A/N: This: "Hi, I'm booger." Is when they're talking. This: {What went
wrong?} Is when they're thinking. Something I should do more often. ;-)
Disclaimer: Diablo 1 and Diablo II are both registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment. I have no ownership rights to either of them...I just wrote what's in here, however bad it is. :P
The Hero's
Prologue: Tristram's Fall
Cain looked up, sorrow upon his face.
"He's dead."
He rest Ogden's head down while Griswold stood up. He had a mad glare in his eyes, and Cain knew what he was thinking. Cain grabbed hold of his arm and spoke softly to him.
"I know how you feel, but you can't just throw yourself to them!"
Griswold grunted and shook Cain's grip easily. "We'll see who does the thowin'." He ran off, heading back towards town.
"Griswold, you can't!" Cain shouted out in misery. He bent his head down and wondered. Wondered how everything could have happened this fast. {What went wrong?}
Griswold started toward his shop, knowing what would be in there, yet not caring. He swung open the door, and not hearing Cain's last warning, stepped inside. It smelled of oil and smoke. He knew they had been setting fires, so he wasn't too worried. He went further inside and grabbed an axe. He grabbed a short sword for Cain, knowing that he wouldn't be able to carry much. He started towards the door again, when he heard small giggles from behind him. He swung around and in doing so set his fate...
Cain heard the cry from Griswold's shop and started sobbing. He knew they would come for him. That's why Diablo had started for Tristram in the first place...Because he was the last Horadric Sage.
The Man was huddled over, hiding his face from Cain. It didn't matter, he knew who it was anyway. The red glow coming from within' the robe gave him away easily enough. Cain was about to ask him why he had done this, all of this destruction, this death, to the very town he had saved, when Griswold walked in. Cain gasped in horror and disgust, as Griswold walked foward, reanimated by the evil and hatred that once burned in his living body. He spoke to the man, addressing him only as sir.
"Sir, the holding chamber is ready." The man mumbled something, then waved his hand. The creature that was Griswold bowed slightly, causing the skin on his lower back split down the middle. Cain shrunk back in his seat, feeling very sick. The man started laughing and lifted his hood.
Fire glazed eyes pierced him, yet not without a hint of shame and sorrow. Cain started to loose his breath when the man moved toward him.
"It seems, Deckard Cain, that I was too strong for him after all..." He grinned evily, then walked out the door.
Cain swung slowly in his gibbet, his new prison that they had him placed in. They fed him, and when he refused to eat they forced him to. As far as he knew, the world could be dead. It certainly was around him. He wept in sorrow sometimes, because he now knew, now realized...Evil is still alive...
Chapter One: They Awaken.
The old Necromancer sat silently, thinking of all that would soon be. He knew there was a great evil coming, and that he was among the chosen to fight it. He pondered this while life went on as normally as it did in the jungle. There were children playing with fake wands, trying in vain to raise a frog from life. The teacher, Kifna, was showing some of the more gifted young ones their very first curse. The more experienced of the Necromancers were either guarding the outskirts of the jungle, or at the kings' side. Night eventually fell as the Necromancer chanted a spell to a golem guard nearby. He immediatly came over and helped the old Necromancer up. He had decided.
The Necromancer bowed slightly to the King. The king nodded, and asked: "You have reached a decision?"
"That I have, majesty."
The king gestured for him to proceed.
"I will go at once, with your leave. I will need nothing, as I have all I need already." He tapped his head. "I only ask one thing of you."
The king nodded again.
"I wish to be allowed to visit the Temple of Rathma...Alone."
There were a series of gasps, but the king alone looked unsuprised.
"Both my leave and your wish are granted. That is all."
The Necromancer bowed and backed away, when the king called out on last time.
"Teiln!"
The Necromancer turned around. "Yes?"
"Don't get killed, my brother."
Teiln shrugged and grinned, "Why not? It's all a part of life...Brother."
