Aaryess was slowly making her way to Athens when it began. The first pain. Oh no, she thought, not here and not while I'm alone. She spurred her horse forward into a faster pace. Tobin. She had to find Tobin. Looking around, she knew she couldn't stay on the mainland. She had too many enemies for them to find her in a vulnerable state. But, where could she go?

By the time she reached Corinth, the pains had subsided. It must have been false labor, she thought, brought on by those foolish law dogs. She thought of Tobin then and how much she missed him. If only she could remember how to get to his island, she would be sleeping next to him on his cot right now. Her stomach began to growl at her and she knew she had to find food soon. So, on she rode, with no specific destination in mind.

Tobin relaxed as his mind started to wander and thoughts of the future started to fill his head.

"Daddy, what was Mommy like?" Asked Aaryana in her mousy voice, eyes shining with curiosity.

He knew the day would come when his daughter asked this of him. For so long, he tried to formulate the best answer to that question, even if it meant dredging up the painful memories of her passing. Deep down, he blamed the ignorance of Men for her departure from his life.
Had she kept different religious beliefs, his daughter may not be asking this of him right now.

Tobin sighed deeply, took his daughter's hand in his and began telling her all he knew of Aaryess. Her deep blue eyes looking at him made him think of her Mother and how much he cared for her. "First of all darling, your mother was a very important figure in her church. Her being the only female made her quite unique in the eyes of her piers. I adored her because she did not fret for my spiritual beliefs, nor did she ever once question mine. She." A teardrop formed on the corner of his eye as he continued. "...cared for me unconditionally, no matter what I did or said."

Aaryana, climbed onto his lap and snuggled against him as he began explaining how they met and had eventually fell in love with each other.

"My most memorable moment with her was shortly before she and I discovered our feelings for each other. As thee may know, I studied Alchemy in my youth. One particular experiment rendered me," Tobin's face grew flush for a moment, "female for a short time." He smiled devilishly and flicked his eyebrows. His daughter's mouth; agape from what he just told her, "Thee does not look like thee were expecting to hear that coming from me." She nodded, still obviously dumbfounded from his news. "As a woman, your mother and I got along famously. Had I stayed a woman, I surely would've gotten myself into scores of trouble. Your mother was an impish woman, always fond of stirring up the pot she was." He could sense Aaryana wanted to ask a question. He paused and raised his brows, anticipating her question.

"How did you become a woman Daddy?" He chuckled when hearing the question and responded a bit reluctantly.

"Er...let's share that story another time, shall we?" She nodded and gestured for him to continue his story. "Sorry to get off track like that." Tobin cleared his throat, "Your mother and I both harshly disliked Forest Elves at the time, and so she assisted me in luring a few nasty creatures into my Magical Gates." He paused, quite amused with the memory of the situation.

Aaryana, obviously too tired to keep her eyes open, snuggled to him closer. While yawning, she managed to say, "She sounds like she would be fun to be around." Tobin nodded in agreement while he rocked her slowly, running his hands through her hair lovingly. Shortly thereafter, she lay in his arms, fast asleep.

His eyes felt as if they were on fire when he first saw her again. The round stomach he remembered from the past was now significantly larger. From seeing pregnant women in the past, it seemed as if Aaryess were very close to delivery of their child. Since learning that he was to become a father, he'd not slept well. Nightmares of his child dying (in a multitude of ways) horribly filled his mind as he slept each night. The bags underneath his eyes were sure signs of this and gave the mage a somewhat `grief-burdened' look.

He smiled happily at her and greeted Aaryess with a gentle kiss on her lips. Tobin looked down at her belly and grinned broadly. He went to place his hand on her belly, but she intercepted and relocated it to center of her chest. Aaryess smiled sheepishly and whispered in his ear, "Darling. She’s just now gotten to sleep, your touch will wake her." Her eyes narrowed playfully, "...and she'll continue her game of `kick-mum-in-the-ribs'." She then poked him in the stomach and watched him wince in pain, "That's what it feels like." Pokes him a few more times, "And that...all day in and night long!"

Before she could poke him again, he had already snatched her antagonistic hand and kissed it lovingly. "How nice of thee to already have the sex chosen. Perhaps thee could tell me how thy conclusion came about?"

Aaryess smiled sweetly and batted her eyelashes at him, "I just know Tobin, that's all you need to know." His response to her comment was rolling his eyes, "What? You don't trust my instincts?" She began poking him in the stomach again, this time, a bit harder.

He yelped in pain and pulled back quickly, "OW!!" Rubbed his stomach and narrowed his eyes at her. "We are quite the antagonistic today, aren't we?" His condescending tone warranted a few more pokes to his abdomen. "OW!! Halt this behavior!! I thought thee did not want to wake the child." He noticed Aaryess wincing in pain as if she had just been kicked. Against her wishes he placed his hand on her belly before she had time to protest.

She struggled to remove his hand from her stomach, but before she could say anything, he'd already noticed the stitches. His eyes narrowed and nostrils flared as he searched for something to say to her. She placed a finger to his lips and began telling him why the stitches were there. "A Vampire." Tobin's narrowed eyes slowly widened as she continued her story, "...tried to take me for his food. He knocked me unconscious and I awoke with my stomach split open. Fortunately, I was rescued by some passer-bys and they took me to Xavier." Her idle hand then traced the outline of the stitches across her abdomen.

Obviously enraged by this, Tobin began pacing back and forth, mind racing with so many questions and emotions. "And this Vampire? Did these men track down and kill it?"

She shook her head, "I don't know. I was unconscious for their arrival and. at the time, I cared only for our child's well-being to ask them if they did."

His nostrils flared again, unsatisfied with her ambiguous answer. "Well then, I must see about finding this beast and introducing it to a pointy stick." Tobin then took a deep breath and asked her quietly, "Where were thee when this happened?"

"London Caves darling. I still have no idea why it chose to attack me." He nodded once in her direction and began rummaging through his pack. Curious of his behavior, Aaryess watched him pull forth a disguise kit. "What are you intending to do with that?" She asked a bit startled.

While searching through his packs, he replied coldly, "I intend to make myself a target for this Vampire." The look of stern determination now showed across the Mage's face. In clenched teeth, "I will not allow a stinking blood-sucker to harm my child and live to menace further innocent people." He kissed Aaryess on the lips briefly and whispered in her ear, "I'll return shortly if this Vampire is as cowardly as methinks it is." With that, he opened a magical gateway and stepped through it.

Aaryess stood on the roof of the temple. She stared at the pile of rubble that used to be a statue to honor her God. She balled her fists up in anger as she continued to stare. How could this be allowed to happen, she thought.

She walked downstairs and stood on the bottom floor. She closed her eyes and soon bright orange words began to form for all of the faithful of the church to see.

As of right now, all law followers are to be killed on sight. This insult to our God is not to be taken lightly. Our plans will go forward as expected. Should no one be available to go with me, I will go alone. Things will be moving quickly now, make sure you are ready.

Aaryess stormed thought the portal and out to the shrine. She walked over to the unlocked gate where the law dogs had came though and kicked it as hard as she could. She knew that some of the followers had friends that were now the enemy. Should she found out they were not following her word, she would kill them herself.

Thias would see the words, and a large grin, full of joy would spread across his face. He would stare at the words until they faded, and then walk off in search of any law clerics.

"This is going to be fun," he said quietly to himself.

Aaryess stood in Sutherland looking out over the water. So many things had happened the night before. The baby was moving around a lot and it was causing more than a little discomfort. She had hoped that the peace and quite of this little town would calm the baby and make the pain go away.

She saw him then. Tobin came riding up, but his face was stern. Oh no, she thought, here it comes. He started scolding her. She sat there quietly and let him tear into her with his words. She deserved it, she knew. As much as she had tried to stay out of direct combat while pregnant, it didn't always happen. She winced constantly as the pain in her stomach grew to an almost unbearable level. Tobin saw this and stopped his speech almost in mid sentence. He walked over and but his hand on her forehead. She was in a cold sweat.

He asked her where she wanted to go. She really didn't care; she was in too much pain. They ended up going to the horde capital and he helped her over to the bearskin rug by the fire. Poor Tobin, she though, he has no idea what to do. Nor do I. The pains continued to grow in intensity. She grabbed onto Tobin's shoulder and he screamed in pain. When she realized she was hurting him, she let go. She leaned back on her hands and screamed. Tobin brought in some spare clothing and began to dab the sweat from her brow.

The pain continued and she continued to scream. Tobin ran around to her feet. "I see the head," he said excitedly. She began pushing and he became more and more excited. Soon, he held his new daughter in his arms. Aaryess lay back in complete exhaustion. She looked back up to see the silliest grin on Tobin's face. She smiled at the two of them. He handed her their child and Aaryess thought she was the most beautiful child she had ever seen. She had her father's dashing good looks and her mother's piercing blue eyes. When Aaryess commented on this, Tobin said that she would definitely have her mother's attitude. Aaryess laughed and said that she hoped so. Tobin snorted and Aaryess laughed again. She handed Aaryana back to her father and stood up. Aaryana promptly urinated on her father. Aaryess laughed and though that it was the most wonderful site she had ever seen.

Hearing the screams of childbirth, Alrik smiles to himself. "Hmm, she is yelling loudly, this will be a strong child". As the screams subside, Alrik strides through the Mead Hall door with his gifts. Sweat pours down Aaryess' face as she gazes at Tobin and her child. Rolling his eyes at the English shaman, Alrik strides up and holds his hands out to take the child. Tobin eyes him and reluctantly hands the child over. Alrik looks her over, nods once and gives the child back to Tobin.

"She is strong and will kill many English one day. Her English blood does not show through." Turning toward Aaryess. "I give you a birth present for your child." Alrik presents a dagger of bloodrock. "So that she may defend the clan, even as a child." He then presents an intricate crib mobile made of bone, feathers, and sinew. "So that she may gaze up and see what becomes of her enemies." Alrik then identifies the various bones. "This is the forearm of the necromancer, Seth. This one is the right finger of Aloric of Gilead. Tomonaga of Gilead donated this kneecap. Here is a thigh from a green elf, I forget his name. This feather is from a Harpy that wished to honor you with its spirit. And here, at the bottom, are the thumbs of 20 guards of Gilead. In the wind, they give a nice tinkle." Feeling proud of his gift, Alrik pounds Tobin on the back in congratulations, picks Tobin up off the floor, and strides out the door to get good and drunk in celebration.

Aaryess stood by with her accomplices and waited for the explosions to go off. Soon, the very world itself rocked with the power of the kegs. The walls of the law temple irrupted with the force of the blast. Everyone rushed forward to grab Imlah and make away before anyone hearing the explosion could come. Imlah was hurt, badly. He was tucked away in one of the towers of the Desert City and Aaryess did her best to heal his wounds and keep him alive. After she was certain he was stable she walked out and made for the coast.

It took her a while, but she was finally able to find the island she had been searching for. She had been away too long and she ached to be with her daughter and Tobin. He would be angry that she had left, she knew that. But, in her mind, she did what she had to do.

Walking into the crude hut, she saw them there. Tobin was sleeping and Aaryana was cooing and giggling. Aaryess smiles and bent down to pick her child up. She walked to the shore and sat down. Together, the two of them watched the sun rise over the ocean. This was the peace Aaryess longed for but knew she would never be able to enjoy for very long. Aaryana smiled and she grabbed onto one of her mother's fingers. In spite of everything Aaryess had been though the night before, she smiled back at her daughter. The smile faded as she remembered that she wouldn't have much time. Then and there, she resolved to stay until she was called upon again. To spend as much time with her family as she could before the end. And she knew that her time was running out.

Listening to the gurgling of his young daughter, Tobin couldn't help but be overjoyed with the fortune of parenthood. The salty air seemed fresher than it had ever been before thanks to the birth of his daughter. The stress of his life seemed to dissipate as his priorities focused on one simple goal: survival of his daughter.

It had been two whole days since Aaryess had left the quiet island Hut. Worries of her possible demise nagged him for the entirety of her absence and he began to believe that she would not return. Tobin hoped that his gut feeling was wrong and that she would return shortly to enjoy the pleasant upkeep of their daughter.

The coconut sustenance mixture he fed to her made the infant a bit gassy, but he was pleased to know it was an adequate substitute for her mother's breast in the event that his fears came true. After feeding her, he took great care in patting her back until she let out a satiated belch. The day of infant upkeep began to take its toll on the Mage, so he decided to lie down for as long as his love would let him sleep.

When he awoke several hours later to the horror of his daughter missing from his chest, he dashed out of the hut, heart racing faster than he could comprehend. There, in the hammock he'd spent so many days relaxing on, sat Aaryess holding tightly his very reason for living. The shock of the sight made Tobin's world go black. Moments later, he found himself face down in the sand, wondering if it was a dream that she'd left at all.

All Aaryess could do was stand there and watch as unseen forces were tossing around her infant daughter. She had never felt so helpless in all her life. She knew that should she interfere, her daughter would die. All she could do was watch, and pray.

