A Hadian in Ettermire's Heart

[Jake Narmolanya]

First came the acrid smell of burning, and then stomping footsteps and sounds of crackling flames. The demon from the sewers stormed into the dining room, golden eyes glowing with rage. Smoke poured in through the doorway behind him as he rushed toward the half elf.

Jake stood up and overturned the table, sending scones and earthenware and cutlery clattering to the floor. The table impeded the demon's path, giving the Raintakers a chance to head for the other door.

"Watch out!" Jake cried, realizing that the fire had eaten through a support in the wall the dark elves were headed for. They followed his pointing hand with their eyes and leaped back just as the wall collapsed, blocking the door. Jake drew his quill and transformed it once more, the flame blade joining the fires that crackled and climbed up the walls of the building. Jake was reminded of other demons he'd fought... they were often fascinated by fire. Jake had learned to turn that very fascination against them, learning the arcane arts of flame manipulation. He remembered one Haidian he'd faced as a teen, who had surrounded him with fire in a cavern beneath Corone. The flames had cackled equally loud then.

Another section of wall collapsed, and the fires roared as a gust of oxygen swept in. The Raintakers dove away from the cascading embers, crying out in pain as hot timbers bounced off their legs.

This is my fault, by Trisgen's hammer, Jake thought, I should have known this bastard would come back. I should have been ready. The half elf waved his hand and conjured a doorway near the Raintakers.

"Go!" Jake cried. The portal would only take them outside, but it would be a good enough head start to get them away from the Haidian.

The half elf turned toward the demon and slashed at the monster's neck, his flame blade carving a swathe in the hot, smoky air. The smoke stung Jake's eyes and lung, but he refused to leave the building ahead of the Raintakers.

Another section of wall fell inwards, and the Raintakers were forced to sprawl towards the demon in order to avoid the debris. Jake gasped, lunging to get between the dark elves and the demon but knowing it would be too late.

[Arch_Nemsis]

The fire would do it's job.

Already smoke was pouring into the chambers even as Jake attempted to feebly rescue his so-called friends.

Some of the Drow ran towards Nosdyn, and the Demon cut them down. He removed his sword from one of the Raintakers's guards and cut another down.

The Demon would never stop, he would never let up until he was certain that Jake was dead.

Putting the target above his own needs, he was prepared to destroy the entire building along side everybody in it, even himself.

"You are going to pay." Nosdyn said above the roaring sound of the fire that was spreading quickly across the old structure.

Already, walls and support structures were burning down and falling apart from the destructive force.

Nosdyn killed people that attacked him and engaged him directly. He walked over towards Jake and proceeded the attack. He lunged forward with a thrust of his beam weapon and aimed it towards Jake's chest. There were no fancy tactics. At the end of things, Nosdyn was prepared to take his enemy down. He lunged with a basic thrusting attack with his weapon, hoping to catch Jake off guard...

[Jake Narmolanya]

While the demon fought and killed Andru's guards Jake ushered the Raintakers through the portal he had created and allowed it to dissipate. He pulled his his silk scarf up over his nose, his eyes watering with the thickness of the smoke. He parried both of the demon's basic thrusts one handed, discarding the attacks disdainfully. Jake had trained under some of the finest demon slayers and warriors ever to walk the planet, including Joshua Cronen and Damon Kaosi. His swordplay had evolved to an elite level, and it showed despite the muscular demon's strength.

Jake could not quite stand the smoke however. The walls were crumbling and the ceiling began to sag, and the smoke made a disgusting cloud above waist height. Crouching low, Jake squinted through watering eyes and found his way to the basement. The air tasted blessedly clean once his leather boots had carried him down the aged wooden steps. He knew that the flames would fall through the floor eventually... it seemed the perfect place to trap a demon.

"Come and face me, Haidian." Jake said, spitting the last word like a hateful slur. He strode to the middle of the basement and gripped his fiery longsword in both hands, watching the stairs and waiting for the demon to join him. "Come to meet your doom. My name is Jake Narmolanya, and I am a hunter of Haidians. I have slain many of your brethren. You have caused much strife in this place, but this venture will be your last.

"Come and fight me. COME AND FIGHT ME!" Jake roared, his cheeks flaring red. His posture spoke of planned aggression and danger. He stood plainly with his sword gripped before him, the fiery tip as calm and unwavering as his emerald gaze.

[Arch_Nemsis]

They are all the same... Nosdyn thought to himself. They think we are stupid and unseasoned. Another guard was cut down. Nosdyn was angry at that point, but he kept his berserker rage in check for a time longer. He would need it for the last portion of the battle...should it come down to that. The fool went down towards the basement area and Nosdyn did indeed follow, but he did something different. The fires above began to crumble the old structure of the building. Nodyn knew that the loud mouth would be serious at that point.

I have a name...know your enemy... Nosdyn would not reveal his name to the enemy, there was no need for pleasantries. Instead, Nosdyn cut down only visible entryway into the basement area. The weight of the fire above and the weight of his horrible sounding weapon was enough to crumble the doorway section of the wall completely in on itself. There was no escape.

Nosdyn looked at Jake at that point.

