A Hadian in Ettermire's Heart

Out of Character:

Closed to Pavel.

A doorway appeared in the middle of an intersection of two paved roads. Passing dark elves and dwarfs gave the strange door odd glances, but no one stopped to pay it real mind. It was made of simple oak, with a brass knob and hinges connected to nothing.

The door opened, and out stepped Jake Narmolanya. Or rather, through stepped he. The soothing natural smells of the forest Concordia were obliterated by the rank odors of machinery so familiar in Alerar. Jake wrinkled his nose and pulled his black silk scarf up over his freckled cheeks. He allowed the doorway to dissipate and looked around. He was the only half elf on the street, and the only one wearing green. The Alerians seemed to prefer blues or drab shades of grey. Jake shrugged his shoulders beneath the cutting straps of his haversack and shifted the weight around on his narrow back. He took a moment to orient himself using the convenient metal street signs and then strode off.

The sky frowned hazily, sunlight obscured by a thick layer of smog. Jake had been in Ettermire recently on the hunt for a Crystal Sword, and seeing the amount of sick folk had drawn at his heart. In his haversack he carried something that the relief movement would find highly useful. The half elf smiled at all around him as he made his way from block to block. His short blond hair curled out from beneath his floppy canvas cap. His sea green eyes scanned the concrete buildings, admiring the intricate architecture. His leather boots skirted mud puddles, for the warm winter with regular melts had left the streets a mess.

Before long Jake found the building he sought. It stood tall and narrow, almost a tower, made from more of the concrete the Alerians seemed so fond of. The rounded windows looked in on a tidy lobby with a woman sitting at a desk. Jake walked in and right up to her, giving her the Jake smile with both barrels.

"Pleased t'meetcha," he said, leaning on the desk, "I'm Jake. Is this the offices for the Alerian pollution relief centers or whatever?"

"The Alerian Relief Coalition? Yes," she said with a small smile and a shake of her head. Her long dark hair shimmered, her purple skin and pointed ears particularly attractive.

"Well I heard you folk were in need of spidersilk respirators," Jake said, shrugging off his heavy haversack, "and I don't know how to make respirators, but..." he plunked the bag down on the desk and opened its drawstring. Within gleamed piles and piles of spidersilk, which could be found in abundance in Concordia, where the continent-hopping half elf lived.

"This... is amazing!" The Alerian woman said, pressing one hand over her mouth while the other felt the silk in the bag. "We'll be able to fashion many respirators out of this. Thank you, Jake. How can we repay you?"

"You can tell me how else I can help," Jake said with a smile, "but first, you can tell me your name."

Somewhere in the residential district of Ettermire itself...

The victims of Nosdyn and his enforcers was a family who wrongly owed The Boss money.

In the worst parts of Ettermire history there were criminal elements out to take advantage of high society's weakness.

The dead bodies in the dingy, and dark apartment were a proof that fear bread power.

One last Drow man remained, tied to a chair and completely muffled. Nosdyn stood there with the rest of his Enforcers. Arms folded across his chest, his eyes narrowed with concentration.

Nosdyn did not speak.

There was no need for words...Nosdyn's latent power, The Mantle of Fear did all the speaking he would ever need.

His companions...though their methods did lack honour, worked effectively.

He was with three other Drow, Enforcers working for Murgok. Murgok the Krem.

The Ettermire crime boss was a secret stain that was an embarrassment to Ettermire's law enforcement...

The current pollution and monsters in the sewer were partially engineered by the criminal underworld. All it took was influencing the wrong people in the wrong places. Nosdyn knew that at that point. Fear was power. And a man's family had paid for crossing The Boss. Nosdyn knew about fear...it worked both ways. Nosdyn was found by The Boss a year or two prior after a failed heist had left him in a weakened state. The Boss saw strength in Nosdyn's ferocious eyes. In Nosdyn's carnal appetite. His companions played with the remains of the fallen after having had their way with the traitor's family. Nosdyn never partook of such events, but the seedier members of the organization did. Nosdyn did not have such primal hungers of the flesh. Instead, his hunger was entirely darker.

