[Disclaimer: I don't own Diablo blah blah blah.]
Smoke rose from the recently extinguished fires that had been in the dune, curling
into odd shapes as the wind causing the smoke to blow into the forest to the north. From
the smoke emerged a single figure, stumbling from side to side as he lurched forward,
eventually emerging to reveal himself as a boy who looked around 15 or 16 years of age.
As he stumbled along, tripped on a rock, sprawling across a rotting stump. With a great
deal of effort, he turned himself over to look at the sky. He had raggedy black hair that he
frequently had to keep pushing out of his blue-gray eyes. His only clothing was a tattered
cotton shirt, a pair of ripped and tattered trousers, and black leather boots that had
definitely seen better days. The shirt must have been white once, but it was stained a
murky brown by the mix of dirt and sweat that had accumulated over the several days he
had been wandering. He was also pitifully thin, his stomach frequently rumbling. As he
inhaled the smoky air, he suddenly let out a cry and clapped his hands over his mouth and
nose. The stench of death was overpowering here, all around him he could see the
corpses of slain demons. He needed to move, and quickly, before he succumbed to the
stench. He fought to get to his feet, wincing as the crude bandages wrapped around his
left thigh grew red with blood. The day before, an unfortunate encounter with a band of
demon Fallen, had left him severely bruised with a gash in his thigh. He stumbled across
the clearing before spotting and grabbing a long, thick branch lying on the ground. This
served as a makeshift cane as he moved into the forest on the other side of the clearing.
Above, the dark gray clouds rumbled with thunder as the rain started. "Damn." Came the
boy's weak voice as he was pelted with fat raindrops. Soon the storm was in full stride,
sheets of water raining down from the heavens, scattered by howling winds. The boy
stumbled on, one arm up to shield his eyes to he could see, to an extent. Finally, he
noticed a glow coming from a cave ahead. [Fire.warmth.] These two thoughts gave the
boy the strength to push on towards the cave. As he approached the entrance, he ducked
low in order to enter. Inside, A barbarian, a paladin, an Amazon, and an Assassin
surrounded the small fire. With a commotion, they scrambled for their weapons as one of
them noticed the boy standing there. As exhaustion overtook him, he collapsed to his
knees before keeling over, unconscious.
* * *
After what seemed to be eons, the boy stirred again. He blinked once, twice, then
thrice as he took in his surroundings. When he had collapsed, he dimly remembered
being in a cave. But now he was on a bed cot in a small room, and outside the door he
could hear voices. "Where the hell am I?" He wondered aloud. He sat up slowly, one
hand automatically reaching up to catch the cool cloth that had been on his forehead. He
was clad in only a pair of black trousers, as most of his torso was wrapped in bandages.
His skin had apparently been scrubbed clean and the gash in his leg expertly bandaged,
leaving his somewhat tanned skin visible. The only other things in the room were a chair,
a small washbasin, and a small table on which sat a candle and a sheathed dagger. He
quickly crossed the room and grabbed the dagger, removing it from its sheath. Its blade
shone in the dim candlelight, its edges razor-sharp. He heard someone on the other side
of the door as it started to open. Thinking quickly, he darted behind the door as it opened.
A tall, relatively attractive woman with long dark hair and clad in leather armor appeared,
carrying a bowl and cup on a wooden tray. Without thinking, he came up behind her and
locked one hand over her mouth and held the dagger lightly against her throat. "Who are
you, and where the hell am I?" He rasped, his throat dry. "You are in the Monastery of
the Sisters of the Sightless Eye, my name is Akara." Came the voice from behind him. He
spun around, still keeping a firm hold on his hostage. In front of him was a tall woman
with black hair with wisps of gray, dressed in purple robes. "I would kindly ask you to
release the young lady, as she was only bringing food and drink to you." Akara said
smoothly. With slight reluctance, he relinquished his hold on the woman and sat on the
edge of the bed. The woman, not at all frightened of him, handed him the tray and exited.
Akara sat in the chair opposite him, watching him as he ate. "Why am I here?" He asked
between bites. "Those warriors you met in the woods brought you to me. They have been
very anxious as to your condition. They didn't leave this room at all until I made them go
and rest this morning. You've been out for two days. By the way, what is your name?"
