Diablo
The Awakening of Chaos
Chapter Five
Ziatoch's Counterattack
Rayne shot up in bed with a gasp. The sheets covering her slipped off of her, and she looked down and blushed furiously as she pulled them back up to cover her nudity. She looked around the room carefully. There were shelves containing medical supplies and potions. An open cabinet showed her clothing and leather armor were inside. Her armor looked ragged, and had several burn marks on it. On the bedside table were her katars. One of them was broken in half.
The blonde assassin concentrated on what had happened in the forest. There had been a battle… they'd been ambushed by demons and corrupted Rogues… the air had been thick with Rua and Kaelynn's spellwork…
Suddenly, the memories came rushing back.
Rayne leaped off of her dying mount and rolled as she landed, drawing her katars and slashing the throat of the Goatman that had killed her horse. She pivoted and struck out with her other katar as another Goatman stepped up behind her, cutting its throat out as well.
The young assassin shot forward at a corrupt Rogue and delivered a jumping kick to the woman's head. The Rogue fell backward onto the ground, and Rayne stomped the woman's throat and crushed her windpipe. Two more rushed at her with swords drawn, and the assassin flung a pair of throwing blades at one and dashed towards the second and attacked with her Dragon Talon kick. The blades ripped through the first Rogue's body and the kick struck the second with enough force to slam her into a tree and break her back.
Rayne looked around at the battlefield. They were in the Dark Forest region, the most heavily forested area of the nation Khanduras. Enemies were attacking all around, using the forests to their advantage. It seemed only Rua knew the region well enough to use it to his own advantage. He was weaving in and out of the trees with his horse, striking down his foes with his gemmed longsword and his strange new spells. Kaelynn was near the corpse of her own horse, blasting any enemy near her with fireball and ice bolt spells, occasionally incinerating enemies with Inferno spells if anything got too close. Jordan had been dragged off of his horse and disarmed, but he was still fighting back with his fists, using his strength to knock out and kill his enemies, despite any injuries he suffered in the process. She also noticed that he was also taking things off of the enemies while they were still fighting. Relayia was flying rapid circles around the battle, occasionally darting in to scratch or breathe fire on an enemy.
The assassin struck out at a group of Fallen with a Mind Blast. All were disoriented and some even began to fight other monsters. Two Goatmen ran forward at her, and she dashed forward to meet them. She harnessed her psychic power and made a flying Dragon Tail kick at the closest one. The kick struck the monster and was crushed in a large explosion that left the assassin unharmed. The fallen Goatman's axe flew off and tore out the throat of the second monster. As she did, she realized that the battle was becoming more and more frenzied.
A Storm Lord jumped up behind her, its muscular blue body crackling with electrical energy. Still in the air, it prepared to unleash a lightning bolt on Rayne, but a beam of blue light struck through it. The Pulse Laser continued through and tore the head off of another Goatman. Rua charged past on his horse. "Watch yourself!" he shouted to her over the din of combat. She began to dash past enemies and wielding her katars to steal energy from her enemies and using them in special attacks after charging them from three enemies, sometimes causing an enemy to explode into flame or to cause dozens of ice bolts to lash out in a circle from the dying enemy's body.
Jordan had finally regained his huge sword and was laying waste to any monster in his path. He had buried his sword in a Storm Lord's horned head when the weapon began to glow crimson and then burst into flame, causing the corpse to burn. He looked over at the sorceress, who had her hand raised towards him and was finishing her Enchant spell. He grinned and then started attacking more monsters in a wild frenzy. Soon, many of the smaller demons began to run in fear from his burning blade. But it seemed that no matter how many monsters they killed, more showed up.
An area of the battlefield was suddenly blasted with a wave of eldritch blue flame from Rua's Thunder Blow spell. As he finished the spell, he heeled his horse forward, but two corrupt Rogue spearwomen thrust their lances at the green-eyed warrior, and the horse threw off its rider. Rua yelled out in surprise as he struck the ground, and his horse ran off out of the battlefield. One of the spearwomen ran up to him, but two strikes with his blazing sword severed the woman's leg and lacerated her chest. He rolled over on his sword and got up, firing another Pulse Laser spell at a distant Storm Lord before it could throw another lightning bolt at one of his comrades.
