The room was dark and damp, but far from cold. The smoldering heat
seethed through the shackles searing Atmas wrists. Her head was throbbing
and the room was spinning. She wasn't delirious, she couldn't be. The
hours after Mephisto had taken her were gruesome. This is your punishment,
he had said, but what she had done had to be done, for the sake of mankind.
She just hoped that Geglash could find Cain soon. Her mind was
deteriorating and there was no way to stop it now that it had started.
~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~
Geglash sat on a stool near the bar. Elzix gave him a curious looking glance out of the corner of his eye. The bandages would cause curiosity in most men. He only mildly sipped on his ale, he wanted to have a clear head for when the man Warriv arrived. The high vaulted ceiling gave the room an air of elegance, a sort of diamond in the rough. The city was once a giant trade center flourishing with people from every corner of the world. But all of that had changed since the drought had ensued. For five years no rain had fallen from the skies. The small force Lut Gholein had kept in its walls was merely for regulatory security, not at all prepared for the evil that seethed from the sand. The city was ransacked and torn from its once wondrous self. Geglash was the captain of the doomed soldiers at the time. They repelled the demonic beasts several times, but each time casualties were high. Fara, the metalworker, could not supply tall of the soldiers under Geglash with enough armor and weaponry to suffice. Before then she had done simple repair work to doorframes and such, now she was forced to supply the entire force with an armament. Every raid more and more soldiers either died or deserted until there were only a scant few left. In despair and for fear of his cities well being, King Jerhyn stooped as low as he could go and hired mercenaries, offering a bounty to the man who had the most kills. Hundreds flocked to Lut Gholein, thus eliminating the need for the now veteran soldiers. Most went home to their families, others followed the way of the mercenaries. The loss of his high position sent Geglash into a downward spiral, everyday drowning himself in ale at Atmas bar.
That was over now. He had to concentrate on finding and saving Atma. She was the only one who ever listened, ever really cared. A short stocky man walked through the door. His thick clothes were heavily travel stained, his face was shaved, no doubt out of respect for the King. So this was Warriv, the man whom was supposed to help Geglash. He set down his mug and walked up to the squat man.
"Warriv? You don't know who I am yet, but I have a few questions for you. This is no place to do it, though. Do you have a room? Good, lets go there." He was being overbearing, he knew, but there was not time to waste. Warriv seemed a tad intimidated, but moreover he looked irritated. It didn't matter, all Geglash needed was the whereabouts of Cain. They passed down the hall to the third door on the right. The room was small, cozy as Elzix would put it, but it only had enough room for one stool, a bed, and a small basin for washing. Warriv shuffled through the door and made his way to the bed. Geglash stepped inside and shut the door.
"Now, what do you want with me? I haven't caused nobody no trouble."
"Ah, no, it's nothing like that. I just wanted some information…"
"What do you take me for, a spy? What I have seen in the palace I will just keep to myself."
Perplexed and a little irritated, Geglash shook his head, "No, like I was trying to say. I want to know about a man by the name of Cain."
Warrivs head cocked to the side like a bird, "Ahhhh… Deckard Cain, yes I know him. He came to the Rogue Encampment where I was staying just a few months back. He brought grave news of Tristram being destroyed. The only survivor, he was. A bright man, he claims to be a descendant of the Horadrim, although most people think of it as gibberish from a decaying mind. Either way, he is respected. His knowledge of the Arcane is great. Who knows, maybe he is a Horadric Warrior. Why do you ask?"
"A friend told me to seek him. Is he still in this Rogue Encampment?"
"Last that I had heard, yes. That is, when I left he was still there. As a matter of fact, now that I think about it, he mentioned going to Andariels tomb to study it, now that the demons inside have been quelled. It is a good couple of hundred miles from here but, I could show you the way, if you wanted."
"When can you be ready?" It was a long shot yes, but Geglash had to talk to this man Cain.
"So soon? Well, if it is that important, in a day or so."
