[Solo] The Cycle completed...

(Note: Takes place many years after Tragedy and Loss and coincides with the ending events of that thread. It is also Chapter 5.)

He'd named their child Tharak, after his Father. It somehow seemed appropriate to him, Xyllea agreed to that. They did everything together those days. He was a hybrid, there was a mix of Demonblood and Dark Elf in the boy. Two very proud people. The first child Xyllea had given him, had been a son. Nosdyn was somewhat older at that point, but his people aged differently that most other races of Althanas did. Nosdyn had proven to be a surprisingly very good Father.

She observed his mannerisms with their little one. You would have been proud, Illsandra. She thought quietly to herself watching her Demon interacting with their son. She saw that he'd been patient with the child...more patient than most men would have been. The same way he'd been with Llukai Lancaster and the other children of the slums. Something was there that they had not seen up until that point. She smiled at her husband. It had all come around full circle for them all. She knew he had a way of doing things...that was simple and honest. She'd admired her Demon for that. She observed them together for a little longer.

There was a knock on the door. "Come." Xyllea said, she knew her husband's way of doing things. She would be his equal, and him hers.

It was Llukai Lancaster, he walked over towards them. "Uncle." He said to Nosdyn calmly. At that point, Lancaster had indeed made Nosdyn his own brother, part of their family. Llukai walked over towards Nosdyn and Tharak. The little one seemed pleased to see Llukai. "My Father has become sick."

Nosdyn frowned at that point...he knew Lancaster's health was failing. But he was hoping there'd be more time. Nosdyn nodded towards his student. "How long?" He asked.

Llukai, somehow understood Nosdyn's meaning. "A few months tops. He's terminal."

Nosdyn handed Tharak over to his wife and stood up at that point, walking over towards Llukai. He hugged the boy. Nosdyn had always liked Llukai, there was a strength there, a maturity. "If you need anything." He said quietly.

Llukai nodded. "I know...when the time comes...he'd want you and Xyllea there." Llukai said.

"We will be, that I promise you." Nosdyn said calmly.

***

When they were alone, the little one was sleeping in their bed.

He looked at Xyllea. "It will be difficult for him." Nosdyn said softly to Xyllea.

She nodded. "You always did like him." She continued. "I will be by your side when the time comes."

Nosdyn nodded, it would have been his sworn duty to Lancaster to be there.

That night...

He'd consulted with The Undead folks in his Guild for a long time since Illsandra's death. The Priesthood had agreed to become guidance counselors of sorts for Nosdyn. He'd spoken to them often at that point. He always told his wife where he was going. She'd been present for some of the sessions. This was necessary for him to heal as well. Nosdyn found The Priesthood very accommodating in what he needed. What they all needed. The Priests had a way of doing things that reflected how far they'd also come because of Nosdyn. They also gave very good advice, said things he needed to hear. "I'm sorry it has been so long since last session." Nosdyn said quietly.

The Male Priest looked at Nosdyn, he had a soft smile on his face for his friend, his leader. "You have a little one to care for now...it's all right. We are always here anyway, you once said this was how we spend Eternity." The Priest chuckled at that softly, Nosdyn had not been terribly off base in that observation either. "What troubles you, My Lord?" He asked quietly.

"Lancaster is dying." Nosdyn said calmly. He'd often taken it upon himself at that point to help others with their own troubles and burdens in life.

The Priest nodded. "It is the natural cycle of life. Eventually, all things die." It was a profound statement, but an honest one. "You will be required to attend the funeral will you not?" He asked.

Nosdyn nodded. "Yes...it would be my sworn duty to do so."


The Priest thought of something just then. "My Lord...it has been a privilege watching how far they've changed you." He stated his feeling on the matter very carefully so as not to offend.

Nosdyn nodded. "I miss her." He admitted quietly, even then...always he would miss her. "But my pain and suffering is no longer about me. There were others affected by her passing."

Quietly, The Priest stood up and placed his hand on Nosdyn's shoulder. "Listen to me, My Lord. I swore once to you...you would never have to endure this suffering alone. I meant that...for everything you've done for us. Helping you heal, cope...it is the least I can do to help you find your way. We know lost souls, My Lord...and for a long time...you were a lost soul. Xyllea is doing the best she can, but now you have to be stronger than pain...for your son's sake." The Priest spoke the truth.

Nosdyn nodded quietly to the man. They would speak a while longer that night, he had a profound amount of trust for that man he also considered to be a Brother.

***

Later that night, Tharak, their son was in the crib asleep.

Nosdyn held his wife tightly in his arms. Something The Priest told him, made him realize a matter. He woke his wife up at that point. "My Lady, there is something I wish to tell you." He said carefully to her.

She stirred, and woke up shortly there after looking at her husband. "What is it?" She quietly asked.

