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 bad guy finally is here! Lots of people like Lucifer. Salena's still acting all crazy.
Author's Note: I am using Australian English rules err… 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.
Author's area of Happy Dancing: Getting a new car! Toyota Corolla Hatchback! Yeah! (Hopefully). With Red paint colour (Hopefully) called…wait for it….Lucifer! A match made in heaven! Well sort of.
Thanks: To Brightbear for fixing my mistakes. Thanks to all those who review, may your shoes never wear out. To all those who review twice may your car tyres never be so bald as to make your great Uncle Ernie look like cousin It.
Chapter 7
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rima griped Kree's arm and hauled her out of the filthy pig trough. Kree collapsed on the ground, gasping for air.
"What's that smell?" Kree asked, getting to her feet.
"Pig Fat," Rima grunted simply.
"What?"
"When the men from the Northern tribes make their fur coats, they line the inside with pig fat and tree sap. Helps keep out the cold. Smells a bit though."
"So?"
"The barbarians don't take baths. Given the circumstances, you got off easy. In this weather they don't smell so bad."
"That was a relatively fragrant barbarian?"
"Sweat is one thing, pig fat is another," Rima noted sagely
"The smell was just…" Kree shuddered, lost for worlds.
"Go get cleaned up and send someone out here to replace you."
"I hate this place," Kree mumbled as she walked off.
Rima sighed and walked back inside the smithy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The harsh cold wind blew across the pitch black landscape and rolling sands. The howling of the dust storm muffled the sounds of bone on bone. Slowly, relentlessly the undead army marched through the desert towards the distant lights of Lut Gholein. Tattered banners danced in the wind as the ancient warriors marched once more to war. The army had marched by night and hidden under the dunes by day, travelling quickly.. The undead lord's bone chariot moved in perfect formation with dozens of other chariots. The bones of the various inhabitants swelled his considerable cohort of unerringly loyal followers. The Liche King was finally ready to make his war.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Molpadia found the desert port exciting, she couldn't help but steal glances at the large palace in the town. However, most of the other Amazons didn't like Lut Gholein. Coming from the nomadic grasslands, they grew up in tents and lived in the open. Many of the younger warriors had trouble with the thick hard walls. But Molpadia found sentry duty at such a place exquisite on the eyes, strange people walking by and the most unsettling of all, there were men with weapons - nasty, sharp, exotic weapons. Leaning forward against her spear, she dreamily gazed at one of the local mercenaries. He was the kind of man she would love to steal away on horse back. He was dangerous handsome and by his odd attire filthy rich, but with a hint of something else more than meets the eye. It was like he acted as if he was the only person there looking around at people with a sombre disinterest. She would leave his family something in return of course, she wasn't a thief after all. Molpadia wagered he would be worth a few good stallions. The form of a running Amazon warrior intercepted her day dreaming. Kree's high pitched squealing broke the silent night air.
"I hate this place!" Kree ran right past Molpadia into the tents of the Amazon shanty town.
As she resumed her idle thoughts Molpadia had to admit, some people were just narrow minded..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Where's Lucifer?"
"He's busy."
"What does that mean, busy?"
"Whoever you are, trust me. You know Lucifer does. He and I were-"
"Well, we don't actual-"
"Shut up! He's healing someone from-"
"Why aren't you healing this person then, you're a healer for crying out-"
Fara sprang to her feet. After tending to the wounded, the two barbarians and their mage companion had been hounding her. The sorceress had been single-mindedly irritating, interrupting Fara continuously.
"Be QUIET! There are some things I cannot do and he can, for that you could be thankful!"
"Then tell us what happened at Agmar," Salena was exasperated now.
"Why?" Fara sneered challengingly.
The elder of the two barbarians who had both remained silent after being told to wait stood up casting a long shadow over the two women. He spoke calmly and pointedly.
"Because fully half the warriors from my clan were there. They would not retreat, those I left in charge would not do so. Now what happened at Agmar? What has become of my men?" Fara looked up at the barbarian and Broggart saw the pity and the pain in her eyes. The insight and stricken humanity around Fara as she looked away was palatable. A heavy weight enclosed Broggart's heart and he felt his age in his tiring bones as Fara half whispered the answer he dreaded.
"When the caravan reached Agmar they found nobody alive. Lady Farr believes… she thinks it happened several days ago."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Lady Farr?"
"What is it, Jaina?" Lady Farr's voice was dead pan edgy.
After much work managing the Amazons she was finally resting, almost.
"There are others who want to know about Agmar."
"Who are they?
"Foreign warriors."
"Have you told them what we know?"
"Yes, however, they wish to see the loot. One of them seems particularly desperate."
"Show it to them, make sure they take nothing."
