You know the drill...
"The Puppetmaster"
Part V
By Alpha Draconis
It was a cold mourning. Very cold. The mercenaries guarding the front gate were shaking in their armor. Since the two guard decided to take their breaks last night, the mercenaries had to fill in for them. But they didn't like it.
"Damn cold, hey Sanchez."
"Mmm." The other guard replied.
"Why the hell are we here again?"
"Because the guards left."
"Hrmph! If you ask me, they were out to get some with those slutty Harems... Hmm, that's not such a bad idea..."
"Doubtful, they didn't go to their homes last night."
"Harems, Narlat weed, authority. You mix them and you get trouble."
"You dance with Mary Jane, and you get your toes stepped on."
"... Dude you need a hobby."
" I do have a hobby."
"Really?"
"I collect pornography."
".... "
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Adrian yawned (shivered) and opened his eyes. He was about to stand up when he noticed sleeping beside, him, purring loudly, was none other than Sheila! He glanced at her, and shook his head. No, never in a million years... still... she is kind of hot... in an evil demoness sort of way, he thought, closing the window curtains. He looked back over at Sheila who was sleeping soundly with a large smile on her face. Adrian hit himself on the head and walked over to his skeleton Mages who lay 'asleep' on the floor. Adrian noticed that the skeletons weren't awake and walked over to other room. Stifled chuckles were heard from the bedroom. Adrian poked his head back into the room and looked around. He left, and the skeletons stifled their laughter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Uh, Sanchez..."
"Yeah."
"You better come see this!" The nervous guard replied to his dozing partner. He walked over to his partner and looked outwards to the desert from the ramparts of Lut Gholein's walls.
"WHAT THE FUCK!?!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. The scene was very ominous.
Twenty or so feet away from Lut Gholein's protective wall lay hundreds upon hundreds of Saber Cats. Not just Saber Cats mind you, there were Hell Cats, Huntresses, Spear Cats, and just about every type of feline warrior. All camping in a makeshift Shantytown just out of reach of throwing weapons. The cats were doing many things, sharpening weapons, hunting and eating any wildlife, or even more ominous were several cats setting up medium sized siege weapons like catapults, battering rams, and Ballistae. "Jerhyn's not gonna like this at all..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Let's go everybody! THIS IS NOT A DRILL!" Griez shouted towards his mercenaries. Who ran toward the walls and clambered up onto the ramparts, poleaxes, bardiches, and scythes poised ready, but they were hopelessly outnumbered. The cats took little notice of this and continued on preparing for a battle. The mercenaries looked back to each other, grimaced and looked outward. Several citizens were trying to fortify the gate by piling large rock in front of it. Things were not looking good...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sheila yawned and awoke, stretching and looking around. Adrian and his mages had left. She rummaged through her belonging, and donned her skull mask, javelins, ring mail, and lastly her whip. She tied on he belt, which had several poison, and oil potions in it. She borrowed Adrian's spare shield and walked out of the inn room and into the streets. Everyone was carrying weapons, and trying to barricade off their homes.
"What's going on?" She asked a townsman wielding a scythe. He grunted and pointed over to the front wall where Griez and his troops were trying to defend Lut Gholein. Ardidar and Adrian were there too.
She ran over to them. What's going on now?" She asked the trio. Griez looked away and walked over to his troops. Adrian spoke softly to her as her and his skeletal mages stepped up onto the ramparts.
"Why don't you see it for yourself."
Surprised, she stepped up the wooden ladder and looked out to the desert. "My god..." She whispered overcome with the sheer masses of the feline fighters. "How many are there?" She asked. Adrian looked down.
"Close to one thousand."
"I never knew..." She muttered.
"I bet you've been working for them all along and have just been hiding it!" The Hammer accused.
"ME! I HATE THOSE THINGS!" She yelled most of the guards tried not to hear and moved away from the arguing warriors.
"No offense, but those things look like better company than you!" With that remark Sheila kicked the Hammer in the one place you would never want to be kicked. Hammer fell down cursing and crouched in a ball as Sheila left. The mercenaries laughed, or cheered Sheila. Adrian commanded his skeletons to guard the ramparts. He chased after Sheila towards the dock.
Sheila sat down at the dock's edge looking out to the sea.
