-Summerset-
Night finds Shade and Talshaza sitting around a simple fire. As Shade stares into the flames her mind is full of nightmares and golden cats. So close to being lost, so close, and yet so far from Jone and Jode. How would they find this Altmer? And how could grief drive him THIS far? What pieces of the puzzle were still unseen? "I… do not know where to go next," she admits. "Nor how to find this Altmer."
The Dunmer's hands are wrapped around a mug of tea. They had a name. They had a place. But the Altmer was long since gone from his home. No trace of the cats, though he had been sure enough no one would find his secret lair that he had not bothered destroying it, just the house above. If not for the mysterious Redguard, it would have remained just as hidden as the Altmer's name. "Tamriel is Vast," the Dunmer at last says. "And in darkness and chaos. We are led by whispers and that is all."
The firelight reflects in Shade's eyes as she stares into the flames. "We are missing much still. Why would he want to destroy the world just because his wife was not in it? That cannot be all there is to this." A soft growl from the Khajiit. "He is powerful. Too powerful. Mannimarco was like him. A high elf who went down dark paths, but there were limits to that. How did Kinlord Neran get power beyond that? Power to break all rules, fate, everything?"
And that is the question Talshaza has no answer to. The answer that sits in the air as a poison. If they could not find out how he got world-breaking power, how were they to stop him even if they traveled back? "We need to find out. I just do not know how." the Dunmer says.
In the cave, Tyranius leans against the wall near Zirasha. It had taken him long quiet moments before he spoke. Before he told of her what had happened to him since they parted, and then the part that took him even longer, of what he had lost when the moons had shattered. Silence falls for long moments after his telling before he speaks again. "Don't know what happened to you girl," he says as he glances at the vampire. She looks at him for a moment before lowering her head hair falling in her eyes as she makes a lost keening sound. "Won't ask," he responds, knowing he cannot force this, cannot push this. Whatever had happened had been bad enough that it snapped something inside her. Zirasha...had been broken when he first met her those many years ago, but she became more than a broken lost girl who had been out to cause blood and agony for all the pain the world caused to her. A small sad smile crosses his face. She had become a glorious powerful monster, and in those final moments of the war, all of them had become more than monsters, villains. A shade of what they could, it was enough to free the world from Viperish Night's madness and Keerasi-Zish's sacrifice had given them a second chance. A chance to atone, to find a life that was something more than blood and death. Even if...they had to find it on their own. Away from their pack, until their debts had been set right. That time was not now...but now the rules were gone, along with so much else. "Can you change back?" he asks shaking himself out of thoughts of the past.
She looks at him and then looks back down at her claws and shakes her head.
"Can you control yourself?" he asks next.
At this her eyes shut, hiding the pain within, the truth that she cannot.
"Damn," he says. "Can you try girl? Not gonna leave you."
She huddles into herself at his ask, claws scratching stone.
"Zirasha," he says. Using her name, not his name for her.
"They need help," Yargna's voice echoes as she walks into the cave. "Two heroes out to save the world. To undo this. Not sure how they plan on that, but…," a sad expression crosses her face. "They are up against monsters. Think they need some of those on their side."
Long moments pass and Zirasha's claws slide to Tyranius's hand as she grips it and she looks at him and slowly nods. She will try. She may fail, but she will try, for him. For a chance that all of this can become just a nightmare that never happened.
"Release her," Tyranius says and as the vines unwrap from the vampire he grips her hand in turn then releases and stands. "Sleep, girl. Tomorrow we ride." A fierce smile crosses his face as he picks up his helm. "You know what it was like. But this time we hunt the monsters."
A fierce look crosses her face as she growls softly. She knows what it is like to hunt. To make it rain blood, for all the wrong reasons, and all the right reasons. The darkness looms, the broken parts of her threaten to drown her into oblivion, but she will hunt with her pack-mate again.
By the fire, Talshaza's fingers twitch as she dreams. A dream… the dream. Every night it returned, the timeless unchanging of her home, of her brother, and Leaps. Never changing, never dying or lost to the dark. Part of the Dunmer still yearns to stay in the dream. To wake was to know truth. To know despair of all that was lost and only the faint hope Shade showed her gave her the will to rise each dawn. But tonight it was not yet dawn when something woke her from the dream. A current of flame, a call of fire. Elemental wild, and tainted, her eyes bolt open as she rises and glances around. All is quiet, Shade is sleeping near her paws twitching as if caught in a nightmare, and Yargna sleeps wrapped in her glowing vines. A small frown crosses her lips as she rises. All is peaceful, and yet the current draws ever closer. "Wake up," Talshaza says a current of her fire in voice, and Shade and Yargna wake immediately. The Dunmer turns to the Orc first. "Go get Tyranius and Zirasha. Something is coming, on tainted flames."
