Diablo II: The Epic Behind the Game

Disclaimer: I do not own Diablo II, I, or anything else that blizzard created. In fact, some of my dialog comes directly from the game, for accuracy purposes only. The Characters however are of my own design, directly from my chars on Battle.net

In all my life, one truth strikes me harder than any other:

There is nothing more terrifying than a day-job.

Due to this truth, I have had to take time from my classes to do some freelance writing for a local newspaper and submit to several fantasy publications, including (I hope) Realms of Fantasy magazine and perhaps even Dungeon Magazine.

With any luck, others may soon hear of me.

Despite this, I will attempt to continue the updates on Fanfiction.net. With any luck, I'll be able to manage it all along with classes. After all, who needs sleep? .

The Stony Field- Approximately 0.3 seconds later:

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"Hi guys," The rather handsome young man dressed in a simple black tunic waved at Natalie and Raid as they stepped though the portal, only moments ahead of the armored paladin and an unfamiliar red-headed man. "Have a fun trip?"

"Elric?" Natalie looked over her brother for a moment, "What happened to your face?"

"Eh?" Elric reached a finger up and traced it down the scar that still ran from between his eyes, down his nose, and to his upper lip. "Oh, this? An unfortunate souvenir. But, that's neither here nor now."

"Speaking of the 'here-and-now'," Natalie looked about the landscape while Tozam and Cathim stumbled though the portal only moments before the doorway closed. "I don't see the Carin Stones anywhere around here and we need to find them now."

"Hold on, Natalie. Slow down for just a second." The young man said smoothly, "First, did you guys find the Inifuss Tree? Second, do you know how to open the portal? And third..." Elric cocked his head slightly to the side and looked the large-framed, red-haired man over. "Who the hell is this?"

The druid held back for a moment, as if he were sizing this unremarkable young man with brilliant green eyes up.

"I'm Durom, Druid of the third order. Student of Tur Dulra and..."

"'Tree-hugger'. Okay. That's all we need to know." Elric said, nodding in the druid's direction for a moment before turning back to the rest of the group. "I found the Carin Stones, don't worry. I've got someone scouting out the area around the area for possible guards and threats."

"Someone?" Natalie wondered for a moment. "I thought you came out here alone."

"Oh, by the way. We're fine." Preen interrupted sarcastically, "No troubles whatsoever trying to get to the tree. smooth sailing all the way. And hey, don't worry about how long you took to get us here. Just take a few more hours next time so we can get really, 'Reeeeaalllyyyy', ready to face the armies of Hell."

Everyone looked at the paladin with an expression of distain.

"What? Am I the only one who thinks the boy could have hurried though whatever personal problem he had to get to the real crisis?" Preen asked in disbelief.

"You know what..." Elric shook his head, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I am going to pretend that I didn't hear that just now."

"But..."

"Preen." Raid started calmly. "Shut up."

The paladin looked as though he was about to protest, until he caught a glare from the frequently unpredictable Amazon and looked like he had bit his tongue.

"Okay, now that that's out of the way," Natalie started again, "We should make for the stones at all haste. We have to get to Tristram."

"Does anyone else think it a wee bit too convenient that there's a magical portal in the middle of nowhere that leads to a small town that didn't even become important until a few years ago before the beginning of Kanduras' war with Westmarch." Cathim asked, looking around the landscape for a moment before, squinting into the distant east, he managed to make out the faint sight of five standing stones. "Ah, there they are... but, ummmm, Elric. I don't see this friend of yours. Do you think he's alright?"

"Well, seeing as how this used to be Horadrim territory and Tristram was build outside the ruins of a Horadrim tower and crypt...no. Having Tristram completely clear of monsters, now 'That' would be convenient."

Elric could tell by his friend's voice that there was something else on the necromancer's mind, but figured that it was probably better left un-said. Picking up the faint sent of lavender on the air, he took a guess as to where his newest companion was.

"And, Catty."

"Yes?"

"She's right behind you."

Surprised, Cathim turned around to see nothing but plains, some half-dead looking trees, and some occasional rocks and boulders. Natalie, Tozam and the others, who had turned to see as well, checked back over their shoulders and eyed the calm looking boy.

