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Chapter 47
"Dear Sophie,
We have reached Tristram's countryside in one piece and made a few new acquaintances along the way. They are quite interesting personalities, I will not deny that. We have run into some trouble, but we are all alright. So far I have managed to keep the peace with Quiet, although he is going through changes that I fear will complicate things on the long run.
Soon we will reach the Eastgate Keep, and with any luck, the Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye will give us some much needed accommodations. They are well-known for their hospitality towards travelers. But I am taking care of myself on the road, like you have asked, do not worry.
I miss you. Yours,
Tyrael"
Tyrael grimaced down at the letter he wrote in order to keep himself together somehow. He was painfully aware of all the omissions in his recounting, they practically screamed at him from the paper. But he would jump head-first into the Hells before he would write things like "Oh yes, I was nearly trampled by a hut on chicken legs, we almost got killed by a Mallet Lord, Quiet turned into Inarius, and I have befriended the former superweapon of the Burning Hells and we are travelling together".
That last part was still unbelievable. Tyrael had to glance around camp just to make sure that no, he did not imagine any of it. Sure enough, on the other side of the campfire, Izba slept in her unassuming hut form. Inside Adenah was watching over Quiet and made sure the shell-shocked little angel had a more or less peaceful sleep. It had been a chore to put him into bed in the first place, he had been so shaken by his newly found ability to steal life from others. As harrowing as that was, thankfully it looked like it did not activate automatically, as neither Tyrael nor Adenah had been sapped of any life so far. A bit farther from the fire and from Izba, Ashava lied on her belly, occasionally scratching the ground, leaving behind deep trenches with her claw, as she was lost in thought. She almost disappeared in the darkness, one could have mistaken her for a smaller hill. They had yet to exchange words, Ashava merely followed them up to this point. Honestly, Tyrael had no idea what to say to her either.
The demoness was beaten into a pulp, and she was slow to regenerate. Most of her armor plates were gone, both of her blades had been broken off and their injuries had just barely sealed on her wrists. Huge bruises colored her otherwise pale yellow skin, her cheeks were ruptured and some of her teeth were missing from the slaps, and quite a few of her head tentacles were torn off. Rubble from Old Tristram and the cathedral was stuck in what little scales she still had. The toes on her left hind leg were broken and she was limping terribly as a result.
Tyrael eyed Ashava cautiously. Even injured, she was a danger source. He needed to learn more, but he didn't know how to begin. He almost wished he could deal with Quiet instead, but the small angel was sound asleep inside Izba – or at the very least, his heart-wrenching crying could no longer be heard.
Talking to Inarius again had been… a shock to Tyrael, he could not deny it. Once more hearing the always soft voice of his little brother had been like a slap across the face. He had to realize he missed it, to some degree, and that revelation scared him, in all honesty. He still held contempt for what Inarius had done… at the same time he also missed him. Why did human emotions have to be so complicated?
Tyrael originally believed the little angel had lied to him, somehow effectively hiding his true nature. But seeing Inarius having truly no idea what was going on, and acting on mere instincts, then Quiet's return… that convinced the mortal angel otherwise. This situation was far more complicated than he had wanted to believe at first. Simply blaming everything on Inarius would not cut it, his Justice side reminded him. Tyrael had to reluctantly agree. It would have been a deep topic to sink into, unfortunately another more pressing matter required his attention first.
Tyrael took the deepest breath he could muster.
- Why were you fighting Perendi? – he turned to Ashava, who was busy rearranging the terrain around her.
The demoness did not react, she kept on clawing the ground.
- Ashava! – Tyrael called out, far softer than he wanted to.
It took him three tries with increasing volume, before the monster finally snapped out of her daydreaming and turned her head slightly towards him.
- I asked why you were fighting Perendi? – the mortal angel repeated himself, doing pretty well to mask the quivering of his voice.
He hated how conscious he suddenly became of his own fragile human body after he looked at her remaining fangs.
-… You'd rather I didn't, Justice? – Ashava answered after a small pause.
Tyrael stared at her, numbly realizing it was the first time he has ever heard her talk in a neutral manner. Her voice was deep and somewhat layered with different tones, like most demons'. But it wasn't raspy, dry or disgustingly wet, in fact, it was rather pleasant to listen to. Considering how she could spew acid and poison from the very same orifice, that was impressive.
- N-no, I am… – Tyrael needed a moment to regain his composure before starting again. – I mean, I am grateful that you opposed Perendi. We stood no chance of defeating him without you. I am just… confused by why a demon would risk her own life for Sanctuary… or for anything else, for that matter.