"I miss traveling those seas." Meshif startled her. "Now Jerhyn's keeping me docked here... but not for long I think he said gesturing to the front wall. Sheila nodded.
"The barbarian thinks I am betraying this city to them." She said. Meshif laughed as he went back to his ship.
"Why? It's not like you are one of them!"
"Yeah, not one of them..." Sheila muttered.
Her gaze traveled back to the sea. Adrian had now caught up with her and sat down beside her.
"Sheila... about Ar-"
"No it's okay..."
"No really, we believe you, but he... he hasn't trusted anyone since his father was betrayed by his brother." Sheila looked at him through the mask obviously surprised. "I've known him for twelve years and he still doesn't trust me."
"No really, I may despise me heritage, but it give you an advantage. We can beat them." Now it was Adrian's turn to look surprised. "Gather Griez, Jerhyn, Deckard Cain, and the barbarian. Meet me in the town square in five minutes."
"Uh, okay."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"We can beat the Saber Cats easily if you get one thing straight." Sheila spoke to the assorted group. "Saber Cats are weak without good leadership, so we use longbows, and take out any leading cats, with Adrian's mages destroying the siege machines, and perhaps our barbarian can throw." Sheila.
"Better than anyone in this two bit town." He proudly stated.
"Good," Sheila replied, "You can throw exploding potions at the small huts, since many cats will sleep during the day, and attack at night." The group was obviously amazed at this strategy.
"My ward that idea may just save Lut Gholein!" Cain praised.
Sheila couldn't help but feel proud.
"Yes," Griez said, "But how do you know the cats will react this way..." Griez ended with a questioning tone.
Sheila paused for a moment and began. "I... studied with a great Vizjerei back on the Amazon Islands. He fought in Tristram, and had fair knowledge of demons."
Everyone nodded at this. Adrian smiled, while the Hammer nodded impressed by the plan, but was still angry about that kick.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Adrian concentrated hard and a large blood mass arose form the ground and took shape as a Blood Golem, while another mage (poison) and two skeletons clawed up from the ground. Adrian led these minions to the ramparts. The Hammer and several guards turned sashes into slings, while several more guards were preparing bows, long bows, crossbows and other ranged weapons. Adrian's four mages took positions aiming at the massive siege engines, while three melee minions took their positions ready to jump down on any brave (or just plain stupid attackers). Several lookouts were posted on the roof of the palace looking out for any sign of reinforcements, but there were none.
"We have the sun at our backs, it's now or never." Griez muttered. Adrian looked through the ranks, twelve slingers, six long bowmen, twelve archers, and three crossbow men (beside his Pain Branch), and thirty guards and townsfolk ready to fight if the attackers breached the city. The four mages selected their targets and readied their mystical powers. The hammer chose his target of a robed cat giving orders. Adrian took one long walk down the rampart, turned and addressed the troops.
"On my signal, unleash hell." The slingers readied their sashes, while the torches were passed from archer to archer who lit the tips of their arrows ablaze, Adrian scanned the shantytown, but no cat seemed to pay any attention to them, and the siege weapons were far from ready to attack. Adrian loaded his Pain Branch crossbow and signaled the troops. "ATTACK!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Demona the merciless was a leading Hell Cat in the ranks of the Cat lineage. The only Cat that outranked her was the sorceress Saber Cat, known as Arial the Soulless, or the Crimson Cat, or dozens of other titles... Demona was stronger than Arial, but feared her magical prowess, and stayed her distance. But now, the warriors had her chance to prove her worth by destroying Lut Gholein. She looked around. Tonight, she thought, they would strike with the siege engines. At least half of the cats were sleeping in tent-like shelters made from animal pelts, others were organizing weapons into piles, while many stood guard or constructed the siege engines. She was thinking nothing could go wrong when she heard a whizzing sound and instantly a large arrow drove itself through her throat. She gasped and wheezed out blood as dozens of fire arrows were shot into the sky. For several moments the Saber cat camp was peaceful, then chaos erupted as the arrows and crossbow bolts pelted down slaying many instantly. Exploding potions burst onto the tents and from the erupting shelter ran flaming saber cats. Demona staggered around, blood gagging her throat and blurring her vision. The last thing she saw was a spear of bone rocketing through her chest. Then she slipped into the cold embrace of death...
