~The Games Gods Play 2!..~ (Mature)

[MATURE! Open to ALL who like mature content!]

It began like all stories do...

With a whisper and a promise...

In the flash of a moment he awoke in a completely other region once again. It was night time, fireflies were dancing about and the sounds of a forest were around him. He knew that forest. It was Concordia Forest...once again he got tied up in the games of the gods. The old soldier got up off the ground and looked about, surveying the area. Studious. Old habits were hard to kill. He blinked he'd been half asleep those nights. He never accessed REM sleep but he was sleeping a little better at that point of his life. Too many bad dreams and nightmares for a peaceful sleep anyway. The regret of killing N'Jal weighed heavily on his heart those nights. He knew he had to do it to free them all, her plans were too dark too evil for them all. He was no good guy but he knew he did a tremendously good thing in killing N'Jal. She broke into a million shards of N'Jal in that cave that night. He was certain those shards would become a potential problem down the line. For now, he had to figure out why he awoke in Corone once more.

"I'm getting tired of these games." Nosdyn whispered to the night. "I'm too old I'm not a child anymore." He knew by that point men folk could kill the Thayne they were not invincible as the old stories said. He got up off the ground, rubbing the grass off his leather clothing. First thing's first. He set up a base camp and stuck to that area to hunt local game. He was a survivor the old soldier. He could survive a small tactical warhead landing on his head. It would hurt...but he would live. He'd trained well by that point of his life.

He ran his hand through his braided silver hair. He checked for all of his bolingings. Everything was there. He just wanted to live peacefully in Ettermire but the gods had other plans. He would go home as soon as he could. It took him a while to get the camp set up, he worked quickly and effeciently using what the forest provided. Using the old arts...he knew he was in for a long adventure. He wondered what games the gods would play this time...his old mind was pensive and strategic. He was never fast but he was a good thinker. A strategist. He was eating a few hours later...

(Thoughts in Italics)

His thoughts were immediately on the situation at hand. He paused for a moment, deeply pensive. Once again...the damned Gods have summoned me to Corone. But this time...this time...I will not play their games. He immediately noticed something was different something was off. Concordia Forest was not the same Forest of his youth. He looked around and the Forest had a distinct vibration of darkness about it now. Time had passed since the last time he'd been summoned to Corone by the damned Gods.

All he wanted was to be home with Ealladra and his undead HIS undead and his family.

He looked around for a moment and got used to this new twisted Concordia Forest. He clenched his fists tightly and looked around his camp. When did Concordia Forest change? Things are different this time... He thought to himself. He knew he had to be cautious. He plunged his prevalida sword into the ground. Then...he went back to finish eating. A moment later, there was movement nearby Nosdyn was immediately on alert and grabbed his sword.

What game is this now...? He wondered. His eyes narrowed as the movement came closer. He heard a laugh nearby of a female. Immediately he was turned on but he kept reservations. The laugh was sultry and seductive.

Soon, the owner of the laugh revealed herself. She was a scantily clad demoness with red hair. She looked completely erotic.

Nosdyn looked at her for a moment and saw she was not a threat. He sheathed his sword.

"Good observation." She said. "I mean you no harm. But you ARE in danger." She added.

Nosdyn carefully sat down addressing the seductress. "What is going on here?"

"You have been chosen." She began explaining the situation. "It is a thousand years in Althanas's future." She paused for a moment. She sat down next to Nosdyn. "The Thaynehood have been defeated. All that remain are the thousands of Lesser Thayne." She looked away for a moment she smelled fantastic. Nosdyn immediately noticed that. She placed her hand on Nosdyn's hand. Electricity. She eyed him with hunger. "I don't know if you can go home." She said. "I'm not sure you want to go home."

Nosdyn considered all she said. All she told him. His mind was racing. "The future...one of many possible futures." Something his son, Tharak Son of Nosdyn told him once. He looked at her. "So what is the job why do you need me?"

"Sentients have largely been whiped out. You are needed and wanted. We need to rebuild life." She said eagerly and with sincerity. "A demon horde runs rampant. Not of your people but a viscious Demon Horde more primal more hostile."

He considered the possibility. The information was interesting. He rubbed his chin deep in thought. He looked at her once more. "I accept your terms." He looked at her with lust. He then looked down for a moment. "I'll do whatever it takes to go home."

A moment later...it happened.

He blinked trying to get his focus for a few seconds when he felt a vast splitting headache. He heard a laughter in the back of his mind...then and only then reality faded away in a nausiating flash.

He clutched at his forehead in supreme agony.

At that point reality faded away...or what he thought was reality.

(Nosdyn's thoughts in Italic)

By the Gods...what is this malady.

