[Solo] Nosdyn Chapter 1.

[Arch_Nemsis]

The humming of his rune weapon seemed to touch the air itself.

Nosdyn stood in place for a long moment. His eyes carefully scanning the scenery ahead. His hands clenched tightly around the handle of his rune weapon. The blade shimmered brightly with the energy that glowed from it, a manifestation of his physical rage. Nosdyn closed his eyes for the briefest of moments as he listened to the wind. The wind held sounds, not just the animal sounds, but the sounds of angry elementals hidden in the wind itself. Althanas was a planet at war with itself. It's denizens were uneased, there was a whisper in the dark, the Demons of Haidia were alive and well.

Not completely obliterated, the Demons of Haidia simply returned to their land. There, they prospered and grew once more, but developed an entirely different goal for themselves. Perhaps, a lofty goal, but a different one none the less. The Demons and their ilk began to slowly send their sons back to the surface world on a different sort of mission. Not one of mass-conquest, but one of espionage and dirty dealings. One of information gathering, tactical data, and other military information. That's what Nosdyn Krotar was doing on the surface world that day. Him and a small group of other Haidian sons and daughters. There were a total of five, including Nosdyn himself. He was not a leader at that point, but was a scout gathering concrete information and surveying the land for his companions.

Using the scrying and surveyal equipment he'd gathered the tactical data he needed.

The small orb in his hand glowed with a brilliant crimson red light. It was the scrying equipment his superiors had given him. Symbols that Nosdyn's golden coloured eyes could read swirled through the orb's crystalline structure. It was almost like a storm cloud in the orb, but the information made SENSE to the mad Demon. As he stood there, he could feel the warm breeze coming in from the East. It was a light breeze of course, but it carried with it the sounds of Ruild. Nosdyn listened to the wind as he was trained to do since youth. The wind could temporarily soothe one's troubled mind and calm the senses. Focus was needed to wield the deadly weapon in his opposite hand.

A focused, and deadly rage.

One that seethed in his very flesh.

Nosdyn could feel the humming power of his weapon swell up and down his arm. The blade was approximately the length of a basic broadsword. However, it's deadly energy would cut a path through history. Nosdyn observed the data in his orb for about ten minutes. It was almost like he was in a trance-like state. His chest heaved up and down, his cloak swirling with the very wind that caressed him. Nosdyn's eyes finally opened as he felt the presence of his female commander walking up behind him.

"What have you found, little blade?" The woman asked.

Nosdyn did not have to turn to acknowledge her. His eyes opened in the dark, their light shining. "Commander." Nosdyn began carefully. "There is some sort of a settlement nearby. A body of water is to our East. There are several types of game we can hunt around this area. Including some large, primitive beasts. The land has not changed that much since our fore fathers first hunted it's fields." Nosdyn knew. He was making a reference to the Demon's War. The war that should have ended in Haidian victory, but instead, ended in their complete loss and near extinction. The surface dwellers likely thought that they would never be able to recover. Nosdyn knew that they were all expendable assets. It's why only small platoons all around Althanas were spared for the experiment. Their leader, Overlord Zieg, ushered a new era for Demon kind. And none of them were screwing around anymore.

"What of the forward scouting party?" She asked.

"They are lost." He felt frustration in his heart. He knew that she was equally angry. "All communication has been severed for approximately a few days now. I can only assume they are all dead." Nosdyn did not shed a tear for them, they knew the risk involved when they accepted the mission. "Your orders, Commander?" Nosdyn asked. He felt a storm brewing in his black heart, he was eager to get started. There was a rank and file structure in place, and he could not simply act on his own unless she ordered him to or his squadron was killed.

Nobody would question a group of Demons in the forest, after all, Forests were SUPPOSED to be haunted by such beings.

"I'm setting up a small camp here. Me and the others will plan and conduct strategy there. In due time. You, my little blade, you will have a special mission."

Nosdyn shut off the beam weapon in his hand. But kept the scrying tool active. It was still gathering data. It was one of the OLDE devices from before The Demon War.

"I am yours to command." Nosdyn responded truthfully. His eyes told all, he was ready to prove himself to his superior's cause.