He nodded to her. "I love you." He told her plainly, truthfully. In his way of speaking, his honest way of stating things. "You dealt with a lot from me...when she died. Nobody obligated you to do so...you stayed. And for that I will always love you." He was trying to state how he truly felt, to make up for that time his lost loved one rejected him and everything went downhill after that. "Because of her, I swore I would never fail again."

Xyllea carefully considered what she was hearing. There was no desperation in this, no malice just the honest truth. Something he'd been trying to tell her for a long time and he'd only then found the courage to do so. There, in their own bed...they were just a man and a woman who loved each other. Their races did not matter. "I love you too." She said quietly in response. She knew his pain would always be there...but she also knew...he was sincerely putting a gods forsaken effort to heal from that pain. She admired him for that...she always would.

Later that week...

The Military Academy training wards. Nosdyn was an instructor there by that point...he'd been given the job by Lancaster's influence. He agreed to do the job for no salary...no wages...someone had to take it upon themselves to instruct those kids. Nobody else would. The training area was a well sized training grounds, suited for several sparing partners to train at once in one session. Each time he'd held a session, there would be Dark Elf's members of The Academy...observing quietly. Some with disdain, others with their own motives. That did not stop Nosdyn from doing what he believed in. That day, a woman he never saw before observed the teachings carefully the entire time.

Nosdyn instructed, teaching them at their own pace, the teachings of his Father. When the lessons for the day were over and the students went home...the woman, a Dark Elf, approached Nosdyn. He turned to look at her calmly. "What can I do for you?" He asked.

"I have been watching you for some time now as I am sure you are aware." She said calmly.

He nodded. "Periodically folks come to watch...that does not matter. I have a purpose here."

She considered something. "Come to my office, I have a matter I wish to discuss with you." She handed Nosdyn a small parchment with directions to her office.

He nodded once more. "As you say."

***

Her office was on The Academy Grounds. She was a senior adviser to this or that Dark Elf faction. He looked at her in her office, she was agreeable. But reading the woman's last name made him uncomfortable. She was one of Illsandra's relatives. He'd never seen her before.

"Close the door." She said calmly.

He did so. And walked towards her desk.

"Keep your distance." At that point, there was malice there. She said to him. "You do not know who I am...I was not able to attend my Sister's funeral." She looked at Nosdyn with disgust in her eyes. "How long did you really think you could keep this charade up?" She asked. "My Sister wrote to me every month, she'd tell me about things that were going on."

Those were matters he had no knowledge of, but he kept his face calm. He'd learned a lot since her death. "What is your point in this?" Nosdyn asked.

She narrowed her eyes...there was a sincere hatred in her eyes. "You...should choose your next few words very carefully." She suddenly said. "Did you cause my Sister's death?"

It was like a smack to the face, slowly he'd been trying to recover from her loss. He looked at her. "You really don't know do you?" He asked of her.

She frowned at that point. "Know what part of it?"

"She died in my arms. Suicide...she'd taken her own life. Granted...I don't know the full reason of why. But she'd taken her own life." He looked away at that point emotions of anger, guilt were swelling up within him. He didn't want to do something rash.

"...That's your final word is it not?" She asked at that point.

"It is because it's the truth." Nosdyn said, he was beginning to feel extremely uncomfortable.

"That's all I needed to hear." She signaled for something at that point.

Then, a guard he never even noticed up until that point placed an augmented object against his lower back.

Nosdyn felt tremendous pain, and was knocked out immediately.

A month later...

He'd awoken in a cell. The woman who claimed she was Illsandra's Sister was looking at him, that same malice was there. Nosdyn's whole body hurt, he had no idea how long he'd been out for. His visioned focused and he looked at her.

She nodded. "You're awake now." She folded her arms across her chest. "You're going to be held responsible for my Sister's death."

Nosdyn narrowed his eyes. "Did you not listen? She killed herself." At that point, he was starting to become very angry...but he found himself holding back because of everything that had transpired.

She looked at him, that malice was there. "You're a Demon. Son of the Tular Plains. Did you really think you could kill my Sister and get away with it?"

He was confused by that point, he had no idea why any of this shit was even happening. But hatreds, racism...that he did understand. He suddenly understood what that, in particular, was about. "Because of what I am...you would turn a blind eye to the truth?" Everything he had worked so hard to build, to recover some of his humanity back...it was all going to shit because of her. He accepted his fate at that point.

She suddenly hit him very hard, across the face she had a similar augmented object to what that guard hit him with. "You don't belong here, Demon." She said and on top of the malice, there was hatred in her voice at that point.

Nosdyn, used to dealing with incredible amounts of pain...submitted to his fate.

"Fight back!" She yelled at him "You killed my Sister but now don't want to fight back against me?" She laughed at that point.