Yargna starts to say something, perhaps to boast her vines can keep anything out, but then thinks better of it, thinks of the words of yesterday and she turns and runs to the cave.
Shade is rising as well with a wince of pain, but nevertheless she reaches for her daggers with a hiss, "I can feel them," Shade says. "Tainted by Spiders song," a brief look of fear crosses her face as she looks at the Dunmer woman. "If it is him, we stand little chance. We cannot face the scourges and hope to survive."
Talshaza grips her staff as the Khajiit's words sink through her. Before Ri'Zakar was more than a match for her and each time he caught up with her, he was a little more powerful and THAT was five years ago. Now? A small shiver runs through her as she remembers what Shade told her, how he had annihilated Rimmen. Power of a Dragon, of perhaps even a Dragon God. And each of the Scourges in turn was just as powerful. "They... have their titles," Talshaza says. "But they are also called Scourges."
"Rabies, Werewolf, Dragon, Song," Tyranius says as he walks toward them, Zirasha and Yargna in tow. "Started with Lyssavi's scourge, his rabies disease. Scourge stuck." Tyranius hefts his battle ax.
"The Song Scourge may be here in Summerset. His Dro-m'Athra is coming," Talshaza says gripping her staff."Coming in waves of flame and fire and tainted song."
And with those words, the dark before the dawn erupts with unholy Indrik screams as the fire beasts slam into the vines setting the dark ablaze.
Outside the vines in the dark Leaps paces hissing impatiently. "I want in, I want in, I WANT IN!" Leaps hisses.
"Patience," Rel'ihala says. "The vines are controlled by someone, but strength is not everlasting. They will break under the Indrik's assault." A small wicked smile crosses her face. "Three...Two…,"
Yargna sinks to her knees sweat dripping from her face. "Damn, guess you were right," she says. "N...no match for a scourge…," and with that her eyes roll back and she collapses on the ground the vines glow fading and burning to ash by the fire of the Dro-m'Athra Indriks. With a hellish scream, the beasts burst in followed by Senche-Raht sending a burst of fire and embers in all directions which quickly sets all to blaze.
Leaps lets out a cackle of laughter as the vines fall and she surges toward the fiery fray with Rel'ihala right behind her.
The runes on Talshaza's face and arms glow brighter as she tries to force the tainted fire back but it is not her flames but another, and the song is far more powerful the her own, and so the inferno continues. Screams of the Dro-m'Athra and sounds of battle, the crash of the first wave had driven them apart, only Shade is by her side at this moment and she turns to the Khajiit. "I cannot stop their flames," she says, "Just fight back with my own. Can you fight?"
Shade grips her daggers and nods. "I will not let their song entrap me again," she says as she faces the horde. "I will fight even the Scourge and his beasts."
"...His?...yes...and no. These are currently mine. The Scourge is not here...yet." A voice that carries not only the song but familiarity.
Talshaza turns as a figure moves through the fire. Black and red Daedric armor, Dro-m'Athra flesh, and bolts of blue, dark hair in a wild untamed Mohawk. Five years older, so very different, and yet familiar all the same. "R...Rel'ihala," the Dunmer breaths as her face falls. "Not you too."
Rel'ihala stares at the Dunmer. "I do not remember you. But I know who you are," she says.
"The song got to her, "Shade hisses.
The Imperial glances at her and for a moment the Dro-m'Athra colors fade from her face. "No...Again you are wrong. I gave myself to it and Spiders. To forget all that threatened to undo me. To drown Nelina. Now, I am his creature...and glad of such a thing," Rel'ihala says.
Shock crosses Talshaza's face and it is all she can do to not drop her staff. First Tervven, then Leaps, now Rel'ihala. All her friends had fallen to depths beyond her reach.
The Imperial turns from the Dunmer unmoved by her pain. "You," she says to Shade. "The song almost had you. It should have had you. But…," a small smile. "You rejected it, so you are mine. Mine to slice and bleed and kill," and with those words, she snaps her finger and a Crimson Indrik leaps between the two pushing Shade away from the Dunmer and Rel'ihala moves after her prey.
