DIABLO: ZARA'S QUEST

The twelve year old girl frantically pulled on the well rope, rushing to fill her bucket as the sun set behind her. She grasped the emerging pail, sloshing water over the well edge and her woolen shift as she poured the clear liquid. Letting the pail drop back down into the well, the girl seized her bucket and began walking quickly back to her parents’ farm, which right now seemed like it was a league away. Night fell swiftly, the landscape becoming black and forbidding in the blink of an eye. The girl began to pant, her heart thumping in her small chest as she quickened her pace.

The cloaked riders appeared from nowhere. Suddenly two of them materialized a short distance away, one to either side of the girl. She screamed in terror, dropping the bucket in her haste to reach home. The riders charged towards her, their black mounts shrieking like damned souls. Tears flew from the girl’s eyes as she ran, her thin legs burning with each desperate stride.

The farm girl raced through the farm gateway, she could see the warm beckoning lights of her home not far away. The riders leapt over the fence, the horses’ hooves tearing earth into the air as they shot forward in pursuit. A skeletal hand reached forward, grabbing the back of the running girl’s shift and flinging backwards through the air like a doll.

The girl fell heavily onto her buttocks, the wind knocked from her lungs. The two riders blocked her view of the farmhouse. One of the riders dismounted, his movements jerky and ungraceful. He limped towards her, his voluminous black sleeves outstretched. The farm girl screamed horribly, her skin deathly pale with fright. The rider wrapped his thin arms around the girl before she could flee again, his left arm clasping tightly around her throat. The girl struggled to escape, her arms slapping against the rider’s moldering robes. As her vision began to fade, the girl managed to pull off the rider’s hood, revealing the white, smooth bone of a fleshless skull. The girl’s eyes widened in horror, before she fainted from lack of air. The skeleton traced a finger along her soft pink lower lip, then he raised the girl’s limp body into his arms and returned to his waiting steed.

Zara was unimpressed with the town of Tristram. She walked the dark, silent streets, past the pitch-black houses and the abandoned shops. Trash and filth covered the roads, and there were even rotting corpses decomposing in the narrow dark alleys. The young rogue advanced deeper into the town, until she reached a square with a dry fountain in the center. Several small shops had lit windows, and Zara heard a smith working at his forge. She approached an elderly man who sat on the edge of the fountain, staring into its empty interior.

"Excuse me, sir," said Zara respectfully.

"What? Oh, hello, young one," replied the old man as he raised his head to look at Zara.

"I heard that the town of Tristram was in need of aid. I have come to help."

"I am afraid you are too late, child. Tristram is a doomed town."

"Is there someone in charge I can talk to?"

"I am Cain, the town elder. I am afraid no one is in charge anymore, except the dark powers that run free in the night."

"Dark powers? Who are they?"

"We do not know. It began when King Leoric became ill. He became more and more unstable, ordering us to war with our northern neighbor. As the war continued, Leoric slipped deeper and deeper into madness, then his son vanished, never to be found. The King blamed us for the boy’s disappearance, he executed many of the townspeople until Lachdanan returned from the war in defeat. He discovered the King’s madness and slew him in the monastery, an ancient structure that the King had converted into his home.

Lachdanan and his men never emerged from the place, but the Archbishop Lazarus, the King’s most trusted advisor, did escape. He said that evil powers had been freed below the monastery, and that the King’s son was still trapped in the catacombs. The Archbishop led a group of townsmen into the monastery to rescue the prince, but no one has returned for days. I believe that whatever lurks beneath the monastery has slain the Archbishop and our menfolk. We will be next if no one stops the darkness from spreading."

Zara pondered the elder’s story, her mind overwhelmed by the sheer scope of evil that had claimed Tristram. She idly fingered the feathered shafts that hung from the quiver at her side.

"I will go to the monastery and defeat whatever evil has made its home there."

Cain said nothing, he merely looked at Zara with pity as she turned to leave the square.

The rogue girl walked northwest, towards the forbidding structure that sat on a small hillock, like a waiting vulture. Zara was unsettled by the unnatural quiet that hung over the countryside. There were no animals, and no insects disturbed the heavy weight of silence pressing against Zara’s lithe frame. She checked the short bow that rested against her right shoulder, then glanced down at the dagger that lay sheathed in her right boot. Finally, she reached the rough path that led to the entrance of the monastery.

A prone human form made Zara hasten her steps. She approached a man lying on his stomach, a pool of blood cooling beneath him. The rogue turned the man over, making him groan with pain. He opened his eyes slowly, then grabbed Zara’s right arm in a death grip.

"Please, mistress!" gasped the dying man. "Listen to me! The Archbishop Lazarus, he led us down there to find the lost prince. The bastard led us into a trap! Now everyone is dead…killed by a demon he called the Butcher. Avenge us! Find the Butcher and slay him so that our souls may finally rest…"

The man released his grip on Zara’s arm, his eyes glazing over with death. Zara placed the man’s hands on his chest then whispered a brief prayer to the Light. She stood up, turning to regard the black windows and crumbling walls of the monastery. She unslung her short bow, nocked an arrow, then strode forward to the waiting front door…

A spiraling stairwell led to an immense chamber. Dust covered the stone floor, while dozens of empty candleholders lined the walls. Doorways opened to the west and south. Zara took a moment to light a torch from her pack, then she walked forward, glancing at the several sarcophagi that filled the crypt. Scratching noises from behind alerted Zara, she spun and saw five skeletons stumbling towards her with upraised axes.

Cursing softly, Zara raised her bow, firing a stream of arrows into the advancing undead. Skeletons shattered like fragile glass, their bones littering the filth-covered floor. Only one skeleton made it to melee range, it sliced down with its axe, cutting a shallow line down Zara’s left arm. The rogue girl grimaced with pain, kicking out with her right boot. The skeleton stumbled backwards, its rib cage shattering loudly.

Zara fired three arrows into her last foe, the skeleton bursting apart as the projectiles slammed into it.

The girl took a moment to catch her breath, adrenaline still pumping in her veins. She clasped her wounded arm, reaching into her pack for a bandage to bind the cut shut. Zara rifled through the shattered skeletons, finding several worn pouches with gold crowns inside. She pocketed the gold, then briefly examined the rusted axes, finding them too heavy to use herself. Straightening up, Zara’s eyes widened when one of the sarcophagi began to open. A moldering corpse climbed out of its resting-place, moaning loudly with a tortured, rasping voice. The other five sarcophagi also started opening, disgorging three more zombies and two skeletons. Zara fired her bow, the bowstring singing as she pumped arrows into the advancing enemies.

The skeletons shattered into clusters of bones, but the zombies continued to shamble forward. Zara fired shaft after shaft into the first zombie until he vomited a gout of black blood and fell wetly to the floor. The remaining three zombies reached Zara, clawing at her with their grimy fingernails. Zara kicked at the undead, then slammed the shaft of her bow into one of the zombie’s faces. The undead creature’s face collapsed into a mush of gore, his sticky blood gushing onto Zara’s hands. The rogue girl tried to back away, but another zombie pounced on her, forcing her onto the floor. Despite herself, Zara screamed as the zombie on top of her grasped her leather tunic and ripped it open. The second zombie took away Zara’s bow, then held her right arm down. The last zombie knelt between Zara’s legs, grasping her ankles with his rotted hands.

Zara turned her beautiful face away when the zombie straddling her leaned down to lick her cheek with his slimy purple tongue. Stinking breath gushed over Zara as the zombie ran his mouth over her lips and neck. The undead fondled her breasts, pinching her nipples cruelly until she gasped with pain. The zombie roughly kissed Zara’s neck and bare shoulders then began sucking on her right tit loudly, his drool covering her warm white skin. Zara pushed vainly at the zombie with her left hand, her right arm held firmly down by the undead rapist’s companion. Zara’s eyes widened further with horror when she felt the third zombie tearing her crotch piece off, then removing her panties. A long, writhing tongue entered Zara’s pussy, licking her labia until it became hot with arousal. Zara struggled to break free from the zombies, but they held her down with their weight and superior leverage. The first zombie moved to Zara’s left breast, licking and sucking like a starving animal, while the third zombie sucked on her clit, his lips smacking wetly as they nibbled on her pink cunt flesh.

Zara bit her lower lip until it bled, then watched in disgust as the zombie atop her released his cock from his rotting clothing. She moved her face from side to side, trying to avoid the thick, dripping member until the zombie grasped her head with both of his deathly blue skinned claws.

The zombie shoved his rod into Zara’s small mouth, then started pumping back and forth, his tool ramming deeply into her throat. The zombie between Zara’s legs pried her cunt lips apart with his claws, then buried his mouth in her snatch, his tongue sliding into her vagina, caressing the tender flesh until it glistened with her lubricating juices. Zara moaned with the zombie’s shaft in her mouth, her lips stained with his black ichor. With her body limp from violation, the zombies climbed off to place her on hands and knees, one zombie replaced his cock into her mouth, fucking her slack lips while his companion pried her tight buttocks apart to shove his tool into her wet pussy. The third zombie crawled beneath Zara, his crushed mouth extending a wet tongue to lap at the rogue girl’s dangling breasts. His tongue slipped from nipple to nipple, leaving the tits slick with his slimy saliva. The zombie fucking Zara’s cunt slapped his decayed crotch wetly against her ass, his tool pounding deep into her belly. Zara groaned when the zombie shoving his member into her mouth grabbed a handful of her long, unbound auburn hair, holding her tresses like reins as he pumped himself past her wet, sensuous lips.

The zombie ramming Zara’s pussy orgasmed first, releasing his thin watery seed into the girl’s womb. Zara’s tits continued to be suckled by the second zombie while the third undead pulled out of the girl’s mouth to cum over her lips and chin. Zara coughed as she tried to keep from swallowing any of the zombie’s foul seed. The zombie in front of Zara kicked at the undead sucking on her tits until he bit her nipple on last time before crawling out from under her. The undead near Zara’s ass rose to his bone thin legs, leaning down to grasp her booted feet, then dragging her across the dirty floor towards the opening on the west wall.

Zara let herself be limply dragged away until she passed her discarded bow. She grabbed her weapon, turning around to smash its edge against the side of the dragging zombie’s right hand. The hand broke off wetly, allowing Zara to kick away from the vacant eyed corpse. As the other two undead stumbled forward, the naked rogue drew her boot dagger and decapitated her one handed captor. Black blood spewed up like an obscene fountain while Zara grabbed her quiver and nocked an arrow. She angrily fired shaft after shaft into the approaching undead, peppering their chests with arrows until she severed one zombie’s thin neck. As the now headless creature fell, the second one also tripped, his body bleeding from numerous wounds. He crawled forward, his rotting face contorted into a snarl, his eyes burning with lust for Zara’s blood. Zara aimed deliberately for the zombie’s face. She fired two arrows in quick succession, impaling his rotting brain with the shafts. He quivered violently, then became limp, black blood escaping from his fatal head wounds.

Exhausted, Zara reclined against an open crypt, her bare breasts heaving for air. She wiped the foul ichor from her mouth, then rubbed ineffectually at the zombie cum sticking to her pubic hair and pussy. Shuddering with revulsion, Zara took a few more moments to calm down, then gathered her belongings and re-clothed herself in her torn leather armor. A large tear remained from the neckline to just below her breasts, exposing a bit more cleavage than the girl was comfortable with. Checking her bow for damage, Zara slung it over her shoulder then replaced her dagger back in its boot sheath.

She searched the dead corpses for valuables, finding a few pockets with gold inside. The rogue examined the open crypts next, finding two potions of Healing and a short sword with a rune inscribed on its steel blade. Zara hefted the sword experimentally, finding it light and easy to wield. She replaced the short sword in its plain leather sheath, then fastened it to her belt. Feeling somewhat better with her new finds, Zara returned to the spiral staircase, desiring to return to Tristram for resupply and a well-deserved rest.

====

The sun was just emerging when Zara left the monastery. She blinked from the warm, bright light before beginning her long trek back to town. The morning was clear and peaceful as the rogue girl passed the outer buildings of Tristram, her body sore and weary from combat. She entered the empty town square, making her way to a tavern with a simple sign declaring it, "Ogden’s".

"Welcome, stranger!" greeted the stout tavern keeper when Zara walked into the dimly lit common room. Zara swept her gaze over the room, finding it empty and dirty from neglect.

"I need a room for the day," said Zara as she walked up to the well-scrubbed bar.

"One gold crown, miss."

Zara arched her eyebrow at the high price.

"That includes a hot bath and two meals, miss," replied Ogden hastily.

"Very well," agreed Zara, withdrawing a gold piece from her bulging money pouch.

"Gillian! I have a guest who needs a room!" shouted Ogden.

A buxom young woman with flaming red hair and a ready smile entered the common room from the kitchen. She nodded a greeting towards Zara, then led the girl up a staircase to the second floor. They walked down a thinly carpeted hallway to the third door on the left. Gillian unlocked the guestroom, walking inside to brush dust from the unused bed.

"It’s not much, but it’s warm and dry. I’ll go draw your bath if you wish."

"Yes, please," replied Zara, eyeing the bed covetously.

Gillian bowed briefly, leaving the rogue girl alone in her room. Zara carefully hung her short bow upon the back of a chair, then slipped off her backpack and belt. She peeled off her sweat stained leather shirt, followed by her tight leather breeches. Clad only in a white loincloth, Zara donned a thin shift before leaving her room for her promised bath.

Dusk was settling over Tristram when Zara left the tavern, rested and fed. She walked to Griswold the blacksmith’s shop, buying a new leather shirt to replace her torn one. Zara left the town and traveled towards the river, where she had heard a witch woman lived. Passing dead, leafless trees, Zara walked east along the northern bank of the shallow river, her eyes watching the countryside for wandering monsters, until she saw a lone cottage with smoke curling from its chimney. Zara found the witch sitting beside a black cauldron outside her home, stirring a viscous concoction with a long metal ladle.

"Are you Adria the witch?"

"I prefer the title sorceress, but witch will suffice," replied Adria wryly.

"Ogden the tavern keeper told me that you sell magic items. I need a few things."

"Ah, you are the brave young woman exploring Leoric’s cursed abode. I wish you success."

"The magic?"

"Yes, the magic. Do you want healing potions, battle scrolls, a spell to return to the surface?"

"I could use the teleport scroll, and a few healing potions. Can you teach me spells?"

"I sense a little magic within you, but not much. I could show you a few simple spells until you grow more powerful."

"I’d like to learn healing magic."

"Do you have the gold to pay for it?" asked Adria, right hand outstretched.

"Yes," replied Zara, pouring out a generous portion of gold coins from her purse.

Adria accepted the gold before leaving her bubbling pot. She returned laden with two healing potions, a scroll with Town Portal inscribed upon it, and a thin leather-bound book. Zara placed the potions and scroll into her pack, then sat down next to the witch with the book.

"This is the spell of Healing, here is how you cast it," began Adria, instructing Zara slowly about its invocation.

Zara’s bow twanged loudly as she fired three arrows into the charging band of goblinoids.

The squat, horned Fallen Ones screamed when the projectiles hit three of their brethren, the unlucky victims trampled by their comrades. Zara ran down the long dark hallway, occasionally stopping to shoot more shafts at her pursuers. Two more Fallen Ones died, but the rest pounced on the slim girl. Zara smacked one goblin away with her short bow, drawing her short sword with the other. She slashed out, cutting one goblin’s throat open and ripping another creature’s chest.

Small claws scratched against Zara’s body, tearing shallow rents in her leg breeches. Zara stabbed another Fallen One, then sliced upwards, cutting another goblin from crotch to sternum. When the Fallen Ones began to fall back, Zara broke away from them, sprinting a short distance before spinning to fire on the milling creatures with her bow. Three Fallen Ones grunted from fatal wounds, causing the remaining goblins to flee in terror.

Zara watched the Fallen Ones retreat and fell to one knee heavily, panting deeply with exhaustion and relief. The rogue girl grimaced in pain, clutching a deep scratch inflicted along her right side by a Fallen One. She withdrew one of her healing potions, swallowing the thick fluid in one long gulp. A warmth spread over Zara’s wound, the tear sealing shut and disappearing from her flawless skin. Zara repaired her armor as best she could, then she rose to her feet, continuing her search of the second catacomb level.