The bound male Drow was crying tears of pure blood as he looked at Nosdyn, fear in the man's eyes.

Nosdyn could taste the fear and it excited him.

Men, Humes, were naturally easy to manipulate when presented with the unknown.

And Nosdyn was such a mystery.

The man mumbled at that point, defeated...

Nosdyn signaled to one of his companions to remove the dirty rag that kept the man muzzled.

"Speak." Nosdyn said coldly.

The broken man looked up at Nosdyn fearful of what the demon was capable of doing. "H-how are you in my head...?" The man weakly asked. His endurance and will power already broken.

Nosdyn looked at the broken man and frowned. "That's not what is important." Nosdyn said in a surprisingly calm sort of way. "You crossed The Boss." Nosdyn added. "You paid for that now tell us what we've come to know."

"...I no longer have the artifact." The broken man said.

"Given or stolen...?" Nosdyn asked.

"I hid it...far away from you and your kind." The broken man said in a last round of defiance.

At that point, Nosdyn acted. "You've made a tremendous mistake crossing us."

Screams filled the night...

The lady's name was Nessol Raintaker, as it turned out, and she invited Jake out for a mug of ale after her shift, which ended conveniently soon. They settled into a booth in a tavern adorned with steampunk accoutrements and automated taps set in the shiny bar. Jake admired Nessol's softly pointed purple ears and dark cascading hair as he slid into the vinyl seat. They ordered ale and fried elk meat appetizers and stared into each others eyes maybe a bit longer than they should have. Hers were a delightful shade of sparkly blue.

"So how long have you been working for the Relief Association of Alerar... I mean the... place where you work?" Jake asked, his cheeks reddening. He often got a little tongue tied around pretty women, and Nessol's firm bosom and dimpling cheeks had more than caught his eye.

She giggled. "I've been working for the Alerian Relief Coalition for just under a year, mister Jake Narmolanya." She paused as their ale arrived and took a frothy sip of the bitter brew. "This is the busiest we've been since I joined," she confided, "I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed, with this and everything else..."

"What else?" Jake had to ask. He wanted to help those afflicted by the pollution, but something in Nessol's sapphire eyes told him her problem was more important.

"I shouldn't say, we only just met," she replied, looking away. She giggled again as Jake sputtered over a mouthful of ale.

"We drink it warm in Corone," he explained, sipping the chilled beverage more carefully. "Well, let me tell you something about myself then. What would you like to know?"

Nessol put her elbows on the tabletop and leaned her chin on interlaced fingers. "You don't have the same look as other Coronian travelers I've seen," she said, "how did you get here? Was it a long voyage?"

"Hardly half a step," Jake chuckled, and then chuckled again as her eyes widened. "I'm a traveler, you see. A portal-maker. I can go anywhere on Althaans in a single step, so long as I know the target location well. Just an hour ago I traveled here from a market in Concorida, right to an intersection I remembered near your building." He took a satisfied pull of ale, adjusting to the cold bitter bubbles.

"That's fascinating," Nessol cooed, her eyes wide as saucers. She twirled a finger around an errant strand of hair. "What's the most interesting place you've ever visited?"

"Aside from this bar?" Jake said, jumping slightly as a bird erupted from a cuckoo clock. "Perhaps Dheathain. It's unbearably humid there, but the Drakari and Fae are fascinating peoples, and there are some magnificent ruins." He dabbed a finger in the moisture beaded beneath his mug and sketched a watery symbol on the table's surface. "I found many artifacts inlaid with emblems such as this. I never understood their meaning, but I think they are rather beautiful." He touched Nessol's hand for a moment, and their eyes met, but he pulled back just as quickly. "There is beauty here in Alerar too, beneath the smog," he joked, "if only you've mind to find it."

"You haven't the faintest idea," Nessol jested back.

The Enforcers stepped out of the apartment complex drawing distrustful, rightfully so, stares from local passerby.

Even late into the night, there were those who ventured the nocturnal aspects of Ettermire.