The Fire mage launched forth a burst of flame burning away a ballista's wheel sending it wheeling backward into the main section of the camp. Sheila watched the battle, even angered at her once friends, she couldn't help but feel pity for them. Adrian fired forth another missile of bone directly at the weapon piles. A deafening explosion and explosion of flame had told the humans that the exploding potions had just went up in smoke, literally! The mages fired onward at the siege machines, as the archers fired endlessly, and the slingers, out of ammunition, supplied the archers with what limited arrows they had.
After several seemingly endless minutes of raging fore, many of the cats were burned or choked on the smoke, while several small group charged at Lut Gholein's defenses. One large group of Hell Cats was rallied together by a fairly large slinger and the charged at the defenders of Lut Gholein. The large cat flung their javelins at the archers. Most of the warriors ducked in time, most. The cats pelted a steady stream of javelins over Lut Gholein's wall, making a counterattack impossible. The cats sneered as sounds of humans screaming in agony. One cat though she smelt something burning and turned to her side just as a bolt of fire plowed into her, totally engulfing her in flames. The other turned to see a sorceress clad in ring mail, she wore a crown of Simplicity, and wielded a magical war staff. She also had on magical amulets/rings that seemed to emanate mystical energy.
She held out her war staff defensively as the cats charged her. The cats were nearly at the sorceress when flames erupt for the floor and the Hellcats hissed out as the firewall burned them. They jumped out of the way and noticed a large red mark below them on the ground. The cats looked up to see a large meteorite crush downward and pummel them.
The sorceress focused and several more meteorites fell downwards upon the cat campsite. No survivors were seen. The sorceress walked casually towards Lut Gholein and it's cheering denizens. Indeed, another of the Courageous five had arrived.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The large crypt like fortress was dank dry and cold. It had artwork and hieroglyphs ranging back thousands of years. The lone, wounded saber cat walked down the large hallway. She gazed around the hallway, gazing at the large roman style pillars. She approached a large doorway and paused. The doors creaked open, and the cat walked into the grand chamber. The walls were covered in tall, towering bookcases that must have held record to every battle since the beginning of time. But in the center of this large room was a throne constructed of skulls, gold, and various jewels, encrusted in the frame of the massive throne. Sitting atop this mighty throne was Arial the soulless, clasping her cobra staff watching the wounded soldier approach her.
"Empress..." she timidly began, "The attack on Lut Gholein has failed. The survivors have fled into the desert and will probably not survive the voracious Cave Leapers. The attack as a failure." The demoness sat atop her throne and chuckled always smiling her cold smile. "Empress?" The priestess/empress smiled and explained herself.
"The attack was meant to fail." The other looked questioningly at her. "Tell me, what do you want out of life. The cat's answer was quick.
"To hunt."
"Yes, and I want to rule this land and its inhabitants... Tell me, since we agreed to fight for Diablo have you done that lately?" The cat shook her head. "You see those troops were loyal to Diablo, with them gone, all of the remaining saber cats follow me. If Diablo and these warriors of the light were gone, we'd take orders from no one, then you could do as you wish." It dawned on the cat. "We simply lure the warriors to the dark side and corrupt them. What a shock for the other warriors to come Lut Gholein to find their friends dead. With them out of the picture, we could lure Diablo into one the false tombs of Tal Rasha then ambush him, he may be good but he can't win I his soul stone is crushed along with him." The priestess finished with a smile.
"Do you understand?" The cat nodded. "Good... now go." The cat left the chamber and the priestess laughed. The first part was true, but she forgot to mention that if she killed Diablo, she could use the power of his soul stone and control all of his minions, and then do the same to his brothers and their troops, and then she would control every demon on Earth. She had very high ambitions, and her ultimate goal was total dominance, and she could pull it off, all she needed were the warriors to act in the way she foresaw. After that, Earth, Hell and the high Heavens were all hers. She smiled to herself and plotted her next moves.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Well I thought I'd never see you again!" The Sorceress said running up to a surprised Adrian and kissed him. Sheila was just confused (and al little jealous), but the Hammer.
"Sheila, may I introduce to you the sorceress known as Ice Angel. Besides giving you the cold shoulder, she's the sluttiest sorceress this side of the Khanduras." She immediately let go of a startled Adrian and marched up to the Hammer.
