Eirena had stayed far too long speaking with her old companion. It was dawn by the time she returned home, and she returned only to be scolded by her eldest.
"You're an adult!" he reprimanded her, "Be more responsible!"
Sheepishly, she patted his head, told him he was a good child, and rested her eyes.
The sun rose way too fast, and soon she too rose for a new day. But instead of opening her stand as usual, Eirena headed for the inn. Once there, she entered, and was surprised to see Kormac waiting patiently at a table. He always did seem to be the morning type, and the fact that he was bordering on little to no sleep didn't seem to faze the man.
"Good morning," she greeted, taking a seat adjacent to him.
They had decided to meet again, to further discuss his situation. Not much had changed, for him, at least. From what Eirena could tell Kormac had spent the first two years searching for the remainder of the lost "tomes." Find them, he did, but there was one problem. What he found were not tomes at all. Instead, all were ancient manuals for creating angelic weapons. These weapons, however, were not bound to angelic beings. Anyone, even demons, could wield these weapons.
Troubled, Kormac had spent the remaining time trying to locate the Templar's Order so as to question the Inquisitors, only to find that the Order had disappeared. It was as if they'd never existed. The place in which they'd convened, the training grounds, even the surrounding town was not there, replaced with nothing but forest. The Templar had tried everything. He asked angels and demons alike, but none knew of what had become of the order. Villagers, wise people, even the former followers of Magda knew nothing. Exasperated, he decided to start from the beginning, from Tristram to Caldeum, Caldeum to Bastion's Keep. Hopefully he could find some clues. The more they conversed, the more Eirena began to realize that he was in the same place she had been three years ago. He was lost. Even before he finished recounting his tale, Eirena had made up her mind. She was going to help him.
Snapping back to the present, she realized that Kormac had asked her a question. Naturally, he expected a response.
"Uhm… Yes?"
Kormac stared blankly. "I asked you how many children are currently in your care."
"Sorry, I had other things on my mind," Eirena laughed nervously, "I've 32 at the moment, with more every month." She shook her head, sighing. "People are more willing to surrender their wards than they are to adopt."
Turning to glance at her companion, Eirena questioned him in return. "So what are you to do now?"
His response was half-hearted at best. Out of options, he had returned to Caldeum to lend his skills as a fighter, in the hopes that something he encountered would point him in the right direction. It pained Eirena to hold his gaze, for his eyes spoke of something with which she was all too familiar. They were the eyes of one who had lost all hope. This was understandable, of course. Eirena and Kormac had a lot in common in that regard. She could only fathom if the same had happened to her, if the Prophet had turned out to be a demon, and if she had been lied to and used as a puppet as Kormac had been.
A small clap rung through the air as Eirena clasped her hands together, ignorant of the stares she'd drawn from the surrounding travelers. "You could work with Asheara!" she articulated. "Maybe the Iron Wolves will know something."
"I suppose," Kormac conceded.
That was that. They convened, Eirena leaving to arrange a meeting between the Captain of the Guard, Asheara, and the Templar, the following day. It wasn't difficult. All she had to do was locate one of Asheara's men, and the message would be brought to the other's ears. This was a luxury afforded only by Eirena, for the Enchantress had struck up an unusual friendship with the other woman; in some ways, Asheara reminded her of one of her sisters, loyal and astute, unwavering in her determination. She was the type of person who could judge a man by his looks, and nobody dared to cross her.
If Kehjistan would have allowed a woman and a stranger to become Empress, Eirena was sure Asheara would make quick work of the nation. Alas, following the slaying of Belial, it became clear that the heroes had managed to rid the child of his possession, leaving the emperor very much alive. This was probably a blessing in disguise, for Hakan II had no heirs, and without an emperor, it was likely that the entire nation would have imploded. Instead, Asheara partnered with the child in order to guide him in the restoration of Caldeum. She became one of his most trusted advisors and Captain of the Guard, with provisional control over most of the city. This, she would relinquish when the emperor was of age, but until then, Hakan II was but a figure head, for it was Asheara who controlled the dealings of the capital.
That woman would know what to do with him. Of all the people Eirena knew, Asheara was probably the most capable. If anyone could help him, she could. The Templar had helped her once, and now it was time to return the favor.
Kormac woke early the next morning to complete his routine: a swift run, some training exercises, and then meditation. He needed to steel his resolve for whatever the day had in store. Arriving two hours early, Kormac prepared himself.
Caldeum was not quite like he'd remembered. Instead of the turmoil filled, chaotic city he had expected, Caldeum was now a bustling epicenter of trade. A lot had changed, and his old expectations had been quickly squashed. The newly painted walls, the vibrant stalls, and the exuberant atmosphere had been absent the last time when Belial gripped the city in fear and panic. Eirena had told him that under Asheara's careful guidance, the city had been returned to its former glory.
He loitered around the bazaar when it became clear he was beyond punctual. It wouldn't be the first time he was the first to arrive, for Kormac was always the first to wake and the last to sleep. Once, during their journey to slay the Prime Evil, he had rallied the group for an early morning jog, only to be met with the collective objections of the entire party. Apparently, the wee hours before cock-crow were too early to be considered morning.
The shopkeepers were filing into the bazaar now, many of them wishing for sleep, for they walked like the undead. He spotted one particular individual, who seemed exceptionally drowsy; it took her almost 30 tries to unlatch her padlock in before entering the stall. Chuckling to himself, Kormac slowly approached the shop.
