-+-

With a deep sigh, Broga ascended the Watch room staircase. His muscles were tough and torn for he had sprinted from Bruma to the nearest Oblivion gate where he could make his way back to Dagon's plane. He pushed back his sweat drenched locks from his face. He quickly pushed his hand against the sliding door of the second level door and pushed it open. "It seems that I have good news from..." he stopped and became motionless. His eyes widened and his pupils disappeared among the pools of blood.

... It's you...

Before Broga stood a nude beautiful female Altmer. Her head twirled around as she heard a voice from the door. Her silver locks twisting and glittering in the firelight. Her pale skin shined like crystal. Her eyes widened and she pulled a heavy black blanket, which Xilivicus had fetched for her before he left for Elder-Xarovica's tower, over herself soon hiding her slender physique. She spun around in embarrassment and closed her eyes tightly soon hissing, "… I… I didn't know you returned, Commander." Her voice was faltering and her cheeks began to inflame.

"… Earlier than expected," he purred with eyes still glued upon her. His body still immobilized as this newfound desire began to crawl across his mind like a poison running through his veins. His lips parted slightly and beneath his pure onyx skin were whitened jagged teeth.

Finally, the man had pushed his hand behind him and closed the door very unhurriedly. His eyes were still upon the maiden as he stalked forward and looked her over, "… I… hadn't interrupted you, had I?"

"No," she gripped the blanket tighter while stepping around the fireplace in hopes to escape the following man. "I… was just changing."

Broga glanced over the calm fire with interested eyes. He tilted his head and licked his parched lips as he questioned, "Why were you changing? You looked flawless within the dress that Velthada had attained for you."

"I couldn't possibly well sleep in it. So I changed out of it and… and Xilivicus had found me a Mage's robe to wear for today." She has explained while pulling the blanket tighter around her body.

Broga felt a twinge of fear as he had heard his brethren's name, for he had forgotten all about him when he had observed the pure natural beauty of the Altmer. Scenarios began to flood his mind and he questioned most simply, "Where is our dear Xilivicus?"

"He has left for Elder-Xarovica's tower… he had mentioned something about finding me a serving of food before I went off on my second round to the commanders," answered Elizabeth as she walked towards the grand window that overlooked much of this realm.

An uncontrollable smirk coiled over the commander's lips as his heart had been contaminated with this poison. As those unfeeling crimson eyes overlooked the girl Broga had abandoned morals and stepped around the fire. The sweat upon his brow began to freeze in these artic realms. The Dremora approached the woman from behind soon allowing a black slithering claw to round her hip and pinch at the cloth of the blanket. His other claw lifted and caressed past her bare snow-white neck soon seizing another part of the mantle.

Elizabeth's heart seized as she felt his black jagged nails stroked past her skin allowing petrified chills to roll through her bones. She pulled back away from his hands and found herself pressed against his torso. His head leaned down and she could feel his hot breathe pour over her shoulder in a whisper, "Don't fret, my dear."

"B-Broga," she wheezed while jerking the blanket from his grasp and escaping his clutches. She spun around and looked up into his fiery eyes. "… Stop, I don't… I can't."

"Oh, but you can," he chuckled; pursuing her. "I suppose that you are frightened to hurt him. He is a Daedra; he has no heart to break, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth's eyes narrowed and her teeth were lightly clenched as she hissed back, "He has more heart than you have."

An eerie dominant smirk was held upon his shadowy face as he looked down upon this Elf. A chuckle came from his parted lips and he purred through razor-teeth, "… and that… I'm proud of."

The great black Dremora disappeared in a blur as he dashed forward soon seizing Elizabeth. The maiden gasped as she was forced backwards. Her hair danced into her face like a snowy inferno. Suddenly, she felt her back slam against a rough wall that had nearly knocked the breath from her. Her vision was blurred and when she had realized what was happening she felt fear reign in her heart.

