Disclaimer- ya know the drill....
"Arreat" - Part Five, which is part Six, because of
the prologue, but is part Five of the story, got it? Sure you do….
'Existence is suffering,
The cause of suffering is desire,
The only way to remove suffering is to end desire,
The only way to end desire is through the Buddhist Diablo way.'
- The 'modified' four noble truths of the Buddha
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N- Before the story, I had an email asking me if I publish all of my
ideas or if some hit the cutting room floor. The answer is yes, I have many
ideas that never made it to FF.net, or anywhere else. I've bet you've never
heard of Bob the Fallen, Tyreal's Wild Ride, or Doom Knights- The Awakening,
Doom Knights- The Oblivion, or the Demon Oracle. Those are all ideas for Diablo
fics I never made. Anyway, on with the show!
Adrian sat on a chair in the inn room
swinging his sword back and forth in front of him, and being totally bored out
of his mind. The Hammer lay on a bed, smelling of ale, vomit, and more ale.
Adrian couldn't stand waiting. He yawned and was slowly closing his eyes.
"Hello?" Sheila said knocking on the inn door and walking in the room.
"Hey." Adrian murmured half asleep.
"What's up?" The cat asked.
""Hmm?" Adrian spun around slothfully. Sheila looked at him. "I'm just
tired… Did you find a boat that can take us to Kilaron?"
She shrugged, "Maybe… If any boats will go up there, they're down at
the port." Adrian nodded. "But chances are still slim."
"We're going there if it kills us." Adrian firmly said. Sheila nodded
but quietly murmured to herself. "That's what I'm afraid of…"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ten Minotaurs sat around a small fireplace, several kilometres behind
Baal's army. Drinking ale, and sharpening weapons, they sat around the fire
talking in their strange language like the Goatmen's language. Around the small
camp, were several corpses.
"Meat's done." One of
them said in a gruff inhuman voice, pulling a human corpse from the fire. The
body was burned and cut beyond belief, and the mouth and eye sockets stood open
in a silent scream. One of the Minotaurs snorted a strange bunch of words, and
the others laughed, and began to cut and eat the corpse.
Several hundred yards
away sat the Bard and Taloth watched the campsite. Bard was vomiting on the
ground as smell of charred flesh wafted over to them. Taloth sat watching them
with a fire of hatred burning brightly in his eyes.
"They will pay…" He
hissed walking towards them. Bard could only watch as sat clenching his
stomach. Oddly enough he noticed the large sword on his back began to glow a
strange… black. Could it be? Bard thought looking at the sword.
One of Minotaurs sat
laughing then stood up and moaned a loud screaming noise. It fell over
revealing a long slash through its spine, oozing blood. The Minotaurs turned
and saw Taloth, holding the sword in his left hand. For a second the Minotaurs
sat and just stared at the sword then one yelled a call and they grabbed their
weapons and charged.
Taloth swung the sword
at an incoming Minotaurs and cleanly severed his torso from his legs. The legs
stood for a moment, ebbing blood and then fell to the ground along with the
twitching corpse. Taloth swung the sword back in front of him, lobbing off the
jaw of another demon. It clutched its face, while Taloth swung the sword
gutting him. Taloth grimaced as he walked through intestines, to face the
others. The remaining four had each gathered a mace and an axe each. Taloth ran
and leapt over one swinging his sword under him mowing down two of the demons
in their tracks. Another brought his arms over his head, ready to swing down.
Taloth arced the sword upwards at his exposed stomach, and sliced him neatly in
two.
The last Minotaur looked
at the assorted pile of flesh, and blood and then at Taloth. He slowly backed
up, threw down his weapons, and ran. Taloth held the sword over his head and
then threw it. The sword perfectly glided through the air. The Minotaur screamed
as he saw it fly after him, and hitting him squarely in the back so hard that
his arms and skull were blown out from their sockets.
Taloth looked around at
the carnage he created, and calmly walked over to retrieve his sword. The wind
was the only sound audible over the battlefield.
Taloth reached down and
picked up his sword. He lifted it into the air and saw the blood disappear from
the sword.
"This sword shine with
magical energies…." He murmured, running his hand over the sword's cold steel.
I know you can hear me, he thought, just like
before. "What are you?" he whispered.
A deep and familiar voice trembled and echoed
throughout his brain.
I…. It began. I am the Demon Oracle, the Reaper of Souls…. The
Shadowfang….
Taloth eyed it over. He
whispered again. "If you're an oracle… then…"
I know more than mortal
minds could hope to comprehend…. It spoke again.
Sure…. Taloth thought.
