Chapter VI: First Meeting

We made our way through the levels of the Cathedral. The now so quiet Cathedral. Not a single Fallen, not a single Skeleton, and not even a Goatman attacked us on our way, for there were none. Only corpses could cross our path of victory upon Terror. However, I couldn't help but be scared. Moreina and the other Rogues were laughing and embracing each others, and while the Sorcerer had a calmer demeanour, he was still grinning as we walked. The only other one not smiling was Aidan, who seemed to be lost in thought, the red stone glistening on his forehead.

I dared not speak to him. I… was afraid of him, now. He acted so foolishly, so impulsively… And everyone – including me – let him… No, I didn't think I would feel safe around him from now on. The mere idea that standing next to the Prince meant standing next to that monster made me shiver in fear.

Eventually, we arrived at the small village. Ogden, the innkeeper, warmly smiled at us. He walked towards our small group, a grinning Gillian at his sides. 'Thank goodness, you've returned! We were quite worried we would never see you again, good masters. So, is the Cathedral's monster finally slayed?'

Aidan, who had hidden his forehead by using a cap, nodded. 'Yes, Tristram can return to its peaceful existence.'

The two villagers sighed in relief, beaming at us, the "heroes", the "adventurers". I glanced at Aidan, still feeling uneasy.

Come on, stop being paranoid! You must be imagining things…

'This is fantastic! We will organize magnificent festivities, for all of you! You have to tell all the others – they'll be happy to hear about it from you. I will start right ahead with the feast! I think we will be rejoicing your victory for many weeks, you truly saved us!'

Even though the others all seemed excited at the perspective, I rather bluntly stated, 'I am sorry, Ogden, but the Rogues need to go back to the Monastery as soon as possible. We travelled to Tristram for a mission, that is now accomplished. We need to return to our main duty: protecting the gateway to the East.'

The innkeeper frowned slightly, but nodded in an understanding gesture. However, even before he could bid us goodbye, Moreina said, 'But what are you talking about, Elisa? The monastery won't fall if we stay a few more days. I wish to go home too, but I think that after all we've survived through we deserve a few days of rest, don't you think? Besides, it'll probably be the last time we'll ever see Aidan, Jazreth, and the townsfolk here. And it would be rather rude to leave so soon, don't you think?'

I frowned slightly. I didn't want to spend a single more minute next to Aidan, but… she was right. And even if the mere idea disgusted me, I supposed a few more days would not kill me. 'Fine, if you say so, Moreina,' I sighed.

Ogden nodded, 'All is settled, then! You should now go see Pepin and Griswold!'

I glanced at the blacksmith, who was proudly standing in front of his smithery. I wondered, for a moment, if Tristram would always stay like this…

I started to cough, rather violently. Moreina, at my sides, frowned and asked, 'Everything all right, Elisa? Shall I bring Pepin?'

I slowly shook my head, coughing even more. And, even though everyone and everything around us felt peaceful, I could not help feeling scared as the taste of smoke dulled my tongue and visions of fire slowly made their way into my mind…

No, I must be imagining things!

I woke up, shivering as well as terrified, and I almost jumped when I heard a wolf howl through the night.

Where the hell am I?!

'I'm in the Rogue encampment. I'm in my tent, and everything is fine.' I glanced at my private chest, and took out my bow, clinging to it as I would with my life.

This is ridiculous, Elisa. You're a warrior, so act like one!

I took a deep breath in, and slowly rose. Glancing at my bow, I hesitated for a few minutes.

Come on! You're at the camp, what kind of dangers could you face here? Stumbling upon a grumpy Kashya? She's always grumpy!

'R-Right…'

I reluctantly let my bow inside my tent, before going to the bonfire. This was when I realised that we were in the middle of the night… even though I could not imagine myself going back to sleep. Especially not when I knew what I would dream of. And I didn't want to deal with memories of Aidan, Moreina and all the others. Especially memories that twisted themselves in dreams, blurring reality on their way…

Unless, of course, they truly were memories that I hoped to be dreams… Ah, dreams, memories… With the visions of Tristram burning and the shallow remembrance of my days at the small village slipping their ways into my life at the camp – the fear, the battles, the demons coming to kill us all – it was becoming harder and harder to make the difference.

'Nightmares?' a kind voice enquired, startling me. I raised my gaze to meet Cain's. I softly nodded, my mind feeling suddenly empty and exhausted.

The Horadrim sat beside me, a small smile on his face as he observed the bonfire, silent. When I realised that I was not the only one coming back from Tristram outside of bed in the middle of the night, I eventually felt the need to ask, 'And you?'

