, Ra'tarnik said, "You know, the bigger they are the harder they fall."
"What? Is that words of encouragement?"
"Yes. Did they work?"
"No!"
"It sounded better in my head."
"The next time you want to say something your thinking - don't."
Suddenly, one of Big Red's daedric claymores nearly cut one of the men straight in half. Both of them got out of the way just in time. The two of them ending up on either side of the champion. The two warriors looking at each other with shock. Neither one expecting that they would have made it away from the big behemoth.
Looking at both of them, Big Red spun the claymore that had missed and picked a target. He turned towards Ra'tarnik and began to march towards him. All the khajiit fighter could do was run from the giant mega Dremora.
Scar-Tail watched in curiousness as he saw that giant spear still on the lower back of Big Red. Looking at the giant spear now as it was their only salvation.
He began to head towards Big Red, yelling out towards Ra'tarnik, "Keep him busy."
Ra'tarnik rolled away from a claymore strike and back up onto his feet. "Yeah, that will be easy." Sarcasm was Ra'tarnik's only weapon left.
Slipping around like a legged snake, Scar-Tail was going to try and get in behind the big daedra. He began to head for the large beast and suddenly his body slipped out of sight. Scar-Tail had disappeared completely which brought everyone off their feet in the seats around the arena. Even Sheogorath was off his throne. It took him a minute but then he saw the footprints in the dirt heading for his champion. He smiled to himself and sat back down.
Still being unseen, Scar-Tail moved silently with his shadowscale power and hoped that it would last long enough. Reaching up and grabbing the double-headed spear, it came off of the daedra's back rather easily but gravity took hold and he dropped it right to the ground. Big Red had not seen nor heard any of this all the while Ra'tarnik was keeping him busy.
Not seeing Scar-Tail, Ra'tarnik at least saw the spear fall off of Big Red's back and knew now what the slippery assassin was up to. He tried not to be too surprised by it as he still fended off the champion.
Struggling to lift the huge weapon, the invisible Scar-Tail dragged it across the ground as he tried to get the head in front of him up. He raised half the spear but didn't know how he was going to lure the large, red-armored, humanoid over to him.
Pulling as hard as he could, the spear felt like it weighed almost more than a mammoth. Maybe more as Scar-Tail struggled with the large weapon. The spear being more like a harpoon for a small ballista. The other end of the spear dragging across the ground like the tail of a wounded animal.
One of Big Red's claymores hit the dirt like a hammer as Ra'tarnik avoided another shot. The khajiit warrior was in bad shape even though he was well trained through raw experience, his mental state was abysmal and his muscles were burning with pain. He kept going strong but his heart hammered his chest and his arms and legs trembled with exhaustion. He didn't know how much longer he could keep up dodging the monster's vicious and ongoing attacks. Ra'tarnik's breaths were coming out at long gasps and his hair and fur were getting soaked in sweat. His vision was getting blurry with strain as he saw Scar-Tail's form coming back into sight.
The handle of the spear suddenly had scaly hands wrapped around it as Scar-Tail's body was coming back. He looked down and saw his hands forming back and thought to himself, 'Oh-no! Not now, damn it! Not now!'
The spear slipped and nearly hit the ground as the argonian struggled with the large weapon to keep it up at chest level. His muscles flexing and straining against the heft of the long and heavy spear.
A chunk of wall exploded outward as a swipe from the claymore missed Ra'tarnik. Swinging his body away from the long, heavy, red blade, Ra'tarnik nearly tripped on his own two feet in utter fatigue. The twin claymore sliced through the air upwards and this one's point caused some damage ripping a long gash right in Ra'tarnik stomach and chest. His cuirass was split wide open with blood beginning to drip from the cracked metal.
He fell to the ground with the long, red slash bolting upwards, slicing through his ribs and along the side of his left pectoral muscle. His steel armor split like a clamshell. Still attached to his chest but just barely.
He rolled out of the way as the two claymores both came after him in his time of weakness. He got back up to his feet as now he had a gash on his nose and a large slash down his mid-body. Blood beginning to leak out of the cracked armor dripping onto the ground as Big Red smelled blood.
He swung the large claymores in front of him after Ra'tarnik. Ra'tarnik looking over seeing that Scar-Tail's body was now fully visible and made a sigh of distress as he looked back at the spinning blades of doom. There was nowhere to run. He was tired and out of breath wondering if fighting anymore was even an option. He could keep running and he hated that he had no options left. He was sick of running. He wanted to start fighting back.
