Diablo III: The Order

DeckardCainmadehiswayacrossthefloor,followingthefootprintstoanalcoveinthefarwall.Rottedboardsclungtosupports,thelastremainsofanancientlibrary.Thishadbeenaritualchamber,manycenturiesbefore,usedtosummonthingsfrombeyondthehumanworld.AportaltotheBurningHellsthemselves,perhaps.Theshelveswereemptynow.Hesawaspeckofyellowunderneathasplinterofwoodandbenttopickupacornerofparchmentpaper,curledandspeckledwithmildew.Somethingmovedintheshadowstohisright.Hewhirled,holdingthelightup.Foramomentitappearedasiftheshadowsthemselveswerealive,bunchingandswirlinglikeinkinwater.Atthesametime,avoicelikethedistantmoanofwinddriftedthroughtheemptyroomandraisedthehairsonthebackofhisneck.``DeckaaaaarrddddCaiiinnnn...``Cainfeltastrangedoubling,amemoryofanightmanyyearsbefore,whenhewasjustaboy.Awhisperedvoicecallingtohim,justlikethis.Hebackedaway,fumblinginhisrucksackwithonehand,holdingthelightedstaffwiththeotheragainstthedarkness.Alreadyhewasdoubtinghimself:haditjustbeenthewindmovingthroughthebrokenremainsofthebuildingabovehim,atrickhismindhadplayedaftersolonginthesun?Thevoicecameagain,asoundlikebonesscrapingtogetherinthegrave.``Yourghostsaremany,oldman,andtheyareactive.``Agratingofmetaloverrockseemedtocomefromeverywhereatonce.Onceagainapoolofblacksmokethickenedandthendissipated,onlytoreassemblesomewhereelse:ashapecarryingasword,theformofaman,butwitheyesthatglowedredwiththefiresofhell.Cainknewwhatthiswas,yankedfromthedepthsofhisownmindandusedagainsthim:theimageoftheDarkWandererhimself,conjureduptoweakenhisresolve.Thesmokeshapeswirledandshifted,reformingintotwoindistincthumanshapes,onetallerandclearlyfemale,onesmallanddelicate.ShockracedthroughCain'slimbsasanolder,familiarmemoryfoughttosurface.Heclosedhiseyesagainstthedarknessastheyawningpitofdespairopenedwithinhim,threateningtopullhimin.`Youmustnotlisten.````***`DeckardCainisthelastoftheHoradrim,thesolesurvivingmemberofamysteriousandlegendaryorder.AssembledbythearchangelTyrael,theHoradrimwerechargedwiththesacreddutyofseekingoutandvanquishingthethreePrimeEvils:Diablo(theLordofTerror),Mephisto(theLordofHatred),andBaal(theLordofDestruction).Butthatwasmanyyearsago.Asthedecadespassed,theHoradrim'sstrengthdiminished,andtheyfellintoobscurity.Nowalloftheircollectedhistory,tactics,andwisdomliewithintheagedhandsofoneman.Amanwhoisgrowingconcerned.Darkwhisperingshavebeguntofilltheair,talesofancientevilstirring,rumblingsofademonicinvasionsettotearthelandapart.Amidthemountingdread,DeckardCainuncoversstartlingnewinformationthatcouldbringaboutthesalvationorruinofthemortalworld:otherremnantsoftheHoradrimstillexist.Hemustunravelwheretheyhavebeenandwhytheyarehidingfromoneoftheirown.AsCainsearchesforthelostmembersofhisorder,heisthrustintoanalliancewithanunlikelyally:Leah,aneightyearoldgirlfearedbymanytocarryadiabolicalcurse.Whatishersecret?HowisittiedtotheprophesiedEndofDays?AndifthereareotherlivingHoradrim,willtheybeabletostandagainstoblivion?ThesearethequestionsDeckardCainmustanswer......beforeitistoolate.``