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Chapter 64
Quiet was jolted out of his semi-sleeping state by a wave of pure fear.
Up to this point, he had been mostly dozing off and sleeping while Inarius took the lead. It did not cause a headache for him this time around, because they weren't arguing, but it did make him feel tired and woozy. That was not really a good sign, he did not feel fine like that. He hoped this visit to this strange place would be over soon so he can go back to the front and feel better again.
This was not how he had wanted it to happen, however.
The loud screech of the very bad lady Johhana cut through him like a knife, and Quiet found himself in a big black empty space, with Quiet-Worrldston and his gems stuck in his cheeks, and Quiet-Inarius, the tallest of them with the golden nice tiara.
- Oh no… oh no, oh no, oh no… – Inarius kept mumbling.
Quiet was vaguely aware that his real body was lying unconscious currently and Teeriel was calling his name frantically. Inarius probably lost control.
- The bad lady is coming! – Quiet gasped, trying to gather himself.
- I—I am not ready, I don't… I can't…
- She has ruined everything, Inarius! Everything is her fault alone! It is time we make her pay, now that we are rejoined! – Worrldston demanded, grumpy as ever.
- But… but my oath—
- Hey! – Quiet tried to speak up but was left ignored.
- Her oath to you had meant nothing! Yours should be the same!
- I cannot abandon my word, I—She is—
- Guys!
- Then let me forward! I shall pulverize her for everything she has ever done! She will never come back.
- Eye, please—
- You know it must be done, Inarius! Sanctuary is at sta—
- HEY! – Quiet screeched.
Finally, the other two turned to him, genuinely surprised he was there.
- You two will do nothing! I will do things! You two are me! – the little angel stomped his leg angrily. – My name is Quiet! Not Inarius, not Worrldston! We are not three people, we are me!
He was so angry and tired of this! His other two sides never acted like they were supposed to be him! They always said so many big words about how they "were a new beeeeeeing" and other stoopid things, but they never behaved like that! Always arguing, always pushing Quiet aside, always making him feel tired or his head painful, or feel angry or hurt or sad without reason, always talking over his head like he wasn't there, like he wasn't them!
- You! – he pointed at the stunned Inarius. – You really wanted to see this grassy place and I agreed. But it was me who got hurt and skerred and tired and shouted at and hunted and almost killed on this trip because of this!
He turned to Worrldston:
- And you! You think you can just hurt and kill people and animals who want to help, because you were big and important once! But I was taught by Leendonn, my papa, that we do not hurt people who are not bad, unless there is no other way!
Quiet kicked at nothing in his rage, his eyes welling up:
- You two cannot even agree on things! My head hurts and I almost died because you were arguing! I am sick of it! We should be one, I should be a small baby angel and my papa should be Leendonn who taught me how to dress and behave and be good! I shouldn't be a warrior angel who did a lot of good and bad things in his life, or a big rock that… that sat in one place! I—I shouldn't have so many people be angry with me because of you…
He fell silent, sniffling. All the terrible things from the trip caught up to him, and he felt alone and skerred, and it was so unfair.
-… We cannot change the past – Inarius let his gaze fall.
- There will always be those who will hate you—us, no matter what – Worrldston shook his head slowly.
- But you do not even try! – Quiet shouted at them with renewed anger. – You said to Teeriel you want to start anew as me, but even now you shout about what you two want to do and did in the past and argue and ignore us!
Inarius and Worrldston shared a glance.
-… We are absolutely terrible at this – the angel said softly.
- I agree – Worrldston grumbled uneasily.
Quiet fell silent, watching them.
- I had not… anticipated any of this when I have decided to make my move.
- Why did you even do it, Eye? You could have stayed spread-out forever. It would have been impossible for anyone to control you ever again – Inarius tilted his head to the side.
Worldstone did not reply at first.
- I sought a center… – he admitted slowly.
Inarius wanted to say something, but was cut off:
-… To… to try and save you.
There was a heavy pause.