"Ahoy, Eirena!" he voiced, startling the Enchantress enough for her to drop the trinket she'd been holding; it fell to the floor with a muffled clink.
"Kormac! Aren't you supposed to be meeting with Asheara?" She bent to retrieve her charm, before continuing, "I thought I told you to meet her two hours after daybreak?"
"A Templar is always early," he preached, "the best choices are always made by those who are alert and ready. Why, one time, while we were training back at the Order I—"
It was clear that Eirena was no longer listening. She'd had enough of his ramblings during their journey, and she was far too lethargic to put up with it now. Silencing him with a soft finger on his lips, she interjected, "Have you eaten Kormac?"
"Why, no," the man stammered, clearly flustered by her touch, "I thought to eat after the meeting, I mean I thought it best to— "
"It's okay if you forgot, Templar. No need to lie to me. There's a small bakery in that corner; they've a wonderful apple turnover. I suggest you try it." Eirena pointed in the direction of the bakery, dismissing the man. Raising both hands to her head, she rubbed her temples as she watched the Templar enter the shop. He was a morning idiot of the most despicable kind.
After consuming an apple turnover, as per Eirena's suggestion, Kormac floundered around the marketplace once more. The pastry had been exquisite, crispy on the outside, with a flavor just tart enough to appeal to his tastes. He had almost brought one back for her, if not for the annoyance in her voice. Even he could tell when his presence was not wanted. Kormac made a note not to approach the Enchantress so early again. He had seen what she could do on the battlefield, and he didn't quite fancy being a chicken.
"Early for your first day on the job, eh?" came a voice from behind him, jarring his thoughts. Standing near the bazaar's main fountain was the captain herself. "Hullo Kormac, been a while." Asheara curtly greeted him with a small wave.
Kormac responded with a subtle nod. "Pleasure to see you again. Doing well I presume?"
"Fantastic, thanks for asking." Asheara paused thoughtfully for a moment, placing a hand to her chin as she cocked her hips. "You okay with asset protection?"
Kormac tilted his head, his confusion evident to the woman beside him by the way she guffawed.
"That, my dear boy, means body guarding. You'll be guarding our most important caravans."
"So…" Kormac started slowly, "does this mean I'm hired?"
Another peal of laughter from the woman. "Did you think me so pompous that I wouldn't accept help from the hero of our city?" She slapped him heartily in the shoulder. "Plus," she noted, "I'm sure you'll be a hit with the ladies! Report in front of the palace at noon tomorrow." She winked, and with that, Asheara was off before Kormac could exclaim he'd sworn off pleasures of the flesh. Disgruntled, rubbed his shoulder gingerly. For a woman, she sure could pack a punch.
The sun sat heavily in the midday sky, causing a severe drop in productivity as the inhabitants of Caldeum sweltered under its wrath. Wiping the sweat from her eyes, Eirena glanced at the shopkeepers around her. Some had the foresight to procure one of those hand spun wind-making machines, the latest technology to hit the market, but most, like herself, were left to bake evenly in the summer sun. Distracting herself by sorting her goods, part of Eirena wished she'd taken the nephalem's offer to teach her some arcane magic. These would be useful now, especially the technique that summoned the frost. Alas, she had been too preoccupied at the time, and so she retained nothing but her own spells.
As an Enchantress, Eirena excelled in magic that involved perception. Charms to create lovers out of acquaintances, rivals out of friends, magic of those sorts. Its effects were not permanent, nor were the feelings genuine, but she had no business prying into the lives of her customers. Her only responsibility was to notify them of the short term effects as well as any potential side effects. After that, whatever they did with her goods was of no concern to her.
Judging by the sun dials, only an hour had passed since she started arranging her charms. A bead of sweat crawled across her cheek as she flicked it away with her hand. Eirena groaned and began braiding some rope to prepare more trinkets. It was going to be a long day.
Finally, it was time to close. Stifling a yawn, she walked briskly to the inn where she last met Kormac. They were meeting once more to discuss the outcome of his meeting with Asheara. Eirena wrinkled her nose as she entered. No matter how many times she dined here, the smell was something she could never be used to. Years of wanderers bustling in and out of the tiny place had left it permanently smelling of musk, grime, and the distinct smell of man.
Stepping into the dark, Eirena searched the tables as she allowed her eyes to adjust. Kormac was sitting at the same table, and he'd noticed her, raising a hand to beckon her to him. Eirena smiled; he'd already had the perception to order her a mincemeat pie. As she navigated through the myriad of tables, someone pinched her rump, causing the enchantress to stiffen. Kormac, having seen the act, stood abruptly.
Rushing to his side, Eirena placed a hand on his chest, the other on his arm, which was already poised to draw weapon. "It's fine, Templar. I can defend myself. We'd best not create a ruckus." The last thing they needed was an unnecessary fight.
Coaxing him to sit, Eirena quickly changed the subject. "So how did your meeting with Asheara go?"
It seemed to work, for Kormac returned to his seat, before huffing. "I have been hired to protect caravans." He paused, acutely aware of Eirena's lingering hand on his arm. "I'm to report in front of the Palace at noon."
"That's great!" Much to Kormac's disdain, she removed her hand, waving down a barmaid before declaring, "They've a wonderful almond pudding here. You should try it, I'll pay."
Kormac begrudgingly accepted, fighting the urge to go into a tirade on the reasons why a man should always pay. Eirena seemed to be in a pleasant mood, and he didn't want to ruin it. He smiled to himself. She was different from before, but in a good way. Perhaps his stay in Caldeum would be worthwhile.