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'And you ended up becoming a knight after all.'

Bloodies smirked. 'Sure, but you wanted to know my origin story rather than what I do for a living nowadays,' he replied.

'Of course. Did you ever take Sir Simon up on his offer, though?'

Bloodies nodded. 'I did,' he answered, 'years later when I was travelling as a mercenary: I made my way to Alcaire Castle and, true to his word, I found him by name.' He let out a soft chuckle. 'I asked Sir Simon at the time if he could make me a Knight of the Flame and he sadly told me only Bretons could join their order--I was so disappointed, he could not help but laugh.'

'I can imagine. You caught up with Sir Simon, but did you ever find out what happened to Lulu?'

Bloodies' smile faded quickly. 'Back in 577, when I went back to Leyawiin and then Blackmarsh to follow the trail back to my home village, I ran into Lulu by chance,' he explained, 'it turns out she found a way out of the bloodworks through the grates into the city sewers.' He cleared his throat. 'Turns out the day she wanted to ask me something, she was going to ask Kero and I to go with her.'

'So why didn't she?'

'Lulu knew I would have tried to take everyone and escape together, which meant the guard would have been looking for us and we probably wouldn't have made it out of the sewers.' Bloodies sighed. 'She was right, but I was still so angry with her when she told me she had no choice.'

---

'Where do you want to go first?' Bloodies asked quietly. He looked down at Fleet who leaned on his shoulder as the sat against the wall.

Fleet looked back at his lover in confusion. 'What?' he whispered back.

Bloodies pulled Fleet even just an inch closer. 'When we get out of here as free scales, where do you want to go first?' he asked, a little louder but keeping his voice soft.

'Oh, um...' Fleet thought about it. 'I don't really know. There's an entire world out there I never even thought about.'

Bloodies laughed a little, not so loud to disturb their egg-kin resting nearby. 'Think about it now,' he encouraged.

Fleet tilted his head from side to side and hesitated. 'I just want to be wherever you are...' he whispered finally. Bloodies smiled and leaned his head upon Fleet's, content.

It had been hours since the knights withdrew from the tournament, and Gaius had no word on if they would be fighting. Once the physicians had bandaged Kya's severed arm, the tribe stayed together in their room. Even though it was once a place where hatchlings quietly cried over their lot in life, it now felt like a safe place for them from the chaos of the arena. As if the cold stones and beds of straw were enough to hold off the end of the world.

They had little else to believe in, after all.

The door swung open and the Argonians, out of a combination of conditioning and actual anxiety, all sprung to. Gaius stood in the doorway, but behind him were the Emperor's guards; still clad in their menacing black plate embossed with bone motifs.

'The emperor has summoned you all to the pit,' Gaius announced, his voice downtrodden as though it were not really him speaking. As if to enforce the point, one of the black guards stepped into the room and eclipsed the lights of the bloodworks. The Argonians shivered as he cast his shadow over them. They all got on their feet, not wanting to find out how the black guard's discipline for indolence differed from Gaius'.

The tribe walked up the ramp to the pit together, with the two black guards behind them.

'I thought we were done,' Kaleel--the eldest second to Saiei--murmured to Floats, 'I don't want to fight anymore.'

'Me neither...' Floats admitted.

'Oh, come on,' Kya hissed after overhearing the two, 'Out of us, I'm the only one who lost an actual arm!' The two Argonians looked at her as she pointed her right stub at them accusatorily, and immediately stopped complaining. Bloodies looked to Fleet for comfort and saw that even his lover's faint smile was fraught with fear.

The tribe reached the sandy battlefield they had become used to. It was well after sunset now, and the pit was lit up by many torch sconces on the arena walls. The bloodied sands from the day's battles had been brushed to appear cleaner, but dark patches stilled littered the sands and there was no covering the pungent smell of bloodshed and death. When they stepped into the arena, the portcullis rose behind them and Bloodies looked back at the black guards staring through the iron bars. They turned away and left the tribe to whatever the emperor intended for them. Bloodies then looked up to the emperor's box, where Emperor Leovic had stood up to address the murmuring audience.

