Zillah moved through the rift. Her mistress had said it was dark and cold there, but it was not so with her. Humans had no word for such a place. It was not her home. The rift did not belong to her as the concept of property. Perhaps it could best be described as a sanctuary, where the pawn was most at ease. Here, time had no value. Zillah could walk among the shadows of the rift for what could seem to be hours, and return without a minute passing in Gransys. That said, she was eager to return the Arisen's side.

Pawns had no authority over each other. They had naught the will for hierarchy. These were her kin. She had come into existence only recently, born through her duty to Arisen, but she was of the pawn legion forever. Perhaps not in form, a shade among shadows. Death was a stranger among them. And, so was life.

Zillah had tried explaining to the Arisen that pawns never truly died. They only returned to the rift, ready to be summoned once again. Her words fell on deaf ears. The Arisen only stared at her with human melancholy. Zillah was new to the world outside the rift, but she knew enough to differentiate basic emotions. The Arisen's mood had changed when she learned of the pawn's, Rook's, "death." Zillah knew he was the first of her kind to accompany her.

The Arisen must have felt guilt, then. It was inane. Although she appreciated her master's concern, it was unnecessary. Pawns will always put their "lives" on the line for the Arisen. It just was.

Zillah had told her that even if she were to die, her master could summon her at a riftstone. She did not understand why that information only seemed to further upset the Arisen. Humans were…strange.

The Arisen was fast asleep when Zillah returned. The candle upon the dresser was still lit, and fluttered weakly in the dark. Her master's sword lay propped against the wall beside the bed, and a newly awarded shield beside it.

The Arisen slept on her side, hands curled in front of her face. Zillah momentarily watched her and listened, assuring herself that her master was, indeed, breathing. Unlike pawns, humans died permanently. She blew out the candle and exited the Arisen's home. It was quiet night in Cassardis.

Rook was waiting patiently outside her master's home.

"She is asleep." Zillah whispered.

"Very well," Rook replied, rubbing his chin. "I shall return in the morning."

"She seemed quite upset," she said, glancing at the dark window of the house. "Even with my assurances."

The mage looked at her. "Humans fear death. 'Tis natural for their kind. You will better understand human emotions the more you interact with them."

"Do you?"

"No," he turned, looking far toward the riftstone. "Not all of it."

"I explained to the Arisen that pawns do not die."

"I know."

"That she could summon you at her side again."

"I know."

"Then why does she choose to be upset?"

Rook sighed – a very human response that bothered her. "They have as much control over their emotions as they do over the weather." he said. "They haven't a choice. It just is."

Zillah watched the other pawn leave. She would have to figure things out along the way.

When the Arisen saw Rook the next morning, she threw her arms around his waist and lifted him off the ground (impressive, really, considering how much shorter she was). She seemed surprised at first, staring at the pawn with wide eyes. Then she started laughing when she hugged him. But then she stopped, and questioned Rook's wellbeing, seeming quite concerned. Then silent – perhaps she was disturbed. Zillah could only watch these flurries of emotions, only to understand one expression before it was replaced by another.

Humans were quite strange, but Zillah would try her hardest to learn of their ways. For the Arisen.

Short chapter from Zillah's POV. It is really interesting to write a character who doesn't have much...character. I have all these ideas for the growing relationship between Darien and Zillah, but as of right now she is quite emotionless. According to the game, and Dragon's Dogma Wiki, pawns slowly gain emotions the more they interact with the Arisen. So that's what I'm going for.