This man, he had kidnapped her daughter when Aaryess refused to give her to him. He had probed her mind to find her location and steal her away. Tobin would be furious when he woke and found Aaryana missing. He said she had been corrupted by the touch of power and should she not be cured, she would become a great evil.

Aaryess watched as the lightening touched the man’s hands. She stared, as Aaryana’s little mouth opened in a silent scream. She gasped as a dark force left the little body and entered the man facing her. Then, her little body settled back on the stone pentagram on the roof of the Cabal. Aaryess, in a near panic, rushed to her daughter. The man spoke again.

"I am as I once was. I am Phaedrin Darkwalker. "

Aaryess didn’t care, all that mattered was her daughter was back in her arms. She checked her child for injuries and barley paid attention to those standing nearby. She caught bits and pieces of what was said. Then, suddenly, things clicked in her mind. Something familiar, almost forgotten. She needed to talk to Tobin and she needed to talk to him soon.

They left the university and made for Karakurom. It was the closest and safest place she could think of to take her child. Once she reached her home, she placed Aaryana on the bed and quickly wrote a note. She attached it to a bird’s leg and let it fly out the window.

My love,
Do not fear for our baby, she is safe with me. Something has happened, something you need to be aware of. Please come to us as soon as you are able.

Aaryess

Tobin awoke to the sound of a prolonged squawk in his ear. Quickly he realized that his daughter was nowhere to be found. Panic then began to set in as he ignored the bird and rushed out the hut’s door only to find that she was nowhere to be found. Remembering the bird that awoke him, he rushed back in the hut.

The bird, still waiting to deliver its note, sat quietly on his table. Tobin removed the note, unrolled it and read it carefully. His eyes narrowed at the note as he continued to read it. Although relieved that his mate and daughter were safe, he couldn’t seem to shake the feeling that his days of stress were far from over.

He cursed Aaryess’ name in anger as he gathered his daughter’s things. Since conception of their daughter, she had done nothing but put the child’s life in danger; a harsh reality that Tobin had been forced to accept. His resentment for Aaryess’ careless behavior began to wear on his nerves, in particular the destruction of the Law Temple. After witnessing the plume of smoke on the mainland, he knew that she had gone through with her plan. Having known about her intentions to demolish the Law Temple would easily put his position in the Cabal in jeopardy given that lives were likely lost in it’s destruction. Despite his bitterness, he still cared for her a great deal and only wished that she would see her behavior through his eyes.

After rummaging through his rune bag, he retrieved the one marked ‘Karakorum’, waved a hand over it while uttering the magic words, and stepped through the gate.

Aaryess sat on the floor as she played with her daughter. So precious, she though. She smiled. It had been so long since she had been about to give a sincere smile, but with the baby near, it happened so easily. The baby yawned and Aaryess took her back upstairs to the bed. She lay her down gently and walked back down the stairs.

Tobin burst through the door, a bit more red-faced that she remembered. She could feel the energy around him pulsating with every step he took towards her. She had never seen him so angry. She started to back step as he drew near. She hit the back of her leg on the chair against the wall, sat down abruptly, and prepared herself for the lecture of her life.

Anger, stashed deep inside his thoughts, now flowed through Tobin’s body like lava from an erupting Volcano. As he loomed over her, he could scarcely control himself from grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her violently. His nostrils flared as he drew in deep breaths of air trying to calm himself. After a few seconds of seething, he finally spoke.

Through clenched teeth, "What has thee gotten our daughter into this time?!" he demanded. Obviously not giving her the chance to speak her side, he immediately continued his rant, "Regardless of thy foolish, ignorant ways, I will not have my daughter’s life in jeopardy again!" He then glared at her again, fists on hips, waiting to hear a response from her.

Aaryess swallowed noticeably, then met his gaze. She spoke softly, lips trembling from the sight of Tobin’s unusual behavior. "She was taken." Upon hearing this, Tobin grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to her feet, eyes full of a rage she’d never seen before.

"Where is she?!" He shouted, squeezing her shoulders almost too painfully. "Damnit Woman! Answer me!" He suddenly stopped and tilted his head as if he heard something. From upstairs, the faint sound of his daughter crying filled him with an overwhelming sense of relief. He let loose of Aaryess and dashed up the stairs.

In the crib, Aaryana lay wiggling and grunting like she was in need of a diaper change. Her face quickly brightened to a smile when she caught sight of her daddy rushing up the stairs. By the time he scooped her up in his arms, his cheeks were streaming with tears of joy. He held her close to him, utterly relieved that his worst fears had not come to be.

Aaryess crept up the stairs quietly as to not disturb the moment between Tobin and daughter. She watched them for a short time until she spoke, "As I was going to say," her comment warranted an expectant glare from Tobin, after clearing her throat, she continued, "She was touched by one of the Gods while in my stomach." The lump in her throat began to make explaining the recent events even more difficult than she thought it would be.

Aaryess barely popped her head over the railing as she stood on the stairs. She had never, EVER seen Tobin this angry before and she hoped she never would again. After pausing for long moments, Aaryess explained the night Aaryana was touched by Kesterin and what had recently happened with Phaedrin. After she was done, Tobin turned his back to her and cuddled their child to him protectively. Aaryess turned and walked back down the stairs. She could still hear Tobin speaking nonsense words to Aaryana and couldn’t help but smile.

The smile soon faded though. Tobin would blame her for everything, and he had every right to. She sat down the chair she had fallen into earlier and just listened. Aaryess didn’t know what she was doing anymore. Even with her family upstairs, she never felt more alone in her life.

She rubbed her aching shoulders. Tobin’s fingers were sure to leave bruises. No matter, she thought, they will go nicely with the ones I already have. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. She hadn’t slept well since the incident with the law temple. Just thinking of the images of the ruined temple and the people hunting her made her shiver. She opened her eyes slowly to see a severely unhappy Tobin staring at her.

After rocking Aaryana to sleep, he carefully placed her into the bassinet, covered her up with a warm blanket, and kissed her on the forehead. The urine stain on his robe would have to wait until he had his discussion with Aaryess regarding her peculiar behavior.

The downstairs had been silent since she retreated downstairs. It seemed unwise to continue badgering her over her recent actions, but under the circumstances, their relationship was in peril and he didn’t know what else to do. He slowly crept down the stairs and noticed that she’d nodded off. "Must be nice to be able to nap while sitting in a chair. What’d I’d give to rest without a guilty conscience," he thought sarcastically. He made his way over to her and loomed above her again, arms crossed, foot tapping impatiently. He cleared his throat rather than follow through with his initial thought (to hit her with something heavy).

Slowly, after a few minutes of him standing over her, Aaryess awoke from her slumber. She seemed quite startled to see him standing there again, flinching as she opened her eyes. The lump in her throat was back, after swallowing it down; she tried to make eye contact with him. "Tobin," her voice cracked as she continued speaking, "please, I beg of you…just listen to what I have to say~"

Tobin interrupted her again; "I’ve done enough listening! Thee has done nothing but listen to thy own thoughts lately," his eyes looked her up and down for a moment "and look where it’s gotten thee!" He pointed to a healing scar on her neck. "The time has come for thee to sit and listen to my thoughts." His voice calmed a bit as he began pacing, hands clasped behind his back. After clearing his throat, he continued, still pacing, "I saw a large plume of smoke rising from Persepolis several days ago. I can only assume thee had something to do with that. I was a fool to think that Mar had fabricated the whole thing to get me to force thee to rest up for the delivery." Tobin stopped in his tracks and then turned on his heel to face her, eyes narrowed. "Thee are a fool to follow thy god’s wishes! There, I said it! A bloody fool! If I cared to know thy motivation to do such a thing, I doubt very much that it would make a stones sense to me. And not to mention the bloody wreck you’ve made to my political dealings. How shall I act around those thee has wronged? Act as if I’m ignorant? They would be daft for believing me, and I’d be a bloody liar for telling them. Perhaps it’s time thee has taken up the art of disguise. I can’t imagine how many people want thy head as a trophy right now." He suddenly got quiet as if he’d run out of things to say, then simply stood in front of her shaking his head slowly, arms crossed again.

Aaryess’ face, now moist with tears, wore the look of guilt as she stared to the floor. All she could do was sit and stare at the floor. Every word he spoke felt like it was coated with poison, cutting into whatever self-confidence she had left.

Aaryess couldn’t help but cry. The tears streamed down her face, unchecked. His barbs hit deep. "Yes, I have done things I thought would please my God. Yes, I have put you in an unfortunate political position by my actions. Yes, many people seek my head, many that you know and trust. No, I will not hide and I will not run. If people want me to pay for what I have done, then so be it. I was told that death would follow me now. Nothing I do from now until the end will matter. I have done my damage and I will pay the price…alone."

She stood up and looked him in the eyes. "The time I have spent here with Aaryana makes the future that much harder for me to accept now. Before all this, I knew my death was coming and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Now, because of her, I find myself wishing I could change my fate just to spend more time with her. My actions may have caused a rift between us, and I will have to live with that, because it is my fault. But, know this, as long as there is breath left in my body, our daughter will be safe. I want no more blood on my hands, I want no more of this fighting." She looked down at her ruined leather armor. Dried blood coated the outer tears where swords had made their mark. "When people come at me now, I do not even raise my sword. I let them get their anger out. I will not take another life unless you or Aaryana are in danger or my God wills it."

Aaryess walked over to the window then and looked out to the garden in front of her house. "I don’t know what will happen between you and I now. I will love you until the end of time, you know that. If you want to walk away now, I will not stop you. I know I have caused you much grief and for that I am sorry. I will leave what happens next with us in your hands." Aaryess places her bare hand on the glass of the window and stared out, fearful of what Tobin’s reply would be.

Tobin's mouth opened as if to say something, but he quickly stopped himself and then slowly tilted his head to the side. 'Did she just leave this choice up to me?' He thought to himself. "I believe I’ve already shown thee my decision by my presence here." Tobin then closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled as he contemplated his answer.

Aaryess stood motionless, peering out the window.

He opened his eyes soberly. "I have not been completely honest with thee Aary. Thy willingness to cause destruction in an act of faith to thy god deeply concerns me. My lack of faith in thee is as a result of thy willingness to do thy god's bidding." He shook his head slowly and began tapping his chin in deep thought. "I believe I have a way for thee to decide this rather than leaving it up to me. Ask thyself this; Am I willing to take my own daughter's life as an act of faith to my god?" He let the question soak in for a moment, then began speaking, "If the answer to that question is 'nay', then I ask thee to find the will to leave Chaos and embrace thine own sentience." Another pause, this time longer. "If 'aye' is thine answer, then our future is no more." Tobin was well aware that he had just asked her to renounce her faith in lieu of their daughter. The Church was the element of her life that he utterly despised. If she stayed with them, she would surely live up to her infamy of having death follow her footsteps, namely him and his daughter. His arms crossed and foot tapping; he waited for her response.

Aaryess’ jaw dropped in utter disbelief. She couldn’t believe that Tobin would think or ask her such a thing. She could only stare at him for what seemed like long moments to her. The thought about her answer for a while as he just stood there and stared at her.

When she reached her decision, she turned to him. "No, I would never, EVER do anything that would harm our daughter. She is precious to me, and you as well. But, what you ask of me is more than you realize. My life has revolved around my faith for almost as long as I can remember. I do not know what I would do without it. I will not leave it in its time of need. So, I will ask this of you. Take Aaryana and keep her safe. As long as she is near me, she is not. Even if I left chaos, they would still come for me. They won’t stop coming." Tears were streaming down her face as she continued. "Please, take her and keep her safe. As much as I want to stay with my family, I can’t. You have to take her. If you love me, you will do what I ask. And please know that I don’t ask this lightly. I love her with all that I am and the thought of not seeing her again tears me up inside, but it is what has to be done to save her future."

Aaryess walked slowly past Tobin and up the stairs to where Aaryana was sleeping. She looked down at her. She was so sweet and innocent. Aaryess couldn’t bear the thought of any harm coming to her as long as she could help it. Aaryana was a part of her that would live on long after she was gone. Aaryess knew in her heart that Tobin would never let any harm come to her. With that comforting thought, she bent down and placed a soft kiss on her child’s forehead.

Aaryess then walked back downstairs to say goodbye to the man that had been her lover and her friend for such a long time. She could tell by the look on Tobin’s face that he was searching for something to say. Without a word, Aaryess placed her hands on the sides of his face and kissed him. Feeling Tobin go rigid, Aaryess steeped back. She nodded, understanding why he was being this way. She slowly walked to the front door and opened it. Without turning around she said, "Tobin, my love…I want to thank you for everything. First for being my friend, then for showing me what love really is and for giving me a child I hold so dear. No matter what happens, from now until the end, know that I love you with all my heart." And with those words being said, she stepped out the doorway and began walking.

