While the heroes searched for their allies on Mount Arreat, the warmer
climates of Lut Gholein were recovering from a massive explosion that had
rocked the foundations of the city, causing mass confusion.
"What the hell is going on here?" shouted Jerhyn, current Prince of Lut Gholein. Screams echoed through the streets, the sound of swords and spears clashing together with.something. From his vantage point in the Palace, he could see smoke rising from the Village Plaza. "Kaelan, what is happening?"
The Palace Guard shrugged, then ran down the stairs quite unexpectedly. Jerhyn sighed; no-one told him what was happening. The sound of battle had grown closer, worrying the young prince. One word echoed above all, coming from Kaelan. "Demons?!"
The Prince grumbled in disbelief. The demons were trapped inside Hell, he had seen the heroes who set out after Baal do it, had he not? Magic flashed along the sky, and he began to doubt.
In the village plaza, a fair chunk of Town Guards, as well as Fara, a former Paladin of Zakarum, were fighting against what seemed to be an endless flow of undead Skeletons, dressed in thick gold armor. Farther back, the elderly sorcerer Drognan was hurling fire at those undead that popped up so suddenly in the middle of the harbor. He was beginning to worry; these were forces from Hell, but how did they escape? "Fara, keep them busy! I'm going to go find the Prince, and take him to the docks! Try to keep these Hellspawn away from there!" Taking out a vial of black liquid, he threw it into the undead throng, then faded into the air.
Jerhyn began to panic as the first demon reached his throne, the giant Goatman bleating a challenge before charging forward, axe raised in the air. Stepping away, he closed his eyes, waiting for the killing blow.
It never landed, as the Goatman exploded, blood flying everywhere. The prince opened his eyes and let out a cry of surprise. "Drognan!"
The sorcerer turned to Jerhyn and smiled. "Take my hand.we're going to the docks.Meshif is still here and hopefully his boat is in better condition than the city will be."
Jerhyn gasped, latching onto the elderly sorcerer's shoulder. "Let's go."
Of course, Kurast had it's own problems; though the docks were safe, due to the mighty power of the Gidbinn, the city itself was not. Fire licked the dense forest, and the thousands of cannibalistic Flayers were being driven out in droves, running into the river to escape their pursuers. Great Megademons rampaged through the jungle, the obvious cause of the massive fire, swinging their swords at whatever moved.
"We are in trouble, friends of Ormus. Hell has unleashed itself upon us."
Two Iron Wolves stood just outside the dock entrance, swords drawn. The wooden bridge would be cut once the larger demons got near, and though the mages would be sacrificed, they would die in honor. "Here they come.now, cut the ropes!" Steel glinted as the bridge fell into the water, and the two Iron Wolves sighed as the first Megademon slammed it's curved sword into their heads.
"Ormus, we have to do something.there has to be something that we haven't thought of." said Asheara, the leader of the Iron Wolves. Her eyes were blurred as she remembered what her men had done only hours before. "The heroes who destroyed Mephisto.they could help us."
The sorcerer shook his bald head, leaning heavily on his staff. "This is not their battle."
Let's check in on Jerhyn and Drognan. Yes, we have to. They're important or something.
"Where is Meshif?!" demanded Drognan, looking around frantically. The drunk Geglash shrugged, then pointed towards the plaza. "You buffoon! I said MESHIF, NOT FARA!"
Geglash cowered, covering his face with his arms. "I'm sho shorry, Drognansh. He ish over there though. Now gimme a kish."
Drognan glared, kicking the drunken sod in the shin. "If Meshif is helping the others, then.I'll go find him and Fara. Maybe Greiz as well."
"No, Jerhyn. I can travel faster than you, and it's my responsibility to find them. You get onto the boat. Geglash, you better protect him or I'll hang you by the liver." Snapped Drognan, teleporting before Geglash could utter a whimper.
Greiz grumbled as his men backed up. This endless surge of demonic powers were unnerving, and his men were scared. Fara stood at the back, muttering to herself, and the shifty Elzix yawned. He hadn't been disturbed by the skeletons; it was Meshif who had woken up the ex-bandit.
"Fara! Greiz! Meshif!" Greiz turned, his eyes wide. Drognan had appeared in the throng of skeletons, magic obliterating most of them. Of course, more were rising, but it was a good break. "We have to get to your boat, Meshif.Lut Gholein is doomed."
Nodding his head, Meshif ran forward, placing a hand on Drognan's shoulder. "We better get moving.Greiz, can your men find the boat?"
