JTE I Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1
"The Beginning of a New Evil Cause"

Greetings. I am Leashya, the one who'll narrate the whole part. I will tell you everything I know: from the first step of a very long journey until the defeat of the Evil Queen.

Not many have come far, like the wanderer and his party. They have overcome many challenges, from the Butcher until they reached Hell - and killed Diablo. But still...

After all he has done, one night at Tristram, nightmares haunt him - and at the middle of the night he always yell when he wake up, all about and all the time, about the east.

However, the Rogues of these lands, decided to go to the monastery, since we think it is a strategic place to be, and left some Rogues behind at Tristram, to guard the place.

And a man named Marius was at the Tavern. It was a long tiring day for him, so he was at the corner of this tavern and fell asleep.

So, let’s begin...

Heavy clouds covered the blue sky, raining down snow as if they were just like rain. The cold breeze swept through the empty streets of Tristram, and warmth, despite the cold, empty and blue outdoors that haunted nature, comforted anyone indoors.

A cloaked man came out, walking down on the lonely streets slowly and awkwardly. He was bringing a heavy great sword that shines through the night, the pale cold blade feels all the sorrow of the dark winter, the snow flakes touching the edges. He held his sword down to the snow filled paved road, tracing what he has left behind.

He went to the tavern then he paused in front of the door. He was planning to knock, but what's the use of knocking? This is a tavern, and every one in public are allowed to go in anytime.

But there's no time to waste... What is he thinking of? Why is he in hurry? He doesn't know, but he must get in.

To make it quick, he slammed the door open, his eyes half-innocent and half-immoral.

The warm and noisy tavern eventually became naturally silent, with only the red flames in sound and then the cold breeze stung their skins without noticing it.

Marius, the man resting on the corner, has awakened. His eyes showed he might have awakened from a prophetic nightmare, but we don't know what.

He stared into everyone's eyes. He remained silent and still, until his right leg made its first advance. He walked across the room and at the shaded corner beside Marius is where he sat down, on a stiff chair made of cedar. After that, he stabbed his sword down to the hard, wooden floor and he panted like he was tired.

Noticeably, every one stared at him, not even feeling that the door that was left open behind was closed in a violent manner. However, he didn't mind and stared back with his deep and dark eyes.

Then slowly, some of the people continued what they are supposed to be doing. But Marius remained staring at him.

Had the evil from my dreams followed me in my heels? How had he found me here?, he thought. He didn't move, unlike someone else, but he did observe what the cloaked man was doing.

Just few seconds after he stabbed the sword to the floor, the sword began to shake violently. Still he held his sword firmly then with one hand, and turned to Marius. Marius stared at him, with his body still, noticing that the man stared at him back in such a vicious manner.

Does he need Marius's aid? Does he yearn for his spirit? It seems like his eyes shows entreaty or even malice... But we don't know still..


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The monastery is quite silent, and since the Rogues filled the place, guarded it tightly and some patrolling around with an alert and sound mind, still, most of them didn't forget to pray. Some of them went to the Cathedral in the inner cloister of the monastery, to pray.

Near the first seat where no one is seated, there was I, kneeling and praying for God's protection. I am an Amazon - but still, you don't know what I look like.

I have yellow hair, particularly have deep blue eyes, my skin is pearl white, and I wear a rogue-colored suit with golden metal plates on the shoulders. I normally use spears and longbows and, of course, javelins. Pictured me? Well, you'll know more of me later.

Khanduras is safe... I said to myself wondering what lies beyond. But God, why am I feeling like this? I feel like... There's something - bad that is going to happen.

"Leashya," a tall woman with orange hair suddenly called me. I stood up and faced her. It was my older sister, Kashya, now a rogue chieftain. She commands all the rogues of the sister of the sightless eye. She wears a black chain vest and she wears a maroon circlet around her forehead, like I do.

"What, Kashya?" I asked her.

She grinned to me. "Why are you here?"

Wasn't she thinking? "I am praying," I said to her.

"Oh," Kashya breathed out. "I don't believe in those things..."

"Why?" I asked curiously.

"This world is full of filthy myths..." She explained. "And they aren't supposed to be believed. Nothing happens..."

"So what do you believe?"

"I say," Kashya said. "Nothing at all..."

"Nothing at all?" I said.

"...Since that day that changed my whole life, I don't believe in anything around me. I don't believe we exist in this world - I believe we are only instruments of hatred, despair and most of all - evil..." Kashya said to me.

"But Kashya," I tried to explain, "Not all the times we are wrong... You're so untrue, and we aren't instruments of hatred and... whatsoever!"