Those seedier places where people that had seedier dispositions ventured to. And then there were those like Nosdyn and his group. Those with ties to The Boss. Nosdyn looked at his companions. There was an air of uncertainty between the small group of thugs. Nosdyn spoke, breaking the awkward silence.

"He didn't have it." Nosdyn said, a man of few word.

"What do we do now?" One of the other Enforcers asked.

The mission had gone too textbook. Something about the job didn't sit well with Nosdyn and nagged at his natural warrior's mindset. "Report back to The Boss."

The same Enforcer raised an eyebrow and looked at Nosdyn. "What about you...?"

"I have to track down a loose end. A clue I saw in the man's mind." Nosdyn said.

"Let me come with you. I don't feel right letting you go alone." The Enforcer said calmly.

Nosdyn, appreciating the gesture of his fellow soldiers looked at The Enforcer. "The Artifact is too important. I must track it down while the clues are not cold. The Boss will not tolerate failure, from any of us." Nosdyn looked at the men. "You. Jandryth. Make sure the site has been properly tampered with."

***

Nosdyn had been given a clue by the man in his screams and madness after he'd used the full capacity of his Fear Mantle.

A name. Andru Raintaker. Under normal circumstances, the Raintaker family would have been safe. Would have been secret. But Nosdyn did not represent normal circumstances. The Enforcer was loyal to only one man. And that man was The Boss. All others were simple pawns in a larger game the bastard Thayne played. Nosdyn saw the building owned by the Raintakers. The Raintaker Estate it was called, and this late in the night...would be a simple matter of breaking the target.

***

At that point...

Andru Raintaker wished he'd never laid eyes on the artifact in his possession.

But such matters were far too important for those who sought it.

Andru stared at his doors, they were locked. His eyes were wide with fear. He could already hear the footsteps of the man who was hunting the artifact. No...not a man...a Monster. The bastard Haidian Enforcer was skilled at what he did. About fifteen minutes of dreadful silence passed and his doors were kicked open. Andru saw the hateful eyes of the Demon for the first time. He grabbed at his weapon, and saw that the Demon held his glowing mystical blade already in his hand. The weapon made a horrifying sound.

Like screams in the night.

Andru held a sword in his hand. "Guards!" Andru feebly summoned his men.

But the Demon had already dispatched them...horribly. He would not fail The Boss. "I've killed them all." Nosdyn said calmly. The air already vibrated against Nosdyn's Mantle of Fear.

"W-what do you want?" Andru asked.

Nosdyn stopped moving directly in front of Andru Raintaker. Those cold eyes full of hatred and rage. "You've stolen from us." Nosdyn backhanded Andru angrily. "Someone close to you told me your name and said you had it." Nosdyn was an expert with manipulation of fear.

"You don't know what it is capable of doing!" Andru attempted to reason with the heartless bastard.

"The Artifact is not my concern. The fact that you have stolen from us...is." Nosdyn said. "I promise...before this is through you will tell me where it is."

And Nosdyn descended upon Andru Raintaker like a hungry beast...ready to destroy.

By the time they had finished several rounds of ale and a platter of elk meat skewers between them, Jake and Nessol became quite comfortable with one another. They lolled in the booth, lingering over the last dregs of their ale and talking about small things that ran through their minds.

"What was it that had you worried?" Jake asked suddenly, sitting up straight. "You nearly brought it up, but then said you shouldn't tell me. Well, I think you should."

"Well..." Nessol dawdled, "okay... but you have to promise to keep this between us. My father Andru has gotten involved in something dangerous... I don't know what. All I know is he's been... different. He goes out at all hours of the night, and he seems so stressed lately. Whatever it is, I'm afraid it will kill him, one way or another."

Jake touched Nessol's arm, trying to ignore the electric feeling it produced. "I'm sure it will be fine," he said, "but if you'd like, I'd be happy to come meet your father. I have a bit of a history with... dangerous troubles. Whatever it is, I'm sure I could help him sort it out." The young half elf grinned confidently and leaned forward to pat the dark elf on the shoulder.