She was sitting against a wall eating a piece of travel bread when she heard the scrapping noise. Jumping to her feet, the rogue girl readied her bow, an arrow strung and ready to fly. The scraping became louder, the sound of many feet rushing towards her. Zara’s brown eyes widened when she saw the pack of scavengers pounding towards her. The monsters were quadrupeds, with spiny backs and sharp, slavering fangs. Zara released her shaft, stringing another as the pack howled with blood lust. The arrow pierced a scavenger’s right eye, impaling its small brain.

Several scavengers fell upon their dead brother, ripping his body to shreds while the others continued their charge towards Zara. She fired arrow upon arrow, killing three more scavengers before the leader jumped up at her. The heavy brute slammed into Zara’s chest, knocking her heavily to the stone floor. The scavenger smacked away Zara’s bow with a paw, then shot his snarling muzzle downwards. Zara screamed as the scavenger bit deeply into her left shoulder, his fangs digging into her tender flesh. The rogue grasped blindly for her sword, quickly drawing the short blade and slamming it into her attacker’s belly. The scavenger released Zara’s shoulder, howling with pain. Zara stabbed her blade again and again into the heavy animal standing on top of her, until finally the beast shuddered and fell limply against her chest. Zara rolled out from under the dead scavenger, hastily swinging her blade when another attacker snapped at her. The sword cut into the monster’s long muzzle, causing it to cringe away yelping in pain. Zara staggered away from the pack as it consumed its dead.

Zara walked for a long time, the pain in her shoulder burning intensely. She stopped long enough to bandage the wound, then continued to follow the wall of the wide empty chamber she was in. Zara halted again to rest, sitting heavily upon the filthy stone floor to drink deeply from her water bottle. She pondered using her Town Portal scroll, the temptation was strong to return to the town to rest and heal. Zara shook her head in denial, she hadn’t recovered much gold, and she still had found no sign of the Butcher. Pulling herself to her feet, Zara walked on, reaching the far end of the room before detecting the smell of dried blood.

The charnel stench grew stronger as Zara approached a heavy door on the far wall of the chamber. To the right and left of the door, passages stretched on into darkness. Zara approached the reinforced wooden door, placing her right ear against the portal. Heavy pounding footsteps could be heard from the other side, along with deep grunting breathing. The odor of decay and blood was so strong Zara almost vomited. The heavy footsteps stopped suddenly, making Zara tense her body. A growl was Zara’s only warning before the footsteps approached the door. Zara hastily backed away from the portal, preparing her bow for battle.

The door smashed outwards, revealing a huge, fat humanoid with glistening gray skin and two thick horns protruding from his temples. Zara gasped with revulsion, then fired her bow, releasing a steady stream of shafts into the advancing horror. Arrows smacked into the layers of the Butcher’s fat, only to be brushed aside by one of the Overlord’s thick arms. The Butcher raised a sharp, blood drenched meat cleaver, the edge of which was sticky with gore. Zara fought to swallow the bile in her throat, her right arm burning as she released more shafts at the demon. The Butcher chuckled in amusement, charging the lithe girl with cleaver upraised. Zara fled from the Overlord, her lungs pumping with strain as she ran towards the exit doorway. She heard the Butcher’s heavy strides, and could hear his grunting as he closed the distance between them. Zara reached the door she had used to enter the vast chamber, she threw the portal open, then spun around to hurl the dagger she kept in her right boot. The knife embedded itself in the Overlord’s left shoulder. The Butcher yanked out the dagger, black blood spurting from the wound. He sliced down with his cleaver, barely missing Zara’s leg as she sprinted through another room with bars to the left and two weakly lit braziers in the far corners.

Zara panted heavily, her breasts aching with exertion. She ran for the far exit, her auburn braid flying behind her as the Butcher stuck to her heels. Feeling the Overlord’s dank breath on the back of her neck, Zara reached for her sword just before the Butcher hit her with his sharp weapon. The cleaver smacked into Zara’s back with a meaty thunk, knocking the girl abruptly to the floor. Zara grimaced with pain, reaching out with her hands to drag herself away from the chuckling Overlord. The Butcher pulled his cleaver out of Zara’s flesh, then turned the weak girl onto her back. Zara stared into the Butcher’s bright, cruel eyes. He grinned maliciously at her, licking his fat lips with a long, blue tongue.

"Pretty," growled the Overlord, reaching down to grab Zara’s braid, then dragging her behind him. He returned to his stench-filled lair, granting Zara a vision of true horror.

Decayed, female bodies hung from hooks on all of the room’s four walls. Blood and torn organs littered the floor, with swarms of flies buzzing over the glistening, rank refuse. Spikes were fastened in the floor as well, some still adorned with the rotting corpses of past victims. The Butcher gazed proudly over his grisly decorations, walking towards the body of a naked twelve-year-old girl with a torn pussy and a bleeding hole in her stomach. He removed the girl from the hook that held her in place, then pushed Zara onto the wall. The curved metal hook bit deep into Zara’s upper back, holding her helplessly against the blood-splattered wall. She watched in disgust as the Butcher carried the dead girl’s body to a long stone table, then slapped her casually over its surface. Raising his cleaver, the Overlord hacked down at the joint of the girl’s shoulder and left arm. Zara squeezed her eyes shut, but she could still hear the cleaver slicing wetly into the girl’s body. The Butcher severed the corpse’s arm free, then bit hungrily into the cold meat. He gnawed idly on the girl’s arm, ripping hunks of flesh from the bone, as he eyed his newest prize lustfully. Zara slowly opened her eyes, watching the Overlord while he leered hungrily at her.

Finishing his snack, the Butcher threw the fleshless arm bone to the floor, hanging his cleaver on a belt of human flesh, then unhooking a skinning knife. Zara shuddered, struggling weakly until the hook in her back slid deeper into her body, making her gasp with fresh pain.

The Butcher moved up to stand before Zara, his foul breath washing over her pain-wracked features. He slid the knife up her leather shirt, cutting the garment from her body. He peeled Zara’s clothing off like a hunter would peel a duck for dinner. Finally, Zara hung naked from the hook, blood dripping over her firm buttocks and down her slim legs.

"Pretty," grinned the Butcher, cupping Zara’s breasts, squeezing them until the girl groaned softly. He slid his claws over Zara’s flat belly, then caressed her smooth pale cheek with his right hand. The Overlord untied Zara’s hair braid, letting her long, auburn hair spill down her blood drenched back. The Butcher grasped Zara’s head, forcing her mouth open as he extended his slimy, blue tongue.

Zara fought to turn away, but the Butcher was too strong, he slid his thick tongue into her open mouth. The rogue girl moaned as the Butcher caressed the inside of her throat, his probe rubbing obscenely against her own pink tongue. The Butcher’s left hand fondled her right tit roughly while his right hand plunged between her limp thighs to rub her pussy. Demon and girl kissed violently, the Overlord’s mouth covering Zara’s as his meaty fingers pried her cunt lips apart and explored her warm vagina.

The Butcher moved his lips away from Zara’s mouth, licking his way down her graceful neck to her right shoulder. He nibbled on her sweet, warm flesh, his questing fingers thrusting deep into the naked girl’s slit. Zara moaned, her eyes pressed shut, as she felt the Overlord’s hand ravishing her pussy. The Butcher bit Zara’s right breast, his teeth piercing her white skin, his tongue lavishing spittle on her sensitive nipple. Zara’s arms hung limply at her sides, the hook in her back holding her in place. The Butcher moved to Zara’s left tit, his tooth marks leaving bloody holes in her right mound. He pulled back Zara’s head by her hair, licking the front of her throat, then kissing her cruelly on the mouth. The Overlord pried Zara’s legs apart, pressing his huge, erect member against her wet pussy. He rammed himself into the naked girl’s cunt, his shaft prying Zara’s slit painfully wide apart. Zara groaned, biting her lower lip as her tormentor fucked her pussy, his hot pole pumping deep into her belly. The Butcher grasped Zara’s shapely hips, digging his claws into her skin. Zara’s outspread feet shook with each powerful thrust, she groaned as the Butcher shoved into her again and again. The Butcher seemed to fuck Zara for hours, her cunt bled from the violence of his thrusts. He orgasmed several times, his foul seed filling Zara’s stomach, then overflowing out of her pussy to drip over her anus and inner thighs.

Finally, the Butcher having spent himself, he pulled out of Zara’s throbbing hole, raking his right claw over her left buttock, leaving ugly scratch marks across her pink skin.

Zara watched the Butcher as he returned to his meal table, grasping the dead girl’s torso, biting deeply into the cold, white/blue meat. The rogue girl reached up with both hands, grasping the hook that held her suspended over the floor. Using the last of her strength, Zara pulled herself off the hook, then fell lightly to the blood-slick floor. The Butcher had his back to Zara while she softly cast Healing upon herself. The little magic in Zara’s veins spent itself healing the deep rent in her back and her other wounds. Healed, but weak, Zara moved quietly to her discarded belongings. She grabbed her short sword, then stealthily approached the loudly feeding Butcher. Snarling with rage, Zara stabbed her blade into the base of the Butcher’s spine.

The Overlord roared in agony, dropping his grisly food. Zara impaled the Butcher several more times before he spun around and smacked her with an extended arm. Zara fell back into a mound of rotting organs, but quickly regained her feet and ran around the stone table. The Butcher growled as he pursued his naked prize, his claws grasping and outstretched. Zara ran outside the lair, chased closely by the bleeding Overlord.

When the Butcher emerged into the larger outer chamber, Zara slammed her blade into his already bleeding back, ramming the sharp sword deep into his foul innards. The Butcher screamed, arms outstretched, before he leaned to the right and smashed Zara to the floor. Bleeding from a cut lower lip, Zara stabbed the Butcher in the foot, then sliced up his fat belly, hacking a deep rent in his rolls of blubber. The Butcher’s movements were becoming slower as he raised his arms to crush the annoying female. Zara rolled away from her foe, running to his left, swinging her blade as she moved. The sword dug into the Butcher’s chest, releasing a great gout of black blood. The Butcher stumbled once, then fell heavily onto his bulging stomach. A pool of steaming ichor gathered under the cooling Overlord’s body.

Zara fell onto her buttocks, sobbing with relief. She stared at the dead body of the Butcher for a long time, until the cold air of the catacombs began to make her bare skin shiver. Reluctantly, Zara re-entered the Butcher’s lair long enough to gather her belongings and make a cursory search of the room. She found several pouches of gold, a potion of blue liquid, and an unstrung hunter’s bow. Zara examined the hunter’s bow carefully, judging that it would be a good weapon once she could give it some proper care. Packing her discoveries, Zara donned her spare tunic after leaving the nightmarish lair of the dead Butcher. She carefully unrolled the scroll of Town Portal, reading the words carefully until a glowing violet portal of magic spread open before her. Zara stepped through the magical gateway, satisfied that the first stage of her quest was complete.

====

Naldo tucked the blanket under the chin of his young daughter, Lelia. She smiled up at her strong father’s face, secure as she snuggled in her bed.

"Good night, love," wished Naldo from the doorway of Lelia’s room.

"Good night, father," replied the raven-maned girl.

Naldo left the bedroom, going downstairs to the living area. A fire crackled merrily in the stone fireplace, providing light for Naldo’s wife, who sat repairing one of Lelia’s long skirts.

"You should get some rest, tomorrow will be another long day," suggested Naldo while he poured a mug of water for himself from the pitcher on the dining table.

"Will you tuck me into bed too?" inquired Naldo’s wife with a mischievous grin.

"Of course," smiled Naldo before he drank deeply from his mug.

Naldo’s wife giggled, placing the torn skirt over her chair just before she climbed upstairs to the master bedroom. Naldo watched his shapely wife depart, draining his mug to the bottom with relish. Smoothing back his thick black hair, Naldo followed his wife to their room.

Lelia awoke when she heard the high pitched shriek. She held the edge of the blanket tightly, waiting until she heard another ragged scream from her parents’ bedroom. Lelia slowly climbed out of her small bed, moving towards her bedroom door. She cracked the portal open, searching the dark hallway with wide, fearful eyes. Moans and sounds of struggling came from her parents’ room, lurid red light escaped from the bottom of the closed door. Tentatively, Lelia entered the hallway, stepping softly towards the master bedroom. The young girl reached the door, her hand trembling as she grasped the latch.

Lelia’s eyes widened even further when she opened the door and beheld the horror that was taking place within. Naldo sat atop Lelia’s mother, the couple was naked with limbs entwined together.

But Naldo’s face was disfigured and grotesque, with a huge fanged mouth and a long slavering tongue.

Tentacles extended from Naldo’s bare torso, the limbs wrapping tightly around Lelia’s mother’s arms, legs, breasts, and neck. Lelia’s mother groaned, a thick tentacle shoving deeply into her mouth, drool sliding down her delicate chin. Naldo humped his wife’s crotch, his large, clawed hands grasping and squeezing full round tits. Lelia screamed with terror, her small body trembling at the sight of her parents’ obscene coupling. Naldo’s head spun to face Lelia, his sharp toothed maw widening into a hungry grin. Lelia tried to leave the musk-filled bedroom, but Naldo was too quick, he extended two tentacles from his left side that wrapped vise-like around Lelia’s thin ankles. Lelia shouted in protest as she was dragged towards Naldo’s bed, her small nails digging shallow tracks in the floorboards of the room.

Naldo lifted his struggling daughter into the air, holding her before him as he ripped off her nightgown. Lelia screamed as tentacles bound around her wrists, holding her upright while her father bent close to suck on her newly forming tits. Lelia moaned as her father licked her nipples, making them hard and wet. He rubbed his deformed face between her little mounds, then slid his lips over her small, flat belly. The tentacles holding Lelia’s ankles pulled her legs apart, allowing Naldo to bury his face in her pussy. Lelia groaned softly, her father energetically licking her cunt and tiny asshole. A long, green tongue slid into Lelia’s tight slit, probing deep into her untouched vagina. Lelia moaned constantly until a tentacle wrapped wetly around her throat, the dripping tip slipping agilely into her slack mouth. Naldo lowered his naked little girl onto his writhing wife, fucking his mate’s slick pussy while sucking out his daughter’s hot little cunt.

"Focus on the words of the spell, see the sigil in your mind as you inscribe it in the air," instructed Adria from her seat next to Zara.

The rogue girl stared into the cold fireplace, extending her right hand before tracing a burning symbol through the air. She chanted the magic words, forming a small ball of fire near her fingertips. The sphere of flame shot forward, igniting the waiting wood and kindling that sat within the fireplace. Adria nodded approvingly at Zara before taking a tea kettle and placing it on a hook over the bright flame.

"Well done, Zara. You have now mastered Firebolt."

"Thank you for teaching it to me," smiled Zara with gratitude.

"You will need all the magic you can get if you wish to cleanse the monastery."

"Here is some money for a Town Portal scroll," said Zara as she held out a handful of gold coins.

Adria took the money, moving to a shelf containing many rolled up parchments and leather bound books. She sifted through the scrolls until she found the one she wanted, then she offered it to the waiting girl.

"Have you ever heard of the Horadrim?" asked Adria as she poured tea into two delicate cups.

"Yes, it was an ancient order of wizards that is still revered in the East."

"Did you know that the monastery you seek to cleanse was once a dwelling place of the Horadrim?"

"I had heard rumors, but I wasn’t certain."

"There was a reason they settled at that place. They were guarding something."

"What?" asked Zara curiously.

Before Adria could reply, a young man from Tristram pounded on the door of the witch’s cottage.

"Mistress Zara! Mistress Zara! There is trouble in town!"

Zara sighed as she rose to open the door.

"What kind of trouble?"

"A monster! It’s inside Master Naldo’s house!"

"Very well, let’s go," replied Zara before she reached for her hunter’s bow that she had laid near the doorway.

"Be careful, Zara. We will speak again."

Zara nodded in farewell, closing the door after herself, then running after the villager who had begun sprinting back to Tristram. The fleet rogue caught up with the young man easily, keeping pace with him until they reached the two-story manor of Naldo.

"Mistress Zara! Thank the Maker!" exclaimed Pepin, the town healer. Zara walked up to the balding man, who wore loose light blue robes.

