Diablo II

Sisters of the Sightless Eye

Arrival

The black waters of the Gulf of Westmarch crashed against the hull of the galley. Brigit clung to a rigid mast line, her sharply-featured face dripping from the heavy rain and the spray of the rolling sea.

"This is as far as I go, amazon," shouted the obese captain over the roar of the crests and the thunder from the dark sky.

Brigit simply nodded her head, gathered her weapons and gear, then crossed the tossing deck to the waiting landing craft. Deck hands steadied the small skiff while the tall, lithe, woman warrior climbed in. The drenched sailors untied the skiff, and the narrow craft plunged into the rolling sea. Brigit attacked the water with her paddle as if she were battling a creature hungry for her blood, she paddled away from the fat, bobbing galley, cold sea water slamming over her, tugging with frigid, greedy fingers at her soaked leathers. Lightning flashed above Brigit, she used the brief illumination to mark the far shore and set her course. Leaning forward, Brigit worked her paddle tirelessly, rowing for the safety of land. ***

Brigit struggled through the sucking sand of the beach, not watching as the ravenous sea contented itself with the amazon's skiff, dragging the empty craft out into the tumbling waves. Brigit held the hood of her heavy brown cloak over her head, vainly trying to keep the rain off her short, blonde hair while she headed for the beckoning lights of a port town resting on both banks of a wide, rain-swollen river. Thunder vibrated the sticky sand beneath Brigit's boots, a fork of lightning licked the tops of the trees in a nearby forest. Brigit shivered from the rain, she shrugged deeper into the heavy folds of her cloak and redoubled her pace across the empty beach.

The warmth of the inn enfolded Brigit and welcomed her as she shrugged rain water from her cloak and closed the door behind her. Three locals sat at separate tables, nursing tall mugs of ale while a large fire crackled within a stone fireplace. Brigit removed her hood and untied her cloak, snapping it in front of her a few times before draping it over her left arm. The scruffy local fishermen looked up, then stared in awe of the strange woman standing in the entry foyer. Brigit was tall, with long, slim legs encased in skin-tight brown leather breeches. She wore a thick leather shirt with a hardened leather breastplate secured to her lean, curvaceous torso. The amazon wore leather gloves to protect her hands, and her glistening, golden hair was cut short to her neck, as a warrior would do. A long bow was strapped across Brigit's back, as was a sheath for a short, stabbing spear. A satchel hung over the woman's rounded left hip, a quiver of arrows rested against her right. Cool, sky blue eyes examined each of the frozen patrons, then shifted to regard the wary innkeeper, a stout woman with her faded brown hair in a tight bun and her thick fingers wringing a wet wash cloth.

"I need a room for the night, good woman," said Brigit, turning her back to the staring fishermen and approaching the spotless counter where the innkeeper served drinks and rented rooms. "A gold piece, Lady," replied the innkeeper after she had recovered her wits. "That includes a hot meal and bath as well."

"A fair price then," nodded Brigit, setting a gold coin upon the polished counter top.

The innkeeper left the bar and guided Brigit upstairs, snatching glances at the beautiful, fierce amazon who followed her. ***

Elayne sat upon the rocky summit of a wind-ravaged hill, her long, red hair billowing in the strong breeze. A few fat droplets of rain from the departing storm fell onto the rogue girl's small nose, she wiped away the drops with the back of her right hand, her intent gaze never leaving the outline of the Monastery, her former home. The huge structure was lost in the shadows of Rogue Pass, an occasional flash of blue lightning gave Elayne a brief glimpse, then the building was cloaked in darkness once more.

The short, slender girl rose to her feet and checked her hunter's bow automatically, making sure that the string was dry and tight. Elayne glanced at the mouth of Rogue's Pass one last time and sighed, Kasha allowed her a certain amount of leeway, but she still had to complete her patrol by dawn. The sun was already beginning to crest over the mountaintops to the east; bright, golden rays stabbed through the black sky, ending the dominion of night. Elayne shifted her bow to her left hand, brushed damp, red bangs from her young, heart-shaped face, then began the descent to level ground.

