~Elsewhere~

"He picked his side." One of the goblins was saying to the overlord.

"Interesting. He has chosen to save that pitiful town of men." The overlord said. "We have lost this day."

"Stonevale has many casualties by our blades." The goblin rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Sire, when will the event occur? The promised catastrophe." There was impatience in his eyes.

"Soon child." The goblin's overlord promised. "They will be weak and vulnerable, but the child, Nosdyn...is strong. We must not let him gain his full strength."

"Are Haidains really that strong?" The goblin follower asked.

"You have no idea my child." The overlord said. "Gather the remaining swords, we will return back to our lair for now. Then we wait until it is destined to begin." The goblin overlord looked in the direction of Stonevale. "You have been MARKED, Nosdyn. Your fate is sealed as Stonevale's is." The goblins, after their defeat, gathered their injured and returned back to their mountain lair.

***

~Time passed.~

William Blake and the other warriors who fought alongside Jake and Nosdyn were present as the healers worked on Nosdyn. The head of the healers walked over towards William Blake. "He's not making any progress, he's been poisoned too long." The healer continued. "All we can do at this point is make him comfortable. The rest is up to him."

"Thaynes damn it all." William responded. Nosdyn was William's responsibility. The demon had done right by them every since he had arrived, and had even asked for a paltry payment in exchange for his sword-arm. William Blake walked over towards Nosdyn, the fallen hero of the recent goblin attack. He placed a hand on Nosdyn's forehead. "Be strong. Come back to us." William knew nowhere else on Althanas would Nosdyn have been given a second chance the way he had received in Stonevale. Stonevale changes people. William looked down at his friend. Then walked over towards Jake. "Jake, you have stayed here the entire time. I thank you. When he awakens have him see me."

***

Nosdyn found himself in a field...

A field that was alive and bountiful with harvest. Nosdyn blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted. There was a tree nearby and he walked towards that tree, sitting down next to it. Am I dead...? Nosdyn had heard the older demons speak of cross-road itinerant realms in between life and death. Maybe this was his purgatory.

He sat down for a moment. Behind him he saw the crippled shell of a demon's body. Punctured with arrows. It was his own body. He looked around the field more carefully and saw that the place was littered with his body, hundreds of his body. There was a strange serenity and peace in the sight.

He sat down. I've fought and kept my honour. Now what?

An old demon suddenly appeared. He was wearing tattered, shredded robes and walked with a walking stick that doubled as a staff of some sort. The demon approached Nosdyn and stopped a few paces directly in front of him. "Finally we can speak. Here at the crossroads."

Nosdyn blinked at looked at the older demon. There was something familiar about him, though he could not place it. "Who are you? More importantly, what happens now?"

"Who I am is not important." The old demon began. "Just know that I am always with you."

"Am...I dead?" Nosdyn asked.

"You died several times to get here. In between life and death. The healers of Stonevale have made your condition stable, but you are still sleeping. Time marches forward in the mortal world." The demon said calmly.

"Stonevale. Have they survived the attack?" Nosdyn asked.

"Because of you, they rallied and defeated the remaining goblins. Those that remained fled into the mountains. They lived because of your actions." The demon said, he calmly smiled.

"They survived..." Nosdyn chuckled a bit at that. "Crazy bastards, I wish I could have been there to fight with them." Nosdyn said.

"Many are injures but many did live." The older demon said calmly. "I have a proposal for you."

"What's that...?" Nosdyn was curious.

"Since you have been proven worthy by my superior...I want to give you a choice. You can stop the story here, and go to the other side OR." The demon put emphasis on the OR part.

"Or..?" Nosdyn wondered what sort of games of The Thaynehood he'd stumbled upon.

"Return to life but you will be granted the path as a follower of my superior." The demon agreed. "If you agree, he will come to you and offer you and Stonevale great prosperity and strength. You only have to tell me your name and the contract will be sealed." The older demon was now directly in front of Nosdyn and extended a hand towards Nosdyn. "What do you say?"

Without question, Nosdyn took the demon's hands. "My name is Nosdyn. Son of Krotar."

"It has begun." The old demon said, and everything faded in a brilliant flash of light...

***

Nosdyn's eyes slowly opened some time later. He growled in agony and one of the healers noticed it that was present near Nosdyn. "H-he's awake! SON OF A BITCH!" The healer made a lot of noise in the healing chamber and walked over towards Jake and everybody he's present. "He's awake NOSDYN WOKE UP!"

Nosdyn's eyes focused. Was the old demon a dream or something else...? He would soon find out.


***

A day later, Nosdyn had recovered most of his strength and was able to stand again. He was sitting up on the bed when the healer walked up to him. "You were almost gone for good. I'm glad you pulled through."

Nosdyn nodded. "I'm glad Stonevale survived the attack and that I was not completely useless." Nosdyn would always be hard on himself. It was part of who he was. Despite that fact that he had fought bravely and kept his honour.