Unbeknownst to him, an undead Vampire Lord had appeared several spans behind him and was preparing a powerful Meteor spell. The tattooed assassin concentrated her psychic powers for her most powerful finishing move—Dragon Flight. She used her mind to propel herself across the battlefield in the blink of an eye, right in front of the Vampire Lord, and delivered it a kick that shattered the undead creature from the force of the flight. However, it was too late, and the monster had completed the spell. Rayne shouted "Rua!" Unfortunately, he neither heard her over the din of combat, nor saw the orange circular aura beneath him. He was too busy concentrating on battling the green-skinned Venom Lord—the most elite of Megademons—that was in front of him. Rayne dashed forward and slammed him out of the way just as he killed the demon he was fighting.
Rua's eyes widened in surprise as the small assassin hurtled into his side and knocked him away. The large fireball screamed as it shot down from the sky and struck the ground behind Rayne. The mage slayer was thrown several spans through the air, and when her body hit the ground, darkness enveloped her.
Rayne shook her head to dispel the memories. She let the sheet fall off of her and began to examine her body. These westerner healers know how to do their work. She was prejudiced against magic, but she couldn't help but feel grateful. There were no marks on her body, and she felt refreshed. She leapt out of bed and started doing stretches, and then she got dressed and equipped her damaged armor, taking both the whole and the broken katars, and left the building, wondering where her party's leader was. Quickly she began using her psychic powers to locate her friends.
Rua was currently leaning against the wall in a tavern somewhere in New Tristram, with Relayia sitting down on his shoulder laughing. The green-eyed warrior watched the scene unfolding before him with a look somewhere between amusement and annoyance. He had seen many bar fights. He'd even been in a few of them. Seeing Jordan participating in such activities wasn't that unusual. What surprised him was that a woman—the sorceress Kaelynn Dai, in fact—was fighting by his side.
Rua looked off towards the entrance as Jordan picked up another contender and threw him over a table. Rayne had just stepped inside, but a flying chair sent through the air from Kaelynn's Telekinesis spell quickly sent her sprawling outside. The tattooed girl dashed back inside the tavern, ducking low and off to the side. She stopped a few feet in front of Rua, never seeing him. She started laughing as she took in the sight. The green-eyed warrior grinned and snuck up behind her, then laid a hand clothed in a leather gauntlet on her shoulder.
Rayne jumped about a foot into the air and spun around… and then started glaring at the laughing Rua Dragonheart. "Think you're funny, huh?" she growled. He soon calmed down, and Rayne leaned against the wall next to him. Soon she was interrogating him on what had happened between the battle in the forest and now.
"So, just how did this fiasco happen?" she asked.
"Not sure myself. I think Jordan was secretly stealing everything he thought was interesting. And I'm guessing that one of the bouncers saw him."
"Is that the sorceress I see helping him?"
"Yes, actually. Don't ask me how she got involved."
Using her staff and Telekinesis spell, Kaelynn was easily keeping the other occupants away from her. She'd use her weapon to deflect the blows of her opponents and tripping them up, while using her spell to fling chairs and such into fighters dumb enough to approach her from behind. Meanwhile, Jordan was wrestling with one of the two large bouncers. Some of the more drunk occupants were making bets on the match.
"Anyways…" Rayne continued, "What happened in the Dark Forest? I remember being hit by that Meteor spell and that's it."
"The fight turned to their favor shortly after that," Rua replied, speaking barely loud enough for her to hear, "Kaelynn was silenced so she couldn't use her spellwork and then was knocked out… I thought Jordan had been killed, he'd taken two spears to the stomach… and I was about to be killed when they arrived."
"Huh? When who arrived?"
"Khandurian soldiers. They were investigating the woods when someone reported they had seen spellwork in the forests. They were the ones who dispatched the demons and took us to the town. I passed out on the way." He hesitated, and then continued, "You've been out for nearly four days, Rayne. Jordan and Kaelynn for two. I've only been out overnight."
"Do you know how those monsters kept appearing whenever we thought we'd gotten the upper hand?"
"No… but I have an idea…"
"Oh? What idea's that, Rua?"
"I'm thinking that they've figured out how to use Waypoints."
Rayne was startled. "But I thought only humans could—"
"I did too," he said, cutting her off, "they could be corrupting them for all I know."