"Yes, Mistress."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When the Amazon opened the chest Salena threw herself into it digging with broad sweeps of her arms. Broggart, Wulf and Jaina watched silently as Salena rummaged through the chest. Closing her hands tightly around something near the bottom she whispered a silent prayer to a nameless god and pulled it to the surface. In her hands she held a diamond shaped amulet with a pitch black sliver of obsidian metal set in the centre. Reluctantly she touched the unmarred blackness. Blood red trails snaked through the metal from her finger tips. Slowly the blackness melted away until all that was left was a dark red crimson. Salena began to whimper and shake as tears began to creep down her face. Gripping the jewel tightly in her left hand she fell to her knees and let out a pained shriek. Slowly her scream became a dulled to a shout. Her shout became a moan as she drained the air from her lungs in a pitiful attempt to numb the hurt. Burying her face in her hands she sobbed unrestrainedly as Broggart was lost in the sight in the chest. The empty face of a horned helm burned itself into his memory. The helmet of a man whose body would not rest in the valley of the dead. Salena's mourning wails drifted loudly across the night air.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lucifer drudged through the winding streets of Lut Gholein. A dust storm was brewing. Lucifer paid the wind no heed as he walked to their inn, a shivering Gheed reluctantly followed. Lucifer helped him up the stairs and paid for his lodgings. Slowly Lucifer wandered in the general direction of the room his current companions occupied. After several hours of intense healing and meditations with Gheed, Lucifer had finally managed to retrieve him from his shocked state. Lucifer was exhausted. He was not the young Paladin he used to be and it had been a draining experience. When he opened the door, however, Lucifer's tired mind went to work again. Siting in chairs in complete silence, Wulf and Broggart looked up at him with bleary eyes. Lucifer began to remove his helmet as Wulf spoke in a singularly unhappy voice.
"Agmar was raised several days ago. Nobody survived."
Wulf's eyes turned concernedly to Broggart who looked exceedingly pale and sweaty. All of a sudden Lucifer's problems multiplied.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Salena lay sobbing into her pillow, fondling an necklace. Lucifer's boots made muffled thuds on the thin carpet. He sat down on the bed, chain mail clinking. Salena merely opened her eyes to look at the wall of the room. Lucifer sighed and hesitantly began.
"I heard your….I heard you think Selig is dead." Salena uttered a sniffle and blinked.
"He's dead, the amulet proves it."
Without even looking at Lucifer Salena tossed the amulet to him. The blood red stone at it's centre gleaned in the lamp light as Lucifer turned it over in his mailed hands.
"It's an old family heirloom, it only turns that colour when the owner dies and the next person in the blood line touches it. It turns black again at the full moon, which means it's mine." Lucifer looked down at the jewellery in his hands, the gem glowed dully casting a slight crimson tinge across his gloves.
"Selig… was the last living relative I had. I'm alone now. Our family was out there, in the desert. A troupe of mages foolishly searching for the lost tome of Tal Rasha. We did find a crypt but inside it was nothing just a few old bones. Selig and I stayed near the entrance to make sure there was an exit in case the tomb was booby trapped, they often are. My father, mother, two brothers and the workers we hired found something down there. They found him, the Liche King. He killed my family and chased us into the desert. He raised the bones of an army in those halls. We met you and the barbarians at Agmar and in you we saw a way to stop the evil and… avenge our family. I'm sorry about this. I'm sorry about everything, please forgive me."
Lucifer's dimpled brow creased in deep thought, these revelations were huge. Salena had been using them tools for her own hatred and yet as she lay there he felt pity for her. He had two choices; forgive her and continue on this fight or leave her and the North men to their fate and obey his mandate to Kurast. In the end it was not a choice.
"Salena… there's nothing to forgive."
Salena rose up and gripped his waist, burying her face in his shoulder. Salena clung onto him and sobbed into his shoulder like he was her only lifeline in the world. For a long time Lucifer let her cry into his shoulder before finally his tiredness and the awkward position she put him in caused him to shuffle a little on the bed. Quietly she turned her tearful face up at him and their gazes locked. After a long minute she slowly reached up and kissed him. After the shock had worn off him Lucifer gently broke away.
"Sorry Salena but I'm here as your friend not…," Lucifer trailed off and didn't finish his sentence.
"Get some rest Salena," Lucifer spoke gently guiding her to the bed.
Lucifer turned to leave, worried about the unexpected event. When Salena managed to talk in a small voice.
"Stay, Lucifer….as a friend."
Lucifer turned around and looked at her thoughtfully.
"Alright Salena," Lucifer took off his chain mail and propped himself against one of the pillows.
Salena rested her head against his leather clad shoulder apparently unfazed by the smell. As he murmured the gentle melodies of an old meditation chant Salena fell asleep. Lucifer, however, took a long time to get to sleep, more thoughts and problems were building in his brain.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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 bad guy finally is here! Lots of people like Lucifer. Salena's still acting all crazy.
