"Arreat" - Part One
By Alpha Draconis
"I have walked the Earth, always searching... For the one thing that would make me whole...."
"I shall have it!"
"My brothers shall not have died in vain..."
"And I will rule the world, unchallenged..."
-Baal (Diablo 2 Teaser, go see it, NOW!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Far, far beneath the surface world lies a city... A city of death, a city of life... a city of Necromancy. Rathma had been the secluded lair of mortal Necromancy for untold generations. It was said to be the remains of great and powerful city created by some powerful race that met a horrific end, but now the buried city was the homeland for Children of Trag'Oul. The Necromancers believe that Trag'Oul is the beast on whose back the world lies. In the balance of all things, it is thought that Trag'Oul is the fulcrum point. He is the closest thing the cult of Rathma has to a deity and this spell is the manner in which he protects his chosen. The Necromancer Adrian, the Barbarian Ardidar, and the Lady Sheila were traveling to find the sacred city of the dead...
"Damn flies." The barbarian cussed as he swatted various flying insects in Kurast's Bazaar. The city had been reborn with the death of Mephisto, and the desecrated city became full of life... and tourists... and souvenirs... and some nachos. Our heroes were scattered about the bazaar. Sheila looked at the many shops, while the barbarian tried to find Hratli, while Adrian enjoyed some of the local cuisine.
"Mmm, this is excellent. Could have used this in Hell. What is it? Fruit?" Adrian asked the foreign chef.
"Fruit no, these are Arach eyes, tickled in Blee slime." The merchant responded. Adrian turned an odd shape of green. "They're a real delicacy." The merchant prattled.
Well, maybe not enjoying...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Two Hours Later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Adrian! Sheila!" The Hammer yelled as he walked through the bustling bazaar. He soon spotted the two emerge from the crowds.
"Boy, this place has sure changed since last time we were here."
"That's because this was a fetid overrun jungle four months ago." Sheila pointed out (annoyed). "At least forest inhabitants live on..."
Throughout the bazaar, you could see Saber Cat merchants, the tree monsters assisting repair of the city, and in general... goodwill. But the trio was not here on pleasure. Adrian told them he had to go to the city of Rathma. Not needed to, HAD to.
They walked onto the city's glowing waypoint and vanished in a pillar of fire.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Now where are we?" Hammer asked, looking around at his surroundings. "And what's that smell?" He ended, and rotting flesh in holding his nose.
Sheila sniffed. "It reminds me of the carrion, and disease ridden corpses in the Dry Hills, back near Aranoch."
"It's death." Adrian replied walking boldly into the jungle.
Death seemed to thrive in the jungle. No birds sung, trees and flowers withered and decayed, even the sky seemed to darken and pale. "Walk only where I walk do not stray from the path. And whatever you do, don't yell out."
The other two looked at each other. Hammer readied his twin maces, while Sheila readied her War Bow. Adrian did nothing but continue to walk. His flail, lay loose at his belt and his wand, were packed into his bag. Dark, and foreboding shapes swayed between the trees. Hell seemed less frightening than the forest.
It must have been two pm, when through the trees, and growth, the warriors could make out a mountain in the distance with several peaks reaching upwards in large pillars. On the largest of the pillars was a skull carved in stone with eyes that glowed a crimson red.
"That's Rathma." The two mumbled.
"Not quite yet, oh and you might want to close your nose as we round this corner. The next scene was not meant for mortal eyes...
For several hundred yards until the mountains, the forest had been cut down, making it a barren field; salt could be smelled from ground, preventing any growth. Planted in long rows were crudely sharpen staves and pole reaching forth from the ground, each one bore a dead human skeleton on it. Some were fairly fresh and blood, maggots and flies could be seen among the decaying flesh. Others were so old only the bones remained, being barely held together by several strands of sinew. Many of the skeletons still wore armor, or brandished weapons, but all of the corpses hung in positions of anguish and pain, crying lifeless for help that would never come. The scene and smell was unholy.
The Hammer reeled over and vomited upon the salted Earth, Sheila clutched onto Adrian. Adrian remained motionless, but seemed strengthened to be close to his native land.
"These are the fields of the dead." Adrian announce walking forward down a wide path through the poles to the mountains. Sheila did not let go of him and the Hammer, having vomited his own Arach eyes, followed his friends, constantly looking around, expecting the skeletons to rise up and attack. Adrian continued. "These fields deter any thieves or enemy mage from advancing to Trag'Oul's peak."
"Deters me too." Hammer replied under his breath.
"Hardly anyone besides a Necromancer makes it this far, for the Golems kill anything else."
"Golems?" Sheila asked.
"In the forest are several hundred Earth Golems. Since their masters are long dead the protect our land, and our people. As well, multiple vines and plants grow out of them, making perfect camouflage."