Ashava did not answer right away, making the mortal angel ponder if he had managed to go too far with his first sentence already. Before he could start seriously worrying for his own life, the demoness turned her head away, and went back to slowly clawing the ground around her.
- I do not know what happened to Inarius. It is clearly unprecedented – she said softly. – But his words from eons ago still ring true today, no matter what.
-… And those words were?
- How do you believe I arrived here, Justice?
- Adenah told me you were Inarius' first follower – Tyrael frowned in bewilderment. – You stayed out of the Eternal Conflict per his wishes, and once Sanctuary was finished, you moved here to sleep in the Earth.
- "Per his wishes" – Ashava echoed, snorting with humor. – Inarius had told me you knew nothing of him, but I doubt he realized how accurate he was with that statement.
- I'm… afraid I do not follow you.
- It had not been "per his wishes" that I disappeared from the endless pointless battles, Justice. Inarius had come to me with a peace offering.
- Had he struck a bargain with you?
Ashava once again stared emptily before herself for a second as she sunk into her memories.
- At first I had been proud to serve the Hells – she began slowly. – I fought with all my strength to get rid of your shining blight. For years. Then decades. Then centuries. But I grew tired, I wanted to leave, I wanted to have children. Instead, the Evils cursed me with this infertile poisonous touch, ripping away my dreams. There was no other choice for me but to remain on the battlefield, hoping that one of you would finally kill me. But you never did, you were too afraid of me.
Tyrael turned fully to Ashava, crossing his leg and remaining silent. Whatever had happened to Malthael in the end, Tyrael was still the mortal aspect of Wisdom. It was his duty to listen without interruption or judgement. It was a difficult task to achieve, but he had chosen this mantle and everything that came with it.
Still, it surprised him that Ashava had wanted children at some point.
- One day, after a failed siege, Inarius came up to me, sneaking past enemy lines just to talk to me. He told me he saw my hesitation, that he knew I wanted to leave. And I honestly loathed him for seeing it so clearly. So I chased him away.
- But he returned?
- Eight times. The final time, I spit acid at him and tried to cut him in two, barely missed him by a hair's length. I gave up when he showed up again after all that. He told me he could help, he knew a lot of good hiding places. I thought he was bluffing or that he was far too optimistic for his own good. But I was beyond exhausted at that point, so I followed his advice.
- And they worked?
- They did. Inarius knew Pandemonium exceptionally well, he unearthed caves and points of power that could mask my aura from the Evils. I had to occasionally switch between places, but they worked. I finally knew peace.
- But all this happened before Inarius went rogue?
- "Rogue"? Is that how angels label those who seek peace, Justice? – Ashava snorted with disdain.
- If we look at the matter from a purely lawful standpoint, then yes, unfortunately they are – Tyrael nodded, the tension slowly leaving his body.
- Hm, I would hate to live in your High Heavens.
- I am sure the angels' feeling about the Burning Hells is mutual.
Ashava chuckled lowly at this, before resuming:
- Yes, it happened before Inarius left the Silver City. He sometimes visited me in my solitude, talked about his plans. He said my plight has encouraged him to take up action finally, and how he found more and more people who too wanted peace. If it weren't for his working hiding places, and the passion with which he talked, I wouldn't have believed him. But there he was, gaining followers, even having peace talks with demons. And then… the idea of Sanctuary surfaced. Inarius and Lilith wanted to steal the Worldstone and create a new world. He promised I could move there once it is finished, to once and for all get away from the fights.
-… He was never one for doubts.
- No, he wasn't – Ashava grinned. – It was a mere idea but Inarius was already talking about it as if it was a universal truth, as if he had figured out the Worldstone.
- In a way, he had – Tyrael said softly, recalling his brief conversation with the Eye.
- One thing to know about me, Justice, is that I hate being indebted. I repay my debts to the best of my abilities. It is a shame I could not yet get even with the Evils. But I digress. When Inarius told me they needed to steal the Worldstone, I offered my services. With a few weeks' of work, I have dug a tunnel that led straight to the Windshear slope, through which they could get close to the Fortress without much trouble. And the rest… is history, as you know.
- Inarius created Sanctuary and invited you over, so you could be in peace.
-… When he had come to me with the news, I asked him if Sanctuary would remain standing – Ashava mused, falling silent once more. – His answer was simple: "That is solely up to us".