Rayne leaned back, taking in the fight and seeing none of it, even as Kaelynn's Telekinesis spell slammed chair into the wall beside her. So she was out for three days? That didn't sound good. And if Rua was here and not with Cain…
"Did you find Cain?" she asked.
"No. Half the people don't believe he's here, the other half refuse to talk about it. And the guards have been watching us pretty carefully ever since I started my inquiries. And I can't find her either… Come on," he said, changing the subject when Rayne looked at him curiously, "We better get these two out of here before the militia get here to break it up."
Rua picked up the kite shield he had leaning against the wall next to him and equipped it. The two separated and headed towards their comrades, Rayne going after Kaelynn while Rua went after Jordan. Twice the assassin was forced to duck under flying chairs before she finally was near enough to grab her attention. The sorceress had just swept two of the occupants off their feet when she felt a hand fall to her shoulder. She whipped around, only to have her hazel eyes meet faded blue ones. Kaelynn raised one eyebrow, but before she could say anything, the assassin simply jerked her head towards the door. Kaelynn looked at her a moment longer, and then nodded her consent. Just as she was about to move, she swept her staff up over her shoulder, feeling it connect with something solid. She didn't even bother to look while she and the assassin walked towards the door as the sneaking occupant collapsed with a large bruise spreading across his forehead.
In the meantime, Jordan had just knocked out the person he was fighting, and stood up. He looked around, and a larger bloke stepped into the imaginary ring. But as he did, a man with a shield, a red cape, and a familiar pink cat on his shoulder stepped up behind him. In one fluid motion, Rua drew his sword and slapped the man upside the head with the flat of his blade. The man staggered sideways, and Rua stepped past him. Just as the would-be contender was about to regain his footing, Rua swung his shield out and caught him full in the face. The man fell over unconscious, the drink and disorientation from Rua's blade finally taking their toll on him. Jordan burst out laughing, but quickly shut up as Rua glared at him. He knew from experience that the Dragonheart family glare was not something most men liked to be on the receiving end of. He walked out in silence, and after a moment, Rua did the same, with one thought echoing in his mind.
Why in the world did I mention her
"What the hell is wrong with you two?"
Jordan recoiled slightly, grinning with shame, as Rua shouted at them. They were out into the night of the city, well away from the tavern they had been occupying. Kaelynn took it stoically, saying nothing. Rayne walked beside them, not worrying about it in the least… after all, she hadn't been involved.
"We're here to try and find Cain! Trying to find the one person who might be able to help us defeat Ziatoch! We are not here to tear apart local taverns!" Rua stopped, and took a calming breath before continuing. "Now, ladies," he said, scowling at Jordan, "I want you to split up and start searching for Cain. Jordan, stay out of the damn taverns tonight. If you get arrested, I'm going to write a letter to a certain white-clothed someone and have Relayia deliver it. Let her bail you out."
Jordan glared at Rua. The green-eyed warrior looked at all of them and nodded once. The three warriors turned and walked off in different directions. Rua watched them go for a while, and felt Relayia land on his shoulder.
"Follow Jordan and make sure he stays out of trouble, Re," he told her.
"Would you really write a letter to her, Rua?" she squeaked.
"Probably not. I have no intention on handing that woman my hide as well as his."
"Okay. I'll get going now," the dragonet took off from his shoulder.
Rua turned and walked down the street, wondering whom he'd find first. Several times he stopped a passerby, inquiring of the location of Deckard Cain. Two people told him to leave, one person openly glared at him, and several others glanced at him with fearful eyes and said that they didn't know he was in the city. Finally, after asking a family if they had seen Cain, he turned to go, finally getting irritated, when something tugged at his tattered red cape. The green-eyed warrior turned and looked down, and his eyes met a green pair remarkably like his own.
It was the little girl that was in the family. He looked over at the rest of the family, and saw that while her parents were continuing on, a slightly older boy had stopped and was watching the two of them with apprehension. He looked back down at the girl. She looked to be no more than nine years of age, and she had blonde hair that went down to her waist. She was wearing a white dress with red scrollwork on the hem and sleeves. The little girl's eyes were surprisingly defiant… much like his own. She was attempting to look fearless, but Rua decided that she was terrified. With the scars on his face, he wasn't surprised.
