Chapter 7
Kasler called for a rest before they went farther down. They sat just a short ways from the stairs. The pets slumbered as their masters ate and discussed the foreboding events.
"Laufey, where did you come from?" Kasler said after he swallowed his bite of bread. "Do you have any information about the 'End of Days' prophecy that Cain was talking about?"
The wizard took a short sip from his pouch. "I'm not sure. I have read about such things while I was in Lut Gholein. The information was vague and very suggestive." He took a bite of his food and though a moment. "Nothing solid though."
Dante looked over at Laufey. "Lut Gholein? I thought that place was overran."
Laufey shook his head, "no thankfully it was cleared after a band of warriors not unlike ours came through."
"Hm." Dante nodded, "well, we need to find Leoric now. We can question Cain later."
They rested a moment longer and stretched as they rose. The floor below was brimming with angry shuffling skeletons and an overabundance of lich. Laufey would clear a path forward with his beams, letting Dante and Kasler advance. The arrows and sentries would kill anything in front of them, allowing Laufey then to come up to the front. Eventually they came to a room with four great free standing pillars and the ghost of the Skeleton King floating in the middle, raving at them. The party ignored him as they quickly prepared for a expected horde of enemies. Leoric delivered and the pillars came to life, spawning skeletons at random locations.
Laufey took position up in the room's center and fired his beam as he turned in circles. Five sentries were planted along the perimeter of the room, catching everything in their massive blasts. Dante brought the arrows from the ceiling and focused his fire on anything that survived long enough to wander outside the groups kill box. The seconds it took to tear that room part felt like minutes, they knew that the Skeleton King was close. The air was tense with the anxiousness for his death.
Laufey looked about the room, a puzzled expression was clear. "Guys..." He looked at Dante and Kasler. "Have you ever wondered why these candles are all lit?"
The hunters looked at each other. Through the helmets their laughter rang loudly as they held tight to their ribs. Laufey joined them as they laughed and looted.
Dante grumbled and leaned against a blood splashed stone wall. "Fuck's sake, did Leoric have to bury himself this far underground." He complained looking up at the entrance to the Royal crypts.
"He didn't want it easy to get to. No matter your reason for coming." Laufey took wall space aside Dante. "He's still an asshole for it though."
Kasler tapped Dante roughly on the shoulder. "Take your complaint to him. We're almost there."
The guards were dispatched and they came to a opulent tomb complete with a throne. They heaved their way up the short stairs and saw the bones of Leoric sitting in the throne. Kasler pulled the crown from the bag and approached the still armored remains. He looked to Dante and Laufey for an objections. They were silent and poised for battle. The sentries were in place and the pets were scattered, ready to lunge into the enemy. Kasler sat the crown on the skull and backed away quickly. The rattle of bones sounded as the Skeleton King let out his familiar laugh. The guards were dispatched and they came to a opulent tomb complete with a throne. They heaved their way up the short stairs and saw the bones of Leoric sitting in the throne. Kasler pulled the crown from the bag and approached the still armored remains. He looked to Dante and Laufey for an objections. They were silent and poised for battle. The sentries were in place and the pets were scattered, ready to lunge into the enemy. Kasler sat the crown on the skull and backed away quickly. The rattle of bones sounded as the Skeleton King let out his familiar laugh. The bare bones shook within the armor and soon it lurched forward to stand, gripping it's mace in one angry fist. He hefted it over his head and howled as he threw it down into the stone floor, sending a electrically charged shock-wave at the party. They all felt the lightening rip through their bodies and the animals curled in agony. Kasler yelled for them to fight through and the battle commenced.
The Skeleton King whirled around toward Dante, who dove out of the way. The hunter threw down spike traps as he continued to evade the Skeleton King's mace. Kasler was heaving breaths just a short away, he was mustering his energy as the pets all attacked relentlessly. Laufey took a sharp breath and forced another stream of hot beams into the Leoric, the monster was nearly dead, but the party hadn't had an easy fight. Every bit of bone not covered in armor, had arrows sticking out of them. It came quite a shock when Leoric summoned up another small band of skeletons to aid him and Leroic himself teleported to Laufey. Leoric raised his mace again and without warning, slammed the bottom tip of it into wizards neck and shoulder. Laufey let out a deafening shriek of pain as he fell. Kasler yelled as Dante froze. Leoric turned, spinning toward Kasler as Dante watched Laufey's motionless body on the floor pouring blood out. Dante looked around to see if the wizard' ghost would deliver some sarcasm and assurances. Nothing happened and all Dante could hear was Kasler's struggling fight against Leoric. Rage began to bubble deep within Dante's gut, it rose and with a demonic scream he charged the Skeleton King.
