Chapter 2: Valor Lost
Kari couldn't hide her surprise, though she felt she shouldn't have.
"You started out as a paladin. A holy warrior. And now you're known as the Hand of Light. Must be quite an accomplishment for a paladin."
"Not really. There are better things. There are more responsibilities. Now people expect me to defeat all of their troubles, just like I defeated the three Prime Evils. In the end the only things I can defeat are demons. That's the only thing I can do. I've fought so long that I can't."
"So why ask me to accompany you?"
"Because I see the potential in you to become greater than I am. To be the true Hand of Light."
"And how are you not?"
Marko laughed. "That's a good one. I am a warrior. Nothing more. You think I actually wanted to become the so-called Hand of Light? I was a paladin who rebelled against the Church of Zakarum. In the end I was the one that defeated the Prime Evils, but do I get to relax and settle down? No. Suddenly the world is thrown into chaos and I get stuck in the middle of the fighting."
Kari looked at him sympathetically. Marko had done humanity a great service, but he was still serving. A man like him should be able to live a better life than just going around slaying demons.
"I'm sorry," she said, "I guess I can't understand what you went through."
"I went through Hell. That's the only way to describe it."
For some reason his grin made her want to smile with him, and she did.
"Let's finish our business here and get going," he suggested.
"What else is there for us to do?"
"The forces of Hell have been using waypoints to move armies across great distances. Of course, normally a waypoint can only transport so many, but these new demons have corrupted the waypoints and can move entire armies across great lands."
"So what are you going to do with this waypoint?" Kari asked.
"I'm going to seal it."
Marko walked through the ashes of the burned camp. He created a wind and it blew the ashes away and revealed a waypoint stone. However, instead of the white it was supposed to be, it was a dark red. Marko knelt down next to it and started mumbling something. He held his hands out, palms facing down, and the stone started melting. Within a few seconds the symbols on the waypoint disappeared in the molten rock and the two flames on the stone were extinguished. Suddenly the waypoint exploded and dust rose from the ground. Kari coughed and fanned with her hands, trying to get the dust away. When it had settled, the stone that had marked the waypoint had crumbled and the waypoint itself was broken.
"No one will be able to use this anymore," Marko said, "That ought to keep the legions of Hell from invading this place with a large army anytime soon."
"How did you do that?" Kari asked, "I thought you could not destroy a waypoint."
"All you have to do is bend the tunnel that connects waypoints. Everything will break at a certain point. I just bent it beyond that point and snapped the connection."
"Are you going to do that with all of the waypoints?"
"No. This was one of the corrupted ones. Hopefully there aren't that many more such. Well, we should get back to the monastery."
"It's going to be a long hike."
"No need."
Suddenly a portal appeared in front of Marko.
"Another trick I learned," he said, "Creating portals without scrolls."
Kari smiled at him and walked through. Within seconds she was inside the monastery. Several Rogues were in the garden and looked at her and Marko in surprise. However, they moved along with their business. Kashya appeared from the building and approached them.
"I don't think the goatmen will be bothering you for a while," Marko said.
"You didn't have to do this."
"Yes I did. No other human knows how to seal a waypoint. It'll probably take some time for another army that large to move against you."
"Thank you," said Kashya, "I'm sure Warriv will be happy that you made it safe to travel again."
"I didn't. Unfortunately, his trip across the desert will have to be delayed even longer. I took out only one clan. Usually there are at least three clans of goatmen working together. That means there are two more armies out in the desert. He'll have to wait until I do something about that."
"You shall have our help when you need it," said Kashya.
Marko smiled. "I will take you up on that offer once I return. Kari, have you ever been to Mt. Arreat?"
Kashya and Kari gasped.
"You're going to the Barbarian Highlands?" Kashya said in astonishment.
"I have some friends there that could lend me a hand. I am not going to take on two bloody armies at the same time."
"But what about what you did earlier?" Kari asked.
Marko shook his head.
"I am not going to summon another army to do that all over again. It would take too much energy on my part. I only did it today because I couldn't lead an army of Rogues into something I didn't know too much about. The two of us could have sneaked in and gotten out alive, but an army of Rogues moving would have alerted the goatmen."
"Well, that is true," said Kashya, "However, consider taking some sisters with you on your journey to the Highlands."
Marko nodded. "Where's Falvie? I'm sure she would just love to go off on some adventure."
"When are we leaving?" Kari asked.
"Right after I get something in my stomach and get my bow. And get a change of clothes."
Marko walked off towards the workshop and Kari followed. Kashya went to find Falvie. Charsi was already back at work.
"You should be in bed," Marko chided.
"Oh, you know me," Charsi answered with a smile, "I can stand up to anything. Thanks for healing me."
"Well, we have known each other for a while. Besides, you fought with me last night. I'm here for my bow."
"I looked at it before the goatmen attacked. It seems fine and doesn't need any repair."
"Thanks."
She handed him the long war bow.
"I'll see you later," he said.
"Bye Marko. Don't get yourself killed now."
Marko shot her a parting smile and left the workshop.
"I suggest you get ready as well," he said, "If I'm not down in the dining hall when you're ready, just wait for me."
Kari nodded and went into her room. She had a spare set of clothes and changed into them after taking a quick bath. She tied her hair into a ponytail and cleaned her armor. She strapped it on and hooked her Katars onto it. After that she went down to the dining hall. Marko was already sitting with Falvie and eating. He waved to her and she sat down.
"I suggest you fill your stomach," he said, "We're going to travel for a while."
She did so and after about half an hour they were heading to the front gate. Marko quickly found Warriv and handed him a bag full of gold. A few minutes later a man appeared with three horses.
