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.
Do not copy to another website.
Chapter Three: An Elderly Scholar
Uriel looked around the blast radius of his black firebombs, then went to pick up Captain Daltyn's smoldering helmet. It would serve as better proof of his condition instead of Leah and his word alone. The Ashen One was certain Daltyn had been magically enhanced. That yellow aura is something to be cautious of. Uriel looked at his mostly thawed left arm and shield. He was hoping to learn Daltyn's frost spell through an item. Sadly, the undead captain had very little on him. The Ashen One walks toward a silent girl in red.
"You did well," Uriel said. "I would have been distracted by the other undead." Although, they could die just as quickly from my own weapons. The knight thought internally. Leah gives a slow, wordless nod in agreement, then looks through some piles of books. Hmm, perhaps I overdid it. Uriel thinks, looking back toward Daltyn's charred, scattered pieces.
The girl stops searching through the books, looking at something intently. She grabs a journal, opening it to skim the pages. Leah pauses for a moment before closing it. The girl walks back to Uriel, showing him two things.
"Here, I got the key from one of the soldiers," Leah said. "and...my mother's journal. I think I've read enough of it." She hands the journal over to Uriel and continues speaking. "I want to know more about her, but that can wait."
The knight is silent, then responds. "Then give me the key," Uriel gestures. "I can look for your uncle. You will be safer here, and can learn more about your mother's secrets." I may learn a few from her journal.
Knowing that Uriel is more skilled than herself, Leah gives him the Tristram Cathedral Key. She thanks him, and begins looking through old books again. Only, Leah is stopped by the Ashen One, who gives her Daltyn's helmet. He tells the girl to speak with Rumford, along with handing him the former captain's helm. Uriel walks away from Leah, opening her mother's journal.
Indeed, there were quite a few disturbing things within. The Ashen One stops on a page that interests him. Signed by Leah's mother, Adria, is an account of one man by the name of Aidan. This individual seemed to be haunted by their past as if Hell was following him. Another part of the entry reveals that Adria departed Tristram before it was attacked. Uriel wondered if she told anyone else to escape with her. He climbed up the ladder to exit the witch's cellar.
Uriel was greeted by groups of risen dead. He cut them all down, continuing on the old pathway. A tree with two hanging bodies could be seen up ahead. The Ashen One thought they may have been criminals. Yet upon closer inspection, these were just more victims. Uriel moved on, knowing he couldn't do anything for them.
Uphill stood the Tristram Cathedral, struck by a fallen star. A group of undead was in the middle of eating a villager's corpse. They stood no chance against the Ashen One. The doors were old, yet not weak. He unlocked it with the Tristram Cathedral Key. Pushing the doors open, Uriel entered the former holy ground, seeing several pews broken. The knight killed a few risen dead blocking his path, then continued. Beyond him was a large hole with bright blue light. Some of the floor collapsed around it.
The only way down, I suppose. Uriel thought.
Before he jumped in, the Ashen One looked beyond the hole. Stained glass windows held the depiction of an angel in gold armor, smiting demons below him. His form was so large, each window had one-third of his body. Uriel hoped he wouldn't have to fight this individual. The Ashen One already killed three angels in his world and didn't need a fourth dying by his hands. Uriel looked away from the windows.
The Ashen One removed the Knight's Ring from his finger, replacing it with the Silvercat Ring. It would allow him to fall from great heights. Uriel looked down at the hole, with its blue light refusing to fade. He leaped forward, falling into the illuminated depths. As Uriel fell, he could see old architecture. Layers of different sublevels, untouched for years. The Ashen One landed on stone tiles, with effects of the Silvercat ring mitigating the fall.
At the top of a staircase, Uriel could see the light, now greatly illuminated. Going down the steps, he observed the breach. Some of the flames were like liquid, bleeding and unending. Whatever the Fallen Star was, managed to breach several levels. The Ashen One kicked a rock down into the hole, waiting for an echoed thud. Yet, there was no sound to determine depth. He walked away, searching for both a way down and Leah's uncle.
There were multiple groups of risen within the cathedral. Some were feasting on dead villagers, while others roamed in search of food. One appeared to be larger than the others, though. A somewhat round figure, with stubby legs and chubby arms. The rest of its body was stitched together, implying that this had been the product of some experiment. Uriel replaced the ring he used to survive his descent, wearing the knight's ring again. The Ashen One slowly moved forward in a stance, intending to cut open a line of stitches.