Tyrael thought for a moment. Truer words had never been spoken on this land before, he realized. Sometimes, Inarius' wisdom stunned him, as he looked back upon it with his current experience. How could an angel be so knowledgeable and so reckless at the same time, remained beyond him, however.
- You attacked Perendi because of that.
- He had been summoned here against his will, but I had managed to surprise him. I dragged him under and managed to keep him pinned down for a month – Ashava grumbled. – Sleeping for eons in the earth helped me be more attuned with that realm. I've managed to use the power and magic residing within it to keep my hold on him. But eventually Perendi slipped out of my grasp… and you were there for the rest.
- Who has enough power to summon a Mallet Lord against his will? – Tyrael stared, already hating every possible answer to that question.
- I know not. I was sleeping when I felt a consciousness tug at my being, coaxing me to attack something. I woke up and resisted it with my will, and eventually it lessened. However, that same someone then summoned Perendi, perhaps he was too surprised to put up a proper fight against it. But I acted first and stopped him from going anywhere. Still, our underground struggle led us away from his original spot.
- Where did the summoning happen?
- Somewhere close to the Tamoe Mountains. I cannot say any more closely.
The Tamoe Mountains, the mountain range between Khanduras and Aranoch. Home to the Eastgate Keep, Tyrael recalled.
- Perhaps the Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye will know more. Maybe they witnessed the events during scouting – he pondered aloud, glancing down at his letter.
- Perhaps – Ashava agreed half-heartedly.
- You do not seem surprised that mortals live on this world – Tyrael turned back to her.
- This was not my first awakening, Justice. Every one or two centuries or so I wake up and sense the world around me, before falling back asleep. I know not what exactly happened with Inarius and my brethren… but from the looks of it, it is a complicated matter. But I do know about the nephalem, and their offsprings.
- It is a borderline miracle you hadn't been found up to this point.
- Sanctuary is home to many secrets. I am just one.
True, and I must wonder how many more we shall run into on this journey, Tyrael thought but did not bother to say it out loud.
The two of them fell into a comfortable silence, Ashava going back to the slow plowing of the earth, and Tyrael revising his letter. The tension completely leaved him at this point, he could finally turn his attention to other matters at hand. Like how Ina—no, Quiet was doing. Or that he should really need to get inside a town and send his letters on their way back to Westmarch. New Tristram was the second city they had to avoid, this would not do on the long run.
- My name is Tyrael, by the way – he offered half-heartedly, still focused on his letter.
- I believed you Archangels preferred your aspects.
- I appreciate the sentiment, but we are fine with our names. Me especially, since I am mortal.
- An interesting fate for an Archangel.
- It was of my own choosing. My brethren refused to at least warn Sanctuary of the coming darkness, so I took matters into my own hands. I had to shed my wings, to effectively escape the laws of the High Heavens.
- Hm… as far as going out with a bang, that is impressive. I respect that – Ashava grinned wryly.
- Thank you – Tyrael nodded at her.
- Do you ever regret it?
Tyrael paused.
Did he?
Mortal existence was both freeing and restricting for him. He could do more or less whatever, go wherever, recruit whomever he wanted. If there was a problem, he set out on the road with allies to solve it, there were no debates and meetings that lasted for days. He didn't have to deal with a team member who refused to talk, or another one who got riled up at the mere mention of the word "demon".
At the same time, he was far weaker physically. He needed a lot more sleep, he needed to eat and drink, all of which took valuable time away from him. He could no longer fly and a stabbing pain of downright grief stopped him from trying to deny the gravity of that. He could no longer close out his emotions, and it honestly scared him when he was forced to acknowledge all the festering hurt and hate inside him. He could no longer communicate how he was feeling with a single trill, and all he could do was hum awkwardly to himself. He often felt alone, especially when he remembered the rift that developed between him and the Council in barely a year.
- I… I know it was the right thing to do – he answered then, carefully. – Whether or not I regret it, is irrelevant.
- No feeling is irrelevant in this world of Sanctuary. Do you regret it? – Ashava grumbled.
- I… I honestly don't know – Tyrael defended himself, suddenly far less comfortable. – Human emotions are wild, I have yet to figure them out properly!
Since when did demons pry into emotional matters?!
- Find the answer then, Tyrael – Ashava said in a low voice. – For there is nothing more dangerous than lurking hatred.
Tyrael looked back down upon his letter and wished with all his heart that he could go back to his former emotionless and simple life.
oooOOOooo
- Don't touch me! I will hurt you!
