The Last Holy-Scale: Book One: Part Five- This is my Family

• Posted by ChandlerBeach March 4, 2016 - 865 views

  The Last Holy-Scale: book One: Part Five:

  This is My Family

       It's been 10 months since the "Festin" incident, and we've moved on since the time...we even held an honoring of Gavarik (Rekuuk cried the whole time) sacrifice. The family is doing just fine in the time being...but...I do not think I've told you about them all yet...well...let me tell ya a story about a very....well....special time on my part...

     We're all gathered in the Inner Sanctum for our daily "talkin' to" by Semkil. He climbed up to the top of the Sun-Hist and began to speak.

     

     Semkil: Everyone! Ears up! (everyone turns head to Semkil) You've all been asking about the Sun-Hist and her silence the past few days...I say SHUT UP! This isn't the first time it's happened...and it won't be the last, all I ask for you to do...is to continue as you were.

     Stands: (standing next to Semkil) Then tell us Semkil, why is she silent?

     Semkil: (looks at Stands, then back to the crowd) She rests...she has alot to look out for, just like any other Hist. I'll speak to her again...so don't fret.

     Jumps-Into-Battle: Then what are we to do today Hist Master?

     Semkil: (deadlocks his eyes on Jumps)...For you...you can clean the Dining Hall on your own (smiles)

     Jumps: What really!?? (everyone else is laughing at him and patting his back) Come on you all, this isn't funny!

     Semkil: Bah! I can't be that cruel to ya, not with how much Rezmorziriik and Rekuuk eat (eyes dart to the two of them)

     Rekuuk: A warrior has to eat all he can for energy! It's instinctual!

     Rezmor: Here Here!

     Semkil: Then you two can assist him in that matter.

     Both: AW what!?   

     Semkil: You heard me boys (turns to tell everyone else)...now everyone...GET BACK TO IT!!! (everyone leaves the Inner Sanctum)

     We now go to the scene if despair, and grief, pain, sorrow, agony, sadness, and melancholy known as.........cleaning the Dining Hall....Just me, Rekuuk, and Jumps-Into-Battle, our hot-headed friend...
  

     Jumps: (cleaning a plate) Man this sucks...what say the rest of you?

     Rezmor: (wiping a portion of the table) It's as much mine and Rekuuk's punishment as it is yours Jumps. We ate 30 pounds of food a piece last night.

     Rekuuk: (dumping plates into a water trough) I still won that challenge Rezmor...I keep tellin' ya: you can't out-eat me.

     Rezmor: I came close didn't I? And besides, you passed out for about a minute.

     Rekuuk: And I still beat you! How pitiful does that sound?

     Rezmor: Haha! Sure, it does sound a bit pathetic.

     Rekuuk: And I still reign supreme at the sport of Power-Eating.

     All: (laughing hard)

     Jumps: Oh we're havin' fun aren't we? (chuckles)

     Rezmor: Ironic I know. We should hurry and finish up however, can't be stuck here all day now can we.

     Rekuuk: I agree with ya. (begins to carry another load of plates and bowls to the trough)

     Jumps: You know what? I'm gonna say it.

     Rezmor: (finishes wiping the Long-Table and tosses the washcloth at Jumps) Say what?
  

     Jumps: You've been a Holy-Scale for 10 years, correct?

     Rezmor: Correct.

     Jumps: And you've trained practically non-stop since then, right?

     Rezmor: Right.

     Jumps: Why?

     Rekuuk: Yeah, now I'm wondering...are you trying to prove something?

     Rezmor: No, I'm not out to prove...I'm just...doing what the Sun-Hist has told me to do for all these years...and I can't do them unless I'm strong enough to do so.

     Jumps: Well it's working out well for you. According to Semkil, pretty much every Purgemaster that he's come across couldn't hold their own by themselves, we had to have someone else go with it. Then you came along...and basically put every other Purgemaster that came before you to shame.

