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.

Okay... when I said two weeks, I kinda lost track of time... got addicted to World of Warcraft and Halo 2 and Work and... (Sits down and begs for mercy) I AM SOO SOO SSOOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY!!!!

As penence... Chapter 15 AND 16 are now up for your reading pleasure... I can't promise a set date for next update,but I hope it isn't long from today... I am so tired of dodging Sniper Rifle bullets..

I'll shut up now so that you can read.
No... really... Stop reading this.
You are wasting valuable time.

I SAID STOP READING WHAT I AM SAYING!

Are you still reading this?
Do you have nothing better to do that to read the opening?
Go on to the story plz, that is what I really worked on for you.

Okay... Really...

Rogue Encampment: Time- 4 hours to Sunrise.
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"You're late, Raid." Preen berated the Amazon as she walked up to the small fire-side gathering under the shadow of the High Bell.

"Go stuff yourself, Preen." The warrioress retaliated coldly. She had realized during her moments of rest that she had run out of patience for the paladin's overly righteous atitude.

"Nobody's left yet, so I can't be that late."

"No," Charsi looked away from the fire that lay in the center of the semi-circle of allies. "We have only just sat down."

"And now, if you would all be so kind as to SHUT THE HELL UP!" Kashya snapped at the blacksmith and the Amazon, purple-gray bags apparent under her eyes.
Raid wondered silently for a moment about the Battle-Eagle there was no doubt that she was exhauted both physically and mentally and that the stress of hter position must have been almost unbearable over the last few weeks. Given the difficult times in which the young, red-headed Rogue had become the leader of the Sisterhood's military might, it was not at all strange that she would begin to show signs of strain.

Shaking her head, Raid sat down with a resigned sigh.
If nothing else, the Battle-Eagle was correct about one thing: There was no room for error and no time to waste.

So, without another interruption and, having now gained the group's undivided attention, Deckard Cain began.

"A wise man once said: "Know your enemy and know yourself, then you need not fear a thousand battles..."

"It's not the battle that anyone fears, Elder Cain..." Tozam inturrupted. "It's the death that is to come as a result of that battle."

For his moment of uncalled for insight, Tozam recieved a complimentry smack upside the head courtisy of Natalie.

"We don't have time for your games, Tozam! Just sit down, shut up, and listen!" The sorceress snapped feircly.

"Okay... Okay, I'll be quiet... Geesh." Tozam backed down, taking note of the nervious, slightly hostile looks that he was getting from everybody else.

"As I was saying..." Cain continued. "We shall require far more than simple strength of arms to accomplish this task. Knowledge of our enemy and her tactics will be crucial, as will be the precise timing of the operation."

The old man took a deep breath as he looked around the campfire to each of those gathered.

They each had a look of nervous anxeity.

'Not surprising before such a battle.' Cain thought.

"Okay, Master Cain..." Durom looked up, a strange calm showing in his eyes dispite the obvious tension. "What is the plan?"

"One thing at a time, Druid." Cain shook his head. "It will begin with the inital attack."

The Sage nodded to Kashya, who stood up, ready to share what she and her subordinates had come up with before.

"The most effective stratagy will also be the simpliest. My rogues will try to coordinate alightning strike attack on the Monastery's main gate." Kashya said solidly, giving off thefeeling that whe was putting a great deal of effort into making herself sound more confident than she felt.
"With any luck, we could have more than half of Andariel's forces to the outer walls andraising defenses before they realize that we have already fled back into the hills. That distraction should be enought to give the rest of you a chance to get inside."

"I have a question." Preen raised his hand slightly, calling attention to himself. "Is thereany other way into the Monastery other than the main gate?"

"No." Kashya said curtly.

"Then, stop me if I'm wrong, how the hell are we supposed to do that? If you attack the gate, how can we get in? The first thing the monsters will do will be to gather on the other side."

"Don't worry, Paladin. I have it covered." Nataile interrupted with a sly smile.

"Oh? And how is that, sorceress?" Kassyera asked with a heavy dose of doubt apparent in her voice.

