Nolan

Born and raised in wars, Nolan knows fighting and its effects like the back of his hand. Nolan was approached by Kurt when the Matravinians attacked Magic Castle. Kurt asked him to consider joining a group dedicated to peace on the planet. After accepting, he met Anthony and became one of the original three members of the Magic Team.

Birth and Childhood
Nolan was born in Magic Castle. From birth he was taught how to use and control his powers. Nolan's dad was a consistent and knowledgeable man and his mom was always supportive. As Nolan reached three years old, and his powers began developing, the furniture and walls began to display scorch marks and large gashes. Nolan, like every other child with powers, was taught the responsibility and discipline associated with his gift. Nolan was instructed by many as he learned the skills of both battle and magic, which often intertwined. In magic, his most influential mentor was Master Shaa, who helped Nolan learn how to channel his energy and do things he never thought possible. He became a talented young mage as well, and felt most comfortable with a sword in his hand. Nolan crafted many swords, but he couldn't carry them all with him. So, with help from Master Shaa, he created a small container that was larger on the inside than the outside, allowing him to carry anything he needed, which also included his plane, the X-1.

Introduction to War
With the war looming 24 hour guards were posted. Nolan was on his way to relieve Kris, a lanky 23 year old warrior with some of the best two spear form since the records began, of his post on the east tower. As he ascended the final stair Kris was pulled over the wall in a cloud of blood, stabbed by a waiting assassin. In a flash Nolan engaged and dispatched the now visible killer. In two hours Nolan found himself on the field, in the middle of chaos, watching for the slightest movement of an invisible attacker. The crash and clang of swords and knives biting each other, dulling all other noise. Then he saw it, a shadow of a cloak at his five o'clock; a slash and a girl 23 years of age appeared; in a black cloak and holding a 13" knife coated in a green slime known as Keh'laj, an instant seizure and a three second killer, she fell to the ground scared as he was. Nolan turned and saw a man in the same dress kicking a blood soaked pile of a course brown cape and cursing it. All empathy was lost. The 40 year old man turned to face Nolan only to get a face full of flame. Nolan knew the dead man. The only man who wore that cape, Andrew, had taught Nolan the ways of the sword. Engulfed in flame, the murderer was dead before he hit the ground. As the battle ensued Nolan fought for his lost master and the dead girl. and as dawn rose and the field lit and the toll was obvious. Blood and death were everywhere, the air, the ground, the people. Magic castle had won the fight and let the opposition leave without resistance to the disaproval of much of the middle ranks. Nolan stood there covered in as much as the next guy, just happy it was over.

Joining the Team
Nolan was 22 when the neighboring planet Matravin attacked Magic Castle. Nolan joined the militia to help fend off the invaders. In the sky and on the ground, Nolan tore through enemy forces with ease. When Kurt and Anthony arrived to assist in the battle, they were impressed by Nolan's skills. When the battle was won, Kurt presented himself as a friend of the militia and thanked them for their bravery. Afterward, he spoke to Nolan and invited him to join the Magic Team, a small group dedicated to peace and justice. Nolan humbly accepted. He traveled with Kurt and Anthony to an underground complex which they would make into their base.

For Nolan's history from joining the team to the end of the Great Power War, see Main Storyline.

The Introductions
Shortly after the incident at Zactus' sun base, Nolan began having weird dreams and visions of a dark room with a variety of dark cloaks all kneeling in a circle that vanished into the dark, but every time he stepped forward the dream would end. He would only have them occasionally, so he didn't think about it. But after Shadow's death they became more frequent, and longer. Nolan could now step into the room and see pillars of dark energy illuminating the far side of the circle and there sat Shadow.

"His head snapped up and spat "You killed me." Rule one of war at Magic Castle is "Your weapon is you."

"Nolan woke up. It was almost dawn so he went to train and killed 373 dummies without weapons, sighed and forgot. That night he has the same dream, except this time Nolan spat back.

"I killed you?! You ATTACKED ME! I DON'T KILL RANDOMLY!"

"Do you remember your first? Do you really think she had the guts to stab you? How did you feel when the sword cut her flesh? How about mine?"

"Nolan lost it. he jumped at Shadow one hand in front of the other grabbed his throat and felt a prickle as a blade emerged from a wrist-mount hidden under his long black robe and stabbed Shadow.

In a jolt Nolan woke up surrounded by a swirl of dark energy, flying, and suddenly in the room in his dreams, in the middle of the circle of the kneeling robes.

Nolan got up slowly, fully aware he was wearing lots of dark armor and a black robe with the hood nearly covering his eyes.

"That was impressive fury." said an arrogant male voice behind him.

Nolan already hated him.

"But can you focus it?"

Every one of the dark robes jumped up and dark energy from each grabbed Nolan's limbs as he drew his sword.Nolan was knocked to the ground so violently that some of the dark energy lost its hold. The only thing clean in half was the thick armor on his back. Nolan turned around as the dark energy regained its hold.

Nolan yelled "You honorless slime!" at the thin man in a similar robe but slightly less armored.

The man took a high wide swing and Nolan caught his wrist and feels a tug down as the dark energy pulls to aid the man. In a fury, Nolan broke the dark bonds and broke the man’s arm the wrong way, flips him over his foot and slams him head first to the ground. Nolan spun around and yells to all the robes re-kneeling.

