I don't play Aion anymore and the highest lvl I've gotten was at 20 O.o

The two Daevas landed softly in Pandaemonium. From what Alyah could see, Pandaemonium was a lot different then Sanctum. It was darker, but the city seemed simple and easier to navigate. Quite beautiful in it's own way even if this was to be her final destination.

Three Asmodians were talking to each-other on a path leading up to the Vifrost Bridge. Two were men and the other a woman wearing a pretty dress of red shades. She had dark hair, short bangs in the front with a side ponytail to the left.

Alyah and the other Daeva both walked a few feet when two guards came out of nowhere and stopped them. "Halt, What is the meaning of this!" Both of the guards looked over at Alyah.

"I am to see Balder, he will know what to do with her." The Daeva glanced over to the three Asmodians and back at the guards.

"I'm afraid he already left to his bed chambers, we will take her to Altgard's dungeon and let him know about this in the morning."

"DREI!" Someone shouted.

Everyone looked over to see the woman in the red dress running towards them.

"Drei?...she doesn't mean Dreiden, one of the top ranked Asmodian? All this time he was with me and I never knew it." Alyah thought in shock.

The woman ran up and jumped at him while his head turned as if she was going to head-butt him. He never catched her in his arms and seemed to be annoyed by her presence, but still he was emotionless.

"Honey! you took along time to come back when you said you were gonna be gone for less then a day," she said cheerfully with a big smile till she noticed an Elyos woman standing there. "Who is she?" she said in a jealousy way.

"Roswyne," Dreiden said in a annoying voice as he puts her down. "Any news from Yiz?"

The guards gripped Alyah by the arms hard and pulled her while walking to the teleporter. Alyah looks back to see Dreiden watching her, but it made her harder to pull so they pushed her hard...hard enough to make her fall. Having her hands tied behind her back made it worse since she couldn't save herself from hitting her head on the hard floor. The guards roughly picked her up from the arms and dragged her towards the teleporter once again.

All that time Roswyne talked what he has asked her, till she noticed Dreiden was not listening but staring at the Elyos woman. She didn't like that at all and grabbed his jaw to face hers.

"What the hell?! Were you cheating on me while you were in Ishalgen? And with one of those wretches!"

Dreiden pushed her off of him.

"We are not together, you know this and were told many times before," Dreiden had butterflies in his stomach while he was watching Alyah, he didn't know why he did but Roswyne was getting to him like always. "And no I'm not with her if it's any of your business."

"Hmph! Well like it or not we are stuck together and you better get used to it." She paused and changed her expression back to cheerful, "now honey, don't be upset with me...you know I love you."

This was exactly why he didn't want anything to do with her. He hated being around her for she was too clingy, too emotional, and just too crazy for him. He tried breaking up with her many times before but nothing gets through to her head. Her appearance may be cute and she may know how to be a sorcerer very well in battle but her personality was quite strange. She never accepts to be rejected, it used to frustrate him but having been around her for so long with no help from anyone...he begins to not care anymore. He a casually would tell her their not together if she talks about cheating or going on a date together but no matter what she believes they are married in some way.

Dreiden didn't answer her but asked again what the news were.

"Yiz is gathering everyone later today for a meeting, he wanted the meeting earlier but you never showed up and we were all waiting for you. He was talking something about the enemies are getting ready to take over our fort in the abyss...Oh! and that we need to be in groups."

"Who are they?" Dreiden quietly asked.

"I don't know and I don't care, just as long as you and me are fighting side by...."

Dreiden walks off before she got a chance to finish what she wanted to say.

"Where are you going?" She starts to walk fast to catch up to him, "Are you going to your apartment? Can I come along?"

He did not answer nor did he care to listen to her ramblings and questions. She talked and followed him all the way to the building then to his apartment. As he approached his door and opened it, she followed him and was about to come in when he slammed the door right in her face.

The knocking and yelling didn't go away till an hour had passed. Finally in his own place with peace, he was tired from not sleeping more then 24 hours since the Ishalgen missions the humans had requested. He sat down at a small table and took out from his bag, a piece of bread and a pouch of wine that was poured in a goblet. The piece of bread was a bit stale and the wine had a bad after taste, but it was okay for a man who didn't have anything to eat for the day. As soon as he was done, he left the messy table, got into comfortable clothes and crawled into his bed, closed his eyes and relaxed.