- Boss, me and Tyrael had been carrying you around, you won't hurt us.
- DON'T TOUCH ME-E-E!
Quiet had been absolutely beside himself ever since the fight. The poor snake just wanted to help him and in return he killed it! He didn't mean to do it, why did it happen?! What if he did it to others as well?! For the first time on this journey, he was glad Leendonn wasn't here with him. What if Quiet killed his friend accidentally? The thought was too terrifying to think further on it.
He had dimly registered Adenah taking him inside Izba and placing him on a bed in a small room. Out of instinct he twisted the blanket around himself like a cocoon, hoping to get lost among the wrinkles and remember how Leendonn's hug felt like. He cried into the folds, clenching his fists so hard he almost couldn't feel them anymore, so he wouldn't accidentally suck the life out of anyone else.
- Boss, I carried you inside here. You didn't hurt me – Adenah tried, ditching her ugly demon form, much to the relief of Quiet.
- You got lucky! – the little angel cried.
- We barely survived the fight against Perendi. I don't think luck is on our side today, Boss – Adenah smiled wryly.
Quiet sniffled. He recalled the big bad demon, but… it was very strange. It felt like he had been watching from far away or through a window maybe, and it hadn't been him who was throwing rocks at the monster. The only "clear" experience he had from that fight, was when the demon punched him and sent him flying far away. That pain was very bad indeed. He was still very much sore, but his injuries were lessened by the—
Quiet burst out in tears again at the poor snake.
- Oh, Boss… – Adenah sighed as she made some order on his bed around him. – Maybe that is how the snake had wanted to help you? He gave his health to you somehow?
- No-o-o, I killed i-i-it! I am a mo-o-onster!
Adenah pursed her lips and looked away. Quiet sunk further into his cocoon, wishing the warmth would help him feel better. All this was made worse by just how killing the snake had felt: it was very similar to that rush of energy he had felt whenever he had killed humans in the past. The little angel did not want to be reminded of that.
- Boss, you should sleep now…
- I ca-a-a-aaaan't! – Quiet bailed.
How could anyone think about sleeping right now?!
Adenah suddenly scooped him up and sat down onto the bed with him in her lap.
- And if I tell you a story, Boss? Will that help? – she asked as she made sure Quiet was comfortable in her arms.
This sudden physical contact surprised the little angel into silence. He glanced up at the fat woman with tearful eyes. Story? Like what Leendonn had read to him from that thick ugly book before Wezztmarch? Quiet liked stories very much, so he slowly nodded, nestling into his cocoon, sniffling. Still, he made sure he kept his fists clenched and as far away from Adenah as possible.
- Alright… so. Once upon a time, two ladies lived right here, in Khanduras – Adenah began in a nice soothing voice. – They were sisters and they loved each other very much. One of them was a karpenter, the other, a potter.
- What are those?
- A karpenter is someone who works with wood to make it into different things, from tools to buildings. A potter creates vases out of clay so people can put food and other items in it.
Quiet nodded, so Adenah continued:
- These sisters wanted to do their work in peace and help people through it. But there was a big problem!
- What?
- Khanduras had been at war with the Kingdom of Wezztmarch for countless years! It was a big and terrible war, and nobody knew when or why it really started. People were born into this war, and boys were taught to fight from very early on. When they grew up, they took their weapons and went to battle against Wezztmarch. The same happened in Wezztmarch as well. Everything was about war in the two countries.
- Why were they fighting if they didn't remember why? – Quiet frowned, thinking hard.
- It is difficult to say. Eventually, it was because of revenge. You remember what revenge is, yes?
- Yes. Very bad thing.
- Exactly. But that was the war. People got killed in the fights and their sons went to battle to take revenge for them. This went on and on and on, without end. There was no time to have fun, to dance or to laugh. The two ladies couldn't make things that would help people live better, they were forced to create objects that were used for war. They did not enjoy their work at all.
- Why didn't they leave?
- Oh, if only it was that easy! But you see, in those times, if you were born in Khanduras, or in Wezztmarch, you couldn't leave! Those countries were your home, there was no other place to go to. There was no other choice, and it made things all the worse. There were people who wanted to end the war, but they were too few, too quiet and nobody heard them calling for peace. The two ladies were among these people, but there was nothing they could do.
Quiet sniffled and teared up again, the bad feelings returning full force. It was such a sad story! He liked traveling with Leendonn. If you couldn't leave a place because of a stupid fight that nobody knew why was happening… that was very very sad indeed.