The young Barbarian smiled. "Home." He rushed throughout the village, looking around for a sign of anyone. He was confused. Why wasn't anyone there to welcome him? He opened the door of a shop, only to close it swiftly. Somebody had found them...Somebody had found his home. He ran, bewildered, child-like. Stumbling through the ruins of temporary settlements. {They didn't move soon enough...My fault!} He picked throughout the buildings, only finding dead people. Some of the people he didn't reconize. Some where...Different. He started to run again, strangely at peace. Or at least until he came apon his old house, tallest of all the others. His father was the chief of the village, the most blessed by Bul- Kathos among them. It had gone from father to son for 25 generations. He had been the broken link. He shook a little, feeling dizzy. He layed down, and cried out for his father, while he passed into a dream of memories...
"He's just not as smart as the others. That doesn't mean he can't be the next chief!"
Bran snuck closer, listening to his mother and father argue.
"He should be smarter then the others! He's eighteen and can't even keep up with the six year olds!"
Bran practically felt his mothers' fury.
"It doesn't matter! He has the bloodline! He has strength! He's st-"
"Still part of the family? I know that! But, strength isn't the only thing a chief needs! He needs to have courage. Is Bran smart enough to know what can hurt him out there? No! Can he plan? No! It's not going to work!"
Bran heard his mother step back from his father. He knew this, because he was always in tune with nature. He hadn't told anyone though. He just thought that everyone was able to.
"If you insult our son one more time, I promise that I'll kill you!"
Bran heard his father laugh. "Try it, dear. Please. I'd like to see something as...Vicious as you attack me."
Bran's mother sniffed. "You mock me as if I were nothing. Your so arrogant that you don't see past yourself and your damned pride!"
Bran heard something shatter, and then a cry of pain. He couldn't tell whether it was his mother or father. He rushed into the house and seen his father standing over his mother with a knife. He ran up, but his father had already stabbed her many times. Bran grabbed his father's hand and twisted it until he heard a sharp crack. His father cried out in pain, as Bran stopped, confused and bewildered all of a sudden.
His father stepped away from him, holding his broken wrist so tightly that the blood stopped flowing to it. He took off outside the house, as Bran looked at his mother and started screaming.
Bran shook off his head. He remembered dreaming. Yes, dreaming about the evil father. His father had later accused Bran of killing his mother. Bran was so confused at the hostility of it all, that he took off. {And no everyone's gone because stupid Bran ran away. They came look for Bran, but Bran hid. Make them stay too long.} He started crying. He was still weeping when he heard a voice.
{Evil is still alive...} He jumped at the voice, hugging himself tightly. He heard faint cries for help, but knew they were far, far away. Then he heard a new voice speak:
{It is time...Join us, brother.} Bran cried out, for when this voice spoke it hurt him. He knew that the first voice didn't mean to call for him. Just thoughts caught from the air. But the second one wanted to hurt him. Yes, Bran knew that. "Bran smart when need be." He shook back and forth and decided to find this first voice. He knew the first voice was nice. He understood good and evil. That's one of the few things he did. He also knew it was connected to the second one in a way, and he knew that whatever they were, both voices were a power of some sort. So, as the day darkened to night, the wandering Barbarian set out to rescue Deckard Cain.
Ally jumped to the side, as her older sister thrust with her spear. "That the best you got?" Ally taunted. Her sister grunted, throwing herself at Ally's shield. She knocked it out of the way, and put her spear on the base of her throat.
"Heh, you still have much to learn, little sister." Ally threw aside her short sword, rubbing at her now sore neck. Her sister was always making fun of her, just because she was the younger one. They had been intense rivals 'since Ally was born, always fighting for the attention of the elder's. She got up and walked off toward the nearest tree. She leaped up, grabbing onto a brach and swung herself to one of the many platforms hidden in the trees. Her friends, Grey and Armos were up there, waiting for her.
"Did you see that?" Ally asked as she accepted a drink of water from Armos' jug.
"Yeah, we saw." Grey said. "Pure beauty, liked the way you falled." Ally punched him in the arm.
"You and I both know you couldn't do any better."
Armos shifted, "Well, maybe it's because us men aren't 'allowed' to be warriors, hmm?"
Ally groaned, "Not this again...Like I said, it's not my fault that you can't. Take it up with the council."
"But you are the head council leader's daughter! Surely you'd have some influence!"
