Sacred Arms Remastered.
This was my first ever fanfic. Since writing this story I've written eleven other fanfics in over ten different games on Ffn. I was feeling nostalgic so I went back and read this one. It sucked… badly… really badly. So I've edited it using everything I've learned and hopefully now it won't suck so much ; )
Across the dark hills and windy swept valley a horse with a tired rider came trotting slowly home. The horse moped from side to side nibbling grass on the edges of the path with a rider who was almost completely asleep at the reigns. His hair was black and shiny in the clouded sun like a polished boot. Luckily for him his horse hadn't strayed from the path, a mistake that would not have been fatal normally, but in his present circumstances little though he knew it, could easily become a result.
The wind hummed cold and the dark clouds above oppressed on his sleepy mind. His eyes opened slowly and he gazed out on the windy and crag swept horizon. The path stretched out far into the distance over the hills and onwards. Dull grass and broken fenced meadows were scattered across the land.
"Where am I?" he whispered with a hoarse voice. He pushed himself up slowly and the horse jerked back into command straying quickly back onto the path as if pretending nothing had happened. It seemed worried somehow, anxious at something that the warrior himself could not see.
For he was of course a warrior, Beredreth was his name and he rode upon a black horse called as he called it: "Steed". A name that lacking in originality had a charm to it that made up for itself only in the owner's mind. He looked up slowly with unbelieving eyes and repeated himself louder "Where am I?" he gasped. He had expected the sunny meadows of Tristram, the green grass and the fluffy white clouds that were associated always with spring. Yet no… something had changed, this place was darkly clouded over now, the earth itself had some darkness in it that burrowed up the horses' legs and into his own quivering heart and mind.
"This is not Tristram," he whispered quietly, "I remember Tristram well and it was not like this, there used to be a small village here!" he paused looking to either side. A small house he could see in the distance stood with wooden planks falling apart as if it had been there already for many a year. The doors slammed back and forth in the wind yet he could hear the noise perfectly.
The horse whinnied suddenly as he saw a dark shape cross the horizon. It disappeared behind a hill and he bent down quickly and stroked the beast behind the ear "Easy now" he whispered "Its okay, things may have changed around here but we'll pull through eh?"
Time passed and every hill he went over he came closer to the centre of the old town. But everywhere was the same it seemed, broken down houses and old abandoned churches and wooden sheds and barns that had the roof collapsed in, or even worse appeared to have somehow burned down. The land seemed to be choking under some darkness that came not from above or from bad weather, but seemed as if it came directly from the bowels of the earth itself. Shadows flickered across some trees much closer now. He looked up quickly but only just missed the creatures.
The horse whimpered and he stroked its ear again, he sat upright suddenly and called out across the planes "End this silly game of yours if you want to talk to me then come out who ever you are! I don't appreciate assassins when I'm trying to come home"
Silence. The noise seemed to echo out across the hills and came back to him with a hint of laughter. He widened his eyes and frowned he gazed up at the sky "This land is surely cursed! What happened to the blue sky's I remember and the vegetable carts, which used to be constantly on the move across these roads? Surely Tristram's trade cannot have completely vanished!"
"Are you looking for hope traveller? There's none to be found here" a rattling voice it chilled him to the bone.
He turned the horse round suddenly with a start to find a black robed figure in front of him.
"Who are you traveller and why have you followed me!" demanded Beredreth as loud as he dared.
The figure outstretched a skeleton hand from his black cloak and a cold blade began to materialize in-between his fingers, an icy dagger.
"Undead!" shouted Beredreth loudly "Get out of my way now creature or I shall destroy you!"
The rattling voiced laughed "I wouldn't try that if I were you traveller, things have changed around here since you were last a member of these people… flee, it is your task to warn the waking world of their approaching doom"
The creature did not move but stayed standing. The blade seemed colder now and fear generated from its tip.
"Fine then prepare to meet your end!" roared Beredreth unsheathing a long sharp long sword he pulled on the reigns and galloped towards the creature at high speed. The figure gave a howling shriek and turned away it ran fast away into the trees. Steed was about to run after it but Beredreth pulled hard on the reigns and it slowed to a halt.
"Whoa Steed whoa there, don't follow that creature, that's what he wants us to do get lost in the wilderness and creep up on us when we lie asleep of fatigue! It's too far back we must try and make it to whatever traces of the old Tristram we can hope to find"
After seemingly he had frightened one, the shadows stopped moving across the hillside and did not trouble him for a long while, as darkness started to travel over the land Beredreth became worried that he would never reach the village in time. The creatures of evil excelled in the dark and he had no wish to be caught out on a cold night like this with sleep beckoning him down to death. As the darkness poured over him like syrup he could no longer see the shadows, yet as time passed he began to hear them and knew that this was a whole lot worse.
Steed already tired was gradually becoming exhausted and was stumbling on stones and brambles. Beredreth held his sword tightly as to stay awake, his fingers red were clasped around the hilt.
Mist came up like gas from the ground as the cold set in, and it became hard to see anything at all. The creatures would be upon him soon he knew it and he was losing his concentration for following the path, he couldn't trust his horse to do it alone without his own guidance.
His eyes closed slowly and he felt sleep slowly claiming him, yet one last segment of his vision that was not closed from his low eyebrows kept him awake; a black shape in the darkness that stuck up into the night and through the mist as poignant as if it were a flaming beacon. It looked like a very large tree.
The warrior was about to sit back again but before he could he saw something was hanging from the tree. He came slowly closer and the shapes became more familiar, more human looking, he strayed from the path a little. They were long but too big to be any fruit. Beredreth's hands had become blue from the cold and holding his sword and the reigns. They gradually got closer but it wasn't until they were about three meters that Beredreth saw what it was
"Oh Tyrael!" he chanted looking up in terror and disgust. Above him hanging from the branches by old rotten and worm eaten twisted rope seven people hanged as pale as ice was throttled around the neck. Blood dripped down from their eye sockets evidently fresh enough for Beredreth to see even in that mist. Some had limbs missing here and there others were so maimed they were completely unrecognisable. Beredreth dismounted and stepped forward slowly. His foot landed with a crunch on something slightly wet. Beredreth looked down to see that he had stepped on bones lying on the road. The noise was louder than he had expected.
"What could have done this awful deed!" he whispered eyes flickering and his hand on his mouth open wide and aghast. He was about to cut the victims down when suddenly that same scream hit his ears only much closer and many more of them all sounding one after the other like an unholy cannon. Beredreth turned his head quickly left and looked horrifyingly into the face of an upside down maggot eating hanged man. A skull smiling came through the mist a blade in its hand and he readied himself with his own that luckily he had with him.
"I warned you warrior and now look what you've done," hissed the rattling voice, others came slowly out of the shadows and stared at him, his horse whinnied loudly but loyally stayed in its place.
"You should never have come here," whispered another "Because now you will die, like we died"
They rushed forward and Beredreth stepped back swinging the sword fast round in a double circle. There was a scream as bones fell to the floor. Several blades came it him from different directions and he dodged aside turning them as best as he could away yet the strength of their numbers was overpowering. Out of the shadows a cloaked skeleton with a large axe came at him from behind, he ducked as it lifted the weapon into the air and turning he rammed it on the ribs lifting its rattling bulky body up he threw it fast at his other assailants some of which who collapsed under the weight.
Steed neighed and swayed about as Beredreth swung his blade killing the assassins. He defended bravely with no shield to guard him. The skeletons were not as experienced as he was in fighting. He had been in the wars of Grimdoor and they had been freshly summoned from the ground, the weakest of the dark power's minions.
Even so however the undead had their effect on him. He was scared out of his mind and his blows were not well aimed. A lucky swipe from a skeleton sliced an edge on his leg and he howled in pain swinging a blow to the attacker with returned death in his eyes. More and more appeared and Beredreth had to save Steed from being stabbed, if he lost the horse then he lost his life and escape that both he badly needed.
Beredreth swung his sword madly striking down skeleton after skeleton. Suddenly they stopped and screams disappeared into the distance. They retreated with black laughter and cries of fear away into the mist.
"What, were they!" gasped Beredreth limping over to Steed. Beredreth ripped a piece of cloth from a dead skeleton and wrapped it around his back wound and leg. It itched badly and he flung it away to find that the wound had gotten worse. Quickly more in fear than in haste he mounted Steed and galloped off at high speed along the path. The wound bled badly and he clasped it briefly with one hand to stop the cold coming in as best as he could.
As he crossed over the hills he saw salvation in the distance. Lights, human made lights they glowed up into the night sky, candles and the light of a burning smithy. The screams sounded out behind him suddenly and looking back he could see gaping eyes appearing through the mist. Hollowed dark eyes gazed at him charging forward on skeletal steeds.
"Quickly Steed quickly our attackers follow us!" shouted Beredreth "I beg you Steed for everything we've been through together to today run faster!"
Every time he looked round the skeletons got closer and closer gaining in their never ending lust for the end of life on Beredreth's falling spirit. Their hooves travelled on the wind like their screams and seemed nearer to you than they were. He heard the noise of a metal blade behind him and believed for a moment that it was the end. But… the attackers stopped and seemed to fade away with the screaming. Beredreth had made it into the village luckily for him the skeleton riders had not followed; their fear of the light and of the living was still as cowardly it seemed as it always had been.
*
He rode over to a dark house lit with soft orange candles in each window. He dismounted from Steed and walked over to an old wooden door. The warrior knocked on the wood with a dull rap and listened. It was a big house with a porch, behind him was the old well where Cain used to tell his stories. Beredreth waited and waited but no one seemed to come. He knocked again and looked up at a window with light coming from it above. There was nothing but silence.
Suddenly the door burst open and a man wielding a great battleaxe flung it down just missing Beredreth shouting loud like a lunatic "Death to you creatures and the rest of your kind!"
Beredreth dodged the blow and promptly unsheathed his blade kicked the man down and pointed the sword at his attackers neck "Who are you and why do you attack.... Griswold, is that really you?" said Beredreth surprised. Griswold got up saying "Beredreth I thought you went off on all those quests in Grimdoor! I thought you would never return!"
"My quests are over" answered Beredreth "and now my work is finished and I have come home, yet I do not know how much there is left to return to…"
"You should not have bothered," said Griswold glumly "Things here have gone from bad to worse ever since the day you left"
"What exactly happened here and what are those creatures outside of town!" asked Beredreth with concern and fear in his eyes at having one of his old friends attack him.
Griswold sighed "Come in" he said sadly "I'll treat you to the worst tale you'll ever have to hear"
The dark haired warrior and Griswold the bald but strong blacksmith entered the house. An anvil sat in the middle of the room and a long wall hung many hooks each with various weapons and suits of armour. A table lay in the far corner with different pieces of weapons like blades and handles. A log fire burned with a chair in front of it. Griswold was wearing a red dressing gown and looked rather strange holding a battleaxe with it, he rested the but on the ground "Have a seat" he said turning the fireplace chair around. Griswold moved over and sat on his work table looking at Beredreth
"After you left, people started acting strange, Arch bishop Lazarus kept entering the old horadric monastery more and more often. We thought that he just liked our hospitality at the time and we were very proud to have such an important person around. Then that horrible war started with that silly country, I can't remember what the country was they're all the same to me" said Griswold moving over to the fire
"Things started getting bad up at the old church, we don't know why… strange lights and all. One day King Leroric's son went missing and he blamed us for some reason… he came down here galloping with a group of his soldiers and started inquiring about it and said that we had betrayed him and all! As if we ever would…"
Griswold had a look of sadness in his eyes "I liked king Leoric" he said after a long pause "He knew what was best for his people, but something had changed in him. Its all such a mystery to us village folk, maybe Cain understands? But he keeps so much to himself these days that it's hard to get any stories out of him at all"
Beredreth nodded and urged him on "It then happened that for no known reason things really did start to happen in the old church! The priest went missing and has not been found and those horrible cloaked riders appeared and started to terrorize the landscape," said Griswold poking the coals on the fire
"Lazarus persuaded me and many of the towns folk to take up arms and enter into the crypt of the church and find out what was going on. Me and the others completely refused at first but he persuaded us by telling us that Leoric's son was probably taken down there by those riders and demons, I'd have done anything to help the little tyke and his poor father"
"What happened?" asked Beredreth leaning forward.
"We went down into that horrible place beneath the graves and soil that men should never go… and came back with nothing, Lazarus betrayed us and lead us into a trap against a monster called the Butcher... he killed them all.... the blood was everywhere, I still dream about it to this day"
Beredreth put his head in his hands
"No!" he whispered.
"After that" said Griswold "I managed to escape out with Farnham to the surface, he has never been the same since, you shouldn't have come back Beredreth we live every day with the looming fate of what lies in that church! Lights come out of it those riders exit it more and more often"
"It doesn't matter… I'm going to go down there and make amends to this evil"
Griswold paused "You can't be serious! Think man you'll be killed!"
"I'm dead already if all hope has vanished from Tristram"
The blacksmith was silent and the flames flickered. He again poked the coal with the metal and stamped his feet on the wooden boarding below softly to keep the warmth in him.
