Disclaimer- If I owned Diablo or Blizzard entertainment why would I be writing?
As well, in parts of the story you might wish to have the song The Bard's song
By Blind Guardian (versions- In The Forest, and The Hobbit
Arreat Part 2- The Bitter Barbarian Lands
By Alpha Draconis
"Son of a bitch, this just gets weirder!" - The Hammer
My name is Taloth, youngest son in the
Barbarian Clan of Thunder, cousin to the famous barbarian warrior known as the
Hammer. My family has guarded the gates to the Barbarian highlands for
centuries, with countless other families, warriors, and the odd mage, or druid
wanderer. Qual-Kekh, the clan's current master at arms, stays with many of the
warriors deep in the icy lands, near Mount Arreat, and he hardly visits our
outpost, in the Valley of the Wolf. For generations our clan, and countless
other clans, have guarded the large mountain, known as Mount Arreat. Only a
selected few of the Clan, such as the leader, the Elders, and the finest
warriors, know the secret of the mountain. No one at our outpost knows what the
secret is, but we would defend the gate of Barbarian country with our lives.
And we did…
Many called me a coward. A weakling. A runt.
But they have been killed in more horrible way imaginable… I am not physically
strong but I am smart, unlike my kin. Had I been born elsewhere I may have been
a Vizjerei, or Necromancer, or even a Druid, but alas, am I barbarian through
and through. I dabbled in mystical weapons before my father forbid me to. I
learned much from the mages, who spoke of ethereal weapons and armour,
translucent to the eye but deadly in combat. The also said that since ethereal
weapons were only partly on the mortal plain, they could not be repaired.
They preached highly of Runes, which are like Gems, in that
they can be inserted into sockets. If you put certain combinations of runes in the
correct order, into an item with exactly that number of sockets and of the
correct item type, the item will change into a unique item, and the item will
acquire extra powers, depending on the "rune word" that was used. To
me, they sound, less predictable as gems, but more understandable than jewels.
Jewels were vaguely described. It was hard to predict what
a certain jewel would do, so many jewel would be used for adornment. A dire
waste of such magical powers. Certain jewels can also be magical, but the mages
never spoke of what power they held.
I often asked of the demons that the brothers controlled.
Baal's troop intrigued me the most…
The large and muscular Minotaurs use two weapons like our
own warriors, while the Overseers can heal their troops or direct them into
battle with their Bola whips. However, Baal's Minions as they are called, are
the most terrifying…
Their hideous faces and bodies are covered with a plethora
of inhuman spikes, and gleaming red eyes. Their armour like bodies are nearly
impenetrable. I believe I saw several of these at the battle, before I fled. I
hope I never have to battle those monstrosities.
It is very fascinating what
data you can extract from a drunken mage, no?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Oh… my… god…" The Hammer mumbled. The giant
mountainous face of Trag'Oul moved forward closing in on the Necromancers and
our heroes.
"Calm down guys, it's just Trag'Oul." Adrian
reassured.
"J-Just?! That thing's head is almost as big
as it's body! That thing has been myth for centuries! If it belches, Kurast
would be levelled!" Sheila yelled.
"First, he is peaceful, and second that's not
his real body." His companions looked at him.
"His divine essence is beyond comprehension
as well as his size, so he chose a smaller body to inhabit his spirit when he
come here ever year."
"And no one notices the giant lizard?" Hammer
asked.
"It has long been myth to traders, that on
this day, the northern oceans become fraught with monsters which annually feed.
That rumour started from, a fishing ship who saw Trag'Oul surface. That last
visitor here was five centuries ago."
All mouths fell silent.
Trag'Oul was blocking out what little light there was on the beach his yellow
eyes slowly gazed across the party of warriors. The metal scales glimmered, as
he spoke with a voice so deeps the earth seemed to crumble. Since only the
Necromancers can speak the language of the dead, I'll translate the
discussion.
"My sons have returned."
The monstrous Trag'Oul reverberated through the land. Many of the Necromancers
slammed their arms onto their eyes. Only Narn'Oul seemed unaffected by the
incredible sound.
"Two of the infernal
brothers lay dead. The city of Kurast has been restored as well as all of those
who dwell within." His gigantic yellow eyes gazed to Sheila and the Hammer.
"And these are the holy warriors whose visit I have foreseen."
Narn'Oul was the only
one to speak to the holy creature.
"Oh, great Trag'Oul, we
come to ask for your guidance. The creature Baal runs free through Sanctuary."
