Any and all Diablo characters present in this story belong to Blizzard Entertainment, and not to me. Originally I said the fic would be updated on Fridays, but I'm feeling like writing more. So it'll be updated whenever I write something new.

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Chapter One: Act One, Moya's Song.

A fierce wind blew through the Cold Plains, howling its way into Abreen's head. He and two other paladins had been sent here over a month ago by the Church of Light to look for a lost brother paladin. Apparently, the man they were looking for, Anmin ar'Radim, had been deployed to the western lands in order to keep watch over the Rogues – more properly, the Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye – and to ensure that their little religion did not become too heretical. Eventually, of course, the Sisterhood would have to be brought under the Light, just like all other blasphemers, but for now, they were serving the Church's purpose quite nicely. But ar'Radim hadn't been seen for weeks. The few Rogue scouts and warriors that Abreen and his comrades had sighted had said little, other than to warn the paladins of foul creatures at large in the lands.

None of the three paladins had known what was in store for them as they moved further on towards the Rogue Monastery. They had been hoping to speak to the High Priestess of the Sisterhood, Akara, and to try to learn all that they could about ar'Radim's presence. But the Rogues' warnings had been dire, and demonic beasts roamed the lands relentlessly. Early in the second week of their deployment, an enormous gorilla-like creature had killed Mazel at'Tadid, and not long after, Carnid ash'Shanar had taken sick, possibly infected by the virulent bile of some creature or other that the paladins had slain. ash'Shanar had died earlier today, in the tent that Abreen had set up for him. Abreen was showing no ill signs. Perhaps the disease wasn't contagious, or perhaps it was divine protection. Either way, Abreen was alone now.

He hadn't seen a Rogue – or anyone besides his brother paladin, for that matter – in days. The plains seemed to go on endlessly, and the weather alternated between awful blustery days like this one and miserable freezing rain. Abreen knew that he didn't have many options. Either it was stay here and wait for succor, or attempt to press on towards the Monastery. With a sigh, Abreen began to pack up his belongings. It was going to be a cold, dreary day, and likely filled with blood and combat. Abreen knelt briefly, offering a short prayer for guidance throughout the day, and set out on his way east, leaving his brother paladin buried in a secluded place that would hopefully not be disturbed by monsters.

It was slow going, hindered by the rain that had began to fall shortly after Abreen's departure, and of course periodic attacks by the various creatures that inhabited these cursed plains. The most prominent were little pygmy demons, sometimes accompanied by a shaman that drove them on with chants in their harsh language while throwing fireballs, but demonic birds and gorillas like the one that had killed at'Tadid were also out in force. With a sort of dismal boredom, Abreen began to approach a camp of the little demons. Although their numbers were great, he was far too strong to be overwhelmed by sheer volume. "Truth and honor! For Zakarum!" he cried, charging headlong into the battle, his flail swinging overhead before coming down like thunder, smashing the skulls of the little creatures. Among the shouts and screeches of the demon language, Abreen realized a different sound was becoming audible. Someone was singing in a high, sweet voice nearby. Slowly wading through the remains of the fallen creatures, Abreen crept around the camp and came upon a welcome sight: another human being.

She was quite a sight, too. Her long black hair, taken back in a cascade of curls that surely had not been easy to prepare, fell nearly to her hips, which were admirably slender. She wasn't very tall, but seemed to glow with an authority that had nothing to do with stature. Her mouth was open and her eyes sparkled with delight; it took Abreen a moment to realize that it had been she who was singing as she dealt death to the tiny demons. Bolts of electric energy flew from her cinnamon-colored hands, seeking and annihilating the fallen as they tried to escape. Within moments, only ashes and the vile stench of the roasted creatures remained. Still unaware that she was being watched, the sorceress came to her knees among the blackened corpses of her victims. She cupped her hands at her chin, as if to drink from them, and sang:

"Li' maeta mas'ha tamim adra'

al'ahm mit'din annim am-Ska,

What is death and what is life?

Death is life, and life death,

Where is harmony among strife?

We'll still fight while we draw breath,"

she finished in the common tongue. She rose from her knees and brought her right hand briefly to her breastbone, head slightly raised, fingers pointing to her neck, and then closed her fist and brought it down to her side again. Abreen was sure he had seen that gesture made before. It didn't look like a traditional Zann Esu ritual, although he had to admit that he had not studied such things in detail. The rituals and practices of blasphemers were best left to the brothers of the Golden Hand society – the Inquisitors of the Church of Light. Zann Esu heretic or not, she was the only contact from elsewhere he had seen in days, and would likely be the only such contact he would see in days to come. Emerging from his concealment behind one of the now-burning tents, he took two steps towards her. Her reaction was instantaneous – her hands flared up in blazing energy and she took a step backwards, her pretty face momentarily marred by a flash of alarm. Seeing that she was agitated, Abreen stepped backwards and laid his flail upon the ground, raising his empty hands as a gesture of peace. "Haiu, stranger," he said. "Be not afraid," he said gently. "What is your name?"

Once she had realized what he was – a son of Zakarum – she recoiled angrily, although the sparks went out of her hands almost immediately. "I don't fear a dog of Zakarum," she spat. "Stay away from me!"

Abreen was shocked. He'd dealt with several Zann Esu in his service to the Church, and their attitudes had ranged from cooperative to a kind of wary "you respect me and I'll respect you" sentiment. Open hostility from a sorceress was never something he'd had to face. "Pardon, my lady," he said, suppressing a momentary wince at giving a heretic that title, "but I truly mean you no harm. I am Abreen ad'Din, of the Zakarum. I have laid down my weapon. I am lost and confused, and I ask for succor." He paused. "Will you help me? I implore you."

His tone must have struck something in the Zann Esu woman somehow. She took a tentative step closer, still wary. "You say you're lost? Are you alone here," and here she obviously restrained herself from heaping abuse on him, "paladin?"

"I am alone, my lady. I'm looking for the Rogue Monastery. Might you send me on?"

"Don't go to the Monastery," she said shortly. "I'm fleeing from there." She looked him over briefly, clearly sizing him up. Wondering, perhaps, if he was trustworthy. She stepped forward brusquely and offered her hand.

"Will I get shocked if I shake with you?" Abreen joked, attempting to lighten the situation. He wasn't sure where the laughing, singing woman of just a few minutes ago had gone, but this Zann Esu clearly didn't trust him any further than she could throw him.

"The magic is gone," she said, unsmiling. Abreen took her hand, pumping twice and looking into her eyes, in the eastern fashion. She didn't return his gaze, dropping her eyes nearly immediately. "I'm Moyalina t'Anerin. That's Moya, to you. I won't say I'm pleased to meet you, because I'm not. But I could use a companion for a little while, even one of your ilk."

Abreen supposed that was as much welcome as he was going to get. "Very well, my lady. Tell me – what has happened at the Rogue Monastery?"

"It doesn't belong to the Rogues any longer," she said flatly. "Come on. We had best get moving west."

"West?"

"Yes, west. Come. I'll tell you the story as we go." And so Moyalina t'Anerin joined paths with the doomed paladin Abreen ad'Din. She was the first of his seven companions to join his quest into the east, and although she did not know it, her fate was sealed at that very moment when she joined her hand with his.

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Coming next: Chapter Two, Act One: Cast Out.