Derk

The Nameless was a scourge upon the land, his shades wreaked havoc upon the natural harmony of things. But still he was not satisfied with them. They were at best a match for the Dragons, but The Nameless wanted better, he wanted a shade that could destroy Dragons as one would an insect. So he began his magics, he took the soul of the worst criminal he could find, a truly despicable soul, an assassin of much accomplishment who had washed himself in the blood of his victims many times over. The because he knew such a soul would never be loyal to him he merged it with yet another soul, this one from a great warrior, a man of powerful loyalties and great goodness. He spent many nights carefully merging the two souls until they were one and his new creation was partially born. Next he worked even more magics giving this one shade form, providing it with defenses from magics and weapons, bestowing on it abilities to see in even the worst darkness, to wield weapons like they were natural extensions of it's body, an ingrained ability to wield magic as none other before it. He then gave it a form, shadowy and dark, it looked much like a normal man might, but there was an air of dark menace about it and prenatural origin mixed with arrogance and power. He then gave it a name, Derk. Then was his new creation truly born.

But while Derk was born and a truly powerful creature, he lacked experience and knowledge and learning. So The Nameless then spent many more nights teaching to his latest creation how to wield every weapon of every nature, some so long gone from the world that even the knowledge of their existance was lost. They spent days hidden in the depths of the earth practicing magics such as none the world had ever seen but from the gods themselves. The Nameless constantly tested Derk, giving him treats of captured slaves for devouring as rewards and setting him out in the sun to burn and shrivel for failure. Then one night the Nameless had taught his creature all that he could and deemed it time for Derk to enter the land and begin the destruction of the Dragons.

Derk left the bowels of the earth and went forth in search of souls to feed the constant hunger The Nameless had placed in him. He slew all before him easily, whether it be Dragon, Shade, or mortal. All their souls he devoured and he grew strong in his devestation. By now the Wars had broke out among the gods and Nosferatu had rallied all the others to himself to once and for all banish The Nameless from this world. It was at this time that Derk ran across a wounded Immortal that had just fled from trying to fight The Nameless alone. Derk sensed in this one more power than ever before in any other creature other than The Nameless himself and his hunger rose up. Immediately Derk went to the attack and he and the nameless immortal fought, their fight lasted all night, weapons screeching against each other in the still night air. Magics of great power flew thru the air to assault the very fabric of the space itself, but eventually the immortals previous injuries told and Derk struck him a blow side the head that did him in. Derk then bent down and fed like he never had before sucking the soul immortal to him and relishing in his newly aquired immortality.

After this Derk went back to The Nameless and helped defend him, striking down the lower immortals and draining them of all that they contained and constantly becoming more powerful. One day Derk looked around and noticed that the cadre of lesser Shades The Nameless kept around were gone, and that only The Nameless one was there with him in the bowels of the earth. He took one look at his master and knew that he was master no more. The Nameless also knew that he no longer had the power to control Derk and fight off the constant attacks also. Almost as one the two lunged at each other and their immortal struggle began.

It was at this time that Nosferatu had rallied the last of the remaining immortals to him and descended upon The Nameless to rid the world of him. Derk at once noticing the shift in power in the large city where the battle took place offered his services to Nosferatu who was short of immortals at this time having lost many to The Nameless and to Derk himself. Nosferatu bound Derk with great runes of power forever binding their essences together, what happened to one would happen to both, and Derk could never challenge Nosferatu for if he took Nosferatu he would destroy himself in the process. Then the both descended on The Nameless and their combined might rocked the underground city to it's very foundations deep within the core of the planet itself. The Nameless was battered, beaten and finally driven from the world never to return.

As for Derk, well he still lives if what he does can be properly called living, he has given himself over to Nosferatu taking his oath to heart and giving all he has to rebuilding the world to it's once great stature. One day you may even meet him, but be careful he has been known at times to lose control of his hunger and devour some poor hapless persons soul....