Do The Death (Part I) - Let Battle Commence
Vex stood his ground. He would not sully his
friend's honour by behaving dishonourably himself. "I love you, Nyxalinth,"
was all he said as he raised his blade to parry the monster's blow.
Ebonheart struck down with his great, black sword, constructed of pure
Antilight and it met the green blade of the Daedra Count with no sound - yet
the great force was clear for all to see. Vex was thrown back. The great beast
Ebonheart had no tactics - it had strength and power. However, it was slow,
which gave Vex a chance.
The Daedra Count landed on his back from the enormous blow but was quickly back
on his feet. He sought to circle around the great black monstrosity, but
Ebonheart kept his eyes on him. This was the point where Vex charged. Ebonheart
had been expecting a more cautious approach from the Count, and this sudden
attack surprised it.
Vex landed a cruel blow on Ebonheart's chest and the creature that was
constructed by the spirits of Balefire and Tenaka, along with the awesome power
of the Antilight, screamed in pain, lashing out wildly with its free hand. It
struck Vex a glancing blow, but the Count let out his own scream. Emerald Vex
staggered back from the pain the Antilight had caused, noticeably weaker than
he had been a few moments ago.
Ebonheart bellowed in rage. It bellowed with the anger felt by both Balefire
and Tenaka at what Vex had done and said to them and their friends. It bellowed
with the cruel, inexhaustible hunger of the Antilight. It slowly, inexorably,
approached Vex, the focus of its anger and hunger. Vex looked around him,
despair on his handsome face. Ebonheart continued its approach. Then Vex disappeared.
Ebonheart was confused. Both of Balefire and Tenaka knew what had happened and
they tried to force their creation to act accordingly, the greater part of
Ebonheart was the Antilight, and it had no intelligence - only hunger and
greed. It turned only when it felt the blow from Vex's Orcish blade in its
back. The Count had magically transported himself to his throne. Vex now knew
Ebonheart's weakness - it had not the intelligence of its parts - and he was
going to exploit it. The melee continued.
** **
"Balefire", yelled Tenaka's mind. "We must regain control of
Ebonheart."
"How, brother?" replied the Warmage's mind.
"I know not, but we must do something or risk losing this battle and
destroying everything around here."
Rathine paid no mind to the battle between
Ebonheart and Vex. Instead, he knelt at Zerith's side.
The Dark Elf had fallen in battle against Icerax.
Now he lay at the base of that magnificent sculpture of Nyx (Rathine fervently
hoped that it would not be damaged, for he wanted it for himself) cold and
unmoving, the only sign he still lived the thin trickle from his nose.
The Dremora had seen Zerith cast the Acid Storm
spell, destroying the Frost Lord. He hadn't thought the mortal capable of
casting such a powerful spell. Nor had Vex, it seemed. Rathine, for all his
dislike of the Daedra Count, had to admire his honour and courage in the face
of the think before him - a thing that could destroy every last one of them.
Rathine shrugged the thought from his mind like a
rain soaked cloak. Quickly, he examined the fallen would be Warmage.
It didn't look good for him. Overextending his
power had caused Zerith severe damage indeed. The blood from his nose was a
clear indication of the trauma his brain had suffered. Even if the man lived,
which was doubtful, he would be near mindless.
At that moment, two possibilities opened before
the Dremora. He could allow Zerith to die, and simply tell the others that he
had been unable to save him. In spite of his being a Dremora, the would have no
reason to doubt his word: they'd all seen the battle with Icerax and they'd seen
Zerith collapse afterwards. He could allow Zerith to die, and then Nyx would be
in need of someone. From what he had seen of her at Battlespire, and with that
the Scamp had told him, she was no longer angry or hateful towards him.
And no one would be the wiser.
On the other hand, he wasn't the same Dremora
Rathine who'd forcibly seduced her all those months ago. Time had wrought its
changes upon him as well. While he still didn't dully understand what he felt
for Nyxalinth, he instinctively knew that the first course of action was not
one in accordance with those feelings. It would have selfish - worse, should
she ever find out, he would lose once and for all any chance he might have with
her. They were Daedra, both immortal, and Zerith would eventually go the way of
all mortal flesh.
And yet there was another reason, wasn't there? A
reason he'd never allowed himself to entertain before. He'd never even imagined
that he might be one of a few Daedra in millions who held even the smallest ray
of light within. Nyx held it, Skudge as well, as did the Spider Daedra Nyx had
taken to in Battlespire - Izdreth was his name. It was small, but it was there.
All this went through his mind in less time than
it takes to blink. Rathine made his decision.
He placed a hand on either side of Zerith's head.
