CHAPTER 4

In the jungles around Kurast, there is a place where not even the demons dare enter. No one knows what it used to be. Some say it is a mausoleum, some say it's a temple. But legends, that no living soul dares to remember, say that it is both. No bird or animal passes through, the undead and the demons fear it. Sunlight doesn't penetrate the pale mist around it and night avoids this place.

In this forsaken place, not even Time dares to move.

Aurion and Macha walked in the dark chamber. Before they could blink an eye, the iron golem advanced and engaged with the enemy. Aurion's eyes were used to the darkness and he quickly saw the creature that was guarding the Tomb. It was no other that Duriel himself, one of the Lesser Evils. He sent out a series of bone spears on him, knowing that his skeletons were hopeless in this fight.

"Cold arrows, slow him down!" he shouted to Macha. Her eyes had not adapted to the darkness yet, but she obeyed, and a string of icy bolts flew from her fingers. Fortunately, this skill of hers did not require much aiming. These enchanted bolts could not miss.

They were fighting from afar, leaving the Valkyrie and the golem in the first line. Duriel hit hard, with enormous claws and demonic cold. But Aurion recited one curse after the other, breaking down the creature's resistance and increasing the damage done by his mages and Macha's arrows.

But Duriel was no demonic warlord. He was a Lord of Hell. Soon his cold penetrated everyone in the room. Aurion's minions broke down one after another. He used all his power to cast curses and he had difficulty to summon any more bone spears. Macha's fingers were frozen, but she kept on firing icy bolts with bleeding hands, not showing any sign of pain. And the golem did not have much life left in it.

Aurion reached in his backpack to get his last mana potion. But instead, his hand touched the sword he had found in the Arcane Sanctuary the day before. He took it out and looked at it. A forgotten charm was woven into it and it trembled with blood lust. Without thinking, he trough the sword towards Duriel. It flew in the air, crying out of joy and pierced the monster's chest, feasting on his malice. The demon's body broke to pieces and huge white maggots.

"It was about time!" cried Macha and kicked on of the maggots to the opposite wall. It splashed and dissolved into white bile.

Aurion picked up the sword and hid it again in his backpack. With it he found a ring with a strange engraving to it. He pocketed that too, hoping to exchange it with a few potions in town.

"Come on, let's find Tal Rasha", he said, and climbed the stairs to Burial Chamber.

But the mage was not there. They found the archangel Tyrael, imprisoned by Diablo. And he had grim news. Baal now resided in the Mage's body. And they were both now advancing towards the East, seeking to free the Third Brother.

Their journey should take them across the sea to Kurast.

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They returned to town, to restock in potions and arrows. The city was rejoicing upon the death of Duriel. While Macha was getting supplies from Fara, Aurion walked with Cain to make arrangements for their ship passage.

"I never expected to see a Necromancer teaming up with an amazon", said Cain.

"Neither did I", replied Aurion with a smile. "But she's proved to be a good comrade in battle. And there are battles ahead that require more than my skills".

Cain looked at him. "Are you speaking of the Dark Wanderer, or something else?"

The Necromancer sighed and stopped. He looked at the old guy, the last of his Order and thought if he should tell him.

"Tell me, old mage", he said, "have you heard of Neferaton?"

Deckard Cain went pale. "The Soul Eater? I thought this was a myth, just a spooky story!"

"No, Cain, it is not a myth. It's real and the truth is scarier than any story about him," replied Aurion in a low voice. "But come, we shouldn't talk of such things in the middle of the street. Let's find a quiet corner and I'll tell you of horrors worse than Diablo and his brothers."

As they stepped into the tavern, a vulture flew over them and headed to the sea.