Greed's scouts easily found the first cave in the fields. It was the same place that a part of Tyrael's sword had landed and struck down. With a thorough search done first, they found the Coven man, Urik, busy finishing off the scripture of another spell.
"Hmm?" he looked over with blood-shot eyes that showed a severe lack of sleep. He had been bent over his tome and scouring through it to make stronger spells and bindings. He was one of Maghda's stronger lieutenants at the time. He wore a yellow robe with a pointed hood, and he had on black and white armor that seemed to flow out from his hips, up his chest and over his shoulders. When he turned, the yellow robe actually seemed to be a coat of extra padded armor over the usual black robe the Coven wore. His main weapon was a gauntlet on his right arm, and it formed into two deadly claws over his hand. As much as he liked using his spells, he would swipe at anything that got too close for comfort to show he was able to defend himself.
He saw one of the Greed Goblins poking about through his personal books. Scowling, he drew back his thin lips into a sneer on his pasty, white face. He did have two enchanted Khazra guards with him, and they were quick to jump over to skewer the little goblin. However, it was already gone with one of the books. That didn't make Urik happy at all. The defenses would surely be tightened.
Up above ground, the heroes had made their way to the first area. They paused to check over their weapons and to come up with a plan.
"What's happening?" Lamb asked from where he stood behind Kalgor. The boy was scrubbed clean of filth and looked much younger than he already was. He was also given better clothes, but he still kept his sword and shield. They were sturdy enough to help him, and he was being trained here and there by Kalgor while they traveled about. He desperately needed it.
Boryak was given a sash of white with gold lining to prove his alliance with Heaven. If anyone tried to attack him, they would have to deal with the wrath of Heaven's forces. The goatman didn't know how to express his gratitude for the protection and help he was getting from them. He planned to make it up to them the moment his problems were resolved.
"Spells. Can smell them," the goatman said and shook his head.
"You can smell magic?" Lou-yu blinked. The Mimic chest creaked loyally behind him and watched them all with a form of curiosity.
"Yes. All can," he nodded.
"This may help us," Eirena beamed. "Can you see if you can find any more of your enchanted people? Do you know what can break their enchantment?"
"Hmm..." Boryak seemed to pause.
"What are you getting at?" the Nephalem asked.
"I remember how we put the other goblins into that mystical place. It broke their enchantment. If this one knows who is enchanted, and we break their enchantment to help us..." she said with a smile.
"We can gain our own help and overwhelm the one enchanting them!" Jozin grinned. Eirena nodded with a glowing smile. "You think we cannot rush in?"
"I wouldn't," Byden said. "I think she's onto something. We need to have our own little army. I mean, sure, we have Imperael..."
"That you do," the massive Archangel smirked from where he stood behind them all. He was mainly there to ensure Boryak's safety at Anaurael's request.
"But, I think we want to cause a shock factor that the spells lost hold," the Crusader chuckled.
"It would be a good lesson for me," his son said. Byden had agreed to let his angelic son start to travel with him to apprentice in his arts. He was an incredibly fast learner, but it was also because of the Light he was naturally born with. His father was always pleased with the results.
"That it would, Bediverius. Did any of you want your kids here?" Byden asked.
"My son, Epinogrius, is learning the way of traditional honor in my homeland," Kalgor said calmly. "But, I know he will be here if he's needed."
"I have Elyaurael training with the Demon Hunters, too," Vincent frowned. "My leader insisted on that. He wanted to teach her how to use our weapons. To see if it was possible."
"Durnarael is training with my Patriarch," Jozin nodded.
"Hmm. My mate has yet to give birth. I am well," Sohar nodded.
"Not far off for you, though?" Kormac smiled.
"No. A few days more," the Witch Doctor chuckled.
"Kylariel told me she was starting to feel odd signs earlier today," Lou-yu sighed. Now he was congratulated with soft chuckles and hand shakes. Lyndon appeared a touch bored, but then he remembered something that had him grinning a touch wickedly. He walked right over to where Gurzick was and crossed his arms over his chest.
"What?" Gurzick frowned.
"I recall Greed saying that I could have something for my help with Kingsport," Lyndon said with a slow drawl in his tone.
"I said something? What was this?" Greed asked from the crown.
"Oh, that I would get a golden crossbow for my assistance," Lyndon said with a smile.
"Ah! I did say that, didn't I? Let's take care of this problem first. Then I'll see about making good on my word. I wouldn't think that holding such a heavy weapon would be wise. Don't you?" Greed said slyly. The Nephalem wisely kept quiet. Even Byden said nothing. They all knew that Greed was going to keep delaying on giving Lyndon the crossbow. It was only evident.
