Evil Ascendant
Disclaimer: I don't own the Diablo games or any derivatives therein, etc, etc dingos did not eat my baby, so on and so forth.
Summary: The Amazons finally arrive in town.
Author's Note: I am using Australian English rules errrr… guidelines. So if you find words which you don't understand send me a review/email. And I will explain them at this Author's Note bit/email you. All comments will be welcomed/made fun of.
Thanks: To Brightbear for fixing my mistakes. Thanks to all those who review, may your shoes never wear out.
Chapter 6
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"It's good work, Fara."
"I try my best Lucifer."
Lucifer hefted the crown shield in his left arm. Several new dents had been repaired and ironed out. However, even Fara's master craftsmanship could not disguise the fact that the shield was worn and battered completely. The metal was losing it's shape and slowly, as it was worked, harder and harder - becoming too malleable for serious use. A sign of decades of use and numerous repairs, some of more dubious quality than others.
"I hear," Fara paused, turning a piercing stare on him as he donned his chain mail. "That you're planning on defeating something in the desert."
"Really?" Lucifer replied mildly as he sat back on a nearby ornate chest.
"Really, Lucifer."
"And?"
"There's something out there."
"Really?" There was more than a slight hint of sarcasm in his tone.
Fara's voice was tight and strained by comparison, "Something else."
"Something what?"
After a long pause in which she looked off through the city gates she eventually spoke.
"Something old. Something very old."
"Really?"
"Don't fool with me, Lucifer. I've buried enough friends as it is."
"I've buried a great many more friends than you have. I've learned to take care of myself."
"Sometimes you act like such a child, Lucifer. You're older than comparing totals."
"Really? What else do I have left."
"Your loyalty. Your faith. Your competence."
"And my retirement."
"What? "
"That's why I'm returning to old Kurast, Fara. I'm retiring. Probably to become an instructor. I sincerely doubt they would send for me otherwise."
"But you just can't hang up your sword."
"Yes, I can. My time of war and death is over. Now I will be rewarded with loneliness and education. I'm beginning to understand why some of the instructors are so bitter."
"But you've always been…"
"Out there?" Lucifer waved his mailed fist towards the gates.
"I'll miss you, Lucifer."
"I'm not leaving yet."
"But you will, Lucifer. One way or another you will."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ramesh fixed the pack horse's load to it's saddle. He turned to Lucifer.
"Do me a favour, Lucifer."
"Yes?"
"Keep an eye on Salena for me."
"Why?"
"She's different."
"You means she's a mage."
"No."
"You are already married, Ramesh."
"You know that's not it."
"Than what?"
"Salena reacts oddly sometimes. To simple things."
"Foreigners often do, Ramesh."
"I just think she's not telling you her reasons. Why Selig and her were without a guide in a desert full of monsters. They seemed a little too familiar with this evil creature."
"Then I shall keep an eye on her, Ramesh. Live well, desert man."
"And you, travelling holy man from the trees," Ramesh bowed and lead the steed into the shifting dunes.
Lucifer sighed heavily as Ramesh walked away. Their paths he feared would not cross again. Ramesh was a trustworthy sort and the loss of his companionship marred Lucifer deeply. Away in the distance a caravan snaked slowly towards the city walls.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lucifer looked around fixatedly at his companions. Wulf and Broggart were drinking again while Salena sat in the corner in quiet contemplation. Business as usual then, except for the fact that tomorrow they would leave for Agmar and eventually the search for the evil in the desert. The locals had been forthcoming to the warriors who had slain Radament. Tales abound of a great tomb in the desert. Lucifer had heard whispers of undead creatures and the resting place of Tal Rasha. Originally Lucifer had assumed this was the evil in the desert. Salena however had almost fallen out of her chair when he explained this. Apparently the scroll did not mention Tal Rasha, instead Salena gave him an unclear explanation. She mentioned a dead king and an ancient apocalyptic plague. With all this evil in the desert, Lucifer was surprised there was enough room for anything else.
"Lucifer?" a well rounded voice inquired.
Distracted from his train of thought Lucifer looked up to see a man in travelling clothes.
"Warriv?"
"Good day to you, noble Paladin."
"Warriv, when did you get here?"
"I arrived here not long ago. I was going to arrange lodgings."
"Who did you arrive with?"
"A caravan. Five days behind you."
"Really? We arrived a week ago," Lucifer immediately noted the troubled change in Warriv's face.
"When we arrived at Agmar it had been……pillaged."
"What?!" Lucifer tensed up as Warriv sighed heavily.
"Of the villagers we found no sign. But Lady Farr believes a great battle took place there."
"And?"
"She thinks something powerful did it. There were Sabre Cats looting the town when we arrived. The Amazons with our caravan saw them off."
"Who is this Lady Farr?"
