Completed Book One. Nosdyn Saga.

[Velera]

She nodded in agreement, and she said. “I’ll have one of the women watch Conrad. I’ll be going to the front to fight with our soldiers.”

With that she left, not angrily nor resentfully, she just left. And she’d be going for the gates clad in her black armor, and carrying her black estoc.

 

[Deleted member 2578]

There could have been a peace... He thought with some regret.

He listened to her words carefully and nodded in agreement. She will need time once I am needed I will join her there as well...I don't want so much needless conflict.

He went to the chamber Lady Morgana stayed at. He watched her calmly, they would need to speak at length about a great many matters. He watched her, he'd given her clean clothing himself. He took a chair and sat down in front of her. "Let's talk."

 

[Velera]

He went to the chamber Lady Morgana stayed at. He watched her calmly, they would need to speak at length about a great many matters. He watched her, he'd given her clean clothing himself. He took a chair and sat down in front of her. "Let's talk."

She gratefully accepted the clothes and sat down subserviently. “What about?”

 

[Deleted member 2578]

He smiled at her. "My people are fighting your house now on the front lines...many have died now on both sides. I believe you when you say you were just dragged into this. But I am going to need something from you. If you have knowledge of their operation against our people...I need you to tell me so." Nosdyn was being serious...if she had information that could help them, he needed to know.

There was no malice in his voice. He trusted her to do the right thing and adhere to his House's laws. They'd shared a bed together...and that meant something to Nosdyn. "My wife believes you are n league with the enemy." Nosdyn said carefully. "I believe you are innocent. But if you know something about the operation against my House now is the time to share that information." He said carefully. "I have already given you your full pardon, my wife would have seen you dead for treason. If you know something please tell me."

 

[Velera]

He smiled at her. "My people are fighting your house now on the front lines...many have died now on both sides. I believe you when you say you were just dragged into this. But I am going to need something from you. If you have knowledge of their operation against our people...I need you to tell me so." Nosdyn was being serious...if she had information that could help them, he needed to know.

There was no malice in his voice. He trusted her to do the right thing and adhere to his House's laws. They'd shared a bed together...and that meant something to Nosdyn. "My wife believes you are n league with the enemy." Nosdyn said carefully. "I believe you are innocent. But if you know something about the operation against my House now is the time to share that information." He said carefully. "I have already given you your full pardon, my wife would have seen you dead for treason. If you know something please tell me."

She looked down. “I’m sorry, I don’t know. I know that we don’t have access to a lot of metal, so they can’t have very many armored soldiers, whichever means you may overpower them eventually. other than that, they have a lot of horses and they’re good with them. Other than that, I can’t say. I’m sorry.”

 

[Deleted member 2578]

He looked at her and nodded. "Thank you Morgana." He said calmly. "Since you are Anya's child you are safe to stay here, your people probably would not welcome you back." Nosdyn explained. He stood up at that point and hugged her. "Stay here and rest a while you earned it, I must defend my people." Nosdyn said calmly.

He knew the front line was their city. The city Anya and himself made with their own hands their own blood and their own people. He moved towards Lady Xella and Lady Tia's positions. He looked at Lady Xella. "Watch Morgana and be certain we are not walking into a trap." He didn't fully trust her word.

He shadow walked after kissing his son good bye.

What he saw next filled his heart with dread...empire ballista were launching fire at his city.

Their city...it was an end game attack.

Nosdyn cried as he moved towards the position where he knew Lady Anya would have taken command. "How many casualties." Nosdyn asked of her...

 

[Velera]

“Thirty five soldiers, no civilians yet. We’re going to do something that will make these bastards regret being born.” SHe said with fury. She and a few armored vampires carrying huge swords. “We’ll hang their bodies from the wall so by their own intestines!”

his received an angrily excited roar Fromm the accompanying warriors. “You ready to lay some hate?”

 

[Deleted member 2578]

"Wait..." He says suddenly. There were more fireballs coming towards the city...so much destruction. The blind old Vampire Lord looked at his woman. "I can destroy the ballista but you have to cover me. I am heading out there...Alone Anya. Recall our troops. I have a way to stop this."

With that, Vampire Lord Nosdyn shadow stepped onto the field and approached the nearby ballistas. They were busy firing on the city, there was no way they'd see him in half stealth...

He was already focusing his power.

The first ballista went down without a battle and they panicked Empire soldiers were cut down savagely. They would be destroyed to the man. There were ten ballistas that were firing the flame orbs mercilessly at his people.

Using his power, he channeled the blood within....

In a matter of hours...Vampire Lord Nosdyn destroyed the ballista to protect his people. It was a secret technique he'd researched with Velera and Tia, and the others of the library...He'd grown considerably in power. Without the need of Skotadi who'd been defeated recently.

He used his blood-shadowy state skillfully and made sure nobody would retreat.

It was end game.

 

[Velera]

Anya organized he soldiers so that they’d go to the flanks and slaughter the enemy while they were occupied with Nosdyn. And the army was brought to ruin not long after.