At the foot of the barren hill, Elayne noticed the faint sounds of battle. Setting a barbed war arrow into her hunter's bow, the rogue girl ran northwest, the soles of her boots slapping over the cracked rock.

Swiftly climbing a short, gentle rise, Elayne stopped at the top to observe the unfolding tableau. A lone woman was fighting off a pack of Fallen. The short, red-skinned creatures must have hidden in the rocks lining the trail that led to the rogues' encampment. Elayne drew her bow, lining up on one of the Fallen who was lurking behind the tall woman, raising a jagged blade to stab into her back. Elayne let her arrow fly. The barbed missile thumped into the Fallen's neck, a brief gush of black blood squirted free, then the dead creature fell limply to the ground. Elayne reloaded her bow smoothly and let fly again, striking another Fallen in the base of his spine, the arrow's momentum spinning his corpse like a top. With mysterious arrows falling from the sky and the amazon's deadly spear slicing through bodies like a scythe through ripe wheat, the surviving Fallen fled back into the rocks, chittering in their crude language as they disappeared from view.

Brigit held her dripping spear tightly in both hands, scanning the hill crests for the mysterious archer. The woman's posture relaxed slightly when she spied Elayne hopping down a rocky slope.

Elayne lowered her bow, but kept a ready hand over her quiver of arrows. She walked up to the waiting amazon, but stopped just out of spear range.

"Who are you?" asked the girl tentatively. "Brigit of Philios," answered the amazon, cleaning her spear tip on a dead Fallen's body, then sliding the weapon back into its sheath. "Where is that place?" frowned Elayne.

"Far to the south, it is one of the Amazon Islands."

"I've heard of those islands," nodded the girl briskly. "Amazons are reputed to be good warriors."

"I've heard that as well," smiled Brigit wryly. "Are you a Rogue?"

"Yes, I'm on patrol."

"I seek the Rogue's Encampment, I have been sent to help fight the Evil that threatens all of Sanctuary."

Elayne said nothing, she examined the amazon closely, searching for signs of the Taint. The girl found no trace of Evil, but she never loosened her grip upon her hunter's bow.

"I will lead you to the encampment if you wish," offered the girl after a few silent moments.

"My thanks," nodded Brigit.

***

The Rogue's Encampment was a huge gathering of tents and wagons set within a wide valley between two ranges of stark hills. Stern-faced rogues were set at intervals around the perimeter of the camp, they watched everyone and everything with distrust and never released their long spears for a moment. Elayne vouched for Brigit when they reached the main entrance to the rogues' camp. The two women on guard probed Brigit with their hard eyes, gloved hands tightening around spear shafts. Elayne slipped her hunter's bow over her left shoulder and led Brigit deeper into the crowded camp, past groups of women cooking, cleaning, and caring for weapons. The camp was very orderly and clean, there were paths that wound around the living areas, training grounds, and trading posts.

Walking past the trading quarter, Brigit noticed the leering stare of a fat man in rich, purple robes. The man's bald head gleamed in the sunlight, he waved to Brigit with a pudgy, ring-adorned hand.

"That's Gheed, he arrived at the camp a few weeks ago. I don't like him, he always tries to pinch my butt, but he does have a lot of potions and weapons. He also likes to gamble," supplied Elayne.

"Why do you live in this camp? Isn't there a Monastery for the Sisters of the Sightless Eye nearby? I heard mention of it in the port town where I first arrived."

"Kasha should explain it to you," evaded Elayne, turning to a path on the right and leading Brigit to a training ground where two rogues fought with swords.

A lean, fierce woman with long, raven hair bound back by a leather headband cut and stabbed at her opponent, moving with a serpent's deadly grace, spinning her foe's weapon away from clumsy fingers. She pressed the tip of her sword against her adversary's throat, staring hard into the other woman's eyes.

"Clumsy and stupid. Fight like that and the Corrupted will flay the skin from your bones," warned the raven beauty through tight lips.

"Kasha! Someone wants to speak with you," reported Elayne tersely.

