Ah hah! So you came back. (All four of you...?) Here is once again the next chapter of Magician. Glad you like it. It may not be my best story but there is a lot of hidden jokes so watch out!! They may pop out at you!
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So the magician and his assistant, his skeleton and Rogue mercenary, plus a new follower, a Paladin with his horse, marched through the wilderness in order to find the Cairn Stones to open the portal to Tristram and save Deckard Cain.
'What a circus this is turning out to be.' Zhon thought.
They came upon the five blue stones with mystical symbols painted on them. Inside the stones a group of Ice Fallen and their Ice Shaman camped out. (Well they were really Carvers, but Ice Fallen sounds cooler.) "Rach-A-Knee-Shu!" They simply said over and over again.
"Should we sneak up on them?" Ki-Ki was asking. But before Zhon could give the orders Willy, Rouge and Drusabon the Paladin were already upon the group slaughtering the screaming demons or monsters or whatever they are.
Ki-Ki and Zhon simply looked on as monster blood was splatted everywhere by the skeletons and Rogue's arrows and the Paladin's sword. Within seconds all the Fallen and their Shaman lay dead.
Willy, Rouge, and Drusabon walked back to Zhon with smiles on their faces.
"Next time wait till I give the order to kill!" Zhon scolded them all.
"But they were demons!" Drusabon argued. "Surely they would have tried to kill us, if we hadn't have acted quickly."
"I've learned that the less killing, the better." Zhon said sternly. "Who knows if they were a peaceful order of Fallen."
"I was taught that none of them were peaceful. But I am sorry that I did not listen to you first. It will not happen again."
Ki-Ki nodded approvingly, but Zhon simply frowned at him and walked up to the Cairn stones stepping over dead bodies.
"According to the markings on this tree bark, there is a certain code we are supposed to touch these stones with in order to open the portal. Everyone stand at one of the stones, outside the portal please." Zhon ordered.
Ki-Ki, Willy, Rouge and Drusabon chose their stone. Zhon walked to the remaining one.
"When I tell you to, touch the stone that you are at." Zhon yelled importantly. Everyone nodded.
"Ok." Zhon said looking at the tree bark with the etchings on it.
"Willy! Yours is the one with the symbol of some sort of 2 on it. Go ahead and press the stone."
Willy pressed his bony hand upon the stone and rested it there. A blue light emanated from the skeleton's fingers and the stone that he touched gave off a blue glow.
"Ki-Ki, you're next."
Ki-Ki lifted her hand hesitantly and gingerly touched the stone. Again a blue light came from her hand and her stone began to glow like Willy's.
"Rouge!" Zhon called as a low humming noise began to sound from the middle of the stones.
Rouge the Rogue touched the stone without hesitation and looked on with wonder as the blue light went from her hand to the stone.
"Drusabon." He nodded to the Paladin.
"Please call me Dru!" The Paladin yelled and slammed his hand upon the stone as the light began to glow in his stone.
The hum was louder now and Zhon muttered to himself. "Now it is my turn." And he brought his hand up to the stone and placed it there.
A rush of wind blew from the middle of the circle, blowing heavily at everyone. Ki-Ki shielded her eyes and Zhon fought to look to see what was happening. The hum was louder and everyone felt a light surge of electricity coming from their stone. Lightning crackled above them as it leapt from stone to stone. Finally it bounced upon the ground in the center of the stones and immediately a blue portal opened up. The wind stopped blowing, the lightning stopped flashing, and the hum died down to only an occasional crackle coming from the portal. The stones lost their light and everyone looked on with wonder.
(-------------------%-------------------)
"Don't worry old boy. I'll be back to get you." Dru said passing his hand over his horse's back.
Ki-Ki stood behind him. "He's beautiful. What's his name?" She asked.
"Salvator." He stated.
"Pretty." She cooed petting the horse's neck.
"He's been in the family for years. I don't know how many more adventures he'll be able to sustain. He's already showing signs of arthritis in his front left leg." Dru explained as he examined the horse's leg.
"You must care a lot about him." Ki-Ki stated nicely.
"Yes, I do. He is like family. Saved me from a hoard of Gargantuan Beasts once. Rode me all the way to safety while I was knocked out unconscious. I trust him with my life. Unfortunately, he is deadly afraid of portals, so I can't take him to Tristram."