He grunted softly, pained as a small portion of his Daedric life force flowed
into the dark elf. A moment later he nodded with satisfaction as Zerith's dusky
grey skin lost its ash-white pallor, and his shallow breathing became deep and
regular. The dark elf would live; he would be whole in mind and body.
"For you, Nyxalinth," he whispered, then
lifted Zerith into his arms and headed for the door.
"Rathine! Where are you going?"
Kriella's voice cut out through the din of the battle between Ebonheart and
Vex.
He turned to face her. "I'm taking this man
to safety. I've healed his wounds, but 'tis best to remove him. I will return,
never fear." He turned and left, leaving the Dreadmaster to stare after
him, amazed.
To The Death (Part II) - Power Overwhelming
The veteran mercenary desperately searched his
memory for a way to deal with the dilemma. Scores of years and hundreds of
battles had given him experience in the art of war far beyond most of his
rivals for mercenary jobs, but he had never encountered this particular problem
before; indeed, it was his first experience of the peculiar properties of the
Antilight, not to mention the unique meld of which he found himself a part.
As Ebonheart's power vied with Vex's craft and speed, Balefire racked his brain
for an answer, knowing from that same experience that in the long run, skill
would win out against mere strength...many were the times he himself had made
that very point to recruits in training. A small part of his mind seemed to
laugh
ironically at the situation in which the Warmage and his brother found
themselves...two of the foremost tacticians of their age, and they were engaged
in the kind of brute force approach which in a foe would have filled them with
glee. "Here I am," thought the Warmage with bleak humour, a veritable
walking strategic library, trapped in an entity with strength to spare, but no
tactics at all."
And then realisation came, like the stroke of a gong in a forgotten,
vine-choked temple. "A library!" The exultant surge of inspiration
echoed like a shout in the consciousness he shared with his brother. "I
have been thinking too much like a soldier, Tenaka, when I should have been
thinking like an archmage. A catapult
has no tactics either, but it will unfailingly do the job, given that it be
aimed precisely. And I have spent years honing my precision in magic
libraries...without precision, a mage might as well cut his own throat, for he
will surely manage to destroy himself eventually. What is called for here is
not the tactics of a soldier, brother, but those of a mage. Behold!"
Summoning and focusing his implacable will, the Warmage cast a spell little
different from that taught to apprentices in their first year of mage training.
Little different in kind, but vastly different in effect, for this spell was
backed by the powerful mind, will, and skill of a world-class archmage.
Realisation flooded Tenaka's mind as Vex seemed to flare in his shared
perception, and Ebonheart -- that construct of unstoppable, powerful *hunger*
to absorb magic -- roared in triumph and redoubled its attack on the Daedra
Count. No dodging or transporting could avail him now, as Ebonheart unerringly
pressed his attack. All else in the room seemed to fade before the beacon of
magic which Vex had become.
"Aye, brother", Balefire's confirmation echoed in Tenaka's mind even
before he actively voiced his thought, "'tis a variation on a simple
Detect Magic spell. I suffused Vex with harmless magic, and enhanced the
detection spell's sensitivity to that particular magic. To Ebonheart, it is
like unto a ripe cheese to a mouse. A flare in the darkness. Instinctive. Unmistakable.
Unavoidable." The Warmage's mental laughter was a chilling thing as he
continued, "I use the spell to find my keys, look you, for I am always
misplacing them. They shall open the gates of darkness for our foe."
(Emerald Vex)
From the corner of my eye I saw Rathine life
Zerith up and carry him off. I would deal with my old rival eventually, but
right now I still had this travesty before me. Somehow, one or both of the
brothers comprising its being had managed to get its attention back to me. I
had to put an end to this now, lest everything I'd striven for during the past
five thousand years turn to dust and ruin.
Faster than any mortal eye could see the beast
struck out at me with a blade composed of purest Antilight; my parry was even
swifter.
The impact of my Orcish Dai-Katana against
Ebonheart's blade sent a shuddering jolt up my arm, into my shoulder. The
resulting screech of metal on Antilight set my teeth on edge; Ebonheart didn't
seem to notice. The tremors caused me to drop my sword; only through sheer
force of will did I hold tight. They would not take Nyxalinth from me!
Ebonheart swung again, I parried once more. If
that blade so much as touched me, I would be sent to the Darkness, and my plans
for ascending to Daedra Prince would be done for as well. "You may as well
forget it," I told the thing. I gave it a good, solid push backwards; it
staggered into the sculpture of Nyxalinth. I didn't fear for the priceless item
- it would withstand anything. After all, a god had created it for me -
Zenithar had owed me a favour.
Ebonheart snarled in fury and stalked towards me.
