Author's notes: I put my other story on hold, because I got stuck. So, until I find a way to get myself out of the grave I dug myself, that story is on hold. In the meanwhile I came up with this story. I hope you all will like it.

English is not my first langage, so if you see any errors, don't be to suprised.

Please R&R and enjoy.

Edit: Thank you Megaolix for pointing out that small mistake.

Disclaimer: I don't own Riviera.

Inner Fears

Chapter 1

Vast.

That was the word the word to describe this forest.

It was located in the southern parts of Asgard, and Ein was here on a mission: to destroy a monster that has been terrorizing a village located deep within the forest. Several dozen soldiers and mercenaries had been send before him to dispose of the monster, but they all failed miserably, returning battered, beaten and completely terrified.

The strange thing was that all of them described the monster differently. One said it was a huge black-scaled dragon, the other said it was a gargoyle, and yet another described it as a gigantic bat. Everyone saw something different, never the same thing. What was the same though, was that everyone said it could literally go up in smoke.

This was going to be quite difficult. This Ein knew for sure. He had been walking for several hours, heading towards the village. At times like these he missed his wings. Being able fly through the blue sky like a soaring eagle… But then Ein would remind himself that it was his own choice to give up his wings, to become a Grim Angel.

Choice.

The thing that is always there, even if you can't see it.

The thing with which you can shape your destiny.

The thing that even the Gods themselves can not take away from you.

Choice.

…Yes, he was certain of it. He made the right choice by becoming a Grim Angel. If he hadn't done that, he would have never met Cierra, Serene, Fia, Lina and all the others Sprites in Riviera, and Hector would have probably gotten away with his evil plan…

It was getting darker, but it wasn't because of the position of the sun. the farther Ein ventured into the forest, the closer the large trees were to each other, their branches and leaves blocking out the sun.

The Grim Angel sighed.

Traveling alone was not very fun. Rose didn't come along because she wanted to work on her book, or so she claimed. He missed his friends… Two years had past already since his return to his homeland. The more he thought about them, the more he missed them.

Lina, Fia, Serene and especially… Cierra. His feelings for her had always been different then the his feelings for his other friends. For a long time he wasn't sure what those feelings were. He thought his feelings for her were the feelings that you wouldhave for an older sister, but since he was an only child he didn't know for sure. Even though Cierra could be a little weird at some times, she had a good heart and the most beautiful and pure smile Ein had ever seen. Every time when she would smile at him, his heart would skip a beat.

When Hector took her soul to awaken Seth, it was as if his heart had been ripped out of his chest… The only thing he wanted to do was to pas judgment on Hector. Well, actually he wanted to rip that goddamn Magi's head off!

…This was the first time Ein had hated someone. He did not only hate Hector for what he did to not only Ledah and Cierra, but to all those innocent souls he had taken, but he also hated himself, for not being to save them.

Ledah, his fellow Grim Angel, his friend, his mentor and his partner.

Cierra, she who had helped him in so many different ways and who he, after the final battle, realized he loved. He was indescribably happy when she was brought back by Ursula, but also disappointed that all those other souls, like Ledah, could not be saved like Cierra…

He- a sudden rustling noise snapped him out of his thoughts. Instinctively, Ein drew his Diviner and took a battle stance. Turning to the sound he saw a beast. Slowly a very large, black wolf-like monster emerged from the bushes. It's crimson-red eyes were fixed upon the wingless angel. Ein's hands began to tremble lightly. With every step the monster took towards him, his hands began to tremble more and more. He didn't know what was happening, he was overwhelmed by fear. It was a fear that he had felt before and never wanted to feel again. No, Ein thought, W-What is this... No...

Slowly he began to back away. He… was afraid.

"What… are you?" he asked with a trembling voice. "Why do you… No! Stay away from me!"

What he did next, was something he had done once and had sworn never to do again.

Ein turned around and he ran, without looking back…