Chapter 7 / Epilogue: To New Beginnings

Everything went back to normal eventually. Valla and Kormac stayed at the inn for the next few weeks, healing from their battle and pitching in however they could.

Kormac took over most of Jason's chores, while Valla tried waitressing. It worked for the most part. Even with only one good arm Valla still had managed to deftly balance dishes and even beat up and drag out a group of particularly misbehaving mercenaries. Honestly, Leah was just glad to have her friends around, for as long as she could have them.

Jason was bedridden for almost a week before he could move, even with the help of casts and crutches. His broken arm and leg healed fairly quickly, and Leah made sure he was well fed and taken care of. Kormac, Leah, and Valla had even gone over one day to repair his house and clean up what they could from the demon attack. Leah went so far as to buy him a new bed since the old one was trashed.

The days passed happily if uneventfully. There were no new disappearances, and Leah and her friends were regarded as heroes for saving the town.

Five weeks after the battle with the terror demon Leah and her friends were sitting and chatting in the main room after closing up shop for the night. It had become a part of their routine.

"Phew, that should be the last of it." Kormac said as he put a fresh pile of firewood next to the fireplace. "It's going to be fall soon, I can feel it. A nip to the air there is." The large templar sat down heavily at a table.

Leah had made tea for her friends, and they were enjoying the warm beverage along with an evening snack of bread and butter.

"Indeed." Agreed Valla as she refilled her mug. Her broken arm was finally out of the sling. Although it was still considerably weaker than her good arm, it would be good as new in a week or two.

Kormac was also looking much better. Leah had removed all the man's stitches 2 weeks ago, and only a few of them had left scars.

All in all, the group all looked a lot healthier, and happier for that matter.

They sat and talked for a while, enjoying their tea and discussing the changing seasons and happenings around town, when a creak and thud from the stairs startled them.

"Jason!" Cried Leah as she ran to help the man. It appeared that Jason had managed to get up from his bed and make it halfway down the stairs before dropping one of his crutches, effectively stranding him on the steps.

Overall, he looked a lot better. Most of his minor injuries had healed, and his arm was finally out of the cast. His leg still needed the extra support of crutches, but his mobility had improved dramatically. Still, Leah had to put his arm over her to move him down the rest of the stairs and over to the table.

"You really should be resting. It's nighttime, and the more sleep you can get the faster you'll heal." Leah reprimanded him as she gave him a pout.

Jason scowled. "Leah, I've done nothing but sleep for the past few weeks! I need a bit of exercise. Plus, I wanted to chat with you and your friends. It gets lonely in bed all day you know?"

Leah was going to argue further but relented. He was right, he had been bedridden for weeks. "Well, do you want some tea?" She offered.

"Yes please."

With that, he joined the group as they chatted.

"So Jason, you ever go adventuring?" Kormac asked the smaller man.

Jason looked down sadly at the question. "Yes actually. It was a while ago though."

"Well I'll be. I knew there was something I liked about you!" Kormac laughed and pat the other man roughly on the back.

Valla gave Jason a puzzled look. "Interesting. What made you decide to be an inn keep's assistant? A bit of a step down if you ask me."

Jason's didn't look up, and he quietly muttered something under his breath.

"Demons."

Everyone was silent for a moment as the weight of his words settled in. Jason took a shaky breath and continued.

"I'll never forget that day that I lost my best friend to those monsters." He practically spat.

"We had taken a shortcut though the mountains, and we were ambushed by flying demons. My friend and I, we were barely old enough to be adults, and he was taken away from the world." He hung his head, feeling a rush of grief and hatred. "I hate them all." He looked up and caught Leah's eye, who was looking at him with sympathy, but a bit of hurt too.

Jason quickly fumbled for words. "Present company not included!" He quickly amended. He rested his head on his hands. "We were just farm boys. We didn't know about fighting, but we thought we could take on the world, and we paid dearly for it." He pulled back the collar of his shirt and showed the group a nasty looking scar that ran from his neck to his chest. "I almost didn't make it that day either."

Leah put a hand to her mouth in shock. She had never heard this story. She knew that he had been an adventurer at one point, and that that was how he got his scar, but he had never elaborated, and she hadn't pried. "I'm so sorry Jason." She gently grabbed his hand.

He relaxed at the contact. "It was a long time ago. I trained since then to become a better warrior, but in the end, adventure just didn't call to me like it once did. Besides, I have no one left to adventure with." He shifted his collar to hide his scar again. "So I just tend an inn."

Valla nodded at Jason. "I too lost ones I loved to the demons. People like us, our hatred makes us stronger. Gives us the will to fight the darkness. I understand your pain friend." Jason looked grateful for the sympathy, but then turned to Leah.