Ally rolled her eyes, "I've told you before...I don't!"
As they continued arguing, an unseen eye was watching them from above. It floated down, daring the Amazon's powers of detecting it. It swooped around, and came back to the leader. He took it into his hands, listening and watching...
"So, why are we being called for?"
Ally shrugged to her sister, Nali. "You'd know better then me. I wasn't told a thing."
"Neither have I."
"Well, maybe we'll finally be put on some kind of patrol duty?"
Nali laughed, "Or maybe I will be."
"Yeah? Then why would they call for me too?"
"Who knows? Maybe you'll get to carry all my stuff."
Ally sniffed as the gates opened to the palace. Ally took in the wonderful scenes, the beautiful canopy, sun barely shining through. The gate and the walls were made of intertwined bark and twisted roots. Everything they had here was made of wood. She kept thinking to herself of this beautiful city, when they came upon the inner chambers. The roof was so high that it barely reached above the treetops, which was a considerable height. The room was rounded, shining bright with sunlight from a hole in the center of the roof. Her father on the right hand side of Queen Falcos, ruler of the Amazons. Upon her forehead there rested a crown with the crests of the major deities. Athulua in the center, spreading power to all the lesser deities. The Queen called for them to stop. They obeyed and immediatly showed their respect, bowing deeply.
The Queen spoke, "I have determined that one of you shall jouney on a quest. This is no ordinary thing however. They shall be death along it's way, whether it is yours' or not."
The girls nodded, showing that they understood.
The Queen motioned for them to come foward. "Now, I will ask each of you a question. Whomever get's an answer wrong loses by default. It may seem like a crude way to go about this, but it is the only fair way I can think of." She turned and addressed Ally. "What is my real name?"
Ally quickly replied, "Queen Falcos."
The Queen clapped her hands. "It is determined then. Nali shall go."
Ally slumped down, but didn't lose heart. She was going to have a talk with Nali soon...
"Nali, your orders as of this moment, are to rendevous with two others. A Paladin from the Order of Zakarum and a Sorceress from the clan of Zann Esu. Then you are to assist the townsfolk. Do you understand?"
Nali nodded, and left the chamber quickly.
Disclaimer: Diablo 1 and Diablo II are both registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment. I have no ownership rights to either of them...I just wrote what's in here, however bad it is. :P
The Hero's
Prologue: Tristram's Fall
Cain looked up, sorrow upon his face.
"He's dead."
He rest Ogden's head down while Griswold stood up. He had a mad glare in his eyes, and Cain knew what he was thinking. Cain grabbed hold of his arm and spoke softly to him.
"I know how you feel, but you can't just throw yourself to them!"
Griswold grunted and shook Cain's grip easily. "We'll see who does the thowin'." He ran off, heading back towards town.
"Griswold, you can't!" Cain shouted out in misery. He bent his head down and wondered. Wondered how everything could have happened this fast. {What went wrong?}
Griswold started toward his shop, knowing what would be in there, yet not caring. He swung open the door, and not hearing Cain's last warning, stepped inside. It smelled of oil and smoke. He knew they had been setting fires, so he wasn't too worried. He went further inside and grabbed an axe. He grabbed a short sword for Cain, knowing that he wouldn't be able to carry much. He started towards the door again, when he heard small giggles from behind him. He swung around and in doing so set his fate...
Cain heard the cry from Griswold's shop and started sobbing. He knew they would come for him. That's why Diablo had started for Tristram in the first place...Because he was the last Horadric Sage.
The Man was huddled over, hiding his face from Cain. It didn't matter, he knew who it was anyway. The red glow coming from within' the robe gave him away easily enough. Cain was about to ask him why he had done this, all of this destruction, this death, to the very town he had saved, when Griswold walked in. Cain gasped in horror and disgust, as Griswold walked foward, reanimated by the evil and hatred that once burned in his living body. He spoke to the man, addressing him only as sir.
"Sir, the holding chamber is ready." The man mumbled something, then waved his hand. The creature that was Griswold bowed slightly, causing the skin on his lower back split down the middle. Cain shrunk back in his seat, feeling very sick. The man started laughing and lifted his hood.