Broga had pinned her against the wall while lifting her off the floor a foot or so. His gargantuan figure still hunched over hers as he had pressed his torso against hers. With one arm he had held her up against the wall while his other hand began to remove the blanket that encased her like a cocoon. Elizabeth pleaded and squirmed as he took the endeavor to disrobe her. Her nails dug into his skin; nonetheless, he hadn't stopped. She lifted her hand and suddenly electricity ran through her palm and lifted to her fingertips. Just as she was about to strike him with this spell, his hand flew up and gripped her wrist soon pulling it far above her head and slamming it upon the wall. She gasped and arched her back as her muscles pulled.

"Tisk, tisk," he purred with a chuckle, "There will be none of that."

"Let me go, you barbaric, foolish, wicked monster!" She cried out in pain and fright.

His head lowered as he laughed at her insult. "Relax, my dear, I'll be gentle." She whimpered as he pressed his lips against her neck and suckled there. His teeth bit lightly into her skin allowing a few droplets of blood to roll out onto his dark maroon tongue. The sweetness overpowered his senses and—

His eyes ripped open.

That aroma; he had sensed it before. His lips parted from her skin and his sharp nose pressed against her cheek as he inhaled deeply. She clutched her eyes shut as she could hear him breathe. Broga's nostrils began to burn as that aroma pierced his senses. It was causing him pain to even be near this maiden. The odor forced him away, for it was doing its job by marking its territory. The black Dremora's muscles tightened and his bulk grew firm as his eyes narrowed. The bloody pools began to burn and his entire eye turned into a fiery pulsing color. He appeared to be possessed.

Elizabeth looked upon him; fearing her safety. He looked raged and overwhelmed by lunacy. His unoccupied claw seized the blanket harshly and tore through it. The fabric screamed as it was being shredded to pieces. The Altmer attempted to hold up the blanket; however, it was no use. Most of her torso was exposed. This exposure hadn't fueled Broga's lust; it had fueled his hatred.

Through his eyes he had been able to use a sixth sense that would locate territories that other males had claimed. His eyes scanned over her marked body and his eyes burned even harder. Slowly, he glanced behind him and saw that near the fireplace he could see the same marked area that also was upon the maiden. His claw seized her wrist even tighter as he became very angered. "… In this very room, too," his ominous voice hissed. His eyes emitted back at the maiden as he purred, "… where did you say… he was again?"

"I won't let you hurt him, Broga." She spat with narrowed eyes.

"If you won't tell me, then I'll just follow your stench… he should be completely covered in it." Broga sneered. From his grasped claw came an envious green fog. Elizabeth tossed her eyes up and suddenly she could no longer move. The Dremora had paralyzed her and now there would be no way that she could protect Xilivicus. He dropped her and her lifeless body hit the floor as she watched him turn and storm across the room and soon out of the grand watch tower; his mind plotting a massacre.

-+-

The door to Xarovica's tower slowly opened and Xilivicus had slithered in. A black strip of fabric had been wrapped around his head and blocked out most of his skin. A hefty black hood was drawn up and it was virtually impossible to distinguish him with merely a glance. The Churl sprinted up the stairs and quickly came to the Elder's keep. His eyes scanned the room desperately and he found his elder standing upon a stool; reaching for a book high upon the shelf.

Elder-Xarovica glanced over his shoulder and smiled brightly. "Is that you, Xilivicus, my boy?"

The Churl removed his hood and pulled the fabric from his mouth as he replied, "… I… I think I have done something rash."

With a grimace; Xarovica stepped from the stool and walked over to his brethren. "What is it, son?"

The young Dremora's wide eyes shuffled back and forth as he searched for the words. Last night, when he had lain with Elizabeth, he had transformed into someone new. With the morning's light, his consciousness had returned to its old form and now looking back upon it he had felt contempt and an almost infuriation. He had been so eager to be with her that he had forgotten the consequences of his actions. With a lowered head, Xilivicus confessed to his crime.