"We'll need them to travel all the way to the Highlands," said Marko, "I personally don't want to use the waypoints yet so we'll ride there."
He leaped onto the black stallion with one smooth movement and looked at them, waiting for them to mount. They quickly did so. The doors were opened and the three galloped into the wilderness with the evening sky descending on them. They rode silently through the forest, hearing no beasts or birds, demons or monsters. When the night sky had blanketed the earth and the moon was starting to rise, Marko stopped them. They nearly ran past him, his black cloak hiding him in the darkness.
"We'll make camp here," he said, "I have a pack of dry meat if either of you are hungry."
Both of the women nodded their heads. He got off his horse and tied all three of them to a tree. He took off the saddlebags and unrolled three sleeping bags.
"Goodnight," he said before wrapping his cloak around him and covering himself with the blanket.
Kari and Falvie looked at each other and shrugged. If he thought it was safe to sleep out here then it should be. They crawled into their sleeping bags and were soon fast asleep.
Kari and Falvie woke up at the same time the next day. They looked around and saw that Marko had already built a small fire and was cooking two rabbits. He took them off of the fire and cut them into three even portions and put them on wooden plates.
"The advantage to having magic," he said as he brought them their breakfast, "is that I can make as many dishes and bowls as I want."
They ate their breakfast quickly and once they were finished Marko simply threw away the dishes. When they hit the ground they turned to dust.
"Let's go," he said.
They mounted again and the three rode quickly through the forest. Marko watched the forest carefully, not wanting any surprises to pop up. The forests passed by them quickly as they rode through the lands. For two weeks they rode, stopping at night to rest. They encountered no creatures on the journey and all three were glad for it. In the third week, they found themselves in a bit of trouble.
"How many are there?" Kari asked.
Marko was lying on his stomach and peering down hillside. They were looking down on a large camp of massive hulking demons.
"This sucks," Marko muttered, "We have two options. Fight through them or go around. Going around might take too long though."
"So you're suggesting we fight them?" Kari asked incredulously, "That's insane!"
"I could raise another army."
"Don't you dare think of doing that!" Falvie said sharply.
"Or I could just go down there and use Apocalypse a dozen times."
"Don't you dare try that either!" said Kari, "We can just go around!"
"That'll add two more weeks onto our journey," said Marko.
"Fine," said Falvie, "Two more weeks. Let's get going!"
Marko sighed and got onto his horse. He did not want to argue with two women so he conceded. They galloped off for another two weeks.
After the three weeks total it took them to travel so far they arrived at a large fortress that guarded the pass that led into the Highlands. Dozens of knights were out on patrol and they ran into them.
"Halt!" one said, "Identify yourself in the name of the King?"
Kari felt the urge to laugh, or at least giggle. King Leoric was long dead with his son, and there was no royal heir to the throne of Entsteig.
"I am Marko Lyther. We are traveling through the Highlands."
Several of the knights laughed.
"No one goes into the Highlands and lives," one of the laughing knights said when he stopped, "You are a fool!"
"Watch your mouth!" Falvie snapped, "You are in the presence of the Hand of Light and I suggest you pay proper respect."
"You expect us to believe that?" another knight said, "Why would the Hand of Light travel into the Barbarian Highlands? He is no fool!"
Marko dismounted and walked up to the knights. Their horses shifted uneasily and tried to back away. The knights held on tightly to their reins to keep the horses from moving.
"I am Marko Lyther, slayer of the Prime Evils. If you doubt my words, I suggest you think again. I have no tolerance for incompetents and I am surprised that whoever your king is would make men like you into knights."
Three of the knights dismounted and drew their weapons.
"Let us teach this insolent dog who exactly he is dealing with," the lead knight said.
Marko's sword flew from his sheath into his hand without him having to touch it.
"I am the Hand of Light. All who stand in my way have fallen, as will you."
Bright light gathered into the blade of his sword and blinded all those standing around him. When the light receded the three men that had challenged him were lying on the ground, their weapons melted away and their armor in pieces. The other men gasped and backed away on their horses.
"I suggest you leave and tell your friends to avoid us," he said, "Or else."
They snapped their reins and the horses went into a full gallop. Within moments they had left behind their comrades and were away. Marko remounted.
"Let's go," he said, "Those fools will probably try to bring reinforcements."
"Did you really have to do that?" Kari asked.
"Not really. I might have been able to talk my way through it. But Falvie kind of blabbed about who I was."
"Sorry," she said.
"It's okay. Let's get going."
He led the two women quickly through the forest and towards the pass. When they were almost to it dozens of knights appeared and moved to block their way.
"Halt!" the lead knight ordered.
Marko and the others halted, not wanting to run into an entire army of knights.
"You will come with us to the fortress."
"And why should I?" Marko shot back.
"You attacked my fellow knights."
"I attacked nobody. They made the challenge and I accepted. Now, if you can't find better men to become knights, that is not my problem."
"The man claims to be the Hand of Light!" one of the men in the crowd shouted, "That is blasphemy!"
"You would dare make such a claim? You will suffer more for that! No one but the true Hand dares make such a claim!"
"My point exactly. Now, move aside."
"Dismount now or we will be forced to action!"
Marko started chanting some spell and raised his hand. Lightning appeared from nowhere and struck at the feet of the knights' horses. The horses immediately tried to run and the knights could barely control them. Marko then fired a beam of white light from his hand. He sliced through the earth and created a long scar on the ground. The knights fell back, afraid to come any closer.
"Move aside," Marko ordered.
Several of the knights did so while the rest seemed to lose confidence with their comrades leaving them.
"You will pay for this!" the knights' leader yelled as he retreated with his men.
"Was that really necessary?" Kari asked after the men had ran away.
