Ayndi had left his house in a hurry that morning, calling out for both Rosaline and Artemis over the crowds. He pushed, shoved, did everything he could to navigate the town. A pregnant woman wasn't meant to be out like Ayndi's wife was. She was close to giving birth! It could have happened at any moment! He tried to reason with himself. Maybe Artemis took her somewhere for a bit, maybe she needed fresh air. But at the same time, his mind told him that it was more than just a coincidence. That dream was so oddly timed, that it was a warning. He just had a dark, brooding feeling about it. He hurried about all morning, not even getting breakfast, calling for them. But as he passed by an old, abandoned house, two men shot out, grabbed him, and pulled him inside. He struggled against them, but they held him firmly, but he froze and gave up soon after.

He was met with the sight of the very same man as was in his dream. He stepped close to Ayndi, moving slowly, seeming quite threatening. He held in his hand, a small injector, and the first thing his did was teasingly waving it in front of Ayndi's face. Ayndi tilted his head back frightfully. His heart was racing, but the man backed off. That was when he noticed them. Ayndi saw that both Rosaline and Artemis were bound in the corner of the room, Artemis frantically struggling against the ropes binding his hands and feet. Their mouths were free, so they could speak. The man in the mask laughed, looking to Ayndi, who was dressed in his Rogue garb, and the sakkat he wore into the desert. The two men holding Ayndi tightened their grip on him as the man in the mask began to speak.

"Good morning." He said sickly.

"Let them go!" Ayndi cried as he tried to lash out at the man, but he just waved the injector again, making Ayndi back off.

"I need them." The man shot at him. "You need to do something for me, Ayndi."

"I'll never lift a finger for you." Ayndi snarled.

"I think you will." The man said. "I saw you fight that Sage and his friends. I must say that you are rather skilled in the ways of fighting. So I need to use your skills to my advantage."

"Never…" Ayndi insisted.

"Well, I'll have to persuade you." The man said.

The man laughed a bit as he turned his sights on Artemis and Rosaline. Ayndi became worried as soon as this happened. The man walked over to them and looked down at them, surveying the two. Both the pregnant woman and the dracologist shivered in fear. Artemis piped up, telling him to aback off, and the man just laughed at the attempt. He reached down and grabbed Artemis by the shirt, and Artemis began to squirm and thrash about wildly, trying desperately to get away. He cried out, yelled, screamed, but all he managed to achieve was a waste of energy. He tired himself out, and the masked man was able to turn him around and slam him against the wall roughly. With the young man's back turned to him, the masked man took the injector and instantly pushed the needle into the back of his neck. It drew blood. Blood dripped down the back of Artemis's neck, and his eyes went wide in shock as an awkward serum was injected into him.

"L… Let… Let Roz… go…" Artemis said weakly as the masked man let him go, and he fell back to the floor.

"Artemis!" Rosaline cried as her brother fell unconscious beside her.

"What did you do to him!" Ayndi yelled as he thrashed wildly to get away from the men.

"Kill the people within the tower." The man said, not even turning to Ayndi. "Kill every last one of them. And you had best be quick… Or else."

"Or else?" Ayndi froze.

"… I think you know." The man said.

The two men let Ayndi go, and he looked to Rosaline, who looked back at him. The look in her eyes was full of fear, and it made Ayndi feel horrible. But suddenly, she grimaced in pain and whimpered lightly, shifting a bit on the ground. Ayndi's heart skipped a beat for a moment. Either Rosaline was going into labor, or it was just some sort of contraction, but he wasn't about to take any chances. Ayndi tried to run to her, but the masked man stood before him, making him stop. Rosaline soon settled down, to Ayndi's relief, but it still told him that she was close to having a child. The man told him to go yet again, and Ayndi could do naught but listen. He turned with a heavy heart and left, he walked out of the house and onto the street once again. Despite the yelling, it seemed everyone around the house was oblivious as to what happened. They didn't even notice. Ayndi shook his head, looking to the ground as he set off towards the tower.

He didn't know what to do. He was so worried about Rosaline, and Artemis. But at the same time, he wanted to avoid killing people. He was caught between a rock and a hard place, and when he reached the tower, he stopped. He stared up at it quietly. He knew he didn't have the right to take anyone else's life. But if he didn't, that masked man, that evil monster, was going to take away the only people he had left to care about. His life would have been ruined, thrown back into a secluded nature all over again. His sense of right and wrong had no point in the situation. He merely had to act on instinct, and that instinct told him to save his wife and brother-in-law, and his unborn child. If not, they would die…

"And I promised." Ayndi sighed.