When the door closed behind her, he had to convince himself that this was still happening and not just a dream gone awry. As the shock of her decision began to wear off, anger and confusion quickly became bitterness and scorn. How could she just leave her to him and choose Chaos? To Tobin, the answer to his question was simple. If one wasn't willing to show an act of faith such as slaughter of their own child, why continue to be loyal to the cause at all? Religion had always been something he maintained as a weakness for those not comfortable with their own mortality. He had even fewer positive things to say about those people at that moment. He chose to blame the Chaosites for their corruption of her soul.

The thundering of hooves made off into the distance indicating that she was truly determined to follow through with what she said. As tempting as it was to dash off after her and prevent her from leaving, he knew her decision was ultimately for the best for Aaryana. Emptiness filled his stomach as it dawned upon him that it was unlikely that he would see her ever again.

He lethargically climbed the stairs and made his way to Aaryana's crib. The sleeping face of his daughter stirred many visions of her mother's face that would likely haunt him for the rest of his life. The ultimatum he posed to Aaryess was one he had no right to place in front of her given that she completely accepted his lack of faith. Now inundated with guilt, he went over to her desk, opened a drawer, produced quill and parchment, and began writing.

"My Love,

I hope that thee will forgive me for the decision I've made. Let it be known that I had no place to make thee choose thy faith over our Daughter. It would give me great pain to know that I will never see thee again. My daughter's life means as much to me as it does with thee...I know this now and was a fool for doubting it. My heart aches at the thought of thine emptiness, as I'm sure it rivals my own.

Please reconsider thy decision and spend whatever time thee has remaining with the ones you love, Chaos or not. Thou knows where to find me if thee has a change of mind.

With love,

Tobin"

He left the parchment where he wrote it and gathered Aaryana's things. With a heavy sigh, he took a parting glance at Aaryess' home, and closed the door behind him, daughter in his arms resting peacefully.

Aaryess opened the main gate to the city and looked back. She could see the candles glowing on the second floor of her home. She was torn, torn between her family and her faith. She wanted both, but knew she could never have them. The urge to just run back and fall into Tobin’s arms was almost unbearable, but she knew it wouldn’t make anything any better.

She turned her horse and rode south. She only rode for a little while before heading into the woods and making a small camp. Soon, she had a fire going and was able to sit and stare at it for a while. Random thoughts drifted in and out of her mind, gone before she could grasp on to any of them. She felt a pull from the temple and knew she needed to head there soon.

She woke in the morning with a start. She didn’t even remember lying down to rest. She gathered her things and mounted her horse. She looked back and could still see the city walls far in the distance. She knew they weren’t there anymore. Tobin would have taken her away by now, somewhere safe. Aaryess could feel her heart breaking. Deep down inside, she knew she would never see them again. The two people she loved most in this world were gone now, beyond her reach but safe. That was the important thing. She prayed that Tobin would understand why she decided to do what she did.

As she rode closer and closer to the temple, she realized that if she had the resolve to send those she loved to safety then she would be able to do all she needed to do before her end. She only hoped that Aaryana would understand when she was old enough for Tobin to tell her all that had happened.

Aaryess sat in the dark corner of the tavern in Ottawa and scowled at the plate of food before pushing it away, untouched. Since leaving Karakurom, she hardly ate or slept. Sleep held no comfort for her and the food held no taste. She was lonely. She could close her eyes and recall the image of her daughter just before she left. So peaceful in her sleep, so innocent. Next was the look on Tobin's face as she said she was leaving. Then she remembered that he made no move to stop her. In her heart, she felt that he really wanted her to go. Mar's words came quickly to mind.

"Gilead will kill the kid."

No, she thought. That is why she left them. So they would be safe. She knew that Tobin would never let any harm come to Aaryana as long as there was still breath in his body. No, they were safer without her.

Since leaving the city, Aaryess was consumed with the desire to complete her God's biding. Her faith was all she had left since she no longer had her family to go home to. Still, loneliness crept its way in. Aaryess had become bitter and short-tempered, rarely smiling anymore. She could hear the town people whisper about a witch that had burned down the tavern in Athens. She frowned. She heard whispers of the murders at the law temple. She winced. Aaryess ordered another ale and quickly drained it. Then, flashes of images came quickly to her mind and she dropped the empty bottle on the floor.

*flash*
White Knight
*flash*
sword tip
*flash*
Tobin
*flash*
cobblestones
*flash*
blood
*flash*
darkness
*flash*

Aaryess opened her eyes and heard the barmaid asking if everything was all right. "It's nothing," Aaryess replied, "only whispers on the wind."

He had followed her trail for two days before loosing track of her. She always managed to stay one step ahead of him. This one was crafty, more than any he had hunted before, but she would still make a mistake…and he would be there.

Two days of hard travel and the trail had gone cold. A warm bed at home seemed like the best place to be. She was well known and could not hide for long. Word of her would come to him soon enough

He laid his head down and soon sleep came ... and the nightmare came again as well. Piles of dead everywhere he went; the desert city, Stoneharrow, Athens, Gilead, Ottawa, the Downs, Trondheim, Uthgardt, Murmansk. Many he knew, some he could not recognize if he did.

He woke with the knowledge that she must be stopped before this future came into being by her continued actions

Aaryess stood on the bridge in the Dwarven City and looked at the couple. She smiles slightly, happy for Sherri and Ruggle. She had never been to a wedding before and wondered if all of them were like this. Rinkit performed the ceremony and at times, Aaryess chuckles quietly. Never take her ale, she thought. What a promise to make.

Aaryess traveled back to Athens to retrieve some kind of wedding gift for Sherri. Sherri had been a friend for a long time and she wanted to give her something, even if it was small. She reached for a metal box and opened it, revealing a number of gems.

*flash*

White Knight.

*flash*

Oh yes, the white knight had been there when she took this from the thieves house after they had stolen her sword and something from him as well. Come to think of it, that had been one of the few times they had worked together.

Aaryess shook her head and rode back down to the city to give her gift. After finding Sherri and giving her wishes for them to have a long and happy life together, Aaryess rode back to daylight. As soon as Aaryess walked out of the cave, it hit her again.

*flash*
White Knight walking towards her.
*flash*
His sword tip entering her body.
*flash*
Tobin calling to her.
*flash*
Her sword falling from her hand.
*flash*
Her head hitting the cobblestones.
*flash*
Her blood pooling beneath her body.
*flash*
Darkness surrounding her.
*flash*

Aaryess gasped for air. The whispers were getting louder, she thought. That could only mean one thing, he was coming and he would be here soon. She looked around quickly and made for the portal to Canada. She needed to sleep and she couldn't stop this close to Gilead. Sutherland, maybe. Not many people there and she could finally rest…for a bit.

He saw her. On one of his many trips through Sutherland, walking towards his good friend Nyma's house in hopes that she would be there, he saw her.

The lady of darkness, of chaos, Aaryess Valkyr. Baskirk was never afraid of her, not in a physical sense, but she seemed to have an air of authority around her, a self-confidence that was so bolstered that nothing could waver it. He admired her for that, but now she seemed shaken, like she hadn't slept in days.

Silently, he approached her, and called out her name.

"What do you want law dog?" Aaryess snapped at him. "Are you here to claim my head? Has your glorious leader of your guild sent you? Go ahead, take it if you can"

She drew her sword shakily, almost too weak to support its weight.

Holding his hands out in a gesture of peace, Baskirk simply said "I quit," and shrugged. As if a sense of relief rushed over her, Aaryess dropped her sword, and slumped over to the ground.

Baskirk quickly trotted to her, and helped support her weight with his shoulder. He carried her into the inn and sat her down in a comfortable padded chair and ordered some good rich mead, the one good cure for weariness. Ale made him want to vomit anyway.

"So, Aaryess, why don't you tell me what exactly is going on?" Baskirk said as he leaned back in his chair, prepared to hear a story of epic proportions.

Aaryess slumped back in the chair. Its inviting song was almost too much for her to resist, but she managed to open her eyes slightly. She remembered this man from Athens. She was not a trusting soul by nature and she wasn't about to start now. But to be polite, she would tell him something.

She told him that her church duties had kept her extremely busy and had not slept in days. The dark circles under her eyes held testament to this fact. She told him of the wedding she had been to earlier in the day. She spoke quietly, not wanting to wake anyone since the time had to be past midnight.

He looked at her, almost studying her features. She knew he was looking for a sign that she was hiding something from him, but even tired, Aaryess held complete control over her features. He nodded and she sighed. Soon, she could no longer resist the call of the chair and began slipping to sleep. Cursing her body for needing such a luxury in the face of a past enemy.

He watched her sleep, her features were troubled. She must have been dreaming, because she kept mumbling something about a knight and a sword. Shrugging, Baskirk took one last look at her, and walked out the door to return to his search.

As he was walking down the path, he heard a scream.

"TOMONAGA!" Someone inside the inn yelled. Baskirk could only assume that it was Aaryess. He just kept walking. There was no way he would go back into that place, not with the way she acted around him.

Aaryess woke with a start and looked around the inn. Her eyes were open wide, almost in a panic. She got up from the chair as fast as her weary limbs would allow her and staggered to the door and out into the night air. She walked for a while until she found a quite place in the woods. She slid her back down an old oak tree and let the darkness of the night take her back into her troubled dreams.

Gustav wasn't sure what was going on, but as one of Aaryess only friends, he followed her.

He stayed quite a ways behind, almost out of eye range. He would catch sleep when he could, his eagle waking him whenever Aaryess got on the move again.

She'd entered a cave near Athens, Gustav sighed knowing this was his chance to sleep. A while later he could feel his eagle poking at his face, he woke with a jump. Aaryess had left the cave, as she did she slumped over suddenly and gasped for air. Gustav wanted to run to her but it was over as quickly as it began.

She looked around and headed around the mountain, to the Ottawa portal no doubt. For a moment Gustav was sure Aaryess had spotted him, she hadn't.

He followed her to Sutherland and watched as Baskirk approached her. He watched Baskirk like a dragon watches his next meal, waiting for him to make any wrong move. He didn’t.

Gustav sat outside the inn, a few houses down. Aaryess' screams woke him.. He followed her from the Inn and into the forest to where she lay beside an oak.

He sighed, finally feeling as though he could sleep. He lay against a tree, a ways away from Aaryess, and his eagle in the branches watching over him.

Sleep took him, dreams of women and ale came soon after.

Aaryess woke slowly. Her limbs were stiff from the awkward angle she was sitting as she slept. She stood up and stretched. Her stomach made a loud rumbling sound and she made her way to Athens in search of a vendor with food.

The town square in Athens was unusually busy. People were gathered around and talking about some "tourney". Sherri soon walked up to Aaryess and was excited about the whole endeavor. Aaryess smiled for the first time in days, maybe weeks. She decided that this might be a welcome break from the stress she was under. Soon, a portal formed and people started walking though.

Aaryess could tell they were on an island. She scanned the crowd and her gaze stopped when it hit white. Oh no, she thought. She counted quietly. Four of them, she thought, and I’m the only Chaosites here. This is not a good thing. Soon a man started speaking about the rules of the tourney and no one seemed to pay much attention to her. She was the fourth person to sign in and noticed Alexander’s name above hers. She silently prayed that he would be paired with her. Her prayers were soon answered.

Aaryess was paired with Alexander in the first round. She slipped on the platinum platemail and donned the deamonite heater shield that a friend had loaned her. Alex was standing before her and started chanting. She closed her eyes and started praying. The mediator soon called for the fight to begin and they advanced on one another. The fight was over a few minutes later with Alexander lying flat on his back due to a well-placed sword hilt. She walked outside the ring and took off her helm and looked around. The law dogs were not too far away, so she kept a close eye on them.

Other combatants fought in the ring and soon betting became commonplace. Aaryess watched the fights with detached interest. A while later, she was called to her second battle. Valkier. Aaryess had a bad feeling about this. She knew this man and knew what he was capable of. Soon, her instincts were right and she was lying face up on the ground with a pounding headache. After picking herself up off the ground, she took another ringside seat.

Then, she saw him. Not like he was ever hard to miss. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw Tobin standing on the far side of the ring. She smiled at him, but didn’t see her. She waved her hand in the air and caught his attention. She motioned to the seat next to her and he was soon walking over to her. She placed her hand over his and smiled at him. He leaned over and whispered that he was not happy with all these people being on his island. Aaryess didn’t even realize that was where they were. Before they had time for the conversation to continue, the ringmaster was calling for anyone that had lost a round to enter the ring. Aaryess patted Tobin’s hand with the promise to speak to him soon, stood up and walked into the ring. She was standing there with four other people. The rules were clear, anything goes. Last man, or woman, standing would advance. Aaryess began her prayers and the battle soon began. It soon became clear to Aaryess that this was going to be a four on one fight. Cries of "Kill the cleric" were ringing out. Soon, one man was down, three to go. Oh, it’s Alex again, she thought. She smiled and advanced towards him. Two down, two to go. Looking around she saw one man in full plate. She shook her head. When will they learn not to come at me in plate, she thought. Her eyes flashed orange for a brief moment as she glared at his armor. Soon, he was baking in the very thing he had hoped to protect him. Three down. Now, where was that last man? She scanned the area and only caught glimpses of him. Hiding, is it? Two can play that game. She was able to get a few passing blows on him before he would hide again. She was growing impatient. Her eyes turned the eerie orange again as she waited for him to make his mistake, appear again. And soon, he did and fell as his armor scorched his skin.