"The cries began almost an hour ago. This is not the first incident to occur."

"What is it?" inquired Zara with a frown.

"I will explain later. You must slay the foul creature now!"

Zara glared with frustration at the tight-lipped healer, then threw back her shoulders before approaching the darkened manor. She checked to see that her bow and short sword were ready, cursing that she hadn’t gone to the blacksmith yet to buy a new suit of armor to replace the set destroyed by the Butcher. The rogue twisted the doorknob of the manor’s main entrance, not surprised that the portal was locked. She drew her dagger, fiddling with the simple locking mechanism until it snapped open. Pushing the door open slowly, Zara unsheathed her short sword, listening carefully for any signs of the monster. A loud, desperate scream echoed from upstairs, cut abruptly silent in mid-shriek. Zara bit her lip, grasping the leather-wrapped hilt of her blade tightly as she rushed up a staircase to the second floor. Emerging into a dark hallway, Zara stepped back a pace when a door smashed outwards, propelled by the bleeding body of a naked woman. The woman fell limply to the floor, her skin turning blue with death. Zara rehearsed the words of the Firebolt spell in her mind, advancing cautiously towards the now gaping doorway.

Zara peeked around the doorframe, shocked to see a young girl pressed against a bed with a large, multi-limbed monster sitting over her, ravishing her with slimy writhing tentacles. A limb filled the girl’s mouth, its purple excretions covering her lovely face. The monster pumped his engorged cock into the young girl’s tiny pussy, her thighs outspread and held in place by more wriggling tentacles. Zara pointed her right hand at the beast, chanting the words of Firebolt while sketching the sigil in the air. A ball of crackling fire leapt from Zara to the monster, searing his dark gray hide. The creature bellowed with pain, jumping off of the collapsed bed to charge Zara. The rogue slashed with her sword, cutting into the monster’s wide chest. Roaring loudly, the monster swiped at Zara with his large claws, smashing the left side of the doorway into splinters. Zara ducked under the claw strike, diving to the monster’s right. She slashed up with her blade, opening a second wound that gushed steaming black ichor. The creature turned to claw Zara again, only to watch helplessly as the rogue girl rammed her sword into his vulnerable heart.

The monster whined pathetically before falling to his knees, then collapsing onto his side. Zara retrieved her blade, wiping the creature’s blood off against its toughened hide.

Silence filled the disheveled bedroom until a soft moan attracted Zara’s attention. She moved to the bed, where the young girl lay with limbs outspread, her skin coated with cum and other foul stains. Lelia slowly opened her eyes, glancing at Zara, then looking beyond the rogue to where the monster lay.

"Father?" murmured Lelia as the monster shuddered, its body becoming smaller and smaller.

"What?" replied Zara, astonishment on her face when she turned to follow Lelia’s gaze.

What had once been a ravenous monster was now a prone, naked man. Red blood pooled under Naldo’s pale body from the gaping wound in his chest.

"Father!" shouted Lelia while she struggled to her feet, stumbling forward till she fell to her knees next to her dead parent. Zara watched the girl numbly until Pepin appeared in the doorway, taking in the whole tragic scene.

"I feared as much," muttered the balding healer.

"You knew that the creature was a human?" asked Zara sharply.

"Come with me, Mistress Zara, I have much to tell you."

"The first incident happened a week ago. A beggar drinking from one of the town wells transformed into a blood-crazed monster, killing two townsmen before Griswold and Ogden could trap it and slay it. Cain, our town elder, forbade anyone from discussing the event. Two days later, a woman transformed and ate her entire family before we could dispatch her.

You must help us, Mistress Zara. Find the source of the corruption that is tainting our water and cleanse it!"

Zara sat in thought, then stared deeply into Pepin’s desperate eyes.

"Grant me healing whenever I require it, as well as healing potions, and I’ll take care of your problem."

"Done! Thank you, Mistress Zara."

"The potions?"

Pepin eagerly gave Zara four potions of healing, telling her that the source of the contamination must be somewhere in the catacombs beneath the monastery. Zara nodded in agreement, taking her leave of Pepin before making her way to Griswold’s smithy.

"Hey, little girl! You need another suit of leather armor? Har! Har!" guffawed Griswold.

"Yes, I do," replied Zara, her teeth ground together with annoyance.

"How about you get something a little stronger than that last suit you bought. I have a nice set of hard leather armor that should be a lot tougher to cut up," said Griswold as he held out a black leather torso piece for Zara’s inspection. Zara examined the armor, nodding in appreciation.

"I’ll take it," said Zara, paying the smith from her money pouch.

"I also have a falchion that I’m prepared to make you a good deal on. It’ll do more damage than that kitchen knife you have now."

"Is it just a normal blade?"

"No, it’s a Brutal Falchion. Its damage threshold is much higher than a normal weapon of its type."

"Sounds good," replied Zara, dipping into her pouch yet again.

"If you trade me your short sword, I’ll cut the price in half."

"That’s very generous. Why?" asked Zara suspiciously.

"You’ve been my only steady customer for months! If you bite it, there goes my profit!" smirked Griswold.

Zara smiled in response, paying Griswold the remainder of his price for the falchion. She twirled the curved blade in her right hand, then slid it gracefully into its matching sheath.

"Good luck, miss," offered the burly smith when Zara reached the exit.

"Thanks," replied Zara before she started heading for the monastery once again.

====

Rotfeast leaned around the corner of the passageway’s mouth, watching the slim armored girl progress down a wide, unadorned hall. The zombie leader licked his dry, cracked lips, admiring the girl’s long, sleek legs and firm buttocks. He glanced behind himself to make sure his less intelligent zombie minions awaited his pleasure, then he left the side passage, advancing quietly upon the unwary rogue.

A stumbling zombie alerted Zara to her danger. She spun around, hunter’s bow at the ready, when the zombie gang charged towards her. Zara fired her bow swiftly, killing three zombies before the rest came into melee range. She dodged a clumsy claw attack, drawing her Brutal Falchion as she slid to the monster’s flank. The rogue stabbed the slow zombie in the side, twisting her blade inside the undead creature’s rotting guts. The zombie vomited a stream of black blood as it fell, but more zombies staggered toward Zara’s crouched form. Zara slew two more undead, clearing the way for a particularly large zombie with burly arms and scarred gray skin.

Rotfeast hissed sharply, baring his drool-covered fangs. The zombie leader wielded a falchion of his own, a black-hued blade with glowing green runes scratched into it. He chuckled maliciously, swiping at Zara with his sword. Zara parried several blows, riposting with swift slashes of her own. Rotfeast grunted when the rogue’s blade sliced into his cold flesh, opening ugly rents in his chest and belly. The zombie increased the ferocity of his attacks, the glowing falchion smashing against Zara’s blade, the two weapons spitting bright sparks with each violent contact. Rotfeast lashed out with his left claw, cutting a bloody track against Zara’s right cheek. She licked the blood from her mouth, counter-attacking with a double-handed chop that pierced deeply into Rotfeast’s right arm. The zombie howled in pain, blood streaming down his limb. The duelists traded blows again until Rotfeast scored a shallow cut over Zara’s left leg. The black steel bit coldly into Zara’s warm flesh, the weapon draining her of her strength.

Zara backed away from Rotfeast, her falchion heavy in her hand. Rotfeast giggled with pleasure, pressing his advantage with another round of slashes. Zara blocked the attacks, but her arm became more limp with each successful parry. Rotfeast pierced Zara’s defenses a second time, cutting a wound across the right side of her stomach. More of Zara’s strength was drained, she gasped in shock, almost falling to her knees in weakness. Rotfeast smashed his right boot into Zara’s belly, sending her crashing into the stone wall behind her. Zara slid to the floor, her Brutal Falchion falling from limp fingers.

Rotfeast slowly approached Zara, reaching out to touch her chin with the tip of his falchion. He nicked her skin, forcing her to moan in pain as more of her vitality was sucked into the evil weapon. The zombie knelt down so that his rot-disfigured face was level with Zara’s. He drew back his right fist, then punched the girl on the forehead. Zara fell limp with unconsciousness.

The first thing to attract Zara’s attention was the foul reek of her surroundings. The smell of corruption burned the rogue’s nostrils as she struggled to regain full consciousness.

"So this is the slut that slew the Butcher. She doesn’t look like much."

"She was no match for my sword prowess."

"Or that enchanted blade you carry."

Zara opened her eyes, only to be greeted by darkness. The girl’s eyes adjusted to the dark, until she could make out several tall humanoid forms gathered in a loose circle. To her left, Zara spotted a shallow stream that churned away into a wall hole. The stream’s water was black and viscous, contaminated with foul waste deposited by several horned humanoids who poured iron barrels of filth into the stream where it emerged from a second wall opening.

"You’ve done well, Rotfeast. You may go now," said the humanoid that appeared to be the leader of the horned ones.

"I was hoping me and my lads could take a turn at the wench before we left," replied the zombie with an obscene thrust of his hips.

"The bitch is ours, go before I decide to add your weapon to my armory," growled the horned leader.

Rotfeast mumbled curses as he led his gang out of the spacious cavern. When the undead had left, the horned leader approached Zara where she lay bound near one of the cave’s walls. The humanoid knelt next to Zara, sniffing her body loudly with a large snout. Zara’s eyes widened in surprise when she realized the leader was a muscled goat man. The monster took one last long sniff of Zara’s crotch, then took her chin into his right hand.

"You are awake, yes?" asked the goat man in a deep voice.

"Yes. Who are you?"

"I am called Gharbad, of the Flesh Clan," replied the goat man as he ran his right hand down Zara’s neck.

"You’re the one contaminating Tristram’s water?"

"Yes, those were my orders."

"Who gave them?"

"If you are very unfortunate, you may find out," grinned Gharbad darkly. "But first, I wish to couple with you."

"No! Wait! I want to meet your master!"

"In time, sweet one," rumbled Gharbad while he examined Zara’s leather armor for release straps.

Zara struggled as Gharbad found the bindings keeping her torso piece in place, then used his claws to unfasten them. The goat man had to unbind Zara’s wrists to remove the armor, but there were several other goat men ready to hold the protesting rogue down while he unclothed her.

Gharbad sat down before placing the writhing Zara on his large lap. Zara struggled and bit at the goat man as he fondled her bare breasts with his hairy claws. A second goat man grabbed a handful of Zara’s auburn hair, forcing her to face his crotch. Zara’s full lips were forced open, allowing the goat man to shove his large cock into her mouth. Zara groaned as the goat man pumped his tool back and forth inside her throat, his animal musk nearly suffocating her. A third goat man rebound Zara’s wrists behind her back with leather cord, making it easier for Gharbad to squeeze and suck on the naked girl’s round tits. Zara moaned when Gharbad bit her nipples with his fangs, the pink knobs growing hard with helpless arousal. Gharbad stroked Zara’s bare thighs with his left claw, his right arm wrapped around her slim waist to keep her on his lap. The goat man leader suckled loudly on Zara’s perfect melons, his saliva coating her white, smooth flesh. Gharbad’s left claw slid between Zara’s thighs, reaching her auburn shaded bush. Zara moaned softly, the second goat man’s cock still filling her mouth, as Gharbad caressed her pussy with his surprisingly agile fingers. He plucked and rubbed the girl’s labia, then energetically rubbed her clit until her cunt was wet with lust. The second goat man arched Zara’s back so he could fuck her mouth easier, his shaft pumping up and down past her slack pink lips.

Gharbad pressed one finger into Zara’s warm pussy, the digit sinking deep into her tight clenching vagina. Zara mumbled weakly, her eyes squeezed shut while drool escaped to drip down her chin. Gharbad thrust his finger in and out of Zara’s cunt for several minutes before inserting a second digit into the naked girl’s slit. The goat man rammed his fingers into Zara’s pussy until the orifice was dripping with her sticky juices. Gharbad removed his fingers to lick them clean of Zara’s honey, motioning his cohort away with his right hand. The second goat man reluctantly removed his member from Zara’s sensual lips. Gharbad positioned the limp girl so her bare legs hung over his, with the front of her torso facing him. Zara opened her eyes to slits, her pupils glazed, her mouth open and panting.

Gharbad kissed Zara roughly on the mouth, his tongue forcing itself deeply down into the girl’s throat. Zara moaned in protest, too weak to deny the monster his pleasure. Gharbad placed Zara’s wet pussy over his rock hard cock, then he lowered her onto his shaft. Zara groaned loudly as the goat man’s member slid into her vagina. The pole forced itself into her belly, filling her with throbbing meat. Gharbad growled as he began humping Zara’s cunt, his crotch thrusting relentlessly against the rogue’s naked sex. Zara moaned with each violent stab into her slit, her tits bobbing rhythmically, her arms dangling limply behind her back useless and bound. Gharbad held Zara’s shapely hips firmly, his rod shoving forcefully into her warm, tight hole. The goat man licked and sucked Zara’s bouncing breasts, lapping sloppily at her hardened nipples. He yanked back the girl’s head by her hair, sucking on her sweet mouth with his furry snout. Gharbad fucked Zara’s pussy until he released his seed into her stomach. Sated, the goat man pushed Zara onto the hard stone of the cavern floor, her legs outspread and her bare skin gleaming with sweat.

"You may take her, brothers, but don’t kill her. Remember, she wants to meet our master."

The other goat men who had been watching Zara’s rape chuckled deeply, moving forward to sample Zara’s sweet flesh. Zara was barely conscious, unable to even struggle as two goat men untied her wrists and forced her on hands and knees. One monster thrust his cock into her mouth while another violated her dripping pussy with his shaft. Zara kept her eyes shut, tears trickling down her cheeks as she was forced to suck on the goat man’s huge member. The goat man fucking Zara’s cunt slapped her round buttocks, hitting them until they burned red with bruising.

He seized a clawful of Zara’s sleek hair, tugging on it like a leash as he pumped in and out of her clenching slit. Tiring of Zara’s slack mouth, the goat man violating her lips pushed her up till she was upright on her knees, then pressed his quivering cock between her full tits. Zara moaned while the goat man fucked her breasts, his engorged shaft rubbing lewdly between her soft mammaries. The goat man thrusting into Zara’s pussy switched to her anus, shoving his thick tool inside her until she shouted with pain. The monster wrapped his thick arms around her hips, holding her tightly as he humped her compact asshole. The goat man fucking Zara’s tits grunted as he orgasmed, thick streamers of white cum spraying out onto the naked girl’s chest and lower chin. The second goat man climaxed inside Zara’s ass, filling her hole with cream till it dripped down into her crack.

Zara fell back onto the floor gasping for breath, wiping cum and drool weakly from her chin. Gharbad and the goat men stood around her, some of them jacking off, covering her in more foul ichor.

"Bind her again. We should go report," said Gharbad.

The goat man leader hefted a red metal mace, pounding towards the cavern’s main exit.

One goat man sat Zara up while another pressed her arms against her back and rebound them with tight leather cord. A third goat man chuckled as he fastened a black leather dog collar around Zara’s slim neck. A goat man slapped Zara’s bare ass painfully to urge the girl forward. Zara stumbled after Gharbad, her whole body aching from the abuse her captors had inflicted upon her.

The band descended deeper into the catacombs, marching past bands of Fallen Ones and other tribes of goat men. When the party stopped to rest near another underground stream, Zara softly cast Healing upon herself. The rogue pretended to still be weak when a goat man slapped her to her feet, then pinched her ass roughly to propel her forward. Zara covertly examined the goat men till she found the monster keeping her belongings. Gharbad continued to lead from the front, never turning back to see his prisoner as he marched to wherever his foul master waited.

As the party walked through a particularly narrow tunnel, Zara pointed a finger at the goat man who followed directly behind her. She hissed the words of the Firebolt spell, halting in place while a small bolt of flame hurled from her digit onto the goat man’s wide chest. The monster roared in agony as the fire sphere devoured his hairy flesh. All of the goat men stopped to see what had happened, giving Zara time to thrust her bound hands into the fire that seared one of her foes. The rogue gritted her teeth, fighting the pain that flashed over her trapped hands. The ropes snapped apart, freeing the girl’s bound arms. Zara cast Firebolt again, this time indicating the goat man in front of her. The monster’s eyes widened in horror as the searing bolt smashed into his torso, flinging him back into one of his brothers. Zara hurtled over both falling goat men to reach the creature carrying her weapons.

