Journey to Kurast
(Interlude)
The port started to busy again. Many people gathered around the pier. The lonely ship was anchored at the edge of the pier. Meshif was watching his crew on ground. Aboard, Myrrick and the others stood and looked around. Akivsha watched the ship with disdain; it made Aliza quite annoyed.
Meshif yelled, "As soon as they finished, we're ready to leave the port!" Myrrick only nodded, while thinking about the escape of Baal and Diablo. He couldn't wait to pursue them, to avenge Joanna's death! As the last crew went aboard, Meshif followed him before someone called him.
"Wait!" The captain turned and saw two men on the pier. One of them wore the blue armor and held a shield. His sword sheathed at his waist. His demeanor was full of confidence. In other hand, his companion was bare- chested. Two battle axes strapped at his back. His body and face were full of tattoos. He watched the surrounding warily like an eagle. Everybody looked them with mixed feelings,
Myrrick asked Cain, "Who were they? Would they want to go to Kurast like us?" Then the Horadrim answered, pointing to the blue-armored man,
"He's a paladin! I have heard that Kingdom of Westmarch had sent them everywhere to root the evil and spread the Light," The druid turned back to them, it seemed the paladin was trying to persuade Meshif,
The paladin's companion is a barbarian! Barbarian from the Wolf Clan! What has the barbarian doing here? Were they.
Suddenly, Zylene said, "Are they looking after Diablo too? If so, we could have." Before she finished her words, the assassin snorted,
"We couldn't trust those people! They might have their own objectives," Quickly, the rogue snapped,
"Would you stop for being paranoid for a while?"
After serious conversation with them, Meshif finally allowed the men to get aboard. He brought them in, and told Myrrick,
"Warrior, these people also went to Kurast! They said that they would paid me extra, so I hope you don't mind," Then he turned to the paladin,
"Here were your fellow passengers, Myrrick, Aliza, Zylene and Akivsha!" The knight nodded,
"I believed you must be the warrior that we heard! Allow me to introduce our name, I'm Caldash and he's Orb'al! " Akivsha quickly asked,
"Why did you want to go with us? There's many ship around here, not only us." The paladin was silent for a moment, before Myrrick intruded them,
"That's enough! You were welcome here, Paladin!" Myrrick offered his hand, and they shook each other. Watched that, Meshif smiled,
"Then we could go now! Ahoy, set the sail!!" The ship's sails were unfurled instantly and the anchor pulled back. The ship slowly left the port behind. After an hour, they already left Lut Gholein.
As the boat crossed the ocean, calm surrounded everyone on the ship. Meshif handled oars along. Myrrick stayed at his cabin, while Caldash sat on the shipboard. The shield and sword were rested beside him. At the end of the boat, Orb'al watched the billows of the sea. Akivsha was nowhere to be seen. Not far from him, Aliza and Zylene were talking each other,
"How far was Kurast?" the rogue asked, "It seemed the travel would not be ended here!"
"I didn't know, it was the first time I came out from the coven,"
Then Aliza asked, "Zylene, tell me how did you could be a sorceress,"
The Zann-Esu looks surprised, "Why did you want to know?" The rogue only smiled.
Zylene began her story, "I was 2 years old when the Zann-Esu visited my parents. They were rich and kind toward others. The elders said to them that they would take care of me. After thinking hard, my parents decided to give me to the elders. In coven, the elders trained me the arts of elemental magics. I mastered the Fire Spell at 12 years old, then Lightning Spell at 14!" Aliza was excited when listened to Zylene's story.
She asked, "Have you visited your parents afterward?" Hearing the question, the sorceress became silent. She stared to the deep blue sea.
"Yes, I ran from the coven since the Zann-Esu didn't allowed their pupils to visit their parents. When I had been there, they were playing with another child. I presumed they were my siblings. However, they didn't remember me. They thought I was dead a long time ago." Without her knowledge, tears ran down her cheeks. Aliza surprised to see that,
"Zylene, you didn't have to continue it." Zylene quickly wiped her tears,
"No, it's all right." Her voice was a little shaky. "When I returned to the coven, the elders told me my parents' sacrifice. It was true that my parents had lost me, but blessed with another child. I believed that they wouldn't forget me wherever or whoever am I," Feels guilty, Aliza shifted to change the topic,
"By the way, did you ever meet a man before?"
