Chapter 17
Bridges Burned
Present Day - Stormhold Sewers
Tolan tried to blink away the pain as his eyes met the sunlight. Part of him wished he could vanquish the throbbing in his calf. The wound had continued to bleed as he made his way toward the secret sewer entrance. He stepped out of the cave, ducking the stone workings that hung low in the mouth-like exit.
He turned to see the gaping maw of a Wamasu. However, this maw was stone, roughly fifteen feet in height. Tolan guessed it was crafted some hundred or more cycles ago. It's mouth held the secret entrance to the Stormhold sewers.
He took in the muggy air of the Shadowfen swamp. He could smell the mud about him. He could smell the so very alive flora that covered every inch of the swampy land. Then he smelled something else. One of them. The scent of the shadow-scale gripped him by his chest, causing him once more to ignite with rage.
"Will you beg for your life, as your brethren did?" Tolan chuckled. "Perhaps you will find your spine."
Tolan couldn't smell fear emanating from the creature. He strangely smelled concern. He listened closely to his surroundings. Opening his ears, taking in the buzzing of flies, the bubbling of the swamps.
"I will beg for nothing Tolan." a voice from behind him said.
Tolan spun to see Shissar, the argonian was clad in a shadow-scale Jerkin, Gold embroidered upon several locations of the Argonian styled armor. Tolan peered into the black eyes of the assassin who had once saved his life. It took him off guard, threw him from his pedestal, he landed someplace darker.
Tolan knew that part of him was being irrational, he didn't care. "You sent them into the den of the Dar'kir!" Tolan shouted.
Tolan's angered voice carried through the air, spiraling through the canopies above. The forest became an orchestra of sound as birds flew from their perches nearby.
"You do not know what you've done here Tolan. My egg-brothers won't stop this time. A cycle of peace has not been enough time to forget," Shissar replied.
Memories of standing over broken argonian bodies. Tolan tossing one female to the ground. He remembered the tears that ran over her green flesh as she landed upon an egg. Tolan could see the horrified expression on her face as she inspected the goo that covered her hands and dress.
Then he was back. Gritting teeth, pushing the painful memory away. "You remember the bloodshed," Tolan said.
"Do you, Do you remember the compassion of us few?" Shissar replied.
Tolan was awash with rage. He could see Ri'shai, a knife through her chest. Tolan a throat spewing forth his life's blood. Then he saw Artemis. He couldn't say why, but he wanted to protect her. What was she to him, some girl he'd saved on a whim?
"Tolan remembers your compassion Shissar," Tolan turned his gaze away. "Your kin are brash madmen, fatherless swine who seek to inflict pain."
Shissar began to grind his teeth. "I won't be able to protect you this time Tolan. You have slain egg-brothers once more. I only wish to know, who is this bosmer to you?
Tolan stood there a moment. The question settling upon his shoulders. Tolan had watched her slay the wamasu. The sheer ferocity of the bosmer had intrigued him. Afterward, as she washed away the blood of the creature, he wanted to approach her. He couldn't say why. It was instinctual, he wanted to clash blades with her, test her real power. He wasn't going to leave her to the mercy of those up start hatchlings.
"She has the will to shape Tamriel, Ri'shai has seen her purpose." Tolan lifted his hands, they were stained red from the death he had reaped only minutes ago. "Mafala works through my hands Shissar. Tell me, does Sithis have an agenda for these lands?"
Shissar's face contorted at the mention of sithis. Tolan could read the uncertainty in the argonian's black eyes. Something is happening to his people. Tolan could once again smell the concern permeating from the argonian he once called friend. He knows that war with the Dar'kir will only escalate to more death.
Shadow's began to leap from the darkness of the cave. Jumping into Tolan's hands. Shissar's expression changed, a frown tracing across his scaled green face.
"Tolan, repay your life debt to me, leave these swamps with your kin. Leave the bosmer to her fate," Shissar said.
Tolan threw back his head and bellowed a long laugh. "This one is done talking," Shadow's began trailing up his arms. "Tolan will spare your life Shissar, but this one will be going nowhere."