     Rekuuk: He speaks the truth my friend...when you walked in, I suspected that you would follow the Bulwark's Path, just like me, (The Paths are series of roots that run along the Inner Sanctum, all of which are very big and very hollow. New Holy-Scales must fall into one and remain for a week, during the time you're in there, the Sun-Hist's Sap coats you and different effects happen to different Argonians. Rekuuk suffered from massive headaches and searing pain all over his body. When he emerged, he could barely feel pain at all, and his head was harder than stone, not to mention growing two feet. When I went into my root, I suffered greatly because of the various amounts of blood in my body. I was in pain ranging from, broken legs and arms, to severed limbs, and sickness that would make Corprus look like a mild sneeze. When I emerged, I grew a foot and a half, was immune to disease, and I could regenerate faster than most Argonians can, even without alchemical help.) but when you fell into the Purgemster's Path, I 'll be honest, I looked down on you and thought, "Looks like we have another weakling, pacifist, mud-brained, coward."

     Rezmor: Damn Rekuuk! Some things you can leave unspoken you know.
  

     Rekuuk:  I said I was gonna be honest. Besides, both me and Jumps can agree, you're the best damn Purgemaster this order will ever come across...be proud of what yer doin'.

     Jumps: That's right. You proved to everyone that not all Purgemaster's are useful only for cleaning a tomb. You've proved that at least one can 

     Rezmor: (trying not to cry) For you two to say that...while we're doing such a menial chore (starts to cry-laugh)...it touches me right here (points at his heart)
  

     Rekuuk: Don't get sentimental on us now, we're halfway done with this crap.

     Rezmor: (wipes some tears from his face) Alright...*sniffle*...let's get to it.

     Jumps: (wiping a bowl and tankard) Another batch of dishes ready for hauling Rekuuk. (Rekuuk comes and lifts the stack of dishes and places them in the trough) We're on a roll with this, lets hurrry.

   Then we hear a very familiar voice come from a hole in the ceiling...

     Shavra: Looks like you boys have you hands full.
  

     Rezmor: *shocked* Shavra! (blushes a little) What brings you here?
  

     Shavra: I came to help (she parkours down the roots and lands on the table in front of Rezmor) you three look like you need it.

     Jumps: We were (pinches the air) "this" close to being done.

     Shavra: *smartassesdly* With the dishes. You still have the rest of the hall to tidy up.

     Jumps: (looks down the hall, whimpers, then slams his head on the table) *head on table, muffled*  You had to remind me...thanks

     Shavra: You're welcome Jumpie.

     Jumps: (head shoots up from the table and stares at Shavra) I do not abide by that name.

     Shavra: You responded to me, I guess that means you do abide by that name. (picks up a cloth and begins to wipe the table).

     Jumps: *hurk* I-I...damn it.

     Rekuuk and Rezmor: Hahahaha!

     Rekuuk: It is funny you must admit Jumps.

     Rezmor: Yeah Jump-

     Jumps: (points a kitchen knife to Rezmor's neck) If you call me that foul nickname...I will stab you...in the neck...with a knife.

     Rezmor: (hands up at 90 degrees) Just a nickname Jumps...don't get so worked up.

     Shavra: And what about you Rez, how has this task fared you?

     Rezmor: Fair enough...I've done my part
  

     Shavra: (girly giggles) Ok...just wanted to know. (continues to wipe the table)

     Rekuuk and Jumps: (lean in front of Rezmor and give him sex-appealing faces)

     Rezmor: (still wiping and notices that the two are staring, then lifts his head slowly)...What?

     Rekuuk: (furrows eyebrows up and down while darting his eyes over at Shavra and back at Rezmor several times)
  

     Rezmor: Huh...wai...wha-(looks at Shavra then back to Jumps and Rekuuk) *hushed* hey no, no. Stop that nonsense.

     Jumps: Hey Rezmor! Can you come get some more washcloths with me?

     Rezmor: But we ha-

     Jumps: Agreed! Let's go. (Takes Rezmor by the arm and leads him out to the distant hallway...out of Shavra and Rekuuk's earshot)

     Rezmor: What in Obl-(gets slapped across the face by Jumps) ow hey! What the Hell!

     Jumps: Dammit Rezmorziriik! WHY?

     Rezmor: Why what?

     Jumps: You and Shavra.

     Rezmor: What about us?

     Jumps: You've been smitten with her for 7...YEARS! Not once have even remotely tried to make a move on her. Me, Rekuuk, Delaki, hell, even Stands thinks you should at least talk to her more often...if I were to guess, she might want you too as well.

     Rezmor: Why do you care so much?

     Jumps: Because I'm your friend! And I will do what I can to help you get closer to this girl.
  

     Rezmor: Are you serious?

     Jumps: As serious as a fight.

     Rezmor: Maybe you have a point...I should talk to her more often.