"Excuse me?" She yelled in his face.
"You heard me."
"I'm amazed you were smart enough to insult someone you mouth-breathing anthropoid!"
"Well at least I don't fight like a coward! You run from battle and attack your enemies from a distance like a coward!"
"Well what were you doing to those Saber Cats!?"
"Ambushing them! But I don't expect a little, weakling-" Ice Angel had heard enough and proved just how weak she was. And for the second time that day the Hammer lay on the ground cursing and moaning in pain.
"Ouch, at this rate he'll never be a father." Adrian commented as Ice Angel and most of the townsfolk went about their daily lives leaving Adrian and Sheila.
"Um, Adrian?" Sheila quietly asked the Necromancer. "What's with..." She trailed off. Adrian began.
"Well, it all started a while ago when a was just a trainee Necromancer..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Much, Much Later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"My god, what a fascinating story!" Sheila exclaimed after Adrian had told her of his epic past. "So, she thinks you like." Adrian nodded, "But you can't stand her," Adrian kept nodding, "That kind of thing would only happen to you she playfully joked at the Necromancer. "Well anyway you won't have to stand her, because she and Ardidar have gone to the palace."
"That's a relief, all I want to do is go to bed. Say, is it just me or is it pretty cold lately?"
"Probably you're girlfriend giving you the cold shoulder."
"If you call her my girlfriend one more time..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sheila walked up the inn stairs and quietly opened the door to Adrian's inn room. She tiptoed in, noticing that he was sound asleep and his minions were nowhere to be seen. She shivered. It WAS getting colder. She closed the windows, and laid herself down on the couch, but was still very cold. The temperature seemed to drop regularly. Sheila thought it must be her getting back at Adrian, after all the Hammer must've have told her already of her past... But t6hat didn't help the freezing cat any. She glanced over to Adrian, who was sleeping soundly. He does look kind of cute when he's sleeping she thought. Oh what the hell, she thought and once again slipped in the bed and curled up next to Adrian. She smiled as she dozed off. She could have never guessed what happened next.
TO BE CONCLUDED!
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"The Puppetmaster"
Part V
By Alpha Draconis
It was a cold mourning. Very cold. The mercenaries guarding the front gate were shaking in their armor. Since the two guard decided to take their breaks last night, the mercenaries had to fill in for them. But they didn't like it.
"Damn cold, hey Sanchez."
"Mmm." The other guard replied.
"Why the hell are we here again?"
"Because the guards left."
"Hrmph! If you ask me, they were out to get some with those slutty Harems... Hmm, that's not such a bad idea..."
"Doubtful, they didn't go to their homes last night."
"Harems, Narlat weed, authority. You mix them and you get trouble."
"You dance with Mary Jane, and you get your toes stepped on."
"... Dude you need a hobby."
" I do have a hobby."
"Really?"
"I collect pornography."
".... "
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Adrian yawned (shivered) and opened his eyes. He was about to stand up when he noticed sleeping beside, him, purring loudly, was none other than Sheila! He glanced at her, and shook his head. No, never in a million years... still... she is kind of hot... in an evil demoness sort of way, he thought, closing the window curtains. He looked back over at Sheila who was sleeping soundly with a large smile on her face. Adrian hit himself on the head and walked over to his skeleton Mages who lay 'asleep' on the floor. Adrian noticed that the skeletons weren't awake and walked over to other room. Stifled chuckles were heard from the bedroom. Adrian poked his head back into the room and looked around. He left, and the skeletons stifled their laughter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Uh, Sanchez..."
"Yeah."
"You better come see this!" The nervous guard replied to his dozing partner. He walked over to his partner and looked outwards to the desert from the ramparts of Lut Gholein's walls.
"WHAT THE FUCK!?!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. The scene was very ominous.