"The Amazon leader. She's a hard nut, a warrior like you. If you want to know where she is, check Fara's workshop."
"Why?
"Because as well as being a talented metal smith, Fara is a decent healer. I believe the Amazons are having her attend their wounded."
"Warriv, see those two men across the bar." Lucifer pointed to the two barbarians as Wulf belched loudly.
"They're Northmen. Tell them everything, I need to go see Fara."
"Sure Lucifer."
Lucifer sprinted at full pace out the door as Warriv approached the barbarians. Lucifer weaved his way across the dusk shrouded streets as the store keepers packed up their stalls. He needed to find out what happened to the two dozen barbarians at Agmar.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Lucifer sprinted into the house he collided with something heavy and taunt. When he had regained his bearings he realised it was an Amazon with a spear and breast plate. After a quick disorganised scuffle in which she ended up with a dagger at her throat, the two combatants froze and a calm distinct voice emanated from behind Lucifer's head.
"Kree, stop messing around. We are on guard you know."
Lucifer's mind was still grinding quickly along in combat mode as he was painfully aware of the second sentry holding something large behind his head. Lucifer spoke quickly and calmly.
"I am here to speak with Lady Farr. It's important."
"Alright, Kree let go of him."
Slowly and reluctantly Kree slithered back, removing her thighs from a tight head lock around Lucifers skull which was almost upside down. Removing his left foot from pinning her left arm to the earthen ground he rolled off her. As he did his other foot stopped holding her right hand. Lucifer rose pensively and slid the dagger back into his boot. The Amazon felt the skin where the small blade had nicked her. Lucifer's shoulder ached slightly as he interpreted the appearance of the two sentries. Fara stuck her head out of a nearby hallway and bellowed.
"What's going on here!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lucifer sat down in the corner as Fara attended to a wounded man. From personal experience, Lucifer knew not to talk to Fara while she worked. Several Amazons were spread out on litters with various wounds. A man who was tightly wrapped in a blanket huddled in the corner was muttering to himself. One of the Amazons who had followed him in cleared her throat. Bad idea. Fara made a yanking motion and with a loud crack which Lucifer suspected was a rib breaking she spoke without even looking at the trio.
"You two, wait outside. Lucifer, I need you to work with Gheed." Roughly she waved a bloodied hand in the direction of the man in the corner.
"Where's the things I need?"
"Next room now, stop talking."
Lucifer stood up and walked towards Gheed. Lucifer knew better than to complain. Lifting Gheed on his good shoulder he swept through the curtain and crossed into the room on the other side of the one occupied presently. After a few seconds Rima put her hand on Kree's shoulder. Wincing at a distinct tearing sound from Fara's direction, Rima left to return to her post. Kree quickly followed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wulf, Broggart and Salena sprinted through the streets of Lut Gholein. Wulf reached the entrance of the small smithy. The gigantic barbarian flung himself through the smallish doorway bouncing heavily off the door frame. As Broggart arrived at the doorway he heard Wulf crash into something inside the front room of the workshop. Skidding to a abrupt stop at the door he composed himself for a more respectable entrance. If these Amazons were warriors then he should show respect and dignity. Salena slammed into his semi bare back and fell back with a meaty SLAP! Salena's momentum pitched Broggart forwards into the door. The crash and metallic clinking of metal signified he had just tumbled head first into a armoury rack. Salena quickly scrambled to her feet and wiped as much of Broggart's sweat from her upper body as possible. After spitting onto the cobblestones she struck a dignified pose and walked into the room. Immediately she was tripped up by a cascade of javelins which were until recently standing against a table. Loosing her balance, Salena managed to notice several things before her impromptu landing. Wulf had fallen on someone. This Salena surmised from the female extremities poking out from underneath his ponderous sweaty bulk. One leg was repeatedly kneeing him in the groin. An Amazon was helping Broggart out of a shield display. Salena's mind only had time to half understand this before her head became firmly entrenched in a decorative thin-necked vase. After that her mind was partially distracted by other things.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kree and Rima had heard the trio coming and Kree had stood to the left ready to crash tackle whoever entered the door way. Unfortunately Wulf bounced off the opposite side of the door and flattened Kree as he fell sideways. Finally after extracting herself from under his heavy frame she ran out the door. With a loud splash, she dived head first into a pig trough, spluttering and cursing. Fara looked around the room in shock and amazement. Rima was helping a barbarian out of the remains of a wall display. A handful of well made Javelins were matted across the inside of the door. This only added to the oddity of the bizarre centre piece. The body of a women in pale green robes spreadeagled on the floor desperately trying to pull Fara's best decorative vase off her somewhat smaller head. Fara looked expectantly at the experienced Rima.
"What in the infernal hells happened in here?"