The beast closed its
eyes and breathed deeply.
"He has recovered his
soul stone… The other holy warriors have been sent to hunt him down by Tyreal.
Baal seeks the Mountain Arreat." Trag said monotonously (and deafening).
"Wise earth serpent,
what is the purpose of Arreat?" Narn'Oul asked.
The beast closed his
eyes again and spoke. Since the barbarians settled the land there, the largest
mountain Arreat, had been hiding the Worldstone. The High Heavens placed it in
the inhospitable climates to protect the stone… The stone protects the mortal
realm from the forces of hell. If Baal can control the stone, he can plunge
Sanctuary into Hell." He boomed. The Necromancer began to talk, but Trag'Oul
drowned them out.
"I have met with the
highest leader of heaven and have discussed this." He said, opening his eyes
and looking down upon his followers.
"He can talk to god?" Sheila said in
surprise.
"He is a god too." Adrian said.
"Why not the Hammer said
clamping his hands over his ears.
The beast opened its
mouth and breathed out a bluish fog. Everyone looked uneasy.
"The three warriors must
go immediately to the barbarian lands. I trust the rest of you will travel
there by other means." The Necromancers saluted Trag'Oul. Our heroes became
enveloped in the fog, before disappearing into the strange fog the heard
Trag'Oul again.
"Find the child of
Sadness, and you may be able to defend the Worldstone…" His voice trailed off.
The heroes were not on a beach, or in the barbarian lands they were nowhere,
and yet everywhere…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Taloth rubbed the sweat from his brow and marched on, following the
trails of Baal's army. He heard some, not demon or Barbarian, but… singing.
Singing he thought it was faint, but he mustered all of his strength and ran to
the sound. The sounds grew louder. He approached a large rock and peered from
behind it, Katana ready in hand.
It was musician of some
sort, maybe fourteen. He wore a cap that was a jackal head, with bells on it,
like some cross of a wolf scalp and jester's hat. His attire was peasant like,
but with the odd bright colour of clothing, and curled up shoes with bells on
their tips. He played a lute, like he was a master of that kind of instrument.
He was obviously a minstrel… of sorts. He listened to his singing…
(Play Bard's Song, In
the Forest, By Blind Guardian)
"Now you all know,The bards and their songs,When hours have gone by,I close my eyes,In a world far away,We may meet again,But now hear my song,About the dawn of the night,Let's sing the bards' song," "Tomorrow will take us away,Far from home,No one will ever know our names,But the bards' songs will remain,Tomorrow will take it away,The fear of today,It will be gone,Due to our magic songs…" Taloth edged forward, Katana ready. He readied a balanced knife in his other hand. "There's only one song,Left in my mind,Tales of a brave man,Who lived far from here,Now the bard songs are over,And it's time to leave,No one should ask you for the name,Of the one,Who tells the story…" "Tomorrow will take us away,Far from home,No one will ever know our names,But the bards' songs will remain,Tomorrow all will be known,And you're not alone,So don't be afraid,In the dark and cold,'Cause the bards' songs will remain,They all will remain," "In my thoughts and in my dreams,They're always in my mind,These songs of hobbits, dwarves and men,And elves,Come close your eyes,
You can see them, too…"
Taloth clapped several times slowly and with a stern look on his face.
The minstrel turned around a little shocked.
"Where do you get off,
singing like everything is happy? Are you stupid or just ignorant!" Taloth
began. The minstrel looked at him oddly.
"Baal passed here possibly hours ago! Are you
stupid or an agent of his?"
He said raising his katana.
"Neither, and I'm Bard, thanks for asking,"
He sarcastically said. Before Taloth could move, Bard whipped out an arrow and
shot it from the strings of his lute, knocking his katana out of his hand.
Taloth readied his knife.
"Ah-ah." Bard corrected with another arrow
ready. Taloth sighed.
"Get over with it." He said. Bard sighed.
"Are you stupid or just
ignorant?" Bard repeated in Taloth's tone. "I…. AM…NOT…EVIL." He said.
"I may be a barbarian
but I'm not that dumb." Taloth retorted.
"I am going to Mount
Arreat, my family-"
"I know." Bard said. "I
myself am a vagabond. I used to travel with performers, but I am seeking my own
fortune. Where wars go, money isn't far behind."
"And perhaps they find
you?" Taloth said amused.
"I am not dead, and I
have braved Tristram, poor Ol' Griswold…"
"Tell you what, I am a
direct relative of the leader of the barbarian tribe leader guarding Arreat.