"Whenever you need any help," he said presently "With weapons in the church just call on me. I'll fix you up something for bargain price!"
Griswold walked to the open wooden windows looked vaguely out crossed his arms and shut them
"Can't let those beasts get in this way!" said Griswold turning round with a mad look in his eye. He shook his head from side to side before he gazed down at Beredreth's leg with a gasp.
"What the! How did you get those wounds?" he demanded.
Beredreth looked about him with shock before slowly he gazed down at the leg and the tear in his trousers. Blood was still leaking and he hadn't even noticed. He didn't even feel the pain, he'd completely forgotten he'd been hurt.
"The skeleton riders gave it to me" answered Beredreth "Things got nasty, I only just got away in time… if it hadn't been for the light of town they would have killed me for sure"
Griswold walked over and looked at the leg cut again shaking his head from side to side "They won't fear the light forever…"
"My thighs hurt as well," said Beredreth turning round to show the blood stains "I think I caught them on a bramble in all the fighting"
"That ain't very good is it lad" said Griswold morbidly "its just like em to take you from the back them cowards! No good in em. You best stay the night in that state, see Pepin the healer in the morning. He will fix you up for free, he has great healing powers known throughout the land or what is left of it… don't you go expecting any breakfast off me lad though, I'm as hard pressed as it is to feed my own mouth… Ill expect you out in the morning!"
Beredreth was about to retort strongly when he checked himself gazing up into Griswold's worried and pained eyes before he nodded slowly and gazed at the floor.
Griswold strode over to the wall and hung his axe on a metal hold.
"Forgive me for speaking harshly so soon… but I would like to retire for the night" sighed Griswold turning he mounted the steps. Beredreth gazed into the flames he listened to Griswold's footsteps get quieter as he went up the staircase. Beredreth sat thinking. Lazarus was gone Leoric was a madman his son was as good as dead his whole life and vision of the once proud Tristram had been destroyed.
What about Jezalthin where was she now
"Griswold?" called Beredreth
"He's gone up to rest" called back Beredreth in a sleepy voice. He listened to the night for a while, the ravens had been replaced by the occasional howl of a wolf. Somewhere Beredreth thought he heard the riders screaming again far away in the darkness.
Beredreth kept running through the events in his mind, it kept him awake, yet sleep came upon him. An uneasy sleep that held always the hidden fear of death inside of it.
*
Beredreth woke up hoping to see sunlight shining through the curtains. However he received none of this false Utopia. There was silence; only the ravens could be heard again. No sunlight nothing no noise from the town, no noise anywhere.
Groggily he pushed up on the chair to stand up but his leg gave way and he fell on his knees, a hard scab had formed over the wound but it had done little to heal him.
"Damn I'm in no condition to do anything like this!" cried Beredreth in pain. He tried again and stood on one leg and limped over to the open doorway. It was a cold morning. Griswold must have gone out seeing as the door was wide open. Why had he left it so soon? It slammed back and forth emptily in the wind. Stepping out of the dark house he limped over to what he dimly remembered was Pepin's house. There was a bell at the entrance that Beredreth rang from side to side.
"Come in," said a small voice from in side.
Beredreth turned the handle and entered, the door slammed behind him in the wind.
"Hello?" Said Beredreth looking around from side to side. His eyes met a middle-aged man with a white cloak behind a desk that itself had some very strange looking objects on it.
"I haven't seen you around here before" said Pepin looking up at Beredreth through squinting eyes "have you recently moved or have you just not been sick?"
"Pepin, it's me Beredreth, the brother of Jezalthin," stammered Beredreth limping forward.
"Beredreth… yes I remember you. You were the one who went off on that quest"
"Yes, and I have come back to rid this place of whatever terror has nestled under are feet" said Beredreth more bravely than he felt.
"You should not have come back," replied Pepin with a sigh "There is nothing for you here warrior"
"Yes that is what Griswold said but I never was very good at taking advice. I have been wounded in my leg and thigh and I need healing badly if I can be of any assistance to this town, can you help healer?"
Pepin paused and looked briefly across the strange objects on his desk.
"Drink this," he said holding up a strange bottle with a yellow liquid inside.
"What is it?" asked Beredreth taking the glass
"Just a little something special I brewed up last night," answered Pepin mysteriously.
Beredreth looked at the glass and into the yellow liquid with distrust. It seemed to glow and a gas seemed to hover out of it as he stared through the shinny glass. His curious face reflected in the light suddenly and startled him. He looked at Pepin with surprise.
"I don't see what drinking this will have anything to do with healing me" he growled "By the looks of it if I knew any better I'd probably presume you were trying to poison me!"
"Try it" said Pepin with a wave of his hand "I don't make bad potions!"
Beredreth looked at it briefly again observing the gas before lifting it to his lips. Beredreth felt anxious as Pepin watched him eagerly. It met his tongue and did not seem to taste of anything at all. It frothed and seemed to disappear as it went down his throat. A nice feeling generated throughout Beredreth's body. He felt the wounds close on his thigh and leg and he felt energized. The scab crackled and crumbled away to reveal fresh skin and flesh underneath.
Beredreth was not just healed but felt he was full of energy better than before. It was incredible…
"That's quite some drink," said Beredreth gasping at the feeling that surged through his body.
"It's a potion of Rejuvenation a very old recipe that I rediscovered only recently. The old monks of the horadrum discovered this potion which heals you and apparently your mana or as I like to say magical energy as well…"
"Magic power?" inquired Beredreth handing Pepin the bottle.
"I used to see many a spell caster round here in the past in the old days. If you wish to learn their arts then you must read books"
"Magic huh?" said Beredreth with a grunt "Magi and magical heroes are long gone in this land. I saw none in Grimdoor and none here and I doubt I'll ever see any again…"
"Don't be so sure about that" smiled Pepin with a flicker in his eye "If your so sure about that you might want to talk to Adria who has moved in recently, the way she built that hut of hers was certainly not by pure physical ability"
"How much do you charge for those potions?" asked Beredreth courteously.
"I would not buy the rejuvenation if I were you it is expensive, but this healing potion" said Pepin taking a bottle with a red substance in it "will heal you for a small price… one hundred and fifty gold"
"One hundred and fifty! I only have one hundred!" exclaimed Beredreth
"Then I will allow you two of the smaller ones for one hundred," said Pepin coolly.
"Ninety" said Beredreth quickly.
"I don't drop my prices, one hundred or nothing at all!" answered Pepin. Beredreth pulled out a brown bag and emptied its contents onto the desk. Pepin handed Beredreth the two potions.
"Oh by the way Beredreth, good luck, Griswold told me you were going to try and help this town, it seems a bit mean of me to just give you those like… but I have to look after myself. Most people who go in that church die… here take the big one as well for old times sake, but don't expect any more freebees like that"
"Thank you" smiled Beredreth warmly taking the third potion "I'll need it"
"If you're going into that church you will definitely need it!" said Pepin "Every last drop! But don't count on a lot of help from this town they have seen to many deaths already, like me they are all trying to save themselves. They have no kindness left to waste, be careful Beredreth, don't be too much of a hero. I don't want to see you die like the others"
*
Beredreth left the house and went back out into the open. The wind was blowing and he could hear the ravens squawking. Beredreth turned to hear the footsteps of hooves coming towards him. A strong black horse with a strange man came into sight. He had a black cloak on and a bald head. A neat dark brown beard sharp as a spike was embedded in his chin. He held aside a brown stave.
"Good morning friend is this Tristram?" called the man in a deep voice as his horse stopped near the well.
"Yes it is" answered Beredreth suspiciously looking up to the man "and who are you?"
"My name is Darakan I have heard there is trouble in this land. I have come here to relive you of it"
"So have I" said Beredreth "but it is not my trouble"
"Troubles as great in magnitude as these are a trouble to us all my friend"
"Meaning!" said Beredreth
"I don't mean to offend anyone I am just here to help, all is in a good course" answered Darakan with a smile "I can see why you distrust me"
"It better be in a good course" growled Beredreth warningly.
Darakan dismounted and walked slowly over to Beredreth his black robe fluttered in the wind.
"I am here to help not hinder. I can see that you are a warrior, since we have a common interest let us work together for the benefit of these people" his voice was deep and was somehow comforting.
Beredreth paused a moment and pondered. At the moment he didn't really like the man stomping in here like a hero. But he would need all the help he could get, there was no denying that.
"Fine! But let us not hinder each other just work aside each other… and you must not get in my way do you understand?"
"I understand yes, I have heard there is a tavern here meet me there this evening and we shall discuss what is to be done" smiled Darakan
"Did you encounter any trouble on your way?" inquired Beredreth feeling slightly guilty at his speaking out of turn.
"No not much, I may have relived some of their troubles but I'm not sure that counts," answered Darakan with a twinkle in his eyes"
*
After this conversation Beredreth left with a strange mixture of feelings. Was this good that Darakan would join him? As long as he did not get in his way Beredreth would be happy. That glint in his eye could not have been purely from the sun it was unnatural. There was something strange about the man.
Suddenly Beredreth remembered. He had not checked Jezalthin's house to see if she was at home. Where was Steed? He left him outside after he had gone into Griswold's house but he was not there now.
"Jezalthin first" said Beredreth to himself.
He started walking but he realized that he really wanted to run. He ran up the path away from the well past the tavern and onto an old house. He entered through the doorway and looked around in a panic.
A small room with cooking pots and spoons. He raced up the stairs to the second floor. His bed was no longer there neither his fathers but Jezalthin's was. She was not in the room or anywhere to be seen.
Beredreth walked down the staircase slowly wondering what had happened to her. He left the house and looked around outside across the dull grass and silent moors. He could hear a river lapping in the distance. Cows were out on a field mooing yet nobody watched or tended to them as if even the owners themselves had died. Beredreth spied Steed and another horse next to them. Darakan was feeding Steed some grains. Beredreth felt a little angry but at least Steed would get a free meal. It was Darakan's fault if he wanted to waste his own supplies like that.
As Beredreth listened slowly he heard the chopping of wood. He looked to his left and saw the church in the distance. The clouds were greyest there and as Beredreth gazed at it and the red clouds above it a strange light suddenly lit up and faded from the windows. The darkness and evil was as sure as anything coming from that one place.
His ears returned to the sound of chopping wood again and with a shrug he walked left from the house and up towards the sound. Among some trees on the edge of a forest Beredreth found Griswold.
"Hello there!" called Beredreth walking over towards Griswold. Griswold turned to look at Beredreth "Hello lad, you feeling better after Pepin?" replied Griswold slamming his axe into a chopped tree.
"Is that the axe you had last night?" asked Beredreth with mere curiosity.
"This?" laughed Griswold pulling the axe out again "Nah this one is for cutting trees, I save the other beauty for cutting flesh!" said Griswold with a nasty grin "Demons of course, the blood rots the metal and I often have to sharpen it"
"Do you know where I might find my sister Jezalthin? Asked Beredreth with a worried glance at the unholy church in the distance.
"Don't have a clue lad don't have a clue that lass is never in one place" replied Griswold "If I were you though I'd find her quickly, she's too adventurous for her own good… one day she's going to get herself killed"
Beredreth crossed his arms and rested his chin on his fist with a frown.
"Do you know where I could find an Adria? Pepin told me to give her a visit," inquired Beredreth
"Adria? Yes she's a strange one, you cannot miss her, her hut it's just east of here across the stream, walk up or down a bit and you will find a bridge to cross over with, she often goes out she says to pick mushrooms but I'm not so sure. You can usually find her in that old shack of hers I don't often need to visit her, sometimes Pepin asks me to get some formulae of her but that's about it so I can't advise you more than that"
"Thanks a lot that should be a great help," returned Beredreth
"It's a pleasure lad," answered Griswold with a wink. "Oh" thought Beredreth glumly "if only things could turn back to the old times and he could just have returned to sunny skies and the old village folk"
Beredreth walked away with the sound of chopping again to his ears. He observed the sun and chose the appropriate direction. On his way he came to Steed and Darakan in the field, he frowned at them both and the horse shrugged as if to say, "Blame him not me"
Darakan had stopped feeding the horse and was just sitting on the grass looking at the church. Beredreth did not like the man but they had to get along for the time being anyway.
He felt inside that this person was going to get in the way like Erros did at Grimdoor. Another money grabber was not what Beredreth wanted. He did however feel that Darakan could be useful in the church in some ways at least. An extra hand, maybe he had some potions he could borrow?
With a distant moo he gazed over in the far direction away from the church. The grass was dull in this land and probably not fit for the cows up on the field.
"Who owned them?" thought Beredreth glumly.
It was just one of those things that he suddenly felt like knowing. He could not think of a single person who would own cows unless it was Adria? He didn't know for sure.
Beredreth eventually came to the stream Griswold had mentioned. The shack was easily visible and stood out mysteriously a large unnatural square building. Beredreth jumped to the other side and walked towards the building in haste. It was a tiny trickle of water really, nothing at all to get worried over.
Outside the hut was a large black cauldron hanging by a piece of wood. Beredreth came round the corner of the house and looked in the doorway. Nobody was there but he could see racks of parchments and strange blue potions on shelves. A table lay with several strange staffs on it with different gems encrusted in the top.