"Will he be safe here?" Ki-Ki asked with wide eyes.
"You gotta give the horse some credit. Beasts and Demons are probably afraid of a Paladin's horse, as much as they are afraid of the Paladin himself.
Ki-Ki laughed. "Nice to meet you Salvator." She said patting the horse. It nuzzled her playfully and she laughed gleefully.
"I think he likes you." Dru said pleasantly.
"I like you too, Salvator." Ki-Ki laughed, cringing as the horse continued to try and nuzzle her. "As well as your master..." She whispered into the horse's ear eyeing the Paladin.
"Are you two ready to go?" Zhon called from the Carrin stones.
Ki-Ki sighed. "I guess we better go."
"Yes. It would not be good to keep the magician waiting."
"How is it that you know of the magician anyway?" Ki-Ki asked.
"That is a story for another time." Dru answered and Ki-Ki stared at him confused.
Dru swept his hand over the horse and immediately an aura appeared around it.
"That should keep you safe until I get back." Dru assured the horse. It neighed in approval and shoved him off.
Ki-Ki looked respectably on as the man and his horse parted and followed the Paladin to the portal.
"I don't know what we will find on the other side of this portal." Zhon said as if giving a pep talk.
"But whatever it is, lets have as much fun as possible, and try not to kill anyone that is not killing you."
Dru looked on surprised, but nodded. Willy stood tall and Rouge stood next to him proudly.
"Let's do it!" Ki-Ki yelled.
"Let me go first and scout the area." Rouge suggested. "Ok. Take Willy with you." Zhon agreed. "I'll go last."
They watched as Willy and Rouge disappeared through the portal (like in Sliders).
"You two go next." Zhon ordered.
Dru and Ki-Ki nodded and they followed the skeleton and Rogue. Zhon looked back and surveyed the area one last time. Dru's horse grazed in the distance. He sighed and walked through the portal wondering what he would find.
(----------------%----------------)
"It took you long enough." Ki-Ki whispered to Zhon as he appeared from the portal.
"Rouge was getting antsy and wouldn't stay still. After Rouge started Willy followed and it annoyed Dru here and everybody wouldn't shut up and luckily no monsters came." Ki-Ki whispered quickly.
"We await your orders." Dru said and Zhon looked upon the town. He smelled smoke and realized that every house must be one fire in Tristram. A couple yards away from them a cow stood grazing as if nothing was going on. He heard the screams of the occasional monster and demon but other than that only the crackling of the fire could be heard.
'I'm a magician, not a firefighter.' Zhon thought to himself.
"All right everyone." Zhon said. Get ready to perform the most dangerous show of your life."
Everyone looked at him confused. "We've got monsters to entertain. And you don't get tomatoes thrown at you if you perform badly. You get . . . death."
(-------------------------%--------------------)
"Step right up! Step right up to the most amazing show on earth, I mean Sanctuary! Step right up to see the greatest show in Sanctuary." Zhon called out into Tristram.
They had set up a stage on the side of the burning city of Tristram. Rouge had asked what to do if a monster happened to come upon them while building the long stage.
"Just tell them we are building for a circus show and to come back later." Zhon had said.
Sure enough a couple of Skeletons had come. Rouge had trembled as she told them about the show. Yet when Willy had stood next to her she had gained strength and confidently told them to come back later. Either because of seeing the skeleton or because of their own stupidity, the skeletons left the Rogue in peace to continue to build the stage.
The final product included a long stage with a curtain in the back. Rouge stood on one end of the stage and Willy on the other as Zhon called out to the city of Tristram from the middle of the stage. Ki-Ki and Dru the Paladin waited behind the curtain.
Skeleton's looked confused, but lowered their arrows and flocked to the show. Fallen dropped their swords and said "Rach-A-Knee-Shu" excitably.
Rouge and Willy shot off fireworks from their bows as the show began with a bang, literally.
"For my first trick." Zhon was saying. "I will explode this cow!"
The monsters shouted and clapped as the magician pointed his wand at the grazing cow and chanted a few non comprehendible words.
Sure enough, the cow exploded sending blood and beef all over the crowd. The demonic crowd cheered in excitement grabbing at the falling cow parts.
"You sure no how to please a monster crowd." Ki-Ki whispered to Zhon behind the curtain. "I'll never look at a hamburger the same way again."