"ANYONE GONNA TELL ME WHAT THE... *sigh* Anyone gonna tell me why I'm here."

The man miraculously got up and replied. "You are here for an offer to participate in a hunt for the hardest people to find."

"Why aren’t you dead?"

"I'm hard to kill." the man frowned.

"Never stopped me." Nolan spat back.

"Let me finish the Job offer before we bloody the floor. We find and eliminate the high profile individuals that no one knows. We feel you have the skills required."

"Hmmph. I bet. Buy a robot if you need more talent."

The air got even heavier. Nolan smirked knowing that was his biggest slam yet. Still none of the hooded figures' robes moved.

"We considered that but the often lacked the stealth required and are more easily tracked." the man said.

"What if I say no?"

Every hood looked up at Nolan. All of them look the same, shadow to the lips, yet showing complete acuity.

"We kill you. We can't have you telling anyone about this..."

"Hehe sure." Nolan was aware of the numbers and likelihood of each ones high level of skill and disciple.

"What if I agree?"

"If you do choose to continue breathing, you will accompany one of our members on an assignment and watch them. Take notes because detection is not accepted."

"So why would I want to kill these people."

"For money, fame, associates, they're all criminals but if you so desire most bounties pay equal for live ones." the man explains, annoyance creeping into his voice.

Nolan, not one for politics, decided to push the button and ask through a very clear smirk, "So, they're criminals because you say they are?"

"We don't risk discovery over a small bank or little village. No, these people are on one or all four nations' watch lists."

"Okay, I'll give it a shot. I'll be ready as soon as I get all this crap off" Nolan says as he searches for a clasp or something on the chest plate and boots.

"The robes all laughed.

"Hmhm. Those are your 'work clothes' you can't take them off when you are with us, nor will you wear them outside of your missions. Am I clear?"

"Could be if we turned on a light or something."

"I think you should head back to your friends. Don't speak of this. We'll be in touch."

"And just as Nolan came he left, landing face down on the floor of his room, wearing his normal clothes and weapons.

"What a jerk."

Initiation
It was three days before Nolan heard from them again. He was working on unarmed and grappling evasion when his fists began to emit dark energy and his heart raced with fury. In a flash he was back in the dark room, the smell of wet stone filling his nose.

"Good to see you again and you are already dressed, not that you had a choice." the man said.

Nolan looked down to see he was indeed well armed and armored, but more comfortable in it.

"Since you are all warmed-up, why don't you practice in our training room." the man insisted.

"Mead on... mister..."

"I don't think you have earned the right to address me yet." tittered the man. "This way."

Beyond the glowing pillars there was a dark hallway where lit themselves emitting a dim purple glow only as Nolan and the man walked passed. Nolan could hear the sound of footsteps behind them but continued. At one point Nolan heard metal tap stone. When he glanced over his shoulder he saw only darkness. Nolan and the man reached the door without incident. Red light shown from underneath the door.

"Here is the Red Room. There are no rules except no killing. Otherwise, if they are in red they are free game. As you can hear it's empty right now"

Nolan heard a Metal foot land a heavy step and turned around just in time to be knocked full into the Red room.

"Soge!" the man bitterly exclaimed.

"Statement: Foot = 34 percent lit. Targeting = Enabled." it replied in a tinny voice.

"Fair enough." the man admitted. "Fight him don't kill him."

"Pensive statement: If I must."

The attacker stood about five feet tall. It was a silver color and had thin armoring over every appendage except the forearm. Nolan understood why when two blades flipped out, a long one clearly designed for traditional fighting and another out the elbow for short rage slashing.

"Bring it Scrappy!" Nolan roared, launching his own blades out.

The fight that ensued was one of the toughest Nolan had encountered while still knowing he could win. The problem was that the armor the droid wore was too tough to slice. Nolan could get an opening but any attacks were deflected and the advantage was lost. It was only in a fit of frustration that he charged his blades with dark energy and sunk them into the metal chest. Apparently Nolan struck the core because Soge shut down immediately.

"Well done." the man said hesitantly. "It took you a while and you came out dinged up pretty badly."

Nolan had sustained only minor scratches and dings and his new armor was nearly pristine save the shins and a skid on the back.

Nolan looked at him, clearly unamused.

"Shall I gut it further?" he asked stepping toward the hunched robot.

"That won’t be necessary." The man answered. "You will accompany one of our agents on a mission now."

As the two walked back down the hall the man continued, "Don't screw up. If you return and she doesn't, your contract will be terminated, along with your life. Am I clear?"

Finally reaching the main chamber, Nolan replied "Well maybe, if we had some good lights in here…"

"He has a point. A chandelier in here would really liven the place up a bit."

"Thank you for your input, Kate." The man said clearly not appreciating either remark.

Kate was a little taller than average with a thin build and dark hair she kept in a pony tail. She had on a similar style robe only the some plates were broken into smaller plates while others were fused.

"Kate, Nolan will be accompanying you on your mission today."

She stared in disbelief.

"Can’t someone else do it?"

"No now show him the armory and get to the mission."

"Hhhrrrr. Follow me."

Mission 1: Trial Run
The armory was a decently lit room with all the basic consumables: Grenades, Power Cures and Health Cures, and a crate of dark power crystals one which Kate picked up, examined and tossed to Nolan.

"Here you go, I know you use power, this amplifies it." she said.

"No, they actually drain my powers." Nolan replied.