The Grotesque made their way toward the knight, completely fearless. Uriel slashed upward, cutting open a portion of its stitching. In return, it retaliated by arching its back. Several large spikes erupted from the grotesque's body, almost making contact with the Ashen One. Uriel rolled behind the undead creature, cutting open another set of stitches. Blood then spewed from both open wounds. It could not handle the damage, as its knees were on the ground. Uriel moved for a critical strike.
The Ashen One jumped on the grotesque's back, then turned around mid-air. With a plunge attack, he pierced the top of its head. The downward force brought the undead creature forward. It fell to the ground, with Uriel ripping his sword right out of its head. As he was about to walk away, the grotesque made a grunting noise. The body had begun to bloat quickly. Air around the grotesque darkened, then rippled outward. Uriel braced with his weapon.
An explosion of undead flesh spread the area, pushing the knight back slightly. Multiple worms poured from the remains. Some of them were larger than others, moving in groups of three. However, these Corpse Worms failed to avenge their host. The Ashen One continued exploring the Cathedral.
A few bats were seen in the hallway. Yet, these were far from normal. The beasts held green bodies, with one yellow eye. Three horns were on its form; two on the sides while one was on top. There was an additional stinger on the bottom that appeared to be their main way of attacking. Blue electricity would spark occasionally from the creatures. Uriel threw a kukri at one of them.
From a distance, one could hear the sound of a knife impacting an eye. Uriel sprinted forward, hearing a yelp from the dying Carrion Bat. The Ashen One swung horizontally, cutting another bat in half as he knelt. Some blood showered Uriel while looking at the downed beast. With his left knee on one wing, he pulled the kukri out. Then, Uriel stabbed its eye twice. A third stab was given, followed by riding the blade up the bat's body. The Ashen One stood up, putting the kukri away.
After seeing what the knight had done, the other carrion bats attempted to kill Uriel. Slightly annoyed from just putting the kukri away, he threw it again; hard. The creature fell, with souls flowing into their new vessel. Another carrion bat intended to stab Uriel with its electrified stinger, only for him to grab it. Holding the beast in place, he pierced its eyeball. The Ashen One twisted his weapon, opposite to the shape of its vertical iris. Through a two-way action, Uriel rips the carrion bat in half. With no enemies close to him, the knight began to examine the stinger.
Blue electricity continued to pulse from the beast's organ. It was long enough to be a curved dagger. Although, it had no proper handle. Uriel put it away, knowing that he could use the stinger later. He continued looking for Leah's uncle.
Atop one set of stairs, Uriel could see an injured villager approaching him. The man held his stomach as if he was trying to keep something inside. They spoke with fear and pain.
"Please, kill me!" They said. "I don't...I don't want to change!"
He suddenly screamed. His body burst with a dark green corruption. The man died standing, just like those who were in the Slaughtered Calf Inn. Another individual, the Ashen One could not save. Before they could move, Uriel thrust his longsword into newly undead flesh. While he absorbed the man's souls, the Ashen One could see a group of risen pouring out of a room. Uriel threw two firebombs to get rid of them quickly. Then, he continued exploring.
There were more of the same undead creatures the Ashen One needed to kill. Other times, he would find bookcases hiding some gold coins. Uriel collected those to use for future purchases. Some rooms were empty, with the only life in them being lit torches and small spiders on their webs. Ones that got in his way had their smidgen of souls absorbed. He cut his way through another group of carrion bats, only to see something at the end of a hallway.
Near a stone balcony was an old book, open on a lectern. It held the account of a captain named Lachdanan, who slew his own king. Yet, this was only one part of his writing. Uriel would look into this at another time if he did not find another lectern.
This next entry was also by Lachdanan. The captain speaks of an archbishop he concluded to be highly manipulative, named Lazarus. They convinced the king and his council to start a war with another city. Their efforts were for nothing, as Lachdanan and a few others were the only ones to survive.
Uriel thought, Clearly, Lazarus had something to gain from this conflict. Or at least attempted to. If he is still alive, then I may need to kill him.