'Oh, I have never slept easily, but… Recently, I found myself preferring insomnia to the other option.'

I smiled, easily understanding the elder's position. Observing the flames dancing in front of us, I softly asked, 'Was Aidan… acting strange, recently? Before he left?'

I heard Cain deeply sigh. 'I should have noticed sooner that something was happening… He had nightmares, and seemed to lapse into a dark, brooding depression. I thought nothing of it, and simply saw it as the consequences of everything that happened. Had I seen the signs sooner…'

'I fully understand how you feel, Cain. Even though, in my case, I had recognised the signs for what they were. But everyone seemed to just… ignore them… So in the end, I said nothing.'

Cain observed me, quiet. 'We both saw without acting upon our understanding… And in the end, we were the only ones who are burdened with the fate of survival… I wonder if this is some kind of punishment. I do not think that life will ever have the same… light to me as before this tragedy.'

'You forget Adria,' I reminded him. 'You said she left, right? One day, I would like to hear why she did so without informing the others of the attack she had foreseen.'

Cain shook his head, and stroked his staff thoughtfully. 'No, we have no right to demand answers from her. Adria left as a coward certainly, but we were no better… The only difference between what she did and what we did is that we not only hid the truth from the others, but also from ourselves. No, I can understand why she didn't inform us of what was to come.'

'Maybe, but the other difference is that we did not inform the others because we lied to ourselves. Even though the result is the same, the intention is not. Adria acknowledged the danger, but only acted to save herself. We, on the other hand, lied to ourselves because we were scared of what we understood – something that is completely understandable when we're talking about the Lord of Terror – and, since we refused to acknowledge the truth, how could we tell it to the others? I don't want answers on why she fled. I want answers on why she did not share her knowledge with you.'

Cain observed me, a new glint in his eye. 'You've changed, Elisa, since the last time we spoke to each other. You've changed quite a lot… Before, you sought peace. Now, it is revenge that you are seeking and I do not know which one is the best motivator for a fight such as ours.'

'You're wrong. I don't want revenge. But now I know what are the consequences of my lack of confidence in myself.'

'I see, let us hope it will be-'

Cain interrupted himself upon hearing a shout from the camp's entrance. My eyes widened as I saw Kashya leaving her tent to run towards the noise. I glanced at Cain. 'We'll speak later, I'm going to take my bow.'

I ran to my tent, picked my bow and my quiver before rushing towards the entrance. There, I saw Kashya and the other Rogues facing…

My heart missed a beat. Dozens of corrupted Rogues were facing us, all leaded by… by Moreina's powerful voice. Kashya and our other Sisters were bravely shooting hundreds of arrows on them, and Charsi was even using her hammer to crush their heads. Akara, on the other side, was ready to heal anyone injured. I went to see Kashya, who was barking orders at our Sisters, letting them know where they were needed the most.

'Kashya, what can I do to help?'

The Rogue Commander turned to face me, and shouted, 'Attack those trying to climb on the bulwarks! But be careful: I don't know why they're here, so at the first sign of danger for you, you get the hell out of here, is that clear?!'

I nodded, 'Yes, Kashya.'

She took me by the arm, her gaze entirely serious as she stated, 'I truly mean it, Elisa. If it gets too dangerous for you, you flee, do you understand? No foolish bravery this time.'

I frowned, not understanding why she was telling this to me in particular, but still nodded. I posted myself near the entrance, and started to attack all the monsters climbing on the ramparts – who were, I quickly noticed, mostly corrupted rogues and a few Fallens. A few seconds after I began fighting, I saw Raik arrive, his sword shining as he ran into the battlefield, his wolves – he now had two of them – and his raven at his side. When I heard him transform into a werewolf, I softly smiled and continued to attack the monsters coming to face me.

Quickly though, it became obvious to me that we were way too outnumbered to win this battle, even if we had the advantage of having Akara, Kashya, and the ramparts. And soon, I also understood why Kashya had told me to run at the first sign of danger for me.

She fears we'll lose the camp.

But in the same time, she obviously did not want to flee from this place. This meant that she expected me to escape while letting what was left of our Sisterhood to perish in an act of "foolish bravery". I felt disgusted at the mere thought, thinking back to all those times in Tristram where I did flee, a decision that often ended with one or more people on our side dying instead of me.

But I refused to do it once more, especially when it was my entire Order that was threatened, never mind the entire world. Because if we lost, who would be able to slaughter Diablo once more?

Still, if I stay, then I'll just die with them which is stupid!

