Ch8: Meeting Maghda
Once me and Serena had arrived in the Fields of Misery, we immediately began to sniff out the sword piece... literally, since Serena's imp nose could detect the faint scent of the Stranger's essence from a nearby cavern. "I think this may be the spot, Lisa," she smiled as I fended off some Burrowing Leapers and two Savage Beasts with my own Disintegration ray before they could reach me. "Good job with that sniffer of yours, Serena. Let's go inside," I smiled as I followed my friendly little imp sister into the small goatmen cave and we were met with some guards in the form of the goatmen and some strange sorcerers in church robes.
"Um... I don't think these guys are friendlies," I gulped when we met them. "You must leave this place, or face our wra-" one of the cultists said as I let forth my disintegrate spell, melting his body and making the other cultists shiver in fear. "Who's up next? Or can we just pass on through?" Serena smiled as she let out her claws and growled at them. The cultists then ran deeper into the caves, which we simply followed them to the sword piece, which was under guard of some more evil witch worshipers.
"We must hurry with the ritual! Maghda will be here soon!" said one of the cultists, my blade going across his head when he finished speaking. "Who's next for a trip to Purgatory?" I smiled as I pointed my finger at two more of the cultists and let out small bursts of my disintegrate, making giant holes in their chests with blood gushing out from everywhere. The other cultists soon met the same end from Serena's deadly claws, since I gave her the go-ahead with a simple nod. "Okay, now to take the sword piece," I smiled as I reached out to grab it, actually doing so as the Witch herself appeared.
"Who dares take what is rightfully mine?" Maghda asked when she saw me, only to be truly surprised upon seeing Serena. "Why, if it isn't my young Lanna. What brings you here to this realm as an imp rather than a Fallen Maniac?" Maghda asked, her words not too shocking to me since they probably met before. "Maghda... you haven't aged a bit. Belial's magical lies must be doing wonders on your deteriorating 50-year-old body," Serena smiled at Maghda. "So what are you supposed to be? A female risen dead with hair covering her brain and a sword in hand? Ha! You can't be serious," Maghda laughed when she saw me.
"Say that again, old hag, and we will destroy you," I growled lowly at Maghda, Serena letting out her claws as she sniffed the air. "Old hag?! That's IT! Come forth my brethren! Kill this abomination of a zombie!" Maghda exclaimed as her cultist minions soon flooded from their own portals, all of them not a chance against Serena's claws and my sword swings. "Impressive, for a corpse," Maghda growled as I slew the last of the bunch.
"You may have gotten one piece, but you won't get the other. It has fallen where only the Ancients may tread!" Maghda cackled. "Um, you do realize that you kinda spilled the beans, right? Man, old age is certainly taking a number on your head," Serena smiled at Maghda. Maghda gasped when she realized that Serena was right and instantly fled the scene, making me giggle a bit. "Now let's go back to Tristram to grab some allies," I smiled at Serena as I focused our Town Portal abilities and we were warped back into Tristram once more.
"You came back! Let me see the sword piece you have retrieved," Deckard requested as I pulled it out of my purse and showed it off. "This sword piece is imbued with great power... interesting," he gawked over it. "We have a slight problem, however..." Serena frowned. "There's a coven led by a witch named Maghda who are after these sword pieces as well. Why is unknown, but we do know that they probably want some kind of power from them." "How interesting... does this coven ring any bells, Mister?" Leah asked the Stranger. "I do not know of this coven... but I sense that it has a darker force behind it," he said.
It was then that I smiled and told the group something else as mom came out of the house with her clothes still damp. "Maghda accidentally revealed that the next piece was in a place where only the Ancients may tread," I smiled at them all. "Where only Ancients may tread? That sounds like the temple in the Festering Woods. The one used by the Nephalem as a rite of passage!" Leah exclaimed. "Good job, Leah. You have been paying attention! The grounds you will be traveling to are very dangerous if not equipped properly. I suggest getting some upgrades to your armor and weapons before venturing off, since your clothes are looking quite tattered," Deckard frowned at me.
"Don't even remind me," I smiled at how my flesh was actually visible through my shirt now and that my one boob was actually stitched on by threads while the other was still in place without stitching. "Rgh... maybe we should cover these babies up though," I frowned as I took my purse and set it over my knockers while I traveled to the Blacksmiths with mom and Serena. "Excuse me, Haedrig? Could we possibly get some armor? Our clothes are getting quite tattered and as for me, I don't have any," Serena smiled at him with cutesy eyes.
"Hehe. Well, you're in luck lassies, cause I've been actually handcrafting armor for all three of ya," Haedrig smiled as his wife came from behind the cloth tarp in the back to hand me, mom, and Serena all our own special pairs of armor. Serena's was smaller and didn't include pants since she was an imp, but she did get a good armor plating covering her torso, arms, and even a viking helmet atop her head. Mom got standard armor with a spartan-styled helmet, spiked shoulder pads, and some cool boots infused with magic.
As for me, I received the Quickdraw Belt, a platinum mail that covered my body while still accentuating my cleavage, some cool iron boots, and even an upgrade to my sword so that it was infused with fire magic, as well as repaired from the swordplay I'd been doing with it. "Thanks a bunch, Haedrig! We owe you for this," I smiled at him. "Thank me? I should be thanking you! I mean, you saved me wife and nearly the whole town's populace due to your discovery! You deserved this reward," Haedrig chuckled. "You're too sweet, dear Haedrig," Mira smiled as she kissed her husband on the cheek, making him very happy and even blush.
"Hey! You're blushing! Aw!" mom smiled at him. Haedrig groaned at that, as Mira started to giggle and blush as well. "Now why don't we hurry off to these Festering Woods before Maghda gets there first?" Leah asked. "We're coming!" I exclaimed happily. "See ya later, Haedrig and Mira," I smiled at the two as all of us and our zombie dogs went into the warp circle to appear in the Fields of Misery once more.