They looked behind them and saw several bulks of vines follow them, but ran back into the forest as they were spotted. "They're harmless. Well as long as I'm around." Adrian proudly stated. The Hammer rolled his eyes as Adrian continued. "The forest and these fields protect our sacred city. Which we are nearly at..."
They were at the mountain's base. It looked like a regular rock face, but with a large door made of bronze. Carved onto the door were pictures of small men, skeletons, and possibly golems, worshipping some large lizard like beast.
"Trag'Oul is our, well... deity."
"I know this..." Sheila said, running her hands over the bronze covering. "The beast carries the world on its back..."
"And I thought I had back pain!" The Hammer joked.
"How do we get in?" Sheila asked.
"Leave that to me!" The Hammer said running forth at the door weapons ready.
"NO WAIT!" Adrian yelled. But it was too late....
TO BE CONTINUED.... RIGHT NOW!!!
Several of the skeletons pulled themselves off of their pole and lunged at the Hammer. He was over taken as the skeletons swarmed him. Adrian flicked his wrist and the reanimated carcasses fell to pieces.
"Now do you want play MY way?" Adrian asked. The Hammer shook off a skull then nodded. Sheila giggled.
Adrian focused hard, and a bluish mist arose from him, and floated off of his body. Mana, in its purest form. After several seconds he stopped, and Adrian had to catch his breath. The ancient bronze doors creaked loudly and slowly opened. Warm air gushed out, and so did a smell of... flowers? There lay a path leading downwards with occasional torches lighting the way. Adrian wordlessly walked down, his companions reluctantly followed.
~~~~~~Thirty-Three-Minutes, Thirty-Three-Seconds Later~~~~~
Adrian stopped in the rock tunnel and looked out of a crevice in the rock wall. The others looked in too. What they saw was giant pit of magma, leading upwards to the peaks.
"Are you saying this entire city is built upon a volcano?" The Hammer yelled.
"A dormant volcano." Adrian corrected. "Let's keep moving."
The kept walking down, and down, until the reached a large entranceway. "Welcome to the city of Rathma..." Adrian proudly announced. His friends could only stare in awe.
TO BE CONTINUED.... LATER!!!
Well? Whaddya think? Sorry this part is so long overdue (My granny had heart attack: (
Anyways, my next part MAY be a while.
-Alpha Draconis
PS- Check out a cool Diablo site, the McFist Chronicles, for more Diablo fanfics. It's at http://www.planetdiablo.com/mcfist/main800.shtml
By Alpha Draconis
"I have walked the Earth, always searching... For the one thing that would make me whole...."
"I shall have it!"
"My brothers shall not have died in vain..."
"And I will rule the world, unchallenged..."
-Baal (Diablo 2 Teaser, go see it, NOW!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Far, far beneath the surface world lies a city... A city of death, a city of life... a city of Necromancy. Rathma had been the secluded lair of mortal Necromancy for untold generations. It was said to be the remains of great and powerful city created by some powerful race that met a horrific end, but now the buried city was the homeland for Children of Trag'Oul. The Necromancers believe that Trag'Oul is the beast on whose back the world lies. In the balance of all things, it is thought that Trag'Oul is the fulcrum point. He is the closest thing the cult of Rathma has to a deity and this spell is the manner in which he protects his chosen. The Necromancer Adrian, the Barbarian Ardidar, and the Lady Sheila were traveling to find the sacred city of the dead...
"Damn flies." The barbarian cussed as he swatted various flying insects in Kurast's Bazaar. The city had been reborn with the death of Mephisto, and the desecrated city became full of life... and tourists... and souvenirs... and some nachos. Our heroes were scattered about the bazaar. Sheila looked at the many shops, while the barbarian tried to find Hratli, while Adrian enjoyed some of the local cuisine.
"Mmm, this is excellent. Could have used this in Hell. What is it? Fruit?" Adrian asked the foreign chef.
"Fruit no, these are Arach eyes, tickled in Blee slime." The merchant responded. Adrian turned an odd shape of green. "They're a real delicacy." The merchant prattled.
Well, maybe not enjoying...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Two Hours Later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Adrian! Sheila!" The Hammer yelled as he walked through the bustling bazaar. He soon spotted the two emerge from the crowds.
"Boy, this place has sure changed since last time we were here."
"That's because this was a fetid overrun jungle four months ago." Sheila pointed out (annoyed). "At least forest inhabitants live on..."
Throughout the bazaar, you could see Saber Cat merchants, the tree monsters assisting repair of the city, and in general... goodwill. But the trio was not here on pleasure. Adrian told them he had to go to the city of Rathma. Not needed to, HAD to.
They walked onto the city's glowing waypoint and vanished in a pillar of fire.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Now where are we?" Hammer asked, looking around at his surroundings. "And what's that smell?" He ended, and rotting flesh in holding his nose.
