[Solo] Of Tragedy and Loss...

(Note: Takes place immediately after Of Demon Folks and is the FOURTH Chapter in an ongoing series. Warning: The events in this thread are going to get VERY Dark and really really serious/mature views and matters will be talked about. If you offend easily or do not like overly intense dark stuff DO NOT read this story...you've been warned.)

Lancaster observed from a reasonably safe distance from the combatants. He recalled Nosdyn once told him he'd not been afraid to die. He was beginning to realize The Demon actually meant that.

Five hours passed, they'd fought for five hours straight.

Nosdyn took every single thing The Senator could throw at him. He was still standing...where once he sensed malice now he was starting to sense something else, frustration. "Is that really all you have?" Nosdyn asked. Nosdyn was serious too, he was really certain his enemy was attempting to utilize every ounce of power he could throw at The Demon. "Jake Narmonalya was a more worthy opponent than you." Nosdyn quietly said to The Senator.

"Why won't you fall damn you!" The Senator was getting desperate.

This is a thinking man's game. Nosdyn thought to himself. There were at least three other times where whole buildings collapsed around Nosdyn...he'd been able to walk away each time. The Senator was attacking Nosdyn with some sort of a whip made of pure lightning...or what he perceived was lightning style energy. The whip cracks didn't even hurt at that point. He'd adjusted. Nosdyn had learned, studied The Senator the entire time.

The Senator took several steps back after a moment. He was catching his breath...

"NOW!" Nosdyn saw his opportunity and attacked. His own energy blade manifested, and he sent the projectile style attack after The Senator, gravely injuring The Dark Elf.

The man fell the ground, defeated, he was still alive though.

Nosdyn had integrity and honour by that point and shut off his weapon, replacing it back at his side. He motioned for Lancaster to approach and the two of them looked down at the fallen Senator. "We wish to discuss a different proposition for you than you would have extended towards us." Nosdyn said. He motioned towards Lancaster.

Lancaster walked towards The Senator and spoke, stating their terms plain as day.

The Senator, confused looked at Nosdyn. "You'd...let me live? After all I've done to you and your ally?"

Nosdyn nodded. "You'd be no good to us dead." He said truthfully. "I know you would never have extended us the same courtesy. But unlike you I was prepared to die for what I believe in."

Lancaster helped The Senator stand at that point. "Do you accept our terms?" Lancaster asked.

The next day...

At Lancaster's office Nosdyn stood in front of his friend with his arms folded across his chest.

The boy, Lancaster's son was present. "You will continue to teach us then Lord Nosdyn?" The boy asked.

"After I recover my injuries." Nosdyn said calmly. Despite the nature of the attacks that The Senator used on him...he did actually sustain quite a bit of damage during the battle. He looked at Lancaster. "Whenever you have need of me...call me. I will be by your side." Nosdyn said calmly.

"You have someone to return home to now do you not?" Lancaster asked quietly of The Demon. He shook his friend's hand.

Nosdyn nodded. "I am eager to return home." He said quietly and walked over towards Lancaster's son. He ran his hand through the boy's hair as he'd seen his wife, Illsandra do. "You stay out of trouble little one. When I am ready we will continue the lessons again."

The boy nodded. "Tell The Lady thank you for letting you help us. It must have not been easy for her." The boy said, once again showing the maturity he had.

He looked at Lancaster once more. "Lancaster...the payments we initially talked about. Don't worry about them any longer. I will instruct these kids free of charge...someone has to."

Lancaster nodded carefully. "You are a good man, Nosdyn...go now, recover your strength. You have someone waiting for you at home."

***

Later that night, Nosdyn turned a corner and found himself staring a very familiar Safe House. There was someone waiting for him at the front of The Safe House, she saw Nosdyn's approach and ran towards him, hugging him profoundly. Nosdyn grimaced in pain a bit, but it was a good sort of pain. "I am home." Nosdyn said.

Illsandra nodded. "You won the duel then?"

"The Lancasters will be safe from now on. We can continue to provide lessons to the children." Nosdyn said quietly. He was convinced he would never see his wife again. But he was glad that she was in his arms once more.

At that point, Illsandra noticed the severity of his injuries. "You're...hurt."