"The settlement you have discovered will be a prime base of operations for our purposes. Bring me their leader." She knew nobody would question a single lost settlement out in the middle of nowhere. "You may do what you wish to the rest." She waited for a response from Nosdyn.

He turned slowly towards her. "You wish me to go ahead?" He asked.

"You're the most qualified." She said in response.

"For Overlord, Zieg." Nosdyn suddenly said in response. He saluted his Commander and she nodded with respect in exchange for him. Nosdyn nodded back and then turned away from his Commander.

He knew the deal, he was likely going to his death.

Should he fall, there would be another to rise and take his position in an effort to impress Overlord Zieg.

Using his rudimentary knowledge of wilderness survival, he went forward into the dark. He knew one place he HAD to start and that would be the location of the missing forward scouting party. Their equipment would be critical to retrieve anyway, and he had a hunch he knew where they vanished off. It had only been a few days, and their bodies would likely still be in the same area that they were last detected at. Nosdyn shut off the scrying tool and silenced it's power for the time being.

He made his way towards the last known position of his comrades.

Not out of sense of loyalty, or any false honour, but out of the desire to retrieve lost equipment. It was common sense. You did what you knew, and sometimes, the simplest tactics would see a soldier through his day. Nosdyn erased all thoughts of the female commander. They'd shared a bed once, but that was a fleeting moment. He knew she did not view him as a mate, only a conquest. For Haidian's the strong were ideal mates. And Nosdyn WAS strong. He'd embraced the olde teachings of the fore fathers and learned the mastery of their rune weapons. Nosdyn carefully made his way to his comrade's last known position...

[Arch_Nemsis]

Nosdyn moved a few yards forward, leaving the camp behind.

His body was kept low to the ground and he moved as carefully as his large form would allow.

He only partially regretted not having taken lessons in the more stealthier arts, but that didn't really matter too much on the field.

Nosdyn knew he was more than adequately skilled to survive in any harsh environment.

As he stepped forward, something happened.

His mind cleared, and he saw something he had not expected to see. The spirits of one of his comrade's fallen. The spirit was still very clear and vivid, and he beckoned to Nosdyn. Nosdyn reacted quickly, knowing never to deny a vision of that caliber. When the Dark summoned, you obeyed. His eyes narrowed and he stared at the spirit form of his former companion. The spirit glowed with a brilliantly shining red halo. Nosdyn walked towards his companion but kept a respectful few paces of distance between them.

"Nosdyn."

"Drekk." Nosdyn responded to his senior officer. The commander was the leader of the entire outfit, but there was still a rank and file operation, even upon one's death.

"The Commander has sent you this way?" He asked.

"She did." Nosdyn replied confidently.

"She sends you to your doom." Drekk looked away for a moment. "You cannot break orders, but you can be informed of who your enemy is."

"Go on." Nosdyn said in response.

"The towns folk that you are going to encounter are not simple farmers and primitives." Drekk said. "They are skilled and are being guided by one of the Prophets."

"A Prophet? Is he their leader?" Nosdyn recalled the commander's orders.

"No." Drekk said, quite sure of it. "SHE is an outside agent. Acting of her own free will." Drekk rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Our equipment was salvaged by the town folk or destroyed. But she took something VERY valuable from us."

"I knew it." Nosdyn said with frustration. "Can't trust the surface dwellers with equipment of that caliber. But what was stolen?"

"Normally the information I'm about to tell you is reserved classified. But since the mission we underwent ended in failure, with our deaths, I will supply you with what you need. There is a certain amulet that was recovered from the ranking officer in my squad. The amulet is CRITICAL to your survival here on the surface world. Retrieve it. At all costs." Drekk's face suddenly got very serious. "You can considered the commander's orders over ruled." Drekk said very coldly. "The object that was stolen is vital to the mission we have agreed to."

Nosdyn suddenly considered what the amulet could be. "A blood amulet?" Nosdyn asked. He was quite intelligent and he'd spent a considerable amount of time studying the fore father's teachings. He'd devoted a large portion of his studies to the odl devices, the old relics and talismans of his people. Nosdyn had to know what his life was being thrown away for.

"Close but not quite. The amulet contains an olde Rune. A Rune of tremendous power. It's specifically a Rune of the Apocalypse." Drekk said carefully. "The Commander knows we're all expendable, that's why she sent us first in an attempt to activate the Rune in the settlement."