The Zann Esu chuckled slighty before guesturing in the direction of Akara, the High Priestess. Akara promptly answered the assassin's query.

"Inside the outer cloister of the Monastery, there is a Way Stone, not unlike the one found here in camp, that is surrounded by statues and monuments deticated to the heroes of our sisterhood. For years, I thought that it was merely a decorative stone. But now, we know the true purpose of the Ancient Way Gates."

"And we have the symbols to make a teleportation scroll. A perfect way past the monastery defenses." Natalie finished for the High Priestess, unable to contain herself. It was more than apparent by her enthuisam that this must have been her own idea.

"Yes." Cain shook his head slightly, "But unfortunately, once you are all inside, the outer cloister, you will be on your own. After the first portal closes, we can not risk you opening another until the task is complete. It would be an open door right into out face."

"We won't be able to anyways." Elric spoke up, an unnatural intelligence once again premeating his voice. "Once Andariel figures out what we're up to, she'll use her own magic to prevent any more mystic intrusions into her keep."

"She can do that?" Cahim asked, suddenly very curious about the half-demon's knoweldge of the darker powers.

"She can flood the entire monastery with enough dark magic to drown out such enchantments. Our own spells should work, but the aged powers of the Horadrim are far too weak and fragile to overcome such a disturbance." Elric told the group darkly.

"So you will have to work as quickly as you can without attracting the attention of the monsters. Once inside, you will have to fight your way to Andariel's throne-room in the lower catacombes. Once you are clear of the outer cloister, you will have to go though the Rogue's barracks and the jail to make your way into the inner clister and then though the central temple."

"Below the temple is where Andariel first appeared." Kashya informed the group, now sitting down in her spot around the fire. "There, her foul magic slaughtered many of my sister-warriors before her dark spirit possesed the body of my predecessor, the former Battle-Eagle."

"Seeing as how it is in the lowest part of the monastery, it is likely that the Maiden of Anguish will be trying to make her throne room as much like her home as possible."

"Okay, so we need to be prepared for some extreme heat." Tozam nodded, believing that he understood.

"Actually, quite the oppiosite." Elric interrupted.

"He's right." Cain agreed swiftly. "Andariel is the ruler of the first and parts of the second levels of Hell. In such places, non-magical fire is forbidden and the tempature is hardly above freezing."

"Andariel hates real fire." Elric explained. "Even though she was spawned from the pits of the Burning Hells, she has almost no resistance. That's why she consitered to be the weakest of the Four Lesser Evils."

"It is one of the few weaknesses that you will be able to exploit." Cain looked around at the group of adventurers. "Aside from that, there is little I can tell you about the Demon Queen herself except that she will not be subseptible to attacks that would normally slay humans. Forget using any sort of frost spells against her, they will have little affect. Also know that the Bitch Queen is also consitered the Maven of Venom. Beware her poisons, for they are exceedingly potent."

"Ooookkaayyyy..." Tozam was slightly confused. "So, how do we kill her? A fire-ball in the gut? Cut off her head? What?"

"Such tactics will kill the Host body that she has taken control of, Tozam." Cain expained. "However, even though she has been unbinded from Hell, the dark essense of Andariel will attempt to escape."

"And when it does..." Akara looked around at the group darkly. "There will be only one way to stop it."

"How?" Durom asked, his eyes (like everyone elses) were on the High Priestess.

"With this." Slowly, dramatically, Akara reached into her robe while nearly everyone held their breath, wondering with curiosity what sort of item would be capable of stopping the Madien of Anguish.

Of all of them, only Elric, Deckard Cain, and Charsi were not surprised (or dissapointed) when the High Priestess pulled the long, well used Silver Prayer Beads from her robe and into the fire light.

A moment of tense silence passed over the group that was hoping to defeat the might of a Hell-Borne goddess.

"We are going to beat Andariel's Evil Essence to death with a Bracelet?" Tozam asked cynically, not attempting or succeeding in pulling a laugh from anyone.