"All that stand against me will be crushed," Marko said simply, "Those that stand with me will live as they will."
His horse started galloping again and the three entered the mountain pass. They were soon in the Barbarian Highlands.
The three had traveled a great distance and had encountered several barbarian tribes. Marko showed them an amulet that he had and they gave the three shelter and food. This had enabled them to survive for a very long time and they soon reached Mt. Arreat. Several guards were outside the city and let them in. Marko immediately made his way to a large building. He showed the amulet to the guards here and they moved aside for the three. Marko seemed to know his way around and walked into a large chamber. A young woman was sitting and talking with several other men with he came in. When she saw him she got up and walked over to hug him. Marko returned it and the two let go of each other after a few moments.
"It is good to see you again," said Anya, "After you left, many of us thought you would never return."
"I've returned for a reason," Marko said, "You know as well as I do that with the Worldstone destroyed, the forces of Hell are pouring through faster than before. I've come to raise an army."
"You are not the only one in need of an army," one of the men said, "Demons have dared to come into the Highlands. We have slaughtered several armies of them, but we still suffer greatly."
"I know," said Marko, "I only ask that you let me make my offer to a few of your warriors."
"If we can help you, we will," said Anya, "We owe you much for what you have done."
"Thank you," said Marko.
"I'll have rooms prepared for you. When you return, you can rest and eat."
"I won't be long. I'll see you soon Anya."
Anya waved and the three left.
"So who are we looking for?" Falvie asked.
"An old friend of mine. If I remember correctly, we'll find him easily."
They walked around the city and soon found the man Marko was talking about.
"Qual-Kehk!"
An old man looked up and smiled.
"Marko! What brings you back to Harrogath?"
"I am looking for men," Marko replied, "I am looking for fellow warriors and friends to join me."
"Marko, you know I am too old for adventures."
Marko shook his head, not convinced.
"When I last saw you, you were ready to fight Baal alone with no help at all. Time may age you, but your spirit is still strong. You are one of the greatest defenders of Harrogath and I need your help."
"So what happened this time?" Qual-Kehk asked, "Did another Prime Evil appear?"
"We shall see," said Marko, "I know of only a few warriors that are strong enough and brave enough to follow me to where my destiny lies. If you come with me, our destinies will be intertwined. Come with me Qual-Kehk."
"My people need me here," Qual-Kehk argued, not convinced. "Demons have been pouring into the Highlands and we need every man that can carry a sword.
"I have no doubt your need is great," said Marko, "However, my need is great as well. Our world is facing greater danger than ever before, and someone must ensure that humanity survives. I am working towards that. Come with me Qual-Kehk. I know a man such as you does not care for glory, but for the deed itself. Well, what I am trying to do is ensure the survival of all peoples."
Qual-Kehk looked at Marko thoughtfully. He then turned his gaze upon Kari and Falvie.
"And who are these two ladies you brought with you?" he asked.
"Falvie is a Rogue that fought with me when I scourged the Rogue Monastery free of demons," Marko answered, "Kari is an assassin that I helped out several weeks ago."
"It seems you already have two fine warriors," said Qual-Kehk, "Why do you need me?"
"Because with you I would have three fine warriors fighting by my side."
Qual-Kehk again had a thoughtful look on his face. Finally, he nodded.
"Very well, Marko. Whatever danger you face, my blade will watch your back."
Marko and Qual-Kehk shook hands. For some reason, Kari felt as if something momentous had happened. The two men smiled and Qual-Kehk hefted his massive battleaxe.
"Where are you staying?" he asked Marko.
"In the citadel. I plan on leaving very soon."
"You are trying to raise an army," said Qual-Kehk, "Perhaps you would like some of my warriors to accompany you."
"No," said Marko, "Where we go, they cannot. I can already raise an army of golems and skeletons. There is no need for the living to shed too much blood yet."
Qual-Kehk nodded. "I will wait here for you to leave, and I will travel with you wherever you go."
Marko bade goodbye and led the two women back to the citadel.
"If you want to get your weapons repaired, I suggest you do it now," he said, "The blacksmith's name is Larzuk and he's pretty good with what he does. Just ask one of the guards to show you where his workshop is."
Marko disappeared into the crowds and left the two women behind. They didn't bother to find him and instead found a guard. He led them to Larzuk and went back to his post.
"Larzuk?"
A man appeared.
"Can I help you?"
"Marko said you could repair our weapons."
"Marko Lyther? He's returned?"
"Yes."
"I'll have to go see him! Well, you said you needed weapons repaired?"
"Yes. My Katars have seen heavy use."
"I would like to make sure my bow remains strong when I am in battle."
"Well, give them here. I'll take care of them. Be back tomorrow and they should be done unless they've been damaged badly."
The two handed over their weapons and armor. Larzuk started examining them immediately and the two women left to return to the citadel.
"I never expected to be this far from home," said Falvie, "The farthest I've been is when we traveled around Entsteig to defeat Andariel's forces."
"Come on," said Kari, "I want to see if we can get a chance to speak with Anya. She seems to know Marko pretty well."
They ran back to the citadel and made their way back to the chamber again. Anya was eating lunch when they appeared.
"Oh, hi. You're the two that's traveling with Marko."
"Yes. I was wondering. How did you come to know him?" Kari asked.
"Well, come in and sit. It is a rather long story."
The two took their seats and Anya had food brought up for them.
"I'm the daughter of a clan leader, and after my father died, I was supposed to take over. However, Nihlathak, the last surviving clan leader, was corrupted by Baal and imprisoned me in an ice prison. Marko had arrived to kill Baal and he found out that I was missing so he started looking for me. He found me and freed me and then killed Nihlathak. With him dead, I assumed command of all of the clans, since I'm the last clan leader alive."
