Chapter 22
Down deep in the caves five warriors huddled around what was once the entrance into hell. Now it was blocked up with boulders and rocks, steamed poured through from behind, but slowly began to dissipate. After making their giant leap into the caves they had all stood up and dusted themselves off and looked around.
Lothar and Jayalm smiled and embraced with tears in their eyes. Two brothers had been given another chance. The Messiah's were still dressed in white and still seemed to glow as they stood there. Derek and Daniel shook hands. Adrianna faced Daniel and put her arm up to shake his hand but he shook his head and pulled her into a monster of a hug and smiled and then five warriors embraced each other. In a blinding flash of light and a great tremor, the demons in the caves disappeared. The lava melted away, replaced by sparking blue rivers. The caves began to cool down. The caves looked like they had been before this tragedy. The friends parted and ran towards the exit to the town from the caves. They were eager to leave their quest now completed. They stopped a few times to view how beautiful the caves now were. What had once been a nightmare was now more like a dream. The power of friendship had melted away the evilness in the cave.
The cave had been blocked off. It seemed that the tremor had collapsed that entrance as well. There was no way out except to go up through the catacombs. The warriors walked to the catacombs as they were out of breath now from traveling through the full extent of the caves. Once in the catacombs they stopped for a rest. Lothar spoke then.
"I say we make a vow, to protect the peace of this land," Lothar said. They all vowed. Lothar placed his hand out in front of him. The others put their hands on his hand. In another flash of light and another similar tremor, the demons of the catacombs disappeared. The Chamber of Bone began to crumble and disappear. The stench of death disappeared forever, even though it was the home for the dead and now so many dead lay here to finally rest in peace. The floor turned to smooth grey tile. The walls turned grey as well, the moss and tree roots disappearing. The warriors looked around mesmerized. They saw small white wisps escaping from the bodies, one passed through Adrianna's outstretched hand and she smiled softly, the feeling warm and happy as she could sense the joy and happiness of the soul. "The spirits of the dead finally going to heaven finally they can rest in peace." A further walk through the four levels of the catacombs revealed that the catacombs was slowly recovering from the evil of Diablo but had been triggered by their actions as they moved through what had been a dungeon.
The warriors entered the cathedral. The entrance at the mausoleum had closed as well and they had to go to the cathedral. Once up there the warriors walked to Leoric's tomb. There they found a spirit in the shape of the once great King standing there with Lachdannan the knight they had helped into the afterlife. They didn't understand why until they walked up to them. Leoric bows and Lachdannan put a fist to his chest in a salute. Leoric's ghostly voiced echoed around the empty tomb. "I thank you for freeing me and my son and bringing us peace and know that I do regret my deeds and wish I could turn back time and undo it all. Now thanks to you we can all rest in peace and be free. We thank you." And with that Leoric and Lachdannan disappeared in a slow fade. The warriors walked to the second floor. The Butcher's room had also disappeared, the bodies gone, the blood gone. The bloody bodies within the room had disappeared as well. Only the monster's corpse remained.
Adrianna remembered long ago now, the beast that had hurt her, had tried to kill her, now she would only laugh at the beast. She had come a long way and was more knowledgeable. She would have much to tell the Rogues upon her return. The warriors headed up to the first floor. They found the stairway to the town had collapsed.
"Oh no, we have saved the world, but now we cannot get out" Adrianna said depressed. There was no way out. Derek and Daniel lifted Adrianna to see if she could reach the top but even she was too short to reach. "We will find another exit, come on lothar and Jayalm," Daniel said as the three men walked away in separate directions. Daniel. Derek and Adrianna stayed at the stairs in case someone came so they could call out for help.
"I hope there is a way out of here," Adrianna said worriedly as she rubbed her armour clad arms. She turned to look at Derek when he didn't answer cocking her head to the side. He had a strange look upon his face. He looked like he was pondering something, trying to choose the right words to speak.
"Adrianna? When we all embraced in friendship in the caves the caves changed, and when we were in the catacombs and vowed to protect the peace it also changed them. So perhaps it is love that can undo the damage here."
Adrianna pondered "and how do we do that?" Derek chuckled as he stepped up and grabbed Adrianna in his arms and pulled her close to him wrapping them around her waist and shoulders.
"By expressing our undying love for each other of course" said Derek.
"Wait you love me?" Adrianna asked. Derek nodded smiling warmly, "Of course what say you to that"? Adrianna smiled as she said nothing but instead leaned up on tippy-toes and gently touched her lips to his and then pulled away.