"I think I should have it now," Lyndon said.
"And give us away with the shine? Come on!" Kormac said with a roll of his eyes. "Wait until after we're done. You know he has it, and he knows he has to give it to you. Besides, you'd be complaining about how heavy it is within the first hour of holding it!"
"And none of us will carry it for you," the Nephalem added with a small nod. Lyndon seemed to pout, but they also were right. Sighing to himself, he gestured for them to continue with the mission.
"Sire, can I cull him?" Bediverius asked with a soft whisper. Lyndon nervously glanced over.
"Don't waste your strength," Byden said with a small smile. "As much as even I want to smack him, he can be used as bait."
"Ah! Distraction?"
"Exactly."
"Understood," his son nodded. Lyndon now looked over at them to gape with disbelief.
"Distraction for what?!" the scoundrel demanded.
"There!" Boryak brayed out and pointed at a small group of Khazra. "Shaman. We help!"
"I see!" Sohar mused aloud. "Yes, there is one in the middle there not far off. He...is controlling the others. Likely strengthening the spell?"
"Yes. Can't help it. Must help him!" Boryak pleaded.
"Lyndon, lure the others away from that shaman," Vincent said and began to set up some sentry turrets. "Lead them right to us. My sentries will attack them, as you run past them."
"Why can't you get a goblin to do it?!" Lyndon growled.
"Because they need something slow and simple to follow. You will work," Vincent nodded. At the scoundrel's dropped jaw, the others tried hard to keep from laughing outright. "Don't argue. Just do it. It has to be done."
"I won't do it!" Lyndon said.
"A shame. All those women thinking of how brave you are. How disappointed they would be to find out that it was all a scam to get into their skirts," Byden clucked his tongue.
"That's not true! I am brave!" Lyndon puffed out.
"Prove it," Kormac smirked. "And the goblins won't work, because they are seen all the time around here. They aren't seen as a threat. Think about it."
At the reasoning with the goblins, Lyndon seemed to sulk. But, he now knew that he had to prove himself to them all. "Fine! I'll lure them."
"Just stand downwind. They'll smell you easily!" Greed giggled from Gurzick's crown. Lyndon now flipped him off as a silent retort and had Greed laughing like crazy.
"You had better put a gem in that crossbow!" Lyndon grunted. Now Greed had a rather wicked idea, and simply had Gurzick nod with agreement. It was mentioned that the crossbow would be rather heavy. He was going to ensure that it was. He had the idea from before, and now it was fully cemented on what he wanted to do.
"Hurry. The sentries don't last for long. I have to replace them, if they idle from the mechanisms locking up. Move it!" Vincent growled. Lyndon nodded and began to slink over to where the unruly group gathered. The rest of them hid behind a set of rocks to lie in ambush. Lou-yu even went so far as to call up a soft mist to shield them further. It definitely helped. The Demon Hunter began to replace the sentries methodically, but he sighed, since he couldn't have too many out at a time. He simply didn't have the space to keep any extras, and he had to constantly fix the sentries if they idled for too long. They worked great when used quickly, but it was a hassle when he had to wait.
"Sire," a soft, whispery voice reached him from behind.
"Ely, you should be training," Vincent grunted.
"I am here to help. I also have a gift for you," she chuckled and slipped him a quiver. His jaw dropped at the Bombardier's Rucksack given to him. It would let him hold two more sentries on him from his usual three space capacity. It was originally made by a famous Demon Hunter that used to work on clocks. A bit more of an apprentice, but the turrets could be modified to be smaller, more compact, and work just as accurately as any other.
"Your mother was watching me again?" he smirked and began to fix up the turrets swiftly.
"She always watches you," she giggled. "What do you hunt?"
"Khazra. The one containing magic is one we must help."
"I understand. I shall assist."
"Fine. Hide off in the shadows."
"Of course, Sire," she nodded and did as he said. He didn't fail to notice the two hand crossbows at her hips. She was able to successfully learn how to use them with incredible accuracy. But, if he knew she had taken a liking to the older leader of the Hunters, he was sure to show his complete disapproval.
"Okay, my good man, let's see what trouble we can start up," Lyndon mused to himself and managed to sneak up rather closely to one of the large, brutish Khazra. He had almost found the perfect position when he heard a small, seething snarl right next to him. He looked over lightly and found the beady, red eyes of a brown-skinned scavenger glaring at him. Also known as leapers, they could have resembled small, nearly hairless wolves, but they were twisted for faster running with small jumps for speed. These monsters were known to leap at their prey and swipe out with armored arms of scales with a nasty set of claws. And they never traveled alone for that matter. "Oh, come on!"