So. Nosdyn thought to himself. This was the suicide mission the commander spoke of. Nosdyn didn't feel fear, or even anger at the fact that the commander was simply throwing their Demonic lives away. "Drekk. I always thought the Apocalypse Runes were mere legend."

"They WERE thought lost for a time." Drekk explained. "But we're running out of time NOW. Recover the Rune of the Apocalypse, but DO NOT activate it's power in the town. Use your own talent to defeat them."

"One more thing I have to know." Nosdyn said. "Who is the leader of those surface dwellers?"

"A man named Richter Wellings." Drekk said. "That man wears a signet of leadership." Drekk continued. "You will know him from the rest. But DO NOT underestimate that Prophet. She could have already uncovered the secret of the amulet."

"I will teach her not to cross Haidia Bourne." Nosdyn said and he looked at Drekk once more. "Thanks for the information."

"Don't thank me, just complete the mission we were unable to." Drekk said, and faded away.

The light flashed in Nosdyn's mind for a moment and he saw the forest return to normal.

He nodded more to himself than anything else.

Field soldiers always had it the worst, as they were considered to be expendable assets.

I know what I'm here for. Nosdyn's nostrils flared up with rage. Commander, I will cut you for that betrayal... Nosdyn moved forward again.

Suddenly, another movement caught his attention.

Nosdyn turned his attention to that extra movement and a masculine Hume he'd never seen before suddenly raised his ranged weapon towards Nosdyn's face. The man was standing in point-blank range. "State your business!" The guard said.

Nosdyn frowned deeply. He stared at the Hume for a long moment, and then drew his weapon.

The beam sword hummed to life after the activation sound burst forward.

"You would do well to point that weapon someplace else, Hume!" Nosdyn managed to dodge towards his left, leaping forward as the Hume reflexively shot an arrow at Nosdyn's former position.

The arrow whizzed through the air, tearing a piece off of Nosdyn's cloak.

It continued straight through and lodged itself in a tree.

Thwunk! Was the sound that it made as the shaft shook up wildly for a few moments. Bits and pieces of bark fell off the tree from the impact. The air had moved ever so subtly when the arrow whisked through it.

The guard was already attempting to reload his longbow.

Nosdyn saw that window as his chance.

He maneuvered low to the ground, and worked his way around the sniper. His weapon humming constantly, making the maddening sound that would send chills down one's spine. Nosdyn saw it as it happened, the sniper's hands were shaking with FEAR. It was a deep, permeating that touched one's pores. Nosdyn smiled to himself. He is afraid... He knew what it was too, the Haidian's natural panic aura had taken it's hold on the archer. Making it very hard for the archer to focus. Just as the fellow had finished loading his weapon, Nosdyn struck.

He leaped out from his cover and swung his mighty rune weapon in an circular swipe.

The head of the archer, a moment or two later, rolled off his body.

The heat from Nosdyn's ancient weapon served to catalyze the wound. The guard's body fell forward to the ground a few moments later. Nosdyn stood over the defeated guard, his golden coloured eyes shining with hatred. He stood there observing the body for a long moment. Then, he made his way towards the town itself. Somewhere in the town lurked a Prophet that held an item critical to his platoon's survival. But he would not return the item to the commander. He would be certain to silence his commander forever once the mission was done...

He would take over the entire Platoon.

[Arch_Nemsis]

Like most Demons, Nosdyn had a strong dislike of the surface dwellers. There were pockets of them that were respected within Haidian society, but for the most part, Nosdyn didn't like most surface dwellers. He looked down at the body of the fallen guard he'd slain and knelt towards him. The head stared up at the night sky with an expression of crippled fear. The face appeared frozen in that expression. Nosdyn didn't know what he was looking for, but he searched the body. A few moments later, he'd come up empty of anything that was valuable.

"Not a ranking officer." Nosdyn said out loud.

He stood up and turned around preparing to continue his way towards the township. There was a conflicting storm of thoughts in his mind. His eyes seemed to radiate with the hatred within them, he wasn't insane, he didn't suffer from any sort of malady. He killed because it was in his people's nature to do so. His people were part of a grander army, and they all functioned that way. It wasn't out of hatred, or out of any desire to right some old wrong. It was what his people DID. Death was second nature to his people. Nosdyn narrowed his eyes, his mind calculating where he needed to go next. An outright assault on a full Hume settlement would likely be a suicide, and Nosdyn rather valued his life.