Troops are plentiful there as well as gold, and I've never seen a minstrel
there."
Bard seemed interested.
"You help me get to
Arreat, I allow you into the city."
Bard sat up and approached Taloth.
"What if I lead you to
Arreat, and you kill me, or don't allow me into the city?" Bard asked.
"As a cousin of
The Hammer, of the Courageous Five, I carry his family honour." Bard was
shocked.
"YOU are The Hammer's cousin!"
"Is it a deal?" Taloth asked. Bard though
hard.
"Deal, but if we run into any monster, I
don't know you."
"This sounds like the beginning of a
beautiful friendship…" Taloth sighed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Where am I?" The Hammer
asked floating in a dark place. "Adrian? Sheila? …… Mommy?"
"There are not here but
I am." A voice said.
"Who are you, where am I, where are my
friends?"
"Quite the inquisitive
temperament, no?" The voice said.
"Uh, what?"
"Hrmph… You are in the
ethereal realm. All of what Trag'Oul teleports passes through here, as well as
tortured spirits unable to travel to heaven or hell. While your friends have
not been interrupted by any spirits unlike you…"
A figure materialized,
long, tall and wicked.
"Mephisto…" Hammer
cursed.
"Indeed. I am stuck here
since your friends killed my followers and me. Diablo sends his regards."
"What do you want…wait a
minute..." Hammer flung his hand through Mephisto, and then Mephisto broke into
a million pieces.
"You're not real." He
smiled.
"True," Mephisto said
his image reforming, "But my mind is the same."
"Leave me be." Hammer
said.
"Wait!" Hammer glanced
back at the vanquished evil. "Not until you hear me." The Hammer crossed his
arms. "I can only contact you once, and if I wanted to kill you group, I'd
attack the Necromancer." He smiled devilishly, "But that's what this about in
the first place…"
The Hammer
shrugged, "Why not… prick." Mephisto
ignored the last comment and began.
"Your friend, he is you
best friend no?" Hammer nodded, "But he has a… Better friend than you if I'm
not mistaken…" Hammer raised an eyebrow. "The Amazon-like cat he loves." Hammer
nodded still a little unsure. "They haven't really explored their relationship
have they?"
"True…" The Hammer said
thinking.
"They don't show any
affection for one another while you're around do they…"
"Well…"
"At times during you
crusade… have they tried to find some alone time... without you?" The Hammer
was silent. "It dawns on you, you are an obstacle for them. You are a thorn in
their relationship if you will. Who knows? If you weren't around they could
already be married. But you are in the picture, so everything becomes changed,
no?" The Hammer sat silent.
"Do you ever think you
get in between them, or more importantly, do they think that " The Hammer still
said nothing.
"They would want peace,
wouldn't they? Privacy? Face it Barbarian, you are about to be kicked off the
team." Mephisto smiled and ended.
"Well, I've wasted
enough of your time. Be on your way…"
The blue mist once again enveloped the Hammer…
He regained consciousness atop a mountain, with his friends. Adrian and
Sheila, who seemed almost closer together than normal to the Hammer.
"Let's kick some demon ass." Adrian, the Puppetmaster
smiled.
"Look out Baal!" Sheila
sneered.
Hammer paid no attention. Was he really a burden to them? Was the lord
of Hatred right? Maybe he should leave… In the distance he could almost hear a
minstrel singing….
!Play the Bard's Song (the Hobbit
Version)!
"Out in the distance,There's so much gold,The treasure that I've found,Is more than enough?Far to be the hill we've to go,Over the mountain and seas,To the old hill,Where the old dragon sleeps,Blind in the dark dungeon's night,So God please take me away from here,And Gollum shows the way right out!" (Solo) "I'm alive!" "The dying dragon brought trouble and pain,And horror to the halls of stone,I'll take the mighty stone,And leave the dwarves behind,Ice and fire and forest we passed,And horror in the halls of stone!" "Trolls in the dark,The dawn took them all,Caught in the wood,By the wooden kings' men,But now I'm alone,'Cause I've made up my mind,By the spell of gold!" "The king under the mountain,Will risk the Great War,Oh what a fool,He's losing control,So I am trying to find a way,Blind in the dark dungeon's night,Then darkness comes from the northern side,And Thorin clears his mind…"
To Be
Continued Foolish Mortal…
What do you think? All feedback is encouraged!
-Alpha Draconis