The pack of scavengers unburrowed quickly and leapt at him. He shot one dead and was forced to run. When he ran, he knew his cover was blown from the angry brays of the Khazra that spotted him. As he ran for the safety of the others, they easily saw what happened and braced for a battle. Sohar had been chanting and sent his summoned undead dogs right out at them to meet them head on. Lou-yu called down a meteor when Kalgor pulled in several of them with a sucking stomp of his foot, and it was done in close range of the Vincent's sentries. The sentries began to fire the moment the monsters got in range. Jozin was trying to get to the enchanted Khazra before any damage came to him.
"No! Don't hurt!" Boryak brayed out and ducked away from a swinging club.
"I know, young one! Help me!" Jozin said. Then he paused at the sight of his son appearing to dance through the mob of monsters effortlessly with an elegant, two-handed staff for balance. When he stunned one with a flying kick, Elyaurael tagged the stunned monster with a killing bolt between the eyes. Bediverius was able to stun a few others with a bright flash of brilliant Light before knocking them away with his heavy flail. The Nephalem took advantage of the new opening to run at the Khazra shaman to stun him with a quick attack. Only after the shaman was safely subdued did Imperael charge in to help wipe out the rest of the mob.
"Not bad," Byden chuckled.
"Our target is secure?" Bediverius asked and put away the massive flail he carried.
"Yes. And make sure to clean your weapon. A dulled weapon won't do you any good," he said.
"Sire, it's already dull. If anything, it just lacks a shine," his son pointed out.
"Blood can still soften a good blow. It can coat over it. That and, eh...it won't smell good," his father smirked. His son sighed and had to agree. Any odd smell could mean the end of any strategic hunt and blow my cover completely.
"If you want an example, just look at the one in our midst," Greed said and had Gurzick gesture to Lyndon. That got Bediverius chuckling with agreement.
"I don't smell bad!" Lyndon scowled.
"Ah, yes, you do. It was how you were found," Greed pointed out and had Gurzick point at a dead scavenger. Lyndon glared at him and ignored the soft giggles and chuckles around him.
"Anyways," the Nephalem smiled. "I think we have our target neatly secured?"
"Yes. Bound down and ready for whatever you need," Vincent nodded, as he took up his discarded sentries. He'd be working on them even further with his new quiver. It would definitely be used in his arsenal of weapons.
"Good. I don't know how to see the enchantment," the Nephalem sighed.
"I am here now," Malthael said when his form appeared with a flare of white wings. Then he turned and gutted open a scavenger that leapt at him out of nowhere. "Filth..."
"Always," Imperael snorted.
"Can you see the enchantment?" Eirena frowned.
"I shall attempt to while my flesh sleeps," Malthael droned out. He knelt down to study the comatose Khazra before noticing an odd collar. "I see now..."
"Yes? Can help?" Boryak asked.
"This collar holds a blood enchantment. If it is cut, this one will die. But, there is a way to alter it to at least destroy the thread that controls it. Only after the one that controls the true thread is gone can this collar be removed. Until then, we can at least remove the leash that holds it," Malthael said.
"You mean, to snip the tie to the controller?" Sohar mused.
"Correct..." Malthael nodded.
"Hmm..." Lou-yu thought and studied the collar. That was when the saw the runic symbol. He summoned up a flame to char it out of existence. That made an instant change in the Khazra shaman.
"Boryak...?" the elder Khazra wheezed out and sat up. The younger Khazra was quick to run over and mutter in their language to explain that he was successful in getting help. Both goatmen looked up at their saviors and nodded deeply with respect.
"We are not yet done," Kalgor said and spat out a bit of blood off to the side.
"No, we are not," Greed said from Gurzick's crown and had a minion drop off the book it stole. "Read this. And there are others with the caster."
The Nephalem was quick to snatch up the book to open and read silently. A glowering look was given now. "Maghda chose this one to lead the march on the Khazra. To enchant them and force them to fight. How could I have missed him?"
"What's his name?" Byden frowned.
"Urik. He's some kind of prophet for them. I don't know what else I can make out, but he dies today!" the champion growled. "Lyndon, I'm going to ask you to do what you did again."
"Only don't get caught this time," Greed jabbed out.
"You had better make that crossbow absolutely amazing!" Lyndon growled at Gurzick before following the others back to the cave. He readied himself to go down it to draw them out.
"Don't kill any of them that have collars," the Nephalem warned.
