Story of a Paladin
Chapter 1: The Den of Evil Disclaimer: I don't own Blizzard or Diablo 1&2 but if I did it would kick
ass.

Ryan a new Paladin of the Zakarum had just set out to kill Diablo. Akara the priestess had asked him to kill all of the monsters in the Den of Evil. He was searching for the Den in the Blood Moor when a monster attacked him. Quickly he drew he sword and readied his shield. The monster leaped at him; he blocked the blow with his shield. He stood up and with one slice cut the monster in two. He put his sword now very bloody in its sheath. He continued on until he heard a crumpling noise. He stopped and listened. Before he knew anything he was hit on the shoulder hard. "AH!" he screamed in pain. He turned to see his attacker, it was a zombie.

He ran a few feet and muttered a spell. A huge bolt of light shot from him into the zombie. The zombie cried out in pain and fell over dead. He had cast Holy Bolt a spell that effects only undead. Ryan's shoulder was hurt severely, but he used a potion on it and it was fixed. He walked on and in a minute and found the den.

He went into the dark cave. It was pitch black in the den. He found a torch near the entrance and took it. Ryan looked around and thought, "Doesn't seem like there are a lot of monsters in here. He walked around a little staying close to the entrance and then heard a roar. He looked at what it was, it was a huge furry monster. He readied his shield and sword and prepared himself.

The monster charged at him and shattered his shield. "Damn," Ryan said under his breath. He swung his sword at the beast and cut its arm off. Blood sprayed everywhere as the beast cried in pain. Ryan thew his sword into the beasts chest. The beast screamed a final time and fell over dead.

Ryan pulled his sword out of the beast's carcass and read a Scroll of Town Portal aloud. A blue portal opened up and he went inside. The portal had taken him to the Rogue Encampment. He walked over to Charsi the local blacksmith and looked at her shields. He pointed to a metal large shield and handed Charsi a bag of gold coins. "Thank you," he said and walked to his portal. He went through the portal and it closed.

He was back in the dark cave known as the Den of Evil. He walked around for many minutes in the dark cave and then heard a low moaning. "A zombie damn," he thought. He turned the corner and saw a camp of zombies. 5 of them and one with aura.

He lured 2 of them with the fire and cut the ones head off. The other one was about to attack, Ryan quickly raised his shield and blocked the zombies attack. He bashed the zombie on the head with his shield and stabbed his sword through its chest.

He pulled the sword out of the zombie and it fell over dead. "2 down 3 and a fucked up one to go," Ryan said. He made short work of the 3 regular zombie, but that left the one with the glowing light around it. He ran up to it and stabbed it multiple times in the chest. The zombie coughed up some blood and attacked Ryan. The zombie tackled him to the ground "Damn," Ryan said. The zombie then bit his left arm hard. Ryan screamed in pain and dropped his shield. Ryan then rammed his sword into the zombie's skull shattering it. The zombie exploded and its parts went everywhere.

Suddenly, the den lit up. Everything was light and a town portal opened. Ryan was injured severely. The zombies Corpse Explosion had injured him. He limped over to the portal and went through. He limped over to Akara, "Thank you," she said. Then Ryan collapsed right in front of Akara. "I will heal you young one, do not worry," Akara said to the unconscious Ryan.

Ryan woke up in Akara's hut and asked her how long he was out. "Four days, you had me worried," Akara replied. "Dang," Ryan said. "Here, this is your reward for clearing the Den of Evil," Akara said as she handed him a bright ball of energy. The ball went into Ryan and he was covered in a golden light. "This will teach you any skill you wish," Akara said. "Thank you Akara, I think almost being killed was worth this," Ryan said. "I suggest learning Blessed Hammer, it lets you cast a magical hammer that swirls around you," Akara said. "I'll keep that in mind.