Akara replied. "My name is Gavin." He replied. "Ah, so Gavin, why were you stumbling
around in the woods in your condition?" Akara asked curiously. "I've been there for
several months, up until recently I'd been living in a small cabin, but demons burnt it
down and I was forced to flee into the woods so fast I was unable to get supplies or even
a weapon." Gavin said. Akara rose at this point, handing him a black tunic to wear as she
went into the hallway. Gavin followed her through several hallways as they headed
deeper into the Monastery. They arrived at a large set of double doors, but before Akara
opened them she turned to Gavin. "At your age, a boy like you should be heading out on
an adventure, exploring the world and things of that nature." Akara said. "What are you
getting at?" Gavin said hesitantly. "Xavier, the Paladin, is a friend of mine. I asked him to
take you with them as they travel." Akara said. "Of course." Gavin replied. He
maintained a calm exterior, but in his mind he was overjoyed. Traveling with such strong
companions would be very beneficial to him. Akara pushed open the doors, revealing the
warriors sitting around a large wooden table. "He has agreed." Akara said as they took
seats with them. "Excellent." Xavier, the Paladin, said in a booming voice. His blond hair
hung to his shoulders, his chiseled features gave off an aura of both strength and calm. He
reached over the table, extending his hand to Gavin. "Greetings, young one. My name is
Xavier." His chain mail rustled against the table, it seemed dingy yet sturdy at the same
time, as he leaned over. A large shield and War Staff lay against his chair. The Barbarian
extended his hand to him next, introducing himself as D'Rakna of the FireHammer clan.
He was clad in chain mail similar to Xavier's, but it was scored with several nicks and
scratches. His black hair was in a knot at the top of his head, like most Barbarians. A
Giant Axe leaned against his chair. His handshake was firm, if firm meant he could most
likely crush a boulder in his bare hands. The Amazon introduced herself as Jakara, she
wore chain mail that shone a green-gold color, obviously it was enchanted. Her bronzed
skin was rippling with muscles. Her copper colored hair hung to the middle of her back,
her bangs frequently falling into her eyes. Behind her, a Longbow and a Spear leaned
against the wall. The Assassin seemed the most reluctant to shake hands, but she finally
shook hands, introducing herself as Kyrie. She wore black chain mail that made no sound
as she moved. Her raven black hair was tied behind her in a ponytail that barely brushed
her shoulders. A sheathed katar was strapped to either leg. Gavin's initial reaction was of
a relatively weak girl hanging with three powerful warriors, but then he remembered that
Assassins' were trained in deception, so he assumed she could more than hold her own.
"Welcome to our little band." Xavier said. "Umm.thanks." Was all Gavin could think to
say. He heard footsteps, and turned to see Akara returning. [Funny.. I didn't notice her
leave.] He thought as he noticed that she was carrying a large wrapped bundle. "This has
been gathering dust in our armory for some time now, it doesn't fit any of the Rogue's, so
I thought you could use it." She set the bundle down with a CLUNK and unfolded it.
Inside was a full suit of bronze chain mail. Atop it sat a pair of Double Axe's. The blades
were tinged red, only a little near the edge's, but as it went closer to the handle the blade
was colored a darker crimson. Both were imbued with flame power, by the looks of it.
Gavin eagerly donned his new equipment, looking down at himself. He was interrupted
by shouting coming from the hallway as a dark-skinned man in blue and white robes,
complete with turban, ran in. He paused, gasping for breath. "Warriv, what is it?" Akara
asked. "Demon's. They are attacking the Monastery, in massive *pant* numbers. The
Rogue's cannot hold them at bay forever." Warriv replied, panting. "This is terrible."
Akara said, before she turned to Xavier. "Can you help us in our time of need, Xavier."
Akara said, almost pleading. "Fear not, we will vanquish these foes. TO ARMS MY
COMRADES, WE WILL SMITE THE DEMON ARMY!" He shouted. This was met
with cheers as Jakara, D'Rakna, Kyrie, and Gavin grabbed their gear and rushed towards
the door, Xavier in tow.
