This crossover was not created for monetary gain. Dark Souls 3 is made by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. Diablo 3 is made and published by Blizzard Entertainment. I own neither franchise. For a proper understanding of both narratives, please view these stories separately.
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Chapter 2: Aiding New Tristram
The Ashen One's talk with the captain was rather brief. A barricade to the side was being attacked. Blunt force and clawing from rotten hands could be heard. Rumford's archers on the towers were already shooting the new wave of risen. As a sign of competency, souls made their way toward Uriel. However, their efforts were not enough. The barricade of broken wagons and wooden planks were finally taken down. Risen had poured forth from the breach, and behind them stood the figure of a woman.
A horribly rotten corpse, slightly hunched over. Her eyes were dead, and only partially covered by long black hair. The torn red clothing revealed a slenderer figure, with missing skin, and an abdomen ripped open. The body could have fallen apart at any time. Yet, this was not a regular corpse.
"There! That's one of the Wretched Mothers!" Captain Rumford said. "There are more of them in the ruins down the road!"
Uriel sprinted toward the breach, and several risen were cut down in one horizontal strike. As Rumford went to meet the Ashen One in clearing the wave, he signaled his archers to focus on the wretched mother. His men had yet to miss their marks. As the rotted woman stepped forward, two flaming arrows hit her body. The wretched mother's foot and kneecap were pierced and burning. She glanced at the archers, then toward Rumford, making a gurgled yell of annoyance. In an attempt to shut her up, one of the archers shot the wretched mother in the head.
"Yes!" The archer said.
This did not stop her, as she began to move quicker toward Uriel and Captain Rumford.
"Oh. Never mind…" The archer said sadly. His friend in the other tower had a hand on his forehead.
The wretched mother suddenly stopped. It had nothing to do with the flaming arrow. Her body curved to puke something out. Rotten, pale green vomit burst out from the wretched mother's mouth. Liquid rot sizzled like acid, staining the dirt road. Whole heads, fingers, and arms emerged from the vomit. She had created more risen dead.
While the captain cut down two pale bodies in front of him, Uriel moved forward. Unstrapping a black firebomb from his side, the Ashen One threw it. The newly risen dead along with the vomit burned. While souls were being absorbed, the wretched mother moves to attack Uriel. Her nails rotted into the shape of short claws, would not reach the Ashen One.
Uriel brought his shield up, then moved it with a briefly tense backhanded motion. The counterforce was so hard, sparks were made as the wretched mother's nails were parried. Her torso faced away from the Ashen One, unable to do anything at that moment. Taking advantage, Uriel pierced the already ripped open abdomen. She could only make a wordless, painful twitch. He pushed her off his weapon with a kick, making the wretched mother fall back-first onto the dirt. Truthfully, Uriel did that out of instinct. Seeing the wretched mother's nails, while not as long, still reminded him of a claw weapon.
"You may want to cover the breach," Uriel said. "I will continue ahead."
The captain nodded in agreement. One of his archers on the tower near the breach was ready to shoot more risen. Rumford waved farewell, while the Ashen One responded with the same gesture. He would be back in the town later.
Uriel walked down a set of dirt steps, reinforced by wood. He had time to himself again, thinking about the situation. Things were moving quickly, and Uriel wouldn't deny that. The journey through his world was similar. He had faced many individuals in his lifetime. Some of them were other undead, with a similar prowess to Uriel's own. The Ashen One shield-bashed a risen, trying to climb onto the wooden bridge he was on. It fell into the river below.
I'm busy. Uriel thought.
He continued up another set of steps, encountering more groups of risen dead. A mischief of rats scurried away from Uriel, with a few running into the pale corpses. Some of them were picked up and eaten; their smidgen of souls was also absorbed. The Ashen One destroyed the group, then moved toward another near a burning wagon. They feasted upon the dead body of a militiaman. Uriel cut their meal short.
Ahead of the Ashen One was only more risen dead, save for one group. Beasts with orange fur, horns, and hunched over, having multiple quills on their backs. While the Quill Fiends were fairly dangerous for a mortal, Uriel was undead. He ripped the quills off the ones he killed, using a few of them like throwing knives. The wretched mothers stood no chance against Uriel either. Vomiting their liquid rot to create more risen dead only slowed the knight down.
