Chapter V: A long wait

'Elisa, could you get me a larger hammer, please?'

'Yes, Char-… Wait, there aren't any bigger ones.'

The blacksmith glanced at her collection of hammers, and deeply sighed as she noticed that I was, indeed, right. Wiping sweat away from her forehead, she then forcefully slammed her hammer against the weapon she was repairing – Raik's sword. At the expected lack of results, she growled and almost cried, 'How can I work without the Malus?!'

I sighed, and took a careful step towards my friend, before placing my hand upon her shoulder in a soothing gesture. Feeling at a loss for words, I eventually settled for a mere but nonetheless sincere 'I know.'

Charsi sobbed, her entire body shivering under my fingertips. 'Why? Why can't it just work? Why do I have to… to use ridiculously weak tools on horrifyingly weak weapons?! I work every single day, every single night to… to give our Sisters bows and armours I know to be less powerful than what I could make. Why?! Despite all my efforts, despite everything I attempt, why can't I craft good weapons?! And why don't I have a bloody larger hammer?!'

I rubbed her shoulder, and tried to find anything that would comfort her. In the end, I said, 'No one blames you, Charsi. Without the Horadric Malus, you-'

'I know no one blames me, but that's not the issue! The issue is that every single death of our Sisters, every injury they had to survive to, they all happened because I did not give them a worthy equipment! Look around you, can you see a single object you would find worthy of a Rogue?'

'Now, Charsi, not all of our Sisters died because of-'

She turned to face me, the wrath and guilt she inflicted upon herself now directed at me, 'How can you say that?! Were you there to see them die? Perhaps my armours weren't the direct cause of their deaths, but what about an injury that distracted them long enough to be the cause of said death, hmm? It's impossible to determine whether or not my work is at fault!' She glanced at Raik's sword, still needing repair, and growled as she kicked the log she was working on, 'I. Can't. Do. A. Single. THING!'

My eyes widened as I observed my friend. She was tired, and exhaustion probably did not help her to feel better. Biting on my lip, I glanced around the camp in search for anything that would soothe her. Almost ready to go seek Akara – the Priestess would be able to give her something to soothe her – a smile appeared on my face as I noticed a particular caravan. Turning to face Charsi, I said, 'I'm going to find you a bigger hammer.'

'What? I have all the hammers our Sisters could find in the wilderness, and Kashya-'

I chuckled, 'Don't worry, I won't get out of the camp.'

Charsi frowned and I felt her eyes follow me as I walked towards the greedy shape a few steps away from us. When I eventually arrived, I was greeted by a sharp gaze and a suspicious, 'Very few Rogues come to see me… Why are you here?'

I gave him a small smile, 'To buy something.'

The man immediately brightened, and gave me an easy grin as he shook my hand, saying, 'Oh, you've come to the right place then, young Rogue! I am Gheed, and it will be my pleasure to assist you and your Sisters… as long as you put the right price to it, of course.'

I nodded, dismissing his greeting as I explained, 'Charsi needs a bigger hammer. You've got anything for her?'

Gheed frowned slightly, and glanced at the blacksmith, seeing her red eyes and her humid cheeks. He bit his lip, thoughtful for a moment. I sighed, and was ready to show my pouch filled with gold to demonstrate that I was serious before he inquired, 'Is she all right?'

Why does he care?

I sighed, and scratched my neck before replying, 'Days have been hard for her. Why do you ask, though? You've never seemed to be the nice type.'

He glared at me, 'I am not, but think about this: if the only blacksmith around here is too depressed to work correctly, then we're all doomed. And I would very much like to stay alive, at least long enough to travel to the East and leave this forsaken place forever!'

I raised an eyebrow. Of course his concern would be about himself. I despised him. How could Charsi ever like him? Ah, she was way too naive for her own good.

'In any case, have you got a hammer for her? I'm ready to pay.'

Gheed let his eyes narrow, before a spark entered his eyes. 'I think I've got just the thing for her.'

He went inside his caravan, and I heard some clattering before he eventually went out, the widest hammer I had ever seen – aside of the Malus – in his hands. I reached for my pouch, but he did not even let me before going straight to see Charsi. The blacksmith looked at the greedy merchant with an air of confusion on her face.

'Someone told me you lacked hammers, so… Take this, as a gift.'

Charsi took the hammer, and she beamed as she tightly hugged the man, 'Thank you so much, Gheed! It's perfect! Thank you!'

The merchant placed a hand on the blacksmith's arm to try to pull her away from him, but obviously failed and eventually abandoned the idea in order to say, 'Yes, yes, whatever, now can I go back to my caravan? My ears need a rest.'

He was immediately released, and grumbled about how assaulting people this way should be illegal before going back to his caravan. Charsi, not at all bothered by Gheed's behaviour, took her newest tool and enthusiastically used it.

I frowned, confused, and went to see Charsi, before asking 'You're… not upset any more?'

She shook her head and started to work, 'No, of course not. How could I, when I just received a thoughtful present from a friend?'

A friend… right.

'Yeah… Um, can I help you in any way?'