'Good citizens,' his voice boomed and immediately the crowds quelled to attention, 'you have seen these fierce scalebacks do battle with the worst of the worst and, either through dumb luck or actual skill, they have overcome every challenge we have thrown at them!' Bloodies' brow furrowed with irritation. He could also hear a faint chittering of some sort. 'Let us see then if fortune still favours them! To end the day of duels, the arena blademaster has prepared a mighty challenge for our scaled friends,' Emperor Leovic continued, 'sing your voices in praise for them as they try to overcome the fires of war given form!'

Bloodies only found the source of the chittering when the arena caretakers dropped another portcullis, and there emerged giant beetles. Their chitinous bodies were patterned in red and yellow like fire, and their sharp mandibles clapped as they chittered.

'From the fiery hellscapes of Morrowind we have brought these fire-wreathed shalks,' Emperor Leovic shouted as the crowd gasped, 'let us see if the combatants can endure their flames!' There were only three of these 'shalks' but Bloodies readied his guard as they skittered into the pit. The others followed his example, with Kya brandishing her sword in her left hand. She looked shaky, but she hid it well by focusing on the shalks.

The shalks split up from each other, encircling the tribe of Argonians. Bloodies watched the one on the left while Fleet observed the one on their right. Flames exhaled from the beetles' mandibles as though with excitement over fresh prey. Bloodies took deep breaths to keep his cool, trying to bear the aroma of the arena. He then smelled something underneath the scent of blood.

'Blood, Fleet, we'll take this one!' Saiei shouted as he and two of their egg-brothers ran forward.

'Saiei, wait--!' Bloodies called out after him. But Saiei did not listen, instead charging unto the lone shalk with sword and shield. His two egg-brothers flanked the shalk as its mandibles gnashed at Saiei's shield. It chittered as the two Argonians rained blows down on its carapace.

The shalk, though covered in natural armour, spun deftly on the spot. Saiei and his egg-brothers were on the ground suddenly as they were tripped by the shalk's mandibles. Bloodies ran forward to help them, but he saw it all unfold in the next few seconds. With three of its six legs the shalk pinned the Argonians down and, though Bloodies saw it barely breathe flame, suddenly the ground was engulfed in fire and his egg-brothers along with it. Their excruciating screams rang out across the pit as the crowds exclaimed at the sight. Bloodies trembled as he saw Saiei weakly reach out through the flames toward his tribe.

'Oil!' Bloodies shouted to his egg-kin, 'watch your feet, they put oil in the sand!' Immediately after, the shalks advanced towards their prey. The Argonians avoided all the dark patches now and stayed on clean sands as much as possible. Bloodies stepped forward to face the shalk that killed his egg-brothers as it stepped out of the pyre. He gritted his teeth as he skirted dark patches and held his shield ready. He looked over the shalk's daunting carapace--the patterns goading him to try--to find any weak spots he could exploit.

The beetle clicked harshly before darting forward. Bloodies leapt aside as it missed him with its grinding jaws. He swiped at its legs first with as much might as he could muster. His sword bit into natural armour, and while the shalk screeched its leg looked unharmed. Bloodies resisted when it backed up and tried to drag his sword with it, pulling his sword free. The creature then spat fire and Bloodies dodged again as pockets of oil ignited in his wake. He brought his shield down as the shalk tried to exploit his movement, and he grunted as he felt the blistering heat of its breath radiating off his barrier.

He heard Kya's screams and his heart sank when he looked to the others. The sands were littered with searing oil fires. Kya was aflame and flailing in intense agony, her sword jutting out of the carapace of the shalk the killed her. Gilen swiped at it to ward it off as Kya and her screams expired into the sands. Fleet was fighting the other shalk with Kaleel and Floats. But before Bloodies' shalk overpowered his shield, he saw his egg-brothers abandon Fleet.