"Uhhh, is your new companion a ghost of some kind, Elric?" Cathim asked, trying to figure what the half-demon was doing. "Or is 'she' invisible?"

"A little bit of both actually." A sultry voice started out.

"AGGGHHHH!!" Cathim cried out, jumping in surprise (As did everyone else who had turned their attention back to the boy) to find the dark haired, attractive and toned young woman leaning right over his shoulder and talking into his ear.

Elric broke into a playful laugh at the necromancer's expense, while the experienced assassin backed up for a moment and sized the group.

In the momentary silence, Durom noticed that Tozam had slipped closer to Natalie and had leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Is this a betrayal?"

"Tozam," She whispered back, her gaze keeping on the young woman whose clothes and symbols she recognized. "Not right now."

"Well, Little Elric told me about you guys, so let me hazard a guess." She pointed out cathim, "Pale, skeleton engravings on your light, black leather armor. You must be Cathim of the Priesthood of Rathma."

"Aye..." Cathim bowed for a moment, still suspicious of the eerie young woman.

Nodding and letting out a small, cute smile, She turned to each of them in succession. "And, lets see...Arrogant, white armor... That's definitely Preen. Muscular to the point beyond human comprehension: Tozam of Arreat without a doubt. Blond, well-built and a bow...Raid DeAlkirk. I heard your introduction Durom. And..." Finally turning to the sorceress, meeting eyes with the Zann Esu and matching her grimace with a smile.

"You must be Natalie." Kassyera bowed slightly, "Your brother speaks highly of you."

"To you, I'm sure that he does. Viz-Jaq'taar." Natalie said coldly.

"An Assassin?" Durom asked in disbelief, recognizing the ancient name of the Order of Mage Slayers.

"And a pretty good one at that." Elric said lightly, taking little notice of the daggers blazing from his sister's eyes. "This is Kassyera of the Viz-Jaq'taar. We helped each other out on the fields and she kinda stuck to me."

"Elric..." Natalie turned to her brother, wiping the smug grin from his face with a tone was only a little shy of being homicidal. "We have an important job to do! You don't need to be running about all over the country side to try and rescue damsels in distress!"

"Uhhhh, Natalie..."

"Have you forgotten that Andariel has taken the Rogue's monastery and now threatens every life in this land. We just don't have the time, we don't need the inclination..."

"NATALIE!" Elric had to raise his voice to get his sister's attention. "I'm behaving around the child of light over there," Elric nodded in Preen's general direction, getting a glare from the paladin. " So, do me a favor and try to get off her back."

"Murderers." Natalie went on. "Killers that move though the night, all of you. You believe it's your right to execute any magic user who doesn't live up to their standards."

"That is our right." Kassyera said flatly, obviously used to this sort of treatment. "In fact, it is our reason for being."

"Slipping into a high sorceress's bed-chamber and killing her in her sleep! Do you really expect me just drop that?!"

"Not one of my assignments, I'm afraid..." Kassyera shrugged indifferently. "I've never had the privilege of having targets among the Zann Esu."

"We don't need your help, Mage Slayer!" Now it was Natalie trembling clenching her fist around her staff.

"Then you don't need to know that the stones are being guarded by at least two dozen fallen warriors, including a nasty looking blue-skin?"

"A fallen king," Preen sighed, shaking his head. "Well, that makes it all the more difficult."

"We can do well enough without you!"

"Maybe, maybe not." Elric was tired of this pointless battle of wits and jotting something down on a small sheet of parchment with a charcoal pen. "Regardless who's right, who's wrong, and who the hell we are getting involved with. MAY I REMIND YOU... That we do have a mission here?"

"I agree with Elric, which is something that I feel very strange saying." Cathim decided to get this whole thing out of the way. "So, Tozam brought a paladin. I got over it. Natalie: Elric brought an assassin. GET OVER IT! Preen: I am a necromancer. GET OVER IT! Raid: Tozam ate your last meat bun this morning..."

Raid looked up at the necromancer with wide eyes.

"HE DID WHAT!!!" She shouted, turning to the barbarian that was now inching away from her. "YOU BASTARD! THAT WAS MY LAST ONE! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW HARD IT IS TO FIND AMAZONIAN MEAT BUNS IN THIS PLACE!! DO YOU!!!!!"

