Tales from Sanctuary

by Cro-Magnon

My Diablo II fanfiction. This is dedicated to all my constant readers over at Amazon Basin, but mostly to Doc who helped me so much. Perhaps I'll finish what I started...

2. The Jewel of the Desert

Tales from Sanctuary

The Jewel of the Desert

"As I promised, I have brought you to Lut Gholein," Warriv said, as the caravan was preparing for the night.

This had become a well-oiled procedure as the camels and donkeys were unloaded, and then tied to ropes spanned between heavy pegs driven into the hard, sun-baked ground of the desert. Hay was then brought from the cart drawn by two of the donkeys and a portable water-trough was filled for them to drink from. Sentries were put out to guard the perimeter of the camp and a quick search was made for firewood. Having enough wood, they would then light the campfire, which would only be put out again once it was morning. This provided much needed light during the dark desert nights, saving on the use of oil for torches, while also fending off some of the more timid desert animals. This also provided a means for Warriv to prepare the evening meal. Warriv was an accomplished cook, making many exquisite and exotic dishes with their meager supplies, during their long trek across the deserts of Aranoch. Now finally they could see Lut Gholein gleaming in the setting sun, while behind it lay the blue coolness of the Twin Seas.

"So you have my old friend," Waheed replied as he pulled a small, rolled-up rug from the lead wagon.

Waheed, like Warriv was a native of Lut Gholein. He was an accomplished spearman, having accompanied Warriv many a time during his caravans from Lut Gholein to the Rogue's Pass and back. He wore chain mail over the baggy garb, so distinctive of the desert dwellers and his feet were shod in simple sandals. He could use his spear with blinding speed, something he had learnt while doing mercenary work with a group of Amazons in his youth. Pamela had recognized the specialized jabbing motion he used as that native to the Twin Isles and the Amazons. Another odd thing about the veteran was his ability to project an aura, much like Caesar could. When asked about it he mentioned that he had had some training under Fara, the weapon smith in Lut Gholein. When pressed by Caesar on the topic, he declined to say any more; apart from the fact that he had an idea Fara may have been a Paladin when she was younger.

When Waheed had left to do his evening prayers, Pamela strolled over to where Warriv was preparing a brace of rabbits. Elly and another member of the caravan had managed to bring them down during their short hunting foray into the desert. Next to the boiling pot of stew, the caravan master had laid out his satchel of cooking herbs and spices. Pamela always found these times spent with Warriv both fascinating and enlightening. He was a master at using different herbs to enhance the flavor of their meals, but could also use some of his herb lore to make poultices and salves to counteract the effects of some insect bites or sunburn. As an Amazon, she was familiar with the use of herbs and other plants to make her javelins deliver a deadly cloud of poisonous fumes or spew forth a toxic trail while in flight. They often discussed the uses of different herbs and even managed to learn from one another.

Caesar had quickly risen to the rank of head of the caravan guard and was the one responsible for the sentry routines. No serious incident had yet befallen the caravan and this was largely due to Caesar's ability to lead and strategize. Waheed, as previous head of the guard had quickly learned to respect the younger man and had even agreed, with Warriv's blessing, to leave the caravan once they had gotten to Lut Gholein and join up with the heroes in their quest to find the Dark Wanderer. Caesar was happy about this decision, as it meant they would have a more balanced team, with two of them being able to do the close quarter fighting, while the two archers provided the covering fire.

Cain had been busy researching some of the old Horadrim manuscripts he had had with him in Tristram. At his request, Pamela and Caesar had returned with him to Tristram, when the caravan had stopped in the Stony Field, before attempting the Underground Passage. An hour or two later a chest had appeared through the portal at the Cairn Stones, which some of Warriv's men had loaded on one of the wagons. Inside this were probably the last remains of any Horadrim lore, and Cain was its sole custodian. He had come across many interesting tales concerning the Horadrim and their battles with Baal in the deserts of Aranoch. The more he read about it, the more convinced Cain became that the Dark Wanderer was indeed seeking to somehow free his imprisoned brother. What concerned him in particular was the fact that by the time that Tal Rasha had selflessly volunteered to contain the Prime Evil in his own body, the soul stone within which Baal had been captured had been shattered by the destructive powers of the arch demon. Cain was worried that Tal Rasha would, like the Dark Wanderer, not have been strong enough to contend with the will of the Prime Evil and had probably over the course of the hundreds of years since the Sin Wars been corrupted by Baal. All these thoughts were on his mind as he spoke to Warriv later that evening.

"I am sure Jehryn or Drognan, his advisor, will be able to tell you more," Warriv mentioned.

"Elzix also has a nose for rumor," Waheed conceded, "Not that I would trust him any further than he can see with his good eye."

Warriv snorted, "My caravans had been robbed enough by that scoundrel and his bandits in the past, but I have to agree with you Waheed. Elzix knows most of the desert like the back of his hand."

"I would also listen to the rumor in Atma's Tavern," Waheed suggested, "but beware of Geglash. He's bound to pick a fight and won't hesitate to attack even a Horadrim."

"I will be circumspect," Cain vowed, "but alas, I shall have to wait until we get to Lut Gholein, before knowing what the Dark Wanderer is planning."

"Then perhaps we should all turn in for the night then," Warriv suggested, "Sleep has a way of shortening the hours."

"Your council is wise, friend," Cain admitted, stifling a yawn. He got up, leaning heavily on his gnarled staff and hobbled over to his sleeping pallet.

"No sleep for us yet," Pamela said with a sigh, "Elly and I are up for first watch tonight."

"Oh, Pamela, it's naught to complain about," Elly smiled, "I love these desert nights. They are so beautiful, with all the stars shining and the sky being so clear."

Caesar smiled to himself, observing the Rogue. Ever since the death of Andariel, she had seemed happier as each day went by. Caesar was sure that the journey had been partly to blame, but suspected that the shadow of Andariel's corruption had begun to eat away at all the Rogues, until they could do something about it. Now that the shadow had lifted, Elly, and most of the Rogues were happier and friendlier, though still enigmatic to outsiders. Only being inside that circle of confidence could he notice these things. He got up and walked over to his own pallet, as the two archers walked to the perimeter of the encamped caravan. Tomorrow the chase would begin in earnest.

---

Lut Gholein; jewel city of the desert. Despite the aridness of the surrounding desert, Lut Gholein was a thriving trade city, receiving cargoes from destinations all over the Twin Seas. Jehryn, its young ruler, would have been made rich beyond measure by taxes and levies imposed on these goods, had his father and grandfather before him not already done the same. Some said that Jehryn was a spoilt young man, not fit to rule in Lut Gholein. The recent influx of problems, following in the wake of the Dark Wanderer certainly added proof to those accusations. Others knew the truth; Jehryn was an astute leader, with his only flaw being his tendency to be overly circumspect when revealing matters of state to his populace. Ironically, this flaw would prove to become a major cache of rumor during the time Pamela and the others spent in Lut Gholein.

"I welcome you to Lut Gholein," Jehryn greeted them, as Warriv's caravan wound its way through the western gate of the city.

"We are honored," Caesar replied, sensing the severity of the situation. Something had to be amiss for the young leader to greet them personally.

"Ah, thou must be Caesar, the Paladin," Jehryn returned, "It is indeed I who am honored by thine presence here. I have heard of thine many exploits in Khanduras, but most notably the destruction of Andariel, the demoness."

"As have we about the rulership of the 'young and unproven' Jehryn of Lut Gholein," Elly smiled, giving a small curtsy.

"I see Akara's Rogues have lost none of their wit or manners," Jehryn observed, bowing in turn to Elly, "And thou must be Pamela, the sister from Lycander?"

"I am," Pamela confirmed, taking her lead from Elly and bowing her head in acknowledgement.

"Ye art missing a member of your team?" Jehryn asked, his face clouding in worry, "I was told that two Rogues accompanied the heroes on their quest."

"Sadly, Amplisa, my Sister, passed during the battle with Andariel. May the Eye watch over her forever," Elly answered.

"A noble death then," Jehryn stated, "However, as ye hast probably gathered, my presence here is not entirely out of courtesy. Ever since a Dark Wanderer and his companion passed through here a while ago, things have not been going well for my city. There is talk of monsters roaming the desert outside the gates and even the undead stalking our very streets at night. I would invite you to my palace to discuss these matters, but things are rather a mess right now. Atma the tavern keeper's wife may have a quest for ye. Though it may seem a fickle quest of a desperate woman, Drognan and I seem to think it may have a bearing on the happenings of the recent weeks. Ye will find her tavern to the east of here, just ask Warriv for directions. Now, I must return to my palace. Matters of… ah… state require my attention. I bid you farewell until we speak again."

After the young ruler had left, the party proceeded to get their gear, stashed away on various wagons and carts of the caravan. During the long trek from the Rogue's Pass, they had swapped out their heavier armor for the flowing desert garb. Now the time to fight was once again upon them, forcing them to don equipment not well suited to this warm climate. The sun was less of an enemy than those monsters roaming the desert and they thus had to bear this small hardship.

"I would see Lysander," Warriv suggested, "He has some oils and potions that will prevent the chafing of leather armors in our climate."

"Where can we find him?" Pamela asked, grunting as she strapped on her studded leather armor, "All your good food has made me fat Warriv."

"He has a stall in the central bazaar," Waheed stated, "I am sure some good fighting will soon see you in shape again Amazon. Otherwise you may try sparring with Fara, as her weapon shop is just opposite from Lysander."

"Perhaps I should," Pamela grinned, as she managed to tighten the last strap.

"I would suggest we store this travel chest with Fara," Waheed continued, "She is an honorable woman and would look after it for us. I suspect we will be seeing a lot of action soon, meaning we would need constant repairs to our gear. If our excess gear were stored with Fara, it would make the exchanging of our equipment easier."

"Your plan has merit," Caesar commented, as he tightened the straps of his rondache.

---

Later after making the acquaintance of the hard-of-hearing Lysander, and the enigmatic, but noble weapon smith, the party was standing outside Atma's Tavern. Cain had decided to join them, as he wanted to enquire about the Dark Wanderer. They entered the gloomy interior of the tavern, blinking as their eyes accustomed themselves after the bright sunlight outside. All the goings-on outside the city gates, and even inside if rumor was to be believed, was surely good for business. The tavern was packed with patrons, many of them enjoying the strong but fragrant ale, Atma was famous for brewing. It seemed like trouble, too, was brewing, as a giant of a man stood up from his seat and barred their path, swaying on his feet.

"You musht be thoshe new heroesh 'nd all," he slurred, "You shouldn't 've bothered to comesh here. Greish hash tish plashe locked up nishe and tight 'nd all. Not that I couldn't have done the shame."

"Stand aside Geglash," Waheed commanded, "We have no quarrel with you."

"Ah, Fara'sh pet hash become brave shinshe we lasht met," Geglash sneered at the spearman, "I will deshide who or what I have a quarrel with shpearman!"

"And I will decide who drinks in my tavern and who not, Geglash!" a woman's voice cut in from behind him, "This is an open tavern last time I looked and I welcome anyone who has not caused me to revoke that courtesy to them."

"I'm shorry Atma," Geglash apologized as he moved out of the way, "I wash jusht trying to protect you 'nd all. Sheeing as no one elshe ish willin' ta go look fer your hushband and shon."

"Thank you Geglash," Atma smiled at the drunken giant, "but you have done more than I could have asked of anyone. Now, welcome honored travelers. You must be the ones we have heard so much about."

"Indeed, Atma, may I present to you, Caesar the Paladin, Pamela the Amazon and Elly the Rogue, slayers of Andariel," Waheed replied.

"Be welcome then," she smiled, "I have a more secluded table near the back, if you wish. As Jehryn no doubt told you, I have a small request I'd like to discuss with you in private."

When they got to the table, Atma had indicated, they found a dark haired woman, sitting there already. She had closely cropped hair and wore a dark breastplate and confident smile with equal ease. A spiked shield was propped against the table, while a claw-like weapon was lying next to her right hand on the table. A mug of ale was in front of her, although, judging by the level of the liquid inside, it had not been drunk from.

"A guest of yours?" Caesar asked Atma, recognizing the woman for what she was.

"I am here at Atma's request, Paladin," the woman replied, "My name is Suki and as you no doubt have recognized my order, I will enlighten the rest of your party. I am Viz-Jaq'taar, or an Assassin as we are more commonly known."

"An Assassin? Here?" Pamela asked, her eyes betraying her surprise.

"I am on the trail of a rogue Vizjerei mage, last seen in Tristram," she replied, "I believe you are familiar with that village and those that come from there. Perhaps this Horadrim knows of whom I speak."

"You are perceptive Suki," Cain said, "I do seem to recall such a mage leaving Tristram shortly before the troubles there began."

"I would caution more respect from you, mage slayer," Caesar warned, "Deckard Cain may be Horadrim, but he is a scholar, not a mage. You may direct you animosity to your prey rather."

"Your point is well taken, Paladin," Suki replied, "but respect has to be earned, not expected. Given time, I am sure I can make up my own mind about this 'scholar', one way or another."

Fortunately, Atma interrupted their disagreement, as she returned with five more mugs of her famous ale.

"I have asked Suki here, as she has been unwilling to perform my request alone," Atma began, "Ever since the Dark Wanderer had traveled through here, evil has been brewing in the Sewers below our city. At first only animals would go missing, but lately, whatever monster lives below has begun to prey on humans. Greiz will have more information on this, but every now and then a patron, staying here too late would go missing on his or her way home at night. At first we thought these people would turn up in some dark alley where they had slept off their stupor, but when the arm and leg was found floating in the harbor, we all realized that they were abducted and killed. Ordinarily, this would not concern me, but I have been made aware of just how close to home this monster could strike. A week ago, my son went missing. My husband went into the Sewers the next day to go look for him and has not returned since. I have to ask you to pardon Geglash's behavior earlier. While Waheed can attest that he has always been somewhat of a bully, I feel responsible for the state he is in now. I asked him, as a renowned fighter, to go into the Sewers and look for my family. That was three days ago and when he returned a day later he came straight here and hasn't stopped drinking since. What horrors he must have faced, I can only imagine, but he did manage to lay my uncertainty at rest. Wrapped in a ragged cloth, the only thing he managed to climb out of the Sewers with when Greiz's men found him was my husband's head."

"If you know that your husband is dead, what do require of us then?" Caesar asked.

"I ask only this of you," Atma replied, "Go down into the Sewers and cleanse the place. Kill the monster responsible for his death. If you see my son alive, bring him to me, if not, at least I can bury him next to his father."

"Why would we do this?" Suki asked.

"You will earn my respect and the trust of this city. Drognan also believes this has more to do with the Dark Wanderer than meets the eye, but only by killing the monster will you be able to know more about that."

"We will do as you ask, but for now we need lodging," Caesar promised.

"Elzix runs a respectable inn," Atma replied, "Though he was once a bandit king, you can trust him with your lodgings while staying in Lut Gholein."

"I will join you," Suki stated, "if you will have me along."

"Why should we trust you, slayer?" Caesar enquired, "Were you not unwilling until just now to comply with this request out of your own?"

"I will prove my worth in battle," Suki replied, "but not my stupidity. If that drunken Geglash is any testimony, we are not simply dealing with some overgrown sewer rats."

"She speaks wisely Caesar," Cain admonished, "Though you may not trust her motives, I am sure you can trust her sense of self-preservation."

"Very well, slayer, we shall meet you here, in front of the tavern, at dawn tomorrow."

"I would appreciate if you called me by name, Paladin," she said as they stood up to leave.

"That will happen once you've earned my trust," Caesar returned, "or do you expect it."

"At dawn then, Paladin," Suki smiled as she too turned to leave.

---

The sun was barely rising over the Twin Seas when the party came together in front of Atma's Tavern. Caesar was wearing his new Arctic Furs, having decided to stash his gemmed ring mail inside their travel chest at Fara's. Waheed was leaning on a well-used trident, while Elly and Pamela were making sure their bowstrings were tight. Suki had her curious looking claw-like weapon strapped to her right wrist, while her spiked shield was strapped to her left arm.

"Are we all ready?" Caesar asked, once again naturally assuming the position of command.

"If we can depend on the Assassin," Waheed began when he suddenly collapsed face forward onto the hard cobbles of the street. His trident had collapsed on him, almost as if some invisible hand had yanked it from under him.

"Oops," Suki smirked, "Did my shadow do that?"

The party stood amazed as she stooped to help pick the spearman up. Her shadow, clearly seen in the early morning sun, did not stoop with her, but remained standing upright, arms folded in front of it. As if aware of their scrutiny, it extended an arm and waved at them, before stooping and rising with Suki as she managed to get Waheed into an upright position.

"I would not anger Suki's shadow in future, Waheed," Pamela advised, a smile forming on her lips.

"I will keep that in mind in the future," Waheed replied, "It is clear that this Viz-Jaq'taar is not in clear command of her shadow's discipline."

"Unfortunately you are correct, Waheed," Suki apologized, "Though I can use my shadow to attack those deemed my enemies, it mostly has a will of its own."

"Though it is no doubt an ally during battle," Caesar stated, "I would ask that you un-summon your shadow warrior when we are not on the battlefield."

"You seem to know a lot about my order, Paladin?" Suki mused.

"I have met one or two of your order," Caesar confirmed, "but I suggest we table a discussion on the merits of a shadow warrior as opposed to a shadow master until after we have dealt with Atma's request."

"Then let us be off," Waheed urged, eager to put the small humiliation behind him, making up for it in the honor of battle.

Together they walked north to where Greiz, the hired mercenary captain, had his command post. Close by was a trapdoor leading to the first level of the Sewers. Greiz had been reluctant to allow them into the Sewers, but after hearing that they were working under the blessings of Jehryn, he gave up on his protests, pulling up his shoulders as he shouted out commands to his hapless town guards. Now, under the astonished looks of the two mercenaries posted to guard this entrance, they entered the Sewers. Word of the change that had come over Geglash had spread like wildfire and had stemmed the tide of would-be adventurers testing their worth by braving the Sewers. These new adventurers had to be foolhardy indeed the two thought as they exchanged a glance before closing up and once again securing the seal on the trapdoor.

Inside the Sewers, the air was cool and damp, smelling faintly of mossy rot, but much more strongly of sewage. The walls seemed to glow faintly, probably from some kind of phosphorous fungus growing in the dark, and the constant sound of dripping and the echoes of their own noises could be heard. A strange clicking sound could also be heard, but had to be coming from a twist and turn further in the mazelike layout of the Sewers. The source of the clicking soon became apparent as they rounded a third corner and stood face to face with a pack of about eleven Skeleton warriors. Some were brandishing maces and waving kite shields on their other arms, while others were equipped with different types of bows. A salvo of burning arrows shot their way, and they were barely fast enough to duck back behind the corner.

"I think they heard us coming," Pamela grinned as she notched an arrow, ready to imbue it with the frosty ice of Karcheus.

"The sound seems to carry both ways," Caesar agreed, "The clicking sounds we heard was from their bones clicking together."

"They are Burning Dead," Suki mentioned, as she hastily strapped her shield and claw to her back and unslung a rather wickedly gleaming two-handed axe. "It would be best if you used some form of cold-based attack, like this Axe of Fechmar," she advised.

With that she rounded the corner, dropped to a crouch and ran forward, slicing at the closest Burning Dead with her large axe. As the axe touched the bones of the Skeleton, it froze in position, allowing her to toss three small objects at the pack of Burning Dead Archers. Her shadow, seemingly impossibly at her side this time, also tossed two objects in their direction before closing in on another of the warriors. Not to be outdone, Pamela and Elly let fly their arrows, concentrating on the opposing archers, while Caesar and Waheed charged forward to engage the melee attackers. Caesar was alternating between his concentration and holy freeze auras, while letting fly both with his scepter and his blessed hammers. The small objects had opened up as they hit the ground and were emanating a steady and deadly flow of charged bolts. These bolts seemed to mingle with the bolts emanating from one of the Burning Dead Warriors. Soon none were left but this lightning enchanted champion of the undead. Fortunately Caesar, Suki and Waheed had fairly high resistance to lightning due to their various equipped items, while Pamela and Elly were out of range of the bolts. The shadow seemed to be rather impervious to the bolts too as it gamely attacked the undead alongside of its mistress.

When the fight was over, Caesar stood up in amazement, as he held aloft a small piece of rock, inscribed with a weird symbol or marking.

"What do you suppose this is?" he asked.

"It looks like some kind of rune," Suki remarked after inspecting it, "although I am sure your Horadrim friend will have more knowledge of this."

"Then I should also ask him about this," Pamela mentioned, as she held out a small metal disc, marked with intricate engravings.

"That is a charm," Waheed commented as he showed them a similar one, sewn to one cuff of his flowing robe, "This one helps to protect me from poison, while giving me a very small amount of strength."

"I have seen these before," Elly mentioned, "back in Khanduras, but thought nothing of it. How did you notice it Pamela?"

"It was the markings on the rune that drew my attention to it," Pamela replied, "Come to think of it I also saw them from time to time, but always assumed them to be bits of mail."

"You probably didn't leave behind much," Waheed assured them, "Even grand charms are not all that powerful. I only use mine as it was an heirloom from my father and it has helped me stomach some of the food I have been forced to eat on my travels."

They would find a few more of the strange runes and charms, before they found the stairs leading down to a deeper level of the Sewers. A short while later, following Suki, they found more stairs leading up, to what they hoped would still be inside the city. Sure enough they emerged, to the astonishment of those nearby, on a ramp at the side of the docks.

"I see you are all still in one piece Suki," a voice called over to them from a sailboat moored not far from there.

"Indeed, Meshif," Suki replied, "Soon your watch of the Sewers will not be required any longer."

"That is good news," the sailor smiled, "but for tonight I will still sleep light and instruct the watch on my boat to keep an eye on this entrance."

As Meshif had indicated, the sun was indeed low in the western horizon as they made their way to where Cain and Fara were busy in conversation.

"Ah, I see you have found your first runes and charms," the old sage commented as he identified each in turn, "This here is called an El rune in the runic tongue. Like gems, runes will imbue weapons, armor or shields in different ways. An El rune will add to your light radius, but will also add to your accuracy in a weapon, while aiding your defense in armor or shield. These other two runes here are Eld runes, adding to your accuracy and damage against undead when used in a weapon. In armor or a helm, they will reduce your stamina drain as you run for long periods of time, while in a shield it will aid your ability to block attacks. I have also heard of rune words that can create powerful items, but will have to research this some more. Perhaps Drognan has some information on this, so I will be sure to ask him, next time I speak with him."

"What about these charms?" Caesar asked.

"I'm surprised you have not brought any to me before," Cain mused.

"We have never noticed them before today," Pamela replied sheepishly.

"Well I never," Cain chuckled, "In any case, this here is a grand charm of frost, while these two smaller ones are a rugged small charm of dexterity and a lizard's large charm. The grand charm will add to your cold damage, while the large and small ones will add to your stamina, dexterity and mana."

"What would this charm be?" Waheed asked of the sage, intrigued to know what his heirloom might be.

"Ah, this," Cain mentioned, "seems to be a beryl large charms of strength. Since you have it sewn to your garment, I will assume you are familiar with its effects."

"I am, and I thank you," Waheed bowed.

Pamela decided to keep both the grand and the large charms, as she needed the mana and additional freeze duration they afforded her. After they sold the remaining charm and stashed those items they wished to keep, they decided to head over to Atma's Tavern for some well earned respite, before continuing with their search in the Sewers the next morning.

---

"How goes, Meshif?" Suki called to the ship's captain the next morning.

"All is quiet," Meshif replied, "although one of my watch thought he saw someone watching him from that entrance. He mentioned glowing red eyes, but he may have had a little too much of the rationed rum last night. Still, I would be careful going down there."

"How is it that you are so familiar with this Meshif?" Pamela asked, voicing the growing curiosity of the rest of them.

"Oh, I came to Lut Gholein on his ship," Suki explained, "That was before Jehryn imposed the ban on all ships leaving this place. I was in Kurast before that, with a more senior member of our order, but I won't bore you with the details of our quest there."

"In other words, it is none of our business," Caesar mused.

"Something like that," Suki confirmed smiling.

Soon they were back in the Sewers, preparing to go down to the next level. Once again they encountered the Burning Dead, but a new menace was added to their list of enemies. Animated Dried Corpses walked around, the tatters of their entombment wrappings hanging from outstretched arms. Unlike the Zombies, Hungry Dead and Ghouls they had encountered in Khanduras, these undead were embalmed before being laid to rest. This added a slight complication to killing them a second time, as their bodies would often, like those of the Zombies, fall apart, releasing clouds of deadly gas from the embalming fluids in their body cavities. Their touch was also poisonous, resulting from the chemicals used in the embalming process. They again also encountered Sand Raiders, as they had on the first level of the Sewers. These were of a race of brutal warriors who once ruled the wastes of Aranoch. Their bodies were misshapen, having four arms, often wielding four weapons. Their spirits were also imbued with elemental energies, which they could call upon and use against their foes. Once, the power of the Vizjerei had kept them in check, but following in the wake of the Dark Wanderer, they had once again risen up to aid the side of evil. They were weak in combat though, often breaking off an attack for unknown reasons and striding away. Some thought that this was due to the energies with which they were imbued, causing momentary confusion. Others believed that they were now being controlled by demons, but that the hold over them was tenuous at most, causing this lack of battle concentration. It worked to the party's advantage, as they could often trap the more tenacious Hungry Dead behind the frozen or disorganized bodies of the Sand Raiders. Suki's traps, or sentries as she referred to them, and the arrows shot by the two archers could then decimate the enemy ranks from behind this tactical wall, while allowing Caesar and Waheed a respite from any melee attacks.

The war party, now increased by Suki's presence, had again found a natural rhythm. When encountering opposition, Suki, mimicked by her shadow, would cast traps amongst the ranks of their enemies, before closing in to melee range. Caesar would use his different auras, while Waheed also aided them with his aura, enhancing their accuracy. When asked about it, he mentioned that Fara had called it blessed aim when he had been under her tutelage. Caesar had learned to use the same aura, just before their battle with Blood Raven, but had never used it. He was now glad that Waheed could provide it, freeing him up to use many of his other auras to augment and protect those in the party. Pamela did not often have need to use her javelins, but with the large numbers of enemy archers encountered, she used her missile slowing skill to great advantage of all in the party. Her icy arrows would also freeze her enemies, while Elly could slow others down by imbuing her own arrows with cold.

Soon the party found a waypoint, using the opportunity to return to town. This find was cause for much speculation, but an explanation of sorts was found with Drognan, the enigmatic Vizjerei and advisor to Jehryn. Drognan had researched some old records when he first came to Lut Gholein, and these seemed to indicate that the city had been built on the ruins of a Horadric fortress, dating back to the times of the Sin Wars. He was of the opinion that the Sewers were in fact secret passages in the days of the Horadrim, being expanded to sewers when Lut Gholein grew larger. This seemed to explain the presence of a waypoint in the current Sewers. Whatever the reason, the party was glad to have this alternate entrance to the Sewers, one that did not need to be guarded constantly. They had also found a new type of rune, which Cain had identified as Tir. This would return a small amount of mana to the user every time an enemy was killed.