He lied there waiting for his mind and body to drift into sleep but it never did. His mind was racing with thoughts. Thoughts of that woman, "how could one Elyos woman could be so different then the rest of her kind...No...how such a rare gem made her way out of the iron mine only to suffer for being different."

"I should have let her go...but...but even though she may be different from them, she is still an Elyos. An enemy that blamed us for the destruction of the Tower of Eternity when it was their own fault. And if I do, she'll tell her people the rift went to our lands. But what If she...if she never believed in their lies and know the truth then maybe, just maybe she cares."

Dreiden mixed thoughts made his head ache, he tried to stop but they just flowed out of him like water leading to a waterfall. Something was wrong, he couldn't stop thinking about her...it wasn't like he was attracted to her in anyway. He didn't know her well enough to even like her, she is an enemy to his people so why couldn't he stop?

Finally he couldn't take it, he got up off the bed, dressed in clean clothes, grabbed a sack full of kinah and walked out of his apartment. The city was empty except the nighttime shift guards hanging around their patrol. He made his way to the teleporter and asked to go to Altgard, paid him the fee and went through the portal.

Little has changed in Altgard since his last visit. It was still surrounded by it's icy lake and the sounds of nature at night were still heard coming from miles away in the forest. Only a few new buildings were the only noticeable changes. They looked like stores so Altgard must be booming with business now a days. He had no time to admire the night sky or atmosphere, wanting to ease his mind he hurried and made his way to the entrance of the dungeon. He walked past two guards who were standing there and slowly went down the path leading to the prisoners.

A few prison cells were occupied but he noticed her almost immediately. She was to the left with two guards standing in front of her cell. Alyah was sitting against the side cell bars with her head down. Wearing nothing but rags, her hair was messy and she looked like an overused doll. It wasn't until he came close to see she was brutally battered, although not able to see her face clearly. Her arms were bruised in dark colors of black and blue and her body signs were lifeless.

"I would like to talk to the Elyos prisoner." He said to the guards, "...privately if I may."

"Are you the one who took her here?"

He nodded.

The guard looked to the other for acceptance, the other nodded and he turned his head back to Dreiden.

"Well...I guess it's alright." He motioned to the other guard to go and both started to walk towards the other side of the place, "we'll give you a few minutes so make it quick."

"And we will be watching you so don't do anything stupid." The other guard said.

Dreiden waited till they were faraway for them to hear and came close enough to touch the bars.

"Alyah? Are you well enough to talk and possibly answer some questions?"

"Go on..." Her breathing was heavy and her voice was strained.

A knot in his stomach rose again and he felt angry just by looking at her...not that she was Elyos, no, but the way the guards treated her. These emotions were strong but his will of showing them were stronger, since he lost all emotions for being immortal for too long. But still, he hadn't felt this way in the longest time, showing no kind of emotions on his face nor body. It was his greatest ally on the battlefield in the abyss after-all, so why show it now?

"Your kindness is far more then any of your people, but look where it has put you...that is your weakness."

Alyah sighed. "So you come here to tell me this?" She talked slowly and continued, "I don't regret saving her."

He resisted the urge to chuckle, instead a slight smirk was shown on his face. "If your rift was never there, the girl would have been fine anyway. My arrows were ready to kill those beasts until you came along."

"So luck is not on my side after..."

"There is no such thing as luck" he interrupted her, "but something has brought you here. It could be kindness, stupidity, carelessness, or however you call it...bad luck. Possibly all those things and are suffering for it, but you came here for a reason."

"If you came here to talk down to me then please leave!" Alyah was annoyed.

"Alyah, that was not my intention but if you wish it then I will leave you alone."

She did not answer nor say a word, he waited a moment but she turned her head away from him.

"Your kindness will be the end of you, being in prison will make you bitter and crazy. Wait a few years and I'll come back to visit you...then we will see if you regret."

She did not say a word nor did she move. He realized that was his cue to go, but he had so much more to tell her before he left Altgard for good again. It was useless talking to her now...Balder would have her torture for questioning anyway.

Dreiden looked over to the guards to let them know the conversation was over. Dreiden was ready to let it go behind him now and move on, hopefully get some sleep before the start of a new day.

He had only walked a few feet till she spoke.

"Do you know what I wish for? All of us to forget our differences, so we can come together and bring down the Balaur."