Cathim paid her no attention as he went on.

"...GET OVER IT!! Durom:... Well, you seem to be just fine, so I'll leave you alone."

"My thanks for leaving me out of it." Durom said, confused as to how, as well trained as they were, this unruly band of adventurers could possibly hope to exist together.

"I will NOT travel with an Assassin!" Natalie burst out, scowling at the surrounding.

"Oh, do speak a little louder, Woman." Tozam rolled his eyes, wondering why Natalie was being so stupid. "I don't think that Andariel could hear you."

"Okay, MAN! Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Raid took Tozam's attention away, reaching up and jerking his head down so that she could look him in the eye.

"And besides, sorceress, I am not joining your little 'adventuring party'."

"Then why...?"

"We're merely going in the same direction. And unless you are ruler of this monster infested land, you have no authority to stop me. I'll go where ever I damn well please, regardless of the company."

"She has a point, Natalie..." Tozam interrupted.

"HEY! PAY ATTENTION! I'm 'NOT' done with you!!!" Raid seethed in anger.

"What are you squawking about? That thing was hard as a rock and probably two weeks past stale."

"THEIR SUPPOSED TO BE HARD, YOU DUNCE!"

"Now, I'm warning you, Viz-Jaq'taar. You keep your distance or..."

"You're warning me, Zann Esu? Where do you get the nerve?"

"It all comes from the company we keep. Right, Elric?" Natalie turned a glance behind her and was shocked to realize that her half-demon brother was nowhere to be seen. "Elric...? Did anybody see where Elric went?"

Now, everybody was looking around, having been so worked up in each of their arguments or watching the others. It took several moments of confused looking about before:

"Hey, Tozam..." Raid circled around the barbarian until she stood behind him. "Did you know that there's a note on your back?"

"What...What does it say?"

"It says 'Gone to dispatch monsters. Be back momentarily. -Elric'"

"What the... Hey, how did he get a note on my back?"

"It looks like he stuck the paper to your armor with a needle."

"AGH! GET IT OUT! It'll crack the leather."

"What? When did he..." Preen suddenly noticed a slight shift in his balance. His eyes wide, he looked down to his right side.

His sword was missing.

"Ohhhh..." Natalie looked on, putting it all together. "Little brother...you will be the death of me."

"Does he do this sort of thing often?" The assassin asked, hardly believing that she, out of the diverse assortment gathered here, had missed the halfling's exit.

"Well, there was that time in the den of evil..." Tozam reminisced.

"And the going off to that quest for Kashya..." Cathim continued, counting on his fingers.

"Well, at least he hasn't changed since we were younger." Natalie shook her head, looking out to the east toward the Carin Stones. "He has the damndest ways to end an argument and move onto business."

"Okay... Preen said, pulling out his scepter and slinging his shield around to his left. "Then let us get on with the smiting and save the boy from himself."

"Yeah...right." Kassyera muttered under her breath, just loud enough for Natalie, who was closest to her, to hear. "The paladin doesn't know. He has no idea, does he?" The assassin asked softly, walking past the sorceress.

Natalie's eyes went wide at the words and she was struck speechless.

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Rakaisash was not just shocked when he realized there was a man with a sword tearing though his people.

He was relived.

After weeks of boredom guarding these dull stones in the middle of nowhere, after having to entertain his tribe with executions and the occasional animal sacrifice for far too long, he was so glad for the sudden action.

And then, he noticed that this simple, unremarkable man was decimating his forces in a way that an entire troop of archers could not.

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"HI-Yaaa!" Elric spun around quickly, severing one of the fallen's heads while giving the boot to another and flinging it aside.

'Not bad.' Elric thought, listening with pleasure to the sound of the bloody, severed head thumping to the ground. 'Good balance, defined sharp edge and superb craftsmanship. Well, Preen may be an arrogant fool, but he has great taste in weapons.'

Elric had to stop his train of thought as he tried to continue his movements and keep the incoming fallen away. Despite the fact that any warrior watching him might applaud his skill with a blade, Elric felt clumsy, slow, and restrained with it in his bony, frail human fingers.