"Then tell me where my cousin is right now." He smiled.
The warrior known as the
Hammer is exactly 678 kilometres due south-west of here… And 12 centimetres.
"Sure…"
He is also intoxicated, the voice said.
Well that SOUNDS like
him Taloth thought. "Okay…. What's his real name smart ass?"
I'll ignore that but his
real name is Ardidar, named after his second uncle, Ardjul.
"O-okay… Then tell me,"
Taloth put his fist behind his back, "How many fingers Am I holding behind my
back?"
Three.
Taloth just sat blankly.
Two fingers and a thumb
to be precise.
Taloth stared at the sword.
I AM an oracle after
all.
"Then why…" He began, "Has Baal slaughtered so many to come this far
north, what does he seek?"
Taloth heard a sound like someone breathing then the voice began.
Before time itself, and before the giant
world beast sprouted its scales of earth, the realms were divided by the divine
essence. The only keeping the realms in balance was the Worldstone.
Taloth shrugged as if he
had heard the name before.
It keeps the realms of
the burning hells, the high heavens, and Sanctuary from spilling into each
other. It was buried long ago beneath the towering mountain of Arreat at its
centre. Baal seeks to corrupt the stone's powers, and plunge Sanctuary into
eternal night of the hells, and the to reach the gates of the heavens… and burn
them down…………Satisfied?
Taloth sat down. The
realization of his family's slaughter became clear. The Worldstone is Arreat's
secret. His clan's secret. His family had given their lives for the stone, to
protect the world. Now it was his time.
Bard approached Taloth.
"What's going on?" He
asked.
"I know…" Taloth said in
a daze. Bard was confused. "Now I know why I didn't die, and why the others
did. Our world's fate is close at hand."
"Uhh…." Bard shifted
uneasily.
"I will bring back
honour to my clan, and to myself. Our purposeless journey now has meaning…" He
thrust his sword in a northward direction.
"TO ARREAT!" He yelled. "…And to our fates."
He began to walk onwards. Bard sat stupefied for a minute and then noticed the
sword.
"He doesn't even know…
hopefully I won't have to kill him." Bard set off after his companion.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Regdas heard of the
failure with the sword just recently. His heart was beating a mile a minute. He
began walking by the campsites toward Baal's large tent. Demonic eyes watched
him from all corners. Even, one Overseer pulled out a trumpet and began to play
'Reveille' as Regdas marched on. The assorted Fallen, undead, Yetis, and other
demons looked at the lone Minotaur enter the tent. The next twelve seconds
seemed longer than 12 years. A crash of thunder was heard, and a bolt of light
shot out from the tent. Regdas was flung out charred, and blown into smoking
chunks of flesh, and still trying to spasm or move.
Baal walked out his
tents; his eyes were fiery and full of anger.
"We must accelerate our plans." He boomed. "We attack tonight." Cheers,
war cries, and various yelling were heard from the army.
"In fact," Baal
continued, "We attack…." He snapped his fingers. For the army, the world quickly
seemed to melt away and then reshape in a different way. It was made clear Baal
had teleported them. Barbarians were several hundred yards away. One of them
pointed, and the Barbarians ran towards the demons. "Now." Baal finished, as
his army flooded through the new lands, and fought the Barbarians. Blood
spilled, and iron clang. For the next several hours, the snow became a colour
of crimson.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Well we're here." The
paladin known as the Minister said. The trio of warriors, being the Minister,
Ice Angel, and Phoenix looked onto large stonewalls, and a city behind them,
deep within the cold and inhospitable lands of the north. "Behold Harrogath."
The Minister began, "This must be one of the few fortresses still under
barbarian control."
"Is it friendly?"
Phoenix asked, looking suspiciously at the gates, and at the city itself. The
Minister shrugged.
"Hold travellers!" A barbarian warrior said
from behind the gates. Several barbarians holding long spear cautiously
surrounded the group.
"Be ye friend or be ye
foe?" He asked.
"When was the last time
someone answered foe?" Phoenix asked. The barbarian looked aside as if
thinking. The other barbarians put their spears down and began scratching their
heads, or rubbing their chins in deep thought.
"Um…ah…er…" The one
barbarian muttered. "Be ye friend or be ye foe?" He simply repeated. Phoenix
shook her head and muttered something.
"We are knights of the
undying light, and servants of the divine. We are the slayers of demons, and
the bringers of hope. Crushers of war, bringers of hope." The Minister proudly
stated. The barbarians looked confused. "Oh very well then," Minister muttered,
"We are friends seeking to destroy the minions of Baal, and we need sanctuary
within these walls."
