THE JOURNEY THROUGH ETERNITY
A Diablo 2 Fan-Fiction – Rated: Teen

CHAPTER 2
"Akara's Blessing"

I knew Blood Raven wouldn't make it.

Charsi fell asleep as the horse we're riding ran through the green, grassy fields. The sky went gray, then lightning strikes.

I stopped at the bottom of the hill, leaving Charsi behind, and hiked to the top. I saw the burning monastery gate. The fire may be out sometime, but not now. The only thing is that, I respected Blood Raven so much; she risked her life to stop it.

The whole monastery should be destroyed by now if she didn't stop the thing. Andariel unleashed it, even though she hates fire, just to make sure her mission is complete, to make us flee. But it's useless – now Andariel guarded the place, and everyone who enters her domain shall die.

She didn't complete her mission. Our Blood Raven did.

I took my spear out, and plunged the other edge of the spear, making the sharpened metal face up. I positioned it in front of me, towards the burning gate. I was inspired and by doing this, would be enough to thank her with reverence.

After moments, the light warm wind touched my face gently. I removed my spear and put it back on my back, and pulled my brown fur animal skin from my leather back pack, and wrapped it around my neck, making up a huge, warm, heavy cape.

I went down from the hill. I hopped on the horse, and covered Charsi with my coat, to keep her warm. She's really tired, I think, from all her work back there.

All my memories came rushing back. I feel heavy, but sometimes I thank God for – everything; especially the gift of sight. He let me see at the very first moment I lived in this world.

I remember, my orange haired sister, who was once young, smiling at me – not worrying, not even despair and cruelty was in her heart those days.

"Mother, she's looking at me." She said that day.

But a very blurred image of our mother showed up, looking at her. "Yes she is," Her eyes were blue, as blue as the sky under the glow of daylight. And her blonde hair came running from her scalp to my face.

"She's so adorable…"

But all the flames consumed my imagination. I heard wails, and all of the people's shadows were cast into me. My sister's tears, I've seen them. It was twinkling with the color of her hair, reflecting the glow of the flame. It's like a war.

Then I saw me, down at the south of Khanduras, south of the great desert, under the soaring mountains, in the rainforest, training in a rival's territory. I've seen myself work so hard, aiming arrows to the target and small things, such as an ant, and practiced to move a spear to aim at my foe one piece. I remember…

All the pain I'm going through. And another memory is added, that should change me. That is what happened just now.

We traveled along the wilderness, trying to catch up with the rouge band. We followed the smell Kashya left behind for us to trace, hoping we would be back soon.

The cold wind rushed into us, I closed my eyes.

It was sunset. The rouges set up a huge camp where we live temporarily for about a year – to try solving the problems we have. Kashya sent rouge troops and scouts to look after the world beyond.

We set the camp up at the countryside, the moor where battles were used to be. It's simply – spooky. Some blood taking us back for a couple of years ago were still on the ground, along with some skulls broken and one has an axe on it.

Our horse just walked from the plains we've left behind, where a rogue scout named Flavie was. We just followed the road she made for her to follow in the future. I'm not in a hurry, so I made it wider for it to be seen.

After hours passed by, I passed through a cave.

"Don't go in there. And don't stay long." Flavie warned. I didn't know she was behind me.

I turned my head to her.

"Don't worry, nothing will go wrong," I told her. "Just get Charsi back to the camp."

Flavie sighed. "Okay, just come back soon. Be careful."

I walked in the cave. Down I went to its stairs.

I found a torch. I snatched it off its case and brought it with me.

I started to walk. I only hear drips of water, and bats flying, rats squeaking, and my steps. I can smell somewhat like carcasses.

"Heh…"

I can hear an evil laughter just around me. It's just like air, but I can feel someone's looking at me – or maybe there are.

Someone leaped. The air was whipped, making a sound as usual. It came from behind.

I turned my face left.

A red-skinned, small person was in the air. His scimitar was above his head, the handle was held by his own hand, aiming at me.

I quickly dodged his attack and the sword hit the wet ground.

"Back off!!!" he said.

I got my spear and our fight begins. It attacked again, I blocked it with my spear; it's my turn to hit him.

"TAKE THIS!" I yelled at him.