     Jumps: Yes! Now help me get the cloths.

         We gathered some new cloths then headed back into the Dining Hall. I assume that Shavra and Rekuuk were having a conversation, because when I entered the hall, it got silent...

     Rezmor: Were you two talking?

     Shavra: No

     Rekuuk: Nothing relevant to you at least.

     Jumps: Hush with your talking! We're almost done with this dreaded place.

     Rekuuk: Then come on! I need to train!

     Rezmor: Same as I, with speed.

     Shavra: (grabs some washcloths and holds 'em high) Then let's get to it! (Throws one to Rezmor)

      
  

        We cleaned that Hall from top to bottom, we even set up the table for everyone when we gather for dinner. Why? Because we're that nice. Anyways, when all was said and done, we all went our separate ways. Rekuuk took the Battering Training, which is where any one of us gets to beat the shit out of Rekuuk and he has to take it...it improves endurance. I went to Soul Training, improving on my spells that would render me tired, making sure that they don't do that...again.

        Shavra went on Stealth Training, working with our most and best eyes and trying to stay out of them. Jumps took the Rapid Axe Course, a series of different targets that move like an enemy, the goal is to slash at every single one with a killing hack or you must restart. Delaki was Spellmaking, like the name says...you make...spells...moving on. Stands was praying, and Semkil was communing with the Sun-Hist. We wore ourselves out...training all day, when we all gathered for dinner, it was Smoked Wamasu (Wamasu are very, very...very BIG ...Lightning Alligators) Rekuuk's personal favorite. 

        Our chefs are never really appreciated by the rest of the order, but by the Hist me and Rekuuk praise them like kings! Oh I love their cooking, much better than what me and Rekuuk ate growing up. The head chef's name is Cooks-his-Kill, a relatively old chef at 107 years living. He is an accomplished hunter as well, hence the name. (and he can still kill a Wamasu on his own)

        We all had a great time, swapping training stories, and eating our fill of Wamasu, the taste of it is very smoky,  but savory, and it'll leave a jolt in your mouth every now and again, and that's the best part! Rekuuk and I ate the last bits of the carcass and were the last to leave the Dining Hall. Rekuuk headed to his quarters and I headed to mine.

        We split up after our manly handshake said it's time to hit the sack. As I was walking down the halls, I could feel a presence watching me...I felt no bother to it, though, I still kept up my guard. I turned the corner to start heading to the Sanctum and I felt the presence get closer and closer. Now I'm certain of who it is...a dark feeling, one of evil intent. I turned around to catch the assailant and threw her away from my position...

     Rezmor: (standing up)........*laughing* Almost, but not on me Shavra!

     Shavra: (standing up) You will admit I almost had you! Didn't I?

     Rezmor: Almost ain't good enough, when you can get me, you can get anybody (lightly slaps her shoulder).
  

     Shavra: (giggles) Sure...and I'll get ya eventually.

     Rezmor: I'll wait for it. So, you followed me from the Training Chamber?

     Shavra: I did, decided to keep training while others stopped.

     Rezmor: A smart approach, but don't wear yourself out too much...bad for assassins.

     Shavra: Dually noted, now, let's walk back to the Chamber...I've a proposition.

     Rezmor: And what might that be?

     Shavra: I want to practice on you, but for real this time.

     Rezmor: Do you remember what I just said?

     Shavra: Yeah, but  I need to practice something new I've been working on.

     Rezmor: ...I-

     Shavra: Don't start acting like a lazy bum. You don't look that tired and I certainly am not.

     Rezmor: I see your point, and I take sleep very seriously.

     Shavra: I'm Kota-Vimleel dammit! I don't rely on sleep as much as you do. Come on, *girly* pleeaase.

     Rezmor: (closes eyes and thinks on what Jumps had said earlier today)...hmm...Ok we'-

     Shavra: Yay! (runs off to the Training Chamber)

     Rezmor: .....There's no stopping this girl is there? (sighs) Whatever, I should go (walks to the Training Hall)
  

        We entered the Training Hall and Shavra is pumped up and hopping around as if ready for a scrap....

     Shavra: So, (stretches), are you ready?

     Rezmor: (stretching) As ready as I can get, (turns around) it's incredibly dark in here, (starts to turn back around) maybe you should...you're not there are you?
  

      Shavra: *echoing from all around the Chamber* Training starts now Rezmor!