Nosdyn nodded. "Not as bad as The Senator is." He grinned. "Come, let's get back inside I will tell you about everything tonight."

***

That night....

It didn't take as much bandages as it would have someone else. Illsandra and Xyllea cleaned the Demon's wounds. The super-heated lightning attacks had burnt his flesh and left scalding damage...but no real harm.

Nosdyn was just glad to be home...

Xyllea spoke first. "Lightning magics." She said calmly, noticing the nature of his injuries.

Nosdyn nodded carefully as they both treated him. "He used a weapon made of lightning magic...like an arc whip or something of the sort."

"Sorcery from The Academy." Illsandra said calmly. "I'm just glad you're home now."

Nosdyn sighed, he was also glad. "I was prepared to die." Nosdyn said calmly to her once again, just like that other time.

"To protect us..." She said in response to her husband.

He nodded. "Lancaster and his boy send greetings to you both." Nosdyn said.

Then, the treatment process was more or less completed. Nosdyn stretched a moment or two. The pain had subsided hours ago, but he'd still felt sore.

Nosdyn looked at his two companions. "You both will help me recover." He said quietly, was not an order...was his wish.

***

The three of them slept together in the same bed that night....

A month later...

Time passed. Nosdyn recovered from his injuries but was hesitant to return to teaching the children right away. Something troubled him. He was not sure at first...but he noticed it more and more as days passed...Illsandra was different. Something weighed on her heart...something he was not seeing.

He walked over to his wife. "Something troubles you." He said to her quietly that day. He stood right behind her, gently touching her arm. Matters of the heart, expression...that had always been difficult for him. But she'd changed him. It was only then that he really noticed it....she turned away from him, not responding to him at all. He was at a loss. That was the first time he'd ever been rejected by her.

He didn't want to let it go. He walked behind her once more and attempted to hold her arm gently...it was then Nosdyn noticed the severity of the situation.

"Don't touch me!" She suddenly yelled at him. And again, looked away from him.

At that point...he'd been rejected twice by her. It was like a smack to the face. He opened his eyes wide and began to cry for her from the emotional injury. "Is that your final word?" He asked of her.

"Please go away." Illsandra said...there was a finality in her voice.

He'd never heard her speak like that before. "If that is your wish." He said quietly and took his leave.

***

Nosdyn was in the hallway of The Safe House pacing nervously. Many of his Syndicate members were away on other missions, this or that errands. Xyllea returned first and saw Nosdyn there, a nervous wreck.

Xyllea had never seen him like that before. "My Lord...what is wrong?"

Nosdyn heard it first something crashed inside his office chamber. "Fuck!" Something inside of him...assumed the worst. The clues, the hints...the whatever this was had all been there right in front of his face the whole time. He'd been too stupid to see it. He ran inside his personal office, but what he saw next it was already too late.

Over, under, and around everything Nosdyn knew to be his limited world view came crashing down around him. His wife, lay dying in pool of her own blood. She'd slit her own throat with a ceremonial dagger he never even knew she had. He ran immediately to her side. "NO! Fuck, no no no no." He started to cry for her immediately. The nature of her injury was lethal...she was going to die. He held her dying body next to him. "Please gods, no...please no not you too don't leave me too..." Nosdyn pleaded, begged...with something, anything. The woman he would have died for at a moment's notice had taken her own life.

Xyllea looked away tears on her own face, she could not bring herself to watch what was happening.


***

Some weeks later...

There was a funeral. A small group of her relatives and Nosdyn and his allies were present. He was too depressed at that point to ever have noticed Lancaster's presence. She was buried in concordance with the Lloth burial rites...and Nosdyn somehow...lost something of himself.

***

He'd not spoken for days at that point. The memories of that day, the day she took her life flashed in his head over and over...he blamed himself and was guilt ridden by it.

Xyllea had been there by his side the whole time. "My Lord...please say something." She'd also been crying for the tragic loss.

Nosdyn refused...with her death...he'd lost the will to live.

About a week later...something unexpected occurred.

The children of the slums arrived at The Safe House, The Lancaster boy leading the small group.

Somehow, Lancaster's son knew how to find Nosdyn, and walked over towards him. Xyllea had been near but they still had not been able to get Nosdyn to speak.

Nosdyn reacted to the children, his face warmed even if just a little but he still did not speak.