Enquiring about the rune words Cain had mentioned, Drognan could add little to their existing knowledge, but assured them that he would research this for them. Help came from of an unexpected source however, as Lysander was able to provide them with information. The near-deaf alchemist was visiting Drognan where he overheard this part of their conversation with the sorcerer. He then mentioned that he had heard of a rune word to turn any iron axe, sword or mace to steel. According to him, this required a weapon of these types with exactly two gem sockets. The runes, Tir and El, had to put into these sockets, in exactly that order. This would change the weapon to steel, enhancing its damage and allowing its user to strike at his or her foes faster. It would also return the mana per kill, add to the light radius and enhance the accuracy of the user as the effects imbued by the runes themselves, while magically giving the weapon a chance to open old wounds on any enemy struck by it. These wounds would then bleed uncontrollably, bringing about the foe's demise all the quicker.

When told about this, Cain smiled, "Of course, 'steel' in the runic tongue is Tir'El. I should have thought of that before. I suspect that all rune words will be actual words used in the runic language, although I cannot say what effects these rune words will have on the equipment so imbued by them."

"What about Drognan's speculation about the waypoint we found in the Sewers?" Caesar asked.

"I would have to agree with that," Cain replied, "During the Sin Wars, when the Horadrim were pursuing Baal, they would have had need of a staging post. Having a fortress near the sea sounds like the logical thing to do. I will speak to Jehryn, since there may be some old records in the palace, which I may use for research. I will also make a note of this 'steel' rune word in my journals, so that this knowledge may be preserved."

After having their equipment repaired and some of their minor wounds healed by Fara, they had a quick lunch at Atma's before they returned to the waypoint, continuing their foray into the Sewers, searching for the one responsible for all the deaths and disappearances in the city.

---

After some time, the party came to a dead end, guarded by more than the usual number of Dried Corpses, Burning Dead and Sand Raiders. The reason for this soon became apparent after they managed to vanquish their opposition. In the one corner of the dead end, stood yet another of the shrines they had become accustomed to. Often they would come across a health or mana shrine, where drinking from the liquid collected in the basin of the shrine would instantly heal the drinker or restore all spent mana. At other times they would come across a poison or exploding shrine, where touching the shrine would trigger a trap set for any monsters. A ring of strangling gas or exploding potions would be thrown out at all nearby monsters, while anything from five to ten of the same potions would fall at the feet of the one touching the shrine, presumably for the use by that person. Refilling shrines would act very much like rejuvenation potions, healing and restoring spent mana and stamina of the person touching it. Armor and combat shrines would supernaturally boost the person's defense or damage and accuracy for a short while. Fire shrines were both a blessing and a curse, as it would halve everyone's life, both those in the party and any monsters in the immediate vicinity. Portal shrines would create a town portal to safety, while mana recharge shrines would aid the person's mana recovery rate for a slightly longer time. Four other shrines would each boost a person's resistance to either fire, cold, lightning or poison for a short while and stamina shrines would cause the person touching the shrine to become tireless for up to three minutes. Another shrine would boost the person's natural skills for roughly the same duration as a mana recovery shrine, while the last type they had come across, the experience shrine, would boost the person's ability to learn from battle for just over two minutes at a time. Some of these shrines would regenerate over time, giving the same benefits to the next person touching it, while others would only give their benefit once. Each shrine had a small plaque to identify it, not in name, but by the riddle or phrase repeated on them. This new shrine was no exception, and as usual, they first went back to Cain to find out what the shrine's likely effect would be.

"By what you describe," Cain said in answer to their query, "I assume the shrine to be a gem shrine. When touching this type of shrine, my Horadrim records seem to have two possible outcomes. If the person touching the shrine has any gemstones or eldritch skulls in their backpack, it seems like one of these will be bettered somehow. It is a pity we don't have the jeweler's expertise of Gheed's at our disposal, as much as most of us disliked his presence. I am sure he would have knowledge of this, but alas. The second type of benefit this shrine is likely to bestow is when the person touching it does not possess any gems or skulls. In this case the shrine will magically produce a gem or skull of the lowest possible quality, chipped if I recall Gheed's instructions properly."

"What shall we do then?" Pamela asked the question on all their minds.

"We have quite enough chipped gems and skulls," Caesar remarked.

"So many in fact that we have to keep them in Pamela's travel chest," Elly agreed.

"What about the normal diamond the Rogue's found in Andariel's ashes?" Pamela asked.

"As long as it is not destroyed, I guess we have nothing to lose," Caesar agreed.

While the rest of the party had their equipment repaired by Fara, Caesar placed the diamond in his backpack; ready to try out the gem shrine once they got back to the Sewers. All too soon they were again standing around the mysterious shrine. Caesar removed the diamond from his backpack and holding it in his gloved hand, touched the shrine. A musical note was heard as the diamond popped out of his hand, shimmering as it arced through the air and landed at his feet. He picked it back up, studying it in the dim light of the glowing walls.

"I cannot see any difference," Caesar finally stated, "but I am not an expert and the light in this place leaves something to be desired."

"Perhaps Elzix can help," Waheed suggested, "I am sure in his time as a bandit king, he must have dealt with quite a few gems."

"I will show this to him tonight then," Caesar decided as he replaced the diamond in his backpack.

Soon the party found another staircase leading once more down into the deeper parts of the Sewers. It was late afternoon when they had visited Cain to enquire about the gem shrine and they therefore decided to return to town via a town portal and continue their search in the morning. Making good on his decision, Caesar duly showed the diamond to Elzix at the inn.

"That is a remarkably good specimen you have here," Elzix commented as he looked at the gem through a small looking glass.

"How would you grade it then?" Caesar enquired, smiling at the image Elzix posed.

"Ah," Elzix smiled, "I must seem a comical sight, what with this monocle clasped to my only remaining eye."

"I trust your judgment more than your appearance," Caesar replied.

"You are very much like Fara then," Elzix said, still smiling, "but to answer your question, I would have to say this gem is probably of flawless quality. Why is it that you ask though?"

"When we left the Rogues it was only of normal quality," Caesar explained, "but this afternoon in the Sewers we came across, what Cain explained to be, a gem shrine. I touched it holding the diamond in my hand, the same one you are holding now."

"Oh, so you found a gem shrine in the Sewers, eh?" Elzix exclaimed, not seemingly surprised at all," It's a pity they only work once though, but I guess that will prevent even more rumor from spreading. All this town needs is for some treasure hungry dimwits to lose their lives down there in search of gems and other treasure."

"You know about gem shrines?" Caesar asked incredulously.

"I have come across a few in my time with the bandits of the deserts," Elzix assured him.

"There was a merchant with a fondness for gems, a man by the name of Gheed, back in the Rogue's camp in Khanduras," Caesar explained, "but he did not know anything about the skulls we pick up every now and then. He confessed to not having a liking for Necromancers or the dealing in skulls. Do you know anything about the effects of skulls?"

"What you really need, like this man Gheed inadvertently told you, is to speak to a Necromancer," Elzix replied, "I have very little knowledge to add to what you already know about gems and skulls, but have heard strange tales of some of the nomadic bandits imbuing their shields with rows of skulls. These were said to magically return some damage to anyone foolish enough to attack them, but whether this was when one's blow struck the shield in question, or any blow struck, I do not know."

"Even that small rumor adds to our knowledge," Caesar sighed, "Akara was of the opinion that skulls used to imbue a weapon, would leech away some of the target's life and mana and so replenish the attacker."

"Much like a weapon of the leech or bat does?" Elzix asked.

"If I understand it correctly, yes," Caesar replied, "Do you have any knowledge of runes or rune words?"

"I have only seen one rune word, but dismissed it as rather rock bottom. I would only use such a helm when in the depths of despair. To make one, the fool that owned it mentioned the use of a helm with exactly two sockets and the use of a Nef and a Tir rune. This would enhance the defense of the helm, even adding additional defense against missile attacks. He also claimed it would add a small amount of mana per kill and a small amount of strength, but at the cost of a reduced light radius. What totally doomed this item for me was the fact that it significantly reduced the wearer's luck at finding gold and had some weird charges of a magic spell on it. This spell would create darkness all around, but do nothing else and furthermore these charges ran out after the ninth time someone used it."

"I have seen Suki use a similar spell," Caesar replied, "and had you been in the midst of an attack, I am sure you would have noticed the effect it actually has. This magical darkness so confounds your enemies that they stand around aimlessly, making it easier to dispatch them. Having no mage to recharge these charges would still have made it pretty worthless I am sure, even if you had the knowledge of the true power of a 'cloak of shadows'."

"A novel idea," Elzix agreed, "but as you stated, without much use to anyone under my command at that time. I have since learned to regard body parts more than gold, but as this happened earlier in my life, I had no use for a helm such as that."

Cain later had a good chuckle about Elzix's description of the rune word, "That old desert jackal doesn't always know how true his own perception is. Nef'Tir in the runic tongue means nadir, or 'the depths of despair' as unknowingly explained by our innkeeper."

---

The next morning the party returned to the Sewers; they were surprised to find a rather sober looking Geglash waiting for them there already. The giant man was armed with a broad-bladed sword, slightly curved, but longer and no doubt slightly heavier than an ordinary falchion so favored by most of the warriors in Lut Gholein.

"Before you say anything," Geglash began, "I would like to apologize for my rude behavior the first day we met."

"Apologies can be made and accepted in the safety of town," Caesar remarked.

"That is why I am here," the big man continued, "I knew you would be resistant to having me along, but if you can see a way open to have me, I would like to accompany you. I made a promise to Atma and I aim to keep it."

"Why would we have you along though?" Suki asked, "We have been doing quite fine without the help of any in this forsaken town."

"I have heard of your progress, whispered by the patrons in Atma's Tavern," Geglash agreed, "I am sure you are wondering what use a drunkard can be to your party. In my defense I will simply say that you will find the body of Atma's husband down these stairs. That was where I left it when I alone braved the same horrors you have faced up to now to get there."

"From what we hear," Caesar argued, "that very act was the cause of you fleeing and resorting to washing away the memories in drink. How can we be sure that you will not do the same a second time?"

"If what is down there managed to do to Atma's husband what it did," Geglash replied, "I would not be alive long enough to run, if I decided to do so."

"I say we give him a chance," Waheed, who had known the big warrior the longest, voiced his opinion.

"So do I," Suki seconded, "but both my shadow and I will keep a close eye on you."

"That is all I could ask," the big man sighed, resignedly.

As predicted by Geglash, the party found Atma's husband's corpse, or at least what was left of it, not to far from the bottom of the stairs on the third level. Suki opened a town portal in order for them to retrieve it later, if they somehow managed to best the creature that had killed him. Geglash, contrary to the misgivings they had all had about him, proved to be an able warrior. Now, not having to brave these dangers alone, he was able to hide his revulsion at the Burning Dead Warriors and also Mages they encountered. He, along with Suki, Caesar and Waheed were surprised to be attacked by Huntresses however. Huntresses were sub-species of a race of bipedal, intelligent, feline beings. Matriarchal in society, these cat-beings were once found only in the jungle environments of Kehjistan, trading freely with the cities there. Although always considered somewhat aloof and untrustworthy, they had never before behaved in a threatening manner toward human society. In the wake of the corruption wrought by the Dark Wanderer, marauding bands of these cats now seemed to be in liege with the evil roaming the deserts of Aranoch. Like many other felines, they preferred to torture their prey, and thus employed whips and their claws to torture and kill their enemies. They gave no quarter, and after the initial shock, also received none from the party.

Soon it became apparent that they were finally nearing their quarry, as they encountered a large mass of Burning Dead Warriors and Mages. A new type of Skeleton warrior, identified as Horrors, also attacked them. Suki mentioned that she had encountered a few of them in the Sewers of Kurast, while accompanying the senior member of her order there. These proved slightly more resistant to her charged bolt sentries as they seemed to posses a higher resistance to lightning based attacks than any other Skeletons they had encountered before. Something more sinister was at work however, as many of their Skeleton foes, after being crushed or otherwise destroyed by their attacks, would stand up again to fight. Evil light once again seemed to light their empty eye-sockets as bones knit themselves together, lending strength again to their undead attacks.

"We live again," a sinister voice whispered, then laughed from behind the lines of the their undead enemies. A giant monster, similar, yet different from the Mummies they had encountered thus far, stood like a general commanding his troops. At a gesture, one of the crushed Burning Dead Mages stood up again, continuing its attack. Only by having Pamela freeze them first with her use of ice arrow, then destroying them, did the party find they could keep this new monster from resurrecting its minions. Progress was slow, as the combined onslaught of the Burning Dead and Horror Warriors were helped by the spells cast by their Mage allies. Fire, poison and ice darts filled the air, chilling and slowing down the attacks of Caesar and those in the melee positions, while the poison slowly drained away their health. Pamela would freeze those warriors in the front lines, hoping they would not unfreeze before being destroyed by one of the party. Slowly, but surely this seemed to turn the tide, but with poor Geglash barely standing, his eyes wide with revulsion and fear.

"Here, drink this!" Suki commanded as she handed him a rejuvenation and healing potion from the slots in her belt, before laying down more traps around the Greater Mummy and summoning a new shadow warrior. Geglash did as he was told and most of his wounds healed, causing color to return to his features.

With its minions all but destroyed, the time had come to attack their master. Caesar, Waheed and Suki closed in on it, followed closely by Geglash and Suki's shadow. The Mummy had more tricks up its wrappings however, as it blew out a poisonous cloud of tomb gasses, engulfing them. Caesar switched to his cleansing aura to help combat the effects of this; alternating with the concentration aura he used to help his companion's battle prowess. Though probably as tough a foe as Andariel had been, Radament, as they later learned the creature was called, could not withstand their combined onslaught forever. As its broken body fell to the ground, bolts of magical energy started pounding its corpse, spreading out to hover over those remaining Burning Dead and Horror corpses as well. A single book dropped from Radament's outstretched hand.

"I've just about had it up to here with the undead," Geglash mentioned, forcing a smile from the others, as the bolts seemed to shimmer and disappear. With this the ghostly souls of those slain rose up, being finally redeemed from their servitude to the dark forces.

Investigating the contents of the room, they came upon the grizzly remains of several animals and the bodies of most of those that had disappeared from time to time. Among the bodies was the, strangely, un-mutilated body of Atma's son, while hanging from a support beam was what Radament had been creating; a new body made from some of the parts of all his victims. A chest in one corner yielded a few small stacks of gold and a scroll of parchment. With the book, scroll and the body of Atma's son in their possession, they returned to town, satisfied that the horror of the Sewers was at last at an end.

Obtaining a shroud from Fara, Caesar wrapped the body in it, while Geglash and Waheed went through Suki's earlier portal to retrieve and similarly wrap the body of Atma's husband. Together they all went to the tavern seeking the bereaved widow. Atma burst into fresh tears as she accepted the smaller of the two bundles, "You have my thanks for what you have done. I will speak to the other merchants in town on your behalf, ensuring that you will get better deals in future. Though the taste of vengeance is bitter-sweet, I find it to my liking." With that she turned around, bent by her burden, followed by Geglash as she left to make arrangements for the burial of her loved ones. With pity in their hearts, the party turned around also, looking to Cain to try and make sense of this needless tragedy.

---

"The creature you describe," Drognan replied, "sounds like one of the more important Horadrim mages entombed here in Aranoch during the Sin Wars. Radament, the Fallen, was so called because he was killed during their pursuit of Baal, and as was their custom, the Horadrim embalmed his body before placing powerful protective spells over it. That the creature had escaped its tomb does not bode well for us. If Diablo has the power to unravel the old spells of the Horadrim, there may be more of these Greater Mummies walking in the dark and secret places in the desert. If you are pursuing Diablo, you will no doubt come across some of these places, and will have to face more of the likes of Radament."

"I can understand its hatred towards all living things," Caesar enquired, "since it was more than likely corrupted by Diablo's influence, but why would it slaughter so many and collect their body parts?"

"That is strange to me indeed," Drognan replied, "All I can guess is that the creature wished to build for itself a new body. Somehow the corrupting touch of Diablo had made that its single-minded purpose. From what you have told me, its own body was strong and capable enough to sustain it and there was therefore no need for it."

"Chalk more madness up to the Lord of Terror," Suki stated.

"I have no doubt that those are true words," Drognan agreed, "On another matter though, I would wish to have a private word with you Viz-Jaq'taar."

"Oh," Suki responded, her left brow arcing, "Surely you don't think I am here on your account, Drognan? My order has been following your moves for years, and if we deemed you a threat, it would not have required my limited talents to destroy you."

"While I'm sure I should be relieved by what you say," Drognan continued, somewhat shaken, "I do know that I am not your intended target. However, I do have some information about the one you seek."

It was Suki's turn to be surprised, as she blurted, "You know whom I seek?"

"You apparently aren't the only one with spies in this city," Drognan chuckled, "I too have my resources. Now is not the time to discuss this however," he added mysteriously, "You will first need to win Jehryn's trust before my information will be of any use to you. I suggest you speak to Cain about that scroll you're carrying in your backpack, Paladin."

"Scroll?" Caesar began, his mouth falling open.

"It has such a powerful magical aura," Drognan explained, "that even a blind mage would be able to locate it. I think it may very well be one of the 'lost' Horadric scrolls. Speak to Cain, since he is the only living person that can read them."

---

"Ah," Cain enthused, "You have found one of the lost Horadric scrolls. It stands to reason that one such a Radament will have had one in his possession. Now, let me see if I can decipher the runes."

"What about this book we found?" Pamela asked.

"From what you have told me, it would seem to be a Book of Skill," Cain replied, his eyes still scanning the contents of the scroll.

"Cain, are you being purposely obtuse?" Suki asked, still somewhat disturbed by their visit to Drognan.

"Oh, forgive me young slayer," Cain smiled, "In short, Radament would have required a Book of Skill in order for his essence to be transferred to his new host body. A Book of Skill has other uses as well. It is said that one who reads from such a book, gains skill, therefore the name, but often at the cost of losing their soul to evil."

"What kind of skill?" she asked again.

"Are you willing to take the risk?" Caesar asked incredulously.

"Oh I'm sure none of you will have any risk reading from it," Cain laughed, "I was merely teasing Suki a little. In fact, I would advise that you do study it; you may gain skills much needed for what you face. That will also give me the time I will need to read this scroll."

"In other words," Pamela smiled, "go and play children, I need some time where I'm not to be disturbed."

"Once again, Pamela, you show wisdom beyond your years," Cain chuckled, "Now go and play children."

Since it was only just after lunchtime, they all decided to return to Atma's Tavern for some lunch and perhaps some ale from the taps. Atma and Geglash were not present and this seemed to suit all the patrons better. It was as if a great sorrow had been lifted from all of them as the din inside the place was almost deafening. The company decided on a table in the back, and each took turns scanning through the book.

"It is as if I can only read certain parts of it," Suki, who had been the first to scan through it, commented.

"That probably stands to reason," Pamela replied as she bit into a chunk of Atma's home-baked rye bread, followed by a swig from her second mug of ale. She was rather oblivious to the fact that her comment made little sense to any of her companions.

"Let me see?" Caesar asked as he cut off a piece of yellow, and well aged cheddar.

After studying the book for a short while, he exclaimed, "It says here that in order for a Paladin to use his zeal more effectively, he needs to swing his weapon at the most vulnerable position on his foe's body. He needs to assess each foe before even closing in on them. This will give him the ability to hit harder and be blocked less often."

"That's interesting," Suki said, "since the parts I read, instructed me on how to apply my burst of speed more effectively. By following the instructions, I would be able to move even faster than before, while at the same time expending less stamina to do so."

"Let me see that," Pamela grinned, "I'm sure you two are exaggerating."

After a short while however, Pamela seemed to sober up from the marginal effects of the ale, "It says here that the neck or armpits of an enemy is often the most vulnerable areas to aim for when shooting with a bow or crossbow. A strike in this area can often be critical."

Unknown to the group, the Book of Skill had magically imbued them with the skill they had read about. Caesar was better able to use his zeal, Suki her bursts of speed, while Pamela's ability to make a critical strike was enhanced. Waheed learned how to jab at his enemies more effectively, while Elly could slow those struck by her cold arrows for longer.

When they later returned to Cain, the scholar was beside himself with excitement. He accepted their offer to become the custodian of the Book of Skill, and then explained to them what he had read in the Horadric scroll.

"As you know by now, Baal was captured and imprisoned somewhere out there in the deserts of Aranoch," he began, "Because the soul stone, created to contain Baal, had been shattered by the Lord of Destruction, Tal Rasha, the head of the army dedicated to pursue Baal, offered to have the shards placed inside his own body. He was then entombed, while powerful Horadric runes and a Horadric device of great cunning sealed off the entrance. Placing Tal Rasha's staff into an orifice of this device was the only way it could be deactivated, but fearing that the staff may fall into the wrong hands, the remaining Horadrim magically transmuted the staff, breaking it up into a number of smaller parts, which they hid in different places across the deserts. This was accomplished by using a Horadric Cube, a device that bridges the gap between the physical and the ethereal realms. Only with the use of a Horadric Cube, can you hope to create Tal Rasha's Horadric Staff, in order to open Baal's tomb."

"Where can we find such a cube?" Caesar enquired.

"Quite a number of fallen Horadrim were entombed with Radament, having all died in the same battle he did. I am becoming convinced now that Radament was being used to obtain the pieces of the Horadric Staff and was preparing for his journey by creating a new body for himself. Diablo will now be forced to find some alternative way to enter his brother's tomb, now that you have destroyed his lackey. Search for a place called the Halls of the Dead, as that is the place where Radament was entombed, but more importantly where you may find a Horadric Cube."

"Any ideas on where we can find the parts of the Staff?" Pamela asked.

"The scroll was rather cryptic about it," Cain admitted, "It mentions a Staff of Kings and a Viper Amulet, but nothing else. What these things may be, or where they may be found is a mystery. I will speak to Drognan and some of the other people here in the city and see what I can come up with. In the meantime, I would speak with Elzix. He probably knows the deserts better than anyone in this city, and may have come across these so-called Halls of the Dead."

---

That evening, Caesar again spent some time in Elzix's company. Again the erstwhile bandit king proved to be a great source of information about the deserts.

"I have personally been inside these Halls of the Dead," he said, "A lot of my men were a superstitious lot back then. They said that the place was cursed. I didn't believe them and went in to have a look. I found nothing but dead, dust and darkness in there. That has all probably changed if you say this Radament came from there. Judging by the number of coffins and sarcophagi I found, you're gonna have your work cut out for you if all of them occupants are now walking around in there."

"Do you know how we can get there?" the Paladin asked.

"Oh sure," Elzix replied, "The desert outside the City's northern gates is called the Rocky Waste. There is also a small tomb out there; most call it the Stony Tomb. You may want to investigate it, as it is the burial place for most of the city's more important, or shall I say notorious citizens. I'd watch out for a Mummy by the name of Creeping Feature if I was you."

"Why?"

"Oh, he was our very own Jehryn's great-great-granddaddy," Elzix continued, "Our 'lord' Jehryn may be all prim 'n proper nowadays, but his ancestors were even bigger scoundrels than I was in my heyday. Creeping Feature, or shall I say Jehshah, took this city by force, and then proclaimed himself lord of Lut Gholein. From what I hear, this wasn't no more than a fortress back then, but the city really grew and expanded under Jehryn's granddaddy, Jehmesh. He was a good ruler, but more importantly, he was a clever ruler. He imposed some taxes on the trade going through the place in return for safety and soon this place was thriving. He was said to have been a good sailor in his days. I'm sure our good captain Meshif is named after him, although he probably doesn't realize it."

"So Creeping Feature was buried in the Stony Tomb after his death?" Caesar asked.

"Yep, him and his treasure," Elzix sighed wistfully, "Not that many haven't tried to get to it mind you. Those that did were never seen again. They either met their doom at the hands of Jehshah or made off with their loot. Who's to know?"

"What about the Halls of the Dead?" Caesar reminded him.

"Oh, yes," the innkeeper replied, "When you've traversed the Rocky Waste, you come to the next desert, called the Dry Hills. There is a waypoint there, and I seem to recall one inside the Halls too. Anyway, you'll find the entrance to the Halls in the Dry Hills."

"You know about waypoints?" Caesar asked.

"Ha ha," the man smiled, "You don't become the king of those cut-throats unless you know a thing or two. I can even use them two waypoints if I chose to. Not that I would, mind you, with Diablo stirring things up out there. For a while there it did provide a means to pull this inn through during the bad times."

"So the rumors about how you funded this inn are true then?"

"I'd not say," Elzix winked, "but you can guess once you've been to the Halls yourselves."

---

The next morning the party met near the trapdoor to the Sewers. Suki had a new companion, named Zanarhi. He was one of Greiz's men, but had offered to accompany them for a small fee and the promise that he could read from the Book of Skill. Cain was a bit surprised to see the Assassin, even more so when she asked for the book.

"You are aware of the risk?" he had asked, concern spread through the lines on his face.

"If he does anything funny, I'll kill him," Suki had smiled back at the sage as she handed the book over to the town guard to read.

Zanarhi could now also jab with his voulge, much like Waheed was able to, but with much less ability.

Now totaling six, seven if you counted Suki's shadow, they took their first steps into the hot and dangerous desert. The Rocky Waste was aptly named. The desert floor was littered with rocky outcroppings and almost no plants could be seen anywhere. Here and there a lone tree or more likely some form of cactus could be seen. A range of hills surrounded the entire desert, almost as if some god had decided to deliberately enclose each one. They would later learn that this was an effect of the Sin Wars. During their pursuit of Baal and Mephisto, the Horadrim would often try and trap their quarry, by using their vast magical powers to surround an area with hills. Baal and Mephisto weren't without powers either, and would just as soon create a narrow ravine and escape by it, leading to the next desert, where the process was often repeated.

As they proceeded from the gate, deciding to hug the perimeter of the Waste, they were quickly surrounded by their first enemies. Some Huntresses closed in to attack while their ranged counterparts, simply called Slingers by the party, bombarded the party with javelins. An odd creature, called Sand Leapers, also joined the fray. Leapers were versatile, but pesky animals that largely inhabited the desert regions, although other species were known to exist. The desert variety had an extremely slow resting metabolism to minimize water use and storage. The harsh environment of the Aranoch, however, left little room for mistakes, and these creatures never passed up the opportunity to eat or drink. Packs sighting a potential meal would leave their resting spots and work together to bring down their quarry with great tenacity. That they might also have been semi-domesticated by the Huntress clans, was also a possibility, but whatever the case, hunger or alliance, they clearly meant to do the party harm. They weren't easy to dispatch as they could often leap vast distances when attempting to avoid a blow or when struck by a weapon or arrow. They had one weakness however, when pinned against an obstacle, their gangly legs prevented their escape, allowing for an almost easy kill. The party had just learned how many of the desert hunters had managed to kill them in times past, something Elzix would have been familiar with.

They had no sooner killed the last of this first wave of attackers than they were beset upon by Carrion Birds. Believed to be the mutated offspring of the large, native vultures that once inhabited these deserts, Carrion Birds and other vulture demons wished only to kill and consume mortal beings that crossed their paths. The giant vultures of old were, for the most part, scavengers who ate only the dead or dying. Now befouled these scavengers seemed to simply drop from the sky, attacking both living and dead in their frenzy to have something to eat. Their razor sharp beaks and talons caused deep wounds, and a group of these demons could quickly bring down a victim. Although impossible to target while in flight, these vultures had to land to attack, and were therefore vulnerable when on the ground. Soon after they too were killed, Caesar, Pamela along with Suki this time, had one of those moments of epiphany where they suddenly understood how to better employ one of their skills. Caesar could now use his zeal to attack a maximum of five different enemies in close succession, where further practice of that skill would only increase his accuracy. Suki now knew better how to fade partly into the ethereal realm, becoming shadowlike herself. This effectively boosted her resistances to poison and the elements while also reducing the time any enemy curse would be active on her. Pamela could now guide her arrows more effectively, enhancing their damage slightly, while requiring less energy to do so.

