DSICALIMER: I do not own Diablo

Summary: If you don't have a buddy in this crazy world where zombies roam, magic resides, and a demon lord wants to kick the world's ass, you might as well get picked up by a pirate ninja

Warning: Swearing. Blood. Smiles.

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If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month.- Theodore Roosevelt

CHAPTER 10: Little Mishaps

We stopped to rest just before we ran into the passage.

We shoved a few of those multicolored potions down our throats and I watched as the two girls practically chugged those Stamina juices. It looked like they were having a drinking battle until they both abruptly stopped, their own signature smiles on their faces.

Women. I'll never understand them.

The wound on my foot had healed, but left itself a small inch scar. Another one to my collection of injuries. Death by nail and impaled in the foot.

I'm just a magnet for trouble, aren't I?

"Keep an eye on the corners." Zink murmured as we descended into darkness, "You never know what creepers lie in ambush."

I shivered. She may be an idiot, but damn, she could be cryptic sometimes.

I'd never really been in a cave before. The only place it could remotely relate to was the crypts at the Burials Grounds. But this was on a different level of scary. The only light was from my staff, but the noises were everywhere. It felt like something was breathing on you, something was dripping nearby, and I could have sworn I heard laughter at some point (could have just been Zink though).

For a moment, I thought we were going to get by without any incidents.

And then it showed up.

It was so big, I was surprised it was even able to fit in this dingy cavern. But, there it was. Large snout, green fur, large horns, and a tongue that dropped to the ground. It breathed deeply, it foul breath washing over us and revealing razor sharp teeth. I gulped, clutching my weapon tighter.

"Mishapen." Eve murmured, drawing an arrow. Zink started to twirl her katar's.

"Hello there." She greeted with a creepy smirk, "You're in our way."

It roared.

Zink grinned, "I thought so."

And they disappeared. The monster didn't look phased by such tactics, opting to turn, revealing a long dinosaur like tail that smashed against the wall. Rocks caved down onto us and I had to roll to avoid some. By the time the walls had stopped shaking, Zink had grabbed my arm, dragging me past the impaled body of the minotaur creature. Eve joined us and we were running through the cave, avoiding anything that sounded like enemies and the whole cave seemed to wake up.

Zink laughed, "This is fun!"

Glancing back at the horde of Fallen on our tail, I deemed this incredibly not fun.

By some miracle, we were able to outrun them and get to the exit in time before it caved in. Zink looked much too pleased by these turn events while Eve brushed off the rubble on her armor.

"What…" I panted, "What now? Our way home just collapsed."

"There's a waypoint here." Zink answered dismissively, "but first we gotta find that tree."

"What about the waypoint back in Stony Field?" I asked.

She paused before a grim smirk crawled onto her face, "I have a hunch someone got to it before us."

I raised an eyebrow at this. Never the less, we moved on, entering the Dark Wood (I could have sworn Zink grumbled something close to 'damn Paladins'). The area certainly lived up to its name. It was a forest spanning as far as the eye could see. It was foggy, muggy, and freezing. The trees were either burnt black or dead grey. Hardly any of them looked alive or even close to what the trees around Reintof looked like.

In a word? Creepy.

As always, Zink carried on with an air of ignorance to her surroundings, grinning like mad. Eve was the only one who looked wary of the trees. She'd constantly glance around and finger the arrow in her bow. I was just glad I'd gotten my legs to stop shaking. There was no way I was going to put my staff away, not in a place like this.

The sight of the rune covered slab was golden when we found it.

"Someone's happy to get back." Zink snickered, watching as I impatiently shifted outside of it. She stood in the middle, murmuring the incantation before the blue fires ignited. Warmth descended onto the area for a brief moment before a distant howl sent chills down my spine. I took a step forward, ready to get back to the encampment, when a hand latched onto my shoulder.

I glanced up at Zink, who winked at me, "Still gotta find that tree, Brave."

"But-but," I glanced from her to Eve, "Didn't Akara say something about a guardian? Do we have enough to take it down?"

The blonde snorted amusedly like I just told a very good joke. She ruffled my hair despite my protests and steered our little group away from the comforting flames of the waypoint. I watched it disappear disappointedly.

So much for a break.

"Don't be so down." Zink nudged me, "Look. Up ahead."

I did. And there it was. Just above the flat tree line was a much larger, much greener tree peeking above all the others. It filled me with hope and I couldn't help the grin that crawled onto my face.

"The Tree of Inifuss." Eve announced.

My mood disappeared when I noticed the lights dancing underneath it.

"Trouble?"

"Oh yeah." The same cryptic yet excited grin overtook Zink's features, "Lots of trouble."

I whimpered.

Why me?

Next Chapter: Invincible Die. Or sometimes the toughest always go down the easiest.

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