Aion2DataGlobal client 2.0.6.0 · read from the game files · unofficial

Episode quest · Encountering Kaisinel's Core

A Means to an End

Level 44Unlocks at 10VerteronVerteronElyos

A Means to an End is an Episode quest for level 44 in Verteron for the Elyos. Phernos (Philosopher from Beyond the Bulwark), at Illusion Hideout, Verteron, gives it and Paitos takes it in. It has 1 step. Rewards: 56,188,014 EXP, 2 item rewards.

Talk to Phernos at the Illusion Hideout entrance

Start and finish

From the quest's acquire and complete rules in the game's Quest table; where an NPC stands is its spawn point in the map's spawn list.

Starts
Phernos (Philosopher from Beyond the Bulwark)Illusion Hideout, Verteron
Character level
10
Finish
Paitos (Notos Legion)Pilgrim's Rest, Verteron

Steps

The journal's lines and objectives, as the game writes them; who and what each objective names, from QuestStep.GoalList.

  1. Step 1 · Verteron
    Discuss the matters ahead
    • Go to Notos Legion Office

Rewards

EXP: 56,188,014

Dialogue

45 lines, as the game writes them (NpcTalk rows named after the quest); lines in italics have no speaker.

Accepting · 3 lines

Phernos: We will speak more at Zumion Village.

Caelid: *sigh* Understood. ‹your name›, let's get back.

Caelid: Everyone must be waiting impatiently. We all worked hard to reach this moment.

Step 1 · 32 lines

Dymones: Akarios, you're back! What will you do next?

Phernos: Kaisinel's Core is at Ardus Shrine. I must go there immediately.

Phernos: That is what Reda meant by "the Core is where it is supposed to be."

Phernos: It never left Ardus Shrine.

Caelid: Then what about the key?

Phernos: The Illusion Bracelet. That is the key to the shrine.

Caelid: Are you certain?

Phernos: Without a doubt. Reda entrusted it to her own daughter.

Phernos: With Teina's death, Reda lost both her child and the key to the Core.

Dymones: This is perfect! Now the Core is so close, please take some time to rest, Akarios.

Dymones: Ardus Shrine is located in the middle of the Garden of the Illusion God. It's still a popular sight of pilgrimage.

Dymones: I can introduce you to a legionnaire who knows the pilgrims there well.

Dymones: His name is Paitos. Please, accept this as an expression of my gratitude.

Caelid: Gratitude, from Dymones? A rare gift. I will accept it gladly.

Caelid: Now, everyone get some rest.

Hithanya: Not so fast. I have something I'd like to share.

Hithanya: I heard what happened while I was away. And I've done some thinking...

Hithanya: I simply cannot approve of Phernos's actions. They're not only reckless, but selfish.

Hithanya: He forces his allies into a corner, then abandons them once he has what he needs. If you insist on accompanying him still, you'll do so without me.

Hithanya: As if his use of a Dragon Lord's blood wasn't reckless enough, he sent legionnaires into Drana Plantation without a second thought.

Nania: Hithanya!

Hithanya: I'll stay back and keep the Dawn Legion running while you're gone, Captain. Besides, it wouldn't sit right with me to leave everyone in the base behind.

Phernos: Then stay. Is it not a little late for this foolish nitpicking? If you seek paradise, you must grasp it with both hands.

Hithanya: We have no reason to believe paradise truly lies at the end of this road. You know very well that there's no glory without bloodshed.

Hithanya: Luteros, Nania, Captain, ‹your name›... Never trust anyone.

Luteros: Shit...

Hithanya: I'll pray to the Empyrean Lords that you will only have to face obstacles you can overcome.

Caelid: *sigh* I have no right to stop Hithanya. It was our shared dream to cross the Bulwark together. How did it all come to this?

Caelid: Am I lacking? Have I failed to be a leader and forge a better path?

Luteros: Captain. Do not doubt yourself. This is what we all signed up for when we went to Poeta.