By ten o'clock that morning, they decided to retire until the desert had cooled down enough. There was no shade at all in this rocky wasteland, even the trees they had seen from the northern gate turned out to be an illusion. They were not trees or cacti at all, but rather long poles on which the decapitated bodies of any number of unfortunate souls had been impaled. Some were clearly part of Greiz's town guards, while others had to be the bodies of some of the desert bandits. It was obvious that some force was at work, changing the deserts and denying passage to any of the race of men wishing to inhabit or traverse it. Though the western deserts still remained free of Diablo's influence, it was clear that the Lord or Terror did not even allow the desert bandits a place in what was quickly becoming his domain. The northern deserts of Aranoch had become a much more dangerous place indeed.

---

"Why don't we just ask that old desert fox to go to the Dry Hills waypoint, open up a town portal for us and let us bypass this wasteland outside the city," Suki suggested, as she worried at a small nick in her mask with the pointed end of one of the claws of her blade talons.

"I am sure you can suggest that to him," Caesar sighed, having grown weary of the Assassins constant bickering.

"He's fond of the glint of gold," she continued, "I'm sure if we pay him enough, he'll forget his fears."

"What has Drognan told you to get you so worked up?" Pamela confronted her.

"I cannot say," Suki replied, remembering her meeting with the mage just after they returned to town, "but I do have a need for more speed than we've been able to muster in our attempts to traverse the deserts."

"We did not ask you to tag along," Caesar reminded her, "Radament is destroyed, your part is done."

"Unless you think we are somehow expendable allies in your private quest?" Pamela asked.

"No, that is not it," Suki said, tossing her mask from her, "I need to catch up to my quarry and kill him or I will be cast from my order. You see I've been branded as something of a troublemaker during my schooling years and some of my seniors decided that this would be my test. The outcome would decide my fate. Why they decided to send Natalya along, I do not know, since she is perhaps as much despised by the members of the order as I would be if I failed."

"Natalya is the one still in Kurast?" Caesar asked.

"Yes," Suki replied, "She is one of the very senior members of my order, but despised by all. They have even coined a term referring to her. 'Natalya's odium', they warn, whenever someone steps out of line."

"Why is it that she is so hated?" Pamela asked.

"She is compassionate. She sees things in shades of gray, where the order would have it as black or white. Black you die, white you live until you become black."

"According to your order," Caesar agreed, "Your order seems very much as paranoid in these days as the Zakarum are."

"I thought you were of the Zakarum?" Suki asked, perplexed.

"No," he explained, "Nowadays the true Paladins are those that do no longer follow the so-called holy path of the church of the Light. The Light knows who its true followers are; you will not see any of the Zakarum exhibiting any of the holy auras endowed upon a true Paladin."

"That still doesn't solve Suki's dilemma," Pamela mentioned.

"It cannot be helped," Caesar said, "If she wishes to remain so secretive about her quarry, we can do nothing to help her gain on him."

"I never said my quarry was a male," Suki parried.

"The Viz-Jaq'taar hunt only the Vizjerei," Caesar explained, "therefore your quarry has to be male."

"That is true," Suki conceded, "but I still cannot tell you more until I am certain of a few things. Rumors as often turn out to be false as they turn out to be true."

"We will be able to speed up our progress if we decide to venture into the deserts at night from now on," Caesar put forward.

"While sleeping during the heat of the day," Pamela agreed.

"Are we to start tonight then?" Suki enquired.

"I am not the leader," Caesar shrugged, "but we are well enough rested to do so."

"True, but you have the most martial training of us all and we therefore respect your wisdom when it comes to combat and combat readiness," Pamela replied.

"I agree," Suki smiled.

"I suggest we meet at the town portal then; an hour before sunset," he suggested, "but for now I wish to borrow your mercenary, Suki."

"I won't ask why, but you may take him for the rest of the afternoon. I have no need for him until later," she replied.

---

Just before sunset the town portal again glimmered briefly brighter, depositing its charge to the Rocky Waste, before shimmering and collapsing in on itself. Caesar took point with Zanarhi and Waheed close behind him. Pamela, Suki, Elly and Suki's shadow spread out behind them, fanning out, preparing for danger from any direction. This was a wise precaution in these dangerous climes, even if a town portal's location had been relatively safe when they went to town initially. They were safe for now. Soon enough that status changed as they again confronted the Huntresses, Sand Leapers, Slingers and Carrion Birds. After a while the desert seemed to become eerily quiet, even in the dusk of oncoming night.

"What ho?" Caesar mused, looking around.

As if in answer, chomping growls were heard, sounding like ancient and heavy gears turning on each other. Out of the gloom a small party of five grotesques came forth; ready to attack the heroes. They were Dung Soldiers, a vastly mutated beetle from the region. Scarab Demons were large, mobile insects that would rapidly pursue and surround their enemies. When struck, these demons sometimes unleashed a deadly spread of electrical energy. Like the retribution from lightning enchanted creatures and monsters, this could prove fatal to many attackers. It was perilous to fight these monstrosities without ranged weapons or suitable resistance to lightning.

Fortunately, both Caesar and Suki had moderate amounts of lightning resistance, with only Pamela being at risk. To be sure, she quickly unslung her gemmed round shield and javelins, dropping Pluckeye to the ground. Tossing a plague javelin in their direction, she retreated slightly to remain outside the arcing path of the lightning emitted by the beetles. The insidious nature of the poisons contained in the bladders tied to her javelins, ensured that their foes would still be harmed, without them unleashing as many bolts of the deadly lightning.

Caesar chose to smite them with his rondache, causing them to be knocked away from him each time. This tactic proved useful, as this would knock his enemies away from him, before they emitted their lightning bolts. He could thus judge the path the bolts would travel, before closing in and smiting an enemy again. Waheed and Zanarhi would tackle one of the demons together, seeming impervious to harm as they jabbed in quick succession with their weapons. It was Zanarhi's prayers that were keeping them alive however, as the Light granted healing to the whole party thanks to those fervent prayers. Soon the battle was over, the ruined outer skeletons of the demons littering the desert floor.

"I see my hired help has caught on to religion," Suki smirked, wiping gore from the blades of her talons.

"Fara and the master are good teachers, mistress," Zanarhi replied, humbly casting his eyes on his dusty, sandal-shod feet.

"You need not worry about your unwise choice to let him read the Book of Skill anymore," Caesar said, a hint of warning in his voice.

"That is reassuring," she replied, smiling.

"The next time, I won't be so forgiving," Caesar continued, "It would also be best if you avoided Fara for a day or two. The ancient evil we had to banish due to your uncaring stupidity is not something I'd like to face every day."

Before Suki could reply, Caesar had walked off towards the rocky outline of what could only be the Stony Tomb. Following his lead, the others followed, one by one, leaving her behind with her thoughts.

"Why don't you leave too?" she asked of Zanarhi.

"Despite what the master had said," he replied, still unable to look her in the eyes, "you have done me a great service, mistress. Without your decision to let me read that terrible book, I would still be nobody. Now I have a chance to leave this place, once we have defeated the evil here, and become somebody," he said, looking up and capturing her gaze, "I cannot hate you for that, mistress."

As the words hit her, it was Suki's turn to lower her gaze as she whispered, "I did not know. Please forgive me."

"There is nothing to forgive, mistress," he replied, "The Light has shown me the way."

"Then stop calling me that," she asked, pleading with her eyes, "My name is Suki."

"I will call you mistress due to my debt to you," Zanarhi answered, "and I will call you Suki due to my forgiveness of you."

"I can live with that," she stated, resignedly, before she turned to follow the others.

---

The broken, stone stairs down to the Stony Tomb were dark and foreboding. Not since they had entered the Catacombs of the Rogue's Monastery had they encountered such palpable darkness.

"Elzix was right about this place," Pamela stated to no one in particular.

Soon the stairs opened up into one of the legs of an underground hall. It was in the shape of a squared cross, with large stone doors blocking the three other exits leading of into the rest of the tomb. Not unsurprisingly there were Burning Dead Warriors and Mages to meet them. These were soon dispatched and they walked towards one of the massively thick doors blocking the way.

"By the Light," Caesar exclaimed, "how to open one of these?"

"We could probably dig our way through, within a day or two," Pamela grinned.

"Allow me?" Waheed said, as he gently touched the surface of the stone door.

At his touch the door proceeded to sink slowly into the ground, followed by a small dribble of the desert sand that had accumulated in the plinth.

"Let me guess," Suki smiled, "Another present from the Horadrim?"

"I would not know," Waheed replied, "but we used to use this tomb quite often when someone important was entombed here."

"Someone like this?" Caesar grunted as he blocked the sword meant for Waheed's unprotected back with his scepter, before smiting the Horror Warrior with his shield.

"My thanks," Waheed shouted as he turned to engage another with his spear, "I should have been more alert, considering."

Many times the same scenario played itself out, as the party would open a door, only to find a small ambush waiting for them behind it. The direction they had chosen at the main hall proved to be false though as the smaller halls and passages soon came to a dead end. Retracing their steps they came back to the main hall, this time choosing the open archway of the passage directly across from the hall. The stone door's mechanism must have been broken by the accumulation of centuries worth of sand, since they found other similar open doorways scattered throughout the tomb. This too proved a false trial, however, but the party did find one of the wells where they could drink from the magical waters and be healed as well refreshed by it. Back at the main hall they could do nothing but turn left and proceed through opening the last door. This path proved true, as they soon came to a second stairway, leading further down into the bowels of the Stony Tomb.

Coming down the stairs the party could only progress either left or right. They decided to take the left passage, but once again this proved to be a wrong choice. After encountering numerous parties of Burning Dead Mages and a more decayed form of the walking Dried Corpses, they came to a single room filled with sarcophagi, lids askance, numerous racks to hold armor and weapons and quite a few chests and clay urns. These did not provide any enemies, nor any treasure in the form of magical equipment. They decided to leave behind the few pieces of normal and socketed armor and weaponry they did find in the room. It was not quite peaceful in this resting place of the dead, as one of the chests in the room contained some Flying Scimitars. These were magically imbued weapons created when the trauma of death had been especially great. In these cases, the spirit of the slain would sometimes be bound to an item associated with that death. The last thought on the minds of those who once held these blades were to destroy their opponent and now these enchanted weapons would slash out in an attempt to achieve that final goal. When destroyed, the enchantment would cease, leaving a normal weapon clattering to the ground.

Retracing their steps and setting off in the other direction proved to bring them to their goal. Unfortunately, this also brought them into contact with the re-animated remains of Jehryn's ancestor, Creeping Feature himself. Though his body was much decayed, the evil powers controlling his remains made him extra strong. Furthermore he had also been given the chilling touch of a cold enchantment. An ornamental scepter was clutched in his hand as he and his retinue strove to kill the members of the party. Using his blessed hammers to great effect, while blocking most of the attacks with his trusty rondache, Caesar managed to wear the Decayed down, while Suki's charged bolt sentries fried them with its electrical energies. Pamela would also freeze Jehshah's minions even if not able to do the same to the leader himself. Soon the bodies of these frozen minions lay on the floor of the tomb, slowly forming puddles as they thawed and only the erstwhile leader of Lut Gholein remained. Strong as he was, he could not stand against the combined might of the party for long and with a final, spiteful nova of frost his shattered body fell to the ground.

While Caesar pried the scepter from Jehshah's outstretched hand, Pamela and Suki went to investigate the contents of a glowing chest they had noticed after the battle concluded. It contained quite a few magical items, potions and piles of gold, probably the treasure Jehshah had had entombed with his body.

"We should give these items to Jehryn," Caesar suggested, having finally wrested the scepter from the icy grip of its former master.

"After all we went through here?" Suki asked incredulously.

"Let us leave the matter of reward up to him," Pamela soothed.

"You are fools," Suki accused, nodding her assent, "but I will go along with your decision for now."

Just before sunrise a town portal shimmered into being, then glimmered brighter for a brief moment, depositing its charge to the safety of Lut Gholein. One by one the members of the party appeared, then walked off in the direction of Elzix's inn.

---

"You may not pass!" Kaelan, chief of the palace guards warned, barring their way.

"I think lord Jehryn should be the judge of that," Caesar replied calmly, "Tell him we have news of Creeping Feature."

"Let the Paladin pass, Kaelan," the young lord commanded, leaving his hiding place near the palace entrance.

Caesar walked up the marble stairs, handed his scepter to Kaelan at the guard's request and followed Jehryn into the coolness of the interior of the palace.

"I presume thou were referring to my grand-sire," Jehryn asked, turning to confront him.

"I was," Caesar replied, "His entombed corpse was corrupted by Diablo's influence. We had to destroy it and found this."

Jehryn looked at the ornamental scepter the Paladin offered. He was silent for a moment, as if making a decision that he could not comfortably live with.

"Keep it," he stated, "It may prove to be a greater boon to thou than it had been to Jehshah. Its name is Knell Striker. It is aptly named."

"We found other items as well," Caesar replied, "Items we think may be part of his hoard."

"Whatever rumors thou hast heard concerning Jehshah," Jehryn accused, "are only partly true. Yes, he did take the rule of this city by force, but he also helped to build it up to what it is today. It was the corrupting influence of that thing that made him lose his mind in the end," the young ruler spat, pointing at the scepter held in Caesar's outstretched hand as if it offended him.

"What are you telling me, Jehryn?" Caesar asked.

"My great-grandfather, Jehshua, buried Jehshah in the Stony Tomb, along with all his treasure, and that thing, in the hopes that some tomb-robber would rob it and make off with that evil scepter once and for all. It is obvious to me now that that never happened. Now thou hast come along, a ray of hope in the darkness, only to remind me of the darkness of my past. Thou dash all my feeble hope for the future. How dare thou?"

"I don't understand?" Caesar queried, perplexed.

"I won't ask thou to," Jehryn replied, "Leave now. Ye may keep all ye found in Jehshah's tomb, but I ask only one thing in return."

"Name it and it will be done," Caesar vowed.

"Keep my family's secret safe. Ask Fara, or your Horadrim scholar, Cain, about the scepter. See if thou still care to have it after that."

With that Jehryn motioned to Kaelan. Caesar turned and left, obvious to the fact that his interview with the young ruler was at an end.

---

"As with the church of Zakarum," Fara mentioned as she set about repairing their damaged equipment, "the holy relics of that order have also become corrupted along with the members of that order. Knell Striker was lost to the order a long time ago. Rumors placed it in the hands of none other than King Leoric during the troubles in Westmarch, but finding it here, in the tomb of Jehshah, and from what little you have been able to tell me, would seem to dispel that notion. Some believed that Leoric had been swayed by Diablo's influence through the workings of this scepter on him."

"What do you suggest?" Caesar asked.

"The wise choice would be to destroy it, but unfortunately, none now have the knowledge to do that anymore. I would offer to keep it, but I fear I don't have the strength of will to withstand its influence and may also succumb to it. I sense that you may be able to turn it back from evil, for the Light shines strong through you. Whatever you do, you must be ready to bear the consequences of your choice."

"What would I gain from it, then?" Caesar enquired.

"Ask Cain about that," she replied, "I have very little knowledge about it apart from those stories, true or rumor, surrounding it."

---

"Ah, the lost and fabled Knell Striker," Cain sighed as he studied the scepter in his hands, "So that was how Jehryn's forefather managed to best those occupying this city. It may not look like much, and some would certainly claim that it was an accursed weapon, but it has mighty powers indeed."

"According to Jehryn, it corrupted Jehshah in the end," Caesar warned.

"No doubt it may have," Cain smiled, benevolently, "but I am sure someone like yourself will be able to withstand its influence."

"What powers does it have then?" Caesar enquired.

"Do you see this faint glow, here, around the head of the scepter?" Cain asked, and then continued without waiting for an answer, "It magically enhances all damage done by a substantial amount. It will also grant its user with additional accuracy in battle and give a moderate protection against the ravages of fire and the corruption of poison. It will also grant a small amount of mana, but what really makes this weapon so feared is the ability to bypass all defenses of a foe and deliver a magical crushing blow. Such a blow can reduce a normal foe's remaining life by as much as a quarter, but against a more skilled foe, this will be less."

"Will this 'crushing blow' always happen?" Pamela asked, intrigued, looking at her own bow with more interest.

"On some weapons it will, but on Knell Striker it will only occur with every fourth attack."

"That will be ideal for when you use your zealous attack then," Pamela enthused, before stopping, her brows knotted in thought, "Deckard, I have been using Cold Crow's bow, Pluckeye, for a long time, but have never bothered to have you look it over for me."

"Ah, child, I have always assumed you had had it properly identified for you," he smiled, "Here, let me have a look."

After a short while of studying the little blue bow, Cain looked up, "As you no doubt know, you can leech mana from your foes when you hit them with arrows fired from this bow. This ability won't work against Skeletons though, but I'm sure you have noticed that when fighting against them. It will also magically replenish your own mana after the death of an enemy, using its dissipating life force to replenish your own energy."

"I have noticed all of that," she confirmed, "and also the light radius and the small amount of health it grants."

"Ah, light radius is one thing, but it will also enhance your accuracy apart from your ability to see better from the extra light granted," the sage continued, "What makes this such a powerful bow however is its ability to imbue each arrow fired from it with double the normal damage it would have done."

"What do you mean?" Pamela asked.

"Have a look, assuming it possible, next time you fire an arrow from it," Cain explained, "You will notice the arrow glowing slightly before you release it, much in the same way the head of this Knell Striker and the claws of those blade talons Suki is using, glows."

"I thank you old man," Pamela smiled, "As usual, your knowledge has been educational for all of us."

"Not so old that I cannot shoo you off with my walking stick," Deckard laughed, hitting Pamela a resounding smack on the rump with the end of his staff.

"I can feel that," Pamela grinned, rubbing her tender rear as she planted a kiss of peace on the old man's cheek.

---

"Here we are," Elzix smiled, barely hiding his fear, "I'm half the man I used to be and not fit for fighting monsters anymore. I can do no more for you than this."

"You have my thanks," Caesar grinned, patting the innkeeper on the back, "Shall we return?"

"In a moment," Elzix replied, "It has been a long time since I've tasted the dry desert air. It does a body good and brings back fond memories of better times."

"I am glad then," Caesar agreed, "You have added much needed hours to our cause."

"It's the least I could have done," Elzix sighed, "The evil in this land will soon have had all our souls, but you and your companions have given us hope for life again. I'm but a cripple, but I would wish to walk freely where I have walked before."

The pair stood looking out over the desert for a while longer, before both stepped up to the Dry Hills waypoint. Elzix disappeared, while Caesar waited a while longer, keeping guard at the shimmering town portal. Soon enough Elzix walked out of it, allowing it to collapse in on itself, before both men disappeared from view. The desert continued to bake in the sun as if nothing had transpired.

---

"You need some rest my love," Pamela greeted as the Paladin entered her room, closing the door behind him and laying Knell Striker and his rondache against it.

"I know," he smiled tiredly, "Tonight will require all our strength."

"Did it go well then?"

"Yes, Elzix showed me the waypoint in the Dry Hills, but would not do so for the Halls," he replied.

"That is understandable," she smiled, "Now come here and lie with me."

Caesar smiled as he stripped out of his battle gear, "I thought you said I needed rest?"

"You will rest better afterwards," Pamela grinned, basking in his appreciation of her naked form, "Besides, I need you," she purred arching her back.

Caesar laughed, huskily as he dropped the last of his gear on the ground and stepped up to the cot his lover was lounging on. With a deft movement he parted her supple legs and knelt down between them, cupping an ample breast in one hand as he bent lower to kiss her full mouth. Pamela's legs locked around his waist, pulling him closer as their passion built like battle rage. Soon their love waxed higher, and as he entered her, she cried out as if wounded. He raged within her as they both fought for the sweet oblivion their climax would bring. Together they reached that sweet plateau, spiraling up, up, up, his arms cradling her like a shield. Sleep came swiftly, restoring hope.

---

"So that old rascal listened to gold after all," Suki mused as the party prepared to set out into the Dry Hills.

"No," Caesar corrected, "He listened to his heart."

"Whatever," the Assassin shrugged, summoning her shadow and glancing at Zanarhi to ensure his readiness. He nodded back, worshipful eyes following the movements of his mistress.

"Let's not waste this opportunity then," Pamela stated, notching an arrow, while Elly did likewise.

Soon the company found battle waiting for them. Saber Cats and Cave Leapers soon attacked them, seemingly having formed the same symbiosis that the Sand Leapers and Huntresses had in the Rocky Waste. Some of the Cats acted again like the Slingers, but where the latter had used javelins, these now harassed the party with all manner of incendiary potions. These Spear Cats seemed to have found fulminating, exploding and oil potions more to their liking than the more traditional javelins they must have used at some earlier time. Fortunately all of the members of the party had fair to moderate resistances to fire, as this greatly helped to reduce the threat posed by these fire-loving felines.

Unlike the Rocky Waste, these Dry Hills contained signs of vegetation and here and there ancient ruins or broken and toppled statues further broke the sweeping monotony of the desert floor. Deckard Cain would later confirm that these ruins pre-dated even the arrival of the Three and the subsequent trekking of the Horadrim through the deserts of Aranoch. Though called the Dry Hills, one or two pools of stagnant water could be found, although none would hazard drinking from them. Some of the magical wells also dotted the terrain, curing all those that drank from their self-replenishing waters, while also slaking their thirst.

At times an undead form of the corrupted Carrion Birds would also attack them. These Undead Scavengers, although tougher than their living cousins, succumbed more easily to attacks specifically aimed at the undead. Caesar's blessed hammers would often even knock them out of the air when they were in flight, allowing the rest of the party to quickly dispatch them. Though darkness blanketed the desert like a cloak, it did not seem to affect their foes. While they had to rely on light radiuses provided by their equipment, their enemies seemed to relish the dark, almost as if the coolness of the desert night invigorated them. While it also helped the party, their foes seemed to find more opportunities to ambush them, using the cover of night.

Most of their slain enemies seemed to carry trinkets, as if these items bestowed great power to them. Keys, gems, some charms and runes were often found on the bodies of the slain. Others wore magical armor or used enchanted weapons. Soon a fairly large pile of items was piled outside Fara's weapon store, ready for Cain's identification the next morning. Fara would often melt down the base enchanted metals and combine them into new and improved enchanted alloys with which she forged the stock of her store. Healing and mana potions were also found at regular intervals, allowing the party to forge ahead with impunity. This proved fortuitous. Just after midnight they found the entrance to the Halls of the Dead, eerily illuminated by two small fire pits, one on either side of it. With grim determination, they briefly checked their equipment, before stalking down the sand blown stairs leading to the sunken entrance hall of the tomb.

---

As with the Stony Tomb, the entrance hall of the Halls of the Dead resembled a squared cross. Also, as with the entrance hall of the Stony Tomb, this one was not unpopulated. Five small groups of Returned Warriors marched, grim determination emanating from their hollow eye sockets, to close in on the party. Caesar's blessed hammers hummed through the air, while he laid about him with zeal, using Knell Striker to signal the second death to many of them. Waheed and Zanarhi soon found their choice of weapons ill suited to combat the bony remains of their foes. Soon the three men were first flanked, and then surrounded, while another two rows of the bony undead pressed forward on their front. Suki and her shadow quickly laid down some sentries, behind the line of their enemies, while Pamela and Elly concentrated on using their skills to chill or alternately freeze some of the Returned in the front lines. Oftentimes some of the crushed bones of those destroyed by Caesar's scepter or hammers, would knit themselves together, leading them to suspect similar creatures to Radament to be at work. Sure enough, hidden in the shadows were five of these Greater Mummies.

Just as with Radament, the spirits of powerful demonic minions were bound to the corpses of the greatest warriors and mages of Aranoch, even some of the entombed Horadrim. Natural leaders in life, they now continued their positions of dominance within the ranks of the undead, rallying hordes of Mummies, Skeletons, Vampires and Wraiths about them as they sought out the flesh of the living. Their corruption did not stop at the disturbance of their eternal slumber, but also extended to their physical appearance. Malformed, their scythe-like arms delivered devastating blows to any who moved within striking distance. Their breath, filled with the vapors of the grave, was a deadly poison that would claim the lives of many would-be heroes. These undead horrors could further cast bolts of unholy energy at their enemies and also raise the bodies of their undead minions into continued service to evil. After their initial battle in the Halls, the party decided to make them immediate targets whenever they were encountered.

By now the right hand flank, where Zanarhi fought valiantly was steadily collapsing. The frozen remains of those Returned destroyed by the combined effort of the party, could no longer be resurrected by their masters. This gave Suki the opportunity to recast her shadow within reach of the first of the Hollow Ones. Distracted by an enemy in close proximity, it ceased to attempt raising its followers. Suki dashed forward, followed closely by Zanarhi, now no longer encumbered by surrounding foes, striking at the Hollow One with her blade talons. As if by second nature, she also casually tossed a sprinkling of her charged bolt sentries at two of the other Hollow Ones. Caesar and Waheed still held the line against the seriously faltering attack of the Returned, but soon Caesar could also charge forward, smiting his chosen Hollow One with his shield at the last minute. Waheed remained behind, keeping the last stragglers away from the two archers, who systematically decimated the remaining few with their cold carrying arrows, before also concentrating their firepower on the lurking Hollow Ones.

Soon enough, all that remained of this initial ambush was the slowly thawing remains of their shattered bodies. The party had learned a valuable strategic lesson in dealing with these Greater Mummies and their minions. Often, throughout their hunt through the twisted and confusing passages of the first level of the Halls, they would repeat this tactic where the terrain permitted it. The three men would form a defensive line, while Suki and her shadow would race forward to engage the leaders. Once the tide turned against the undead, Caesar and Zanarhi or Waheed would also charge forward, engaging more of the Hollow Ones, while Pamela and Elly took care of the remaining few Returned clustered about the remaining warrior. Often times there would also be Decayed among the mix of their foes, but these could mostly be safely ignored if not specifically attracted. These foes would continue their aimless wandering if not spotting one of the party and would often be the last to be dispatched.

On the second level, a new type of enemy was encountered. Bats were the natural inhabitants of caves and other such dank places. Their exposure to the vile powers that emanated from the demons that seemed to frequent these dark places since Diablo's passing, had also tainted these bats with arcane powers. They had also acquired a taste for human flesh and often fell upon unsuspecting travelers who strayed too far from safe passageways. The Desert Wings occupying the Halls of the Dead was one such sub-specie of corrupted bats. They would remain hidden, hanging from their nesting places near the roof of the smaller halls and passages, dropping down on the heads of the party as they approached. They would then claw at them or use a shocking, lightning based attack, before the party could react. Suki's blade talons, cutting wings from bodies, or the unerring accuracy of the arrows fired by Pamela or Elly seemed the most effective against these bat demons. At other times a lucky stroke from scepter, trident or voulge would strike them from the air, where they could more easily be dispatched, crawling about on the floor in stunned confusion.

In another narrow passageway, their progress was again halted by a small group of Hollow Ones and an uncharacteristically small group of accompanying Returned Warriors. One of the Hollow Ones seemed to be one of the unique overlords they encountered from time to time and its other Hollow One minions seemed to cluster about it as if to protect it. With a smaller force of Returned to deal with, they soon set about decimating first the ranks of the minions, before attacking the leader. Much was their surprise when the leader seemed to vanish into thin air, midway through their attack on it. Suddenly, some of those Returned Warriors that had not been frozen before being destroyed sprang to life again, again accosting the party.