Greiz nodded, then stepped forward to address his men. "Head for the docks! You have 5 minutes! Come on, Fara.and you too, Elzix."
Fara moved quickly, latching onto Meshif's arm, but Elzix didn't move. "If ya don't mind, Greiz, I'll stay here. If I get killed.oh well. It happens."
Drognan sighed. "Elzix, find Atma. If she's still alive, get her to the docks." With that, the 4 vanished, leaving Elzix and only 15 mercenaries in the square.
"You heard Drognan! We'll find Atma, then head to the boat."
Again, back at Kurast.
"The Gidbinn's power is fading.we must find a way to protect the docks long enough for a boat to arrive." Snapped Alkor, the Alchemist already creating an explosive potion. Asheara nodded in agreement, turning to Hratli.
"Don't look at me.Meshif is in Lut Gholein.we can always head into the jungle.find somewhere safe to hide."
Ormus stepped from the shadows, eyes narrowed. "The Gidbinn is weak, but will hold for a day. If we are lucky, Meshif will arrive."
Back in Lut Gholein.
"Atma? Atma, where are you?"
Frantically, Elzix ran through the streets, throwing a dagger at one of the newest arrivals; Blunderbores. Shaking his head, he continued to run, seven of the Mercenaries in pursuit. He knew Atma was dead.now they were trying to escape from the brutal monsters chasing them. "Damnit, run! The boat is just ahead!"
Fara looked on from the distance, her eyes narrowed. "They've brought in demons now.I don't see Atma.Meshif, we must head for Kurast."
The boat captain sighed. "If we must.they will need a lift as well.we're heading south."
Jerhyn looked up, surprised. "To where?" Meshif just grinned as the last Mercenary boarded, then frowned. "Damnit, someone has to cut that rope."
Elzix moved in a flash, jumping onto the dock to cut the rope. As his dagger sawed through, the Blunderbore's caught up, slamming their massive 'clubs' into his skull. Fara screamed as the boat sailed off.
Kurast.
Smiling, Asheara pointed out into the water. "It's Meshif!" Alkor groaned, then hobbled closer. The boat docked seconds later, and Meshif sighed. "Get on! All of you.where is Ormus?"
The Vizjerei mage picked up the Gidbinn, then ran towards the boat. "Go!"
"What the hell is going on here?" shouted Jerhyn, current Prince of Lut Gholein. Screams echoed through the streets, the sound of swords and spears clashing together with.something. From his vantage point in the Palace, he could see smoke rising from the Village Plaza. "Kaelan, what is happening?"
The Palace Guard shrugged, then ran down the stairs quite unexpectedly. Jerhyn sighed; no-one told him what was happening. The sound of battle had grown closer, worrying the young prince. One word echoed above all, coming from Kaelan. "Demons?!"
The Prince grumbled in disbelief. The demons were trapped inside Hell, he had seen the heroes who set out after Baal do it, had he not? Magic flashed along the sky, and he began to doubt.
In the village plaza, a fair chunk of Town Guards, as well as Fara, a former Paladin of Zakarum, were fighting against what seemed to be an endless flow of undead Skeletons, dressed in thick gold armor. Farther back, the elderly sorcerer Drognan was hurling fire at those undead that popped up so suddenly in the middle of the harbor. He was beginning to worry; these were forces from Hell, but how did they escape? "Fara, keep them busy! I'm going to go find the Prince, and take him to the docks! Try to keep these Hellspawn away from there!" Taking out a vial of black liquid, he threw it into the undead throng, then faded into the air.
Jerhyn began to panic as the first demon reached his throne, the giant Goatman bleating a challenge before charging forward, axe raised in the air. Stepping away, he closed his eyes, waiting for the killing blow.
It never landed, as the Goatman exploded, blood flying everywhere. The prince opened his eyes and let out a cry of surprise. "Drognan!"
The sorcerer turned to Jerhyn and smiled. "Take my hand.we're going to the docks.Meshif is still here and hopefully his boat is in better condition than the city will be."
Jerhyn gasped, latching onto the elderly sorcerer's shoulder. "Let's go."
Of course, Kurast had it's own problems; though the docks were safe, due to the mighty power of the Gidbinn, the city itself was not. Fire licked the dense forest, and the thousands of cannibalistic Flayers were being driven out in droves, running into the river to escape their pursuers. Great Megademons rampaged through the jungle, the obvious cause of the massive fire, swinging their swords at whatever moved.