There was a guard standing at the front of the tower. Raul and his group must have told the city patrol about what happened, and they were going to take precautions. It seemed that Ayndi was staring at a face that he was about to kill. The feeling he got inside, knowing that man was about to die at his hands made him want to sit down and give up right there. What if that man had a family? What if he was about to get a child, just like Ayndi? What if he already had children, and he promised to buy them something on his way home? Ayndi just had to bite his lip though. Ayndi looked away for a moment to ease his own self, before coming up with a plan of desperation. He took in a deep breath and stared down the guard, and just began to run blindly towards the man. He came into focus once the guard noticed him, and told him to stop. But he just pushed past him and ran inside the darkness once again. He stopped soon inside and ducked around a corner, and when he heard the guard running inside, he took out his dagger. He closed his eyes, saying a prayer through grit teeth, and as soon as the guard passed around the corner, he lunged forwards.

Ayndi's blade found itself dug right into one of the open spots on the guard's helmet. It was buried right in the center of his forehead. Ayndi opened his eyes to see the guard staring back at him in a sort of lifeless horror. His life was flashing before his eyes, if they still worked. Blood was oozing from the filled hole, and after several moments, Ayndi ripped the blade out, stumbling back as he did so. He watched in horror as the man collapsed upon the ground, dead, blood freely flowing from his forehead. His eyes will still wide in horror, shock. Shock at the fact he may never be able to see his family again, or eat his favorite food, or love another. Shock at the fact his family, whatever amount there were, would grieve so much over him. Ayndi shook with fright, unable to understand how simply he was able to do it. He cursed himself, called himself a monster, and nearly sobbed as he just stared at the guard's dead carcass. He was snapped out of it when another voice called out to him. Two more guards had found him.

He had to kill them. He had no choice. So swallowing his fear, he turned to the guards and ran at them. One of them was shocked by this blind feat of fury, and the shock was in effect long enough for Ayndi to act. The Rogue leapt at him, landing on him, feet planted on his chest, and his hand gripping his shoulder. The guard fell back onto the ground, and the other guard quickly swung a large axe at the Rogue in blind opposition. Ayndi backed off the man on the ground then, and the large, sharp axe blade split the man's cranium right in half. The guard was mortified, and let the handle of his axe go. Right away, Ayndi was on him, jumping up and kneeing him in the gut. The Rogue knocked the wind from the guard, and quickly got around behind him, taking a split second to slit the man's throat. The guard fell to the floor, gurgling on his own blood, and soon laying motionless, he helmet falling off his head. Ayndi froze again, but soon heard shouts echoing down the corridors. He ran to the darkness and hid then.

He watched from the shadows, lurking mysteriously without a sign. Five other guards, counting all able bodies, were present only seconds later. It seemed that they only patrolled the first floor, as one guard, after inspecting the bodies, proclaimed that he was certain they should have put more in the tower. Ayndi couldn't move. He watched them with mixed emotions of disgust at himself, and panic. He had to kill them. He had no choice. He held tightly to his stiletto, tight enough to hurt his hand, and to turn his skin white. They were so stupid. They just stood there in awe over the bodies. Idiots. Every single one of them was a death waiting to happen. Ayndi's breath got caught in his chest at the thought. What was wrong with him? He was a desperate man, desperate to save his family. And with that thought, he advanced on them once again.

He ran out, and quickly stabbed the closest one in the back. With a tight grip on the blade, he fiercely tugged down, dragging the blade along the guard's spinal cord. He let out a cry and fell forwards, twitching lightly on the ground, but not dying. The other four guards were surprised, but acted quickly to kill him. He stared with wide eyes at the approaching guards, and using quick thinking, he spotted one with his sword not even out. He was behind the other three, so Ayndi used his agility to quickly go around them, actually leaping to and off the wall to do so. He landed before the guard with the sword, and quickly got around behind him. He ripped the guards sword sheathe right off his waist and brought it to his throat. Upon unsheathing the blade, the slit the guy's throat, blood flowing immediately from the wound, and he fell to the ground, dead. He then used the sword to combat the rest of them.