Sheila sniffed. "It reminds me of the carrion, and disease ridden corpses in the Dry Hills, back near Aranoch."
"It's death." Adrian replied walking boldly into the jungle.
Death seemed to thrive in the jungle. No birds sung, trees and flowers withered and decayed, even the sky seemed to darken and pale. "Walk only where I walk do not stray from the path. And whatever you do, don't yell out."
The other two looked at each other. Hammer readied his twin maces, while Sheila readied her War Bow. Adrian did nothing but continue to walk. His flail, lay loose at his belt and his wand, were packed into his bag. Dark, and foreboding shapes swayed between the trees. Hell seemed less frightening than the forest.
It must have been two pm, when through the trees, and growth, the warriors could make out a mountain in the distance with several peaks reaching upwards in large pillars. On the largest of the pillars was a skull carved in stone with eyes that glowed a crimson red.
"That's Rathma." The two mumbled.
"Not quite yet, oh and you might want to close your nose as we round this corner. The next scene was not meant for mortal eyes...
For several hundred yards until the mountains, the forest had been cut down, making it a barren field; salt could be smelled from ground, preventing any growth. Planted in long rows were crudely sharpen staves and pole reaching forth from the ground, each one bore a dead human skeleton on it. Some were fairly fresh and blood, maggots and flies could be seen among the decaying flesh. Others were so old only the bones remained, being barely held together by several strands of sinew. Many of the skeletons still wore armor, or brandished weapons, but all of the corpses hung in positions of anguish and pain, crying lifeless for help that would never come. The scene and smell was unholy.
The Hammer reeled over and vomited upon the salted Earth, Sheila clutched onto Adrian. Adrian remained motionless, but seemed strengthened to be close to his native land.
"These are the fields of the dead." Adrian announce walking forward down a wide path through the poles to the mountains. Sheila did not let go of him and the Hammer, having vomited his own Arach eyes, followed his friends, constantly looking around, expecting the skeletons to rise up and attack. Adrian continued. "These fields deter any thieves or enemy mage from advancing to Trag'Oul's peak."
"Deters me too." Hammer replied under his breath.
"Hardly anyone besides a Necromancer makes it this far, for the Golems kill anything else."
"Golems?" Sheila asked.
"In the forest are several hundred Earth Golems. Since their masters are long dead the protect our land, and our people. As well, multiple vines and plants grow out of them, making perfect camouflage."
They looked behind them and saw several bulks of vines follow them, but ran back into the forest as they were spotted. "They're harmless. Well as long as I'm around." Adrian proudly stated. The Hammer rolled his eyes as Adrian continued. "The forest and these fields protect our sacred city. Which we are nearly at..."
They were at the mountain's base. It looked like a regular rock face, but with a large door made of bronze. Carved onto the door were pictures of small men, skeletons, and possibly golems, worshipping some large lizard like beast.
"Trag'Oul is our, well... deity."
"I know this..." Sheila said, running her hands over the bronze covering. "The beast carries the world on its back..."
"And I thought I had back pain!" The Hammer joked.
"How do we get in?" Sheila asked.
"Leave that to me!" The Hammer said running forth at the door weapons ready.
"NO WAIT!" Adrian yelled. But it was too late....
TO BE CONTINUED.... RIGHT NOW!!!
Several of the skeletons pulled themselves off of their pole and lunged at the Hammer. He was over taken as the skeletons swarmed him. Adrian flicked his wrist and the reanimated carcasses fell to pieces.
"Now do you want play MY way?" Adrian asked. The Hammer shook off a skull then nodded. Sheila giggled.
Adrian focused hard, and a bluish mist arose from him, and floated off of his body. Mana, in its purest form. After several seconds he stopped, and Adrian had to catch his breath. The ancient bronze doors creaked loudly and slowly opened. Warm air gushed out, and so did a smell of... flowers? There lay a path leading downwards with occasional torches lighting the way. Adrian wordlessly walked down, his companions reluctantly followed.
~~~~~~Thirty-Three-Minutes, Thirty-Three-Seconds Later~~~~~
Adrian stopped in the rock tunnel and looked out of a crevice in the rock wall. The others looked in too. What they saw was giant pit of magma, leading upwards to the peaks.
"Are you saying this entire city is built upon a volcano?" The Hammer yelled.
"A dormant volcano." Adrian corrected. "Let's keep moving."
The kept walking down, and down, until the reached a large entranceway. "Welcome to the city of Rathma..." Adrian proudly announced. His friends could only stare in awe.
TO BE CONTINUED.... LATER!!!
Well? Whaddya think? Sorry this part is so long overdue (My granny had heart attack: (
Anyways, my next part MAY be a while.
-Alpha Draconis
PS- Check out a cool Diablo site, the McFist Chronicles, for more Diablo fanfics. It's at http://www.planetdiablo.com/mcfist/main800.shtml