Several Years Later...

I thought that relocating to the Estherian Steppes, a stone's throw away from the Enclave, would be safer than trying to rebuild back at Torchlight. For a time, it was a bit more peaceful, though there was the occasional wild animal that decided that tall fences weren't meant to keep them out. For a time, it was nothing that we couldn't handle in our sleep.

Malia was the first to notice that things were changing. She is so much more connected to the Ember than I am, and picks up on the subtlest changes. When she informed me that corruption was drifting towards the Steppes, I didn't understand what she meant, and she really couldn't find the words to explain it better.

When Torchlight went up in flames, the smoke was visible from nearly everywhere, and Malia told me the corruption had arrived. She advised taking what was necessary, and leaving our home before the corruption engulfed the area, so we packed up and headed to the Estherian Enclave.

Neither of us are the kind of folk that can stand being in the Enclave long. Malia has to wear hooded robes and bind her tail up, as many would not take kind to a Dark Acolyte, given they were part of the forces that lay beneath Torchlight. It was not long before we made our way into Echo Pass and down to an obscure little tavern and inn.

Little did we know that trouble was already waiting there for us.

The Destroyer was there, though I almost didn't recognise him. He was warning people that the Alchemist, the man who had betrayed all of Estheria, was coming back, that he was at fault for the destruction of Torchlight. He was preparing an defence force, but needed people to warn the Enclave; while we would have rather stayed to fight, Malia advised delivering the message for him.

And so we made our way back to the Enclave, fighting the whole way there; it seemed that this corruption was drawing the attention of all kinds of unsightly creatures, as it had the first time Estheria was in danger. Even the undead were returning in force.