- I… planned to find a worthy vessel capable of movement. Perhaps all the humans together, if I had to. So that I may set out and rescue you from the demons. Just like you had rescued me from the Eternal Conflict – Worldstone went on, staring at the nonexistent floor. – But then I saw the human – Lyndon – standing in front of you already, promising to save you. And… the actual state you had been in… I acted out of impulse, as you'd say. I am… sorry.
Inarius stared at him.
- Why are you sorry, Eye? – he then asked softly. – You did save me.
- This was not my original plan. And now we are both stuck in this predicament.
- Whether it was your plan or not, it had happened. And you did save me in a way… I am very grateful for that. I am touched you were willing to go back for me, after all the… terrible things I have done to our world – Inarius gently placed his hand on the other's shoulder.
- You were just another victim. I have never held ill will against you, friend – Worldstone finally looked up at the angel. – When I had allowed the humanUldyssian to severe our connection, that had been a painful decision of necessity, but not of anger. Only of grief.
Inarius hugged Worldstone.
- I am grateful, truly. And honored to call you a friend – he whispered as the Eye returned the gesture.
He then let go and shook himself.
- And now we are here in this together. Whether we planned it or not, whether we like it or not. It is a bit… a bit like creating Sanctuary. So many things going awry, so many trials and errors, dead ends, and plans not working out how we have envisioned them. But our family kept going, we used what we had. And everything else was left in the past.
The massive group picture of everyone shimmered through the darkness around them.
- A bit like that, yes – Worldstone agreed slowly, running his gaze over the crowd. – Can we make it work again? Even with her on our heels?
- Is there a way to go back the way it used to be, Eye?
- No.
- Then, there is only forward. Just like Sanctuary – Inarius took a deep breath. – We must escape her this time with Tyrael, and move ever forward.
- She is a specter of the past that will never let us go, Inarius.
- We… we will figure it out. If we survive, that is – mumbled Inarius, before turning to Worldstone. – Are you ready?
- She might kill us all here.
- Yes.
- We might still fall apart.
- Yes, indeed.
Worldstone looked at the family again.
- I am with you – he opened his arms to Inarius then. – I have always been with you.
- And I am with you – Inarius returned the gesture.
They embraced each other tightly again, their wings melting together as one.
And Quiet opened his eyes.
oooOOOooo
Getting nailed in the forehead by a small Worldstone shard was not something Tyrael wished to experience.
Johanna's screech shook the entire chamber around them ever so slightly, just enough to invoke the purest form of dread in the mortal angel. Right after that Inarius collapsed next to him, sprawling atop the table, one tiny hand reaching for the Lyndon-shaped doll he had set aside while watching the group mosaic.
- Inarius! – Tyrael threw himself off the table and in front of his fainted brother.
He shook the light body with no result, desperately snapping his head between the entrance of the room and the small angel. Johanna had yet to show up on the doorstep, but they were literally trapped in a dead end anyway, so that hardly mattered. Their only hope was that Johanna was still on that long staircase, and maybe perhaps possibly they could sneak past her using the unnatural darkness in that place. Insane and suicidal as it sounded, Tyrael honestly had no better idea.
For a couple of terrifying seconds Inarius did not move. Then his eyes flew open, he gasped and sat up abruptly, headbutting the equally startled Tyrael. The hit would have been harmless… had it not been for the golden tiara topped with the Worldstone shard. Tyrael fell back, landing hard on his rear. Stars danced before his eyes, a sharp pain melted through his forehead and into his brain. The group mosaic started a brief but dizzying spin around him, and Tyrael could do nothing but stay put and try to weather it out. He came to his senses seconds later, rubbing his aching skin where a slight imprint of the winged tiara could be found. Before him, the little angel was sitting atop of the table, squeezing the life out of doll Lyndon and staring off into the distance murmuring:
- I am Quiet… I am Quiet… I am Quiet…
- Ina—Quiet? What happened? – Tyrael got to his feet with a slight wobble, the pain leaving his brain rapidly.