Beredreth turned and walked over to the cauldron. He had to have a peak inside. There was a strange black liquid in it that caught the light. As Beredreth looked the light gradually formed the words
"Look"
They then melted back into the liquid and reformed slowly into
"Behind"
As he watched with interest these to melted and were replaced with
"You!"
Suddenly an old voice hit Beredreth's ears
"I sense a soul in search of answers"
Beredreth turned round to see an old woman standing in the doorway. She had silver grey hair and had a black cloak much the same as Darakan's yet she had a wise non bravado atmosphere about her that was much different from Darakan and also Beredreth's own attitudes. Beredreth pointed to the cauldron and was just about to speak when she spoke first.
"Ignore that silly cauldron, it likes to surprise people, whenever it gets the chance… which isn't very often see since I don't get many visitors… what do you want?'
Beredreth found it hard to speak out of surprise but he eventually found the words with some hard thinking.
"Pepin told me I should visit you, I only wish to help this town as much as I can"
She looked at him slowly and a smile quivered on her old lips.
"Is that all? Well good luck then"
She turned and seemed about to walks away when Beredreth called out to halt her "Do you know of anything that can help me?"
"A warrior like you?" she chuckled sarcastically "Hardly likely, point your sword in the direction of the enemy and watch your back, you know your own laws to follow. But I will tell you something… it is not the church, which is the problem, but what is beneath it in the crypts deep down into the depths of the earth where I sense much pain… I know that there is a network of passages and crypts beneath that church that may come in useful to you… you may wish to ask Cain about the history of that place I think that he knows something perhaps… that I don't. Have you met Cain?"
"Yes but a long time ago" answered Beredreth "He was an old man who used to tell stories… I am surprised to hear that he is still alive"
"Go and talk to him now, he's usually by the well if not in his house to the south of town. Oh wait, one more thing, could you give this parchment to Pepin on the way since you bothered to come all the way here?"
"Oh alright" grumbled Beredreth snatching it away from her.
"Good, if you have any questions on parchments or magic things in the crypts of that church do not hesitate to ask me by the way, before you ask yes my name is Adria the one you were looking for. But I doubt you will need to speak to me again. Your friend might though… put in a good word or two to him about my shop"
Beredreth walked slowly back to Pepin's house and started to feel hungry. Sure he'd give Darakan a good word or two "Don't ever go to Adria's hut she's a complete psycho"
He had not yet had breakfast and was beginning to miss it. His stomach rumbled as he thought of food. Beredreth found the bridge this time and crossed over to the other side. Darakan had left the field and was nowhere to be seen but Beredreth would soon know why. In a moment suddenly Beredreth saw him riding down from the church at top speed.
Something was on the back of his hoarse. Darakan turned his head and saw Beredreth.
"Beredreth! Get over to Pepin's house now it's urgent"
"How convenient a double destination" thought Beredreth "Cain can wait"
"Beredreth ran over to the entrance that Darakan had passed through and turned the corner of Griswold's house. Darakan had just entered Pepin's house carrying something with him. Beredreth ran holding tight to the parchment that Adria had given him. When he entered Pepin was already with Darakan examining something on a desk. They parted a little and Beredreth could see a bloody body lying on Pepin's desk.
"It's Melro that friend of Jezalthin" said Pepin quickly getting out potions.
"What happened?" inquired Beredreth to Melro the bloody heap on the table. He looked up with a bloody cut face and bits of ragged flesh were over his bleeding body maimed terribly the wounds were horrible.
"Please listen to me! Jezalthin and I invaded the churches crypts to try and kill that horrible monster that has killed so many of the townsfolk. We tried to kill him but he got the better of us, he called himself the Butcher. He greatly wounded me and captured Jezalthin. He say's that he wants more blood and unless I get it to him by nightfall he will kill her! The only reason the bastard let me survive was to get more death, when will his thirst be quenched?"
"My sister!" shouted Beredreth in ecstasy and fear.
"This is grave news," said Darakan "can you help him Pepin?"
"I really do not know, he is very badly wounded, he maybe too far gone for my potions to work. Drink this Melro" said Pepin handing Melro a glass of red potion.
"Darakan! We must rescue her now! I don't want to lose any more of my friends especially my sister!" said Beredreth hurriedly.
*
The two men came to the entrance of the church. It was dark inside and a bad atmosphere surrounded it. Beredreth rushed in and looked around, candles were lit along the walls. This must have been the light they had seen now and again inside the church.
"Why are they lit?" questioned Beredreth quickly to Darakan
"Magic" replied Darakan "Not all of it is dead in the world friend"
An altar sat at the end of the hall and a gigantic picture with angels and demons sat at the end of the church. Tyrael was in the centre slaying the horrid form of Andariel and banishing her back to the pits. Claw marks were raked across the picture and had carved out Tyrael's face and wings. It was a disturbing sight. A dagger was stuck into the part of Tyrael's painting that had his chest. There was some writing below it at the bottom of the picture. Darakan looked at the picture and moved over to take a closer look.
"It reads" said Darakan "Archangel Tyrael batters the gates of hell. Inside the prime evils fight against the lesser evils for control of the throne. Here begins the Sin war"
"What the heck is that meant to mean?" said Beredreth sarcastically
"I don't have a clue" replied Darakan "I think that Tyrael in the old horadric religion is supposed to be the lord of angels ruler of heaven or something"
"The good guys correct?" said Beredreth lacking interest
Darakan sighed and nodded "You read it like a book, maybe we can make a mage out of you yet…"
"Lets get going" hurried Beredreth secretly chuffed at the comment "There should be a entrance to the crypts somewhere in this stupid building"
Two trapdoors met Darakan's eye and he strolled over to open them. Beredreth jogged over and looked in, they heaved it up together and looked down into the darkness.
A stone staircase lead down into a dimly lit passage. A gush of air and dust hit them as they opened it and they coughed wiping the soot off of their faces.
"It looks like someone has been here already," said Darakan looking at dusty foot prints on the steps and passageway below.
Beredreth followed by Darakan descended the steps into the passage. Many clever hands cleverly built the place, it was a remarkable feat of architecture. The stones were white as chalk and the bricks were evenly placed like Paladins preparing for battle.
A dead skeleton rat lay on the floor below their feet.
"The sanctity of this place has been fowled," muttered Darakan as they stepped down the dusty steps. The words ominously seemed to stick out in the darkness.
Beredreth looked around, it was a dark underground labyrinth. The kinds you don't want to go into encase you never go out. It was a network built many years ago when there was a lot more knowledge in the world and every inch and mystery was known about this labyrinth. There would have been maps and charts and books written on the tunnels themselves, telling where the ancient resting places of the dead kings and queens could be found.
If Beredreth tried hard (which he did not) he could imagine the workers tunnelling this out of the rock bit by bit. Such underground networks so big usually have a good reason to be built. This one must have had a very good reason. Nobody would build so many tunnels just to bury anyone, if it was then it would have to be something or someone very important. Something so important perhaps that it would be thrust so far into the darkness as to be mistakenly forgotten.
As Beredreth looked into the distance a short figure appeared in the darkness getting closer. The footsteps were quiet and soft but eerie.
"Hello?" called Beredreth with a quiver of fear in his voice. Darakan looked round suddenly and lifted his wooden stave quickly.
The figure began to get closer. The footsteps became slightly louder but it did not answer. It was however in the shape of a man, or maybe child. It was short enough yet there was something strange about the way it moved.
Beredreth took a few steps forward but Darakan court him on the shoulder.
"Stop! That is no human!" he whispered "unsheathe your sword!"
Beredreth did so and looked forward with expectation. Darakan held his stave in a fighter's pose.
"What the hell are you!" yelled Beredreth suddenly seeing blood stream down its face.
"Shhhhh!" whispered Darakan warningly but it was too late. The creature moaned and so did several others. Zombies came out of the shadows and started to walk towards the two figures.
Darakan turned to Beredreth
"You idiot! Now the whole damn place knows that we are here!"
"Well thanks for the warning, stand back and let me handle this…"
"I can be more help than you think warrior…" replied Darakan "For I am a sorcerer"
Beredreth glanced at him once in surprise before casting away the information to turn back to his foes. As soon as one zombie came within a meter Beredreth lunged at it and the head went spinning away into the darkness. Darakan swung his stave and a head went flying off into the darkness in another direction. The moaning was terrible. The zombies kept coming one after another like lemmings to the slaughter, yet their numbers were so great.
But even so the two fighters were too fast for them. Soon there were piles of them lying on the ground. The fight was fine until a zombie knocked Beredreth's sword aside. Darakan was forced fend alone.
Beredreth kicked at the zombies but they just kept coming like a steamroller towards him.
Finally Beredreth was backed up against a wall with no where to go.
"Darakan I could do with some help here!" he shouted
"Ill do my best!" he called back but just as he said this he lost concentration and a zombie grabbed him from behind.
He screamed in shock. Immediately the zombies set upon him and he went down onto the floor.
"Darakan!" called Beredreth but it was to late. Beredreth sat there backed up against the wall seeing the zombies get closer to him.
Darakan called out and screamed on the floor, what could Beredreth do he was trapped. The zombies were going to kill Darakan and then him. Could he reach his sword, no it was to far away.
"No!" shouted Beredreth
The zombie was about to touch him when he closed his eyes to the sound of Darakan's wailing.
Suddenly there was a flash and the sound of crackling. Beredreth opened his eyes and looked. The zombie lay dead before him, he looked to where Darakan was. Darakan had gotten up with zombies grabbing onto him and trying desperately to bite him. It was hard to see amongst the rotting flesh.
The mass of zombies swayed a little and with a flash like a fizzed bottle, zombies were thrown back revealing Darakan. He pointed his stave down at his attackers and three charges of blue electricity flew down and burned out the zombie's middles they fell gratefully choking to their eternal rest.
Darakan's cloths were ripped and torn and he was bleeding in several places "How did you?' said Beredreth cut short
"Never mind!" said Darakan carving a path through the zombies. One lunged at him but only met his stave. The zombie was impaled with a grunt and exploded with an electrical charge. Pieces flew everywhere and Beredreth ducked as an arm hit the wall and slid down.
Finally Darakan picked up the sword and handed it to Beredreth
"Not in your way am I?" he said with a grin.
"I had things covered," replied Beredreth with a smile telling the biggest fib he had ever made.
The zombies lay dead before them. Darakan sat down against the wall quite out of breath and not in good health.
"Here take this," said Beredreth handing Darakan a bottle
"What is it?" he asked
"It's a healing potion that Pepin gave me, I don't need it at the moment but you evidently do"
"Why are you giving it to me?" asked Darakan in surprise
"Just think of it as a present for saving my life" spat Beredreth "now how did you do that?"
Darakan paused and drank the whole contents of the bottle. He finished moved around a bit uncomfortably and took out a zombie finger that had gotten caught in his robes and chucked it aside rather too casually.
"I'm a wizard" he said throwing the finger across the floor.
"This is where Pepin is going to say I told you so isn't it" sighed Beredreth "I wish I could do that, magic, it would be really useful" he sighed and gazed at the ground.
"What, the charged bolt spell? I don't know how to do that myself that's from the stave' said Darakan turning his head to Beredreth"
"So it's just a magical stave is it, well you must be able to do some magic by your self' said Beredreth hoping to embarrass the mage.
"I'm only an amateur you know," said Darakan "my stave casts what we magicians call Charged Bolt… I know personally a Fire bolt spell a simple stave recharging technique and a simple healing spell, I don't know that much, if I could fight like you could though now that would be something"
"You think?" chuckled Beredreth "hey, I've got an idea, if we return with Jezalthin alive then you can teach me some of your magic and I will teach you some sword fighting, how about it?'
"Sounds like a good idea to me" replied Darakan standing up "but first let's get on with rescuing this relation of yours"
"She's called Jezalthin," replied Beredreth firmly standing up.
*
The two carried on through the tunnels together for what seemed like a very long time indeed. The route was not too hard to remember. After zombies came skeletons and demons. These were less in numbers and quite easy to kill but seemed much more intelligent than their accomplices. Beredreth had nothing to clean the blood on so he used part of his own already blood stained clothing. He was beginning to look quite a wreck to go with Darakan's ripped and tattered robe. The passages turned and swerved and there were many rooms.
The two entered one to find several books. Darakan kept them and had a small read. Beredreth didn't want them, he had learned how to read, but was very slow reading and had never really taken to the idea much.
All passages they entered had demons and skeletons or zombies in, and also these small little creatures with fangs, which crept, along the ground. The place was horrible dark and scary but the two found new strength fighting along side each other. Together they had a special determination that could not be vanquished so easily by the darkness.
Beredreth's blade always seemed to be covered with blood, he had stopped cleaning it on his clothing because it had soaked through by now and the blood itched and burned at his flesh like slow working acid.
They passed down another flight of steps onto a lower level. Things were getting a bit complicated now and Beredreth was beginning to lose hope of finding the way back.
"Darakan" said Beredreth after they had just slain a whole bunch of monsters.