"Can I help you with something, miss?" he asked kindly, favoring her with his rare smile. He kneeled down before her, waiting for the girl's answer.
"Um, I don't know about anyone named Cain, sir," she replied sheepishly, still trying to look tough, "but there's this old storyteller at the library in the center of the city."
Rua's eyes brightened. Finally! He reached into his pocket, and then placed a few gold coins into the little girl's hands. "Thank you for your time, child."
The girl's gave him a smile of relief and gratitude. "Thank you, sir!" she said before turning and dashing back over to her brother.
Rua stood up and took out a map of the city he had purchased the other day. He was near one of the city squares, and not that far off from the heart of the city, where the great tower of Monastery Castle stood. He looked up and down the street he was on, looked back at the map once before folding and putting it away, and then started forward towards the town square. As he did, he noticed that there were several ornate-looking wagons in and around it, and a stage had been erected in the center. Several groups of people were surrounding it, one of which containing the family of the little girl who had helped him earlier. He sighed, seeing that it'd be hard to get through the crowds at the other end of the city, and decided to lean against a wagon close to the stage. He noted that there was a troupe of musicians at the other side of the stage.
And then, she appeared. Rua's eyes widened in recognition.
A young woman was walking up to the stage. She was a head shorter than himself, with long reddish-brown hair that fell to her shoulder blades. She looked around with a bright smile and brighter cerulean blue eyes. She was wearing a dancer's two-piece outfit of a deep-sea blue, with rose red trim. The top went over her chest, with sleeves that billowed loosely, and was held together in the front with a gold slip shaped like a flower. The bottom was a long skirt, opened in a long V in the front. In her hands were what looked to be folded ornamental fans. She looked beautiful.
The woman, whose name was Alasea Dagenais, stepped up onto the stage. She looked around at the cheering people and smiled. Then she readied herself to dance.
The music began with a tambourine shaking in the background. Then, the guitar moved in and began its own song, beginning slowly with a smooth gypsy melody. The speed of the song began to increase in intervals. Alasea began to sway her hips in time with the music. The guitar broke into a furious solo with the tambourines as backup. With a flick of her wrists, she opened up the fans, showing that both were the respective color of her dress, with white rose designs. The dancer's arms began to swirl around her body, and as the music's speed increased, she leapt into the air and spun like a little tornado.
Alasea slowly spun her way into the center after doing a small lap around the stage, all while spinning and flashing her fans. The dancer ended her spin and went into a kneeling position. She shot her arms straight back, opened the fans again, and started to rise. As her legs began to straighten, Alasea's arms began to weave around her body. The music quickened, and so did Alasea. Her feet started to guide her through circular and semicircular moves around the stage floor. Alasea continued her dance for several more minutes until the music began to disappear. She ended with a short forward flip and fell into another kneeling position. As soon as she finished, the crowd erupted into applause.
Alasea smiled and bowed as she rose. As she turned to leave the stage, something caught her eye. The dancer looked over and saw a young man dressed in blue clothing and a red cape. A longsword was strapped to his hip, and his face had three scars on it. The man gazed at her with familiar green eyes underneath brown hair and a smile as he clapped. She returned his smile and continued off stage, a little kick in her step. He's here! She thought enthusiastically as she entered one of the wagons to clean herself and get dressed.
One of the helping hands had filled a tub full of warm soapy water in her wagon. She eagerly undressed and slipped in, sighing with content as the water covered her tired, sweaty body. As she did, she laid her head back, closed her eyes, and thought about the man known as Rua Dragonheart.
After a while, she washed and got out, drying herself off with a towel. She looked at herself in a full-body mirror, turning around to look at the four pale scars that went down half her back. There was a scar alongside either side of her shoulder blades. She always wondered how she had gotten those scars. Her father told her that she'd had those scars since birth, but even he didn't know how she'd gotten them. With a sigh, she turned to her wardrobe and started rummaging through it. She soon found the outfit she wanted, and brought it out of the wardrobe and changed.
Finally, Alasea stepped over and looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing an exquisite cream-colored shirt that had long, loose sleeves. The thick hems of the collar and sleeves were pink in color, with red triangle designs along them. Also, she was wearing bright red shorts, and soft leather boots. She had slipped a white hairband in her hair, and draped around her back and held up by her arms was a shawl of beautiful design.