Twenty or so feet away from Lut Gholein's protective wall lay hundreds upon hundreds of Saber Cats. Not just Saber Cats mind you, there were Hell Cats, Huntresses, Spear Cats, and just about every type of feline warrior. All camping in a makeshift Shantytown just out of reach of throwing weapons. The cats were doing many things, sharpening weapons, hunting and eating any wildlife, or even more ominous were several cats setting up medium sized siege weapons like catapults, battering rams, and Ballistae. "Jerhyn's not gonna like this at all..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Let's go everybody! THIS IS NOT A DRILL!" Griez shouted towards his mercenaries. Who ran toward the walls and clambered up onto the ramparts, poleaxes, bardiches, and scythes poised ready, but they were hopelessly outnumbered. The cats took little notice of this and continued on preparing for a battle. The mercenaries looked back to each other, grimaced and looked outward. Several citizens were trying to fortify the gate by piling large rock in front of it. Things were not looking good...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sheila yawned and awoke, stretching and looking around. Adrian and his mages had left. She rummaged through her belonging, and donned her skull mask, javelins, ring mail, and lastly her whip. She tied on he belt, which had several poison, and oil potions in it. She borrowed Adrian's spare shield and walked out of the inn room and into the streets. Everyone was carrying weapons, and trying to barricade off their homes.
"What's going on?" She asked a townsman wielding a scythe. He grunted and pointed over to the front wall where Griez and his troops were trying to defend Lut Gholein. Ardidar and Adrian were there too.
She ran over to them. What's going on now?" She asked the trio. Griez looked away and walked over to his troops. Adrian spoke softly to her as her and his skeletal mages stepped up onto the ramparts.
"Why don't you see it for yourself."
Surprised, she stepped up the wooden ladder and looked out to the desert. "My god..." She whispered overcome with the sheer masses of the feline fighters. "How many are there?" She asked. Adrian looked down.
"Close to one thousand."
"I never knew..." She muttered.
"I bet you've been working for them all along and have just been hiding it!" The Hammer accused.
"ME! I HATE THOSE THINGS!" She yelled most of the guards tried not to hear and moved away from the arguing warriors.
"No offense, but those things look like better company than you!" With that remark Sheila kicked the Hammer in the one place you would never want to be kicked. Hammer fell down cursing and crouched in a ball as Sheila left. The mercenaries laughed, or cheered Sheila. Adrian commanded his skeletons to guard the ramparts. He chased after Sheila towards the dock.
Sheila sat down at the dock's edge looking out to the sea.
"I miss traveling those seas." Meshif startled her. "Now Jerhyn's keeping me docked here... but not for long I think he said gesturing to the front wall. Sheila nodded.
"The barbarian thinks I am betraying this city to them." She said. Meshif laughed as he went back to his ship.
"Why? It's not like you are one of them!"
"Yeah, not one of them..." Sheila muttered.
Her gaze traveled back to the sea. Adrian had now caught up with her and sat down beside her.
"Sheila... about Ar-"
"No it's okay..."
"No really, we believe you, but he... he hasn't trusted anyone since his father was betrayed by his brother." Sheila looked at him through the mask obviously surprised. "I've known him for twelve years and he still doesn't trust me."
"No really, I may despise me heritage, but it give you an advantage. We can beat them." Now it was Adrian's turn to look surprised. "Gather Griez, Jerhyn, Deckard Cain, and the barbarian. Meet me in the town square in five minutes."
"Uh, okay."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"We can beat the Saber Cats easily if you get one thing straight." Sheila spoke to the assorted group. "Saber Cats are weak without good leadership, so we use longbows, and take out any leading cats, with Adrian's mages destroying the siege machines, and perhaps our barbarian can throw." Sheila.
"Better than anyone in this two bit town." He proudly stated.
"Good," Sheila replied, "You can throw exploding potions at the small huts, since many cats will sleep during the day, and attack at night." The group was obviously amazed at this strategy.
"My ward that idea may just save Lut Gholein!" Cain praised.
Sheila couldn't help but feel proud.
"Yes," Griez said, "But how do you know the cats will react this way..." Griez ended with a questioning tone.
Sheila paused for a moment and began. "I... studied with a great Vizjerei back on the Amazon Islands. He fought in Tristram, and had fair knowledge of demons."
Everyone nodded at this. Adrian smiled, while the Hammer nodded impressed by the plan, but was still angry about that kick.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Adrian concentrated hard and a large blood mass arose form the ground and took shape as a Blood Golem, while another mage (poison) and two skeletons clawed up from the ground. Adrian led these minions to the ramparts. The Hammer and several guards turned sashes into slings, while several more guards were preparing bows, long bows, crossbows and other ranged weapons. Adrian's four mages took positions aiming at the massive siege engines, while three melee minions took their positions ready to jump down on any brave (or just plain stupid attackers). Several lookouts were posted on the roof of the palace looking out for any sign of reinforcements, but there were none.