"Not the ones you’ll use today." Kate responded, grabbing another crystal, slamming it on the workbench shattering it.

And as Nolan held the crystal his focus honed and he could feel the energy building.

"What do you use to do your job," Nolan asked Kate as she opened a tall locker.

Before Nolan knew what had happened Kate had torn out a rifle that was as tall as she was from the locker, slammed a dark crystal shard into the chamber and put the muzzle just off of Nolan’s throat.

"A rifle." Kate answered, "And if you say one word about cowardice I'll make sure there is nothing left for John to deal with."

"So that's what he’s called."

Kate raised and eyebrow.

"Lower the gun. If taking out a target from a mile away is cowardice, then bravery is overrated." Nolan explained.

Kate lowered the gun and turned around. "Let's go."

Nolan exhaled.

Nolan and Kate walked down another dim lit hallway to a heavy steel door, far lower tech than the base but seemingly just as strong. Kate opened it with a screech of metal on metal. Inside there was a helicopter warming up.

"Great, a heli. So where am I flying us?" Nolan asked.

"You can fly one of these junkers?" Kate asked.

"Yeah."

"Either way, we have a pilot for this one." Kate replies.

Nolan notices the thin figure dressed in a neutral flight suit that blended him with the cockpit.

"Let's get going." Kate said as she opened a sliding door in the hull that sounded two inches thick and looked thicker.

Inside there were no windows, a metal bench wielded badly to the opposite wall and a digital clock buzzed slightly and flashed 00:00 in dim green light. Kate slid the door shut and the floor moved as the helicopter took off leaving only the yellowed emergency light to provide light.

"Take a seat. It'll be a while before we reach Invisible Isle." Kate said, pointing at the clock which now read 13:42.

"I could get us there faster in a row boat.” Nolan said as he walked toward the cockpit only to find there was no door.

"We need to stay under four zones' radar. That and unless you want to jump there's no way off." Kate responded.

Nolan considered but he just assumed they were not to jumping distance from the ground and took a seat as the clock changed to 13:41.

"Who will we be killing today?" Nolan asked.

"Custis Reitton, he fed info to both sides in an attempt to incite the war between magic castle and Invisible Isle. It was lucrative but in the end he backed the wrong side. He had been hiding since, but now he is begging for asylum on the island." Kate explained.

"So where is he now?" Nolan inquired.

"Inside." Kate replied.

Nolan leaned his head against the wall between the body and cockpit and noticed some anomalies with the ceiling and felt like the body would drop.

The clock changed to 13:40.

"Get ready." Kate said after thirteen hours and thirty-five minutes, the clock showing 4:58 in red.

"I was ready fifteen hours ago." Nolan responded grudgingly.

Kate slid the door open. It was dark out and the helicopter was landing among some chest tall weeds. Nolan and Kate jumped out of the helicopter and it took off.

A small, barren island lay in front of them. The grey outline of a building was just dense enough to see.

Kate started walking toward the building. Nolan fallowed. About four-hundred yards from the building Kate crouched in the weeds, loaded and looked down her rifle. There was almost no noise as the dark crystal shard flew down to the building. The window, however, was loud enough for Nolan to hear clearly.

Kate jumped up and started sprinting tangent to the building as a half dozen guard droids ran out.

Nolan fallowed. Once on the other side of the building Kate grabbed another shard from her belt. There were six on each side and Nolan watched as she grabbed the black splinter right next to a bright white fragment from a light power crystal. She looked down the barrel as a dozen droids rose up from the ground behind her.

"Kate!" Nolan yelled just in time for her to turn around and let her rifle block a blow from one of the assault droids.

Kate was knocked back but the attacker didn’t get another strike. Nolan slid his blades out, cut the droid’s arms off, tripped it and stabbed the processor.

Kate took a pot shot as she jumped up and killed one and damaged the one behind its shoulder.

Nolan charged two, dodged some shots and stabbed the first low but he made up for it in the form of a dark blast as Kate drops the other and another in rapid succession.

Two more flank Nolan and commit to a hard strike but leave their centers exposed. Nolan dodges, sidesteps, and cuts one in half and blasts the other away. Kate takes aim and rips through two and nails a third, drops her rifle as she turns to face the droid she damaged as it swings for her. She dodges, pulls a knife and cuts the arm off and kills it with its own arm.

Nolan would have appreciated the comedy if there wasn't one more. He jumps, grabs the dark power crystal and slams it down on the last droid's head. The crystal shatters but continues through the droid and embeds themselves into the ground. As if that weren’t enough Nolan reached to try and pick a few shards up and the shards re-formed onto a crystal again.

“Thanks for the warning." Kate said.

"Nice shooting." Nolan replied.

"I know." Kate joked as she picked up her rifle and scoped out the building again. "We're still good. The others don’t know."

Nolan and Kate dashed to the building. There were no windows in that side of the building so there was no risk of detection. When they got to the wall a section about five feet to the right slid out and then away from them and a security droid marched out. Nolan slid one of his concealed blades out but Kate stopped him short and pointed to the hole in the wall and slipped behind the droid. Nolan did the same and the wall slid back into place.

Inside was dimly lit with yellowed light, cold and cramped. There were metal foot steps coming from one end. Nolan and Kate looked at each other and knew what the other was thinking.

"Let's not…" Kate started.

"…go that way." Nolan finished.