As Talshaza moves to follow a flash of crimson and black streaks from the smoke as Leaps lands in front of her. "Mine," she hisses and with a vicious scream she throws herself at the Dunmer.
Further away Tyranius and Zirasha are taking a breather as a pile of dead Dro-m'Athra surrounds them. "Like old times...almost," Tyranius says, and then he turns toward the vampire with a small frown on his face. "Girl," he says.
The vampire has gone utterly still the only movement is drops of blood that fall from her claws to splatter on the ground. Her head is turned toward the unholy scream that had pierced the night and then suddenly her eyes blaze red and she lets loose a bloodcurdling scream in return as she surges into the smoke and fire.
Before Tyranius can follow a new wave of Dro-m'Athra surrounds him and he growls. "Damn it…" he swears as his ax flies once more.
"How…," Talshaza says as she slowly rises from the ground blood dripping from her arm splattering on the ground with a hiss. It was true she had hesitated but then she set her flames against Leaps, against the one who had once been her best friend...only to have the vampire surge through them unharmed. And then there was just ripping tearing and pain until she managed to throw her back.
Leaps laughs as she licks blood from her claws and stalks toward the Dunmer. "He gave me Daedric armor stolen from the Deadlands," she says with a savage grin. "Little Talshaza, you will have to unleash all your fire to have a hope. You will have to MEAN to kill me, to make me scream and die!"
The Dunmer stares at Leaps and then her arm drops and the flames around her start to melt away as she backs away from Leaps. "I...I cannot," Talshaza whispers.
A furious hiss from Leaps as her mood changes. "You could leave wolfs in Reaper's March, could leave her DROWN in the depths, but you cannot kill ME?" Leaps growls and then she throws her head back and laughs. "I want to hurt you so very much. Make you scream and scream and bleed and bleed and then DIE DIE DIE. You knew the wolf so very well. You cannot LIVE!" and with those words, she leaps toward the Dunmer, blood lust burning in her eyes.
Talshaza turns her face away but before the vampire can finish her leap Zirasha leaps out of the dark with a savage roar and slams into the Argonian and the two tumble to the ground claws and fangs flashing and blood splattering.
The world spins around Shade as she fights Rel'ihala, the world fire, bone shards, and blades. At last, it becomes far too much and Shade stumbles backward her back crashing against a patch of rubble. The Imperial stalks toward her, blood dripping from a bone dagger. "You could have given in to the song. Forgot the pain, all the agony. You could have been FREE," Rel'ihala hisses.
"If you think that is freedom you are wrong," Shade hisses back, blades still raised, though the one in her hidden arm trembles.
"Memories consume, fracture, destroy," she says. "You forsake this path...now you will die."
The Dro-m'Athra surge at her unspoken command and move toward Shade, death in their eyes, but before they can reach her Tyranius leaps into the fray hacking and slashing at the beasts with all he is worth, and then he turns toward the Imperial. "Your master is not here, is he?" Tyranius asks.
"He will come...in time," Rel'ihala says. "I made new beasts, he will hear their song and come. But for now, it is just us...so Leaps can have what she wants."
Understanding makes Tyranius swear. "Guess you're going down, unless you want to step aside?" he asks and in response, the ground trembles beneath their feet, and shards of bone erupt and surround her in a cloud of deadly points. "Guess that's a no," he says and charges.
All Talshaza can do is watch as the two vampires clash. Zirasha in her mighty scion forms a tornado of uncontrolled berserk rage and Leaps in her twisted vampire form eyes shining with madness. The two rip and tear into each other blood splattering the ground. A moment's pause and Leaps hisses. "Bored now… I do not want you," she says and her eyes glow brightly as she moves faster than even Zirasha can and her claws rend massive wounds into the Scion's flesh sending her crashing to the ground.
Zirasha screams and then struggles to rise, blood splattering on the ground. "K...kill you. Kill you. KILL YOU!" she screams and throws herself at Leaps again with a hellish roar.
Leaps laughs and her claws glow crimson red as she sweeps them forward as a burst of vampiric energy bursts from them and slams into Zirasha sending her crashing to the ground. "You cannot! You cannot you cannot you cannot!" Leaps says with a laugh. "I let you live before, now I'm bored of that and WILL KILL YOU AND LAP UP YOUR BLOOD!"