Luteros: Hithanya will be fine. You know she isn't easily discouraged. It's not like we'll never see each other again.

Luteros: Ardus Shrine is just around the corner, but the path before us is still long! We can't be getting tired already!

Step 2 · 9 lines

Hithanya: Do you have anything else to say?

Hithanya: Don't worry. Like Luteros said, this isn't goodbye forever. We're just working for the Dawn in our own ways.

Caelid: Right. We are of one Legion. Being separated won't change a thing.

Hithanya: Walk the path you think is right. Just like you always have.

Luteros: Enough frowning, we'll all be reunited before long. When we return with the Core and cross the Bulwark together!

Caelid: ...All right. Everyone else, prepare to leave. Our next destination is Pilgrim's Rest.

Nania: I'll return to the base with Hithanya then meet back up with you. Sending her back alone doesn't feel right.

Nania: Contact me if anything happens. Try not to cause any trouble while I'm gone, Luteros. And take care of the Captain.

Caelid: A kind gesture, Nania. All right, everyone. Let's get going.

Turning in · 1 line

Paitos: L-Laciphiel! Welcome, Akarios! My name is Paitos!

When it is done

"The Illusion Bracelet. That's the key to the shrine." Reda was finally found after a long search, but the Core's whereabouts remain unclear. Only after returning to Zumion Village did Phernos reveal the truth. The Empyrean Core was in the Ardus Shrine, to which the Illusion Bracelet was the key. Even though she lost herself to dark magic, Reda had ultimately fulfilled her duty as High Priestess. The joy of being so close to the Core was cut short when Hithanya, disapproving of Phernos's extreme methods, declared she was leaving the group. Neither Hithanya nor Phernos were willing to compromise. In the end, the Dawn Legion was forced to depart for Ardus Shrine without Hithanya.

Quest chain (80 of 90)