"Yes" he replied
"Do you remember the way back?"
Darakan paused and thought suddenly a pack of smaller demons came charging towards them.
"No" he said with a shrug. Beredreth became a bit worried. They had gone a long way and still not found this demon, which had Jezalthin prisoner. Beredreth could not wait to see her again but what would be the use if it would be for the last time.
After the demons lay dead Darakan began to check the bodies for the first time.
"Beredreth" he called. Beredreth ran over to take a look. "These creatures have money! Gold!"
Beredreth stood and thought
"Well that could be use full in town! We better search all the bodies we kill from now on"
The demons had many strange things in their possession. Beredreth found a glass blue marble that shone prettily and glowed in the dark. Darakan agreed to share the money in a joint effort because otherwise the two would only end up fighting each other.
The tunnels seemed similar as they moved through them. The brickwork did not often differ; there were many statues along the walls. Many had arms missing or a leg or some such deformity caused by the dark creatures within.
"It must have been a peaceful place once" said Beredreth aloud.
"All mortal things come to an end" said Darakan softly "We are like Mayflies to the beings above us
Beredreth's eyes had become used to the dark but he was now completely famished and this positive outlook seemed to have no place in his current desire for food. When he got back he had made up his mind that he was going to eat something: Something really big and tasty that he could sink his teeth into. The tunnels carried on looking tired of the journey themselves as they were. Passage after passage Beredreth could not understand how they were going to get out of here without a map.
As they passed a great long passage they found a tunnel in the rock.
"Where does that lead?" asked Beredreth
"To trouble probably, we don't have time to explore it now" replied Darakan looking deep into the passage. A fresh breeze came from the passageway and the dark haired warrior stared at it inquisitively.
Beredreth looked into the passage and round the corner.
"It's dark" he said, "The tunnel is not walled but held up by wooden beams"
Darakan looked in. Demons flickered away in the tunnel's darkness.
"We really don't want to go in there right now" said Darakan "there's no light and I'm sure that those demons don't need to use their eyes to find us… they'll stay where they are until we come for them"
A demon caught a glimpse of them and started towards them. He was different from the others a blue couler. Beredreth and Darakan hid either side of the entrance with weapons raised.
It was quite a funny sight seeing the two with weapons held high and a curious demon walking through the passage. Darakan beat him onto the floor and Beredreth decapitated him. He wailed a little but not for long.
Luckily none of the other demons tried the same thing. He had plenty of gold on him and a cold blue sword that had strange runes en carved on the hilt.
Beredreth took this and found a blue scabbard with it. This was also cold blue.
"That looks like a strong blade" said Darakan "you keep it"
"I don't know" replied Beredreth gazing at the metal "I would not trust a blade which has been in the hands of a demon so long… speaking of which I thought you said they wouldn't come out to get us?"
"Well they won't now…"
The deceased demon was shorter than them, just over half their height. He was an important demon carrying so much gold and the blade to go. He must have been a captain or something, a rather brave one at that to venture out by himself, either that or foolish.
The two counted their gold together and it stretched to five thousand gold pieces, a small fortune.
Beredreth thought of how many of Pepin's potions he could buy now. It would be a lot.
They carried on ignoring the passage in the rock leaving it for another day. The long passageway eventually led to another flight of steps. It was hard going on this floor, more zombies and skeletons and also demons but they were stronger than before. Beredreth and Darakan also felt stronger and more experienced to kill the creatures therefore in a way it felt like they had gotten nowhere.
Darakan found another room full of books and made Beredreth wait while he read some passages.
Another room had some nice armour for Beredreth in it. It was a dark black and light to hold. It must have been magic for it did not make a difference to his speed when he put it on. In a way Beredreth felt freer than before wearing the strange armour. There was also a new cloak for Darakan folded away in the corner, it was a dull red through years and years but it was better than the one that had been severely ripped and was stained with his and his enemy's blood.
Much to Beredreth's annoyance Darakan kept insisting that they stop so that he could read more of his book. Darakan would not tell Beredreth why and this only made Beredreth more annoyed. At one point Beredreth left Darakan by himself for a few minutes to kill some monsters and relive his boredom.
Both of them by now agreed that they were completely lost in the dungeon. All they could do was to keep running around on the way back until they found steps. Beredreth blamed Darakan who merely nodded and continued reading.
In what they guessed was the middle of the third floor they came to an odd looking square room in the middle of a large network. It looked very strange in the middle like that and naturally the two had to investigate.
They had to fight their way to the door through many monsters. They then worked their way around the room killing of anything that moved, after this they came back to the entrance door and listened in.
First there came a rough voice.
"I wonder if they will come? I haven not tasted fresh blood in a long while…"
A feminine voice replied back
"Give me back my bow Butcher and let us finish what we started honourably"
"Fool, I don't care for you humans rules and games" there was the sound of spitting "they are nothing to me, I only take delight in putting an end to your puny little existence. You don't really think I would let you have a second chance do you? So why did you come down here?'
She stayed silent.
"That man named Farnham came down here"
"How do you know his…?"
"I know your name to Jezalthin! We have spies everywhere I know that Farnham escaped and now is ruined by weakness. That's one of the reasons you came with your friend isn't it! You also came to avenge your father's death... I don't particularly remember him any more, you might recognise him… maybe a piece hear and there"
"If I ever get free I shall watch you die painfully" she retorted with some vigour
"He was easy and nice, and, slow. You liked your father didn't you, you would have liked him better seeing him die! You liked your brother as well but missed him when he went to Grimdoor
Beredreth stirred in anger.
"Do you know that at this moment the fool is coming to rescue you?"
"What do you mean!" replied Jezalthin shocked
"He's coming with a friend another fighter perhaps, when he gets here I shall kill him in front of you, and then I might put you out of your misery, depending on if you say please! I'm going to enjoy killing you and him, I shall have finally wiped out your entire family and reduced the risk of any danger to my lord and master Diablo!"
On those words Darakan made a sign to Beredreth and the two entered. The room was horrid, blood was all other the floor and bodies everywhere some impaled. Jezalthin was tied in the far corner of the room against a spike. A large demon stood with his back turned.
His head slowly turned and his body with it. The face was fowl and ugly and an evil grin spread across it. "Ahh fresh meat" he said looking at Beredreth and Darakan with eager eyes
"You don't frighten me you murdering…" shouted Beredreth
"Butcher?" replied the Butcher "that is what I have told you humans to call me, show some respect and I might kill you quickly, I'm not sure I could do that so easily, it would be such a shame to not see such a healthy body in agony. So Beredreth, you have come to rescue your cute little sister! Pathetic, I did not at first think you would come, you obviously don't care about her much if you left her like that!'
These words stuck in Beredreth's throat and stung.
"You keep your nose out of this you disgusting creature, my business is none of yours," replied Beredreth angrily
Beredreth unshaved his sword and Darakan pointed his stave menacingly towards the Butcher
"So Beredreth" said the Butcher slowly "Who is this friend of yours. You should have told me he would bring a stick, we could do with a few more flames up here... Does this stupid little friend of yours think he can hurt me with something like that. What are you going to do? Throw it and hope I fetch!'
"Don't listen to him," said Beredreth glancing at Darakan
"I don't think hitting me over the head with that, is really going to do much" said the Butcher taking out his cleaver "Not when I have this" he smirked.
"Oh really?" said Darakan "why don't you just bend over and let me take a shot? Anyway I don't plan to hit you with it you idiot"
"You don't?" laughed the Butcher amused "why don't you show me what you are going to do with it then? So we can all see who is the idiot!"
"At once" said Darakan taking a step forward. With a flash of hands he pointed his stave forward and shot three charges at the Butcher. This took him off guard and hit him straight on with a burst of electricity fizzing around him.
The huge red demon shouted falling backwards and over. The Butcher shouted and swore on the floor smashing his hands into the ground and blood.
"I might have killed you nicely but now I'm going to give you a fate worse than death!" he wailed snarling and flickering his tongue. He hefted the cleaver.
"I think this would be a good time to run!" said Beredreth
"I agree," replied Darakan running out with Beredreth
"Beredreth! Beredreth!" called Jezalthin "what about me!" she had long dark hair and a pale smooth face. The Butcher turned to her disregarding both "I'll deal with you later…"
The last thing Beredreth had expected was that Jezalthin would go into the dungeon to try and kill the Butcher herself. She had some brown leather armour on, and she used the bow and quiver as a weapon, which were thrown into the far corner of the room.
"You can wait" smiled the Butcher repeating himself yet this time viciously like a wild animal "I am going to cut them to so many pieces that no one will not see any part of them again!"
Beredreth and Darakan ran into other nearest empty room followed by the Butcher. Darakan slammed the door and held it shut. A few moments later there was a roar and the top end of the cleaver smashed through the top of the door.
Beredreth helped Darakan hold it shut.
"He didn't like finding out that you were a wizard did he Darakan?" said Beredreth trying desperately to keep the door closed.
"There's another exit over there" whispered Darakan pointing to a door "try and think of a plan"
Beredreth started thinking along with Darakan, merely running away would not work. Suddenly the Butcher got his hand round the door.
"I'm going to get you, and carve you up into little pieces" he called wickedly
Darakan slammed the door several times on his hand while Beredreth kicked it to the Butchers wails. Finally he let go and the door slammed shut again. Darakan ducked luckily just in time as the top half of the cleaver came through the door again luckily narrowly missing his head.
"I've got a plan" said Beredreth hurriedly "we run, I will keep the Butcher busy you go untie Jezalthin and after that…. We will improvise!'
"Is that the best you can think of?" said Darakan in distress
"Well have you got something better?" replied Beredreth with a roll of his eyes, this soon stopped as another cleaver blow came in splintering a large hole through the wooden door.
Darakan looked at the many gaps in the door and then at Beredreth
"Fine, we'll do it," said Darakan getting ready
"I'm going to kill you," shouted the Butcher angrily from behind the door
"Oh will you shut up!" shouted Beredreth back through the keyhole. When Beredreth looked again there was not much keyhole left. The Butcher then began rapidly carving random holes into the door with a horrible hack. Suddenly Beredreth and Darakan ran out through the other doorway and came round. Beredreth ran around and challenged the Butcher from behind while Darakan ran back to the room and untied Jezalthin.
"Come on then" said Beredreth to the Butcher wielding his sword like fire
Both swung mighty blows and the weapons clashed in the middle. Beredreth's weapon however clashed and smashed into several pieces. Beredreth stepped back a few steps in horror holding the hilt of his old sword.
Beredreth quickly made a run for it straight for the square room. The Butcher chased him cursing him and shouting only to meat the door slammed in his face. Beredreth found a lock behind the door and quickly pulled the catch. There was a click and the Butcher began again to hack down … yet another door.
Jezalthin was just picking up her bow and Darakan turned to Beredreth from thinking.
"Is he strong?" he asked. Beredreth held up the hilt
"I see," said Darakan somewhat dissuaded yet again from physical confrontation.
Beredreth took out the demon sword he had gotten off the blue demon captain and swung it around. There was another chop on the door and a reasonable sized hole was made.
Darakan quickly got out a book and began hurriedly reading. Jezalthin strapped the quiver of arrows to her back in silence. Beredreth looked at Darakan
"Darakan! This is no time for reading a stupid book!"
Darakan waved him down and carried on reading as he had done before. Beredreth looked at the holes in the door and started thinking of combat plans to beat the Butcher but he was sure they would not work. Beredreth was sure that the Butcher was too strong for them even all at once. He could take a magical blast from Darakan a hit or two from Beredreth and probably many arrows to but there was no way they could win.
Darakan stood up and started to chant and out stretched his hands. Beredreth wondered what Darakan was trying to do. It seemed to take quite a lot of his effort.
"Darakan" whispered Beredreth "whatever you do it quickly"
There was now a big hole in the door and the Butcher reached his hand through. Jezalthin shot an arrow, which narrowly missed the Butcher and stuck into the door. The Butcher was too fast for her to reload and he undid the catch. Just at that moment Darakan mastered the spell. A blue beam shot out from his hand and created a glowing blue portal.
"Quick, everyone in" shouted Darakan leaping through the portal. The other two followed just as the Butcher entered the room with a loud roar.
They came out in the village and quickly turned round. The Butcher warily stuck his head and arm through the portal holding the cleaver. Beredreth acted quickly using the demon sword he sliced off the Butcher's arm. Aiming forward Jezalthin landed an arrow in the creature's heart and blood spurted out everywhere. He wailed loudly while Darakan suddenly turning round commanded the portal to close.
The blue magical door closed and the Butchers head landed lightly to the ground with a soft plop. A small puddle of blood oozed out onto the grass. The closing portal had separated it. The face was as ugly as ever but it had something comical in its death stare.
Beredreth picked up the cleaver and cradled it in his arms next to the demon sword. He paused awhile with a grin.
"You know, I am really really hungry!" said Beredreth turning in the direction of the tavern.
"So lets get something to eat," said Jezalthin I'm starving
"Sure we will" smiled Darakan "Five thousand gold's worth of drink and food if I'm anything to judge"
The End
Thanks for reading and go easy on the flames eh?