She leaps toward Zirasha, faster than Talshaza can react, but before she can reach the Scion the shadows move and a cloaked figure appears behind the vampire, and with a swift move he plunges a glowing black blade into her back. "For...them," Rufico hisses as she falls to the ground in a heap with a jagged scream. The assassin watches as the vampire claws the ground as she struggles to rise and then he starts to circle her. "Once should have been enough to send you to the Void," he says. "But…," a crazed smile crosses his face. "If it takes more than once I will enjoy it." he kneels to stab a second time.
The knife falls downward but before Rufico can finish the job a crack of lightning bursts out of the gloom striking the assassin sending him flying backward to slam into a pile of rubble and he slumps boneless to the ground.
"You DARE," a male aristocratic voice rings out.
Talshaza turns and her eyes widen as an Altmer in vivid blue and black-robed armor stalks out of the shadows towards Leaps and she slowly backs away from the vampire. A flash a moment later and Rel'ihala appears followed closely by Tyranius and Shade. Drawn by the blast, by the screams, by the new presence in their mist. Tyranius glances around taking in everything in a moment. Zirasha unconscious on the ground, Rufico further away unmoving, Leaps near unconscious, and the Altmer who has appeared out of nowhere. "Damn," Tyranius breathes.
Leaps moves her eyes to the Altmer. "K…Kinlord Vasuki," the Argonian hisses. "Wanted her. Wanted her to die…" and with those words her eyes close as she passes out.
"Take her," Kinlord Vasuki instructs Rel'ihala who gives him a careful look before moving to Leaps and picking her up throwing her over a shoulder.
The Kinlord's eyes then move from Tyranius and Shade and then to Zirasha before they settle on Talshaza with a furious but calculating look in them. "I really should END all of you for touching what is mine," he says. "It would so easily be done. A snap of my fingers and you would be as dead as the assassin," a small evil grin crosses his face. "Now does that not sound like FUN?"
Talshaza grips her staff and slowly moves closer to her comrades. Shade, on the verge of collapse, Tyranius as staward as ever, but she knows he must be near his limit as well. Tyranius glances briefly at her then focuses all his attention on the Kinlord. "Do it then," he says.
Vasuki's gaze falls back on the Imperial and a long moment passes, the Kinlords gaze unreadable. "How you found this place…," he pauses then turns away from them. "Matters not. All of you struggle in vain. The world has FALLEN. In blood, in death, in so much more. Your continued resistance is pointless. And the only reason, the ONLY reason, you will live on this day, is that others have claim on some of your life," his gaze falls on Shade and then on Talshaza "Yes, I know just who both of you are. And just what fate awaits you." A small viscous smile as he opens a portal. "As for the rest of you… Your deaths will come in time, so, by all means, come find me. We'll have some fun until your blood drenches my floor and your body parts lay scattered. For I do not care for those who touch what is mine...or those who annoy me." And with those words he passes through the portal followed by Rel'ihala and it closes behind them.
Once the portal vanishes Tyranius moves to Zirasha. "In there girl?" he says. The vampire's eyes slowly open to look up at him, the depths of pain unfathomable. Without another word, Tyranius slashes the back of his hand and offers it to her and after a moment she reaches for him and starts drinking, her wounds slowly start to close.
Shade moves to Yargna who's only now regaining consciousness. The Orc glances around. "Missed it? Darn," she says as she shakes her head. "Sorry...Connected to the blight. How they stay as they are even with...world as it is."
Talshaza moves toward Rufico. So still, yet another fallen and she kneels by his side only to startle back as he suddenly starts to breathe once more." Your...how?" she asks.
The assassin struggles to sit up. "Made a deal," Rufico says. "Cannot die...until I take her to the void," and his head falls. "Cannot go to them. I belong to Sithis. Even in death, my lights are forever lost from me. So I must end the one who took them from me before I join the Void."
No words exist for this kind of pain and all the Dunmer can do is help him to his feet as they rejoin the others.
Tyranius is still by Zirasha, whose claws are buried in her hair as she shakes in rage, in pain, in trying to pull herself together as much as she can."
"She is as lost as I am," Rufico says.
"Can't fix this," Tyranius says, rough emotion in his voice.
"Some things cannot be fixed," The assassin replies.
Talshaza looks at the vampire and then at the Imperial by her side. "She spoke," Talshaza says in a voice edged with despair."
He looks up at her sharply and starts to ask then pauses. "What happened?"