- But! Don't you worry, because there is a hero in this story! – Adenah hurried as she saw him crying again. – For you see, in the proud city of Wezztmarch, there was a knight! He was tall, brave and feared no one!
- Like… like Kapten Heyly?
- Who is Heyly?
- He is a warrior. Big and very brave! He is also bald… and says a lllot of grown-up bad words. But he is brave!
- N—no, not like Heyly. In fact, this knight had long white hair! – Adenah giggled. – And the most important thing about this hero was that he wasn't thirsty for battle like his comrades. Oh he could fight! He fought like a lion, with one sword in each hand! He was fast like lightning and clever like a fox. Yet, despite all the glory he had earned in the battlefield, he truly wanted only one thing: peace.
- Why was he a hero? – Quiet frowned again. – He killed people from Khanduras.
- Well, he was a hero to Wezztmarch. But soon, very soon he would become the hero of the people from both countries! We will get there, don't worry.
- And why he wanted peace?
- Because… because he was a good man. He wasn't flawless, no. This hero was sometimes too stubborn, he sometimes dreamed too big and he went and did very risky and dangerous things because of those dreams. And yes, he was very full of himself.
- Full with what?
- "Full of himself" means he knew he was clever and strong, and he believed he could do most things, if not everything, better than anyone else.
- But… but he did do everything better. You said so.
Adenah only chuckled at this, before moving on:
- But despite his flaws, this hero was still a good man in his heart. He wanted peace because he realized there had to be something else beyond the war. He believed there could be a life where the two countries didn't hurt each other but lived as good neighbors. And he wanted to share this belief with others, so it could become reality. So the hero, in secret so he wouldn't be punished, set out to find those who wanted peace as well. He met a few people in Wezztmarch and they became friends. His group eventually grew and grew, but they had to be very careful.
- Why?
- You see, Wezztmarch had a lot of warriors who loved the war and didn't want it to end. They wouldn't have been happy about this group if they found out. And worse still, the country and five kings!
- Five? That's a lot! – Quiet gasped, his tears drying up.
- Yes, indeed! But not as much as Khanduras, which had seven kings!
- Whooaa…
- And unfortunately, all these kings loved war as well. Each side thought they could beat the other finally so they pushed themselves and their soldiers on without thinking of the future. So our hero needed to be very clever and very silent about his plans, lest the five kings found him out and punished him for it. But the knight was indeed careful and he and his friends weren't discovered. Eventually, he snuck into Khanduras and began looking for peace-loving people there as well.
- How did he know there would be any?
- He believed there would be, because he knew he wasn't alone in his goal. And there were! Among the first he found were the two sisters who were sick and tired from the war.
- Did they give him wood and potter?
- They did something even better – Adenah laughed. – You see, when the two sisters heard the hero talk about his dream of a peaceful world for the first time, they felt… they felt hopeful. Suddenly, it looked like it could be done! They were so happy and excited, they decided they would help this hero achieve his goal, no matter how dangerous it would get!
- Teeriel says dangerous is bad…
- And he is right. Danger is very bad indeed. And you are still small and fragile, Boss. He is just worried about you, that's why he says that. But sometimes, you simply need to do dangerous things to reach your goal, or to make the world a better place.
-… Like with that big demon?
- Yes, exactly. That was very very dangerous and terrifying, yet we all attacked him because we wanted to protect the world and the people from him.
Quiet thought for a moment.
- We were brave… right? – he risked this question.
- Yes, we were – Adenah smiled proudly. – And so was this hero for sneaking into Khanduras!
- And the sisters for helping him?
-… Yes, w—they were, I reckon.
- My friend Leendonn is very brave too! He protects me! – Quiet smiled, recalling Leendonn without feeling bad for the first time in a very very long time.
Adenah grinned as well, before continuing:
- So these two sisters walked up to the hero and told him: "We believe in you! We are behind you! Tell us how we can help and we will!". The hero was very grateful for their help and asked them if they knew a lot of people. They did, so next he asked them to spread his message about peace and a new life. The two sisters did just that, and they were proud they could help.
- But the seven kings?
- Don't worry! The sister were very clever, just like the hero, and they did their job in secret. They helped gather people who followed the hero, so when the next time he came back to make a speech, he was welcomed by a much larger crowd than before. The hero was very happy and he thanked the two sisters. During his planning, he realized he could not convince the kings of the countries to accept peace, so he came up with a new idea – the people from the two lands would gather and find a new home!