Days. It had been days. He held back because of Illsandra and Xyllea. Everything they'd taught him. If...this was his fate he had accepted it would be so. He'd stopped talking days ago. He knew hatreds, he knew racism...if this was going to be his end he accepted it. He'd grown numb at that point. .

"If you will not defend yourself, the next time you wake up will be at your execution." She threatened and knocked him out with the same augmented object.

***

While he was under...he saw her. He saw Illsandra's ghost. She walked up to him. "Be strong." She said softly to him.

When he became aware again...he was at a gallows. No audience present...no friends...nobody would come to save him. He'd die that day...a dog's death. A traitor's death. Illsandra's sister was present along with a single Executioner, and a Priest. Likely to read him his last rites. He sighed. Father...I failed us. He thought quietly to himself, completely defeated. He would not look away from his fate, he would not shy away from the fact he was going to die.

She walked up to the gallows and looked up towards him. "You are going to be held responsible for her death, this I swear."

Nosdyn didn't care anymore. He just nodded quietly his will to fight was gone at that point. He'd been defeated by racism, not on the field of battle in a distant land. It was cold, angry racism. It wasn't The Champion's death his Father always promised him. The thought repeated itself in his head. Father...I have failed.

The Executioner prepared to swing his weapon. Nosdyn made sure to not look away from it, he would allow himself this one final act of bravery and courage. Then something happened...the axe like weapon broke in half on Nosdyn's skin. The blade portion slid to the ground Nosdyn barely felt the crack against his strong flesh.

Illsandra's sister was incredulous as she saw what happened. "What the fuck?" She looked at the Executioner.

"It broke..." He was too stunned to believe what he had just seen.

Just then...a group of people showed up on the gallow grounds. One of the men, Nosdyn recognized as being one of Lancaster's allies. "This ends right now." The man commanded. Everyone turned to look at the newcomers. "You red taped this operation...illegally I might add. Took us a bit of time to find this location." The man walked over towards Nosdyn's position. "Forgive us my lord." The man himself, removed Nosdyn's bonds.

The men were going to arrest Illsandra's Sister. But just then...

Nosdyn walked over towards her. "Her reasons were misguided but she was also hurt by Illsandra's death." Nosdyn said calmly.

Her Sister, stunned by what she was hearing looked at him. "Mercy it will be now?'

Nosdyn sighed. "You might never fully understand what me and your Sister had. But I hope someday you do...and can find peace with yourself as I have."

***

Nosdyn was taken home that day.

Xyllea was at the front of The Safe House waiting for him, she ran towards him. "Nosdyn!" She called her husband. "By Lloth,I was so worried, I was so scared."

Nosdyn nodded. "It's over now. I'm home." He was in a lot of pain.

"What did they do to you?" She asked, tears flowed from her eyes.

"She was going to kill me. It was one of Illsandra's Sisters. She was saying I killed her myself." Nosdyn sighed, never had he so completely accepted his fate. He was tired, tired of it all at that point. "I'm really hurt." He meant that more physically than anything else.

"The Lancaster people told me what happened. It had been over a month since you went missing..." She sighed. "I'm just glad you're home now."

"Xyllea....she blamed ME for what happened." At that point, he could not hold it in anymore, in front of his wife...he cried.

Over an hour he cried in front of her...she held him in her arms, her husband.

Over an hour straight...

She felt a pang of pain in her heart for him...Illsandra's own relatives had done this to him. She could not even imagine the hell he must have been through. She just held him against her, for as long as it took to him to feel...something again.

A week later...

Llukai looked at his Uncle. "Why, why do you have to quit now, after having gotten so far?" He was confused, he didn't fully understand The Demon's reasons.

"Some of her family accused me of Illsandra's death. It's not anything to do with you or anyone else. I just can't...I can't do this anymore." He cried in front of the boy. "You're a good kid, Llukai. You're going to go far." He said quietly. "When you're ready come with your friends to The Safe House. We will talk about the other matter there. But only when you're ready." Nosdyn had already turned in his official resignation papers after the incident happened. He stepped outside of the office and was surprised to see Illsandra's Sister there. He did not look away, or shy away from her. He merely looked at her.

"So...you're really going to quit?" She asked, this was the first time she spoke to him without malice.

"I have to. I'm no good to them being a mess mentally." He said, it was the truth.

She nodded quietly. "I'm...sorry for what happened. I acted rash and without thought." She said quietly.

He nodded. "Look, we all lost someone important that day. I'm not going to sit here and say that what you did was right or wrong. What I can say is...you hurt my recovery process. Since her death...I was healing...you set me back. Maybe for the rest of my life." Nosdyn looked at her. "Is there anything else you need to say? Cause frankly, I don't really want to hear it."