No, he would come up with another way.

The town was small and consisted of several tightly packed buildings. A few were further apart, and there was some sort of a forge present in the middle of the town. Nosdyn recognized the building because it had steam rising out from the chimney like structure of it. A vast glowing light shined from within the building and several burly men were present at all times around the forge. Nosdyn knew some rudimentary knowledge of Hume settlements, and their local structure. He'd studied his enemy from the collective knowledge acquired during the Demon War. However, he knew that the "modern" Humes were considerably different from the Humes of that age. Nosdyn considered all that as he stood on a roof top. He wouldn't likely have to kill ALL of them, but only the ones more than willing to defend themselves. The guards.

I won't have help. But...there! Nosdyn suddenly spotted something that caught his attention. Two lavishly dressed figures, made their way towards a large central structure. It was shaped in the make and quality of a chapel or cathedral. Nosdyn didn't have considerable knowledge of The Thaynehood, but he knew SOME information on them. He could at least name them, and recognize their statues. The chapel was a chapel of Lady Y'Edda and built in her name. The matron of Ruild. Nosdyn clenched his fists. He knew exactly who he was looking at: The Prophet and her accomplice. The Mayor of the Hume town.

"I know what you look like now." Nosdyn stood up. He was strong, and his anger and hatred swelled in his heart filling his chest with the Demon's pride. Nosdyn considered outright attacking the pair right then. However, he knew that would likely be his undoing. He had to be patient. His vantage point was a critical perch to hide on whilst the Humes scurried about their business like rodents and insects. The Prophet would likely have the amulet of apocalypse on her person. She was too well guarded at that point to launch a full assault on. He was casing the village, attempting to find it's strong points and weaknesses, and weigh in the patrols of the guard. They were typical Humes and were able to defend themselves like ALL Althanians could.

Nosdyn knew that was the truth.

They would all put up a fight for their land.

Nosdyn jumped off the top of the building and landed carefully.

He was behind the building so as not to suddenly appear before a large crowd.

Nosdyn had taken on the role of the stalker, studying the target and casing the targets around the target.

He'd killed any of the guards who crossed his path.

Nosdyn stepped away from the building, it was a backyard and he saw some livestock present.

As Nosdyn made his way towards the wilderness of Ruild, something happened...something he had not intended.

"Who are you!?" The voice called out towards Nosdyn, who paused in his tracks. "State your business!"

Damn, I've been spotted. This is not going to end well. Nosdyn thought to himself as he turned around towards the woman. She was not armed. First mistake, last mistake. Nosdyn walked towards the woman looking at with his angry eyes.

"Hume." He said to her in his raspy, and deep voice. "Your kind disgusts me."

The woman looked upon Nosdyn, as he lowered the hood to frighten her. He gave off a natural panic aura, and his body seemed to radiate fear. Nosdyn activated his weapon as he walked towards her.

"DEMON!" She suddenly realized what he was and called out the alarm.

Two guards immediately responded to the woman's cry. The situation had grown significantly worse for Nosdyn.

Nosdyn kept his rune weapon at the ready, the blade humming eternally. He looked at the woman. She looked at him, and Nosdyn smiled coldly at her. Then he did something very strange, he let her go. The guards had arrived and that had become the true target. Nosdyn was actually hoping he would have a little more time to case the town itself and figure out how many he would actually have to kill or not. As it so happened, fate had another design for the young conqueror. The guards quickly multiplied, and soon there were five men and woman staring down at Nosdyn.

Nosdyn kept the grin on his face. "Humes." Nosdyn repeated. He looked at the lot of them, as soon as Nosdyn got close, one of the soldiers, immediately dropped his sword.

"By The Thayne!" One of his fellows called out to him. "David, get it together man!" The fellow said.

"I, I can't!' David responded, clearly weak willed. "It's a fucking DEMON!" David suddenly turned tail and ran from the small squad. His superiors were also clearly shaken by what they were seeing. Only one of the Humes did not seem afraid.

"You are the one are you not?" The squad leader suddenly said and stepped forward.