"Believe on what you believe, Leashya... I believe in what I believe into. You wouldn't always understand. In those days, you're still too young and I have my own mind..." Kashya said, looking at me seriously.

It seems like she's suffering from infinite pain, when I looked at her. Her voice was so cold, that sometimes I feel her heart is covered with a protective barrier that repels all that I am saying. I looked at her as she walks away, some of the Rogues bowed to her like "Her Highness..."
But she keeps on ignoring them. I don't know what would that feels like.

She paused in front of the isle.

"Leashya, go to Akara." She said.

Then she walked away, through the large door of the monastery cathedral.


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Longing for a Lost Mother

The night are as blue as I have ever imagined
Since the day I lost you, like it was forever
If there would be some times I will see you again
I will love you, though hard times will come through our days
I will love you like you do, for your love is like the flames
Flames of Eternal Love
Since the day I lost you, my days are as lonely
As the voyager in the dark
If there would be a time I will see you again,
I will always cherish you, my mother...

Kashya whispered the lines with tune, like she is singing a lullaby. She was singing all alone in her room, with only one candle alit.

I walked past her room and heard her sing the last line. I paused and listened. After I heard the song, I opened the door slowly, and there was she, on her bed.

There were tears, from her eyes, on her cheeks. She was there, closing her eyes in pain. But I am the only one who can understand her, I still can't explain... Maybe in my words as this story goes on, you'll know. But for now...

I slowly walked towards her, and I sat beside her. She didn't look at me, and then she cried softly. She hugged me tight and in return, I comforted her and whispered, "Why are you crying?"

"Ohh..." she cried. Few moments then, she said, "Why?"

"You're lucky," I said to her. "You even got a chance to meet our mother..."

She cried on and on through the night. Until midnight, after the comfort I gave to her, she finally falls asleep. I wiped her tears, covered her in her blanket made of bear's fur, and turned the candle off. I left her room silently, closed the door shut and left her peacefully.

As I walked through the halls of the Barracks to the outer cloister. Since my room's near the gate to the east, I still have to walk through the inner cloister, through the huge door to the edge rooms.

I walked past many rogues who greeted me, through the dark halls of the monastery edges, only the torches alit. The cold stone floor was making sounds as I step on it - that breaks the intimidating peace adding the dark beyond. I've past many empty rooms, absolutely bloodcurdling when you look into. It was snowing right outside, so I must go to the room as quickly as possible, if I want to sleep soundly at night with warmth.

Finally, I reached my room. I closed the door shut as swift as likely, to avoid the cold wind to get in. I changed my clothes into something comfortable, and went to bed with the warm extra brazier in flames in the room.

Darkness is the only thing I can see. Slowly and slowly, what I can hear fades away. And slowly and slowly, what I see became out of this world... All the impossible happens...

But after the delusion of pure fantasy, my world changed. It's like, I'm between reality and dreams - I know it...

Now my dream is fixed. I think I am a person, another person... But I am walking on the halls filled with torches - it seems familiar. It is the halls at the edge of the monastery. The As-If I was bringing a torch, I am in a hurry. Maybe this dream, means this person I am in is me, I don't know...

I walked through the halls, through empty doors up to my very room. I opened it, but... There was me sleeping... Then I heard a voice...

"Sergeant..."

I saw myself sleeping, as I reacted as if I have a nightmare... I do not know... The hand of the person where my vision was, was trying to wake me up. At the same time, I feel real movements - someone's moving me...

"Sergeant Leashya!!!"

I woke up. I expected no one was there but, there is... A rogue scout was there panting.

"Sergeant! Sorry to wake you up..."

"What? What's going on?" I said to her.

"Sergeant, there's an incoming attack!"

"Attack? From who?" I responded.

"I think they're demons... They are commanded by a giant hoofed-maiden!"

"Hoofed-Maiden? A Giant? I think it's nonsense..." I said to her, without thinking clearly.

I stood up and changed into my outfit. The scout assisted me as well, to make it quicker. Then we walked out of the room, and walked through the halls. I was thinking, that time, to go to Kashya.

"Why didn't you report this to Kashya?" I said to her.

"Sorry, but chieftain Kashya, I knocked on her door many times but she didn't respond..."

"Oh, God..." I whispered to myself. Come with me, let's go to her room.

We passed by a Sundial, I checked the time. It is 3, in the morning. Then we directly went to her room and knocked...

"Kashya?" I called. "Kashya?"

No one responded, so I tried to open the door with my keys. It was successfully opened and I said:

"Kashya, what in the world..."

