Aphrodite had just finished with a few errands around Cassardis when she began to really realized that maybe, just maybe, she would have to leave her home town to really understand what had happened, and was continuing to happen to her. After jumping onto the rooftops to get the priest's scripts, and delivering the bad news to Merin, she was feeling more than a little tired. Nevertheless, she headed to Iola's and, using her meager savings, she was able to buy better weapons and a few choice pieces of equipment, and from Aestella's, she got curatives to last her.

It was when she approached the city gate that the weirdest thing (not of the day, but close to it) happened. A man fell from the sky, his expression vacant, and raised his hand, his palm scarred much like her chest.

*"That man you saw, he is of the pawn legion," Adaro said, interrupting her staring. "They come from some unknown place. Just appear, without a warning. They're a strange lot. Not human, quite. They look the part sure enough, but they lack the will...the spark what drives us. They have no capacity to feel nor act alone, so they live as sellswords. Myrmidons, they're called." He paused, his brow furrowed in worry and thought. "Mm...There's an encampment west of the village where men gather to face the dragon. I'd wager a fair number of his kind will be there as well. Why don't you take him? Might be you learn aught of why he came to you in the first place."

She stared at this man for a long time and he simply stared back, expression unconcerned by something that would creep anyone else out.

"What's your name?" she asked after she had walked up to him, feeling awed by him and scared of him at the same time. Of what he could mean in this quest that seemed to be opening itself to her little by little.

"Rook," he replied, voice deep and yet oddly bland.

"I'm Aphrodite," she said and he simply nodded.

Feeling no small amount of put out, she turned from him and went out the gate. He followed.

Outside of Cassardis was no mystery to her, she had prowled the beach enough times, searching for flowers or an item lost carelessly by someone who had been on their own mission outside. But she had never been as far from her town as she was about to go.

Rook was anxious to continue and she warily followed, sword and shield at the ready, her nerves on edge. They had barely made it halfway to the encampment when they came upon a merchant beset by goblins, their horrid screams echoing in her ears even as Rook imbued her weapons with fire and she charged, swinging almost desperately with her sword.

The three goblins took a lot longer than she had anticipated to kill, but when the last one fell she turned to the merchant who was grinning despite his injuries.

"That was far too close," he said, holding a hand to his head. "I'm called Reynard. A traveling salesman, though those damnable beasts ruined my wares. But thanks to you, it was only wares I lost. I'll consider it a bargain. You have my thanks." He ran off towards Cassardis, but only after handing her a leather cape, which she took gratefully and proceeded to put on.

They arrived at the encampment only after having realized that she had collected at the flowers for Benita, and had to go all the back to Cassardis, and then come back out. All the while Rook followed her patiently, content to simply go where she went. Aphrodite was slowly becoming used to his constant presence, and even more used to his help fighting the goblins they encountered along the way.

"Well met, Arisen. Can you hear our voice?"

She stood completely still, not sure she had actually heard someone talking to her, and yet knowing that she had. Reluctantly she followed the voice, and Rook who for once had taken charge ahead of her, and made it to what amounted to an inn here.

In the back was a riftstone, she had seen one before, there was one in Cassardis after all. But this one called to her, tugging her towards it. She was afraid.

Nevertheless, she walked to it and put her hand on it, and nearly cried out when the voice spoke to her again, this time much louder, and all in her own head.

"Well met, Arisen. Can you hear our voice?" It repeated, then continued. "We speak to you from across great distance. The pawn legion had awaited you. Pray, forgive this strange and impersonal greeting. This rift serves as a gate. It connects our kind to your world. It opens to the Arisen, for they possess a will powerful enough to guide the legion. It you would claim to be among the Arisen, prove the strength of your resolve." It was a request, a mission, a quest, and with no small amount of hesitation, she accepted, no so in words, but in thought. "Very well. Then we shall guide you in trial. If you are an Arisen in truth, this humble task will prove no obstacle. The Arisen must possess the valor to stand against all threats, and the power to quell them. A tireless spirit of self-improvement grants the strength to lead the legion. Pray, show it now."

Then the presence left her mind and she felt oddly bereft, and yet very grateful. Her mind was her own once again. But she was confused, what trial was she meant to face? She shivered at the implications and went to the innkeeper, who's name turned out to be Ecbal, where she learned that she could learn skills.