Weary from the battle, Aaryess turned to look for the face of the one person she longed for, only to find him no longer there. Tobin was nowhere to be found. Aaryess sat back down with a thud of exhaustion and waited impatiently for the end of the tourney so she could go back into her self-imposed isolation.

She had been seen in Athens recently and at the tournament in Crete. She was extremely bold or very foolish to think that just because her fellow followers of Azag-Thoth and friends were always nearby that she was safe. The trail was again fresh.

One day she would be alone ... and everyone sleeps eventually.

A bleary-eyed Tobin approached Maia's house, daughter in arm as she had been for the last week. The burden of parenthood began to take its toll on the Mage's world. As he knocked on the front door, he gave out a prolonged yawn and caught himself nodding off until the sound of the door opening brought him back to consciousness.

Maia's eyes gleamed with delight as she opened the door and caught notice of his daughter in his arms. "Lord Tobin! Oh my, she's so adorable!" She gushed. After turning her attention to Tobin, she looked him over once and beckoned him to come in. "I'm so happy you brought her with you! What a beautiful thing she is Lord Tobin. You must be so proud." Her enthusiasm was quickly rubbing off on him. A stupid grin slowly spread across his lips as he looked down at his daughter's curious gaze. Aaryana's smile renewed the strength in his legs and arms.

He wobbled a bit as he stood and watched Maia buzz about the room grabbing materials from shelving humming a cheerful tune. The soft melody of her song made his eyelids heavier than ever. He felt his body surrendering to his fatigue and closed his eyes for what it seemed like a moment. *SNORT* He awoke suddenly to find Maia at his side, facial expression wearing the look of deep concern.

"Lord Tobin, forgive my intrusive question, but are you feeling well?" He looked at her wearily and nodded. She crossed her arms and gave him an unimpressed look. "Forgive me once again for my lack of faith in your response. You look to be a man that hasn't had sleep in several days." She smiled at him and held out her arms, "May I Lord Tobin?"

He smiled tiredly and surrendered the baby to Maia. Her face illuminated with delight as she cuddled with Aaryana. Tobin mused with the sight and watched as she rocked his daughter lovingly. He mumbled, "Please Maia, call me Tobin".

Maia took his arm and led him into another room. "Why not let me watch this little angel while you rest a bit?" He mumbled something else about not wanting to be a burden to her. Ignoring his protests, she led him over to the most comfortable looking bed Tobin had ever seen and sat him down on it. He blinked a few times and smiled at her happily.

He managed to thank her a few times before he lie back on the soft pillow and fell fast asleep.

"Has she eaten yet?" The question drew no response as he fell into a deep slumber the moment his head touched the pillow. Drawing the door closed, Maia quietly walked down the stairs.

Peaceful days had enveloped Sutherland a long time. Maia's employees scurried about gathering items to care for the treasure that lay cooing. Cordelia was sent to the cow pen for milk, Ivory to gather fresh linens from drying in the warm ocean breeze. The women quickly had the house arranged to suit the infant's needs.

Maia sat rocking the baby on the porch. Gently burying her face in Aaryana's hair she breathed the scent in deeply. "Babies are gifts little one. Not since the dark days in Ireland when we were forced from our homes to nothing has anything felt this good. Saotori's death left emptiness in my heart. It doesn't seem so dark now while I am holding you. If I am blessed, then perhaps your mother and father will let me take care of you sometimes. Important people that they are perhaps they will allow it." Changing the baby's position, she continued to rock and watch the sunset and silently hoped that Tobin would sleep for a long time.

The nightmare began much like it always had:

His daughter walked with him hand-in-hand along the shores of his island.

Here it comes.

The gust of wind nearly overtook them. Pain filled his eyes as a wall of sand blasted at him from the gust of wind. He held Aaryana's hand firmly and brought her closer to him to shield her from the sandstorm. The wind then stopped as suddenly as it began.

Now for the sandworm.

The ground around them shook violently. A few feet away from them, the sand began forming up to a large mound. He readied himself for the beast about to appear from the sands. The mound exploded with a flash of orange. Why the hell is this thing always orange of all colors? The neck of the Sandworm protruded from the mound far above the Mage's head. It hissed menacingly at him. This is the part where I get eaten...again. The last thing he remembered was seeing the gaping maw coming towards him.

His body quickly convulsed and woke him from the nightmare. Tobin sat up while he caught his breath, sweat running down from his brow. The room, as he could barely recollect, was much darker than it was when he initially fell asleep. How long have I been sleeping? He wondered. After regaining his bearings, he wandered downstairs to an incredible sight. There, in the main room of Maia's home, sat a beautifully crafted wooden cradle, a comfortable-looking rocking chair, and a table covered with things anyone could ever need to take care of an infant. He blinked a few times and squinted, hardly believing the transformation that took place in whatever time he slept. His generous host, unfortunately, was nowhere to be seen. His ears perked to the sound of a woman giggling from what sounded like another room in the house. He followed the sounds and discovered Maia and her staff sitting around the radius of her magnificent fireplace. They all turned to him and smiled warmly.

"Good evening to you Tobin." Maia said with a knowing smile. Cordelia and Ivory curtsied upon making eye contact with him. Aaryana lay wide-awake in Maia's arms, eyes taking in every morsel the child could consume. Never had he seen his daughter so comfortable and quiet while in another person's arms. He would never truly be able to thank her enough.

He leaned against the door's frame and watched the two of them interact. "Ms. Sutherland, I am truly amazed at how my daughter responds to thy touch." Maia pointed to the empty chair sitting next to her and indicated for him to sit. He seated himself and smiled at the both of them. "I cannot thank thee enough for the help thee has given me this day." Maia raised a hand to protest but was interrupted by Tobin's words, "Allow me to at the least express my gratitude formally." He smirked at her and shook his head utterly dumbfounded by her gesture of kindness. "I do not wish to impose myself upon thee." He suddenly stopped himself and bit his lip, not wanting to take advantage of her generous nature.

"I do not wish to impose myself upon thee." Maia smiled responding, "How is it you have imposed M'Lord? By taking rest? What a silly thought." She gestured to the food spread about for the evening meal indicating he should eat his fill. "We have lost track of time enjoying this beautiful baby. She has brought laughter and newness back to us. I do not know which of us has the greater debt now." Her eyes lowered back and met the baby's. "Will M'Lady Aaryess be here this night? Would she care to eat here, I would have the ladies ready a room and bath service for your family at the Inn if you prefer."

He visibly tensed with her questions, Maia choosing to ignore what she had seen continued speaking. "I have never met your lady M'Lord. I would like to sometime. She is of the same faith as our friend Dios? I know she is an important woman and sought out by many people. It would be a wonderful gift to bring her here and let us pamper your family for several days." She looked directly at him with a hopeful expression. "Please consider it Lord Tobin. Please show favor on my house."

She snuggled Aaryana closer to her carefully placing a kiss on top of her head waiting for Lord Tobin's answer.

Upon hearing her name, he peered to the floor with a solemn, guilty look about him. His ultimatum was an act of spite, one he wished he could take back. Aaryess had not contacted him since their last spat and he began to believe she had already met her fate. "She...would be tickled at the thought." He said eventually, gaze still affixed to the floor.

Maia, already aware of his change in body language, spoke sincerely, "What troubles the mind of the new Father?". She smiled warmly when he made eye contact with her. "I've always found that my conscience is best cleared by speaking my mind, what about you m'lord?" Realizing her habit of formal addressing, she blushed slightly. Tobin let out a chuckle as she shrugged in apology.

Now smiling, Tobin bowed his head to her and closed his eyes for a moment. After taking a deep breath, he began to tell her some of the details that had happened recently in his life. He spoke of his argument with Aaryess and that he'd not seen her for a few days since that time. He also spoke of his desire to search for her. "Which brings me to my humble request." He began fidgeting, searching for the words.

Sensing his intentions, she interrupted his pause. "I've had a wonderful thought Tobin." His eyebrows perked curiously. "It appears that you're in need of someone to watch your precious daughter, which reminds me, you never told this little angel's name."

He stammered a response, utterly overjoyed with her suggestion. "Uh-er...Aye, I would be in thy debt" Bowing his head gratuitously. "Her name is Aaryana Reece" He smirked as he said her name out loud. "As thee may have sensed, my intention is to find her and mend the wounds I left." He smiled again knowing that he would find a way to undo the things he'd done.

Maia, warm from the crackling fire, carefully got up from her chair and wrapped Aaryana snugly in her blanket. She walked quietly over to him and handed him the baby. Upon seeing her father, she wiggled her legs in the blanket, a smile spread across her face. "Hello my darling" He said choking up from the emotion of her gaze. "This is Maia" He turned her around to face Maia, baby still grinning and wiggling happily. "She's going to watch you until I get back." as if she understood completely his words, she let out a loud coo and gurgled happily. He kissed her on the top of the head and cuddled her to him, then handed her back to Maia's waiting arms. "Maia, my thanks again for thy kindness. Thee forever has my favor for such a wonderful gesture." Content that he'd procured the ideal baby-sitter, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"I understand that my opinion in matters not concerning me is not necessarily welcome Tobin," she hesitated then continued " I do not know what possesses another when they give choices to their love that are impossible to meet." Handing the baby to Ivory she took a cup of tea for herself and one for her guest. Boldly placing her hand on top of his she spoke softly "You love this woman enough to create a child with her. You knew fully who she was and what she believed when you took her for your own. Lord Tobin, I beg you do not let this stand between you. Aaryana needs 'both' her mother and her father." Maia removed her hand and let the words sink in.

Then drawing breath and speaking again, "The real test will be if the Lady Aaryess can find it in her heart to forgive you. You owe it to yourself, your lady and this beautiful child to find out." Once again letting the words take hold in his mind " I would be most honored to be guardian of this little one while you try to find her and fix what has been broken." Feeling the pain of the truth in the words Maia said in a lighter tone, "Perhaps it is only bent ... a little."

"Do not worry about Aaryana while you are away. The ladies and I are getting very good at using the tools of sewing in a fight. Why one spool of thread aimed correctly disables any beast." She laughed lightly and set about making preparations for his journey.

Since the day she left, Tobin had felt a nagging emptiness in his life. Fortunately, his daughter’s needs have left him distracted enough to fill that void, albeit temporarily. Today, he saw her face everywhere he looked. It was that bloody Tournament that stirred these feelings in him. Firstly, his new neighbor sponsored it without his knowledge or permission. Secondly, he was forced to watch the powers at be gang up on her while he sat powerless to tip the odds in her favor. He was so enraged with the situation, he could not bear to witness the outcome and left.

Perhaps it was something said by Maia that spurred his underlying guilt for giving her an ultimatum he did not rightly deserve presenting. He would’ve been understandably insulted at the prospect of becoming a Chaosite to maintain the relationship. Needless to say, he desired to be with her, Chaos or not.

His fortune proved better than he expected the day he entered Athens. He saw her speaking with someone near the bank stone, but wasn’t alarmed by her public appearance until he noticed Tomonaga wandering about. Hoping that the Law Cleric would leave, Tobin made his way over to Aaryess. Her face wore the look of shock when she saw him approach.

Undaunted by Tomonaga’s appearance, Aaryess waved to the Cleric mockingly. The gesture drew a glare from Tobin so heated that she had to turn away from him. Grabbing her arm firmly, "Would thee mind coming with me a moment?" She nodded and followed him curiously. Once they had cleared the city limits, his tone softened a bit. "Darling, has thee gone back to Karakorum since we last spoke?" She shook her head slowly. He exhaled slowly and began his apology. "I was wrong to place thee in such a position. When I thought about it later that eve, I realized exactly what I had asked thee to do. I would’ve likely left had thee placed the opposite ultimatum above my head." He shrugged, not knowing what else to say.

Her eyes, now soaked with tears, squinted at his eyes as if to validate the words he had just spoken. When she believed him, she threw her arms around his neck before he had a chance to change his mind. They held each other for a long time, enjoying the warmth they had both been so lonely without. She finally whispered into his ear, "I forgive you" then giggled playfully.