In his human form, Elric felt that he lacked the grace and efficiency for battle he had taken for granted over the past few months. Still, considering the fact that he hadn't wielded a man-made weapon for months, he was doing pretty well.

A quick turn of the enemy's blade and a fine, strong swing filled the air with another spray of blood.

A delight to his senses.

And an unfortunate awakening.

'Too slow... far too slow. Release us... rend them with claws and teeth. Leave the sword for the hu-man...'

"Okay you, shut up!" Elric said forcefully, slashing out and cutting down another of the fallen.

"Raka-shu!" Elric heard a high-pitched, scratchy voice call out from behind him. Twisting about (and sweeping two fallen warriors off of their feet) he saw the speaker to be a blue skinned, smiling fallen with few differences from the small camp that he commanded.

"Yeah, keep smiling, Blue! I'll get to you in a minute!" Elric shouted over the din of the surrounding warriors. Then, he was jarred with a sudden realization.

'Raka-shu' was a demon spell that translated into...

...Lightning Enchantment.

"Oh... HELL!" Elric swung hard around in an attempt to make way, hoping to escape the initial onslaught of the magic.

Failure, he realized, was on him as he, and the surrounding fallen warriors, were suddenly alight with energy. A burning, painful aura that shot straight up from the ground, planting him where he was, and very nearly paralyzed him into a swoon.

Many, but not all, of the surrounding warriors were almost instantly overwhelmed by the attack of their lightning enchanted leader. With some flying off the ground and landing on their comrades while others simply had their hearts or heads mercifully explode.

Of course, Elric now remembered why he had stopped carrying around metal weapons. While the hand-piece was well made, it was never designed to resist this sort of attack and, as such, was constructed entirely of metal. Good for slaying monsters, bad for someone being slowly electrocuted.

"Raka-shu, hue-man! We kill ya now!" The blue skinned fallen king laughed, lifting his unimpressive little scimitar above his head in celebration as though they had already won. "Feastes we shall have! Feastes on hue-man skin!"

Elric dropped the paladin's weapon and fell to his hands and knees, letting a chuckle pass his gritted teeth as he thought of how easily this situation could be handled.

"Not tonight you won't..." Elric whispered, his tongue suddenly shrinking in size and thinning out to it's natural forked form. "Even if you could beat me, you wouldn't be eating man flesh."

The half-demon readied himself, fully prepared to rip straight out of the false skin and rip that smug king's head clean off.

But before he could rip his way though his skin, the pulses of energy stopped flowing up his legs and the numbing, paralyzing tingle was gone. Elric lifted his head inquisitively as the blue skinned fallen king fell to the ground, his skull crushed.

"HAZHAA!!" The paladin walked into Elric's view, twirling his bloody scepter about like a baton. "I will now take your vows of undying gratitude in exchange for saving your life."

"Preen..." Elric closed his eyes and reached down, his fingers gripping the sword that he had dropped before. "Don't make me hurt you."

"Well, how's that for gratitude!" The paladin grunted with indignation.

"DIE FALLEN SCUM!" Elric heard Tozam cry out behind him just before a small corpse flew over his head and crashed into one of the surrounding stones.

"Tozam... That one was already dead." He heard Cathim reprimand the barbarian.

"He was twitching."

"Perhaps it was a side effect from that gapping hole that I put into it's belly a moment ago. Teeth spells do have a habit of doing that."

"You guys are crazy." Raid said shortly, pulling several arrows from corpses on the ground.

"What??? Okay, when did you guys get here exactly?" Elric got off of his knees and saw the entire party around him doing their various things.

Tozam was complaining to Cathim about stealing his kill. Durom looked from body to body to make sure that they were all dead. Raid was checking the creatures she had shot to see if the arrows were re-usable (or might be carrying gold) and Natalie was now standing in the center of the Carin Stones, an open scroll in her hand.

That left Preen to answer his questions.

"Why, we came to your rescue, boy. Really, the things that you young people do for attention. We managed to get up behind the group while their leader was so intently focused on you."

"Yeah! Everyone else got into the fray, but could I? Noooooooooo. Why? Because the wizards and the archer have 'Range'." Tozam started to put in, sarcasm thick in his voice. "What's so great about range, Huh? You may think it's all that, but if there were like, a hundred of them..."