"Waheed, follow me!" Caesar commanded as he charged forward to an area of the passage not yet explored by them.

Waheed followed as fast as possible and sure enough a resounding smack could be heard as Caesar's rondache connected with the undead flesh of the overlord. This drew focus to the area, as Caesar's light radius illuminated their fleeing foe and the rest of the party concentrated their efforts on it. Killing this overlord proved difficult however as it twice more teleported to other areas of the passage, landing lastly a few feet from the Halls of the Dead waypoint. The melee attackers decided to withdraw, forming a protective ring around Elly and Pamela as they continued firing at it. Suki also used her sentries, deciding to un-summon her shadow. This seemed to do the trick as the monster tried feebly to match its bolts of unholy energy with the firepower brought to bear on it by the archers.

Finally its broken and partly frozen body slumped to the ground, the demonic hold over it broken at last. On closer inspection they noted that it was protected by a faintly glowing, but dark green set of chain mail. It would glow noticeably brighter when Suki came near, making the Assassin exclaim, "I think I know what armor this is."

"You do?" Pamela asked.

"I don't have any more identify scrolls," the mage slayer admitted, "but I'm pretty sure it's part of the Cathan's Traps legacy."

"Well, let us confirm that then," Caesar suggested producing a scroll from the tome he carried in his backpack. Reading the wording as it warped into view he confirmed, "It is called Cathan's Mesh."

"How did you know?" Pamela asked again.

"This mask I am wearing is called Cathan's Visage, while this ring is Cathan's Seal," she replied.

"We should have Cain identify its properties then," Waheed suggested, setting about activating the waypoint.

"Hopefully it will further enhance the parts of the legacy you are already using," Caesar said.

"That is very generous of you," Suki mentioned, "but I have only as much right to the spoils of battle as any of you."

"Ah," Caesar smiled, "but having two other items of the legacy entitles you more than us. Besides, did I not receive the greater profit from our encounter with Creeping Feature?"

"Caesar is right," Pamela agreed, "Each one of us gets the portion of the spoils best suited to the combined survival of the party. This Cathan's Mesh is sure to help you in future battles and that in turn will help us all."

"Let us go then," Suki decided, suddenly eager to hear what Cain would reveal. Zanarhi followed her to the waypoint as they both disappeared from view. Soon they were all back in Lut Gholein, blinking at the brightness of the mid-morning sun.

---

"Cathan's Mesh," Cain informed them, "will add a small amount of extra defense over and above that which can naturally occur on a set of chain mail. This is probably due to the special metal alloy Cathan used to make it, since the mail is also exceptionally light, requiring very little strength to wear. Since Suki has managed to find two other items of Cathan's legacy, the Seal and the Visage, the three parts, worn together will add a good amount of resistance to lightning. The ring and the mask will also unlock two hidden attributes of the chain mail. These are a fair amount of resistance to fire and a hardening of the chains of the mail, causing a small amount of damage returned whenever melee attacker would strike you."

"Oh, I didn't find the other legacy items," Suki admitted, "They were given to me by Natalya, when I departed from Kurast to come here. I have a feeling they were in the possession of my order before that."

"No one ever knew how Cathan came to his end," Cain replied, "It is conceivable that he was deemed a threat by your order and therefore eliminated."

"Some even think that Cathan was in fact a Sorceress, not a Sorcerer," Suki countered.

"That's seems likely," the Horadrim smiled, "It would explain why the chain mail was made to be so light, yet strong at the same time. Such ancient history matters not however, what's more important to us is your progress here and now. Are you close to finding a Horadric Cube yet?"

"Elzix seems to agree that we would find one in the Halls of the Dead," Caesar replied, "We have not yet found anything resembling a Horadric Cube yet, but Elzix mentioned that there are three levels to explore and we have only now covered one and a half of those."

"I suggest we carry on today still," Elly contributed, "We need not fear the heat of the sun in the darkness of those tombs."

"Elly is correct," Cain encouraged, "It is very important that we lose as little time as possible in our pursuit of Diablo. Who knows what he has planned, but it is certain that it cannot be good."

While the rest of the party went to Fara's to have their equipment repaired, Pamela and Elly quickly went to Atma's Tavern to buy some provisions, which they all wolfed down hungrily. They then returned to the town waypoint, returning to the Halls of the Dead to continue their search.

---

After encountering yet a few more of the Desert Wings, Hollow Ones and their Returned minions and yet more of the Decayed, the party soon found the stairs leading down to the deepest and last level of the Halls. On this level the party found isolated packs of Huntresses, which seemed strange. There could not possibly be any prey for these felines to hunt apart from the occasional unfortunate explorer stumbling into these tombs looking for loot. The reason for this soon became apparent however, as they once again opened one of the stone doors.

"You are fools and will meet nothing but your deaths here," a Huntress hissed at them, and then articulated the curse they had become familiar with from their encounters with Griswold and Pitspawn Fouldog.

"The only ones foolish here, are you," Caesar returned then asked, "Did you really expect the Three to reward you for your services, Huntress?"

"I am Blood Witch the Wild," the Huntress growled, as if that title would suffice, "To answer you human, yes, the Three have given us power. It will be the last thing your comrades taste as my siblings rip their puny bodies to shreds. But as for you, due to your insolence, we will keep you alive. You will beg for death many times as we use our whips to slowly flay the skin from your useless body."

"Then you are more foolish than I thought, Blood Witch," Caesar stated, "To have left your homeland for these barren wastes, living in the darkness of this tomb, just to do the bidding of the Three. Once the Three have finished corrupting humanity, do you still think they will care for the likes of you?"

"Enough!" she screamed, "You know nothing. Your deaths will be meaningless apart from the feast we shall make of your flesh. Prepare to die!"

Blood Witch and her apparent siblings stormed forward brandishing their whips. One of them was stopped in her tracks, frozen in place by an arrow from Pamela, while her sister next to her seemed to suddenly be running through water, chilled by another arrow, fired by Elly. Blood Witch howled in rage as her sisters encumbered their progress, but was brought up short by a resounding hit from Caesar's rondache. Her other four sisters were feeling the arcing agony of Suki's sentries, while Waheed and Zanarhi flanked them and started jabbing. Another of the felines froze in place as a second arrow from Pamela hit her squarely in the chest just as the curse lifted from the party thanks to Caesar's cleansing aura. Soon all that remained of her siblings were the thawing, shattered chunks of frozen flesh, lying in puddles of melting water on the floor of the small hall.

"This cannot be," Blood Witch snarled, "Mephisto promised us victory."

"Another broken promise," Caesar shouted, "Do you yield wild one?"

"You have slain my sisters, their blood demands vengeance," she cried.

"Their blood is on Diablo's hands," Suki replied, "Will you yield or die in attempting your revenge?"

"I will yield," Blood Witch purred dejectedly, dropping her whip to the ground, "We have been fooled."

"A wise choice, whip-sister," Caesar confirmed, "Andariel and Radament have fallen to us before today and that was the reason for your dark exile to this prey-less tomb."

"We were to be a mere hindrance to your party?" she meowed, surprised.

"We will carry your vengeance with us, or you may join us in our voyage east to your homeland, once we have destroyed Baal," Pamela offered.

"I will accept your offer, human," she purred, "I will seek out my remaining sisters, those few not yet killed by our foolishness, and will seek mercy from the leader of the Jewel City."

"Have you the ears of the Saber Cats still?" Caesar asked.

"Alas, my cousins no longer listen to our council, while the Night Tigers are rumored to be ruled by a human."

"Then gather your kin," Caesar advised, "Lord Jehryn is a fair ruler and I am sure he will welcome you if you offer to help defend his city until such time as passage can be made across the sea."

"You speak wisdom, human. It has been a long time since the whip-sisters have tasted the air of Kehjistan. Once home, we shall hunt new prey," she growled, "Mephisto will feel our wrath by the deaths of his zealous and misguided followers. The Huntresses will become plenty again, feasting on the flesh of the Zakarum."

"I wish you luck then Blood Witch," Suki said, "Any enemy of the Zakarum, I will call a friend."

"I will keep your scent in my nostrils," Blood Witch purred, "For now I go to lick my wounds. May your prey ever be willing to excite you."

Blood Witch turned then, and ran limping from the room. Their attention was drawn to an ornate chest, glowing between two pillars supporting the roof of the small hall. Reaching to open it, Caesar pulled up the lid. Inside, the chest was empty, but for an electric, indigo glow. Suddenly the air inside the chest shimmered as three ornately engraved cubes coalesced in front of their eyes. Caesar reached in and found that they were solid, but faintly cool and organic to the touch. He could only pick one up at a time; his fingers would pass through any of the remaining cubes as if they were nothing but ether. Only at the touch of Suki and Pamela, would they allow themselves to be removed.

"I guess we have each found a Horadric Cube then," Caesar mused.

"They must reside partly in the ethereal realm," Pamela agreed, "It is almost as if the Horadric forces contained within them, chose to have each of us as a master of only one, but to ensure the chances of our quest succeeding, more than one of us received one."

"I think you are right, and I hope Cain has done his research," Suki grinned, "I haven't the foggiest idea how to make a Horadric Staff with mine."

"Neither have I," Caesar agreed, creating a town portal, "Let us go and see if he can enlighten us with his wisdom."

---

"You have quite a treasure there in those Horadric Cubes," Deckard Cain intoned upon seeing the three cubes presented to him for inspection. He seemed quite perturbed by not being able to pick any up and examine them more closely.

"What does your lore say about these things?" Suki asked.

"Strange, I cannot seem to pick any of them up," Deckard mused, "This is most annoying."

"I think they were only meant to be used by each one of us," Pamela informed the sage, "If it's any consolation, we couldn't even touch each others cubes either."

"I will need to research this a little more," Cain replied, making some quick charcoal sketches of the markings on each cube, "From the Horadrim manuscripts I have perused on the matter, a Horadric Cube exists neither wholly in the physical realm, nor wholly in the ethereal realm. This ability, or property rather, gives it some unique abilities. One of them is that you could actually store an amount of items in it, thereby lightening the loads in your backpacks. The Horadrim used their cubes when they required crossing vast distances in pursuit of the Three. Not wishing to be too encumbered by heavy burdens, nor wishing to be bogged down by long supply echelon lines, they would ensure that they could carry everything they required inside a single Horadric Cube."

"How can it be used to create a Horadric Staff though?" Suki interjected.

"I was just getting to that," Cain frowned, "I often get the idea that you think I'm too long winded when I wish to explain things. As I was saying, a Horadric Cube has other uses. One is to transmute one or more items into something else. The Horadrim used this ability when they transmuted Tal Rasha's staff into the two separate entities we now know to be the Staff of Kings and the Viper Amulet. It can also be used to transmute these two items back into Tal Rasha's staff."

"Wonderful," Suki sighed, "So now we still have to search through the whole of Aranoch to find those two things. Never mind that we have no idea what they are or where to find them."

"Patience is obviously not one of your virtues," Cain huffed, "If you will allow me to finish, most of your questions will be answered."

"Did you have a bad day, Deckard?" Caesar asked.

"As a matter of fact, and now that you ask, yes," Cain replied, "I have been constantly ignored by Lord Jehryn."

"I would think that was a good thing," Suki smirked.

"Oh, I am getting to like that young man quite a lot," Cain continued.

"You are?" Suki asked.

"Oh, oh my goodness! A lot less! I meant a lot less," Cain denied.

"We know that, Deckard," Pamela smiled, patting him on the shoulder.

"What was I saying?" Deckard demanded, somewhat relieved.

"You were saying how you liked Jehryn," Caesar replied, sensing that humor would once again diffuse the situation, "Or rather, how you liked him less due to him ignoring you."

"Oh yes," Cain sighed, "Anyway, that young man refuses to let me into the palace. It is important for my research that I am allowed into the palace library. Every time I approach that insufferable guard, Kaelan, I get the same reply. 'You may not pass' this, 'You may not pass' that as if he's a not-so-well-trained parrot, like those green ones you find in Kurast."

"I got that impression myself," Caesar agreed, "but to continue old friend."

"It seems that, that busybody Drognan is the only one allowed to go into the palace and do research," Cain exploded.

"A little professional jealousy, Cain?" Suki prompted.

"No, not at all," Cain exclaimed, "I have more knowledge stored in my pinky than that stuffy sorcerer will ever amass in his overly-spacious cranial cavity." Cain seemed to stop then and think a bit before he continued, "Oh, I see. Forgive me, I have been frustrated to no end today."

"We understand," Caesar consoled, "What more can you tell us about these cubes then?"

"In short," Cain said, smiling faintly and winking at Suki, "you can use them to transmute various other items as well. For instance, taking any two quivers of arrows, putting them in the cube and transmuting them, will result in a quiver of bolts. Likewise, two quivers of bolts will produce a quiver of arrows."

"I'm sure that will be really useful for when I've run out," Pamela smiled.

"Likewise," Cain continued, warming to his subject slightly, "a quiver of arrows and any spear will result in a stack of javelins. Three rings transmuted will produce an amulet and vice versa. In fact, there are many more recipes I would be able to tell you about if only I could do more research."

"Have you gained any more knowledge about the Staff of Kings or the Viper Amulet?" Caesar asked.

"I have been speaking to Elzix," Cain said, "You know, for all his scoundrel ways, he has a lot of knowledge about Aranoch and the, shall we say seedier, history of Lut Gholein. He seems to recall a rumor that Jehshah, whom you have already met, had some staff of office after he took control of Lut Gholein. It may be that this staff was kept inside this Horadrim fortress and that it passed to him in that way."

"A joke, Deckard?" Suki laughed, allowing the sage to finish first.

"I am not always quite as scholarly as I look," Deckard admitted, "Anyway, Elzix also recalls another rumor, concerning the death of his son, Jehshua. That would be Jehryn's great-grandfather, if I were not mistaken. It seems that Jehshua had a fondness for hunting Black Raptors, a similar creature to those Blood Hawks and Foul Crows native to Khanduras. Of course we now know that Knell Striker had by then passed out of his family's hands, but if we believe that he was in possession of the Staff of Kings, we can probably also reasonably assume that he was carrying it with him the day he died. I am sure that not even Jehshah's brashness would have prevented him from learning of the importance of the Staff of Kings when it came into his possession and he would have passed that knowledge on to his son before his death. From what Elzix recalls, Jehshua went out hunting one morning, but was never seen again, presumably dying somewhere in the Far Oasis where these Black Raptors were to be found. What happened to the Staff of Kings is anyone's guess. Like Blood Hawks, they have a fondness for collecting all manner of items in their nests, but I guess a thorough investigation of the Far Oasis would be in order."

"More desert," Suki sighed, "What I wouldn't give to be rain drenched and miserable in Kurast rather than sun baked and miserable here."

---

The next morning, after a night of rest, the party set out again from the Dry Hills waypoint. The sun was barely peeking over the mountains when they found the canyon leading to the Far Oasis.

"Let us see if we can fare better than Jehshua," Caesar smiled.

"We should beware though," Waheed cautioned, "The Far Oasis is known not only for the Black Raptors, but also the insects they feed on. If the dung beetles in the Rocky Waste were corrupted into those Dung Soldiers we fought, we can expect the death beetles and scarabs that inhabit this area to be mutated as well."

"Not to mention the fact that Sand Maggots and Rock Worms also inhabit the Far Oasis," Zanarhi warned.

"Sand Maggots?" Suki enquired, "How can such little insects harm us?"

"Ah, but you don't understand mistress Suki," Zanarhi explained, "The Sand Maggots of Aranoch are far larger arthropods than what you may find in more temperate climes. They were once a staple diet for those that resided in the desert regions, as well as the caravans."

"This is true," Waheed continued, "The eggs were gathered and prepared as a supplement to the dry foods naturally available in this region. The paste would enhance the flavor of any meal. Our friend, Warriv, is known throughout Aranoch for the savory pies he bakes containing as a main ingredient Sand Maggot eggs."

"That may have been true in the past," Zanarhi said, "I doubt he will ever make those pies again, for the eggs, larvae, and flesh of the adults have acquired poisonous properties. It is said that adults of the species even spit a poisonous substance that is not only toxic, but corrosive to unprotected flesh."

"As if the adults weren't tough enough to kill," Waheed exclaimed, "In maturity, the exoskeleton of a Maggot is tough to penetrate, although once pierced, the creature is normally easily felled."

"Sand Maggots can also burrow into the earth and often lie in wait for potential meals," Zanarhi explained, "This same ability is used to quickly retreat from threats, allowing the beasts time to heal before re-emerging in another location to attack the unwary."

"You paint a grim scenario," Pamela sighed.

"You don't know half of it," Zanarhi continued, "Even the mindless insects have become our enemies. It is true that the extreme temperatures of Aranoch have often driven many creatures into varying degrees of insanity. Now, coupled with demonic influence, large numbers of insects are said to swirl and twist into tight swarms. These swarms of stinging, biting, and sucking insects consume every living thing in their path. Swift to anger, they are not easily chased off. Their stinging attacks often drain stamina, making it all the more difficult to retreat from combat."

"Surely you jest," Caesar asked.

"If only I did," Zanarhi sighed, "About a week ago, Greiz sent a small party of us to help a stranded caravan of townsfolk. They were foolish enough to try and cross the deserts instead of staying within the relative safety of the city walls. When we got there, we found nothing but the skeletal remains of those in the caravan. We were shocked. How could anything consume the living flesh from a human body so quickly? It was then that we found our answer. Five or six swarms of these crazed insects attacked us. I must tell you, swarming bugs are difficult to target and are resistant to most attacks. Three of our men were killed, buying us time enough to escape as the maddened insects set about stripping their corpses to the bone. Greiz has not sent any of us back into the deserts since then."

"Yet, you are here," Caesar commented, "Let us see if we may fare better than Greiz's men."

As he spoke, the first rays of sunlight started warming the desert sand. It would be a long and hot day to follow.

---

"I think Jehshua must have been mad," Suki exclaimed, dropping her shield to the ground in exhaustion.

"I agree," Pamela said, "This heat is taxing. All we've seen so far is sand, sand, maggots and more sand."

"With some bugs and Black Raptors thrown in for good measure," Elly agreed, grinning.

"I think we should rest beneath yonder trees," Caesar suggested, smiling at the Rogue's ability to jest despite their fatigue.

"Very well," Suki said, straining to lift her shield as the company moved towards a small oasis of brackish water, surrounded by a few palms large enough to rest under.

"I don't suppose we could use a town portal and go to Atma's for a bit?" Waheed asked, jogging alongside Caesar.

"What time is it?" Caesar asked, panting.

Glancing up at the sun, Zanarhi answered, "It is almost time for the eleventh bell. Atma will soon start serving her ale to the patrons."

"We can create a town portal in the shade then," Caesar stated, jogging to cover the last few yards of sunlight.

There was to be no rest for the weary party however. Their approach startled a small pack of Death Beetles that had been feeding off the corpse of an Undead Scavenger. Seeing a potential fresh meal these demons approached, producing that curiously distinctive sound as their mandibles chomped together. Being fatigued, the party soon found the battle against these five beetles turning ugly. Suki, not having her shield strapped to her shield arm, had the misfortune of losing it in the midst of the battle as one of the beetles closed its mandibles on one of the spikes protruding from it and tore it from her grasp. Waheed and Zanarhi again fought in unison as they had done against the Dung Soldiers, while Elly slowed them with her Cold Arrows. Pamela, Caesar and Suki fought on lethargically, as if they were swimming through molasses.

Unbeknownst to them, they were suffering from lethargic anomaly disorder, a temporal problem where the gateways to the ethereal realm shifted and then re-aligned. This had first been experienced and then studied by the Horadrim during the Sin Wars and would cause some or all combatants in a certain physical area to be sluggish or even unable to move for the duration of the anomaly. Strangely enough it would not affect any of the allies of the Three, leading some to speculate that it was yet another evil device used by them in their struggle with those mortals opposed to them.

Another side effect was the sudden fainting or blackouts experienced by any combatants, rendering them powerless and easy prey to their enemies. This was also the case for the party, as first Suki and then Pamela dropped to the ground, oblivious to anything going on around them. Bravely, the remaining members fought on, seeking to protect their fallen comrades and soon enough Beetleburst, as they later found out the leader of the pack was called, and the other Death Beetles were nothing more than broken corpses littering the shade under the few palm trees surrounding the small oasis. Just as soon as it had started the anomaly passed, leaving Pamela and Suki to sit up groggily.

"What happened?" Suki asked, seemingly unaware of anything that had happened during the short battle.

"Did we faint from the heat while jogging here?" Pamela queried.

"Obviously not," Suki gasped, looking around and noticing the carnage. Slowly she got up and wrenched her spiked shield out from under one of the fallen beetle's corpses.

"We should speak to Cain about this," Caesar mentioned as he opened a town portal. He waited for the others to go through first and was about to step through himself when he noticed the glint from the gore stained sand where some of the smaller denizens of the desert had already started feeding on the corpses of the slain. Stooping, he picked up an intricately crafted ring, and then stepped through the portal, joining his comrades in Lut Gholein.

---

Seeing as it was too hot in the sun, they decided to invite Cain along for their tavern lunch at Atma's. The sage wisely accepted the offer, having grown a fondness for the local ale Atma brewed. They were once again seated at one of the tables at the back of the tavern, while Caesar explained what had happened to them. Cain took some time to explain what he knew about lethargic anomaly disorder and why it would cause sudden blackouts or fainting of those caught up in it. He then turned his attention to the ring Caesar had picked up.

"What you have here my friend is one of the Manald rings," he explained, "They were made for the Horadrim during the Sin Wars by a mystic order of healer-monks. Some say that the Order of Manald was a predecessor to that of Zakarum and that you Paladins have your healing roots in that ancient order. Whatever the truth of the matter, each Manald Heal, as the rings are called, have the potential to slowly heal its wearer over time, while also aiding the spiritual recovery of that person. Another feature of the ring is its ability to leech mana from any enemies, much like Pamela's Pluckeye does. In fact, a Manald Heal is the only type of ring found in the whole of Sanctuary to do so. Last, but by no means least, it also boosts its wearer's life by a significant amount."

"Are there many of these to be found then?" asked Pamela.

"Yes," Deckard answered, taking a sip from his mug, "Each and every one has a random amount of mana leech ability and a random amount of healing it bestows as they were custom made to suit each Horadrim they were given to. My own father gave me his when I was initiated into the Horadrim."

Only then did they notice a similar looking ring on the index finger of Cain's right hand.

"No wonder you managed to survive that gibbet in Tristram," Caesar exclaimed.

"The question remains as to who of you will be using this one?" Cain asked.

"Pamela may have it, since the last two good items we found went to Caesar and myself," Suki replied, much to everyone's surprise.

"I thank you," Pamela said, "It will aid my use of ice arrows and other skills."

Ordering another round of ale, the party continued to discuss matters until the severest heat of the day had passed. Fortified by a good lunch and re-hydrated by the ale, they once more returned to the desert, continuing their search for the Staff of Kings.

---

"What is this?" Pamela asked, pointing to a large hole in the sand. It was large enough for a grown man to walk upright through it into whatever lay beyond.

"I have heard only rumors about it," Waheed confirmed, "I think we may have come across the Maggot Lair. It is rumored to be the home of the maggot queen, Cold Worm the Burrower. From there she spawns all of the maggots that populate the Far Oasis."

"Waheed?" Caesar asked, having a sudden epiphany, "Black Raptors eat some of the insects we have found here, right?"

"Why yes," he answered, "In the past, even the Itches that now swarm to consume everything were part of the diet of Black Raptors. Now, however, I fear it may be the other way around, where the hunters have become the prey."

"An interesting food chain here in the Far Oasis," Caesar commented, "Do you know whether or not Sand Maggots would eat raptors if they had the chance?"

"I can but speculate on that," he replied, "Sand Maggots are carnivorous insects, so I think if the opportunity arose, they would make a meal of a raptor, or perhaps even a whole nest of raptors. But, with the subtle influence of Diablo on the animals here, they seem to have banded together against humans rather than fight each other in the food chain."

"Very well," Caesar conceded, "but if the Staff of Kings was lost during the time of Jehshua, the normal event of an ecology like this would have been the order of the day, not?"

"I see where you are leading with this," Suki exclaimed, her eyes gleaming, "If Jehshua was killed by the very Black Raptors he was out hunting, they would have noticed the staff and carried it off to one of their nests. They would possibly have dined on his corpse, and those of his retainer, or left it to the vultures, those now converted to Undead Scavengers. Though they bind together against us, we saw for instance that Beetleburst and his companions were feeding on a scavenger corpse themselves. This clearly indicates that when there is lack of human corpses to feed on, the denizens of this Far Oasis will still feed upon the weakest prey among their own."

"We have scoured this place from side to side," Caesar continued, "and apart from the waypoint and this entrance to the Maggot Lair, we have found no sign of the staff. We have torn apart each and every Black Raptor nest we have found, but have found nothing. I suspect that the nest of raptors that were responsible for Jehshua's death were at some time attacked by Sand Maggots, perhaps during a time of scarcity, when food was not readily available to them. I propose that we also scourge the Maggot Lair, much as that may endanger us, as a last attempt to find the staff."

"I'm all for it," Elly smiled, "if it will get us out of the merciless sun."

The others also nodded their agreement. Cautiously the party entered the bowels of the Maggot Lair, seeking to find the lost Staff of Kings there.

---

Winding their way through the twisted passages made by the Sand Maggots the party had slowly progressed to a third subterranean level. Fighting in those close and cramped quarters had forced them to rely on their skills and had seen them all once again attaining new levels. Caesar had once again honed his zeal, while Pamela had been forced to use her guided arrows to navigate the twisted tunnels when enemies were encountered. Suki could fade even more into the ethereal realm often letting Zanarhi lure enemies to him where she and her shadow would surprise them in ambush. The party had been forced to split up into three smaller parties to effectively search each level of the lair. This had been in their favor as they managed to cover each level in a quarter of the time it would have taken had they all stayed together.

However, no sign had yet been found of the Staff of Kings and they were getting desperate, if not a little despondent. Cautiously they again split up at the first intersection of tunnels, fighting their way open whenever they found opposition. Unlike the surface of the Far Oasis, the insect swarms below ground were less maddened by the heat and proved to attack the parties with a more single minded cohesion. It was almost as if they were trying to protect something. Swarm upon swarm of the Black Locusts would wait patiently behind one another in some of the less negotiable areas of the tunnels, only to swing into action whenever one of the parties approached. Just as soon as one swarm was killed, another would take its place causing considerable delays to the party thus accosted. At other places Scarabs and Rock Worms, another specie of maggots, would also lie in wait, almost as if they were set there to guard.

Until this third level of the lair, not a single Sand Maggot had been encountered, until Pamela and Elly walked down yet another corridor ending in a small cavern at the end. This one was different however, as it housed hundreds of Sand Maggot young, while close on a dozen adult maggots were busily laying eggs and tending to a monstrous maggot that could only be Cold Worm. As they watched in suspense, Cold Worm let off a short, high-pitched squeal, causing the adults around her to rush to her side. They seemed to push at her bloated abdomen, clicking their mandibles together in unison. As they continued watching in astonishment, a fully-grown maggot was born from the queen and with the other adult attendants it too started laying more of the maggot eggs. Retreating a couple of yards down the passage, the two archers opened a town portal, with Elly going to Lut Gholein to intercept, then proceeded to wait for the others.