Elric winced slightly at the sight of the beads, the now familiar, almost constant sting in his back throbbing dramatically at the thought of what the cursed metal was capable of.

"Yes, unfortunatly." Akara shook her head sadly, holding the beads up in her hand for all to see. "This is Alchemical Silver. You all probably know it better as Angelic Steel or Demon's-Bane. If you all will remember, a tiny sliver of this material was enough to nearly kill your half-demon companion."

Eyes darted to Elric for a second as he squirmed under the combined glare. Even though reason told him differently, Elric couldn't help but feel as though every one of those eyeswere judging him, plotting against him.
Planning to destroy him for his heritage.

With some difficulty, Elric shook the paranoia off. He had learned long ago that such suspisions were often unfounded and that they would have to be controlled, lest he would go truely mad.

"A single touch from one of these beads is often enough to kill many lower demons. While brandishing it should keep the undead at bay, if only for a while. The more powerful the demon, the more prolonged the contact must be."

"Alright, I know this may be a stupid question." Rain piped up, calling attention to herself for the first time since she had arrived. "But, do you have any weapons or anything made of that stuff?"

"Unfortunatly no. While weapons made of Demon's-bane are far more effective than these beads will be in battle, we simply do not have the means to smelt them into arrow or spear heads. Also, you must keep in mind that even though they have been gifted with demonic powers, these beads will have no effect on our Damned Sisters."

"Alright." Cathim shrugged, biting his lips as he kept his eyes on the beads in Akara's hands. "So, who gets the bracelet?"

"You will each get two beads." Akara said, pulling a small dagger from her robes and cutting the thread that had held the blessed prayer beads together since the founding of the Sisterhood.

"But... High Priestess." Kashya was apparently shocked by this development. "Those are ancient teasures of the Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye. Relics of our past. We shouldn't..."

"This is no time to worry about relics and material things, Kashya." Akara said firmly as

she stood up, walking around the circle and handing two beads to each of the human adventurers. "If all of the beads were kept in the hands of one person, and that single person was to fall, then all would be lost. This way, at least, they shall all be able to defend themselves."

At last, Akara came to Elric, who nerviously pulled back as the High Priestess approched.

"I don't need them." Elric hissed lightly, no longer feeling any need to hide his slight forked tongue in the presence of others. Besides, every time he hissed like that, it made Preen shiver in either fear or disgust... and thus, hightened Elric's own failing Moral.

"No.... of course not." Akara cast a weary eye to the half-demon, who had seemed to have become more withdrawn and brooding since his near death experience only a few hours ago. Slowly, the High Priestess moved around the half-breed and moved on to Deckard Cain, placing the precious silver in his and then closing it around the two orbs. "Keep them safe." She whispered to the Elder Sage. Too low for the others to hear, but more than loud enough for Elric's sensetive ears.

"I will." Cain nodded, matching her low voice before turning to the group once more.

"Failure is not an option! If you can not defeat Andariel now, then there will be no chance for any of us. We leave at dawn. All of us."

The Sage's words trailed off slightly.

"The Caravan will take us towards the Monastery and will take shelter several miles short of it in an abandoned cavern used as a storm shelter. The Rogue Squadron and yourselves, Adventurers, will then move closer and begin the mock assualt. Remember, Kashya, it is imperitive that your Rogues do not lead any monsters back to the Caravan. The Caravan must get through the pass as soon as it is open. We have already lost too much time in our race against Diablo."

"Agreed." Elric uttered shortly.

"And," Charsi spoke up. "For your mission, the merchants have pooled together their armors and wears. Anything that you need for this task is your if you ask."

This unexpected news brought a welcome change in the overall mood as Raid giggled excitedly.

"Oh Hell Yeah... Let's go Shopping"
---------------------------------------------------

"Not a single wand or necromancer weapon in the entire lot." Cathim complained for a moment as he continued to go though a box of merchandise that had been so generously 'dontated' by the merchants of the Caravan.