Dreiden stopped and stood still, he couldn't move nor speak. For the first time, in along time, he felt something inside of him. No one could see the shock on his face and in his body that left him paralyzed. For so long, fighting was his only objective. It consumed him. Like a puppet with strings...until her words cut them. She hit a spot of his memory that were so long ago. Endless fighting made him this way and he realizes that now.

The guards started laughing hysterically.

"Hear that?!" The guard jabbed his elbow into his partner's arm. "We can invite some Elyos to come over for dinner with us. My wife will love that."

"Yeah, we could go fishing in their rivers, wouldn't that be fun?" The other guard said while still laughing.

"We'll have so much fun, Ha Ha Ha!" The guard ended their mockery at Alyah.

The second guard looked over at her, "Your people had that chance, remember?...but no, they blamed everything on us."

"She's only saying that so she could get out, well it won't work."

"She...she wishes...that?" Dreiden thought. His eyes and mouth were wide opened, and the feeling of regret was coming over him quickly. "What have I done?" he said to himself and slowly walked out of the dungeon.

Thankfully, he was able to get into his apartment without interruption from anyone. Once inside he leaned against the door and held his head in his hands.

"What have I done?!" He said loudly to himself.

Dreiden knew she wasn't lying. Even though they haven't met for every long, he could tell she has a kind heart...no, it was more then that. And he believed her. It is too late to help her now...or is it?

He lifts up his head to face the small widow on the other side of the room. Outside of the window, far off into the distance were snow covered mountains. He knew what to do, but he needed a plan that would work. Quickly he searches his apartment for writing materials, trashing the place as he goes. Once he found everything he needed, he pushed off the items that was on the messy table, which dropped to the floor and began writing quickly.

It was early in the morning when Dreiden walked out of his apartment. He had dark circles under his glassy tired eyes and his hair was a bit messy then usual. Even though he was constantly yawning, wiping away the forming of tears in his eyes and the feeling of falling down to sleep, nothing was gonna stop him.

The first thing he had to do was to go see his friend, Noireth, who is most likely in the Apellbine Tavern. With no hobby or girlfriend, he spends most of his free time in the Tavern. Noireth has always been an excellent assassin, not the best but he seems to enjoy fighting more then Dreiden. He has always been there for him...even if Dreiden was the one doing all the favors for him, now it was his turn to return it.

Dreiden steps into the Apellbine Tavern and looks around. There were not many people there and he could easily spot Noireth seating at the bar. As he approached him, he placed his hand on his shoulder to get his attention.

"Go away, I'm not leaving yet." Noireth said in annoyance way.

"I need to talk to you."

Noireth turned around and stared at him.

"And where have you been? Roswyne was driving me crazy, you missed the meeting yesterday and Yiz is probably mad at you." Noireth lends closer to Dreiden's face. "Have you look in the mirror? Ya look horrible!"

"I need to talk to you and Sylvan privately. Where is Sylvan?"

"How do I know? That bastard owes me kinah. But first you need to talk to Yiz, he's having another meeting with other members later, so meet me in the alleyway when he's done talking to you."

"Don't forget and don't tell anyone about this or where your meeting me." Dreiden then walks away.

As he steps out of the Tavern, a guard stands in front of him.

"Are you Dreiden? The one who brought the Elyos woman here?"

"Yes."

"Come with me, the High Priest wants to see your presence."

Dreiden follows him close behind. They walked past the Market Street and on to Vifrost Bridge, then turned into a path leading into the Great Temple of Pandaemonium. Once inside, they brushed off many people who ran back and forth into the Temple. Dreiden and the guard walked on into the hall and stopped at the carpet leading where Balder, The Great Priest, stands on top of the steps. Many people were standing on the other side of the carpet and where silenced. Balder motioned Dreiden to come closer. Dreiden gets close to the steps but did not go up them, he bowed at Balder.

"Dreiden? You are the man who captured the enemy on our grounds?"

Raising up from his bow, "Yes sir."

"Tell me everything from the beginning."

Dreiden tells him how she came out of the rift, how she saved Rae, a human girl, and did not kill her. How she did not put up a fight when he took her as a prisoner, nor did she try to escape when he was talking privately with the Raider's leader when she could have easily done so.

He stopped for a moment till Balder asked.

"Have you questioned her about why she came here?"

