An eerie altar appeared before their eyes, carved with twisted, frenzied patterns. The lines forming the designs pulsed with a sinister red glow, like a dying creature making its final twitches. The red light flickered rapidly, intermittently seeping the remnant hellish power into the air.
In front of the altar sat a magic circle emitting a freezing aura, upon which the seven Rogues were haphazardly piled. Their poses looked like an abstract oil painting, limbs and bodies interlaced to form a cruel blossom. Most terrifying was that the leather armor on their bodies remained intact, and their exposed skin bore no scars.
It was only possible that they had been twisted into this state through sheer force. The expressions on their faces were frozen at the moment of ultimate terror, yet a hint of relief and joy peeked through their dilated pupils.
Leo felt goosebumps rising. Dealing with such bizarre matters was best left to the professionals. He tore open a Town Portal scroll and sent Gerdie back to report to Akara.
When the appointed time arrived, Leo opened the portal again. Gerdie stepped out quickly, followed by a special scroll provided by Akara.
A red portal slowly opened, led by a mature Rogue who embodied every fantasy a man could have, stepping out with a captivating, sultry stride.
"Charming lad, so you are the Leo that Akara has been praising so much? Thank you for your help this time. How about coming to my tent alone tonight? Big sister will teach you properly how to climb towering mountains," a voice thick with hormones rang out.
"Lady Kyoko, please mind the occasion," Daibi followed closely out of the portal, her tone full of helplessness. "Warrior Leo, what happened to our sisters?"
Leo felt overwhelmed; this Kyoko was too hot to handle, and he preferred things a bit milder. Not knowing how to answer Daibi, he simply pointed toward the magic circle on the ground.
Seeing the tragic state of the Rogues, a flash of sorrow crossed Kyoko's eyes, though her face remained languid and flirtatious. Daibi's emotional reaction was far greater; she covered her mouth with both hands as tears flowed silently. Soon, about twenty Rogues emerged from the portal to secure the altar and the magic circle.
An old man leaning on a staff walked out. His eyes were filled with wisdom as he gave a slight, compassionate bow. "Please forgive an old man's intrusion."
He walked toward the altar and began to study it meticulously. "This altar was likely used to provide a channel for hellish power to seep into the Sanctuary. Now that the core has been destroyed, without it, this altar is just a pile of broken stones. Warriors, did you encounter a singular monster this time?"
"We did encounter a special monster; it seemed to have its own thoughts and ultimately chose to self-detonate to end its life." Leo muttered internally—this must be the sage Deckard Cain; he needed to dig for more intel from him.
"If my observations are correct, these special monsters are the key to Hell's power infiltrating the Sanctuary. They build channels for Hell and provide coordinates. Then, the power of Hell continuously assimilates the world," Cain said before turning his gaze to the magic circle on the ground.
Seeing this familiar scene, Cain felt as if he were witnessing the destruction of Tristram all over again, with blood and death everywhere. Demons reveling in the town, madly feasting on human agony and despair. He took a breath. "These poor children; they were made into sacrifices by lesser demons for higher-ranking ones."
Cain rubbed his chin and said with some uncertainty, "However, this bizarre method of sacrifice is something I have never seen before. Given the heavy focus on torturing the soul, I suspect the sacrifice was intended for Andariel, the Maiden of Anguish.
The sacrifice was likely incomplete. If it had been finished, these poor maidens would have been transformed into the undead."
After completing his research, Cain took his leave first, his back slightly hunched.
The Rogues destroyed the altar and the magic circle, beginning the task of collecting their sisters' remains. The scenes in the game were dark and bloody enough, but compared to the real world, they didn't even come close. The dead girls were already stiff and frozen by the magic circle's cold air. The Rogues had no way to extract complete bodies; they had to first dismember their former sisters before piecing them back together.
Unwilling to let the two women watch any longer, Leo tore open a Town Portal scroll.
"Let's go. We'll head back to report to Lady Akara."
Inside Akara's tent, Leo briefly reported the mission process.
"Warrior, you have completed this mission perfectly. This is your reward. Just open the books, and the skill points will be automatically infused into you. Please bring the extra copy to Incest." Akara winked at Leo as she handed him four slightly illusory books bound in cowhide.
After issuing the rewards, Akara's expression turned heavy. "It seems Hell has not been idle these past years. Since you destroyed the altar in the cave, the markings on the astrolabe have decreased slightly.
Strong warriors like you are far too rare. Though it may be asking too much, Kashya is also facing a troubling matter. If you are willing to risk yourselves again, go and ask her." With that, Akara handed Leo a token.
The second main quest was triggered so quickly. It seemed time truly waited for no one. Despite his fatigue, he decided to secure the quest first.
Walking out of the tent, Leo exercised his captain's prerogative again. "Gerdie, Majesty, go handle the loot and prepare several days' worth of supplies. Once you're done, get some good rest. It looks like we'll be busy again tomorrow."
He pulled out the extra skill book. Looking at the thick brown cover, he let out a helpless, bitter smile. Lady Akara, playing matchmaker like this... it's a waste you didn't become a professional one.
"My sister and Gerdie already misunderstand me, and yet you pull this stunt," Leo said to himself, swaying his head in self-satisfaction.
"Master Cain, is Incest here? Lady Akara had me bring something to her." Leo figured she probably wasn't; the sun was still high, and she was likely seizing the time to level up.
"You must be Warrior Leo? I've heard Incest mention you." The old man looked Leo up and down with a beaming smile. Behind him stood a little girl, blinking her large eyes and sizing Leo up along with the old man.
Leo felt uncomfortable all over. What were this old-and-young duo up to? What was there to look at? Suppressing his discomfort, he took out the skill book and handed it to Cain.
Seeing Cain accept the book with a bizarre smile, Leo felt goosebumps all over. Gotta go, gotta go. This old man has a screw loose.
"You're friends, aren't you? Sit for a while before you leave," Cain said warmly, trying to make him stay.
Leo didn't dare linger, making an excuse to flee the scene like the wind.
Inside the tent, Incest breathed a sigh of relief. "Teacher, is he gone?"
"He's gone, he's gone. If you care so much, why didn't you come out yourself?" Seeing his disciple fall silent again, Cain shook his head. "I can't manage the affairs of you young people. As long as you are happy."
"Sister Incest, I think that brother is very handsome. He has the same hair, eyes, and skin as you. You look like a perfect match!" Seeing the stranger was gone, the little girl ran out to voice her opinion.
Incest picked up the little girl and rubbed her chubby cheeks. "Little dummy, what nonsense are you talking about? That brother and I aren't even friends."
"Leah is not a dummy! Leah is going to be a great scholar like Grandpa in the future!"