"We have the sun at our backs, it's now or never." Griez muttered. Adrian looked through the ranks, twelve slingers, six long bowmen, twelve archers, and three crossbow men (beside his Pain Branch), and thirty guards and townsfolk ready to fight if the attackers breached the city. The four mages selected their targets and readied their mystical powers. The hammer chose his target of a robed cat giving orders. Adrian took one long walk down the rampart, turned and addressed the troops.
"On my signal, unleash hell." The slingers readied their sashes, while the torches were passed from archer to archer who lit the tips of their arrows ablaze, Adrian scanned the shantytown, but no cat seemed to pay any attention to them, and the siege weapons were far from ready to attack. Adrian loaded his Pain Branch crossbow and signaled the troops. "ATTACK!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Demona the merciless was a leading Hell Cat in the ranks of the Cat lineage. The only Cat that outranked her was the sorceress Saber Cat, known as Arial the Soulless, or the Crimson Cat, or dozens of other titles... Demona was stronger than Arial, but feared her magical prowess, and stayed her distance. But now, the warriors had her chance to prove her worth by destroying Lut Gholein. She looked around. Tonight, she thought, they would strike with the siege engines. At least half of the cats were sleeping in tent-like shelters made from animal pelts, others were organizing weapons into piles, while many stood guard or constructed the siege engines. She was thinking nothing could go wrong when she heard a whizzing sound and instantly a large arrow drove itself through her throat. She gasped and wheezed out blood as dozens of fire arrows were shot into the sky. For several moments the Saber cat camp was peaceful, then chaos erupted as the arrows and crossbow bolts pelted down slaying many instantly. Exploding potions burst onto the tents and from the erupting shelter ran flaming saber cats. Demona staggered around, blood gagging her throat and blurring her vision. The last thing she saw was a spear of bone rocketing through her chest. Then she slipped into the cold embrace of death...
The Fire mage launched forth a burst of flame burning away a ballista's wheel sending it wheeling backward into the main section of the camp. Sheila watched the battle, even angered at her once friends, she couldn't help but feel pity for them. Adrian fired forth another missile of bone directly at the weapon piles. A deafening explosion and explosion of flame had told the humans that the exploding potions had just went up in smoke, literally! The mages fired onward at the siege machines, as the archers fired endlessly, and the slingers, out of ammunition, supplied the archers with what limited arrows they had.
After several seemingly endless minutes of raging fore, many of the cats were burned or choked on the smoke, while several small group charged at Lut Gholein's defenses. One large group of Hell Cats was rallied together by a fairly large slinger and the charged at the defenders of Lut Gholein. The large cat flung their javelins at the archers. Most of the warriors ducked in time, most. The cats pelted a steady stream of javelins over Lut Gholein's wall, making a counterattack impossible. The cats sneered as sounds of humans screaming in agony. One cat though she smelt something burning and turned to her side just as a bolt of fire plowed into her, totally engulfing her in flames. The other turned to see a sorceress clad in ring mail, she wore a crown of Simplicity, and wielded a magical war staff. She also had on magical amulets/rings that seemed to emanate mystical energy.
She held out her war staff defensively as the cats charged her. The cats were nearly at the sorceress when flames erupt for the floor and the Hellcats hissed out as the firewall burned them. They jumped out of the way and noticed a large red mark below them on the ground. The cats looked up to see a large meteorite crush downward and pummel them.
The sorceress focused and several more meteorites fell downwards upon the cat campsite. No survivors were seen. The sorceress walked casually towards Lut Gholein and it's cheering denizens. Indeed, another of the Courageous five had arrived.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The large crypt like fortress was dank dry and cold. It had artwork and hieroglyphs ranging back thousands of years. The lone, wounded saber cat walked down the large hallway. She gazed around the hallway, gazing at the large roman style pillars. She approached a large doorway and paused. The doors creaked open, and the cat walked into the grand chamber. The walls were covered in tall, towering bookcases that must have held record to every battle since the beginning of time. But in the center of this large room was a throne constructed of skulls, gold, and various jewels, encrusted in the frame of the massive throne. Sitting atop this mighty throne was Arial the soulless, clasping her cobra staff watching the wounded soldier approach her.
