THE FOOTSTEPS OF EVIL

Epilogue

It was a pitiful group that half stepped and half collapsed through the second Town Portal that spawned in the Rogue camp. Arc came through first, cradling an unconscious Telindhra in his arms. Laying her gently down near a campfire nearby, her head pillowed on a log, he finally succumbed to the powerful poison still coursing through his veins, collapsing, near death. Behind him came Jorg and Maiyan, leaning on each other, each lending much needed support. Behind them came the two surviving Rogues, one cradling a dislocated arm that might never be used again.

Once it was clear that there was no danger left on the other side, in Andariel's throne room, Rogues were dispatched to collect the dead. The bodies were brought through to be honorably cremated, including that of Quanintas, the tough Rogue lieutenant that died battling one of Andariel's Corrupt Rogue captains.

Deckard Cain commandeered the use of Akara's stores, ordering powerful antidote potions to be administered to the Arc, Jorg and Maiyan, all of whom had suffered Andariel's feared poison magic, though Maiyan was less effected. Other extremely rare restorative potions were administered to the warriors that had defeated the Demon Queen.

A message was sent through the first town portal, and soon a flood of Rogues began returning through this portal, followed by Akara and her priestesses. The number of Rogues that returned was greater than the most optimistic estimates of survivors. The Rogues that had assaulted the Catacombs, in a bid to draw attention away from the strike on Andariel, had fought like demons. Long cooped up defending this rude wooden palisade, the Rogues had streamed into the Catacombs thirsty for revenge. The Corrupt Rogues had fallen back in disarray at the first incursion, and the second engagement, this time an assault by the gathered hell minions, outnumbering the good Rogues almost three to two, was swept away by the good Rogue forces in a righteous fury. The remaining monsters left in the Catacombs fled, some to hide from the wrath of their enemies and their mistress alike, others to rush to inform the demoness that was their leader. They were in for a shock when they reached the throne room.

But once again the Rogues withdrew from the ancestral Monastery. Emboldened by their victory, they nevertheless knew that they had not the strength to take Andariel's army. And the spell of the priestess' could not be sustained forever. Thus they withdrew back to this fortified camp, to again await their opportunity. For with no demonic head to keep the hellish army bound together, they would shatter into bickering factions, some by race, others by intentions and loyalties. No longer did the threat of combined evil armies hang over the head of the Rogues. Soon, there would be no band of evil monsters that could alone threaten the existence of the Rogues. Evil had not vanished forever from this land, by now, good had a chance to endure.

The two portals closed, holes swirling smaller and smaller into nothingness, like the evil ambitions of the Demon Queen that threatened this land.

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That night the camp celebrated. However, though it was truly a joyous occasion, the atmosphere of the camp was all wrong, Those expecting a huge celebration thrown with wild, joyous abandon were disappointed. Though there was laughing, dancing and celebrating, there was also disquiet on the air, a tension that spoke as though at any second the festivity could be shattered.

Of the four heroes that had made this victory possible, only one did not hover on death's door. The Amazon Maiyan, though severely wounded with both her arms bandaged and slung, was the only one awake and aware. Both the paladin and the Barbarian, despite being administered plenty of the powerful enchanted antidote, teetered on the brink of death, their bodies pale, their breath labored and their bodies covered with a cold sweat brought about by a fearsome fever.

The entire camp was waiting upon the news of these foreigners that had been instrumental in the victory that had saved their organization and their land. But the greatest worry of the people was that for their very own hero, the young Rogue Telindhra.

Thrown with awesome power by the Demon Queen after she had slammed home the crucial blow, Telindhra had fallen badly, smashing down into the hard stone floor almost head first before rolling. Her right shoulder bones were completely shattered into shards and her neck fractured badly. A little more force and she would have died instantly, her neck snapped. Only the quick intervention of Akara and a conclave of no less than ten of the most powerful priestesses had stopped her from falling into death. A combination of their combined powers, had completely reconstructed the broken bones of the young Rogue. For now her body was that of a healthy young woman, without flaw.

Yet Telindhra had not awoken from the deep coma she was in. The priestesses had been in time to save her body, but it remained to be seen if they had saved her spirit. She might have already been too far gone, her essence fled in that instance. She might already be dead, and her body has yet to let go.

So the entire camp waited for the fateful news, anxious to see whether the heroes were to live. As a noxious trader named Gheed had noted, "It was like the lot of them had bet their life savings on a horse than crossed the line at the same time as another, and they were waiting on the judges decision!"

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Two days later, for the first time, Akara stepped out of the large tent that served as an infirmary, followed by all the other priestesses. Instantly, life stopped in the camp, as all turned to face the priestesses for the news. For all to leave at once could only mean one of two things, that the patients had died, or they were recovering well without need for supervision. Collectively, the Rogue camp held its breath.

Then Akara's tired face broke out into a grin, and whatever words she had, whatever declaration was to be made, was lost in the joyous roar of the camp.

Here Ends

THE FOOTSTEPS OF EVIL

To Be Continued in

SANDS AND SORCERY