Soon enough Suki, who had returned from a short trip ending in a dead end, joined Pamela. Together now, they continued to wait for Caesar and Waheed. After about fifteen minutes of tense vigil, Waheed and Elly stepped through the portal. They asked the others to also come to town, explaining the situation to them. Caesar and Waheed had been forced to go to town, their backpacks full of looted gear and were thus intercepted by the Rogue, informing them of the situation at the other end of Pamela's town portal. Knowing that a potential battle with Cold Worm and her retinue may be the cause of the extermination of any Sand Maggots in the Far Oasis, Caesar went to Drognan for advice, while sending Waheed and Elly to find the others and bring them back to town. To their surprise it was already close to midnight, as they had lost all track of time in the bowels of the Maggot Lair.

Fortunately, Drognan was still busy with his studies and experiments and was thus easily roused to admit his unexpected guest. After a short consultation with the mage, Caesar was convinced that the possible extermination of the Sand Maggots was warranted. Drognan could not see it possible that they would revert back to their former, non-venomous source of food to the desert dwellers. He had done some experimentation of parts of their bodies after death and was convinced that the change that had come over them was permanent and irreversible. Where they had previously been nuisances that could be tolerated for their food potential, they were now a deadly danger to anyone wishing to travel the deserts. With this news, Caesar returned to the party.

---

Stepping through the portal last, Pamela noticed that Caesar and the two spearmen were already caught up in battle with some of the maggot young that had wandered out of the small breeding cavern. As their immediate means of escape irrevocable closed behind her, she aimed an arrow, imbuing it with ice at the moment of release. For once the narrow tunnel worked to their advantage, as their frozen peer prevented the other young behind it from attacking. While these adolescent Sand Maggots did not have the poisonous mucous of their parents, they were still incredibly aggressive and dangerous. Driven by an incessant hunger, they would seek out live food to devour, as their rapidly growing bodies demanded more energy. They would often hunt in broods and swarm over their prey, making them especially dangerous when encountered near freshly hatched nesting grounds such as the cavern where Cold Worm was giving birth to more and more of the adults.

As more and more of the young became aware of the presence of a potential meal, Pamela had to freeze more of those in the front line, as the combined effort of the melee attackers in the party drove back the line of the hungry maggots attacking them. Suki summoned her shadow in the center of the cavern, hoping to distract those adults that were feverishly laying eggs to supplement the growing hordes of young maggots pressing against the side of the cavern where the party was blocking the only exit. This seemed to work, allowing her to throw a number of sentries into the cavern to cause further confusion in the ranks of their mindless enemies. Like a dam wall bursting, letting out the river in a torrent, Caesar, Waheed and Zanarhi, burst into the room, having shattered the bodies of those frozen young before them, creating a breach in the seething mass. This proved to be a tactical mistake as they were quickly surrounded, their escape path blocked by masses of young, two or three rows deep. Now only Suki stood between the hordes and where Pamela and Elly were valiantly shooting cold and ice arrows at the young surrounding their comrades.

Suddenly, Suki seemed to have lost her mind, as she retreated a bit before running forward and stepping on top of the nearest maggot young. She continued to dash over the backs of those surrounding Caesar and the others, only stopping when she was behind the line of their enemies.

"What are you doing?" shouted a confused Pamela, firing desperately at the oncoming young, now no longer blocked by Suki.

"The adults!" Suki shouted back, "We have to kill the adults first, or they will continue laying eggs and we will die here, too tired to continue fighting."

"She is right!" Caesar shouted, barely blocking the hungry snap of mandibles as he continued to lay about him with Knell Striker and with zeal, "Aim for the adults or the eggs!"

Aiming at the adults now, Pamela would freeze each one in turn, while Suki and her shadow would go about destroying it. Being distracted by enemies within reach, the adults would lay less and less eggs, slowing the flow of re-enforcements as less and less of the maggot young hatched. Not being aided in the birthing process by her retinue, Cold Worm was giving birth to less and less of the adults to help replenish the ranks. Slowly the tide of the battle was turning, as Elly would aim at the eggs in turn, often destroying them before any young could hatch.

After what seemed like an eternity, only Cold Worm was left, quivering, as she seemed to sense the death of all her children around her. Caesar sensed the fear of the queen, but below it, like coals covered by a layer of ash, he also sensed the hatred, instilled, no doubt, by Diablo himself.

"Have no pity for this wretched creature," he encouraged his tired comrades, "I sense a powerful hatred inside it."

As if awoken from a terrible dream, they attacked the queen in unison. Without the protection from her brood she soon succumbed, green ichor splattering from many cracks in her exoskeleton as a powerful frost nova ripped her corpse apart. Caesar quickly switched to his cleansing aura, helping to combat the effects of the corrosive poison. Combined with the prayers of Zanarhi, none of the party succumbed to it, but some were left weak and unwell. Surveying the scene, Waheed ran forward, poking among the ruined and putrid remains of all manner of body parts from various creatures, some even human limbs. This heap of putrid mess was clearly meant to be the food supply of the queen, being the corroded, regurgitated remains brought to her by her brood. Digging at it with his trident, Waheed finally managed to pull loose an ornate and bejeweled, gnarled short staff.

"It seems your instincts were correct my friend," he congratulated Caesar, doing his best to wipe away the gore stuck to the staff.

"The Staff of Kings?" Suki enquired.

"I do believe it is," Waheed answered as he drew a town portal scroll from his belt and summoned their way to town.

"I am glad for it, as I would not have continued our quest without a long, soaking bath," Pamela mentioned, "I don't think I have ever been this dirty."

"I hear you sister," Elly said, and then burst out laughing.

Looking at each other's ichor stained faces, they were soon all laughing as they stepped into the dark coolness of an early morning in Lut Gholein.

---

"You have found the Staff of Kings?" Deckard asked, amazed at the odds.

It was again around lunchtime and the party was seated in Atma's Tavern as usual. They had all managed various degrees of cleanliness, causing Elzix's staff to rue the fact that he had ever let them lodge in his inn. The baths would need a week of scrubbing to remove some of the stains, but at least the adventurers had been able to get most of the ichor from their bodies. Their armor and weapons would have to bear witness to the battle for longer though.

"Yes we did," Caesar smiled, "Now, my friend, have you any more news about the Viper Amulet?"

"Indeed I have," Cain enthused, "I decided to be the better man and ask Drognan for some help. I may have been too quick to judge him, since he has turned out to be most helpful. Though I am still forbidden the palace library, he has brought me all the research material I required, each time I asked for it."

"Well there you go," Pamela smiled, "So what have you found out?"

"Firstly, concerning Horadric Cube recipes, I have found quite a few more," Deckard began, "You may transmute three of any type of rune and get a scarcer type. As for that Nef rune you also found in the Maggot Lair, it will provide additional defense against missile attacks if used in any piece of armor or a shield, while giving a melee weapon or arrows and bolts fired from ranged weapons the ability to knock an enemy back if thus used. This is very similar to what you are able to do with your shield, Caesar, when you smite your foes."

"That is good news," Suki said, "We can reduce our rune collection slightly by transmuting them."

"As long as we leave at least one rune of each type," Caesar urged, "We never know when we might require a lowly El or Eld rune."

"A wise decision," Cain agreed, "Similarly, you can also transmute any three gems of the same type and grade into a gem of the same type, but a higher grade. This can only be done until the gem is of perfect quality, however."

"Some more space saved," Pamela grinned.

"Indeed," Cain smiled, "As you know by now, you may use a rejuvenation potion to gain back part of your health, mana and stamina. You may also use a Horadric Cube to transmute three of these lesser rejuvenating potions into a full rejuvenation potion. One of these, when used, will restore all lost health, mana and stamina instantly. I would advise carrying a couple of those along as you start facing more dangerous foes."

"Sound advice, I'm sure," Waheed commented.

"Another method of creating full rejuvenation potions is similar to creating a lesser one," Cain continued.

"You mean we can create rejuvenation potions?" Elly asked, "Akara has been hoping and searching for a recipe for years."

"Indeed you can," Deckard smiled, "but it requires the use of a Horadric Cube, something I'm sure Akara has not included in her experiments. And to think how simple the recipe really is. One simply has to transmute any three mana potions together with any three healing potions to produce one rejuvenation potion. As I mentioned, to produce a full rejuvenation potion instead, all one needs to do is add a gem of any type and grade before transmuting the ingredients."

"Truly, Horadric magic must have been powerful at its zenith," Suki mused.

"Indeed," Caesar agreed, "to have been able to incorporate such powerful alchemical features into something seemingly so simple."

"This may be a little late for your battle with those sand maggots," Cain mentioned, "but you may make an antidote potion at any time by combining a strangling gas potion with any healing potion. Lastly, similar to creating a stack of javelins one can create a stack of throwing axes by transmuting an axe and a dagger together."

"My, my you have been busy on the research," Pamela commented.

"Alas, I have found very little of value about our real quest," Cain sighed, "From what I can gather, the headpiece of Tal Rasha's staff resembles a claw viper and was entrusted to them some time after Baal was captured and Tal Rasha entombed. The origin of those monstrosities is cloaked in controversy. Some believe that they are the victims of a powerful curse, while others think they are the result of some hell-spawned evolution. From what I can understand, the claw vipers actually helped the Horadrim during the Sin Wars, even as they now serve in the armies of the Three. If you choose to hunt these creatures, be warned that they are extremely fast and their touch has been known to sometimes chill their victims to the bone."

"Will we need to oppose them?" Pamela asked.

"My research indicates that the Viper Amulet is always worn by the high priest of the claw vipers. They have a very rigorous religious society where the high priest is both the religious and secular leader. It is not unlike the Zakarum in that both leaders and their followers now serve the Three. I assume that because the amulet still carries some latent power it is also used in some cardinal role during their religious ceremonies and rituals. If you wish to retrieve it, you will most assuredly need to fight for it."

As if to confirm this prognosis, darkness suddenly descended over the city, causing an eerie silence to permeate the tavern as its patrons stopped and gaped out the windows. After a moment, talk flared up again as rumors and suggestions started a life of their own.

"Ah," Cain smiled, "What a fortunate turn of events. It is not often that I am able to study an eclipse."

"You sure know how to use events to give impact to what you say old friend," Caesar laughed.

"Oh, no," Deckard denied, "I had no idea this would happen. That crafty old Drognan also mentioned nothing about it. I bet he wished to study it all by himself."

"That is perhaps due to the fact that this 'crafty old Drognan' knew nothing about any eclipse due," Drognan said, as he approached the party, his staff glowing to provide light while Atma's tavern maids scurried to light some lanterns.

"What are you saying?" Caesar asked, trying to deflect Drognan's attention from their friend's faux pas.

"Simply put, Paladin," Drognan replied, "An eclipse of this magnitude is not due for another fifty years or so. I believe it is the work of claw vipers. I have heard that their current leader, a certain Fangskin, wishes to curry favor with his followers. While they have always used sacrifices during their rituals, lately they have begun using humans for these sacrifices instead of those claw vipers chosen by a lottery in the past. I am of the opinion that the lockdown of Lut Gholein as promoted by Lord Jehryn, and to his credit enforced by Greiz, is preventing the claw vipers from abducting any more victims. I believe that they have caused this eclipse in order to have an easier time abducting potential sacrifices in order to continue their rituals and ceremonies."

"What do you suggest we do?" Suki asked.

"You are searching for the Viper Amulet," Drognan stated, "You need to travel to the Valley of Snakes, for there you will find the Claw Viper Temple. Inside you will find this Fangskin and around his scaly neck the amulet. Kill him and any of his followers that wish to stop you. You will probably also find some kind of altar. Destroy it if you can and return the sun to our skies."

"How will we find this valley?" Caesar asked.

"Though I hesitate to mention this, you will need to pass through the Lost City. I have spoken at length with the Huntress, Blood Witch the Wild, since they have come to the city. They have proven their worth to Lord Jehryn since he has granted them amnesty and I therefore have no reason to distrust her words of warning to you. According to her, the Night Tigers are now in sway of a corrupted Amazon of great power. Apparently this Amazon came east from the Rogue's Pass after it was closed, leading me to believe that she was allowed to do so to aid Diablo in his quest. If the Night Tigers were tricked into opposing your progress as happened with Blood Witch and her followers, you may face some dangerous challenges. Unfortunately the Ancient Tunnels have long been closed due to the rising animosity of the claw vipers, otherwise you may have used them to bypass most of the Lost City and perhaps have missed the wrath of this Amazon and her followers. As it is, you will need to use the more conventional route from the Far Oasis, running the certain risk of ambush in the Lost City."

"At least we won't have to contend with the merciless sun for now," Elly smiled, causing some mirth among her companions.

"That may be true," Drognan conceded, "but remember this; Night Tigers are called so for a reason. Unlike the other species of felines, they have adapted to hunt only at night, therefore this darkness will aid them more than it will aid you."

"I guess we will have to leave soon then," Pamela sighed, pushing away her tankard of ale.

"Yes, Amazon," Drognan urged, "Go immediately, for the longer you tarry, the more likely it is that some innocent townsfolk may be abducted and lose their lives at the hands of those vile vipers."

With small reluctance and without the benefit of much sleep since their previous night's adventures they walked to the waypoint, ready to confront the dangerous dark in the desert.

---

"Look at this!" Pamela called, stooping down to look at a small bronze plaque embedded in the trunk of one of the hardy palm trees growing in the Lost City.

It had taken the group little time to find the canyon leading from the Far Oasis to the Lost City. They had not met much resistance, despite Drognan's warning, and had gradually moved along the western-most outer perimeter of the Lost City. The desert here was true to its name, being littered with the ruins of some earlier city. Among the ruins, the earlier denizens, now undead, dwelled as they walked around, guarding against any living wishing to traverse their city. They were similar to the Zombies they had bested in Khanduras, being the resurrected corpses of common folk, but the desert heat had caused their corpses to become hardened like old leather. According to Drognan, they had all died when a virulent plague had swept through the city hundreds of years earlier, even before Lut Gholein had come to prominence in the desert. Now these Plague Bearers would cause the plague that killed them to spread to anyone they managed to rake with their sinewy claws.

"What is it?" Caesar asked, stopping and with the others, drawing closer.

"It looks like a tombstone of sorts," Pamela indicated.

Silently they all read the engraved lettering:

Bragi, the Paladin, in the Lost City did rove,
With Pratham beside him, together they strove.
In search of the temple, where Fangskin did dwell,
The heat of the sun reminiscent of Hell.
Blackouts, by heatstroke, had taken their toll,
Undaunted the hero pressed on t'wards his goal.
The staff he'd retrieved from the Maggot Queen's lair,
With 'Cleansing' aglowing, no fear had he there.
Dark Elder, the undead, could not bar his route,
Some blows from his Striker, still 'undead'? Now moot.
Then out of the haze a Tomb Creeper crept,
Foul Snarl was his name, and on Bragi he leapt.
More annoying than deadly, this time t'was not so,
Foul Snarl had about him an aura that glowed.
Electricity surged and sparked from his skin,
Through Bragi it coursed, left him dead from within.
Now up in Valhalla, there's roasting of boar,
Through the smoke and the haze, there opens a door.
A tankard is drawn and a place set within,
For Bragi is finally at home with his kin.

"It seems that someone was searching for Fangskin before us," Suki mused, "How is it possible that nobody in Lut Gholein mentioned this?"

"It also seems like this Bragi was in possession of the Staff of Kings at the time of his death," Caesar mentioned.

"This plaque is not very old either," Pamela said, "It has hardly tarnished. I wonder what this means?"

"A mystery I'm sure you'll carry to your graves, 'sister'," a voice boomed from behind them.

Turning around, the party was met by a strange sight. The voice clearly belonged to the Amazon, standing about ten yards from them. She had a stack of cruel Hyperion javelins of quickness jabbed into the desert sand on her right hand side. She also had a sturdy tower shield strapped to her left arm. Held back by a leash, held in her right hand, was a Tomb Lurker with a pulsing aura emanating from it. Spread out on either side of the Amazon there were Night Tigers, some of whom also held leashed Tomb Lurkers in check. Completing this platoon was a secondary line of Night Slingers standing behind the first. They were standing at the ready, greenish potions, no doubt being strangling, choking and rancid gas potions held in their paws and hanging from bandoliers strapped around their chests.

"You must the leader of this rag-tag band of ruffians?" Suki challenged, "Blood Witch warned us about you."

"Blood Witch was weak and I told the master so," the Amazon sneered, "It matters not Assassin, for Loscentillia will not allow you or your motley crew to proceed any further."

"I presume your snarling pet would be Foul Snarl then?" Caesar asked, already using his cleansing aura in anticipation of an attack.

"Yes," Loscentillia answered, "My darling pet did well to prevent the meddling of that would-be god. I retrieved the Staff of Kings from his corpse and returned it to Cold Worm whence it was stolen from. Curiously, he may have been a real god though, since shortly after removing the Staff, his corpse seemed to shimmer then disappeared, along with that of his companion. My scouts reported later that a strange man dressed like a bard and shaking a spear, was seen near that tree where you are standing. Though they attacked, they could not seem to harm him as he magically embedded that bronze plaque in the trunk of the tree. I have given orders for it to be removed, but none of our efforts have proven successful. I guess even if he wasn't a real god, he has thus achieved immortality in a sense."

"Why are you doing this?" Pamela asked, "You are an Amazon, we bow to no one!"

"Why else my naïve 'sister'?" Loscentillia snarled. "Power! The master has given me power far greater than Athulua, Karcheus, Zerae, Hefaetrus and all our other meddling gods could ever give me. Observe!"

As if she hadn't moved, Loscentillia transferred the leash to her shield hand, pulling a single Hyperion javelin from the sand and hurling it, transformed into a bolt of pure lightning, at the unfortunate palm tree behind them. As the bolt struck true, striking the plaque, it seemed to shatter into two-dozen more, cleaving the air around the party, leaving behind the smell of ozone. As she had said, the plaque and indeed the tree remained unharmed.

"Impressive," Caesar applauded, "but even so we have to ask you to stand aside. Our quarrel is not with you or your following of Night Tigers, but with your master, Diablo, and his brother Baal."

"You dare to suggest that we simply stand aside?" the Amazon screeched, "You will pay for your insolence. Attack them!"

At her command the Night Tigers released their Tomb Lurkers and surged forward. Behind them the Night Slingers released volley upon volley of poison potions, engulfing the party in a swirling cloud of green miasma. Strangely, Loscentillia was struggling to release the leather strap, containing Foul Snarl, while at the same time the animal seemed to become more and more agitated. Unable to contain its bloodlust, it turned around, jumping up at its mistress.

"No, get away!" the Amazon shrieked as a surge of electricity coursed through her body.

Meanwhile the party had been busy, decimating the ranks of Night Tigers and Slingers. Already the five or so Tomb Lurkers were lying dead on the sand. Suki's sentries erupted with constant waves of charged bolts. In the middle of this mayhem, a town portal opened, allowing Blood Witch the Wild and four of her strongest followers to step through, snarling commands at the confused and bewildered Night Tigers.

"Somebody help me!" Loscentillia cried, desperately trying to ward off the attacks from her crazed pet.

Caesar, being the closest, slammed Knell Striker into the side of the Tomb Lurker, snapping ribs with a crushing blow and sending the creature sailing through the air. It was brought up short by the leash still attached to the collar around its throat, giving Caesar the chance to hit it again and again in his zeal. Loscentillia had fainted from the repeated electrical shocks she had received and had pitched face forward in the sand, now in dire threat of suffocating. At the commands of Blood Witch, the Night Tigers and Slingers had broken off their attack and were now standing around aimlessly, allowing Pamela the chance to rush to her Amazon sister's aid. Rolling her onto her back, Pamela noticed that the leash had been surreptitiously tied to the straps of Loscentillia's tower shield. Forcing her mouth open, Pamela poured a rejuvenation potion down her throat.

Loscentillia twitched, then coughed, spraying forth sand from her mouth and nostrils, then groaned. She was weak but alive, but Pamela showed no mercy and slapped her through the face. Loscentillia's eyes fluttered open, focusing on the face of her enemy.

"Drink this," Pamela commanded, "and don't try to speak just yet! If you do, I might just decide to let you die anyway!"

Obediently she drank the offered healing potion, her eyes fearfully scanning around for any sign of Foul Snarl. Fortunately her erstwhile pet was now nothing more than a corpse, Caesar having dealt with it without much mercy. Only Loscentillia would know how many had died at the hand of her pet.

One by one, first the Night Tigers, then the Slingers walked past where she was still lying in Pamela's arms and dropped their weapons in front of her. Lastly, Blood Witch walked towards her purring softly.

"Our master has deceived us both," she meowed, "Today's battle has proven it to you, just as surely as another battle a while ago had proven it to me. What differs between you and me is that I was duped into using my own kin to further his cause, while you had no such restraint in your heart. You owe us an apology, but more so, you owe these warriors, once your enemies, your life. They have saved you from yourself."

Loscentillia nodded weakly, then gathered the strength to whisper, "You are right. I have forgotten the face of my mother, as you did while serving the master. Please forgive me."

"We were all fooled, even those of the Night Tigers serving you. They served you willingly enough. We leave you now, awaiting the time when these noble few will brave the Canyon of the Magi, allowing us to also call back the Hell Cats from the brink of despair."

One by one the felines walked through the town portal, returning to Lut Gholein where the Night Tigers too would now seek amnesty from Lord Jehryn in return for service in his city.

"I yield to you sister," Loscentillia whispered weakly, after the last feline had disappeared from view, "My army has deserted me and I have almost been killed by my foolishness and pride."

"I accept and pardon you, but on one condition," Pamela agreed.

"Name it," Loscentillia asked.

"You know this place and must therefore guide us to the Valley of Snakes. When you have completed that task, you must leave this land and return to our Amazon lands so that you may seek to remember the face of your mother."

"I will do as you ask," Loscentillia accepted meekly.

---

With Loscentillia to guide them, their rate of progress increased. Though she had lost the ability to imbue her Hyperion javelins with lightning, having turned her back on her former master, Diablo, she was still able to use them to fend against any attackers. This was a blindingly fast attack to multiple enemies within range, all the while using her tower shield to block or her superior Amazon training to dodge, avoid or evade further bodily harm. They were met with very little resistance, the Night Tigers and Slingers having all deserted to join Blood Witch's growing army in Lord Jehryn's employ. The few Tomb Lurkers they encountered were as easily dispatched as their cousins the Cave and Sand Leapers, while the remaining undead, the Plague Bearers, proved little more than a minor hindrance. The only real threat came from a pack of Marauders near the Lost City waypoint. These were kinsman to the Sand Raiders they had encountered in the Lut Gholein Sewers, but what made this particular pack so dangerous was that the leader was lightning enchanted. However, with more than enough resistance to lightning, Suki jumped forward and attacked, allowing the others to provide supporting fire and attacks to the leader's minions. The battle did not last long, as soon the Marauder's broken bodies littered the desert sand.

"I have been wondering," Loscentillia began later, jogging along with Caesar next to her at point, "How was it that Foul Snarl's leash had become so entwined with my shield straps?"

"Oh, I have the answer to that," Waheed grinned, matching their pace.

"I'm sure you do," Caesar grinned, remembering Waheed's first encounter with Suki's shadow.

After explaining to the Amazon about the devious nature of Suki's shadow, she smiled, "I underestimated that Assassin. My pride almost led to my death as I failed to notice the workings of her shadow right under my nose."

Soon the party arrived at the canyon leading to the Valley of Snakes and prepared to say farewell to their guide.

"We thank you for your service, Loscentillia," Pamela said, "I wish you luck and good fortune in your travels home."

"No," she replied, "It is I who wish to thank you. Though I have a long way to go, you have allowed me to take the first steps in redeeming myself. It felt good fighting on the side of good once more, not for any gain such as power or wealth, but simply knowing I was doing the right thing."

"Continue in your path of righteousness then," Caesar said, "May the Light shine on your path and banish the dark areas from your soul."

"I will seek the face of my mother and give account of your travels to your kin, Pamela," she vowed as she turned around and loped off towards the waypoint.

"How will she go home though?" Suki asked, "Jehryn has closed the harbor."

"She mentioned taking the waypoint to the Rogue Monastery," Pamela answered, "since it was there that she had met the Dark Wanderer and had been enthralled by Diablo. Elly has written a letter to Kashya, explaining the situation and requesting her aid. From there she will probably be able to take the portal to Tristram once escorted to the Stony Field and then travel onwards to Duncraig and Kingsport. Once there, I'm sure she'll be able to procure passage on a ship going to the Amazon Islands."

"Do you think she will be all right though?" Elly asked.

"I sensed no reason to fear a recurrence of her corruption," Caesar smiled, "Diablo's hold over her was tenuous at best and though she may be plagued by dark dreams for some time to come, with Andariel destroyed, she has no reason to fear being in Khanduras for any length of time."

"If she is to be safe, let us continue with our own quest then," Zanarhi suggested.

Following the canyon the party came out in a small valley, dominated by the broken ruins of an ancient temple. Flanking each side of the entrance were two massive statues of Claw Vipers, carved out of the living rock. The entrance was also guarded by a fire tower. Originally created by wary caravan traders to act as unmanned sentries, these devices soon found favor amongst anyone who was interested in safeguarding their domicile. It was clear that the Claw Vipers did not wish for anyone to gain unauthorized access to their temple. Although they were designed to emit fireballs whenever a magical field was crossed, these fields did not seem to activate when crossed by demons. Fortunately, this also allowed the party to avoid detection, as they avoided the magical field before they proceeded down the torch lit stairs to the bowels of the temple.

---

The first thing they noticed was the sibilant hissing emanating from somewhere around a corner from the smallish alcove into which the stairs had ended. The source soon became apparent as a single Salamander came into view, giving a squawking snarl as it spotted them. It must have been one of a couple of Salamanders and Claw Vipers on sentry duty close to the stairs, since its warning brought others slithering to confront the party. Because the citizens of Lut Gholein and the Claw Vipers had co-existed in reasonable, if suspicious peace for quite some time, the party waited for the Claw Vipers to make the first move and determine the course of action they would take concerning the denizens of the rest of the temple. Sure enough, one of the Salamanders charged forward rapidly, barely blocked by Caesar's hastily raised rondache, while two more Claw Vipers chilled both Waheed and Elly with well aimed strikes from a form of freezing enzyme they produced by spitting at their foes. This seemed to settle things for the party, who like a well-oiled machine, sprang to life, decimating their opponent's ranks. Soon their snaking corpses littered the floor of the entrance alcove.

"I wonder if their skin makes good boots?" Suki was heard to ask dryly as they cautiously walked on, searching for Fangskin the high priest.

As they progressed they also found definite signs of Diablo's corruption. Embalmed, another form of Mummy, and Guardians, another form of the Greater Mummies, with their retinue of Bone Warriors, also hindered them. With the chilling attacks of the Claw Vipers and Salamanders it was often difficult to isolate and dispatch the Guardians quickly and efficiently, early on in each battle and they would often become bogged down by the masses of Bone Warriors and Embalmed being resurrected and re-resurrected by their masters. Notwithstanding this new difficulty, the party prevailed and soon enough they were standing before more stairs leading down to a deeper and perhaps more sinister level of the Claw Viper Temple.