"She...the one controlling the Dro-m'Athra...she was one of us. Before the moons shattered. We…" Talshaza trails off and looks away. "All my friends are lost and beyond my reach." A long pause before she speaks again. "Tyranius… whatever happened to Zirasha…," again a pause. The words will not come. "Kill you. Over and over. That is what she said when fighting Leaps."
"Damn it," Tyranius swears. "Damn it, damn it, DAMN IT." The grizzled Imperial might of kept swearing but Zirasha suddenly leans against him, small shudders filling her mighty body as her eyes close. "Girl…," he whispers.
Shade moves to them followed by Yargna. "We need to go. He was the one we sought, the one behind all of this. He GAVE the scourges what they needed to shatter the moons and break the world. He WILL tell them. He will tell Ri'Zakar...and he will tell my shadow as well." A haunted look crosses her eyes, and she needs to say no more. They hunted in the shadows, but now the shadows had been cast aside and they would be hunted to the ends of Nirn and beyond.
Talshaza raises her hands and then drops them. "How? I cannot open a portal. I have been trying, but It still fails. Even with the light of day." she says.
Rufico glances at the group. "It is easy to come here, not so easy to leave. Even I cannot step into the shadows and be gone."
"High Elf magic combined with the corruption of the world, a vile mixture," Yargna says and then frowns. "Thought I'd go with you, but...fate decided against it." At the questioning gazes she throws her arms out. "I can call my azure-blight. Enough to cover you, enough perhaps so you can open a portal. But I have to stay here to keep it going so you can escape."
"Azure…," Talshaza says.
The Orc shakes her head. "Long story. Too long. Just go… change all of this. That be enough for me," Yargna says and then she calls the vines and the blight. "Will take a bit"
Shade and Talshaza sit with the others as they wait. "That was Kinlord Neran. Now Kinlord….what did she call him, Vasuki," Talshaza says. "His power, he could have easily killed us. It was nothing for him to open a portal in a place that prevents them. Nothing for him to take out Rufico. He could have easily killed us. But…," she frowns
"But?" Tyranius says.
"It felt….," she says and falls silent trying to put it in words. "I do not think what Arc told us was wrong. I think he is sick or something is wrong with him. I think he could easily kill us, but it may damage or destroy him in the process."
"So he can die," Rufico says. "Not a god. Just a deluded elf who needs to be put down."
"No," Tyranius says abruptly and they look at him. After a moment he continues. "Not deluded. Not mad," and his voice turns grim. "I know darkness. He is darkness without light."
Silence falls for long moments at his words. "How do you know that?" Shade asks.
"Ran with all sorts of monsters," Tyranius replies. "My pack was monsters, I was a monster, perhaps always will be in part. I know the mad, the lost, the desperate, the devoted, and I know true evil. Bal, Mannimarco, and others," he trails off lost in memories only he can see.
"We know who he is," Shade says. "We know where he was, who he was, we even have an inkling of what may be his fatal flaw. But we need to know how he did all this, as much as we can find out and we need to know WHY he did all this. Then we will know how to strike when we return." A determined look. "It would be so tempting to try now. Just with what we know. With the fact he is powerful beyond measure, but damaged. But…," she trails off and looks at Talshaza.
"It is not enough," the Dunmer agrees. "I feel if we go back now, we will be missing something crucial. Something that means the difference between victory and defeat."
"There is something we do not know. That we must know," Shade agrees. Silence falls at these words but none disagree...and all know just how hard it will be now. And then vines burst into blue glowing life and engulfed them.
"Go now," Yargna says. "I'll find Arc, stay with him. Fix this."
Talshaza rises as does the others, though Tyranius has to help Zirasha up, her eyes still closed, lost in whatever nightmare her memories have become. The Dunmer etches runes in the air and a portal opens and the group follows her through into what comes next.
-?-
The portal opens into a grand hall and Kinlord Vasuki stalks out followed by Rel'ihala. The Imperial sets Leaps down and then the vampire's eyes bolt open and she leaps upon Rel'ihala sending her crashing on her back and with a hiss Leap's fangs sink into her neck. Rel'ihala stiffens and then her hand goes for one of her bone blades.
"Do not," Kinlord Vasuki snaps. "Let her take what she needs. I'll stop her before she takes too much."
The Imperial's eyes slide to Kinlord. Not knowing who he is, but perhaps she just forgot that he is an ally and so she drops her hand and lets Leaps have her way.
After a few moments, the Altmer moves closer and places his hand on Leap's shoulder. "Enough. I'll bring more for you to eat," he says and at Leap's hissed protest he adds, "You can kill the one I bring you."