"He certainly gets around a lot," Kari noted.
"It's rumored that he went down to Hell and killed Diablo down there," said Anya, "He is most definitely a brave man, and not bad looking either."
"Why does every woman I meet say that?" Kari said in an exasperated tone.
"Because it's true," said Falvie, "I consider myself rather lucky being able to travel with him. I knew that he came here and killed Baal, but everything else is jumbled up."
"Well, after he rescued me and killed Nihlathak," Anya continued, "He challenged the three Ancients that guard Mt. Arreat. He defeated them and was granted entrance into the Worldstone chamber. He was too late to stop Baal, but he still managed to kill him. That's been enough to keep most of humanity from being enslaved by the forces of Chaos."
"I heard rumors that a large army of goatmen was amassing and preparing to strike Lut Gholein," said Falvie, "When I first heard that Marko was planning to travel there, I thought he was going to try to destroy the army. But now he says that two other armies are blocking the way into the Aranoch Desert so we can't pass through it to reach the city anyways."
"So that's where you're going?" said Anya, "Well, it certainly seems better than going to Kurast."
"What is happening there?" Kari asked anxiously. She had grown up in the city before leaving to become a Mage Slayer.
"Well, I heard that several armies of powerful demons wielding magic were preparing to lay siege to the city," Anya answered, "though I do not know how accurate these reports are."
"Powerful demons?" Falvie said in surprise, "What exactly does that mean? Are they as powerful as the Lesser Evils?"
"I have no idea," said Anya, "All I know is that something is going to happen to Kurast and it probably won't be a good thing."
"When are these things ever good?" said Kari, "But enough about that. We can worry about goatmen armies after we actually get to Lut Gholein. What is Marko like?"
"Why do you ask?" Anya asked, "You are traveling with him."
"He doesn't talk much when we're on the road," said Falvie, "Do you know him well? I only fought by his side during his quest to kill Andariel."
"He is a brave and honorable man," said Anya, "That's all there is to him. He's been through thick and thin and lasted this long. A scholar could spend a lifetime recording his achievements."
"Anya, do you know of other Archangels besides Tyrael?" Kari asked all of a sudden.
"No, Tyrael is the only Archangel that I know of that actively works to ensure humanity's survival. The others I think are more concerned with defeating the forces of Chaos. Why do you ask?"
"Well, I heard someone call an Archangel by the name of Kailua. I just wanted to know if you knew of it."
"I'm afraid not," said Anya, "Tyrael is the only one I know of, and even there I don't know much."
The three women continued eating in silence until Kari broke it.
"Marko spoke to a man named Qual-Kehk. Who is he?"
"He is the clan's Master at Arms. Marko wants him to accompany him? Well, if Qual-Kehk wants to follow him, I will not stop him. Marko usually has a good reason for whatever he does."
"Why do you think Marko is gathering warriors?" Falvie asked the other two women.
"He said something about preserving humanity," Kari replied, "though what that means I have no idea."
"With the forces of Chaos ravaging the lands again, I would think he needs the support of his friends and allies," said Anya, "Perhaps he means to travel around the world and perhaps seal the breach that allows demons into our world."
"That would make him an even bigger hero than he already is," said Kari, "He already said he isn't out for glory, just doing what no one else can. I've seen his magic. He's incredibly strong and if a Mage Slayer ever trusted a sorcerer or sorceress to not become corrupted by using dark magic, I believe it would be him. I can't believe I'm saying this, but it would be him."
"There will be times when he does things that neither of you understand," said Anya, "However, just remember that he is a man of honor, and no man of honor would willingly put a good person in danger. I suggest the two of you get some rest. If Marko doesn't try to recruit more warriors to join him, I suspect that he will want to leave very soon."
"Thank you for speaking with us," said Kari.
"You're welcome."
The two women left the chamber and a servant showed them to their rooms. They found a fresh set of clothes and after bathing changed into them. It felt nice to soak in warm water after traveling so hard the past few weeks. After that they went down to the dining halls to try to pick up some news. Marko was nowhere in sight. They soon found out that there wasn't much news to be heard and went out into the city itself. It was very large and had many interesting things to see. Many barbarians patrolled the streets to keep the peace. There were no other outlanders except for themselves and the two women felt oddly out of place. They went through the few shops there were but didn't buy anything. Both had some gold but not enough that they could spend it freely. When they returned to the citadel they found two squadrons of barbarians standing outside. They made their way through and found Marko standing inside, leaning against one of the large columns.
"Marko. What are all those men doing outside?" Kari asked.
"You might say I've been raising an army," he answered, "I asked for any man that was willing to follow me to come with me and fight two armies of goatmen. These are just some of the men preparing to leave with us."
"Some? How many men did you convince to follow us?" Falvie asked him.
"Roughly two hundred. Once we get back to the monastery, the Rogues will probably send another hundred of their sisters with us and we should be able to defeat the goatmen."
"And Anya is letting you take that many of her warriors?" Kari said, rather surprised by the events that had taken place.
"Well, these men aren't exactly going to follow us all the way to Lut Gholein. After those two armies are cleared out, they'll probably all go back to their homes. The Rogues will of course remain behind."
"Well I'm going wherever you're going," Falvie said stubbornly.
"Of course. I never expected that you would go back to the monastery."
"When are we leaving?" Kari asked.
"Two days. Rest up. We'll need to find some way to get past those damn knights without starting a war between the clans and Entsteig. Though I don't really have much doubt who would win."
Kari cracked a grin and went back into the citadel with Falvie. Traveling with Marko would most definitely be very interesting.