They hurried the other way and around a corner to light spilling from a room half way down the hall. Both snuck over to the door to find a small room and the target, Custis Reitton hunched over a table, writing and scratching out furiously.

"Kate was the one to break his concentration and walked in saying, "Custis Reitton, you need to come with me. I prefer al…" but that was all she could get out before being electrocuted from the ceiling.

Custis spun around, throwing knife in hand and lobbed it at Kate. Nolan's blades slid out and deflected it. Now it was Nolan’s play. He stabbed Custis through the thigh and stabbed the ceiling where the electricity was coming from. The energy flowed down the blades through the armor, into Custis' and through his hand that was still on the button which fried and broke. Kate wasted no time in loading a Shard into the rifle and firing at Custis' chest. Nolan expected Custis to have a hole in him but in stead he just froze and looked surprised but not in pain. Nolan noticed that the light crystal shard was gone from Kate’s belt.

"Let's get out of here." Kate said as she adjusted her shoulders. On the way out they heard a patrol find their master gone but Nolan and Kate were already gone and the helicopter was landing. John was waiting for them at the dark base. Nolan dropped Custis at his feet and stared at John. John looked at Kate and all the electrical burns she had sustained.

John began accusations. "I see you’ve been a burden on your mission, Nolan."

"He was a huge help. He alerted and assisted me in a surprise counter attack, and his quick thinking disabled a seemingly insurmountable obstacle."

John looked surprised and slightly disappointed. "Well this is strange behavior for you.

He regained composure, grabbed Custis’ shirt and dragged Custis away.

"Soge will give you your payment." He called back.

Kate led Nolan to the training room where Soge was training.

"Soge, payment time." Kate called. Soge turned around and walked to a wall and pushed a brick which opened up into a room. Soge reached out and grabbed a sack of money and handed half to Kate and half to Nolan.

"Thanks, Soge" Nolan said, excepting the money.

"Thanks for having my back, Kate."

"You had mine way before that." She reminded him.

"How do I get out of here?" Nolan asked.

Kate led the way to the main room then showed Nolan the fake wall.

"Walk through and think of your destination." Kate instructed.

Nolan walked through and landed in his tree house, back in his normal robes.

"That's a lot of money." He said counting it.

"Hmm, Jackson’s birthday will be coming up some time this year."

"Nolan walked into the main part of magic castle and saw it, a giant sign advertising Celestialmonies gift. He realized that was the WORST thing he could buy short of a flaming bag of poop but even that would have a joke factor.

"After looking around Nolan realized what really says "Jackson" is Jackson's symbol. He ordered the gift from a shop and went to surprise Jackson at his house. He wasn’t home so he left it on Jackson's desk for him to find when he got back.

Mission 2: Fitting In
Nolan spent two weeks away from the assassin guild, hoping that they would never call again. But as he left the training room and entered his room he felt a tug in his sword pack and turned to see only the door he had just closed. He turned back around to see a dark crystal floating in the middle of his room.

"Kehl'ja" he cursed as the crystal emitted a portal around Nolan.

He emerged, standing at John's door in full dark assassin gear. Nolan opened the heavy wooden door and saw John sitting at a large dark stone desk. As Nolan walked in there was a man leaning against on of the book shelves that lined the wall.

"Although we kill people that does not mean we are below knocking before entering." John chided.

"You told the crystal to get me." Nolan pointed out, not sure if that was accurate.

John sighed.

"Did you already forget how much fun he is boss?" the man on the book shelf joked.

"Nolan, this is Richard. Richard, you will be taking Nolan with you to find a sad excuse for a man named Tevli."

"Nolan, good to meet you properly. I was the hooded one on you six fourty-five when you first showed up." Richard greeted.

"Good to meat you." Nolan replied.

"What did Tevli do?" Nolan asked John.

"You understand the concept of an omniscient being correct? A group on Bugdum that believes the avatar is a link to, metaphorically the hand of such a diety. Well, Tevli believes that this group insults his beliefs. He believes he must destroy the group to please the deity." John answered. "He is on his way to eradicate them at their temple."

"Alright, let’s go." Nolan groaned.

"Come on man, killing religious nuts is fun." Richard offered.

On the way to the armory a thought occurred to Nolan.

"So what’s the bio on the man were killing?" Nolan asked.

"Have you ever seen a Umbrian before?" Richard answered.

"Yeh, humanoid, but feathered in some areas. They have a very isolationist culture, with no religious definition or care for the turmoils of the outside world." Nolan recited.

"Tevli is skinny, pale and lost most of his feathers." Richard explained.

Now at the armory, Richard turn to the right, places his hand on the wall and green light climbs its way up the cracks in the wall until a crevice in the wall is engulfed it the green glow. Richard pulls a four foot staff with a green gem the size of a fist at the top out of the wall.

"Ah, I'll be working with a mage. Good times." commented Nolan, thinking back to his days in the magic castle military.

"That’s right. On the plane let’s see how much you remember." Richard offered.

On the helicopter, the clock read 10:36.

"Alright, I'm going to light some calming incense and boil a few herbs and we will be able to fight." Richard declared.

the room filled with a heavy scent and a sharp smell of the burnt herbs. Nolan inhaled through his nose and exhaled and close is eyes to see Richard standing in a stone in the middle of a foggy jungle arena overgrown with foliage With four pillars glowing blue from inside.

"Nice setting. Where is this place?" asked Richard.