Nosdyn walked right forward and stood in front of the squad leader.

"The prophet spoke of you. My men slaughtered some of your kind about a week ago." He shook his head. "Your kind is so pathetic and weak." The squad leader continued. "You think you have a right to conquer everything. Take shit over, but me, and people like me will prove you wrong time and time again." The man kept talking. "I am going to cut you down right where you stand---hrng....!"

Nosdyn had been counting the troops that were coming the entire time. There was a small local police force of about ten or fifteen trained Humes. The leader had just met with Nosdyn's weapon. Nosdyn proceeded to run the man through with the glowing weapon of his blade, the blade piercing the armour easily. The man realized he was about to die and attempted to raise his weapon. Nosdyn simply reacted sooner. He moved his wrist so that his sword would cleanly cut the man's body into two pieces. Blood splattered everywhere. Nosdyn did not flinch. This was a war. He was acting entirely of his own skill level in order to defeat the enemy stronghold that lurked before him.

"Captain!" One of the guards yelled.

Nosdyn stalked in the general direction of the remaining guards, at that point all of the remaining guards were present. Nosdyn had only made ONE slight miscalculation. The prophet was now in their ranks. Nosdyn smiled the entire time he fought. But his eyes told all, an inferno raged within them.

[Arch_Nemsis]

"Stand down, monster. You are hopelessly out numbered." The prophet said as she walked towards Nosdyn. She moved well within striking distance.

The body of the captain bled into the ground.

Nosdyn stood nearby and looked down at the fallen warrior for a moment. Then he looked up towards the prophet. The humming sound of his weapon was almost maddening. He studied the woman before him, she would have made an ideal bed partner at one point, but he knew that they were enemies. She is standing against me. I have to do this in order to prove my worth to Overlord Zieg. Nosdyn allowed the woman to approach. His eyes narrowed.

"Don't come any closer if you value your life." Nosdyn suddenly said.

The prophet had a brilliantly radiating aura about her.

It shone a bright blue, and it was the only matter of concern for Nosdyn. How much time has she had to unravel the secrets of the rune of apocalypse?! Nosdyn thought to himself his eyes narrowed as he observed her. Her energies were still natural and didn't have the corrupted nature of the rune of apocalypse. She could be bluffing...trying her hand at some twisted poker game. That thought DID cross his mind. Nosdyn held the elegant hilt of his weapon tightly.

"You have something that is not yours." Nosdyn found himself saying.

"Oh?" She responded. "Everything I come across belongs to me. Unless you refer to the device that I removed from the corpses of your fallen friends."

That hit a nerve with Nosdyn. But he hid it well. "If you do not hand it over, I will be certain to lay waste to this entire town and everyone in it." I did offer them an out... Nosdyn thought to himself meaningfully. He didn't like to kill without due reason, but that time, he had MORE than due reason. Nosdyn's patience, however limited it was, wore thin with every passing moment. She was TESTING his resolve and nature.

"I somehow doubt you are capable of doing that." She said. "You felled one of our warriors so far..."

"Two." Nosdyn corrected. "The other is back that way with his head cut off." Nosdyn pointed to where he'd killed the wayward archer.

For a moment her face held a look of complete surprise. But that moment was fleeting. "You realize we can end you right now..."

"You Humes are all talk." Nosdyn responded, he was getting really angry. "In your hands is a device that would tip the scales of the war." For a Demon, life was war. There was ALWAYS this or that battle going on. "Why don't you use it?" Calling your bluff wench, let's see how much you know, or you THINK you know.

"I've had ample time to study the device whilst it was in my possession. I have learned some of it's secrets..." The Prophet continued to speak. "All is going. According to the scriptures of my Master."

Probably a self styled Prophet of The Apocalypse. Just like the Rune itself is a weapon of The Apocalypse... "Then use it..." Nosdyn stepped forward and was not right in front of the woman, half a pace away.

"Cassie, DON'T!" Interrupted the voice of a man Nosdyn had not seen yet.

From the elegant clothing the fellow wore, he assumed that was the good Mayor, come to pay his respects.

"Ah. Mayor." She said nonchalantly. There was a hint of madness in her voice that Nosdyn noticed, subtle, but it was there. He doubted the other gathered Humes would have known what she was planning. "I'm glad you could join us."