"I ask one thing of thee when we are in the public eye. Do not place me in a position where I must intervene for thy antagonistic behavior. In other words…the taunting of a Law Clerics or anyone thee knows that wants thy skull on their mantle should be reserved when I am not by thy side." She nodded slowly in agreement. A sly smile spread across his face as he continued, "Good…I also have some other things for thee. Come…let us go to Karakorum." He produced a runestone from his pack, waved his hand over it and spoke the words to open a gate. They stepped through hand-in-hand. Shortly, they arrived in the city of Karakorum. Sitting in front of Aaryess’s home, two kegs awaited her attention. The smirk on his face returned, "Since I cannot directly protect thee…I thought I would give thee some assistance in other respects." He indicated to the kegs on her doorstep.

Her eyes glowed with happiness as she unlocked the doors and carried one of the Kegs indoors. Tobin followed closely with the other keg over his shoulder. Placing them next to each other, she stared at the kegs with great curiosity. "They’re not labeled" Tobin shrugged innocently. She poked him in the abdomen with her finger, "What are they you scoundrel!" He produced a bottle from his pack and handed it to her. She filled the bottle with one of the kegs. The liquid, a deep blue, was warm to the touch. She turned to him and narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "This isn’t a sleeping potion is it?"

Rolling his eyes at her, "Bah…if thee must know. That liquid will replenish thy magical energies. My experience with it is that it’s very potent." He smirked again, "Rather rare in that much quantity, but I suspect thee will put it to good use. The other keg is ‘Steelskin’ which thee will also need."

Ecstatic with his gifts, she grinned and winked at him suggestively. Her smile, now showing teeth, seduced him into kissing her. His knees nearly gave way by the passion in her lips. Abruptly, he scooped her up in his arms, kissed her again, and carried her upstairs.

Aaryess rubbed her temple absently. Her headaches had been getting worse. No sleep and stronger daydreams had made sleep impossible. She hadn’t seen her daughter since the night in Karakurom and the sadness was taking its toll.

Athens was somewhat busy, as normal. Aaryess hoped that her vender had been busy. She rode up to Sherwin and started checking his stock. She couldn’t concentrate and shook her head slightly to clear it. A man asked her if she was all right and she nodded slowly. She heard a familiar voice and turned her head to see Vendath. It had been forever. The started to talk and then…

Aaryess was on her back in the cobblestone staring up at the sky. She lifted her head slightly to see the majority of a sword protruding from her stomach. She could feel the blood starting to pool in a sticky puddle under her back. She coughed and blood started to trickle from the corner of her mouth. Her body started convulsing. She heard disembodied voices. Most of them almost happy that she way lying there slowly loosing her life to the red puddle that had started to grow. Aaryess tried to look around for Tobin and Aaryana. She couldn’t move her head and then she saw it. Tomonaga coming closer, sword raised above her neck. The sword started its downward decent and then…

Jarkeld watched Aaryess ride up into Athens. He knew what was going to happen, and he wished there was some way he could stop it. But that was the price of being the one to go before your friends, you knew how they all would die, and there was nothing you could do to stop it.

Jarkeld knew about Aaryess' headaches. Jarkeld knew they would be gone after she passed.

Jarkeld’s mood grew darker as he watched Tomo walk into Athens, a small grin on his face that he couldn’t hide. The small crowed around the bank stone paid little attention to him as he walked passed.

All Jarkeld saw was a flash of metal. The crowed turned when Aaryess' body fell to the ground. The crowd started to argue among themselves. Jarkeld didn’t care about them , all he was concerned about was greeting his friend that he missed so much.

He watched he spirit rise. A smile came to his lips. His smile faded as Aaryess' spirit changed. Her spirit shifted and could no longer pass to the other side.

Something was wrong...

Tomonaga had been searching for the past 4 days for his missing bride-to-be when he had seen her. The chaos witch. The one who had caused so much strife between nations. The one who had killed so many innocents with her cowardly terrorist bombings.

The one who had kidnapped Aloric!

Has she done the same to Wendy? It was certainly worth following her to find out. He followed her for most of the day, hiding, stalking, and listening when he could get close enough. Nothing she did or said made him believe she had Wendy. Then he heard what he needed too. She casually told someone she would be visiting Shermin in Athens tonight, after dark.

He quickly went to Stoneharrow to prepare but this would be no battle - that would be too dangerous, too much left to chance. No, this would be a killing like they taught in his homeland. No armor, no potions, all he needed was a katana. He stabled his pure white mustang Truth and walked to Athens as the sunset staying off the road so as to not be seen. He snuck into town from the north and hid alongside the building that housed the bow crafter and barber. It would offer a good view of the town square

It wasn't long after the town crier had gone around calling 9 o'clock that he saw her ride in. He tensed but waited, if she saw him coming he would be the one left dieing on the cobblestones. There were a few people about as she began talking to Shermin but he could not let this opportunity pass. He calmly and quietly walked across the square and drew his sword from under the robe he wore without making a sound. A torch briefly reflected off the mythral blade and a nearby man saw it but said nothing. She was on horseback so there was no chance for an immediate kill with the edge so he took her through the spine with the point as he had been taught so many years ago. She fell backwards out of the saddle at his feet as he gave the blade a twist and pulled it out.

She laid there for a moment, gasping for air and unable to move, her spine severed. He stood over her, sword raised above his head with two hands, and looked into her eyes making sure she saw who it was that was bringing her justice before he sliced down through her neck. He took the head, her sword of entropy, and chaos shield, and placed them into the bag he had brought with him. There would be no doubt have his success, no miraculous resurrection of his prey. No more terror in the backs of the mind of the followers of Jharael wondering when she would strike next with her bombs

As he got up he noticed a book had fallen with her. He flipped it open only long enough to see that it was addressed to her daughter. He took it as well thinking of a way he could get it to Tobin. The poor child would have to grow up without her mother, no need for her to not know the thoughts Aaryess had meant for her to hear.

Tobin tilted his head and smiled proudly at his daughter in her new dress. Aaryana’s hair, golden brown with spiraling curls made her look like an angel in the flesh. She smiled happily at him in response to his broad grin. As a tear formed on the corner of his eye, he sighed heavily, “My darling, thee are looking as radiant as thy mother every day.”

Maia, having heard him speaking from the other room, stood in the doorway watching the mage interact with his daughter. After noticing her presence in the room, she gushed, “Oh Tobin! She looks so wonderful in her new dress!” He nodded in agreement with her.

“She looks radiant. I know not how I will ever repay thy kindness to my family.” He kissed Maia on the cheek and smiled at her. “I cannot wait for Aary to see her in this” He reached for a brush and began running it through her wavy locks of soft hair. While brushing her hair, he spoke softly into his daughter’s ear. “Mommy is going to be so tickled to see thee in this my darling.” As if understanding his words, she gurgled a response and waved her arms around excitedly.

Tobin touched his nose to hers and beamed a tooth-filled grin, completely content with the moment. He was amazed to find that her smile could wash away even the greatest pain from his conscience. Since her birth, he felt more focused with his life and often wondered how he ever got along without her. Kissing her cheek softly, he scooped her up and held her high into the air above his head. As usual, her eyes grew wide with excitement as she soaked in the room’s new look. He then held Aaryana close to him and closed his eyes, forgetting everything the world had to place on his shoulders.

Aaryess felt her spirit slowly leave her body. This is it, she thought, the peace I have longed for, for so long. She looked over and saw the transparent form of Jarkeld smiling at her. She began to smile at him and then it happened. She could tell her saw it too from the look on his face. Something was wrong.

She stood there, looking on at her tattered remains. Butchered in the streets of Athens with a bloodstain to mark the location of her murder. She raised her hands up and looked at them, or more to the point, through them. No, her mind screamed, this can’t be! I have done my part. I have lived my life. She couldn’t hear her God, only the sound of those still living around her. Then, she felt it.

It was pain, it was suffering, it was sorrow… it was intoxicating to her. She could feel it calling out to her, keeping her bound to the land. She began to crave it, to need it.

As the days past slowly for her, she could feel her humanity slipping away, like sand though her fingers onto the shoreline. She thought of Tobin and Aaryana. They didn’t know yet. She quickly sought out Sherri and was able to make her understand, even though all she wanted to do was run. Sherri agreed to keep an eye on Tobin and Aaryess’ spirit flickered out of sight in the caves.

She spent most of her time in Athens, the place of her death. She would sit on the bankstone most of the time and watch people go about their lives…and she would feed off their misery. She heard it then, a rumor. She had been declared a traitor to her faith and her God. She couldn’t believe it. She had devoted most of her life to the church, only to be cast out in death. Anger filled her very being, clouding her judgment. She left Athens, but not before passing Enuluss and waving her arm in her direction causing a strong icy wind to knock her from her horse.

“You want suffering, spirit? Be in Ottawa tonight” Those were his words, words of Kaloc the Cruel. Yes, she wanted sorrow; she wanted to feel their pain and their death. She hovered around Ottawa, waiting for the battle to finish. She passed though the doors entering the keep. There were three people inside…Kaloc, Despana and Bralidon. She moved over and floated above the stone throne while they spoke. When they were done, she followed them outside. She soon grew bored and turned to leave when she heard him call out to her. She turned around with a look of amazement on her face…he could see her. They went into a building to speak. He reached out to her and at first she backed away, shaking her head. He gave her a look that seemed to freeze her in place. Even in death, this man showed her what fear was. This was no man, though. She listened to his words and reluctantly agreed. She thought then has her family and that she would never be able to see them again. She fell into his welcomed embrace and Aaryess Valkyr, shamed priestess of Chaos, blinked out of existence.

Tobin sat in front of the fire staring into it as he’d done for the last hour. Onyx wandered over and nudged him a few times till he began stroking the black horse’s nose.

He looked into the horse’s eyes and smiled, “Thee looks a bit hungry my friend”. Tobin wandered back into his thatched hut and returned with an armful of Apples, Carrots, and a few bottles of Shiner’s finest brew. He sat back down on his log and placed the food at the foot of his steed. After opening a bottle of the Ale, he took a few sips and went back to staring into the fire.

It had been several weeks since he last spoke with Aaryess; further reinforcing his feeling that he was responsible for their conflict. He wanted to make things right and become the family he could barely remember from his past. “A love letter would surely win her over” He thought, as the words formulated inside his head.

As Onyx crunched on his food, Tobin produced a quill, a bottle of ink, and a piece of parchment. He scribbled a few words onto it, then sipped his ale, and continued writing on the parchment.

“Love, Lost, and Found”

For a long time, I meandered these lands looking for something,
The places I’ve been, the people I’ve met…all foreign to my eyes and ears,
Then thee comes along and puts right where things were so wrong before,
Who must I thank for your existence?
If I believed in a god, I would owe him my happiness,
Instead, I owe thee for being thyself,
Unconditional Love is what thee and I share,
Since our last embrace, my bedside has been left cold and lonely,
I look forward to when our eyes can meet again to rekindle what may have been lost,
Our daughter, a sign of our love, continues to share thy beauty,
A blissful reminder to how much I deeply care for thee,
My love, I ask thee to wait for me and be my bride when the time comes,
And eternity we shall share.

He then folded up the parchment and placed it in his pack for safekeeping until he could give it to her.

A weary Tobin squinted at his clock, barely able to keep his eyes open. He muttered, “Four-thirty” and mumbled something about being too tired for parenthood. For three days in a row, Aaryana demonstrated a peculiar sleep pattern. During those nights, she failed to even yawn for him. As tired as he was, his mind brainstormed the possible reasons for her sleeplessness. “It couldn’t have been the mixture of fruit and berries I’ve been feeding her.” He sat down on the floor, covered his mouth as he let out a gaping yawn, and continued going over her dietary intake in his head.

He nodded off for a moment, and in that time, an image of a beautiful woman on horseback coalesced in his sleep-deprived consciousness. She held the reigns in one hand and cradled a baby in the other. From the color of her hair and the rose-shaped broach she bore, he concluded that this was his mother. As she rode, she quietly hummed a familiar song buried deep within his memory. As the dream unfolded, he was curious to find out why she was riding alone in the black of night. In response to his curiosity, she spoke to the baby in a soothing, yet weary tone, “Oh, my Tobin…surely a midnight ride will cure your sleeplessness as it always does.”

*SNORT* He awoke suddenly to find himself curled up on the floor in front of Aaryana’s crib. He could hear her batting at the mobile above her head, completely oblivious to his absence. Riddled with fatigue, he came to his feet, gathered Aaryana and her diaper kit, then made his way to the front door. Careful not to wake his host, he carefully opened the door and slipped out into the blackness of night.

His horse, Doomsday, greeted him with a nudge, nearly knocking him off balance. “Woah Girl!” He fumbled for the reins and focused his energies on his incantation. “Ort Por Ylem” He waved a hand over his daughter and her fragile body rose in the air to eye-level. Quickly, he climbed upon Doomsday’s back and pulled Aaryana close to him. Responding to a click of his tongue, Doomsday began walking forward.

