[~Solo~] Of Demon Folks...

[Nosdyn]

The robed strangers took a step back, unsure of what to do.

The female looked at her leader. "Sir...the enemy is present HELP HIM." She said, there was confusion and a stirring of emotion in her eyes.

The leader took a look at Nosdyn. "No." He told his subordinate. "The Demon is on his own." He turned to leave.

She suddenly grabbed his arm. "So you would opt into cowardice because of his race?" She asked.

In front of Nosdyn and the gathered, the leader of that group suddenly smacked his student...hard. "You are banished from this guild." He said as a curse.

The leader and his companions left...except for the girl.

She turned to look at Nosdyn...the one who could sever the bonds of N'Jal.

***

Their swords clashed.

Nosdyn knew what was at stake. It was all or nothing. Nosdyn looked at the glowing eyes of The Undead before him...her Agents did not behave the same way as his free Undead did. There were no words exchanged, there was no need for speaking. It was time to prove to his comrades what type leader he wanted to be for them. Out the corner of his eyes...a distraction.

He saw the leader of the other faction strike one of his own allies down and knock the individual to the ground. Cowards...to abandon their own allies on the field of battle. Nosdyn thought, then at the precise moment he realized he made a huge misstep.

The Agent of N'Jal saw exactly what Nosdyn had been looking at and changed targets to advance on The Psionic student. Nosdyn saw the girl was terrified...his mind flashed before his eyes...a decision had to be made. Without hesitation...

"NO!" Illsandra suddenly screamed as she watched what happened next.

The Agent's sword struck Nosdyn instead of it's intended target. It was a terrible injury. The Agent, convinced that he would have killed Nosdyn removed his weapon from the Demon's body. "You have lost." He said.

Nosdyn knelt on the ground. Injured...he'd been through worse than that, but The Agent of N'Jal did not need to know that. Sometimes...a skilled General must know how to loose. The words of his Father in his mind. Nosdyn looked up at The Agent of N'Jal...memorizing the face of his enemy. Someday...you will fall for this. Nosdyn thought to himself as he feigned the actual severity of the injury. This is a thinking man's game. Every piece on the battlefield is a moving piece...a part of a larger machine. Blood trickled down the side of Nosdyn's mouth.

In the past he would have not saved them at all...but something had changed in the entire time he'd been The Syndicate leader. It was no longer about him...

Illsandra walked over to her husband quickly...there was a look of concern on her face. She looked at the other, The Psionic Girl and was trying to understand what had just happened. She ripped the sleeve off her own shirt and began to attempt to treat her husband's injury. The Psionic Girl placed her hand on Illsandra's hand. She looked up at the other.

"I envy you." The Psionic said. "What you and your husband have...some people never find in their entire lives." She looked at Illsandra and the Demon on the ground. "I have a question for you, Haidian." There was no malice in the girl's voice.

Nosdyn nodded. "Speak."

"You...risked yourself for us all just now...did you not?" Somehow...though the girl only had brief knowledge of Nosdyn's way of doing things...she understood the severity of the situation at hand.

Nosdyn nodded. "...A General must know when to take losses to save his people."

The girl...suddenly understood what it was they were all dealing with. Somehow...this Demon...this Son of the Tular Plains had developed more honour than most Humans could ever claim. She knelt down before Nosdyn and Illsandra. "My lord, and my lady." She began. "Though, as you must already know...I cannot offer much...I pledge allegiance to your guild."

Nosdyn nodded carefully accepting the young one's proposal. He was still bleeding from the side of his mouth, but Illsandra was working on his injuries. "I accept your offer, young one." Nosdyn looked at Illsandra at that point. "I am in a lot of pain...I am certain the blade was augmented."

The Psionic looked at them both. "N'Jal's dark magics taint her Agent's weaponry." The Psionic and Illsandra helped Nosdyn stand.

At that point, the other gathered followers of Nosdyn convened around their leader.

Illsandra looked at The Priests. "He is injured and needs help." She said quietly. They quickly helped Nosdyn back inside the safe house. Illsandra looked at The Psionic for a moment. "I owe you an apology." She said carefully.

"My lady?" The Psionic responded.

"I thought your guild were mere fools...but my husband saw something else. He saw fit to risk near fatal injury to save you. And for that...I owe you an apology. It has been a long day. You must be very hungry." Illsandra said quietly.

"Can I ask you something?" The Psionic asked.

Illsandra nodded. "You may."

"You tamed him...a Demon. I did not think something like that would be possible. How did you ever manage that?" She sincerely wanted to know the secret.

Illsandra looked at her with a very serious expression on her face. "There were no tricks or sorcery involved. It was actually...a simple thing. He accepted me and my people...in exchange I accepted his." She said quite plainly, Nosdyn's mannerisms had already rubbed off on her.

The Psionic nodded. "Such a simple thing...our Scholars would never have considered that approach."

Illsandra put her hand on the girl's shoulder. "You will learn a lot in the coming weeks, come on let's get you something to eat."