  1. 75.Thorough Preparationlevel 41
  2. 76.Striving for a Purposelevel 42
  3. 77.Unpleasant Memorieslevel 42
  4. 78.A Balaur's Trash is a Daeva's Treasurelevel 42
  5. 79.Time Takes Its Tolllevel 43
  6. 80.A Means to an Endlevel 44
  7. 81.Pilgrims of the Gardenlevel 44
  8. 82.Another Riftlevel 44
  9. 83.Memories of the Gardenlevel 44
  10. 84.The Path of Pilgrimagelevel 45
  11. 85.Sacred Offeringlevel 45
Show all 90 quests
  1. 1.Poetalevel 1
  2. 2.The Approaching Dawnlevel 2
  3. 3.Making Yourself Usefullevel 2
  4. 4.Lost Supplieslevel 3
  5. 5.Withered Tree Daminulevel 4
  6. 6.The Power in the Lakelevel 5
  7. 7.Fledgling Wingslevel 5
  8. 8.Shattered Sky Islandlevel 6
  9. 9.Search Preparationlevel 7
  10. 10.Drakana Heistlevel 8
  11. 11.Brigade Base Neutralizationlevel 9
  12. 12.Dawn Legionlevel 10
  13. 13.All Geared Uplevel 10
  14. 14.Odyle Collectionlevel 11
  15. 15.Bird's-eye Viewlevel 11
  16. 16.Valley of Hopelevel 12
  17. 17.Soaring Freelevel 12
  18. 18.Visions in Smokelevel 13
  19. 19.Illusion Cavalierslevel 13
  20. 20.Collapsed Barrier Towerlevel 14
  21. 21.Rampaging Spiritslevel 15
  22. 22.Beyond Etherialevel 16
  23. 23.Undying Lightlevel 16
  24. 24.Awakened Hopelevel 16
  25. 25.Empyrean Monolithlevel 16
  26. 26.Renewed Resolvelevel 16
  27. 27.A Gesture of Sinceritylevel 18
  28. 28.Transformation Preplevel 19
  29. 29.Fortress Ruins Infiltrationlevel 20
  30. 30.Kaisinel's Seallevel 21
  31. 31.Path to the Altarlevel 21
  32. 32.Illusion Oratorylevel 22
  33. 33.Daeva in a Dreamlevel 22
  34. 34.Wind Breeze Merchantslevel 22
  35. 35.Precious Mineralslevel 22
  36. 36.Mutual Benefitlevel 24
  37. 37.Shugonappedlevel 24
  38. 38.Finding Kochilevel 24
  39. 39.Mercenary Pursuitlevel 24
  40. 40.Weapon's Ownerlevel 24
  41. 41.Best Served Coldlevel 25
  42. 42.Hidden Schemelevel 25
  43. 43.Crime Scenelevel 25
  44. 44.Thorough Preparationlevel 26
  45. 45.Shugo Trackslevel 28
  46. 46.Shugo in the Cellarlevel 29
  47. 47.Exiled Aullaeulevel 29
  48. 48.Holyaul Rescue Operationlevel 29
  49. 49.Aulamus's Keylevel 30
  50. 50.Secrets of the Altarlevel 30
  51. 51.Secrets Within Secretslevel 30
  52. 52.An Uneasy Alliancelevel 32
  53. 53.Rocky Tomblevel 32
  54. 54.Protectors of the Rock Hilllevel 32
  55. 55.Another Dreamlevel 32
  56. 56.Shadow of the Canyonlevel 33
  57. 57.Barrier Traceslevel 33
  58. 58.Between Faith and Doubtlevel 33
  59. 59.Headless Statuelevel 34
  60. 60.Priests of Zumionlevel 34
  61. 61.Fragmented Talelevel 35
  62. 62.Zumion's Wardlevel 35
  63. 63.Purifying Flamelevel 36
  64. 64.Perilous Purificationlevel 36
  65. 65.Activating Altar Purification Deviceslevel 37
  66. 66.Path to the Altarlevel 37
  67. 67.Meslamtaeda's Poisonlevel 37
  68. 68.Those Who Remainlevel 37
  69. 69.Fire Templelevel 37
  70. 70.Where the Drana Flowslevel 40
  71. 71.To the Scarlet Forestlevel 41
  72. 72.Sowing Seeds of Chaoslevel 41
  73. 73.Notos Legion Makeoverlevel 41
  74. 74.Power Tower Sabotagelevel 41
  75. 75.Thorough Preparationlevel 41
  76. 76.Striving for a Purposelevel 42
  77. 77.Unpleasant Memorieslevel 42
  78. 78.A Balaur's Trash is a Daeva's Treasurelevel 42
  79. 79.Time Takes Its Tolllevel 43
  80. 80.A Means to an Endlevel 44
  81. 81.Pilgrims of the Gardenlevel 44
  82. 82.Another Riftlevel 44
  83. 83.Memories of the Gardenlevel 44
  84. 84.The Path of Pilgrimagelevel 45
  85. 85.Sacred Offeringlevel 45
  86. 86.The Core of Illusion Godlevel 45
  87. 87.Diverging Pathslevel 45
  88. 88.Draupnirlevel 45
  89. 89.Witness to a Nightmarelevel 45
  90. 90.Waiting for the Next Journeylevel 46

A Means to an End FAQ

How do you start A Means to an End in AION 2?

Talk to Phernos (Philosopher from Beyond the Bulwark) at Illusion Hideout, Verteron; it unlocks at level 10.

Where do you turn in A Means to an End?

To Paitos at Pilgrim's Rest, Verteron.

How many steps does A Means to an End have?

1: “Discuss the matters ahead”.

What are the rewards for A Means to an End?

56,188,014 EXP, Kina (Bound) ×48,000, Superior Life Serum (Bound) ×20.

Quest ID 1102920 · internal name HQ1102920 · Data: client 2.0.6.0 (Steam build 25767555, 2026-10-07)