Around her neck was a heavy pendant that her mother had given her shortly after her disappearance, right after her father's death. It was a strange pendant, shaped with a gold moon inlaid in black, set within a circle of gold that was thin at the top and thick at the bottom, with a sphere of gold laid into the bottom. She always felt a mystical, perhaps arcane quality around it. It was the only thing of her mother's that she had, and she was loath to take it off… the only times being when she danced, because it would cause a bit of damage if she did wear it then.
She touched it briefly, thinking of her mother, before she finally turned away and left the wagon. After opening the door, she looked up and down the street, wondering which way Rua had gone. Finally, she took off down the street, heading for the heart of the city.
Rua smiled softly as Alasea danced. He had many fond memories of the woman, a number of them involving her dancing ability. They'd met about a year after Kalia's death. He had made a brief return to Kurast, and that was where he met her… not far from Travincal itself. Travincal, the Temple of Light… a place that would mean his death should he enter. He always wondered what brought her there, but he never asked. They became good friends. He knew that her mother had disappeared and that her father had died in a battle with Ziatoch himself. That in itself impressed him; that her father had the guts to face the Master of Darkness.
She had finished her dance and was walking off the stage when her face turned towards him. Their eyes met, and hers widened, and then she smiled warmly at him. Still recognizes me, huh? He thought with a chuckle as she walked off the stage and headed towards one of the wagons. He wanted to follow her, to talk to her, but there were more pressing issues at hand. Besides… Alasea might recognize him, but the guards wouldn't. And he had neither the time nor the desire to fight them and win.
With a rueful sigh he pushed himself off of the wagon he was leaning on and walked off towards the other end of the square, in the direction that led to the city's heart. He stopped other people, this time asking the whereabouts of a library near the castle. Once again they citizens were unable to help him, but they weren't looking like he was a madman either. After a half-hour of fruitless inquiries, he was once again getting frustrated. He was walking away from two guards practically growling when he heard someone shout his name. At first he thought it was Rayne, since the voice was female. But there was a distinct sound of familiarity with this voice. And then it hit him. He quickly turned around to face what was coming.
Alasea was running, weaving in and out of the obstacles that obstructed her from Rua. When she at last reached him, she jumped and flew into his waiting arms, hugging him tightly. He in turn wrapped his own arms around her, the force of her collision causing both of them to spin around in a circle. Alasea was laughing as she embraced her old friend. After a moment her laughing died down and he unwrapped his arms from around her as she stepped back and looked at him with a smile on her face.
"Hey, Alasea," Rua said.
The girl took on a mocking serious attitude. "It's been over a year and I don't even get letters from you."
Rua raised an eyebrow at her, "You know I've been busy—"
"Of course you have," the dancer cut in, smiling again, "Busy saving Sanctuary from the Master of Darkness."
The two began walking again. "So, what brings you all the way out to this particular city?"
"I think I might've gotten a lead on what Ziatoch's up to. I just might've found a way to stop him cold."
"Really?" she asked, surprised and eager, "Then why are you here in New Tristram?"
"I heard from someone that Deckard Cain was residing here."
She asked quietly, "Who told you that?"
"Akara of the Rogues," the green-eyed warrior replied, "After helping combat the invasion of the Monastery half a week ago she agreed to help me find him. The scouts spotted him in the city."
"And I'm guessing someone told you he's at the heart of the city."
Rua looked at Alasea sharply. "You know where he is?"
"Y-yes… we're old friends. He helped my father immensely. Come on," she said while grabbing his arm, "I'll show you the way!"
They took off down the city street, Rua wondering all the way why she kept avoiding the subject of her father.
The two friends looked up at the expansive building before them. Upon the massive doors was the image of an open book. To Rua, it was looked like it was the largest library outside of any of the mage clan palaces. The size of the building dwarfed all the others around it.
"Not too modest, is it?" he commented.
"It was a gift from King Meredith," Alasea replied, "Deckard always said it was too grand for him. But the king insisted…"
"I see. Well, whatever."