Gharbad snarled in frustration, knocking away minions too slow to get out of his way. He held his mace, Crackrust, in an iron grip as he pounded towards Zara. The rogue unsheathed her Brutal Falchion, bringing it up just in time to parry Gharbad’s downward swipe with Crackrust.

The two weapons screamed as they smashed together and parted. Zara dodged a swing by Gharbad, then stabbed her blade into the goat man’s exposed belly. Gharbad grunted, crushing Crackrust against Zara’s right shoulder. The girl’s shoulder bone snapped audibly, making her yell in pain. Zara switched her falchion to her left hand, ramming the weapon into the goat man’s stomach a second time. Blood escaped from Gharbad’s clenched lips as he unsteadily raised Crackrust for a killing blow. Zara slashed up with her falchion, cutting a deep rift up Gharbad’s bare chest. Hot blood gushed from the goat man’s wound, splashing against Zara’s bare breasts. Gharbad fell clutching his open torso, his face gaping with shock.

The remaining goat men milled uncertainly within the tunnel until Zara killed two more with her magic weapon. The surviving monsters fled from the fire-eyed girl until she was the only living being in the darkness. Zara sat down roughly on the blood-splattered floor, her shoulder on fire with pain. She cast Healing on herself again, feeling the last of her mana used up by the spell.

After catching her breath, Zara put her leather armor back on, then sheathed her falchion before slinging her bow over her shoulder. She placed Gharbad’s mace, Crackrust, into her pack, then searched all of the goat men, finding several large bags of gold amidst them. Wearily unrolling her spell scroll, Zara cast Town Portal, leaving the tunnel through the glowing violet doorway of magic.

====

The bleeding goat man turned to flee when the flaming bolt smashed into his vulnerable back. The monster roared as he collapsed to the cavern’s floor. The goat man’s surviving comrades raced for the large cave’s exit, heedless of the whirling death dealer that pursued them. Zara lashed out with her Brutal Falchion, cutting down two more goat men with a single graceful slash.

Rotfeast stood by the cavern exit, watching in amazement as the nubile young rogue slew one goat man after another. Zara cast Firebolt twice in quick succession, catching two advancing goat men in the chest. Perspiration glimmered on Zara’s pale brow, the demand for spell Mana straining her body.

"The fucking bitch is crazy," muttered Rotfeast, while Zara impaled a goat man with her razor-sharp sword.

Only three goat men remained, they spun to face their clan’s butcher, falchions at the ready. Zara smiled with anticipation, wielding her Brutal Falchion with both hands. The goat men charged as one, screaming in their harsh language. Zara dived under their wild swings, stabbing one monster in the stomach. The goat man clasped his gushing belly before falling, his two companions hacking after Zara, creating sparks when their blades impacted against the cavern floor. Zara cast Firebolt again, catching one of the goat men in the face. The monster screamed as his flesh melted off of his skull.

The last goat man growled, circling Zara warily, drool escaping from his trembling snout. The two opponents slapped blades together, testing each other’s reflexes. The goat man attacked, slashing swiftly at the young woman. Zara parried each attack, backing up towards the slowly surging underground river. When she had reached the water’s edge, Zara cut deeply into the goat man’s left knee, then dove behind him. Before the lumbering monster could turn, Zara stabbed him in the back, severing his spine. The goat man flailed helplessly then fell into the thick, black water. The monster’s body disappeared quickly into the polluted river’s depths.

Zara panted softly for breath, approaching the ugly, iron, pumping device that spat unmentionable filth into Tristram’s water supply. Zara raised her sword, bringing it down with a two-handed swing that severed the main pipe of the device. Filth spewed out into the air as Zara smashed the device with several more sword blows, her magical blade hacking quite effectively into the iron piping.

"The Master will be angry," predicted Rotfeast before he faded into the darkness of the passage behind him.

"Congratulations to the powerful rogue who cleansed our water wells!" smiled Pepin, a mug of wine held up in his hand. Griswold, Ogden, and Gillian raised their own mugs as well.

Zara smiled with embarrassment, unaccustomed to praise. She sipped the sweet red wine in her cup, happy to be bathed and dressed in a clean tunic and breeches.

"Is the evil finally purged from the monastery?" asked Ogden.

"I don’t think so. I could still sense a great darkness in the bowels of the catacombs. I also heard mention of a Master when I was captured by Gharbad and his goat men."

"You don’t think…" murmured Griswold.

"Leoric," nodded Ogden gravely.

"Your town elder, Cain, mentioned Leoric when I first came to town. He said that the King was dead."

"There is a rumor that Leoric rose from the dead, that he commands an army of undead deep below the monastery. You have not encountered him yet?"

"No. I’ve fought undead, but the only leader I fought was a zombie named Rotfeast."

"Then Leoric must be the Master that Gharbad referred to. You must slay the King again before he unleashes his undead upon us."

"Let me rest first, I’m tired of fighting and getting raped every time I go down there."

"But Tristram!" exclaimed Ogden.

"Let her have a short rest," said Gillian, laying a restraining hand on Ogden. "She deserves some time to gather her strength back."

"My thanks," replied Zara with a wan smile, draining her cup, then rising to bid her companions good night.

"Come see me before you leave for the monastery again," advised Griswold. "I might have something useful for you."

"I will," promised Zara before she left the nearly empty tavern.

"Could I stay here for a few days?" asked Zara from Adria’s doorway.

"Well, it might be a tight fit, since my grand-daughter has returned from her studies in the East. If you are willing to share cramped quarters, I have no objection."

"Thank you, Mistress," nodded Zara, hefting her backpack onto her left shoulder.

She entered the warm living area of Adria’s cottage, with its crackling fire and shelves cluttered with herbs, jars of ointment and potions. A young girl with shining black hair that hung to her small, taut buttocks watched Zara from the dinner table.

"Isolde and I were about to have dinner, would you like to join us?"

"Yes, please," replied Zara, dropping her pack near a rocking chair close to the fireplace.

Isolde smiled politely, placing a plate for Zara on the polished wooden table.

"I hope you like rabbit stew, bread, and mead," said Adria as she sat down. "I cooked it especially for Isolde, since this is her first night back from school."

"What order are you learning from?" inquired Zara, sniffing the steaming stew appreciatively.

"The Vizjerei," answered Isolde between mouthfuls of fresh bread.

"Impressive."

"She has a great aptitude for magic. She’ll outstrip me one day," said Adria proudly.

"Grandmother," muttered Isolde with a deep blush.

Zara and Adria laughed before attacking their meal with enthusiasm. After dinner, Zara and Adria sat in chairs near the fire, Isolde sitting cross-legged between them.

"Leoric, I feared he might rise. There are fell magics buried in the catacombs, I can feel their seething evil even from here."

"Me too," shuddered Isolde, wrapping her arms around her chest.

"I know I have to fight him and his undead servants, I just wanted a moment of peace before I descended into Hell again."

"After what those foul creatures did to you, you have no need to offer explanations," replied Adria sympathetically. "Take all the time you need."

"Perhaps I could accompany Zara?" suggested Isolde. "I know a spell that is very effective against undead."

"You’re too young, Isolde," retorted Adria quickly.

"Grandmother! I want to see Leoric’s evil destroyed just as much as you, more! The creatures spawned from his madness killed my parents!"

"I know, child. I just don’t want you to be killed for the sake of revenge. You have so much promise."

"Which will amount to nothing if my home is destroyed and Leoric’s evil is allowed to break free into the kingdom! Please let me help Zara!"

"I will think about it," agreed Adria reluctantly.

"I’m going to bed," said Zara, her eyelids heavy with fatigue. "Where may I sleep?"

"Isolde’s room, if that is agreeable with her."

"Yes! We’ll be sisters!" grinned Isolde.

"Thank you, little sister," smiled Zara as she followed the young girl to the cottage’s attic.

King Leoric sat heavily in a decrepit high-backed chair that now served as his throne. The undead king’s crypt was completely dark, no torch or magical light shone within it. A soft scuffling sound drew Leoric’s attention to his left, to the corner where a naked girl hung upon a large iron cross, her arms and legs bound to the cold metal with tight iron manacles. Three other crosses sat in the other three corners of the square-shaped crypt, each adorned with a rotting human corpse. In the center of the chamber sat Leoric’s open crypt, the stone container smoking with corruption.

The double doors leading into the crypt grated open loudly, allowing Rotfeast to enter. The lanky zombie stumbled quickly forward to stand before his undead master.

"The rogue bitch that slew Gharbad has destroyed the pumping system, Tristram’s water supply has been restored."

"You allowed this to happen?" replied Leoric, his glowing green eyes downcast, his chin resting upon a gloved right fist.

"She was mad with bloodlust! She slaughtered an entire squad of the Flesh Clan!"

"You wield a Falchion of Illness, a weapon that I gave you. Are you saying that my gift is inadequate?"

"No, Master! But she wields magic and has an enchanted blade of her own."

"You are a worm, Rotfeast," growled Leoric before he shot up from his chair and wrapped his right hand around Rotfeast’s throat, dangling him in the air.

"Master! Please!" begged Rotfeast pathetically.

"You will take a squad of my best skeleton warriors and find this rogue girl on the surface. You will capture her and bring her to me!"

"Would it not be better to simply slay her?" choked Rotfeast.

"I wish to examine this girl who has done so much harm to my minions. Also, our Dark Lord is becoming aware of her, he may wish to take her for himself."

"I will find her at once!" promised Rotfeast.

"See that you do," warned Leoric, releasing the zombie with a flick of his hand.

Rotfeast tumbled to the floor in a heap of limbs. He bowed respectfully to the undead king, backing out of the black chamber to perform his assignment. Leoric watched the zombie go before walking towards his pulsing crypt. He slowly climbed inside, relishing the feel of the evil magic flowing across his rotting body. Leoric grabbed the lid of the tomb, sliding it shut so that he could absorb all of the dark power boiling within.

Zara slashed down with her falchion, slamming the weapon against Isolde’s short staff. Isolde deflected the blow, counter-attacking with a swing to Zara’s stomach. Zara hopped out of range, circling the mage girl cautiously.

"The Vizjerei taught you well," smiled Zara, tapping Isolde’s staff with a quick jab from her sword.

"You’re pretty quick too," retorted Isolde, swinging twice more at Zara, each blow parried instantly by the rogue.

The two young women dueled for another half-hour, until they were both gasping for breath and sweating heavily. Each fighter had collected a few bruises on arms and legs, but neither had won a clear advantage.

"I guess you’ll be alright in the catacombs," nodded Zara, bowing to her opponent to end the match.

"I’ll do my best to watch your back," promised Isolde gravely.

"Let’s go wash before lunch," suggested Zara, grabbing a towel from the ground to wipe her dripping face.

The girls walked to a small pool that was fed from the main river. They discarded their sweat-soaked shifts, diving gratefully into the cool water. After swimming a bit to loosen sore muscles, the girls sat near the edge of the pool, taking bars of soap to wash each other’s bodies.

"You seem accustomed to bathing with others. You adapted well to life in the East," remarked Zara.

"I got used to it, I can’t say I’m completely comfortable with it," admitted Isolde with a weak laugh.

"I bathed with my battle sisters since I was born. We were all very close," said Zara, sliding her bar of soap across Isolde’s smooth back, lathering the warm, pink flesh.

"Yes, I’ve heard stories about the Sisters of the Sightless Eye," blushed Isolde.

Zara arched an eyebrow, then giggled, "Some of them were true too."

Isolde blushed even deeper then, lowering her eyes to the surface of the clear blue pool. Zara splashed water over Isolde’s back, rinsing the soap from her white skin.

"Let’s get back," said Zara.

After lunch, Isolde went to her room to study while Adria began teaching Zara another spell from one of her spellbooks.

"This is another relatively simple spell. It is called Charged Bolt. Since it is such a nice day today, let’s practice it outside."

Zara followed the tall witch outside to a clear area just behind the cottage. The two women read over the spell together, then Zara moved a short distance away to cast it. Closing her eyes briefly to clear her thoughts, Zara stretched out her right hand, reciting the words of the invocation. Sparkling tongues of blue lightning coiled around Zara’s hand, then burst outwards when the girl finished speaking. Lightning slithered across the clearing, spitting and crackling until it faded into empty air a short distance away.

"Very good. Do it again," ordered Adria, arms crossed together.

Zara practiced her magic all afternoon, until Adria was satisfied and allowed her to break.

Drained from the constant spell casting, Zara consumed a mug of water inside the cool interior of the cottage, changed into her brown tunic and breeches, belted on her sword, and left the cottage for town. The sun was just beginning to set when Zara reached Griswold’s smithy.

"Ah, Mistress Zara! I’m glad you came to visit!" smiled the burly smith.

"How could I not? Your merchandise is keeping me alive," replied Zara with a mischievous grin.

"I have a new falchion for you. It may be useful in Leoric’s unholy crypt," said Griswold, slowly unsheathing a polished blade from its leather sheath.

"Zara," said Griswold loudly.

The falchion flared with a bright white light, then lowered to a steady glow, illuminating the entire smithy.

"It’s a Falchion of Radiance. Do you like it?"

"Yes, this will be extremely useful!"

Zara unsheathed her Brutal Falchion, exchanging it for the glowing blade. As she slid the sword into her sheath, the white light faded from the weapon’s metal.

"Zara is the command word, you must say it before the sword will glow," advised Griswold.

"I’m grateful for your work," nodded Zara.

"I’ve also fashioned a suit of studded leather to replace your old armor."

Griswold held up the tunic piece of the suit for Zara’s inspection.

"Excellent craftsmanship! I will wear it with pride."

"You can have it in exchange for your old suit and a bag of gold," offered the smith.

"Here," replied Zara, placing two small bags of gold onto one of Griswold’s worktables. "You’ve earned it."

"Thank you, Mistress," bowed Griswold.

Zara claimed the armor, promising to have Adria bring her old suit by the shop the next day. The rogue left the smithy, nearly bumping into a waiting Pepin.

"Excuse me, Mistress Zara! I only need a moment of your time!"

"I’m glad that you’re here. I’ll need two potions of Mana before I leave."

"You shall have them, but I wanted to give you this," replied Pepin, offering Zara a plain silver ring in his right hand.

"What is it?" asked Zara, picking up the ring and examining it.

"It is called the Ring of Truth, it will protect you from physical harm in a limited fashion, increase your resistance to magic, and enhance your bodily attributes. I have been holding it until the right hero came to save us from mad King Leoric’s evil."

"Many thanks," murmured Zara as she slid the silver ring onto a finger of her right hand.

"I will bring the potions you requested before nightfall. Let me know if there is anything else I can provide for you."

"Thank you, Pepin," smiled Zara gratefully.

The aging healer bowed in farewell, returning to his small shop. Zara admired the shining ring on her hand, resuming her walk back to Adria’s cottage.

After dinner and some time reviewing her new spell, Zara prepared for bed. She discarded her tunic and breeches for a clean shift, then crawled into bed with Isolde, who already lay within.

Zara curled up, facing the wall of the small bedroom, closing her eyes wearily.

"Are you nervous about tomorrow?" asked Isolde softly.

"A little," admitted Zara.

"Was it bad when those monsters…raped you?" murmured the mage girl.

"Yes, but with you fighting beside me that won’t happen again."

"I won’t let you down."

"I know. Get some sleep, you’ll need your strength tomorrow."

Zara felt a small hand brush against her left shoulder.

"I’ve never been with anyone. I want you to make love to me."

Zara opened her eyes, rolling in bed to face a trembling Isolde.

"You shouldn’t have sex with someone out of fear. Wait until you meet the right person."

"I might not live until then, I want to experience sex now."

"Isolde…"

Isolde drew close, kissing Zara softly on the lips. Zara brushed the girl’s thick black hair, smelling her clean, young scent.

"Love me," begged Isolde, wrapping her thin arms around Zara’s waist.