"Good, I will meet you outside of town tomorrow at noon. I still have one last thing to take care of." Geglash turned from the doorway and made his way down the hall. He still had one last thing to take care of.
If only she cooperates, it will go smoothly.
~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~
Geglash sat on a stool near the bar. Elzix gave him a curious looking glance out of the corner of his eye. The bandages would cause curiosity in most men. He only mildly sipped on his ale, he wanted to have a clear head for when the man Warriv arrived. The high vaulted ceiling gave the room an air of elegance, a sort of diamond in the rough. The city was once a giant trade center flourishing with people from every corner of the world. But all of that had changed since the drought had ensued. For five years no rain had fallen from the skies. The small force Lut Gholein had kept in its walls was merely for regulatory security, not at all prepared for the evil that seethed from the sand. The city was ransacked and torn from its once wondrous self. Geglash was the captain of the doomed soldiers at the time. They repelled the demonic beasts several times, but each time casualties were high. Fara, the metalworker, could not supply tall of the soldiers under Geglash with enough armor and weaponry to suffice. Before then she had done simple repair work to doorframes and such, now she was forced to supply the entire force with an armament. Every raid more and more soldiers either died or deserted until there were only a scant few left. In despair and for fear of his cities well being, King Jerhyn stooped as low as he could go and hired mercenaries, offering a bounty to the man who had the most kills. Hundreds flocked to Lut Gholein, thus eliminating the need for the now veteran soldiers. Most went home to their families, others followed the way of the mercenaries. The loss of his high position sent Geglash into a downward spiral, everyday drowning himself in ale at Atmas bar.
That was over now. He had to concentrate on finding and saving Atma. She was the only one who ever listened, ever really cared. A short stocky man walked through the door. His thick clothes were heavily travel stained, his face was shaved, no doubt out of respect for the King. So this was Warriv, the man whom was supposed to help Geglash. He set down his mug and walked up to the squat man.
"Warriv? You don't know who I am yet, but I have a few questions for you. This is no place to do it, though. Do you have a room? Good, lets go there." He was being overbearing, he knew, but there was not time to waste. Warriv seemed a tad intimidated, but moreover he looked irritated. It didn't matter, all Geglash needed was the whereabouts of Cain. They passed down the hall to the third door on the right. The room was small, cozy as Elzix would put it, but it only had enough room for one stool, a bed, and a small basin for washing. Warriv shuffled through the door and made his way to the bed. Geglash stepped inside and shut the door.
"Now, what do you want with me? I haven't caused nobody no trouble."
"Ah, no, it's nothing like that. I just wanted some information…"
"What do you take me for, a spy? What I have seen in the palace I will just keep to myself."
Perplexed and a little irritated, Geglash shook his head, "No, like I was trying to say. I want to know about a man by the name of Cain."
Warrivs head cocked to the side like a bird, "Ahhhh… Deckard Cain, yes I know him. He came to the Rogue Encampment where I was staying just a few months back. He brought grave news of Tristram being destroyed. The only survivor, he was. A bright man, he claims to be a descendant of the Horadrim, although most people think of it as gibberish from a decaying mind. Either way, he is respected. His knowledge of the Arcane is great. Who knows, maybe he is a Horadric Warrior. Why do you ask?"
"A friend told me to seek him. Is he still in this Rogue Encampment?"
"Last that I had heard, yes. That is, when I left he was still there. As a matter of fact, now that I think about it, he mentioned going to Andariels tomb to study it, now that the demons inside have been quelled. It is a good couple of hundred miles from here but, I could show you the way, if you wanted."
"When can you be ready?" It was a long shot yes, but Geglash had to talk to this man Cain.
"So soon? Well, if it is that important, in a day or so."
"Good, I will meet you outside of town tomorrow at noon. I still have one last thing to take care of." Geglash turned from the doorway and made his way down the hall. He still had one last thing to take care of.
If only she cooperates, it will go smoothly.