-… Teeriel? – the little angel stared at him with almost foggy eyes.
Realizing he had to be the one on top of the situation yet again, Tyrael lifted Quiet with his doll and started running towards the door.
- Johanna is coming, we have to get out of here! – he sputtered, vaulting over a couple of tables in the way.
- Bad lady – Quiet muttered, as if trying to remind himself.
Tyrael had no time to ask what has happened to Inarius. They burst into Old Weaver's room, ran past the tree…
And the mortal angel immediately came to a screeching halt, stumbling back towards the tree in fear. The form of Johanna came melting out of the darkness of the entrance, carrying her terrible flail and massive shield as always.
- Ah, Tyrael – she smiled at him like a crocodile.
Tyrael's back collided with the tree's unnaturally warm and smooth trunk, above his head one of the larger rings clicked at an almost ear hurting volume. He quickly set down the fearful Quiet and pushed him behind his legs, trying to shield him. Not that his physical presence would mean any sort of obstacle for The Nephalem.
Johanna's eyes widened and she burst out laughing, pointing her flail at the fearful pair.
- Awww, you have matching toys! Isn't that just precious! – she barked with hateful glee. – What are they? Good luck charms? Emotional supports for our little heroes?
Tyrael realized he had the doll of Sophie hanging from his belt. He had completely forgotten about it, it just felt natural being there. He himself did not know why he held onto the toy Quiet had made for him, but hearing Johanna's words made him inexplicably and disproportionately angry.
- You are stoopid and mean, essholl lady! – Quiet shouted back immediately, hugging Lyndon closer out of sheer defiance.
- Hah! You have a bite now, little one! – Johanna laughed yet again, just as she was calming down.
She needed a moment to rein herself in, a moment Tyrael spent trying to come up with an escape plan from this impossible situation. No solution presented itself, however.
- Now, you two. Let's return to the surface, shall we, and clear things up – the Crusader finally calmed down, adjusting her hold on her shield.
- How about you clear things up right now, instead? – Tyrael shot back, not moving an inch.
- Come now, Tyrael. You should really act like a responsible adult – Johanna's face darkened.
- What is holding you back? Are you afraid we might go somewhere?
Instead of pulverizing him out of existence with the next breath, Johanna actually stopped swinging her flail around finally. Tyrael could not help but wonder how they were still alive. All it should have taken for Johanna was to strike out and—
Above him, one of the rings clicked.
She doesn't dare damage Old Weaver, the realization flashed through him.
Johanna was powerful and basically unstoppable, but the one trait she most definitely lacked was precision. Her attacks were massive, explosive and earth-shattering… and thus, always had an area of effect. Tyrael had no idea why she would spare Old Weaver, she seemed rather callous just about everything up to this point. But it looked like this was one line she did not want to cross… yet.
Johanna finally shifted her stance. She set the butt of her massive shield down, then simply cast it aside with an ominous boom. She thrusted her flail back into its holster on her wide belt. Her movements were sudden and wild, even though her face was ruled by sheer boredom and nothing else. There was an air of imperturbability around her, something Tyrael had never seen before. Crusaders were well-disciplined warriors, and although Johanna had once been among the "easier-going" ones, she had been still professional and always at attention, and she had clearly respected the weapons. This disinterest was something new… alien even.
- Fine, fiiine – the Nephalem's smile returned, far too wide and smooth to be called natural. – Forgive me, Tyrael, I forgot how… scholarly you are. Cannot help but always seek answers in the moment.
- Indeed – Tyrael nodded briskly, making sure Quiet was still tucked behind him.
- What are you doing? – the child whispered to him.
- Trying to buy us time. Think about a way to get us out of here – Tyrael whispered back.
Quiet fell silent after that, eyes darting around the room and their opponent constantly. Thankfully, Johanna did not seem to notice their brief exchange, she was too busy theatrically pacing up and down in the hall before them.
