The City Robbed of Life

Anne's last words were hitting me hard. I knew she was under the influence of the spell engulfing the city but still...why? Why they are suffering so much?
I slowly walked across the dusty haze, unable to see anything when I heard footsteps. I grasped my sword tightly. Since I had crossed Brackenridge, I had known to slash at any incoming sound.
"There'll be no need for that", A soft voice greeted me. I blinked rapidly to see through the haze...
A girl was striding towards me. Her face was masked, and she was wearing the same uniform as Dimitrius.
"Sorina?" I asked, not sure if I remembered the name correctly.
"That's right, hero of Brackenridge." She said loftily. I could've sworn she smiled under that mask. I blushed a little. Her eyes were oddly familiar, maybe I'd seen a pair like that somewhere before...
We paced through the debris and dead soldiers, remains of skeletons... Sorina updated me about the horrific situation we were in.
"I couldn't kill Anne", She said sadly, "I ran away, leaving Dimitrius out there...I just couldn't...I felt pity for her."
I couldn't tell her how easily I killed Anne. Maybe I was, too, influenced by the sinister magic spread around...
The world just wasn't fair that way. Few years ago, Arlor was one of the wealthiest continents on the face of earth, and now, it's on fire, the whole of it.
We quickened our pace. Dead soldiers ambushed us again and again, we slashed and slashed...somewhere deep inside their sunken souls, I could feel a tinge of human soul that thanked us for freeing them.
I wasn't forgetting Morgana. They were the first victims of that curse...in fact, everything was like...planned by a central evil..Brackenridge, The Rooks area...Monsters like Bael were just pawns for gamble.
"You're not going to like this", Sorina whispered, "Before we reach Arcanum, there's something we need to cross."
"Something?" I raised my eyebrow.
"We don't know what it is yet", Dorina said, "We need to meet Captain here, he was patrolling the area around the entrance."
"And there he is", I pointed out. Could never miss that big hulking figure anywhere in Arlor.
"What took you so long?" Rutger grunted. He had plenty of new scars on his face and a side of his moustache was hanging from the hinge.
"We met resistance", Sorina told him, "Had to slow down to keep our heads on our bodies."
"Again? I thought I cleaned the whole way for you!" Rutger glowered at us.
"There is no point, Captain", I said, glancing around,"They don't seem to stop...new ones keep rising...we need to reach the artifact before it's too late."
"Damn right you are", Rutger sighed," I have bad news though. The Entrance is guarded by a troll."
Sorina looked skeptic, but I quickly caught up.
"I killed a troll on my way to krag..."
"The one the ruddy rooks were trying to chain up?" Rutger said,"This one makes that one look like a baby Esteban."
Well, seriously bad news.
"Stay back", I advised Sorina as we sped up again. Rutger didn't join us. He probably needed to reattach his fallen moustache.
"I'm a commando", She said calmly, "It's my job to die for people."
"Yeah I see that", I said, "But dying is not exactly a pleasant job in this city. If you die, you'll just come back and attack me instead."
We could hear a distant grunt which sounded like a dragon was farting.
"There it is", I sighed.
"Save your energy", Said Sorina, "I'd clear up the way for you."
For a girl, Sorina was stronger than Anne. I would certainly have asked her out if I wasn't dating Karin...
We finally reached the troll. It smelled like pus and goo, and was even bigger than the one at the rook's cage.
"I'll help with the medics and hold him off while you recover," Sorina said.
I nodded and concentrated. A red glow covered me up and I felt much stronger than before. I jumped aside while the Troll's club shook the area.
"Attack from behind!" Sorina yelled at me.
"I know, I know", I gritted my teeth and made a giant dash for the Troll's broad back.
Almost half an hour later, we were standing there with a dead troll and ourselves covered in green troll booger.
"I need 50 baths when we sort this out", I muttered to myself. Sorina chuckled...maybe I was too loud.
"Captain and Dimitrius would be right behind us", Sorina remarked, "We'll need all the help we can get at the Tower."
"Alright, see you in a bit then, I'll go first and try to make the way a little easier."
"Be careful, Hero", Sorina said, "Stay alive...and do not worry, we all will have our peace back very soon with you here."
Sorina slowly dropped her mask and kissed me on the cheek.
I blushed a lot...maybe I was on fire like that pumpkin mask I saw a few hooligans wearing. I'd rather not tell Karin this....
Everything was silent. Not a bird, not a ugly zombie. Even my pet ribbit was silently trying to catch a fly.
I strode into the Arcanum, not knowing what awaited me there.

I thought its Kraag?!