Xarovica's once calm ember eyes had exploded into a raging inferno. His hands clenched together and his own head fell in shame. When Xilivicus had finished, his Elder glared up and spat, "Do you understand what you may have just done?! You have jeopardized Elizabeth's life, your life, and possibly even mine! I had expected you to handle this situation with much more responsibility, Xilivicus!"

"I know, Elder-Xarovica, I know." His head remained bowed for he felt more and more shame for every second that the commander held his eyes upon him. "I don't know what had become of me… I… I… just wanted to show her how much I… loved her."

"By doing this to her, you have proved nothing but how ignorant you are," Xarovica scolded while storming to his desk and searching for the revival vial. "Possibly you are not yet ready to carry the burden of being a human. You must revert to Daedric form before Broga returns to our planes. If he were to see you like this…" he faded off with sadness looming on his dark tongue. "… I couldn't bear to think what might happen to either you or the Altmer."

There was silence between them. Xilivicus lifted his eyes and softly he questioned, "… you do not think that I may have…"

"In Dagon's name you better not have," Xarovica snarled. "That would only complicate our situation."

"Xarovica, please, allow me to be human. I will find a way to sneak Elizabeth from this realm safety." The Churl pleaded.

"No," Xarovica denied while picking the vial up. "Once Broga returns, his first ambition would be to find you and Elizabeth."

Xilivicus' muscles tensed as he faced his elder completely and lowered his head, "… what if Broga has already returned? What if… he's already in the Watch Tower and has seen Elizabeth?"

Xarovica's face grew grim as he looked to his brethren. "We shall speak again tonight, Xilivicus. Bring Elizabeth and yourself here to my tower and we shall see what I can do about the… state of affairs."

The Elder walked around his desk and handed out the vial to his brother. A grave smile pulled across his lips and he told him, "Do what you think is right, my son. Until Tonight…"

"Until Tonight," repeated the Churl who held the vial snugly in his clutch and promptly slid it into a pocket in his robe.

Xilivicus masked his face again and bounded down the stairs soon escaping the tower's confinements. His eyes shifted across the scarce area that he had to see as he tried to assure himself that Elizabeth was fine. Just as he was to enter upon the street, a black form seized his firm neck and ripped him away from the path. Xilivicus' vision blurred and his body had ceased to feel. On the spur of the moment, he was thrown through the air and just as he collided with the sharp jagged rocks he felt a pounding pain. He rolled across the ground sending up an enraged dust cloud.

He coughed for all the wind had been pushed from his lungs upon impact. His trembling hands positioned themselves upon the soil and soon lifted Xilivicus' heavy body. With his hand he had lifted his hood slightly to see the towering figure of Broga standing right beside him. His structure hardened with hatred as those merciless eyes fell down and pierced his soul. His veins bulged of vengeance and he lifted his foot back and with one fervent strike the Churl's body lifted once more back into the air and spun round.

Xilivicus' eyes shook as he hit the ground once again. He pulled up hurriedly allowing no more time for his master to heartlessly beat him. His bones were bruised and as his eyes fell upon this monster; fear flooded his heart and choked him instantly as if he were drowning within its embrace. Broga had never alarmed him before; yet, with just one glance it seemed with this human body came a human heart which appeared to fear these Daedric beings.

"I follow her stench and this is what I find," chuckled the black Dremora who began to walk closer. His grin disappeared and a hateful sneer took its place. "…a useless and pathetic structure of a Dremora cowering upon the ground before me."

"Broga," wheezed Xilivicus who quickly took a few steps back with a trembling stance, "p-please… calm yourself!"

His body tensed as he stalked across the harsh land. His claws were trembling with a restrained malice. His eyes burned and his consciousness had turned to ashes as the instincts of a wild beast controlled him. He threw back his robe and from his great belt he drew a Daedric longsword. It flipped in his hand and the beast snarled, "Fight back!"