I impaled him, but smart enough, he stopped it with his scimitar hitting it from the side. Then he started a horizontal slash.

Okay, my spear's down. But as the blood-stained scimitar touched my cloak and before I get wounded, I leaped sideways in rolling in the air, to dodge the attack.

Small stalactites are quite useful. I was high up in the air, and grabbed one with my feet, making me upside down. I got my bow, and made a magic arrow.

I froze it, making it an ice arrow. I aimed it to my target's head and released it. I hit him, making him frozen, slowly, and then he died.

I freed the stalactite off my feet's possession. I landed on the ground lightly, like a feather, and told myself:

"That was simple."

Then there were four more walking towards me. They were around me and they are staring at my eyes.

I just prepared my spear.

All of them attacked together, and I was steady – ready for the consequences.

One tried to hit, I blocked it. Another on my back, I dodged it and kicked one of them off on their back, leaving his scimitar flying in the air. I jumped and caught it.

As I land down to the ground, I used my spear on my left and the scimitar on my right. The other one has no weapon, so I should finish him off.

The one blocking my way was waiting for me, and so I gave him something that should be enough for him. I hopped and my feet landed on both of his shoulders, unbalancing the little demon. I plunged my spear deep in his head and blood came out of it as usual. So boring… I'm already used to it.

Before he fell down on the ground dead, I managed to leap as high and far as possible, to reach my scared target. He was still on the ground. As I was about to plunge his scimitar deep in his belly, he quickly repelled it by using his hands. But he seemed to forget I have a spear. I impaled him in his diaphragm raised it, grabbed my scimitar from the ground and chopped his head off swiftly.

I threw the rest of his body to the other two. They all fell down, scared.

"RAKAPORT!!!" One yelled.

I knew someone was coming. I prepared my magic skills, and picked up dust, enchanting them to light. I blew them to the foul air.

Something's revealed. He's still a red-skinned person, but he wore the lower-jaw of the human on his head, painted yellow. He has long hair, and unlike anyone else, he was tall, like me. And he's holding a staff.

One of the sorts of people I hate, and I admit, they are more powerful than us. He's a mage.

I switched both of my weapons with a bow, leaving them at my weapon pack at my back, and uncovered the quiver of arrows I have.

I prepared myself with a stance.

He fired first, with a huge fireball. I tilt my self a little to the left, and as it passed by, it burnt some of my hair at its edge.

Okay, you're a mage, huh? Let me try this to you.

He fired again, and I dodged it now, sending myself flying up in the air. I picked dust in my pocket and enchanted it something good. I picked an arrow and coated it with this dust and transformed the edge of the arrow into ice. Now my arrow is sparkling, adding the ice edges.

I aimed the arrow, and I fired it.

Good, he didn't die immediately. He got hit, and took it off.

He fired at me again.

I smiled. Delighted to see his fireball was running really slow.

"Sorry," I said. "You're not even matching my skills…"

I shot him fire arrows. He was knocked off slowly, but he didn't take damage.

Now I know. They are immune to fire.

He fired as many shots again as I reloaded my quiver. I continued to dodge – relaxed, since his fireballs are running slowly.

Then I felt a really, really cold pain on my back. I turned my head, and saw the two fallen ones hitting me with their scimitar. My blood started to go down my lips and from my wound.

Then I felt heat. I turned my head back at the fallen shaman whom I used my slow missiles into, but all I can see is the fireball burning my face.

And I exploded, light rising up from the sky. My voice turned into echoes.

Then the fallen ones noticed my weapons are through their chests and through their heart.

"You're all silly…" I said. "That was my Valkyrie. She was quite hard. But I am harder…"

The two fell down to the ground and threw a javelin to each of the shaman's legs and shot an arrow to each of his hands. He was on the solid wall, and he cannot even move.

I brought out the scimitar of the third fallen one I killed.

"Goodbye…"

I forced the edge of the scimitar to his face. Then silence.

I didn't even get a blood stain in my clothes. In my arms, maybe one drop. I should go now, I thought, I have to go to the camp now; they are waiting for me…

I grinned, "Quit bragging, Leah…" I told myself, filled with pride. It's my first time to slay demons by the way.

I wasn't there yet…

Kashya looked around the working rouges. They were able to finish the tents and the walls, for there are so many of them, and some even helped like Gheed and Warriv who just arrived from Lut Gholein. Kashya wondered 'how' before but they said they asked for assistance back there.