The brothers had it firmly under their control now - earlier, it would've
charged mindlessly for me. This did not bode well. I raised my blade to parry
it once again - the impact sent another battery of shudders up my arm, nearly
numbing my shoulder. Growling, I tightened my grip and brought the blade up and
back. As I did so, I noticed a fine webbing of cracks in the green metal.
The wasn't much time. This blow had to be worthy;
else I would soon join Red and Blackie in the Darkness. I swung my blade in a
fierce, downward arching, bringing all my strength to bear.
(Elsewhere)
Rathine carried the unconscious Dark Elf back to
Nyxalinth's chambers. He kept to the shadows - this and his magic kept him from
being attacked by passing minions. The Dremora had no desire to do battle with
any more Frost Daedra - not all of them had been in the throne room - or Vex's
Chosen.
His superior memory guided him easily. He would
have arrived all the sooner but that he was forced to avoid a small mob of
Scamps. Rathine could have blasted them aside with a few well-placed fireballs
- actually one, poorly placed: Scamps weren't known for their great physical
capabilities - but he didn't. They were intent on other business it seemed.
Besides, he was reminded too much of Skudge.
Thinking of the Scamp made his smile slightly. He
was still smiling when he reached Nyx's chambers; a smile that quickly faded
when he saw the gaping, frost rimmed hole in the wall. The bodies of the hordes
of tiny ice spiders lay all about, melting away to nothingness.
Rathine ducked into the hole, scaring Betrayal and
the now wide awake and fully dressed Alyssa. Apparently she'd borrowed some of
Nyx's clothing - the blouse she wore being a little big on her. The Dremora
ignored their startled expressions. He laid Zerith down on the wide bed, then
went to Nyxalinth's side. "How does she fare?"
"Umm, well enough, I guess," Betrayal
said. Alyssa nodded. "She's fine, Rathine," the young woman assured
him. She stroked back the hair from Nyx's still face.
The Dremora nodded. "Very well." He
looked around the room, his eyes coming to rest on the remains of the giant
spider. "One of Vex's pets, I take it," he said wryly. When Betrayal
nodded, he said, "You both seemed to have accorded yourselves well; that
creature is very dangerous. I would not have guessed it. I bow to you." He
did, much to their surprise. Both young people were quite nonplussed at the
change in the Dremora. The arrogance seemed to have been replaced by
self-assurance and inner strength.
Finally Alyssa spoke. "What happened to
Zerith?" She covered him with one of the blankets.
"He accorded himself heroically in battle,
and nearly perished as a result." He told them the story of Zerith's
battle against Icerax and Vex's Chosen, and of how Zerith had cast a spell to
destroy Icerax, nearly killing himself in the process. He mentioned how he had
healed the Dark Elf, but left out the struggle within. They had no need to know
of it. He also went on to tell them how Lishara died at Vex's hands and how
Balefire and Tenaka had merged into Ebonheart.
"When I departed, it seemed as if Vex had the
upper hand, but that Ebonheart, given time, would destroy him," Rathine
finished. His violet eyes drifted to where Nyx lay, and his expression softened
a bit. Bathed in the last rays of the waning moonlight, she looked incredibly
lovely. He longed to stroke her hair as Alyssa had, but cold not allow himself
to do so with others nearby.
Alyssa noticed the encroaching light and moved
aside, a fact Rathine took note of. He was about to comment when the young
woman suddenly shuddered. "Something's coming." She said softly.
(Emerald Vex)
Mustering all my strength, I swung the mighty
blade I carried. We would see how well Ebonheart fared with nearly six feet of
steel buried in his guts.
Had I moved a fraction faster, I would have been
the victor in this battle. Ebonheart brought its own night dark blade to meet
mine. There was a tremendous screech that made both of us cringe. Then the fine
network of cracks in my Dai-Katana deepened, lengthened, until they ran all
through it.
The razor sharp tip broke off, followed by a
sizable chunk the length of my forearm. Both pieces clattered to the floor. In
a desperate attempt for victory, I struck a blow at the thing's throat: the
sword was broken, but the jagged edges were sharp. Had I been fighting a
mortal, or even another Daedra, I would have slain him.
The thing laughed cruelly, and drew its weapon
back. This was it, then. I would face my death heroically, as I had said I
would. I closed my eyes - I would not allow this vile thing to see my last
minutes reflected in my eyes! - and awaited the final blow.
When it came, the blade piercing my breastplate to
find my heart, it felt as though I were being ripped asunder. Daedra are
physical creatures, but er are also creatures of magic. Ebonheart's attack was
pulling my magic, my very life force, from me.
I screamed; I couldn't stop myself. I'd never
known such incredible agony, not in all the millennia of my existence. Even
over my screaming I could hear Ebonheart's cold, merciless laughter.