They had reason to believe they needed to also inspect this lower level, since as with the stairs leading from the Valley of Snakes, these were well illuminated by torches, indicating that someone or something was probably in attendance below. Checking their gear and backpacks for noise, they descended silently and cautiously down the stairs. They came out in a short hallway, leading to a gloomy and smoke filled room at the end of it. Though no enemy could be seen, they heard a sibilant, hissing form of chanting followed by a terrified, hackle-raising scream, cut off halfway and followed by an almost contented hiss of unison by the occupants of the room. It was becoming clear that some form of sacrifice was being performed and that it was highly likely that Fangskin would be in attendance himself. With this thought in mind and the possibility to avenge the poor unfortunate soul that had uttered the death scream, they pressed forward.

At least some form of tradition was being followed by the Claw Vipers as no Guardians or Embalmed were allowed to be present at these ceremonies. The party was instead met by at least two-dozen Claw Vipers and about a dozen more Salamanders packed into the confines of the room. In the middle of the room was a smallish, earth-banked rotunda; with in its center what seemed like an unholy type of altar, streaked with the dried blood from many victims. In the far right corner were small latticed cages, containing for the most part the starved corpses of would be sacrificial victims, while nearby, hanging limply from tied hands were the naked corpses of a male and a female. The corpse of the man was obviously that of a prior victim, since the rivulets of blood streaking his body from a large, gaping hole under his left breast were already congealed. The woman must have been the unfortunate victim they had heard screaming, as fresh blood was still flowing from a similar hole, puncturing her chest below the left breast. If anything more needed to convince the party of this, the fact that a glowing Claw Viper was standing in front of the woman's corpse with a gleaming sacrificial dagger held in one claw and what appeared to be the woman's eviscerated heart held in the other, was enough to do so.

"Fangskin, I presume?" Caesar asked.

"How preciousssss," Fangskin hissed, "The massssster hasssss been exsssspecting you."

"So you admit to being the lackey of Diablo?" Suki asked, preparing her sentries, ready to throw them into the fray.

"The massssster hasssss given usssss muchssss power," Fangskin rasped, waving the dripping dagger at the surroundings, "We have killed the sssssun and have been able to make muchssss sssssacrificsssse to the sssssnake godsssss."

"We can see that," Pamela scoffed, notching an arrow, "In fact you have so much power that some of your victims starve before you are able to sacrifice them."

"It mattersssss not," the high priest hissed, "Sssssoon you will be offered to the godsssss and they will be well pleasssssed by the sssssacricsssse of sssssuchssss powerful enemiesssss of the sssssnake people. Kill them my people! We will cut out their heartsssss and offer them to the godsssss."

In unison came the replying hiss from the three-dozen followers as they slithered forward to attack. Falling back slightly, into the confines of the hallway, the party met the charge head on forcing the Salamanders and Claw Vipers to bunch up and only attack individually or in twos. With Caesar and the two spearmen holding the line, Suki and her shadow could cause mayhem in the backs of the enemy ranks with their charged bolt sentries, while Elly and Pamela helped to decimate the front ranks with their usual barrage of arrows. Soon the bleeding and shattered corpses of all Fangskin's attendants littered the floor. Only a small retinue of hardened warriors still surrounded the glowering high priest, as small sparks seemed to arc from his mottled skin.

"You will pay for thisssss sssssacrilege!" he rasped as he surged forward, his bodyguard following swiftly.

"Stand back!" Suki commanded, recognizing Fangskin to be lightning enchanted.

Swiping at her with his sacrificial dagger, she blocked his blow with her shield, but winced slightly as the electricity still managed to flow through her body. Her blade talons sliced through Fangskin's other claw, severing several of the fingers. No longer being able to grip with his now useless claw, he dropped the heart on the floor and seemed to squawk a curse.

"The heart!" he hissed, "You have made me dropsssss it!"

Dropping forward, his tail snaked forward, the vicious stinger piercing through Suki's bicep. She cried out in pain, but felt the warmth of Zanarhi's prayers envelop her, already healing the wound. With similar quickness her hand snaked out in reply, severing Fangskin's other arm just below the elbow. The severed forearm fell to the floor, still clutching the sacrificial dagger.

"My precssssiousssss! I have lost my precssssiousssss!" Fangskin squawked and hissed.

"Here's something even more precious, snake!" Suki hissed as her blade talons once more snaked out, cutting through Fangskin's soft throat, almost beheading him, but for the vertebra of his neck. Hate seemed to be replaced by fear in his coldly glittering eyes, before he collapsed forward.

Meanwhile the rest of the party had been hard pressed to contain Fangskin's bodyguard, as they seemed to share their master's lightning quick speed. Upon his death however, they all seemed to stop and become sluggish, their semi-telepathic link to their master severed. The party pressed this advantage and soon their corpses littered the floor beside that of their master. Bending down, Suki picked up the Viper Amulet, the hide thong it had been hanging from around Fangskin's neck having been also severed by her killing blow to the high priest.

"Serpents," she scoffed, "I expected worse."

"Help me Waheed," Caesar called, and then with the help of both Waheed and Zanarhi, toppled the evil altar, smashing it on the stone floor.

"Let there be light," Pamela smiled as a bright shaft of light pierced down into the gloom from above.

"Truly," Caesar agreed, casting a town portal, "The light can never be extinguished by evil."

---

"Ah, you have found the Viper Amulet," Cain enthused, examining the miniature Claw Viper, "I hope the battle with the high priest was not too taxing."

"On the contrary," Caesar remarked, "Suki took quite good care of Fangskin. His followers will think twice before abducting any of the citizens of Lut Gholein again."

"That is good," Cain mused.

"Is something bothering you, old friend?" Suki asked.

"I, ah, oh," Cain began, flabbergasted like the rest at Suki's question.

"Don't look so surprised old man," Suki grinned, "You must have known that you would win my trust sooner or later."

"Ah, yes," Cain smiled, "Anyway, I've been speaking to Lord Jehryn and I sense that he is becoming more and more agitated by something."

"You have managed to speak to him?" Pamela asked, surprised.

"Yes," Cain confirmed, "but alas, he is as enigmatic as ever. Perhaps you should try to speak to him or perhaps Drognan, since that old mage seems to be in his confidence."

"That can wait a little while longer," Caesar agreed, "First you need to show us how to transmute the Horadric Staff of Tal Rasha."

"Oh, yes, yes, of course," Cain said, "You have both pieces with you?"

"Yes," Caesar confirmed, "Here is the Staff of Kings."

"Good," Cain began, "Now you need to open the cube by wishing it open."

Caesar did as he was instructed and after a little while, like the use of a waypoint, he was able to mentally command the cube. With the cube open, Cain placed both the Staff of Kings and the Viper Amulet inside.

"Now my friend, you need to close the cube again."

Caesar did as he was told, mentally commanding the cube to close.

"Now come the tricky bit," Cain frowned, "You have to command the cube to transmute, as you would for any other cube transmutation."

Caesar concentrated hard, willing the cube to transmute the contents. At first nothing seemed to happen and sweat was starting to form on his brow. Then he felt a small ethereal shift occur inside the cube and willed it to open. To his amazement he withdrew from it a beautifully crafted staff. It was incredibly slender with an ornate headpiece and there was no sign of the Staff of Kings or the Viper Amulet.

"You have done well," Cain said, "You have also now learned how to use a cube to transmute other items. You need only insert the correct ingredients and command the cube to transmute. It will be responsible for the rest and given the right ingredients, the cube will produce the correct result."

"We have quite a few chipped gems we could practice on," Pamela suggested.

With that, the party walked over to Fara's shop, opening Pamela's worn travel chest. Caesar dug among the contents, extracting a small cloth bundle. Opening the cloth, he handed three chipped amethysts to Pamela and another three chipped rubies to Suki. For himself, he took three chipped emeralds. Together the three of them practiced opening and closing their cubes and commanding them to transmute their contents. This quickly reduced their stock of chipped gems, and skulls, resulting instead in quite a few flawed gems and skulls in turn.

"There is now three flawed topazes and amethysts here," Pamela remarked, "Should we transmute them again?"

"I don't see why not," Caesar replied, handing the topazes to Suki and the amethysts to Pamela.

Sure enough, when their cubes were opened again, a normal topaz and amethyst were the result. When Caesar re-packed the contents into the cloth, they had a single chipped diamond, amethyst and skull, two chipped emeralds and sapphires, a single flawed sapphire and two flawed diamonds, emeralds, rubies and skulls. The cloth also now contained a normal topaz and amethyst and the flawless diamond resulting from the gem shrine they had found in the Sewers. It already represented a small fortune, being able to fetch up to 22,750 in gold from the right buyer. Not that the party required the money; they had each saved almost a hundred and fifty thousand gold pieces from the various items they had picked up and sold back to the merchants. When they had finished transmuting the gems, they decided to create some full rejuvenation potions, by transmuting some of their stock of lesser rejuvenation potions. Last, but not least they also transmuted three El runes into a single Eld rune, before walking to Drognan's house.

---

"I must congratulate you," the mage said, as they were all seated on couches in an entrance hall in his house. One of Drognan's servants had allowed them inside, and then went to call his master.

"Thank you," Caesar replied.

"Although you did well in destroying the Claw Vipers," Drognan continued, "there is another matter I wish to discuss. I've been researching the old records, trying to determine the location of Tal Rasha's tomb. Though I have not yet been able to find it, I did come across another interesting tidbit. The great Vizjerei summoner, Horazon, built his Arcane Sanctuary around here somewhere. He was a powerful spell caster and kept demons as slaves inside the sanctuary. However, of more importance to us, he also kept a close eye on important events, such as the imprisonment of Baal within Tal Rasha's tomb. If you could manage to find Horazon's sanctuary, I am sure it would contain some clue as to the location of Tal Rasha's tomb."

"That sounds like sound advice," Suki replied, "but how do we find this 'sanctuary'?"

"When I spoke of this to Lord Jehryn, he asked that I send you to him," Drognan replied, "Perhaps he knows of a secret entrance or the like."

"Is there anything else you can tell us?" Caesar asked.

"I am certain that once you find Horazon's journal, you will find the information you seek."

"Let us go and see Lord Jehryn then," Pamela suggested as they got up to leave.

"I suggest that you find it quickly though," Drognan warned, "Diablo may be getting closer to freeing his brother as we speak."

---

"Lord Jehryn commands that you may enter the palace," Kaelan informed them as they approached the palace steps. Together the entered the coolness of the interior.

"Ye may be wondering," Jehryn started, as they all assembled before him, "why I have been so secretive. I have heard of your many deeds of skill and bravery and I therefore feel I can trust you all with something I have been hesitant to speak of. When the troubles began here, I allowed the terrified harem guilds to join me here, in the safety of the palace. All was fine, until one night. Screams echoed up the stairwells from the harem. My guards arrived to find the poor girls being slaughtered by a merciless band of hell-spawned demons. My brave guardsmen tried to push the demons back, into the mysterious rift from which they came. Ever since, my men have fought a losing battle; demons have continued to pour from the rift, into the palace. Ultimately, I had no choice but to hire Greiz and his mercenaries to protect the rest of my fair city."

"What has that to do with us though?" Caesar asked, perplexed.

"Drognan believes that the Arcane Sanctuary lies buried beneath the palace, since Lut Gholein occupies the site of an ancient Vizjerei fortress. Some events in the recent past would seem to confirm this for me. Events that may have a direct bearing to thy quest here, Assassin."

"My quest?" Suki asked, "Drognan did mention a few things to me, but warned me that it would depend on you and your trust in order for me to continue."

"Indeed," Jehryn confirmed, "There was an eastern mage, a Vizjerei I believe, who visited me almost a year ago. He was very interested in the history of this site and seemed particularly fascinated by the architecture of the palace. Out of courtesy, I gave him a tour. When he found the ancient seals over a passageway in the cellar, he became very agitated and asked that he be left alone to study them. Shortly after, he left with no further word and I never saw him again. Odd, don't thou think?"

"Did he happen to mention where he had come from?" Suki asked, her eyes glittering.

"I do not know, but he did spend a great deal of time with Drognan. Perhaps thou can ask him."

"What is this all about?" Caesar asked.

"As I mentioned to Cain earlier, you have earned my trust, Caesar," Suki replied, "I may as well tell you my mission."

"We're listening," Pamela said.

"I was given command by my order to track down a Vizjerei mage that had been to Tristram. Many Vizjerei had come to that place in order to do battle with Diablo and his minions. Not many left there alive, while most that did were not themselves. My order feared that these ones were somehow corrupted and many of us were given targets to track and if needs be, destroy."

"And thou think it is this same mage that visited me?" Jehryn asked.

"Natalya, my elder, spent some time in Tristram herself. This was before the corruption that took place there and quite possibly before the time when the Dark Wanderer had defeated Diablo. The trail led here, to Lut Gholein, but before she could follow, she was recalled by our order. When I was ordered to continue the pursuit, Natalya accompanied me as far as Kurast, and I took ship with captain Meshif to come here. Drognan's spies must have followed me closely, no doubt on instruction from him. I do not blame him; the presence of an Assassin in the city where he lived must have perturbed him. He must have found out that I was not seeking him, but rather this mage and put two and two together long before I did. When I visited him the first time, together with these heroes, he used the opportunity to impart some of his suspicions, but warned me that I would have to win you favor before I would be able to continue my search."

"It seems that time has come," Jehryn commented, "Quite possibly the actions of that mage is somehow linked to the troubles inside my palace. My palace is now open to you. Good luck!"

---

The first thing they noticed as they descended the central stairwell was the sheer opulence of Jehryn's palace. Intricately woven silk carpets covered the checkered marble floor. Rich royal purple draperies covered some of the ornamental pillars forming short colonnades, as well as being draped over cushions scattered on some of the rugs. Here and there an ornamental, hand-painted dressing screen created a private area where no doubt some of the harem girls got dressed, or more likely got undressed for their normal visitors. Niches in the striated walls were occupied by various figurines of female dancers, captured in different stages of their dance. Though it would be blisteringly hot outside, the thick walls of the palace kept the interior cool, and braziers provided both heat and light to the otherwise dim rooms.

"I could probably learn to live here," Suki commented, a small smile on her lips.

"No doubt," Caesar agreed, "What worries me is the silence. There is no sign of any battles being fought on this level."

"Perhaps the demon spawn have not managed to fight their way up here yet," Pamela mused.

"There is another stairwell," Elly pointed out.

Cautiously, the party moved down one of a pair of stairwells. The first thing to assail them was the smell. It was the coppery smell of blood, overlaying the more sinister smell of corruption and death. They soon found the first victim, a dead palace guard with a spear protruding from his chest, but embedded deep within the marble floor so that it also propped him up in an unnatural kneeling position.

"What strength could have done this?" Caesar asked, after having applied all his strength in unsuccessfully pulling the spear from the floor.

"This place is a slaughterhouse," Suki exclaimed, having discovered two harem girls, hanging limply from their arms, which were tied to a pillar. Both their throats were slit; there was dried and drying blood everywhere. It seemed impossible that so much blood could have come from the three bodies, as it was splashed all over the room, covering the dancing figurines, carpets, pillars and walls in crimson splashes like flashes of hatred.

"Leave the dead for now," Waheed advised, "Once we have cleansed this place of evil, we and others may bury them."

Caesar grimly lifted his shield as he strode forward to open the sole metal gate leading from the room. Almost immediately, blazing white arrows thudded into his shield as a small ambushing group of Horror Archers let fly. Caesar charged forward as the other heroes battled to negotiate the bottleneck of the doorway. Soon, Pamela and Elly could start providing covering fire, while Suki and her shadow scouted out the two other exits from the room.

A roar erupted from the next room, then Suki staggered back as a mighty blow hit her on the shoulder. Too stunned to do anything else, another blow hit her, knocking her back even further. A third blow from what looked like a human body wrapped in chains rained down on her before Zanarhi could jump forward to protect his mistress.

"I think we've stumbled across the answer to the impaled guard," Pamela mentioned grimly as she notched another arrow to her bow.

Sure enough, a lumbering Blunderbore ducked through the archway, knocking poor Zanarhi to one side. These were corrupted, or sometimes even willing warriors, embracing the powers of evil to such an extent that they allowed for diabolical experimentation to have been performed on them. Alchemical enhancements from these experiments had increased their physical muscle mass far beyond normal proportions. Their heads, and minds for that matter, suffered in the transformation, making them quite single-minded in their need to fight. As a sign of dominance and intimidation over smaller opponents, they commonly used the bodies of those they had defeated as weapons. Such a warrior was now seriously endangering two of their comrades.

As the Blunderbore came into full view, Pamela let loose and arrow, imbuing it with the power of frost at the last second. The arrow hit the Blunderbore squarely in the chest, between the two pierced nipples, freezing the monster in place, while Caesar charged forward to smite the giant warrior with his shield. This allowed Suki and Zanarhi a chance to recover and retreat slightly with each quickly quaffing a healing potion. Another roar behind the frozen Blunderbore seemed to indicate the presence of one or more in the room beyond, but fortunately this one now blocked the archway.

Things were already not looking well for the party when Suki's shadow came running from the other exit from the room, hastily laying down traps in the doorway. A pair of strange beasts, lumbering on all fours, closely followed her. They were Dune Beasts, a type of baboon demon, strangely out of place from the jungles of Kurast. Twisted by the vile powers of Mephisto, these once docile tree dwellers had become rampaging monstrosities, preying on the weak and unwary. Their basic instincts had also been heightened; increasing their carnivorous tendencies as well as making them attack anything or anyone that posed a potential threat to their dominance of the jungle.

Without hesitation, Elly fired an arrow at the foremost, the chilling effect slowing it down, causing the other Dune Beast to collide with it. This caused both to stop as the shadow's traps started erupting around them. The two beasts were taking a lot of damage, grunting in pain as they decided to retreat from battle. This helped to even the odds as a second Blunderbore shouldered its way into the room while its comrade collapsed heavily to the floor. Lashing out with a chain wrapped around its other arm, ending in a large hook, it managed, with some precision, to rip Pluckeye from Pamela's grasp. Clearly, even with its diminished brain, it could target the biggest threat and try to neutralize it. Elly fired another chilling arrow, this time at the Blunderbore, as both Caesar and Waheed closed in on it from where they had been lurking on either side of the archway. Suki, having recovered from her earlier predicament, dashed forward to retrieve the bow, tossing it back at Pamela as she launched herself furiously at the hulking Blunderbore. Locking her legs around the Blunderbore's waist, she clawed at its face and neck with such ferocity that she cleanly decapitated it, jumping back from the falling body, neatly landing at its feet.

"Why don't you always fight like that?" Caesar asked, his eyes twinkling as he wiped the blood from a shallow gash on his forehead.

"They caught me by surprise," Suki replied grimly, "That makes me mad."

"You should get mad more often then, mistress," Zanarhi commented, once again awed by his employer.

The rest of that level was much a repeat of that first encounter. Pamela or Elly would freeze or slow the Blunderbores and Dune Beasts, before the others hazarded to close within melee range. The Horror Archers were met with less trepidation, being more of a nuisance than a real threat. Soon they had cleared every room apart from a large central room where most of the harem must have been housed. There were two entrances to this room and the party decided to split up and attack from both sides. Pamela, Suki, her shadow and Zanarhi would wait for Caesar to call out, once the Paladin, Waheed and Elly were in position at the opposite entrance.

"For the Light!" Caesar shouted after a short while, as he crashed open the metal gate.

Inside the room was a small colonnade in one corner, while a screen of metal bars crossed the other end of the room. Crucified on the bars were two guards and one of the harem girls. One of the guards was decapitated, the head nowhere in sight, while the other two were clearly eviscerated. The bodies of other guards and girls were strewn across the area of the room, some lying in pools of blood on the marble floor, while others were lying on large red stains where the blood had been soaked up by a rug or carpet. Two canopied beds also dotted the room, their cushions and tops soaked in blood.

A score of Horror Archers guarded the room along with about four Blunderbores and a half a dozen Dune Beasts. Ignoring the blazing arrows from the Horror Archers at first, they concentrated on the threat of the Blunderbores. Following Suki's earlier tactic, they had found that it was far better to fight these giants at very close range than to allow them the room to swing their chain-wrapped flesh-clubs. The Dune Beasts were easily countered, as they would often flee to lick their wounds if they were hurt enough. Soon the seemingly overpowering odds swung in their favor as one by one the Blunderbores toppled to the floor, followed by the clattering of the disenchanted bones of the Horror Archers.

As silence descended on the large room, Elly suddenly gasped, "There is still someone alive here."

Using her own inner sight, Pamela quickly stepped towards one of the beds, lifting the draped covers from the floor to peer beneath it.

"Zanarhi, come quickly!" she called, "There are two harem girls here. They are barely alive."

Gently, almost reverently, Zanarhi helped Pamela to pull the two girls from beneath the bed, then kneeled between them, placing a hand, palm facing down on each girl's chest and began to pray. Soon the aura of his fervent prayers suffused the girls, bringing color to their pallid faces. After a while they began to moan as if re-living the horrors they must have faced in nightmares. Zanarhi intensified his prayers, and the two girls fell silent, and then slowly opened their eyes.

"The Light is powerful in you," the one smiled, looking up at Zanarhi with awe, "I could feel you removing my horrible memories as you prayed for us."

"I too was afraid of living, if my life would remind me of the horrors here," the second said, "You have restored us to life without that fear."

"How is it that you yet live?" Caesar asked.

"When those monsters attacked, this was the last place we could flee to," the first replied, "The last of the guards chose this room to barricade themselves and us inside against the last onslaught. Clearly, even that was not enough."

"When the monsters breached the first gate, Inara and I hid beneath that bed," the second girl continued.

"It was Zaida's idea and it proved to save our lives," Inara mentioned.

"We must have fainted from shock and remained unconscious due to lack of food and water," Zaida confirmed.

"You were very lucky," Suki agreed, "These monsters must have thought you already dead, and since they live for the pain and anguish of others, did not bother to torture or maim you. Only those alive could satiate their thirst for blood as is clear from the remains of your comrades that were less fortunate."

"We will take you now to the safety of town," Caesar said, "I am sure that Elzix will have a place for you to stay in at the inn."

"First we should stop at Atma's for some food and drink for them," Pamela cautioned, "There is also those five remaining Dune Beasts to hunt down too."

"I will be more than pleased to hunt them down," Suki grinned grimly.

Suki, her shadow and Zanarhi left quickly by one door, following the spoor of the last seen Dune Beast. Pamela almost felt sorry for the monsters as she opened a town portal, helping Elly to assist the sole two remaining harem girls to the safety and welcome sunlight of Lut Gholein. Caesar and Waheed decided to stay behind, guarding the town portal, until Pamela could ask Greiz to send reinforcements to help clear out the dead and clean up this level of the palace.

"I am glad that some good has come of this tragedy," Waheed mentioned.

"As long as people like us are prepared to take the fight to the Three and their minions, there will always be good coming from such evil," Caesar agreed.

---

Shortly, Pamela and Elly returned, followed by a grimly satisfied Suki. A deputation of about ten of Greiz's town guards soon also arrived and started to secure the area and carry away the dead. Seeing no need to continue waiting, the party went down one of the stairwells, deeper into the bowels of the palace.

They were met by the sight of austere stonewalls and floor. Like the previous level, rooms were often signified by an area enclosed by metal bars, much like jail cells, but slightly more ornate. Slender colonnades enclosed other areas, though much less ornate than the columns in the harem levels. Crates, chests and barrels were often stacked to the roof, giving the whole area of what was clearly part of the palace cellar a claustrophobic feel. Fortunately, there were fewer corpses of the harem girls here, but this meant that there were more of the unfortunate palace guards in various poses of tortured death.

Soon they once again met resistance, this time from more of the Dune Beasts, Blunderbores, but also some Horror Mages, firing their fire bolts at the party. Following the same fighting tactics as they did for the harem level, they found the battles in the cellar much easier due to the relative openness of the rooms. Pamela and Elly could often fire at enemies in the next rooms, then duck behind crates when the Mages returned fire. Pamela also used her skill at magically slowing down missiles to thwart the effort of the scores of Mages wanting to harm the rest of the party. Caesar and the others were able to easily avoid the fire bolts as they traveled at much reduced speed through the air.

After some intense fighting with a unique Blunderbore overlord and its minions they found a waypoint. This enforced the view they now held that the city had been built on the ruins of a Horadric fortress. Taking the opportunity to notify more of Greiz's guards, the party returned to the surface of Lut Gholein, secure in the knowledge that another level of the palace had been cleared of the foul presence of demons and undead. Consulting with Jehryn, he indicated that there were two more levels of the palace cellar to traverse, before they would find the ancient seals they were looking for. He was very much relieved to hear of their progress and again vowed that he would aid them in any way he could.

Having a quick dinner at Atma's the party returned via the waypoint, to see some of Greiz's men and a handful of palace guards hard at work removing the mutilated corpses of their erstwhile brothers in arms. Not slowing down their progress, they descended down yet another stairwell. Here there were no Dune Beasts, but they were still faced with the threat of Blunderbores and Horror Mages. The Mages on this level seemed to favor casting bolts of poison at the party, much like Bone Ash had been able to do in the monastery Cathedral of the Rogues. A new threat was also introduced in the form of Invaders. These were yet another of the desert clans, similar to Marauders and Sand Raiders. Once again, Greiz was notified when they had cleared the level and once his men were seen filing down the stairs from the first level of the cellar, the party went down the stairwell to the last level.

Although much the same as the previous levels, fatigue was starting to show as the party carried on battle after battle. Horror Mages cast lightning bolts at them, Blunderbores continued to bludgeon them with the corpses of the slain, while Invaders would characteristically attack and retreat without rhyme or reason. They persevered, not for their own sakes, but because so many, including Lord Jehryn depended on them to rid Lut Gholein of the evil that had infested it at all levels. Soon all that was left was a single, large room in the middle of the cellar, with a lone door leading to it.

"I sense a strong presence of evil in that room," Elly volunteered, after using her inner sight to scan the room.

"No doubt it is where the entrance to the Arcane Sanctuary is located," Suki agreed, "If my quarry had managed to somehow break the protective spell Horazon had placed on his sanctuary, or even had found a way to enter lawfully, using the seals, Jehryn described, it may very well be the so-called rift from which the demons gained entry into the palace in the first place."

"Well, let us find out," Caesar suggested, cautiously opening the last door.

"You are late in coming," a voice greeted them, "That could only mean that those curs outside have failed to stop you."

"It was probably Grim Spite, master," another voice added, sibilant like barely cowed insolence.

"Grim Spite has not the mind to stop a mewling child," the first voice snapped, followed by the metallic clang of steel on steel, "Do not provoke me with the name of that worthless Blunderbore."

"Are we interrupting something?" Suki asked with her usual reckless candor.

"Only your deaths," the Invader answered as it started to glow fiery crimson.

"Many others have promised the same, yet we have prevailed," Caesar replied, judging the might of their adversaries.

"They were not Fire Eye," the Invader insisted, "but your words have merit. Though I expected you earlier, once the alarm was raised, the fact that you are late proves that at least those cowardly dogs slowed down your progress some. That pup, Diablo, will be pleased, as it gives him more time to his plans."

"I suspect you're here to try and stop us?" Pamela asked, notching an arrow to her bow.

"Stop or slow, it matter little to us. We are the ancient ones of this land. We were here before the great Mephisto fell to the Horadrim, before Baal succumbed. The young ones, you humans, like to think of us a corrupted by the Three, when we are in fact older than their coming to this land. That we now have to serve them, in hopes of reclaiming our destiny, is an affront we can barely stand, but we do. We will not rest until we have again what was ours and was lost so long ago."