"Listen, Leah. You are the nicest woman I have ever met. A great boss, a great cook, gentle, kind…" A small smile crossed his face, only for him to shake his head and the smile was replaced by a look of shock. He let go of her hand. "But how the hell are you a demon? It just makes no freaking sense!"

Leah shifted uncomfortably. They hadn't really talked about it since the incident. Both of them had tried to act as normal as possible. Avoiding the issue. Leah really didn't like talking about it.

"Well…" She started, but Kormac interjected.

"It's not her fault Jason. Don't give the girl flack about something she can't control." Leah sighed and looks at Kormac.

"It's fine Kormac. He has the right to ask questions after all he's been through." Leah steeled herself and shifted her gaze to Jason.

"Long story short. My mom was a witch, and she forged a pact with a demon to create a vessel for him to possess. Hence they made a child, yours truly."

Jason just sat with his mouth open in shock. Feeling awkward in the silence, Leah kept talking.

"My mother left after I was born, and eventually I was raised by my uncle Deckard. Well, he wasn't really my uncle, but he was my family in everything but blood, and the only person I ever really saw as a parent." Leah shifted uncomfortably at the next part.

"But then my mother came back to enact the final part of her and my father's plan. I knew nothing about my real father, or the fact that I was part demon."

The old sting of memories of betrayal surfaced and Leah grimaced. "I trusted her. I thought she had come back for me, so I was caught by surprise when she betrayed me to my father…" Leah shuddered and Valla put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Valla took over for her friend. "She was possessed by her demon father against her will. We managed to kill him, but we thought her dead as well."

Kormac jumped in. "And we are glad that she isn't."

Jason looked thoughtful for a moment as he took a sip of tea.

"Ok, I guess that makes sense." He leaned forward to ask his next question. "If you don't mind me asking, who is your father?"

Leah was a bit surprised at his question. "You really don't want to know…" She muttered.

Jason leaned in closer. "That bad?"

Leah nodded. "That bad."

Jason's eyes widened. "Come on. Now I just want to know more!" He scratched his chin in thought. "A demon lord? Wait let me guess." Jason thought of all the names of powerful demons he knew.

"Belial?"

Leah shook her head. "Nope."

Jason thought again. "Azmodan? Baal? Mephisto?"

Again, Leah shook her head. Jason was running out of to be honest he didn't know all that much about demons. "Uh" he thought once again, when suddenly a name popped into his mind. It couldn't be…

"Oh my god… Diablo?" He was almost afraid to ask. Leah remained silent, but nodded ever so slightly.

Jason nearly dropped his tea. "No way! The least intimidating person I know is daughter of the Lord of Terror?!" He looked at Leah, searching for any resemblance to the pure evil that Diablo was famous for. It was a futile search. "By the burning hells if I had not seen your demonic form myself I would tell you all that you're full of horse shit."

He leaned back into his chair and let out a sigh. "The Nephalem hero, a Templar, and the daughter of Diablo. That's one hell of an adventuring party you guys have got here."

Valla laughed a bit. "Don't forget the mischievous flirty thief and the ancient enchantress that sometimes join us."

Jason looked at them incredulously. "You're all crazy you know that right?"

Kormac let out a loud guffaw. "Wouldn't have it any other way!"

Leah leaned her chin on her hands as she addressed her friends. "So what now? You guys are almost healed, and I assume you aren't going to stick around forever."

Valla and Kormac looked at each other for a moment, as if having a silent conversation. Valla finally broke the silence. "We don't know yet. The danger here has been dealt with. So, just back on the road again. Maybe head back to Westmarch, see what we can find there?"

Kormac nodded. "Anywhere the Nephalem goes I go."

Valla turned back to Leah. "What about you? What are you going to do now?"

Leah thought for a moment. It was something that had been on her mind for a while as well. "Well, I was thinking of selling this place eventually and moving to a larger city. If you guys are going to Westmarch, I guess I could see what kind of property is available there. I hope you wouldn't mind."

Kormac broke into a big smile. "Of course we wouldn't mind! You should come adventuring with us again sometime!" He gave Leah a wink. "You can bring your boyfriend." He said motioning to Jason. Both Jason and Leah flushed at the Templar's insinuation.

"He's not-!" Leah started before Kormac interrupted her. "I know, I know. I jest. But you would be great— "

Valla jabbed him in the ribs, "Stop torturing the poor souls you big oaf." There was silence for a moment, then they all start laughing. At the absurdity of the situation, at the absurdity of their lives, they just laughed.

This, this was something that Leah could get used to.