Eventually, the Ashen One found a large doorway. It was left open, with the statue of a bishop on each side. This was the only path left he did not explore. Thus, Uriel moved beyond the doorway. Then, he began to hear a familiar sound of flame.
To Uriel's left was an unlit Bonfire. This was a welcoming sight for him since it gave an alternative to the Waypoints. The knight walks over to another remnant of his world, putting a hand over it. Warm embers had now been rekindled into one large flame, making this the second bonfire available to Uriel. Its whispers reached him, calling this area Leoric's Passage.
The King? Uriel wondered. Lachdanan mentioned him in his writings. He had to slay the sovereign he looked up to. If that man is dead, then the Fallen Star may have-
His brief pondering was interrupted, as the Cathedral rumbled. Debris from the upper levels fell into the bleeding breach. Uriel could hear an echoed voice from an archway on the lower level.
"Foul minions! Stay back!" The voice said. "Back!"
An elderly man came out the doorway, being chased by three skeletons.
"May this ledge hold..."
The unsupported stone bricks and tiles began to fall, with the skeletons losing their footing. While the elderly man was safe on the other side, the undead fell to their doom. Sounds of rattling metal and bone indicated a deadly impact for each one. Uriel absorbed the souls of each skeleton, confirming their deaths. He wondered if this survivor may be Leah's uncle.
Before reaching the bottom of the second staircase, Uriel spotted ghostly energy. He crouched back up to a dimmer area of the steps. It rose higher from the ground, reminding him of individuals summoned into his world. Yet, this is something different. A silhouette of the same energy rose, becoming more defined as the shape of one man. His armor appeared worn, alongside the crown on their head.
"The...Skeleton King?" The old man said.
Skeleton King? The Ashen One repeated internally. He thought back once more to Lachdanan's writing. This is who you have become now...
The king's gaze remains focused on the elderly man. They say nothing for a moment, then begin to speak.
"Your Fallen Star has reawakened me," Leoric said. "With my return, I will share the suffering that weighs upon me."
His focus shifts upward, erratically at the walls. Then a gaze toward the floor, looking beyond it. Leoric is refocused on the old man.
"Guards!" The king yells. "Bring me his bones."
Bright, magic light coursed through Leoric's arms. They stopped at his hands, along with the king raising them. Then the light disappeared, with Leoric relaxing. The king's spectral form faded quickly. Suddenly, undead energy moved to land on stone flooring. Four pale lights had surrounded the elderly man. In their place, skeletons formed at a surprising rate. While the survivor began to block their weapons with his staff, Uriel sprinted toward him.
As the Ashen One saw the man break open a skull, he was not focused on what had formed near him. It appeared suddenly in front, opening with a spinning back kick. Uriel only had enough time to block with his heavy longsword. A tall skeleton stood in his way, covered in a faint yellow aura. The knight glanced over at the old man, seeing him kill another Royal Henchmen. Uriel got into a stance once more, waiting for the tall skeleton to strike.
Headcleaver dashed forward with a downward vertical swing. Uriel dodged to his right, then moved forward with a heavy lunge. The attack pierced the skeleton's leg, making it stagger. The tall skeleton reacted with a horizontal strike from the right, making Uriel dodge away. Yet right after that motion, Headcleaver disappeared. Uriel felt a heavy magic sword slice his back, pushing him forward. The Ashen One was face-first on the ground, missing a disk from his spine.
Teleportation...Uriel thought. At least I know what to expect now.
The knight recovered with a roll, throwing a firebomb at Headcleaver. As the skeleton dodged his bomb, Uriel quickly applied a resin to his weapon. It smelled of charcoal while covering the longsword in fire. The Ashen One sprinted forward, readying an upward diagonal strike. Headcleaver simply teleported to dodge the attack, with Uriel blocking his follow-up. He sliced the skeleton's arm and leg, now seeing its yellow aura distort from the fire. Then, Headcleaver began to charge a powerful swing. This would be his mistake.
Uriel rolled behind the tall skeleton. Multiple flaming slashes distorted the aura on Headcleaver's right leg. Pieces of bone fell out from each attack, eventually making him fall. He was open to a critical strike. Uriel took the opportunity to attack in a stance, then broke off Headcleaver's right arm with a powerful thrust. The Ashen One spun to face the skeleton's head, throwing a Charcoal Pine Bundle in front of it. He would spin a second time, now with a charged horizontal swing.