She's not there. Oh... I sighed. Then for a few seconds after, we heard the loud and slow ringing of the monastery bell.

"What does this mean?" I whispered, in shock. I thought Khanduras was safe, but why is this happening? I knew there will be something bad that is still going to happen.

We rushed outside of the room and I walked forcibly while the scout was trying to catch up. Many rogues passed by us, running to the monastery gate. The bell signs of emergency and a messenger told them to go there. In the other hand...

When we reached our destination, the monastery gate is still closed. It is not as expected, but at least we know we are on hold. Some rogues took the frontline, equipped with spears; Some use javelins, and they are next to the frontline and the archers at the back. Elite Rogue Archers and Regular Amazons guard us, Akara - the wise priestess of the sightless eye and was our spiritual leader; Blood Raven - one of Kashya's most trusted ally and was also one of the party that defeated Diablo; Me and then Kashya. The rogue scout was still behind me, looking at the gate blankly.

I looked around me and I saw Kashya, with Akara on her other side and Blood Raven on her front. After that, I looked straight back to Kashya and asked, "Kashya, why didn't you respond at this poor scout looking for you a while ago?"

"I was asleep. I didn't hear voices..." Kashya answered seriously, still staring at the gate.

"Then who made you stand up?" I asked her again.

She cancelled her focus at the gate and glanced at me. She then returned her eyes to the gate and answered, "It was Akara. She forced me to wake up with her whispers..."

I grinned. Whispers, huh? I thought. Magic really works.

What a joyful thinking...

BAAMMM!!!

The gate moved, as if it was bashed with a huge object... What was that? A ram? Nonsense! Are we under siege?

BAAMMM!!!

This time it doesn't make me think of crazy things. A huge hoof appeared in the open part of the gate while it was bashed. The rogues immediately fired - in panic.

"HOLD YOUR FIRE!!!" Kashya commanded.

"Kashya," I said to her. She looked at me. I wish to stop from her look at me but my mouth opened and released some air, "Shouldn't we be commanding our rogues to fire at will?"

She turned her head away from me. "Don't question me..."

"Grrrr..."

What was that? I'm I hearing things? I wasn't - I know it's not my imagination.

I saw green sparks, below every rogue didn't see... I was wondering that time - What is that?

In just for few seconds after observing, the rogues were choked to death. In an uncontrollable manner:

"STAY AWAY FROM THE GREEN SPARKS BELOW!!!" I yelled.

Kashya stared at me, once again. She was distracted to what I commanded and told them, "DON'T MOVE!"

"Kashya," I said to her. "Those green sparks are poison... Didn't you ever notice some rogues died? You want them to die not because of her but because of you?"

"Who cares?" Kashya asked me.

Akara, with the shadow of her purple hood covering her mysterious face, glanced at her.

"It's true, Kashya... Believe what she's going to say from now on..." Akara said to her.

"Don't you dare tell me that..." Kashya said.

"Kashya," I interrupt. "Believe in what Akara's going to say!"

"She may be our Spiritual Leader, but it is I who command the rogues in battle." Kashya said.

I remained silent. I can't force her - when she decides, that will be it.

The monastery gate was silent for few minutes. No one touched that gate again since the time she kicked it and spread poison gas around the place. But we're still aware what might go on.

Only few of the rogues died lately, because Akara secretly cleansed them with her aura - allowing them to survive lengthy times breathing horrible poison gas. Kashya still didn't change her command, and I, prepared my bow with arrows alit with burning fire.

Someone came running from the door of the barracks, it was Charsi. A tall girl like me, has yellow hair, and she wears a black suit with a skirt attached, a pair of leather boots and a pair of Fire Resistant Gloves.

"Don't go here, Charsi..." I told her.

"Umm," she said back at me, hesitating what I just told her. "I'm just here, to supply our rogues. Actually, I'm getting how many pieces of different weapons and armor I am going to bring..."

I nodded, turned my back and looked around. I counted all of the rogues and their weapons needed and told her, "We need 20 Bows, 20 quiver of arrows, 10 pikes and 13 dozens of javelins."

She took note of it and she returned to the smithing place at the barracks. After few minutes of silence, she came back and gave each of the rogues a weapon of their choice.

But then...

BAAMMM!!!

That made us jump. It's so loud that it threatens us, and we all think that this is her final blow.

BAMMM!!!

The monastery was opened, with only small scratches - since it is a very strong gate. Green Smoke fills the air - with a deadly smell...

Akara wasn't affected and was forced to do magic.

"Heziha encantum bluensa!" Akara casted. And the whole place was cleansed.