"Right. I'll do what I can to lure them out," Lyndon nodded and moved towards the cave.
"You plan to finish this with us?" Jozin asked his son.
"Yes. I feel it is best, Sire," Durnarael nodded. A small pat to his back in a fatherly way was given as full approval. "Mother also wishes to see you after this."
"Can it wait until after the other is found? There were two casters, if I recall," Jozin frowned.
"Yes. She may wish to join us, too," he chuckled.
"As long as she knows to stay back when needed," Malthael warned.
"I shall ensure that," Imperael agreed. As they continued to discuss what to do next, Lyndon was stealthily making his way down into the cave. He stuck to the shadows and paused at the feel of stepping in something soft. At the smell that infiltrated his nose next, he swore softly and vowed to give his boots a good scrubbing. He found a vantage point and carefully aimed his Manticore at one of the Khazra brutes in the distance. Then he paused.
"Collars. Damn! I can't kill them," he muttered. On looking around, he aimed at a pile of debris and fired a bolt into it. That definitely startled them, and they got lured out easily to where the others were waiting. Lyndon continued his game of careful cat and mouse until all but three of the Khazra were left. These were the main guards. They wouldn't leave. He made his way out alone.
"Where are they?" Lou-yu frowned.
"Stubborn. That's where they are," Lyndon grunted.
"So...we need to take the fight to them?" Byden smiled.
"It looks like it," the scoundrel nodded. The Wizard had already burned out the runic marks on the collars from the others. They were ready to help attack and claim vengeance for the deaths of their kin. The Khazra brutes howled and let their shaman empower them. They charged into the cave to free their trapped brethren at long last.
"Stay back," Imperael said to Boryak. "I know you want to help, but you are the bridge of trust they need for us to work with them. Stay with us."
"Yes," the young goatman nodded. Malthael nodded, gripped his weapons, and went down next.
"Stop! No! I command you!" the Coven spell caster shouted at the freed Khazra. At the sight of Malthael appearing to kill him, he panicked and began to summon forth what demons he could.
"Filth like you...is not worth my time...but...I am here..." Malthael simply smirked and slaughtered everything summoned. "I'll make you worth my time..."
"We promised the young one to let him take vengeance!" Jozin said and moved with his son to dance around the summoned monsters effortlessly.
"True..." Malthael seemed to shrug.
"You can't stop me!" Urik scowled and bolted. Then he found himself gaping at the sight of Epinogrius. Kalgor grinned savagely at the sight of his son sucker-punching the human back into the fray. His gilded gold, two-handed hammer was now ready to swing into anything that got too close. Imperael was quick to team up with him to make a formidable wall of angelic might.
"Glad I appeared before the fun was over," the large angel snorted.
"Didn't want you to miss it," Kalgor snickered, and they all bore down on the hapless Coven man. When he was cornered, it was Boryak that brayed out his war cry and threw the spear to impale the man's head. Then Malthael gutted the human open.
"One down. Let's go to the other," the Nephalem nodded.
"Yes. Let's do that," Lyndon said. "I want my crossbow!"
"Oh, Lyndon, if you do swap out your weapon, could I have that Manticore? It may actually prove useful to me," Vincent said. Lyndon seemed to pause with indecision.
"If he agrees, I'll accept that as a trade," Greed said from Gurzick's crown from where the Greed Goblin was looking through some odd rubbage. "You'll likely treat it better than him, anyways."
"What are you talking about?! I take excellent care of my weapons!" Lyndon growled.
"I'll be the judge of that, if I get yours," Vincent grinned slightly.
"Fine. But, if the crossbow I want isn't good for fighting with, I may need a backup weapon," Lyndon said. Now Gurzick seemed to giggle for Greed.
"One weapon. One trade," the goblin snickered darkly.
"But, if it's too heavy, then I can't use it!" Lyndon pouted.
"We'll discuss this later," the Nephalem said. "Help me remove the collars from the goatmen."
Once they were fully freed, the goatmen were ready to help out even more. Boryak was able to tell the heroes that his people wanted to continue with them until the other enchanter was killed. At this said, Malthael retorted, "I shall remain in Heaven until the filth is found."
"You'll know when to reappear," Imperael nodded. Malthael nodded back and vanished.
"He's making a few more appearances than normal, isn't he?" Byden frowned.
"Anaurael wishes it. He's also Heaven's Champion for now. He has to be like this until his flesh can fully take up the mantle," Imperael explained. "Come. Let's go to the next place."
"If I recall, we need to go to the Southern Highlands," the Nephalem said. Gurzick nodded and made the portal for them to all walk through it.