Illsandra's Sister looked at him with a serious expression on her face. "For what it's worth..I can see what she saw in you." She walked away at that point, would likely be the last time they ever talked.

Llukai walked over towards him at that point. "My Father has days left now maybe hours who knows. He would want you present."

Nosdyn nodded. "I swore to you and him I would be there....it will be so." Nosdyn took his leave of The Academy and returned home.

That night...

"Xyllea...it was one of the worst things I ever went through." Nosdyn said to her quietly, trying to explain to her the severity of the situation.

She nodded quietly to her husband, they were alone in their bedroom. "She opened up the injury again did she not?" Xyllea had been crying since he first vanished from The Academy grounds. "I...I'm so sorry about this." Xyllea said quietly.

"Because of our son, because of you. I want to be strong for both of you." Nosdyn said calmly. "Llukai might never understand why had to quit."

She nodded calmly. "It's for the best...if she's going to be at The Academy and try to intimidate you periodically...it's probably for the best."

Nosdyn looked at his son, sleeping peacefully on his lap. "They used a Weapon I had no knowledge of." He told her that point.

Xyllea raised her eyebrow. "You mentioned something like that earlier...what sort of a Weapon?"

He explained it to the best of his capacity. "It was a relic or a device that could knock me out...not right away...but it would cause exceeding pain."

Xyllea was in thought. "That's...troubling." She said quietly.

"I actually thought so too. Such magics are usually N'Jals." Nosdyn said calmly. "But this particular kind...did not feel like something N'Jal's followers would use."

Xyllea nodded. "There are many mysteries in this world...but I will keep an eye out for researching pertaining to this weapon."

"Xyllea..." He said calmly. "I tried...really hard not to fight back." He had a sincere expression on his face.

She nodded calmly. "It must have been very difficult for you."

He nodded. "I remember the teachings of your people." That would have been the first time he'd called Dark Elf's "your people" instead of our people. "I didn't know what faction or group she was from...only that she had acted against me."

Xyllea noticed that interaction...what it meant. He'd been set back...the long healing and recovery process had been reset by this single, selfish woman. "You did the best you could." Xyllea was deeply concerned for her husband at that point. She would have to carefully observe him in the next few moons to see how far, that idiot, had in fact set him back...

Nosdyn kissed his son that night, and put him in the crib himself. He looked towards Xyllea. "Tomorrow...we have a promise to keep." He said calmly and slid into their bed with her.

But that worry was there in Xyllea's heart. Gods...what did that fucking woman do to him? She knew...Illsandra's sister had set him back...for gods knew how long.

The Day of the funeral...

As he had promised, Xyllea and Nosdyn would be present at Lancsater's funeral. The funeral rites would have been in accordance to Lloth burial rites. Something happened in Nosdyn's head...he saw flashes of the day of Illsandra's funeral. He kept that inside though. He knew during the funeral proceedings themselves nobody would be allowed to speak anyway. Except the Priesthood of Lloth.

One the proceedings were over, Llukai walked over towards his Uncle. "I was told what happened." He said quietly. "Uncle...you were hurt." He said to Nosdyn.

Nosdyn nodded. "It was dealt with." He said calmly. "But yes, Llukai your Father is at peace now." Nosdyn felt numb for other reasons, but he was trying to be strong for the boy. He knew Llukai would be able to see it in his eyes that he was suffering anyway. but out of respect he said nothing.

"Thank you both for being present." Llukai said to Nosdyn and Xyllea. He walked off to talk to other family members and loved ones of The Lancaster Estate.

Nosdyn looked at Xyllea. "We should probably go home now." He said calmly.

Xyllea looked at her husband. "I have one matter to take care of first, so you go back to The Safe House first. I will be here shortly." Xyllea promised.

***

She stormed towards her office. Xyllea was angry...her husband had forced himself to hold back despite being heavily tortured. But she would not. She kicked the door in with her Psionic's power and Illsandra's Sister looked up stunned at the outburst. "You fucking idiot." Xyllea said, she was angry at the woman...she would not have to hold back as her Husband had.

"Come again?" She asked.

"Me and Illsandra...we were healing him...you have no idea what you did to him do you?" She grabbed the woman's shirt collar at that point. "I want you to listen and understand very carefully what I am about to tell you." She had not been so angry in a very long time. "If you EVER attempt to harm my Husband again...you will hear from me. He held back out of respect for our culture, you dirty cunt." At that point, she did strike Illsandra's sister with a hard smack across the face that knocked her off her chair. "It's different when someone can fight back, is it not? You better pay close attention to what I've told you today." Xyllea took her leave at that point.

***

That night...

Xyllea looked at Nosdyn. "I saw her today." She said to him. No secrets...ever.

Nosdyn raised an eyebrow. "Who specifically do you mean?"