Fire glazed eyes pierced him, yet not without a hint of shame and sorrow. Cain started to loose his breath when the man moved toward him.
"It seems, Deckard Cain, that I was too strong for him after all..." He grinned evily, then walked out the door.
Cain swung slowly in his gibbet, his new prison that they had him placed in. They fed him, and when he refused to eat they forced him to. As far as he knew, the world could be dead. It certainly was around him. He wept in sorrow sometimes, because he now knew, now realized...Evil is still alive...
Chapter One: They Awaken.
The old Necromancer sat silently, thinking of all that would soon be. He knew there was a great evil coming, and that he was among the chosen to fight it. He pondered this while life went on as normally as it did in the jungle. There were children playing with fake wands, trying in vain to raise a frog from life. The teacher, Kifna, was showing some of the more gifted young ones their very first curse. The more experienced of the Necromancers were either guarding the outskirts of the jungle, or at the kings' side. Night eventually fell as the Necromancer chanted a spell to a golem guard nearby. He immediatly came over and helped the old Necromancer up. He had decided.
The Necromancer bowed slightly to the King. The king nodded, and asked: "You have reached a decision?"
"That I have, majesty."
The king gestured for him to proceed.
"I will go at once, with your leave. I will need nothing, as I have all I need already." He tapped his head. "I only ask one thing of you."
The king nodded again.
"I wish to be allowed to visit the Temple of Rathma...Alone."
There were a series of gasps, but the king alone looked unsuprised.
"Both my leave and your wish are granted. That is all."
The Necromancer bowed and backed away, when the king called out on last time.
"Teiln!"
The Necromancer turned around. "Yes?"
"Don't get killed, my brother."
Teiln shrugged and grinned, "Why not? It's all a part of life...Brother."
The young Barbarian smiled. "Home." He rushed throughout the village, looking around for a sign of anyone. He was confused. Why wasn't anyone there to welcome him? He opened the door of a shop, only to close it swiftly. Somebody had found them...Somebody had found his home. He ran, bewildered, child-like. Stumbling through the ruins of temporary settlements. {They didn't move soon enough...My fault!} He picked throughout the buildings, only finding dead people. Some of the people he didn't reconize. Some where...Different. He started to run again, strangely at peace. Or at least until he came apon his old house, tallest of all the others. His father was the chief of the village, the most blessed by Bul- Kathos among them. It had gone from father to son for 25 generations. He had been the broken link. He shook a little, feeling dizzy. He layed down, and cried out for his father, while he passed into a dream of memories...
"He's just not as smart as the others. That doesn't mean he can't be the next chief!"
Bran snuck closer, listening to his mother and father argue.
"He should be smarter then the others! He's eighteen and can't even keep up with the six year olds!"
Bran practically felt his mothers' fury.
"It doesn't matter! He has the bloodline! He has strength! He's st-"
"Still part of the family? I know that! But, strength isn't the only thing a chief needs! He needs to have courage. Is Bran smart enough to know what can hurt him out there? No! Can he plan? No! It's not going to work!"
Bran heard his mother step back from his father. He knew this, because he was always in tune with nature. He hadn't told anyone though. He just thought that everyone was able to.
"If you insult our son one more time, I promise that I'll kill you!"
Bran heard his father laugh. "Try it, dear. Please. I'd like to see something as...Vicious as you attack me."
Bran's mother sniffed. "You mock me as if I were nothing. Your so arrogant that you don't see past yourself and your damned pride!"
Bran heard something shatter, and then a cry of pain. He couldn't tell whether it was his mother or father. He rushed into the house and seen his father standing over his mother with a knife. He ran up, but his father had already stabbed her many times. Bran grabbed his father's hand and twisted it until he heard a sharp crack. His father cried out in pain, as Bran stopped, confused and bewildered all of a sudden.
His father stepped away from him, holding his broken wrist so tightly that the blood stopped flowing to it. He took off outside the house, as Bran looked at his mother and started screaming.
Bran shook off his head. He remembered dreaming. Yes, dreaming about the evil father. His father had later accused Bran of killing his mother. Bran was so confused at the hostility of it all, that he took off. {And no everyone's gone because stupid Bran ran away. They came look for Bran, but Bran hid. Make them stay too long.} He started crying. He was still weeping when he heard a voice.