"We are in trouble, friends of Ormus. Hell has unleashed itself upon us."
Two Iron Wolves stood just outside the dock entrance, swords drawn. The wooden bridge would be cut once the larger demons got near, and though the mages would be sacrificed, they would die in honor. "Here they come.now, cut the ropes!" Steel glinted as the bridge fell into the water, and the two Iron Wolves sighed as the first Megademon slammed it's curved sword into their heads.
"Ormus, we have to do something.there has to be something that we haven't thought of." said Asheara, the leader of the Iron Wolves. Her eyes were blurred as she remembered what her men had done only hours before. "The heroes who destroyed Mephisto.they could help us."
The sorcerer shook his bald head, leaning heavily on his staff. "This is not their battle."
Let's check in on Jerhyn and Drognan. Yes, we have to. They're important or something.
"Where is Meshif?!" demanded Drognan, looking around frantically. The drunk Geglash shrugged, then pointed towards the plaza. "You buffoon! I said MESHIF, NOT FARA!"
Geglash cowered, covering his face with his arms. "I'm sho shorry, Drognansh. He ish over there though. Now gimme a kish."
Drognan glared, kicking the drunken sod in the shin. "If Meshif is helping the others, then.I'll go find him and Fara. Maybe Greiz as well."
"No, Jerhyn. I can travel faster than you, and it's my responsibility to find them. You get onto the boat. Geglash, you better protect him or I'll hang you by the liver." Snapped Drognan, teleporting before Geglash could utter a whimper.
Greiz grumbled as his men backed up. This endless surge of demonic powers were unnerving, and his men were scared. Fara stood at the back, muttering to herself, and the shifty Elzix yawned. He hadn't been disturbed by the skeletons; it was Meshif who had woken up the ex-bandit.
"Fara! Greiz! Meshif!" Greiz turned, his eyes wide. Drognan had appeared in the throng of skeletons, magic obliterating most of them. Of course, more were rising, but it was a good break. "We have to get to your boat, Meshif.Lut Gholein is doomed."
Nodding his head, Meshif ran forward, placing a hand on Drognan's shoulder. "We better get moving.Greiz, can your men find the boat?"
Greiz nodded, then stepped forward to address his men. "Head for the docks! You have 5 minutes! Come on, Fara.and you too, Elzix."
Fara moved quickly, latching onto Meshif's arm, but Elzix didn't move. "If ya don't mind, Greiz, I'll stay here. If I get killed.oh well. It happens."
Drognan sighed. "Elzix, find Atma. If she's still alive, get her to the docks." With that, the 4 vanished, leaving Elzix and only 15 mercenaries in the square.
"You heard Drognan! We'll find Atma, then head to the boat."
Again, back at Kurast.
"The Gidbinn's power is fading.we must find a way to protect the docks long enough for a boat to arrive." Snapped Alkor, the Alchemist already creating an explosive potion. Asheara nodded in agreement, turning to Hratli.
"Don't look at me.Meshif is in Lut Gholein.we can always head into the jungle.find somewhere safe to hide."
Ormus stepped from the shadows, eyes narrowed. "The Gidbinn is weak, but will hold for a day. If we are lucky, Meshif will arrive."
Back in Lut Gholein.
"Atma? Atma, where are you?"
Frantically, Elzix ran through the streets, throwing a dagger at one of the newest arrivals; Blunderbores. Shaking his head, he continued to run, seven of the Mercenaries in pursuit. He knew Atma was dead.now they were trying to escape from the brutal monsters chasing them. "Damnit, run! The boat is just ahead!"
Fara looked on from the distance, her eyes narrowed. "They've brought in demons now.I don't see Atma.Meshif, we must head for Kurast."
The boat captain sighed. "If we must.they will need a lift as well.we're heading south."
Jerhyn looked up, surprised. "To where?" Meshif just grinned as the last Mercenary boarded, then frowned. "Damnit, someone has to cut that rope."
Elzix moved in a flash, jumping onto the dock to cut the rope. As his dagger sawed through, the Blunderbore's caught up, slamming their massive 'clubs' into his skull. Fara screamed as the boat sailed off.
Kurast.
Smiling, Asheara pointed out into the water. "It's Meshif!" Alkor groaned, then hobbled closer. The boat docked seconds later, and Meshif sighed. "Get on! All of you.where is Ormus?"
The Vizjerei mage picked up the Gidbinn, then ran towards the boat. "Go!"