"Would you?" Nessol said, smiling widely, "that is so sweet! Are you sure it isn't too much trouble? After all I wouldn't want you to get involved in anything dangerous..."

"Please," Jake scoffed into his mug as he downed the last of his ale, "everything I get involved in is dangerous. Just lead the way."

They settled their tab and left the bar through swinging saloon style doors. They navigated the paved roads, laid out in grid-like fashion, avoiding steam carts and other pedestrians and food vendors who called the names of their sumptuous smelling wares. They walked to an upper class part of town where the buildings were made out of real cut stone and marble rather than poured concrete, where most of the homes actually had green yards breaking up the constant concrete jungle. Nessol led Jake to a particular house, finding the door ajar. She gasped and rushed inside with Jake in close pursuit.

The scene looked like a portrait of Haide. Bodies of guardsmen were strewn about like chaffed wheat, blood and entrails decorating their torn clothing and horror-stretched faces. The once fine home had been desecrated, the carpets stained crimson, the Falleini glasswork smashed, the Alerian clocks bent and broken. Nessol rushed from one body to the next, crying for her father. Jake walked in her wake, at a loss for words. He had seen blood by the gallon before... this was nothing new, but he could think of no way to comfort the poor weeping dark elf.

Nessol found her way into the living room and rushed to the side of a particular dark elf man with a cry. She moaned the word father over and over again as she melted to the floor beside him, pulling his head and shoulders into her lap. The elf's face was badly swollen and he bled from several superficial wounds, but he did no appear to be dying.

"What in the six layers of Haide happened here?" Jake demanded. The scene had a distinct demonic feel. He reached inside his sifan jacket and touched the eagle feather quill he always carried there. With it, he could seek out nearby Haidians and steal their powers once slain.

"The authorities will arrive soon," Andru Raintaker croaked, "I'll tell you before they do. But you must keep this to yourself... I cannot let word get out that I ratted on these people."

Jake huddled next to Nessol and listened to Andru's frightening tale.

The Artifact.

Nosdyn could tell what it was by looking at it.

The Boss doesn't know the game he's playing. Nosdyn recognized the Thayne Codex runes etched on the device. It was hidden in an abandoned chamber in the Ettermire sewer. Nosdyn's mighty weapon hummed in the air as the Demon held the handle like device. The blade was long and elegant and thirsted for blood. Nosdyn could see pass the feeble devices that attempted to contain the power of the Thayne within the artifact. It wasn't any of the known relics...no...this object was something different.

The artifact gave off a vibration in the air and Nosdyn could the dormant power within the back of his mind...it lulled him forward.

As he'd stolen the information from Andru, he knew how to deactivate the mechanisms of the old locking device.

Thankfully there weren't too many spying eyes this deep in that area of the sewer.

The device mechanism itself was undone using the technique he'd stolen from Andru. The cell began to open and eventually would give up it's prize...

***

Jandryth was a newer Enforcer...and hated the fact that he was left behind by the bastard Demon. As he went back to give a final sweep of the site where Nosdyn had obtained the Andru clue, Jandryth kept the light dim with a glow orb. They'd had fun with the Drow man's family that had initially stolen the Artifact from The Boss...

Then it all happened.

Jandryth was casting the magics that he was taught by The Boss's acolytes when he heard a loud commotion.

"Shit!" Jandryth cursed as he was suddenly surrounded by brutal looking guards.

"Stand down." One of the guards yelled.

Jandryth panicked and attempted to fight his way through the guards.

Quickly he was consumed by the brutal Alerar enforcement agents.

He had no idea Andru had sold them all out of fear...

***

The glowing orb flashed brilliantly in Jandryth's bruised face.

There was an interrogator present.

"You will speak to us for everything that has happened tonight..." The Drow interrogator said.

Jandryth spat blood on the ground. "Go to Haide."

***

The final unlocking device of the old steam device opened up. The entire process took several minutes to power up since the device was so old. Nosdyn, weapon in hand, began to approach the Artifact...