"It’s how I imagine the four zones would duel to divide up the land." Nolan replied.

"That's quaint, I like that." Richard replied.

Richard then banged the bottom of his staff on the ground causing a shock wave. Nolan slid his blades out and ignited them with dark energy. The fight was on. Richard shot a blast at Nolan through the gem of his staff. Nolan grinned and shot it out of the air with a dark blast and charged in just out of reach of Richard, who swung up with the bottom of his staff, just short of Nolan's chin. But despite the missed strike, Richard was back in defensive position in time to block Nolan's strike at his core.

"I guess you remember some stuff." Richard admitted.

Nolan smiled and fired a blast at Richard's legs which were blocked and returned three fold. Nolan watched as they spread out then converged on him. Nolan leaned back and jumped the center one, retracted his blades, and rolled. The blasts collided and exploded. Nolan advanced on Richard, who was more than surprised at the maneuver. Nolan swung for Richard, who blocked with his staff and followed through with a back-handed swing. Nolan ducked and released and ignited the blades again. The two fought face to face, a range quite foreign to Richard. Despite this, Richard hooked Nolan's leg and tripped him. As Nolan lay, face up, Richard drove his staff down, crystal first, toward Nolan's skull. Nolan deflected the weapon, grabbed his own crystal, shattered it and sent the shards through Richard's exposed center and around up through the bottom of the jaw.

Nolan awoke sitting upright, Richard was breathing heavy and looked terrible.

"You ok?" Nolan asked.

"That was brutal." he admitted.

Both exhaled and waited for the helicopter to land.

Once on the ground Nolan took a look around. They had landed landed in the middle of a field that looked to be on Bugdum, the grass rolling slightly in the wind. The helicopter took off revealing a large temple.

"Tat's who we will be protecting." Richard informed.

"Excellent"

Nolan could only imagine how foreign they looked in full night stealth garb in the bright sunlight trudging through the field.

"What a place for a temple." Nolan said.

"Ya! Middle of nowhere. Probably gone crazy from seclusion." Richard complained.

"Right." Nolan said faking enthusiasm.

The doors were made of a light wood, smoothed and shined, depicting Angg and Bennett, Shadow, and a few other avatars Nolan didn't recognize. As he was about to touch the door, it swing away. Nolan prepped for an ambush but was greeted by an old man who Nolan couldn't imagine was very formidable even his prime. the man smile and was about to speak when Richard spoke.

"You are the target of an imminent terrorist attack. We are here here to stop the man."

The man smiled. "We are aware of this attack and are prepared. Thank you for your concern. Although it is unwarranted, we would be glad if you would help clean up after he is dispatched."

A man of younger age but still unimposing walked in and nodded at the greeter.

"Now, let us treat you to some of our finest teas."

Nolan waited for Richard to react. He was looking around.

"Thank you." Nolan answered.

They all walked through the enter way doors and emerged in a hall that took up the entire building. The room was divided into six colors repeating around a large bowl.

Weird. Nolan thought but is attention was drawn to the windows. About 3 stories up there were stained glass windows of all the avatars. All of them in beautiful colors shining as if the sun were directly behind each one. Then the one depicting a small person wielding a large rock exploded in a sparkle of glass and... feathers.

Before them stood, slight more than it was hunched, the ugliest creature Nolan had ever seen. It resembled a sick hatching from and anti-meat pamphlet, mixed with a lanky teen with bad acne.

"Just because it is infinitely more pretty than you doesn't mean you can break it  Tevli ." Nolan mocked as monks rushed out of the door in the far wall.

The creature recognized the name and pressed the button he was holding. The far wall of the temple exploded burying the monks.

The man who greeted Richard and Nolan engaged the bird-man. He began blasting away at it with fire-bending. However, the creature was surprisingly agile and dodged every blast. Then reached behind itself and drew two short words and retaliated. The old man leapt back from the swinging steel and Nolan engaged. Jabbing his blades in and out of his sleeves.

By this time, Richard had reached the far side of the room and was bashing at the rocks with his staff and firing energy at them on the off swings.

The creature parried a jab sloppily and Nolan fired a dark blast into its gut. The creature rolled back but got back up.

"Go dig the rubble." Nolan commanded to the monk who was watching for a chance to reengage.

The monk nodded and burned his way across the room.

Nolan turned to face his opponent.

"Damn. I thought you short a few feathers before. Now I'm about a throw pillow and a bottle of Bar-B-Que sauce away from having roast chicken." Nolan taunted voice echoing of the stone walls.

"Sounds like you already burnt him!" Richard said, groaning from exertion.

"Your words can't hurt me." it spat.

"This should." and Nolan fainted a blast and slashed low.

It almost blocked but Nolan managed to sneak a small scrape in. That riled  Tevli  up. He attacked in a whirl of blades, choppy, difficult to fallow, and impossible to predict. Nolan was losing ground. The creature smacked Nolan's blades, shattered them and kicked Nolan back with a taloned foot. the creature loomed over Nolan for a moment that was when a large rock swooped down and bashed against the enraged creature. Nolan grabbed a sword and grappled it out of the  Tevli 's hand. That was when he notice just how rotting bad the creature smelled.

"Leave. NOW!" the young monk demanded.

The creature swung at Nolan. Nolan didn't falter this time. he held strong as the blades collided, bit and shattered.

