[Solo] These mean streets of Ettermire...

[Nosdyn]

A few days later...

Illsandra did not look away that time. The two Undead Priests were standing by her side as they looked at the machines effects on Nosdyn. Something had changed...since the last procedure was completed. The male Priest placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Everything will be all right." The Undead said...and there was a strange sort of sincerity in his voice.

"I know." Illsandra responded. She looked at Nosdyn and made herself watch the pain he was going through for his people...the former servants of N'Jal.

***

Nosdyn was attached the machine at that point and it had been elevated to higher states of power than ever before. Nosdyn no longer saw the room anymore due to amount of pain he was in. But something was different because of Illsandra, he'd found something of himself again. Something he thought he'd lost forever. Just beyond his reach, he saw the image of his Father, the proud aristocrat Demon of his household. Nosdyn was not entirely certain but he could have sworn his Father was smiling at him.

Nosdyn nodded, and though he was in tremendous amount of pain given the nature of the blood magic...he endured. For his sake and for all of them. The machine drew a considerably larger amount of blood than the previous few times as per his orders. Nosdyn's muscles tightened into knots and he never once growled or screamed in agony...something else had happened he was quite aware of. He was enjoying the process.

His Farther walked up towards him. "This is your pain Nosdyn. It is right here right around you. Do not handle this like all those other dead people do this is REAL."

Nosdyn nodded at his Father. "I am ready."

A short time later it was over...

Nosdyn was kneeling on the ground when the cables of the machine were removed from his body. He was breathing...normally. Something is different...I don't feel weak or something is gone...I feel whole somehow.
His Father was still standing in front of him with that smile on his face.

"Live my son." His Father said.

Nosdyn nodded. "I will." He blinked and people were already entering the chamber, Illsandra and the two other Priests.

The Male Priest spoke first. "It...worked..." He said and assisted Nosdyn in standing.

Nosdyn's eyes were immediately on Illsandra. He nodded to her. "You gave me the strength I needed to help those in need. To give something of myself for completely unselfish reasons." He smiled when she wrapped her arms around him. "We were able to do this together. This is our victory."

"My lord..the machine was able to completely reproduce your exact blood type." The Priest said. "We can be free."

Nosdyn looked at The Priests, both of them and nodded. "I promised you." He extended his hand to The Undead Priest. And the man shook his hand, friend to friend, ally to ally. Brother to brother. "You are free to do what you wish from here on forward. You can stay here with my guild or you can go your own way, but know once you consume my blood...she will never influence you again."

***

A day or two later, Nosdyn sat in the silent chamber he had always preferred as his personal...office of sorts. The door was open, one way in...or out. Like a tactician to control the gate way of a field of battle. He was thinking, as he often did. "Father...we have done it." Nosdyn said quietly to himself.

Illsandra, almost in perfect sync with his thoughts, walked into the room just then, her perfume smelled like lilacs.

"Never take it off." Nosdyn suddenly said softly to her.

"My lord?" She responded back.

"Your perfume...it comforts me. Never take it off." He said, it was the closest to a romantic gesture he could muster for now.

She quickly got his meaning and smiled to him softly...her smile was only for him. She knew this fucking Demon, this exile from Tular Plains...accepted their ways, their culture. In exchange, she would do the same for him. "It shall be so." She said quietly. In their strange sort of relationship, the two had found a way to complete one another in that mad, mad world.

Nosdyn opened his eyes at that point. "You have what I asked for yes?"

She nodded. And placed the item on his table. "I don't really understand the why of this, but I swore I would stand by your side."

"Events are moving past our control now." Nosdyn said carefully. "Remember what I've taught you. My pupil, my companion...my lover." Nosdyn looked at her carefully at that point. "Her agents will be moving against us now."

"You must always strike at the side of your enemy, to throw them off balance." She said.

"She is aware of us now. We can hurt her...we can upset the balance of power. She is...AFRAID." Nosdyn said with a smile on his face.

"The time of The Thayne is over." Illsandra said.