The barbarian eyed the
group over suspiciously. "How do I know you are not spies, or demons enchanted
to look as humans? Hmm?"
"Our good faith, and
perseverance to thwart evil." Minister stated.
"Shut up!" Another barbarian
yelled from the group. Some applause amidst the barbarians went up. The leading
barbarian silenced the others.
"You need to prove your
allegiances. Follow me to the clan master, for he may have tasks for you to
prove yourselves and your story. Make any attempt of leaving my sight, and I
will take it as escape and order your deaths."
"Charming." Ice Angel
nodded. Phoenix smiled, while the Minister told the barbarian of the situation.
"We agree, but know with
each passing moment, Baal grows nearer to his goal, and Sanctuary's
destruction."
"Whatever…" The
barbarian said motioning the others to follow him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Adrian, Sheila, and the
Hammer walked into the bustling port of the barbarian city. All kinds of
merchants were selling their wares ranging from strange, to downright nutty.
Sounds of conversations, minstrels, and daily life were almost deafening.
"And we're going to find
boat here." Adrian sighed, as the group walked down one of the docks. "Everyone
split up and meet back here in ten minutes. Let's try to find any boats going
north." Everyone nodded and the group split up.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The three warriors
walked throughout the barbarian cities, with its stone walls, and barbarian
mercenaries at every turn. The task of rescuing some of the barbarian warriors
was given to them, as well as destroying several catapults.
"What are we supposed to do now?" Phoenix asked.
"Well…" Ice Angel began,
"We can load up on equipment, and then find Arreat."
"Okay." Phoenix said.
"We might have to delay
that idea," the Minister said, "Demons will be advancing soon, wd need to
explain our reasons for being here, and this settlement will need real
defences. Arreat will have to wait."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Alright guys," Hammer
said, "Did anyone find any transport going north?"
"I did." Adrian said,
"But there's a catch…"
~~~Minutes Later~~~
"What do you mean our type?" Hammer asked the
surly boatman who happened to be first mate on one of the larger galleons.
"I said, we don't take
kindly to your type here." The man gruffly replied.
"What types?" Hammer
asked.
"First you're from the
clan of Thunder, I'm from the clan of Snake. And we don't take kindly to cat or
the mage either." He barked.
"Don't forget the
weapons," Someone else said.
"Yeah, and we don't
kindly to their type either!" He yelled pointing to Adrian's scabbard.
"You mean swords?"
Adrian asked confused by the primitive attitudes of the crew.
"Yeah, we're all blunt
weapons people." He held up a cudgel. Many of the crew held up maces, clubs, or
sceptres. Adrian uneasily looked at the surly crew.
"Well what DO you take kindly to?" Sheila
asked.
"Barbarians." The first
mate answered.
"Ale!" Another shouted.
"WOMEN!!!" Another
yelled from the crow's nest. A mighty cheer rose from the crew.
"Oh." Sheila said.
"Never mind."
~~~Shortly After~~~
"They're the only boat
going north today, so where are we going to find some babarian women, who'll
want to go north?" Adrian asked.
"Probably nowhere…"
Sheila muttered.
"Maybe relatives of
those up north might want to come with us?" Hammer suggested.
"The cost my friend."
Adrian stated "Is nearly five thousand gold per person, I can't afford and
family reunions here."
"I don't see why."
Sheila muttered to herself.
"Pardon?" Adrian asked
irritated.
"Earlier, the crew said
they don't like 'my type,' I don't see why is all." She quietly ended.
Hammer shrugged, then
begun to talk to Adrian. Sheila glanced around the city, looking at the people,
with their furless faces, and hands and feet instead of paws. Then she caught a
reflection of herself in a puddle. The view was distorted, but clearly showed
herself. She saw her paws, tail, fur, and for the first time in quite a while
noticed how different she was from the people she lived alongside with. She
kicked a small pebble into the puddle destroying the image in a wave of
ripples.
"… So that's how he got his groove back."
Hammer ended proudly.
"What are you talking
about? I said 'could we make it to Arreat by foot,' and you starting talking
about your uncle." Adrian said annoyed.
"You made who, with the
what now?" Hammer asked confused. Adrian groaned. "I think we need a little
R&R Adrian." Hammer suggested.
"Yeah I guess you're- Ardy?" Adrian looked around. The
saloon doors on a nearby tavern swung in and out. "That lousy drunken…" Adrian
began, but saw Sheila looking very distant and sad.
"Coffer for your thoughts?" Adrian asked
Sheila. She looked at him. "Or will I get change?" Sheila smiled. "You always
make me laugh."