Kasler only had seconds to dive out of the way as Leoric was tackled to the ground. A black humanoid mass rammed itself into Leoric's back and begun tearing at him. Kasler removed his helmet to see clearly. The black mass was howling like a wounded animal as it clawed armor off Leoric. Burning red eyes and spindly tentacles aided in the dismembering of the Skeleton King. The darkness that made up the figure oozed and began to engulf everything it touched. Leoric tried to claw back, but all he could manage was defiant curses and shouts. Kasler watched the demon form screamed and pulsed with pure hatred. Arrows flew from it's void and the mass poured more of itself forth, dissolving the bones of Leoric. The black demon hunter stayed his pets as he watched Dante's group join the now disturbingly one-sided fight. The hall was filled with the cries of Leoric as he slowly was torn, beaten and dissolved into nothingness. The demon took hold of Leoric's skull, ripping it from his spine, holding it aloft and screaming triumphantly. Dante's pets gave the new monster a wide berth. It said nothing, merely stood there breathing fast. Kasler had barely brought an arrow up when the monster snapped it's eyes on Kasler.
The hall was quiet, Leoric was once again dead. Kasler watched as the vicious black and red glowing demon shuffled off the remains. He notched an arrow to Raven's Wing and brought it up level with the monsters head. It shuddered suddenly and fell face first to the stone floor. As it laid there, the blackness slowly crept off, revealing an unconscious Dante in its wake. It was a hushed rumor among demon hunters that some could assume the power and appearance of the demons they hunted. Kasler thought he was alone in that ability, the recent events showed him he wasn't. He aimed his bow again and considered his ability to possibly kill a friend. Was Dante lost to the demon's mind that had shown itself?
A voice whispered behind him. "Kasler?"
The black hunter turned fast on his feet and saw Laufey's ghost standing there. "Good." Kasler showed a tired smile. "Seems death wants nothing to do with either of you two."
"A moment, please." Laufey chuckled as he faded. The wizards body stirred and then sat up. "Now." He dusted himself off, examining the gaping hole in his clothing and armor. "What about Dante?" He looked down at the sleeping hunter.
Kasler approached and prodded Dante's boot. "I don't think he's going to be awake anytime soon." Kasler eyed Laufey questioningly. "Did you see him kill Leoric?"
"..." Laufey looked away from the hunters. "Yes. I didn't think anyone could do that. Grant it, I have my archon form, but that is magic. That..." his voice trailed off as he looked toward the secret door that opened beneath the Skeleton King's throne. "Nevermind."
There was a hollow silence as Kasler hoisted Dante up and helped set him on Laufey's back. The group moved cautiously through the disused passage. A bright blue glow emitted just at the end of the tunnel. When they came through they could see above them all the floors of the cathedral through the massive holes.
"The crater at last." Kasler said aloud to himself.
Laufey started his way down the treacherous crumbling stairs. Kasler kept a hand to Dante's back until they reached the bottom. The pets went single file and lingered at a gate a short ways away. Laufey was shocked to see the contents of the craters center. A man, in a simple but charred brown robe. His skin a earthy brown and a shaved head. The strange man was barely breathing, but he was alive.
Kasler came over quickly and gently shook the man awake. "Stranger? ...Stranger!?"
The dark skinned man hoisted his head up and tried to focus his vision on the men in front of him. "I am...I-I was..." His voice was weak but it was deep and thick.
The stranger rubbed the back of his head as he was helped to his feet. "...I...I remember falling."
Laufey craned his neck so that he could look above. "Through several floors it seems."
Kasler shot a brief scowl at the wizard. Turning back to the stranger, "Are you hurt?"