End of Chapter 2
Z98
Kari couldn't hide her surprise, though she felt she shouldn't have.
"You started out as a paladin. A holy warrior. And now you're known as the Hand of Light. Must be quite an accomplishment for a paladin."
"Not really. There are better things. There are more responsibilities. Now people expect me to defeat all of their troubles, just like I defeated the three Prime Evils. In the end the only things I can defeat are demons. That's the only thing I can do. I've fought so long that I can't."
"So why ask me to accompany you?"
"Because I see the potential in you to become greater than I am. To be the true Hand of Light."
"And how are you not?"
Marko laughed. "That's a good one. I am a warrior. Nothing more. You think I actually wanted to become the so-called Hand of Light? I was a paladin who rebelled against the Church of Zakarum. In the end I was the one that defeated the Prime Evils, but do I get to relax and settle down? No. Suddenly the world is thrown into chaos and I get stuck in the middle of the fighting."
Kari looked at him sympathetically. Marko had done humanity a great service, but he was still serving. A man like him should be able to live a better life than just going around slaying demons.
"I'm sorry," she said, "I guess I can't understand what you went through."
"I went through Hell. That's the only way to describe it."
For some reason his grin made her want to smile with him, and she did.
"Let's finish our business here and get going," he suggested.
"What else is there for us to do?"
"The forces of Hell have been using waypoints to move armies across great distances. Of course, normally a waypoint can only transport so many, but these new demons have corrupted the waypoints and can move entire armies across great lands."
"So what are you going to do with this waypoint?" Kari asked.
"I'm going to seal it."
Marko walked through the ashes of the burned camp. He created a wind and it blew the ashes away and revealed a waypoint stone. However, instead of the white it was supposed to be, it was a dark red. Marko knelt down next to it and started mumbling something. He held his hands out, palms facing down, and the stone started melting. Within a few seconds the symbols on the waypoint disappeared in the molten rock and the two flames on the stone were extinguished. Suddenly the waypoint exploded and dust rose from the ground. Kari coughed and fanned with her hands, trying to get the dust away. When it had settled, the stone that had marked the waypoint had crumbled and the waypoint itself was broken.
"No one will be able to use this anymore," Marko said, "That ought to keep the legions of Hell from invading this place with a large army anytime soon."
"How did you do that?" Kari asked, "I thought you could not destroy a waypoint."
"All you have to do is bend the tunnel that connects waypoints. Everything will break at a certain point. I just bent it beyond that point and snapped the connection."
"Are you going to do that with all of the waypoints?"
"No. This was one of the corrupted ones. Hopefully there aren't that many more such. Well, we should get back to the monastery."
"It's going to be a long hike."
"No need."
Suddenly a portal appeared in front of Marko.
"Another trick I learned," he said, "Creating portals without scrolls."
Kari smiled at him and walked through. Within seconds she was inside the monastery. Several Rogues were in the garden and looked at her and Marko in surprise. However, they moved along with their business. Kashya appeared from the building and approached them.
"I don't think the goatmen will be bothering you for a while," Marko said.
"You didn't have to do this."
"Yes I did. No other human knows how to seal a waypoint. It'll probably take some time for another army that large to move against you."
"Thank you," said Kashya, "I'm sure Warriv will be happy that you made it safe to travel again."
"I didn't. Unfortunately, his trip across the desert will have to be delayed even longer. I took out only one clan. Usually there are at least three clans of goatmen working together. That means there are two more armies out in the desert. He'll have to wait until I do something about that."
"You shall have our help when you need it," said Kashya.
Marko smiled. "I will take you up on that offer once I return. Kari, have you ever been to Mt. Arreat?"
Kashya and Kari gasped.
"You're going to the Barbarian Highlands?" Kashya said in astonishment.
"I have some friends there that could lend me a hand. I am not going to take on two bloody armies at the same time."
"But what about what you did earlier?" Kari asked.
Marko shook his head.
"I am not going to summon another army to do that all over again. It would take too much energy on my part. I only did it today because I couldn't lead an army of Rogues into something I didn't know too much about. The two of us could have sneaked in and gotten out alive, but an army of Rogues moving would have alerted the goatmen."
"Well, that is true," said Kashya, "However, consider taking some sisters with you on your journey to the Highlands."
Marko nodded. "Where's Falvie? I'm sure she would just love to go off on some adventure."
"When are we leaving?" Kari asked.
"Right after I get something in my stomach and get my bow. And get a change of clothes."
Marko walked off towards the workshop and Kari followed. Kashya went to find Falvie. Charsi was already back at work.
"You should be in bed," Marko chided.
"Oh, you know me," Charsi answered with a smile, "I can stand up to anything. Thanks for healing me."
"Well, we have known each other for a while. Besides, you fought with me last night. I'm here for my bow."
"I looked at it before the goatmen attacked. It seems fine and doesn't need any repair."
"Thanks."
She handed him the long war bow.
"I'll see you later," he said.
"Bye Marko. Don't get yourself killed now."
Marko shot her a parting smile and left the workshop.
"I suggest you get ready as well," he said, "If I'm not down in the dining hall when you're ready, just wait for me."
Kari nodded and went into her room. She had a spare set of clothes and changed into them after taking a quick bath. She tied her hair into a ponytail and cleaned her armor. She strapped it on and hooked her Katars onto it. After that she went down to the dining hall. Marko was already sitting with Falvie and eating. He waved to her and she sat down.
"I suggest you fill your stomach," he said, "We're going to travel for a while."
She did so and after about half an hour they were heading to the front gate. Marko quickly found Warriv and handed him a bag full of gold. A few minutes later a man appeared with three horses.