"Er.No! There was no man inside the coven, mostly women!"
"What did the coven teaches you regarding the men?" Zylene answered,
"I.I didn't know. The elders told us that love and desire were a mere distraction; we shouldn't pay any attention to it! So I never met any men until now," The young rogue walked shortly,
"Had you fall in love with someone before?" Now the sorceress looks annoyed,
"No! Aliza, why did you ask that?" Then Aliza turned her attention to Orb'al,
"Zylene, what do you think about him?" she asked, while pointed to the barbarian.
Zylene surprised, "I didn't know him!"
The rogue smiled mischievously, "Come on! Look at him very well.did you not feel something about it?"
The sorceress looks blushed, "Aliza, you were teasing me! Stop it!" Aliza laughed only, while the barbarian looked undisturbed. It didn't clear whether he listened their conversation or not.
Meanwhile, Meshif was busy in directing the rudder of the ship. His crew took care other things. After a few hours, he saw the black clouds gathered above and the wind started to change. Not only that, the wave became stronger than usual. As the clouds thickened, his face turned sour. Then he went to the deck, where Aliza, Zylene, Orb'al and Caldash were around,
"Better prepare yourself! There would be a storm coming this way!" he warned them. Slowly, the paladin rose from his sitting position and went to the cabin, followed by the barbarian. Looking back to Aliza and Zylene, he stopped,
"Were both of you not coming inside?" Caldash asked, "It would be dangerous to keep around here," Aliza nodded, and then followed him to inside. However, Zylene stayed. Her gaze turned to East, where the thick, black clouds rolled to the sea.
Three and a half hours later, the strong wind blew upon Meshif's ship. The ocean's wave rocked them furiously, along with a heavy rain. Meshif and his crews struggled to keep the ship together. Meanwhile, the heroes were huddled inside their cabin.
Suddenly, they heard Meshif shouted aloud, "Someone was overboard!!" Everyone was shocked when Aliza shouted to Myrrick,
"Myrrick! Zylene was not around! She was on the deck a while ago." The rogue's face looked pale when she realized, "She might be the one who fell overboard!!" Myrrick cursed,
"Damn, what did she doing there? Where were Akivsha and Or'bal?" Then Caldash went, walking out from the deck.
"There was no time! We had to go out now!" he told the druid, " Hopefully, we were not too late!" Myrrick nodded, and quickly followed the paladin outside.
Despite the heavy rain and violent waves, Akivsha was calm. She watched the sea in some cold manner. Suddenly the druid grabbed her at the arms,
He demanded, "Where were Zylene and Orb'al?" The assassin didn't answer, instead turning her eyes toward the raging ocean. However, it was confirmed Myrrick's worst fear. Angrily, he turned back to Akivsha, tighten his hold upon her arms,
"Why did you not do something to help them? Were you watching them to die?" The assassin felt that his grip was stronger than usual, but she tried to control herself not to kill him, "I.I was too late," she answered hesitantly, "That was happened instantly, before I had time to act." At that time, Caldash, Aliza and Cain have arrived. Myrrick couldn't control his emotion; he began to shake Akivsha furiously like a bear shakes its prey.
"You let them die just like that? You didn't even try to help them!" he yelled at her face, "How could you do that? Did you have conscience or what?" Quickly, Caldash tried to separate both of them.
The paladin shouted, "Stop it, Myrrick! You were going to kill her!!" However, Akivsha didn't resist at all, she only stared him pleadingly,
"You.hurt me," The druid instantly loosened his grip, and then tried to calm himself. His breath was racing. Meanwhile, the assassin only rubbed her injured arms. Both of them exchanged looks. Then Aliza called their attention,
"Look!" They saw someone swam toward the ship and dragging something.
