The Millenium War had many heroes. One of the greatest, yet most tragic, was Taros.

Life around the Tower of Aion during the War was life under siege, in constant fear. But from his earliest years, Taros knew no fear. He was always known for his dedication, his kindness, and most especially his courage. His name became known to many when he was a mere boy.

One day, the young Taros and his friends went to a hill on the outskirts of town to collect herbs. It was a warm, sunny day, and they soon began chasing an Elroco, forgetting all about their chores.

They caught up to the Elroco, but it scampered away in fright. The children thought it was because of them, but then a huge shadow fell over them. It was a Krall that had somehow penetrated the Aetheric Field.

The Krall glared at them and roared. The children shook in the face of the huge, red-skinned Sapien, too terrified to even move. All except Taros.

Grabbing a tree branch, he jumped in front of his friends. "Run!" he shouted. "I'll hold it off!" His sudden, confident words broke through the fear, and his friends ran as fast as they could.

The Krall should've smashed the boy where he stood, but it didn't. It was probably confused as to why this small Human child wasn't afraid of him. The two stared each other down--for how long, not even Taros could say.

Fortunately, the children had run home quickly, and Daevas soon appeared, slaying the Krall. Taros's first words were to ask whether his friends were safe.

Taros returned home to a hero's welcome from his friends and their parents. His mother hugged him tightly, crying with relief, anger...and terror.

Taros was the eldest of many siblings. His mother knew from the moment of his birth that he was touched by Aion. And that filled her with fear.

She had seen other villagers, including a niece, ascend to become Daevas. Tragedy of some kind usually followed. Where it did not, the sorrow of losing loved ones to fight the Millenium War was inevitable.

She prayed to Aion every day that her strong, brave son would grow up, have a family, grow old, and die surrounded by his kin, not live the immortal life of a Daeva.

As Taros came of age, her worry grew. He was a tall, strapping young man, skilled with a sword and capable of running great distances without breaking a sweat. Yet he was also a compassionate soul, always abandoning thought of himself to help others.

There was no doubt in his fellow villagers' minds that he was destined to become a Daeva.

One day, a young girl ran into the village, eyes filled with fear. She had been picking flowers with her brother when he slipped and fell over a cliff. He was now clinging to a scrub tree several meters down the cliff, hanging on for dear life.

No Daevas were around, so Taros ran to help. He carefully lowered himself down the cliffside and reached down. The terrified boy grabbed Taros's hand, but the child's fear, his sudden added weight, and the whipping winds all conspired against them.

The horrified villagers at the top of the cliff watched as Taros lost his grip on his rope, and he and the boy plunged, disappearing into the mists below. Wails of grief echoed through the hills.

Suddenly, something emerged from the mists. Taros, his wings strong and light, flew upwards, the boy in his arms. The villagers cheered. Taros's mother wept.

The very next day, Taros entered training as a newly ascended Daeva.

He was neither particularly strong compared to his fellows, nor particularly skilled in the ways of magic. So at first, he was mostly ignored by his peers and superiors.

However, the strength of his heart quickly became apparent. He trained harder, studied more, and learned quicker than anyone his officers had ever seen. Further, he charmed friend and rival alike with his quiet modesty, easygoing manner, and boundless spirit.

It was as clear to the Daevas as it was to his fellow villagers--Taros was destined for greatness.

It wasn't long before Taros was on the front lines in the seemingly eternal battle against the Balaur.

He charged into each conflict unafraid, filled with determination to fight for the lives of all Atreia. Yet he was neither reckless nor glory-hungry, always making sure that his allies were protected to the best of his abilities.

Where Taros went, victory followed. Units he was in achieved success with light casualties where others were wiped out in failure. His reputation and rank grew quickly.

It was inevitable that he attracted the attention of Empyrean Lady Siel herself.

Siel placed Taros in a special legion under her direct supervision, charged with the most important and difficult missions. He soon became the legion's captain, continuing to impress others with his heart and swordarm.

Ultimately, a moment came when the Lady of Time gave Taros his most important mission yet.

"Attack Tiamat Stronghold," she said. "The death of a Dragon Lord will finally tip this war in our favor."

Bolstered by Siel's confidence in him, he led his legion to Balaurea.

Though hampered by the lack of Aether, the legion stood their ground. They were gathering intelligence when disaster struck.

In an unbelievable stroke of bad luck, a Balaur legion led by Tiamat himself was headed towards a major battle. They encountered Taros's legion completely by accident.

The surprised Atreians tried to rally, but even with Taros on their side, the odds were against them from the start. Then Tiamat stepped into the fray. He let out a noxious breath that turned all of Taros's legion mates into stone.

For the first time, Taros knew despair. He sank to his knees, tears running down his cheeks as he stared into the petrified faces of his friends.

Taros barely even heard the Dragon Lord speak to him.

"Are you the one called Taros?" asked Tiamat. "Your reputation is fearsome indeed--it reached even my ears."

Taros looked up blankly at Tiamat's visage, still without fear. Dragon Lord chuckled.

"You are everything I've heard, and more. I cannot let you interfere with us any more, yet it pains me to destroy a valiant warrior like yourself."

"I will offer you a bargain--the lives of your legion in exchange for yours. Be warned--if you accept, you will be bound to me for eternity."

Taros knew that a Dragon Lord's bargain would doom his soul. Yet what was his one soul compared to those of his entire legion? He accepted without hesitation.

Tiamat spoke words of power. Taros's horse screamed, a piercing shriek of agony. A horrible darkness came over the battlefield.... And when it lifted, Taros's legion mates stirred, stone no longer. All the Balaur, and their captain, were gone.

Taros has not been seen since. Some say he still stalks Balaurea, trapped in the throes of Tiamat's eternal curse.

Some also say that Lady Siel's grief over the loss of Taros made her more susceptible to Lord Israphel's words of peace. But who can say what goes through the mind of an Empyrean Lord?