Leaps lets go and Rel'ihala leaps to her feet and backs away. The vampire looks up at Kinlord. "She was mine. So close."
Vasuki kneels by her side and then takes her face roughly in his hand. "WHAT were you thinking? Do you know JUST who you were up against? Outnumbered as well. So very foolish.
Leap's hisses angrily. "She must suffer, then scream, then die! She knew the wolf, I want her! Ri'Zakar cannot have her, she is MINE!"
The Kinlord stares into her eyes for long moments before he drops his hand. "Your obsession to end all those who knew the wolf…," he smirks. "Makes you such a deadly weapon, if a bit unpredictable at times."
Leaps stares back then drops her head. "They all need to die," she whispers. "So no one remembers her. So only I, Leaps-With-Bats is remembered."
"So very broken," he responds, "And yet, you are perfect. So utterly perfect," and then he rises. "You could have included Tervven in this. Or even brokered a deal with Ri'Zakar that would ensure you both get what you want. We ARE on the same side, after all."
Leaps blinks and then curls up in a ball. "Still want her screams," she whispers, and then her eyes close as she stills in vampiric healing slumber.
"...She is your pet," Rel'ihala says.
The Kinlord turns to look at her. "Not the word I would use. Trust me, if I had a pet…," he trails off and shakes his head. "Trust me when I say, it is nothing like your relationship with the Song Scourge,"
"Then why save her?" Rel'ihala says.
He turns from her. "I know Spider drowns your past memories, but you live in your current memories. You know the Scourges. Do you truly think Xahrshi, who despises werewolves to the very pit of his being would EVER give one the gift of being a vampire?" Vasuki says and then turns his head to her a smirk on his lips. "I ordered him to do so. The Scourges owe me EVERYTHING. I paved the way and gave them the key to making their darkest desires reality."
"You wanted...this, Bats," she responds.
"I wanted a weapon to take out the mice," Kinlord says. "Mice that would have gotten in our way. Little was I to know that more would show up. She'll rip them asunder...I just need to impart that she cannot do it alone. To have what she wants...she'll need you and Tervven. And perhaps the Scourges as well. We shall see how much trouble these pests cause," he turns his head and then adds, "Pests are so good at making trouble," and then he walks away.
The Imperial is still as she takes all this in, her eyes moving to the sleeping Leaps. "Will you kill us too? We knew the wolf. I have forgotten, but what of the other one?" Silence falls, Leaps deep in sleep. And then the world stills and falls silent.
"Rel'ihala,"
She turns, not surprised. She knew he would hear, he heard all the notes of the song, and when new notes joined. Knew where to find her, he could always find her. Even before she joined him, and let him drown her memories. Her eyes fell on his form, Ebon and Crimson insectoid-like armor, skin a deep void-black with shimmering bolts of blue-white moving in tune to his song, radiating with more power than a mortal should ever have, if he could even be called such a thing. The Scourges...very well might not be such any longer. She does not move as he moves toward her in a deadly dance, his ever-changing eyes locked upon her, and as he reaches her his claws grace her face, gentle at first and then near pain as they dig in nearly breaking flesh. "You swam in the song, and then under," Spiders hisses, his word tainted by the dark song. "You did...interesting things," his other clawed hand reaches out to grab her arm and tightens on it painfully. "You should have told Spiders you intended to hunt far away. You very nearly was...ended."
"They outnumbered us," Rel'ihala breathes. "Escaped the song and death." Her gaze turns slightly confused. "I knew Talshaza, did I not? Long ago."
A bone-rattling hiss from Spiders and he leans in closer. "Do you want to remember her? Do you want to remember it all including Nelina?"
A shudder from her and she closes her eyes. "No. I want to stay drowned. I do not want to remember, to fracture."
"Then you will come," Spiders says as he pulls her toward a hallway leading deeper into the manor. "Spiders thinks he must punish you before he drowns you once more."
Rel'ihala makes no move to resist, letting herself be led away.
The Scourge leads her to a bedroom and then presses her against the wall his claws moving gently on her neck. "You want this, do you not?" he hisses as he moves in closer his tongue tracing her jawline.
The Imperial arches back as her eyes close. "Yes," Rel'ihala breathes. "Make me drown again, make it hurt."