The Lancaster boy looked at Nosdyn, once again showing the maturity he held in his heart. "My Father was at The Lady's funeral." He said quietly. "The Academy took my Mama." He went on. "We know loss as well." The boy looked at Nosdyn. "After the first month...we figured you were not going to come anymore. So we came here, to you." The boy walked over towards Nosdyn, unafraid and did something profound none of the others had thought of. The boy hugged Nosdyn. And one by one, the children of the slums of Ettermire hugged him as well.

It was then, something happened. "She's gone." Nosdyn said quietly.

Xyllea was astonished to hear a Demon speak in that way.

He knelt down with the children that were under his care, and began to cry with them. "She's never going to come back home."

The Lancaster boy said something profound at that point. "The Lady is with Mama now."

Nosdyn somehow, understood what the little boy meant. "I've been such an idiot." He said quietly, and motioned for Xyllea to join them.

She did so.

"When Mama died." The Lancaster boy began... "There was a hole in Papa's heart." Though those kids had been labeled as rejects by higher society, they somehow understood what the Demon was going through. "You don't have to deal with the hole in your heart by yourself."

"I cannot thank all of you enough." Nosdyn said quietly. "I had...something had stopped. Inside me...something stopped when she died."

Xyllea placed her hand on Nosdyn's shoulder...as she'd often seen Illsandra do for him. "We're all here for you."

For a moment, Nosdyn thought he sensed Illsandra's touch...but it was Xyllea. He would have to thank her later alone, in privacy. "You're all good kids." Nosdyn said quietly. "I will never let anyone harm any of you."

The Lancaster boy looked at Nosdyn's face. "Your fighting spirit has returned my Lord." He said quietly.

That night...

He'd not slept in his own bed since her death. But in order to regain something back of himself...he had to start slowly healing. Xyllea was there in the bedroom with him. They sat down on the bed together. "She's in a better place now." Nosdyn said quietly. He'd never been really good at expressing himself.

"You can take it slowly with me my Lord." She said quietly. "She took me in her tutelage...taught me everything she could about you and your people."

"The day I saved you..." Nosdyn said quietly. "Do you want to know why I did that?"

Xyllea nodded. "Yes, anything you wish to talk to me about."

"When your superior officer hit you that day...something inside me changed. I had to make a decision either stop an enemy or save a complete stranger." He said quietly.

"He would have killed me...N'Jal's Agent I meant." She responded.

"I know...that's why I saved you. I also know how they operate...they target the defenseless." Nosdyn looked at Xyllea carefully. "When the time comes, and we are both ready...I want to uphold our bargain." He said quite sincerely.

She nodded. "My Lord, I meant what I said that time too..to honour her...to honour The Lady...I will carry your children."

He sighed. "Xyllea...I am sorry. I've been selfish and blind this entire time. I was so consumed I did not notice you also suffered."

She wrapped her arms around The Demon and held him close. "We will heal together. This I promise you."

"Let's go to sleep. It's been very difficult for us all." Nosdyn said quietly, and he wrapped the bed sheets around her.

Xyllea asked something just then. "The lilac perfume...it pleased you yes?" She asked.

Nosdyn nodded, he held the woman close to him in his arms afraid to let go. "I once told her to never take it off." The memories brought pangs of pain, but in Xyllea's embrace it was somehow a bit easier to deal with.

"Do you want me to wear that perfume?" She quietly asked.

Nosdyn...in a profound gesture of kindness and understanding kissed Xyllea deeply that night. That would have been the first time he did so. He told her his answer would be yes, in regards to wearing the lilac perfume.

Nosdyn had always had trouble sleeping, after her death...he never would sleep again. Holding Xyllea in his arms, he knew there would be the key to his recovery. Illsandra would have wanted it that way...for him to move on and just live. I miss you... He thought quietly to himself. Lancaster's boy had been correct though...she would have been in a better place at that point. Whatever she'd been struggling with, dealing with inside...Nosdyn had been too blind to see it.

He would never make that mistake again. Illsandra had changed him...in their screwed up world...where things often spiraled out of control far quicker than they would have liked. His wife saw fit to look past the fact that he was a lowly Demon. "I was an idiot." He said quietly out loud. And the woman in his arm stirred, waking up when she heard that.