"My offer stands." He
said looking concerned.
"It's nothing," She
said, "Just concerned about the future. The immediate future." Adrian nodded
and thought for a moment. The thought of death taking any one of them at any
time was not a settling one.
"I knew a man who once
said death smiles on us all. All a man, or a woman can do is smile back." He
replied.
"Who said that?" Shelia
joked.
"I forget, some old
guy."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"DIE FOUL BEAST OF THE
HELLS!!" The Minister said swinging a sling with holy water at a group of
demons who reeled back at the water's stinging touch. "GO FOR THE CATAPULTS!"
The minister yelled to his companions. Phoenix put her fists to the sky, and a
glowing Valkyrie appeared from the sky, and using her spear began to slay
nearby demons. Ice Angel took a different approach, and spewed forth jets of
flames from her fingertips, roasting the impish, and even the larger demons.
Ice Angel saw them;
large catapults aimed towards the barbarian city of Harrogath. This was exactly
what Qual-Kehk wanted destroyed. Ice Angel concentrated hard, and focussing all
of her powers to the heavens. Sweat beaded down her face. Small Overseers
controlling a catapult noted the immobile target and slowly began aiming the
large catapult towards the sorceress. Ice Angel felt the rumbling of the giant
siege engine, and tried harder. Her spell was nearly complete, and the
Overseers dumped several vases of oils into the catapult. One light a match,
but dropped it, as he noticed the comet streaking downwards to them. It arced
furiously downwards, gaining even more speed. Ice Angel smiled, and in an
instant the cool tundra air burned with an unearthly fire. That, and a
house-sized meteor lay half exposed in the icy soil.
"Quest complete." She smiled to herself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Baal sat upon his throne
in the makeshift camp of his. It had been a busy day for him. First, he
targeted the clan elders of Harrogath, who were on a picnic, then he begun to
assault the barbarian tribe by relentlessly bombing them with the siege
engines, some warriors had been taken hostage, but through all of this Baal
could not gain entrance to Mount Arreat.
He rose from his throne
and marched to the entrance of his tent. He looked upon the towering mountain
and sneered. "I'll have you yet." He assured himself. Baal turned to see a
bowing Goat man dressed in a large cloak. "Send word to the spies on the
inside, I want to know how and where to enter Arreat. My reward is raised to
two million gold. Three million if the data is given to me in the hour." As
Baal finished, the warrior bowed and sped off to the city. Time was Baal's
greatest enemy here. If he didn't enter Arreat soon enough, the other warriors
would soon follow. Baal wasn't ready to face them without gaining ground inside
the mountain first.
Baal signalled on of his
minions forth. The spiked creature bowed low to him. "Get my guard ready, I do
not want them leaving my sight." The creature bowed, and scuttled off. A Shaman
of some type of Fallen appeared awaiting orders. Baal spoke to him, eyes never
leaving the mountain. "I want the first four battalions to follow me into the
mountain. Six and seven are to remain here. Five and nine are to guard the
entrance to the mountain. Group Eight shall guard the path we take. Any
creatures not needed for the mountain will be left in the tundra to deter any
would-be heroes. Am I clear?" Baal finished on a sinister note. The creature
scampered away.
Baal smiled but reeled over in pain, hitting the ground.
Something attacked him from inside, something he thought was long silent…Tal
Rasha. Baal rose and smiled. It has been a while since the mortal's spirit had
tried to attack the spirit now dominating his body. But Baal had such power
over the body now that any attempt by the pitiful mage would be useless.
Baal smiled, something
he rarely did. Victory would be his.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Sure I'll charter a
boat for ye, but if it's up north… that'll be extra me friend." The cloaked
figure said to Adrian. Adrian had taken to the thieves, murderers, and
assassins to locate safe travel to Harrogath, and it was the only way now.
"20,000 gold, all in
advance." Adrian stated.
"Tis a generous offer,
lad, but I'll need some payment now..." The figure hinted.
"Fine, I'll take my
offer to others." Adrian turned.
"You're not leaving
laddie." The figure smiled. Adrian turned around.
"Double-crossed? How
surprising." Adrian replied.
"I'm not alone." The
figure smirked, who then snapped his fingers. A large barbarian, nearly twice
the size of Adrian emerged from the shadows. The barbarian grunted in response.
"Fine," Adrian said,
"Your tombs await." In a flash, a lance-like spear of bone shot forward
impaling the barbarian in the chest, who yelled and fell downwards into the
street.
"You're next." Adrian
said, "Unless I get the name of a ship going north." The figure looked at his
now dead lackey.