"You complain too much, Catty." Tozam shook his head while he closely inspected a large chainmail shirt that he had found. he was used to battling with only his light leather armor, but given the task that had been set before him and the rest of his team, he didn't argue when given the chance at more effective equiment.
"It's all free and still you complain."

"Yeah, I wonder what Kashya threatened to do to the other merchants if they didn't contribute?"

"Who cares. This is war-time. The Merchant's profit can come later. Right now, all that matters is that their lives are protected. If all that cost them some armor, then they should be grateful."

"Perhaps, Little Bugga, but still..."

"Sir Tozam?"

"Charsi?" the barbarian looked up,from the well-made chainmail and took note of how the young blacksmith of the Rogues had snuck up on him. "Thank you for the mail shirt. It looks like it could even stop one of Raid's arrows."

"Sir Tozam, there's something that we need to talk about..." The blond blacksmith said, shuffling nerviously on her feet.

"Oh, of course." Tozam nodded, oblivious to the young woman's anxiety.

"In private.... Sir Tozam."

"Oh...OOooohhhhh..." Tozam gave Cathim a sly sideways wink. "Okay, lead the way"
---------------------------------
::::One hour to Sunrise:::
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"We are ready, Elder Cain." Warriv said curtly, slightly out of breath from his jog across what was left of the encampment.

"Good. We must leave immedietly" Cain rubbed his eyes before surveying the gathering wagons.

"Forgive me for asking, Elder Cain." Warriv started to move alongside the old man as he moved toward the lead wagon. "But, why are we leaving the encampment. We have defense, and everything else that we need right here."

"Because..." Cain started softly, not wishing to alarm the wagon master, but also not ready to lie to him either. "If I am any judge of demonic hcharacter, the first thing that Andariel is going to do if she is threatened willl be to search us out. And if the others fail, if won't matter where we are, Will all be destroyed just the same."

Warriv, even hardened as he was by running his caravan for years though bandit and monster controlled territories, shivered in understanding.

If the Adventurer's succeeded in defeating Andariel (and in his own opinion, that was one hell of a big 'IF') Then they would be free to go though the Rogue's Pass and onward though the deserts to Lut Golien.
If they failed, then every man and woman in the caravan was already dead anyways... so there would be no point in running away.
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:::Nightfall- Two days later:::
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"The cavern is clear, Battle-Eagle."

It took several moments for Kashya to fully comprehend and put meaning to the scouts words.

"Yes.. Yes... thank you Malandra." The battle eagle rubbed her weary eyes. "Send word to Warriv that we are ready to continue on... we have to get the caravan into the cave before and have everthing prepared before dawn."

Even though her thinking was clouded by lack of sleep and mind-bending stress, Kashya still managed to keep an even tone of authority in her voice. Malandra nodded and moved off to carry out her orders. The last two days of travel across the blood moors, followed by the stoney fields, and then though the rocky path though the low mountians and into the black marsh had been quick, but also exhausting. The Caravan moved with remarkable and skilled speed, halting only when it had come under attack by the wandering monsters and corrupted sisters that still dotted the land. Now, they had finally come back to the Tamoe Highlands. The home of the Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye and the bastion of their glorious monestary.

'Our 'Former' glorious monestary.' Kashya thought bitterly. Even from this distance, more than three hours hike from the outer monestary gates, she and her rogue warriors were coming to realize the painful and obvious truth. That this place was no longer their home... and would likely never be truely theirs again.
The attacks on the Caravan that she had sworn she would protect had been (thankfully) few. And with the help of the surprisingly capable adventuring party that had accepted the suicide mission into the bowls of The Rou.... of Andariel's Monestary..., her forces had only suffered three mild injuries as opposed to the expected high fatalities.

Kashya walked alongside one of the moving wagons, her focus blurring as her tired mind wandered off to other things. The Strange Troup, which was now composed of eight very unique, supposedly uncompatible warriors.