This was my first ever fanfic. Since writing this story I've written eleven other fanfics in over ten different games on Ffn. I was feeling nostalgic so I went back and read this one. It sucked… badly… really badly. So I've edited it using everything I've learned and hopefully now it won't suck so much ; )
Across the dark hills and windy swept valley a horse with a tired rider came trotting slowly home. The horse moped from side to side nibbling grass on the edges of the path with a rider who was almost completely asleep at the reigns. His hair was black and shiny in the clouded sun like a polished boot. Luckily for him his horse hadn't strayed from the path, a mistake that would not have been fatal normally, but in his present circumstances little though he knew it, could easily become a result.
The wind hummed cold and the dark clouds above oppressed on his sleepy mind. His eyes opened slowly and he gazed out on the windy and crag swept horizon. The path stretched out far into the distance over the hills and onwards. Dull grass and broken fenced meadows were scattered across the land.
"Where am I?" he whispered with a hoarse voice. He pushed himself up slowly and the horse jerked back into command straying quickly back onto the path as if pretending nothing had happened. It seemed worried somehow, anxious at something that the warrior himself could not see.
For he was of course a warrior, Beredreth was his name and he rode upon a black horse called as he called it: "Steed". A name that lacking in originality had a charm to it that made up for itself only in the owner's mind. He looked up slowly with unbelieving eyes and repeated himself louder "Where am I?" he gasped. He had expected the sunny meadows of Tristram, the green grass and the fluffy white clouds that were associated always with spring. Yet no… something had changed, this place was darkly clouded over now, the earth itself had some darkness in it that burrowed up the horses' legs and into his own quivering heart and mind.
"This is not Tristram," he whispered quietly, "I remember Tristram well and it was not like this, there used to be a small village here!" he paused looking to either side. A small house he could see in the distance stood with wooden planks falling apart as if it had been there already for many a year. The doors slammed back and forth in the wind yet he could hear the noise perfectly.
The horse whinnied suddenly as he saw a dark shape cross the horizon. It disappeared behind a hill and he bent down quickly and stroked the beast behind the ear "Easy now" he whispered "Its okay, things may have changed around here but we'll pull through eh?"
Time passed and every hill he went over he came closer to the centre of the old town. But everywhere was the same it seemed, broken down houses and old abandoned churches and wooden sheds and barns that had the roof collapsed in, or even worse appeared to have somehow burned down. The land seemed to be choking under some darkness that came not from above or from bad weather, but seemed as if it came directly from the bowels of the earth itself. Shadows flickered across some trees much closer now. He looked up quickly but only just missed the creatures.
The horse whimpered and he stroked its ear again, he sat upright suddenly and called out across the planes "End this silly game of yours if you want to talk to me then come out who ever you are! I don't appreciate assassins when I'm trying to come home"
Silence. The noise seemed to echo out across the hills and came back to him with a hint of laughter. He widened his eyes and frowned he gazed up at the sky "This land is surely cursed! What happened to the blue sky's I remember and the vegetable carts, which used to be constantly on the move across these roads? Surely Tristram's trade cannot have completely vanished!"
"Are you looking for hope traveller? There's none to be found here" a rattling voice it chilled him to the bone.
He turned the horse round suddenly with a start to find a black robed figure in front of him.
"Who are you traveller and why have you followed me!" demanded Beredreth as loud as he dared.
The figure outstretched a skeleton hand from his black cloak and a cold blade began to materialize in-between his fingers, an icy dagger.
"Undead!" shouted Beredreth loudly "Get out of my way now creature or I shall destroy you!"
The rattling voiced laughed "I wouldn't try that if I were you traveller, things have changed around here since you were last a member of these people… flee, it is your task to warn the waking world of their approaching doom"
The creature did not move but stayed standing. The blade seemed colder now and fear generated from its tip.
"Fine then prepare to meet your end!" roared Beredreth unsheathing a long sharp long sword he pulled on the reigns and galloped towards the creature at high speed. The figure gave a howling shriek and turned away it ran fast away into the trees. Steed was about to run after it but Beredreth pulled hard on the reigns and it slowed to a halt.
"Whoa Steed whoa there, don't follow that creature, that's what he wants us to do get lost in the wilderness and creep up on us when we lie asleep of fatigue! It's too far back we must try and make it to whatever traces of the old Tristram we can hope to find"
After seemingly he had frightened one, the shadows stopped moving across the hillside and did not trouble him for a long while, as darkness started to travel over the land Beredreth became worried that he would never reach the village in time. The creatures of evil excelled in the dark and he had no wish to be caught out on a cold night like this with sleep beckoning him down to death. As the darkness poured over him like syrup he could no longer see the shadows, yet as time passed he began to hear them and knew that this was a whole lot worse.
Steed already tired was gradually becoming exhausted and was stumbling on stones and brambles. Beredreth held his sword tightly as to stay awake, his fingers red were clasped around the hilt.
Mist came up like gas from the ground as the cold set in, and it became hard to see anything at all. The creatures would be upon him soon he knew it and he was losing his concentration for following the path, he couldn't trust his horse to do it alone without his own guidance.
His eyes closed slowly and he felt sleep slowly claiming him, yet one last segment of his vision that was not closed from his low eyebrows kept him awake; a black shape in the darkness that stuck up into the night and through the mist as poignant as if it were a flaming beacon. It looked like a very large tree.
The warrior was about to sit back again but before he could he saw something was hanging from the tree. He came slowly closer and the shapes became more familiar, more human looking, he strayed from the path a little. They were long but too big to be any fruit. Beredreth's hands had become blue from the cold and holding his sword and the reigns. They gradually got closer but it wasn't until they were about three meters that Beredreth saw what it was
"Oh Tyrael!" he chanted looking up in terror and disgust. Above him hanging from the branches by old rotten and worm eaten twisted rope seven people hanged as pale as ice was throttled around the neck. Blood dripped down from their eye sockets evidently fresh enough for Beredreth to see even in that mist. Some had limbs missing here and there others were so maimed they were completely unrecognisable. Beredreth dismounted and stepped forward slowly. His foot landed with a crunch on something slightly wet. Beredreth looked down to see that he had stepped on bones lying on the road. The noise was louder than he had expected.
"What could have done this awful deed!" he whispered eyes flickering and his hand on his mouth open wide and aghast. He was about to cut the victims down when suddenly that same scream hit his ears only much closer and many more of them all sounding one after the other like an unholy cannon. Beredreth turned his head quickly left and looked horrifyingly into the face of an upside down maggot eating hanged man. A skull smiling came through the mist a blade in its hand and he readied himself with his own that luckily he had with him.
"I warned you warrior and now look what you've done," hissed the rattling voice, others came slowly out of the shadows and stared at him, his horse whinnied loudly but loyally stayed in its place.
"You should never have come here," whispered another "Because now you will die, like we died"
They rushed forward and Beredreth stepped back swinging the sword fast round in a double circle. There was a scream as bones fell to the floor. Several blades came it him from different directions and he dodged aside turning them as best as he could away yet the strength of their numbers was overpowering. Out of the shadows a cloaked skeleton with a large axe came at him from behind, he ducked as it lifted the weapon into the air and turning he rammed it on the ribs lifting its rattling bulky body up he threw it fast at his other assailants some of which who collapsed under the weight.
Steed neighed and swayed about as Beredreth swung his blade killing the assassins. He defended bravely with no shield to guard him. The skeletons were not as experienced as he was in fighting. He had been in the wars of Grimdoor and they had been freshly summoned from the ground, the weakest of the dark power's minions.
Even so however the undead had their effect on him. He was scared out of his mind and his blows were not well aimed. A lucky swipe from a skeleton sliced an edge on his leg and he howled in pain swinging a blow to the attacker with returned death in his eyes. More and more appeared and Beredreth had to save Steed from being stabbed, if he lost the horse then he lost his life and escape that both he badly needed.
Beredreth swung his sword madly striking down skeleton after skeleton. Suddenly they stopped and screams disappeared into the distance. They retreated with black laughter and cries of fear away into the mist.
"What, were they!" gasped Beredreth limping over to Steed. Beredreth ripped a piece of cloth from a dead skeleton and wrapped it around his back wound and leg. It itched badly and he flung it away to find that the wound had gotten worse. Quickly more in fear than in haste he mounted Steed and galloped off at high speed along the path. The wound bled badly and he clasped it briefly with one hand to stop the cold coming in as best as he could.
As he crossed over the hills he saw salvation in the distance. Lights, human made lights they glowed up into the night sky, candles and the light of a burning smithy. The screams sounded out behind him suddenly and looking back he could see gaping eyes appearing through the mist. Hollowed dark eyes gazed at him charging forward on skeletal steeds.
"Quickly Steed quickly our attackers follow us!" shouted Beredreth "I beg you Steed for everything we've been through together to today run faster!"
Every time he looked round the skeletons got closer and closer gaining in their never ending lust for the end of life on Beredreth's falling spirit. Their hooves travelled on the wind like their screams and seemed nearer to you than they were. He heard the noise of a metal blade behind him and believed for a moment that it was the end. But… the attackers stopped and seemed to fade away with the screaming. Beredreth had made it into the village luckily for him the skeleton riders had not followed; their fear of the light and of the living was still as cowardly it seemed as it always had been.
*
He rode over to a dark house lit with soft orange candles in each window. He dismounted from Steed and walked over to an old wooden door. The warrior knocked on the wood with a dull rap and listened. It was a big house with a porch, behind him was the old well where Cain used to tell his stories. Beredreth waited and waited but no one seemed to come. He knocked again and looked up at a window with light coming from it above. There was nothing but silence.
Suddenly the door burst open and a man wielding a great battleaxe flung it down just missing Beredreth shouting loud like a lunatic "Death to you creatures and the rest of your kind!"
Beredreth dodged the blow and promptly unsheathed his blade kicked the man down and pointed the sword at his attackers neck "Who are you and why do you attack.... Griswold, is that really you?" said Beredreth surprised. Griswold got up saying "Beredreth I thought you went off on all those quests in Grimdoor! I thought you would never return!"
"My quests are over" answered Beredreth "and now my work is finished and I have come home, yet I do not know how much there is left to return to…"
"You should not have bothered," said Griswold glumly "Things here have gone from bad to worse ever since the day you left"
"What exactly happened here and what are those creatures outside of town!" asked Beredreth with concern and fear in his eyes at having one of his old friends attack him.
Griswold sighed "Come in" he said sadly "I'll treat you to the worst tale you'll ever have to hear"
The dark haired warrior and Griswold the bald but strong blacksmith entered the house. An anvil sat in the middle of the room and a long wall hung many hooks each with various weapons and suits of armour. A table lay in the far corner with different pieces of weapons like blades and handles. A log fire burned with a chair in front of it. Griswold was wearing a red dressing gown and looked rather strange holding a battleaxe with it, he rested the but on the ground "Have a seat" he said turning the fireplace chair around. Griswold moved over and sat on his work table looking at Beredreth
"After you left, people started acting strange, Arch bishop Lazarus kept entering the old horadric monastery more and more often. We thought that he just liked our hospitality at the time and we were very proud to have such an important person around. Then that horrible war started with that silly country, I can't remember what the country was they're all the same to me" said Griswold moving over to the fire
"Things started getting bad up at the old church, we don't know why… strange lights and all. One day King Leroric's son went missing and he blamed us for some reason… he came down here galloping with a group of his soldiers and started inquiring about it and said that we had betrayed him and all! As if we ever would…"
Griswold had a look of sadness in his eyes "I liked king Leoric" he said after a long pause "He knew what was best for his people, but something had changed in him. Its all such a mystery to us village folk, maybe Cain understands? But he keeps so much to himself these days that it's hard to get any stories out of him at all"
Beredreth nodded and urged him on "It then happened that for no known reason things really did start to happen in the old church! The priest went missing and has not been found and those horrible cloaked riders appeared and started to terrorize the landscape," said Griswold poking the coals on the fire
"Lazarus persuaded me and many of the towns folk to take up arms and enter into the crypt of the church and find out what was going on. Me and the others completely refused at first but he persuaded us by telling us that Leoric's son was probably taken down there by those riders and demons, I'd have done anything to help the little tyke and his poor father"
"What happened?" asked Beredreth leaning forward.
"We went down into that horrible place beneath the graves and soil that men should never go… and came back with nothing, Lazarus betrayed us and lead us into a trap against a monster called the Butcher... he killed them all.... the blood was everywhere, I still dream about it to this day"
Beredreth put his head in his hands
"No!" he whispered.
"After that" said Griswold "I managed to escape out with Farnham to the surface, he has never been the same since, you shouldn't have come back Beredreth we live every day with the looming fate of what lies in that church! Lights come out of it those riders exit it more and more often"
"It doesn't matter… I'm going to go down there and make amends to this evil"
Griswold paused "You can't be serious! Think man you'll be killed!"
"I'm dead already if all hope has vanished from Tristram"
The blacksmith was silent and the flames flickered. He again poked the coal with the metal and stamped his feet on the wooden boarding below softly to keep the warmth in him.