"Now let Dru astound you with his awesome sword tricks." Zhon announced. Dru looked up astounded. "Me?" He whispered fearfully.
"He may even be able to teach you some if you stay after the show." Zhon was saying as the crowd cheered.
"Go on." Ki-Ki whispered to Dru.
"But I don't know what to do." Dru said fearfully back.
"Just do whatever you feel like. Just wave your sword around a bit. You'll do fine." Ki-Ki was saying.
"It seems my Buddy is a little shy. Let's give him some cheers to bring him out here." Zhon shouted to the crowd and they all began clapping and shouting demonic cheers.
"Do it for me." Ki-Ki said kissing him quickly and shoved him onto the stage.
Dazed, the Paladin looked sheepishly onto the crowd as they all quieted for his act.
"Um hi." Dru said waving at the skeletons and Fallen. They all stared at him waiting for him to begin.
He waved the sword over his head and they all gasped amazed.
'This is easy enough.' Dru thought as he swung his sword in front of him. Occasional clapping and hooting was heard from the crowd.
Dru got so into his act that he was spinning with his sword so fast he accidently took of the heads of those standing to close to the stage. This made the crowd cheer even louder at the sight of blood, even though it was of their own brethren.
The Paladin ended his show with lightning bolts falling from the sky killing half the crowd. The remaining crowd ran away frightened for a bit, but were back a minute later cheering for the Paladin as he stood their looking noble.
Ki-Ki sighed and felt her heart skip a few beats. Even without trying he could kill the monsters around him.
"Bravo. Bravo!" Zhon said clapping a bit amazed by the Paladin's ability to kill so many monsters.
"What is going on here!" A big man said as he walked up to the crowd. On closer observation you could see that this man wasn't exactly alive as flesh hung off him in places and his face seemed to be a bit green. He held a huge hammer to one side clutching it as if the dead corpses hand had already turned cold and stiff around the object.
The monsters cleared a path for this man or walking "dead" man. He looked upon the dead bodies and said in a deep voice, "Who did this?" He looked up on the stage and saw the Paladin. "A Paladin." He said amazed. "Why didn't you kill him!" The dead guy demanded turning to a small Fallen. It tried to tun away, but he picked it up as it screamed.
"Why are you just standing here letting him kill your fellow brethren?" He demanded.
"Rach-A-Knee-Shu." It muttered in a small frightened voice.
"A show?" The big dead guy said interpreting the Fallen's language. "It is a circus show? Well why didn't you say so in the first place?" He said and threw the Fallen down. It ran away limping and muttering Rach-a-knee-shu.
The big dead man sat in the middle of the crowd and the monsters moved out of the way leaving about a two foot space between him and themselves. He sat down grunting and looked around to realize that the show had stopped.
"Well what are you waiting for?" He yelled. "Let the show continue! Griswold demands it!"
And Zhon sighed as he announced the next trick.
"For my next trick I will make one person disappear! I'll need a volunteer from the audience though."
Every single monster and demon raised their hand, including Griswold. Zhon looked at them troubled.
"Unfortunately, for this trick to work I'll need a real living human."
They all looked around disappointed.
"Are their any real live humans out there?" Zhon said shading his eyes.
"I can't perform the trick without someone living."
Then two skeletons, not wanting the show to be ruined, remembed that they were in charge of guarding the only real live human in Tristram and went to this only living man's cage.
Deckard Cain looked down wearily as the skeletons slowly let his cage fall to the ground. 'Another session of torture." Cain thought wearily.
But the skeletons brought him out and marched him to the circus show. 'What is all that cheering for?' Cain thought as they marched him up the stage.
"Ah. Here we go!" Zhon said upon seeing Deckard Cain.
"I will need my lovely assistant to help me with the trick if you would come out here Ki-Ki. Ki-Ki who had been too busy making sure Dru was all right and comfortable after his performance, walked on stage wearing her show uniform. A blue sequined ice skating uniform with white ruffles in the back. She curtseyed in front of the crowd and Zhon thought he heard a couple of whistles coming from the crowd.
"I shall now make Deckard Cain disappear!" Zhon announced waiting for any objections. When none were heard he continued on with the trick.
"Don't worry Deckard Cain, we'll bring you to safety." Ki-Ki whispered to the confused man.