The leader of the rogues sheathed her sword and approached Elayne and Brigit. A girl handed Kasha a towel to wipe the sweat from her flushed face. Kasha examined Brigit as warily as Elayne had done, then seemed satisfied by what she saw.

"I am Kasha, I lead what remains of the Sisters of the Sightless Eye. Welcome to our camp."

"I am Brigit. I have sailed across the Great Ocean to help you combat the Evil that threatens us all. The Seers of my land predict that the Three Evils who once covered Sanctuary in Darkness will soon rise again. My task is to stop them."

"A daunting task, indeed, Brigit," grinned Kasha. "Many have made such claims, all have died."

"I hope to do better," smiled Brigit tightly.

"Hmm, perhaps you will," acceded Kasha, slapping Brigit's arm as one warrior to another. The graceful rogue led Brigit away from the training ground, Elayne trailing behind them.

The three young women entered Kasha's simple tent. Kasha motioned for Brigit and Elayne to sit in leather camp chairs while she poured each of them a cup of wine. Sunlight beamed through the open tent doorway as Kasha gave the women their drinks before sitting gratefully within a camp chair herself, drinking deeply from her clay cup.

"What has driven you from the Monastery?" inquired Brigit after politely sipping her wine.

"A stranger appeared at the gates of the Monastery about two months ago. The woman was a rogue, like us, garbed in a heavy black cloak, her face hidden underneath its cowl, her only possession a sword burning with powerful enchantments. She asked for a place to stay for the night, and we granted her shelter since she was a Sister and obviously of little means."

"One of our former sisters, Blood Raven, discovered that the stranger's name was Zara. That night, many heard loud noises coming from the cell that Zara was staying in, sounds of passion and lust."

Brigit lowered her face and smiled, Elayne blushed deep red. Kasha cleared her throat, drank from her cup again, and continued.

"Such..events are not unheard of in the order. But when Blood Raven stumbled naked from Zara's cell, and green flames burst from the room, we knew that Evil was afoot."

"The carnage that followed was..indescribable. Demons vomited out of Zara's cell, skeletons filled the hall, cutting down anyone within reach of their blades. Sisters fell inexplicably, their bodies corrupted by the Evil that Zara had brought. The Monastery was completely overrun within hours, the majority of the order was either slain or Tainted by darkness. This group that surrounds us is all that remains of the Sisters of the Sightless Eye. Packs of Fallen, Undead, Corrupt sisters, and other twisted things attack our camp at will, either slaying or carrying off sisters to swell their unholy ranks. I believe that in another month we will all be gone, and Evil will rule this land."

Elayne looked up at Kasha, surprised and frightened by her leader's grim admission. Brigit swallowed the rest of her wine, and allowed Kasha to refill her cup.

"What happened to Zara?" asked Brigit softly.

"Some of my scouts claim that they saw Zara disappear into Rogue's Pass, the glow of her sword trailing behind her, imps dancing around her hunched body."

Silence filled the tent for a time. The uncomfortable quiet was shattered when the clash of blades echoed through the camp.

"Another attack!" snarled Kasha as she grasped her sheathed sword and rushed from the tent.

Brigit and Elayne followed the rogue leader, both young women preparing their bows. The trio raced to the main entrance of the camp, where a squad of rogues fought with a mob of skeletons. Rotting zombies slithered over the crude rock barricades that flanked the main entrance. A young rogue screamed when a skeleton grabbed her with strong, flesh-less fingers, holding her in place while another skeleton impaled her with a rusty sword. Arrows snapped harmlessly through skeleton rib cages and against cracked skulls. The defending rogues fell back from the barricades, more of them falling from hacking swords and the clutching claws of moaning zombies.

"Hold the entrance! Don't let them into the camp!" shouted Kasha, her raven hair flying as she raced to support her retreating sisters.

Elayne aimed her hunter's bow and sent a stream of arrows flying into a clawing zombie. The rotting corpse moaned and stumbled backward, it stopped moving when it hit the blood-soaked ground.