'No!' Bloodies shouted before being shoved into the sands. He rolled back to his feet as his shalk came at him again, ready to impale him on its jaws. Bloodies roared angrily and swung his shield arm in response.

The shalk screeched and shook as it collided with the rim of Bloodies' shield the first time. He then smashed his shield upon its face twice more. The rim of the shield caught between the carapace and its armoured head, and the creature fell dead afterward. He turned immediately, and saw Fleet was unharmed. Kaleel was helping Floats climb the wall of the arena and escape, but even with Fleet's shouted warnings he was unaware of Fleet's shalk coming up behind him. And Gilen--

'Gilen!' Bloodies yelled as he ran towards his egg-brother. Gilen was crying out as mandibles like razors tore through his leather armour. 'Gilen, I'm coming!' With a last exertion of strength, Gilen jammed his sword up into the shalk's head, and its wild thrashing died down. Bloodies shoved the creature off Gilen and onto its back before kneeling beside him. He could not see what the shalk had done until he was there beside his egg-brother, whose stomach had been ripped into. Gilen was crying through choking breaths as Bloodies grabbed his hand.

'I d-don't wanna die, Red...' he croaked, 'I don't w-want...'

He wanted to tell his egg-brother he was going to be okay, but the smoke robbed Bloodies of his voice. Even if he could lie to Gilen, Bloodies could not find the words. He could only hold Gilen's hand as his breaths faded and his trembling form became still. He looked up at Fleet, who had joined him and only shook his head over Gilen. Bloodies then saw past Fleet to their last egg-brothers. Kaleel was pinned against the wall as he was being torn apart, his head raised to stare at Floats as he grabbed onto a decorative torc during his climb. The young Argonian looked up and saw too late one of the emperor's black guards with a bow ready. Bloodies felt his heart catch in his throat as Float fell back to the ground below with an arrow through his neck.

The air was choked with the smell of burnt flesh, oil, and smoke.

'N-Not again...' Bloodies croaked, his throat ravaged by smoke. 'I've l-lost my tribe again...' In the fires he could see his home village burning. He saw the Dunmer slavers again--heard the screams of his kin--and he saw Syrus' smile.

'I'm here, Red,' Fleet spoke, breaking Bloodies out of his trance. He put a firm hand on Bloodies' shoulder. 'Get it together...' Bloodies took a deep breath, but then he looked up to the emperor's box. Leovic was smiling.

Although sorrow still welled in Bloodies' eyes, anger started to burn in his breaths; Bloodies let go of Gilen's hand and drew his sword once more. Fleet followed at his side with sword and board ready. The last shalk turned away from Kaleel's still-corpse and chittered menacingly toward the last Argonians. Bloodies ran forward with a yell. The shalk, with fire at its jaws, lunged at him. Bloodies strafed left and, as he did so, he brutally swiped with his shield like before. The shalk screeched and its fiery breath dissipated as its right legs cracked and snapped under the rim of Bloodies' shield.

Bloodies then shoved upward with the flat of his shield and flipped the creature on its back before it could move. As the shalk flailed in futility, together Bloodies and Fleet stood over the creature and stabbed it's less-armoured underside repeatedly. Steaming insect blood spurted out and Bloodies growled as some of it caught on his exposed arm scales. The heat stung harshly, but he bore through the pain as he claimed vengeance for his tribe with a final cut across the shalk's neck. Soon enough, the creature moved no more.

Bloodies and Fleet stepped back, flicking the blood off their blades. Bloodies took a moment to try and catch his breath. As he did, his eyes wandered over the carnage that had been wrought. The burnt remains of Saiei and the egg-brothers that died with him; of burning Kya lying in the sand and Gilen's crimson remains close by; and Kaleel and Floats, who for all their cowardice did not deserve their respective fates.