Nolan swing the hilt to smack  Tevli's  head. It blocked and countered with a kidney punch below the exposed arm. Nolan caught its wrist. He dropped the hilt, stretched his arm around the block and straightened. There was the sound of flesh tearing. Nolan swept the forward leg and dropped the opponent right as a green fireball wizzed between them.

"Watch it!" Nolan yelled.

"I thought you were gonna line him up for me!" Richard replied.

Tevli  snickered.

"One you think that's funny Six Piece?" Nolan asked. "Maybe I'll have my self a wing."

He blasted the arm with dark energy and snapped it.

"Stay." Nolan ordered.

Not taking any chances, Nolan shattered his dark crystal and nailed the terrorist to the ground. But the zealot had different ideas. He slid himself off the crystals, which had jagged edges and lunged at Nolan. Richard fired at its feet and tripped it up. Nolan turned to see it get back up.

"You are defeated. Be at peace." one of the monks said.

The creature, with a face of anger opens its mouth, presumably to screech, but it never came out. The Monks bent a jet of all four elements into the exposed oriface and then, there was a pop, tearing, crunch sound as the creature floated off the ground, horrified.

"You have disrespected the Avatars enough.  You willl do so no more."

And the creature became a blob and then a soppy puddle.

"Let us clear the debris and meditate." the Monk said.

"We should be going." Richard said.

"Please.  You have much to reconcile and reflect on." the monk pleaded.

Nolan made a sideways glance at Richard,

"Fine."

Everyone sat around a large pan in the middle of the chamber around which the room was split into. Nolan recognized red for fire, blue for water green for earth, and white for air. But he couldn't figure out the significance of the yellow and black stripes. The monks knelt around the bowl and the assassins fallowed suit. Then the colors on the flor bagan to change. The younger monk who earth-bent initially had a blue wedge was on a green one. Nolan looks around as everyone's color changes to match their abilities. Nolan then realized that yellow was for airbenders.

Nolan closed his eyes. At first he recounted the battle, every step and misstep, every block and strike. But his mind wandered to why he was doing this. He first though of the team. They wouldn't like that he was killing for money now, but they weren't prepared for this fight either. But when he had the intel he needed, they would have his back. Nolan's heart swelled some where underneaththe armor. He breathed and exhaled, and calmed. He heard the soft sound of water being bent onto moving rocks. He heard the crackle of a fire being caressed by the wind. He beathed and exhaled and felt his swordpack and robe again. He opened his eyes and saw each monk bending into the bowl, Richard on a black wedge, a beam of dark energy flowing from the dark mist that surrounded him. But what surprised Nolan most was the white wedge that was glowing beneath him and the beam that was flowing from Nolan's own white mist.

The bending slowed as each found their center. Nolan's garb rea apeard as soon as he got up. The monks thanked the assasin's for their help and bid them fairwell. But the Old monk stopped Nolan.

"I believe there is something in the bowl for you."

Nolan approached the bowl, still steaming and found a crystal shard ontop of and island.

"When the man overcame your bounds, he flung a shard into there.  Our maditation with all the energies and elements in balance, cleansed it of it's own imbalances.  It is a contrast to the world around it.  A bit like you are to your friend." the monk explained.

Nolan examined his dark crystal and found a shard from the center was missing. As the shard approached it glowed bright white. He inserted it and the crystal reformed around the shard, almost blocking out the glow, but not quite.

"Thank you." Nolan said and he left to the waiting copter.

Mission 3: All the Rage
The ride back was quiet. Richard strode off before the heli landed. Nolan ambled down the corridors. John was going to critique Nolan's performance from across the galaxy and Nolan wasn't in any hurry to hear his criticism. Richard was leaving and Nolan arrived. He gave a nod of acknowledgement and Nolan walked in.

"How do you think went?" John asked.

"Well. We arrive before the target but we didn't have time to use the locals to supplement our powers." Nolan replied.

"I see." he replied, "And your thoughts on Richard?"

Nolan paused. He hated to speak ill of someone before talking to them first, but John was asking directly.

"I felt... he was more aggressive than it should have been.  There was a point where he fired at me and the only reason i wasn't hit was because I grappled Tevli." Nolan admitted.

"Funny," John smiled, "I would think that loss of control would be something you could empathize with, concidering Shadow's death."

Nolan didn't hear the last word. He knew what is was and watched time slow.

"You have no idea the Hell you are digging yourself too." Nolan threatened, "If you say his name one more time. I will ensure. Your eradication will be so long and painful that you will decline to a new plane below existance.  I have healed holes so big that two men per side can look through.  I will wipe every part of you from existence only to force it back onto you just so that i can hear it break again if you ever say his name again." and stormed out.

Nolan blasted the training room doors open and stormed in. If that wasn't enough to disrupt the woman training with two short swords, them closing was. She was wearing armor similar to Nolan's except it was fractured in a few places on the back, allowing for greater freedom of movement.

"Can you please do that any louder?  The ringing in my ears is already dying down." She spat.

"Oh, I'm sorry." nolan spat back, slamming the door by hand.

"You are asking for it." she warned stepping up to him.

"Ya, from a chick with butter knives." he said, dark energy arcing to his armor.