"Hurt?" Spiders says. "Yes, but not yet. You did not tell Spiders many many things. The Indrik are notes that add to the song, so I cannot be TOO upset with you, but still…," his other hand moves to her shoulder claws wrapping around her armor. "You need to be punished first. Pleasure, again and again, until I am satiated until I am satisfied you understand. And then the pain and the drowning."
Her eyes bolt open at his words and she shakes her head. "Do not make me wait. Please...seeing her," a trace of fear crosses her face. "I want to drown the memory of her face."
He leans in closer whispering in her ear. "You should not have run without telling me," he hisses as his claws fall from her face to run over her armor. "Spiders will not force you. But you will not scream and drown in forgetting and song until you are punished. Spiders asks again, do you want this?"
She closes her eyes again and her fists clench and for long moment she just breathes raggedly before she clenches her fists and the colors of the Dro-m'Athra fade from her flesh as she wills the armor away. "Yes," she whispers.
"Good girl," Spiders whispers, and then his tongue laps at her neck, his claws gently running down her body as he takes his pleasure in her.
Back in the foyer unaware of the world around her Leap's claws twitch as she sleeps and she falls deep in dreams, and memories.
-Five Years Ago-
"Kinlord Vasuki," Xahrshi softly growls as he greets the Altmer and then after a curt nod from the Kinlord, he turns and leads him deeper into the Daedric dungeon. "Her mind is shattered, as I warned it would be," Xahrshi says. "She is too unstable...and too powerful," a small frown crosses his face. "I do not know HOW the transformation made her THIS powerful. It should not have. She has ripped Daedra to shreds and I had to take extreme measures to confine her. She should be disposed of."
"No," Kinlord answers. "I know you...strongly disprove of this, your hatred of the beasts is palpable. But she is a weapon we very much need." a small smile. "She is no ordinary Argonian. The unstableness is unfortunate, but I had hoped for this level of power in her."
"We shattered the moons, we have what we want," the vampire responds. "And our power is growing in leaps and bounds. Your book and the cat Hollow Dark has shown us much."
"You and the others may have Nirn in your grip, but there are still threats out there," Kinlord responds. "Heros of past wars, beloved rulers, and ones who lurk in the shadows fighting for the wrong side. I need her to kill some of them," and at the vampire's look, he adds, "Yes I know you four are capable of it, but you four will rule and destroy Nirn at the same time. Your time is best spent on that and not tracking down things in the shadows. Besides, there are more reasons."
"There always is with you," Xahrshi says and then stops in front of a heavy metallic door that is heavily warded. "Still, I caution you. She will destroy anything and everything. Not just what YOU want her to destroy."
The Kinlord smiles at his words and it is not a nice smile. "Trust me, Xahrshi. I will tame the creature you made for me. Now open the door."
The vampire snarls at this. "This is not a good idea."
At those words the Altmer stills, his eyes deadly. "Manimaraco bent Nirn to his will and even tried to become a Daedric Prince. Do not doubt what an Altmer can do," and then his smile turns vicious, "And do not doubt I am so much more than Manimaraco and any Altmer who's come before. Open it, and do not make me ask twice."
The vampire studies his ally, the depths of darkness and power in his eyes and then he turns and places a paw on the door and it upwards and opens and Kinlord walks in without hesitation.
Inside Leaps is huddled in a corner, claws gripping her head. The once werewolf, now vampire, is unlike any before her. The vicious transmutation has wrought a horrific transformation upon her. Black and dark red scales with veins of crimson red running through them and eyes of the bloodiest red. "Wolf...wolf is dead," Leaps hisses. "Leaps is dead. But I am not dead!…," she hisses and stares at claws, once familiar and now not. The wolf is dead. The colors of the wolf are gone. What is this that has taken their place? And then she throws her head back and screams. Only after the scream ends does she realize the door is open and she rises and stares at Vasuki. "You...not Daedra, not prey thrown to me, but I will bite and rend you all the same! I will do that to EVERYTHING," she screams and lunges at the Altmer, he raises a hand and she is caught in mid-leap. "LET ME GO LET ME GO LET ME GO!" she screams as she thrashes and hisses.
"That is ENOUGH," Kinlord says, "Leaps-with-Wolves."
"NO NO NO NO!" Leaps screeches. "Wolf is dead!"
The Kinlord raises an eyebrow, "My mistake. I understand now, of course, the wolf is dead." he moves closer to her and places a hand on her face. "So who are you?"
Her eyes start to glow and she struggles harder trying to snap at his hand.