I cannot tell dreams from reality.

I am out of balance...

A moment later he awoke in his own bed. With his own wife next to him. Ealladra. The Elf. His face was contorted in pain. I can't sleep. He suddenly sat up with a growl. He hated feeling so powerless. He sat up he was naked that night. He looked at his wife for a long moment, she clearly had a startled expression on her face.

"My love...?" She asked.

He shook his head for a moment or two getting his orientation back. His hand was shaking and he was coated in cold sweat. He was breathing heavily. "I am having bad dreams again." He whispered struggling with the words.

Ealladra sat up and placed her hand on his face gently. "My love whatever this is we will deal with it together."

"I fear something dark is coming." He said. He was shaking, clearly afraid of something.

She nodded. "I will face it with you."

He nodded holding his wife gently...

Later that day...

Nosdyn made his way to the Temple of Lloth to commune with the priesthood.

Something troubles me...I am unsure what this is...

His priestess, Leadra was in her office as usual. "My Lady." Nosdyn greeted her.

She noticed the troubled expression on her lord's face. "What ails you my lord? Ye are not your usual flirty self."

He nodded. "I am unsure of it. But of late I am seeing troubling dreams and visions. I am unsure of how to tell dreams from reality." He paused a moment. "I am at a loss on how to deal with this situation. As a soldier if something needs to bleed I can cut it. But this is a malady of the soul." He said plainly. He looked off to the left for a moment. In deep thought.

The priestess personal chamber had an incense scent in the air one of the Dark Elves favored scents. Nosdyn did not know the name of it but it was always a scent he rather liked. The chamber was dimly lit as the Dark Elves could see exceedingly well and did not like bright lights. A few simple candles lit the room flickering in the darkness. The shadows danced across Nosdyn's face.

"Son of Krotar House." His priestess began..."The malady you describe is something the Humes often call a mental imbalance. However I believe something else is happening to you." She walked right up to him kissed him softly and searched his packs. "This relic you are in contact with." She looked at the device Kalestiya put him in charged of. "I believe it may be the key." She placed the object back in his packs. "Take good care of the relic my lord."

He nodded. "Blood is the key..." He said suddenly.

Then her eyes went wide. "By the Thayne..." She looked at him. "My lord do you know if this thing is an Eldritch Relic?"

His eyes narrowed a moment. "I was told it might be one." He looked at her very carefully. "Do you think the Device has caused my situation?"

She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Too early to tell. But I will do some research. But please my lord the Ancients stated the Eldricht Devices are very dangerous."

"Blood is the key." He said again softly. "I'll be very careful here." He looked at her and kissed her deeply. "Something I discovered is the device consumes a lot of blood." He said.

"Fascinating..." She remarked. "You survived the power of an Eldricht Device. You're curiously strong Nosdyn son of Krotar."

He grinned. "It is how I can protect the people that I love. By my blade this I swear." And they kissed deeply and consumed one another for hours...

Walking home that night, the streets of Ettermire for so many generations he called home.

Deep in thought...something bizzare happened to him. He heard a voice call to him...

Nosdyn... The whisper said.

Nosdyn blinked and looked up from his deep thoughts. The mean streets of Ettermire were strangely empy that night.

Nosdyn... The voice whispered again.

His eyes went wide and he was concentrating looking towards the direction he heard the voice from. He started to walk in that direction without thought. He knew the streets of Ettermire really well. He was being lead to a back alley area.

He was not scared, the son of Krotar knew no fear. He'd given himself to N'Jal fully for years prior. The voice was close by.

He looked at the owner of the voice...he realized it was the female demon from his previous vision....the vision of future Corone. "You..." Nosdyn began. "What is this...?"

"Nosdyn Krotar." The woman said. "My time is short." She looked away for a moment. "You are the one we were promised."

"Who..." Nosdyn asked.

"My ancestors and YOURS are the Ancients of antiquity. Very soon an event will occur in your world. Very soon you will be tested son of House Krotar. It is the nature of the Ancient to be tested."

Nosdyn looked away. "Of course I will help. But what is happening to me?"

The woman looked at him. "You are in possession of an Eldricht Device." She looked at him and touched his chest gently. "They were a scourge on my people too." She paused. "Each one exacted a serious toll upon the wielders of the Device." She leaned in closely. "Protect the Device at all costs Nosdyn."

"I will." He responded. "This I swear." He blinked and then he was left in a completely empty allyway once again. His eyes became narrowed. He needed a solution to the visions he was experiencing. "Ancient huh...? The plot thickens." That was the start of going deep in the rabbit hole Nosdyn made his way home...