"Yao-Pong runs a
merchant ship that sails north every ten day. He leaves tomorrow." The figure
said.
"Good." Adrian said coolly,
throwing a pouch of gold to the figure. "Spend it well."
"A pearl to ye." The
figure smiled, and then disappeared in the shadows. That'll keep him from
returning with friends…hopefully, Adrian thought.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The icy winds whipped
around mountain peaks and through valleys in the harsh barbarian lands.
Relentless winds, dangerous blizzards, lethal avalanches, and hungry creatures
are a handful of dangers towards Arreat. Yet Taloth and the Bard carry on.
"It has been two days since we camped…" Bard moaned. Taloth
did not stop walking. "I said it has been two LONG hard days, of wolves, wind,
and snow. We haven't stopped to eat!"
Taloth's blank expression did not change. "You know wounds need
healing, and that can only be accomplished by resting. I'm all for a little
rest, eh? Bard said. Taloth stopped and slowly turned around.
"Rest is for the weak,
you disgust me." Taloth resumed walking onwards.
"Alright," Bard said,
"You need me I'll be here, being very weak… you bastard." He quietly ended.
Taloth kept on walking, with a very unique sword tied to his back. Bard sneered
at its dark presence. "Go on, dig your own grave." He muttered trying to start
a fire with the nearby shrubs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sheila lay on the lumpy
bed of the inn room, staring vacantly into the wall mirror.
She stared into the mirror, and remembered
her past, before Adrian. She remembered the lioness that raised her in the
jungles of the far west, but was struck down by the Fetish. She remembered
feeling no remorse or sadness for the creature. She also remembered when the
leaders of the prides came under the control of the evils, and as a result,
many of the cats flocked eastwards to Kurast, as did she and her pride. She
remembered the caravan they downed, and the child she saved. She remembered
being beaten by her fellow cats, and then… the Necromancer the Puppetmaster,
Adrian intervened and saved her. She remembered he cared for her, and healed
her, and then… they fell in love. After that, they travelled together, but
while fighting the evils their relationship was put 'on hold.'
Sheila stared into the
mirror again, a lone tear streaking down her face.
"Hello?" Adrian said
walking into the room. He put his armour neatly on a chair nearby. "We have
transport to- what's wrong?" He asked. Sheila stifled her tears and ran up to
Adrian hugging him.
"Oh Adrian!" She cried,
"Why me?" Adrian was taken aback.
"W-Why you what?" He
stammered
"Why did you choose me?"
She cried.
"What?" He asked, trying
to comfort the cat. Sheila held back her tears.
"Why did you choose to
be with me? You could've had anyone else…" She trailed off.
"I don't want anyone
else." He said firmly. "I want you." Sheila
looked up him and smiled. "I'm sorry." She whispered.
"You know I'll always
love you." Adrian said.
"Me too." She smiled to
him. "I-I'm so sorry, it's just… you've become very close to me lately."
"You've become dear to
me, but I don't know what you are getting at." Adrian said. Sheila blushed.
"W-Well, we've been
together a while, and we're very close…" She paused, "Tonight… I do not wish to
leave your side… or your embrace." She finished blushing.
"Sheila…." Adrian said a
bit shocked. He had rescued her, saved her, but after all they've been through,
thick and thin, he could not think of someone he'd rather be with.
"Please Adrian, I love
you so much."
Adrian was about to speak, but Sheila silenced him with a kiss.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Outside~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fireworks shot upwards
exploding in brilliant blasts, and amazing colours. Some sorcerer obviously was
behind this but the barbarian people loved the display. A full spectrum of
colours was seen in the sky.
The Hammer staggered to
the inn door where their group was staying.
"C'mon guys you're missing all of the action!!" He yelled. He heard
nothing from them. "Fine be that way." He shrugged leaving to see the
explosions in the sky. Work, work, work, he thought.
"Those two never have some fun." He muttered.
Wow, what a
chapter. Sorry to everyone about such a long delay, but for all of summer, I've
been either at the Grand Canyon (NEVER go in June), or Northern Ontario, so
I've had little or no time to write. But it is almost school time again. Yep, nine
more months of caffeine addictions, stress induced heart attacks, and friendly
neighbourhood gangs. Ah… god bless the public education system.
As well, I'm toying with an idea for a
Baldur's Gate fanfic, taking place after the end of 'Throne of Bhaal.' What do
you think? Well write a review and tell me!
This was good chapter, I think. How do
you feel about it? Giddy with joy? Seething with rage? Write a review and tell
me!
That's all for now folks!
-Alpha Draconis