Brigit slung her long bow and drew out her spear. She sprinted into the milling mass of rogues and undead, slashing quickly, punching her weapon through yielding, exposed muscle. A spray of hot blood covered Brigit's perspiring face when a zombie bit through a moaning rogue's skull, sucking the young woman's glistening brains into his ravenous mouth. Fighting to keep from retching, Brigit thrust her spear into the feeding zombie's face, the blade of her weapon appearing out the back of the quivering corpse's head. A chattering skeleton crashed into Brigit, knocking her off her feet. Brigit blocked the skeleton's descending fangs with the haft of her spear. The undead's strength bore down upon the amazon, its sharp teeth descended closer and closer, until a barbed arrow punched through its skull, shattering the bony head to bits.

A wall of fire raced across the ground, warding the rogues from the advancing undead.

"About time, Akara!" shouted Kasha over the din of battle, her sword cleaving a skeleton's head from its body.

An elderly rogue dressed in a blood-red gown raised her clawed hands and chanted another spell. A second wall of red flame washed over the shuffling undead, setting the zombies on fire, melting the decayed flesh from their bones. With the zombies falling within the flames of Akara's spell, the rogues concentrated on the skeletons, smashing them with spear hafts, shattering their skulls with well-placed arrows. After several more minutes of vicious smashing, all of the undead were destroyed, their twitching bodies entwined with the bloody corpses of fallen rogues.

Panting for breath, her face and armor covered in blood, Kasha leaned against her gore- drenched sword. A rogue with a deep slash across her forehead approached the rogue leader.

"How many did we lose?"

"Nine, Kasha."

Kasha closed her eyes, swearing under her breath.

"I warned you that Blood Raven will not rest until we are all dead," admonished Akara, the folds of her gown rustling as she approached Kasha.

"Blood Raven still lives?" asked Brigit, jogging with Elayne up to the two rogue leaders.

"She has been Tainted by Evil," scowled Akara. "She now raises the dead from our cemetery and copulates with them in unspeakable orgies of degradation."

"We should mount an attack upon the cemetery and slay this woman," said Brigit.

"I will lose no more Sisters," muttered Kasha.

"We can't just stand here and let the undead overwhelm us!" protested Elayne.

"The young one is right, we must destroy the Evil at its source," nodded Akara.

"What do you propose to get past the army of undead Blood Raven commands? No one can get into the cemetery, not to mention confronting a corrupt rogue of Blood Raven's power."

"Someone has to try!" urged Elayne.

"Allow me to fight Blood Raven," offered Brigit simply.

Kasha snorted, but Akara gazed at the amazon thoughtfully.

"This woman has power and strength of will. She could succeed."

"Then let her try," waved away Kasha, levering herself off of her sword and leaving her companions.

"Do not mind Kasha, she has many things weighing upon her mind," smiled Akara apologetically.

"I do not envy her position. I hope I can aid her and your order," replied Brigit, raking fingers through her blood-soaked hair.

"Rest for tonight. The undead will be less active at dawn," suggested the elderly rogue.

"I'll find a tent for you!" offered Elayne.

"Thank you," smiled Brigit wearily.

***

The tent that Elayne found for Brigit was near one of the merchant wagons. It was drawing close to dusk and the man who owned the wagon was squatting next to a flickering fire, stirring a pot of stew that filled the air with the scent of cooking meat and vegetables. Brigit's mouth watered, she had subsisted on trail bread and water for more days than she cared to think about.

The man who Elayne introduced as Warriv wore a simple blue tunic and brown trousers. He was unshaven, but his short, black hair was clean and he smiled warmly at Brigit and Elayne, nodding a polite greeting.

"Brigit will be using this tent for tonight," said Elayne.

"Would you two like something to eat? I made more than enough for all three of us."

"Thanks, Warriv," grinned Elayne eagerly.

"Is there anywhere I can take a bath?" asked Brigit, tugging at her blood-stained sleeves.

"A hot bath is one of the services I provide," replied Warriv, motioning for Brigit to follow him. With Elayne trailing, Warriv led Brigit to the other side of his wagon, where he had constructed a walled-off area with wide lengths of sheeting. Pulling aside one of the heavy sheets, Warriv presented a huge copper tub with a flourish, water bubbling softly within, heated by a low- banked fire underneath the tub.