Jake's leather-booted footsteps echoed throughout the subterranean sewers. The half elf carried a ball of fire in his hand, held aloft like a torch to light the way. Andru Raintaker had entrusted him with a surprising amount of information, including the whereabouts of a certain artifact and the identity of the demon seeking it. The Haidian, Andru had called him with horror etched across his features. Jake doubled his pace as he wove through the catwalks that ran along the side of Ettermire's sewers. He had his silk scarf pulled up over his nose again, for all the slim protection it provided against the invasive stench.

As he neared a corner Jake could hear the sounds of distant machinery, a whining and clicking that had become somewhat familiar during his time in Alerar. He paused an pulled out his eagle quill, holding the feather loosely in his right hand as if it were a sword. He moved on the balls of his feet, aiming for silence, and stole around the corner. His dark green jacket and brown pants blended into the shadows well, and he spotted the demon a short way ahead.

Some sort of elaborate portcullis was opening, and the artifact - for it could only be the artifact, with all those strange runes inlaid - lay inside. Within moments, the demon would have its prize.

"Hold there!" Jake cried, stepping out of the shadows. The demon turned to face him. It held some sort of energy sword in its hand. Its skin was blue, its hair black and drawn back in a ponytail, its eyes gold. It was only slightly taller than Jake, but had the bulging musculature of a brawler. The half elf new he would need to use his wits and speed to defeat this opponent. He breathed in deeply and then breathed out, letting a calmness wash over his muscles. He sank into a deep stance and held his eagle feather overhead. He gripped it in both hands as the quill became a hilt, and form the hilt grew a slightly curved blade of still fire.

"That's a fine sword you wield," Jake challenged the demon, "I should like to see how it matches up against mine." He slashed at the air several times, the fiery blade making only a whisper, and circled to the right, trying to get between the demon and the artifact. "You did some terrible things today," Jake reminded the demon, "it will be my pleasure to put you down like a mangy dog." He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, sword held overhead unwavering, growing more prepared by the second.

Those who sought to change history oft had pursuers.

Nosdyn was no different...The Enforcers of The Boss were not perfect soldiers.

However, they were loyal and so was Nosdyn. He was following distinct protocol that lead him to the Artifact he currently saw ahead. Thankfully, Nosdyn was a big guy and there was little room in the chamber for sneaking around him. Unless, the man sought to leap over him or something like that. Nosdyn sized Jake Narmolanya up. He immediately saw the pointed ears of the man before him and that alone set Nosdyn off.

"Elf..." Nosdyn accused. "Your kind is disgusting, it always was." Nosdyn held his weapon at bay for the moment, but then the man attacked. However, it seemed to be more of a display of force of will than anything else. Nosdyn took a step backwards, closer towards the Artifact. "I bet you don't even know why you're here. The Artifact is merely one reason I am here." Nosdyn was trying to test the man before him, get him reckless...make him make mistakes.

Nosdyn could afford to strategically read his chosen enemy.

The fiery sword would be a problem depending on the quality of the blade.

Nosdyn's own weapon was masterwork iron. At least that was the quality of the blade so far. Nosdyn began to slowly creep towards his opponent, keeping the artifact behind himself at all times. They will not steal The Boss's prize... Nosdyn accepted that even he was expendable. He was a soldier first and foremost, and the army he fought for could replace him quite easily. That was the life that he had made for himself. A soldier's life...a warrior's life. But it was for a different army with different ethics. "You say I've done horrible things. But you only know what you've been told. You don't know the reason behind them." At that point, Nosdyn felt sorry for the Elf. It was in for more than it could likely handle...

...Or perhaps the same could be said of Nosdyn.

Even so, Nosdyn was prepared to die. He doubted that his opponent was ready to die for it's crusade.

Once Nosdyn covered enough ground between himself and the man before him. "Tell me something, Elf. Do you think you can back those words...or are you all talk?" And Nosdyn expertly slashed at Jake with his horribly glowing weapon. The blade cut through the air as he slashed froward, and Nosdyn was aiming for the man's midsection. He doubted the attack would hit but in that moment the battle had begun.