"It was Orb'al!" Caldash replied. "I would go to help him!" Instantly, he snatched the nearest rope and threw it toward the barbarian. Orb'al quickly took the rope, and tied it around his arms. At the ship, Caldash, Myrrick, Meshif and other crews pulled them on board. Akivsha, Aliza and Cain stood silently as the rain battered them. As the barbarian climbed aboard, he also hoisted something. When he came, it was clear that he was hoisting someone no other than.
"No, Zylene!!" Aliza shocked as she saw the sorceress' flaccid form on the ship's floor. Quickly, she hugged her and felt only the cold, clammy skin. The rogue couldn't hold her tears back,
"Myrrick, she's dead! We're too late!" Aliza screamed hysterically. Cain checked the sorceress' pulse and breath, then turned to the others,
"She's still alive, yet her breathing was slow," He explained, "If someone could." Before anyone had time to react, Orb'al strode forward and kneeled. He held the Zann-Esu's face and.put his mouth on her. Everyone was shocked, even Akivsha couldn't hide her surprise. Aliza tried to prevent the barbarian, but Cain held her,
"Let him," he said to her, "He was trying to help her." After several breaths, the sorceress coughed out some water. Slowly, she awoke. The first sight, which greeted her, was Aliza's worrying expression,
"Zylene, were you.all right?" Aliza asked. Zylene nodded only, as she tried to breathe.
"I.thought.I was.dead," she replied, visibly shaken. The Horadrim held her shoulder to keep her steady,
"You were close, actually," he told her, "but the barbarian helped you immediately.he was quick to save you from drowning, and then put his life only to swim at the storm." Zylene turned to the barbarian, who silently walked away from the crowd. She managed to said something to him in a weak voice,
"Thanks.for your.help," Upon hearing that, Or'bal stopped awhile. Then he went inside the cabin. Cain quickly advised the others,
"Perhaps, Zylene needed rest! Let's went inside the cabin!" Aliza agreed, then she and Cain took Zylene inside. Meanwhile, the storm began to subside and the clouds started to clear. As everybody went, Myrrick stared Akivsha. Both of them were silent, the assassin still rubbed her arms; a reddish streak crossed her pale skin. The druid felt guilty to what happened a moment ago,
"Akivsha," he called her, "I'm sorry to what I have done to you.I didn't meant to." The assassin replied, before he had a chance to finish his sentence,
"There was nothing to sorry about! You were just doing the right thing, while I'm not," With that, she withdrew from him. Myrrick stood silently, blaming himself,
"Once again," he sighed, "It happened again. If I could control myself, none of these things should happen! I had lost you before, Joanna.am I losing her too?
At night, Akivsha stood at the deck alone. Everybody but Meshif slept in the cabin. The ship rocked slowly, traversing the once-raging ocean. She was still upset to what happened during the storm. She couldn't blame the druid, but she blamed herself for allowing to be carried away by her emotion. She could kill him single-handedly, yet she couldn't! What happened to her? For a long time, Akivsha learned how to suppress her feeling. The feeling she had yearned yet loathed at the same time. As the tear appeared at her right eye, she quickly wiped it. The last tear she shed was during her ordeal at the river. She had stopped crying, since she became an Assassin.
Suddenly, a deep, baritone voice broke her silence, "Sometimes you must acknowledge your own weakness in order to keep your humanity." When she turned around, the paladin stood not far from her. Akivsha asked back, "How about you, holy paladin? How did you care for the feelings?" Ignored her sarcasm, Caldash walked, circling the mast. Then he answered,
"You weren't the only one who had avoid the feelings," As she watched the paladin, a prickly sensation appeared on her nape. Akivsha noted that something was different on Caldash. His charismatic aura turned to something.no, not piety but darker. The paladin continued his words,
"For a long time, I had hunted the Three. Even, I had forsaken all my family and belongings to that objective," his face turned into a grim and cold expression, "Now, nobody shall prevent me to have my own vengeance! Not even you, Assassin of Viz'jaqtaar!!" In a flash, Akivsha was taken aback with the statement. She never thought that the paladin could see her through. For a moment, she saw his aura was grim and full with desire of vengeance. Instantly, she pulled her katars,
"Put your weapons back, girl! I didn't want to fight you!!" Caldash warned, "My enemy was not you.I had taken the oath to reserve my sword for the enemies of the Light only," The assassin still hesitant to let her guard down. However, she noticed that the paladin's face had turned into neutral.
