[center][b]Nightgate Inn[/b][/center]
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Although Keegan didn't see Dax, he could see enemies peeling away. Someone on their side was drawing attention. It was good, good enough that he had the time to roughly survey the battlefield. These foes, mostly Tamrielic, but scarcely Nordic, seemed to have gained the flank. The Braves' trenches and barricades were directed toward the roads, but unfortunately, a large portion of the enemies poured out of the hills. Currently, some were pouring back up there. Keegan breathed a sign of relief. He could afford to think, but the thought drifted to Daelin. Where was their leader? Was he still alive? This was a opportunity for Keegan to find the Bosmer, but unfortunately, a Bosmer found him.

"Where's the damn Kamals?" The unknown wood elf complained to a dark leather-clad figure. Upon noticing Keegan and Marcel, she pointed to him with her sword. "They've gotten out! Our attack has been foiled! We must retr-"

"Useless imbecile! Must Ji'Vesrai do everything himself?" The leather man shoved the Bosmer aside. He revealed himself as a full-sized Khajiit, with height rivaling that of Keegan's. Despite the muscular exterior, his movements were fluid. "Go on, run away. The Kamal won't be as forgiving as I am." The Bosmer took his advice, apparently deciding to roll the dice with snow demon task masters.

"Thalmor scum!" The Khajiit challenged Keegan. "Time to die! For Elsweyr!" 

Ji'Vesrai charged, glass scimitar aloft. In the process of his chatter, Keegan already prepared a paralysis spell. Because the sudden shock of the assault, the green magic sphere flew wide. But the distance between the adversaries allowed Keegan to shoot off a second spell. This time, the paralysis glanced Ji'Vesrai's thigh; not completely immobilizing but forced him on his knees. This was the cue for Keegan to exploit his opening. If given the time to logically process his options, the Altmer should be turning Ji'Vesrai away with fear, or retreat for a better bruiser to take over. In his brashness, though, Keegan elected to zap the Khajiit with his staff. 

Lightning arced towards black leather. The recipient wasn't a cat, instead, it was his blade. In a quick movement, Ji'Vesrai caught electricity with his scimitar. He got up again, one hand engaged to his warding weapon and another punching blood flow into his lame leg. What little distance remained between the two were soon crossed, and as Ji'Vesrai hissed at Keegan's face, he effortlessly flicked the Dwemer staff out of the Altmer's grip. But as Keegan had experienced moments earlier, Ji'Vesrai realized electricity tethered his sword to the staff. The staff would fly, but the scimitar would be dragged with it.

"Boss, watch out!" A Kamal collaborator warned. Ji'Vesrai ducked in time to avoid an arrow from behind. When he reengaged the Altmer, the Altmer was no longer available for engagement.

"Coward!" Ji'Vesrai barked. Claws extended from his paws, slashing the air around him. "You openly underyoke others; at least openly face your end!"

Keegan had, in fact, made a sleight-of-hand with an invisibility spell. It was time like these that quick casting on stage gave birth to an unexpected survival trick. His first thought was to retrieve his staff, but then again, it would be exactly what anyone with half a brain would anticipate. Instead, he stalked in the opposite direction, barely out of the reach of big kitty claws. Though disarmed, the Cathay was anything but helpless. One of these claws could easily slit throats.

"This one's brothers and sisters drove you out of Elsweyr, just like we will drive the Nords from these backwater hills." Ji'Vesrai taunted. In his passionate speech, his hood had been thrown back, revealing emotional feline features. "You are all profligate opportunists! Ji'Vesrai shall show you true might!"

"Aah!"

"Argh!"

In a series of awkward fumbles, Keegan lunged into Ji'Vesrai with a bound dagger. Had Keegan been more proficient with stealth, he would have taken his opponent by surprise. But Keegan was as clumsy as it gets in melee combat, so even coming out of invisibility, his arm would be caught. Determined, the Altmer added his other arm on top of the first, but even so, he was easily out-muscled. Keegan was shoved back, in the process, two sets of slashing sounds rang out. The summoned dagger vaporized, in the time that two claw-shaped lines ran up Keegan's coat sleeves, and running into the flesh of his forearm. On the other side, Ji'Vesrai got a taste of hurt as well, even if it was just Keegan's dagger scraping through his leathers.

"How, how can you disparage me, when you made yourself a snow demon puppet!" Keegan growled. Blood started to seep from his arm, but Keegan could not afford to clench it, as his spare spell casting hand made for his last line of defense. He wasn't sure why he started ranting all a sudden. Perhaps he was fed up being associated with everything negative his race stood for, or, the Altmer wanted to stall, so that another weapon-wielding ally could tip the scale against Ji'Vesrai. 

"This one is no puppet!" The Khajiit shot back. Anger and sweat now tainted his proud visage. "The Kamals are true warriors! It is better to live as their friends and champions, than to die as slaves and fuel." Clawed hands pointed threateningly at Keegan. The two of them are just the right distance apart; longer than a lunge, but close enough to be covered in a short sprint. They sized each other up. Ji'Vesrai was puffing with anger. Keegan found his fear checked by a flurry of emotions; anger, pride, confusion and a desire to dominate.

"So, so you would help the Kamals subjugate everyone else!? How is it different from the, the Thalmor!? How is it different from the draconian ty-, tyrant, of this land!?"

"This one will be a liberator to many. Ji'Vesrai has learned that might makes right; in the end, the only difference is who wins!"