Already, Nosdyn was prepared to take many steps to ensure that the enemy never got the relic.

Even burying them all alive in that horrible and derelict sewer...

Jake had heard similar taunts from other demons in the past. He let the words wash past him like river water over smooth stones. As the demon attacked the half elf shifted back a half step and parried powerfully. Green sparks burst from where energy blade met flame. Jake grimaced into the Haidian's gruesome maw and pushed off, retreating several steps.

"I know I could kill you easily enough," Jake scoffed, "but for now I'll settle for the artifact." He conjured a doorway, and its twin appeared behind Nosdyn, right in front of the artifact. The half elf opened the door and reached through, grabbing the artifact and clutching it to his chest before allowing the doorway to dissipate. Jake grinned triumphantly and backed up another few steps. "I'll have to slay you another time," he told the demon, "this artifact is more important than your life!" He took a deep breath and drew a picture of the Raintakers' living room in his mind. He summoned another doorway and ducked through it, giving the demon a cheeky wave with his sword.

The Raintakers' household had been visited by the authorities. The bodies had been removed, and grey curtains covered the blotchy bloodstains. Andru sat in his armchair by the hearth, sipping a glass of strong whisky, while Nessol knelt at his side, clutching his arm. The wind howled in the gap in the door where the demon had broken in. A haunted expression lingered in Andru's gaze.

Jake stepped toward the Raintakers, examining the artifact as he went. He turned it over and over in his hands, running callused fingers along the grooves of the runes engraved along its surface.

"You... you've got it!" Andru gasped, nearly spilling his drink. Nessol stood up and threw her arms around Jake, her concern for his well being obvious. The half elf smiled and returned the embrace, and then handed the artifact to the woman's father.

"Now you must tell me what this thing does," Jake said, "when you told me there was a Haidian demon after it, well, it was my responsibility as a demon hunter to stop him getting his claws on it. But now my responsibility is to purge the streets of that filth. Unless you can give me a good reason why I should be here instead." He crossed his arms over his narrow chest and fixed the seated elf with a firm gaze.

"I'll tell you everything I know," Andru said, shuddering slightly, "just please don't leave me alone here in case that.... that thing returns."

"Jake, why don't you join us for breakfast?" Nessol suggested, "I was just about to bake some fresh scones."

The half elf looked out the window. Dawn's pink blush had spread across the distant Mountains of Twilight. His stomach rumbled at the thought of scones, and he knuckled his back, realizing how tired he was after the long walk through the city's sewers.

"That sounds lovely," he said, giving Nessol's shoulder a squeeze. The followed the dark elf into the kitchen to help her prepare the scones.

Nosdyn stared in anger as the righteous bastard stole the artifact from him.

I cannot report failure to the boss... Nosdyn had a gut feeling he knew where the bastard was going to take the Artifact and closed down his weapon. He sheathed the beam weapon at his belt and began to walk slowly towards the new target. Jake had inadvertently doomed his friends.

***

Nosdyn found himself standing in front of the house, he'd already killed several more people on his way towards the Raintaker estate. Having acquired himself a torch, the Artifact was no longer important...he could accept punishment from The Boss. He was prepared for that.

What was important was making sure no loose ends were around.

And the bastard Elf that had stolen from him was a loose end.

Nosdyn held a torch in his hand. And his glowing beam weapon in his other. He cut down all who got in his way. There was no time for taunts, no time for words. He merely was attempting to focus on the mission at hand. Nosdyn walked towards a suitable point of the old building, and roared loudly. He knew the fire would cut quickly through the old structure, and he found the tapestries he wanted to find after once more breaking in. Nosdyn was dangerous. He was prepared to take them all with him.

As Nosdyn entered the house once more, he began to set fire to wood structures and old tapestries that immediately began to spread. There would be no escape that time for the Elf that sparked his ire. Nosdyn began to set fire to various portion of the building as he walked forward towards the target. He found them all in a dining chamber. Nosdyn looked immediately at Andru and Jake. All others were minor concerns.