The two girls kissed again, longer and more urgently. Zara kissed along Isolde’s graceful neck, rubbing her nose against the girl’s smooth skin. Isolde fondled Zara’s breasts through her thin shift, squeezing the firm mounds. Zara rolled on top of Isolde, pulling off the girl’s shift, then bending down to suck on her pert nipples. Isolde moaned softly, biting her lower lip. Zara shifted from one tit to another, licking Isolde’s delicate nipples, making them harden with desire. She sucked on Isolde’s hot flesh, made it glisten with saliva from her wanton mouth. Isolde arched her back, thrusting her breasts against Zara’s beautiful face. The naked girl slid her hands into Zara’s thick auburn hair, tangled her fingers in the warm curls. Zara stopped sucking on Isolde’s breasts long enough to kiss the girl again, their mouths desperate for each other, their tongues entwining wetly. Zara massaged Isolde’s tits as they kissed, her hands kneading the pliant flesh. Zara licked down the valley of Isolde’s cleavage, then slid her mouth across the girl’s flat belly to her batch of dark pubic hair.

"Feels…so good," panted Isolde, her lips trembling with excitement.

Zara moaned in reply, nuzzling Isolde’s cunt hair with her nose. She inhaled the girl’s musky scent before gently licking her pussy with an eager tongue. Isolde gasped in shock, the folds of her labia quivering in response. Zara repeatedly licked up Isolde’s slit, making the girl wet with arousal. Isolde grasped Zara’s head with both hands, pressing her lover’s face against her throbbing cunt. Zara inserted her tongue into Isolde’s pussy, teasing the girl’s tender vagina until it was gleaming with her juices.

"Suck…harder," demanded Isolde, her bare breasts heaving.

Zara buried her mouth in Isolde’s cunt, sucking so loudly the sound filled the tiny room. Isolde groaned loudly, her mouth gaped open as her pussy burned with molten fire. Zara pried the lips of Isolde’s cunt open, rubbing up and down while sucking on the moaning girl’s engorged clit. Isolde’s hips shook before she orgasmed, her thick honey spurting out onto the white sheets of the bed. Zara lapped up Isolde’s cum, her tongue sliding over her lover’s pussy.

"Your turn," smiled Isolde wantonly, sitting up to kiss Zara passionately on the mouth.

The young brunette lowered her mouth to Zara’s left breast, sucking delicately on the brown nipple. Zara smiled with pleasure, running her hands over Isolde’s bare back. Isolde nibbled on Zara’s right tit, her right hand lowering to Zara’s wet crotch. She rubbed Zara’s warm cunt, sliding a finger between engorged labia petals. Zara moaned, pressing her face into Isolde’s dark hair. Isolde held Zara’s right breast, licking the nipple over and over while fondling the rogue girl’s moist slit. The naked girls kissed again, before Isolde lay back down upon the soft mattress. Zara straddled Isolde’s face, lowering her pussy onto the girl’s eager mouth. Isolde thrust her tongue into Zara’s pussy, penetrating deep into the naked girl’s vagina. Zara held tightly to the headboard of the bed, thrusting her hips forward, grinding her cunt against Isolde’s sucking mouth. Zara panted heavily, her tits bobbing from her erotic gyrations.

"Cumming…cumming," moaned Zara, her pussy exploding in a flood of cunt honey.

Isolde drank all of her lover’s fluids, her small throat working to take it all in. Zara held onto the headboard desperately, her thighs burning with fatigue. She moved off of Isolde’s wet face, reclining next to her in bed. The two girls kissed, their hands roving over each other’s bodies until a loud pounding interrupted their revelry.

"Zara! Isolde! Skeletons are approaching!"

====

Lightning flashed across the bare countryside, followed by a crack of violent thunder. A squad of fifteen skeletons stumbled towards Adria's cottage, swords gleaming in their bony hands.

Rotfeast followed his troops, his Falchion of Illness shining from the illumination of the lightning in the black sky. Rotfeast watched the door of the cottage as it swung outwards, disgorging two beautiful young women. The zombie recognized Zara in her new studded leather armor, but he failed to identify the pretty girl standing with her. The girl's red robe billowed from the wind emanating from the approaching storm. She raised her hands, her lips moving quickly. Rotfeast clenched the hilt of his weapon, silently urging the skeletons forward just as the girl finished her spell. Glowing white light formed around the girl's outstretched hands, then exploded into an expanding sphere of pure magic. The skeletons trembled when the light washed over them, their bones quivering violently before they fell apart like broken toys. Rotfeast covered his eyes with a rotting arm, and when he lowered it over half of his minions were destroyed.

"Attack!" shouted Rotfeast, aiming his sword at the wide-eyed mage girl.

Zara placed herself between Isolde and the advancing skeletons, summoning her own magic to combat the undead. She cast Charged Bolt, the tongues of slithering lightning leaping out to explode amidst the shambling skeletons. Five skeletons flew apart as the lightning smashed into them. Zara drew her own falchion, speaking the command word that caused it to flare with light.

The whole area around the front of the cottage was brightly illuminated as Zara charged into the remaining skeletons, swinging her blade viciously. Isolde hung back, holding her short staff with trembling hands.

"Hello, pretty," hissed Rotfeast, emerging from a corner of the house.

Isolde screamed, brandishing her staff across her body. The zombie licked his cracked lips obscenely, leering at the girl's ripe young body while he slowly approached her, his ebony blade held forward lightly in his right hand. Isolde thrust out with her staff, smacking it against the side of Rotfeast's sword.

Rotfeast giggled shrilly, sweeping his blade at Isolde, slicing a rent in the wide sleeve of her robe.

A tall woman dressed in grey appeared in the doorway of the cottage. She glared at Rotfeast, raising her right hand upward in a warding motion. Rotfeast barely had a chance to look down when a roaring wall of fire appeared between himself and Isolde.

"Isolde! Get back!" exclaimed Adria, thrusting out her right hand at the cringing zombie.

A flash of blue light was the only warning of the lightning bolt that tore into Rotfeast's right torso.

Rotfeast screamed in agony as his right arm dropped wetly to the ground, his blue-gray flesh sizzling like cooked meat. The crippled zombie seized his fallen sword before fleeing into the incoming storm. Lightning crashed overhead again, announcing the rain that began falling heavily from the night sky. Zara smashed the skull of one skeleton, then hacked the last undead in two with a well-placed sword blow to the spine. Zara stood still for a moment, allowing the cold rain to plaster her auburn locks to her head.

"Come in before you catch a cold," advised Adria, guiding a stunned Isolde to the warmth of the cottage's interior.

Zara looked down at the loose bones that littered the ground before she sheathed her blade and followed her friends inside.

King Leoric gazed up at the crucified young girl, rubbing her cunt slowly with his decayed right hand. The naked girl moaned weakly, her body bone thin with starvation. Leoric pressed a finger into the folds of her pussy, caressing the soft pink flesh until a thin trickling of cum flowed from her vagina. The undead king brought the honey-coated finger to his dry lips, relishing the intoxicating taste of the bound girl's cunt wine. Leoric replaced his hand over the girl's crotch, rubbing her pussy for more drink when the double doors of his tomb rumbled open. The undead king left the suspended girl, staring at the one-armed Rotfeast as he staggered forward. Rotfeast fell to his knees, pressing his disfigured face against the filthy stone floor.

"Master! Forgive me! Zara has a mage bitch with her now! The female's magic destroyed most of my men, then Adria crippled me! She took my arm!"

"You offer me excuses when I want Zara kneeling before me, begging me for her life. You have failed, again."

"Master! Please!" groveled Rotfeast, daring to look up at his lord with blood-shot, pleading eyes.

"Shadowdrinker," murmured Leoric, slashing his right arm downwards.

A skeletal figure appeared from the darkness of the crypt. He raised a large sword, swinging it towards the supplicant zombie. Rotfeast's pleas were silenced in an instant as his detached head sailed towards one of the tomb's walls, splattering wetly against the gray stone.

The black-boned skeleton bent down to pick up Rotfeast's enchanted sword. He tied the blade to his bare hipbone, then sheathed his own broadsword in a sheath draped across his fleshless back.

"Bring the rogue Zara to me, I don't care how you do it," ordered Leoric, returning to the bound girl in the corner.

Shadowdrinker bowed respectfully before leaving the king to his drink.

The storm lasted all day, drenching Tristram with a steady downpour. Zara and Isolde walked through town, stopping only long enough for a quick meal at Ogden's and some fresh supplies. The rain stopped when the duo reached the beckoning door of the monastery.

"Are you ready?" asked Zara, watching Isolde carefully.

"Yes, let's go," replied the sorceress, smiling weakly at her friend.

The two adventurers carefully entered the abandoned monastery, descending a spiral staircase to the catacombs below.

Shadowdrinker knelt at the corner of a passageway, watching the pitch-black hall with small red-lit pits that served as his eyes. A large group of skeletons and zombies waited behind Shadowdrinker, waiting for their master's signal to attack. The skeleton captain watched with the patience of the dead, never moving, never wavering in his vigil. Shadowdrinker remained still when Zara and Isolde finally appeared, the duo illuminated by the white light coming from Zara's bare falchion.

Zara and Isolde were progressing through a bare wide hallway when the monsters attacked.

A barbed arrow slammed into Zara's left shoulder, knocking her backwards. Isolde brandished her short staff, chanting the incantation for Holy Bolt. A ball of light exploded in the middle of a group of attacking skeletons, tearing them to pieces. Zombies moaned loudly as they stumbled forward, their long-nailed claws extending towards their prey. Zara ignored the pain in her shoulder, raising her hunter's bow for firing. The rogue unleashed a stream of arrows, cutting down six zombies in their tracks. Isolde cast another Holy Bolt, destroying most of the remaining skeletons in the hallway. Zara maintained her arrow fire, slaying four more zombies who emerged from the darkness ahead. Zara's sword lay on the floor at her feet, lighting the passage for the rogue girl as she slew the last of the zombies.

Zara lowered her bow slightly, an arrow still nocked as she stared intently into the darkness. She could see nothing beyond the light pulsing from her falchion.

"Did we get them all?" asked Isolde.

"I don't know," replied Zara as she extended her Sight forward.

A hail of arrows spat from the darkness. Zara and Isolde yelled in pain as shafts tore into their torsos and limbs. An arrow slammed into Zara's chest, knocking her off her feet. Isolde fell to her knees, several arrows embedded in her arms and left leg. A black-boned skeleton clicked forward, flanked by several skeletons with drawn bows. Shadowdrinker drew his broadsword, the ebony blade drinking the light pouring from Zara's prone falchion. The hallway dimmed, until Zara and Isolde could barely detect their adversaries.

"Cast Heal on yourself, quickly!" ordered Zara through clenched teeth, using her own Heal spell to close her many wounds.

"I…can't! The pain's too much!" panted Isolde, her eyes squeezed shut from the agony.

Shadowdrinker pointed at Isolde, prompting his skeletal minions towards her. The skeleton archers shouldered their weapons, grabbing Isolde's wrists and dragging her with them into the darkness they came from.

"Isolde! No!" snarled Zara, snapping arrows from her flesh before healing the wounds with her magic.

Shadowdrinker waited until Zara healed herself and picked up her barely glowing weapon. The two duelists stared at each other, living brown eyes opposing dead red flaming orbs.

"You're dead, fucker!" spat Zara, lashing out with her Falchion of Radiance.

Shadowdrinker parried her blow effortlessly, then blocked the next six slashes with equal nonchalance. Zara kicked at the skeleton, but he hopped away agilely. Shadowdrinker pointed with a gleaming black finger, casting a Firebolt at his foe. Zara shouted when the fire splashed across her breasts, making her skin blister from the heat. Shadowdrinker attacked with his obsidian-hued sword, slashing deep rents into Zara's belly and right arm. Zara backed away, her blood dripping loudly onto the stone floor. Shadowdrinker circled Zara, his blade twirling slowly, searching for an opening. Growing weak from blood loss, Zara murmured a spell, stretching out her trembling left hand. Lightning poured from Zara's fingers, washing across Shadowdrinker.

The black-boned skeleton raised his thin arms to block the tongues of lightning as they chipped away at his fleshless frame. Zara hacked down with her falchion, severing Shadowdrinker's right leg at the knee. The skeleton fell limply to the floor, swinging vainly with his broadsword. Zara moved back several paces, unshouldered her hunter's bow, and fired arrow after arrow until Shadowdrinker was merely a collection of broken limbs and ribs.

Zara dropped her bow, her body aching from its many injuries. The rogue closed her eyes, summoning the healing magic that would allow her to pursue Isolde's captors.

Isolde jerked awake, her body throbbing with pain and shivering from the cold. She sat up, wrapping her bleeding arms around her torso to keep warm. Isolde's breath wisped across her face in pale clouds, her blue lips quivered violently.

"Welcome to my throne room," bade a deep voice from the far side of the dark chamber.

Isolde stared in the direction of the voice, spotting a human shape sitting in a large, high-backed chair. The young sorceress staggered to her feet, softly casting Healing upon herself. A few cuts closed, but most of Isolde's wounds remained, only the bleeding had stopped. Isolde tried to heal again, but discovered that her reserve of mana was spent.

"I took the liberty of tending your wounds, but unfortunately I had to draw upon your magic as well as my own. Do not worry, you won't need your art here," smiled Leoric, his teeth gleaming like hungry fangs.

"Where is Zara?"

"Dead most likely. My servant Shadowdrinker was entertaining her," chuckled Leoric. The undead king left his throne, walking to a deathly thin girl suspended upon a cruel metal cross.

Isolde gasped in horror, watching as Leoric fondled the girl's limp pussy. He stroked the girl's cunt until she released a stream of her honey into his waiting goblet. Leoric spit into the cup, his black phlegm mixing with the thick cunt juice. He strode towards Isolde, holding the golden cup before him.

"No. No!" protested Isolde, crawling away backwards from Leoric.

"You'll like it," reassured Leoric, snatching the back of Isolde's head with his left hand, then tilting the girl's face upward towards the cup. He pressed the edge of the cup against Isolde's mouth, pouring the thick fluid over her lips.

Isolde kept her mouth shut until Leoric took both of her cheeks in his hand and squeezed her jaws open. Leoric poured more of the foul drink into Isolde's mouth then pinched her lips together and massaged her throat until she swallowed.

The potion burned as it flowed down to Isolde's stomach. Her belly cramped painfully, forcing her to curl up into a ball and clutch her throbbing middle. Leoric returned to his throne, sitting down heavily to watch the young girl writhe helplessly on the floor. Isolde gasped loudly, her face contorted with agony.

"Let go. Let the pain wash over you," growled Leoric, his dead eyes smoldering with lust.

Isolde fell completely limp, her limbs lying askew upon the cold floor. She panted softly, her stomach a frigid, numb void that spread cold tendrils throughout her prone body.

"Come to me," commanded Leoric.

Isolde rose unsteadily to her feet, then approached the smiling monarch.

"Disrobe."

Isolde pulled her red robe over her head, tossing it into the darkness. She pulled her panties over her ankles, dropping them near her feet. Removing her shoes, Isolde walked forward till her knees brushed against Leoric's, her body naked and perfect, with its smooth, pale, blue- white skin and small pert young breasts.

"Sit," said Leoric, patting his lap like a kindly father.

Isolde straddled Leoric's legs, sitting obediently over the king's crotch. Leoric slid his right hand through Isolde's long black hair, caressing her soft white cheek. Isolde moaned softly, closing her eyes, rubbing her face against Leoric's wizened fingers. Leoric kissed Isolde, his parchment dry mouth savoring Isolde's full wet blue lips. The king wrapped his arms around Isolde's bare hips, devouring the girl's yielding mouth with his. Leoric kissed down Isolde's neck, then ran his course dry black tongue across her soft skinned shoulder blades. Isolde leaned back her head, groaning huskily with pleasure. Leoric grappled with Isolde's small tits, he stroked the warm flesh, tweaking the little nipples until they became erect with arousal. Isolde bit her lower lip, her black hair falling like silk down her bare back. Leoric kissed Isolde again, his tongue sliding into her throat, exploring inside her. Isolde moaned, she pressed her tits against Leoric's body, hugging him tightly with her thin arms.