She did not have much discipline to use, as it was, but she did end up learning a new sword skill and one for her shield as well, which she had much fun in the actual learning of. And she enjoyed the strength that came with knowing she had more to defend herself with. Feeling much better, she left the tent and walked towards the gates, and that was when it happened.

"The beast comes, hurry!" shouted one knight, and she felt within herself that this was trial. Beast she thought, trying and failing to suppress a shiver of fear.

Afraid, and yet somehow confident with Rook at her side, she pressed towards the leftmost gate and exited, finding not only goblins outside of it, but a cyclops as well. Rook immediately set to giving her a fire enchantment for her weapons, but still she stood there, fear rooted deep.

Then, as if a spell had been broken, she unsheathed her sword and struck at the cyclops's feet, careful to not get stepped on. It was then a goblin chose to attack, hitting her square in the stomach with its club. She felt the breath go out of her from the impact of both the weapon and the ground, but did not have time to recover as the goblin attacked again. She kicked away the club and whipped out her shield, knocking the creature away.

Aphrodite quickly rolled, barely missing being stepped on by the cyclops, and ingested a greenwarish. She felt a lot better when she picked herself, and she finished off the goblin. No others had locked onto her, so she went ofter the cyclops again, letting loose blow after flow as quickly but efficiently as she could.

Rook sent fireballs hurtling at goblins and cyclops alike, his prowess with his staff unmatched by her or even the guards helping. She made a note to compliment him later, but for how she blocked an attack by a goblin and quickly plunged her blade in and out of its chest, and side stepped another attack. A guard, however, took over this goblin and, grateful, she turned back to the cyclops.

When finally it fell, she was sweating and could barely breath and every muscle she had was crying out in pain. She handed greenwarishs to Rook and ate a few herself, until she felt better, then she picked up what she could from the cyclops and they headed back in.

Immediately she headed for the riftstone, ready to get this quest over with and to talk to Ecbal about resting for the night. She had not even yet touched it when the voice spoke.

"With that, your trial is complete." it said. "You are the Arisen in truth, proven beyond any doubt. Now, I bid you select a companion for the journey ahead. They shall serve you and you alone, to share in your hardships and air you in every endeavor."

Aphrodite did not understand, and her fear flared back up. What did the voice mean? A companion? Was Rook not her companion? She stepped forward, glancing at Rook to find him as stoic as ever. How did she chose the companion? Even as the question came into her mind, she touched the stone and gasped, finding herself lost in every memory she had ever had, in every feeling. It was almost too much as she searched—but searched for what?

When finally the memories and feelings receded, a new pawn stood in front of her with Rook, and Aphrodite was surprised by the feelings of kinship that she felt immediately. It had taken time to get used to Rook at first, but she felt strings attached from her to this newcomer.

What really struck her was the complete lack of similarities between her and her new pawn. While Aphrodite herself was dark—dark brown skin, black hair, black eyes—, her new companion was fair with golden blonde hair and, the most surprising and unsettling thing about her, blood red eyes. Both of them sported the uncommon pointed ears, the same hairstyle of a braid over the shoulder, and very short height and petite figure, but otherwise they were opposites.

"What's your name?" Aphrodite asked for the second time in one day.

"Eve, master," came the voice, identical to her own. A shiver passed through her, and her head swam. "Are you alright, master?" There was real concern in Eve's voice.

"Yes, I'm fine," she replied, staring at this new pawn in awe. "I think I need to rest, however."

But, as she turned, Ser Berne stood there with a quest. Mentally groaning, she agreed to it.

After ferrying cargo, and killing his scarecrows, she and her pawns were finally able to go to the inn where she paid for her bed and fell into it.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Unedited: 1,771 words

Yay! The next chapter. This one is a lot longer than the other two. Hm.
Finally we get to meet Aphrodite's main pawn, and get to see what Aphrodite looks like. I'm going to try to get a good screenshot of them up within the next few days as the story photo.

As I play the game (I made a new profile on my Xbox and thus a completely brand new game file), I'll update this. Just to get the dialogue and events properly written down. I'll try not to take too long in updating. I'm so used to my other file that being so weak is really messing with me. Going from one hitting goblins to taking several hits is hard to get used to.

Comments and constructive criticisms are always welcome.

*Adaro says "the mean you were just speaking to". But considering you don't actually speak to Rook in the cut scene, I edited his words a little.