"I'm telling you, it's not meant for our hands!" The Mayor had a sincere look of worry on his face. I only need to keep HIM alive the rest are expendable. "You don't know what they are capable of doing!" The Mayor tried to talk "Cassie" out of whatever she was likely planning.

Cassie on the other hand, reacted in an almost predictable fashion. She removed the small device that contained the powerful rune. In reality, it was a pretty simplistic enough talisman to use. CONTROLLING the power it held however, was an entirely different matter all together. Cassie held the talisman in her hand for a long moment, and from being in close contact with Cassie's hand the power began to swell. "It's quite simple really if you think about it. You Haidian Bourne always leave your toys laying about. For a child to uncover it's secrets."

Nosdyn called her bluff. "You're still a complete idiot you know that?" Nosdyn did not falter or look away from Cassie's increasingly hostile eyes. "Use it's SECRETS!" Nosdyn took another half step forward.

"I'll show you I can command the talisman!" She responded. There she completely snapped, and lost what remaining sanity gripped her mind. The rune was activated and that was all Nosdyn needed.

"You Humes are all the same. The moment you get a hint of power, you loose all sense of self worth. You loose YOURSELVES!" Nosdyn reacted quicker than Cassie.

In essence, Cassie hadn't done anything wrong to activate the talisman. The trick was, the talisman required sacrifice. Of course, the NUMBER and quantity of the sacrifice would dictate the effectiveness of the Rune. The small device began to glow with a terrible power. Nosdyn spoke in True Demonic, invoking the power of the Rune of Apocalypse. Symbols wavered in the air for a moment and Cassie screamed in terror. Her hand was lifted skyward for a moment and crackling energy began to pour out of the talisman. Nosdyn understood what the energy was. The words he'd spoken in True Demonic would bind the effects of Apocalypse itself. Of course, the energies would be contained within a very potent effect radius. Nosdyn was glad he'd spent as much time studying history and the old arcane secrets as he had. As the energies poured out of the talisman/weapon the glorious darkness that swirled out of the rune was a storm. Nosdyn chanted in Demonic, he knew the verses well.

He'd played her poker game like a champ.

Cassie screamed as the rune used her body to activate it's tremendous power.

In a matter of moments, she'd aged considerably but still maintained her beauty.

The swirling storm of chaos crackled through the air and sucked all life with it even from the earth itself. The ground developed a dark and scorched colour about it, the blades of grass all died in that radius. And the bodies of men and women who stood too close, all except for Cassie, the Mayor and Nosdyn. Those folks instantly died as they came in contact with the burning energy,

Once the rune's power subsided, Cassie fell to the ground.

She shook in terror, crying at the same time. "H-how did you do that?"

"A child's toy, is not meant for the mind of an Adult." Nosdyn continued. "Or an olde crone." Nosdyn suddenly snatched the talisman out of her hand. So mentally scarred was the woman before him, that she did not even protest.

"I saw a glimpse of your Future..." She said quietly.

"And I saw your end." Nosdyn pocketed the rune and prepared to kill her.

"Don't kill her!" Came a shaky, frightened voice.

The Mayor! Nosdyn turned to the only other survivor of the spell. "Why would I do that?"

"I'll do anything, just spare her!" The mayor was pleading.

Nosdyn did not understand Hume mating rites or anything of that nature. However, he DID understand that his superior officer had told him to spare The Mayor. Further, he'd managed to secure the talisman. A few spared lives wouldn't make a long-term difference. Nosdyn looked from Cassie to the Mayor. "I have but one small request then." Nosdyn said.

"Anything, just spare her!" He repeated.

"Have your people leave this place for good. For their own safety and well being." Nosdyn had won the day.

The woman, Cassie, was too mentally broken to think coherently at that point. The Mayor moved quickly towards her and whispered in her ears. "Cassie. I will always love you, remember me to the last. But I need you to be strong now, I need you to get up and get everyone out of here that's left." Cassie blinked a few moments but recognized the Mayor after a couple of moments.

"All right." She suddenly whispered back, and stood up on shaking legs. The Mayor helped her stand, and when she regained her strength, Cassie was off.