It was going to be a long day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Disclaimer: I don't own the Diablo games or any derivatives therein, etc, etc dingos did not eat my baby, so on and so forth.
Summary: The Amazons finally arrive in town.
Author's Note: I am using Australian English rules errrr… guidelines. So if you find words which you don't understand send me a review/email. And I will explain them at this Author's Note bit/email you. All comments will be welcomed/made fun of.
Thanks: To Brightbear for fixing my mistakes. Thanks to all those who review, may your shoes never wear out.
Chapter 6
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"It's good work, Fara."
"I try my best Lucifer."
Lucifer hefted the crown shield in his left arm. Several new dents had been repaired and ironed out. However, even Fara's master craftsmanship could not disguise the fact that the shield was worn and battered completely. The metal was losing it's shape and slowly, as it was worked, harder and harder - becoming too malleable for serious use. A sign of decades of use and numerous repairs, some of more dubious quality than others.
"I hear," Fara paused, turning a piercing stare on him as he donned his chain mail. "That you're planning on defeating something in the desert."
"Really?" Lucifer replied mildly as he sat back on a nearby ornate chest.
"Really, Lucifer."
"And?"
"There's something out there."
"Really?" There was more than a slight hint of sarcasm in his tone.
Fara's voice was tight and strained by comparison, "Something else."
"Something what?"
After a long pause in which she looked off through the city gates she eventually spoke.
"Something old. Something very old."
"Really?"
"Don't fool with me, Lucifer. I've buried enough friends as it is."
"I've buried a great many more friends than you have. I've learned to take care of myself."
"Sometimes you act like such a child, Lucifer. You're older than comparing totals."
"Really? What else do I have left."
"Your loyalty. Your faith. Your competence."
"And my retirement."
"What? "
"That's why I'm returning to old Kurast, Fara. I'm retiring. Probably to become an instructor. I sincerely doubt they would send for me otherwise."
"But you just can't hang up your sword."
"Yes, I can. My time of war and death is over. Now I will be rewarded with loneliness and education. I'm beginning to understand why some of the instructors are so bitter."
"But you've always been…"
"Out there?" Lucifer waved his mailed fist towards the gates.
"I'll miss you, Lucifer."
"I'm not leaving yet."
"But you will, Lucifer. One way or another you will."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ramesh fixed the pack horse's load to it's saddle. He turned to Lucifer.
"Do me a favour, Lucifer."
"Yes?"
"Keep an eye on Salena for me."
"Why?"
"She's different."
"You means she's a mage."
"No."
"You are already married, Ramesh."
"You know that's not it."
"Than what?"
"Salena reacts oddly sometimes. To simple things."
"Foreigners often do, Ramesh."
"I just think she's not telling you her reasons. Why Selig and her were without a guide in a desert full of monsters. They seemed a little too familiar with this evil creature."
"Then I shall keep an eye on her, Ramesh. Live well, desert man."
"And you, travelling holy man from the trees," Ramesh bowed and lead the steed into the shifting dunes.
Lucifer sighed heavily as Ramesh walked away. Their paths he feared would not cross again. Ramesh was a trustworthy sort and the loss of his companionship marred Lucifer deeply. Away in the distance a caravan snaked slowly towards the city walls.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lucifer looked around fixatedly at his companions. Wulf and Broggart were drinking again while Salena sat in the corner in quiet contemplation. Business as usual then, except for the fact that tomorrow they would leave for Agmar and eventually the search for the evil in the desert. The locals had been forthcoming to the warriors who had slain Radament. Tales abound of a great tomb in the desert. Lucifer had heard whispers of undead creatures and the resting place of Tal Rasha. Originally Lucifer had assumed this was the evil in the desert. Salena however had almost fallen out of her chair when he explained this. Apparently the scroll did not mention Tal Rasha, instead Salena gave him an unclear explanation. She mentioned a dead king and an ancient apocalyptic plague. With all this evil in the desert, Lucifer was surprised there was enough room for anything else.
"Lucifer?" a well rounded voice inquired.
Distracted from his train of thought Lucifer looked up to see a man in travelling clothes.
"Warriv?"
"Good day to you, noble Paladin."
"Warriv, when did you get here?"
"I arrived here not long ago. I was going to arrange lodgings."
"Who did you arrive with?"
"A caravan. Five days behind you."
"Really? We arrived a week ago," Lucifer immediately noted the troubled change in Warriv's face.
"When we arrived at Agmar it had been……pillaged."
"What?!" Lucifer tensed up as Warriv sighed heavily.
"Of the villagers we found no sign. But Lady Farr believes a great battle took place there."
"And?"
"She thinks something powerful did it. There were Sabre Cats looting the town when we arrived. The Amazons with our caravan saw them off."
"Who is this Lady Farr?"