"Rouge? Willy? Bring me the box!" Zhon ordered his minions/mercenaries/followers/assistants.
They both grunted as they brought a big wooden box on stage.
"As you can see this is an ordinary box." Zhon said spinning it around. "Deckard Cain will step inside and disappear!" He continued. And the crowd cheered in approval.
Deckard Cain was ushered into the box and the door was closed. Ki-Ki put a white sheet over it and Zhon waved his magic wand around it chanting made up words.
A blue light emanated from inside the box as the crowd looked on in wonder.
"Take off the sheet now Ki-Ki." Zhon ordered.
She sheet was whipped off and Willy opened the door. Sure enough Deckard Cain was no longer there. Everyone clapped and cheered. Griswold laughed and banged upon his stomach merrily.
"Wait a minute." He said aloud thinking something. "That was a great trick if I may say so myself." Griswold said darkly.
Zhon bowed not suspecting anything.
"Now bring him back." Griswold demanded.
"What?" Zhon answered trembling.
"I said bring him back. Bring Deckard Cain back from where ever you made him disappear too!"
"Well I..."
"I promised Diablo himself that I would guard Cain and make him have a slow painful death!" Griswold said getting to his feet.
"I..."
"I'm gonna kill you!" Griswold yelled demonically and rushed toward the stage.
"Do you wish for me to kill him magician?" Dru said readying his sword.
"Wait!" Zhon said and immediately Griswold stopped in mid stride.
"I still have one more trick to show you."
He waved his wand in the air three times and immediately a storm began to brew. A lightning bolt hit Griswold in the head and he fell over stunned. Then a wall of water washed over the entire town of Tristram, extinguishing the fires and washing away all the monsters.
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Did I leave it kind of cliff-hangy? I don't really think so?
So another long chapter well done. Thanks to Chazbone on his correction over the correct pronunciation on Baton Rouge. Red Stick huh? Who would name their capital that? What about Moulin Rouge?
Anyway, next chapter won't be up till a while probably since I'll be going on vacation. So enjoy it otherwise! I already have it written till after Andariel's death. But I'm taking my time with chapters...
So see you next chapter...And thanks to all my reviewers. (All four of them?) I love you guys, even though I don't know you...(sniff).
: )
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So the magician and his assistant, his skeleton and Rogue mercenary, plus a new follower, a Paladin with his horse, marched through the wilderness in order to find the Cairn Stones to open the portal to Tristram and save Deckard Cain.
'What a circus this is turning out to be.' Zhon thought.
They came upon the five blue stones with mystical symbols painted on them. Inside the stones a group of Ice Fallen and their Ice Shaman camped out. (Well they were really Carvers, but Ice Fallen sounds cooler.) "Rach-A-Knee-Shu!" They simply said over and over again.
"Should we sneak up on them?" Ki-Ki was asking. But before Zhon could give the orders Willy, Rouge and Drusabon the Paladin were already upon the group slaughtering the screaming demons or monsters or whatever they are.
Ki-Ki and Zhon simply looked on as monster blood was splatted everywhere by the skeletons and Rogue's arrows and the Paladin's sword. Within seconds all the Fallen and their Shaman lay dead.
Willy, Rouge, and Drusabon walked back to Zhon with smiles on their faces.
"Next time wait till I give the order to kill!" Zhon scolded them all.
"But they were demons!" Drusabon argued. "Surely they would have tried to kill us, if we hadn't have acted quickly."
"I've learned that the less killing, the better." Zhon said sternly. "Who knows if they were a peaceful order of Fallen."
"I was taught that none of them were peaceful. But I am sorry that I did not listen to you first. It will not happen again."
Ki-Ki nodded approvingly, but Zhon simply frowned at him and walked up to the Cairn stones stepping over dead bodies.
"According to the markings on this tree bark, there is a certain code we are supposed to touch these stones with in order to open the portal. Everyone stand at one of the stones, outside the portal please." Zhon ordered.
Ki-Ki, Willy, Rouge and Drusabon chose their stone. Zhon walked to the remaining one.
"When I tell you to, touch the stone that you are at." Zhon yelled importantly. Everyone nodded.
"Ok." Zhon said looking at the tree bark with the etchings on it.
"Willy! Yours is the one with the symbol of some sort of 2 on it. Go ahead and press the stone."