She inquired, "How did I know that you won't use your sword upon us?"
Caldash answered, "My oath was my life! If the oath was broken, then my life would be nothing worth of." Then they were silent around. Slowly, Caldash turned his back and sat on the floor,
"Would you care not to disturb me?" he asked her, "I had to pray for our safety." Convinced that he won't do anything, Akivsha relaxed her guard. Yet, she couldn't banish what she saw on Caldash before. She wondered, which was more dangerous, your enemy or your own ally? Even, she couldn't sure whose side Caldash was.
At the same time in Travincal, a hooded figure had reached the Zakarum Temple. Without any difficulty, he entered the temple and followed a Zealot who guided him into the Durance of Hate. At the midst of the hall, a stone portal stood menacingly. Smell of blood reeked around the sewers. Yet, he was undisturbed as his feet sometimes stepped on a fresh skeleton. In front of the portal, he gestured the Zealot to leave and said,
"Brother, I was coming as what you have asked!" Then a guttural, cackling voice came,
"Where was Diablo?" The hood fell down, and showed Baal in his emancipated form,
"He would be coming soon," the demon within T'al Rasha's body answered, "after giving our visitors a nice welcome." The hideous laugh resonated throughout the temple after the answer was finished,
"Good, then they shall be damned in our joy," the voice laughed, "The Burning Hell shall comes to the mortal world sooner than they expected."
Note: Finally, I was managed to finish this part. This story have nothing to do in Diablo II's plot , only serve as the introduction of my new characters. As far as I'm concern, Caldash and Orb'al were the latest characters I have created for the story. Don't go away, as another character shall make his appearance known in ' The Unlikely Ally'. Goodbye!
The port started to busy again. Many people gathered around the pier. The lonely ship was anchored at the edge of the pier. Meshif was watching his crew on ground. Aboard, Myrrick and the others stood and looked around. Akivsha watched the ship with disdain; it made Aliza quite annoyed.
Meshif yelled, "As soon as they finished, we're ready to leave the port!" Myrrick only nodded, while thinking about the escape of Baal and Diablo. He couldn't wait to pursue them, to avenge Joanna's death! As the last crew went aboard, Meshif followed him before someone called him.
"Wait!" The captain turned and saw two men on the pier. One of them wore the blue armor and held a shield. His sword sheathed at his waist. His demeanor was full of confidence. In other hand, his companion was bare- chested. Two battle axes strapped at his back. His body and face were full of tattoos. He watched the surrounding warily like an eagle. Everybody looked them with mixed feelings,
Myrrick asked Cain, "Who were they? Would they want to go to Kurast like us?" Then the Horadrim answered, pointing to the blue-armored man,
"He's a paladin! I have heard that Kingdom of Westmarch had sent them everywhere to root the evil and spread the Light," The druid turned back to them, it seemed the paladin was trying to persuade Meshif,
The paladin's companion is a barbarian! Barbarian from the Wolf Clan! What has the barbarian doing here? Were they.
Suddenly, Zylene said, "Are they looking after Diablo too? If so, we could have." Before she finished her words, the assassin snorted,
"We couldn't trust those people! They might have their own objectives," Quickly, the rogue snapped,
"Would you stop for being paranoid for a while?"