Kashya is not comfortable; standing in these grounds, watching the unpleasant nature. She's not scared, but worried about their survival.

She needs someone – someone to blame. Why are they in this wretched place?

Without hesitation, she walked to the purple-hooded woman.

"Akara," she said, half-mad. "Why here?"

Akara looked at her in her shadowed eyes. "What do you mean, 'Why here,' young one?

"Enough of your selfish words…" Kashya returned. Nearby rouges stopped doing their work looking at them.

She grabbed some of Akara's cloak forcibly, making her close. "WHY?"

Akara's eyes sparkled.

Kashya yelled, rubbing her eyes. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

"Sorry, I just want you to let go of me. I feel so uncomfortable with that," she said. "But I seem to have an answer to your question Kashya…"

Kashya didn't say anything, but she focused getting her eyes fixed after fifteen seconds of blindness. Well, honestly I could cry if I've been blind for five seconds only. That was, if it was I.

But let's go back to the story…

I reached the camp. Without knowing what just happened between them, I just looked around and said, "Awesome…"

Kashya turned her head to me, and looked blankly.

I looked at her and waved my hand as a greeting. But she didn't respond, and turned her head away from me.

"Kashya, I've chosen this place wisely. And it is true that I should be blamed," she said nicely. "But as far as I know, anyone evil that stands here are very weak and you will rarely see one so powerful.

"At least, we are the good ones… And whenever Andariel's monsters are here, they should be weak and not troublesome. Therefore we can kill them, unless those monsters in the den nearby go out. Only monsters summoned in the exact place are weakened and from other places? Well it takes a couple of years for them to be weakened…

"So as far as we know, let's be cautious until we get help… And as the time has not come yet, I shall give you a blessing…"

She removed her hood, slowly revealing her long, white hair. I gasped. Kashya gasped too. It's our first time to see her that way…

She is a smooth-skinned, wrinkle-free-faced woman, like Kashya and mine's features combined. Her eyes are angel blue and her skin is pearl white. She's simply beautiful. She's really good for a sorceress.

She was like a feather, as she floats in mid-air. The win around us was turning, like we are inside the tornado. Her crystal amulet showed up from behind her scarf, and it floated, still tied to its owner. It was glowing, blue and white.

Now it exploded with light, forming a huge cross of Zakarum. It was shining through the half-darkness of sunset and she softly landed.

She opened her eyes, and it glowed. Her eyes are illuminating with the color of the sky during the morning. We feel enlightened, and light, like we've just been freed from our sins.

"May the teachings of Zakarum light your path to victory…" she said in a weird, echoing voice. She stopped in front of me and stared deep into my eyes.

She smiled like an angel.

She leaned her face near me, and said. "Even if my faith in humanity is gone, I still encourage you to fight in inspiration and with all her heart like this woman in front of me – as she does it beyond these times…"

I feel strange, knowing what I did in the future. I breathed deeply, as she walked away.

She closed her eyes again and said words we cannot understand.

As we waited, there were thunder storms. All the rouges were afraid, and then she said while doing the spell – without her mouth doing the exact words. "Do not be afraid."

Then the lightning that was about to hit us was transformed into a large barrier covering the camp like a shell. The stones and rocks out side were floating and the leaves of trees are torn out of the twigs to join the rhythm of the insane wind circling the camp.

"WITH THIS NO MONSTERS ARE GOING TO ENTER!" Akara said. "THIS BARRIER SHALL PROTECT THE CAMP FROM ALL COSTS!!!"

Then the storm out side stopped. The barrier became invisible.

"PREPARE YOUR BOWS AND ARROWS, READY YOUR SPEARS AND JAVELINS! FOR THE TIME OF DARKNESS SHALL RETURN…" she yelled to the rouges.

She looked at Kashya.

"Now…" she said in a low voice, enough for all the rouges to hear. She fainted, I caught her.

The sunset faded as clouds cover it. All of Khanduras is filled with darkness; the clouds of chaos are here. The times of darkness has come again…

End of Chapter Two

Author's Comments

I was really having fun writing this chapter. I know that the story is running in my mind like crazy, but this one's good. The First combat scene in here!