[Solo Series] Nosdyn: Chronicles Chapter One.

[Arch_Nemsis]

(Part of an on-going Solo series. Thank you very much.)

Pain.

It was honest and true.

The one consistent factor in this hateful reality.

Currently...I felt a tremendous amount of it.

The last thing I remembered was sleeping...and then the pain started after that.

Sleep rarely claimed my conscious mind...

But the night it had all began I recalled sleeping rather deeply...

When I awoke next it all went downhill from there...


There was water all around him. I was dreaming... He coughed in the darkness as he growled in anger. Pain and rage, it went hand in hand. Nosdyn opened his eyes and immediately, water filled his lungs. Panic. Where am I...? He thought to himself as golden eyes flared in the dark. Immediately, the rage filled his mind and heart. Not like this...I survived The Boss, I survived Jake...I can survive this. Think... He was in water and then he looked up and saw the surface of the water up ahead.

Swim...use your muscles and your strength to survive this... No logic, no rational thought. Only an animalistic need to survive. The basic law of the jungle, the desire to keep going another day. The water was strangely peaceful around him...but peace was Nosdyn's hatred. His eyes flared as he looked up and began to swim with every ounce of strength he could muster from within. His heart beat with all it's demonic fury. He reached for the surface ahead...Swim you bastard...the Thayne will not do me like this. I will not fall for their dirty trick... He swam against the current, and finally, his face broke the surface of the water...

***

Nosdyn screamed as he swam in place the water had filled his lungs, and he was trying to fight the ocean itself, where ever he had ended up. It was night and the moon ahead of Althanas proper shone her pregnant light across the surface of the dangerous world below. Althanas had always been a battle for survival at it's core level. Nosdyn swam desperately in a direction...any direction. Need to get to shore...out of the water... And ahead, Nosdyn saw several structures in the water. They moved of their own accord driven by some device or another. Transports...Thaynes...you damned bastards...I will win after all.

Nosdyn swam towards the transports little knowing he'd stumbled upon vessels belonging to the Corone Imperial Navy. Nosdyn swam, and lights immediately were shone in his direction. Nosdyn heard shouts up ahead in the distance...and he kept on swimming.

***

Thud!

Hauled into the vessel's top deck.

He growled angrily, but was too weak and exhausted to fight at that precise moment.

Boot steps.

Nosdyn looked up and saw an elegant Human male wearing regallia of the Corone Empire. The man knelt down towards him. "Nice night for a swim ain't it?" The gruff and thick Radasanth accent came through.

"..."

The Captain of the vessel shook his head. "No need for the silent treatment, stranger. You're in good hands. If the other side would had found you first...the story would have likely ended. Name's Luke Vek. I'm captain of the Star Lady." Luke ordered his men to help Nosdyn get more comfortable. "You're a guest on my ship. I know what you are by the glow in your eyes...Haidian. The other side is not too keen for your type of folks."

Nosdyn coughed. "Nosdyn. My name is Nosdyn...I owe you a debt, Captain." Haidians were serious about their debts.

"How did you get this far away from shore?" Luke asked.

"I don't understand it...I woke up in the water. My last memories were of home."

"You mean the Tular Plains?" Luke asked.

"No. Ettermire...Home is Ettermire." Nosdyn said.

The look of disbelief in Luke's eyes was obvious. "You're from Alerar? You're off the coast of Corone now, son."

Nosdyn didn't understand any of it...or what had actually happened. He shook his head. "I don't understand what happened...I was having a dream. And ended up in the water...here...my head hurts and my chest hurts." Nosdyn said truthfully.

"It's the cold sea water. The ocean is a mean mistress at times. But I'm glad that we were the ones to find you, son." Luke said calmly. "You need rest to regain your strength so that you can be an asset." Luke said calmly.

"...An asset to whom?" Nosdyn asked.

The question was not answered at that point...

[Arch_Nemsis]

Time passed...

Nosdyn recovered his strength and found out that he was serving under The Star Lady. One of The Corone Empire's navy vessels. I still don't understand what happened. How I got here... Nosdyn oft questioned his very presence there. He questioned the will of The Thayne. The bastards have a purpose for me in bringing me here...at that exact point in time... Nosdyn was standing on the deck of The Star Lady as he looked out on the cold ocean waters. Corone...I'm in Corone and have been here for some time now. Nosdyn stood there leaning against the side of the mighty ship. His eyes were narrowed and were deep in thought. He heard a familiar set of boot falls come up behind him and stop a few paces away.

"She has a calming effect does she not?" The Captain, Luke Vek said carefully.

"I just have matters on my mind is all." Nosdyn paused for a moment and turned around to face Luke. "Do you need me for something?"

"You've become an adequate hand in a short few weeks." Luke said. "I told you that we needed an asset and my superiors have returned back with word."

"Go on..." Nosdyn had long been waiting for that day.

"You are to serve under my command as one of my personal blades. A weapon, to be more adequate. The Empire has a lot of enemies and I want to be certain that we can crush them all underfoot. You will become the weapon we need." Luke walked forward, stepping out of the shadows and stopping directly in front of Nosdyn. Luke's eyes had a serious expression in them. "You will start service immediately."