"Her Sister. I spoke to her...there was something I needed to tell her." Xyllea said truthfully.

For some reason...that did something to Nosdyn. He saw the look of concern on her face, his chest raised with excitement. Xyllea's sincere concern for him...turned him on at that point. "You were probably able to act against her since I could not." Nosdyn responded sincerely.

"I did...hopefully what I did is enough. If she got the hint she will never bother you again." She noticed his excitement, his chest rising up with hunger. She noticed the bulge in his pants. She smiled at that. "Welcome back My Lord." And she kissed him deeply and hungrily, there was no need to hold back anything anymore.

The next day was for him and his family, Xyllea and Tharak. Xyllea and Nosdyn enjoyed physical union that night...the entire night. Without rest or need for pausing, he gave himself fully to her. That single act of kindness Xyllea had given him, saved Nosdyn. He was on the verge of insanity after Illsandra's Sister tortured him. Nosdyn held Xyllea in his arms. He looked at her carefully. "You were able to act where I could not." He told her.

"I said to her...you held back out of respect for our people. That part of it she would never have known about." Xyllea said. "I have no idea what she did to you...but I made her pay for it."

Nosdyn nodded softly. "The entire month I was in the cell...I was tortured by that Weapon." Nosdyn explained. "To say the fucking thing hurts is not accurate enough. It simply just...causes pain." He told her he wanted her to understand what he had been through.

Xyllea understood, sort of. The Psionic Guild had such devices, but what he was describing sounded far more sinister than that. Xyllea was just glad...that time that she had reached him somehow. "I was so scared you would be gone forever." Xyllea said calmly.

"I know Xyllea...for that I am sorry...had I been more careful it might have not occurred." He said to her.

"She was looking to hurt you. There was no way you would have known." She sighed, holding her Demon in her arms happily. "Let's just rest today and help the little one as well."

Nosdyn nodded, he actually got up at that point, skyclad as he normally slept and went to go get their son. The little one would sleep with them together...

Xyllea observed. You would have been proud Illsandra. And slept silently with the three of them in the same bed...

Nosdyn never slept...it was a flaw of his people.

He kept Tharak, his son, on top of his chest and listened to his son and Xyllea's breathing. He thought back to the recent events...The Weapon that was used against him, Nosdyn was certain was not one of N'Jal's. Something else was going on there. He'd always been a skilled military tactician and the revelation of that new Weapon did in fact trouble him. Later on, he would consult with his Undead acolytes about The Weapon in question...see if they had encountered anything similar to that.

Something about what Illsandra's Sister had done to him made him have to rethink something. I've become far too reactive at this point... Nosdyn thought to himself. There's more to protect now...it's not just about me. Given the current circumstances...he could not upset the balance of his Dark Elf allies. He'd been trying...Gods know he'd been trying to be less rash, not so impulsive. For all of their sake.

Did I make a mistake somewhere Illsandra? He thought to himself.

He'd hold himself accountable in front of his Guild, the entire time...that would be certain. But for the time being he had a son to raise properly. And he had a wife to protect...

The next day...

Nosdyn was with his son, Tharak. He'd done everything he could with Xyllea and Tharak at that point. The little one had a fierce intelligence in his eyes. He had the blood of two great people in his body. The boy was young still, but that would change quickly. Nosdyn looked at his wife, Xyllea. He nodded to her. "There's a intellect there. He likely gets that from you." Nosdyn said calmly. Matters of the heart, had always been difficult for him...but he'd been learning.

Xyllea smiled at him. "You give me far too much credit than I deserve. There's such a thing as the military field tactics of your people." Xyllea laughed gently at that point.

But he knew what she meant, book-smarts was not the same as battlefield smarts. There was a knock on there door about midday.

"Come." Xyllea said.

Llukai Lancaster arrived...but something was wrong. He was hurt. Nosdyn immediately handed the boy over to wife and walked over towards Llukai. "Gods, what happened, student?" Nosdyn had sincere worry in his voice for the boy.

"A group I never seen before did this to me, attacked me and the students. They said it was a direct challenge to you, Nosdyn." Llukai was hurt bad.

Nosdyn nodded at his Llukai. "The other students...how many were hurt?" Nosdyn asked.

"All of them. I brought them all here, I didn't know where else to go, or who else to turn to." Llukai became serious looking at his Uncle. "Uncle...they claimed they represented The Tribunal and challenged you directly."

Nosdyn knew the boy was serious. Llukai would never lie to him. "You will get treatment for your injuries." Nosdyn said calmly. Nosdyn paced back and forth nervously after that, deep in thought for about an hour, his method of doing things. "Xyllea...I want to come with me for this." Nosdyn said calmly, stating his intentions to his wife. He would never hide anything from her. "I want you to understand how they do things, how they operate."