With a merciless blow, Xilivicus had no longer felt his arm. Terrified; he had looked down to see merely a deep slash across his shoulder. He stumbled back in pain and grasped his burning arm. His eyes clenched and when they had opened he could see the wound boil like lava. His body shook as he had realized that the longsword was enchanted just like every one of Broga's many weapons. Blood rolled over Xilivicus' hand and stained every part of his torso. "I don't want… t-to fight you, Broga!"

A sinister chuckle came from the abyss of his throat as he let the bloodied tip of his sword drag across the soil, a long slithering trail of crimson following after it. The jagged tip became polluted with Oblivion's soil. Broga lifted his sword and balanced the blade upon his shoulder as he came closer to his brethren. His eyes were slits as he spat between clenched jagged teeth, "Obey me, Churl, and fight back!"

"No," said the Churl who stood audaciously. "I cannot fight you."

Broga's body hardened and he tossed his sword aside. The metal flipped across the ground and lied lifeless many feet away. The black Dremora roared as he charged and quickly tackled his brother to the ground. Dust flew and hurriedly, Broga lifted a claw. His jagged long black nails looked like daggers as he brought them down upon his brother and sliced away at his flesh that hid underneath his heavy clothes torso. Xilivicus flinched and forced Broga upon his back. The Commander lifted his feet and placed them upon Xilivicus' stomach. With one great thrust, the Churl had flown backwards and rolled across the ground once again.

A smirk pulled across grey cracked lips as Broga placed his hands behind his head and as he rolled back upon his upper back he pushed himself into the air and quickly flew up and landed on his feet causing a tremor to rush through the cracks of the soil. A few Daedra flooded onto the streets to watch in awe as there was a combat between the former councilman, Xilivicus, and the great warrior, Broga.

Xarovica exited his tower and watched in dismay as he could see Xilivicus trying his hardest to conceal his identity for if Broga's anger had dissipated and he was able to see clearly and he found out about Xilivicus' mortality, he would surely execute him. Across the pathway, Velthada crawled out and watched in horror. She attempted to push pass the growing crowd; nevertheless, she couldn't make it through. She cried out the Churl's name; however, it seemed futile. Her silver eyes lifted and she looked around swiftly seeing not of the maiden named Elizabeth. She glanced back and quickly she had bounded over a few Daedra and climbed across the walls of a tower as she headed for the Watch Room.

Strike after strike had pounded down upon the Churl's body and soon he became even too weak to stand and drenched within a mixture of blood and prespiration. Broga walked over to his motionless body and overlooked him. His dark brow had been dampened with sweat and his mouth raised and fell as he heaved breaths in and out. "Let me look upon the face… of the betrayer… as I release him unto death." Broga had kneeled down and wrapped his firm chiseled hand around Xilivicus' dark collar. As he seized it and pulled him into the air, he could hardly see his skin under the hood. With a suspicious gaze, he seized the hood with his unoccupied hand and ripped it away from the man's face.

Gasps ran like wildfire through the gathering Daedra as they had looked upon their brethren's face to see pale human flesh and the precise essence of a mortal. Broga's eyes widened in shock and he could feel the world around him fade into darkness as he was captivated by those human eyes. Xilivicus looked upon his rival with defeated eyes, "K-Kill me, brother," he whispered through pouted cherry lips. "It is, afterall, what I do deserve."

Xarovica pushed through the crowd allowing his elbows to brush against armored Daedra and even some Clannfears and Daedroth. As he got close enough he had lifted his hand and with two fingers he had pointed at Broga and from his fingertips came a jolt of lightning. It coiled through the air and struck the Commander upon the shoulder. The electricity pulsed through his arm and loosened his nerves. With a snarl, he dropped his brethren and his fierce eyes turned over to his elder.

"Harm not your fellow blood, Broga," demanded Xarovica who advanced with narrowed angered eyes. "Or shall you be harmed sevenfold in return."