The two of them walked up to the doors and opened them. They stepped inside, and Rua gaped. Inside was a library that would've rivaled the one in Viz-Jun. There were dozens of shelves holding thousands of books. He distantly wondered where Cain could have gotten enough gold to purchase the tomes that he saw before him. Several scholars were sitting at various tables, with piles of books and documents around them. He even saw one of the bone-armored, black-cloaked priests of Rathma, more widely known as the necromancers. Several of the people looked up when they entered, and none of them seemed surprised to see Alasea there. She grabbed Rua by the hand and pulled him along through the expansive room and up a set of spiraling stairs.
As the two of them walked down the hall they were in, Rua gazed around it. For something that was given to someone from the King, the living space was decorated rather modestly. Only a few tapestries and paintings were hung from the walls, and at the end of the hall, next to a moderately gilded door, was a marble statue of a long-haired man wearing full plate mail, with a sword strapped to his back and a shield depicting an emblem of a dragon. Rua instantly recognized the statue to be one of Aram Kiros Denamon… the noble hero that destroyed Diablo beneath Tristram and doomed to become the Dark Wanderer. Very few people knew the man's true name… Rua had learned from his sister. How she had learned of the name was beyond him.
"Not what I was expecting for a gift from King Meredith," he said quietly.
"It used to be worse," the dancer replied, "Deckard got rid of most of it, though."
"Feh. It would figure. He might be a good king, but Meredith is still a fool."
"And how would you know?" she asked with a smile.
"I had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting him a couple years ago. Ziatoch and all."
"Oh," was her reply. They had reached the end of the hall. "Well, here we are, Rua."
The blue-eyed woman straightened her clothing and then knocked on the door. Rua was standing at the other side of the door, opposite the statue, and as luck would have it, he would be just out of Cain's line of sight. He heard someone getting out of a chair from the inside, and shuffling as the person headed for the door. And soon the door opened, revealing a burgundy-robed black-skinned old man, holding a walking stick on one hand and the door in the other. He was wearing some small reading glasses, and his gray eyes brightened in recognition as he took in the sight of the girl he cared for like a grandchild.
"Ah, Alasea! It is good to see you again!" he said with an old but strong voice.
Alasea embraced the sage and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Good to see you too, old friend."
"So, what's the reason behind this visit?" he asked, smiling, "Are you wanting to tell me more about this mysterious red-caped, green-eyed friend of yours again?"
Rua raised an eyebrow at Alasea, having been unnoticed by the Horadrim sage. The girl blushed furiously. Unable to say anything, she made a gesture to her side. Cain looked over, finally seeing the green-eyed warrior.
"Ah… I see. This is about the red-caped man."
"D-Deckard!" Alasea said, mortified.
The old man chuckled. "Well, come in, friends, come in…"
Once inside, Cain gestured for them to sit, settling himself in a chair across from the two friends, resting his walking stick across his lap. He looked over at Rua, taking in his appearance, from the tattered red cape, the gemmed blade that he had laid up against his chair, the scars on his face, and the intensity of his green eyes. Only once had he seen eyes like that, but at the moment he had yet to make the connection to Kalia Dragonheart.
"So, young man, it seems you are as sturdy and as handsome as Alasea tells me you are. Was it her idea to drag you all across the city to meet me?"
"Actually, sir, I've been looking for you for nearly two weeks now," he said quietly, "I've got something that I need your counsel on."
"Oh? And who was the one who revealed my location to you?" The sage briefly looked at Alasea, then back to Rua.
"No," he replied to his unspoken question, "It was Akara of the Rogues that told me of your location."
"Ah… I see. Well, young man, are you willing to tell me your name?" He asked with his fatherly smile.
"It's Rua… Rua Dragonheart."
The smile on the sage's face died, replaced by a thoughtful frown. Now he made the connection… now he recognized the eyes. He was the younger brother of Kalia Dragonheart. Finally, the old man sighed tiredly. "I see…"
Rua was watching him in a thoughtful silence ever since Cain reacted to his name. He obviously recognized it… but so did a lot of people. No, he thought, He recognizes my name from something else. Meanwhile, Alasea took turns looking at the two of them with a puzzled expression.
"So. She was right," Cain said softly, "The time really is at hand."
"She?"
"Yes… your sister, Rua. Kalia Dragonheart."
Rua looked at the man sharply. "You knew my sister?"
"Yes. You see, she came to me for my counsel, under the instruction of Tyrael."