The Mayor walked up to Nosdyn who waited patiently for him. "Now what?"

"Come with me." Nosdyn said. "Your fate will be decided later."

[Arch_Nemsis]

He didn't like carrying baggage with him, he'd always fancied himself a Scout.

Nosdyn kept the beam sword activated and he walked behind the Mayor without saying a word for several long moments.

It was the Mayor who broke the silence first.

"How did you do that with the talisman?" The Mayor asked. "Cassie developed intimate knowledge of the device and was unable to control it's power. But you somehow did..."

Nosdyn stopped walking and looked the Mayor dead in his eyes. "If I told you, you wouldn't understand it anyway. But why the sudden interest?"

"I just want to know so if I can get out of this mess, I will warn others not to use those things..." He shuddered with fear. "You can put your weapon away, Demon. I won't run." You have my word...

Nosdyn considered the request. He looked at the man for a long moment but in the end, decided to keep his weapon at the ready. There were threats in the wild lands besides the Mayor. "I'd much rather be ready for any potential threat." Nosdyn said to his prisoner. "If it's all the same I'll be keeping at the ready just in case. It's not just you, I have to be certain we both make it intact to where we're going."

"Must be simple for you huh?" The mayor said as they resumed walking. "Just following orders. I used to think your people were all alike."

Nosdyn listened as he walked but took a few moments to respond. "There's more to my kind that you know. Just as I know there's more to YOUR kind. Though we are enemies, that doesn't mean I don't have to respect your lot." Nosdyn frowned deeply as he spoke. "After all your fore Fathers defeated my ancestors during the great war." Nosdyn felt himself getting a bit uncomfortable as he walked and they talked about history in such a way. History showed that Nosdyn's people paid a terrible price for The Demon's War. It was true that many Surface Dwellers had seldom even SEEN a Demon. "Either way. We're here now." Nosdyn had to double check that they were well out of ear shot of the Mayor's village. Then he turned to observe the area where the Demon's camp was present.

"More of you?" The Mayor suddenly asked. "Thought you guys always worked alone or something."

"Part of a squadron." Nosdyn explained. "But you probably wouldn't understand our ways anyway."

"I'm about to get pretty intimate with them aren't I?" The Mayor asked. "You could at least tell me what I'm in for."

Nosdyn kept his poker face visible after the deep frown ended. "Listen. It's not my place to say. You are brave and are a credit to your race." Nosdyn continued to speak. "If you play your cards right, this might not be so bad for you."

"Indeed." Came a third voice, and that's when Nosdyn noticed his companions step out of the shadow. It was the commander that spoke. "If you play your cards right." The Commander walked towards the Mayor. "Are you a gambling man, Human?" She asked.

"When you obtain a position like I have, you don't gamble. It's an atrocious habit that put's people's money and time at risk." The Hume said casually.

The Commander laughed at that. "Humans never cease to amaze do they? Little blade, do you have what I asked you to acquire?" The Commander asked.

"I have it in my hands." Nosdyn responded plainly. "What do you intend to do with this man?" Nosdyn suddenly asked.

"He has valuable information that I need that is no concern of yours, little blade." The Commander said. She raised her hand suddenly and motioned towards Nosdyn. "The Talisman. Hand it over and you can return to your duties."

She intends to destroy us all... Nosdyn was by far an honourable Demon. However, that didn't mean he wasn't a SMART Demon. He just needed the right hand of cards to play. "I am afraid that's not how this is going to happen." Nosdyn said, he was deadly serious. "Commander." Nosdyn said. "You are not fit for duty. I am relieving you of your post."

The Mayor, and the gathered Demons all looked at Nosdyn with a stunned expression.

"Little Blade, since you are of Clan Krotar, I can set aside this insubordination attempt as an isolated incident. And not include it in my reports to our superiors." The commander continued. "However, if you do not hand over the Talisman now, I will be forced to take a more direct action against you."

"Commander." Nosdyn said again. "You've been caught." The world was a stage, and all the people living within in it were simple play things to be used by those like Nosdyn. Once allies would become enemies at the drop of a hat. It was all a matter of convenience and allegiances. "I know what you intend to do with the Rune of Apocalypse."

One of the other Demons finally spoke. "Commander, what is he speaking of?" The others were growing extremely confused and angry.