She was the first to strike, striking high and fast but Nolan was ready, blocking with one blade and punching with his free hand. She dodged left and swing down, hoping to catch Nolan's exposed arm, but came out with only the swish of her blades. Not caught off guard, she parried Nolan's jab and planted a hilt on his jaw. Moving with the punch, he swept her front leg, landing on her back, knocking the wind out of her. Nolan unleashes a blast that sends her back across the floor. She, however, is back up, front chest-plate steaming and scoured from the blast. She charges. Nolan preps. At the last moment Nolan sees her sidestep righ and blur. He catches her again in a beat but she had already flanked him. She struck precisely, catching right below the knee joint with her heel. There is a loud crack as Nolan's knee is knocked out. The girl lands and presses the advantage as Nolan falls but Nolan does an aileron roll and plants his foot low on her chest-plate and lets loose another dark blast, launching the two apart across the room. Nolan landed and groan. He grabbed his leg and popped his knee back. As it popped his dark crystal erupted and flew into his leg and crystallized around the damaged joint. The sound of crystal shattering oozed from his knee but it was usable again. Nolan looked up to see his opponent spitting out a mouthful of something. Both got up and re-engaged.

For an hour this went on. Nolan's blades were shattered when he blocked her jumping off a wall onto him, but her's caught a nasty dark blast soon after. At first, Nolan was thankful for his armor, but now, he found a new piece handing by threads after every block and strike. The girl was no better off either. Chunks of her's were scattered across the room and the jagged edges would sometimes nick her during strikes. They both had resorted to hand to hand.

Nolan swept her leg, but she pulled him down with her, face first. Nolan rolled away to his side. She had a grenade. Nolan swung to smack it away but missed and smacked her wrist, pulling the pin. Nolan tried to encase the live grenade in a dark bubble but when it went off the blast erupted, flinging the two combatants back across the room.

When Nolan came to, he smelled all the bomb mainly, but the blood and sweat were still very present. Then there was a bright light. Nolan pushed himself up to investigate just as the training room door closed. On the wall the was blood splatter and the word "Truce" blazing away.

Nolan liked how the accelerant smelled as it fizzed out and disappeared; it was foreign but still homely.

Jon called Nolan in the next day. Nolan walked through the office door to see the girl standing behind the door. Both tense. John smiles.

"Good morning. You will be overseen by Meli today.  you will be taking down a gladiator ring in the depths of Electronic World.  The leaders have been doing kidnappings and forcing the victims to fight cybernetic brutes from across the galaxy.  Remember not to get in the way this time or there will be consequences"

Nolan glanced at Meli. "Good deal."

The two agents walked to and boarded the heli silently.

They were dropped off at a maintenance shaft. Meli slid a keycard through the reader and the door hissed open and closed behind them. Inside was only adequately lit by the florescent lights.

Nolan was the broke the silence, "Why are you doing this? Is John blackmailing you too?"

Meli sighed. "No. He saved me once and gave me a job.  Turned out I was good at it.  So i stayed."

"There are more... legitimate groups to fight for." Nolan said.

"You offering?"

Nolan couldn't tell if that was a question or a threat. "No. I just... thought i'd mention it."

"Ya, I also like that no one knows I exist."

After a half hour of walking, the A/C vents that regularly interrupted the grated ceiling did little to penetrate the increasing heat.

After and hour they simply focused the air into hot spots.

The tunnel teed off after an hour and a half. Meli checked her blades and went left. Nolan fallowed and it didn't take long for the red glow to flicker orange. Nolan peaked around the corner.

"There are si... seven large guys around a bonfire." Nolan reported.

"Terrain?" Meli asked.

"Dilapidated power station." Nolan replied.

"Ready up." Meli ordered.

Nolan fractured his crystal "Ready."

Meli inhaled, tensed up and faded.

Nolan hears the sound of boots and runs in.

Nolan targets the brute just to the left of the one with it's back to Nolan. Twenty meters, Nolan hopes Meli is ready. Ten meters, it twitched. Five meters, six hulks turn to look as Meli slides into the group and re-materializes. In one slash she takes one to its knees, and decapitates another. She releases the head from the crippled one on her back swing. Nolan jumps on the shoulders of the knelt brute and pushes himself into the face of his target taking the free skull with in his left hand. Nolan's right blade slides into the bridge of the distracted brute's nose. Then swings the skull at the advancing brute who mashes straight through. Nolan ducks and drops as the hulk's mechanical fists spark of his back plate.

"RRRAAAAAAAAAAHHHH" Meli screams as she leaps at the brute and slices through its neck, the sound of metal on metal is divided by the bone.

Nolan gets back up as another brute charges. Nolan forms a crystal claw around his hand and leaps over the charging brute, embedding the crystals into its calloused neck. once over he commands the crystals to return. the sound of torn flesh ends the brute. Nolan turns to face the final brute just in time to see Meli reappear and and carve the tendons from the arms and legs before dividing the confused face up the center.

"That's four." Meli says.

"I was having fun." Nolan counters.

"Sure." Meli says as they walk down the hall.

After another half hour they come to a door. Before Meli can swipe the card the door opens. Meli disappears as Nolan struts through. Beyond is a coliseum surrounded by cameras. Nolan looks across the field. There are a dozen other people of varying size.

[More to come]

Mission 4: The Long Game
"You did well Meli. I expect nothing less from my best agent." Jon said.

"Thank you sir. But Nolan's ability were key to our success."

"Glad to hear. Because I have another mission for him. Nolan, you will stay.  Meli, you are dismissed." Jon said.

Nolan eyed Jon, "You are..."