I was cold, so cold. Finally, I was so weak that I
couldn't even scream, much less fight against my own death. The Darkness
wrapped itself around me; I surrendered willingly. Anything to end the pain,
the horrible feeling of being sucked dry.
"Nyxalinth… I love you…"
And I knew no more.
(Nyxalinth)
I heard screams and pleas as my father dealt with
Red and Blackie for what they'd done. I detested them both for the torment
they'd caused me, yet a small corner of my heart went out to them. I hated to
hear anyone suffer, even someone I hated.
I'd often thought that if things had been
different, if Zerith and I had been given a choice, we might have gone to Vex -
and his minions willingly. It no longer shamed me to know this. There was
nothing wrong with enjoying myself, accepting pleasure freely given, or being
curious about other Daedra. Izdreth had shown me that.
I could not being myself to give myself willingly
to evil, no matter how great the pleasure. Yes, Red and Blackie were every bit
as talented as their dark hearted master. Yes, the pleasure went beyond
anything Zerith and I could ever experience. But that wasn't the point. In my
heart, I felt that to surrender one's self to evil physically was to open the way
to darkness.
I shivered. There were times I'd come so close -
we both had.
A shadow fell over me then. I smiled, saying,
"Something tells me you were a little rough on them, Father."
A hand touched my shoulder, held it gently. I
turned to put my hand over it, and froze.
Emerald Vex's wicked laughter taunted me.
"Fear not, sweetness. You'll not be lonely here."
I glared at him savagely. "Even in death you
seek to annoy me! Why can you not leave me alone?"
Vex conjured a chair from the Darkness and sat in
it, one leg draped over the arm of the chair, one elbow slung over the other. I
stared in wonder, making him smile. "A simple enough task, even for you
sweetness. Try it."
I though about creating a comfortable plush chair,
and instead wound up with a footstool. Vex's self-satisfied smirk told me he'd
had a hand in that. I glared at him, then sat down, once again forced to look
up at him. I was too weary to worry about it. "Why don't you just create
yourself another manse, and a flock of fluff-brained harem girls while you're
at it," I asked dryly.
He chuckled. "I see that your arrival in the
Darkness hasn't softened your tongue a whit. But to answer your question, it's
because Daedric powers are limited here. I cannot create life - or the
semblance of it - out of nothing. If I try and create anything larger than,
say, a bathing pool, or a luxurious bed, it would fall down around our
ears."
"Pity."
His eyes narrows. "And you would shed a bitter
tear, I am sure." He produced a dagger and toyed with it idly.
"I have to say I'm amazed. From all accounts,
the Darkness is a dreadful, gloomy place, and Daedra can go insane from being
here." I looked around me; the stool, my father's cloak, Vex, still
wearing his armour. "I rather though we'd all be formless entities. I'm
amazed we have anything at all."
He grinned wickedly. "You could as easily be
naked, if you'd prefer. I know I'd prefer it to seeing you in that ragged cloak
of your father's." He laughed at my surprised look. "Yes, I know he's
here. And I know what he's done."
I raised my brows. "And you're not stopping
him?"
Vex shook his head, causing his rich green hair to
fall around him. I stifled a shiver that threatened to run down my spine at the
sight-even now, he held a powerful allure that even now was nearly impossible
to resist. "No. He can't do them any true harm. Besides, as much as I
mourned their passing they do need to pay a price for their failure to stop
your friends. Bear in mind - they will all pay, especially the Dreadmaster and
that young twit." That wicked look stole into his eyes once more.
"Now what say you drop that cloak and we enjoy each other one last time,
for old time's sake?"
I clutched it tighter about me. "I think not,
my lord. You put me through more torment-"
He cut me off with a harsh gesture. "I did
nothing of the sort. I promised you naught but pleasure, sweetness. You brought
all the torment on yourself - you and Zerith both. How many times did I make it
clear that if you gave yourselves willingly, you would not be punished, and in
fact, would be well rewarded?"
I glared back at him. "And since when is
being used by Red and Blackie any kind of reward?" I demanded. "You
know the torment they put me through! I won't even go into what Zerith
endured."
He rolled his eyes. "Did neither of you ever
figure out that they derived great delight in using pleasure to make you both
suffer? I'd wager they'd have left you alone far more often had you not behaved
like a violated virgin!"
I opened my mouth to rail at him, but he cut me
off saying, "Was is really so awful that they gave you pleasure,
Nyxalinth? What about them horrified you so?" He answered for me, saying,
"because you see them - and me - as evil. And you feel that to surrender
yourself to evil physically will somehow corrupt you." His tones softened
as he said, "and because you feel in your heart that to willingly give
yourself to someone you don't love makes you lower. You feel you need to be
better than everyone else because of what you are, is this not so?"