 

[Deleted member 2578]

Nosdyn gasped as the temporary form wore off....

He was staring at the final burning ballista.

There were corpses from the people who commanded them...burning to a husks.

Nosdyn had just wanted peace.

He signaled Lady Anya to recall the troops and head everybody back home once it was over...there was no need to stay on the field exposed.

Nosdyn had a heavy heart that day.

They'd won an empty victory...

Perhaps every battle against The Empire would be that...little more than empty victories.

They headed home there was work to be done fixing their village and caring for the dead....

 

[Velera]

Anya had the soldier drag the imperial bodies back to the city for mutilation then display atop the walls. Then she went to Nosdyn. “I’m sorry nos.”

 

[Deleted member 2578]

"We have to find out how much of a threat Morgana poses to us....if she really knew something that is something we cannot ignore as much as it pains me." He looked at the dead, their losses. Their people. He hugged Lady Anya. "We can sleep at night." Though Nosdyn never slept, he meant that more figuratively.

He knew The Empire's soldiers could not their crimes were too heavy.

There was a funeral held for the fallen. At the end of the proceedings a Vassal approached Lady Anya and Nosdyn.

"My lords, there's a huge problem. It's lady Morgana she has your son captive and has killed many at the castle." The news was grave.

"See to the proceedings me and Anya will leave at once to deal with this matter." He held Anya's hand and they shadow stepped back to the catle.

A feeling of dread filled his heart...

 

[Velera]

"My lords, there's a huge problem. It's lady Morgana she has your son captive and has killed many at the castle." The news was grave.

Anya’s eyes flashed with a look of pure hate, underlined with terror. It was even worse than she feared. “What did I tell you Nosdyn?”

"See to the proceedings me and Anya will leave at once to deal with this matter." He held Anya's hand and they shadow stepped back to the catle.

A feeling of dread filled his heart...

Anya took her husband’s hand and shadowstepped back with him. And there, in a corner, surrounded by guards and holding a young Conrad, was Morgana, her eyes filled with tears, terror and what appeared to be pained. She held a knife to his throat, “let me go. Once I’m a safe distance away, I’ll release him, but only after I’m safely away.”

 

[Deleted member 2578]

She'd endangered their son...no...that wasn't the truth of it. Nosdyn had endangered their son, the truth hurt worse than any harlot's slap to the face. He clenched his teeth. Their son mattered more than his injured pride...

His soldiers were ready to attack at a moments notice, but Nosdyn could only think of his son's safety.

He raised his fists to tell his soldiers to hold...

He looked at Lady Morgana. "I will follow you outside of the castle and see to it that you are not harmed." Nosdyn said. He'd been wrong...and his arrogance was going to cost them severely.

He maintained a serious demeanor, and she began to walk backwards with their son.

He could only watch in terror.

He walked outside, following Morgana calmly, trying to make sure he didn't do anything to exasperate the ridiculous stunt. "My people won't act as long as I am not harmed or my son you have my word." The blind vampire said with anguish in his heart. He kept looking at his son and waited for Lady Morgana to release their son....

 

[Velera]

He looked at Lady Morgana. "I will follow you outside of the castle and see to it that you are not harmed." Nosdyn said. He'd been wrong...and his arrogance was going to cost them severely.

“No further than the gates. I won’t have you following me. I won’t threaten this child and have nothing come of it.” She said with a grimace.

He walked outside, following Morgana calmly, trying to make sure he didn't do anything to exasperate the ridiculous stunt. "My people won't act as long as I am not harmed or my son you have my word." The blind vampire said with anguish in his heart. He kept looking at his son and waited for Lady Morgana to release their son....

“I may be able to trust you, but your wife is far less likely to abide that. I’ll let him go once I’m a safe distance away, no sooner, no later.” She said grimly, looking as though she were conflicted in doing this to begin with.

 

[Deleted member 2578]

He watched her for a long moment. "Just return my son." He said, he knew he'd gotten played for a sucker.

He watched her walking off further and further keeping an eye on his son's heat signature...if worse came to worse Nosdyn would kill her himself.

 

[Velera]

She didn’t respond. And it wasn’t until Shem was just past the tree line that she released her child and fled into the woods. She was not going to be seen again soon. A month later, she arrived in a cavern, and dropped to her knees in front of a throned man in a long black, high-collared cloak. “My lord, I come offering you my life, in exchange only for asylum.”

The man spoke, it was a harsh and loud whisper. “You offer me your life, and it is something I can use. Tell me, what can you tell me about this young, upstart lord?”

 

[Deleted member 2578]

He held his son in his arms.

"Conrad I am so sorry this happened." He took the boy back home. He didn't care Lady Morgana had run in this or that direction...he only cared she was gone for the time being.

He shadow stepped with his son and he ran off to hug Lady Anya.

Nosdyn looked at her, tears were flowing from his eyes. "You're right...I am weak. How do I fix this to prepare for future enemies." He kept crying the whole time but he was determined never to mis step like that ever again.

He knew his wife would train him to be a better soldier.

~The End~