I do not own Diablo or any of characters, except the new mystery character.
An Old Friend
Nature had taken its toll on the tavern. Vines and other plants had taken hold and advanced up the walls. The roof looked likely to collapse any moment. He didn't understand his friend's choice of locations. He took one more glance at the pathetic building before walking through the door.
Despite the gloomy out look of the building, the inside was just the opposite. At least 15 men were enjoying their evening in the pub; trying to drown out their guilt, sadness, and fear. The laughing, talking and sound of clinking mugs were cheerful, but did little to brighten his spirit.
He new he'd found his friend almost immediately. The far back of the tavern was virtually pitch black and the other men seemed to be avoiding it. He caught several accusing and cautious glances as he made his way to the back where a silhouette could be barely seen by the light of a dimly lit lamp.
He took a seat in on the opposite side of the table, " You couldn't have chosen a better place than this, could you?"
" What do you mean, this is far better than any other tavern or pub you could find in Lut Golein or West march" replied a deep authoritative voice.
He managed a wry smile. As his eyes adjusted, he could see that his friend was the same as ever. A large figure in a brown cloak, always hiding his face in a veil of deep darkness, yet an aura of light emanated from him. It had been a long time ago when he first met him. He himself had dared to far into an ancient pit; once again the pride of the Horadrim leading another brave mage to meet his death. He happened to come upon some forgotten creature from the sin wars and was moments from death, when a large figure intervened. With one swift strike the creature fell. This mysterious character returned him to Tristram and since then they'd become good friends.
" Well Deckard, I'm not gonna lie", his friend whispered " You look horrible".
" For the last 6 months I have searched in the deepest catacombs and the highest towers for insight on our situation", Deckard sighed. " And I have nothing to show for it."
" That is partly why I asked to meet you", spoke his friend in a gloomy voice. " Deckard, you're running out of time. The greater evils for the time being are subdued, but hell is not."
" My spies have informed me that Hell is in a stalemate. Azmodan and Belial our at each others throats. Neither willing to relinquish power to the other. I fear that Azmodan has taken the higher ground. Once he takes control, its over."
Deckard eyed him accusingly " Over! It won't be over. Our heroes and armies can hold them ba-"
" No", gleamed his friend, " Your friends may have been able to defeat the prime evils in combat, but not the endless armies of Hell." His friends voice was raising.
" They said it was impossible to defeat a prime evil. I believed myself that it was fool hardy to try to enter the Tristram Cathedral. I thought it mad to try to dare Travincal, but look what these heroes have done. I implore you to see that there is hope in man. " responded a defiant Deckard.
Several of the men were eyeing them by now.
His friend spoke, his voice now reserved and perfect, " Deckard, Azmodan is a fool. Signs have already been found of what I feared above all else. You by now know of the abyss. It is a place where all demons originate. The defeated Prime Evils themselves exist their. But there are things their that cannot be spoken of. Their are great evils far beyond your imagination. The Prime Evils were smart enough not to gamble with what they summoned from the abyss.
His friend voice seemed to shake, "But in the deepest darkest foulest pits of the abyss lie things that Diablo may even fear. There are those the high heaven and the Burning Hell have outlawed even speaking of. They are the Dark ones, the Endless, the Children of Perdition. I fear Azmodan is planning, if he has not already, on summoning one of the Forbidden.
The darkness seemed to be seeping in around them, " When he does, he will take control of Hell and he will destroy everything.
"Deckard, there is no hope" whispered his friend in a anguished voice.
Deckard spoke, " Then in the face of this, I ask you to help us fight."
" No" his friend spoke, silencing Cain, " I swore not to intervene, you of all now that."
" Then try to find Tyreal and tell him or warn the High Heavens." Cain said in a shaken voice.
" Deckard!, Tyreal made his choice long ago, He is a traitor!"
Deckard spoke despite his friends loudening voice, " He understood his mistake. He's tried to help-"
" Trying to help!", his friend was virtually yelling, " And what has he accomplished; a gaping hole leading the Burning Hells straight to Sanctuary. A Demon madd enough to end life as you know it. It is to late for him to redeem himself."
Deckard was now standing, " Tyreal has done far more than enough to repent" Cain said now glaring, " He isn't the one who betrayed his own-"
His friend stood, the building shook, the torches blazed. The men in the pub stumbled screaming out of the Tavern. But still Cain stood his ground. His friend seemed to be emanating a deep darkness, then in a deafening commanding voice his friend spoke, " Deckard, you speak out of term. Because you deny the fact that there is no hope, you doom all your kind. They will die and you will die with them!"
The building calmed the torches returned to normal and his friend's usual aura returned, " I will tell you one thing, the only way to stop this doom. Is to do something irrepentable. Something so terrible that it will damn a mortal soul for eternity." His friend took a deep breath, " You must return Terror to its rightful place in Hell." His friend seemed tired and worn, "I am sorry Cain, but I must take my leave. If you have enough faith in Tyreal, to have stood up against me, then perhaps I may too. We will see." , And with that his friend walked out of the now ruined tavern.
