Chapter 3 As I kept walking down the beaten path, the sun began to set, so I gathered firewood, killed a rabbit and cleaned it, and I set myself up a comfortable camp. As I was eating some grilled rabbit, I heard a piercing scream through the night, and I drew the stout sword Lazarus gave me. I stood up, and began to cautiously walk to the source of the scream. I saw a girl, not much oldern than Summer, being besieged by goblins with long spears, I charged into the fray, killing most of them, I groaned in pain, feeling one of their spears going into my side with it's final blow. I saw the girl rushing twoards me before I blacked out. I woke up suddenly, bandages on the wound, in a small house. My equipment and what little money I had on a table beside me. The girl was resting nearby and woke with a start, saying, "Well, you've finally awoken. My name is Karsi; I am a priestess of Chronos. I have brought you to my small home in the town of Carbana, to the north from your path." I replied simply, "Thank you for your help Karsi, I am Ryu, Ryu Kisargi." She nodded and helped me up, then took off the bandages. She said, "You should walk around the village for a while, we have an exellant blacksmith and one of the most revered elders of Sanctuary, Deckard Cain. Him and the blacksmith were a couple of the ones who helped kill the Three." I replied, "Yes, I shall visit them then." I did not tell her of my mission, for I didn't want to trouble her with my destiny. I gathered my belongings and left the small cottage, Karsi giving me a small bag filled with healing herbs, as she gave it to me, she said, "Just in case warrior, I feel that you will feel the need to use these. Just eat them and whatever wounds you have, no matter how grevious, will be healed." I nodded, walking off into the general direction of the village, Carbana. As I walked in, I was amazed at the simplistic life of these people, and I asked where the elder stayed, and I was pointed to a house in the far north. Before I went to the house, I went to the blacksmith that Karsi mentioned, and I bought a small hauberk of steel plate armor, and the owner, one of the legendary heroes, asked me what that was for. I replied simply, "I walk into the maw of evil, and I need protection." He noticed something as I was putting it on, a birthmark of a rising pheonix that I usually keep secret, only Summer knew about it, because she has the excact same birthmark, even though we're 2 years apart in age. He led me to the back room, and asked, "Tell me, has the Three been ressurected? Are the rumors true?" I could do nothing but nod slightly, and he shuddered in fear, saying "Chosen One, come with me." And he led me through a hidden passage to a small room with a single armor stand with a cloak behind it. He said, "This is Arkaine's Valor, the legendary armor of the one who turned the tide of the Light War. I give it to you, along with a fine cloak that repels all elements from the flame of a dragon to the ice of the barbarian northlands. Use them well." I nodded and we walked out, and he said one thing before I left, "Use caution, for they draw their powers from hell itself. Good luck Chosen One, the Dragonslayer." I then walked to the elder's house, and I was greeted with the warm scent of venison cooking. I knocked, and an old man that had the vitality of a child answered, saying, "Welcome, welcome! Have your dinner here traveler, and let us share epic tales, for I haven't seen any new people for 30 years!" I chuckled to myself and he led me to a table where the food was already set, as if he was expecting me. When we got our drinks, I asked him about his past, and he began to talk. "I am Deckard Cain, last of the Hordriam, an egimatic race of wizards that died out long ago. I have seen the first falling of the Three, and most of the recent wars and battles that followed. What do you wish to hear about?" I said, "I wish to hear about the final binding of the Three, and the loss of the Worldstone." Cain sighed, and said, "That caused dark, dark times for this world, and from what I hear, many others. When the blacksmith from this village killed Baal, the archangel Tyreal destroyed the Worldstone, therefore lefting the rift between this world, heaven, and hell. Now, demons freely roam the countryside, but the archangels help us by keeping most of them at bay. If only the Chosen Ones would appear, then this world might be at peace. By legend they are called "The Chosen, The Innocent, and The Defiled." By the Chosen, they mean the one who weild the power of the gods. By the Innocent they mean the one who has the most holy of hearts, the one who wield the powers of light. And by the Defiled, they mean the one who weild the powers of darkness." I looked at him and he smiled, saying "Yes Ryu, I know who you are and that you are chosen for Avarion. I have it here, in a cavern far below this house. Sadly, demons have invaded the caverns below. You should be able to do this, with my help. Finish your meal, for we set out after the midnight hour." We finished our meal and rested until midnight, then he led me down a hall and down an old stairway, into a large room with a door with a symbol on it. I said in awe, "This-This is." and he replied, "Yes Ryu, this is the Forsaken Sanctuary, where King Leoric of old wasted away and Diablo was first ressurected. This is where Avarion lies, in the fifth level." He placed a hand on the door and began to chant silently, the door slowly opening. We walked in, into the darkness. After what seemed to be hours of chopping and hacking our way through, we finally reached the fifth level, and we heard an enormous roar. We looked behind us to see a great dragon, and I tore off my normal cloak to reveal Arkaine's Valor and the cloak that the blacksmith gave me, and I rushed at the dragon, turning the flames aside with the cloak. I drove the sword deep into the dragon's side, and he sent flames at Cain, bringing him down. In a rage, I went into a frenzy that killed the dragon and broke the sword. I threw down the hiltshard of the sword and ran to Cain, and he said, "I-It's too late for me Ryu, just pull the sword." I shook my head, taking out some of the herbs from the bag that Karsi gave me, forcing them in Cain's mouth. Afterwards, he coughed, smiled, and got up, using his cane for support. I smiled, he pointed to a momunent to the north, I walked to it, I saw a magenficant sword imbedded in it, and I walked to it. Setting my hands on the hilt, I began to pull it out, and a great light began to pour from the momunent, and it fell apart as I pulled the blade out. It felt light as a feather, and perfectly suited for my use. I looked on the hilt, and I saw the name "Avarion" engraved on it, and I heard Cain say, "Good luck Chosen One, you'll need it." We left the catacombs and I began walking back to the crossroads and Lazarus.