Tobin watched in awe as his daughter’s eyelids began to blink lethargically. Within a few hundred yards of the Sutherland home, Aaryana was fast asleep. With a free hand, he tugged on the reins and headed back for some much needed rest

He stared at the tile in the room labeled ‘Ottawa’ for the better part of an hour contemplating the task before him. His head throbbed with the stress of his day; finding out how his Love died, the remorseless delivery of her assassin’s message, the stunning meeting of a man he’d only heard about from his master Kesterin, Flamstered wishing an audience with him, the fate of Aaryess’s soul. He mused to himself, ‘This is why the ignorant turn to their faith.’ The day was far from over for him, but he yearned for peaceful slumber in a bed, which might as well have been on the other side of the universe.

Guilt and regret filled his soul after learning of his love’s whereabouts from Phaedren. He was insistent that Tobin sees exactly what he was agreeing to before he allowed him to take Aaryess’s soul. After his traumatic experience with Phaedren’s demonstration, he chose to see what his love’s soul had become and try to persuade her to leave Sammoth as she once did just before meeting him. “Here we go again, I may well just insist that she renounce anything resembling faith” He said bitterly to himself.

The world spun in an instant as his horse’s hoof stepped onto the tile. Before him stood the city of Ottawa. He’d always despised this place for reasons he didn’t quite understand. After all, the former King and Queen treated him with the utmost respect and decency. The city, seemingly empty, with the exception of the busy vendors and guards, gave off a peculiar feeling that made the hair stand on the back of his neck, further reinforcement for his dislike for the place.

By the bankstone, stood an enigmatic figure with dark skin and frost-white hair. ‘Midnyte’, as Phaedren referred to her, bore a similarity with his lost love Aaryess, but if he had just met her on the street, it would not have been apparent to him. He approached cautiously, paying heed to her association with Sammoth. A hatred for the dark lord welled up within him as he neared her and saw just how much he corrupted her soul. She watched him with emotionless eyes as he dismounted from his horse and walked slowly towards her, hands clasped behind him.

His eyes were sore from her appearance. Barely able to look her over, he felt the pang of guilt overtake him. As little sense as it made to him, he still blamed himself for her leaving that night in Karakorum. It wouldn’t have surprised him if Midnyte could sense his emotions given that she had turned her full attention to him. In a deep, cold feminine voice, she finally spoke to him, “Can I help you?”

Tobin nodded slowly then mustered the courage to speak, “I think the proper question would be, ‘May I help thee’?” He forced a smile, knowing fully that he could not turn back now. His gaze met her eyes and he spoke her name for the first time. “Midnyte, I’ve come to see thee.”

For a sparse moment, she stared awestruck at this man who spoke her name and wondered ‘How could this mortal know my name?’ Her eyes narrowed to him as she spoke.

Midnyte walked slowly up to the bankstone in Ottawa. The blood from her latest sacrifice dripped off her fingertips. She opened her bank box and was wiping her hands on a tattered piece of cloth when she looked up.

A man in a red robe was riding through the streets. She knew she had to be watchful of all who entered. He rode off to the side and dismounted. Her emotionless black eyes watched his every movement. He seemed to pause as if he was speaking to his horse and then turned and walked towards her. He looked her over and seemed to close her eyes almost in pain. He opened them again and looked directly at her. He seemed at a loss and she was in no mood to be stared at for hour, so she asked if he needed help.

He nodded slowly in answer to his question. “I think the proper question should be, may I help thee.” He spoke and paused. Seeming to come to the conclusion that more needed to be said, “Midnyte, I’ve come to see thee.”

It was her turn to look him over. She narrowed her eyes coldly as she looked him up and down. “How do you know my name?” she asked, her voice devoid of any emotion. “I know thy name, and more.” He said, his voice almost cracking with emotion. This was odd to her. Most people spoke to her with a mixture of fear and hatred. This one was bold to speak her name as if he knew her. He continued speak, he told her about a man named Phaedrin. He said he knew more about her than even she knew about herself. He spoke of a lost love, murdered in the streets by an enemy. Midnyte was beginning to lose interest in the conversation; it sounded more like the ravings of a mad man. He spoke of a book that his love’s murderer had returned to him. Then, by complete surprise, he asked her to read it. What an odd request, she thought.

Tobin slowly handed her a book, bound by a red cover. She looked him over once more and carefully reached out for the book. She opened it slowly and began reading. Some woman wrote it to her daughter. It spoke of her service to her God and the regret she felt for the absence from her family. When her eyes read the closing, speaking of her eternal love for her daughter, Midnyte felt a rush flow into her hands from the book. It was pain, but not physical. So much pain was held in the book and seemed to reach out to her. Midnyte dropped the book and stepped back. She looked down at her hands, as if to see some mark upon them. Then, she turned her cold, dark eyes back on Tobin.

"Tell me of your daughter" A cruel smile came to her face as if a sinister intention were running about in her head.

Tobin's eyes narrowed, obviously upset by her implication. "That is not for thee to know Midnyte." Trying to maintain his composure he crossed his arms and waved his hand dismissively. "Thee will not get her involved in this." He retrieved the book and then remounted Doomsday.

Her smile, now grown to the look of amusement, told an evil tale without her saying a word. She finally spoke, "I look forward to sacrificing her to my Lord."

His nostrils flared as his anger consumed him. Through clenched teeth, "That would be unwise of thee." The prospect of him rescuing his love's soul quickly began to dwindle as she further pressed him, seeming to feed off of his anger.

A chill ran up his spine as she laughed coarsely. "You cannot hide her from me Mage. Her blood will spill in my master's name." Rage welled up within him and the air around him began to crackle with electricity anticipating his words of power. His battle cry gave his intentions away. Midnyte, sensing his attack, slipped on her magical ring and dissipated before his eyes.

Furious that she had escaped his spell, he closed his eyes tightly and muttered, "Wis Quas" hoping he could undo her disappearance. Nothing...not a sign of her but her haunting laugh. "Show thyself Witch!" He demanded. His request was met with something hitting his face, knocking him off of Doomsday's back. Blood streaming down his chin from his split lip, he gathered himself up and remounted his steed.

Midnyte became visible once again, laughing at the Mage's inability to detect her. "Fool...I'm sure Sammoth will be pleased with her. You really should be honored to have such a gesture befall your kin."

From the Keep, Despana spotted the altercation and decided to investigate. Her hand on the hilt of her rapier, she approached the two. "Is this man bothering you Midnyte?" Tobin held up a hand facing Despana.

"This does not concern thee." He said, eyes still focused on Midnyte.

"If it happens in my city, it does concern me"

"And what authority does a Knight of Gilead hold here?" He snapped at her.

"I am the Mayor of Ottawa under rule of his Majesty Kaloc the Cruel." A smile spread to her lips knowing he would have to leave or jeopardize his place among the Cabal. "I suggest you stand down and leave this city while you're still able."

Midnyte snickered in response to the Mayor's statement, "Despana, do you know the whereabouts of Tobin's Daughter?" Despana shook her head. "Very well, see to it that she's found. Her blood will serve as sacrament to our Master."

"I will try my best," she said coldly, then pointed to the gates of Ottawa indicating Tobin to leave the city.

His nostrils flared in anger at hearing her willingness to assist the dark servant. Barely able to contain his rage, he fought back the urge to incinerate the both of them. "Your assistance with Midnyte will result in your untimely demise. I doubt very much the Cabal would like me dismantling thy nation as a result of a mistake in judgment." He trembled as he spoke, his hatred for their kind began to cloud his judgment. He needed to get to his daughter quickly and see to it she would not be found by anyone but those he trusted.

Upon hearing the threat, Despana threw her head back and laughed heartily. "You underestimate the resources at our disposal. Now...leave immediately." Her hand gripped the hilt of her rapier.

He tugged on the reins of his horse and jerked Doomsday's head in the opposite direction towards the gates of Ottawa. When passing the gate, he turned and waved a hand at the entrance to the city. A stonewall rose up from the ground and blocked passage to Ottawa. To further ensure he wouldn't be followed, he produced a blood-soaked scroll from his back and commanded the dark portal to open. Confident that not even Midnyte could follow him, he stepped through the portal to the Lands of the Dead. Immediately afterward, he dispelled the portal making it impossible for them to follow. As he rode through the eerie plane of the Undead, he began to weep at the thought of Aaryess' soul being devoured by Phaedren. Midnyte had forced him into this decision making it all the more painful for him. "Her soul for Aaryana's" He thought to himself bitterly.

He recalled Phaedren having to make a similar trade in his past; a decision that ultimately made him become the devourer of souls. Perhaps he could offer him a less ambiguous solution than 'saving her soul with love' after his meeting with Midnyte.

Eventually, Tobin came to the grounds where Sutherland stood and opened another dark portal. When passing to the plane of the living, the waft of flowers and salty air filled his nostrils. Maia would surely be upset by the danger Aaryana was in, but he would have to be swift to ensure that not even the generous Tailor could guess her whereabouts.

The knock at the door caused Maia to bolt from her nap. Checking the baby asleep in her crib before answering the door, she opened it only a crack and peeked out. The look on his face stopped her mid-word, “Please be qui……….” He swiftly entered and bolted the door behind him leaning into it. “Lord Tobin? Something is wrong. What has happened? I have never seen you look so……. so upset!” He scrubbed both hands into his face. Taking a deep breath he began speaking quietly but firmly, “Pack her necessities. I am taking her. Please ask no questions.” Maia nodded and began filling leather bags.

Without Aaryana to care for the house seemed an empty place. Maia went outside to take in fresh air unable to sleep. Somehow the darkness felt darker than usual. She passed a few words with Xeminia before hearing an animal in the near distance. Walking further into the darkness to investigate, she saw a horse that was not from the village. She spoke to it quietly for a moment and then realized its owner was standing a bit into the shadows.
“Hello M’Lady,” she said and bowed respectfully.

“Hello, my dear.”

“How may I serve you?”

“A word with you, please.”

Smiling at the noblewoman, “Of course.”

“Is this your home?”

“Yes M’Lady and the Inn as well. May I offer you shelter?”

“Shall we go inside to speak then?”

“The Inn or my house?”

“Your house.”

They walked the short distance to the house in silence. Maia opened the door and offered her a seat. She took it and continued to watch the tailor.

“You are not from Sutherland are you?”

“No I am not.”

“Is this town busy?”

“Nay M’Lady. It is very quiet and secluded.”

“I take it you don’t have many guests.”

“Nay M’Lady. Not since Xavier died.”

“I am looking for someone. He wears red robes and has blonde hair.” Maia began to unconsciously clutch at the waist of her dress. The woman continued, “Have you seen him?” She continued to look at her with black eyes. Maia began to fidget.

“It ‘sounds’ like any one of a number of mages that come here.” The woman watched her reaction closely. Maia swallowed a bit harder than normal averting her eyes. The woman stood slowly, narrowing her eyes and lowering her voice into a threatening whisper “It would not be wise to lie to me.”

Maia’s breathing quickened, “I do not lie, M’Lady.” She would not meet the other woman’s eyes out of fear.

“Dancing around the truth is not a good idea either. Have you seen that man.”

Maia slowly nodded. “Excellent!” She continued, “He has a child, correct.”

Shivering in fear Maia whispered, “Yes M’Lady.”

The voice took on tones of darkness, “And where is this child now?

“He has her.”

“Where did he take her?”

Shrugging she replied, “I don’t know.”

The woman stepped up to her quickly and grabbed her by the throat. Maia choked and struggled to be free. “I want that child” she hissed and tossed her across the room.

“You CAN’T have her!”

With an eerie laugh she said, “Oh, I will. And I will give her blood to my Lord.”

Maia struggled up weakly charging at her. She kicked the tailor in the stomach. “YOU CAN’T HAVE THE BABY!!” Maia screamed at her. She grabbed Maia by her throat again and lifted her off the ground, allowing her to dangle for a moment before throwing her into the chair. Maia choked out the words, “You will ‘never’ get the baby. ‘HE won’t let you take her. ‘I’ won’t let you take her.”

Using all her strength Maia charged again with fists raised and swinging. The woman grabbed her arms, pinning them to her sides she stood behind her. Maia struggled to be free. The woman secured her arms with one arm and drug a sharp nail across Maia’s cheek drawing blood. Anger welled up in Maia’s heart.

“Where…… is…….. that……… child?”

Maia managed to loose one arm and her fist connected with the other’s cheek. “I will never tell you anything.” The woman once again gained control, pinning Maia and not noticing the blow struck to her face. She used her nail to slowly cut down the side of Maia’s neck. Maia cried out in pain. “You will never get me to tell you anything.” Attempting to struggle loose and crying with agony she heard the woman say, “Never is a very long time my dear.”

“Get out of here you ‘witch’.” Her hand worked around to reach into her pocket for her knitting needles. The demonic woman grabbed her throat again, still standing behind her, digging her nails into the soft flesh. Maia screamed multiple times. “I could take you somewhere no one would hear you scream.” Squeezing Maia’s throat a bit harder, Maia tried to turn her head to spit but was unable to do so. The other twisted her arm behind her back. Maia began flailing her feet and screaming, “Some one help me!! HELP ME!!”