"I will leave Tharak with the acolytes...they will know what to do. But yes I should be there with you." Xyllea said.

Nosdyn and Xyllea went over to where Llukai and the other kids were being treated. Nosdyn had not been wrong about the initial severity of the injuries.

Xyllea left Tharak with the other Acolytes, he would be well taken care of.

Nosdyn felt guilty because of what happened, The Tribunal did this to them...to hurt him. He placed his hand on Llukai's head. "Student. I'm sorry...this is my fault. They only hurt you because it would get to me." Nosdyn nodded to Llukai. "I swear to you...I will make them pay for this. Did they state where The Duel would take place?" Nosdyn asked.

***

Nosdyn walked with Xyllea, his wife to the location of the Duel. Was actually the park where he initially began to train Llukai and his friends. Nosdyn was angry, he had not been that angry in a long time. Come at your enemy from the side. Nosdyn thought to himself. He prepared a single torch for himself. And removed his leather vest. His chosen weapon was at his side and his wife would assist, he was certain he would not need his weapon though. Steam trailed from the lit torch. Nosdyn had not been so angry in a long time. They'd hurt his loved ones to get him.

Flashes in his mind...he recalled The Tribunal's order to him to make him kill his own Family, with his own hands. He'd been exiled as a result of those events, rage filled his heart by then, but also something else. Courage and strength, the courage and strength Illsandra and Xyllea had given him. He wore no upper body armor, revealing the proud symbols of House Krotar on his body. He did wear his cloak though. He raised the torch at that moment and roared...his challenge to The Tribunal. It was a primal scream, an almost animal-like thing.

Xyllea had never seen her husband so angry before. It...excited her.

After the roar, he threw the torch on the ground. (Translated from Haidian) "I Nosdyn, Son of Tharak am here. I have accepted your challenge, Tribunal cowards."

At that point, a single combatant appeared. A Demon of The Tribunal, but one Nosdyn had no knowledge of. "We hurt your people." The Demon said in the common-tongue. "I see you brought for us, another victim." He eyed Xyllea.

That...was all Nosdyn needed. Somehow, that sparked a greater rage than any he had ever known.

***

Xyllea watched...her Husband took The Demon down with his own hands. He hit him, over and over, with all the hatred and rage he could muster. She was excited at that point as she watched him. Over and over...he hit the Demon. The man had died hours earlier but that did not stop her husband.

He stood up at that point. He looked at Xyllea and nodded.

Xyllea noticed it first. "Nosdyn!" And without thinking, she released The Psionic power at the second Demon that only just then came out of hiding. She released all of the fury she could muster at the coward who attacked her husband.

Nosdyn looked back as the interloper died a moment later, overwhelmed by Xyllea's attack. He'd been impressed by her power in the past. Nosdyn had a fury in his eyes but also a lust for his wife there. He turned around once more. "Anyone else?!" Nosdyn yelled out into the night.

Xyllea kept her eyes peeled at that point for anyone else. Just then someone did appear, but in front of Nosdyn this time...that one did not attack though.

"Nosdyn, Son of Tharak..." The last one said with a profound respect for him. The last guy that appeared was clearly the leader of that party. "Your Father would have been proud." It was an elderly Demon that spoke at that point. He looked at Xyllea. "The Lady, is she your wife?" The Demon asked.

Nosdyn nodded calmly.

"You make a beautiful pairing. I will be returning back home, to The Tular Plains now. We will never bother you and your people again." The Demon said, and somehow Xyllea and Nosdyn knew the wise Demon spoke the truth.

"Elder..." Nosdyn suddenly said. "Father sends his regards." At that point, there was no more malice in his voice. The Tribunal was defeated.

The Elder nodded calmly. "Take this, Nosdyn. He would have wanted you to have it." He tossed Nosdyn a small container that held an object inside. "You fought like a Warrior-Poet and kept your clan's honour. You can be at peace now, Nosdyn Son of Tharak. When your son comes of age..he will have a throne waiting for him in The Tular Plains." At the point, The Elder gathered the two fallen Demons and they all faded away, likely heading back to The Tular Plains.

The entire battle had taken hours. Nosdyn looked at Xyllea. "Thank you, Xyllea." He said to his wife casually.

Xyllea nodded and walked over towards him, she could no longer contain her lust for him...she kissed him deeply right then and there.

Later that night...

They returned home. Nosdyn made sure he picked up his Father's heirloom that The Elder gave him. Once arriving at The Safe House, they immediately went over towards where Llukai and the other students were. Nosdyn looked at the boy calmly. "It's over." Nosdyn said very calmly. He got a chair and pulled it up to sit next to Llukai...Xyllea did the same. "We made them suffer for what they did to us."

Llukai had been sleeping at that point.