"You kind have always raided us, invading our lands," Waheed countered.

"Brave one, how misguided you are," Fire Eye retorted, "It is you humans who have done the invading, raiding our homeland, marauders that breed like rats. We are a long-lived race, but our offspring are few. Once the Horadrim took over here, humans multiplied, like a plague, filling every oasis, every place of shelter with their stone and their walls and their steel. You call us Invaders, Marauders, Raiders, when it was you who did that, ages ago."

"If what you say is true," Caesar suggested, "why would you resort to helping the Three?"

"Why?" Fire Eye asked, "A good question Paladin. You could argue that without the Three's coming to the lands, the Horadrim would not have pursued. Yet, the three have promised us our domain, where the Horadrim had never done so. Now, enough of words and ancient histories, for it is time to prove your valor in battle."

Fire Eye sprang forward with such speed that Caesar barely had time to lift his rondache, before three swords clashed against it. The fourth he barely managed to block with Knell Striker as sparks of fire erupted between the Invader's blade and his scepter. Waheed closed in on a minion, as Elly's arrow chilled it, slowing it down to the speed a normal Invader would exhibit. Pamela managed to freeze another, just as it was about to decapitate Zanarhi, while Suki and her shadow flashed into melee with two more of Fire Eye's followers. The opposing parties were evenly matched, seven against seven, but their superior skills and magic allowed the heroes to slowly gain the upper hand. Fire Eye was like a dervish, his four arms flashing steel and death in all directions, while he continued to glow. It was not enough, as one by one his minions fell. Soon, he alone stood defiant, flashing his blades at any of the party daring to close in on him. He was bleeding from several wounds, though none of the party had yet managed to land a blow.

"Ah, it is an ironic death," Fire Eye coughed, spitting up blood, "My own 'malice' has ensured my defeat."

Fire Eye's swords seemed to glow brighter, then imploded as he pitched forward, dead before he hit the ground.

---

"A strange death indeed," Cain agreed, a faint smile on his lips as he fingered the two small runes, "but not one unable to be explained."

"How so?" Caesar enquired.

"If you say that these two runes fell from his swords when they disintegrated, and that he used the word 'malice' to describe his death, I'd guess that all four of Fire Eye's weapons were in fact imbued with similar runes. You see my friends, the runic word 'malice' is Ith'El'Eth and the runes you have here are Ith and Eth. One of the unfortunate side effects of the rune word is that it drains the user's life. While the other properties more than make up for this small disadvantage, to wield four such weapons would swiftly kill the wielder if he did not seek to heal himself in some manner."

"What does 'malice' do to a weapon then?" Suki asked.

"While it also enhances the damage of any weapon, the truly dangerous aspect of a weapon thus imbued is the magical ability the weapon has to circumvent an enemy's defenses. Once the weapons hits, it causes any wounds to bleed uncontrollably and prevents any natural healing from occurring. Only a healing or rejuvenation potion, or the skills of a healer can help combat the constant drain one suffers from such bleeding wounds. As I mentioned, such malice from a weapon doesn't come without a price, as it also constantly drains life from its wielder."

"Can any weapon be thusly imbued?" Caesar asked, suddenly relieved that none of Fire Eye's blows had managed to penetrate past his shield.

"Yes, in fact I believe 'malice' is a very popular choice of rune word to make with any weapon containing three gem sockets. I've also heard tales of Necromancers using powerful 'malice' weapons to create their Iron Golems from, although I have never observed it personally."

"What about the seals we found in that room?" Pamela asked.

"I have spoken to Jehryn and Drognan about it and they both think some answer is forthcoming from the scrolls and manuscripts in the library of the palace. In fact, Drognan is there right now, seeking an answer. As soon as I can, I shall join him there. I promise you my friends; we will summon you as soon as we have found a way to enter the Arcane Sanctuary. Go now and rest, for you have rid this city from a far greater evil than it was aware of."

"That sounds like an excellent idea," Suki enthused, "I feel like I could sleep for a week."

"Hopefully it shall not take us quite that long, but enjoy your rest nevertheless," Cain smiled as the party turned in the direction of Elzix's inn.

---

"Do you think Fire Eye spoke the truth?" Pamela asked.

It was mid-afternoon and they had not yet been summoned. Caesar looked up from where he was stretching his muscles on the mat in front of Pamela's cot. The two lovers had finally given up on any pretense and allowed Elzix to assign Caesar's previous room to some other patron of the inn, while he moved in with Pamela. Elzix did not seem to mind, since they were hardly ever in their rooms, forever seeming to be busy fighting the demons of the land.

"Even if he were," Caesar replied, "they should not have allied themselves to the Three."

"Yes," she sighed, "I guess you're right about that. Still, it makes me sad to think about all the wrong in the world."

"Try not to dwell on it, my love," he suggested, "You're much more beautiful when you're not frowning like that."

"Perhaps we should speak to Jehryn about it," she mused, "I mean, if those raiders are sincere about wanting some space to live in the desert, surely we can convince some of them to speak to him about it. You know, negotiate some settlement."

"I doubt very much that any raider would agree, given the things Fire Eye had said, but it is worth a try."

"We did manage to convince Blood Witch," Pamela continued, "Right now they are helping Jehryn's forces to keep the city safe."

Before Caesar could respond, they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Since both had woken up more than an hour earlier and had made love before falling asleep, they were dressed and ready. Caesar opened the door and nodded at Suki.

"It is time," she said.

---

"Ah, here you are," Cain beckoned, "Drognan and I were just about to start the ritual."

"With Cain's help," Drognan agreed, "we found the necessary records, detailing how one could create a portal to Horazon's sanctuary. It will take us but a few minutes."

The party stood quietly watching as Cain and Drognan inscribed some arcane symbols on the floor around the seals. They then both started chanting in a strange tongue, seeming to sing different phrases of an ancient song. Slowly the large cog at the top of the metal archway, forming the seal, started to rotate, gaining momentum as the Horadrim and the Vizjerei continued their chant. Then both Cain and Drognan stopped chanting, but the cog continued to rotate faster and faster, under its own magical momentum somehow. A blue haze, very much like that of a town portal, started to form between the arms of the arch, slowly spreading down from the top. After about a minute it had reached the floor and as it did so, the cog stopped turning.

"We have opened the portal in one direction only," Cain explained, "We fear that in his meddling, the mage we suspect is the cause of all this destruction, must have opened the portal in both directions, allowing the demons and undead to cross over from where they were no doubt gathered in Horazon's Arcane Sanctuary after his death."

"Since you killed Fire Eye here," Drognan continued, "one or two demons have still come through the rift, but fortunately Greiz's men could deal with them. You must close the rift from within the sanctuary, since it currently acts as a secondary portal. That meddler must have not activated the portal properly and that resulted in this anomaly. That is why we have opened the portal with the correct precautions and chants, since we did not think it wise for you to simply step through the rift he created."

"Good luck my friends," Cain said, "Drognan and I will stay here, aiding the guards as we may, until you have closed the rift. Fortunately, I suspect we will not see that much action, as the demons will more than likely focus their attention on you."

"A pity," Drognan smiled, "I would gladly have pitted my magic and the solid wood of my staff against a hell spawn for once."

---

"I am sure we're not the first to enter this arcane fortress," Pamela mused as she stopped in awe, having stepped through the portal.

"The Sanctuary, Horazon's obsession," Suki agreed.

"This is surely the product of a twisted mind," Caesar mused, gaping at the twisted architecture around them.

"Look, a waypoint!" Waheed pointed.

"At least we will be able to escape this place, without allowing more demons entry to Lut Gholein," Elly mentioned.

Walking down stairs, from a platform that seemed to float in space, they came to a larger platform with seven arcane symbols inscribed around what looked like an ornate version of a waypoint. Four walkways sprang from this platform, going into four opposite directions. The floor of the platforms as well as the steps of the stairs was made from some grayish stone, laid down as large tiles. The large platform was about eight yards across, while the walkways and the smaller arrival platform were only about two yards wide. All around them, stars seemed to twinkle, just out of reach. There was nothing above or below them, giving an impression of gaping vertigo whenever they approached the edge of a platform or walkway.

"Somehow, I don't think we're in Lut Gholein anymore," Suki grinned, tossing a coin over the edge of the platform, "Care to make a wish?" Her grin soon turned to dismay as she lost sight of the coin as it continued its fall.

"I'd wish not to fall off whatever we're standing on," Pamela said.

"This will make combat a little tricky," Caesar agreed.

"Where to now?" Elly asked.

"Let's go that way," Caesar suggested, "One direction seems as good as another."

Cautiously, the party proceeded forward, along one of the walkways flanking the stairs from their arrival platform. Soon the narrow walkway opened up into another platform, though only about six yards across. At the end of the platform, opposite from the walkway, there was another metal archway, not unlike the one in the palace cellar. The only difference was that a hideous demonic face instead of a cog capped the top of the arch and that the shimmering glow was already active, although red in color like the portal to Tristram from the Cairn Stones.

Across a gulf of about four yards there was another platform, with a similar arch. Obviously these pairs of arches were some kind of portal to cross the void. Unfortunately, there were also some demons waiting for them on this platform. Some were Hell Clan, the most honored, ferocious and capable of the goat men. Others were similar to the Banished they had fought in the monastery Catacombs. These Ghoul Lords, as they later learned these Vampires were called, could also leech life like their unholy brethren, but unlike the Banished, they could not only bombard their enemies with fireballs, but also summon up walls of fire at the very feet of their foes. To add another surprising element to their opposition, ghostlike Specters were already floating across the void to attack them.

Behind these demons and undead stood one of the sanctuary's passive defenses. A towering lightning spire was already arcing at the top, ready to discharge lightning at the party. Left behind by paranoid sorcerers, like Horazon, to safeguard their sanctuaries from thieves, these enchanted spires often emitted bolts of lightning at those who approached too closely. An interesting quirk of these guardians was that they were not activated by the proximity of the many monsters that roamed the areas where they were found. This would have been to Horazon's advantage, since he no doubt designed them so as not to harm the demons he enslaved to protect his sanctuary.

The party had little time to reflect on this, as the Specters had closed the distance and were already attacking Caesar and Zanarhi. While Elly provided covering fire for them, Pamela sniped at the Ghoul Lords to prevent them from calling forth their walls of fire. To aid her in this, Suki commanded her shadow in the midst of the Hell Clan, to further distract the Ghoul Lords and to soften them up for a counter attack with her traps. Though the ethereal Specters were difficult to harm, they soon succumbed to the combined onslaught of the melee fighters. Both Suki and Zanarhi then sprang through the red portal in order to aid the floundering shadow. Caesar and Waheed followed them, while the two archers provided covering fire from the safety of the first platform. Only once all the Hell Clan, Ghoul Lords and the lightning spire had been destroyed did they also join the others on the opposite platform. Caesar then led them further along yet another narrow walkway, as they continued their search for Horazon's journal, and the mysterious rift leading back to the palace.

---

As the party progressed they saw that there was at least a pattern to the layout of the Arcane Sanctuary, even if not apparent on the surface. In two of the directions from the waypoint they had already covered, the walkways and teleportation platforms of the first, as well as the walkways and maddening stairs of the second, had formed a perfect rectangle leading away from the waypoint. Each rectangle was bisected at the halfway point into equal squares. The shorter sides of the rectangles were connected to the waypoint platform by a single walkway, while at the opposite end of each rectangle the party had found a similar platform, including the same seven arcane symbols, connected to the rectangle in a similar fashion. Though these dummy waypoints were disheartening to the party at first, they soon realized the true reason for them. They seemed to be the treasure rooms, or rather platforms, where Horazon had kept many of his enchanted items and other treasure. Large chests occupied each of these, also containing numerous weapons and types of armor. Though they found nothing of immediate use to themselves, the gold Fara paid in order to keep equipping other adventurers, more than made up for the initial disappointment.

Because the party was often away from Lut Gholein for days on end, they were surprised each time they entered Atma's tavern. With the caravan routes once again open, many of the caravan masters required mercenary adventurers to help protect their precious cargoes from what was still a very dangerous route. With Lut Gholein being such a lucrative destination in itself, and with the possibility for cheaper shipping fares due to the shorter sea route to Kurast than from Kingsport, much of the trade from Westmarch, Khanduras and Entsteig ended up in the city. Unfortunately, due to Lord Jehryn's embargo on shipping, and with the possibility of word of it reaching the cities and towns where all this trade originated from being weeks or even months away, the city was quickly filling up with all manner of merchants, adventurers, mercenaries and even criminal elements. The press of humanity was making Lut Gholein a boiling pot, with arguments and altercations becoming more common.

Many of those now out of commission, took to the deserts, fighting the nearly endless masses of undead in the tombs and the Lost City. As Caesar and Pamela had learned with their very first challenge back in the Den of Evil, those of the undead they destroyed, if not put to fire and burned to ash soon after, would often be resurrected a few days later by the evil that prevailed the land. Some adventurers were never heard of again, joining the ranks of the undead they had foolishly thought themselves capable of. Others triumphed gaining fame and fortune to rival that of Caesar, Pamela and Suki, and were also employed by Jehryn to fulfill various quests.

Despite his initial and subsequent routings, Radament would take up abode in the Sewers again and again, as if his master was becoming desperate to counter the advance of so many. Greiz and his men constantly on patrol now, had to police the city from those inside it rather than those outside. Fortunately, many of the unemployed decided to work for him, earning a steady salary, or worked as vigilantes, earning rewards from Jehryn for bringing those criminals that now also infested Lut Gholein to justice. Jehryn was forced to also put aside his initial misgivings, and now accorded Blood Witch and her feline kith and kin with as much responsibility as he did Greiz.

Deckard Cain, Fara, Lysander and Drognan found themselves the center of attention as more and more adventurers came to them for advise, knowledge and wares. Cain would in later years chuckle as he recalled how lucrative it had been for him during this boom time in Lut Gholein by simply using his lore to identify those items found by the myriad adventurers. Under the auspices of Jehryn, Cain and Drognan, no word reached anyone about the true purpose Caesar and company had in Lut Gholein. Atma, though at times still much bereaved, especially in those times that Radament was back in the Sewers, would dish out much of the rumors and disinformation these three wished to circulate the city. Despite the loss of her family, Atma found that her tavern was rewarding her beyond measure, as if the Light itself had decided to somehow make it up to her.

All of this helped to keep a certain amount of notoriety from being associated with the six people who had initially done the most to safeguard Lut Gholein and pierce the evil mysteries surrounding it. As such, they could continue unopposed and certainly unhindered with their quest to find Horazon's journal. Only two more of the strange rectangles still awaited them. Word from inside the palace did leak out, but since none thought to actually enter the rift, the appearance of demons weren't accorded any more thought by any of the more crafty and successful adventurers than providing them with yet another potential profit in the employ of Lord Jehryn. Though the city was in turmoil, in more ways than one, the leadership had a firm hold on the lid of the pot and wasn't going to let go in a hurry.

---

"When do you think we will find it?" Suki asked, yet again voicing her impatience at not finding her quarry.

"If by 'it' you mean Horazon's journal, I suspect there will be a similar room or platform to the three we have already found, containing the journal," Caesar guessed, "It may be that we will find this rogue Vizjerei there too, the one you are seeking, as he will most likely be studying the journal to forward his own ends and means."

"We should rest soon though," Pamela cautioned, "Cain said that we have been fighting here for the last six days, although it is hard to believe. We have only rested thrice thus far and I need to replenish my arrows."

"I am also in need," Elly seconded, "My last bowstring is close to worn out and I fear it may snap at any moment."

"Oh, go you two," Suki snapped, "I'm sure the rest of us can find Horazon's hiding place without your help."

"As I am equally sure that we can manage to find your corpse when we return," Caesar replied, further rebuke hot on his lips.

"We should go and prepare ourselves and repair our equipment, mistress," Zanarhi urged, "If your blades are sharpened, they will cut through the throat of your enemy all the faster."

"Not you too?" she frowned, but was forced to soften the lines on her forehead, reminding herself of his vow to her.

Having completed almost half of this last rectangle, they decided to put up a town portal in the leftmost, furthest corner away from the waypoint and spend their reprieve in Atma's tavern and their rooms at the inn.

---

"I wonder why that Paladin keeps looking at us like that?" Suki asked as they were consuming a meager meal. As had become the norm, the tavern was packed with patrons, but now the newer faces far outweighed those of the regulars and the townsfolk that used to frequent it. Violence in the tavern now often lurked just under the surface, and Suki's remark was not one of idle speculation.

"It is not the first time I have seen him," Elly remarked.

"Indeed it is not," Caesar confirmed.

"What do the two of you mean?" Pamela asked, keeping her focus on the food so as not to betray the party's notice of the onlooker.

"The last time, was just before Elzix showed me the Dry Hills waypoint," Caesar continued, "but he was accompanied by two women, Amazons like you, Pamela."

"I think I recognized one of them," Elly volunteered, "Before all this trouble began, the Sisterhood would often send representatives to the Kingsport fair. One of them, Sister Lienen, was champion for quite a few years. Even though we don't value personal possessions or gain, her victories brought much pride for us all. One year, she had only narrowly defeated her adversary, and as a courtesy had invited this Amazon woman to our Monastery. Ironically, the very next year, this Amazon had taken the Black Arrow in return. If I recall correctly, Lienen and this woman became firm friends. Lienen even asked Akara if she might visit this Amazon in her homeland of Skovos. She returned not long after and although she never said anything about it, she never went to the fair again."

"No wonder I did not notice her," Pamela replied, "Those living on Skovos are still very traditional and would not generally stand out in a crowded place like this. It would take the sharp eyes of an erstwhile Sister to spot an Amazon from there."

"As I said, I only noticed her because she seemed familiar," Elly shrugged, "although I do recall someone enquiring about Lienen shortly after her death. Because of her talent Lienen was one of Kashya's most trusted scouts. After Andariel took over, Lienen was dispatched to the Monastery to find out if any Sisters had survived, but we never heard from her again. It may be that this Amazon was the one enquiring about her and for a time there were even rumors that she had slain Andariel herself. Perhaps she did, but as we clearly saw, the gates to the east were still closed when we finally vanquished that hell's witch."

"Do you remember her name?" Pamela asked, her interest piqued by the possibility of meeting someone from her homeland, even if it were from another of the islands.

"It sounded a lot like the name of that one god you pray to, the one when you slow down arrows and other missiles," Elly replied, trying hard to recall.

"Athulua?" Pamela asked.

"Yes, that's the one," Elly answered, then continued after another moment of thought, "It was Athlunea. Her name was Athlunea."

"While all of that is fascinating, that still doesn't tell us anything about that Paladin," Suki urged.

"I suspect he disapproves of us," Caesar replied, but didn't elaborate.

"Well he can disapprove of us as much as he wants, we're the ones doing the real job in this city," Suki said, dismissing the whole issue and attacking a slice of bread with gusto.

"Alas, that is true," Caesar sighed, "How blindly we had followed the teachings of Zakarum, only to realize the Light abided elsewhere."

Pamela reached out and squeezed the Paladin's hand, fighting back a faint uneasiness at the pit of her stomach.

---

"Finally, I have you in my sight!" Suki screamed as she ran forward to bound up the stairs.

"Suki, no!" Caesar shouted, but his words had no impact. He was crouching over the body of Waheed, praying fervently, even though he knew that their companion was dead.

After returning through their town portal, the party had met with very little resistance, and when a single walkway flanked off to where they expected yet another treasure platform, perhaps this time containing Horazon's journal, they had followed it. From there, things had gone horribly wrong. As usual, Caesar and Waheed had been in the lead, but were stopped by Hell Clan blocking the stairs leading down and then after another short walkway, up to an observation platform of sorts. Across the gulf they could see a man, dressed in strange garb, reading from a great tome lying open on an ornate bookstand. When the bleating of the Hell Clan roused him, he turned around and laughed, raising his hand. As if their strength was suddenly sapped, Caesar and Waheed both suddenly felt weakened. Again the strange man laughed, raised his hand and a wall of fire sprang up under Caesar's feet. Unlike with the walls of fire from the Ghoul Lords, Caesar's heavy boots immediately began to smolder, despite the magical fire resistance they contained. Soon also his rondache and Knell Striker was glowing hot and it was becoming alarmingly clear that he would not survive.

Long years of a mercenary life, galvanized Waheed, as he roughly shoved his employer, leader and friend out of the fire and took his place against the two remaining Hell Clan. His bravery had, as he probably knew it would from the start, cost him his life. He died, slumping to the ground, his burnt spear protruding from the chest of the last Hell Clan. Seeing an opening, Suki rushed past, projecting her shadow right on top of the observation platform, distracting the Vizjerei enough for him to release his control over his magical fire. Caesar jumped forward too, praying for his friend, even though he knew it was too late.

After shouting at Suki, time seemed to slow down. With a dispassionate interest he saw Pamela and Elly draw their bows in unison, each letting loose a shaft. The shafts sped forward, narrowly missing Suki, as she seemed to leap the void in her fervor to gain her quarry. The two arrows hit the Vizjerei moments apart, driving him back, but he came up short against the bookstand as if he had hit a stonewall. A moment later, as he desperately strove to shield himself with his staff, the Assassin was upon him, her claws raking long swathes of ripped clothing from his robes. Unfortunately for the doomed and maddened summoner, her claws were not just raking his robe, but also the corrupted flesh beneath it. Blood began to flow from various wounds until his whole robe was bleeding crimson. Battle rage and whatever other emotions fueled her, seemed to consume Suki as her claws slashed and slashed and slashed. With a final, almost convulsive thrust, she punched the front of his chest, driving her claws in deep, piercing lungs, snapping ribs and ripping his corrupted heart to shreds.

As if the arcane energies, which had driven him to madness, were suddenly ripped from him, the Vizjerie's body shimmered briefly, then collapsed in on itself, almost as if he was trying to perform some final conjuring trick. The summoner simply blinked out of mortal existence, his tattered and bloody robe dropping to the floor, followed by the wooden thump as his staff also hit the stone floor.

Coming back to herself, Suki seemed to shudder, and then shouted, "Stay here, I will be back with help for him."

Still midway to the platform, Zanarhi looked up in surprise, then turned back and kneeled next to Caesar, their combined prayers healing the terrible wounds of their comrade, even as his body remained still. Burned skin became smooth once again, blood stopped flowing, as they waited and prayed.

---

"There is only one such as whom you seek," Fara mentioned, "I lack the skill for what you ask."

"Where can I find him?" Suki asked, dropping her gaze to the bloody claws now held in the hands of the weaponer.

"His name is Balor, but he is a drunk and a Necromancer," Fara replied, the disgust evident on her face, "I suspect you shall find him in Atma's tavern, drinking a dark ale and leering at the wenches."

"I will find him," Suki vowed.

"What about these?" asked Fara, indicating to the claws and shield Suki had given her.

"I care not," Suki replied, running off in the direction of the tavern.

---

"You have a bonnie lass askin' 'bout you," the grim Barbarian bellowed as he banged the four tankards of ale down on the table.

"Have you ever noticed how Wallace carries ale?" the lean Paladin asked, a smile playing over his serene features.

"Ah, mon amiºº, you mean ze way he carries his axes, nonº¹?" another of his companions replied, scratching at a flea or sand lice biting at his furry ear. From the looks of him, one was not sure whether he was a man or a beast, leading to the conclusion that he had to be a Druid.

"Or the way he always bellows when he speaks," the Paladin continued, "Must be getting deaf from hollering all those war cries of his."

"Well, lad, you can fetch your bloody ale yerself next time," Wallace replied gruffly, sitting down and pushing one of the tankards in front of an emaciated creature, skin as pale as a corpse, with hair the bleached color of graveyard vapor, "Here's yer ale, dark as yer soul, Balor."

"What lass?" Balor, the Necromancer, perhaps the greatest and certainly most feared to ever walk the face of Sanctuary, asked, then clouded the air with a curse or two for good measure.

"She be askin' 'bout yer services. Perhaps ye be getting a lucky bone after all ye skeleton," Wallace roared, elbowing Balor with good cheer.

"I can speak for myself, Barbarian," Suki, who had been following Wallace as he led her to the table, warned, "and if you make one more remark like that, I'll have your bull-like bollocks to feed to that furry friend of yours."

"While I doubt Wallace has the cranium capacity to house a walnut," Balor drawled, sipping from his tankard, "I'd still like to meet the lass who can do what you just claimed and get away with it. Pleased to meet you, I'm Balor. What can I do to you?"

"They say you can revive the dead," Suki stated, "I need you to revive a friend."

"No doubt you do," Balor sighed, his interest in Suki suddenly eclipsed, like a bad moon, "I'm busy here, now bugger off!" He followed that with some other choice curses, mostly about the subject of female anatomy and what he thought Suki could go and do with hers.

With great restraint, Suki managed to keep quiet throughout the entire tirade, breathe once, then sighed, "It seems I have been misinformed. You are indeed just a nasty drunk with no real power."

"Power?" Balor coughed, his eyes bulging from their sockets, "What does a sprig of a mage-hunting bitch like you know about true power? I have conquered death, even my own, as you see me here. Do you doubt me, wench-ling?"

"Don't forget that Myrina helped on that one," the Paladin reminded him.

"Hold your tongue, Charlemagne, I was addressing her," Balor warned.

"You need some joie de vivre,º² mon ami," the Druid soothed, "How can you deny such a beautiful woman?"

"You have to admit, my friend," Charlemagne added, "Agamemnon does have a point. You have to admit, you have well and truly lost this little battle of words."

"You bastards, turning on me like this," Balor accused, an evil smile starting to crack his pallid face, "Very well wench-ling, to prove you wrong and to shut these ingrates up, I shall accompany you. Where is your friend?"

---

ºº My friend
º¹ Not so / or not
º² Zest / joy for life

---

After examining Waheed's corpse, Balor straightened up, cursing and creaking, "It is good for your dead friend that you continued your prayers. His body is in good stead and his spirit hovers near. Now shut up and let me get to work."

"Where did you find it?" Pamela grinned, amused at the Necromancer despite the grimness of the situation.

"Fara recommended him," Suki answered, also smiling.

"I didn't know that stuck-up bitch cared," Balor coughed, and then started chanting. His hands started glowing with a sickly green miasma, which gradually flowed down to the floor of the walkway, surrounding the lifeless body of Waheed. Balor clenched his fists, cursed once or twice, and then closed his eyes as he brought his hands up above his head. As if the wisps of green were the strings of a marionette, Waheed's body rose from the ground, standing upright, then opened his eyes.

"Now pray your bleeding hearts out," Balor shouted, "unless you want your friend to die again."

At his command, Caesar and Zanarhi started praying as Balor slowly quenched his green fire. With a grim satisfaction, he cursed once or twice then said, "He will be weak for a while, so give him plenty of rest and food. You can pay my retainer out of the hides of Diablo and Baal if you meet them before I do. Otherwise, see this as a favor. Now what the hell happened here and where the bloody hell are we?"

While Pamela and Suki took turns telling of their encounter with the Vizjerei, Balor walked up the stairs to the observation platform. Looking at the tattered robes, littering the floor he whistled and exclaimed, "It is a good thing that fur ball talked me into accompanying you. I'd be sure to also warn Wallace about his bollocks."

Balor then stooped to glance through the pages of the book on the bookstand, then cursed, "Horazon sure was a self-important ass. If you need our help, we'll be at Atma's. Farewell for now, I have some dark ale growing hot without my attendance."

Smiling like a ghoul, he walked to, and then disappeared through the town portal.