Nosdyn's golden eyes filled with hate.

The fire above already caused tremendous structural damage to the building, it had been a strategic smoke-out tactic. Jake's boasting did not bother Nosdyn at all. Others had claimed such boasts to him before...and they were all dead as a result.

The thought repeated itself.

Know your enemy. The Elf intended to trap Nosdyn in the basement, Nosdyn was using similar smoke-out tactics against Jake and his companions. The Elf was yelling nonsense and gibberish at that point. You were the one who ran both times...coward. Nosdyn's initial judgment of the Elf was solidified in his twisted mind. Elves are disgusting...

Nosdyn stopped about five paces directly in front of Jake as the man yelled.

"You make a lot of noise, Jake." At that point, Nosdyn saw what he needed to see. The ceiling was already crumbling from the effect of the fires. Nosdyn did not attack Jake just yet, instead...he slashed at the support structure with his mighty weapon.

Know your enemy...

[Jake Narmolanya]

Burning bits of timber and heated stone crashed to the basement floor as the demon turned his vile attention toward the support structure. Parts of the ceiling came down, leaving Nosdyn and Jake trapped together in a small ring of fire. The stairs, the only logical way out of the subterranean chamber, had collapsed. The demon's manic actions had confirmed what Jake long suspected - demons were mad, by their very nature. I'll put down this crazed dog before it can hurt anyone else, the half elf swore silently.

A strong part of Jake's mind urged him to create a doorway and escape, leaving the demon to its doom. But that would not suffice. For all Jake knew, this demon could teleport through fire, or create a portal back to Haida whenever it wanted. The half elf did not intend to let the evil-doer escape so easily... for what he had done to all the poor people in the Raintakers' household, and for how he had terrorized Nessol, and for all the other horrific deeds he had doubtless accrued during his ugly existence, Jake would kill the demon.

With his scarf protecting his nose and mouth, Jake circled cautiously within the small space. Although the fire had fallen into the basement and now burned all around them, the smoke still filtered upwards into the upper parts of the house, giving the half elf some room to breathe. Each slowly circling step of his leather boots brought him slightly closer to the demon, hoping to provoke an attack. Something about the Haidian's rage-filled eyes gave the half elf pause. Fear flickered at the back of his mind, but he stomped it out like an irritating insect. There was no room for fear when fighting a demon; demons thrived on fear.

Jake's eyes remained hard as emeralds, his mouth set in a firm line. His green sifan clothing flapped slightly in the hot air as he suddenly changed direction and increased his speed. There was no more need to talk. He had lured the demon into the basement, and he would save what remained of his breath for fighting. He lunged at the Haidian, swinging his flame-blade toward the demon's flank. As his sword drew near to its target Jake pivoted on his front foot and the slash became a thrust, aiming the tip of his blade at the demon's heart. Jake snarled with the effort of the attack, for he had poured every bit of speed and finesse he possessed into the single sudden movement.

[Arch_Nemsis]

Nosdyn watched and observed Jake's movements the entire time, Nosdyn was not stupid.

Though the Elf's attacks were refined...there was a tell in them.

Nosdyn observed with great care, the Elf's movements and actions, waiting to react until the most opportune moments was given. The Elf finally decided to grow a pair of balls and attacked. The building was falling down around the two of them, and Nosdyn was prepared. The fire sword's attack was altered and aimed at Nosdyn's chest. "FOOL!" Nosdyn used the forward momentum created by the insane maneuver. He dodged left, and the attack did not clip Nosdyn's chest as the stupid Elf intended. He's over extending himself... Nosdyn would cherish destroying everything that the Elf held dear to his heart.

The flame blade punctured the outside portion of Nosdyn's sinewy flesh. At his shoulder area, the deltoid region. He'd moved with just enough desperation fueled by hatred. He took the hit deliberately placing himself near Jake Narmolanya. It was then that Nosdyn acted.

It was not just a point to defeat his enemy...Nosdyn had to crush Jake.

Instead of counter striking, which would have been the sensible thing to do, Nosdyn suddenly slashed completely downward with his glowing sword. He intended to clip the coward's legs that were underneath him. The Elf's flaming sword burned, but Nosdyn was used to pain and he could endure a tremendous amount of it.

"Let us see...how much you can endure, Jake Narmonalya." At that point, Nosdyn slashed downward and hoped beyond hope he'd clipped the faster opponent. Just at that same time, the building finally collapsed and began to crumble at an alarming pace...

Nosdyn was prepared to face whatever would come of the burning, crumbling building.

Nosdyn, as a soldier, was prepared to face his own death...

[Jake Narmolanya]

Jake pulled his sword back close to his body as his thrust scored a flesh wound, and deflected the demon's own attack with a downward stroke. In Corone, attacking an opponent's legs in a duel was considered cowardly, but Jake had expected as much from the Haidian. Being who thrived on pain and anguish, beings who used fire as a weapon, preferred to maim their enemies rather than go for a quick kill. Even so, the strength behind the demon's attack pushed the slender half elf back a few paces.

What remained of the ceiling began to fall in, and Jake had to make a split-second decision; die with the demon, or escape. He created a portal to his left and dove through it just as the last of the building's support structure crumbled.