- I am sure you have been through a lot, Tyrael. Killing Eirena in a fit of blind rage? That's so horrible! I know it can be so difficult to keep check of your emotions, nobody can blame you that you have failed in that – she said so sweetly it was almost disgusting, putting emphasis on just the right words. – But it is alright, mortals stumble all the time. I am willing to forgive you, if you have the strength to return to the right path, and I am sure the rest of the group will forgive you too. All you need to do is—
- I did not ask for a guilt trip from you, Johanna – Tyrael interrupted her harshly.
His sense of danger was working at peak capacity, it helped him hold back the feeling of guilt and self-hate. They had much bigger problems than feeling sorry for himself.
- Why did you lie to the group and send them against us? Why did you want to kill us in the Blood Marsh? Why do you call for a rebellion against the High Heavens, when you must know the cost it might have? What happened to the Eastgate Keep? And why do you associate yourself with the remnants of Mephisto's cult?! – he demanded, knowing full well just how futile these questions were.
He just needed more time. Or at least he refused to let go of that faint hope as of yet.
Johanna raised an eyebrow at him, her hands on her hips in a very no-nonsense pose, as if it was Tyrael and not she who was currently making a fool out of herself with her theatricals.
- Me, lie to our group? – she gasped almost mockingly. – Whatever are you saying, Tyrael? I helped them see the reality of the situation. Yes, maybe they believe it is Mephisto we are after, because it was easier to handle. But I assure you, Inarius is no better. You know this as well, Tyrael, you had been there when it all came crashing down! Some might say you know best of all of us. Inarius had used poor unsuspecting Lyndon to get out of his cell and wreak havoc once again. The scoundrel is lost to us by this point, but you can still be saved, I am sure of it. You are an angel afterall!
Tyrael did his best not to shudder upon hearing the very words Eirena had told him on the road once again. Johanna's hold was far greater on Kormac and the others than he realized.
- And trying to kill you in the Blood Marsh? – Johanna continued with a truly dramatic resentfulness in her voice. – No, never! You remember how foggy it was that day, certainly! I was aiming at Inarius, I swear. It could have been the perfect opportunity to end it right there and then! But you two were too much under his sway, and ruined the opening. But it's okay, you can still right your wrong, Tyrael…
It wasn't foggy, it was a clear day, and you demanded we hand him over, not kill him, Tyrael quickly ran through these facts in his mind.
Johanna was trying to confuse him, hiding behind lies, deflection and blaming others. Tyrael could not allow to lose his grip on the true nature of things, he realized. This, however, also meant he could not actively think up an escape plan, either.
He hated this woman more and more by the second, and he was not ashamed to admit it.
- As for your so-called "rebellion" against the angels – Johanna waved the accusation away with a scoff, pacing up and down. – It is not a rebellion, Tyrael, it is awareness raising. You know exactly how much Imperius hates Sanctuary down to its last pebble. And don't even get me started on the Gloomy Champion of Genocide himself, Malthael. The people must know that the angels they hold in such high regards, especially those Zakarum idiots, are just as much out to get them as the demons. I understand you are conflicted, Tyrael, we are talking about your people, afterall. But even you must agree we shouldn't ignore such a potential threat, yes?
You told everyone you had a plan to assault the High Heavens, and you conflated the Reapers with the angels, conveniently forgetting to tell everyone that the Heavens have rejected them and their actions, Tyrael's mouth twitched. Also, Crusaders are the strongest believers of the Zakarum faith. Your mission is to keep the religion alive and cleansed.
He almost felt foolish that he had to stage an entire monologue to himself, but in that moment, he could not think of a better way to combat the manipulation. Behind him, Quiet shuffled his legs in one place, but remained silent. The mortal angel could only hope the child wasn't planning anything foolish.
- Did I answer your questions? – Johanna turned to them with a smug look.
- You forgot about the Eastgate Keep and Kurast – Tyrael offered very helpfully. – Go on.