"Whenever you need any help," he said presently "With weapons in the church just call on me. I'll fix you up something for bargain price!"
Griswold walked to the open wooden windows looked vaguely out crossed his arms and shut them
"Can't let those beasts get in this way!" said Griswold turning round with a mad look in his eye. He shook his head from side to side before he gazed down at Beredreth's leg with a gasp.
"What the! How did you get those wounds?" he demanded.
Beredreth looked about him with shock before slowly he gazed down at the leg and the tear in his trousers. Blood was still leaking and he hadn't even noticed. He didn't even feel the pain, he'd completely forgotten he'd been hurt.
"The skeleton riders gave it to me" answered Beredreth "Things got nasty, I only just got away in time… if it hadn't been for the light of town they would have killed me for sure"
Griswold walked over and looked at the leg cut again shaking his head from side to side "They won't fear the light forever…"
"My thighs hurt as well," said Beredreth turning round to show the blood stains "I think I caught them on a bramble in all the fighting"
"That ain't very good is it lad" said Griswold morbidly "its just like em to take you from the back them cowards! No good in em. You best stay the night in that state, see Pepin the healer in the morning. He will fix you up for free, he has great healing powers known throughout the land or what is left of it… don't you go expecting any breakfast off me lad though, I'm as hard pressed as it is to feed my own mouth… Ill expect you out in the morning!"
Beredreth was about to retort strongly when he checked himself gazing up into Griswold's worried and pained eyes before he nodded slowly and gazed at the floor.
Griswold strode over to the wall and hung his axe on a metal hold.
"Forgive me for speaking harshly so soon… but I would like to retire for the night" sighed Griswold turning he mounted the steps. Beredreth gazed into the flames he listened to Griswold's footsteps get quieter as he went up the staircase. Beredreth sat thinking. Lazarus was gone Leoric was a madman his son was as good as dead his whole life and vision of the once proud Tristram had been destroyed.
What about Jezalthin where was she now
"Griswold?" called Beredreth
"He's gone up to rest" called back Beredreth in a sleepy voice. He listened to the night for a while, the ravens had been replaced by the occasional howl of a wolf. Somewhere Beredreth thought he heard the riders screaming again far away in the darkness.
Beredreth kept running through the events in his mind, it kept him awake, yet sleep came upon him. An uneasy sleep that held always the hidden fear of death inside of it.
*
Beredreth woke up hoping to see sunlight shining through the curtains. However he received none of this false Utopia. There was silence; only the ravens could be heard again. No sunlight nothing no noise from the town, no noise anywhere.
Groggily he pushed up on the chair to stand up but his leg gave way and he fell on his knees, a hard scab had formed over the wound but it had done little to heal him.
"Damn I'm in no condition to do anything like this!" cried Beredreth in pain. He tried again and stood on one leg and limped over to the open doorway. It was a cold morning. Griswold must have gone out seeing as the door was wide open. Why had he left it so soon? It slammed back and forth emptily in the wind. Stepping out of the dark house he limped over to what he dimly remembered was Pepin's house. There was a bell at the entrance that Beredreth rang from side to side.
"Come in," said a small voice from in side.
Beredreth turned the handle and entered, the door slammed behind him in the wind.
"Hello?" Said Beredreth looking around from side to side. His eyes met a middle-aged man with a white cloak behind a desk that itself had some very strange looking objects on it.
"I haven't seen you around here before" said Pepin looking up at Beredreth through squinting eyes "have you recently moved or have you just not been sick?"
"Pepin, it's me Beredreth, the brother of Jezalthin," stammered Beredreth limping forward.
"Beredreth… yes I remember you. You were the one who went off on that quest"
"Yes, and I have come back to rid this place of whatever terror has nestled under are feet" said Beredreth more bravely than he felt.
"You should not have come back," replied Pepin with a sigh "There is nothing for you here warrior"
"Yes that is what Griswold said but I never was very good at taking advice. I have been wounded in my leg and thigh and I need healing badly if I can be of any assistance to this town, can you help healer?"
Pepin paused and looked briefly across the strange objects on his desk.
"Drink this," he said holding up a strange bottle with a yellow liquid inside.
"What is it?" asked Beredreth taking the glass
"Just a little something special I brewed up last night," answered Pepin mysteriously.
Beredreth looked at the glass and into the yellow liquid with distrust. It seemed to glow and a gas seemed to hover out of it as he stared through the shinny glass. His curious face reflected in the light suddenly and startled him. He looked at Pepin with surprise.
"I don't see what drinking this will have anything to do with healing me" he growled "By the looks of it if I knew any better I'd probably presume you were trying to poison me!"
"Try it" said Pepin with a wave of his hand "I don't make bad potions!"
Beredreth looked at it briefly again observing the gas before lifting it to his lips. Beredreth felt anxious as Pepin watched him eagerly. It met his tongue and did not seem to taste of anything at all. It frothed and seemed to disappear as it went down his throat. A nice feeling generated throughout Beredreth's body. He felt the wounds close on his thigh and leg and he felt energized. The scab crackled and crumbled away to reveal fresh skin and flesh underneath.
Beredreth was not just healed but felt he was full of energy better than before. It was incredible…
"That's quite some drink," said Beredreth gasping at the feeling that surged through his body.
"It's a potion of Rejuvenation a very old recipe that I rediscovered only recently. The old monks of the horadrum discovered this potion which heals you and apparently your mana or as I like to say magical energy as well…"
"Magic power?" inquired Beredreth handing Pepin the bottle.
"I used to see many a spell caster round here in the past in the old days. If you wish to learn their arts then you must read books"
"Magic huh?" said Beredreth with a grunt "Magi and magical heroes are long gone in this land. I saw none in Grimdoor and none here and I doubt I'll ever see any again…"
"Don't be so sure about that" smiled Pepin with a flicker in his eye "If your so sure about that you might want to talk to Adria who has moved in recently, the way she built that hut of hers was certainly not by pure physical ability"
"How much do you charge for those potions?" asked Beredreth courteously.
"I would not buy the rejuvenation if I were you it is expensive, but this healing potion" said Pepin taking a bottle with a red substance in it "will heal you for a small price… one hundred and fifty gold"
"One hundred and fifty! I only have one hundred!" exclaimed Beredreth
"Then I will allow you two of the smaller ones for one hundred," said Pepin coolly.
"Ninety" said Beredreth quickly.
"I don't drop my prices, one hundred or nothing at all!" answered Pepin. Beredreth pulled out a brown bag and emptied its contents onto the desk. Pepin handed Beredreth the two potions.
"Oh by the way Beredreth, good luck, Griswold told me you were going to try and help this town, it seems a bit mean of me to just give you those like… but I have to look after myself. Most people who go in that church die… here take the big one as well for old times sake, but don't expect any more freebees like that"
"Thank you" smiled Beredreth warmly taking the third potion "I'll need it"
"If you're going into that church you will definitely need it!" said Pepin "Every last drop! But don't count on a lot of help from this town they have seen to many deaths already, like me they are all trying to save themselves. They have no kindness left to waste, be careful Beredreth, don't be too much of a hero. I don't want to see you die like the others"
*
Beredreth left the house and went back out into the open. The wind was blowing and he could hear the ravens squawking. Beredreth turned to hear the footsteps of hooves coming towards him. A strong black horse with a strange man came into sight. He had a black cloak on and a bald head. A neat dark brown beard sharp as a spike was embedded in his chin. He held aside a brown stave.
"Good morning friend is this Tristram?" called the man in a deep voice as his horse stopped near the well.
"Yes it is" answered Beredreth suspiciously looking up to the man "and who are you?"
"My name is Darakan I have heard there is trouble in this land. I have come here to relive you of it"
"So have I" said Beredreth "but it is not my trouble"
"Troubles as great in magnitude as these are a trouble to us all my friend"
"Meaning!" said Beredreth
"I don't mean to offend anyone I am just here to help, all is in a good course" answered Darakan with a smile "I can see why you distrust me"
"It better be in a good course" growled Beredreth warningly.
Darakan dismounted and walked slowly over to Beredreth his black robe fluttered in the wind.
"I am here to help not hinder. I can see that you are a warrior, since we have a common interest let us work together for the benefit of these people" his voice was deep and was somehow comforting.
Beredreth paused a moment and pondered. At the moment he didn't really like the man stomping in here like a hero. But he would need all the help he could get, there was no denying that.
"Fine! But let us not hinder each other just work aside each other… and you must not get in my way do you understand?"
"I understand yes, I have heard there is a tavern here meet me there this evening and we shall discuss what is to be done" smiled Darakan
"Did you encounter any trouble on your way?" inquired Beredreth feeling slightly guilty at his speaking out of turn.
"No not much, I may have relived some of their troubles but I'm not sure that counts," answered Darakan with a twinkle in his eyes"
*
After this conversation Beredreth left with a strange mixture of feelings. Was this good that Darakan would join him? As long as he did not get in his way Beredreth would be happy. That glint in his eye could not have been purely from the sun it was unnatural. There was something strange about the man.
Suddenly Beredreth remembered. He had not checked Jezalthin's house to see if she was at home. Where was Steed? He left him outside after he had gone into Griswold's house but he was not there now.
"Jezalthin first" said Beredreth to himself.
He started walking but he realized that he really wanted to run. He ran up the path away from the well past the tavern and onto an old house. He entered through the doorway and looked around in a panic.
A small room with cooking pots and spoons. He raced up the stairs to the second floor. His bed was no longer there neither his fathers but Jezalthin's was. She was not in the room or anywhere to be seen.
Beredreth walked down the staircase slowly wondering what had happened to her. He left the house and looked around outside across the dull grass and silent moors. He could hear a river lapping in the distance. Cows were out on a field mooing yet nobody watched or tended to them as if even the owners themselves had died. Beredreth spied Steed and another horse next to them. Darakan was feeding Steed some grains. Beredreth felt a little angry but at least Steed would get a free meal. It was Darakan's fault if he wanted to waste his own supplies like that.
As Beredreth listened slowly he heard the chopping of wood. He looked to his left and saw the church in the distance. The clouds were greyest there and as Beredreth gazed at it and the red clouds above it a strange light suddenly lit up and faded from the windows. The darkness and evil was as sure as anything coming from that one place.
His ears returned to the sound of chopping wood again and with a shrug he walked left from the house and up towards the sound. Among some trees on the edge of a forest Beredreth found Griswold.
"Hello there!" called Beredreth walking over towards Griswold. Griswold turned to look at Beredreth "Hello lad, you feeling better after Pepin?" replied Griswold slamming his axe into a chopped tree.
"Is that the axe you had last night?" asked Beredreth with mere curiosity.
"This?" laughed Griswold pulling the axe out again "Nah this one is for cutting trees, I save the other beauty for cutting flesh!" said Griswold with a nasty grin "Demons of course, the blood rots the metal and I often have to sharpen it"
"Do you know where I might find my sister Jezalthin? Asked Beredreth with a worried glance at the unholy church in the distance.
"Don't have a clue lad don't have a clue that lass is never in one place" replied Griswold "If I were you though I'd find her quickly, she's too adventurous for her own good… one day she's going to get herself killed"
Beredreth crossed his arms and rested his chin on his fist with a frown.
"Do you know where I could find an Adria? Pepin told me to give her a visit," inquired Beredreth
"Adria? Yes she's a strange one, you cannot miss her, her hut it's just east of here across the stream, walk up or down a bit and you will find a bridge to cross over with, she often goes out she says to pick mushrooms but I'm not so sure. You can usually find her in that old shack of hers I don't often need to visit her, sometimes Pepin asks me to get some formulae of her but that's about it so I can't advise you more than that"
"Thanks a lot that should be a great help," returned Beredreth
"It's a pleasure lad," answered Griswold with a wink. "Oh" thought Beredreth glumly "if only things could turn back to the old times and he could just have returned to sunny skies and the old village folk"
Beredreth walked away with the sound of chopping again to his ears. He observed the sun and chose the appropriate direction. On his way he came to Steed and Darakan in the field, he frowned at them both and the horse shrugged as if to say, "Blame him not me"
Darakan had stopped feeding the horse and was just sitting on the grass looking at the church. Beredreth did not like the man but they had to get along for the time being anyway.
He felt inside that this person was going to get in the way like Erros did at Grimdoor. Another money grabber was not what Beredreth wanted. He did however feel that Darakan could be useful in the church in some ways at least. An extra hand, maybe he had some potions he could borrow?
With a distant moo he gazed over in the far direction away from the church. The grass was dull in this land and probably not fit for the cows up on the field.
"Who owned them?" thought Beredreth glumly.
It was just one of those things that he suddenly felt like knowing. He could not think of a single person who would own cows unless it was Adria? He didn't know for sure.
Beredreth eventually came to the stream Griswold had mentioned. The shack was easily visible and stood out mysteriously a large unnatural square building. Beredreth jumped to the other side and walked towards the building in haste. It was a tiny trickle of water really, nothing at all to get worried over.
Outside the hut was a large black cauldron hanging by a piece of wood. Beredreth came round the corner of the house and looked in the doorway. Nobody was there but he could see racks of parchments and strange blue potions on shelves. A table lay with several strange staffs on it with different gems encrusted in the top.