The Undead Priest walked over towards Nosdyn. and Xyllea. "You fought Tribunal Demons." He said calmly.

Nosdyn nodded. "We won." Nosdyn allowed himself a small smile at that point, but it was difficult to smile knowing the kids were hurt because of him.

Xyllea looked at him carefully. "They will recover...they are young and strong." Xyllea said.

Nosdyn knew the boy would always need strong male figures in his life...especially now that his Father was dead. He looked at his wife. And cried at that point. "They hurt these kids cause of me." Nosdyn sighed. "But...we won that matters for something."

Xyllea put her hand on the side of his face. "It will be all right. I am going to get our son, I will be waiting in our bedroom when you are ready to come back to bed with me." She said.

He nodded. He looked at The Priest. "How bad are the wounds?" Nosdyn asked.

"Some died. We did the best we could...Nosdyn...this is pretty bad, The Tribunal operates this way each time?" He asked of his leader.

"They do. I am going to be by these kid's sides as much as I can. This was my fault. Priest. When they recover, I have one final order I wish to give The Syndicate." Nosdyn said calmly, he had become a liability at that point.

The Priest had a feeling, he understood what that final order would be...but he would not voice concern over it.

Later that night...

Nosdyn had done all he could at that point for them. He returned to his bed room where his wife and their son waited. Nosdyn sat down on his bed carefully, looking at Xyllea. Tharak was sleeping in his crib. He placed his hand on Xyllea's forehead gently, she awoke at that point. "Some are dead Xyllea. Though they have no family or nowhere to go...some are dead. It's my fault." He told her how he was really feeling, there was no use or point attempting to hide how he felt, talking about things would help him cope.

Xyllea looked at her Demon at that point. "I'm sorry...The Tribunal's ways of doing things are harsh. They did this though my love. JUST to hurt you...but we beat them together me and you. We fought as husband and wife." She said in a profound way. "Come into bed with me."

In front of her, Nosdyn took off all his clothing, he knew she admired his well formed physique. He slid into their bed shortly there after without hesitation, he had grown since Illsandra's death. Xyllea helped him pick up the pieces. He pulled his wife close to him, to feel his warmth, he knew she always liked his warm touch. "Xyllea...I love you. When the kids recover I want you to know I am going to step down as leader of this Guild." He said honestly, he would never hide anything from her.

Xyllea nodded softly. "Krotar House military tactics." She said calmly. Then looked at her husband. "Nosdyn Krotar, state the precepts of Our House." She smiled at her beloved.

Nosdyn cried, but did as his companion ordered. One by one he spent all night stating The Precepts of their House. Only the most devout students of Krotar military tactics would know there were hundreds of precepts. He stated them all for her, one by one. Having completely memorized the teachings of his Father since youth.

Xyllea listened to him speak. She was also learning from him, as he stated the precepts of their House she also made the effort to learn.

Day after day since the battle took place, Nosdyn kept his promise.

He would spend as much time with the kids who did survive their fight against The Tribunal. He told Xyllea by that point, because he had honour, because he had so profoundly accepted Dark Elf laws and their way of doing things...he would hold himself responsible for those kids. Nobody else would. He sat next to Llukai one morning and watched him stirring, he awoke that day. Nosdyn smiled at his nephew. "Welcome back, boy." He placed his hand on his nephew's forehead.

Llukai Lancaster looked at his Uncle and was sincerely happy The Demon was there. "They...did horrible things to us." Llukai admitted at that point, there was a pained expression in his eyes.

Nosdyn nodded. "You fought well my student, your Father and Mother would have been proud. You kept your honour. You fought bravely against a far superior enemy that was going to do far worse to all of us had Xyllea and I not been there." Nosdyn felt the pain in his heart again. These kids were caught up in that mess because of him..he was not fit to lead anyone. He realized that at that point. This was no longer about him.

Nosdyn would stay by those kids sides for as long as it took for them to heal.

***

A few days later...

Llukai finally recovered. The first two people he wanted to talk to was Nosdyn and Xyllea. He entered Nosdyn's office. "Uncle." The boy said to Nosdyn.

Nosdyn looked up from his position of deep thought and he was sincerely happy to see the boy up and walking about. Nosdyn nodded to his nephew. "Some of your friends died." Nosdyn would always tell his allies the truth. "The Healers did all they could."

Llukai walked over towards Nosdyn, once again display the maturity he had within. "The Priest told me...you defeated them. You avenged us." For some reason, the boy understood the severity of what Nosdyn had done for them all.

Nosdyn nodded. "Had I not taken up their challenge...it would have never stopped." Nosdyn told them the truth. "Xyllea was with me, we made sure they would never bother us again."