She looked up towards him. "My lord?" She asked.

Nosdyn nodded. "I was thinking of her...maybe if I had done something different, or paid closer attention..." He was always going to hold himself responsible for her death.

Xyllea put her hand on the side of his face gently, his skin was warm to the touch. She'd often seen Illsandra do such things...and for whatever reason her manner of interacting with The Demon...had worked. She'd done something to him...Demons were known to be cold and distant. But she'd changed Nosdyn somehow...she had a big pair of shoes to try to fit in..but she was putting in the effort. "I...cannot ever replace her." She said to him quietly. "I know there is always going to be that pain in there for the rest of our lives. But, My Lord, this I DO swear. If I can help you recover, I will do everything I can to do so."

Nosdyn nodded quietly, because of Illsandra...talking about his emotions had become a little easier for him. His people were a battle-hardened and war-scarred tribe. Far too often Soldiers became detached from reality. But not Nosdyn, he had recovered something of his humanity back. "I would have died for her, in exchange for her if I could have." Nosdyn said quietly. It was a profound thing he was telling her.

"Sometimes things happen we have no control over." She responded quietly and sighed.

He nodded. "Xyllea...for what this is all worth..thank you. For tonight and every other night to come."

Xyllea, at the point understood Illsandra's teachings. He DID have a difficult time expressing his feelings, a lot of Men did. But because of what Nosdyn was...his people's burdens would always haunt him. "I envied her you know." Xyllea revealed to him at that point. "She got to you, reached you somehow and for that...I envied her."

Nosdyn smiled softly at that point. "Not many would have shown me the kindness and understanding she did. She looked past...what I am. What I always will be." He looked at her at that point. "You know me at this point as well as she did. Do you see a Monster, or something else, Xyllea?" He asked of her.

Xyllea thought about that for a moment. "I see a Champion." She said quietly. She had not been trying to answer the question as Illsandra would have,but rather with her own, honest answer.

"You are a good woman." He said quietly. And kissed her deeply once more...that night would be for the two of them alone.

The next day...

Nosdyn sat in his office as he had done before. It felt a bit uncomfortable...the truth did. Knowing she would never again be by his side. She'd become a source of strength for The Demon, a comfort that he'd allowed himself to have. He was thinking about her. As he often did those days. Then, someone entered the room...a strong smell of lilac perfume filled the room. For a moment...just a moment Nosdyn swore it was Illsandra walking into the room. But it was not, it was his companion, Xyllea. She'd agreed to wear that perfume...to help him recover from the pain and agony he'd endured.

She quietly closed the door behind her. And walked towards his desk. "The same kind she wore." She said quietly. "I made sure, no alterations of any sort."

The strong scent of lilacs. He closed his eyes for a moment. And then opened them to see her. "I see you." He quietly told her. Matters of expression, the heart...had always been difficult for him. But from then on...he would always put the effort for his loved ones. It was no longer about him.

She walked over towards him and placed her hand on his hand. "We can go as slow or as fast as you need to. This is entirely up to you." Xyllea said calmly. She'd also been a Dark Elf...but much different than Illsandra had been. "The Guild is ready to receive you my lord." She said quietly to him.

He'd called a meeting of the entire guild earlier that week for the day in question. He would speak before them...and be held accountable to them. In his suffering, in his pain...he'd almost lost himself entirely. The children of the slums...helped bring their leader back. They would also be present, and Lancaster as well.

***

In The Gathering Hall, Nosdyn looked at his extended family. Somehow, each and everyone one of them had learned to accept him for who and what he was, a lowly Demon. Just as she had. His wife, the woman he would always have in his heart. Lancaster and his son were present by Nosdyn's request, as were the other children of the slums. Xyllea stood by his side...a source of strength and encouragement.

Nosdyn felt as ready as he ever would feel. He started very slowly, gradually as he knew she would have wanted him to. "She's gone." He said them all very carefully. He wanted to be held accountable as a leader to his family...always. "In her absence...I handled this in a very selfish sort of way." Nosdyn was trying to find the right words, the courage to speak to them. "I was consumed and I did not allow any of you to help me until the children arrived." He said carefully. "For that...I owe you all an apology. No General should ever leave his people alone, to suffer in silence." In his mind, he was thinking of her, always he would think of her. He had a pained expression on his face. "I am going to continue to lead you all as i have in the past...but I have a favor to ask of you all." He said to them.