     Rezmor: So be it.

     

        I started to ready myself, ready for when Shavra will pounce and go for the "kill" on her part. "I'm treating this as a real assassination contract, so you guard your life OK!" she echoes. "I'm in my ragged shirt and pants, they're sorta grey at the color, so you shouldn't have trouble finding me," I said, "I also have no weapons, so if I catch you...it's hand-to-hand from there on! You get that?"

        She doesn't respond, so I assume that she's either close or closing in. I rotate in place, looking at all sides of me to see if she'll appear...lucky for her, that isn't the case. "Impressive hiding," I say, "but hiding won't kill someone!" As soon as I said that, I step on a tripwire, and it shoots a pole at my back.

        Shavra is a master at Trapmaking, and she can assemble a trap in less than 30 seconds. If I stepped on a tripwire just now, she has pre-made a trap, and set it when I wasn't looking. The fastest trap Shavra can make is a tripwire trap, and depending on what the tripwire does, it'll take her from 30-50 seconds to make and less than 10 to set up. In this case, a Pole Shot Trap, which shoots a long pole at someone to either incapacitate or to stun an opponent.

        "GAH!" I go as the pole connects to my back, making me rock forward and stumbling me. I hear the rustling of the bushes around the Chamber and spew fire from my hands while spinning around in a circle, creating a ring of fire. I hear the rustling move farther away and Shavra says, "No fair! You can't use magic!" The echoes reach me and I say, "You never specified it!" Then another pole hits my leg, making it bend forward, and causing me to kneel.

        Shavra leaps from the shadows and has an air dagger in her hand. I stand up and and riposte the assault by flipping her over my head and into the small lake in the Chamber. She shoots out of the water, splashing water all over the place and on my dry clothes. She must've hidden again, because there wasn't any sign of her after the splash.

        "Very good," I say, "this can distract a victim, or even frighten it." Shavra is quick to act because I'm stupid enough to run my mouth. I step on another tripwire, but I know what's coming. A pole flies at me and I dodge it, but in doing so, I stepped on another tripwire. "Hmm," I grunted as two more poles fly at my gut. I dodge the both of them by jumping, but when I land I realize that I sank a little. "A Heavy Pressure Plate?!" now I'm shocked as a huge log comes racing at me.

        "Have fun with this one Rez!" Shavra echoes as the log slams right into my body. I tried my best to block it, but the thing still overtook my ass and sent me into the lake this time. The log sank me down a few feet, I had no idea that I gave her that  much time. Enough time to build a complex Pressure Plate Trap. "This is bad," I thought as I see a black silhouette shift down into the water.

      "That's Shavra! I know it," I think as a tail wraps around my waist and drags me down. Shavra has hold of me and proceeds to try and stab me in the chest with her air dagger. I move it aside and she air-stabs my shoulder, I even acted as if it hurt a little. She didn't even laugh...good girl. She tries for another stab, but I catch her wrist and kick her away from me. I begin to swim back to the surface, as a smoothskin would've done.
  

        But she is a waaay faster swimmer than I am and she catches me by the ankle and pulls me back down. A non-Argonian would be dead by now, but she still has to kill me to be able to kill anyone. She then plugs my gills with her hands. Now...I'm freakin' out, so I struggle to get my gills free or to swim back up to the surface. But she has her legs wrapped around my waist and her tail is tied to a root at the bottom of the lake. We...are NOT...moving.

        I am beginning to slow down and Shavra has the grip tight as ever, even squeezing the air out of my lungs. I begin to elbow her in the side, I even broke a rib, burt she still hung on. I'm loosing consciousness and the grip she has is getting tighter and tighter. I rear my head back to headbutt her and it connects, her hands come off my gills for a split second, but it's still better than nothing. 

        She clamps on to my gills again, but I now take a different approach, I dive down to where her tail is and pry it off the root. With that gone, all that's left is Shavra with her legs around my waist. I kick off the root and shoot to the surface, but when I do, Shavra brings up her tail and plugs my nose and mouth, preventing me from breathing again, and we fall back into the water, but that was all the fight I could give.

        She was raised to kill in the water, and I was only a bigger challenge she could still overcome. She noticed that I wasn't moving, she panicked and swam ,with me in tow, up to the surface. She got on land and dragged me out of the water. She lay me down on the floor and said scared, "Oh no! Rez! Rez! Are you ok? I-I-I didn't mean to do this. Oh Hist!" She pounded on my chest and slapped my face to get me to wake. "Come on! Get up!" she cries.

