Chapter 23

"So do you guys have to leave?" Daniel asked Lothar and Jayalm as they stood outside the Blacksmith shop.

"Yes. We are needed in Lut Gholein. We will come and visit though. We heard rumours that there is an ancient sanctuary there and I am meeting a necromancer there too". Lothar replied. Derek nodded as he gazed around the slowly filling town square; people gathering to say goodbye to one of their own.

Adrianna was in her room packing her stuff when she noticed the three people talking outside the window. She needed to get back to the sisterhood. She really wanted to stay, but she knew that she had a duty to the sisterhood. Plus she was scared to see her parents, but she refused to let anyone see that. How could they ever forgive her for leaving, how could they ever understand? But at the same time her heart was breaking. She walked out into the bright sunlight. After they had defeated Diablo that cloudy sky cleared and a bright rainbow had shone over the sky. It had been beautiful. Now Adrianna needed to go back to the Rogues where she would not be blamed for anything. She wasn't sure if her destiny was here or in the Monastery.

She looked around. The town square was quickly filling with townspeople but Derek was nowhere in sight. Adrianna spied Cain, Lothar, and Jayalm and walked over to them. Raven was standing outside the inn silently waiting in the shadow of the inn.

"So are you coming with us?" Jayalm asked. She nodded,

"I guess so it's on the way so we might as well travel together until we reach the monastery anyway". Jayalm nodded a frown on his face as he looked around. Daniel stood off to the side talking to Jillian. The young girl was smiling and blushing as Daniel was obviously wooing her very well. Adrianna smiled as she looked back at Derek's shop. He wasn't outside, but his father was. The big older man was standing with his arms crossed and he looked nervous and worried as he scanned the crowd. Adrianna had decided that maybe she should leave before her parents found her that way they wouldn't be hurt again by her leaving. She thought it was for the best. She knew her parents would never forgive her for leaving. The three warriors turned to leave as Raven slowly came out of the shadows and joined them her bow and bag slung over her shoulder. The two Rogues would accompany them until they reached the Monastery. There was a flurry of activity at the blacksmith shop as people were shoved aside by some and it was then that Derek shot out of the Blacksmith shop.

"Adrianna wait!" he called out as he ran to her. "Don't go!" He grabbed her arm and she swirled to face him.

"Wha-?" She looked at Derek. Those beautiful eyes, where she saw so much love were even more full of it. Her eyes brimmed with tears but she shoved them away.

"I lost you once and I won't lose you again" he said, "Your parents will want to see you again. And I want to be with you".

"What about the Sisterhood? They need me!" Adrianna said protesting.

"To Hell with the Sisterhood! They can survive without you, but this is where you belong. With your family, you're friends and the one who loves you! I will love you for all eternity. Look I know you're scared to see your parents, I would be too but you can't just run away. You have to face your fears just like you faced Diablo. We can visit the order after if you want but please don't leave me. I promise I will stand by you. I won't leave you alone. Please stay." he said. She looked into his pleading eyes and knew right then and there that every word he spoke was true. He loved her, for her and not because her parents wanted him to marry her. Adrianna thought about this a moment. Adrianna turned to Lothar, Jayalm and Raven.

"I don't know what to do", she said to them. They nodded and smiled.

"Yes you do deep down you know what you need to do" Lothar spoke touching the area above her heart.

"Do what your heart is telling you to do" Jayalm said placing his hand across his chest. Adrianna turned to Derek.

"I love you too! I will stay, just as long as you stand by me," she said.

"I promise that I will stand by you", he said. It was then that Adrianna remembered something.

"Wait, I will be right back" she called over her shoulder as she took off running, her slender legs carrying her across the land. She ran to her secret place, grabbing her special box. She grabbed one of the scrolls out of her box and ran back; her box nestled snugly in her pack. She ran back into town. Derek stood there as she walked in. Her mother and father stood on the road. They looked over at her. They were real, alive, her parents. She stood there. Suddenly her father ran over and hugged her. He was a tall burly man, with a long brown beard and soft brown eyes, just as soft as hers. He wore glasses upon his head. She resembled her father quite a bit. She turned to her mother. She also had soft curly brown hair and light wrinkles of age upon her face. She smiled as she hugged her long lost daughter.