She looked upon us. Mad, vicious, her eyes filled with dark, endless malice.

Andariel. The evil queen spawned from the burning dark abyss.

She has red, flying hair, her skin was pale green. Imagine a 20 feet woman, with muscles tucked in tight on her arms.

She was indeed not wearing anything, except that she covered her private parts with thick steel, then tied with each other with a hard, metal chain to prevent it from falling off. You can't imagine how gross she is, and as I go on, can I add that she has a feet of a horse, and her back contained venom-edged spider legs that serves as her wings?

I gasped, just as my sister Kashya did. Akara was there, quietly riding her horse, without doubts or any thing - ignorance, nothing at all.

Her shadowed face glanced towards Kashya.

"After the first strike, you two, get away from this place..."

Unusually, my sister responded to Akara's command. She doesn't follow her commands - until now.

She commanded her rogues, "ON MY MARK!"

The rogues, randomly enchanted their arrows with searing flame, others with piercing ice, even others enchanted theirs magically, literally making a nice white illusionary arrow.

"FIRE!"

All of the rogues fired their arrows to the despised enemy. Of the demoness’ size, she was always hit but it seems like it was not affecting her. But fire did... As soon as she received the first arrow, burning her skin, she wailed.

Now it’s my turn…

“JAVELIN THROWERS!!!” I commanded, “PUT THE EDGES OF YOUR JAVELINS WITH FIRE!!!”

The Javelin Throwers dipped the edge of their javelins with black pitch, and they lined their javelins like archers, requiring Akara’s fire skills estimated and looked down to the edge, aimed and shot a fire ball…

“Wait!!! My javelin’s not on fire!” A rogue protested. Akara sighed, moving her head side to side…

“AIM!” I commanded, the rogues responded, “FIRE!!!”

Now accuracy is at its best. I knew we would defeat her.

Andariel wailed furiously after being hit with a lot of fire edged Javelins. Now she’s glaring at me at her blank black eyes.

My mind is running like crazy. I’ve been thinking random things…

“Okay, I hope Gheed doesn’t come here with this monster in front of me…”

“WHO DO YOU CALL MONSTER?!” Andariel told me, her foul breath blowing my neat hair to a messy one, really insulted.

“And why are you angry?” I yelled, so that she can hear. “JUST ADMIT YOU ARE A TRUE MONSTER! NO ONE SAYS YOU’RE NOT – EVER!!!”

She wailed at my surprise… She wailed loudly, deafening us. Fissures developed under us spitting giant whips of fire, attacking rogues…

“RETREAT!!!” Kashya commanded. She ran into me, “Get Charsi!”

I ran away from the gate and went to the barracks as fast as I could, at the smithing place. Charsi was there, sitting down…

“Charsi,” I called her, panting.

Charsi stood up, slowly a smile formed on her face. “Is it over?” Seeing me panting, she changed her mind, and said in a slow manner – “or is there something wrong?”

“Get your things, Charsi. We have to leave right now.”

Charsi began packing her things up. And she brought everything she needed to smith, her steel bars, swords, armors, shields, and other weapons, and her design scrolls.

The ground began to shake…

Together, we walked as fast as we could through the doors and corridors, we were silent until…

“Leashya, wait…”

“What Charsi?” I asked.

“I forgot something back there…” she said.

“No,” I called but she walked still… “No, no!” I grabbed her hand.

She used all her strength to make me let her go. “What’s wrong with you Leashya?”

“You mustn’t, Andariel is…”

We heard buzzing sounds, like fire across the floor.

Blood Raven ran to me… “HURRY UP!!!”

“But the Horadric Malus!!!” She finally yelled out loud…

“Blood Raven, help!!!” I called. We pulled her together…

The sounds we heard before came closer; all of us took a glance behind us.

It was the whip of flame I told you about.

“Run!” Blood Raven said.

Charsi seemed to forget about her Horadric Malus. Caring for her own life much more, she ran with us… Out to the gate.

The entrance seemed to be empty, except the horse owned by Blood Raven.

“Go on first Leashya, take Charsi with you… I’ll try to stop this flame thingy…” she said…

“What about you?” I said.

“Wait outside or ride out of here… It’s a good thing Andariel’s not here anymore. All I have to do is deal with this thing!” she replied.

“No, I won’t leave you here!”

She slapped the butt of the horse, making it run away.

“Blood Raven!” I cried. Now trying to hang on the running horse.

“Just go! I’ll come back I promise!!!” Blood Raven said to me, her voice fading…

That was the last time I saw Blood Raven alive.