Author's Note: I am using Australian English rules err… 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.
Author's area of Happy Dancing: Getting a new car! Toyota Corolla Hatchback! Yeah! (Hopefully). With Red paint colour (Hopefully) called…wait for it….Lucifer! A match made in heaven! Well sort of.
Thanks: To Brightbear for fixing my mistakes. Thanks to all those who review, may your shoes never wear out. To all those who review twice may your car tyres never be so bald as to make your great Uncle Ernie look like cousin It.
Chapter 7
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rima griped Kree's arm and hauled her out of the filthy pig trough. Kree collapsed on the ground, gasping for air.
"What's that smell?" Kree asked, getting to her feet.
"Pig Fat," Rima grunted simply.
"What?"
"When the men from the Northern tribes make their fur coats, they line the inside with pig fat and tree sap. Helps keep out the cold. Smells a bit though."
"So?"
"The barbarians don't take baths. Given the circumstances, you got off easy. In this weather they don't smell so bad."
"That was a relatively fragrant barbarian?"
"Sweat is one thing, pig fat is another," Rima noted sagely
"The smell was just…" Kree shuddered, lost for worlds.
"Go get cleaned up and send someone out here to replace you."
"I hate this place," Kree mumbled as she walked off.
Rima sighed and walked back inside the smithy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The harsh cold wind blew across the pitch black landscape and rolling sands. The howling of the dust storm muffled the sounds of bone on bone. Slowly, relentlessly the undead army marched through the desert towards the distant lights of Lut Gholein. Tattered banners danced in the wind as the ancient warriors marched once more to war. The army had marched by night and hidden under the dunes by day, travelling quickly.. The undead lord's bone chariot moved in perfect formation with dozens of other chariots. The bones of the various inhabitants swelled his considerable cohort of unerringly loyal followers. The Liche King was finally ready to make his war.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Molpadia found the desert port exciting, she couldn't help but steal glances at the large palace in the town. However, most of the other Amazons didn't like Lut Gholein. Coming from the nomadic grasslands, they grew up in tents and lived in the open. Many of the younger warriors had trouble with the thick hard walls. But Molpadia found sentry duty at such a place exquisite on the eyes, strange people walking by and the most unsettling of all, there were men with weapons - nasty, sharp, exotic weapons. Leaning forward against her spear, she dreamily gazed at one of the local mercenaries. He was the kind of man she would love to steal away on horse back. He was dangerous handsome and by his odd attire filthy rich, but with a hint of something else more than meets the eye. It was like he acted as if he was the only person there looking around at people with a sombre disinterest. She would leave his family something in return of course, she wasn't a thief after all. Molpadia wagered he would be worth a few good stallions. The form of a running Amazon warrior intercepted her day dreaming. Kree's high pitched squealing broke the silent night air.
"I hate this place!" Kree ran right past Molpadia into the tents of the Amazon shanty town.
As she resumed her idle thoughts Molpadia had to admit, some people were just narrow minded..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Where's Lucifer?"
"He's busy."
"What does that mean, busy?"
"Whoever you are, trust me. You know Lucifer does. He and I were-"
"Well, we don't actual-"
"Shut up! He's healing someone from-"
"Why aren't you healing this person then, you're a healer for crying out-"
Fara sprang to her feet. After tending to the wounded, the two barbarians and their mage companion had been hounding her. The sorceress had been single-mindedly irritating, interrupting Fara continuously.
"Be QUIET! There are some things I cannot do and he can, for that you could be thankful!"
"Then tell us what happened at Agmar," Salena was exasperated now.
"Why?" Fara sneered challengingly.
The elder of the two barbarians who had both remained silent after being told to wait stood up casting a long shadow over the two women. He spoke calmly and pointedly.
"Because fully half the warriors from my clan were there. They would not retreat, those I left in charge would not do so. Now what happened at Agmar? What has become of my men?" Fara looked up at the barbarian and Broggart saw the pity and the pain in her eyes. The insight and stricken humanity around Fara as she looked away was palatable. A heavy weight enclosed Broggart's heart and he felt his age in his tiring bones as Fara half whispered the answer he dreaded.
"When the caravan reached Agmar they found nobody alive. Lady Farr believes… she thinks it happened several days ago."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Lady Farr?"
"What is it, Jaina?" Lady Farr's voice was dead pan edgy.
After much work managing the Amazons she was finally resting, almost.
"There are others who want to know about Agmar."
"Who are they?
"Foreign warriors."
"Have you told them what we know?"
"Yes, however, they wish to see the loot. One of them seems particularly desperate."
"Show it to them, make sure they take nothing."