"No." The man groaned a bit. "I am not your enemy. I think..." His voice trailed off again as he was led from the crater. "Yes, I believe...I come with a warning. The darkness..."
The man's voice grew stronger as he felt the urgency in the absence of his memory. "...the darkness...is coming! I must...I don't remember..." He gripped his head painfully.
Kasler helped steady the man and tugged gently toward the exit. "Come with us. I know a man who may be able to help."
The four went slowly to the gate, just beyond it sat a stone platform for teleporting. Kasler took the stranger first, followed shortly by Laufey with Dante still unconscious on his back. Dante was taken to a healer and the wizard then took him to a room in the inn. Laufey went back for the pets and quickly returned, releasing them to run to their masters side. The man was already introduced to Cain by the time Laufey approached.
The stranger put a palm to an eye and pushed it gently trying to relieve the pain in his head. "A warrior I think...I came bearing grave news, but I cannot remember."
Cain was deep in thought for a moment. Laufey could see he hadn't missed much. Cain tapped his staff to the ground. "Your message might be all that can save us from impending doom."
Kasler and Laufey caught Leah's tolerant scowl from behind her uncle. The wizard and hunter had no time to ask anything. Cain raised his hand a bit. "I must consider things. Call on me in the morning."
With that Cain left and Leah helped the stranger get a room in the inn. Kasler turned to Laufey. "How's Dante?"
Laufey gave a half smile. "Sleeping like the dead should be. He's fine." The wizard handed the hunter a large bag. "I managed to get Dante's armor for Haedrig."
"Good thinking." Kasler nodded once and went with Laufey to Haedrig. Both were too tired to care about the indecent nature of removing armor in the open air.
Laufey went off to the room Dante was sleeping in. Kasler had asked him to watch over Dante while he rested. Kasler called to his pets to follow to his room, a privilege for a hard won battle. His body protested every step and when he finally made it to his room, he happily collapsed into the bed. Poor quality or not, the bed was very welcoming. Kasler's mind wandered back into the throne room of Leoric, what he had seen Dante become. He tried to make heads or tails of his concern from that moment. Was it for the event and sympathy that sent Dante into that rage filled state. Was it concern that his friend had the same 'demon curse' he had? Concern that he may one day have to put an arrow in the heart of a friend if he never came back from that state. The thoughts fought among each other, and Kasler found sleep keeping a safe distance from him. The pets in the room sensed his tension and kept themselves close to his bed, his raven going so far as to perch on his chest. His thoughts took a worse turn and fell on the man found in the crater's center. How? Why? He grappled with his mind long into the evening and it wasn't till the sun threatened to rise that Kasler found any sleep.
Late in the night in the other room, Dante finally begun to stir. He forced his eyes open and shot up in the bed. The pets slept piled along his side in the bed and Laufey was asleep in the chair just next to the window. Dante quietly but painfully sat himself up better. He thought back as far into the fight against the Skeleton King as he could. He remembered seeing Laufey being gored by Leoric's mace, he looked over at the sleeping wizard. Had he dreamed it? Did he finally lose his mind? Dante tested his senses.
He bite his thumb and quietly whispered, "taste and touch are working fine."
He stroked the fur of his wolves and focused his eyes on their color, picking out which wolf was which. "Nanook...Charlie...Frito...Sight is fine."
He flicked his finger against the wooden wall next to him, the sound came faintly. "Hearing is in order."
Inhaling deeply and letting his final sense register. The smell of burning candles and the aroma of his animals sparked memories. "Smell is fine."
Dante stole another glance at Laufey, whom was now starring at him. "Sleep well?" Laufey smirked quietly.
"I saw you struck." Dante smiled warmly at Laufey. "You should've died."
The wizard closed the book in his lap. "It seems that death is not willing to grace you or I with his presence."
Dante ran his hands through his hair. "Looks like it. Is Leoric gone? What was in the crater?" The red hunter missed Laufey's confused look at the absence of memory.
The wizard filled Dante in on the events after Leoric. Dante looked puzzled, "So this guy has some scary warning and he can't remember anything."
Laufey simply nodded. "That's the basic of it all. You should sleep more. Everything is in order."
"..." Dante didn't argue. He laid back roughly and let sleep take him again.