She placed Raik's weapon aside and took a bow, 'Don't worry, it's fine. You should rest a little, you've done so much already. Just stay inside the camp, all right?'

I slowly nodded.

Usually, I would have argued with Charsi and tried to convince her that I could do something else as well, but… In fact, I was most grateful now, because I could ready myself for what was to come.

A smile appeared on my face.

According to the plan, it's going to be soon.

'Can I take Raik's sword with me? He should come back soon, now, and I can give him his weapon when he does so.'

Charsi shrugged, 'No problem.'

Madly grinning, I took the Druid's weapon and went to sit at the bonfire, my eyes not leaving a certain spot in the camp.

It's going to be soon, I won't have to wait much longer…

'Elisa, I told you to assist Charsi, what are you doing here?' a voice sharply asked.

I raised my eyes to see Kashya, and felt myself pale as I mumbled, 'Hum, well… It's… You know her… I mean… She told me to get a few hours of rest.'

'Did she, now?' Kashya's eyes narrowed.

'Weeeeeell…'

A blue oval appeared a few steps away from us, and my eyes widened. Rushing towards it, I shouted to Kashya 'Ask her yourself!' before crossing the portal.

Arriving inside the Stony Field, facing Raik, I immediately told him, 'Close the portal, now!'

The Druid obeyed and, just before Kashya could join us, the portal disappeared. I sighed in relief, and looked at Raik, a smirk appearing on my face as I did so.

We made it!

Glancing at the Cairn Stones around us, I giggled in victory before asking, 'Have you got the Scroll of Inifuss?'

Raik nodded, and gave it to me, before saying, 'And you my sword?'

I acquiesced, and we exchanged the two items. In addition, Raik gave me back my bow – that I had agree to let him borrow, since his sword had remained at the camp – along with a quiver of arrows.

'So…'

Looking at the Scroll of Inifuss, and its runes, I tried to remember all those times in Tristram where we would find an ancient book, on which there would be some runes. Usually, Jazreth would be the one to translate them, but in the end I still managed to learn a few things, at least enough to vaguely understand the scroll.

Taking a deep breath in, I glanced at the Cairn Stones. Walking towards them, I touched them in the indicated order, and watched in amazement as a red portal appeared, one that would lead us to Tristram. Glancing at Raik, I said, 'We don't know what will wait for us there. Be ready to fight, even though I hope we won't have to go to such extreme measures.'

Raik nodded, and we entered the portal, the village I had left a few months ago present in my mind.

The first thing that I noticed was the smoke, and its sharp odour. The second was the red and orange flames dancing on the few buildings around us. The third was Farnham's lifeless body, standing at his usual drinking spot.

The fourth was a fire ball coming straight from a Fallen Shaman's staff.

Fighting now, crying later.

Dodging the attack, I saw Raik summon a raven alongside a wolf before transforming into a werewolf. While he took care of the Fallen, I killed the Shaman, thus preventing him from raising his minions. We were about to continue our journey when…

'Rakanishu!'

This Fallen wasn't alive be-

'There's another Shaman! I'll find him, you continue to slay them, all right?'

Raik nodded and I quickly left, searching for the demon. Eventually, I found him, hidden behind a house. I killed him with two arrows, and went to search for any other, Raik following me. It took us only a few moments to arrive near to what used to be Ogden's tavern so see the last Horadrim being trapped in that cage. My heart clenched.

'Cain! We're going to save you!'

The old man looked at me from the bars and cried, 'Hurry, Elisa! Hurry!'

Unfortunately, many demons tried to prevent us from accomplishing our quest. Eventually though, we managed to free him. In front of the burning buildings, Cain looked quite sad. He glanced at me, before saying, 'You need to do something for me.'

'Cain, we have no time, you must go back to the Rogue camp immediately!' I begged him.

He shook his head, and grabbed my hand in his. 'No, listen to me. Pepin and Ogden are dead… Fortunately, Gillian and Adria the Witch had already left the town when… all of this… happened. But you must find Wirt. I have few hopes, but maybe he found a shelter from where he managed to stay alive…'

I nodded, pleading him to now enter the portal, but he still refused, adding, 'You must also kill Griswold!'

What?

Cain sighed, and added, 'Griswold… was corrupted, for providing you and the others valuable weapons. He is now a demon that you must kill. Give him the rest he deserves… he would have never agreed to live like this.'

I sighed, my heart sorrow as I wondered how many people dear to me would succumb to Diablo and his minions.

'I will do my best, Cain. Now, go to the Rogue camp! Akara can heal you if you're injured. And Raik, go with him.'

The Druid frowned, 'Why, you're going to need help, right?'

I shook my head. 'This is a matter that I don't want you to get involved in. I am the only one who is fit to…' I took a sharp inspiration, 'Kill Griswold. And don't worry, I'll come back soon enough. Now, go!'

Assuring myself they both went through the portal, I searched throughout the burning town Griswold, thinking about all those times where he repaired my weapons. I inwardly sighed. Moreina, now Griswold… Evil would never stop tormenting us.