The Undead Priest looked at Nosdyn. "What would you ask?"

"Never let me suffer alone again like this." It was a simple request, an honest request. A leader asking his people to hold him accountable for past failures.

***

Nosdyn looked at Lancaster and his son.

The boy looked at him with the same expression he always had...something about that boy's way, his mannerisms...hinted a much stronger maturity than most his age had. "I am certain The Lady is proud of you, Nosdyn." He said to The Demon very simply, very matter of fact.

Nosdyn nodded and looked at Lancaster. "Come to my office. There is something I wish to discuss with you, your son and Xyllea."

***

A short while later they had gathered at his office, the door was closed. The matter he had to discuss with Lancaster would have been in accordance to Illsandra's and his own wishes.

"You are certain?" Lancaster asked of Nosdyn, astonished that a Demon had so profoundly accepted their ways.

"One of the last few matters me and her were preparing for was that. I wanted to be inducted in Dark Elf society, like as an actual citizen." Nosdyn thought back to Illsandra's lessons on that matter. "She said I would need a few things complete, i would need representation." He looked at Lancaster. "You're the only one in office at the moment I trust to handle this matter."

Lancaster pondered for a moment and nodded. "I agree to your terms." He said quietly. "It will take time, but I am certain there should be very few difficulties involved in this." Lancaster said.

Nosdyn nodded quietly. "I am willing to learn and undergo anything I need to become one of your people."

Lancaster nodded at that point. "I will start the process myself. " He looked at Xyllea for a moment. "Do you agree to be his support in this matter?" Lancaster asked of her.

Without hesitation, she nodded. "Of course."

***

A short while later, Xyllea and Nosdyn were alone. Xyllea walked over towards him. "What you're doing is very brave."

Nosdyn nodded. "It's what she would have wanted...for me to complete the cycle." He looked at her and stood up walking directly in front of her. Suddenly, and in quite a profound gesture, he knelt before her. "Illsandra gave me basic teachings but I wish to learn the rest of it. All of your people's ways. I am willing to completely submit myself to this process." He said quite calmly.

Seeing him kneel before took her slightly aback. She nodded carefully. "I will teach you everything I know My Lord."

The next day...

Nosdyn and Xyllea were at the place where he would train the children of the Ettermire slums. To his surprise, they were all there waiting for him. Nosdyn nodded towards them...he'd wanted Xyllea present. He walked over towards Lancaster's son. He knelt down before the boy. "You have strength in you, young one." He said to the boy, trying to be as honest as he could be. "One day, you will be a General." This was as much about him trying to pass on his Father's teachings as it was trying to give those lost kids hope.

The Lancaster boy nodded at that point. "You will always have the hole in your heart, but me and your friend, Xyllea we all will help you live with it."

Demons were often a war-scarred and battle-hardened group. But somehow, Illsandra had changed Nosdyn for the better. Nosdyn nodded calmly. "Today we will not go over martial tactics. Today I have something else to teach." Nosdyn said quietly. He motioned for Xyllea to come to them.

She did so and knelt down before the children. She knew what he was about to tell them...it would be necessary for both of their great people to heal, to recover from past hatreds and prejudices.

Nosdyn started to talk at that point. He began very simply, as he always had in the past...as he always spoke when it came to matters of the heart. He was not trying to sell those kids anything, he didn't want anything in return. All he wanted...was to give them hope. "Let me tell you a story."

After that training session was over...

Lancaster's son remained and walked over towards Nosdyn. "Your leaders made you kill your own family." He said quietly, in a hushed sort of way.

Nosdyn nodded. "The Tribunal's way of doing things...is often very cruel and harsh. If there had been any other way I would have chosen that other path."

"...Papa told me The Academy took Mama." The boy began. "They wanted to hurt Papa because of me...because...I'm not smart." The boy looked away.

Nosdyn knelt before the child once more. "I wanted to tell you and your friends what growing up was like for me. Me and you...we're not so different." Nosdyn nodded at that point. "I will instruct you and your friends to the best of my capacity, this I swear to you." Nosdyn said.