After serious conversation with them, Meshif finally allowed the men to get aboard. He brought them in, and told Myrrick,
"Warrior, these people also went to Kurast! They said that they would paid me extra, so I hope you don't mind," Then he turned to the paladin,
"Here were your fellow passengers, Myrrick, Aliza, Zylene and Akivsha!" The knight nodded,
"I believed you must be the warrior that we heard! Allow me to introduce our name, I'm Caldash and he's Orb'al! " Akivsha quickly asked,
"Why did you want to go with us? There's many ship around here, not only us." The paladin was silent for a moment, before Myrrick intruded them,
"That's enough! You were welcome here, Paladin!" Myrrick offered his hand, and they shook each other. Watched that, Meshif smiled,
"Then we could go now! Ahoy, set the sail!!" The ship's sails were unfurled instantly and the anchor pulled back. The ship slowly left the port behind. After an hour, they already left Lut Gholein.
As the boat crossed the ocean, calm surrounded everyone on the ship. Meshif handled oars along. Myrrick stayed at his cabin, while Caldash sat on the shipboard. The shield and sword were rested beside him. At the end of the boat, Orb'al watched the billows of the sea. Akivsha was nowhere to be seen. Not far from him, Aliza and Zylene were talking each other,
"How far was Kurast?" the rogue asked, "It seemed the travel would not be ended here!"
"I didn't know, it was the first time I came out from the coven,"
Then Aliza asked, "Zylene, tell me how did you could be a sorceress,"
The Zann-Esu looks surprised, "Why did you want to know?" The rogue only smiled.
Zylene began her story, "I was 2 years old when the Zann-Esu visited my parents. They were rich and kind toward others. The elders said to them that they would take care of me. After thinking hard, my parents decided to give me to the elders. In coven, the elders trained me the arts of elemental magics. I mastered the Fire Spell at 12 years old, then Lightning Spell at 14!" Aliza was excited when listened to Zylene's story.
She asked, "Have you visited your parents afterward?" Hearing the question, the sorceress became silent. She stared to the deep blue sea.
"Yes, I ran from the coven since the Zann-Esu didn't allowed their pupils to visit their parents. When I had been there, they were playing with another child. I presumed they were my siblings. However, they didn't remember me. They thought I was dead a long time ago." Without her knowledge, tears ran down her cheeks. Aliza surprised to see that,
"Zylene, you didn't have to continue it." Zylene quickly wiped her tears,
"No, it's all right." Her voice was a little shaky. "When I returned to the coven, the elders told me my parents' sacrifice. It was true that my parents had lost me, but blessed with another child. I believed that they wouldn't forget me wherever or whoever am I," Feels guilty, Aliza shifted to change the topic,
"By the way, did you ever meet a man before?"
"Er.No! There was no man inside the coven, mostly women!"
"What did the coven teaches you regarding the men?" Zylene answered,
"I.I didn't know. The elders told us that love and desire were a mere distraction; we shouldn't pay any attention to it! So I never met any men until now," The young rogue walked shortly,
"Had you fall in love with someone before?" Now the sorceress looks annoyed,
"No! Aliza, why did you ask that?" Then Aliza turned her attention to Orb'al,
"Zylene, what do you think about him?" she asked, while pointed to the barbarian.
Zylene surprised, "I didn't know him!"
The rogue smiled mischievously, "Come on! Look at him very well.did you not feel something about it?"
The sorceress looks blushed, "Aliza, you were teasing me! Stop it!" Aliza laughed only, while the barbarian looked undisturbed. It didn't clear whether he listened their conversation or not.
Meanwhile, Meshif was busy in directing the rudder of the ship. His crew took care other things. After a few hours, he saw the black clouds gathered above and the wind started to change. Not only that, the wave became stronger than usual. As the clouds thickened, his face turned sour. Then he went to the deck, where Aliza, Zylene, Orb'al and Caldash were around,
"Better prepare yourself! There would be a storm coming this way!" he warned them. Slowly, the paladin rose from his sitting position and went to the cabin, followed by the barbarian. Looking back to Aliza and Zylene, he stopped,
"Were both of you not coming inside?" Caldash asked, "It would be dangerous to keep around here," Aliza nodded, and then followed him to inside. However, Zylene stayed. Her gaze turned to East, where the thick, black clouds rolled to the sea.
Three and a half hours later, the strong wind blew upon Meshif's ship. The ocean's wave rocked them furiously, along with a heavy rain. Meshif and his crews struggled to keep the ship together. Meanwhile, the heroes were huddled inside their cabin.