Leoric lowered his mouth to Isolde's left breast. He sucked loudly on her mammary, his tongue lashing against her nipple as his right hand pressed between her thighs, rubbing her sensitive clit. Isolde groaned, she licked her lips, pressing her breast harder against the king's suckling mouth, spreading her thighs apart so her undead lover could fondle her crotch. Leoric moved his mouth from Isolde's left tit to her right breast, biting her nipple until she gasped with ecstatic pain. He increased the strength of his pussy massage, his fingers rubbing Isolde's labia until it quivered with wanton desire. Sweet honey dripped from Isolde's vagina, staining Leoric's agile digits. Leoric removed his hand from Isolde's cunt, placing his fingers in front of the naked girl's lovely face. The couple licked Isolde's cum from the moistened fingers, their tongues touching and caressing, the taste of the girl's honey making them both hornier. Isolde fumbled with Leoric's breech strings, releasing the undead king's cock from its confinement. The naked mage girl slid her hands up and down Leoric's withered shaft, teasing it to hardness. Leoric moaned, fondling Isolde's tits, staring deeply into her lust glazed eyes.

Isolde positioned Leoric's cock under her pussy, lowering herself onto the king's pole. Both lovers gasped loudly as Isolde's pussy folded around Leoric's member, clasping tightly against the cock's sides. Isolde placed her hands on Leoric's broad shoulders, pumping her ass up and down, shoving the king's cock deep into her squishy vagina. Leoric grasped Isolde's young firm buttocks, pulling the cheeks apart while he nibbled on her bobbing tits. Isolde groaned with pleasure, tilting her face towards the ceiling, her eyes shut in delight as she humped Leoric's shaft, ramming it into her cold belly. Isolde's cunt slapped against Leoric's lap again and again, the king spanking Isolde's ass until it was cherry red with bruising. Isolde groaned huskily when she orgasmed, her juices flooding down to pool between King Leoric's legs.

Leoric grabbed his goblet, gathering Isolde's cum inside. He inhaled the musky beverage appreciatively, adding his own seed to it after his member exploded open inside the panting girl's cunt. Isolde stirred the concoction with a delicate finger, then took a long sip, dribbling the thick syrup down her throat and over her small chin.

====

Zara walked softly through the pitch-black passageway, the glow of her Falchion of Radiance lighting her way. The rogue opened her mind to the Sight, seeking any evil creatures that might be lying in wait to ambush her again. Zara had been descending deeper into the catacombs for hours, fighting the occasional skeleton or zombie, but finding no sign of where the undead had taken her companion, Isolde. Unable to find the mage girl, Zara reasoned that the Master was her most likely captor, and that he would reside deeper within the corrupt catacombs of the monastery.

Zara reached an intersection, with branching passages going right, left, and straight ahead. With the Sight offering no guidance, Zara guessed and walked left. The slim girl advanced down the new hallway until she reached an open chamber with a pedestal as its only ornamentation. Zara walked up to the pedestal, discovering that a single book lay upon its surface. The book was bound with red hide and had golden script written on the cover and the spine. She examined the book and pedestal with her Sight until she was sure there were no hidden traps. She gently picked up the book with both hands, reading the object's title, "The Book of Blood". Zara opened the book, but could not decipher any of the mystical text. She knew it was mage script, since she had seen similar writing in many of Adria's spell books, but she could not comprehend whatever magic lay in this volume.

As Zara placed the Book of Blood in her pack for later study, a secret door slid open in the wall facing her. A huge humanoid shaped monster with dull gray skin and a single jutting horn on his forehead roared in challenge, his large feet shaking the stone floor of the room as he entered.

"Shit!" swore Zara, reaching for her Hunter's Bow.

As she backed away towards the room's exit, the Horned Demon charged forward, shattering the book's pedestal to dust as he advanced. Zara drew back her bow's string, launching several arrows into the demon's chest. The Horned Demon bellowed with pain, but did not slow down as he pounded towards her. Zara fled out of the room and into the wide hallway, firing arrows occasionally as she retreated. The shafts smacked into the Horned Demon's tough hide, releasing gouts of black blood into the air. The demon grunted with each impact, walking implacably after the rogue girl. Crouching low to the dust-laden floor, the Horned Demon charged, roaring so loud Zara's ears ached. The rogue shouldered her bow before aiming her right hand at the monster and casting Firebolt. The sizzling projectile splashed against the demon's arrow-pitted chest, searing his hide. The Horned Demon groaned, stumbling slightly while he continued to charge. Zara hastily cast another Firebolt before unslinging her bow and resuming her arrow barrage. The flaming missile smacked into the first spell wound, burning even deeper into the demon's chest. Three arrows followed the spell, feathering the hideous wound smoking in the demon's torso. The Horned Demon's charge slowed to a stop, he rasped for breath, his body trembling until it finally collapsed and failed on the hallway floor.

Zara exhaled loudly, wiping perspiration from her pale brow. She carefully walked around the dead monster, re-entering the book chamber. She kept an arrow ready in her weapon as she peeked into the secret door, checking for more monsters before entering. Detecting no signs of immediate danger, Zara entered the hidden room, finding a second pedestal and a glowing red gem on the floor beside it. Drawing close to the pedestal, Zara saw that it was really a small altar, with three indentations for gem-sized objects. Zara picked up the glowing ruby, compared it to one of the spaces, then tentatively placed the gem inside it. A grinding sound alerted Zara as a secret door opened in the right-hand wall. Several Horned Demons growled loudly, shouldering against each other in their eagerness to attack. Zara raised her right arm, chanting Charged Bolt smoothly. Lightning shot from her hand to the secret door opening, lashing out at the clustered demons. The Horned Demons screamed as the lightning nibbled at their hides, leaving painful burns on their flesh. Zara cast another Charged Bolt, filling the crowded wall opening with more flashing electricity. The rogue girl summoned bolt after bolt until all of the Horned Demons were dead and most of her mana had been expended. She leaned against the altar, her legs quivering with exhaustion. Zara fumbled inside her pack, grasping a crystal vial filled with blue liquid. She popped the wax seal and sucked down the bitter elixir. Fresh magic burned in Zara's body, restoring her mana levels.

Zara dragged the smoking bodies out of the doorway so she could wriggle through to the room beyond. The chamber was empty except for another glowing red gem that rested in a far corner. Zara took the gem, returning to the altar room and placing it in the second space carved into the altar's surface. The wall to the left shook as a panel opened within it. Two Horned Demons roared as they marched towards Zara. The rogue picked up her idle falchion, rushing forward to impale the lead demon in the stomach. Hot black blood gushed over Zara's arm as she rammed her weapon again and again into the lumbering monster's belly. The Horned Demon swiped weakly at Zara before he fell limply to the floor. The second demon kicked his comrade aside, slashing at Zara with a huge gray claw. Razor sharp nails sliced across Zara's chest, leaving four rents in her leather armor. Zara stumbled back from the force of the blow, then slashed up with her sword. She cut deep into the demon's left wrist, making him grunt in pain.

The demon swung down with his right fist, smashing a deep hole in the floor while Zara agilely leapt away from the attack. Zara lunged forward in a crouch, sticking the demon in the left leg with her blade. The Horned Demon swiped at Zara again, missing his target. Roaring with frustration, the demon lowered his head and charged at the slim young woman. Zara dodged aside too slowly, she grunted as the Horned Demon crashed into her body and propelled her against the far wall. Zara smacked loudly into the unforgiving stone, she heard several ribs snap inside her from the force of the charge. Held up against the wall by the Horned Demon's enormous body, Zara raised her falchion with both hands and plunged it into the monster's thick, vulnerable neck. The demon shuddered from the blow, placing his hands on the wall for support while Zara stabbed him over and over. Coughing up blood, the Horned Demon fell away from the wall and Zara, flopping bonelessly to the floor.

Zara fell to the floor in a heap, her sides burning with agony. She wiped saliva from her mouth, every breath sending fresh stabs of pain through her body. Zara used all of her mana to heal herself, the magic re-knitting her broken ribs. She staggered to her feet, using the wall for support, her body still weak and drained from spell casting. Zara searched the Horned Demons' lair, finding a third blood stone inside. Carefully, Zara placed the third stone in its receptacle, her glowing falchion held ready when another secret door opened in the wall facing her. No Horned Demons charged forward, to the great relief of the rogue girl.

She slowly entered the dark chamber beyond the open portal, gasping in surprise when she beheld a suit of gleaming golden splint mail resting on a wooden upright frame. Enchanted runes adorned the armor's arm braces and ankle guards. Powerful magic resonated from the suit when Zara used her Sight to examine it. Zara ran her hand over the cool steel of the armor, excited by the power burning within it. Checking to see that no monsters approached from the entryway, Zara stripped off her leather armor and weapons until she stood only in her white panties. She carefully clasped the golden splint mail over her white flesh, encasing her sensuous form in the protective metal. The enchanted suit altered itself to hug close to her body, molding to conform to her feminine curves. The armor was light, Zara could move as easily as if she was still wearing her leather gear. She re-belted her sword, then shouldered her pack and bow. Zara was adjusting her ponytail of hair when a flaming arrow smashed into her armored chest and knocked her off her feet.

Two skeletons roughly lowered the naked girl from the metal cross, her bare skin wrinkled tightly over her bones, blue with the tint of death.

"She had a sweet pussy," mourned Leoric, watching from his throne as the skeletons carried the limp body away to be devoured by his undead minions.

Isolde sat next to the undead king's left leg, rubbing her cheek against his thigh, her bare skin white and luminescent in the bleak darkness. Leoric fondled her thick black hair, petting her like a prized hound. A barely clothed zombie male shambled into the crypt, halting before Leoric and performing a parody of a bow.

"Blackash…sent," drooled the zombie, his eyes glazed and staring. "Girl found Book of Blood…unlocked Armor of Valor."

"No, it cannot be!" snarled Leoric, yanking painfully on Isolde's hair, making her whimper softly. "What is Blackash doing?"

"Attacking her…as you said," gibbered the zombie.

"Go to Bilefroth's slave pit, bring him to me at once!" shouted Leoric, trembling with rage and fingering the rune-laden iron crown resting on his deathly gray brow.

"Master," hissed the zombie, bowing deeply again before shuffling out of the crypt.

"The bitch is too close, too close," muttered Leoric, nibbling the flesh off of a finger on his right hand.

"Fuck me, Master! Please!" begged Isolde, reaching out to fondle his crotch while her left hand strayed to her burning cunt.

"Not now, whore!" spat Leoric, slapping Isolde away.

Isolde sat up again, rubbing her bruised right cheek tenderly. She smiled wantonly, licking her lips.

"Thank you, Master. That felt good," purred the naked girl.

"Did it? Would you like more?" rumbled Leoric, uncoiling a whip from his belt, snapping it with a flick of his wrist.

"Yes, Master! Please, hurt me," moaned Isolde, looking up at the king with slavish adoration, her left hand rubbing her wet pussy desperately.

"As you wish," smiled Leoric, his sunken eyes smoldering with lust as he raised the whip's handle and lashed Isolde's bare back.

The naked girl shuddered with ecstasy when the leather licked across her warm skin. Leoric snapped the whip again, creating a long, angry welt across Isolde's spine. Isolde moved to rest on her hands and knees, presenting her small, firm ass to her lord. Leoric licked his dry lips, baring sharp yellow fangs while he cracked the whip over his ensorcelled slave. Isolde moaned with each new bruise, she wiggled her hips, her pussy dripping with excitement as her flesh trembled from the whip's cruel kisses. Isolde's buttocks and back were cris-crossed with throbbing red welts.

"Bind her over my tomb," ordered Leoric, dangling his whip along the dust-draped floor.

Two stationary skeletons emerged from their posts along a wall, taking the prone, moaning girl and dragging her to the undead king's resting-place. The skeletons pressed Isolde against the lid of the tomb, arching her back until she almost lay atop the cold stone sarcophagus. One skeleton grabbed Isolde's wrists and bound them together with black leather cord while the other placed a gag inside the naked girl's slack mouth. Leoric positioned himself in front of Isolde, admiring her pumping tits and quivering wet cunt. The undead king swung his whip forward, bruising Isolde's left breast. The young girl groaned in her gag, her pussy releasing a fresh flood of thick honey. Leoric hurried to his knees, lapping up the trembling girl's cum. He shoved his face into Isolde's pussy, sucking her juices as they flowed out of her hot vagina. Isolde closed her eyes in bliss, she thrust out her hips, rubbing her crotch against Leoric's rotting face. She held her arms limply over her head, enjoying the feel of the leather bonds as they pressed against her slim wrists.

"Your pussy is so good," murmured Leoric, slowly licking up her slit with his long, slimy tongue. He licked Isolde's inner thighs, savoring the taste of her warm skin. Discarding the whip, Leoric kicked Isolde's legs apart, undid his breeches, and slammed his hardened cock into the bound girl's cunt. Isolde moaned deeply into her gag, her vagina clamping tightly around her undead lover's shaft. Leoric grappled with Isolde's young breasts, pressing against them as he thrust into her hot tight hole. The king tore away Isolde's gag, leaning down to kiss her roughly on the mouth. Isolde groaned, caressing Leoric's decayed tongue with her own living one. Leoric explored Isolde's throat, his lips devouring hers.

"Harder! Fuck me harder!" begged Isolde, pumping her hips in time with Leoric's, shoving her pussy against the king's impaling spear.

Leoric filled his hands with Isolde's rich black hair, licking her quivering neck, tasting the sweet life that coursed through her blood. Leoric pressed his body over Isolde's, he held onto her bound wrists with his hands as he thrust with all his undead strength into the yielding girl's cunt. The king felt Isolde's hot breath on his cheek as she orgasmed, her vagina squeezing his member while a stream of honey poured from her womb onto his crotch. Leoric grabbed his chalice, gathering her pussy juices before mixing it with his own cream. He gave the cup to Isolde, watching her greedily drink the heady potion, binding her to him for another day. When Isolde had finished the musky brew, Leoric retrieved his chalice, pushing off of the girl's firm body.

"Put her on the cross," ordered Leoric, returning to his throne and sitting down heavily.

The two skeleton servants took Isolde's limp arms and carried her naked body to the metal cross vacated by the recently deceased female prisoner. The skeletons pushed Isolde up against the cross, quickly closing metal restraints over her wrists and ankles to hold her in place. Isolde moaned softly, her head dangling forward on her heaving chest, her long black hair falling over her face like a funeral veil. Leoric admired Isolde's naked form hanging from the cold iron cross, his lips still sticky with drops of her cum.

"Blackash must slay the rogue," whispered Leoric.

Zara hid behind the wooden frame that had once held the Armor of Valor. She yanked the smoldering arrow from her chest as two more burning shafts smacked into the frame's surface. The rogue girl glanced around the frame, spotting a single skeleton that burned like an oil-drenched torch. The skeleton raised an iron bow adorned with several red-glowing runes. He drew back his bowstring, which ignited the arrow nocked within it. The skeleton fired the arrow, missing Zara's right cheek by a hair width. Zara ducked back behind the frame, preparing her own Hunter's bow for firing.

Blackash lowered himself to a crouch, an arrow flaming in his bow, as he silently moved right to get a clear shot at Zara. When the rogue girl dived away from the frame, Blackash fired, scoring a hit on Zara's left thigh. Zara grunted from the hit, firing her own arrow at skeleton. The projectile smashed one of Blackash's left ribs but did no appreciable damage. Blackash fired several more arrows in quick succession, hitting Zara's back and upper left thigh. The arrows snapped against Zara's enchanted armor, but the impacts did slow the girl down. Zara launched a stream of arrows, smashing more of Blackash's ribs and chipping away at his flaming arms. As the skeleton staggered backwards, Zara dropped her bow and drew her falchion, sprinting towards the reeling undead. Blackash fired his bow, sending two smoking arrows deep into Zara's belly. Zara groaned, but maintained her charge, raising her sword at Blackash. Before the skeleton could loose another shaft, Zara hacked down with her falchion, severing her foe's right arm. The enchanted bow fell to the floor with a clatter as Zara smashed the skeleton into a pile of flickering debris.

Zara tore the arrows out of her stomach, groaning loudly with pain as her blood poured over her golden armor. She pressed her left hand over her wounds, maintaining pressure while she tore a bandage from her pack. Wrapping the thick cloth around her lower torso, Zara retrieved her bow, gathered Blackash's weapon, then took a scroll of Town Portal from her pack. She recited the spell, barely waiting for the magical gateway to open before she plunged inside.