Mundane Assassin and mystical Sorceress... Holy Paladin and Cynical Necromancer... Greedy Amazon to Altuistic Barbarian. Even the usually Naturalistic Druid functioned in this group, each playing off of another's strength with almost empathic effiecency. And the half-breed demon had come in quite handy, acting as an advanced scout for the caravan (at Deckard Cain's bequest) and leading them around what he discribed as 'Former hubs of monsters.'
A sudden image came to the front of her mind: The black, four legged, wolf-sized reptile that she had spoken to in Akara's tent running rampent in the fields, it's long claws and wicked tail eviserating everything that came within reach.
Judging by the rate at which the Half-Breed requested the blue vials of concentrated mana... he was not staying in his false human disguise any more than absolutly nessessary.

Looking up from her thoughts, Kashya realized that they had arrived as the first of the

Wagon Train crossed into the mouth of the Storm-Shelter Cavern that they had sought. Here, the Rouges would spend the night, make their final preparations, and get some rest before the morning.

Tomorrow... Kashya would order many of them to their certain doom.
---------------------------------------------------

"It's so quiet, Master Cain." Natalie looked out onto the Tamoe Highlands, admiring the beauty of the land while it basked in the light of the cresent moon.

"It often is before the storm." Cain pointed out, "And you can trust me on this. A storm is coming. Tomorrow, perhaps by mid-morning, Thunder and Rain will fill the air. And, with any luck, wash the blood of the demons away."

"You can predict the weather, Master Cain?" Natalie asked.

"No, but Durom can, and that's what he said."

Natalie Tasslewind held back a laugh. This had been the first time she had gotten to spend alone with the Horadric Sage since his rescue. And, though they had only begun to speak to one another as equals as opposed to a commander to a soldier, she had quickly decided that she liked the Elderly Sage.

"Cain.... I have a question." Natalie came forward.

"And I may have an answer for you."

"How well do you know Elric?" The sorceress asked, "I mean... When did he come to Tristram? Why? What was he...."

"Natalie..." Cain cut the sorceress off. "I can not read your brother's mind. And Honestly, there is not a great deal that I can tell you about his time in Tristram. Not yet at any rate."

"Why not?"

"Because you can not appreciate it yet. When you can, then I will tell you all that I know." The sage started to walk back into the cave where a fire and a blanket awaited him. then stopped after a few steps.

"One thing though...." He said. "Are you familiar with the term: 'Darbash Narcoal'?

"No." Natalie said after a moment of thought.

"It is what the creaturesbeneith Tristram came to call Elric." Cain explained. "It means: 'Black Death'. And keep this in mind... The name 'Death' is only given to the darkest,most powerful, and most sinister of Hell's minions."

With that, Deckard Cain walked back into the cave, leaving Natalie alone at the mouth, looking out on the Tamoe Highlands.

Suddenly, this place didn't seem so peaceful to her anymore.
-----------------------------------------

"May I sit with you?"

Raid looked up from the gold coins that she had just finished stacking and counting for the hundreth time since the rescue of Deckard Cain to see Preen, standing before her with the fire light glimmering off of his newly polished armor.

The Amazon's eyes narrowed for a moment. The paladin had said little in the past couple of days while they travled though the Rogue lands and, though Raid had been thankful for the respite in Preen's constant holy babble, she felt that something was consuming his thoughts.

And she would have been willing to bet every piece of gold in front of her that she knew the cause.

"Yeah.. but if you make so much as one reference to Zakarum or the Prophecies of Akarat, I'll shove your head into the fire."

Preen nodded solumly, his face void of emotion as he sat down beside the blond warrior and looked into the small, cozy fire... one of dozens that had been lit inside the cavern for the night to keep the shadows and chill at bay.

At first, Preen had been worried that the fires would attact the attention of monsters. But, Natalie had put his worries to rest when she explained that Deckard Cain and High Priestess Akara would be erecting a thin, mirror-like aura at the mouth of the cave that would keep the light in and reflect the outside darkness, creating the illusion of a dark, empty cave.

"A copper for your thoughts." The Paladin offered after a moment of silence, trying his best to start up the conversation that he wanted to have.