"You will be staking out a ship yard near the MarKev naval research labs. You will assist Soge.  He is already boarded so hurry to the launch pad." Jon said.

"What's the miss..." Nolan began.

"Now." Jon ordered.

"Fucking hell." Nolan said as he turned to leave.

Once inside the helicopter drop container. Soge began the breifing.

"Rejected ship parts being acquired by unknown entity. Must identify and eliminate entity."

Nolan thought for a moment.

"We are going after an unknown enemy, in a restricted area."

"Affirmative" Soge replied.

"There are gonna be lots of hiding spots but this could take a while." Nolan said.

"I can spend three days in active surveillance mode before needing to recharge using solar." Soge replied.

"It's not you I'm worried about. I'm fresh off a mission with Meli.  Is Jon trying to kill me?" Nolan asked.

"I am not privy to that information." Soge stated.

"You are programmed for tactical analysis. I am fresh off a tough mission straight into a long one." Nolan explained.

"I do not question your analytic abilities or Jon's." Soge said.

The two sat quiet in the dim red glow of the container's light. Soge went into sleep mode and folded into a rough cube shape.

Then the light went out. There was a click and the container dropped.

Nolan tried to prep for the landing but before he could the container landed and Nolan hit the floor breaking his arm but only bruising his head.

"We have arrived." Soge informed.

"Fabulous." Nolan groaned as he reinforced his broken arm with crystal shards.

Soge opened the container doors and light pored in.

All around them were the rusted remains of navy ships and space craft and water.

"I thought we were gonna be by the rejected ship parts." Nolan said.

"MarKev Industries discard failed or recovered totaled craft here." Soge said.

"What now?" Nolan asked.

"Wait and watch." Soge answered

After a few hours hunger began to annoy Nolan.

"Are there any supplies? Food or water?" Nolan asked.

"None that I am aware of." Soge freezes for a moment, "It seems that MarKev Industries intercepted and destroyed the inbound supplies. We will have to work without outside help.

Nolan sighed.

Night came and went in silence.

As the sun climbed, Nolan broke the silence.

"I'm gonna see if i can scavenge some grub from on of the retrieved freighters."

"I will join you and continue search protocols. The larger battle cruisers are going to be the most likely places to find rations." Soge said.

"As good a place to start as any." Nolan said as they set off.

By midday Nolan was regretting the uniform. The black robe not only was hot but also made him feel really exposed. At least Soge was metal like everything else.

Night fell without any indication of the target. Soge took the night watch but Nolan didn't sleep.

The first sign of life came in the form of jet engines as the sun rose from the ocean. Nolan would have thought the purples tuning red then blue beautiful if he hadn't spent the last three days trapped or fighting.

"Soge, We need to call this off. We have no supplies and no idea who or what we are after.  I can get out of here no problem.  I'll make an opportunity for you to escape when i get to the security ring but we need to cut our losses." Nolan argued.

"Negative, Mission must be completed no opportunity for reinsertion." Soge replied.

Nolan turned to look at the jet. It wasn't a MarKev design. Nolan was surprised it even held together. I tlooked like one of the engines was just taped on. Soge and Nolan ducked deeper into the wreckage and watched as the jet sped past.

"I fallow." Soge said and launched himself in the direction of the jet.

Soge leaped from beam to beam and Nolan ran across the rusted out floor, dodging holes. Nolan sprinted and jumped as fast as he could but fatigue, malnutrition and thirst were getting the better of him. Before noon Nolan had lost Soge. At midnight Nolan's wrist vibrated and a small device popped out. Nolan pressed a button.

Soge came through, "I have lost the target, I will sit in a cruiser and try to reacquire our target."

"Which one? How can a contact you?" Nolan asked.

"Large prototype, little rust, blue markings. No contact, low power." Soge said terminated the connection.

"Great, How am I gonna find that." Nolan grumbled.

Nolan looked around and headed to the tallest wreck. As the sun rose he made it to the top and spotted the ship Soge mentioned. It was about a three days walk away.

"Fuck."

Nolan's stomach growled.

"Me."

Nolan climbed down and started toward Soge. Nolan popped the com device out and studied it as he walked. It had a clock and an answer button on it but no way to specify a frequency.

The day passed and Nolan hunkered down in a rusted bunk. the salty mattress reminded him of his dry mouth.

Nolan awoke the next morning to the sound of jet engines from Soge's direction. The craft flew by and Nolan saw the pilot, a young dark skinned, female, roughly 16 years old. The craft flew into one of the less rusted wrecks a quarter mile away.

"It's as good a lead as any." Nolan muttered.

[More to come]

After the Great Power War
Nolan, now second-in-command of the Magic Team, returned to Power World to help re-stabilize society. While Aang, Bennett and Troy had to spend a while away from the rest of the team to take care of certain duties, Nolan, along with Jackson and Alex, remained part of the central Magic Team. In the meantime, the three also began training the newest official team members Kate, Katara, Sokka, Melissa, and Double-Jackson.

Naturalist Uprising
Nolan was one of the five main team members that avoided capture during the Naturalist Uprising. He and Mai both stood by Jackson and helped him battle against James Kaether and CSNAP forces. For more details, see Naturalist Uprising.

Late Life
Nolan continued to serve on the Magic Team until he retired at the age of 46, although he promised Jackson he would return to the team at any time if the need arose. Aang took over as second-in-command.