"Empress..." she timidly began, "The attack on Lut Gholein has failed. The survivors have fled into the desert and will probably not survive the voracious Cave Leapers. The attack as a failure." The demoness sat atop her throne and chuckled always smiling her cold smile. "Empress?" The priestess/empress smiled and explained herself.
"The attack was meant to fail." The other looked questioningly at her. "Tell me, what do you want out of life. The cat's answer was quick.
"To hunt."
"Yes, and I want to rule this land and its inhabitants... Tell me, since we agreed to fight for Diablo have you done that lately?" The cat shook her head. "You see those troops were loyal to Diablo, with them gone, all of the remaining saber cats follow me. If Diablo and these warriors of the light were gone, we'd take orders from no one, then you could do as you wish." It dawned on the cat. "We simply lure the warriors to the dark side and corrupt them. What a shock for the other warriors to come Lut Gholein to find their friends dead. With them out of the picture, we could lure Diablo into one the false tombs of Tal Rasha then ambush him, he may be good but he can't win I his soul stone is crushed along with him." The priestess finished with a smile.
"Do you understand?" The cat nodded. "Good... now go." The cat left the chamber and the priestess laughed. The first part was true, but she forgot to mention that if she killed Diablo, she could use the power of his soul stone and control all of his minions, and then do the same to his brothers and their troops, and then she would control every demon on Earth. She had very high ambitions, and her ultimate goal was total dominance, and she could pull it off, all she needed were the warriors to act in the way she foresaw. After that, Earth, Hell and the high Heavens were all hers. She smiled to herself and plotted her next moves.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Well I thought I'd never see you again!" The Sorceress said running up to a surprised Adrian and kissed him. Sheila was just confused (and al little jealous), but the Hammer.
"Sheila, may I introduce to you the sorceress known as Ice Angel. Besides giving you the cold shoulder, she's the sluttiest sorceress this side of the Khanduras." She immediately let go of a startled Adrian and marched up to the Hammer.
"Excuse me?" She yelled in his face.
"You heard me."
"I'm amazed you were smart enough to insult someone you mouth-breathing anthropoid!"
"Well at least I don't fight like a coward! You run from battle and attack your enemies from a distance like a coward!"
"Well what were you doing to those Saber Cats!?"
"Ambushing them! But I don't expect a little, weakling-" Ice Angel had heard enough and proved just how weak she was. And for the second time that day the Hammer lay on the ground cursing and moaning in pain.
"Ouch, at this rate he'll never be a father." Adrian commented as Ice Angel and most of the townsfolk went about their daily lives leaving Adrian and Sheila.
"Um, Adrian?" Sheila quietly asked the Necromancer. "What's with..." She trailed off. Adrian began.
"Well, it all started a while ago when a was just a trainee Necromancer..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Much, Much Later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"My god, what a fascinating story!" Sheila exclaimed after Adrian had told her of his epic past. "So, she thinks you like." Adrian nodded, "But you can't stand her," Adrian kept nodding, "That kind of thing would only happen to you she playfully joked at the Necromancer. "Well anyway you won't have to stand her, because she and Ardidar have gone to the palace."
"That's a relief, all I want to do is go to bed. Say, is it just me or is it pretty cold lately?"
"Probably you're girlfriend giving you the cold shoulder."
"If you call her my girlfriend one more time..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sheila walked up the inn stairs and quietly opened the door to Adrian's inn room. She tiptoed in, noticing that he was sound asleep and his minions were nowhere to be seen. She shivered. It WAS getting colder. She closed the windows, and laid herself down on the couch, but was still very cold. The temperature seemed to drop regularly. Sheila thought it must be her getting back at Adrian, after all the Hammer must've have told her already of her past... But t6hat didn't help the freezing cat any. She glanced over to Adrian, who was sleeping soundly. He does look kind of cute when he's sleeping she thought. Oh what the hell, she thought and once again slipped in the bed and curled up next to Adrian. She smiled as she dozed off. She could have never guessed what happened next.
TO BE CONCLUDED!
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