{Evil is still alive...} He jumped at the voice, hugging himself tightly. He heard faint cries for help, but knew they were far, far away. Then he heard a new voice speak:
{It is time...Join us, brother.} Bran cried out, for when this voice spoke it hurt him. He knew that the first voice didn't mean to call for him. Just thoughts caught from the air. But the second one wanted to hurt him. Yes, Bran knew that. "Bran smart when need be." He shook back and forth and decided to find this first voice. He knew the first voice was nice. He understood good and evil. That's one of the few things he did. He also knew it was connected to the second one in a way, and he knew that whatever they were, both voices were a power of some sort. So, as the day darkened to night, the wandering Barbarian set out to rescue Deckard Cain.
Ally jumped to the side, as her older sister thrust with her spear. "That the best you got?" Ally taunted. Her sister grunted, throwing herself at Ally's shield. She knocked it out of the way, and put her spear on the base of her throat.
"Heh, you still have much to learn, little sister." Ally threw aside her short sword, rubbing at her now sore neck. Her sister was always making fun of her, just because she was the younger one. They had been intense rivals 'since Ally was born, always fighting for the attention of the elder's. She got up and walked off toward the nearest tree. She leaped up, grabbing onto a brach and swung herself to one of the many platforms hidden in the trees. Her friends, Grey and Armos were up there, waiting for her.
"Did you see that?" Ally asked as she accepted a drink of water from Armos' jug.
"Yeah, we saw." Grey said. "Pure beauty, liked the way you falled." Ally punched him in the arm.
"You and I both know you couldn't do any better."
Armos shifted, "Well, maybe it's because us men aren't 'allowed' to be warriors, hmm?"
Ally groaned, "Not this again...Like I said, it's not my fault that you can't. Take it up with the council."
"But you are the head council leader's daughter! Surely you'd have some influence!"
Ally rolled her eyes, "I've told you before...I don't!"
As they continued arguing, an unseen eye was watching them from above. It floated down, daring the Amazon's powers of detecting it. It swooped around, and came back to the leader. He took it into his hands, listening and watching...
"So, why are we being called for?"
Ally shrugged to her sister, Nali. "You'd know better then me. I wasn't told a thing."
"Neither have I."
"Well, maybe we'll finally be put on some kind of patrol duty?"
Nali laughed, "Or maybe I will be."
"Yeah? Then why would they call for me too?"
"Who knows? Maybe you'll get to carry all my stuff."
Ally sniffed as the gates opened to the palace. Ally took in the wonderful scenes, the beautiful canopy, sun barely shining through. The gate and the walls were made of intertwined bark and twisted roots. Everything they had here was made of wood. She kept thinking to herself of this beautiful city, when they came upon the inner chambers. The roof was so high that it barely reached above the treetops, which was a considerable height. The room was rounded, shining bright with sunlight from a hole in the center of the roof. Her father on the right hand side of Queen Falcos, ruler of the Amazons. Upon her forehead there rested a crown with the crests of the major deities. Athulua in the center, spreading power to all the lesser deities. The Queen called for them to stop. They obeyed and immediatly showed their respect, bowing deeply.
The Queen spoke, "I have determined that one of you shall jouney on a quest. This is no ordinary thing however. They shall be death along it's way, whether it is yours' or not."
The girls nodded, showing that they understood.
The Queen motioned for them to come foward. "Now, I will ask each of you a question. Whomever get's an answer wrong loses by default. It may seem like a crude way to go about this, but it is the only fair way I can think of." She turned and addressed Ally. "What is my real name?"
Ally quickly replied, "Queen Falcos."
The Queen clapped her hands. "It is determined then. Nali shall go."
Ally slumped down, but didn't lose heart. She was going to have a talk with Nali soon...
"Nali, your orders as of this moment, are to rendevous with two others. A Paladin from the Order of Zakarum and a Sorceress from the clan of Zann Esu. Then you are to assist the townsfolk. Do you understand?"
Nali nodded, and left the chamber quickly.