Both youths' eyes widened at the name. The Archangel who had been rescued by the Heroes, and guided them to their triumph over Diablo, Mephisto, and Baal. Tyrael spoke with Sis? Rua's mind was in overdrive. It obviously showed on his face, he realized when Cain spoke again.
"Surprised, Rua? I was as well. To think, a normal woman, however gifted she was in combat and magic, was contacted by one of Heaven's elite. Yes, it was quite surprising to me. Did you ever wonder why she decided to fight this Master of Darkness?"
Rua looked down into his lap, perusing his memories. All he could remember is that Kalia had some sort of connection to Ziatoch, even though he was using a different name. He remember her leaving home for months at a time, and then coming back one raining night, needing his help in her next fight. Two weeks later he had made a promise of vengeance. But he never knew why she fought him… that part she had always managed to keep secret from him. Slowly, he nodded his head. Alasea reached over and gave his hand a gentle squeeze that he returned.
"Now, my friend, let's get down to business," the Horadrim sage said, "You said there was something you wanted to talk to me about."
Cautiously, Rua opened up his satchel and took out both the strange tablet and the Green Resurrection Stone, then handed both to Cain. The old sage put the Stone down on a small table next to his chair, and then read what was on the black tablet. When he put the tablet down, his face was as unreadable as Rua's. Alasea's puzzled expression gained a tiny portion of fear. The sage sat there for a few moments, pondering what the tablet meant. The Karognis. I've seen that name before… once. Supposedly some dark force that was released thousands of years ago. Before the time Archangel Inarius waged war on Mephisto. But… if I remember correctly… nothing else was written about it. What does this mean?
Coming up short on answers, the old man turned his attention to the Stone and lifted it up from the table. As he did, he noted that while it did indeed looked of stone, it felt of metal. It seemed to vibrate, not in his hand but in his mind… creating a sensation he had always felt before in his hobby of appraising unknown magical objects. Thus, knowing that the Stone did indeed hold magical powers, it was time to find out what it held. He concentrated, forming a spell in his mind that would reveal the nature of the artifact.
For a while, he felt nothing. And then, slowly, a mystical force unlike any he had ever felt before blossomed in his mind. It felt pure and untarnished by neither angelic nor demonic magic, nor did it seem to be linked to any kind of elemental energy. He delved further into the Stone, still seeking its secrets, and in his concentration he never felt the invisible wave of energy released from the ancient artifact.
Not once did he realize the mistake that he was making.
The reduced light coming from the waning moon had darkened the Barrier Mountains even further, causing them to look even more ominous to the watcher. Coupled with it's dangerous history and the rumors of monsters lurking within its hidden passages and canyons, it was enough to strike fear into any rational man.
It suited Ziatoch just fine.
The Master of Darkness was standing on a high ledge in the Barrier, one leg in front and resting on a rock, with his arm rested on it as he hunched over and gazed out over the Western Kingdoms. His Armor resonated with the energies created by the demons behind him, waiting in the large canyon. The Stone had been liberated from the Barrier, once again by that accursed boy Dragonheart. Kara had failed both to acquire the Stone and to kill Rua Dragonheart and his friends Jordan Brewer, Rayne Tamriel, Kaelynn Dai, and the strange flying cat. He had been forced to punish the woman severely, but not enough to hamper her ability once the true battle begun here, in these allied nations.
But now it was time to redeem this fiasco and please his master. Now he was going to raze Khanduras, take the Stone, and finally end the growing threat of Rua Dragonheart. His old thought, the thought that Rua was the one, had only worsened these past weeks. In her last battle with him, Kara reported that Rua had unleashed powerful magic after a ring he was wearing glowed. That alone disquieted and discontented the red-eyed warlord. And now that he had that ring… it seemed it was true, and Rua really was the one. If he has the Halo, he thought, then things truly are going to be unpleasant in this war. Not that it mattered. He was the greatest of Hell's champions! Nothing would stand in his way… he wouldn't stop until Sanctuary's skies blazed a crimson to match the burning skies of Hell.
He turned around to join his legion when he felt the wave of power sweep over him. He swiftly turned back and looked down on Khanduras' landscape. There was only one thing possible that could do something like that: a Resurrection Stone. That wave had been a resonation from a Resurrection Stone! Someone was trying to discover its abilities.