“Tell me what I want to know and your pain will end.”

“I will tell you nothing.”

With a hollow laugh, the woman said, “No one can save you from me. Just as no one will save that child.”

“The Duke can save me.”

Maia tried to maneuver to bite the woman, a voice from outside calling her name stopped her. That hesitation lost her chance. The woman let her go, spun her around punching her hard in the jaw. Maia fell to the ground unconscious. The woman kicked her in the side “Wake up and tell me what I want to know!”

Someone was pounding on the door, calling her name.

“Where is the child!”

Choking on blood Maia spat out, “Go away daemon spawn.” The evil being grabbed her face sinking her nails in. “Tell me now or you will die slowly.”

Maia tried to spit the blood on the woman’s armor, “I will tell you ‘nothing’. EVER!”

Strange words emitted from the other’s mouth and as they did Maia writhed in pain. She began screaming with the pain and continued until her voice left her. “TELL ME NOW!!” The thudding at the door was getting louder. Only capable of whispers Maia replied, “I will not tell you. I ‘love’ the baby. I would rather die than let you have her.”

The woman grabbed her by her face again and tossed her across the room. Hissing coldly, “You only delay me. I will have that child.”

“Tobin will not let you.”

“Then Tobin will die.”

The rattling at the door caught her attention. Maia croaked “You made a mistake coming here. When I tell everyone what you did to me they will hunt you down.” The other’s laugh came hollow and emotionless. “Then I suppose you have to die.” Midnyte grabbed her by the throat again. Maia struggled and choked. The daemon woman began squeezing, her nails sinking in deeply. The tailor’s eyes rolled back and she continued to choke. Midnyte felt the warm blood dripping down her arm. Slowly Maia began to struggle less and less. She threw the unconscious body over by the door in a heap. The world became dark for Maia.

Complete consciousness was not available to her. Forcing her mind to clear, Maia remembered being drug by her hair through darkness; cold rooms that housed unspeakable secrets. The chains that held her prisoner bit into her wrists rubbing them raw in bloody circlets. Her shoulders were painful; cartilage wanting to release the shoulder joints and separate the weight of her body from her arms. If she flexed her feet she could touch the floor with the tips of her toes just barely. Attempting to speak no sound came from her cracked lips. “Water” she tried to whisper, “water please”. No one was there to hear her request. She was surrounded in darkness. Her head slumped back bumping the stonewall behind her.

"Hang to life little one, hang to life. Don't let go. You have to be with me to finish our dreams, yours and mine. Master Saotori needs you as well. Hang to life." Brenna’s words sounded in her ears. The sounds of elven warriors … hiding in the recesses and shadows in Ireland… Brenna comforting her with hope of rescue. A man, tall and kind giving her medicine, carrying her to his boat to take her to safety. Darkness came again.

Laughter, running in the sands of Sutherland. Bel tripping in the sand and catching himself before falling. Novaura in her sweetness cooking dinner. Carrying food to Saotori’s house near the piers. Darkness came.

Lysanthan … beautiful horses…. kindness…. standing on the road outside of the Downs… Lysanthan’s voice, “ I am all that remains, it seems.” Kneeling down and looking him in the eye, “Your Grace, I am your humble servant. I swear my loyalty to you. You are 'my king'.” Darkness came.

“You bore me, wench” Midnyte said as she tossed Maia’s limp body over to the door. She watched the blood slowly ooze from the puncture wounds around her throat. “Foolish people should die.” The door rattled from the onslaught from the outside. Midnyte slipped on her ring and faded just as the door came crashing down. A wolf emerged from the rubble and sniffed around.

“Now where or where has my little friend gone..” He said.

Midnyte’s hollow laughter could be heard as she walked past the where the door used to stand, kicking him as she did so.

“Laugh now, I have your scent.”

” Come and find me then...if you can”

“Oh, I will.”

”What could a puppy do to me? Tsk, tsk. Poor, poor puppy.”

Ryan, sensing her near, poured liquid fire on the ground. Flames quickly rose up. ”Oh, I can do that too” Midnyte stepped near him and pour a cloud kill potion on the ground at his feet. He because to choke and cough as the fumes rose around him.

“How amusing.”

”Isn’t it, though.” Midnyte said as she became visible near him. She slowly sucked some of Maia’s blood from one of her fingers. ”She will make a wonderful sacrifice as well”

“Fight me if you wish, die if you don't.”

Midnyte narrowed her eyes and disappeared from sight again. “COWARD! In Vas Por! In Flam Grav” Midnyte laughed at his futile efforts.

“You are a true coward.”

”Perhaps you would like to spill your blood for my Lord as well.”

“Perhaps I would like you to try to spill it.”

”Would you like that?”

“Indeed.”

Midnyte became visible. Quickly, she donned her armor and charged at him. “An Ex Por.” His spells had little effect since her blows quickly broke his concentration. Her poisoned blade biting deep into his flesh. She wasn’t quick enough to break one of his spells and soon felt herself become ill. The whites of her eyes blended to the black of her pupils as she prayed to her Lord. Soon, the toxins were gone and she charged again. She could sense him becoming weaker and called down the wrath of her Lord on him. Soon, his body lay in a twisted heap at her feet. She quickly dismembered him and used his own blood to draw a pentagram in front of Maia’s house.

With the mage disposed of, she reentered the house and found Maia, dazed but awake. She grabbed her by her hair and drug her to Ottawa. Upon entering her tower, Midnyte wasted no time in securing Maia to the wall with the rusty chains that hung there.

“Let me go” she whimpered. ”I’ll never tell you anything.” Her words coming out muffled and unclear.

”Until you tell me what I want to know, you will remain here. Enjoy eternity.”

Word spread to the Mage's ears quickly after her trial had ended. "I smell something foul," was his response to hearing this. It made little sense to him why a King with the word 'cruel' in his name would care that one of his lackeys roughed up a citizen from another nation. Maia had paid the price for her love and it further reinforced his desire to set things right.

Consumed with anger and hatred for the woman that shared the same soul as his Love, he decided to pay her a visit. Maia's torture and abduction would need a particular form of retaliation, another reason for his need to see her. He had intended to notify Phaedren of his difficult choice, but her imprisonment significantly changed his mind that not all was lost. Her spirit, likely broken from the betrayal of her master, would be susceptible to manipulation, even if it came from someone she knew would gladly beat her to a pulp given the chance. Part of him wished to incinerate her and free her soul from the prison of supreme evil, another part maintained hope that he could show her the unconditional love he had difficulty doing while Aaryess was still alive.

The dungeon echoed with voices as he drew closer to the prison. A guard, startled by his sudden appearance from the shadows, dashed over to him and demanded he identify himself. Tobin smiled and then explained that he had no intention of foul play. To further reinforce his presence, he brought along his papers of Nobility; a tactic he generally disliked using for the sake that he never considered himself 'above' anyone. "You may see the prisoner, but no funny stuff." The statement warranted a smirk from Tobin.

"Thee have my word as a Noble." He bowed his head, thanked the guard for his open-mindedness, and handed him a cumbersome bag of coin. "See to it that thy guards are treated to hearty food and drink this evening." Tobin smiled charismatically and dismounted his steed. The guard, delighted by his gesture, offered to make sure Onyx did not wander too close to the ghouls in the less forgiving part of the prison.

Anticipating her awareness of his presence already, he stealthily made his way to her cell. He wanted to observe her behavior before he could justify his presence. Tobin quaffed a potion of invisibility and disappeared from view entirely. His eyes, nearly blind from the darkness, quickly adjusted when he muttered the words of illumination. For a short while, he watched her battered face display emotions of loneliness and betrayal. She sat on the floor and stared through it like she no longer wished to be alive. The sight of this broken woman, Tobin felt something that alarmed him; Pity. Despite her behavior, he found it strange that he still maintained hope for her.

Kesterin's words burned deeply in his skull, "Maia nearly gave her life defending your daughter's life. She paid a terrible price for loving her (Aaryana) as you do." His heart began to pound in his chest, adrenaline coursing through his fatigued body.

Midnyte sat with her back against the bars. She had tried them earlier and found them to be unlocked. If she wanted to, she could have opened the gates and ran past the guards, but she saw not point to it. Where would she go? Every part of her body ached from the recent beating she had received. Her lip was split in two places and she was sure she had at least one black eye.

The sound of voices down the corridors made her stand and turn around. She looked into the darkness and only saw the guards. She leaned forward and places her forehead on the cold metal bars. The echo of footsteps made her look up again only to see the mage in red staring back at her.

“Why have I come?” He said to her as he watched her through the bars.

”Have you come to tell me that it is good that I am here?”

“Rhetoric suits my mood.” He said with a smirk and a slow shake of his head. “I don't sense good in thee. Not for what thee has done.” He shook his head again and gave her a fake smile. “And to be betrayed. I know this taste well. Betrayal is bitter.” He snorted at his own words.

She wiped a tear from her eye. “More than you know.”

“It burns, doesn’t it?”

“What does?”

“The proverbial knife. Someone thee has sworn fealty to...betraying thee.”

She nodded at his words. “My God has forsaken me. Everything I know is falling apart.”

He put his hands on the bars and frowned.

She looked up at him and said, “ If you want to, you can come inside, away from those guards. I have nothing I could harm you with. Everything has been taken from me.”

Tobin looked amazed as she reached over and unlatched the gates. He seemed to study her carefully before retrieving his horse and following her inside. Since the cell lacked anything in the way of comforts, Midnyte found a boulder and sat on it.

“I am showing thee a reckless amount of trust right now.” He said as he flared his nostrils. “I was concerned for thy safety.”

She looked up at him and raised her brow. “Why?”

He griped his fist. “I would very much like to pay something back to thee.” He gripped his fists again.

Midnyte, upon noticing his fist, spread her arms wide and looked him straight in the eye. “Then do it”

He glared at her as his breathing became heavy. “Maia...I owe thee this.” He pulled back his fist and hit Midnyte in the mouth. He growled and then nodded once to her. Midnyte reached up to staunch the blood coming from her already busted lip. “That's all thee will receive from me. I would give one to thee from my daughter, but she is ignorant to thy ways and knows not your wrong-doing.” He turned his back to her but then spun around and offered her a bandage.

She shook her head. “You said you were concerned.... why?” He muttered something about her refusal to accept the bandage. “I want to bleed.”

He leaned against a rock and looked at her. “I can summon an elemental if thee wishes to grapple more.”

“Do what you want. Nothing matters to me anymore”

He shook his head. “I would be no better than thee if I continued.”

“You didn't answer my question.”

He tilted his head and rubbed his fist. “My memory lacks... somewhat.”

“You said you were concerned for me...why?”

He shook his fist and then held it carefully. “Concerned that one punch would lead to more. Concerned that I would have two elementals play tug of war with thee. I rather enjoyed that thought on the way here.”

“Then do it!”

“Thee will once again...not get thy wish.”

Midnyte looks down at her hands. “Do you know what it's like to question your entire reason for being in one night? I would rather it all end instead of feeling like this.”

Tobin smiled thoughtfully. “On a few occasions. Shortly before my daughter was born. Shortly after she was born. Methinks thee does not want to hear of my pity for thee then.”

“Pity?”

He nodded once and looked at her. “Pity.”

“Pity is something you feel for a puppy that has been kicked.” She paused for a moment, realizing how fitting that really was.

Tobin and Midnyte spoke for a while. Then, as if she finally made a decision to ask, Midnyte spoke, “Tobin...” He looked over at her as he sat down. “Will you tell me about...her?”

“Tell thee of my daughter?” He asked. Midnyte shook her head. “Aaryess...”

Midnyte nodded to him. “ You said that she and I...share a soul? But, how can that be?”

His eyes began to water as he nodded to her. “I hurt... when I speak of her. You are a twisted representation. When Aaryess died…her sorrow made her soul go to Sammoth. Upon her death, her church labeled her as a traitor. Her soul was in so much grief... she believed no one wanted her to live.” He paused for a moment, wiping a tear from his eye. “Myself included. I turned my back on her...and had not been able to make right from it.”

She looked at him, her eyes full of questions that he seemed to have the answers to. “ If she and I are the same, why can't I remember?”

He shrugged before answering her; “It wouldn't be prudent for thy creator for thee to be distracted from his will. She had the same intensity...”

She looked down at her hands before continuing with her questions. “So, I am not really real, am I? I'm a "twisted" copy”

He shook his head and smiled weakly at her. “Thee are however thee wishes to be.”

“ What I am is a failure.”

Tobin shrugged. “I wouldn't call it 'failing'. If this indeed is not a trick...” He paused and looked around the cell. “I may yet believe that there is free will in thy mind.”

Midnyte waves her hand around the room. “Look around you, do you think I would stay here if I had a choice?”

He smirked. “I did happen to walk in here quite easily.”

She looked at him then. “If I leave, I will be hunted until I die. If I stay, I may be put to death as well.”