"Well, well." The Commander said calmly. She looked at her companions for a moment, then at Nosdyn. "Do you intend to back those words, little blade?" The Commander asked. "Insubordination is a serious crime punishable by death."

"I am prepared to back my words." Nosdyn said calmly. His weapon was at the ready and he'd never shut it off in the first place, his eyes were looking at the commander carefully. "The prisoner, and the Talisman remain in my hands and I WILL relieve you of your post. You can still be of use to me if you surrender willingly."

"Commander, this ain't a good idea. Not in front of the Human." One of the other Demons said out loud.

They understood what was going on, their entire rank and file was falling apart right around them.

But the woman had a cruel side to her. She readied her own weapon, a vicious sword that was made out of a blackened steel alloy. She looked at Nosdyn. "Come and claim it, boy." She said.

***

For a moment he saw the time the shared in bed together.

It was a single shred of humanity he had left.

His beam weapon's tip was pointed right at her throat and she stared up at him from the ground. The others KNEW not to interfere with a change of command. All they could do was watch in awe. Nosdyn pondered the situation at hand. He had defeated the commander of his own skill and desire, he could end her now. But he hesitated. Can she still be of use to me? Nosdyn did not want to have to kill her if she could still be of use.

"Why do you hesitate?" She asked looking up at him.

"I am trying to find some reason to continue to use you. I'd rather have all of my allies in place." The Hume was wrong. We aren't simply JUST following orders...not when we're cut off from the main platoon...there's more to it than that.

"But you know what I planned to do..." The woman looked up at Nosdyn the entire time. She wasn't even afraid at the fact that he'd just soundly beaten her. The Demons respected the strong, it was the nature of their race. "...It would have been my ticket out."

"I know." Nosdyn said calmly. Suddenly, he shut off his weapon. "I have thought of a use for you."

The Mayor watched the change of command go down with a stunned expression. He'd never seen anything like it.

Nosdyn attached the beam weapon to it's place on his belt. He then extended his hand towards the woman. "Take my hand."
He ordered. "I am your superior officer now, and I am issuing you an order."

"But why...I do not understand why you don't kill me?" She took his hand and stood up calmly. "I would not have spared you..."

"BECAUSE of that." Nosdyn suddenly said. "If we're going to win the war against the surface dwellers, we're going to start to have to think different. We're going to have to think like our enemy thinks, and use their advantages against them." Nosdyn looked at the woman for a long moment. "Though you wouldn't have spared me, I am sparing you. Because you can have a use to me." Nosdyn suddenly motioned his finger in a rotating sort of way. The others understood what had happened. Nosdyn had claimed the former Commander as his mate. "You are strong." He said. "I need someone strong by my side to carry my heirs." He said.

Her eyes went wide for a moment. "You are serious?" She asked.

"I am." The two kissed deeply for a long moment. But Nosdyn broke the kiss first. He looked at the Human. "You. Come forward."

The Human did not even hesitate because lives were on the line. "I have a use for you as well. You know our enemy's ways. I can spare you but you have to be the key that guides my people to victory."

"You'd let me live to?" The Human asked. "You're one fucking weird Demon." He said calmly. "But yeah, there are lives on the line. I want this to go down clean. Cause I know what you fuckers are capable of." The Human had likely just sold his soul, but he no longer cared. Because of Nosdyn Krotar, many lives would be spared. It was a fare transaction. "What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to learn." Nosdyn suddenly said. "I want you to learn our ways. And then you have to teach us your ways." Nosdyn walked over towards the man and extended a hand towards him. "What do you say?"

The Man only partially understood what Nosdyn was implying. However, he was no fool and he shook the Demon's hand. "You got yourself a deal. Spare my kin, and you got everything I can teach you at your disposal."

"Good." Nosdyn responded. He looked at his companions. "All of you. Gather up camp and take everything salvageable with you. We're moving into our new command center." Nosdyn looked at the Human for a long moment. Would Overlord Zieg approve of my tactics? I don't know. But this has to be done if we're going to win the war. "Come with me." Nosdyn commanded, and the two walked together, back toward the camp. The woman followed Nosdyn as well, she would follow him to the ends of time for everything he had done.

For Nosdyn, might have just become the very thing that would save them all...