The Story of Taillus, Chapter 8 Options

[Taillus]

This is the very last "Full" chapter. I really appreciate the continued support and since my Video Card will be in my computer by Saturday I will have to start working on the story of Xander.... Thanks all and I hope you've enjoyed this as much as I have loved writing it!

Chaper 8 - Eye For An Eye.

The now defenseless town of Balmora bows to Taillus’ mercy as he casually struts through town. Morrowind used to scare him silly. He can remember walking through these same streets not too long ago with a dire fear that someone would plant a knife in his spine for whatever gold he would be carrying. Today, and from now on he would not fear this at all.

He heads across one of the stone walkway bridges that cross the small river passing through the town and heads to the more residential part of town. The villagers pass by him without the slightest clue and he also ignores them for the time being. His mind was completely focused on giving his old “Friend” what he deserves.

The door to the Balmora hideout of the Thieves Guild opens quickly, catching a nearby Thieves Guild Member off guard. Taillus stomps across the floor and grabs the one known as “Sugar-lips Hasabi by the throat and lifts the thief off the floor, letting clawed feet dangle. Taillus squeezes hard as Sugar Lips wheezes and gasps trying to catch some small breath of air.

“I am going to give you three seconds to catch your breath and then you will tell me where the Dunmer by the name of Jiub is. I will not tolerate your ignorance so it would be in your best interest that you do not utter the words “I do not know.” Taillus whispers as he clenches Hasabi and props him against the wall.

The Thief gasps and tries to pull Taillus’ unarmored muscular arm away but to no avail. Finally, Hasabi manages to agree to Taillus’ terms and he drops to the ground desperately trying to catch some air to breathe.

“Sugar-lips sent Jiub to fetch some items of use from the local Mage’s Guild and he should be back soon.” The Sugar-Lips gasps while looking up at Taillus in fear. Taillus grins from beneath his hooded robe and turns to leave.

“Juib will peel that armor off of your body and skewer you without mercy you Imperial fool. He will not allow you to disgrace the Guild of Thieves.” Sugar-Lips hisses just before the door closes making Taillus turn quickly and grab hold of some clothing and heave the poor thief outside, off the step and out into the streets of Balmora for some discipline.

“What did you say!?” Taillus explodes as Hassabi struggles to quickly get to his feet. The thief draws a poisoned glass dagger and circles Taillus in a defensive stance. Taillus rips his robe off revealing his chiseled bare chest and motions for Sugar-Lips to try and plant the dagger into his exposed chest.

Sugar-Lips lunges at Taillus over and over but fails to hit flesh. Taillus draws his mace and motions for the Guild member to try and fill his body with poison. As the dagger is thrust in his direction, Taillus steps to the side and swings the mighty enchanted mace downward at the Thief Guild member knocking Sugar-Lips lifeless to the ground at his feet.

“Where are you Juib!? Come to me and accept your fate my friend!” Taillus shouts filling the empty streets with his voice as the white spirit energy of Sugar-lips flows into his amulet. Taillus can feel the added attributes of the thief with his own and his eyes could now suddenly make out more detail in the dark He felt as though he had trained in the Thieve’s Guild for years. He sprints through town heading quickly to the mages guild where Juib is supposedly off stealing scrolls. Checking his inventory, He found an invisibility scroll that he would definitely see going to good use within the next few minutes.

[Taillus]

A short moment later brought Xander to the outskirts of Seyda Neen. The smell of the bubbling bogs and swampy marsh almost made him light headed but he knew the importance of keeping on his guard. He assessed the surroundings and calculated where the best spots would be to place his men. He hoped that Seyda Neen had at least a small handful of men with skill, otherwise he would end up at the mercy of this monster of a man and what he has heard about him, he wouldn’t like to deal with him face to face at all.

A short time passes and Sellus walks through the village with a very limited number of troops. Hopefully quality over quantity would be the case but that did not seem so.

“I brought every guard in the village with me and we have suited up with the best weapons we had to offer as well as whatever Arille had in his lock up.” Sellus Gravius proclaims as he lifts an arm to introduce his men.

Xander stands in shock at the sight before him. Five men in total and that was counting Sellus himself, six if Xander were to be included. They were dressed in the most basic Imperial armor and their steel swords had seen better days. No archers, no pikemen, not even a heavily armored legionnaire with a broadsword. This was not his usual team but they would have to do….

Meanwhile, the local Fighter’s guild as well as the Mage’s Guild was busy trying to keep Taillus at bay while villagers quickly made their way into a shelter that was hidden in the Balmora Temple. Taillus was surrounded by the likes of Eydis Fire-Eye and Ranis Athyrs, who with the help of other high ranked Fighters and Mages managed to keep Taillus distracted.

“The ever powerful and brave warriors of the Fighters’ Guild coupled with the intelligent and wise robes of the Mage’s Guild, all reduced to bleeding heaps of flesh due to my god-like powers! How does it feel to be beaten at your own game!? How does it feel to be as weak as a newborn, eclipsed by my never ending power!?” Taillus shouts as he swings his Broadsword with the ease and speed of a glass dagger.

Try as they might, no man or woman could stop the relentless strength of Taillus. He seemed to move away from every swing of a blade, every jab of a spear and every burst of magicka. It seemed as though he wasn’t even tangible how he managed to evade every single attack brought on against him. Those that managed a successful blow were shocked to see that pain didn’t even register with him, their weapons and spells only bouncing off of his superior armor.

The members of the Balmora Guilds couldn’t fathom how it seemed that as each of their comrades fell to Taillus’ blade, he managed to get even more powerful. Breaking weapons with his Ebony clad hand, or denting and cracking armor with a single swing. By the time they realized that the amulet around his neck was absorbing the souls of those he killed it was too late.

Within mere minutes, Taillus had conquered the Fighters’ Guild as well as the last remaining civilians that had struggled to make their way to the shelter provided in the Temple. Taillus had collected in excess of thirty souls to add to the greedy Daedric Soul Gem and he makes his way out of town as if he had never been there in the first place.

“Your skill is quite impressive my son. It seems that you have a knack for slaying the innocent after all. I knew that you would not disappoint me in the end. Keep up the impressive work mortal and soon you will rule by my side as my chief warrior, the Mortal god of Pain and Fear.” Molag Bal whispers within Taillus’ head. Taillus only grins as he heads to his next city. He was making his way to Ebonheart and stopping at every city along the way. Seyda Neen was only hours away and he could already feel the souls of Arille, Sellus Gravius and Socillus Ergalla.