Lancaster's boy looked at Nosdyn, for the first time he cried before The Demon. "You are the only teacher...that has ever sincerely cared about us. They always become angry, or dismiss us too quickly at The Academy."

Nosdyn nodded. "I was exiled from my home." Nosdyn said to the boy. "What you are going through is equally challenging." Nosdyn thought of something just then. "What's your name? I cannot keep calling a future General by a pet name or anything like that." Nosdyn sincerely meant that, he saw something in the boy...the capacity to change history itself.

The boy seemed a bit hesitant, he was used to everyone else except Nosdyn and his Father treating him like garbage. "Llukai." The boy said calmly. "Llukai Lancaster."

Nosdyn nodded at that point. "Very well, Llukai. Tomorrow, we continue our lessons. You should return to your Father before it gets too dark." Nosdyn said calmly and the boy agreed. He stood up at that point, and was deep in thought.

Xyllea walked over towards him. "Illsandra was right." She said quietly to him, after she was certain they were both alone.

Nosdyn turned to look towards her. "About what?" He asked.

Xyllea nodded calmly. "When she had me in her tutelage...one of her greatest regrets in all this was knowing you would have made an excellent Father. She was right." Xyllea stood there for a moment looking at him. "You are giving these kids more than a reason to live...you're giving them hope. "

Nosdyn thought about what was being said he looked at her. "Because I am a Demon you mean yes?"

Xyllea nodded in agreement. "You have a far greater destiny here, Nosdyn Son of Tharak. These kids will one day unite our two people."

Nosdyn walked over to her gently. He'd always felt a little nervous being physical with her. Being romantic...but he would put the effort, he always would. Much to Xyllea's surprise, he pulled her close and kissed her quite deeply.

That night...

Xyllea and Nosdyn were alone. In the office chamber which also served as their bedroom. But something else was occurring at that point. Xyllea was giving Nosdyn lessons on Dark Elf society...laws, rules...things Nosdyn would need to know. Xyllea was pleasantly surprised at how eager he was to learn. The lessons would go on night after night for several hours at a time. When that night's lesson was completed, she looked at Nosdyn. "Tonight's lesson is complete." She said softly.

Nosdyn had not been wrong initially, there were differences but Ettermire politics were not so different from The Tribunal's approach. Nosdyn had already memorized every parchment and scroll she'd given him to read. He'd never been a super genius by any means, but he was not dumb either. His intelligence had been sharpened and edged for a far more combat proficient approach. Nosdyn stood up at that point. "There are similarities." Nosdyn said to her carefully. "Maybe at some point there would have been a common origin point."

Xyllea pondered carefully what she was hearing. "You mean with The Tribunal from your people 's culture yes?"

Nosdyn nodded calmly. "But perhaps I am over analyzing it...just pointing out there are similarities is all."

Xyllea always noticed that about him. He'd always been a little more harsh and critical on himself than he perhaps needed to be. She walked over towards him and placed her hand on the side of his face...she'd seen that gesture affect him so often especially when Illsandra did it. She would do her best to approach the matter equally. "My lord you've become more skilled than some of my former Guilds most learned Scholars." She said truthfully. "Speaking of that...when the time comes there is something I want to share with you." She said calmly.

Nosdyn nodded. "Your guild...they were Psionics were they not?" He asked quietly. "The only other largest house of such matters...was Orlouge House."

She nodded. "You warded off my attacks that day...despite me being shielded. I mean that you are more learned than most of our scholars are."

"The teaching of my Father." He said calmly. "But it is good to know you understand the nature of these powers."

She kept her hand on his warm skin. "I can teach you to train your ability better."

Without hesitation, and perhaps because she had completed accepted him as Illsandra had...he nodded. "Anything you have to teach I wish to learn. In exchange...I will also teach you." He became distant in his gaze for a moment. "The day your superior hit you...you were banished form your guild. That must have been very difficult to deal with."

She nodded. "It was but that's the day you risked your life for me."

Nosdyn understood at that point...she DID in fact love him. He would never see it the same way as it had been with Illsandra and himself, but he accepted the actual fact that she loved him. He looked at her calmly. "It was the right thing to do."

She nodded carefully. "She told me you were already changing before she met you. But she started the rest of the catalyst process. I want to help you further, Nosdyn. Not just because I love you." She looked away at that moment. It had been months since Illsandra's death at that point.