Suddenly, they heard Meshif shouted aloud, "Someone was overboard!!" Everyone was shocked when Aliza shouted to Myrrick,
"Myrrick! Zylene was not around! She was on the deck a while ago." The rogue's face looked pale when she realized, "She might be the one who fell overboard!!" Myrrick cursed,
"Damn, what did she doing there? Where were Akivsha and Or'bal?" Then Caldash went, walking out from the deck.
"There was no time! We had to go out now!" he told the druid, " Hopefully, we were not too late!" Myrrick nodded, and quickly followed the paladin outside.
Despite the heavy rain and violent waves, Akivsha was calm. She watched the sea in some cold manner. Suddenly the druid grabbed her at the arms,
He demanded, "Where were Zylene and Orb'al?" The assassin didn't answer, instead turning her eyes toward the raging ocean. However, it was confirmed Myrrick's worst fear. Angrily, he turned back to Akivsha, tighten his hold upon her arms,
"Why did you not do something to help them? Were you watching them to die?" The assassin felt that his grip was stronger than usual, but she tried to control herself not to kill him, "I.I was too late," she answered hesitantly, "That was happened instantly, before I had time to act." At that time, Caldash, Aliza and Cain have arrived. Myrrick couldn't control his emotion; he began to shake Akivsha furiously like a bear shakes its prey.
"You let them die just like that? You didn't even try to help them!" he yelled at her face, "How could you do that? Did you have conscience or what?" Quickly, Caldash tried to separate both of them.
The paladin shouted, "Stop it, Myrrick! You were going to kill her!!" However, Akivsha didn't resist at all, she only stared him pleadingly,
"You.hurt me," The druid instantly loosened his grip, and then tried to calm himself. His breath was racing. Meanwhile, the assassin only rubbed her injured arms. Both of them exchanged looks. Then Aliza called their attention,
"Look!" They saw someone swam toward the ship and dragging something.
"It was Orb'al!" Caldash replied. "I would go to help him!" Instantly, he snatched the nearest rope and threw it toward the barbarian. Orb'al quickly took the rope, and tied it around his arms. At the ship, Caldash, Myrrick, Meshif and other crews pulled them on board. Akivsha, Aliza and Cain stood silently as the rain battered them. As the barbarian climbed aboard, he also hoisted something. When he came, it was clear that he was hoisting someone no other than.
"No, Zylene!!" Aliza shocked as she saw the sorceress' flaccid form on the ship's floor. Quickly, she hugged her and felt only the cold, clammy skin. The rogue couldn't hold her tears back,
"Myrrick, she's dead! We're too late!" Aliza screamed hysterically. Cain checked the sorceress' pulse and breath, then turned to the others,
"She's still alive, yet her breathing was slow," He explained, "If someone could." Before anyone had time to react, Orb'al strode forward and kneeled. He held the Zann-Esu's face and.put his mouth on her. Everyone was shocked, even Akivsha couldn't hide her surprise. Aliza tried to prevent the barbarian, but Cain held her,
"Let him," he said to her, "He was trying to help her." After several breaths, the sorceress coughed out some water. Slowly, she awoke. The first sight, which greeted her, was Aliza's worrying expression,
"Zylene, were you.all right?" Aliza asked. Zylene nodded only, as she tried to breathe.
"I.thought.I was.dead," she replied, visibly shaken. The Horadrim held her shoulder to keep her steady,
"You were close, actually," he told her, "but the barbarian helped you immediately.he was quick to save you from drowning, and then put his life only to swim at the storm." Zylene turned to the barbarian, who silently walked away from the crowd. She managed to said something to him in a weak voice,
"Thanks.for your.help," Upon hearing that, Or'bal stopped awhile. Then he went inside the cabin. Cain quickly advised the others,
"Perhaps, Zylene needed rest! Let's went inside the cabin!" Aliza agreed, then she and Cain took Zylene inside. Meanwhile, the storm began to subside and the clouds started to clear. As everybody went, Myrrick stared Akivsha. Both of them were silent, the assassin still rubbed her arms; a reddish streak crossed her pale skin. The druid felt guilty to what happened a moment ago,
"Akivsha," he called her, "I'm sorry to what I have done to you.I didn't meant to." The assassin replied, before he had a chance to finish his sentence,
"There was nothing to sorry about! You were just doing the right thing, while I'm not," With that, she withdrew from him. Myrrick stood silently, blaming himself,
"Once again," he sighed, "It happened again. If I could control myself, none of these things should happen! I had lost you before, Joanna.am I losing her too?