Bloodies looked at the minor burns on his forearm, and then to Fleet who was just as exhausted as he was. Bloodies then looked at the cheering crowds and raised his sword to the sky, just like gladiators before him had at the end of their matches. The cheering swelled as he did, and more when Fleet joined him. He hoped the roar of adulation would quiet his seething heart. Bloodies then looked up at the emperor's box, where Emperor Leovic had stood up to applaud them, and his heart pounded-- vehemently refusing to return to any semblance of tranquillity.

'Well done,' he commended, 'truly an admirable performance!' Bloodies and Fleet both lowered their swords again after a time, but the crowds continued to cheer. Bloodies just stared at Leovic with venom in his eyes. He wondered if the emperor could see how much he hated him from his privileged spectator's seat. 'Unfortunately, while you fight well for scalebacks, only one of you can proceed to the final match,' Emperor Leovic added, 'so let us resolve this issue with a final fight to the death.' Bloodies tilted his head in disbelief. 'Begin!'

Bloodies threw his sword down on the ground. 'No!' he shouted back, catching the emperor mid-turn. 'I'm done fighting for you!'

The emperor peered over the railing down at the insolent lizard. 'Do you have any idea who I am, slave?' Though his throat was dry, Bloodies swallowed and just stared back at the emperor. 'I am the emperor of Cyrodiil, and you will do as I command. Else...' Emperor Leovic raised his hand and there was the shuffling of armour across the arena as spectators gasped.

Both Bloodies and Fleet looked around them and on all sides the emperor's guards lined the railings of the stands. Like the guard who shot down Floats, they all had recurve bows now nocked with arrows. As many as two dozen arrows were poised and aimed at the two Argonians.

'We can see just how good at avoiding arrows you two are without your precious shieldwall,' the emperor challenged, 'the choice is simple: either fight and one of you emerges a victor, or both of you die here and now.' Bloodies looked back at the emperor, but in defiance nonetheless he did not move to pick his sword back up.

'Red...' Bloodies looked away from Emperor Leovic and saw Fleet had taken a stance a few paces away from him.

'Fleet, no...' he whispered in disbelief.

Fleet only shook his head. 'This is the only way either of us can avenge the others,' he said solemnly. If Fleet ever smiled before, his expression yielded no memory of it then. 'We have to fight.'

Bloodies shook his head. 'I'm not going to fight you, Fleet,' he uttered adamantly.

From his seat in his box, Emperor Leovic rolled his eyes. 'Come on, get on with it!' he shouted.

With too many arrows trained on them and the audience watching with bated breath, the exchange was tense. Bloodies stared at his lover and silently dared Fleet to kill him. Fleet didn't make any moves, and his face was fraught with sadness. Then his face shifted--his brow furrowed.

'They're dead because of you!' Fleet shouted suddenly.

Bloodies was clearly taken aback. 'What...?'

'Kero, Kya, Gilen--they all trusted you to protect them and instead they died because of you!' Fleet continued, 'you might as well have killed them yourself!'

Rage seeped into Bloodies' veins again as he picked his sword back up and raised his shield. Fleet and he circled each other, daring one another to make the first move. An arrow embedded itself in the sand next to Fleet, signifying the emperor's impatience. Fleet then lunged to strike. Bloodies slashed at him as he came forward, to which Fleet raised his shield. He then lashed at Bloodies with his sword, and quickly they became entangled together with their shields holding off each other's blades. With both wrestling to get the upper hand, the two warriors were evenly matched. Bloodies stared into Fleet's eyes, searching for something that might abate his anger.

Fleet suddenly headbutted Bloodies, who yowled and backed off, and the two disengaged. They resumed stances and their dance began again, albeit briefly. Bloodies came in a few moments later with a slash and Fleet raised his shield up. Bloodies feinted, ducking low to swing for the legs from Fleet's blindside. Fleet read his move and jumped back. As Bloodies' blade cut through only air, Fleet jumped back into melee. The crowd oohed as he punched Bloodies across the maw with his sword fist. But as he recoiled from the savage blow, Bloodies came back and bashed with his shield.