Derek pulled away slightly, bringing a hand to her face. It rubbed softly against her cheek tracing the lines of her soft face. Derek smiles as he tilted his head down towards hers, as his lips sought hers. Their lips touched softly at first but soon he deepened the kiss. He embraced her again and she kissed him back full-heartedly, her heart bursting with joy. She wrapped her arms around him tightly as they kissed. A blue, pink and white light swirled around them, blowing her long hair around her as it shot upwards, hit the ceiling them traveled across it falling onto the floor below and where it touched it melted away the taint of evil. The demons in the Cathedral disappeared. The whole cathedral shuddered as it was changed. The windows up above them cleared, the dirt washed away from the rain above. Lothar, Jayalm and Daniel walked in the room. They saw Adrianna and Derek embracing. Lothar and Jayalm just smiled happy they finally realized their love for eachother.
"I knew this was going to happen!" Daniel said rolling his eyes and throwing his arms in the air with a smiled on his face. Derek and Adrianna broke apart.
"What are you jealous or something?" Derek asked.
"No I'm not jealous, I like that Jillian girl up there!" Daniel said blushing. The others just laughed at him. The warriors began to walk towards the stairs when suddenly there was a blinding light as a great angel appeared before them. He was taller than Derek but very well built like him. The angel wore shining gold armor that curved with the shape of his body. A blue-white loincloth with a gold cross on it blew in the invisible wind. Pure white stringy wings blew back and forth around him and they seemed to sparkle and glitter in the light.
"Greetings heroes, I am the arch angel Tyreal. I once fought against the prime evils and helped to seal them in the soulstones that you shattered in Diablo. Because you have done the world and the Kingdom of Heaven a great service it is my duty to reward you for your efforts. While I cannot resurrect all that I have died I can at least grant you all the gift of bringing back one fallen person to the land of the living."
Adrianna stood forward of the others. "I want to bring back Derek's father so he can see his son happy." Tyreal nodded, "Done". Derek looked awestruck at her request his face unreadable as he pulled Lothar aside. Lothar and Derek silently conversed with each other while Jayalm and Daniel stood forward standing beside Adrianna. We would like to bring back King Leoric and his son Albrecht and if this cannot be done then Lachdannan and Albrecht." Tyreal nodded. "The king I cannot bring back but his son and the knight I can, because Leoric was not killed at the hands of demons but by his own men I cannot bring him back". At that moment Lothar and Derek came back and stood on the other side of Adrianna.
"Our wish is for Adrianna's parents to be returned to her so that she can right the wrongs she committed in the past and explain why she had to do it and so they can be proud of her for all she has done." Tyreal nodded as he began to fade "Done, fare thee well heroes, you have earned yourselves a rest." As the angel disappeared the five heroes walked up the stairs and were met by the townspeople who all cheered as they exited. Jillian came up and hugged Daniel, Agden and his wife hugged Adrianna and Derek, and Cain slowly walked up towards them leaning on his long staff.
"You have saved the world. I am proud of you all". Cain turned to Adrianna. "Your love for the people in your life allowed the world affected by the Evils of Hell, to be reborn. You have even been blessed by the great Archangel Tyreal himself and for that you will be known the world over. The people you brought back will be here in a few days.
There was a great party there afterwards that lasted for days, five to be exact. There were feasts and drinks and just plain joy and merriment. On the fifth day a visit clad in brown leather visited.
Raven walked into the inn. It was packed filled with happy and cheering people. She smiled as a drunken man approached her and danced with her and then danced by himself out the door in drunken stupor. She stopped and scanned the room looking for her fellow rogue, spotting five people sitting around at the table in the far back she headed towards it, recognizing the long brown hair of her good friend.
They were all enjoying ale and talking about their trials and tribulations in the dungeon. Adrianna, the man she called Derek and the Vizjerei mage who could only be Lothar were sitting in shining armor, the legendary armor of the three messiahs. The other two Daniel and Jayalm were casually sitting and talking about how it felt to be dead and then alive. Raven shrugged as she approached weaving through the crowded bar as she finally came up behind Adrianna and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned and smiled jumping up and hugged her friend.
"Raven I am so glad to see you, how are things in Tristram?"
"Things are great as a matter of fact I got a note from Kashya telling us that we are to immediately return to the order. Our job here is done. We have to leave in the morning. Come we must talk." Adrianna frowned as she followed Raven out of the inn to talk. Not sure what she should do, stay or return to the order. On the one hand she had a great duty to the order but on the other she had the duty to her heart, to Derek and to her family.
Behind her Derek turned to Daniel, Jayalm and Lothar. "Guys I need your help".