Willy pressed his bony hand upon the stone and rested it there. A blue light emanated from the skeleton's fingers and the stone that he touched gave off a blue glow.
"Ki-Ki, you're next."
Ki-Ki lifted her hand hesitantly and gingerly touched the stone. Again a blue light came from her hand and her stone began to glow like Willy's.
"Rouge!" Zhon called as a low humming noise began to sound from the middle of the stones.
Rouge the Rogue touched the stone without hesitation and looked on with wonder as the blue light went from her hand to the stone.
"Drusabon." He nodded to the Paladin.
"Please call me Dru!" The Paladin yelled and slammed his hand upon the stone as the light began to glow in his stone.
The hum was louder now and Zhon muttered to himself. "Now it is my turn." And he brought his hand up to the stone and placed it there.
A rush of wind blew from the middle of the circle, blowing heavily at everyone. Ki-Ki shielded her eyes and Zhon fought to look to see what was happening. The hum was louder and everyone felt a light surge of electricity coming from their stone. Lightning crackled above them as it leapt from stone to stone. Finally it bounced upon the ground in the center of the stones and immediately a blue portal opened up. The wind stopped blowing, the lightning stopped flashing, and the hum died down to only an occasional crackle coming from the portal. The stones lost their light and everyone looked on with wonder.
(-------------------%-------------------)
"Don't worry old boy. I'll be back to get you." Dru said passing his hand over his horse's back.
Ki-Ki stood behind him. "He's beautiful. What's his name?" She asked.
"Salvator." He stated.
"Pretty." She cooed petting the horse's neck.
"He's been in the family for years. I don't know how many more adventures he'll be able to sustain. He's already showing signs of arthritis in his front left leg." Dru explained as he examined the horse's leg.
"You must care a lot about him." Ki-Ki stated nicely.
"Yes, I do. He is like family. Saved me from a hoard of Gargantuan Beasts once. Rode me all the way to safety while I was knocked out unconscious. I trust him with my life. Unfortunately, he is deadly afraid of portals, so I can't take him to Tristram."
"Will he be safe here?" Ki-Ki asked with wide eyes.
"You gotta give the horse some credit. Beasts and Demons are probably afraid of a Paladin's horse, as much as they are afraid of the Paladin himself.
Ki-Ki laughed. "Nice to meet you Salvator." She said patting the horse. It nuzzled her playfully and she laughed gleefully.
"I think he likes you." Dru said pleasantly.
"I like you too, Salvator." Ki-Ki laughed, cringing as the horse continued to try and nuzzle her. "As well as your master..." She whispered into the horse's ear eyeing the Paladin.
"Are you two ready to go?" Zhon called from the Carrin stones.
Ki-Ki sighed. "I guess we better go."
"Yes. It would not be good to keep the magician waiting."
"How is it that you know of the magician anyway?" Ki-Ki asked.
"That is a story for another time." Dru answered and Ki-Ki stared at him confused.
Dru swept his hand over the horse and immediately an aura appeared around it.
"That should keep you safe until I get back." Dru assured the horse. It neighed in approval and shoved him off.
Ki-Ki looked respectably on as the man and his horse parted and followed the Paladin to the portal.
"I don't know what we will find on the other side of this portal." Zhon said as if giving a pep talk.
"But whatever it is, lets have as much fun as possible, and try not to kill anyone that is not killing you."
Dru looked on surprised, but nodded. Willy stood tall and Rouge stood next to him proudly.
"Let's do it!" Ki-Ki yelled.
"Let me go first and scout the area." Rouge suggested. "Ok. Take Willy with you." Zhon agreed. "I'll go last."
They watched as Willy and Rouge disappeared through the portal (like in Sliders).
"You two go next." Zhon ordered.
Dru and Ki-Ki nodded and they followed the skeleton and Rogue. Zhon looked back and surveyed the area one last time. Dru's horse grazed in the distance. He sighed and walked through the portal wondering what he would find.
(----------------%----------------)
"It took you long enough." Ki-Ki whispered to Zhon as he appeared from the portal.
"Rouge was getting antsy and wouldn't stay still. After Rouge started Willy followed and it annoyed Dru here and everybody wouldn't shut up and luckily no monsters came." Ki-Ki whispered quickly.