"We'll need them to travel all the way to the Highlands," said Marko, "I personally don't want to use the waypoints yet so we'll ride there."
He leaped onto the black stallion with one smooth movement and looked at them, waiting for them to mount. They quickly did so. The doors were opened and the three galloped into the wilderness with the evening sky descending on them. They rode silently through the forest, hearing no beasts or birds, demons or monsters. When the night sky had blanketed the earth and the moon was starting to rise, Marko stopped them. They nearly ran past him, his black cloak hiding him in the darkness.
"We'll make camp here," he said, "I have a pack of dry meat if either of you are hungry."
Both of the women nodded their heads. He got off his horse and tied all three of them to a tree. He took off the saddlebags and unrolled three sleeping bags.
"Goodnight," he said before wrapping his cloak around him and covering himself with the blanket.
Kari and Falvie looked at each other and shrugged. If he thought it was safe to sleep out here then it should be. They crawled into their sleeping bags and were soon fast asleep.
Kari and Falvie woke up at the same time the next day. They looked around and saw that Marko had already built a small fire and was cooking two rabbits. He took them off of the fire and cut them into three even portions and put them on wooden plates.
"The advantage to having magic," he said as he brought them their breakfast, "is that I can make as many dishes and bowls as I want."
They ate their breakfast quickly and once they were finished Marko simply threw away the dishes. When they hit the ground they turned to dust.
"Let's go," he said.
They mounted again and the three rode quickly through the forest. Marko watched the forest carefully, not wanting any surprises to pop up. The forests passed by them quickly as they rode through the lands. For two weeks they rode, stopping at night to rest. They encountered no creatures on the journey and all three were glad for it. In the third week, they found themselves in a bit of trouble.
"How many are there?" Kari asked.
Marko was lying on his stomach and peering down hillside. They were looking down on a large camp of massive hulking demons.
"This sucks," Marko muttered, "We have two options. Fight through them or go around. Going around might take too long though."
"So you're suggesting we fight them?" Kari asked incredulously, "That's insane!"
"I could raise another army."
"Don't you dare think of doing that!" Falvie said sharply.
"Or I could just go down there and use Apocalypse a dozen times."
"Don't you dare try that either!" said Kari, "We can just go around!"
"That'll add two more weeks onto our journey," said Marko.
"Fine," said Falvie, "Two more weeks. Let's get going!"
Marko sighed and got onto his horse. He did not want to argue with two women so he conceded. They galloped off for another two weeks.
After the three weeks total it took them to travel so far they arrived at a large fortress that guarded the pass that led into the Highlands. Dozens of knights were out on patrol and they ran into them.
"Halt!" one said, "Identify yourself in the name of the King?"
Kari felt the urge to laugh, or at least giggle. King Leoric was long dead with his son, and there was no royal heir to the throne of Entsteig.
"I am Marko Lyther. We are traveling through the Highlands."
Several of the knights laughed.
"No one goes into the Highlands and lives," one of the laughing knights said when he stopped, "You are a fool!"
"Watch your mouth!" Falvie snapped, "You are in the presence of the Hand of Light and I suggest you pay proper respect."
"You expect us to believe that?" another knight said, "Why would the Hand of Light travel into the Barbarian Highlands? He is no fool!"
Marko dismounted and walked up to the knights. Their horses shifted uneasily and tried to back away. The knights held on tightly to their reins to keep the horses from moving.
"I am Marko Lyther, slayer of the Prime Evils. If you doubt my words, I suggest you think again. I have no tolerance for incompetents and I am surprised that whoever your king is would make men like you into knights."
Three of the knights dismounted and drew their weapons.
"Let us teach this insolent dog who exactly he is dealing with," the lead knight said.
Marko's sword flew from his sheath into his hand without him having to touch it.
"I am the Hand of Light. All who stand in my way have fallen, as will you."
Bright light gathered into the blade of his sword and blinded all those standing around him. When the light receded the three men that had challenged him were lying on the ground, their weapons melted away and their armor in pieces. The other men gasped and backed away on their horses.
"I suggest you leave and tell your friends to avoid us," he said, "Or else."
They snapped their reins and the horses went into a full gallop. Within moments they had left behind their comrades and were away. Marko remounted.
"Let's go," he said, "Those fools will probably try to bring reinforcements."
"Did you really have to do that?" Kari asked.
"Not really. I might have been able to talk my way through it. But Falvie kind of blabbed about who I was."
"Sorry," she said.
"It's okay. Let's get going."
He led the two women quickly through the forest and towards the pass. When they were almost to it dozens of knights appeared and moved to block their way.
"Halt!" the lead knight ordered.
Marko and the others halted, not wanting to run into an entire army of knights.
"You will come with us to the fortress."
"And why should I?" Marko shot back.
"You attacked my fellow knights."
"I attacked nobody. They made the challenge and I accepted. Now, if you can't find better men to become knights, that is not my problem."
"The man claims to be the Hand of Light!" one of the men in the crowd shouted, "That is blasphemy!"
"You would dare make such a claim? You will suffer more for that! No one but the true Hand dares make such a claim!"
"My point exactly. Now, move aside."
"Dismount now or we will be forced to action!"
Marko started chanting some spell and raised his hand. Lightning appeared from nowhere and struck at the feet of the knights' horses. The horses immediately tried to run and the knights could barely control them. Marko then fired a beam of white light from his hand. He sliced through the earth and created a long scar on the ground. The knights fell back, afraid to come any closer.
"Move aside," Marko ordered.
Several of the knights did so while the rest seemed to lose confidence with their comrades leaving them.
"You will pay for this!" the knights' leader yelled as he retreated with his men.
"Was that really necessary?" Kari asked after the men had ran away.