"Mother, Father...I'm sorry I left you. I only wanted to protect you", she said as tears came to her eyes.

"It doesn't matter now. We forgive you. We missed you so much. We are overjoyed that you came back," they said hugging her more.

"All that matters now is that you have returned to your home," her Father said. The people in the town cheered. Adrianna walked over to her friends, Lothar and Jayalm.

"I guess this is good-bye," she said.

"No it's not. We will meet again. We promise," they said hugging her. The two men began to walk away.

They heard trumpets blaring as several horses pulled up in the centre of town. A tall regal man rode upon a white horse followed by a young boy. The man was a knight and could only be Lachdannan himself and the boy dressed in a purple cloak and golden crown was behind him. Lachdannan dismounted and stood tall as he looked around.

"I am looking for the warriors who saved our world", he said as Albrecht came up beside him. The prince pointed to Adrianna and Derek and Lothar.

"The Messiahs of Love and Friendship and Peace good knight", said the boy. Jayalm walked over and bowed before the new king. The others did also. Daniel walked up and bowed. Adrianna never imagined that Daniel would bow.

"I thank you five for saving our world and for freeing me of Diablo's evil taint" he said bowing his head at the five heroes.

"Daniel I offer you the position of general of my army. You all receive special honours and will be allowed free passage to and from my Kingdom" Albrecht said as he pinned special crosses to their armour. You have saved our entire world and for that we can never repay you. All those who were killed in the Labyrinth now rest in peace.

"As for you Lothar and Jayalm, I will escort you personally to Lut Gholein. Your land will know of what you have done here today". Lothar and Jayalm climbed onto two brown horses that were fully saddled. Daniel mounted another horse that had also been prepared for him. He waved to Jillian, who smiled at him. She ran up to him and he got down.

"Daniel please don't go, why don't you stay?"

"I must return home. My people need me. Wait why don't you come with me? We can bring your grandmother in a carriage and send for her later"

"Oh Daniel I don't think I could bring myself to leave my grandmother"

Just then Laura stepped over to Jillian.

"Don't worry Jillian we people of the town shall care for her until her carriage comes for her, we promise, go and follow your heart. A young woman such as yourself deserves not to be held down in life. Go and follow your dreams as Adrianna has done by choosing to stay here".

"Ok I can do that..thank you I shall miss you all", she said and then turned to Daniel, "I will go with you".

"Ok then hop on" he said grabbing her around her waist and hoisting her upon his steed.

Daniel brought his hand to his forehead and saluted to Adrianna and Derek. The procession turned and they rode away, heading East towards the Rogue Monastery and then to the great deserts.

"Well it looks like all is well! The world has been saved and all are happy," Adrianna said smiling as she turned to face Derek and her parents.

"Not quite, there is still a small problem", Derek said looking at her. He whispered something in her ear and she smiled as she took her pack and reached into the little box and retrieved a small scroll.

"Were you looking for this?" she asked, handing the scroll to Derek. He opened and looked at it. He just nodded and then put up a finger as he walked into the shop and emerged holding something small. He walked up to her. He smiled at her mischievously.

"Adrianna I love you more than anything in this world and I would give up my life for you. I want to love you for all eternity, but I can only do that if you do something for me", he said gazing at her a broad grin on his face.

"What is that?" Adrianna asked, a smirk slowly forming on her face. Derek then kneeled on the ground and looked up at her. She then suspected his real intentions and smiled.

"Will you marry me and love me as I love you?" he asked hopefully looking up at her. Adrianna smiled.

"Yes I will marry you and love you as I love you," she said smiling. Derek rose to his feet as Adrianna extended her hand to him. He placed the beautiful golden ring upon her finger. Fixed onto this ring was a beautiful Diamond cut into a diamond shape. Adrianna put her arms around Derek as she hugged him. He put his arms around her and hugged her and then they kissed.

"I've found my destiny. I am the Messiah of Love and I am to marry the one I love, Derek, Messiah of Friendship because I want to and not because my parents want me to marry him. This is where I belong". Adrianna thought happily. Derek and Adrianna would fight to protect this world from the minions of Hell, but for now all was good...