"We await your orders." Dru said and Zhon looked upon the town. He smelled smoke and realized that every house must be one fire in Tristram. A couple yards away from them a cow stood grazing as if nothing was going on. He heard the screams of the occasional monster and demon but other than that only the crackling of the fire could be heard.
'I'm a magician, not a firefighter.' Zhon thought to himself.
"All right everyone." Zhon said. Get ready to perform the most dangerous show of your life."
Everyone looked at him confused. "We've got monsters to entertain. And you don't get tomatoes thrown at you if you perform badly. You get . . . death."
(-------------------------%--------------------)
"Step right up! Step right up to the most amazing show on earth, I mean Sanctuary! Step right up to see the greatest show in Sanctuary." Zhon called out into Tristram.
They had set up a stage on the side of the burning city of Tristram. Rouge had asked what to do if a monster happened to come upon them while building the long stage.
"Just tell them we are building for a circus show and to come back later." Zhon had said.
Sure enough a couple of Skeletons had come. Rouge had trembled as she told them about the show. Yet when Willy had stood next to her she had gained strength and confidently told them to come back later. Either because of seeing the skeleton or because of their own stupidity, the skeletons left the Rogue in peace to continue to build the stage.
The final product included a long stage with a curtain in the back. Rouge stood on one end of the stage and Willy on the other as Zhon called out to the city of Tristram from the middle of the stage. Ki-Ki and Dru the Paladin waited behind the curtain.
Skeleton's looked confused, but lowered their arrows and flocked to the show. Fallen dropped their swords and said "Rach-A-Knee-Shu" excitably.
Rouge and Willy shot off fireworks from their bows as the show began with a bang, literally.
"For my first trick." Zhon was saying. "I will explode this cow!"
The monsters shouted and clapped as the magician pointed his wand at the grazing cow and chanted a few non comprehendible words.
Sure enough, the cow exploded sending blood and beef all over the crowd. The demonic crowd cheered in excitement grabbing at the falling cow parts.
"You sure no how to please a monster crowd." Ki-Ki whispered to Zhon behind the curtain. "I'll never look at a hamburger the same way again."
"Now let Dru astound you with his awesome sword tricks." Zhon announced. Dru looked up astounded. "Me?" He whispered fearfully.
"He may even be able to teach you some if you stay after the show." Zhon was saying as the crowd cheered.
"Go on." Ki-Ki whispered to Dru.
"But I don't know what to do." Dru said fearfully back.
"Just do whatever you feel like. Just wave your sword around a bit. You'll do fine." Ki-Ki was saying.
"It seems my Buddy is a little shy. Let's give him some cheers to bring him out here." Zhon shouted to the crowd and they all began clapping and shouting demonic cheers.
"Do it for me." Ki-Ki said kissing him quickly and shoved him onto the stage.
Dazed, the Paladin looked sheepishly onto the crowd as they all quieted for his act.
"Um hi." Dru said waving at the skeletons and Fallen. They all stared at him waiting for him to begin.
He waved the sword over his head and they all gasped amazed.
'This is easy enough.' Dru thought as he swung his sword in front of him. Occasional clapping and hooting was heard from the crowd.
Dru got so into his act that he was spinning with his sword so fast he accidently took of the heads of those standing to close to the stage. This made the crowd cheer even louder at the sight of blood, even though it was of their own brethren.
The Paladin ended his show with lightning bolts falling from the sky killing half the crowd. The remaining crowd ran away frightened for a bit, but were back a minute later cheering for the Paladin as he stood their looking noble.
Ki-Ki sighed and felt her heart skip a few beats. Even without trying he could kill the monsters around him.
"Bravo. Bravo!" Zhon said clapping a bit amazed by the Paladin's ability to kill so many monsters.
"What is going on here!" A big man said as he walked up to the crowd. On closer observation you could see that this man wasn't exactly alive as flesh hung off him in places and his face seemed to be a bit green. He held a huge hammer to one side clutching it as if the dead corpses hand had already turned cold and stiff around the object.
The monsters cleared a path for this man or walking "dead" man. He looked upon the dead bodies and said in a deep voice, "Who did this?" He looked up on the stage and saw the Paladin. "A Paladin." He said amazed. "Why didn't you kill him!" The dead guy demanded turning to a small Fallen. It tried to tun away, but he picked it up as it screamed.