"All that stand against me will be crushed," Marko said simply, "Those that stand with me will live as they will."
His horse started galloping again and the three entered the mountain pass. They were soon in the Barbarian Highlands.
The three had traveled a great distance and had encountered several barbarian tribes. Marko showed them an amulet that he had and they gave the three shelter and food. This had enabled them to survive for a very long time and they soon reached Mt. Arreat. Several guards were outside the city and let them in. Marko immediately made his way to a large building. He showed the amulet to the guards here and they moved aside for the three. Marko seemed to know his way around and walked into a large chamber. A young woman was sitting and talking with several other men with he came in. When she saw him she got up and walked over to hug him. Marko returned it and the two let go of each other after a few moments.
"It is good to see you again," said Anya, "After you left, many of us thought you would never return."
"I've returned for a reason," Marko said, "You know as well as I do that with the Worldstone destroyed, the forces of Hell are pouring through faster than before. I've come to raise an army."
"You are not the only one in need of an army," one of the men said, "Demons have dared to come into the Highlands. We have slaughtered several armies of them, but we still suffer greatly."
"I know," said Marko, "I only ask that you let me make my offer to a few of your warriors."
"If we can help you, we will," said Anya, "We owe you much for what you have done."
"Thank you," said Marko.
"I'll have rooms prepared for you. When you return, you can rest and eat."
"I won't be long. I'll see you soon Anya."
Anya waved and the three left.
"So who are we looking for?" Falvie asked.
"An old friend of mine. If I remember correctly, we'll find him easily."
They walked around the city and soon found the man Marko was talking about.
"Qual-Kehk!"
An old man looked up and smiled.
"Marko! What brings you back to Harrogath?"
"I am looking for men," Marko replied, "I am looking for fellow warriors and friends to join me."
"Marko, you know I am too old for adventures."
Marko shook his head, not convinced.
"When I last saw you, you were ready to fight Baal alone with no help at all. Time may age you, but your spirit is still strong. You are one of the greatest defenders of Harrogath and I need your help."
"So what happened this time?" Qual-Kehk asked, "Did another Prime Evil appear?"
"We shall see," said Marko, "I know of only a few warriors that are strong enough and brave enough to follow me to where my destiny lies. If you come with me, our destinies will be intertwined. Come with me Qual-Kehk."
"My people need me here," Qual-Kehk argued, not convinced. "Demons have been pouring into the Highlands and we need every man that can carry a sword.
"I have no doubt your need is great," said Marko, "However, my need is great as well. Our world is facing greater danger than ever before, and someone must ensure that humanity survives. I am working towards that. Come with me Qual-Kehk. I know a man such as you does not care for glory, but for the deed itself. Well, what I am trying to do is ensure the survival of all peoples."
Qual-Kehk looked at Marko thoughtfully. He then turned his gaze upon Kari and Falvie.
"And who are these two ladies you brought with you?" he asked.
"Falvie is a Rogue that fought with me when I scourged the Rogue Monastery free of demons," Marko answered, "Kari is an assassin that I helped out several weeks ago."
"It seems you already have two fine warriors," said Qual-Kehk, "Why do you need me?"
"Because with you I would have three fine warriors fighting by my side."
Qual-Kehk again had a thoughtful look on his face. Finally, he nodded.
"Very well, Marko. Whatever danger you face, my blade will watch your back."
Marko and Qual-Kehk shook hands. For some reason, Kari felt as if something momentous had happened. The two men smiled and Qual-Kehk hefted his massive battleaxe.
"Where are you staying?" he asked Marko.
"In the citadel. I plan on leaving very soon."
"You are trying to raise an army," said Qual-Kehk, "Perhaps you would like some of my warriors to accompany you."
"No," said Marko, "Where we go, they cannot. I can already raise an army of golems and skeletons. There is no need for the living to shed too much blood yet."
Qual-Kehk nodded. "I will wait here for you to leave, and I will travel with you wherever you go."
Marko bade goodbye and led the two women back to the citadel.
"If you want to get your weapons repaired, I suggest you do it now," he said, "The blacksmith's name is Larzuk and he's pretty good with what he does. Just ask one of the guards to show you where his workshop is."
Marko disappeared into the crowds and left the two women behind. They didn't bother to find him and instead found a guard. He led them to Larzuk and went back to his post.
"Larzuk?"
A man appeared.
"Can I help you?"
"Marko said you could repair our weapons."
"Marko Lyther? He's returned?"
"Yes."
"I'll have to go see him! Well, you said you needed weapons repaired?"
"Yes. My Katars have seen heavy use."
"I would like to make sure my bow remains strong when I am in battle."
"Well, give them here. I'll take care of them. Be back tomorrow and they should be done unless they've been damaged badly."
The two handed over their weapons and armor. Larzuk started examining them immediately and the two women left to return to the citadel.
"I never expected to be this far from home," said Falvie, "The farthest I've been is when we traveled around Entsteig to defeat Andariel's forces."
"Come on," said Kari, "I want to see if we can get a chance to speak with Anya. She seems to know Marko pretty well."
They ran back to the citadel and made their way back to the chamber again. Anya was eating lunch when they appeared.
"Oh, hi. You're the two that's traveling with Marko."
"Yes. I was wondering. How did you come to know him?" Kari asked.
"Well, come in and sit. It is a rather long story."
The two took their seats and Anya had food brought up for them.
"I'm the daughter of a clan leader, and after my father died, I was supposed to take over. However, Nihlathak, the last surviving clan leader, was corrupted by Baal and imprisoned me in an ice prison. Marko had arrived to kill Baal and he found out that I was missing so he started looking for me. He found me and freed me and then killed Nihlathak. With him dead, I assumed command of all of the clans, since I'm the last clan leader alive."