He scooped up some sand from the arena ground and threw it at the Dremora but the sand was mostly whipped away from the giant daedra's claymore blades. Ra'tarnik just made a sound of disgust not being able to fight back. He looked over again at Scar-Tail and wondered if he was ever going to get that spear to a useful position or even use it. He looked back at Big Red. This was it for him. He didn't want to accept it but the fight was over. He couldn't get away. He wanted to go out fight though. Throwing more sand, it just got flung away from the gigantic, armored warrior. He wished he could find a rock or something. Something that would at least make a dent, a scratch, maybe cause a ripple of effect to the large, seemingly indestructible tyrant.
Another look over at Scar-Tail to see if the argonian had made progress and that was when he saw that all of his head turning had now attracted the attention of Big Red. The champion stopped spinning his claymores and looked over at Scar-Tail. A blast of steam came from his helmet in rage. Now knowing the slippery assassin had stolen his spear and it made him aggravated.
Ra'tarnik closed his eyes in defeat now knowing his mistake. He had focused too much on what his reluctant partner was doing that the enemy now knew as well. He was more disappointed in himself than anything. He had not fought with a companion in a long time. For more then a couple of years. Most of what he had learned had gone away and now him and Scar-Tail were going to pay for it.
Nearly dropping the heavy weapon, Scar-Tail was bent over lifting the weapon, watching Big Red coming his way. He let out a sigh as he struggled to lift the weapon. He just wasn't strong enough. He was not going to give up though. For Apoltis, he would rip his own arms off for the boy. Struggling with all of his might and grinding his small, sharp teeth together, he pulled at the spear.
Hating the weapon, trying to get the head of the spear to chest height. Struggling, torturing himself. The pain in his arms was nauseating. The pain in his calves ran though his legs like venom from a snake bite. His chest burned with the air he was sucking in to get enough strength just to raise the spear up and plant it deep in Big Red's armor.
Apoltis looked at the two as he watched the giant monster stomp towards his savior from the inn. He looked over at Ra'tarnik and tried to stretch his arm through the bars of the cage to get his attention. He then yelled out, "Ra'tarnik?"
Turning his head upwards, his ears pricked towards Apoltis. Hearing him better then any normal human would have.
Apoltis had even gained Scar-Tail's attention but Scar-Tail was so focused on lifting the spear that he hadn't heard what Apoltis was yelling about. All he knew was that it gave him an eternal strength. He got the spear to chest height and a bit beyond as he actually now yelled out against the spear. It was a loud hiss that made him sound like an angered Gila monster.
Apoltis then began to yell at Ra'tarnik, "Please, help him! Don't let him die! Knights do not do that!"
A bit thrown off by the knight part, Ra'tarnik saw the kid and saw the tears beginning to accumulate in his eyes. He looked back down at Scar-Tail who looked ready and willing to shove the spear right through the chest plate of Big Red but his body was not. He could not even get the weapon to stay at chest height let along plunge the thing deep into the body of the large-sized daedra.
Faster than any arrow, Ra'tarnik took off like a bolt of lightning right for Scar-Tail.
Big Red's feet stomped into the ground sending out small plumes of dust under his massive weight and size. Like a siege machine, he came at the struggling argonian, slow but unstoppable.
Ra'tarnik ran right past Big Red as the colossal-sized Dremora was getting ready to deliver the final blow.
Reptilian claws dug into the shaft as Scar-Tail found some kind of deep, hidden strength to keep the spear at chest height. He struggled now to move the weapon but it barely budged in the dirt as the backend of the spear dragged in the dust. It left a small trail as Scar-Tail felt the small tremors in the ground as Big Red marched closer to him.
His keen, red eyes glaring at the monster-sized daedra as its feet struck closer in the ground to him. Big Red soon towered over him as Scar-Tail looked up at the giant of the arena and hissed what he believed to be his last hiss. Then, saying in his argonian, snake-like voice; darker and more ferocious then he had ever heard it from himself before, "Kill me and kill the cat but you will not kill the boy! You will not kill the boy! You hear me you big, ugly, red, afterbirth of a diseased troll!"
Lowering his head to the exhausted argonian, a blast of white mist came right from his helm and into Scar-Tail's face. Three more from him in anger at the insult. Lifting one of his claymore's high in the air over his head, a furious blast of steam came from his helmet as he was ready to bring the sword downward and enjoy the small, mortal's death.