I glanced at the fighters, observing Blood Raven from the place she was commanding her army and attacking us. She was rather close to the camp… If I just climbed on the fortifications, then… I took a deep breath in, remembering our encounter at the cemetery. She had spared me, perhaps today…

Let's do it.

I climbed on the sharp edged log, and somehow found a safe position.

'Elisa, what do you think you're doing?!' Kashya screamed throughout the entire camp.

But I did not answer her. In fact, I only looked at Blood Raven, and shouted at the woman who used to be my mentor, 'Moreina, stop this!'

Kashya was now just under my spot, and spoke to me with a hint of desperation in her tone, 'Elisa, you stop this! You're an easy target for their archers! Climb down and go back to your post immediately! She is Andariel's puppet, you can't reason her!'

I glanced at my Commander, at her fierce and lean figure. Even in the middle of the night, her helm had still this bright red colour I loved. I chuckled, and said, 'You did not expect me to just let our Sisterhood disappear, right, Kashya?'

On the other side of the battlefield, I saw Moreina order her minions to stop fighting. Glancing back at Kashya, I almost told her something like 'See? You canreason with her!' but I was left speechless when I heard Blood Raven shriek 'Capture her! Matron Andariel wants her alive!'

Before I even had the time to react, two Fallens climbed on the fortifications and made me fall. As soon as I hit the ground in a painful groan, a Gargatuan Beast lifted me up (thus effectively preventing me from reaching my bow, which I had dropped when falling) and brought me to Moreina's proud figure.

I tried to escape the monster's grip, but found myself entirely powerless without my weapon. Behind me, I heard Kashya and Raik scream and try to reach me, but Blood Raven's army stopped them. The now corrupted rogue quickly opened a portal, one of a similar kind to the one she had used in the cemetery, and ordered my captor to cross it.

I glanced one more time at the Rogue encampment, feeling my heart clench.

I made us lose any hope of winning. Not only I am now captured by Moreina, but the others will likely be dead in a few hours.

The place Moreina brought us to felt familiar. These dark walls and torches could only belong to a single place in this world: the Monastery. More specifically, the Catacombs. Probably the fourth level, if she was bringing me to Andariel.

As we walked (or rather as she walked and I was brought by a monster), I pleaded my friend, 'Moreina, you don't have to do this, I know a part of the Moreina that I knew is still here! You can free me, and together we'll destroy Andariel, right? I know you can do it!'

She did not respond in any kind of way, only walking towards the room in which I suspected was Andariel. I shivered at the thought of the tortures she would inflict upon me before killing me.

'Come on, Moreina! Don't you remember all those times we spent together? In the Cathedral, in that very Monastery we're currently in? Don't you remember Kashya, who is your best friend? And Charsi, our lovely blacksmith? What about Akara, our mighty healer and leader? Don't you want to help them, to help us achieve victory? With you, I know we can! The only thing you have to do is fight Andariel's grip on you! Come on, I know you can do it! It's not easy, but I'm sure you can! Think about Tristram, and the disaster that happened there! They're all dead, Moreina, aside of Cain that I rescued. Don't you want to prevent that kind of horrors? It's only by fighting Andariel that you-'

Moreina stopped to walk in front of a heavy door, and for a second I hoped that she did so because she was fighting Andariel, but her icy gaze made me feel even more desperate.

'Silence! You are about to meet Andariel, the great Maiden of Anguish, and you shall be silent unless she allows you to speak! Is that clear?'

I observed Moreina carefully and, seeing no trace of compassion or kindness in her gaze, I dully responded, 'I think she'll just love to make it clear for me.'

Blood Raven smiled, and opened the door. There, I could see a few demons, true, but my gaze was only focused on one shape. Sitting on a throne made of my Sisters' bones, Andariel was lazily watching her servants, her legs crossed and her hand softly stroking the throne's armrest in a thoughtful gesture. When behind us the door loudly closed, I shivered. But not because of the sound. Just because of the gold demonic eyes that met mine. I shivered, trembling in fear, even more so when an amused smile appeared on Andariel's lips.

The Maiden of Anguish opened her mouth, revealing sharp teeth, and revelled in the horror I experienced at their sight. The gesture seemed to have an effect on the other demons, who stopped whatever activities they were doing to give a frightened look at their Mistress. A slight smirk danced on her lips, and she licked her lips before softly saying, 'It seems… that we have a guest.'

Author's note:

When I told you this chapter would be great! I hoped you liked it. I certainly did. In terms of writing, I didn't progress at all (which is unfortunate...) but I will probably write a little tomorrow. In any case... see you next week! If I finish the chapter, of course.