They were all still trying to just...recover. Nosdyn nodded at that point, and pulled the woman close to him, in a hug. "I once promised her to never keep secrets from her. She agreed to do the same in return. The day...it happened hurt worse because of that. I am willing to extend that courtesy to you as well."

She nodded in his arms. "Nosdyn...I understand what Illsandra had been trying to teach me this whole time. You have more honour than most men ever do. You're a Demon..that makes this more profound." They kissed deeply at that point, and for the first time equally mutual hunger for one another.

A few days later...

Nosdyn sat in his office, the last training session for the week had been the previous day's session. He was actually enjoying himself helping the children of the slums out. It was the first time since Illsandra's death had occurred he was starting to allow himself to FEEL. Something other than anguish and depression. Someone entered the room...the scent of lilacs filled the air. Pangs of longing and pain were in his heart...but for his people, for Xyllea's efforts...he would be strong for her. Illsandra would have wanted it that way. He looked up at Xyllea and had a soft smile on his face. "Thank you." He said plainly to her. He'd learned how to be honest and forthcoming from Illsandra.

She'd closed the door behind her and walked towards him. "My Lord?" She asked.

He nodded softly. "For everything. It was not just me who lost her...it was all of us. She belonged to all of us."

There, Xyllea was learning more of him...and the profound effect Illsandra had indeed had on The Demon. Dark Elfs and Demons could someday live in harmony and peace. "I have what you asked for." She said calmly and placed the item on his table. "Lancaster told me...the first session can begin in a month's time." She observed him for a moment, studying his face, his eyes...she wanted to memorize everything about him.

Nosdyn noticed that after a moment...but he did not resist. He simply allowed it to happen, he'd grown more and more comfortable with her. "I want you by my side the whole time." He said. Nosdyn had told nobody about one other matter...when Illsandra rejected him that day...that she died...something had messed up his head and his heart. But he'd been slowly recovering.

She nodded. "There is something else isn't there?" She asked.

Nosdyn looked at her. He considered how to express what he needed to say. "She rejected me that day. The day you found me in the hallway...More than once but that does not really matter." He was trying to reveal that to her...to have her, no somebody understand the pain he felt. "I'm not sure if I could have saved her or not at all...but all I do know is...it might not have mattered. I already lost her by that point."

Xyllea felt a pang of pain in her heart...to hear a Demon, a son of The Tular Plains, being so honest and forthcoming. She cried at that point for him...in front of him. Having lost someone so important as he had. She walked over towards him and stood right next to him. She placed her hand on him. "Nosdyn..." Xyllea said. Then, she kissed him.

He kissed her back with equal hunger. A moment later, he looked at her calmly. "She once said she was a failure in front of me. Because she could not have my children. I did not see back then..." There was a tremendous pain in his eyes.

Xyllea nodded. "I'm...so sorry." She said softly to him, they wept in each others arms.

A month later...

Xyllea was beginning to understand her Demon. He might never fully recover from the loss of Illsandra. But his tribe, his people...were warriors. They had the warrior's blood in them. Given everything that had transpired since the loss of Illsandra...Xyllea understood more clearly what The Lady had been trying to teach her. She'd gotten to him...she saw more than a war-scarred Demon. She saw past that, and saw him somehow. They stood at The Assembly, in front of a group of Dark Elfs that day. No one present stared at Nosdyn with any malice.

He represented hope...hope for their two great people.

Xyllea had instructed him to the best of her capacity, and he'd been an eager student. Thirsty for knowledge, always wanting more and more. She smiled at him, he wore Dark Elf attire that day. Xyllea finally understood...The Demon had accepted their ways. Completely, without prejudice or bias.

The ceremony was the first portion of many such ceremonies. It would last a month in it's entirety.

When the first session was over, Nosdyn, Xyllea and Lancaster were alone in Lancaster's office.

"You did very well." Lancaster said calmly.

Nosdyn had been a nervous wreck the entire time, he didn't want to mess up or fumble any of his words. He'd memorized everything he could of the teachings, the principles of Dark Elf law. "I was nervous." He said calmly, being honest.

Lancaster raised an eyebrow at that point. "You fought a Senator, by yourself...walked away from that and THIS made you nervous?" Lancaster was being kind though, there was no malice in his voice.