"You called, Leoric?" growled the massive Overlord named Bilefroth.

"Yes, we have a problem," replied the undead king, draped in the darkness surrounding his throne.

"It had better be important, I was breaking in two new slaves," purred the demon, tugging on two chains in his right claw that led to choke collars fastened around the necks of two young beautiful naked girls.

"Your toys can wait. You must kill a rogue known as Zara before our Dark Lord finds out about her," spat Leoric, "or else both of our lives are forfeit!"

====

Streams of lava boiled across the length of the rough walled cavern. The heat was indescribable; it washed across the harshly lit chamber in hazy waves. A score of naked young girls adorned the floor and walls of the Pit, bound in place with thick iron neck collars attached to chain leashes. Bilefroth sat in his rock-hewn throne, watching over his hellish domain complacently. Two Fallen Ones dragged a girl with shoulder length, curly blonde hair up to Bilefroth's throne, shoving her to the floor.

Bilefroth leaned down, grabbing the girl's face in one massive claw. He pulled her towards his crotch, letting her admire his long, quivering cock. The girl whimpered weakly before Bilefroth shoved her mouth against his pole. The Overlord hissed with pleasure as the girl's warm mouth slipped over his cock, her lips caressing his pulsing fuckmeat. Loud slopping sounds echoed within the lava-lit cavern, the girl's head bobbing up and down over the demon's member. Bilefroth held the girl's head in both of his claws, growling out the words of a dark spell. Bilefroth orgasmed quickly, shooting his cream into the helpless girl's throat. Bilefroth shouted out the last word of his enchantment, pushing the naked girl away as she swallowed the last dreg of his foul seed.

The trembling girl screamed as the Overlord's semen burned inside her belly. She folded into a ball, clutching her knotted stomach, moaning softly in agony. Bilefroth watched in amusement while the shaking girl transformed before him, growing black wings from her back, small horns from her head, and sharp, rending claws from her once delicate hands. The girl uncoiled and rose to her feet, smiling wantonly at her lord. She swept stray blonde hair out of her face, swaying seductively to stand proudly before Bilefroth.

"I name you Witchfire, the Unholy. I command you to go to Tristram and destroy the young woman known as Zara," grunted Bilefroth.

"I will," bowed the lithe succubus.

Zara lay in her bed, her skin beaded with sweat. She stared up at the crossbeams of the cottage ceiling, her lips trembling. Adria climbed up into the small bedroom, sitting at the bedside before wiping Zara's pale forehead with a cool, damp cloth.

"I'm so sorry about Isolde," murmured Zara weakly, staring up into Adria's eyes.

"It wasn't your fault," smiled Adria, dabbing at Zara's temples.

"I looked for her, I really did, but I couldn't find her," moaned Zara, turning her face back towards the ceiling.

"You'll be better soon, then I know you will find her," soothed Adria, rising from her seat to give the young rogue time to rest and heal. "I have faith in you."

Witchfire entered Ogden's tavern at dusk. She was dressed in a tight leather vest and snug black leather breeches with boots. The few patrons drinking tonight raised their heads to glance at the new arrival, then widened their eyes when they beheld the young woman's overpowering beauty. Witchfire smiled at the patrons, her curved lips promising every pleasure the men could imagine. She swayed over to the bar, where Ogden gaped at his alluring guest.

"Excuse me, kind sir. I'm looking for a rogue known as Zara. Do you know where she might be?" smiled Witchfire seductively.

"Uh, um, Zara? Oh! She's staying with the witch Adria, at the northeastern edge of town," replied Ogden with a nervous chuckle.

"Thank you," breathed Witchfire, blowing Ogden a kiss before leaving the bar. A young villager, who smiled handsomely at her, blocked the succubus at the doorway.

"You look as if you've walked far. Would you care to share a flask of wine in a private room upstairs?" asked the boy hopefully.

"Why, yes. I would like that," grinned Witchfire expectantly.

Witchfire pounced on the young man as soon as he closed and latched the door of the small bedroom. She spun him around to face her, holding him against the closed portal as she kissed him hungrily on the lips, her tongue probing inside his surprised mouth. She slid her hands underneath his shirt, raking her nails softly across his flat chest and stomach. The boy moaned with pleasure, running his hands through her thick golden hair. The lovers kissed for several breathless moments, before Witchfire lowered her face to the boy's belly and licked up his torso. When the succubus was done tasting the boy's flesh, she allowed him to untie her vest and suckle on her enticing breasts. She groaned softly as the boy licked and sucked energetically on her pert nipples. The boy's hands wandered to her taut buttocks, he squeezed them lustfully, rubbing one of his hands between her thighs. Witchfire smiled wickedly while she rubbed her nose and mouth over his head, pressing the boy's face against her jutting tits.

The succubus took the boy's arms and twirled him over to the small bed. After the boy fell atop the sheets, Witchfire slowly discarded her open vest then pulled down her breeches. The villager panted with anticipation as he clumsily threw off his own shirt and yanked off his pants. Witchfire climbed atop her lover like a wanton cat, kissing the boy's legs, stomach, and shoulders. The lovers' mouths met again, they embraced desperately, driven by lust. Witchfire dragged her long blonde hair across the boy's face and chest as she positioned her pussy over his rock hard cock. The succubus lowered herself onto the boy's shaft, moaning in bliss as she felt his pole ram up into her vagina. Witchfire held onto the boy's bare shoulders as she humped his tool, her breasts quivering from each of her thrusts. The naked boy grunted in ecstasy, he gazed up at the sweating succubus as if she were a goddess as she shoved her cunt over his cock, her vagina squeezing his shaft in a vice grip. Witchfire pounded down against the boy until she felt his member shivering with approaching orgasm. She bent down to kiss the panting boy, licking his trembling lips before fastening her mouth over his. As the boy climaxed, Witchfire sucked his lifeforce, draining his muscled frame until nothing remained but a wrinkled, dry husk. The succubus withdrew her mouth from the dead boy's, licked her wet red lips, then hopped off the body to retrieve her discarded clothing.

Zara finished fastening the Armor of Valor over her torso, taking a moment to rest her aching body. She slid a hand into her pack, withdrawing a precious potion of Healing, popping the lid, and draining the rich contents. New life filled Zara's body, dispelling the weakness that lingered from her last spellcasting. Zara fastened her pack over her shoulders, grabbing her hunter's bow before beginning her descent to the ground level of Adria's cottage.

"You should eat something before you go back," suggested Adria, placing a loaf of fresh steaming bread next to a plate of roast beef and vegetables.

"Alright," smiled Zara, discarding her pack just as the outer door of the cottage was knocked upon.

"Stay back," warned Zara, drawing her falchion before reaching out to unbolt the door.

Zara opened the door swiftly, catching Witchfire in the act of knocking a second time.

"Oh, hello," smiled Witchfire warmly, offering Zara her right hand in greeting.

"Who are you?" asked Zara, taking the young woman's hand hesitantly.

"Why, my name is Wanda. I'm a fellow Sister of the Sightless Eye!"

"I'm glad to meet one of my sisters so far from home," replied Zara, clasping Wanda's arm with her other hand tightly.

"May I come in? I smell something wonderful!"

"I was just about to eat something before going to the cursed monastery, have you heard about it?" inquired Zara, escorting the blonde rogue into the cottage.

"It was the reason I came here. I was wandering up north when I heard tales of an evil growing near the town of Tristram. I got here as quickly as I could to investigate. When I arrived in Tristram, they mentioned a rogue who had already arrived and cleansed several of the upper catacombs," replied Wanda, sitting next to Zara at the small dinner table, where Adria had already set a plate for her.

"With a fellow Sister guarding my back, I believe that my quest will proceed much easier now," remarked Zara.

"I'm glad to help," smiled Witchfire, her eyes gleaming brightly.

Zara slashed at the bat that swooped down upon her. The glowing falchion in her hand cut effortlessly through the bat's thin hide, splitting it into two dripping halves. More bats dived forward from the darkness, attracted by the light of Zara's blade. Wanda stood slightly ahead and to the left of Zara, hacking at the charging bats with her own ordinary falchion. Zara took the lull in combat to drop her sword and to unsling her hunter's bow. Nocking an arrow, Zara sent the shaft slashing through the air, quickly chasing the first arrow with several more. Bats screeched loudly, their cries reverberating through the wide corridor as they died in the air. Zara maintained her arrow barrage until all of the bats had either perished or flown away in retreat.

"Nice shooting," complimented Wanda, sheathing her blade before retrieving her smoldering torch from the floor.

"Thanks," grinned Zara, picking up her own bright falchion. "I'd keep a weapon ready, anything can attack in this hellpit."

"I will," nodded Wanda, extinguishing her torch to replace it with her own bow.

The two girls carefully resumed their advance into the corridor, eyes and Sight searching for any other signs of ambushers. The rogues entered a second, wider hall adorned with spaced pillars of rock and evenly spaced stands with ugly winged statues perched upon them. Zara and Wanda eyed the statues warily, slowly walking past them for the exit on the other side of the chamber. When the rogues had reached halfway across the room, the statues near the entrance began to move, flexing their limbs before flapping clumsily into the air.

"Zara! Gargoyles!" warned Wanda, spinning in place to fire her bow at the approaching attackers.

Wanda impaled four arrows into one of the gargoyles, knocking him from the air. More gargoyles began flapping to life, filling the room with their gaunt grey hovering forms. Zara slashed out at the closest gargoyle, hacking its head from its shoulders. Wanda slew three more distant monsters with her bow, her arm steady as she loosed shaft after shaft. Zara impaled a second gargoyle in the belly, then cast Charged Bolt, filling the hall with crackling blue lightning. Gargoyles screamed as the lightning tore them to pieces.

Suddenly, two gargoyles jumped the girls from behind. Zara was crushed to the floor while Wanda maintained her feet, struggling violently with the creature on her back. Wanda smashed her bow against the gargoyle's gaping face, swatting it from her back. The rogue dropped her shattered bow, drawing her sword just as the wounded gargoyle pounced again. Zara cast Charged Bolt, pressing her crackling hand against her attacker's face. The monster howled before the lightning that charged his body forced him to explode in a cloud of debris. Zara staggered to her feet to watch Wanda slash her opponent's throat, then tear his torso from crotch to neck. Wanda turned to regard Zara as the mortally wounded gargoyle shattered into a pile of rock chips behind her.

"Shall we continue?" inquired Wanda courteously, waving her arm in welcome towards the far exit.

"Witchfire is coming, I can feel her," rumbled Bilefroth from his place at Leoric's side.

"At last," smiled Leoric, cradling his gleaming black bastard sword, Doombringer, in his lap.

"Isolde is nearby," whispered Zara, her Sight burning within her mind.

"We should hurry, we don't know what foul things Leoric has done to her," urged Witchfire, her falchion clenched in her hand.

The succubus followed Zara as the rogue hastily led the way through several empty rooms to a single stone portal. Evil runes adorned the edges of the stone block, declaring the portal as the entrance to King Leoric's tomb.

"Be ready," said Zara before she grasped the edge of the door and pulled out with all of her strength. The stone block moved aside easily, revealing a pitch-black chamber beyond. Zara drew her falchion, commanding the sword to glow before she proceeded.

Witchfire stared at the point on Zara's back where she would shove her blade. The succubus pulled back her sword arm in preparation for striking, just as Zara stabbed backwards without looking. Witchfire gaped at the glowing blade lodged in her belly for one moment before she slid off and died.

"Did you really think I would be fooled by a succubus? You can't fool the Sight so easily," declared Zara, flicking Witchfire's blood from her blade casually.

"I am impressed. Let us see if you can justify your pride," retorted Leoric, rising from his throne while Bilefroth charged from the corner.

Zara calmly stretched out her hand, chanting arcane phrases as the Overlord pounded towards her, roaring at the top of his massive lungs. Within a few feet of reaching the rogue, a Wall of Fire exploded to life under Bilefroth. The Overlord screeched in agony, his flabby flesh bubbling under the intense heat. Zara quickly cast a second spell, releasing a long tongue of Lightning into the burning demon's chest. Bilefroth spat black blood, clutching his smoldering chest. The auburn haired rogue readied her hunter's bow, firing a line of arrows into Bilefroth's torso. Bilefroth jerked back with each projectile impact, eventually falling limply onto his wide back as death claimed him.

The Wall of Fire died away when Zara stopped feeding it mana. She slung her bow and drew her falchion, the blade pulsing with white light.

"Well done, girl, but I'm afraid the game is up," said Leoric, leaping from the darkness with Doombringer upraised.

Zara parried the blow, but was knocked backwards from the force of the King's swing. Leoric chuckled softly as he slashed and stabbed, prodding Zara backward into a corner of the room.

"I shall enjoy savoring your sweet pussy," drooled Leoric, taking a brief moment to point at Isolde, who hung limply from an iron cross on the far side of the room.

"You'll die for that, bastard," snarled Zara, smacking away Leoric's sword to impale him in the stomach with her falchion.

"A point for you," grunted Leoric, pulling Zara's blade out of his body before smashing the flat of Doombringer against her neck.

Zara flew across the room, smashing into a wall before landing on the floor in a moaning heap.

"You are weak, like all of the living," said Leoric, striding confidently towards the prone rogue.

Zara slowly turned her head to watch Leoric, raising her arm unsteadily. She cast Firebolt, the sizzling ball of flame slicing swiftly through the air towards the undead king. Leoric blocked the spell with Doombringer, the small sphere splashing apart against the oily black steel. Leoric knelt down beside Zara, yanking her head back by her hair to kiss her on the mouth. The iron Undead Crown on Leoric's brow glowed with a blood-red light as it drained Zara of her life energy. Zara moaned weakly, her arms growing stiff and unmovable.

"What pleasures I shall show you," hissed Leoric, licking Zara's neck, wrapping his strong arms around her slender waist.

Zara smashed the heel of her palm against Leoric's forehead, snatching the Undead Crown from his brow as he staggered back. She writhed out of the king's grip, dropping his Crown to the floor before smashing it with her glowing falchion. Leoric roared helplessly, his decayed flesh swiftly crackling to dust and billowing to the floor. He reached towards Zara, his limbs crumbling to a fine black powder. Zara waved her hand in front of her face to keep from breathing in the foul dust, making sure that Leoric was no more before she turned to free Isolde from her bonds.

"I can never thank you enough for saving me," said Isolde, wrapped in her favorite blanket while sitting near the fireplace. She held a steaming mug of soup in her hands, gazing thankfully at Zara and Adria, who sat opposite her in matching rocking chairs.

"It's nothing that one sister wouldn't do for another," smiled Zara, sipping from a mug of hot chocolate.

"I'm just glad to have you both back safe and sound. Hopefully with mad King Leoric destroyed, the evil of the monastery has finally been purged," sighed Adria.

"The evil remains," murmured Zara. "I can still feel it with my Sight."

"What could still be down there?" asked Isolde fearfully, clutching her blanket around her shivering body.

"Lazarus," muttered Adria.

"He is just a servant," replied Zara with a shake of her head. "I feel an ancient evil in the bowels of the earth, something dark, something powerful."

"I think I'm going to need more spells," observed Isolde with wide, frightened eyes.

====

The purple-robed priest walked across the uneven rock floor of the Pit, watching the chained girls writhe in their bonds with mild interest. He halted in front of Bilefroth's throne, taking in everything around him while holding his hands clasped together behind his back.

"This is most distressing," said Lazarus mildly. "Will your master be ready?"

"He says that the intruders have entered his lair. He is confident that he can dispatch them," replied the red armored knight in a deep hollow voice.

"I hope so, for his sake," smiled Lazarus, grasping a young girl by her hair, exposing her neck before he sank his fangs into her tender throat. "I expect Zara and her slut companion to be dead by the time I finish feeding here."

Zara snapped three flaming arrows with Flamedart, impaling an advancing Steel Lord in the breast plate. The burning shafts snapped against its armor, the fire failing to leave even scorch marks.

"They're immune to fire!" shouted Zara, extending her left hand to cast a spell.

"That doesn't leave me much left!" replied Isolde, casting Charged Bolt at another blade swinging Lord. The electrical dart snapped against the Steel Lord's arm, making it jerk reflexively.