The knight's heavy longsword hit the falling resin, pushing it onto Headcleaver's face. Continuing the motion, this ignited Uriel's thrown bundle. The longsword sliced through Headcleaver's skull, now covered in a large raging flame. Bones burnt quickly, with most of its head turned into black ash. Headcleaver's entire skeleton dropped to the floor, now completely lifeless. The yellow aura from his body faded, with a decent amount of souls for Uriel to absorb. He looked toward the old man to see his condition, as the fire on his sword extinguished.
Another skull broke open, killing the last skeleton. The elderly man appeared more tired than injured, evident by leaning on his staff. Their breathing was a little rough, yet that did not stop them from speaking.
"Thank you for helping," They said. "But, why did you risk yourself for me?"
The Ashen One didn't give an immediate response, then asked a question. "Do you perhaps know anyone named Leah?"
"Well, yes. She is a relative of mine," The man responded. "Why do you ask?"
"Your niece requested that I help search for her uncle. Here you are."
The man reacted with relief. "I had initially feared the worst. It is good to know she is alright!"
He gestured to a nearly empty bookcase, walking toward it. Uriel followed the man, who pulled one of the books on the shelf. Sliding stone can be seen moving the bookshelf out of the way. An old pathway was revealed, possibly being an exit out of the Cathedral.
The elderly man turned around, giving an explanation. "I've known about this passageway, after examining a few old maps." They began walking upstairs together, with the man continuing to speak. "This will take us to the Cathedral's Garden. I will awaken the old Waypoint there."
Both individuals could see the night sky once more. In front of them was the old waypoint Leah's uncle had mentioned. As he got closer, it activated simply by his presence. Wasting no time, the elderly man stood on the waypoint.
"Follow me to Tristram," They said. "We have some things to discuss about the Fallen Star."
Suddenly, a blue light pierced the rune below him. It folded the man's form, much like when Uriel used it. Now the garden was quiet, as the Ashen One was left alone with the waypoint. Comfortable with using the magic, he followed Leah's uncle back to Tristram. His form had folded as well, leaving this waypoint all alone once more. When Uriel reappeared, he could see Leah hugging her uncle.
"You're alive!" Leah said.
"Only thanks to you and your friend here," The uncle said with a smile.
Yet in the next moment, that joy faded.
"The Fallen Star..." The old man said. "I don't know very much about it, though I believe it is connected to the End Days prophecy."
Leah responded. "The End Days. Uncle, I just got you back."
"It must be a sign that the end has begun." The uncle replied.
"I think we can talk about your stories later," Leah said.
"Leah, I do not think it's wise to ignore prophecy," The Ashen One said. "Especially when there are events identical to said predictions."
"Your friend seems to believe me. Why don't you?" The man said to Leah.
The girl said nothing; walking back to her room at the inn. Before Uriel could call Leah back, her uncle stopped him.
"Don't," He said. "She will understand one day."
"I apologize," Uriel said. "I had hoped your reunion with her would go smoother."
"Well, besides that..." The uncle paused. "We still need to deal with the Skeleton King. You have not told me your name, either."
Realizing this, the Ashen One spoke. "You may call me Uriel."
"Deckard." The old man said in return. Both individuals shook hands with each other. Uriel? An angel's name...Perhaps you are a savior.
The elderly scholar, now known as Deckard, spoke briefly about Leoric and his downfall. Additionally, he mentions a demon with great influence, slain long ago. Effects from that entity still linger in the present day. Since Leoric has risen, to plunge Tristram into darkness once more. Deckard tells Uriel about his plan.
"I believe the key to defeating Leoric, is through his crown," Deckard said.
"His crown?" Uriel questioned. "He was already wearing it when he showed himself."
"We need the physical object," the scholar replied. "Not its projection."
"Ah, it will anchor him to his real body, correct?" The Ashen One asked.
Deckard nodded. "Our town blacksmith, Haedrig, should know where it is."
As the Ashen One took their leave, Deckard observed his armor. A rather deep cut can be seen on his back. You are quite the foreigner, Uriel. The man thought. Never in my life have I seen that knight's armor. Where are you from? What ruined kingdom on this earth is your home?
Unfortunately for Deckard, he would never know. Sanctuary is not Uriel's home.