[End of Prologue]
Smoke rose from the recently extinguished fires that had been in the dune, curling
into odd shapes as the wind causing the smoke to blow into the forest to the north. From
the smoke emerged a single figure, stumbling from side to side as he lurched forward,
eventually emerging to reveal himself as a boy who looked around 15 or 16 years of age.
As he stumbled along, tripped on a rock, sprawling across a rotting stump. With a great
deal of effort, he turned himself over to look at the sky. He had raggedy black hair that he
frequently had to keep pushing out of his blue-gray eyes. His only clothing was a tattered
cotton shirt, a pair of ripped and tattered trousers, and black leather boots that had
definitely seen better days. The shirt must have been white once, but it was stained a
murky brown by the mix of dirt and sweat that had accumulated over the several days he
had been wandering. He was also pitifully thin, his stomach frequently rumbling. As he
inhaled the smoky air, he suddenly let out a cry and clapped his hands over his mouth and
nose. The stench of death was overpowering here, all around him he could see the
corpses of slain demons. He needed to move, and quickly, before he succumbed to the
stench. He fought to get to his feet, wincing as the crude bandages wrapped around his
left thigh grew red with blood. The day before, an unfortunate encounter with a band of
demon Fallen, had left him severely bruised with a gash in his thigh. He stumbled across
the clearing before spotting and grabbing a long, thick branch lying on the ground. This
served as a makeshift cane as he moved into the forest on the other side of the clearing.
Above, the dark gray clouds rumbled with thunder as the rain started. "Damn." Came the
boy's weak voice as he was pelted with fat raindrops. Soon the storm was in full stride,
sheets of water raining down from the heavens, scattered by howling winds. The boy
stumbled on, one arm up to shield his eyes to he could see, to an extent. Finally, he
noticed a glow coming from a cave ahead. [Fire.warmth.] These two thoughts gave the
boy the strength to push on towards the cave. As he approached the entrance, he ducked
low in order to enter. Inside, A barbarian, a paladin, an Amazon, and an Assassin
surrounded the small fire. With a commotion, they scrambled for their weapons as one of
them noticed the boy standing there. As exhaustion overtook him, he collapsed to his
knees before keeling over, unconscious.
* * *
After what seemed to be eons, the boy stirred again. He blinked once, twice, then
thrice as he took in his surroundings. When he had collapsed, he dimly remembered
being in a cave. But now he was on a bed cot in a small room, and outside the door he
could hear voices. "Where the hell am I?" He wondered aloud. He sat up slowly, one
hand automatically reaching up to catch the cool cloth that had been on his forehead. He
was clad in only a pair of black trousers, as most of his torso was wrapped in bandages.
His skin had apparently been scrubbed clean and the gash in his leg expertly bandaged,
leaving his somewhat tanned skin visible. The only other things in the room were a chair,
a small washbasin, and a small table on which sat a candle and a sheathed dagger. He
quickly crossed the room and grabbed the dagger, removing it from its sheath. Its blade
shone in the dim candlelight, its edges razor-sharp. He heard someone on the other side
of the door as it started to open. Thinking quickly, he darted behind the door as it opened.
A tall, relatively attractive woman with long dark hair and clad in leather armor appeared,
carrying a bowl and cup on a wooden tray. Without thinking, he came up behind her and
locked one hand over her mouth and held the dagger lightly against her throat. "Who are
you, and where the hell am I?" He rasped, his throat dry. "You are in the Monastery of
the Sisters of the Sightless Eye, my name is Akara." Came the voice from behind him. He
spun around, still keeping a firm hold on his hostage. In front of him was a tall woman
with black hair with wisps of gray, dressed in purple robes. "I would kindly ask you to
release the young lady, as she was only bringing food and drink to you." Akara said
smoothly. With slight reluctance, he relinquished his hold on the woman and sat on the
edge of the bed. The woman, not at all frightened of him, handed him the tray and exited.
Akara sat in the chair opposite him, watching him as he ate. "Why am I here?" He asked
between bites. "Those warriors you met in the woods brought you to me. They have been
very anxious as to your condition. They didn't leave this room at all until I made them go
and rest this morning. You've been out for two days. By the way, what is your name?"