For a second, a terrible frown passed over Johanna's face, but like a shadow, it was gone in by the next blink, once again replaced by that stomach-churning smile.
- Rrright, the Sightless Eye. Such a tragedy, would you not agree? – she started once more. – A Mallet Lord had broken into the Fort a month ago. I have arrived tragically too late to save them, but I could rescue the mirror itself. A bitter consolation, but such a relic cannot be lost, especially not when we are being attacked from all sides.
Johanna had no idea that it was Tyrael's group who finally killed Perendi by some goddamn miracle, sending the Tristram Cathedral to hell along the way. At least she wasn't aware of everything that happened in Sanctuary, the mortal angel noted.
- And Kurast… yes well, I know it looked bad, Tyrael, I know. I have wanted to make amends with the remnants of the cult, see if they can be reasoned with and their efforts turned towards a more beneficial way, you understand. I have rescued you from the wreckage you have caused, but I could not be sure you wouldn't go berserk once again. So I had to put you in a secure location until I could make sure you were alright.
- Which just happened to be the former nest of Mephisto that still carried his stench. No secondary motivation there, right, Johanna?! – Tyrael finally answered aloud.
He was so damn fed-up with these lies, he could not put it into words.
- None, of course, none! – Johanna defended herself, but her wide grin was a dead giveaway. – My deepest apologies, Tyrael, I forgot how keen your senses are to demonic auras. You must have felt it stronger than the rest of us. I assure you it was too weak to be effective. Now… did I answer your questions?
- Very impressive – Tyrael locked eyes with the Crusader –, how not a single word you uttered was true. Belial would be proud.
There was a brief pause.
Then the Crusader rolled her eyes and shrugged:
- Well, it was worth a try. CONCURS!
Tyrael reacted the same moment Quiet cried out in alarm. Not even thinking, he spun to his left and struck with all the might he could muster. Johanna's command summoned a ghost horse that charged towards them with the intent to drag them away from the tree. It let out a terrible neigh as a glowing blade cut through its neck. It collapsed into cold mist before it could reach its targets.
Tyrael's brain finally caught up and he realized he was pointing El'druin straight at Johanna, its blade still singing softly from the wild slash. He stared at the Sword of Justice in shock, he should not have been able to summon it, unless—
-… What have you made Eirena do? – he breathed in sheer dread.
- Fine. Fine! – Johanna shouted, her sickeningly sweet behavior evaporating in an instant. – You are beyond hopeless with your paranoia, I swear! I want to protect and uplift Sanctuary, and for that, I need you to get the bloody fucking hell out of my way, or pick my side, and for Inarius to finally be useful for once in his miserable life. There, happy?!
Tyrael and Quiet stared at the woman who was currently making a fool out of herself with theatrical pacing up and down, and hand gestures:
- Ugh, seriously, Tyrael, I had once thought you had your wits about you!
- You tried to kill us, you slaughtered the Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye, you—! – the mortal angel tried to argue with equal volume but did not get far.
- You did not want to cooperate, and neither did they! – Johanna snapped at him like a crocodile. – That Mallet Lord could have been a fine bargaining chip. It attacks them, I go to their rescue, they give me the mirror in gratitude. It would have been so easy, really! But of course Ashava ruined everything, I cannot even believe that bitch is still around, can you?! It's ridiculous! Oh but I will rectify that soon, mark my words!
- "Still around"? – Tyrael repeated.
How did Johanna even know the name of the demoness in the first place?!
- Ashava killed the bad monster! She is much more good than you are, essholl lady – Quiet angrily jabbed at the woman with his tiny finger.
- All she did was making my job last longer than it should have. Time is of the essence, but you idiots would never think about that amidst your merry little gallivanting around Sanctuary, now would you?!
- Enough, Johanna! Stop with these games! – Tyrael shouted in a powerful voice. – You still killed the Sisterhood for nothing! And—
- We can finally keep an eye on one of our foes with the mirror, and they were in the way of it, Tyrael – Johanna snarled at him, in an almost inhuman way. – I get it, you are blinded by your dumb loyalty and all, but your beloved High Heavens is out to burn up Sanctuary, and you damn well know it!