"The Amazon leader. She's a hard nut, a warrior like you. If you want to know where she is, check Fara's workshop."
"Why?
"Because as well as being a talented metal smith, Fara is a decent healer. I believe the Amazons are having her attend their wounded."
"Warriv, see those two men across the bar." Lucifer pointed to the two barbarians as Wulf belched loudly.
"They're Northmen. Tell them everything, I need to go see Fara."
"Sure Lucifer."
Lucifer sprinted at full pace out the door as Warriv approached the barbarians. Lucifer weaved his way across the dusk shrouded streets as the store keepers packed up their stalls. He needed to find out what happened to the two dozen barbarians at Agmar.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Lucifer sprinted into the house he collided with something heavy and taunt. When he had regained his bearings he realised it was an Amazon with a spear and breast plate. After a quick disorganised scuffle in which she ended up with a dagger at her throat, the two combatants froze and a calm distinct voice emanated from behind Lucifer's head.
"Kree, stop messing around. We are on guard you know."
Lucifer's mind was still grinding quickly along in combat mode as he was painfully aware of the second sentry holding something large behind his head. Lucifer spoke quickly and calmly.
"I am here to speak with Lady Farr. It's important."
"Alright, Kree let go of him."
Slowly and reluctantly Kree slithered back, removing her thighs from a tight head lock around Lucifers skull which was almost upside down. Removing his left foot from pinning her left arm to the earthen ground he rolled off her. As he did his other foot stopped holding her right hand. Lucifer rose pensively and slid the dagger back into his boot. The Amazon felt the skin where the small blade had nicked her. Lucifer's shoulder ached slightly as he interpreted the appearance of the two sentries. Fara stuck her head out of a nearby hallway and bellowed.
"What's going on here!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lucifer sat down in the corner as Fara attended to a wounded man. From personal experience, Lucifer knew not to talk to Fara while she worked. Several Amazons were spread out on litters with various wounds. A man who was tightly wrapped in a blanket huddled in the corner was muttering to himself. One of the Amazons who had followed him in cleared her throat. Bad idea. Fara made a yanking motion and with a loud crack which Lucifer suspected was a rib breaking she spoke without even looking at the trio.
"You two, wait outside. Lucifer, I need you to work with Gheed." Roughly she waved a bloodied hand in the direction of the man in the corner.
"Where's the things I need?"
"Next room now, stop talking."
Lucifer stood up and walked towards Gheed. Lucifer knew better than to complain. Lifting Gheed on his good shoulder he swept through the curtain and crossed into the room on the other side of the one occupied presently. After a few seconds Rima put her hand on Kree's shoulder. Wincing at a distinct tearing sound from Fara's direction, Rima left to return to her post. Kree quickly followed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wulf, Broggart and Salena sprinted through the streets of Lut Gholein. Wulf reached the entrance of the small smithy. The gigantic barbarian flung himself through the smallish doorway bouncing heavily off the door frame. As Broggart arrived at the doorway he heard Wulf crash into something inside the front room of the workshop. Skidding to a abrupt stop at the door he composed himself for a more respectable entrance. If these Amazons were warriors then he should show respect and dignity. Salena slammed into his semi bare back and fell back with a meaty SLAP! Salena's momentum pitched Broggart forwards into the door. The crash and metallic clinking of metal signified he had just tumbled head first into a armoury rack. Salena quickly scrambled to her feet and wiped as much of Broggart's sweat from her upper body as possible. After spitting onto the cobblestones she struck a dignified pose and walked into the room. Immediately she was tripped up by a cascade of javelins which were until recently standing against a table. Loosing her balance, Salena managed to notice several things before her impromptu landing. Wulf had fallen on someone. This Salena surmised from the female extremities poking out from underneath his ponderous sweaty bulk. One leg was repeatedly kneeing him in the groin. An Amazon was helping Broggart out of a shield display. Salena's mind only had time to half understand this before her head became firmly entrenched in a decorative thin-necked vase. After that her mind was partially distracted by other things.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kree and Rima had heard the trio coming and Kree had stood to the left ready to crash tackle whoever entered the door way. Unfortunately Wulf bounced off the opposite side of the door and flattened Kree as he fell sideways. Finally after extracting herself from under his heavy frame she ran out the door. With a loud splash, she dived head first into a pig trough, spluttering and cursing. Fara looked around the room in shock and amazement. Rima was helping a barbarian out of the remains of a wall display. A handful of well made Javelins were matted across the inside of the door. This only added to the oddity of the bizarre centre piece. The body of a women in pale green robes spreadeagled on the floor desperately trying to pull Fara's best decorative vase off her somewhat smaller head. Fara looked expectantly at the experienced Rima.
"What in the infernal hells happened in here?"
It was going to be a long day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~