"I - how could you know this?" He was
right, damn him. I'd held back much of who I was over the decades. Being
half-Daedra amongst mortals, I was constantly compelled to be better than
everyone around me was, especially morally. This did not mean that my nature
was to boff anyone who appealed to me - far from it. But I knew I'd missed out
on a lot, especially with my kin.
Emerald Vex rose from his chair. With catlike
grace, he moved to stand before me. "I believe the time for games between
us is over, sweet Nyxalinth. I have always wondered what it could be between us
should you give yourself willingly but once. I know you have often wondered the
same. Let us find out together, then."
"I-"
He pulled me to my feet; I offered no resistance.
"If you but search your heart, you know my words to be true. I know I have
not often behaved in a way that you - raised by mortals - would consider
loving. But I do love you - I died with those words on my lips."
I turned away. He was right, I knew in my heart he
spoke the truth. "Had things been different," I said at last,
"this might not have come to pass. But as it is, I love Zerith, and desire
no other in my life. I did not care to have you - or anyone else - attempting
to wedge their way in."
He smiled, wickedly of course, but there was a
softness I'd seen on rare occasions. "I will ask this of you, not force
it. Let us both assuage our curiosity once and for all, what say you? I know
that I for one will always wonder what could have been." He trailed off,
but no matter. I knew what he was getting at.
"V-very well, My Lord." I let the cloak
slip through my fingers, falling to the floor like a forgotten dream.
The part of the great being Ebonheart that was
Tenaka looked out at the throne room. The Count Vex was dead, only his clothing
remaining now that his body had gone to the Darkness.
The Frost Daedra Leaders were also destroyed. Unfortunately, the Morphoids were
not fairing well against the other Daedra. Their leader was also dead (as were
quite a few of them) and there were far more of Vex's minions than there were
battling them. Even with Kriella assisting them, the battle would not last long
if the odds were not evened. Even such a powerful being as Ebonheart would be
vulnerable to these overwhelming odds.
Tenaka's spirit pulled against the strength of the
Antilight that bound them together, but to no avail. Ebonheart was born, and it
did not want to die!
Tenaka heard the voice of Balefire in his mind.
The Warmage sounded a long way off, though he was closer than they would ever be
again - they were a part of each other. The Dreadlord had to listen carefully
to hear the voice. "Tenaka," it said. "It is too strong - I
cannot hold it in." Tenaka thought about this for a moment. His brother
was correct - the Antilight was getting stronger. No - Ebonheart was getting
stronger. He wanted to feed. Tenaka telepathically shouted to Kriella - the
current situation was dangerously unstable.
Kriella looked over at Ebonheart from where she
stood guarding the bodies of Tenaka and Balefire. She saw the creature pulsing
and realised what was happening. She opened a Window to outside the palace and
wove her magic to lift the two bodies through the portal. But as they drifted
through, Skudge ran at her, his spear levelled at her chest. There was death in
the little Scamp's eyes.
However, the Frost Daedra did not realise exactly
who Skudge was fighting on the side of and hit him with his mace. The blow sent
Skudge flying into a corner where he lay still as death. Kriella saw this and a
single tear slid down her cheek, beneath the ebony helm. The Dreadmaster took a
final look at Ebonheart - at the monster that her husband and his brother had
created and become. She knew not whether the two of them would survive, but she
would act anyway. She would make Tenaka proud of her. That was all that she
really wanted. Kriella glanced over again at the body of Skudge. "He does
not deserve to lie here," she thought and ran over to the corner, picked
him up and carried him outside.
Ebonheart watched the Window close and the Frost
Daedra running towards it.
***
The small party in Nyx's bedroom jumped suddenly
as the Window opened and Kriella dived through it. She beckoned them on and led
the way back through the Window to outside the palace. Rathine picked up Nyx's
body as Betrayal carried Zerith and finally the lot of them ran through the
black portal to the outside and, hopefully, safety.
***
Ebonheart looked around him, analysing the
greatest threat. It finally decided on the army of Frost Daedra running towards
it and raised its hand. The Antilight was growing more powerful by the moment
and was now controlling the creature. Tenaka silently warned Balefire of what
to expect, and prayed that it would happen as he expected.
The Antilight burst forth from Ebonheart’s hand
and streaked towards the leading Frost Daedra. The monster was totally
consumed. Ebonheart grew. Again, Frost Daedra ran towards it and again
Ebonheart sent out Antilight and absorbed it. And again Ebonheart grew – for
without Tenaka’s mind in his body, there was nowhere for the power to go. It
had to stay within the Antilight that made up Ebonheart’s body.