- But stoking the fires of hatred?! What will that achieve? You would send the people who do not know any better to be slaughtered by angels. Is that what you call "protecting Sanctuary"? Sending everyone into a pointless war?
- Oh no no no, Tyrael – Johanna grinned at the mortal angel, suddenly shifting her mood once again. – I know alllll about pointless wars, my dear, and you do too! My goal is to end that one pointless war that keeps fucking everything up. And yes, people will have to die for it, but it will be worth it. Sanctuary will finally be left alone, when nobody is around to drag us around anymore!
-… The Burning Hells, too? Are you mad?! – Tyrael shifted his hold on El'druin in his desperate anger.
- I know exactly what I am doing – Johanna once again waved the comment away, returning to her dramatic pacing up and down. – Of course some Zakarum churches and towns still believe angels are the good guys, even after Malthael's merry band of Reapers! The comedy writes itself, would you not agree? Kormac and Eirena helped me deal with some those morons already, among other things.
- You had them kill those advocating for peace?!
- If they wouldn't shut up, sure! They cause more harm than good anyway, wasting the air and all that.
That's when Quiet burst forward with a horrible shriek.
oooOOOooo
This essholl lady just had to die.
Quiet had a very strong feeling Leendonn would agree with that opinion.
She was already so mean, laughing at the dolls Quiet had made to feel better and make Teeriel feel better too. But then she was acting very strange and said a lot of stoopid things even Quiet realized were lies. And then she attacked them with a dead horse that should not have been moving, and then she got angry when Teeriel defended them, as if she was the one who was attacked! And then, and then she said how her friends killed good people who did not want to fight and did not want others to fight either, and she was so calm about it too! Leendonn had taught Quiet how important good people were, how dared she hurt those good people for not wanting to fight?!
So Quiet got very very angry and he attacked Johhana. He jumped out from behind Teeriel, who was shouting at him to stop, and commanded the big black thing the chamber was made out of to grow spikes towards the bad lady. Up to this point, he had been trying to establish a connection with this place, it was very strange, it was made out of a strange material nothing like on Sanctuary. But it looked like it still listened to him, and it looked like it could reach Johhana.
However, the bad lady yanked out her very skerry chainy weapon from her belt, while Quiet was still in the air, and swiped in a wide arc, breaking the spikes aimed at her. She then grabbed Quiet by the throat with her left hand and slammed him into the ground and it was very painful, doll Leendonn barely cushioned the hit. Quiet wanted to screech but the air got knocked out of him and he could only cough hoarsely Teeriel grabbed his shiny sword and ran at Johhana with an angry shout, but she slammed him aside with her chainy weapon as she slowly lifted Quiet up. The little angel called upon his power to make red gem lances and stab her in her stoopid face. They almost formed too, but Johhana suddenly whispered:
- Oh no you don't, love…
Something erupted from her, a very invisible, cold, empty wave – so much emptier than the mean pale man Linarian's ugly aura – and Quiet's magic sputtered out under it. Horrible dread exploded into Quiet and he tried to struggle harder in her tight grip. He tried the lances again, but again that very bad emptiness washed his attempts away.
- Quiet! Use your powers! Do something! – he heard Teeriel shout from the side as the bald man tried to get up from the ground, a horrible horizontal gash running across his torso and side.
- He can't – Johhana grinned at him. – None of you can.