All of a sudden, Scar-Tail felt the other side of the spear lift up and a tremendous weight had been lifted off of his muscles. He was still struggling with the spear but not near as much. He looked back and saw Ra'tarnik with both of his arms lifting the spear like a gigantic log. The backend was over his head and he barely yelled at Scar-Tail with all his muscles working overtime, "Damn it, you idiot lizard, what in Oblivion are you waiting for?"
Scar-Tail swung his head back at Big Red as his claymore was still high above his head. Scar-Tail yelling out with all his might ran right for Big Red with Ra'tarnik letting out a loud, belting roar as the two warriors drove the spear right into the chest plate of the big daedra.
The spear plunging into the anatomy of Big Red as the tip of the spear broke through the daedric armor easily. A loud, mechanical-like growl coming from the daedra as he dropped both claymores to the ground and grasped at the shaft of the spear.
The claymores dropped into the dirt with force like fallen towers from a demolished castle. Small plumes of sand encircled the disregarded weapons signaling Big Red's inevitable end.
Only the head of the spear was in him and Scar-Tail was not sated with that. He hissed out with pure adrenalin being in a blood rage as he struggled to drive the spear straight through the daedra. Ra'tarnik in the back roaring as he drove from the back.
Small sounds of flesh being sliced and eviscerated came from Big Red as black blood began to spray from his helm as the spear progressively made its way through his chest. Driving outward, the spear's head blasted out of his back and bits of his innards came out strung along the serrated teeth. Some of the shaft also came out covered in the daedra's anatomy.
Big Red gripping the shaft, spraying black blood all over the ground like a broken fountain with his chains on his gauntlets raking at the spear's shaft doing little to stop the two from driving the spear right through him.
He made one last howl of mechanized horror as he fell to his knees with the large weapon straight through him. Black blood spraying from his body in several different place, his life ebbing away from him. His armor making a loud rattle that echoed throughout the arena as everyone was out of their seat.
Sheogorath was not. He had a strange smile on his face as he received a clear goblet of red liquid from one of his dark seducers and drank it all up. Still with that sly smile.
Scar-Tail and Ra'tarnik both let go of the spear in exhaustion and both rolled over to the wall and watched the last death rattle of Big Red. A long spray of black blood came from his helmet as Big Red fell sideways onto the ground and lived no more. A steady pool of black liquid came from him as he lay dead and gone. His carcass a useless piece of meat covered in tough armor.
A group of golden saints and dark seducers came from the bowels of the arena and carried his dead body out of the arena. It took fifteen of them to carry him off. Almost as many that carried out the ten-legged spider daedra.
Breathing heavily and sitting against the wall, Ra'tarnik slowly turned his head and asked Scar-Tail, "Holy Stenndar, how did you lift that thing for so long?"
Doing the same, Scar-Tail just made a few quick pants and answered, "He was not going to hurt Apoltis. I told him that." Getting to his feet he put his hands on his hips. His tail swung loosely as though it was going to fall off but he walked up under the booth and pointed up at Sheogorath saying, "Alright you maddened little subvert, we beat your champion. I want my damn prize, now!"
Ra'tarnik got to his feet to support Scar-Tail, "Yeah Sheogorath, we played your stupid game. I think the boy is coming with us."
Slyly looking at the kid in the cage, Sheogorath looked at the two tired warriors and stood up from his chair. He then suddenly appeared in the arena grounds and both Ra'tarnik and Scar-Tail were thrown off by it. The two were ready for anything. Anything except a fight with the daedra lord of madness himself!
Sheogorath walked around them like a challenging opponent. Eyeing them over he said "And now, for my greatest trick!" Raising his hands above his head in a glamorous pose.
Nodding his head, Scar-Tail angrily said, "Alright, if that's what you want." He grabbed both his silver short swords tiredly and sloppily out of the dust he left them in, going right at the prince of madness.
Cocking his head in curiosity, Sheogorath raised his hand and Scar-Tail was lifted right into the air. He was sent right into the wall with a flick of Sheogorath's wrist.
Ra'tarnik watched Scar-Tail fly into the wall turning his eyes slowly looking back at the daedra lord with fear. He had no weapons, no strength, no hope.