---

"How are you feeling?" Caesar asked, smiling down on his faithful companion.

"Like death warmed over," Waheed grinned, "but it's alright. What you all did, I mean."

"How so?" Caesar enquired, a frown furrowing his brow.

"The Light," Waheed continued, smiling, "said it was alright. It wasn't my time yet. That Necromancer, Balor, thinks he's got some kind of power. The only power he has, has been given to him by the Light. It wasn't his time to go yet either, and while he was with the Light, like I was, the Light gave him the power to resurrect himself, and now also others. No other Necromancer can do what he does. They all play around with revives, the re-animated dead, but just like the demons using Radament, it is their will that re-animates and controls those revives. Only Balor can truly resurrect the dead, and then only those that fight on the side of the Light."

"How do you know all this?" Caesar asked, his interest fully piqued by this religious talk.

"While you and Zanarhi were praying for me, the Light was with me, as I floated above my own corpse. I wanted to go with it, the Light I mean, but it told me to turn back. When Balor started his ritual, I was sucked back into my body, but I still wasn't alive. Then the Light touched my forehead and said, 'Remember this day. Remember what I have done. Remember it when the darkness descends.' Then I was back, looking up at the three of you."

"Ironic," Caesar mused.

"That Balor is more of a convert to the Light than anyone else on Sanctuary?" Waheed asked, grinning.

"That too," Caesar conceded, "but also that the Light chose a vessel such as him to perform its will."

"What about his knowledge?" Waheed started.

"About the Arcane Sanctuary?" Caesar asked, "It doesn't matter. Now that the palace, and with it the city, is safe, Jehryn has made public our true purpose in Lut Gholein. With the influx of others, Cain, Drognan and Jehryn thought it best to commit to the truth and have an organized search for the true tomb of Tal Rasha. They have asked for volunteers, groups of eight or so to scour and clean the seven tombs."

"What about us?" Waheed enquired, slightly worried.

"My friend," Caesar smiled, "only we know the true location. In fact, I took Balor up on his offer, since he also does, and his party has agreed to accompany us when we set out to meet with Diablo and his brother Baal."

"How many are they?"

"Five."

"Eleven then?"

"No."

"No?" Waheed asked, unsure whether the rules of mathematics had changed during his absence.

"Suki has left us," Caesar replied.

"Why that no good…"

"No, my friend," Caesar stopped him, "I support her decision. She has come dangerously close to becoming corrupted. She had the forbearance to realize this, and when Jehryn proposed, she accepted his offer."

"Jehryn proposed marriage to Suki?" he asked, unable to suppress a grin.

"Not exactly, but one can assume it won't be long. For now, she is to head his palace guard and is in charge of rebuilding both the reputation and safety of this city."

"And Zanarhi?"

"The Light changed him also when Fara and I had to help him," Caesar replied, "He is beyond mere heartache at the loss of his mistress. He has joined Blood Witch in her efforts to contact her kin in the Canyon of the Magi. In fact, after Suki's acceptance of Jehryn's offer, he went through the red portal alone with Blood Witch. Although we haven't heard from them yet, a steady stream of Hell Cats and Slingers, as they call themselves, have been seen appearing at the waypoint here in the city. At first, Greiz and his men were a little alarmed, more so when one of the braver, or perhaps more foolhardy parties of adventurers decided to accost the first group to emerge and got themselves summarily killed. Since then, the word has gone out and they are now left in peace, until they join up with their kin protecting the city. Due to their strange sense of honor, Jehryn still has to pardon each one individually, but I for one am glad we don't have to face these fighters when we go looking for Baal."

"How long?"

"Three days."

"So when do we start?" Waheed asked.

"As soon as you think you can use this," Caesar said, placing a strangely ornamental trident on Waheed's lap.

"What is this?"

"According to Cain, it is called Razortine. It is the only one of its kind, much like Knell Striker or Pluckeye. Balor found it next to the robe of that summoner Vizjerei. Though the others claim they clearly saw and heard his staff hit the floor, there was no sign of one, when Balor inspected it. Only this…"

"I'm sure it will make a great replacement for my old one. Was there even anything left of it after the Waheed barbeque?"

"Only the metal bits," Caesar smiled, "I took them to Fara, but she only laughed."

"Let us go then, my friend," Waheed said, looking around for his armor.

"Here," Caesar mentioned, pointing to a burnished beast plate with a ruddy glow, "Given your apparent love for fire, we all decided to pool some of our money and buy you this. It's a ruby breast plate, and should go a long way towards protecting you against heat and fire based attacks."

"I hope I can get a chance to test it out against Diablo or Baal," Waheed said as he dressed in a new robe and sandals, then allowed Caesar to help him strap his new breast plate to his chest.

"We'll see soon enough," Caesar smiled grimly.

---

"Och, 'tis a sad sight indeed," Wallace sighed as the party stepped from the Canyon of the Magi waypoint, surveying the desert from the raised, stone platform where the Horadrim had constructed it.

"Is that a tear in your eye?" the quiet, beauty, standing next to Balor, asked.

"Aye, Myrina, I'm man enough to admit it," he replied, then glowered at the rest, "If any of ye think about sayin' 'nother word 'bout it, I'll break ye skulls."

"I share your pain, mon ami," Agamemnon soothed, "To see no enemies is like arêteº³ stuck in ze throat."

"If she wasn't so capable, I'd curse that Blood Witch," Charlemagne agreed, grinning grimly.

"From what I hear, that witch is already cursed," Balor drawled, then spat, "Not that it helped those other idiots any."

"Justice, she is served, non?" the Druid asked.

"In their case, I think fate finally took back what it gave to them begrudgingly in the first place," Balor smirked.

"I care nary for fate or justice, lad," the Barbarian urged, hefting his axes, "When can we fight something?"

"I think that depends on our young leader here," Myrina replied, again forced to break her habitual silence.

"From Blood Witch's reports," Caesar answered, "it seems we will only meet resistance once we are inside the tomb. According to her, they have killed any of the corrupted Devourers and Crushers, while attempting to contact the rest of their kin."

"Aha, ze reason for this triste paysageºª to meet our eyes," Agamemnon sighed as he pointed at the giant corpses rotting in the sun. Some were the chitinous remains of Devourers and their young, similar to the Sand Maggots, while others were the furry remains of the Crushers of the desert, accustomed to the heat, unlike their brethren, the Yeti and Brutes.

"If it makes our work any easier," Balor smiled, "I'm all for others doing it. By the way, Caesar, whatever happened to that feisty wench; the one who came looking for trouble in Atma's and then found me?"

"She has left our party and now helps Lord Jehryn," Pamela answered.

"No doubt she was in a hurry after seeing Balor's countenance," Charlemagne interjected.

At this latest jest, green flame erupted from Balor's hands as he cursed and summoned forth a Clay Golem from the sandy earth.

"Let's get going you lazy oafs," he snarled, "before this valley is overrun by those other incompetents in town."

"Did he just call us incompetent?" Charlemagne asked in mock incredulity.

"Nay, 'twas just his way of telling us he cares," Wallace grinned, then shouted out his battle cries and started trotting off in the direction of the real tomb.

---

º³ Fishbone
ºª Sad / dreary landscape / scene

---

Like so many of the other tombs they had traversed, Caesar and Pamela's side of the party were familiar with the architecture inside. The impressive colonnades, massive stone doors as well as the ancient murals and hieroglyphs adorning the walls duly impressed the rest of the party. Fragile clay pots littered the floor, often containing small amounts of gold or other small treasures like potions, arrows, bolts or at other times more of the animated scimitars they were already familiar with.

"I could like it here," Balor smiled in appreciation during a lull in the fighting, "Lots of darkness, dry and musty, not too unlike a well kept crypt. Makes a welcome change to the rain, mud, rain, mud and more rain and mud in Kurast."

"Not to mention the ale," Wallace agreed, wiping the gore from his axes in the sand. While this tomb was by far the most majestic Caesar and company had seen, it also seemed to be the oldest, the desert sand having reclaimed large parts of the stone floor in the ages since it had been constructed.

"Come to think of it," Charlemagne continued, "when this is all over, I vote we stay here for a while to help with, ah, shall we say, reparations."

"I'm sure Lord Jehryn, he wouldn't mind our help, non?" Agamemnon growled, having once again assumed the form of a shaggy, great, bear.

Myrina just sighed once then continued.

"And that heavy sigh?" Pamela asked. She was slightly overwhelmed by being part of such a large party of warriors and was intrigued by the dynamics of the five that had joined them for this mission.

"It is like looking after four adolescent boys at times," she smiled in reply.

"Do you have children of your own?" Pamela asked.

"You don't know much about our traditions do you?" Myrina asked in reply, but not unkindly, "Where are you from anyway? Your accent and name sounds unfamiliar to me."

"I'm from Lycander," Pamela replied, "and you are right; I don't know much about our traditions. I hardly even knew about the gods until they started bestowing these skills on me. Well, not all of them anyway. I've always likes Athulua, all the tales about her helping the Amazons of old, but always thought they were just that."

"Tales?" Myrina finished for her.

"Yes."

"Did your mother or matriarch never instruct you?"

"I was… I mean, I am, an orphan," Pamela answered slowly, "She died when I was very young. I never knew my father, but from the stories my mother used to tell, I don't think he was an Amazon."

"That sounds likely," Myrina confirmed, "The Lycandics have always been less true to tradition than the Skovics or even the Philics. No wonder I couldn't place your name either. Were you an only child?"

"Yes, but why do you ask?"

"In a moment," Myrina cautioned, "First, can you remember your mother's name?"

"She never told me her name, but once I saw her respond when others called the name of Runai during the great dockyard fire of Lycander. That was the last time I saw her alive and we all always assumed she'd died while helping to fight that fire. Now, please tell me what it all means."

"It means that you would have become the matriarch in your family," Myrina explained, "Of course it also means that your name should have been something like Pamelai or even Pamenai to be true to tradition. It seems, instead, your mother chose to name you Pamela, the unassuming name of a third daughter, perhaps to hide your true identity."

"My what?" Pamela asked, perplexed.

"Your mother surely succeeded well to shelter your life," Myrina remarked, "You see, I know of a certain Runai, as I think, most of Skovos knows about her. She is the only matriarch in recent Skovic history to give up her matriarchy. I think in part, you may have been the reason why, although from what I know; Runai would have given it up anyway. She has always been a free spirit, not suited to the rigorous strictures of Skovic or even general Amazon tradition."

"Much like you?" Caesar asked, intuitively jumping to the right conclusion.

"You certainly are a perceptive one, Caesar," Balor squinted, "I never put that particular two-and-two together myself."

"Sometimes, my dear Balor, you miss the barn for sight of the barn door," Charlemagne chuckled.

"Or missing vache sacrée¹º for looking ze tétine¹¹?" Agamemnon said, before the punch to his jaw sprawled him to the hard stone floor, "Sagouine¹²! Why do that?"

"Sometimes, Druid, your common tongue is très vache¹³, as are your manners," Myrina replied, rubbing her reddening knuckles.

"S'excuser, s'il vous plait¹ª?" he asked, looking up at her.

"Very well," she smiled, extending a hand to help him back up, "just don't do it again."

"Well I'll be damned," Balor grinned in admiration.

"Not only can the lass understand Druidic, she can punch like a Barbarian," Wallace laughed.

"I have traveled around Sanctuary a time or two," she said, then smiled, realizing that some further explanation was now in order, "I am only a third daughter of a second daughter. Even had my mother been the matriarch of our family, I would still not have amounted to much in the greater Skovic scheme of things. I therefore chose to travel, in essence becoming the sixth of the sixth as the saying goes."

"Excuse me, I hate to break up this staff meeting," Balor growled, sensing Myrina's distress about revealing her personal life, "but I think we'd better go find some monsters before she decks someone else."

"I think so too," Charlemagne agreed, not missing the slight nod and smile she gave them both.

"Thank you Balor," she whispered as he once more fell in next to her at the rear of the party.

"You can buy me an ale at Atma's, en vache²º even," he grinned, then spat and cursed.

---

¹º Sacred / holy cow
¹¹ Udder / teat
¹² Cow / bitch
¹³ Very bad / rotten / crappy
¹ª Won't you please forgive me
²º In secret / on the sly

---

The first day had proven rather successful for the seven parties assigned to the seven tombs. Only two deaths were reported, a young Paladin acolyte and an even younger and less experienced Sorceress. None of the other parties had finished exploring their assigned tombs either; therefore none were yet the wiser that their tomb was not the true tomb of Tal Rasha. All of course expected kingly riches to have been buried with those interned inside the tombs, but until then, pickings had been slim.

The monsters on the other hand were not as few. There was often a combination of up to four or five different types of monsters, much more densely populated than any other area Caesar's party, or any other, had experienced in Aranoch. Being tombs, they were mostly populated by the undead; Apparitions, like the ghostlike Specters floated wraithlike into battle, while Ghoul Lords added their fireballs and firewalls to the attack; Preserved Dead added their noxious mummified touch while Unravelers, an even more powerful form of perverted Horadrim Mummies, resurrected all of these and their own retinues of Burning Dead warriors. Whenever Unravelers were encountered the ensuing battles were often long and drawn out until someone could break past the press of undead to destroy their general.

It seemed like Diablo was intent on stopping any pursuit, also employing huge, lumbering and hard-hitting Gorebellies, similar, but more dangerous than the Blunderbores, Caesar and them had come across inside the palace. Adding additional danger in the form of their voracious appetites for death and the waves of lightning bolts they released when struck, were Steel Scarabs; while having taken refuge against the initial attack by Blood Witch the Wild, Zanarhi and the commandeered felines, Rock Dwellers, a mutated version of the baboons occurring in that part of the desert also helped to withstand any attack. Unlike the Dune Beasts, having been magically transported to the insides of the palace, these were in their natural habitat and therefore all the more crafty and dangerous. That was one of the reasons they had fled to the tombs when faced by the overwhelming odds of fighting against their erstwhile companions in arms, the Hell Cats. They had thus assured themselves a lesser fate than those already experienced by the Devourers and Crushers.

After a brief rest of about an hour, spent mostly in Atma's tavern, the seven groups were once again scouring their respective tombs. The fallen Sorceress and Paladin were replaced by means of a lottery system, ensuring thus that no team was dangerously undermanned. Even though their tomb was larger than the rest, Caesar's party still managed to make the same amount of progress as the other teams. Their tomb was occupied mostly by a mix of Gorebellies, Steel Scarabs, Ghoul Lords and Unravelers and therefore they didn't often experience the bottlenecks created where more undead were being resurrected by the Unravelers than they could destroy.

Passing a long colonnade, the party was once again halted by a small army of Burning Dead warriors. Judging by the number of these undead opposing them in the narrow corridor, there had to be at least five of their Unraveler masters. What they didn't expect was that they had entered within the area guarded by a Horadrim Mummy almost as notorious as Radament. Ancient Kaa, the Soulless as he was known to some, had been freed from his protective spells and set up to hinder or stop any pursuit of Diablo that may have come this far. With his four lieutenants and the almost fifty warriors under their command they proved a formidable adversary. Once again, only by using their well-honed tactics did the party slowly begin to get the upper hand. Together, Agamemnon, Charlemagne, Caesar and Waheed held the Burning Dead at bay, while Balor caused general mayhem among their ranks and those of Kaa's lieutenants by use of his curses. Some of them found themselves suddenly the target of their peers; others were terrorized into retreating from combat, while even others were cursed to take amplified damage. As if this wasn't enough, Balor relished causing the remains of any falling in combat to explode violently, often killing or severely injuring several of its comrades. Wallace had leapt over most of the vanguard and was busy carving his way through the ranks of the rearguard, while Balor's summoned Golem helped to divert the attention of the Unravelers. Further helping to decimate the ranks of the opposition was the chilling arrows fired by the three archers, but with the able causing of corpse explosions by Balor, they were not as dearly required as under normal circumstances.

Soon the Burning Dead ranks were severely decimated, allowing the four melee warriors to join Wallace in direct combat with Kaa and his lieutenants. This still proved dangerous work, as Kaa was resistant to magic and also lightning enchanted. Furthermore, he and all his minions were imbued with hellish strength making their normally inoffensive melee attacks extremely dangerous. Thankfully, Balor's curses caused them to receive double the normal damage and soon only Kaa himself was left standing. Singed fur and the large amount of metal in his armor caused both Agamemnon and Charlemagne to step back from combat, while Caesar also cautioned Waheed to retreat slightly.

"Gone to lick your wounds pups?" Kaa laughed, "It seems that my lords shall not be stopped by the likes of you then."

"On the contrary, lad," Wallace grinned, spinning his axes in his hands and getting a better grip, "We're just waiting for the black mage to do his thing."

As if waiting for this as his signal, Balor's curses rang in the air as Wallace and Caesar stepped forward to attack the late Horadrim champion.

"Your weapons don't cut as before," Kaa taunted as he emitted waves and waves of his dangerous lightning bolts.

"Perhaps zat is because my friends don't wish to be électriser éclairage à l'életrcité²¹." Agamemnon growled.

With the help of the life-tapping curse Balor had used on Kaa, Wallace and Caesar could leech back enough life to compensate for the damage they were taking from sustained exposure to the lightning bolts. Soon the Horadrim Mummy collapsed, with evil's hold over it finally broken.

"My thanks Balor," Wallace grimaced, "Had I any hair on me noggin' it'd be standing on end for weeks."

"Had you any brains in your noggin' you'd not have been in that fight for so long," Balor replied, "I had a lot of corpses ready if the two of you had merely lead old Kaa along after you."

"Perhaps so, Balor," Caesar smiled, "but it saved you from cleaning the gore from all our armors once we'd finished this little quest. Your corpse explosions are quite messy most of the time."

"Ah, a good point," Balor smiled as he watched Agamemnon sniffing around Kaa and the other corpses. Suddenly Kaa's corpse bloated and exploded, spraying the Werebear with gore.

"Sacrebleu²²!" Agamemnon exclaimed, "Why do zat, salaud noir²³?"

"I'm merely preventing him from being resurrected my furry friend," Balor grinned then started whistling a merry tune.

"I think we should see what our friends were hiding," Elly suggested as she moved forward, scouting.

As Elly had guessed, Kaa and his followers were in fact guarding the room where the Horadrim had erected the device guarding the entrance to Tal Rasha's burial chamber. A large orifice was placed in the center of the seven arcane symbols they were already familiar with. As Caesar placed the Horadric Staff in the orifice, bright light suddenly shone forth from its head, while beams illuminated each of the symbols in turn. Once all the symbols were illuminated, a large tremor shook the room, as one of the walls was blasted apart, revealing a large, gaping maw of darkness. The time had come to face Diablo and his brother Baal.

---

²¹ Electrified by bolts of electric lightning
²² Strewth / golly
²³ Macabre bastard

---

"Looking for Baal?" a sarcastic voice thundered out of the darkness.

The party had progressed through the dark opening in the orifice room in a somewhat organized fashion, only to be dumped unceremoniously about eight feet further down on the other side of the blasted wall. The reason for this was that the chamber's floor had either collapsed or been corroded by the slime and acid in evidence in small to large puddles on the current depressed chamber floor. The reason for this probably had something to do with the sinister voice that greeted them as first Wallace and then Agamemnon, Caesar and Charlemagne tumbled to the chamber floor. Waheed managed to keep his balance and called a warning back to Pamela and Elly, before he neatly jumped to the floor, right into the path of a large, charging demon, the apparent owner of the voice.

The demon's charge carried Waheed into Agamemnon, who, fortunately, due to his size when transformed into a Werebear, managed to stop the charge before they all careened into the rest of the warriors already down below. A fiery arrow whizzed overhead, briefly illuminating the scene. Pamela had at least found some footing along a ledge where the floor had not yet collapsed. The party was faced by a large, slug-like, or perhaps even caterpillar-like, demon with an upright torso. Its upper limbs ended in spike-like claws, which it now used to jab at the five warriors as it towered over them.

At her turn, Elly also jumped down to the floor, allowing Balor to squeeze in next to Pamela. This allowed no more space on the small ledge however, forcing Myrina to also jump down and seek relative high ground next to Elly. No sooner had she found her position than a chilling lethargy seemed to grip her as it had for all those on the floor of the chamber.

"Willing or unwilling lackey?" Balor posed, being the first to recognize one of the Lesser Evils, Duriel.

"Initially unwilling, death peddler, but I am warming to this sport," Duriel sneered, again jabbing a forelimb at one of the melee fighters.

Already at this stage, both Waheed and Charlemagne were effectively out of the battle, as Duriel had casually tossed them aside, bleeding from various wounds. Charlemagne's plate and Waheed's breastplate were punctured in several places and would cause a severe headache to Fara or any other weapon smith to repair.

"This unholy freeze of his is the main problem," Caesar called, barely blocking yet another jab from the demon.

"Let's see if we can even the field then," Balor grinned, cursing Duriel's actions to be enfeebled like that of decrepit old age.

This helped to counteract the strength of Duriel's jabs, but even though they did no longer penetrate armor, they still caused grievous bodily harm to unprotected limbs.

"I'll feast on your black heart yet, peddler!" Duriel roared in frustration, but even his unholy freezing aura was now not enough to stem the tide.

Wallace was carving large swaths of torn demon flesh with his two axes, while Agamemnon's claws also carved up the large slug. Caesar's scepter did not do much damage against Duriel's tough hide, but the magical crushing blow it leant to the attack meant that the Lesser Evil's life was fast waning. By the end, his body pin cushioned by innumerable arrows, Duriel grunted, jabbed once more feebly before collapsing to the floor. The danger was not over yet as large parts of the chamber's roof came tumbling down. Caesar grabbed the prone Waheed, dragging him to the relative shelter of the only doorway leading out of the chamber, while between Wallace and Agamemnon they carry-dragged Charlemagne to the area directly below the ledge on which Pamela and Balor stood. Elly and Myrina sprinted also for the safety of the archway, until the tremors and falling rocks subsided.

With the help of healing and rejuvenation potions, both Waheed and Charlemagne were soon again fit to fight even if their armor wouldn't allow for more than a painful hobble.

"It feels like I have been on the receiving end of that decrepify curse Balor used," Charlemagne wheezed due to the tightness of his breastplate.

"Perhaps loosening your armor straps would do the trick, mon ami?" Agamemnon offered, having reverted to human form shortly after the battle with Duriel.

"A good idea," Caesar agreed, "as I doubt we'll meet either Diablo or Baal in this tomb today."

"Your perception is correct brother," Charlemagne confirmed, wincing as Agamemnon struggled with the leather straps, loosening his armor in various places.

"Nous ne se frotter à le grand mal aujourd'hui,²ª" Agamemnon sighed, shaking his head sadly.

"What are ye saying lad?" Wallace asked, perplexed, "Have we not just slain Duriel, a mere gate guard for the Prime Evils?"

"It seems, my cranially challenged friend," Balor explained, "that Diablo and his little brother Baal has left the building."

"We have failed?" the Barbarian asked, still uncomprehending, "Diablo has freed his accursed brother and the world remains at their mercy?"

"Yes my friend," Charlemagne confirmed, "but I sense there is still another presence in this accursed place."

"I think you may be correct," Elly said, once again using her inner sight, "It would explain why these doors were closed when we entered this chamber, but are now open, after Duriel's death."

"It wasn't to keep us out, but to keep someone in?" Pamela asked.

"Someone or something," Caesar guessed, "and perhaps a bit of both."

"Let us see then," Elly suggested, already scouting ahead.

---

²ª We won't be crossing swords with great evil today

---

They followed a short and ill-lit passage leading from the opened doors, turning right as it joined with a similar one. After a short length, they came to two doorways, leading to a vast chamber, illuminated by a ruddy glow emanating from the center. As they proceeded, warily, to the center of the chamber, they saw the source of the glow; a large island of stone was floating over a huge, circular pit, aglow with fire and lava. A short, rope-and-wood constructed suspension bridge was the only way leading to the floating island, but it looked rather rickety with certain of the wooden crossbeams missing. It also looked positively ancient, but someone would be required to cross it. Tied to the very stone obelisk that must have been Tal Rasha's prison for all these ages was a bright and shimmering figure that could be nothing more than one of the Angels.

"Who shall cross ça fougueux gouffre³º?" Agamemnon asked, slightly worried.

"Perhaps this dainty lass should," Wallace suggested, smiling at Elly.

"Though I doubt she is still a lass, as you assume my friend," Charlemagne agreed, "Elly does seem the smallest of us all."

"As you wish," Elly smiled, handing her bow and quiver to Pamela, before speedily scampering over the rickety bridge. Once again Pamela, and some of the others were astounded by the dexterity of the Rogues. Approaching cautiously, the Angel still not having uttered a single sound, Elly finally touched his ethereal form, apparently releasing him from his imprisonment.

"I thank you, mortals, for my freedom," the Angel began, his voice a rich and resonant timbre, "though I had hoped to see you earlier. I am the Archangel Tyrael. I came here hoping to prevent Diablo from freeing his brother, Baal, but I have failed! Now, Terror and Destruction roam free throughout your world."

Tyrael's voice carried easily over the chasm as the party stood listening, not once even thinking to interrupt.

"Even now, they head towards the Eastern capital of Kurast - to the very heart of the Zakarum Temple. There they hope to find their eldest brother, Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred who was imprisoned there ages ago. If the three Prime Evils unite, they will be invincible. Though it is unclear as to what their aims are, it is certain that they must be stopped at all costs."

"What prevents you from doing exactly that?" asked Balor, slightly perplexed at the Archangel's audacity, especially seen in light of his own apparent failure.

"I am broken and the energies that tie me to this world are diminishing rapidly," Tyrael replied, "It will be some time before I can again take shape in the mortal realm and you must therefore take up this quest and prevent the Three Brothers from reuniting. You must cross the sea and search for Diablo and Baal in Kurast."

Before they could react, Tyrael's form seemed to shimmer, then simply winked out of existence, leaving in its place a shimmering town portal. Out of nowhere seemed to float his last warning, "Now hurry, mortals… Time is running out for all of us!"

"Mon Dieu³¹! Dieu sait si on a essayé³²," Agamemnon lamented, "Ça 'Archange'³³, he makes déficient argument de vente³ª to follow ze Three, non?"

"Sarcasm and having a point my furry friend?" Balor smirked, "I am much impressed."

"Tyrael is right however," Caesar interjected, "Be it his fault or not, someone has to stop the Two before they become the Three. This group certainly has the know how to do it."

"Savoir faireªº or not, mon ami, I hesitate to, how you say, tread where angels fear," Agamemnon replied.

"Perhaps we may yet join you in Kurast," Myrina soothed, breaking her customary silence, "but for now we will remain here, in Lut Gholein, as we determined a while ago."

"Besides, lad," Wallace also put in, "you knew of our decision from the day you approached us for help."

"Yes, I know," Caesar smiled, "I had hoped to change your minds. Can you blame me?"

"Brother," Charlemagne concluded, "I don't doubt any of us here appreciate your compliment, but our decision is made. To return the compliment, I am sure, when the time comes, you would not require our help anyway. Now, let us see what Lord Jehryn has to say about matters once he hears our news."

With that the party slowly filed through the waiting portal to town and safety.

"I shall honor Tal Rasha's sacrifice by destroying all the Prime Evils," Caesar vowed, before he too turned, ready to face the rest of his journey.

---

³º This fiery chasm
³¹ Good heavens
³² God knows we've tried
³³ This 'Archangel'
³ª Weak selling point
ªº To know how to do