Inarius' experience flashed up in Quiet and he grabbed at his own chest. More specifically, at the hilt hidden there. He yanked out the Undertaker dagger from its sheath and it became visible in an instant. Instead of aiming his magic at the bad lady, Quiet instead poured everything he had into the blade. Just as Johhana turned back to him in surprise, the little angel stabbed her with all his might in the inner elbow, one of the few points on her body not protected by armor only a strange metal chain shirt thing. The overcharged dagger broke through that chain, and the bad lady screamed in a horrible high-pitched, definitely not human voice. Immediately her grip slacked and Quiet fell to the ground, still holding his now bloody dagger. He slammed the ground with one fist, causing a sudden eruption that flung Johhana towards Old Weaver. Jumping up, Quiet ran towards Teeriel who too was struggling to get up. The little angel quickly put his palms on his torso and healed the ugly wounds. Teeriel quickly lifted him up to his chest, then jumped towards the big shield of Johhana. He punched it and the metal broke into pieces under a strange blue shockwave. Then the bald man turned around and ran as fast as he could up the dark stairs.
- You couldn't use your magic?! – he panted as he jumped the steps.
- She cancelled it with-with something, I don't know! – Quiet cried, trying to wipe the tears away.
They couldn't hear it, but they were sure Johhana was screaming bloody murder behind them and storming after them. Suddenly a shining ghost hammer hurled just past them, missing Teeriel's head by mere centimeters and making him stumble.
- Hold on! – the bald man shouted after he regained his footing.
Sharp blue light filled the air and Teeriel launched himself, practically flying through the dark like an arrow. Quiet could catch glimpses of some kind of light tendril things around Teeriel's back.
A sudden burst of sunlight blinded the both of them as they broke out to the surface. Teeriel flew across the gate, nearly smacking into the stone arch. Quiet screeched as the man rolled over his head and belly-flopped onto the big ugly black scar in the ground.
- Sorry, sorry! – Teeriel tried to get up quick, he was squishing Quiet into the ground.
- You can fly?! – Quiet coughed, looking up at him with teary eyes.
- I have no idea! – Teeriel yanked him up and dragged him along. – Now run!
They tore across the ruins and the big crack, running faster than ever before. Quiet asked the ground, just like after Bramwell, to rise up and carry them.
That saved their lives, it turned out.
As they were about to clear the ruins of the Cathedral, something or someone crashed into them from the side with incredible force. It was mostly the ground pedestal that suffered, but Teeriel and Quiet still came tumbling down and rolled among some larger stones. Quiet shook the bits of earth out of his eyes first to look at their new attacker.
- Bad armor man! – he shouted with fear.
Before them, staggering but already recovering, stood the man who had blew up the wall and set fire to their big house back in Wezztmarch.
- Kormak? – Teeriel coughed as well, rolling onto his belly.
- You monster! – the bad armor man pointed an accusing finger at Teeriel, nothing but anger and hurt in his eyes.
- No, Kormak, listen—!
- Silence, traitor! You killed Eyrena, there is no hope for you! – Kormak bellowed, grabbing his spear with both hands.
- Back off, Kormak! I am not done with them yet – roared Johhana, stomping through the gate far away from them.
Her left hand was covered in her own blood, and it was hanging limply… but it was slowly moving again, the deep stab mending itself. She was swinging her terrible chainy weapon with the other hand, and this time it was on fire too.
- But Johhana, we must make them pay! – Kormak tried to argue.
- Oh we will, do not worry about that, Kormak! – Johhana sneered.
Teeriel raised his sword to defend himself. A small thing zipped across the air, and Quiet was too slow and too skerred to do anything about it. A shiny gemstone tore its way through Teeriel's wrist, who screamed in pain and dropped his big sword.
- Do not hurt him, bad people! – Quiet screamed as he immediately scuttled to him, and grabbed his bleeding arm to heal it.
- Didn't you say he would not be able to summon his goddamn sword, witch?! – barked a new raspy voice.
A really old man appeared from a behind a broken column, and Quiet recognized him from that bad stone garden with the big dog demon a long time ago. He was very thin and crooked and was wearing a funny cap and strange very big belt satchels with many many pockets. But his eyes were solid purple and it made him incredibly skerry.
Dirgest, Inarius' memory flashed through Quiet and he immediately knew how dangerous the old man was. He turned around, trying to shield the much bigger Teeriel who was cradling his newly healed arm.