"It was the people...speaking in front of so many people." Nosdyn closed his eyes for a moment. Then opened them again. "I think she would have been proud." Nosdyn said.

Lancaster nodded softly. "Aye. She would have, Nosdyn...you're a good man never forget that. Never loose sight of yourself."

***

Outside on The Lancaster Estate, Nosdyn looked at Xyllea. "You helped more than you would ever know. Had it not been for you...I would have botched everything up."

She looked at her Demon. "You did very well." She said to him. "She really would have been proud you know."

The last day of rites...

A month had gone by. The children of the slums understood why the lessons were on hold by Nosdyn until the completion of this rite of passage. Long ago...when Nosdyn was growing up, The Tribunal made him slaughter his own family. They saw his Father as a threat. Nosdyn had been blind to that at the time. Somehow, this turn of events completed the cycle. When he'd become a man of his people...he'd killed his own Family on their orders. That day, in front of The Dark Elf...a different sort of transformation had taken place.

To honour the memory of his fallen wife, he'd joined their people...their fold.

The last portion of the rite, was going over the last few aspects of Dark Elf society Nosdyn needed to know. Nosdyn had memorized and taken to heart everything he could. He spoke from his heart, speaking in his honest and simple way before the people of Ettermire.

Once the last portion of the rite was upon them, Nosdyn looked up at The Speaker in The Assembly. "Nosdyn, Son of Tharak." The Speaker said calmly. "Rise, you are now officially granted the identity of a Dark Elf. You will one day unite or people."

Nosdyn nodded and he recalled the last portion of the rite he was supposed to say. "By the guidance of the moon's light. It shall be so."

***

Outside of The Assembly Hall, Lancaster handed Nosdyn a small packet of documents. "Formal parchments, little more. You've done very well. Nosdyn I'm proud to call you a friend."

Nosdyn nodded. At that point, he was thinking of her...as he often did those days. He wanted to be certain her memory was never forgotten. She'd changed The Demon...this had been possible because of her. Xyllea sat on the bench next to him. Nosdyn looked at her. "We did this." Nosdyn said to Xyllea. "Me and you, together."

But Xyllea knew...there would always be the hole in his heart as Llukai Lancaster had said. She knew. The Demon would never forget...he would always hold himself responsible for her death. Xyllea did the best she could to help him heal. But she knew...some injuries were too deep and bled too long to heal. It would always haunt him. "Let's go home." She said quietly. She would stand by his side always, as long as he would allow her to.

Many years later...

By that point, Llukai Lancaster was already becoming a man of his people. As Nosdyn had taught him, he was already leading the children of the slums. He'd never be incredibly intelligent because of his learning deficit...but he'd learned because of Nosdyn, they all had. Much to Nosdyn's pleasant surprise, Llukai had developed his own leadership skills because of him. Because of the teachings of his Father. Llukai was fifteen at that point. By then, Nosdyn did in fact marry Xyllea. It had taken a long time for him to find the courage to do so.

But even then, and for the rest of his life, he was haunted. When he would be alone in the late hours of night...always he would think of the one he lost. Xyllea had become aware of that fact. But did not shy away from it, she wanted to help him heal.

***

The next day...

Llukai Lancaster had memorized all aspects of Nosdyn's teachings and become a skilled sword-arm in his own right. He, and the other children of the slums...the older ones...looked at Nosdyn. Llukai spoke first, he was already becoming a fine young man. "General Nosdyn." He said calmly.

By then, Nosdyn had in fact become inducted into The Academy as one of her instructors by Lancaster's request. Nosdyn nodded calmly at his brother. He saw The Dark Elf people as his own family at that point. "Llukai." He said. He looked at the student calmly. "State the precepts of House Krotar, student." He said calmly.

And so it went...year after year...lesson after lesson.

Xyllea observed how far her Demon had come. By that point she had given him their first son. She also thought of Illsandra a lot at that point, but not in the same way Nosdyn did. There was pain in Nosdyn's heart...pain that would never heal. She observed her husband quietly. We did it, Illsandra. Me and you did this together, we changed him.

To the end of his days...Nosdyn would never forget the one he lost.

-The End.-

Nosdyn receives 415 EXP and 80 GP.

All rewards added!