One came running at him, crying out in frustration. Ayndi quickly silenced him by throwing his dagger, it whistling through the air and burying itself in the guard's chest. He took in a heavy gasp and fell to the ground, one of his lungs punctured. The other two were at him then, one with an axe, and another with a sword. They came at the Rogue in unison, so Ayndi was forced on the defensive. Barely blocking a sword slash, and a swing of the axe, he fell to the ground, and swung the sword, actually cutting the axe-wielder's feet right off. He fell to the floor, stubs for feet then, but Ayndi had to leave him as the sword guard attacked him again. Ayndi rolled out of the way, the sword clanging against the brick floor, and stood up. He backed away, wound up, and hurled the sword, horizontally. The throw was hard to accomplish, but the result was cutting the guard clear in half at the waist. The two parts of his body fell, his expression that of surprise. He wasn't even able to defend himself. Blood pooled on the floor.

The last guard, the one without feet, was horrified. Seeing his comrades' deaths, he frantically tried to crawl away in a panic. He dragged himself desperately along the floor, the blood drawing from where his feet used to be leaving a trail on the floor. His heart stopped when he felt a hand gripping the back of his padded armor. He began to sob, knowing that he was next. He was turned around to be facing up at Ayndi. The Rogue froze, seeing his expression. The guard's head was pounding, and he could barely retain normal thought. His cried and sobs echoed through the old tower. But Ayndi had to do it. He had to kill this man to save Rosaline. So he raised his arm, sword in hand, ready to plunge it into the man's heart. The man lay helplessly, shaking his head.

"Please… don't!" The man cried. "I don't want to die!"

"… I'm sorry." Ayndi said quietly, plunging the blade into the man's heart mercilessly.

Blood actually squirted out, hitting Ayndi in the cheek. A few drops were all it was, and the man let out a weak sigh before finally going limp. Ayndi dropped the man, leaving the sword impaled within him, and stood up, backing away. His heart was racing, and his head was pounding. Again he got that feeling of misery and confusion. What had he done? He backed away quicker, just before tripping over another body and falling back onto the floor, sitting up. He could see the shocked expression on that guard's face… In fact, it was on all their faces. Ayndi hadn't even gotten a scar for what he had done, and yet every single one of those men lost their lives in a fifteen minute time period. Ayndi couldn't understand why. He didn't understand that it was easy for him to take another man's life. It was physically easy. But with the way he stared in wide-eyed amazement showed that the mental component was too much. He got up again and quickly turned, and began to run. But he only got a few steps before he stopped.

He wrapped his arms around his own middle-section, breathing heavily. He was choking back horrified sobs as he fell to his knees, his head down, holding his body. He began to cry. It was too much for him, he didn't understand. He felt guilty, he felt evil. He felt as if his own life would never be the same. The guard's cries of pain filled his mind, a reminder of just how he did it. All the different ways he killed those men. He found that he was actually being quite creative! This thought, this idea that he had no right to take another man's life, this sense of right and wrong was skewed. He heard footsteps echoing in the halls, and cursed himself. He didn't want to kill again. He didn't want to take another person's life. What if it was a woman, or a younger child? What if he had to kill them too? He shook his head, muttering to himself.

"You did well." The masked man said.

Ayndi shot his gaze up, finding himself staring at the masked man who told him to do what he did. He was surveying the damage.

"And you weren't even scratched!" The man said. "Quite impressive."

Ayndi nodded, slowly moving to stand up, blood on the knees of his pants then. He looked to see the two men. One was holding Rosaline in their arms, being surprisingly caring of her pregnant from. She was staring around in horror as well. She didn't think Ayndi was ever capable of doing what he had done. But the reality hit her like a train, and she couldn't say a word, even when she looked right into her husband's eyes. Another man was holding Artemis over his shoulder. The masked man laughed a bit, seeing Ayndi's tear-stained face. He went about thanking Ayndi, when Artemis suddenly began acting strangely. He began to twitch furiously, and groan in pain. All eyes were turned on him then.

"Hmm, the Draconis Serum is having an adverse effect on him." The masked man said. "Bring him back home, and put him in the lab. Set him in the chamber, and put him under surveillance."

"What's happing to him!" Ayndi cried. "What did you do?"

"I hear he loves dragons…" The man laughed. The one man summoned a portal and walked into it, disappearing, it closing seconds later.

"Bring him back!" Ayndi demanded, grabbing onto the man's shirt.

"And have him simultaneously combust?" The man asked, grabbing Ayndi's wrist and beginning to crush it, making Ayndi grit his teeth. The man then picked up and threw him across the corridor. He landed on the ground roughly, his sakkat falling off, and looked up at the man in shock. The man then stepped over to Ayndi and stepped on his chest, pinning him to the floor and leaning over him.