Llukai said something profound at that point. "Uncle...I finally understand what you've been trying to teach us this whole time. Far more than The Precepts of Our House...you were teaching us how to lead. You cared about us where no one else would ever give a flying fuck." Llukai looked at his Uncle at that point. "As you taught us, I fought with to the best of our capacity, Uncle."

Just then...Nosdyn cried. He was so moved by what he was hearing from the boy, that he cried. Here, he thought for a long while it had been about his pain, his recovery. But that boy, Lancaster's son had also accepted his ways. A Demon of the Tular Plains. Nosdyn stood up at that point and hugged his nephew closely. "Your Father would have been proud, boy." He held the boy for a long moment. "You and your friends have a place here, in The Guild." He said quietly to Llukai. "Where others saw outsiders, rejects...I saw something else in you all. I saw hope. You kids, Illsandra, and my wife Xyllea...you all helped me get my humanity back." Nosdyn said profoundly to them all.

Llukai nodded. "I'm sure where The Lady is right now...she would be smiling down to us." Llukai said quietly at that point.

Xyllea had been nearby hearing the entire conversation, she didn't say a word, she merely listened. She smiled seeing how far her Demon had come. How far he'd grown. Illsandra...we saved him. Me and you did...together. We gave him his humanity back...maybe someday we can save all Demons. This was our victory...

A few nights later...

Nosdyn sat with Xyllea and Tharak he had not yet opened the container with the Heirloom The Elder gave him. He wanted things to have calmed down a little bit before he did that. That night would have been appropriate. In front of his wife and child, Nosdyn opened the container and was surprised by what he found inside. Surface Dwellers often thought Demons were a cold and heartless lot...in some cases they'd be right. But The Elder hung on to this one Heirloom item to give Nosdyn someday as a memento of the past. Nosdyn knew what the item was immediately...a single locket style necklace his Father used to wear.

Nosdyn had not seen it in a long time and had been certain The Tribunal would have destroyed it. But no...they kept it as a keepsake of the past. He opened the locket as he saw his Father do in his youth so many times. The locket contained the only known visual record of Nosdyn's Mother. Nosdyn's life had come around completely full circle at that point. His Mother, had been the one Demon that he had not had to kill by The Tribunal's order. She'd been dead many years prior to that from a different situation. As would have been appropriate, Nosdyn, displaying the sheer amount of humanity and understanding he had gained placed the necklace around his wife's neck and clasped it around her.

"My Mother." Nosdyn explained. "Father always told me she'd been dead since I was very young. He never told me why though." Nosdyn told her very softly. He remembered something Illsandra once told him. "My people are war-scarred and battle-hardened tribe. But you and Illsandra saw something else." Nosdyn said quietly to her. "My Father never revealed to me the why of it...but it does not matter anymore." He said calmly to her. "I want you to always wear that."

Xyllea cried. It was the single most beautiful thing anyone had ever given her. She touched the locket gently, for some reason it retained the warmth of Nosdyn's people. She hugged her husband at that point. "Me and you...we've come so far together."

"She's watching us someplace...I'm sure of it." Nosdyn responded quietly, he was speaking of Illsandra. "I am certain you have much more to teach me and I have things to teach you as well."

She nodded to her Demon. "Nosdyn...you once asked me if I saw a Monster in you." She placed her hand on the side of his face. "From the day you saved me...a lowly apprentice...I never saw a Monster. I saw my Champion." She said truthfully, and she kissed him very deeply.

Epilogue...

Many years into the future...

Tharak Son of Nosdyn had been given the blessings of his Father. He looked at his companions, some of them were Dark Elfs and a few were fellow Demons that had agreed to join him in his journey. The one Dark Elf that was his closest companion since his early youth was Llukai Lancaster. By then a General of The Dark Elf military. They were all on The Tular Plains of that time period.

"This is crazy you know." Llukai told his leader. But he was going to see this through to the end.

Tharak nodded calmly. "My Father taught me...fortune favours the bold sometimes. I've been memorizing Krotar Precepts since I learned how to talk." The halfbreed looked at Llukai a moment. "For what it's worth, I'm scared too."

"Uncle told me once...you have a Throne waiting for you here." Llukai said calmly. "Maybe a far greater destiny exists here too."

"Whatever challenges we will face in there...in their Kingdom. We will face it together." Tharak said calmly.

Llukai understood at that point what Nosdyn had been teaching them all along. Their two great people...weren't so different. He shook the hand of his friend...no calling Tharak a friend would not have been proper enough. He shook his Brother's hand.

And together...they all marched on The Demon kingdom of Nosdyn's youth...

-End-

Thread Title: The Cycle Completed
Judgment Type: Rewards

Nosdyn receives:

599 EXP
221 GP

Rewards to be added soon.

All rewards have now been added.

Welcome to level 5, cakeboss.