A fifth and a sixth came, caring only that
eventually they kill this thing that had killed their lord, and the fifth and
sixth were absorbed, and Ebonheart grew until it took up the entire room. A
seventh and then it happened. Ebonheart began to shake and pain wracked both
Tenaka and Balefire. And then, suddenly, Ebonheart exploded. The spirits of
Tenaka and Balefire were flung free and the power that was contained in the
Antilight that had formed the body of Ebonheart was absorbed by everything in
the room. Except for the actual room. That began to fall down, along with the
rest of the palace.
The spirit of Skudge watched this happen, and was
quite surprised when he suddenly realised that he could feel magic…
***
The palace was a pile of rubble. The small party
looked on, most of them thinking of the sacrifice that seemed to have been made
by Tenaka and Balefire that they might escape. Betrayal approached Kriella and
asked, "Kriella, why do you not weep, when your husband lies under that
ruin?"
"I know not of Balefire, my friend," she
replied. "But the Dreadlord lives still. I can yet feel his spirit."
***
Balefire floated in a dark place. He did not know
where he was, but he could see nothing – not even himself. Then he heard a
voice, a quite high pitched voice and looked over and saw Skudge, or what
looked like Skudge.
"Balefire," said the image. It made no
sound, but still Balefire could hear it. "We dead?"
"I know not, friend," replied Balefire.
"But I would have thought if we were, then the Great Lord would be here to
welcome us into Geddon."
"It seems to me that I would have noticed had
I died. My most recent close brush with Death, back in the Citadel, felt quite
different, I assure you," the Warmage said wryly. He sought to make sense
of his situation, sending his consciousness and his strangely altered sense
impressions out into the decidedly odd environment in which he found himself.
He had the distinct impression that he could move by the same sort of act of
will by which he communicated with the image of Skudge, but at the same time he
felt unmistakably incorporeal, and uncomfortably unable to integrate his sense
of location with his surroundings.
"I advise you, friend Skudge, to make no
attempt to move about. In some ways I feel the way I do when I move among
different planes, but I have never encountered one quite like this before, and
I believe the danger of becoming lost -- well and truly, permanently lost -- is
quite real. I have a vague sense that my body has survived, somewhere, but I
need to know more about this state before attempting to locate or return to it.
I suppose this *might* be what it is like to be dead, given that some very bizarre
things were happening there at the end with Ebonheart, but on the whole I
suspect that we have just been separated from our bodies and are now in spirit
form. Unfortunately, I have no idea *where* we are, or whether we can
return..."
Another voice was heard…
"Relax Skudge," said the voice,
"and you too, brother. You are not dead, merely awaiting me to show you
the way back to life." Both of them turned around at once and saw the
image of Tenaka, resplendent in his Dreadlord uniform. "Follow me friends,
before the celebration becomes a lament."
The Dreadlord took them both by the hand and
guided them down. Soon they could see the rubble that had been Vex’s palace and
shortly after that, the small party gathered around the three bodies. They each
slowly sank back into their bodies and after a few moments awoke.
Rathine didn’t notice as Balefire, Tenaka and
Skudge sat up from where their bodies had been lying. His attention was focused
entirely on Nyxalinth’s body as it lay before him. She looked so peaceful where
she lay, the muscles relaxed. Even that one time when they had lain together,
she had seemed tense. But no longer. Now, she was at peace. Such a strange
thing to notice, he thought as he watched her. She looked so happy and
peaceful, he was loath to begin the ritual that would return her soul to her.
But then he glanced across at Zerith, lying on the
ground. He had not yet awoken and Alyssa was looking over him, to make sure
that he had no other serious injuries than the one that he himself had healed.
Nyx was Zerith’s reason for being, or so it seemed to the Dremora. If Nyx were
just the empty shell that she was at the moment for eternity, what would become
of Zerith? Rathine did not particularly like the mage-scholar come Warmage, but
he knew that he was the one that Nyx loved. And that was really the deciding
matter. He loved Nyx, and if making Zerith happy was what he needed to do to
make Nyx happy, then he would do it. And if that meant bringing her back, then
so be it.
All else was forgotten as he withdrew the Emerald
Green Soul Gem from within his clothing. He would do as he was bid. Not by his
lord, Imago Storm, but by his love from where she lay in a sleep as deep as
death. He laid the gem over her breast, where her heart would be, and began the
words to bring her soul back from within the gem.
***
Balefire stood, as he saw Rathine begin the
ritual. He could tell from the distance what he was doing, and felt
instinctively that the Dremora would rather not have any help that the elder
Ebonheart brother could offer.
He watched for a time, and, noticing that all was
going as it should, turned away to look at the remainder of the party. Betrayal
and Skudge were talking, about what, the Warmage could not tell, and Alyssa was
inspecting Zerith for injury. Tenaka and Kriella also appeared to be in deep conversation.