“Unfortunate that thee puts it like that.” He said as he rubbed his chin.

She shrugged. “Perhaps it is this soul's fate to die over and over.”

He took a step forward and paused. Then, another reluctant step. She looked up at him. He looked closely into her eyes before poking her in the shoulder with a smirk. She winced slightly. He put his hand on her shoulder and she tilted her head as she looked at him. He squeezed gently and she winced again in pain. “Amazing...”

“What have I done now?”

“Thou are really flesh and bone, albeit a bit broken and bumped up.”

She looked at his hand on her shoulder. “And all of which are in pain at the moment.”

He pulled his hand back and waves it slightly over her head. “In Mani.” She shook her head quickly and interrupted his spell. “I want the pain.” He tried to offer her another bandage but she just shook her head again.

“No one has ever helped thee...”

“ Why should they?” Came her short reply.

“Because everyone needs help at some time.”

She shrugged and he continued to look her over. Every bump and bruise caught his attention. He spoke some more about the pity he had for her, and empathy. He explained that her doubt and her betrayal were all signs that she was not in her right form. She listened to him quietly as he explained his reasoning. He told her that he was close to the church of Chaos for many years, but his friends were all gone and all that remained were passing strangers. “I hurt for thee believe it or not.” He said, “One has no identity without a past.” He lightly caressed her cheek with his fingertips. “Thou do happen to have a past, regardless of thy memory of it or lack thereof in this case.”

She looked into his eyes. “Is there a way, a way to get it back?”

He shrugged. “Phaedren has told me that thee are not capable of remembering...” A look crossed his face as though he remembered something. He took her chin in his hand and tilted it up towards him. She looked at him and he smiled as he looked at her lips. Tobin leaned forward and kissed her lips softly. He held his lips there for a minute before pulling back, seeming a bit weak in the knees. She opened her eyes and looked at him. “I...Uh...” A bashful smile crossed his face. “wondered. Want to know something?” She nodded in answer. “It was different. Thou are a different kisser, but I still got the same feeling.” He said with a broad grin. She gave him a confused look. “I am still here...to help thee, Midnyte. Regardless of what thee may think I have planned.”

“ Tobin...” she said as she looked down, “ I'm tired, but... could you wait here with me until I fall asleep?”

He took her hand and his voice choked up as he tried to speak. “It would please me very much.” She smiled slightly at him. Looking at her, he thought of Aaryess. “I wanted to marry her... only after I feared I would lose her. But, I know she would be happy if I did. Her happiness was the most important thing. I associate marriage too much with being in a church.” He shuddered at the thought. “It being a pledge in front of one's own god. I believe that it should be deeper than that.” Midnyte slide down from the rock she was sitting on and stood before him. “Marriage didn't quite describe how much I loved her. I know this all sounds negative...”

“No,” she said, “Not really. You loved her, Tobin...there is nothing negative about that”

He put a hand on her shoulder and she winced in pain. He frowned. “May I take thee from thy agony at least?” She shook her head. “I could do it while thee sleeps. And thee could do nothing about it.”

She shook her head. “ It is mine to bare. It is something I need to deal with, not you.”

He placed his hand on the middle on her chest. “There is enough pain in this... to keep thee in agony for a long time.”

“I plan on it.”

“Why not at least not wince when another touches thee?”

“Because, I deserved what I got today.” She said as she lay down on her side and used her arm for a pillow.

“Just as headstrong.” He said with a sigh.

“Will you stay...just for a while?” She asked, not opening her eyes.

He sat down beside her and began stroking her hair. She smiled slightly at his touch. He offered her his robe, but yet again she refused. She closed her eyes, but before falling asleep, she said, “I'm sorry you lost her, Tobin. I hope you find her again” Her breathing became regular as she drifted to sleep.

Tobin leaned down next to her ear and whispered, “Not everyone wants thee dead. Thee may always come back to me.” He kissed her cheek and began humming quietly.

Midnyte sat in the darkness of the prison. With no sense of day or night, she had lost track of how long she had been there, only knowing that it had been a long time. She was cold, hungry and worst of all, alone. Ever since she had fallen asleep next to Tobin, no one had been down to see her. No word on her trial, nothing.

She felt what was coming, not from Gilead, but from her king and Lord. She had broken his law, and for that there was only one punishment, death. She did not fear death, but what was to come after. From what Tobin had told her, she was a borrowed soul. Before all this, she had thought that when she died, she would go to a place to be near her God, but what would happen if He had forsaken her? Would she vanish, or simply cease to be? She had so many questions and so few answer. So, she just remained…in the darkness…waiting.

The bag over her head smelled like…what ever was in it before, and that’s not a good thing. How long have I been down here, Midnyte wondered. She could feel the rats as they crawled over her bound hands. Hunger had given way to delirium. She had tried time and time again to slip into her meditative sleep, but it didn’t come. Soon, her cold black eyes no longer focused on the bag over her head, but everything around her became a gapping void filled with a vast nothingness.

Midnyte felt herself half-floating, half-standing on…nothing. Her wrists were no longer bound and the bag was lifted over her head. She turned to see who had released her, only to have her eyes open wide, her jaw drop and, if she had the skin tone for it, she would have gone pale. There she was, standing in front of her, was the one she had heard so much about…Aaryess Valkyr. Her stark white hair seemed to be blowing in a non-existent breeze and she looked just as she did before the beginning of her end.

“Something tells me you’re surprised to see me.” She said with a smirk playing on her lips.

All Midnyte could do was nod her head, the complete shock still setting in.

“No, you’re not dead…yet, if that’s what you’re wondering. I’m going to explain something to you, something you’ve been having a problem understanding up until now.”

She waved her hand in the air and a single lantern appeared.

“I’m going to explain this the only way you could possibly understand it. Now, just pay attention. This lantern, imagine this is your…our soul.

As she spoke the lens of the lantern turned a glowing orange color.

“This color, it represents the God I served when that soul was mine. When I was born, the lantern was lit and that light it gave off was what I did in my lifetime.”

As if by magic, or some other force, prisms began to float around the room. The wick inside the lantern began to burn and a single, orange ray of light poured though the lens. As the light hit the prisms, they reflected and bounced off one another.

“These prisms, they represent the different choices I made in my life that made me into the person I was. If I had made a different choice about something, the light would have bent a different way and my life would have gone a different path. Are you understanding any of this?”

All Midnyte could do was nod as she watched the light bounce and reflect. “But where do I come into all this?”

“Oh, don’t worry…I’m getting to that part. You see, when I was murdered in Athens, basically my lantern flame was blown out.” To emphasize this point, Aaryess blew out the lantern. “You see? The lantern, well…in this case soul, is still there, even if it’s not being used. But me and my memories, which as you may remember is the light, are gone. Now, this is where you come in.”

As if she was watching a play with Aaryess narrarating it, a dark shape surrounded the lantern, turning the once brilliant orange lens a dark, smoky color. A flame once again danced on the wick and the prisms moved, but the light didn’t react the same way.

“When Sammoth corrupted the soul, you were…created, for lack of a better word. The soul wasn’t a new soul, so it retained part of what it could, my skills and such, but nothing of what made me what I was. Is any of this sinking in?”

Still only able to nod, Midnyte just stared. “So, what happens next?”

“Are you sure you want to know? Being somewhat of a fortune teller in my final days didn’t make me exactly popular.”

“Like any of that matters now…TELL ME!”

With a motion of her hand the void filled with hundreds upon thousands of lanterns. Without being told, Midnyte knew theses were the souls of the world. In the distance, a great nothing was sweeping though them, extinguishing them all. For the first time, Midnyte and Aaryess spoke as one.

“The father comes to punish his children and the world shall crumble before him.”

The smell of filth and vermin permeated through the Dungeon as Torrey carefully made her way to Midnyte's Cell. The guards, almost too eager to help a damsel in distress, were carefully tucked away in another locked cell. As she searched the catacombs, she secretly wished she could not see all the horrors Darkhold had to hide. As if by a great coincidence, the room suddenly went pitch black. "In Lor" She whispered. The world around her again became illuminated with death and torture. After wandering the dungeon a bit, she came to a large metal door with a small rectangular hole at the bottom. Torrey's stomach churned as she laid her head on the musty dungeon floor, attempting to peer through the hole. Her hand quickly covered her mouth as the smell nearly made her wretch. A familiar voice from that hole startled Torrey, "Who's there?" The voice, raspy, yet discernable, spoke again, "Water! Please give me water! So thirsty!" The desperation in Midnyte's voice made Torrey's heart skip a beat. Tears welled up in the corner of her eyes as she fumbled in her pack for a potion. Torrey took a deep breath, collected herself, and then quaffed the green glowing potion. Suddenly, she fell forward wrenching her teeth in pain.

The commotion outside her cell brought on a feeling of great anxiety. Someone, obviously in sheer agony, lay just outside her cell door. She was too scared to say anything to whoever it was. An effeminate groan of pain quickly changed to a more masculine tone. Fear gave way to utter confusion. Midnyte’s chest pounded fiercely as she tried to assess the situation. After a few more moments of searing pain, the masculine, yet familiar voice calmed to muttering. The voice grumbled something about the unpleasantries of being a woman and sounded as if he was dusting himself off.

Tobin, still recovering from his gender transformation, held his head in his hands trying to regain his bearings. Torrey had always been a drain on his mental prowess since her first appearance in his subconscious. As a woman, he experienced a high degree of emotion, which, in some cases proved to be counterproductive to his initial intentions. She would always be a part of him and in some ways, be the better half to his humanity.

Midnyte’s ears twitched as she heard the man kneel. The voice, much louder than she’d heard before, spoke to her softly, “Midnyte, is that thee in the cell?”

She quickly put a name and a face with the voice. Overtaken with surprise, she stammered, “Tobin! But…how…did…you…”

Tobin interrupted shortly, “All in due time my dear, and how close are thee to the door?”

She struggled with her bonds a bit, trying to reach her hands up to the hood, then eventually gave up as she had done several times for however long she’d been down there. “I can’t see anything, I am wearing a hood.” Overwhelmed with emotion, Midnyte began to sob, “Please Tobin! Please get me out of here” she begged.

Tobin produced a knife from his boot and began drawing a pentagram in the dusty floor. He quickly stood and began humming an incantation. His hands moved in a wave like pattern slowly over the pentagram, muttering words very few of his world have heard.

Midnyte, overhearing his chanting, wondered what her savior was going to do about the locked door of her cell. “Tobin, what are you doing out there?”

Sweat beaded on his forehead as he continued chanting and moving his hands over the pentagram. He maintained his concentration until he felt the ever-familiar gust of wind pass by him. The room’s torches flickered as the wind persisted. Suddenly, a plume of brimstone erupted from the pentagram. The room echoed with a deep growl as a Daemon passed through the smoke still smoldering from being pulled from the pits of the Earth.

Frenevatdrix towered over the mage that had just summoned him. “What is thy bidding my Master?” The daemon’s eyes flicked open and close as he waited for his master’s wish.

Tobin pointed to the door, “This door needs to be removed, and it must be pulled as there is someone I wish no harm to come to behind it.” He cleared his throat, “Are thee understanding of my wishes? The daemon’s head bowed in compliance. His obedient servant assessed the door for a moment and reached down to the slot in the bottom of it. Not wanting to share the demise of the door, Tobin took cover behind a vacant Iron Maiden and waited.

A deafening whine of twisted metal filled the room as the Daemon slowly tore the door from its hinges. The final ‘pop’ of the last hinge marked the sign of success. Tobin was pleased with how well things were going until he heard footsteps of approaching guards. He snapped his fingers to get the Daemon’s attention, ‘You! We are expecting guests of an unpleasant nature…thy task is to destroy them should they try to gain access to this chamber.” He thought better of his command and repeated himself, “Kill the guards” He stated sharply. Often times, Daemons would not follow through with tasks if they appeared too ambiguous. He suspected this had to do with their complete obedience.

Still quivering from the frightening noises she had just heard, Midnyte heard footsteps entering her cell. Surprised to see that she still had tears left, she wept and begged for Tobin to remove the hood. Her vision was blinded with the torchlight as he carefully removed the hood from her head. His eyes shone as she looked at his face. “I can’t believe it…you…came..” He pressed his hand against her lips and quieted her attempts at talking.

“Hush m’love, now is not the time for talking.” Screams of horror erupted from the room where the Daemon had entered. Amused by the thought of them completely not expecting a Daemon, Tobin helped Midnyte to her feet. She wobbled helplessly, trying to stand on feet that had not been used in weeks. “Time to leave darling.” Tobin produced a rune from his pack and waved a hand over it. “Vas Rel Por”.

A blinding red gate appeared before him. “Thee should prepare thyself for a bit of light my dear.” He covered her eyes with his hand and slung one of her arms around his neck to support her. They then hastily passed through the gate leaving the dank remains of her captivity.

As they entered the other side of the gate, the moist salt air filled their senses with relief.