Nosdyn looked at Luke. He'd become a contractor at that point...and Demons were serious about their debts and contracts. Nosdyn knelt before Luke in an extravagant gesture. "I will go to the depths of Hell to extinguish our enemies." Nosdyn suddenly said.

Luke placed a his hand upon Nosdyn's shoulder. "That is the type of response I need to hear." Luke observed Nosdyn for a moment, who remained in a knelt position. "Come to my personal quarters to discuss your first mission." Luke said carefully. And walked off to the inner workings of the ship.

Nosdyn stood up and turned to take one last glance at the ocean... Thayne...I will have my revenge someday.... And Nosdyn walked towards The Captain's quarters.

[Arch_Nemsis]

The bright light within the captain's chamber was a little harsh on his eyes.

Nosdyn looked at the captain sitting in his makeshift throne and nodded out of respect for his current employer. There was strangely nobody else of the captain's crew within ear shot of them and Nosdyn closed the door behind himself. He entered the well lit room and walked towards the table that sat between the two figures. Nosdyn knew that the older sea dog was looking to do something big...ambitious men oft had grandiose dreams. Nosdyn nodded to the captain and stood there in front of the man as he was perusing through various documents and effects.

"Nosdyn." Luke began. "What do you know of the war within Corone?" Luke asked at that point looking up towards the Haidian.

"Not much...I'm not privy to much political knowledge. I mainly do the tasks that are required and get them done no matter how dark it might seem to some." Nosdyn said truthfully. "My people know that all kingdoms and empires eventually fall." Nosdyn said in a strangely deep sort of way.

"That may be true." Luke said thoughtfully, as if the notion had just dawned on him. "Powerful men profit off war." Luke began. "It is an ugly truth but the war profiteers are in the business of supplying both our forces and The Rangers." Luke paused for a moment.

"Playing both sides?" Nosdyn suddenly had an interest in the situation...he had some idea of what Luke was getting at.

"Deeper." Luke said carefully. He leaned forward and Nosdyn stepped closer. "I want to insure that me and my allies come out on top in this business." Luke looked down towards the documents on his table, some were maps with various markings on them. Other were tomes and other books. "This Empire business...does not sit well with the populace."

"War is not a popular deed." Nosdyn added carefully. "My people believe only The Strong are meant to survive."

"There is some truth in that philosophy Nosdyn." Luke said plainly. "I am going to be frank." Luke looked deep into Nosdyn's intense amber-coloured eyes. "I do not see The Empire coming out victorious and it is too late for us to switch sides."

"You are getting tired of the fighting....?" Nosdyn had to know.

"...No that's not it. I'm not seeing a profit in the war is what I'm saying. A direct one at least and we cannot sever ties from The Empire." Luke rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "What I'm saying is should The Empire's regime fall. I want to ensure that we survive it." Luke said truthfully.

Nosdyn raised his eyebrow. "What are you proposing?"

Luke leaned thoughtfully back against his chair. He folded his hands together and placed them under his chin. "I have started to piece together a plan. To ensure our survival, should the worst come to pass." Luke closed his eyes for a moment, then reopened them. "I will need a strong blade at my side for this to come into effect." Luke leaned forward again at that point. "Do I have your blade no matter what comes to pass or what I may ask of you?"

Nosdyn nodded. "To the bitter end...should the fires of Hell consume us all in this war." Nosdyn was deadly serious.

"Such flare for words." Luke said. "I do not doubt that you mean them." Luke moved one of the documents on his table at the top of the small pile. And spread it carefully. "This manifest is show casing what we know of The Ranger's movements. Further, it is show casing The Empire's movements as I know them."

He is quite the tactical oriented mind... Nosdyn thought to himself. "You've been tracking both sides?" Nosdyn was not surprised at that point. "What have you learned?"

"Their coffers...The Bank of Radasanth is vulnerable." Luke said very carefully. He took a fountain pen dipped it with red ink and drew a circle around the bank of Radassanth.

Nosdyn raised an eyebrow at that point. "A robbery? Right under their noses?"

"It has come to my attention. A certain Relic of extreme importance is in The Bank of Radasanth as we speak. Ripe for the taking." Luke said carefully. "A Thayne Relic."

Nosdyn folded his arms across his chest and looked at Luke at that point. "You want The Relic?" Nosdyn asked.

"That's the only thing I want." Luke stared at Nosdyn with an unsettling serious expression. "If we can pull this off The Star Lady will be privy to vast amounts of power with The Relic at our command." Luke stood up at that point. "I'm getting old and tired of the in fighting in Corone." Luke was being completely honest with Nosdyn at that point. "If we can secure this relic, we will survive whatever the fallout of this war becomes. We will survive whatever The Thayne have in store for us." Luke said.

"So...you want me to obtain this Relic while they are fighting on the streets of Radasanth?" Nosdyn asked.

"When the fighting is thickest...you will infiltrate The Bank of Radasanth and obtain The Relic. You are free to use any and all measures to obtain it." Luke continued. "Nosdyn, you will go completely alone, you will not have a team with you. I cannot afford to be linked to the theft."

"It shall be done." Nosdyn said calmly.

After that, Luke and Nosdyn were discussing the plan of attack well throughout the night...neither slept that night.