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]

Time passed and Xander begins to come to his senses once again. His eyes begin to focus and his first sight makes him wish he could just stay unconscious. The battered body of one of his comrades had fallen only feet away. His eyes looked void of not only life but he looked as though his soul had been ripped from his body. His eyes were dark black and his mouth was wide open. Xander slowly and painfully gets to his feet feeling the worst headache he had ever felt.

As he fully comes to, he begins to hear sounds deep inside Seyda Neen. The village itself was destroyed and most of the modest houses were on fire. The tradehouse was only a smoldering hole in the ground and the swampy marsh was littered with the abused bodies of the locals.

Xander walks into town, beating himself up emotionally over how he felt so helpless. He was unable to stop this from happening and he would be unable to stop it from continuing. Vvardenfel was done for and there would be nothing anyone can do about it.

The Breton followed the only sounds he could hear other then the sound of crackling fire. It only took moments for Xander to figure out the source. Taillus was wailing on the obviously tired and broken body of Sellus Gravius at the top of Seyda Neen’s Lighthouse. The sounds of their blades crashing together fill the air. The Battle mage Xander decides he should relieve Sellus and he casts levitation on himself as he runs towards the lighthouse.

Timing becomes a saving grace as Xander slams into Taillus with his shoulder, knocking him off the side of the lighthouse just as he was about to finish off the exhausted Sellus Gravius. Xander lands where Taillus himself stood only seconds before and he extends a hand to help his friend to his feet.

“Many thanks Xander, I feared he would have ended me within seconds. Taillus is a madman, I don’t know how we are going to stop him! He seems to get more powerful with each man he kills. Look at the dents he left in my sword. We might be able to take him down but we will have to act…” Sellus was interrupted by the form of Taillus bursting out of the water with the force of an erupting volcano.

The sheer force of the Telekinetic wave from Taillus obliterates the bottom of the stone lighthouse sending both men off the other edge. Taillus walks over the crumbled structure and stands before the two men.

“I invite you both to try and kill me. In the end you will both only end up as more energy for me!” Taillus belts as Xander and Sellus quickly clamor to their feet. The three men stand in the middle of the broken village. Two against one but the upper hand was clearly on the one man… Taillus.

Sellus decides that he would be the first to move and he charges forward in hopes of ending the battle quickly. Xander tries to stop him but found out he was too late. The two men once again clash swords, only this time, things took a turn for the worst. One swing of the deadly Ebony broadsword and it was over. Taillus heaved the blade at Sellus Gravius and grinned maniacally as it stopped short, but not before slicing through the Imperial Templar Cuirass and resting deep in Sellus’ chest.

It all happened so very quickly that Xander could barely comprehend what had just happened. Sellus Gravius stood with his back to Xander, lifeless and standing only because the devastating Ebony Broadsword was wedged into his chest and still being held by the demonic Taillus.

“No! You monster! How can you kill so easily?! How can you kill without even a second thought, without the slightest bit of remorse!? “Xander shouts at the evil Imperial. Taillus pulls his blade from the chest of Sellus Gravius and steps closer to Xander. As both men meet face to face, four simple words slip from the mouth of Taillus, making everything so clear to Xander.

“Because I have to.” Taillus states simply before turning and walking away. Xander can feel the equal amounts of pain that accompany Taillus’ power and he actually begins to feel badly for him. Xander begins to jog in hopes of catching up with this intriguing man but is only met with a fierce blast of Magicka. Taillus hears the Breton approaching and turns quickly, releasing a pre-accumulated blast of energy at Xander almost knocking him off of his feet.

Suddenly, the sounds of hundreds of men and women begin screaming and moaning in Xander’s head. Some form of disturbing noise spell that Xander could interpret as the souls of every person Taillus had killed. They continue to shriek and howl in his mind, making him grip his head in madness. He can also hear the voice of one being in particular that seemed to be inhuman.

It was much louder then the rest and it wasn’t howling. Occasionally between screams he could hear the voice giving a message.

“Bow to my Ambassador, the great Harvester of Souls! Allow him to take you so that you can lend your power to us….to me!” The deep voice booms. Xander shakes his head as he can see Taillus getting closer. Barely able to think, let alone defend himself, he manages to bring up his arms as another wave of magicka washes over him.

He looks to see the armor dripping off his hands as his gauntlets waste away before his eyes, his pauldrons melt away as well as his cuirass. Soon he is clad in only the clothes on his back, completely defenseless and at the mercy of the evil Imperial.

“Can you see the end my Breton friend? Can you see your insignificant life flashing before you? Or are those tormented souls too loud for you to concentrate on anything?” Taillus laughs as he walks closer. By this time, Xander had fallen to his knees from the pain in his head. He can feel the temperature begin to rise rapidly around him as another spell from Taillus consumes him.

The sweat begins to pour off of the Breton and he struggles to keep his breath. He watches around him as the trees and grass burst into flames from the heat. He could tell that this was the doing of Taillus’ evil magic and had to figure out a way to stop it.

Xander struggles to his feet even though the heat had become unbearable and he stands, unarmored before Taillus. He cycled through his spells in his head even though he could barely hear himself thinking due to the voices in his mind. Taillus had begun yelling obscenities, obviously mocking and trying to instill fear but honestly, Xander could not hear him.

Suddenly, it came to him. There was not a single spell that he had that could hurt Taillus so he would have to escape. He decided that a solid invisibility spell would be what the doctor ordered and he could use the rest of his magicka to levitate and fly close to Ebonheart.

“And now that I have given you a taste of Oblivion, I will send you there for good! This is the end you foolish Breton!” Taillus shouts as he arcs back with his broadsword. Xander waits for the right time and ducks avoiding the blade and activates his invisibility spell.

He runs past Taillus and begins to soar quickly over the water heading for Ebonheart. He hoped that he would be able to get there in enough time to prepare everyone for the battle of a lifetime.