It took me little time to find the blacksmith, his massive shape slowly moving accross the town he once loved. I refused to take a mere instant to consider sparing him – I could not leave him like this – and thus immediately attacked him, using all my skills and the very bow he complemented me on several times.

Killing him was not easy, both in terms of emotions and dexterity but when I finally succeeded, victory seemed hollow to me. I glanced at a Scroll of Town Portal, only wishing to go ba-

Wirt.

Starting to search for signs of life – even though I was mainly seeking a body – I eventually found Wirt's corpse, laying on the ground. I felt torn apart at the sight.

How could he die so young?

I could not bother to bury him, just like I could not bother to bury the others. But… I wished to take something to remind me of him. In fact, I wished to take something to remind me of each of them. I took Wirt's leg, Farnham's bottle, Griswold's hammer, Ogden's tavern's sign and Pepin's tunic. I tried to reach Adria's hut – maybe she left some of her potions there that I could use – but found no bridge to cross the river, and I would never dare swimming with so many objects on me. So instead, I came back to the camp.

There, Kashya, Akara, Raik and Cain were all discussing together some unknown matter. Considering Kashya's obvious fury though, I supposed they were talking about me.

I sighed, then walked towards them.

Raik was the first one to notice me, and he cried in relief, 'Elisa, you're alive!'

I nodded, and even added, 'You've forgotten to mention that I came back uninjured.'

'Did you kill Griswold?' Cain asked, his voice hollow of the horrors he had just witnessed.

I looked at him directly in his eyes, and nodded, 'He can now rest. And Wirt… is no more.'

As a proof, I showed him the boy's leg. Cain nodded, but quickly looked at Kashya, perhaps just to go on with the discussion even though I thought he did so to avoid looking at Wirt's leg detached from his body.

'Commander Kashya, Elisa saved me. Without her help, I would have died… I owe her my life.'

Kashya's eyes burned as she replied, 'Maybe, but that is just the fortunate consequence of her act of disobedience. Elisa, I demand an answer: why? Do I have to lock you in your tent, now? To waste our Sisters' time by watching over you? Or shall I just call your foolishness treason and ban you from our Order?!'

Akara raised her hand, calmly saying, 'Now, now, Kashya, don't be so harsh on her. I think the Evil she has once again faced in Tristram is punishment enough for her disobedience. And I also think that you should never have forbidden her from going out of the camp… She remains our best warrior.'

'That's debatable,' Kashya huffed. 'A warrior's worth is not only seen through his skills. And Elisa failed to prove herself by letting Blood Raven go!'

The High Priestess shook her head. 'Kashya, my dear, not everyone is able to gather the strength required for such a task. Moreina was close to Elisa. And from what she told us of their encounter, it rather seemed that in the end she did fight her. She was just unable to overpower her, something that you cannot reproach her with, especially when dozens of your Rogue scouts failed to return to us alive after battling her. And you cannot deny that our only victories against Andariel have happened thanks to Elisa. Without her, the Den of Evil would still be a threat to us, and Deckard Cain would very likely be dead.'

'She still disobeyed, Akara! How can you be fine with that?'

Our leader sighed. She looked at Kashya, thoughtful, before softly speaking, 'The Sightless Eye sees through the mist of time a great glory ahead, but how far ahead the Eye cannot discern, Kashya. I never spoke of this until now, but… I believe that Elisa might be the one who could bring us to this time of victory the Eye has foreseen.'

Kashya gaped. 'Akara, you cannot be serious.'

'It only is a suspicion, and I do not want any of us to see it as the truth, but I think it might be possible. Think about it, Kashya. Elisa is the only one of our Order who has survived from Tristram. She has been spared by Blood Raven. And she was able to vanquish the dangers from both the Den of Evil and Tristram. These are signs that even you cannot ignore. I think that Elisa might become, with time, the greatest warrior our Order has ever trained.'

'Fine. I disagree with you, but I value your opinion too much to just dismiss it – like I sometimes think I should. Elisa, you have been saved from my wrath by Akara twice. Make sure to never make it thrice or I will.'

The Commander left in order to discuss some urgent matter with other Rogues, and Akara took time to make sure I was not injured before leaving to go to her tent. Looking back at Cain and Raik, I winced as I said, 'So… What next?'

Author's note:

Yes, I publish it a Friday instead of a Saturday. In any case, I hope you liked this chapter. In terms of writing, I'm halfway through chapter VII (and let me tell you: the next chapter is going to be amazing... or at least I think so). However, unfortunately, the holidays are (almost! I still have a few precious days!) over so I will probably write less (and thus... publish less). I'll try to publish once a week as I usually do, but in my priorities, studying is clearly more important than writing.

Also, for any of you who might want to read stories I wrote that are not fan fictions, then you can find me on Wattpad (my pseudo is Elhirn). I wrote a lot of things in French (including a fantasy story (with a very VERY developped universe) with the first volume finished and entirely published), but also a short story in English (that is kind of fantasy...? even though I'd rather include it in the aesthetic movement...).