After the Shards of the Ancients seized power over the creatures living nearby and with the help of these puppets continued their endless confrontation, legendary heroes from different parts of the world began to flock to the battlefields.
Then they appeared - merchants who offered even more powerful heroes even more powerful artifacts that helped them in battle. Where these merchants came from is unknown, and who their creator is too. But one thing the heroes knew for sure - these seemingly weak and defenseless shopkeepers are under strict supervision and protection of the gods, so jokes with them are bad. Rumor about this spread among ordinary people, so no one risked profiting from precious artifacts.
However, the years passed and what was once an indisputable truth began to slowly turn into myths and fairy tales. Among the thieves, more and more often began to run through plans to rob merchants at the Battle of the Ancients, but no one dared to bring these plans to life.
Robbery of a merchant
Soon, nevertheless, there was a daredevil who did not believe in these fables about gods and curses and decided to get a little rich. The rogue's name was Roshan. One night, he sneaked to the merchant's shop, and while he slept, he stole an artifact called Aegis. Despite the fact that Roshan did not believe in the rumors about the protection of the merchants' property, having stuffed his prey into a bag, he carefully stood up to his full height and nevertheless began to wait with fear for some kind of divine punishment. A minute passed, then another, and then a third ... But nothing happened. The thief grinned and, quite brave, reached into the merchant's handkerchief to hang down and his breakfast - a large piece of fresh and tasty cheese.
Everything would be fine, but as soon as Roshan was about to leave, he felt that someone had firmly grabbed his hand. Turning, he saw in front of him the awakened merchant, who, instead of making an evil grimace, simply smiled slyly. Roshan jerked his hand in panic, grabbed the glowing green sword lying next to the tent and hit the merchant with it. He staggered a little, but still smiling, collapsed to the ground, dead.
A curse
Roshan, seeing what he had done, quickly rushed away, but he could not get far. A few minutes later, he felt a wild pain that chained his entire body. Roshan began to hear angry voices, his body began to become covered with scales, and the thing he had stolen glowed sharply, and then a bright flash cut through the darkness of the night.
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Literally a moment passed ... Roshan opened his eyes and found himself in a huge rocky pit. He no longer understood who he was and what he was, Roshan only tried to scream, but instead a ferocious demonic roar spread through the pit. An unconscious rage gripped him, and his mind was completely clouded.
It is not known how many days or months he sat in this pit, but once two familiar heroes, whom he had once seen in local taverns, came to see him. During this time, a rumor has already passed around the world that the thief who killed the merchant was cursed by the gods and imprisoned in a deep hole somewhere on the battlefields of the Battle of the Ancients. And everyone who kills him will be given a valuable reward. But Roshan did not remember these heroes. In the form of a demon, he, distraught, rushed to the attack, trying to tear apart the attackers. After a few minutes, he fell. However, the next day he opened his eyes again and found himself in the same hole.
Now Roshan lives only to die, and Aegis is now a curse. The hero who picks up this artifact cannot throw it away until he dies himself. He takes on Roshan's curse, but only for one time. Aegis then returns to the demon again, and he is reborn in order to die again.