"You're a fool." He said.

"Wh-What?" Ayndi was confused, as anyone would have been.

"I've seen what you're capable of, and I know your ambitions." The man said. "I'm well aware that if I let you and your wife go, you'll come to get back at me."

Ayndi couldn't say anything. The man was right.

But the man then did something that scarred Ayndi for life. As punishment, for Ayndi just being who he was, the man turned his sights on Rosaline. Ayndi moved to get up quickly, but the man easily knocked him aside. The person holding Rosaline set her down, and in fright, she backed away from the masked man, falling back to the floor with a painful whimper. Ayndi desperately moved to stop the man again, just as easily being knocked aside, hitting his back against the wall and sliding down to the floor. His mind was racing as he watched maybe his most horrible of nightmares coming true right before his eyes. His wife was cowering away from this man, who had somehow made a mysterious blade appear in his hand. It was as black as night, without the blue-y hue of the sky. It was a starless space, in the shape of a very sharp blade. Ayndi got up again and ran at the man, taking out his dagger. He wasn't going to let this masked man take away his happiness.

But before Ayndi could strike, the man whipped around and slashed the shadow blade at his legs. Ayndi felt the sting of the blade and fell to his knees, his lower legs having been cut. He grit his teeth, an odd feeling taking his legs. He dropped his dagger and held the bleeding wound. Blood flowed out of it, oddly, even though the cut was minor. This awkward feeling flowed within him, starting at his legs and slowly creeping up his body. It made his lungs fail a little, and he coughed, gasping for air. With a breathless gaze, he lifted his hands from the wound and eyed them. Black blood stained his fingers and palms. He was horrified, something from his dream also coming true. He looked up at the masked man, whom was lurking over Rosaline, and quickly got up again, pushing himself to aid her. Unfortunately his strides were cut short as he fell to the floor, this awkward feeling of emptiness reaching his head, and shutting down his movements. His mind still worked though, and he attempted to lift his head, but couldn't.

Ayndi was forced to watch as this monster of a man grabbed his wife and lifted her from the ground. Rosaline was crying by that point, scared for her life. But it was no use; her life was already over. The man in the mask held her by her dress, and with a moment's pause, lunged the shadow blade into her carrying stomach. Rosaline screamed out in pain and horror, and Ayndi thought, somewhere in his mind, he could hear the cry of his unborn child. The masked man held the blade within Rosaline's stomach for a short time before ripping it out and throwing her down to the ground beside Ayndi. She landed roughly on her front side, staring into Ayndi's eyes, which looked a lot like Rosaline's. Both of them were staring at one another, knowing that it was going to be the last time. But they couldn't look happy, nobody could. Their tears flowed, staining the cold floor beneath them, as well as their corrupted blood. Rosaline opened her mouth to speak, but only a breathless gasp was made as her eyes began to fade to black. Ayndi had just begun to gain some movement, and in turn, his sadness intensified to the point where he was openly weeping on the cold floor. By the time he regained full mobility, Rosaline was long dead, her body cold, and her insides black and rotting away.

Ayndi rolled over onto his back, coughing slightly from the lack of air his weeping had caused. He shook his head, rubbing at his forehead and eyes, and even gripped and pulled his hair. He couldn't believe what he'd seen; he wasn't able to accept it. He hit the back of his head off the floor repeatedly, lightly in weak attempts. He muttered to himself and sobbed, his ability of rational thought leaving him as he was forced to watch his wife's death. He was without anyone all over again. But this time, instead of loneliness, his life was hurled into a mad state of depression and darkness, and it was all because of some nameless man, some embodiment of evil, someone worse than the slaver, someone ruthless and emotionless, someone who was still lurking over Ayndi, laughing at his suffering. The man picked Ayndi up off the floor by head neck, and Ayndi hung almost lifelessly in his grasp.

"I could kill you right now." The man said, awkwardly calm. "But the question is, do you want to die?"

Ayndi then made a decision that raced through his mind, and making his head hurt. Through the choking hold of the man, Ayndi sealed his fate, a fate that was not to end in happiness or triumph. He chose a fate that also ultimately decided the fate of a young woman in Commodo. Ayndi chose something that he had many regrets about. He chose to follow his word, and keep his promise to his newly deceased wife. And it was, through tear-stained eyes and a choked out voice, he replied.

His answer was: no.