Fleet barely raised his own shield in time. He was shoved back once, then again. He recovered his footing and backed away apace before Bloodies could bash again. Bloodies leaned too far into his last bash with nothing to collide with, and so he stumbled slightly. Fleet came back in on one knee and swept Bloodies' legs with his shield arm. Bloodies crashed into the sands on his shoulder but rolled so he could get back onto his feet with his shield up. Fleet didn't go for the kill as he thought, however, and stood in place with his shield ready. For a moment, Bloodies hoped there was still the possibility that Fleet was acting.

'I knew it,' Fleet jeered, 'Kero died because you were too weak like you are now!' Every word Bloodies' former lover delivered stung and burned in his blood like fire. He roared like a feral beast gone mad and leapt forward. The two engaged, their swords curling through the air and shields hurling through the air to deflect each blow. Bloodies attacks were frenzied and landed with an impetus of hatred, while Fleet maintained his composure and balanced his offense and defense. Whatever blows he could not block, Fleet dodged and then retaliated.

But Bloodies started learning from Fleet's evading and countering. He swung another heavy slash that caused Fleet to leap back. Bloodies then leaned in and punched with the rim of his shield. Fleet barely raised his own shield in time, and as the rim smashed against his shield he was sent sprawling back. Fleet took winded gulps of air as he turned to face his opponent. But Bloodies did not pause as he charged into Fleet with his shield. Fleet felt his back slam against the stone wall of the arena. He could barely hear the exclamation of the crowd over the ringing in his head. Then he felt his breath truly leave him as Bloodies' sword ran him through.

Bloodies pinned his former lover up against the wall with his shield at Fleet's chest and his sword through his gut. Fleet let go of his sword and shield. Bloodies' lungs ached as he panted, staring into Fleet's expression once more. Fleet weakly smiled as he grabbed onto Bloodies horns with one hand, and then the other. He pulled Bloodies' head forward so that their foreheads and snouts touched together as Bloodies began to cry. He realised it was an act from the moment Fleet smiled.

Every moment Bloodies saw Fleet smile came flooding back to him.

'I h-had no choice...' Fleet whispered. His words were thin like fragile glass.

Bloodies moved his head ever-so-slightly like he was shaking it. 'It should've been you that survived... Not me...' he choked.

'No... It was a-always... Going to be you, Red...' Bloodies' grip on his sword trembled as Fleet's blood dripped down over his hand. 'You'll be a... Great fighter someday...'

Bloodies choked back a sob. 'Don't leave me alone, Fleet...' he pleaded.

Fleet's breathing grew faint and Bloodies felt his hands start to slip from his horns. 'Promise me, Red...'

'What...?' The tears started to overflow and stream down Bloodies' face.

'No matter what happens... Just live...' Fleet rasped, 'Just live, for all of us...'

Bloodies hesitated. 'I... I don't think I can...'

'Just live, for me...' Fleet repeated. After a moment, Bloodies nodded.

Fleet's smile somehow got as big as it ever was as he took his last breaths. His hands fell away from Bloodies horns as his body grew limp and draped over Bloodies in a dying embrace. Bloodies kept their foreheads pressed together as his broken breaths seethed through gritted teeth and his vision blurred. He wanted to scream so much until he couldn't scream anymore. But his lungs permitted barely a whine. After a time, he withdrew his blade and gently let Fleet's body slide to the ground.

Bloodies swallowed and then inhaled deep until his breathing shuddered notably less. He took one last look at Fleet's face, now at peace, before turning toward the spectators. Stepping back toward the center of the arena, Bloodies raised his sword in triumph and the crowds cheered with rampant applause. Bloodies kept his chin up, averting his eyes from witnessing and reliving everything he had just lost, and instead looked up at the two moons Masser and Secunda high in the night sky.

Despite all the praise and admiration that the crowds offered, Bloodies felt truly alone in that moment.