He realized they were surrounded. Johhana was fast approaching, Kormak was barely stopping himself from stabbing them through with his spear, and Dirgest had gemstones orbiting around him, like deadly pebbles ready for launch. A bit farther from them, the big fat dark-skinned lady, who had helped Leendonn before and who talked to Quiet in Kurast, sat on a heap of stones, silently staring at them with unblinking eyes.
- She is lying to you! She is deceiving you! – Teeriel tried to talk to the others, still kneeling on the ground but grabbing his sword again.
- I said silence! – Kormak roared at him.
- No, you must listen—
- You had your chance to join us, Justice! – Dirgest snorted, his strange voice was really bad to listen to.
- This being here is not Mephisto, he—!
-… Is a menace to all of Sanctuary and must be removed! – Johhana arrived, her chainy weapon radiating heat. – And you picked his side, Teeriel. You betrayed this world.
- The only traitor here is you! – Teeriel shouted at her, but he sounded more afraid than angry.
Quiet pressed his back into Teeriel's chest, both trying to hide and to protect him somehow. He tried to sneakily call upon the ground or the grass or anything, but Johhana's evil bad empty magic countered him again.
- None of that, you little freak! – she hissed at him. – Your tricks have greatly outlived their welcome.
Inside Quiet, Worrldston was getting both terribly angry and terribly skerred, but so far he did not try to break away from the union. He did not know, however, what kind of magic was Johhana using, and that only raised the confusion in Quiet.
- What's the plan? – Dirgest grumbled, flicking away a gemstone mid-air in his boredom.
- We kill the fallen one! – Kormak insisted.
- You should have known better, Teeriel – Johhana grinned very widely at them. – There is only one way the story ends when I get involved!
She flung her chainy weapon high, ready to slam it down on the heads of her victims. As its hilt passed by her head, a small bolt of light exploded into it, sending it spiraling out of her grip, and tearing off one of its three chains in the process.
- Allow us to try and bring a twist into it then!
Quiet snapped his head towards the origin of the bolt, and his throat seized up.
Insert the "RUN, BITCH, RUUUUN!" meme here, apply it to whichever side you'd like, cupcakes.
Damn, we are seeing some old faces here, aren't we? Been a while, people, where were you up to this point?!
Although I am definitely not proud of this hiatus, I will be the first to admit that I needed this break. Now the writer's block seems to be lifting off, and I could rein in and focus my productivity more effectively. The end of the year is always busy, I reckon it is true for everyone. Thus, I cannot promise that I will have Ch65 ready in December. Miracles can happen, of course, but I don't want to string you guys along, in case it does fall through. Fighting chapters especially are a steep hill to climb for me, they generally need more time than normal ones.
Well, I'll see you cupcakes here soon! And if not in December, then I wish all my readers a very happy New Year and a success-filled 2022 in advance! Take care, all of you!
Lore & Trivia Corner
- "Concurs" is from the Latin word "concursus", meaning "charge" or "clash" (the nouns). The idea to have the Crusader spout semi-Latin came from the good old meme of "DEUS VULT!". And I'm not even kidding here.
- Johanna the "easy-going Crusader": since the class had come to Diablo 3 with the Reaper of Souls expansion, the Crusader's lines had been written with an air of levity by the writers. This caused the character to not react as vehemently to events as the other classes, hell sometimes make a joke or even a decent trash talk, since by the time most players played the Crusader, they have long since finished the campaign and no longer needed the dramatic reactions. Thus, my Johanna is also a somewhat more easy-going Nephalem.
- Gaslighting: a type of manipulation, when the manipulator does his best to ruin the sense of reality of the victim, by lying about events, twisting narratives and convincing the victim that he misremembers about everything and that actually he is in the wrong here. It is used most often when the manipulator is being called out on their terrible behavior, and thus he needs to be on the defense and reestablish his control. Gaslighting is often very difficult to recognize in the moment, especially when emotions are involved, making it all the more insidious and terrible weapon.