Akara replied. "My name is Gavin." He replied. "Ah, so Gavin, why were you stumbling
around in the woods in your condition?" Akara asked curiously. "I've been there for
several months, up until recently I'd been living in a small cabin, but demons burnt it
down and I was forced to flee into the woods so fast I was unable to get supplies or even
a weapon." Gavin said. Akara rose at this point, handing him a black tunic to wear as she
went into the hallway. Gavin followed her through several hallways as they headed
deeper into the Monastery. They arrived at a large set of double doors, but before Akara
opened them she turned to Gavin. "At your age, a boy like you should be heading out on
an adventure, exploring the world and things of that nature." Akara said. "What are you
getting at?" Gavin said hesitantly. "Xavier, the Paladin, is a friend of mine. I asked him to
take you with them as they travel." Akara said. "Of course." Gavin replied. He
maintained a calm exterior, but in his mind he was overjoyed. Traveling with such strong
companions would be very beneficial to him. Akara pushed open the doors, revealing the
warriors sitting around a large wooden table. "He has agreed." Akara said as they took
seats with them. "Excellent." Xavier, the Paladin, said in a booming voice. His blond hair
hung to his shoulders, his chiseled features gave off an aura of both strength and calm. He
reached over the table, extending his hand to Gavin. "Greetings, young one. My name is
Xavier." His chain mail rustled against the table, it seemed dingy yet sturdy at the same
time, as he leaned over. A large shield and War Staff lay against his chair. The Barbarian
extended his hand to him next, introducing himself as D'Rakna of the FireHammer clan.
He was clad in chain mail similar to Xavier's, but it was scored with several nicks and
scratches. His black hair was in a knot at the top of his head, like most Barbarians. A
Giant Axe leaned against his chair. His handshake was firm, if firm meant he could most
likely crush a boulder in his bare hands. The Amazon introduced herself as Jakara, she
wore chain mail that shone a green-gold color, obviously it was enchanted. Her bronzed
skin was rippling with muscles. Her copper colored hair hung to the middle of her back,
her bangs frequently falling into her eyes. Behind her, a Longbow and a Spear leaned
against the wall. The Assassin seemed the most reluctant to shake hands, but she finally
shook hands, introducing herself as Kyrie. She wore black chain mail that made no sound
as she moved. Her raven black hair was tied behind her in a ponytail that barely brushed
her shoulders. A sheathed katar was strapped to either leg. Gavin's initial reaction was of
a relatively weak girl hanging with three powerful warriors, but then he remembered that
Assassins' were trained in deception, so he assumed she could more than hold her own.
"Welcome to our little band." Xavier said. "Umm.thanks." Was all Gavin could think to
say. He heard footsteps, and turned to see Akara returning. [Funny.. I didn't notice her
leave.] He thought as he noticed that she was carrying a large wrapped bundle. "This has
been gathering dust in our armory for some time now, it doesn't fit any of the Rogue's, so
I thought you could use it." She set the bundle down with a CLUNK and unfolded it.
Inside was a full suit of bronze chain mail. Atop it sat a pair of Double Axe's. The blades
were tinged red, only a little near the edge's, but as it went closer to the handle the blade
was colored a darker crimson. Both were imbued with flame power, by the looks of it.
Gavin eagerly donned his new equipment, looking down at himself. He was interrupted
by shouting coming from the hallway as a dark-skinned man in blue and white robes,
complete with turban, ran in. He paused, gasping for breath. "Warriv, what is it?" Akara
asked. "Demon's. They are attacking the Monastery, in massive *pant* numbers. The
Rogue's cannot hold them at bay forever." Warriv replied, panting. "This is terrible."
Akara said, before she turned to Xavier. "Can you help us in our time of need, Xavier."
Akara said, almost pleading. "Fear not, we will vanquish these foes. TO ARMS MY
COMRADES, WE WILL SMITE THE DEMON ARMY!" He shouted. This was met
with cheers as Jakara, D'Rakna, Kyrie, and Gavin grabbed their gear and rushed towards
the door, Xavier in tow.
[End of Prologue]