Beredreth turned and walked over to the cauldron. He had to have a peak inside. There was a strange black liquid in it that caught the light. As Beredreth looked the light gradually formed the words
"Look"
They then melted back into the liquid and reformed slowly into
"Behind"
As he watched with interest these to melted and were replaced with
"You!"
Suddenly an old voice hit Beredreth's ears
"I sense a soul in search of answers"
Beredreth turned round to see an old woman standing in the doorway. She had silver grey hair and had a black cloak much the same as Darakan's yet she had a wise non bravado atmosphere about her that was much different from Darakan and also Beredreth's own attitudes. Beredreth pointed to the cauldron and was just about to speak when she spoke first.
"Ignore that silly cauldron, it likes to surprise people, whenever it gets the chance… which isn't very often see since I don't get many visitors… what do you want?'
Beredreth found it hard to speak out of surprise but he eventually found the words with some hard thinking.
"Pepin told me I should visit you, I only wish to help this town as much as I can"
She looked at him slowly and a smile quivered on her old lips.
"Is that all? Well good luck then"
She turned and seemed about to walks away when Beredreth called out to halt her "Do you know of anything that can help me?"
"A warrior like you?" she chuckled sarcastically "Hardly likely, point your sword in the direction of the enemy and watch your back, you know your own laws to follow. But I will tell you something… it is not the church, which is the problem, but what is beneath it in the crypts deep down into the depths of the earth where I sense much pain… I know that there is a network of passages and crypts beneath that church that may come in useful to you… you may wish to ask Cain about the history of that place I think that he knows something perhaps… that I don't. Have you met Cain?"
"Yes but a long time ago" answered Beredreth "He was an old man who used to tell stories… I am surprised to hear that he is still alive"
"Go and talk to him now, he's usually by the well if not in his house to the south of town. Oh wait, one more thing, could you give this parchment to Pepin on the way since you bothered to come all the way here?"
"Oh alright" grumbled Beredreth snatching it away from her.
"Good, if you have any questions on parchments or magic things in the crypts of that church do not hesitate to ask me by the way, before you ask yes my name is Adria the one you were looking for. But I doubt you will need to speak to me again. Your friend might though… put in a good word or two to him about my shop"
Beredreth walked slowly back to Pepin's house and started to feel hungry. Sure he'd give Darakan a good word or two "Don't ever go to Adria's hut she's a complete psycho"
He had not yet had breakfast and was beginning to miss it. His stomach rumbled as he thought of food. Beredreth found the bridge this time and crossed over to the other side. Darakan had left the field and was nowhere to be seen but Beredreth would soon know why. In a moment suddenly Beredreth saw him riding down from the church at top speed.
Something was on the back of his hoarse. Darakan turned his head and saw Beredreth.
"Beredreth! Get over to Pepin's house now it's urgent"
"How convenient a double destination" thought Beredreth "Cain can wait"
"Beredreth ran over to the entrance that Darakan had passed through and turned the corner of Griswold's house. Darakan had just entered Pepin's house carrying something with him. Beredreth ran holding tight to the parchment that Adria had given him. When he entered Pepin was already with Darakan examining something on a desk. They parted a little and Beredreth could see a bloody body lying on Pepin's desk.
"It's Melro that friend of Jezalthin" said Pepin quickly getting out potions.
"What happened?" inquired Beredreth to Melro the bloody heap on the table. He looked up with a bloody cut face and bits of ragged flesh were over his bleeding body maimed terribly the wounds were horrible.
"Please listen to me! Jezalthin and I invaded the churches crypts to try and kill that horrible monster that has killed so many of the townsfolk. We tried to kill him but he got the better of us, he called himself the Butcher. He greatly wounded me and captured Jezalthin. He say's that he wants more blood and unless I get it to him by nightfall he will kill her! The only reason the bastard let me survive was to get more death, when will his thirst be quenched?"
"My sister!" shouted Beredreth in ecstasy and fear.
"This is grave news," said Darakan "can you help him Pepin?"
"I really do not know, he is very badly wounded, he maybe too far gone for my potions to work. Drink this Melro" said Pepin handing Melro a glass of red potion.
"Darakan! We must rescue her now! I don't want to lose any more of my friends especially my sister!" said Beredreth hurriedly.
*
The two men came to the entrance of the church. It was dark inside and a bad atmosphere surrounded it. Beredreth rushed in and looked around, candles were lit along the walls. This must have been the light they had seen now and again inside the church.
"Why are they lit?" questioned Beredreth quickly to Darakan
"Magic" replied Darakan "Not all of it is dead in the world friend"
An altar sat at the end of the hall and a gigantic picture with angels and demons sat at the end of the church. Tyrael was in the centre slaying the horrid form of Andariel and banishing her back to the pits. Claw marks were raked across the picture and had carved out Tyrael's face and wings. It was a disturbing sight. A dagger was stuck into the part of Tyrael's painting that had his chest. There was some writing below it at the bottom of the picture. Darakan looked at the picture and moved over to take a closer look.
"It reads" said Darakan "Archangel Tyrael batters the gates of hell. Inside the prime evils fight against the lesser evils for control of the throne. Here begins the Sin war"
"What the heck is that meant to mean?" said Beredreth sarcastically
"I don't have a clue" replied Darakan "I think that Tyrael in the old horadric religion is supposed to be the lord of angels ruler of heaven or something"
"The good guys correct?" said Beredreth lacking interest
Darakan sighed and nodded "You read it like a book, maybe we can make a mage out of you yet…"
"Lets get going" hurried Beredreth secretly chuffed at the comment "There should be a entrance to the crypts somewhere in this stupid building"
Two trapdoors met Darakan's eye and he strolled over to open them. Beredreth jogged over and looked in, they heaved it up together and looked down into the darkness.
A stone staircase lead down into a dimly lit passage. A gush of air and dust hit them as they opened it and they coughed wiping the soot off of their faces.
"It looks like someone has been here already," said Darakan looking at dusty foot prints on the steps and passageway below.
Beredreth followed by Darakan descended the steps into the passage. Many clever hands cleverly built the place, it was a remarkable feat of architecture. The stones were white as chalk and the bricks were evenly placed like Paladins preparing for battle.
A dead skeleton rat lay on the floor below their feet.
"The sanctity of this place has been fowled," muttered Darakan as they stepped down the dusty steps. The words ominously seemed to stick out in the darkness.
Beredreth looked around, it was a dark underground labyrinth. The kinds you don't want to go into encase you never go out. It was a network built many years ago when there was a lot more knowledge in the world and every inch and mystery was known about this labyrinth. There would have been maps and charts and books written on the tunnels themselves, telling where the ancient resting places of the dead kings and queens could be found.
If Beredreth tried hard (which he did not) he could imagine the workers tunnelling this out of the rock bit by bit. Such underground networks so big usually have a good reason to be built. This one must have had a very good reason. Nobody would build so many tunnels just to bury anyone, if it was then it would have to be something or someone very important. Something so important perhaps that it would be thrust so far into the darkness as to be mistakenly forgotten.
As Beredreth looked into the distance a short figure appeared in the darkness getting closer. The footsteps were quiet and soft but eerie.
"Hello?" called Beredreth with a quiver of fear in his voice. Darakan looked round suddenly and lifted his wooden stave quickly.
The figure began to get closer. The footsteps became slightly louder but it did not answer. It was however in the shape of a man, or maybe child. It was short enough yet there was something strange about the way it moved.
Beredreth took a few steps forward but Darakan court him on the shoulder.
"Stop! That is no human!" he whispered "unsheathe your sword!"
Beredreth did so and looked forward with expectation. Darakan held his stave in a fighter's pose.
"What the hell are you!" yelled Beredreth suddenly seeing blood stream down its face.
"Shhhhh!" whispered Darakan warningly but it was too late. The creature moaned and so did several others. Zombies came out of the shadows and started to walk towards the two figures.
Darakan turned to Beredreth
"You idiot! Now the whole damn place knows that we are here!"
"Well thanks for the warning, stand back and let me handle this…"
"I can be more help than you think warrior…" replied Darakan "For I am a sorcerer"
Beredreth glanced at him once in surprise before casting away the information to turn back to his foes. As soon as one zombie came within a meter Beredreth lunged at it and the head went spinning away into the darkness. Darakan swung his stave and a head went flying off into the darkness in another direction. The moaning was terrible. The zombies kept coming one after another like lemmings to the slaughter, yet their numbers were so great.
But even so the two fighters were too fast for them. Soon there were piles of them lying on the ground. The fight was fine until a zombie knocked Beredreth's sword aside. Darakan was forced fend alone.
Beredreth kicked at the zombies but they just kept coming like a steamroller towards him.
Finally Beredreth was backed up against a wall with no where to go.
"Darakan I could do with some help here!" he shouted
"Ill do my best!" he called back but just as he said this he lost concentration and a zombie grabbed him from behind.
He screamed in shock. Immediately the zombies set upon him and he went down onto the floor.
"Darakan!" called Beredreth but it was to late. Beredreth sat there backed up against the wall seeing the zombies get closer to him.
Darakan called out and screamed on the floor, what could Beredreth do he was trapped. The zombies were going to kill Darakan and then him. Could he reach his sword, no it was to far away.
"No!" shouted Beredreth
The zombie was about to touch him when he closed his eyes to the sound of Darakan's wailing.
Suddenly there was a flash and the sound of crackling. Beredreth opened his eyes and looked. The zombie lay dead before him, he looked to where Darakan was. Darakan had gotten up with zombies grabbing onto him and trying desperately to bite him. It was hard to see amongst the rotting flesh.
The mass of zombies swayed a little and with a flash like a fizzed bottle, zombies were thrown back revealing Darakan. He pointed his stave down at his attackers and three charges of blue electricity flew down and burned out the zombie's middles they fell gratefully choking to their eternal rest.
Darakan's cloths were ripped and torn and he was bleeding in several places "How did you?' said Beredreth cut short
"Never mind!" said Darakan carving a path through the zombies. One lunged at him but only met his stave. The zombie was impaled with a grunt and exploded with an electrical charge. Pieces flew everywhere and Beredreth ducked as an arm hit the wall and slid down.
Finally Darakan picked up the sword and handed it to Beredreth
"Not in your way am I?" he said with a grin.
"I had things covered," replied Beredreth with a smile telling the biggest fib he had ever made.
The zombies lay dead before them. Darakan sat down against the wall quite out of breath and not in good health.
"Here take this," said Beredreth handing Darakan a bottle
"What is it?" he asked
"It's a healing potion that Pepin gave me, I don't need it at the moment but you evidently do"
"Why are you giving it to me?" asked Darakan in surprise
"Just think of it as a present for saving my life" spat Beredreth "now how did you do that?"
Darakan paused and drank the whole contents of the bottle. He finished moved around a bit uncomfortably and took out a zombie finger that had gotten caught in his robes and chucked it aside rather too casually.
"I'm a wizard" he said throwing the finger across the floor.
"This is where Pepin is going to say I told you so isn't it" sighed Beredreth "I wish I could do that, magic, it would be really useful" he sighed and gazed at the ground.
"What, the charged bolt spell? I don't know how to do that myself that's from the stave' said Darakan turning his head to Beredreth"
"So it's just a magical stave is it, well you must be able to do some magic by your self' said Beredreth hoping to embarrass the mage.
"I'm only an amateur you know," said Darakan "my stave casts what we magicians call Charged Bolt… I know personally a Fire bolt spell a simple stave recharging technique and a simple healing spell, I don't know that much, if I could fight like you could though now that would be something"
"You think?" chuckled Beredreth "hey, I've got an idea, if we return with Jezalthin alive then you can teach me some of your magic and I will teach you some sword fighting, how about it?'
"Sounds like a good idea to me" replied Darakan standing up "but first let's get on with rescuing this relation of yours"
"She's called Jezalthin," replied Beredreth firmly standing up.
*
The two carried on through the tunnels together for what seemed like a very long time indeed. The route was not too hard to remember. After zombies came skeletons and demons. These were less in numbers and quite easy to kill but seemed much more intelligent than their accomplices. Beredreth had nothing to clean the blood on so he used part of his own already blood stained clothing. He was beginning to look quite a wreck to go with Darakan's ripped and tattered robe. The passages turned and swerved and there were many rooms.
The two entered one to find several books. Darakan kept them and had a small read. Beredreth didn't want them, he had learned how to read, but was very slow reading and had never really taken to the idea much.
All passages they entered had demons and skeletons or zombies in, and also these small little creatures with fangs, which crept, along the ground. The place was horrible dark and scary but the two found new strength fighting along side each other. Together they had a special determination that could not be vanquished so easily by the darkness.
Beredreth's blade always seemed to be covered with blood, he had stopped cleaning it on his clothing because it had soaked through by now and the blood itched and burned at his flesh like slow working acid.
They passed down another flight of steps onto a lower level. Things were getting a bit complicated now and Beredreth was beginning to lose hope of finding the way back.
"Darakan" said Beredreth after they had just slain a whole bunch of monsters.