His blood-red eyes narrowed as he used scrying spells to pinpoint the location of the resonation. A cold smile graced his features, making him look slightly mad, as the location became evident. He spoke softly into the night.
"I will have all the Stones, Dragonheart. Mark my words. I will have Chaos on this world…"
His sudden shout echoed throughout the jagged peaks.
"I WILL HAVE THE KAROGNIS!"
He whipped around and strode to his waiting forces. The demons grew agitated and excited as they felt their master's fury and resolve. Not for the first time, the humans under his command cringed in terror. After he placed himself in the center of his forces, he summoned the Wings of Chaos, and with a thought, transported his army across the fields to surround New Tristram.
Automatically the monsters following him aligned themselves into formation. The Master of Darkness himself had appeared on a large overhang. He slowly drew Kasra, letting it rasp in its scabbard, and pointed it at the heart of the city, where the Monastery Castle stood.
"Go, my demons! Use the shadows, and make my enemy's destruction complete!"
The night seemed to darken as the mighty roars of hundreds of monster filled the air. They charged the city, their leader mounted on an undead steed, and quite soon, the battle for New Tristram had begun.
Rua, Alasea, and Cain had made their way down to the library part of his home. The occupants from before had already left, heading back to their homes. Rua had placed the Stone and the tablet back into his satchel and strapped it down, and Alasea had wrapped her shawl around her shoulders. As they journeyed downstairs, Cain told them names of books he needed them to get for him, and they set off while the black-skinned sage seated himself at a table, and silently cast a spell to light the candles on it. Quite soon, the two returned, each laden with several books.
The couple set the books down near Cain, and as Rua sat down across from him, the sage saw a light green glow coming from the warrior's right hand. He reached out and grasped his wrist with a surprisingly strong grip. Rua looked at him questioningly.
"Where did you get this ring, Rua?" he asked quietly. He recognized that ring… and what it symbolized.
"The Amazon Isles," Alasea replied before he could answer it, "Near Amber's home city."
"Is that so? Do you know what this ring is, my friend?"
Rua looked at them with a raised eyebrow. Finally, he answered, "No."
"I see. May I have that for a moment?"
Reluctantly, the green-eyed warrior slipped the ring off of his finger, causing the green glow to fade, and handed it to the Horadrim sage. As he held it up to his eyes, he cast his identification spell on it, showing the ring's true identity to him. His eyes widened. It was. He had found it. Slowly, he gave it back to Rua, who was looking at him with a curious expression, and the warrior slipped it back on his finger. As he did, the green light started to shine again, and a tiny golden band of energy was now circling the jewel centered by the four wings.
"My friend… it seems you have discovered something of great importance," Cain informed him, "The ring you were is none other than the Halo of Love."
Alasea gasped. "B-but the Armor… I thought…"
"That it was a myth? Of course not. The Master of Darkness supposedly has the counterpart armor to it."
"Either of you care to explain what you're talking about?" Rua asked with a tinge of annoyance.
Cain looked over at him in surprise, and Alasea blushed. "I am sorry, Rua… your ring is an object belonging to a set of—" He never got to finish as the doors to his library were swung open hard. Several knights being led by a paladin strode into the room.
"Deckard Cain! There is an emergency! We must get you to safety at once!" the holy warrior exclaimed.
"What? What's going on?" Alasea cried.
"The city is under siege, lady Alasea. It is important that we get both of you to the safety of the castle."
"Who's attacking?" Rua asked. The man hadn't seen him, and when he did, his eyes widened in recognition.
"Demons, renegade! The Master of Darkness is attacking the city!"
Alasea gave Rua a frightened look as his face twisted in a snarl. The green-eyed warrior stood up and walked to the door. As he did, he drew his sword, feeling the gems embedded in it activate. He stopped next to the paladin. "Where?" he said coldly.
"Sighted moving around the perimeter of the city," the holy warrior returned just as coldly, "He's making his way towards the center."
"Alasea, find your way to safety," Rua ordered, back in his leader routine, "This city is too dangerous for you now."
"But, Rua!"
"No! Go now! I can't find Ziatoch and protect you at the same time!"
And with that, the green-eyed warrior dashed out of the building and into chaos.