"He certainly gets around a lot," Kari noted.
"It's rumored that he went down to Hell and killed Diablo down there," said Anya, "He is most definitely a brave man, and not bad looking either."
"Why does every woman I meet say that?" Kari said in an exasperated tone.
"Because it's true," said Falvie, "I consider myself rather lucky being able to travel with him. I knew that he came here and killed Baal, but everything else is jumbled up."
"Well, after he rescued me and killed Nihlathak," Anya continued, "He challenged the three Ancients that guard Mt. Arreat. He defeated them and was granted entrance into the Worldstone chamber. He was too late to stop Baal, but he still managed to kill him. That's been enough to keep most of humanity from being enslaved by the forces of Chaos."
"I heard rumors that a large army of goatmen was amassing and preparing to strike Lut Gholein," said Falvie, "When I first heard that Marko was planning to travel there, I thought he was going to try to destroy the army. But now he says that two other armies are blocking the way into the Aranoch Desert so we can't pass through it to reach the city anyways."
"So that's where you're going?" said Anya, "Well, it certainly seems better than going to Kurast."
"What is happening there?" Kari asked anxiously. She had grown up in the city before leaving to become a Mage Slayer.
"Well, I heard that several armies of powerful demons wielding magic were preparing to lay siege to the city," Anya answered, "though I do not know how accurate these reports are."
"Powerful demons?" Falvie said in surprise, "What exactly does that mean? Are they as powerful as the Lesser Evils?"
"I have no idea," said Anya, "All I know is that something is going to happen to Kurast and it probably won't be a good thing."
"When are these things ever good?" said Kari, "But enough about that. We can worry about goatmen armies after we actually get to Lut Gholein. What is Marko like?"
"Why do you ask?" Anya asked, "You are traveling with him."
"He doesn't talk much when we're on the road," said Falvie, "Do you know him well? I only fought by his side during his quest to kill Andariel."
"He is a brave and honorable man," said Anya, "That's all there is to him. He's been through thick and thin and lasted this long. A scholar could spend a lifetime recording his achievements."
"Anya, do you know of other Archangels besides Tyrael?" Kari asked all of a sudden.
"No, Tyrael is the only Archangel that I know of that actively works to ensure humanity's survival. The others I think are more concerned with defeating the forces of Chaos. Why do you ask?"
"Well, I heard someone call an Archangel by the name of Kailua. I just wanted to know if you knew of it."
"I'm afraid not," said Anya, "Tyrael is the only one I know of, and even there I don't know much."
The three women continued eating in silence until Kari broke it.
"Marko spoke to a man named Qual-Kehk. Who is he?"
"He is the clan's Master at Arms. Marko wants him to accompany him? Well, if Qual-Kehk wants to follow him, I will not stop him. Marko usually has a good reason for whatever he does."
"Why do you think Marko is gathering warriors?" Falvie asked the other two women.
"He said something about preserving humanity," Kari replied, "though what that means I have no idea."
"With the forces of Chaos ravaging the lands again, I would think he needs the support of his friends and allies," said Anya, "Perhaps he means to travel around the world and perhaps seal the breach that allows demons into our world."
"That would make him an even bigger hero than he already is," said Kari, "He already said he isn't out for glory, just doing what no one else can. I've seen his magic. He's incredibly strong and if a Mage Slayer ever trusted a sorcerer or sorceress to not become corrupted by using dark magic, I believe it would be him. I can't believe I'm saying this, but it would be him."
"There will be times when he does things that neither of you understand," said Anya, "However, just remember that he is a man of honor, and no man of honor would willingly put a good person in danger. I suggest the two of you get some rest. If Marko doesn't try to recruit more warriors to join him, I suspect that he will want to leave very soon."
"Thank you for speaking with us," said Kari.
"You're welcome."
The two women left the chamber and a servant showed them to their rooms. They found a fresh set of clothes and after bathing changed into them. It felt nice to soak in warm water after traveling so hard the past few weeks. After that they went down to the dining halls to try to pick up some news. Marko was nowhere in sight. They soon found out that there wasn't much news to be heard and went out into the city itself. It was very large and had many interesting things to see. Many barbarians patrolled the streets to keep the peace. There were no other outlanders except for themselves and the two women felt oddly out of place. They went through the few shops there were but didn't buy anything. Both had some gold but not enough that they could spend it freely. When they returned to the citadel they found two squadrons of barbarians standing outside. They made their way through and found Marko standing inside, leaning against one of the large columns.
"Marko. What are all those men doing outside?" Kari asked.
"You might say I've been raising an army," he answered, "I asked for any man that was willing to follow me to come with me and fight two armies of goatmen. These are just some of the men preparing to leave with us."
"Some? How many men did you convince to follow us?" Falvie asked him.
"Roughly two hundred. Once we get back to the monastery, the Rogues will probably send another hundred of their sisters with us and we should be able to defeat the goatmen."
"And Anya is letting you take that many of her warriors?" Kari said, rather surprised by the events that had taken place.
"Well, these men aren't exactly going to follow us all the way to Lut Gholein. After those two armies are cleared out, they'll probably all go back to their homes. The Rogues will of course remain behind."
"Well I'm going wherever you're going," Falvie said stubbornly.
"Of course. I never expected that you would go back to the monastery."
"When are we leaving?" Kari asked.
"Two days. Rest up. We'll need to find some way to get past those damn knights without starting a war between the clans and Entsteig. Though I don't really have much doubt who would win."
Kari cracked a grin and went back into the citadel with Falvie. Traveling with Marko would most definitely be very interesting.
End of Chapter 2
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