A Cold,Cold Yule

[DoS Archive]

From: nikthanas@aol.com (Nikthanas)
Date: 30 Dec 1998 21:19:09 EST


Nikki awoke and looked at the auburn haired woman sleeping beside him and sighed, he reached out to touched her hair. The high elf laid there for several moments just looking at her. Then he slipped from bed without a sound.

After he dressed, he went over to the chest that sat under a window in their bedroom, reached into his pocket and pulled out a small key. Putting it into the lock of the chest, he turned it until he heard a click, raised the lid and pulled out a chenille shirt. He slipped his armored shirt over his head, and belted it at his waist. Then the high Elven warrior finished putting on the rest of his equipment. With his winged helm under his arm he
turned to look at Aja once again. By Odin she is beautiful he thought to himself.

Turning away he moved quickly out of the room and down the hall.
Nikki opened the door that led into his son, Trevors room. He walked over to the crib and looked down, seeing that the child was sleeping peacefully. Nikki reached out and put his hand on the child's back, and held it there for some time for he knew this would be the last time he looked upon his son. He whispered "good-bye" in Elven and left.
Once outside the elf saddled Blackwind his war horse and led him out into the courtyard. It was cold morning and snow had fallen. Nikki pulled the hood of his cloak up over his head and mounted the horse. He let out a howl, calling out to his wolf. And from across the courtyard did Frostfang appear. The winter wolf crossed the courtyard in three strides, Nikki looked down at him "Lets go my friend we have much ground to cover and little
time." He spurred the war horse into a gallop and they rode out of the gate of the manor house. They rode long and hard. When Blackwind needed to rest, he walked him.
His thoughts were of the recent events of his life. The attack on the shipyard, hunting the men down that did it, asking Aja to marry him. The look on her face when he placed the ring on her finger. The heartbreak when she said no. She said she couldn't marry him, she said had a dream she had to chase, and that she had to do it on her own. She said he dissevered someone who would give him what he was looking for. That she loved him too much to keep
him and that she had to set him free. The pain of the words that Aja spoke cut deeper that any double edged sword could. The elf spent the rest of the voyage alone, in silence. Nothing mattered any more to the high elf, since coming to Rhydin he had lost so much. Something inside of the warrior died that day and the cold, ruthlessness being he once was had returned in his heart.
On his journey, the elf came upon what looked like an old man trying to fight off a band of thieves. Nikki counted ten thieves to the one old man, and without thinking, he drew his sword and charged. The thieves taken by surprise at the attack, stood frozen for a moment. This second was all the elf needed. He cut down two before dismounting. Blackwind tramped two of the thieves and Frostfang ripped apart another. The battle didn't last long, six of
the ten lay dead and the rest fleeing. Nikki stood over the bodies of the dead, bleeding from a deep cut on one well-muscled arm. The old man came up behind the elf, repeatedly thanking him for saving his life. The old man placed a hand on Nikki's shoulder, The old man remarked "ye arm is bleeding, let me..." but he was cut off in mid sentence as the elf spun around to face him. Nikki's cold black eyes starred deep at the man. Piercing the moment
with fear. Nikki turned in anger and ignored the old man. He called for Blackwind. The horse came and once again they were riding.

[DoS Archive]

From: nikthanas@aol.com (Nikthanas)
Date: 31 Dec 1998 21:58:08 EST

With that week Nikki and Frostfang reached the strong hold of Prince Tyrion. His old friend greeted the Elven warrior as well as Frostfang.
"Eithel'Oman Nikthanas it has been to long." Patting the wolf on the head. " Eithel'Oman Frostfang." Nikki gave a simple nod and strode into the keep not waiting for Tyrion.
"Nikthanas is that any way to greet an old friend?" Tyrion asked.
Nikki turned his cold black eyes upon the prince but said nothing, and at once Tyrion knew not to push.
"Then come my friend, warm ye self by the fire and have a few tankard. We have much to discuss.'' The prince led the way to the great hall where the two sat and drank for some time.
" Will ye be staying for the Yule feast tomorrow Nikthanas?" The prince asked.
"Aye, I guess I shall, I had forgotten it was tomorrow."
"Good, so tell me what is bothering ye my friend?"
"It nae matters Tyrion." Nikki replied.

As the prince was about to ask something else, the doors burst open. A shadow warrior rushed up to the pair. " My prince, Drow's have been spotted to the East."
"What, how many of them?" Tyrion asked.
"A small raiding party is the report."
" Aye." The prince responded as he stood and walked over to the desk with the maps on it.
Nikki caught the warrior by the arm," Where to the East?''
" About twenty minutes due east."
Nikki headed for the door as Tyrion called after him.
"Where are ye going?"
" To kill some Drow's!"
"Wait until I assemble the men."
Nikki left never slowing.
He rode Frostfang until he picked up the Drows trail. As he knelt to look at the tracks, he knew it wasn't a raiding party but a large war party. Nikki wrote a short note and gave it to the wolf and told him to find Tyrion. The wolf bounded back into the woods and Nikki followed the trail. He found the camp, its numbers in the hundreds. He sat and watched, trying to find a weak point to attack. His keen hearing picked up a sound, it was his name
being called in a woman's voice. He quickly looked around. There she was, a tall blonde, a well built warrior woman. She walked right over to where Nikki was and knelt beside him and kissed him. When the elf opened his eyes she was gone. Nikki looked back at the camp and laughed. Then he stood and with sword in one hand and shield in the other he charged the camp.
Tyrion a mile away (who received the note and was prepared) heard the war cry and the clash of swords. He gave the order and two hundred Elven horsemen broke into full gallop. As the Elvens broke out of the woods they leveled their lances and charged. The Drow's, not ready to stand against the Dragon Princes charge, broke stance and ran.
But it was too late for Nikki, for he was in battle with a dark elf. The blades of the Drow were a blur. Nikki came in high with one blade and brought the shield up, but the Drow spun and cut across with the other, cutting right through the armor and flesh of the high elf. As Nikki staggered back, the Drow brought the first blade under the second and thrust forward. The dark elf's blade sunk deep into the high elf's chest. Nikki dropped to his knees
as the Drow twisted the blade and pulled. Nikki's life's blood poured from the wound. As the dark elf was about to come down with the killing blow, he was engulfed in white fangs and claws.
In his last breath, Nikki saw the warrior woman standing in front of him. She reached out her hand, Nikki looked up, she smiled.

"It's time for ye to go to Valhalla Nikthanas, Odin has chosen ye, He has heard ye call."

Nikki took her hand and the two walked to her winged horse. The Valkyrie climbed on, then Nikki.

They flew over the battlefield and Nikki could see Tyrion standing over the high elf's body. He could also hear the prince as he cried.
Then Midguard was gone.