"Yes, Mistress."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When the Amazon opened the chest Salena threw herself into it digging with broad sweeps of her arms. Broggart, Wulf and Jaina watched silently as Salena rummaged through the chest. Closing her hands tightly around something near the bottom she whispered a silent prayer to a nameless god and pulled it to the surface. In her hands she held a diamond shaped amulet with a pitch black sliver of obsidian metal set in the centre. Reluctantly she touched the unmarred blackness. Blood red trails snaked through the metal from her finger tips. Slowly the blackness melted away until all that was left was a dark red crimson. Salena began to whimper and shake as tears began to creep down her face. Gripping the jewel tightly in her left hand she fell to her knees and let out a pained shriek. Slowly her scream became a dulled to a shout. Her shout became a moan as she drained the air from her lungs in a pitiful attempt to numb the hurt. Burying her face in her hands she sobbed unrestrainedly as Broggart was lost in the sight in the chest. The empty face of a horned helm burned itself into his memory. The helmet of a man whose body would not rest in the valley of the dead. Salena's mourning wails drifted loudly across the night air.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lucifer drudged through the winding streets of Lut Gholein. A dust storm was brewing. Lucifer paid the wind no heed as he walked to their inn, a shivering Gheed reluctantly followed. Lucifer helped him up the stairs and paid for his lodgings. Slowly Lucifer wandered in the general direction of the room his current companions occupied. After several hours of intense healing and meditations with Gheed, Lucifer had finally managed to retrieve him from his shocked state. Lucifer was exhausted. He was not the young Paladin he used to be and it had been a draining experience. When he opened the door, however, Lucifer's tired mind went to work again. Siting in chairs in complete silence, Wulf and Broggart looked up at him with bleary eyes. Lucifer began to remove his helmet as Wulf spoke in a singularly unhappy voice.
"Agmar was raised several days ago. Nobody survived."
Wulf's eyes turned concernedly to Broggart who looked exceedingly pale and sweaty. All of a sudden Lucifer's problems multiplied.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Salena lay sobbing into her pillow, fondling an necklace. Lucifer's boots made muffled thuds on the thin carpet. He sat down on the bed, chain mail clinking. Salena merely opened her eyes to look at the wall of the room. Lucifer sighed and hesitantly began.
"I heard your….I heard you think Selig is dead." Salena uttered a sniffle and blinked.
"He's dead, the amulet proves it."
Without even looking at Lucifer Salena tossed the amulet to him. The blood red stone at it's centre gleaned in the lamp light as Lucifer turned it over in his mailed hands.
"It's an old family heirloom, it only turns that colour when the owner dies and the next person in the blood line touches it. It turns black again at the full moon, which means it's mine." Lucifer looked down at the jewellery in his hands, the gem glowed dully casting a slight crimson tinge across his gloves.
"Selig… was the last living relative I had. I'm alone now. Our family was out there, in the desert. A troupe of mages foolishly searching for the lost tome of Tal Rasha. We did find a crypt but inside it was nothing just a few old bones. Selig and I stayed near the entrance to make sure there was an exit in case the tomb was booby trapped, they often are. My father, mother, two brothers and the workers we hired found something down there. They found him, the Liche King. He killed my family and chased us into the desert. He raised the bones of an army in those halls. We met you and the barbarians at Agmar and in you we saw a way to stop the evil and… avenge our family. I'm sorry about this. I'm sorry about everything, please forgive me."
Lucifer's dimpled brow creased in deep thought, these revelations were huge. Salena had been using them tools for her own hatred and yet as she lay there he felt pity for her. He had two choices; forgive her and continue on this fight or leave her and the North men to their fate and obey his mandate to Kurast. In the end it was not a choice.
"Salena… there's nothing to forgive."
Salena rose up and gripped his waist, burying her face in his shoulder. Salena clung onto him and sobbed into his shoulder like he was her only lifeline in the world. For a long time Lucifer let her cry into his shoulder before finally his tiredness and the awkward position she put him in caused him to shuffle a little on the bed. Quietly she turned her tearful face up at him and their gazes locked. After a long minute she slowly reached up and kissed him. After the shock had worn off him Lucifer gently broke away.
"Sorry Salena but I'm here as your friend not…," Lucifer trailed off and didn't finish his sentence.
"Get some rest Salena," Lucifer spoke gently guiding her to the bed.
Lucifer turned to leave, worried about the unexpected event. When Salena managed to talk in a small voice.
"Stay, Lucifer….as a friend."
Lucifer turned around and looked at her thoughtfully.
"Alright Salena," Lucifer took off his chain mail and propped himself against one of the pillows.
Salena rested her head against his leather clad shoulder apparently unfazed by the smell. As he murmured the gentle melodies of an old meditation chant Salena fell asleep. Lucifer, however, took a long time to get to sleep, more thoughts and problems were building in his brain.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~