"Then you guys would need me to save you again?" Elric objected, getting back to his feet at last.

"You know, I really thought that we were past all that."

"Hey?! That's my sword!" Preen shouted out as though he had just realized what blade Elric was holding.

"Yeah?" Elric lifted the blade up, letting thee blood drip off of the edge. "It needs cleaned."

"Guys! I think I've got it!" Natalie's voice came as a welcome change of subject. Everyone quickly dropped what they were doing and what they were saying for the run.

"Let's see," Natalie was holding the scroll side-ways, as though it would reveal more of it's secrets. "All we should have to do is touch each of the stones in a certain order, say the incantations, and then we should be on our way."

"Atta girl, Natalie. Just point me n the right direction and let's get bloody!" Tozam sad with an infectious fervor over his words.

"Get back, sword slinger" Natalie's tone was harsh as she checked over the scroll again, making absolutely sure that there would be no mistakes where such ancient magic was concerned. " South-west stone first." She took a step from the center of the ring and touch one of the stones, which lit up almost immediately upon her touch. Whispering instructions to herself, the rest of the group watched as the sorceress went from stone to stone, lighting up the carvings and inscriptions in each of them.

"Ohhh, pretty lights." Raid said happily as the last of the glowing stones lit up.

"Well, if that tickled your fancy, then this should bolt you to the ground." Natalie told the Amazon, enjoying this feeling of holding a captive audience. Taking one last look at the scroll to make sure that she had it right. "Let's see, I believe that this goes... 'Armadan Sarloris Dicamnine'."

Natalie shouted out, throwing her hands up and focusing all of her mana to the ground beneath her just as the scroll instructed.

Natalie stood completely still, with the group waiting for a moment, with all but one of them bracing themselves for wonder.

After about a minute, Natalie opened one eye curiously and looked around, having expected some grand explosion or teleportation to suddenly take them all away from this place.

Then, Tozam broke the silence.

"Uhh, Nothing's happening."

"I don't understand it..." Natalie let her arms fall and started to pace around nervously, trying to figure out what had been done wrong. "Activate the stones...read off the incantation... focus magic in the center of the circle. What are we missing?"

"So, what are we going to do?" Preen asked stepping into the ring and looking around the glowing stones.

The others milled about for a moment, trying their hardest to come up with ideas. These stones had been the whole point of their venture. The hope that they might be able to find a guild that might help them with their ultimate goal.

Elric however walked around the ring, looking at the base of each stone and reading the high-demonica runes that had been etched into the stones.

'An arcania lock.' Elric thought to himself, shaking his head. If Andariel knew what this place was, if she did know that these rings were capable of taking a person hundreds of miles away, then she should have used something more complicated. To anyone who knew the language, this was child's play.

"Assimar..." Elric hissed out the name of the symbol quietly, his thin forked tongue escaping from between his teeth on the 'S's then moved onto the next one. "Ordsiaa...Sarcaarrris...Melfice... Bubluzia."

"Elric, any ideas?" Natalie looked out from the center of the stones, where the others were moving though, touching the stones as if they would find some revolutionary way to open the doorway.

Elric thought for a moment before he felt a sudden welling up of magical forces.

"Well, you guys might wanna...I don't know... MOVE!"

"What? Why?" Natalie managed to ask just before the glowing symbols on the Carin Stones exploded into color. Realization came a split second later as she too felt the energy gathering within the enchanted stones.

"EVERYONE! OUT OF THE RING!" Natalie shouted out, quickly jumping between the stones.

Why was it all of the others, the different warriors and magic users were able to heed this warning without question? Why was it that all but one of them had the presence of mind to run, dive, jump or otherwise get out of the ring without delay.

"Hello...?" Preen didn't heed the sorceress's warning, thinking that he might have found something of importance. "There's something here written from holy text..."

That was as far as the paladin managed to get before a enormous crackling and a bolt of lighting erupted from the stone that he had his hand on, sending the knight of the Zakarum careening back and out of the ring.

The lightning bounced around from stone to stone, gathering strength and intensity with each ricochet. In a matter of moments, the air was filled with the sound of crackling energy. Finally, the fast moving, expanding bolt of energy became complete, with every stone connected by an intense line of light.