At night, Akivsha stood at the deck alone. Everybody but Meshif slept in the cabin. The ship rocked slowly, traversing the once-raging ocean. She was still upset to what happened during the storm. She couldn't blame the druid, but she blamed herself for allowing to be carried away by her emotion. She could kill him single-handedly, yet she couldn't! What happened to her? For a long time, Akivsha learned how to suppress her feeling. The feeling she had yearned yet loathed at the same time. As the tear appeared at her right eye, she quickly wiped it. The last tear she shed was during her ordeal at the river. She had stopped crying, since she became an Assassin.
Suddenly, a deep, baritone voice broke her silence, "Sometimes you must acknowledge your own weakness in order to keep your humanity." When she turned around, the paladin stood not far from her. Akivsha asked back, "How about you, holy paladin? How did you care for the feelings?" Ignored her sarcasm, Caldash walked, circling the mast. Then he answered,
"You weren't the only one who had avoid the feelings," As she watched the paladin, a prickly sensation appeared on her nape. Akivsha noted that something was different on Caldash. His charismatic aura turned to something.no, not piety but darker. The paladin continued his words,
"For a long time, I had hunted the Three. Even, I had forsaken all my family and belongings to that objective," his face turned into a grim and cold expression, "Now, nobody shall prevent me to have my own vengeance! Not even you, Assassin of Viz'jaqtaar!!" In a flash, Akivsha was taken aback with the statement. She never thought that the paladin could see her through. For a moment, she saw his aura was grim and full with desire of vengeance. Instantly, she pulled her katars,
"Put your weapons back, girl! I didn't want to fight you!!" Caldash warned, "My enemy was not you.I had taken the oath to reserve my sword for the enemies of the Light only," The assassin still hesitant to let her guard down. However, she noticed that the paladin's face had turned into neutral.
She inquired, "How did I know that you won't use your sword upon us?"
Caldash answered, "My oath was my life! If the oath was broken, then my life would be nothing worth of." Then they were silent around. Slowly, Caldash turned his back and sat on the floor,
"Would you care not to disturb me?" he asked her, "I had to pray for our safety." Convinced that he won't do anything, Akivsha relaxed her guard. Yet, she couldn't banish what she saw on Caldash before. She wondered, which was more dangerous, your enemy or your own ally? Even, she couldn't sure whose side Caldash was.
At the same time in Travincal, a hooded figure had reached the Zakarum Temple. Without any difficulty, he entered the temple and followed a Zealot who guided him into the Durance of Hate. At the midst of the hall, a stone portal stood menacingly. Smell of blood reeked around the sewers. Yet, he was undisturbed as his feet sometimes stepped on a fresh skeleton. In front of the portal, he gestured the Zealot to leave and said,
"Brother, I was coming as what you have asked!" Then a guttural, cackling voice came,
"Where was Diablo?" The hood fell down, and showed Baal in his emancipated form,
"He would be coming soon," the demon within T'al Rasha's body answered, "after giving our visitors a nice welcome." The hideous laugh resonated throughout the temple after the answer was finished,
"Good, then they shall be damned in our joy," the voice laughed, "The Burning Hell shall comes to the mortal world sooner than they expected."
Note: Finally, I was managed to finish this part. This story have nothing to do in Diablo II's plot , only serve as the introduction of my new characters. As far as I'm concern, Caldash and Orb'al were the latest characters I have created for the story. Don't go away, as another character shall make his appearance known in ' The Unlikely Ally'. Goodbye!