The quest was over, he thought. Despite all of the
odds, they had entered Oblivion, battled and defeated a Daedra Count within his
own lair, and rescued the damsel in distress. He wondered if the mission of his
friends to rescue J’layah’s sister had been so successful. At the thought he
groaned. He knew that time worked differently between the two planes. It had
seemed like only a couple of days that they were in Oblivion, yet a month or
more could easily have passed on Tamriel. If they had returned, Alduin would
probably want to tell them of it. Embellished for drama’s sake, of course.
Suddenly, the Warmage turned as he felt magic. But
not from Rathine as he sat, with Nyx’s head cradled in his lap, performing the
ritual to return her soul to her body, and not from Alyssa as she probed
Zerith’s body for problems. But from his brother and sister in law. He turned
to face them and saw that they both had their backs to him, and seemed in rapt
concentration. Feeling that he should be involved, he approached them.
As he got near, the magic stopped and he saw the
Dreadlord and Dreadmaster salute in the way of the Dreadarmies, fist over
heart. He looked at what they were standing before and mimicked the action. For
before them stood a tombstone. The epitaph read:
Here died
Ebonheart, the only casualty of our adventure.
He died
before he was but a day old, and bravely
For in
doing, he defeated the enemy.
We salute
him.
He shall
always live within us.
"A fitting sentiment, brother," said
Balefire after what he thought was a reasonable amount of time had passed.
"But there is one missing." Balefire concentrated and used his magic,
weaving his hands and whispering words that only the two Khans could hear.
Beside Ebonheart’s memorial rose another. The two Khans watched as the words
etched themselves into the rock:
Here died
Emerald Vex.
Though our
foe, and evil at times,
In the end,
he died with honour.
He shall be
remembered.
***
Rathine finished the ritual and sent out his will
into the depths of the Soul Gem to search for Nyx’s soul and to bring it back
out. But he found nothing. He reached further and further in, until, it
suddenly seemed like he had gone through the Gem, and out into somewhere else.
And he recognised the place his mind had entered. It was the Darkness.
As he felt around, he suddenly came into contact
with what he was searching for. He pulled, expecting Nyx to come peacefully, as
peacefully as her body looked.
She didn’t. She fought back.
Zerith woke up just then. After a moment's
grogginess, he attempted to sit up, but Alyssa pushed him firmly back. He was
too weak to protest. "What's going on?" Zerith said softly, his husky
voice almost ragged with concern.
Rathine took no notice. His violet eyes were still
closed as he murmured the words yet again.
Still nothing happened. Nyx lay stretched out on
the ground, serene as the lily pond she enjoyed visiting. Where she had become
a woman in Nightshade's arms.
Rathine sighed deeply. Opening his eyes at last,
he said, "She is resisting my attempts to bring her back to us."
A shocked look passed between all the heroes. At
last Balefire found his voice enough to rumble, "Is this Vex's doing? For
if it is, I myself will hasten to this Darkness and --"
"No, not Vex's doing," Rathine replied.
"It is Nyx herself who resists my call." The Dremora swallowed, then
grit his teeth.
Kriella looked at the Dremora in surprise. Silvery
pools of moisture glinted in his violet eyes. Tears stung her own eyes in
response. She had little love for Rathine, but she understood what he felt. And
though Nyx had been her friend for such a short time, she had come to feel very
deeply for the Shadow Walker thief.
"Why would she do such a thing?" Alyssa
asked. Betrayal shook his head, utterly nonplussed. This certainly hadn't come
out as they'd hoped!
Zerith gnawed at his lip before saying,
"Something is compelling her to stay." He looked to the Dremora.
"Please, Rathine. Continue… you're all we have right now." He turned
away, eyes glittering.
Rathine nodded shortly then returned to his
attempts.
*****
"You must return. This is my final
word."
Nyx looked at her father squarely, stubbornly.
Blue green eyes met scarlet as she said, "I will not! I cannot. I have
waited my life to see you! And I will not leave you with… him!" She
pointed to Emerald Vex, who lay indolently in the bed they'd shared just a
short time ago.
The Daedra Count chuckled. "How quickly we
change out tune, Nyxalinth." He was about to say more, but a fierce glare
from Shal'ir Kamaya made him remember the old mortal saying about discretion being
the better part of valour. He settled for smirking and stretching seductively
amidst the silk and fur bedclothes.
Nyx turned away, face flaming. She'd behaved
shamelessly with Vex, not just a short time ago, but the whole time she was his
captive. "I-I don't deserve to go back," she said softly, turning
away.