"You have something that belongs to me." Nosdyn accused.

And he did the unthinkable. He dropped the torch down on the ground and the fire began to immediately spread. Nosdyn was using basic smoke out tactics, as he'd been taught in the harsh Tular Plains. The horrible Demon looked at all the gathered, and Andru's eyes immediately went wide with horror when he saw Nosdyn.

"He's here!" Andru yelled.

And the attack began...Nosdyn immediately rushed towards Jake.

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.

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...

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.

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...

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.

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 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..."

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...

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.

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.

He must have hit his head awfully hard when the house collapsed, Jake thought, somewhat confused by the demon's latest batch of threats. Perhaps it's just a tactic, he realized as he matched the Haidian slash for slash and thrust for thrust. The demon had some skill with the sword, but each movement of his was massive, lumbering, made slow by the thick corded muscle that framed his body. Jake moved nimbly, using footwork and angles to counter his enemy's brute strength. Before long, Jake knew, the demon would tire, as its bulky muscles ate up all the oxygen available in its bloodstream. He just needed to keep it fighting until then, and keep it away from Nessol and Andru.

The Raintakers were still huddled in the road. Andru's ankle had already begun to swell painfully, the bone broken. His daughter lingered at his side, trying frantically to lift her father to his feet so the two could escape together. Otherwise the street seemed strangely empty.

Jake knew that the fire brigade would arrive soon - Ettermire had stations with steam buggies loaded with water and great pressurized hoses throughout the city. Doubtlessly the brigade would help him defeat the demon... but selfishly, Jake did not want their help. He wanted to finish the Haidian off in his own particular fashion, before anyone else arrived. He wanted to show Nessol the true nature of his fighting abilities. And most of all, he wanted to watch the demon's life snuff out.

Circling carefully, Jake came at the Haidian from and angle and aimed a sneaky stab at the being's throat. His fiery sword flashed in the night, matching the orange glow of the dancing flames that lingered over the Raintakers' ruined house.

"You are a fool Jake." Nosdyn hissed as he intercepted the man's feeble, half assed attacks.

Nosdyn was holding back, considerably so, but Jake was fighting as hard as he could...Nosydn knew that was the case. He is holding back...but not in the same way...perhaps if I kill more of his friends...he will take this more seriously. Nosdyn thought to himself. He intercepted the next attack, one aimed at his throat more or less, and snarled. As he intercepted that attack with his glowing weapon, he decided to send a swift and hard punch at the side of Jake's head in an attempt to distract him.

Going to kill his friends...that will get his fucking attention... Nosdyn was getting angrier as the moments passed.

That last attack was somewhat difficult to evade, but he was able to do so, the flaming blade that his opponent wielded was quite powerful.

After he punched forward, Nosdyn began to act towards his plan. He swung forward then leaped backwards as far as he could in an attempt to disengage from his opponent. If his sudden punch connected or not was besides the point...

He caught his breath for a moment and began to stalk towards the remaining Raintakers...the allies of Jake Narmolanya.

They had become the target since Jake insisted on running away. "At least they are braver than you are, coward." Nosdyn hissed as he stalked towards his intended targets. He was growing impatient with Jake...but he would make Jake make mistakes.

He walked with a quicker step in his stalk towards Nessol and Andru.

"I am going to take away everything you love. Jake Narmolanya." Nosdyn threatened and meant every single word...

Once he'd covered the distance between himself and the Raintakers...

The punch connected with the side of Jake's head, and the world turned sideways on the half elf. He reeled away from the muscular demon, barely clinging to his sword as confusion distorted his thoughts. He staggered and just barely caught himself short of falling into the bonfire that was the Raintakers' house. He took a moment to clear his head, shaking his blond locks out forcefully. His scalp at split beneath the Haidian's knuckles, and a single drop of crimson flowed down the side of his face. Take away everything I love? Jake wondered if he had heard the demon correctly, who does this moron think he is? I just met the Raintakers... everything I love is in Corone. Even so, Jake had sworn to protect the dark elves, and he had not intention of letting the demon slay them.