"Oh, yes," sighed Brigit dreamily.

"A silver," prompted Warriv.

Brigit paid the merchant gladly. Warriv provided Brigit with clean towels for drying, as well as a fresh cake of soap and a small bottle of scented oil.

"Enjoy, my lady. Supper will be waiting when you're done," smiled Warriv before he departed.

Brigit waited until the sheet fell down before she began undressing. As she was climbing into the immense tub, Elayne appeared, lowering the sheet behind her.

"Can I join you?" asked the rogue girl shyly.

"Of course," smiled Brigit, biting her lower lip when the hot water enveloped her long legs and curved hips.

Elayne discarded her leather tunic and skirt, then climbed into the steaming tub with Brigit. The rogue girl took the soap cake and dipped it in the water, then started lathering Brigit's bare back.

Brigit sighed. "That feels wonderful."

After soaping and washing the amazon's back, Elayne guided Brigit to face her. Blushing, Elayne began soaping Brigit's stomach and breasts. Brigit felt arousal warm her loins, she fought to keep from moaning as the young girl's small fingers stroked and massaged her firm, creamy breasts. Elayne's breath quickened, she slowly rinsed Brigit's breasts with handfuls of warm water, smiling softly when she saw Brigit's nipples stiffen with lust.

When Brigit took the soap cake and started lathering Elayne's young tits, the rogue girl leaned forward and quickly kissed Brigit's mouth. Brigit combed her left hand through Elayne's water-soaked, red hair, returning the girl's kiss, but lingering longer upon her soft mouth, gently sucking the young rogue's pink lips.

While they kissed, Elayne rested her small hands on Brigit's lush breasts, caressing the swollen nipples, her fingertips teasing the erect nubs. Brigit ran her tongue down Elayne's throat, her strong arms wrapped around the girl's thin waist. The amazon placed her mouth over Elayne's left nipple and began sucking deeply. Elayne allowed a loud moan to escape her lips, she hugged Brigit's head while the woman licked her nipple languidly, the tip of her tongue caressing, teasing.

Brigit raised Elayne onto the edge of the tub. With the girl's little buttocks pressed against the warm copper of the tub, Brigit spread Elayne's slim, water-slick legs apart and lowered her face between Elayne's milky thighs. Elayne moaned again when Brigit touched her young, hairless pussy with soft, moist lips. Elayne buried her fingers in Brigit's short, blonde hair, her hips shivering while the amazon slurped on her cunt, a quick tongue fondling her throbbing clit, then dipping into the entrance of her wet sex, stroking the yielding folds of her labia.

"Don't stop!" gasped Elayne, hugging Brigit's head, her pelvis quaking as Brigit pushed her mouth inside the rogue girl's vagina, her tongue massaging the quivering pussy flesh. Elayne bucked against Brigit's face, moaning constantly, her eyes squeezed shut in ecstasy as an orgasm ripped through her young, naked body.

Warriv looked up from the fire when Brigit and Elayne emerged from their bath wrapped in warm, clean towels. Several rogues standing idly snickered as Brigit and Elayne passed, Elayne blushed hotly, but Brigit merely grinned and hugged the rogue girl's slender hips. Warriv arched an eyebrow when the two young women took seats around the fire, his dark brown eyes twinkled with amusement. Without a word, Warriv served Brigit and Elayne large bowls of steaming hot stew with warm bread, honey, and mugs of cold ale. The merchant left the women to their meal. When they were done, the two women walked towards Brigit's tent. Brigit opened the tent flap, and smiled when she found a large sleeping roll with two fluffy pillows, a jug of wine, and the unused bottle of oil. Brigit took Elayne's small hand and gently pulled her into the warm tent. As Elayne let her towel fall, Brigit retrieved a gold piece from her money pouch and set it just outside the tent entrance. The amazon tied the tent door securely shut, then she joined the naked rogue girl who was pouring oil into her right palm with a wicked smile on her young, lovely face.

*****