"Demand naught of me, you old fool. This is between me and this…" his eyes fell down to Xilivicus, "… this monstrosity… yet… the only person capable of this much alteration in one's appearance that lives upon these planes would be you. Possibly, you can enlighten me on the matter."

Xarovica's fiery eyes calmed as he glanced down upon the wounded Xilivicus. He was loosing a fair amount of blood and would soon be unconscious because of it. The Elder lifted his gaze and looked over to a few guards standing in the crowd, "Xayah… Payem… take him to the dungeons and see to it that the Spider-Daedra Velthada nurses him back to health; quickly now he hasn't much time."

The guards rushed over to the mortal and lifted him easily. As they had lifted him, from his pocket a slightly cracked bottle had slipped out and fell softly into the Oblivion sand. The crowd dissipated and all that remained was Broga and the Elder-Xarovica. Their eyes were matched and their hearts held contempt. The great black Dremora lifted his head and questioned, "… was it you that transformed him into this… thing?"

"Yes, it was I. I thought it possible to ensure Xilivicus a normal life if I were to give him that elixir of life. Now it seems I have only doomed him to death." Xarovica whispered with a bowed head.

Broga crossed his burly arms and heaved a sigh. His mind was racing with so many thoughts and plans he hadn't much time to compile questions for his Elder. His narrowed crimson eyes became slits as he had hissed, "Your insubordination to Lord Dagon could well cost you your life as a Commander, or even possibly your life as a Daedra, yet you deemed it wise to partake in such a revolt."

"Times have changed from what I used to know, Broga. You have not been around as long as I and you would surely think the same. Dagon's mind has been corrupted and I shan't stand by and watch him allow this realm fall into its own spiraling abyss!" Xarovica snorted while turning his eyes away. "I had to do something."

"So you changed one of us into human?" Broga snorted.

"I gave a Dremora his happily ever after. You and I both know that Xilivicus wants nothing more than to be by Elizabeth's side forever and for always. He would sacrifice everything for her and from observing current events it seems he already has… Xilivicus is strong willed and pushed to certain limits he can accomplish anything. If given over to the mortal realm I had thought he could put his powers into revolting against our empire and forcing the realms of Tamerial and Oblivion to be separate as it should have been the day Dagon claimed himself Prince."

There was silence as Broga merely watched his Elder. He turned away and glanced to the horizon that was just as bloody as the soil scattered across the ground. "… Tamerial will fall… the heir shall lie dead at the feet of Dagon… Oblivion shall conquer…"

Upon the ground glittered the cracked vial, Xarovica's attention was turned towards it as Broga spoke. The Elder rushed over and fell upon his old worn knees and just as he was to reach for it, Broga's hefty boot fell down upon the Elder's wrist. Xarovica snarled and glared up to see the great black Dremora who spat, "… and Xilivicus and Elizabeth shall be no more…"

"What will you do? You cannot kill him. As long as he is within this realm he shall be protected. It is against Dagon's laws to harm one of our own blood brothers."

"Oh, but Xilivicus is not our blood brother," Broga purred while reaching down and picking up the vial. "… He's mortal."

Xarovica's eyes stormed with anxiety as Broga grasped the bottle and allow the glass to shatter in his clutches. The black liquid rushed out over his fingertips and as he drew open his hands he let the glass shards fall lifelessly to the ground. The Elder looked at these fallen shards and his hopes had fallen with them.

"Xilivicus shall join my side," Broga proclaimed.

"What makes you so sure? What makes you think he'd ever obey you again?" wheezed the Elder.

"Because… I have the only thing that he has left," Broga turned and began walking down the path. Xarovica watched him desperately and his body became petrified as the black Dremora snarled through clenched teeth, "… his heart."

--TBC--

READ AND REVIEW! I hope you enjoyed the latest installment. Everything from now on will be leading to the great war at Bruma. Only a few more chapters left and this story shall be no more. :(