To the sides of the road were a few things to inspect. From locked and abandoned homes, cellars, and even below a well, the exploration kept the knight occupied. In addition, a few chests were found surrounded by more quill fiends and risen dead. They were easy to defeat. Now, Uriel had some gold to spend in case he needed something. One of the chests even had a magic longsword in perfect condition; ready to use.
Uriel had the idea of reinforcing it with a crystal gem. It would make sense to do so. The infused titanite could probably enhance the effects of the magic longsword. Regular titanite reinforcement should make the sword more powerful too. The Ashen One held the weapon. Its thin, faint blue aura was proof of magical value. He also noticed an empty socket on the pommel. Uriel strapped the extra longsword onto his left side, then continued down the path.
Beyond a third set of steps, was the ruins of an old town. Yet, something was off. The town's decay was anything but natural, and it appeared to have been attacked. The gates appear forcefully opened, while what remains of the buildings indicates they were set on fire. Something still moves among the ruins.
The Ashen One stood a few feet away from a wretched mother. Her form was varied, unlike the other pale women. A ripped and bloodied white dress covered her body. Silver hair fell in front of her face, only revealing a nose bridge and mouth. The woman's collarbone was partially visible, along with the seam of her ribcage. Additionally, her arms and legs were bloody, with missing skin.
The knight rolled to his left as the woman spewed rotten liquid. Newly risen dead rose from the rot. Uriel ran past them, throwing two rope black firebombs behind. While flames burned dead flesh, the Ashen One slowed down to block a swipe. The Wretched Queen yelled, fast-walking away from the knight. Although, she should not have turned her back on him.
A black firebomb was thrown at the Wretched Queen's back, making her stagger forward. One moment after, a sword pierced through her body. She could not move, with Uriel's heavy longsword piercing rotten flesh. The woman died standing. He kicked the wretched queen off his weapon and looked around him, killing what remained. More dead militiamen, a ruined fountain, and other buildings were examined. There wasn't very much he could take, save for an axe Uriel found on a weapon rack. As he turned to make his way back, the Ashen One noticed something on the ground. This was a summoning circle, like the one in town.
Maybe it can be activated…? Uriel wondered.
He would be correct, as the circle activated when he got closer. Blue lights shined on three points, while a circular azure glow rose. Glittering light moved in the air around the summoning circle. The Ashen One touched this blue glow, hearing no whispers of a location, unlike his world's bonfires.
I do have time. Uriel thought. There doesn't seem to be any more undead around. He stared at the blue glow, then at the triangle within the circle. If this really is a summoning circle just like I've guessed, then…
Uriel stepped onto the rune. Almost immediately, he could sense the other summoning circle. As he wished to travel into the town, a thin azure lux pierced the rune below his feet. The blue light seemed to fold Uriel's form, making him disappear. He was no longer standing on that circle. The Old Tristram Ruins were quiet, except for the low-pitched humming of blue fire.
Back in New Tristram, a Waypoint awakens. A piercing blue light hits an old rune on the ground. The form of Uriel unfolds, as azure embers dance briefly in the air before disappearing. Three lights on the circle dim, going back to their normal sizes. He looks around, seeing some of the guards look in surprise. One of them makes a response that can be heard.
"Woah, he got the waypoint working!" The militiamen said.
Leah and Captain Rumford were also around, standing near the Slaughtered Calf's entrance. Uriel waved to them as he walked, while they did the same. The captain spoke first.
"Are they gone?" Rumford asked.
"Am I dead?" The Ashen One replied.
Rumford almost laughed, then smiled. "Once again, I thank you for helping us." He glances at Leah, then looks toward the Ashen One. "I know this is really abrupt, but may I ask you something?" Uriel nodded. "Can you talk with Leah for a moment? She isn't giving up on the idea of rescuing her uncle."
"She really shouldn't. He's important to her." Uriel responded. One of the guards called Rumford over to speak with him, ending their conversation. Leah moves closer to speak with the Ashen One.
"We need to reopen the cathedral first," Leah said. "The guards locked it up before they were ambushed."
"Do you have a key?" Uriel said.
"No. Rumford told me they fought their way back to a hut," Leah replied. "So, the key must still be there."
Before Uriel could lead the way, Leah went ahead of him. "I can show you the path." The girl said. She stood on the waypoint in one moment, then disappeared right after in blue light. The Ashen One followed her.
She, already knows how to use the waypoint. Uriel thought. It may be good to keep an eye on her. Although, the other militiamen knew about this waypoint too.