Jake's near fall had carried him away from the Raintakers and their assailant, giving the demon a chance to draw near, his pulsating blade menacing. The half elf knew that if he ran after the Haidian he would risk giving the beast enough time to kill its victims. The half elf needed to act, and act fast. Releasing his sword hilt with one hand, he summoned a trickle of fire from the inferno and cradled it in his hand. The fire grew into a ball the size of a small melon, pulsating on Jake's palm without burning him.

Setting his feet, the half elf threw the ball of fire at the demon's exposed back. Like a burning beacon it arced through the air, on a collision course with the demon's broad back. The beast was so wide and muscular, Jake knew he was unlikely to miss. He only hoped it would be enough to slow the demon down, or stop it all together. Gripping the hilt of his flameblade in both hands, Jake rushed at the demon in the fireball's wake.

"Cowards attack the weak," he roared as he ran, "so leave them alone, if you're not a coward! Turn and face me, demon!"

"Coward is what you'll call me? I am not the one who keeps running away." Nosdyn quipped back. He stalked towards Andru and his daughter...but then something happened.

With the fires spreading around the district they were in...a group of skilled artisans from Ettermire suddenly arrived.

Nosdyn stared at Andru for a long moment as the chaos ensued.

Andru, fearful of his life stared back, the two gazes locking.

Then, the unthinkable happened...Nosdyn shut his weapon down and in the vast confusion of the moment...decided the battle was over.

Nosdyn held great disgust for the man named Jake Narmolanya...

He stole from me. More importantly...he stole from The Boss. I must be prepared to report this mission as a loss. But I didn't lose as much as he has... Nosdyn stopped when he was some distance away from the crowd of people and turned to look back at Jake's general direction. There was a cold smile on the Demon's face. You win this round...Jake...but there will be another time. Nosdyn bowed elegantly towards the general direction of the gathered. "Yes...there will be another time." He said out loud to nobody in particular...

Then he took his leave and prepared to go face his punishment from The Boss.

It was not so bad considering everything he took from Jake was far worse...

Nosdyn was prepared to face failure...but was Jake?

He walked off into the darkness and mentally prepared himself to face what he knew would be severe punishment.

Nosdyn was one of The Boss's most gifted soldiers...punishment for failure would be...severe.

~The End~

A wailing rolled down the street as the Ettermire Fire Brigade arrived. Steam carts loaded with pressure-hoses and tanks of water chugged to the scene. Elves and dwarfs swarmed around the inferno, spraying water at the base of the flames. Two of the brigadiers helped Andru to his feet and over to a cart to sit. One of them examined his injured ankle while the other consoled Nessol.

If only they knew what all these poor folk have been through.

Jake had lost sight of the Haidian in the confusion, as the brigadiers fought the fire, producing massive bursts of smoke that stank of tar. The half elf rose to his feet and allowed his fiery sword to turn back into a quill, which he returned to his inner jacket pocket. He rushed to the Raintakers' side, throwing an arm around each of them.

"I'm so glad you're alright!" He cried, "I did my best, but the demon got away."

"Jake!" Nessol threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. "You protected us and that's all that matters. We would have been killed three times over without you there to save the day." Andru reached out and shook the youth's hand, the older man almost moved to tears. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," Jake grinned, ignoring the throbbing pain in the side of his head where the demon's punch had landed. It would be a reminder for him to train harder. "It was my pleasure. To be honest, hunting demons is what I do..." He looked down the road where he had last seen the Haidian scampering away like a sewer rat. He touched his chest where the quill sat in his pocket, and burned the details of the demon's face into his mind.

"And I don't think I've seen the last of that evil bastard."

Thread: A Hadian in Ettermire's Heart
Authors: Jake Narmolanya & Arch Nemesis
Type: No Judgment

Congratulations!

Jake receives 2,005 EXP and 220 GP.
Arch receives 1,455 EXP and 200 GP.

* These rewards include the regional bonus for Alerar.

All rewards have been added!