"Don't offer unless you are willing to pay." Raid's eyes darted over, giving Preen a sly look as she held out her hand, waiting for the token.

Preen stifled a small chuckle as he reached into a pouch at his side and pulled a small copper coin of little value, placing it in Raid's outstretched hand with a florish.

"It's all moving so fast..." Raid said, the sly fire fading from her eyes as she closed her hand around the copper coin. "One day we're just free-lancing adventuerers, out trying to make a living in a harsh world. And then the next, there is an encampment filled with people who look at you like you're some sort of Maddened Savior"
Raid looked down at the coins piled before her, taking little real comfort in the gleaming luster they produced when the fire struck them.

Strange... Gold had always made her forget her worries before... why not now?

"Six months ago, I would have jumped at a chance like this... to be going on a mission to save the world."

"And now?" Preen asked, fully intent on the Amazon.

"Now...now I'm not sure what I'm doing out here." Raid admitted. "It sounded like...and I can't believe I'm saying this... Like Fun when we were sitting at the encampment. We were planning to save the world... Kill a godess. And I thought that it would make a glorious story. "

"Perhaps..." Preen started.

"But..." Raid searched for the right words. "I've been here before, Preen. I never told you this... but I was at The Monastery when it fell. I was there, fighting with the sisters when Andarial forced them to flee. And I fled with them... awestruck by the power of the Demon Queen. If I fled then... Who is to say that I won't do so again when faced with that power?"

Preen looked at the Amazon. He had seen her angry one moment, and then delightfully cheerful the next. He had seen her carefree and then suddenly consumed by bloodlust. But this was something that he had never seen on Raid's beautiful face or in her body language. Dismay... a feeling of hopelessness.

"Well," Preen leaned back slightly. "If you were apart of my former party, I belive that my superior, Lord Dainkar, would berate you for your lack of faith. But, I suppose that not everyone can live on faith alone."

The even-ness of his tone came as a complete shock to Raid, who had expected a long-winded speech about how the power of the holy light and Faith in the forces of the High Heavens would see her though if only she belived.

"I think that... tonight, we are all afraid, Raid." Preen continued. "Afraid of the battles ahead... of having death so close. Just afraid of tomorrow in general. It's nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, I would be worried if we weren't afraid. It means that we are indeed, human."

Raid thought for a moment on the philosophy and smiled slightly in approval.

The two sat for a few moments more in front of the fire before Raid popped up a hand, sending the small copper coin up in the air to land on Preen's lap.

"How about you?" She asked coyly, feeling a bit better now.

Preen sighed, picking the copper coin back up and replacing it into his pouch.

"I don't know what to do." Preen said simply. "I have soul searched and prayed. I have waited an hoped for guildance. But nothing comes. I have had no vision... no revelation..."

Preen paused for a moment, picking up a twig from the cold, hard cavern floor and tossing it into the fire. "Under any other circumstances, I would seek the guidance of a priest or one of my superiors in the Order of the Word. But..." Preen trailed off.

"There are none in this land." Raid finished the thought for him.

"Not since before the affliction of Tristram. The last of the Order, The Arch-Bishop Lazarus, was slain beneith the Catacombes of Tristram whilst aiding the Lord of Terror. Lord Dainkar had convinced the new Que-Hagan Sankekur that a Zakarum presence in the Western Kingdom was sorely needed. So he chose six initiate knights, myself included, to join him. One of our number fell in the Aranoch Desert from some sort of strange poison. When we first came to the Rogue's Monastery, we were rushed though the gates as though we were unwelcome.

At the time, Lord Dainkar railed that there would be a price for the impertence of 'the stray women'. Even now, I wonder if his rant had anything to do with Andariel's attack a week later."

"Oh, come off it." Raid assured the paladin. "How could one of your commanders have known about Andariel's plot? Or about Diablo?"

"I know,it's silly, but still." Preen's face turned to a puzzled look. "But, even through the months that it took for us to get from Kurast to the Rogue's Pass,Lord Dainkar never really told any of us what our purpose in the Western Kingdom was. Never once did say where we were going or what we were to do when we arrived. And then..."