"Yes, but no answer. I asked her what happened before the rift but she was silent. She barely talked to anyone..."

He was about to say "but the human girl." If he did, Balder might have gotten some Daevas after Rae for questioning, or worse, use her as a tool to make Alyah answer their questions. He knew they would do such things if it was to get their way and he wouldn't allow that to happen.

"I see, and where is this rift?"

A guard comes over to Dreiden with a large map. He points to the spot where Alyah's rift was and Balder nods.

Balder looks over at a guard, "We need our men over in that area, right away!"

"You may go now." Balder motioned Dreiden with his hand.

"Thank you sir." Dreiden bows slightly with only his head and turns around to walk away with two steps.

"Get some rest for the day mighty ranger."

He did not stop or said a word and kept walking. His next target was to locate Yiz. Who could be in the Temple of Gold at this time of day.

Pandaemonium was starting to get crowded like always at this time, some people were running fast while others took their time walking around. Dreiden was bumped into many people, he didn't mind it so much just as long as they weren't the wrong people. He eventually past the market street and made his way into the Temple of Gold.

Walking slowly around through the crowds trying to find Yiz but he spotted Roswyne on the other side of the room. She was standing next to the bank table, counting kinah what it seemed. She was the last person he wanted to see...really not at all. Quickly he turned around and walked back out. He stood there thinking where to go, he had to move fast before Roswyne came out. The Plaza, that's where the new meetings were now which was close by from him.

There, on the steps of the Plaza, Yiz was standing up talking with a few members who were sitting on the steps. As Dreiden got near, Yiz noticed him. From a content face to a frown at Dreiden, then folding his arms across his chest.

"Welcome back."

Dreiden approached the steps, "What enemy is taking over the fort?"

"Sources say the Balaur are gathering up near our fort, but this was two days ago. There have been no news of yet, so who knows what is happening now."

Dreiden nods.

Yiz continued, "You are the strongest Scout. You will be in the first group who will be fighting these fiends head on. I need you to kill as many as you can. If they took over the fort, you will be holding them off once we get inside."

"I'm not coming." Dreiden blurred out.

Yiz was silent for a moment, he wasn't sure what he heard. Dreiden never rejects for fighting any enemy. "What?! What is more important then the Balaur?"

"I need to do something, you will be fine without me...Noireth and Sylvan also."

He looks at Sylvan, who is sitting on the step nearest to him in shock, and motions him to come with him.

Yiz was angry and it showed. He wanted to say something without making a scene but nothing came out.

Dreiden quickly takes Sylvan by the arm and pulls him away from the steps then lets go of his arm. Without yelling, without a word, the plaza was silent as they both left.

Both went into an alleyway, where they met Noireth waiting. "So what's this about?"

Noireth and Sylvan looked at Dreiden.

"I need a favor from both of you. One where all the favors I've done for both of you will top them." Dreiden said.

"I don't like the sound of this already." Noireth hissed.

"Uh, what's the favor?" Sylvan was still in shock.

"Sylvan, I need you to carry many things to Beluslan in the deserted house. Noireth, I need you to get the Elyos woman out of prison and bring her to the deserted house."

Sylvan and Noireth stood there a moment quiet and still.

When Noireth snapped out of it, he exploded. "Are you crazy?! That's treason."

"Quiet! I'll make this short but you must do this tonight. That woman is not like her kind, she had a chance to kill a human girl but she didn't. She had a chance to go back in the rift where she came from and tell her people where it leads to, she didn't. When I seen her in prison, the last thing she said was that she wished for everyone to join forces and fight the Balaur."

"How ironic." Sylvan chuckled.

"Quiet you. Don't you know if we are caught they will make us exile." Noireth said to Sylvan.

"I know...but I'm tired of fighting two enemies" Sylvan wined

"You..." Noireth was interrupted.

"Promise me, both of you will not say anything to anyone." Dreiden said.

Noireth and Sylvan nodded.

Dreiden looks at Sylvan, "When darkness comes, you need to leave first. Don't go to the teleporter, instead fall off the balcony and glide towards Beluslan. Make sure no one sees you. When you get there, set up everything for her. Here is a list of things." He pulls out a piece of paper from his pocket and hands it to him. "Stay there with her till I come, make sure she doesn't leave and keep her in your sight when she gets out of the house."

"So he's babysitting? What am I suppose to do?" Noireth asked.