"Who are you?," he asks again, and when the answer is the same he says, "Break free. BE the crimson blood. Be the vicious vampire. BE what you are in nature now."
An unearthly screech is Leap's response and she bursts into crimson mist and bats and swirls around the Kinlord whose only response is to smile a deadly smile as he waits and at last she reforms in front of him. Madness still dances in her eyes her soul fractured still, but there is a semblance of self once more. "I am BATS. I am Leaps-With-Bats," she hisses.
"Good," he responds. "Now, Leaps-With-Bats, what do you want in this moment?"
She hisses and a maniacal look crosses into her eyes. "I want to tear and destroy those who knew the wolf. Let no one know she EVER existed."
Kinlord offers her his hand. "You know where some of them are right now, do you not? Show me. I will open the way for you."
She stares at him. "I want her first."
"Dead," Kinlord replies. "And before you ask, Tervven has vanished into Apocrypha, and IF he comes back he will not be who you knew, and Rel'ihala… is with Spiders-In-Scales. She will forget the wolf. It is the gift he gives her. But there are others are there not?"
Leaps stares at his hand. "Theodyn. He knew the wolf. He was nice to the wolf," she hisses, and then her eyes glow red. "I must rip and tear and bleed and make him DEAD." she takes his hand and then her eyes snap up to Kinlord. "Who ARE you?" she asks
"Kinlord Vasuki," he answers, "Once Kinlord Neran before...certain things happened," and then he opens a portal with his other hand. "Go, make them bleed, and then make them dead. And if you see the Assassin hero, kill him too. He no doubt has heard tales of you from Theodyn."
A vicious smile from Leaps and she throws herself through the portal and Kinlord closes it and walks out.
"You trust her to return?" Xahrshi says.
"Yes," Kinlord says. "For only I know where to send her for the others who need to die. But let her have fun with the former champion of Meridia for now. We do need him out of the way. All three of the heroes of the last war."
Leaps slowly opens her eyes as the dream dissipates. Nearby is a Breton lying unconscious on the ground. He brought it for her, had given her...armor, locations, peace in the slaughter of all who knew the wolf...purpose from the shattered screaming bats of her mind. He let her BE as she was now, thought she was utterly perfect. And she would KILL all those who chased him now. Every...single...one in crimson screaming bleeding bliss. And with that, she sets on the Breton rending tearing, and devouring the blood.
Deeper into the dwelling Hollow Dark appears out of the shadows and pads after the Kinlord as he walks down a hall watching as Vasuki stumbles catching himself against a wall. "Damn it," Vasuki hisses.
Hollow Dark stares up at him in curiosity. "You claim you have forever to wait, but your time seems to be slipping away all the same," Hollow Dark says.
A strange smile crosses the Altmer's face. "I did it once, I can do it again," he says.
The cat studies him intently, "But you prefer not to, this one can tell."
The smile slips from his face and a sea of rage crosses his eyes. "Get her someone to eat," he orders the cat.
Hollow Dark moves closer. "You MUST be more tired than I thought. You do try so hard not to order anyone around."
The Kinlord shuts his eyes. "All the Scourges, You, are not beings that will be ordered around… I request you to bring her a meal."
The cat chuffs. "Your words sound rather forced, but this one does not mind. This one understands. And it has already been done. You do tend to...spoil your weapon? Is that the right word?"
"One should treat a weapon with care," Lord Vasuki says and then waves him off. "Go. Do whatever you do when you are not helping me."
Another chuff and Hollow Dark turns and starts to pad off but stops and glances back. "This one is a god in the heavens...in a way. Not Lorkhaj, no, but something akin. Something that shares his moon. And the scourges are very nearly living gods in their own right...through YOUR actions and this one helps...and that is what you need them to be to get what you want. The impossible favor you have requested," he says and then chuffs again. "Will it be enough? We shall see one day… and that day may be sooner than later. Even this one did not think the Scourges would grow in power THIS fast. A few decades, yes. But five?" and with those words Hollow Dark vanishes into the shadows.
A small smile crosses the Kinlords face and then he moves to a door and opens it into a lavish bedroom once the door is closed he leans against it and holds up the hand he used to blast the assassin, his smile falling as the shakes that grip it, the skin cracked and bleeding. "Overdid it," he hisses. "Just...just a little longer. Then I will have EVERYTHING. Including…," and then he trails off as his eyes close. For long moments he's so very still and then his eyes open a brief flash of confusion passing through them before he heads for the bed and crashes upon it passing out instantly.