And then, the energy died out for a moment, only to explode and race to the center, joining there for a moment before forming into a standing pool of burning hot red magma. The lightning died out after the shimmering pool became stable allowing the group to turn their attention to the paladin.

Preen was laying on his back, the entire front of his armor blackened by the impact of energy. Though he was wearing heavy padding and a helmet, Elric was betting that the paladin's hair was standing straight on end. Aside from that, Preen's eyes were wide open and darting back and forth.

Raid seemed somewhat concerned.

"Okay, enough with the break." The Amazon kicked out at the paladin playfully, just enough to turn him over. "Come on, we have important business to take care of."

"I saw the light...and it was so beautiful..." Preen managed to get out, slurring his speech slightly before sitting up stiffly. "Hey, guys...I think I just had a religious experience." He said, only a moment before looking from side to side and realizing that he was still in the middle of a cold field surrounded by heretics and non-believers.

"No...no fellow light warrior brethren to my aid. What happened then?"

"You just got popped with about sixty million volts of electricity." Cathim told the paladin, smirking slightly.

"It's not a blood hawks nest. But, what the hey, that seems to have worked just as well.

Kassyera gazed at the newly formed portal in wonder, stepping around the ring of stones once before she found it in her to ask a question.

"And...this portal shall lead us to Tristram?"

"Right into the maw of death and destruction, Assassin." Natalie smiled, glad to see the apparent fear and dissidence in the wretched Viz-Jaq'taar. "Why, simply walking into the portal is like walking straight into the fires of hell and damnation."

"A first step to vanquishing all evil!" Preen got to his feet at last, looking into the streaming, blood-red circle of standing water as though it were as welcoming as a door leading out to a peaceful spring day. "We haven't come all this way for nothing."

"Aye." Tozam pulled out both of his blades, and readied them for action. "TO TRISTRAM!" He called out, charging forth and straight into the pool of blood-red water, disappearing into it's depths.

"Wha..." Preen was taken aback. "HEY! NO ONE RUSHES HEADLONG INTO DANGER BEFORE ME! HAI AKARAT!!" The paladin shouted, doubling his normal charging speed and nearly tripping over himself as he leaped though the portal.

"Can we close the portal and leave them there? Please?" Cathim looked at Natalie, who gave an almost immediate 'absolutely-not-how-dare-you-ask- sort of glance.

The necromancer merely shrugged.

"Okay. But I'm not going to rush in like those fools." He said, calmly walking to the center of the stone ring and, taking a moment for a cleansing breath, stepped though the portal.

Durom, the only one of their company who's goals were unknown to Elric, was next, not even saying a word as he quickly moved himself up to the center of the circle and walked though without hesitation.

"You know what...I really didn't think we'd make it this far. So, if it's all the same to you. I think I'll head back. You know... feeling just a wee bit out of my league here. So... um... Ta." Raid started to speak really fast and turned around as if to leave.

"What?" Natalie grinned, watching the Amazon try to get away. "Is a great and powerful Amazon going to whimper away with her tail between her legs while a bunch of 'Men' fight their way valiantly thought the hoards of gold-carrying monsters and earn a place in the songs and hearts of Rogues for generations?"

If looks could kill, then the glare that Raid gave to the sorceress would have likely imploded a small moon. Still, it seemed enough motivation to get the blond warrioress though the portal, for she walked straight past Elric and into the standing water without another delay.

"Well, Assassin." Natalie nodded toward the Viz-Jaq'taar. "Here we part ways. I must say that our time together will most certainly...'linger'. On you go now, back to your murderous duties and twisted assignments."

"Oh, no you don't, Zann Esu." Kassyera shook her head, put off by the way that Natalie had tried so abysmally to dismiss her. "This is the adventure of a life-time. One to tell the children in my later years. And one that I shall most certainly enjoy telling. Do try to keep up, Sorceress. One never does know when the pursuing monster might gain a little boost of speed and overtake you."

Kassyera laughed softly, moving to the center of the ring and looking out to Elric, who had watched all of the passing events quietly and with only mild interest.