- B—but nobody could leave! – Quiet exclaimed, fearing for the hero and his friends.
- True, nobody could leave on their own, because they didn't know where to go. But you see, the hero gathered his closest friends, including the two sisters, and went on a long and wonderful adventure. They faced many dangers and worked together to reach the end. The two sisters mostly helped with opening doors and gates that could not be opened. Finally they returned with a magical torch!
- A torch?
- Yes! It was beautiful! It had a golden handle with gems stuck in it. Its flames were big, bright and red and shone like the sun!
Quiet listened with wide-eyes, he absentmindedly glanced at the red gem on his right wing for a moment. The torch must have looked as nice as those.
- With this torch, the hero could show the way, so he called for his people to come, and they did. They came from both countries, sneaking past the warriors, risking their lives for a better future. Once they arrived, the hero, holding the torch high, started marching down on the path that would lead to their new home. Everyone followed him. They travelled for long, through many dangerous places filled with monsters and traps. But the torch never led them in the wrong direction so they listened to it without fear.
Quiet nodded, only his blink seemed a bit slower and flatter than usual.
- After many many days, and a lot of hardships, the people arrived to a beautiful place where they settled down and called it their home. It was a country of meadows, forests, clear rivers, high mountains, a thousand colors they had never seen before, animals and plants they could have never imagined. The air was fresh, birds sung without pause and all was well. The hero placed the torch atop the highest mountain so that it would always shine onto this new country and keep it warm and safe.
Quiet blinked slower and slower, snuggling into the warm and comfortable blanket. The hero and his friends were happy and safe, and that was good.
- And the people rejoiced – Adenah said softly, smiling. – They finally knew peace. Far away from those two warring countries, they could build houses, have families and live in happiness. The two sisters found joy in their work once more as they helped settling into this new land. Everyone was thankful to the hero who believed in this dream, who believed in them, and who led them to this new life.
Quiet sunk into a peaceful sleep. He could barely hear Adenah's final whisper to him:
- And that hero, Boss… is you.
Sometimes, cupcakes… sometimes you just need a bedtime story.
Not gonna lie, these past days weren't that easy. I had a nasty stomach flu, I am battling with stubborn inner demons almost every day, I have a lot of work at my job, and soon I will begin my driving lessons and I do not feel prepared for it.
But after writing out this silly little retelling of the Renegades, and listening to fitting music during it (titles down below), I feel… hell, I feel lighter. I am not sure why. Maybe the simplicity of the story helps my mind be at ease, or it's the songs. I honestly don't know. But I do hope it had a similar effect on you as well. We all deserve a break from time to time. :)
As for the tumblr blog, it took me a while to set it up and running, especially after what had happened. It is for the development of the fanfic and nothing else, so if you are interested in the above-mentioned stuff, make sure to go check it out!
Thank you for reading, cupcakes! See you next time!
Lore &Trivia corner
- The Spine: For the life of me, I could not find the name of the mountain range between Khanduras and Aranoch. Either there isn't one (shame on you, lore writers at Blizzard!), or it is hidden in some obscure book I haven't read. Whatever is the case, I finally just said "fuck it", and named it after the first thing that came to mind. EDIT 2020.07.23.: Nevermind, it does have a name! Tamoe Mountains. Thanks for that, map!
- Eastgate Keep: the shortest and safest passage across the mountains. It was originally built by Rakkis the First during his campaign to the West, to spread the faith of the Zakarum from Kehjistan. Eastgate Keep spent most of its time abandoned, until the Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye moved in and made it their stronghold. After the Darkening of Tristram, The Lady of Anguish Andariel invaded the keep, but after her defeat, the Sisterhood moved back in.
- Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye: a rogue branch of the Amazonians from the islands of Skovos, the Sisterhood had stolen the Sightless Eye, a magical mirror that can show the future. They eventually settled in Eastgate Keep where they do… whatever they do. Guard the mirror, probably. They are a pretty useless organization, to be fair. They are good archers and they can notice traps easily, at least.
- Windshear Slope: one of the incredibly few geographical locations in Pandemonium that actually has a name. Literally the only thing we know about it, is that Inarius and his followers used this slope to sneak inside the Fortress and steal the Worldstone. How the hell they moved a mountain-sized gem out the back door without anyone noticing, your guess is as good as mine.
- Themes for this chapter: Luma (Super Mario Galaxy); Homecoming (Thomas Bergersen); Rosalina's Comet Observatory 1, 2 and 3 (search for this exact title, there is an amazing mashup on YT)
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