        She stood up quickly and put her hands on her head to think. Walking around, she puts her hands down and returns to my motionless body and puts her mouth to mine. She breaths into it and air rushes into my lungs and when the air came back out...it brought water with it. I coughed up all the water and hacked it in all directions. She saw me return to life and got closer to my face and said, "Oh thank the Hist you're alive!" I wheezed a little bit and said to her, "You...revived...me...but..." then I scolded, "YOU ALMOST KILLED ME!!"

        She backed away from me and began to cry...I never felt so bad ever, so I go to her and caressed her cheek with my hand. "But it's fine...I'm still alive...and now...you can kill anyone." I said. She stood up and weeped, "I could care less that I can kill anyone, *sniffle*, I'm just so happy I didn't kill you." Those words hit my heart like a hammer swing, so I go to the crying Shavra and embrace her. She continues crying and embraces me back. We shared that hug for about a minute before I said to her, "Come on...let's get cleaned up."  

        She wiped her face with her forearm and said, "Ok..." Then we walked into the Inner Sanctum, and to the southwestern side of the Sun-Hist, lie the Bath Houses. These are two houses that store very large pools of hot water, and steam constantly rises from them. Shavra and I walk to the intersection between the female and male bathhouses...this......this is where things got weird...

     Shavra: (begins to walk to her bathhouse) Will you join me?

     Rezmor: (eyebrows raised high) Hmm?
  

     Shavra: You heard me.

     Rezmor: I-I-I'm not sure that I-

     Shavra: What's wrong?

     Rezmor: I-i-it's just that...um...it's weird.

     Shavra: It's not "weird", it's to, "divert attention".

     Rezmor: That sounds worse!

     Shavra: It shouldn't. (starts to walk to her end again and her shirt falls to the floor)

     Rezmor: Ah-Ah...mmm...uh....you're...uh...b-

     Shavra: Topless, I know, (turns head slightly to Rezmor) and so are you. (smiles)

     Rezmor: It's less explicit when males are, with women they-(Shavra turns around completely and puts her finger over Rezmor's mouth) 

     Shavra: Shhhhh...listen...we're both grown here...let's act civil, for the time being, and--HA! (she takes off Rezmor's ring, from his mother, and runs into the female bathhouse) 

     Rezmor: Hey! (he gives chase into the female bathhouse)

        

        We ran into the steamy place and Shavra is climbing around the place with my ring in her tail's grasp. I try to get it back, but she is consistent on not giving it back to me...

     Shavra: (giggles) You'll have to catch me before you can have it back Rez. (she dangles the ring in front of Rezmor's face)

     Rezmor: Now you're acting a child Shavra. (jumps for the ring, but misses)

     Shavra: Look at us, two topless Argonians fighting over a ring in a steamy bathhouse. Ah, poetry.

     Rezmor: Not even remotely close to that, just give me back my ring!

     Shavra: *playfully* You have to catch me first.

     Rezmor: Fine then, (readies a spell), are you ready?

     Shavra: What is that spell?

     Rezmor: Do you want to find out? (Shavra's body dissipates into the steam) Huh? (looks around)...what?!
  

     Shavra: (she leaps out from behind Rezmor and pounces on his back) SURPRISE!!

     Rezmor: ACK! (both he and Shavra fall into the water)

        The hot water enveloped us both, both soothing our ached muscles and burning our scales like fire. We scrambled to get above water, we inhale and I get my ring back. We yell aliitle because the water is HOT. "Kudos to you," says Shavra, "you got your ring back." Then she looks down, puffs up her lower lip and stirs the surface of the water with her finger. She seemed bummed out...so I flash the ring in front of her face, causing her to look at it, and I throw it out of the water and onto a moss patch.

        She looked at me with a grin on her face and asked, "Have you given up?" The only answer I give her as we tread closer to each other is, "This is one of the only times I will." Then we lock lips, a good kiss to soothe even the most sore of aches. That was one of the better moments of my life I'll tell you. I could tell that we loved each other, and I, with Sithis as my witness, dropped pants and lost my virginity that night. We- 

  I will not go into detail on this scene. Why? Because this is NOT an erotica...this is an epic series. If you thought I was...shame on you.

  TO BE CONTINUED...