Zara cast Chain Lightning, sending several crackling balls of light into the midst of five Steel Lords. The spheres exploded in violent flashes, ripping the armored suits to pieces. Isolde traded blows with the last remaining Lord, her magical staff creating red sparks when it smacked into the sword-wielding Lord. She slammed her staff into the Lord's stomach, then chopped his helmet off with a swift downward swing. The Steel Lord slumped to the floor and fell apart, the evil spirit inhabiting the suit released for its descent to Hell.

"The Warlord of Blood should be nearby, according to the Steel Tome Cain read," remarked Isolde while she searched further into the wide passage.

"He is, I sense him," said Zara, a flaming arrow readied in Flamedart.

"Then gaze upon me, wench, and die!" declared the Warlord, swinging down with a massive two-handed sword.

Both girls dived away in opposite directions, Isolde preparing a spell while Zara fired her shaft. The arrow cracked against the Warlord's black breastplate, failing to even scratch it.

"Damn! Everything on this level is immune to fire!" snarled Zara, shouldering Flamedart to draw Doombringer from its back sheath. The ebony bastard sword gleamed from the light of Isolde's staff as she smashed blades with the Warlord. The Warlord knocked Zara back, raining more blows against the slim girl. Zara dove under a swipe, stabbing the Warlord in the belly. The Warlord hissed in pain, smashing his sword in the floor next to Zara, digging a deep cleft in the rock. Isolde chanted frantically, launching several Charged Bolts from her hand towards the Warlord. The magical darts impacted over the Warlord's right arm, making him miss Zara in mid sword swipe. Zara took the opening to sever the Warlord's left arm, Doombringer cutting easily through the monster's thick platemail. The Warlord shrieked loudly, staggering backwards. Zara cast Lightning Bolt at her retreating foe, the sizzling shaft smashing through the Warlord's torso.

The evil creature doubled over, black smoke flowing from the rent in his armor just before he exploded in a cloud of black vapor and metal debris.

"He wasn't too tough," grinned Zara, wiping sweat from her forehead.

"We've had enough practice," retorted Isolde, returning her friend's smile.

"You tired yet?"

"No, I still have plenty of mana left, let's keep going."

The two girls resumed their walk down the long dark hallway, Isolde's staff lighting the way before them.

The young naked girl bounced on Lazarus' lap as the priest fucked her tight cunt. He held lightly to the chain attached to the collar around her neck. Lazarus pumped his cock into the moaning girl's pussy, enjoying the feel of her narrow vagina around his tool. He clasped her right buttock, caressing the smooth flesh while he forced himself into the helpless girl's belly. Lazarus slid his hand up the girl's perspiring bare back to a place just below her shoulder blades. He pushed the girl against him, her left breast pressed warmly over his face. As his orgasm exploded within the groaning child, he bit the lower portion of her tit, gnawing deeply into her flesh until he reached her heart's blood. The girl groaned weakly, her lips trembling before death claimed her.

Her blood washed over Lazerus' ecstatic face, he lapped up her sweet life eagerly. Letting the dead girl fall bonelessly to the floor, Lazerus wiped his mouth with the wide sleeve of his robe, standing up from Bilefroth's chair. He glanced down at the two naked girls sitting below him, one blonde and a very young brunette.

"My lord will be pleased with such gifts," smiled the priest, taking the girls' leashes from a waiting Advocate. Lazarus dragged the two girls after him, leaving the lava-filled chamber adorned with a crop of bloodless female corpses.

"No! You can't stay here again!" exclaimed Zhar, stomping his slippered foot on the floor for emphasis.

"Please, Zhar, Isolde and I need to rest up for our battle with Diablo," purred Zara, running a finger under the wild-haired mage's bearded chin.

"You're fooling yourself, girl! Diablo will suck your bones dry!" giggled the mad wizard.

"Then why did you help me?" retorted Zara, her lips very close to Zhar's.

"I can never say no to a pretty girl, that's why I live down here," sighed the mage. "Alright, you can stay one more night."

"Thank you!" grinned Zara, kissing Zhar quickly on the lips.

"Women," sighed Zhar to himself, bolting the door to his library after Zara and Isolde walked in.

The two girls walked down aisles of books, finally reaching the far wall of the library. Zara opened a door next to the portal to Zhar's bedroom, entering an identical bedchamber that had seen little use.

"So, we're finally at the end," said Isolde, leaning her staff against the wall before slipping out of her robes.

"Yes, Diablo is very close now," agreed Zara, unfastening the straps of her Armor of Valor.

"We may not survive this next battle," observed Isolde, climbing onto the spacious bed.

"Then we better wish each other luck," chuckled Zara, joining Isolde on the bed, cupping her companion's chin with her right hand.

Zara and Isolde kissed enthusiastically, sucking loudly on each other's mouths. Zara fondled Isolde's right breast as she kissed the girl's lips and neck. Isolde lay back against one of the bed's pillows, spreading her legs apart for her auburn haired lover. Zara straddled Isolde's body, lowering her face into Isolde's pussy while placing her own crotch over the girl's lips. Isolde thrust her mouth onto Zara's pink cunt, sucking her labia hungrily. Zara licked down Isolde's slit before licking and gently biting her inner thighs. Isolde moaned, lapping at Zara's clit until the older girl grinded her pussy against the mage girl's eager lips. Isolde reached down to squeeze Zara's tits while she slid her tongue into the rogue's moistening cunt. Zara held Isolde's legs apart as she nuzzled within her trembling pussy, licking the soft flesh of her wet vagina.

Zara sat up on Isolde's face, pumping her hips while fondling her own firm round tits. She licked her lips, groaning softly with pleasure as Isolde sucked her cunt, an eager tongue writhing within her hole. The rogue moved from Isolde's face to her crotch, sitting in the girl's lap, pulling her up so their nipples rubbed together. Zara and Isolde kissed again, their tongues fencing while they smacked their pussies together, mixing their juices between their bare thighs. They clutched each other's asses, thrusting together, crushing their tits, feeling sweat slide over the other girl's hot flesh. The girls' heads swung right and left, their mouths locked in a frenzied embrace, moaning softly as their cunts throbbed in climax. Zara pressed her cheek against Isolde's, listening to her lover's husky groans while sticky cum splattered against her own dripping slit.

"Whatever happens, I love you," whispered Zara, kissing Isolde softly on the lips. Isolde smiled, placing her hands on Zara's cheeks before returning the kiss passionately.

"Crazy girls," muttered Zhar from his listening spot on the other side of the bedroom door.

Shaking his head, the old mage limped back to his well-loved books.

The young brunette girl fell limply from Diablo's lap, her crotch glistening with fresh blood. The demon lord grunted in satisfaction, grasping the dead girl's neck to toss her over the body of the blue-skinned blonde. Diablo rose from his throne of bones, his hoofs grating against the stone floor as he walked to a single skull dais. Red vapor rose from the top skull, forming an image of a dark hallway. Two girls walked towards him, one an armor-clad warrior with a flaming bow, the other a robed sorceress with a glowing long staff.

"They come. Finish them, my slave," snarled Diablo, glancing at Lazarus, who stood pensively behind him.

"They will die, dread lord," promised the priest, racing out of the large throne room.

"Pity I won't be able to sample them," chuckled Diablo, his black eyes twinkling with mirth.

Zara and Isolde entered a large square room with a glowing red pentagram in the center of the floor. Zara searched the room for ambushers while Isolde examined the sigil.

"This teleporter is dormant," reported the mage.

"Over here," said Zara from the far end of the room.

Isolde went to Zara's side, where the rogue stared at a black wood staff sitting in a holder. Isolde examined the staff intently without touching it, finding nothing amiss with the weapon.

"It looks safe enough."

Zara nodded, grasping the staff and removing it from the holder. A swirling purple gateway opened within the wall in front of them, a vortex of energy twisting to some unknown destination.

"Well?" asked Isolde.

"Here goes nothing," smiled Zara, leading the way into the portal.

The companions teleported into a narrow passage, with branches going left and right. Zara took the right hand passage, following it for over a dozen meters until it opened into a rectangular room. When Zara passed the entrance's threshold, a large cage lowered open, releasing a crowd of hissing succubae. Zara cursed, swirling her hands in spell gestures. Isolde hastily raised a mana shield, deflecting several firebolts hurled by charging succubae. Zara finished her spell, throwing four balls of lightning towards the advancing monsters. Lightning bolts exploded and filled the room, devouring the succubae, tearing them limb from limb. When the carnage was over, Zara discovered a white disk of light in the center of the room. The rogue stepped on the disk, expecting another teleporter. Zara didn't disappear, but the disk did switch from white to red.

"A lock?" asked Isolde.

"Probably, let's check the other passage," said Zara.

The questers returned to where they entered the area, finding that the entry portal had disappeared. Shrugging, the companions took the left-hand passage, finding a second chamber filled with snarling succubae.

"I'll handle this," said Isolde, hefting her staff as she passed through the doorway. The cage bars in the room slid to the floor, releasing the penned in monsters. Isolde closed her eyes, whispering quickly. The succubae's screams shook the room's walls as they roared towards the lone mage. Isolde opened her eyes, thrusting her staff forward. The staff flared with light as the succubae were engulfed in white hot flames. The monsters screamed in a chorus of agony before they all disappeared in a large cloud of ash. Zara whistled in appreciation as Isolde walked deeper into the room and daintily stepped on the glowing disk in the center of the room.

"Shall we go?" asked Isolde smugly.

When the companions returned to the entry point of the passage, a glimmering red disk sat on the floor. The girls stepped on the disk, which transported them to yet another chamber. This room was huge, stretching out far before them, held up by thick stone pillars with veins of gold shining within them. Lazarus descended from an altar near the far wall, his purple robes billowing around him. A thick hood hid his features, but his voice was strong.

"Well met, fair damsels. You have journeyed far and endured much to meet my lord, but I'm afraid that he isn't admitting anyone at the moment. Perhaps I could assist you?" offered the priest wryly, his hands smoldering with gentle flames.

"We have traveled through your nest of evil to destroy your foul master. If he is too cowardly to face us, we will slay you in his stead," declared Zara, drawing back her bow smoothly.

"Then let the dance begin," retorted Lazarus, throwing two Fireballs at the two girls.

Isolde erected a mana shield as Zara fired several arrows at the standing priest. Lazarus grunted when the arrows pierced his chest, prompting him to disappear in a column of blinking gold lights. Zara and Isolde moved back to back, scanning the shadows for the priest. Isolde invoked her magic, and when Lazarus reappeared in a second pillar of lights, a three-headed dragon awaited him. Lazarus didn't even have time to curse before the dragon breathed three streams of fire onto him. The priest screamed, his robes disintegrating before the flames seared his flesh. Lazarus raised his own mana shield at the same moment that the dragon disappeared. Four more arrows thunked into the priest's back, making him stagger forward. Lazarus snarled, his burnt face twisting with hate as he summoned more fireballs, hurling them at the two stationary girls. Isolde's shield deflected the flaming spheres, allowing Zara to send a constant stream of arrows at the staggering priest. Three more arrows smacked into Lazarus' shoulders and side. He spat a thick glob of blood, grimacing while he threw a Lightning Bolt at his foes. Working on another spell, Isolde couldn't maintain her shield, allowing the tongue of lightning to smash into Zara. The rogue flew back, crashing into the wall behind her. She groaned as she slid to the floor, her back throbbing with pain.

Lazarus grinned darkly, performing the gestures for another lightning strike. The priest's chants stammered to a halt when he noticed Isolde was finished with her spell, a triumphant smile on her lovely face. A blast of heat made Lazarus' back shiver, prompting him to look behind himself. A huge column of spinning fire roared towards Lazarus, as unavoidable as death. The priest's shield ripped like thin cloth, not even slowing the Elemental from its advance. Lazarus screeched briefly when the vortex of fire washed over him, reducing him to ash in the blink of an eye. The Elemental disappeared with a whoosh of displaced air, Isolde leaning heavily on her staff from the strain of summoning it.

"Nice work," complimented Zara, wrapping her arm around Isolde's waist for support.

The mage leaned gratefully against her friend, taking a moment to regain her breath. When Isolde had rested for a time, the companions returned to their entry point, where another teleporter disk waited. When the girls used it, the teleporter hurled them back to the pentagram room. The sigil pulsed with a bright ruby light, pounding like a beating heart. In the center of the pentagram lay a single teleporter disk, glowing expectantly. Isolde grasped Zara's hand, squeezing it affectionately.

Zara kissed the mage one last time before leading them towards the waiting teleporter.

When Zara and Isolde appeared in Diablo's throne room, a large red claw shot forward, impaling Isolde.

"Isolde!" Zara screamed, watching in horror as Diablo raised his hand into the air, regarding his prey with malicious amusement.

"Stay back!" gasped Isolde, blood vomiting from her mouth as she raised Immolator above her head. She smashed the staff onto Diablo's finger, causing a huge fireball to erupt around both of them.

Zara was knocked off her feet from the blast, her eyes wide in awe as roaring flames filled the chamber. Staggering to her feet, Zara readied her bow when the flames abruptly died, leaving Diablo unharmed. The demon lord brushed ash from his claw, lowering his eyes towards the gaping rogue.

"Weak human magic," smiled Diablo, roaring defiantly before charging towards Zara.

The rogue cursed, snapping arrows at the demon while running to her right. Arrows dug into Diablo's red flesh, enraging him even more. A claw smashed into the wall above Zara, sending rock flying around the dodging girl. Zara aimed carefully, sending a flaming shaft hurling towards Diablo's face. The demon lord screamed when the arrow found its mark, impaling his left eye. Black blood gushed from the wound, covering the left side of Diablo's face as he pounded his fists on the ground near Zara. The rogue dived before the fists struck, rolling to her feet before firing more arrows at the demon's back. Diablo grunted when half a dozen arrows sliced into his back, making him shudder in pain. Diablo spun quickly, thrusting out a fist at Zara. The rogue dived under the massive fist, regaining her feet to launch another salvo at the wounded demon. One arrow slashed Diablo's right cheek as several others stabbed into his side and leg. Stumbling down, Diablo reached for the annoying girl. Zara dropped her bow, drawing Doombringer in one fluid motion. She ducked under Diablo's arm, running till she reached his face. Zara thrust out with Doombringer, ramming it to the hilt in Diablo's exposed throat. Diablo choked loudly, grasping the blade nestled inside him. He staggered back, tripping over one of his own hoofs to fall with a wall shaking crash. Diablo gasped for air, blood frothing from his mouth before he grew still and perished.

Zara fell to her knees, her arms shaking with exhaustion. Remembering Isolde, Zara began weeping until Diablo's body started to transform. The demon lord's corpse collapsed to black vapor, boiling in a small dark cloud. Zara shot up to her feet, glancing around the room in a panic.

She ran to the end of the room where the throne lay, finding a pedestal with two halves of a rune-covered stone orb. Zara remembered what Cain had told her and Isolde in their last trip to the surface, how Diablo had been imprisoned in something called a Soulstone. Zara pressed the two halves of the stone together, shaking with desperation. The Soulstone didn't reseal itself, the runes upon it merely glowed weakly. Zara turned, stones still in hand, to see the black vapor slowly reforming into Diablo's shape.

"I don't want to do this," whispered Zara. "I don't have the strength."

"Surrender to despair, girl," laughed Diablo, eyes burning red within the churning black cloud. "I cannot die! Nothing can stop me!"

"I can," swore Zara, walking into the caustic vapor, the smoke searing her lungs. She slowly brought the Soulstone together, the runes' light increasing as they came closer.

"No!" exclaimed Diablo, his eyes flaring with disbelief. The Soulstone pulsed as it drew Diablo's essence from the air and deposited it within Zara. Zara gasped sharply, her body on fire with agony as the demon lord was imprisoned inside her. Diablo managed one last echoing scream before he disappeared into his new prison. The Soulstone's light faded, just before it crumbled into dust and fell from Zara's limp fingers. Zara shuddered in revulsion, her stomach rolling with nausea. She could feel Diablo inside her, pounding at the spiritual walls of his confinement.

"I must keep him imprisoned, for Isolde," grunted Zara, her hand pressed against her belly.

She summoned a Town Portal, stumbling inside it, praying that she was strong enough to protect the world from the evil of Diablo.

~~~~~~