Uriel traveled back to the ruins he cleared, seeing Leah unlock a gate. She looked behind to see the knight. Then, Leah moved her head in the direction of the new path, telling him to follow. As they walked, Uriel could hear five militiamen teleporting through the waypoint. They made a small cordon around the summoning circle.
"So, about the hut…" Leah began.
"Go on." Uriel replied.
"My mother owns it. Yet, I never met her. She died when I was young." Leah said. "I was raised by my uncle instead."
"What happened to your father? Same fate?" The Ashen One asked.
Leah hesitated, then said, "I was told he was a great warrior. One who was lost when Tristram fell to demons."
"I-Apologies, for asking." The knight said. Demons? Uriel wondered. So, they exist in this world too.
"Do you have any experience with them?" The girl asked.
This time, the Ashen One hesitates, then says, "No."
The conversation ended there, along with encountering another group of risen dead. Some of them were hit with Leah's arrows, while most of them were killed by Uriel. They continued forward, seeing the old hut beyond a bridge.
"There it is…." Leah whispered. It was loud enough for Uriel to hear.
Once making it to the other side, both went to the entrance of the hut. They could see two dead militiamen, possibly from Rumford's unit. Near their corpses was a hole in the ground, revealing a ladder. Leah and Uriel looked at each other, with the girl climbing down first. Uriel looked around, seeing a few potions on nearly empty shelves. Before he could grab one, Leah ushered him to follow her.
"Come on, follow me!" Leah said. There was a slight echo in her voice.
The Ashen One went down the ladder to meet her. Below was an old cellar, with one of the walls missing. Instead, a large breach extended the lower level; another pathway.
"You didn't know about this," Uriel stated.
"People did call her a witch, yet I never believed it," Leah responded. "I should have known better."
Uriel and Leah continued through the cellar pathway, bringing them to a spacious cave. To the left were two tables and disorganized stacks of books near a few stalagmites. To their right was an old bookshelf, along with a dead end. However, right in front of them was a cauldron. Underneath it, was a fresh fire. Something was here.
The ground broke open at different points. What rose from the earth were four militiamen, hungry and undead. Interestingly the one in front was taller, with armor that was like Rumford's. Only, the lower half was missing. It seems to have been torn off, evident by many claw marks on its chest plate. There is enough absent to see the man's clothing, rotted green from death. His body was also covered in a faint yellow aura.
"Captain Daltyn?!" Leah yelled.
Her bow was already out. As she fired an arrow at the former captain, he moved his head to the left to dodge. The projectile hit a risen through their skull instead. Now there were only three left.
"I'll deal with Daltyn!" Uriel said while bringing out his knight's shield. "Focus on the other two!"
Leah nodded, then went to aim at her targets. Uriel ran forward, while Daltyn did the same. The Ashen One's heavy longsword connected first, cutting the captain. In response, the former guard raised their hand in the air, palm facing the ceiling. The temperature dropped in the cave. Uriel and Leah could see their exhales. As Daltyn moved to swipe at the knight again, frigid spheres of ice began to form. Below them, more frost accumulated, decreasing the temperature further.
Uriel knew these things were ready to explode. While he rolled away from the undead captain, a frigid sphere formed quickly in his hand. Daltyn threw it at Uriel, who managed to block it. However, as the sphere broke, painful frost covered both Uriel's shield and his left forearm. The Ashen One made a slight grunt, unheard by Leah. The girl had killed the remaining two risen dead quickly.
The other frigid spheres exploded, completely missing Leah and Uriel. The knight brought his shield up, then sprinted forward. Daltyn ran toward him again, another sphere in his hand. With a quick turn, Uriel made his way behind the captain, who just finished his frozen swipe. A rope black firebomb was in the Ashen One's hand. Except instead of throwing it behind him, he grabs Daltyn's head and puts it through his mouth. With his head pulled back by the rope, Uriel runs him through with his heavy longsword. Making a large enough wound, the knight brings out another black firebomb, plunging it next to his sword's entry.
Daltyn tries to reach behind for Uriel, yet fails. As the Ashen One kicks the captain off his weapon, sparks ignite the black firebomb. Captain Daltyn is propelled forward, with the blast igniting the other bomb in his mouth. Some of his collarbone, brains, charred arms and legs are what remains of the undead being. Leah could only watch.