"Why are you just standing here letting him kill your fellow brethren?" He demanded.
"Rach-A-Knee-Shu." It muttered in a small frightened voice.
"A show?" The big dead guy said interpreting the Fallen's language. "It is a circus show? Well why didn't you say so in the first place?" He said and threw the Fallen down. It ran away limping and muttering Rach-a-knee-shu.
The big dead man sat in the middle of the crowd and the monsters moved out of the way leaving about a two foot space between him and themselves. He sat down grunting and looked around to realize that the show had stopped.
"Well what are you waiting for?" He yelled. "Let the show continue! Griswold demands it!"
And Zhon sighed as he announced the next trick.
"For my next trick I will make one person disappear! I'll need a volunteer from the audience though."
Every single monster and demon raised their hand, including Griswold. Zhon looked at them troubled.
"Unfortunately, for this trick to work I'll need a real living human."
They all looked around disappointed.
"Are their any real live humans out there?" Zhon said shading his eyes.
"I can't perform the trick without someone living."
Then two skeletons, not wanting the show to be ruined, remembed that they were in charge of guarding the only real live human in Tristram and went to this only living man's cage.
Deckard Cain looked down wearily as the skeletons slowly let his cage fall to the ground. 'Another session of torture." Cain thought wearily.
But the skeletons brought him out and marched him to the circus show. 'What is all that cheering for?' Cain thought as they marched him up the stage.
"Ah. Here we go!" Zhon said upon seeing Deckard Cain.
"I will need my lovely assistant to help me with the trick if you would come out here Ki-Ki. Ki-Ki who had been too busy making sure Dru was all right and comfortable after his performance, walked on stage wearing her show uniform. A blue sequined ice skating uniform with white ruffles in the back. She curtseyed in front of the crowd and Zhon thought he heard a couple of whistles coming from the crowd.
"I shall now make Deckard Cain disappear!" Zhon announced waiting for any objections. When none were heard he continued on with the trick.
"Don't worry Deckard Cain, we'll bring you to safety." Ki-Ki whispered to the confused man.
"Rouge? Willy? Bring me the box!" Zhon ordered his minions/mercenaries/followers/assistants.
They both grunted as they brought a big wooden box on stage.
"As you can see this is an ordinary box." Zhon said spinning it around. "Deckard Cain will step inside and disappear!" He continued. And the crowd cheered in approval.
Deckard Cain was ushered into the box and the door was closed. Ki-Ki put a white sheet over it and Zhon waved his magic wand around it chanting made up words.
A blue light emanated from inside the box as the crowd looked on in wonder.
"Take off the sheet now Ki-Ki." Zhon ordered.
She sheet was whipped off and Willy opened the door. Sure enough Deckard Cain was no longer there. Everyone clapped and cheered. Griswold laughed and banged upon his stomach merrily.
"Wait a minute." He said aloud thinking something. "That was a great trick if I may say so myself." Griswold said darkly.
Zhon bowed not suspecting anything.
"Now bring him back." Griswold demanded.
"What?" Zhon answered trembling.
"I said bring him back. Bring Deckard Cain back from where ever you made him disappear too!"
"Well I..."
"I promised Diablo himself that I would guard Cain and make him have a slow painful death!" Griswold said getting to his feet.
"I..."
"I'm gonna kill you!" Griswold yelled demonically and rushed toward the stage.
"Do you wish for me to kill him magician?" Dru said readying his sword.
"Wait!" Zhon said and immediately Griswold stopped in mid stride.
"I still have one more trick to show you."
He waved his wand in the air three times and immediately a storm began to brew. A lightning bolt hit Griswold in the head and he fell over stunned. Then a wall of water washed over the entire town of Tristram, extinguishing the fires and washing away all the monsters.
____________________________________________________________________
Did I leave it kind of cliff-hangy? I don't really think so?
So another long chapter well done. Thanks to Chazbone on his correction over the correct pronunciation on Baton Rouge. Red Stick huh? Who would name their capital that? What about Moulin Rouge?
Anyway, next chapter won't be up till a while probably since I'll be going on vacation. So enjoy it otherwise! I already have it written till after Andariel's death. But I'm taking my time with chapters...
So see you next chapter...And thanks to all my reviewers. (All four of them?) I love you guys, even though I don't know you...(sniff).
: )
