Chapter 21
Imperius sat uncomfortably on the rickety wagon, steering its rattly way to the main gates of New Tristam.
His nephalem companion was passed out among the supplies in back, kept safe from the rains by the thick hide covering unlike Imperius who was soaking wet.
The archangel had decided early on that he couldn't teleport given the Shen creature's apparent god status. Instead he chose to rely on the slower transportation methods of this world in order to keep himself hidden. At least he hoped.
They'd purchased the old cranky mare and the cart prior to leaving the small township. The journey had taken a whole day longer than Imperius had planned but was entirely the archangel's fault.
He'd become somewhat fond of the bay mare with her long dark mane, scarred back from beatings by previous uncaring masters and the grumpy manner she developed as a consequence.
Imperius expressed that affection with giving the beast plenty of rest and more food than she'd ever been accustomed to. In return she would come running to him at the very sound of his voice.
Jojin had even named the mare and tended to her as if she were a child, a sign of the young man's soft heart.
Imperius gently pulled back on the reins and slowed Maggie down to a stop after they passed through the town walls. He thumped the side of the cart to waken Jojin in the back.
"We are here. Set up Maggie for the night."
The young nephalem stuck his head out the covering with bleary eyes.
"You got it, sir!" he said through a stifled yawn.
Imperius handed over a small leather pouch that rattled with coins.
"Rooms at the inn too. Make sure Maggie is tended too first. I imagine she'd like a roof over her head and plenty of food."
Jojin beamed at him. "Don't worry! I'll get the old lady the best!"
The archangel watched bemused as the young man scrambled out the cart and bolted to the small stable nearby to see about renting a stall.
Imperius himself slipped down from the cart and stretched. His frame was far too big for cart but as he had often reminded himself sacrifaces were to be made if he was to locate the girl. And to find her he'd need that old man. His eyes were caught by the distant but looming ruins of the cathederal that cast a dark pail over the whole town. This place was cursed. He could feel it. The darkness left by the Prime Evils had seeped into the very earth and water here. Imperius tore his gaze away from it and instead glanced around at those in the village itself. He didn't feel the same wretched darkness in them that permeated the very air they breathed. Somehow they stayed in this place and seemed to be prospering. Perhaps Sorcha was right about them even though Imperius still felt a deep disgust in his gut whenever he pondered their creation.
"I got a place for her and us. Two rooms and dinner at the inn and the best stall they got for Maggie along with their best oat mash," Jojin gushed out in a rush as he bolted up to Imperius.
"Good. Settle in. There is somewhere I must go but I will return before the night ends."
"I'll go with you!"
Imperius could read the earnestness in Jojin's face. The young man had been the biggest revelation to the archangel on this journey.
There was very little that Imperius could assign to demonic in the nephalem.
Jojin displayed in fact the best qualities that the archangel would have expected from fellow angels even if the young man had the misfortune of being riddled with self doubt.
For his part, it had become clear that Jojin had begun to hero worship Imperius despite not knowing his true identity.
Imperius shook his head at Jojin. "You're to remain here to tend to Maggie's and your own needs. I will return shortly."
"But I gave you my word! That I'd help you."
Imperius reached out and put his hand firmly on the younger man's shoulder. "And you have. This part I must do alone. If I don't return by dawn, there are three pouches of gold in my satchel. They are yours. Enough I believe to start a new life for you and your family. Maggie will need an owner too. She and the cart are yours."
Jojin blinked, paling a little. "But-"
"If I don't return by dawn, go home Jojin." Imperius took a firm grip of Jojin's hand and shook it firmly. "Your father would be proud of you."
The archangel gave a small nod and turned away, his attention now entirely focused on the distant ruin and the darkness it spilled out from its grounds.
It didn't take much to dispatch the strange deformed creatures that roamed the ruins.
As Imperius descended into the crater and the myraid floors that stretched out into the darkness below, he couldn't help but shudder at the familiar feeling he'd experienced on the battlefields of Pandemonium.
The taint of Hell remained here but he detected a slight spark of something... something not quite the same as the Hell-tortured beings around him.
Imperius had no more need to hide himself. He teleported down to the source.
"You!" he snarled.
The old man he hunted sat in front of a strange crystal tree that shone and shimmered, casting a light almost as blinding as day at the very last level of this hell.
The tree was the source of what Imperius had felt among the dark. Now closer, he knew what it was.
"Sorcha," he whispered, feeling the girl's strength pulsing through the tree like a heart pumping blood.
"Indeed," Shen replied. "You took your time finding me."
"You knew."
The old man peered at him oddly. "Do you remember me at all? Not the last time we met but... before."
"Where is the girl?" Imperius said, brushing away Shen's strange question.
"She's fine. But you know that. You can feel her. The tree would not grow if not for her."
Imperius strolled forward and turned his attention to it. "She created something similar. In Hell. Not as... pretty as this however."
The tree was towering, it's branches waving gently and chiming as the leaves and flowers tumbled off each other.
"Instead of a heart, let there be a world tree," Shen murmured.
"What did you say?" Imperius snapped as his head jerked to face Shen who merely grinned.
"Sorcha will be heading to the Silver City next. If you're fast you might catch her."
Shen snapped his fingers and disappeared, leaving Imperius fuming with rage.
Before he teleported away himself, he noticed something odd.
The roots of the tree were burrowing down deep into the tainted soil and seemed to be cleansing it. It was dragging the taint of hell into itself and forging something new.
If this continued then this place would be completely cleansed of the nightmare that had left it's mark here.
Was this her plan, Imperius pondered. But he had no time to think long on it.
She was heading to his home and Imperius would catch her there.