"Yes" he replied
"Do you remember the way back?"
Darakan paused and thought suddenly a pack of smaller demons came charging towards them.
"No" he said with a shrug. Beredreth became a bit worried. They had gone a long way and still not found this demon, which had Jezalthin prisoner. Beredreth could not wait to see her again but what would be the use if it would be for the last time.
After the demons lay dead Darakan began to check the bodies for the first time.
"Beredreth" he called. Beredreth ran over to take a look. "These creatures have money! Gold!"
Beredreth stood and thought
"Well that could be use full in town! We better search all the bodies we kill from now on"
The demons had many strange things in their possession. Beredreth found a glass blue marble that shone prettily and glowed in the dark. Darakan agreed to share the money in a joint effort because otherwise the two would only end up fighting each other.
The tunnels seemed similar as they moved through them. The brickwork did not often differ; there were many statues along the walls. Many had arms missing or a leg or some such deformity caused by the dark creatures within.
"It must have been a peaceful place once" said Beredreth aloud.
"All mortal things come to an end" said Darakan softly "We are like Mayflies to the beings above us
Beredreth's eyes had become used to the dark but he was now completely famished and this positive outlook seemed to have no place in his current desire for food. When he got back he had made up his mind that he was going to eat something: Something really big and tasty that he could sink his teeth into. The tunnels carried on looking tired of the journey themselves as they were. Passage after passage Beredreth could not understand how they were going to get out of here without a map.
As they passed a great long passage they found a tunnel in the rock.
"Where does that lead?" asked Beredreth
"To trouble probably, we don't have time to explore it now" replied Darakan looking deep into the passage. A fresh breeze came from the passageway and the dark haired warrior stared at it inquisitively.
Beredreth looked into the passage and round the corner.
"It's dark" he said, "The tunnel is not walled but held up by wooden beams"
Darakan looked in. Demons flickered away in the tunnel's darkness.
"We really don't want to go in there right now" said Darakan "there's no light and I'm sure that those demons don't need to use their eyes to find us… they'll stay where they are until we come for them"
A demon caught a glimpse of them and started towards them. He was different from the others a blue couler. Beredreth and Darakan hid either side of the entrance with weapons raised.
It was quite a funny sight seeing the two with weapons held high and a curious demon walking through the passage. Darakan beat him onto the floor and Beredreth decapitated him. He wailed a little but not for long.
Luckily none of the other demons tried the same thing. He had plenty of gold on him and a cold blue sword that had strange runes en carved on the hilt.
Beredreth took this and found a blue scabbard with it. This was also cold blue.
"That looks like a strong blade" said Darakan "you keep it"
"I don't know" replied Beredreth gazing at the metal "I would not trust a blade which has been in the hands of a demon so long… speaking of which I thought you said they wouldn't come out to get us?"
"Well they won't now…"
The deceased demon was shorter than them, just over half their height. He was an important demon carrying so much gold and the blade to go. He must have been a captain or something, a rather brave one at that to venture out by himself, either that or foolish.
The two counted their gold together and it stretched to five thousand gold pieces, a small fortune.
Beredreth thought of how many of Pepin's potions he could buy now. It would be a lot.
They carried on ignoring the passage in the rock leaving it for another day. The long passageway eventually led to another flight of steps. It was hard going on this floor, more zombies and skeletons and also demons but they were stronger than before. Beredreth and Darakan also felt stronger and more experienced to kill the creatures therefore in a way it felt like they had gotten nowhere.
Darakan found another room full of books and made Beredreth wait while he read some passages.
Another room had some nice armour for Beredreth in it. It was a dark black and light to hold. It must have been magic for it did not make a difference to his speed when he put it on. In a way Beredreth felt freer than before wearing the strange armour. There was also a new cloak for Darakan folded away in the corner, it was a dull red through years and years but it was better than the one that had been severely ripped and was stained with his and his enemy's blood.
Much to Beredreth's annoyance Darakan kept insisting that they stop so that he could read more of his book. Darakan would not tell Beredreth why and this only made Beredreth more annoyed. At one point Beredreth left Darakan by himself for a few minutes to kill some monsters and relive his boredom.
Both of them by now agreed that they were completely lost in the dungeon. All they could do was to keep running around on the way back until they found steps. Beredreth blamed Darakan who merely nodded and continued reading.
In what they guessed was the middle of the third floor they came to an odd looking square room in the middle of a large network. It looked very strange in the middle like that and naturally the two had to investigate.
They had to fight their way to the door through many monsters. They then worked their way around the room killing of anything that moved, after this they came back to the entrance door and listened in.
First there came a rough voice.
"I wonder if they will come? I haven not tasted fresh blood in a long while…"
A feminine voice replied back
"Give me back my bow Butcher and let us finish what we started honourably"
"Fool, I don't care for you humans rules and games" there was the sound of spitting "they are nothing to me, I only take delight in putting an end to your puny little existence. You don't really think I would let you have a second chance do you? So why did you come down here?'
She stayed silent.
"That man named Farnham came down here"
"How do you know his…?"
"I know your name to Jezalthin! We have spies everywhere I know that Farnham escaped and now is ruined by weakness. That's one of the reasons you came with your friend isn't it! You also came to avenge your father's death... I don't particularly remember him any more, you might recognise him… maybe a piece hear and there"
"If I ever get free I shall watch you die painfully" she retorted with some vigour
"He was easy and nice, and, slow. You liked your father didn't you, you would have liked him better seeing him die! You liked your brother as well but missed him when he went to Grimdoor
Beredreth stirred in anger.
"Do you know that at this moment the fool is coming to rescue you?"
"What do you mean!" replied Jezalthin shocked
"He's coming with a friend another fighter perhaps, when he gets here I shall kill him in front of you, and then I might put you out of your misery, depending on if you say please! I'm going to enjoy killing you and him, I shall have finally wiped out your entire family and reduced the risk of any danger to my lord and master Diablo!"
On those words Darakan made a sign to Beredreth and the two entered. The room was horrid, blood was all other the floor and bodies everywhere some impaled. Jezalthin was tied in the far corner of the room against a spike. A large demon stood with his back turned.
His head slowly turned and his body with it. The face was fowl and ugly and an evil grin spread across it. "Ahh fresh meat" he said looking at Beredreth and Darakan with eager eyes
"You don't frighten me you murdering…" shouted Beredreth
"Butcher?" replied the Butcher "that is what I have told you humans to call me, show some respect and I might kill you quickly, I'm not sure I could do that so easily, it would be such a shame to not see such a healthy body in agony. So Beredreth, you have come to rescue your cute little sister! Pathetic, I did not at first think you would come, you obviously don't care about her much if you left her like that!'
These words stuck in Beredreth's throat and stung.
"You keep your nose out of this you disgusting creature, my business is none of yours," replied Beredreth angrily
Beredreth unshaved his sword and Darakan pointed his stave menacingly towards the Butcher
"So Beredreth" said the Butcher slowly "Who is this friend of yours. You should have told me he would bring a stick, we could do with a few more flames up here... Does this stupid little friend of yours think he can hurt me with something like that. What are you going to do? Throw it and hope I fetch!'
"Don't listen to him," said Beredreth glancing at Darakan
"I don't think hitting me over the head with that, is really going to do much" said the Butcher taking out his cleaver "Not when I have this" he smirked.
"Oh really?" said Darakan "why don't you just bend over and let me take a shot? Anyway I don't plan to hit you with it you idiot"
"You don't?" laughed the Butcher amused "why don't you show me what you are going to do with it then? So we can all see who is the idiot!"
"At once" said Darakan taking a step forward. With a flash of hands he pointed his stave forward and shot three charges at the Butcher. This took him off guard and hit him straight on with a burst of electricity fizzing around him.
The huge red demon shouted falling backwards and over. The Butcher shouted and swore on the floor smashing his hands into the ground and blood.
"I might have killed you nicely but now I'm going to give you a fate worse than death!" he wailed snarling and flickering his tongue. He hefted the cleaver.
"I think this would be a good time to run!" said Beredreth
"I agree," replied Darakan running out with Beredreth
"Beredreth! Beredreth!" called Jezalthin "what about me!" she had long dark hair and a pale smooth face. The Butcher turned to her disregarding both "I'll deal with you later…"
The last thing Beredreth had expected was that Jezalthin would go into the dungeon to try and kill the Butcher herself. She had some brown leather armour on, and she used the bow and quiver as a weapon, which were thrown into the far corner of the room.
"You can wait" smiled the Butcher repeating himself yet this time viciously like a wild animal "I am going to cut them to so many pieces that no one will not see any part of them again!"
Beredreth and Darakan ran into other nearest empty room followed by the Butcher. Darakan slammed the door and held it shut. A few moments later there was a roar and the top end of the cleaver smashed through the top of the door.
Beredreth helped Darakan hold it shut.
"He didn't like finding out that you were a wizard did he Darakan?" said Beredreth trying desperately to keep the door closed.
"There's another exit over there" whispered Darakan pointing to a door "try and think of a plan"
Beredreth started thinking along with Darakan, merely running away would not work. Suddenly the Butcher got his hand round the door.
"I'm going to get you, and carve you up into little pieces" he called wickedly
Darakan slammed the door several times on his hand while Beredreth kicked it to the Butchers wails. Finally he let go and the door slammed shut again. Darakan ducked luckily just in time as the top half of the cleaver came through the door again luckily narrowly missing his head.
"I've got a plan" said Beredreth hurriedly "we run, I will keep the Butcher busy you go untie Jezalthin and after that…. We will improvise!'
"Is that the best you can think of?" said Darakan in distress
"Well have you got something better?" replied Beredreth with a roll of his eyes, this soon stopped as another cleaver blow came in splintering a large hole through the wooden door.
Darakan looked at the many gaps in the door and then at Beredreth
"Fine, we'll do it," said Darakan getting ready
"I'm going to kill you," shouted the Butcher angrily from behind the door
"Oh will you shut up!" shouted Beredreth back through the keyhole. When Beredreth looked again there was not much keyhole left. The Butcher then began rapidly carving random holes into the door with a horrible hack. Suddenly Beredreth and Darakan ran out through the other doorway and came round. Beredreth ran around and challenged the Butcher from behind while Darakan ran back to the room and untied Jezalthin.
"Come on then" said Beredreth to the Butcher wielding his sword like fire
Both swung mighty blows and the weapons clashed in the middle. Beredreth's weapon however clashed and smashed into several pieces. Beredreth stepped back a few steps in horror holding the hilt of his old sword.
Beredreth quickly made a run for it straight for the square room. The Butcher chased him cursing him and shouting only to meat the door slammed in his face. Beredreth found a lock behind the door and quickly pulled the catch. There was a click and the Butcher began again to hack down … yet another door.
Jezalthin was just picking up her bow and Darakan turned to Beredreth from thinking.
"Is he strong?" he asked. Beredreth held up the hilt
"I see," said Darakan somewhat dissuaded yet again from physical confrontation.
Beredreth took out the demon sword he had gotten off the blue demon captain and swung it around. There was another chop on the door and a reasonable sized hole was made.
Darakan quickly got out a book and began hurriedly reading. Jezalthin strapped the quiver of arrows to her back in silence. Beredreth looked at Darakan
"Darakan! This is no time for reading a stupid book!"
Darakan waved him down and carried on reading as he had done before. Beredreth looked at the holes in the door and started thinking of combat plans to beat the Butcher but he was sure they would not work. Beredreth was sure that the Butcher was too strong for them even all at once. He could take a magical blast from Darakan a hit or two from Beredreth and probably many arrows to but there was no way they could win.
Darakan stood up and started to chant and out stretched his hands. Beredreth wondered what Darakan was trying to do. It seemed to take quite a lot of his effort.
"Darakan" whispered Beredreth "whatever you do it quickly"
There was now a big hole in the door and the Butcher reached his hand through. Jezalthin shot an arrow, which narrowly missed the Butcher and stuck into the door. The Butcher was too fast for her to reload and he undid the catch. Just at that moment Darakan mastered the spell. A blue beam shot out from his hand and created a glowing blue portal.
"Quick, everyone in" shouted Darakan leaping through the portal. The other two followed just as the Butcher entered the room with a loud roar.
They came out in the village and quickly turned round. The Butcher warily stuck his head and arm through the portal holding the cleaver. Beredreth acted quickly using the demon sword he sliced off the Butcher's arm. Aiming forward Jezalthin landed an arrow in the creature's heart and blood spurted out everywhere. He wailed loudly while Darakan suddenly turning round commanded the portal to close.
The blue magical door closed and the Butchers head landed lightly to the ground with a soft plop. A small puddle of blood oozed out onto the grass. The closing portal had separated it. The face was as ugly as ever but it had something comical in its death stare.
Beredreth picked up the cleaver and cradled it in his arms next to the demon sword. He paused awhile with a grin.
"You know, I am really really hungry!" said Beredreth turning in the direction of the tavern.
"So lets get something to eat," said Jezalthin I'm starving
"Sure we will" smiled Darakan "Five thousand gold's worth of drink and food if I'm anything to judge"
The End
Thanks for reading and go easy on the flames eh?