A firm hand fell onto Nyx's shoulder, turning her
back to face her father. "I did NOT just hear you say that, daughter. You
are Lady Daedrasbane! You defeated a Daedra Prince - an enemy to our clan! And
yet you will allow a mere Count to defeat your soul?"
Nyx's gaze drifted to where Vex still lay, mostly
uncovered but for the green silk sheet that barely concealed him. He smiled
wickedly, adding to her torment. Nyx's father grabbed her chin firmly.
"Look at me! Pay no attention to that one! He would love nothing more that
to keep you here."
With great force of will, Nyx tore her eyes away
from the Count's magnificent form. She made herself keep her eyes on her
father, even when she could hear Vex stretching luxuriantly. She could almost
imagine the bedcovers falling away…
Her father started to say something, but Nyx
couldn't hear him. The overwhelming pull against her soul had hold of her once
more. She doubled over, struggling to remain.
"Don't fight it!" Shal'ir shouted to
her. "Go to them! Your friends have fought and struggled to bring you
home! And if you can't thing of Zerith of Kriella or Skudge, think of the two
young ones who came as well. They don't even know you, and yet they risked
their lives for you. Would you repay them by staying here? Risking your soul,
your sanity?"
Nyx bit her lip. What could she say? "Father…
I've waited since I was old enough to understand who you are to see you! And
now I do, and I don't want to leave you! It isn't just Vex!" Tears filled
her eyes.
Eyes so much like her mother's, Shal'ir though
gently. His daughter had grown into an exotically beautiful female by all but
most mortal standards. Here in the Darkness, she wore her true form - a tall,
muscled but voluptuous female - as in her assumed form. But except for the
eyes, the resemblance ended - her skin was night blue, like her father's. Her
hair held much more silvery white in it - streaks of it in the darker brown.
And if this didn't convince the viewer of her Daedric nature, the two small
horns above each eyebrow… Shal'ir knew she'd kept her true form concealed for
better than five years - the last to see it had been Nightshade and Zerith.
"Do not fret for me, Daughter," he told
her gently. "I have remained alive and well here for decades, knowing I
would see you one day. The idea has kept me sane and whole all these decades. I
have watched you, rejoiced with you, mourned with you. I shouted in triumph
when you defeated Dagon. And while a bear no love for the Dremora Clan, the one
who seeks to restore you… in spite of what he did… he loves you."
Nyx wanted to argue, to tell her father what
happened. Yes, Rathine had forced her to his bed. But he had also saved her
life, intervened on her behalf, and sent her warnings of trials to come. She
fell silent: the firm tugging on her soul had begun once more.
"The choice is yours, Nyxalinth,"
Shal'ir said softly. He regarded her solemnly as she considered.
***
Zerith watched as Rathine resumed the ritual yet
again. Everyone stood far enough back to give the Dremora peace, yet closely
enough to see. Their expressions and postures betrayed their apprehension.
Skudge's sharp nailed fingers clutched the remains
of his spear all the more tightly. Alyssa shivered nervously. Betrayal
hesitated a moment, then reached out and took her hand in his. Her fingers
tightened, then relaxed. Balefire placed a comforting hand upon Zerith's
shoulder - the younger Dark Elf smiled gratefully, then returned to staring at
his Ki'Raith. Kriella stared down at the half blood as well, then wonderingly
at Tenaka. His look told her he would explain later, then he gently squeezed
her shoulder.
Rathine finished the ritual a second time, then
sat back.
And in the ruins of Emerald Vex's palace, surrounded
by friends both known and unknown, Nyxalinth De'Vries, Lady Daedrasbane, opened
her eyes.
Balefire Rejoices, And Calculates
Balefire's scarred countenance showed a rapid
series of expressions chasing one another, from concern through anger through
relief and the into a rare wide grin of utter happiness. "Welcome back,
M'Lady. 'Tis a singular pleasure to have you with us at last, free of the late
Count Vex's influence. May I suggest that you muster your strength for the trip
home? 'Twould be well to be away from here ere other minions of these parts
decide to dispute our passage."
His almost boyish grin changed once more as he looked quickly around at his
companions, the dusky features settling into their more familiar vulpine,
sardonic lines. Crimson gaze resting on his brother's eyes, the Warmage asked,
"Tenaka Khan, brother...I trust you have no objection to opening a window
on The Angry Porcupine? One sufficiently large to return not only Nyx and all
of us, but also as much of the late Count's treasure as we can pillage in a
reasonable amount of time? My purpose in coming was a rescue, and we have at
last accomplished that, yet I am loath to return entirely bereft of
loot...'twill serve as a lesson to would-be imitators, mayhap, and in any case
I have a reputation to uphold. Besides, I like the idea of Vex paying -- even
posthumously -- for our victory celebration."