Gripping at the bars of his cage like a sad baby in its crib, Apoltis's eyes filled with tears as he watched his friend get hurtled into a wall. He cried out, "Scar! No!"
Sheogorath stretched his head back looking towards Apoltis with a sadistic twinkle in his eyes.
Getting up with as much effort as he could muster, Scar-Tail coughed up a bit of blood from his mouth and then looked at the daedra lord. He gripped his swords with fury and struggled to his feet. He began to walk in Sheogorath's direction and on weak legs asked cockily, "Yeah and what was that suppose to do?"
Nodding his head in slight respect, Sheogorath raised his hand and then point right at Scar-Tail's swords.
The highly trained assassin looked down at his weapons and saw hundreds of spiders crawling all over the blades with them all trying to travel up his scaly arm. He dropped the weapons instantly going for a dagger hideen in his armor somewhere, he hoped.
Not finding one he looked back at his two swords. Clear. Not one spider on it. Scar-Tail bent down and picked them up cautiously and looked at them with curiousness. With both weapons in his weak hands, Scar-Tail said to Sheogorath, "Laugh it up."
A wicked smile crossed Sheogorath's face but he did not laugh. There was nothing to laugh about. He was too impressed with the mortals. Though he dare not show it. They had played his game and had won. They had done what no other fighter he had found could ever do. Still, it did not mean he could not have a bit of fun with the curious fighters though.
Still with that smile, he raised one hand and a purple, swirling vortex appeared about ten feet behind the two combatants. The two looked at it tired and exhausted. Looking back at Sheogorath, Scar-Tail was the first to say, "We are not leaving without the boy."
Ra'tarnik let out a loud breath of fatigue and said, "Release him Sheogorath."
Sheogorath raised his head in cocky showmanship and snapped his fingers. The cage Apoltis was in snapped open and the boy hovered down to the arena ground in front of the tired fighters. He was safe and not harmed in anyway.
Scar-Tail dropped to his knees as Apoltis ran at him. They both embraced in a tight hug and Scar-Tail breathed a sigh of relieve for the boy to be back with him.
With his head against Scar-Tail's chest, Apoltis looked up at Scar-Tail and said, "I knew you could do it!"
With both arms still locked around Apoltis, Scar-Tail said, "Let's get you back to Tameriel."
Apoltis let go of Scar-Tail and looked over at Ra'tarnik. With that big gash in his chest, along his abdomen, not to mention the large wound on his nose, Ra'tarnik asked with a pat on Apoltis shoulder, "You okay Apoltis?"
The boy quickly wrapped his arms around the khajiit answering, "I am now."
Ra'tarnik patted him on the back saying with a bit of pain from the boy hugging him, "We are going to take you home."
Releasing the embrace, Apoltis looked up at Ra'tarnik, "You need help. You are hurt!"
Ra'tarnik looked at himself saying, "Ah, nothing I have not had before."
Scar-Tail struggled to get to his feet, "Yeah, he's tougher then he looks. Is that not right, paper tiger?"
Ra'tarnik flashed him an evil glair but slightly smiled at the argonian. He still did not like him.
Rolling his eyes, Sheogorath said, "You know, all I wanted was for you two to beat Big Red?"
All three of the compatriots looked at Sheogorath disbelievingly.
"It's true! Big Red was a big killer sent here to bring order to my realm from Mehrunes Dagon. He does not like my realm too much. I grant you that…"
"I do not care!" Scar-Tail interrupted. He grabbed Apoltis's hand and began to walk towards the vortex. His walk was slightly crippled but he kept his composure, walking out like an accomplished veteran of a hard fought battle.
Following behind them, Ra'tarnik turned around and said to Sheogorath, "Oh and leave Border Watch alone or I will be back."
"No, you won't. Somebody else will though and they will claim my throne. So long Ra'tarnik, I will miss the fun games we use to play."
Snarling, Ra'tarnik turned back around, walking right out with the other two through the swirling vortex. Neither one of them knowing where the vortex went.
When they were through, Sheogorath snapped his fingers and the vortex disappeared. He then clasped his hands together with a big grin and looked around the arena. "Alright, who's up for a game of Arena Round-Up?"
The entire arena's audience quickly got up from their seats and ran out of the arena. Leaving their seats empty and some of their weapons behind. In short of five minutes there was not one person left in the stadium and Sheogorath was left there - all alone.
He lowered his head in disappointment and apathetically said, "You win."