Weeks later-

Illsandra looked away, every time she saw the procedure it caused pangs of pain in her heart...something about the whole process seemed not natural to her.

One of The Undead Priestess walked over towards Illsandra. "Our ways bring you discomfort, child."

Illsandra nodded. "It's more...it's him...seeing his pain. How he suffers."

"Its hard seeing loved ones go through such things...I will grant you this. But for what must be...this is the safest way." The Priestess placed a hand on Illsandra's shoulder. "War-scarred hearts are often the most difficult to salvage, to tame." The Priestess looked at Illsandra's eyes. "When the time comes he will admit to you how he feels...when he is ready."

Illsandra seemed surprised to hear that. "You know...?"

The Priestess nodded. "Young ones, in love. Once we were able to love as well...your lord...he will show us the way again. But yes you two are very much in love...its in both of your scents. He will just require more time to accept it than most."

Illsandra nodded. "For what it's worth...thank you."

***

Nosdyn fell to the ground at that point. Each time...it felt like the process took a little more out of him that it should have. Perhaps a byproduct of the blood magic in question. He'd undergone the exact procedure about three other times since The Undead set up their machine in his safe house. Nosdyn took a few deep, exhausted breaths as the glowing energy of the machine's power began to fade into the aether.

The male Priest walked up to him the same as each other time. "My lord." He bowed.

"It is complete." Nosdyn said and he remained in a kneeling position for a few more moments...it was always a difficult thing to sacrifice so much blood at once. "Takes a little longer to recover each time, been noticing that."

"We can halt the procedures for a time...if it suits your needs. My people are patient...the cure can wait a bit longer." The Priest said.

"I MUST know." Nosdyn said suddenly, and probably sounded a little harsher than he meant to. "I must know if mortal men can beat The Thayne."

The Priest nodded. "Take your time to recover my lord. When you are ready to begin again we will." The Priest paused at that point, helping Nosdyn to stand. "My lord, something has been troubling me."

Nosdyn nodded. "What is it?"

"Why would you help us...a people you know very little about? Given everything that has happened." The Priest asked, it was a strangely very honest and direct question.

Nosdyn nodded. "The one I lost..." Nosdyn began.

But The Priest had heard that diatribe before. "No...there's something else. When you're ready you will reveal that reason to us." The Priest helped Nosdyn walk outside of the chamber where the machine was powering down.

Illsandra was already waiting there for him just as each previous time.

When The Priest helped Nosdyn sit down on the ground, Illsandra walked over towards him.

Suddenly, and quite unexpectedly, she hugged Nosdyn in a profound gesture. The Priest observed what was going on there for a few more moments. Illsandra and Nosdyn hugged, and in that one moment, Nosdyn began to silently weep in her arms.

"It's too much for you my lord, is it not?" Illsandra whispered to him.

"I don't know...I have to test my limits here to save us all." Nosdyn said as he wept.

Illsandra kissed the top of Nosdyn's head quietly. "Nosdyn...I know."

Nosdyn's eyes became saddened for a moment. "It...hurts Illsandra." There was more there than just a war-scarred heart...there was a underlying deeper wound that never healed properly.

"The Priestess told me. She said what I needed to hear." Illsandra said calmly. She held Nosdyn in her arms. "I am going to walk by your side until the ends of time."

Nosdyn nodded and could only continue to cry in her arms...one of only a few times he had ever allowed himself...to show weakness of any sort.