"Well, see you on the other side, Half-demon. And I do mean on the other side of this portal and not in the afterlife. Let us just hope that your delightful team is able to handle the task that they have set for themselves." And then the dark haired assassin was gone, walking in though the mystical doorway with her eyes still locked with Elric's.

" 'One to tell the children'?" Natalie shuttered, "Ugh. Those people actually breed. Truly a saddening thought." Then noting her brother's apparent detachment from the whole situation, Natalie walked over to him and put an arm around his shoulder, drawing both a slight jump and hiss of pain from the half-demon.

"Elric? Are you hurt?" She asked quickly removing her arm.

"I'll be fine." Elric replied, his eyes never moving from the shimmering portal. "Look, the others probably need you if that gate really led right into Tristram. You should go."

"What are you thinking!? You're wounded and you go running headlong into a small hoard of fallen. Now you're going into a demon infested township? Elric, take a moment and rest. I'll get you a healing po..."

"Natalie!" The half-demon hissed, his forked tongue slipping out and his eyes suddenly clouding over to a misty red.

Shocked by his reaction, the sorceress jumped back about a foot, looking at her brother in a slight bit of distress.

"Go..." He said, biting his tongue as he said it and closing his eyes. "I'll be along in a moment."

"Elric...what's wrong?" Natalie side-stepped around him, now standing in front of the half-breed. "You can tell me anything, little brother. That's what I'm here for."

'No...Natalie.' Elric thought, clamping his sharpening teeth tightly together. 'No...I can't.'

But instead he said:

"The others will need you to get though this, Nat. Go on. I'm fine."

Getting the hint that she should not push any further with her brother at this precise moment, Natalie backed away, looking at her brother with a sad, resigned look.

If she could do anything at that moment, it would have been to see just what was going on inside her little brother's head.

'Then again, perhaps I don't' She thought, keeping her eyes tamed on Elric even as she passed though the mystical gateway, disappearing into it's shimmering mass.

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'Tristram...' Elric thought.

He had planned to never return to that accursed place. The events that he had set in motion. The things that he had seen.

All that he had learned about his kind he had learned in the monastery beneath Tristram.

He had never wanted to return. And with all that had happened recently, Blood Raven... and the vision of Cain...that resolution had only been strengthened.

"I don't believe in fate" He had once said. Yet, everything that had happened over the last few days had shaken that belief.

"Damn it, Tyrael." Elric stammered under his breath. "If you're doing this, then what the hell do you want from me?"

Elric shook his head.

He didn't want to go back to Tristram.

Why, then was he walking into the center of the ring and stepping though the portal that would take him back to the doomed city?

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Uhhhh....Looks around at the many clowns, angry fans, and rabid badgers that have surrounded the author. Okay... I'm a little late and the chapter was sort of... broken in half... Sorry about that, but, as was stated above, a zillion and one things got in the way.

I would go into detail, but I'm afraid that it would only prolong the amount of torture that I have coming to me.

Elric: Hey, Robin? Where did you want me to put all of the DVD's and books that you ordered for...

Robin: MY MIDTERM! RIGHT! Sweatdrop Thank you Elric... This will help greatly! I only hope to finish the English Lit essay before the end of next week!

Elric: Ummm, Robin. You finished that Essay two days ago. You said that you needed some time off, so you ordered this stuff to...

Robin: THANK YOU ELRIC! FANS ARE LISTENING SO LETS NOT KEEP THEM WAITING!!!

Anyways! Part two should be out before too long, and then a third chapter should be posted by friday.

Elric: If he doesn't get wrapped up in 'The West Wing', Star Trek: TGN, Lord of the Rings, and anime.

Robin: DON'T MAKE ME SEND YOU BACK TO THE 'Place Worse than Hell'!

Elric: Ummmm, if anybody is reading this, then please get in touch with Ramaon and tell her to come and break me out of that horrible place again.

Anyways. Please accept my most humble apologies for taking so long in updating. Hopefully I'll be able to post at least three chapters this week to counter the unfortunate gap in updates.

What else... Oh, yeah. Thank you all for the R&R. I Enjoy it more than any of you can understand. Hope only for more.

Well, until next time (Hopefully in a few hours)

This is Robin, signing off.