"Same, make sure there is food ready when she wakes." Dreiden answered.

"Great! We're both babysitting, why did I even ask? Am I not allowed to come back when I drop her off?" Noireth hissed.

"You're not, and no you need to stay there for Sylvan till I come." Dreiden said.

"Ahh, so I'm babysitting one moron and an enemy. How convenient. I will regret saying this, but what do you want me to do?" Noireth asked.

"What assassins do best, sneak in. No killing and no fighting, only knock them out if you need to."

Noireth mumbled to himself.

"How long will you be?" Sylvan asked.

"Not sure, I'm hoping less then a day." Drieden answered.

"Just so you know, if I get caught I'm blaming it on you." Noireth said, looking at Dreiden.

"I will take full responsibility." Drieden a shored him.

Sylvan looks at Noireth, "Uh, you're the one who is taking the Elyos woman out of prison. They'll exile you first." He teased.

Noireth gives him an evil stare.

"Remember, don't go to the teleporter. We will need to fall off and glide. I will do the rest to make sure we won't be suspicious the following day. When all is well, I'll come to the house and you may go if you want. Be nice to her." Dreiden looks at Noireth. "And don't do anything to her."

"What if she attacks us first?" Noireth asked.

"I'll meet you both at the deserted house." He turned around and left.

"I have a good feeling about this." Sylvan said to Noireth.

Noireth did not answer but simply rubbed his forehead and thought, "I don't like where this is going."

Darkness of the night approached fast and Noireth was getting ready for his treason favor, as he calls it. Noireth puts on dark clothing and sighed.

"What have I gotten into?" he thought and sneaks out of the alleyway.

Less people made his work easier to make his way to the Airship Docks, he got there faster then expected. The Airship Docks had more people working but they left cargo scattered everywhere. Which he went from one cargo to the next with ease and got to the railing. There was a ship near him so he waited till there were no people on board to jump off. Instead they were ready to be off so he hid between boxes. Once the ship left, he quickly came out and looked around. The workers were else where, so finally he jumped off and free fall till he was out of sight. His dark wings came out and glided till he was near Altgard.

At the walls of Altgard, the guards stood at the gates and some were flying around on top. He waited till the guards flying on top left and he flew up on top of the wall. Scanning the area only to see a few guards walking around inside. He waited till the guards walked off and hurried over the wall before the guards flying above came around. Sneaking beside the wall, he made it to the dungeon, and luckily there were no guards standing at the entrance.

He walked inside down the path and there he saw two guards. Both were in-front of a cell, they were talking and laughing. Noireth quietly sneaked beside the walls and laid low when he got close. He grabbed a big pebble when he got close to the guards and distracted them by throwing the pebble on the opposite from him. When the guards turned. He lashed out, hitting both guards in the neck that made them fall to the ground. Quickly he grabbed the cell keys from one of the fallen guards and tried a few keys till one unlocked the cell.

As he entered the cell, the woman was lying there on her stomach like an old beat up doll. He turned her around to find her face spotted of black and blue, and her ragged clothing had blood stains. She would have been pretty for an Elyos woman if not for the cuts and bruises left on her face and body. He took out a long dark linen of cloth he had stashed in his shirt and wrapped her up in it. She mumbled and opened her eyes for a few seconds then closed them again.

"She better not wake up" he thought, "if she screams, I'm dropping her and leaving...no, I'll silence her myself that way I won't be caught. This is madness. Don't know why I didn't stop him. He lost his mind. Roswyne would go crazy with him if she only knew." He chuckled to himself

He picked her up over his shoulder and realized she is lighter then expected. He needed to be more careful now.

"If anyone see me with her, I'm done for. A shame she is out of it, I would have wanted to fight her and pound her head in. Ha ha, I would have enjoyed that." He chuckled to himself again.

As quickly as he came, he hurried to the dungeon's entrance and peeked out. A guard was coming while she was reading a few pages of paper and stopped. Her face changed to disappointment and turned around.

"Phew, that was close." He thought and sneaked over at the walls of Altgard.

Noireth waited till the guards flying above left and he quickly flew over the wall. Once he landed on the other side of the wall, footsteps were heard and coming close.

"Dammit!" he thought.

Noireth looked around only to see a beam supporting the wall and quickly stood still beside. The guard did not noticed and past by him. Finally he left without being seen from anyone and left on his way to Beluslan.