Jake rolled to his feet on the cement road outside the bonfire the Raintakers' home had become. The portal dissipated behind him, leaving the demon to its fiery fate. A small crowd had gathered around Andru and Nessol, who clutched at each other, weeping in shock and fear. Jake approached them and placed a comforting hand on each of their shoulders.

"It's alright now," he said, "I'm terribly sorry about all of your guards and your beautiful house, but at least the two of you are safe."

"Thank you ever so much, mister Narmolanya," Andru said, reaching past his daughter's shoulder to shake the half elf's hand, "I think we would not have survived without your intervention."

"You're very welcome," Jake said as he shook the dark elf's hand, "I'm just glad that Nessol brought me here in the first place. Slaying Haidians is my life's work. I would have hated to let this one slip away."

"Are you s-s-sure the demon is dead?" Nessol stammered, still locked in her father's embrace.

"I didn't see it die," Jake admitted, gazing at the blazing manor, "despite how much I'd have liked to have killed it myself. But nothing could survive that fire..."

[Arch_Nemsis]

Slowly now...

The voice called.

There is work to be done, young one.

For a moment, Nosdyn blacked out from the incredible pain of having a house collapse on you. I'm worthless... Nosdyn thought to nobody in particular. He keeps getting away from me...

It's not your fault he is a coward...but he would not expect you to survive that. None of them ever do.

I'm...not...dead...? Nosdyn asked with a hint of disbelief.

You are too important...Nosdyn Krotar. Your life is worth more than you yet know. Now remember what I told you..take it slow and crawl out of the rubble. The voice in the darkness said calmly.

Nosdyn blinked. Yeah...I think it's working. H-hey, who are you?

You will know soon enough. Give them Hell, Nosdyn, son of Krotar. The voice said.

Nosdyn coughed in the rubble. As the voice commanded, the Demon started to regain his awareness and began to crawl through the rubble. It was a slow-going process, but Nosdyn did manage to crawl out. Fire burned around the Raintaker estate, and it was hot. Nosdyn wanted to go home...but he knew he could not report failure to the boss. I will not fail...! Nosdyn stood up out of the smoke and rubble, his dark form rising slowly through the remains of the house.

Andru noticed it first. "Mr. Jake, he's back up!" Andru yelled.

Nosdyn stood up slowly his voice barely a whisper as those hateful eyes stared at his enemy, Jake Narmolanya. "You have something that belongs to me, Jake." Nosdyn growled as he began to slowly walk towards the survivors of the attack...

[Jake Narmolanya]

The demon surged out of the inferno as if coming straight from the fiery bowls of Haide. Onlookers screamed and ran for their lives, their cries seeming smothered by the polluted clouds. Smoke from the fire rose up to join those darkened cumulofts, and framed the Haidian's face as he bore down on the dark elves and their would-be savior.

Andru stumbled backwards and tripped over pothole, falling heavily in the street and crying out as his ankle twisted beneath him. Nessol knelt at his side, trying and failing to pull him to his feet. Her long blue hair clung to a clammy neck as she whispered encouragement to her fallen father.

Jake stepped between the Raintakers and the demon, drawing his quill and turning it into a fiery sword once more. "You are your own undoing," the half elf told the Haidian, chuckling despite the harrowing situation, "the artifact was lost in the fire. The very destruction you created has burned up that which you desired. That which you required." Jake sneered at the demon through the darkness, flames casting a flickering light over his face. "I have nothing for you, beast... but I am still here to kill you. And you are here to die."

"Jake, shut up and kill it, before it's too late!" Nessol groaned.

As she spoke Jake feinted to his left and then stepped to his right, ducking low and slashing at the demon's midsection. It was a strong two-handed stroke, meant to open the Haidian up like a Salvic nesting doll.

[Arch_Nemsis]

Nosdyn listened to Jake's failed attempt at taunts...

"You make a lot of noise, Jake Narmolanya." He shook his head as the youth taunted. "You are the one who keeps running away like a coward...I doubt you can back up your words here tonight." Nosdyn watched the self-proclaimed Slayer the entire time.

He saw the attack before it actually came, perhaps it was a heightened state of awareness from his near-death experience.

Timing his reaction quite carefully, Nosdyn waited until the man's feeble attack came in.

Nosdyn was still riding the wave of his berserker rage. So when the telegraphed attack of his opponent came in, Nosdyn reacted. He saw the two-handed attack and intercepted it with his own skill level. Nosdyn moved to block Jake's flaming sword with his own maneuver. He countered with a strong interception style maneuver in an attempt to stop Jake's attack cold.

If it connected.

Nosdyn stared into Jake's eyes the entire time they fought...

Nosdyn's own face was indifferent and also filled with a distinct maddening hatred. If what he said is true...I will have to report a failure to this mission. The Boss will not like that, but I am prepared to accept the consequences. Jake will have lost more than me though... Nosdyn considered everything Jake said very carefully...he was learning quickly about how Jake operated.

"Tell me something, Jake. Do you intend to run away again, or do I have to kill more of your friends?" Nosdyn could back up his threat.