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After the seemingly endless travel, I arrived at the Rogue Encampment.
The camp looks nothing like a Rogue camp: I can see the encampment miles
away. For the first time in my life, I felt helpless and poor. I
have been training in Kurast since I could remember. Que-Hagan Khalim said
I was the best the most talented student he had ever seen. With the praise
from Khalim himself, naturally I am the most cared student. At the age
of twelve, I became the apprentice of Gaius the Great Master, breaking
the low-age record of apprenticeship.
“John,
you are my last apprentice, and very likely the best one. Don’t let me
down.” The white haired master said in front of everybody in day one.
Being the apprentice of Master Gaius is the dream of every single student.
All of my friends gave me their best wishes. This, is the Kurast in my
memory: No power struggle, no jealousy, just love. And so, Master and I
left Kurast and went off to a nameless little village in the north, both
for propagation of Zakarum and for my final five years of training as a
paladin. My best friend Toorc gave a small charm before I left. “Wear
it, and it brings luck.” Finally, I knew what missing somebody tastes
like. It’s true, I was the best apprentice Master ever had. I even
beat Master in Sword sparring, but Master uses his Grand Scepter in real
battles. Numerous paladin skills took me only three years to learn. As
I was dreaming about early graduating, “There’s no difficulty to learn
a skill, but whether you can use the right one in the chaos of a battle
is the main point.” Master said.
He was
right. In the second day since my graduation, our village suffered a massive
strike from the demons. A rash of arrows out from nowhere sounded the prologue.
The villagers are either dead or fled, remaining only Master, three militias,
and me. Five of us, against the numberless skeletons? “Never panic! You’re
a paladin” Master said, but my hands refuse to comply. They shook violently
with fear. As if my brain stopped working, I forgot every skill I learnt.
The long
and brutal battle ended when Master used Sacrifice, and died with the Skeleton
General. I fell on my knees before him. Like waterfall, my tears rolled
down my cheeks. It was me, if only I was able to cast Holy Bolt, Master’s
battle wouldn’t be so hard. He wouldn’t die. It was me, who was useless.
“John.” It was the voice of Master. Whether he was alive, or the voice
came from heavens, I couldn’t tell. “Don’t be so sad. Sooner or later
I gonna leave this world.” His voice was calm and soothing. “But I…”
I wanted to tell him I was useless. “Master understands. I had been a
freshman. It is like this when you’re new. Come on, don’t cry.” And
Master told me about the situation. “Diablo!?” I couldn’t help
my surprise. “Yes, but Master doesn’t know where it is. But for now the
Sisters of the Sightless Eye suffered similar attack, and their Monastery
is captured already. It seems that Andariel is behind that attack… Now
the Rogues fortified about thirty miles to the east of their Monastery.
Go quickly, and see if you can help. You are my best apprentice, don’t
let me down.” The last few words faded into unintelligible whisper, and
that was the last time I ever heard Master’s voice.
“FREEZE!!!”
A female shout woke my daydream, because I finally arrived at the gates
of the Rogues Encampment. After some explanation I was introduced to Kashya,
the Rogue General. To my surprise Kashya is quite young, about thirty I
guess. I thought a paladin from Kurast deserves at least some welcome words.
“Welcome outlander, to our glorious hovel!” It felt like being blamed
for late coming and causing the capture of their Monastery. Kashya was
stone-cold, instead, their guru Akara was much more friendly. She introduced
me to the people in the camp: Warriv, a good merchant. Charsi, a woman
blacksmith… makes me wonder. Kashya, a non-feminine woman. And Gheed,
his deceitful manner really pissed me off. There were other Sisters, but
I forgot their names. There was little chance to meet anyway. I was really
shocked to learn that less than an hundred were all that left from the
Sisters of the Sightless Eye. “Hey you!” Kashya pointed at me.
“Name.” Sisters asked for names like that I guess. “My name is John.”
I was a bit nervous when answering, lest being scolded if the answer was
not good. I saw her scold some Sisters who did something wrong, she was
angry like she wanted to eat them raw. Akara said it was her job that make
her that mad, Kashya is a nice person bla bla bla… hard to imagine… “John,
whoever. Sleep in that tent from now on.”
My tent was right
next to Charsi’s furnace. Sounds like I don’t need a blanket now. “You
gentleman clean yourself only in that river, that’s also your toilet.
Meal is served after the bell is rung, please be on time! No meal for you
if you’re late. If only you’re not a paladin, you don’t get a free piece
of biscuit from us! You know what, we…” Another lot of nagging, bad luck.
“Tonight you are permitted to get some rest. But tomorrow morning please
you ‘noble paladin’ go and cleanse the Blood Moor from evil monsters.”
At least she said ‘please’. “Me alone?” I knew she would send somebody
for company. “What do you want? A whole army!? Come on! We don’t have
enough… “Another lot of nagging… my god…
The meal
tasted great, women are really talented in cooking. During the meal a few
sisters eyed me and stared at me with weird look in their eyes. “His hair
is fine.” “He is well table-mannered.” “Of course, he’s a paladin.”
Their whisper and laughter really caught my nerves. “Oh look, he flushes!
So cute!” It’s exceptionally hard to bear when somebody calls you ‘cute’
when you’re seventeen years old. “Ahem!!!” Luckily Kashya discovered
their evil act in time. “Shut your mouth and eat you thing.” I thought.
It’s good when you don’t need to do the dishes after the meal. But it
seemed there was somebody outside my tent. It turned out to be those mouthful
girls. “Oh hello John. Sorry for disturbing your dream…” The sun hadn’t
even set yet. “Well, I have a gift for you.” One of them handed me a
stack of leaves. “It’s great for bathing.” “Try these fruits, it’s
so sweet.” “Try these candies, I made them.” It’s hard to blame them.
Apart from monsters, I’m the only male of their age in ten miles. “Well…
thank you.” I don’t know how to respond and left standing in their giggles.
“Excuse me.” A strong voice came beside us. At a glance I thought I saw
a stone wall, but that was a northern Barbarian. They’re not primitive,
in fact they are well mannered and very civilized. Well, it’s just a name.
“Well met, my name is Ka. I’m from the north. Kashya told me to sleep
with you.” After we got acquainted we were going to kick some monster
ass tomorrow morning.
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