Preen shook his head.

"One night, we had made camp. I had just come off of watch duty and was lying in my tent when I heard Lord Dainkar's deathcry. A foul monstrosity had slipped into camp and killed three of my companions, along wth Lord Dainkar by the time I had arrived. It moved like nothing that I had ever seen before and when I arrived, I came just in time to watch the creature behead Dronost with it's sword-like tail. The finest swordsman of my generation... dead at the hands of some beast on the Blood Moor."

Raid watched Preen as he seemed to fight back tears, attempting to keep his appearance as a soldier while at the same time, relaying his story to the Amazonian. "And, to make matters worse, the creature didn't even seem to take me seriously. when I attacked, it merely sidestepped me. And when I dove at it again, it took advantage of my anger and struck me down with the flat of it's tail. The fact that I awoke at all was a miracle. But I lived for what? I did not know what I was to do. What purpose did I have? None."
Preen rubbed his eyes. "the only thing I could do was attempt to be the finest knight I could in the land where I found myself. After all, the only thing I had left was my skill and my honor."

"Perhaps.. Tomorrow," Raid started, hoping to comfort her companion. "...you can prove that you have become the finest sort of knight."

"Fighting alongside a demon?" Preen asked sourly.

"Not a demon, Preen." Raid tried to explain. "Elric is not some monster. He is not some troll under a bridge. He is a skilled individual with a vast knowledge of how the creatures you battle think. You have got to stop thinking of him as 'A Demon' and start thinking of him as 'An Asset'."

Preen was suprised by the word that Raid had used.

"An Asset? How do you figure?"

"Well, Preen, think about it." Raid said knowingly, "It was once said that the deepest evil often comes from the greatest good. The Arch-Bishop Lazarus being a perfect example. So, why can't it work the other way around?"

Preen thought about that for a moment.
Shedefinatlyhad a good point.

Elric may have been born as a half-demon... but that was not to say that he lived as one.

After all, Redemption was a right that every living, thinking creature had. Perhaps Cathim had been right. Perhaps there was more to this than Good Vs. Evil after all.
---------------------------------------------------

Unknown to the Amazon or the Paladin, only a scant twenty feet away from them, laying under a thick wool blanket, that very half-demon, Elric Tasslewind, cursed under his breath.

He had not been able to sleep like his sister, Tozam, and the others had. His thoughts had rushed to the morning. To battle-plans and tactics. He had imagined what sort of reaction the creatures in the monastery would have to his presence.

His demonic mind called out for blood while his more rational human side had advised he rest.

So he had layed down here, tried to sleep, but could not keep his excited thoughts from wandering. But then he had heared Preen speak, perhaps for the first time since the War Council that had been held in the Rogue Encampment over two days before.

He had listened to Raid with a sympathetic ear and, had he been privied to the coversation, would have gladly attempted to comfort her much as Preen had successfully done.

But Preen's story had struck a nerve... and it had struck it hard.

Elric had realized the moment that he had met the paladin, that there had been something familiar about him. Not his face... no, he had never seen his face before. But that scent. That pungent clean aroma, akin to spiced apple and brown sugar.
At the time, he had dismissed it as a mistake and had dismissed the feeling only a short while after.

Now he really wished that he hadn't, because he could now place the scent and the circumstances of where he had smelt it before.

An armored knight on the Blood Moor, his face hidden behind one of those ridiculously impractical helmets that covered everything except the eyes.

As it turned out, Elric HAD met Preen before.
In fact, he had killed the Paladin's entire company only a few days before he met up with Natalie.

------------------------------------------------
:::Dawn:::
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"I hate this world" Gambring, an abomination in the service of the maiden of Anguish, complained in the gutteral language of lower demons as he made his rounds atop the Mistress's human made stronghold.

"It is boring here.. the huw-women put up so little fight and died so quick. No new blood, nofresh meat.. Nothing but Scummy guard duty... To medial even for Fallen ones."

"Shut yer Hole, Cretin!" Another, more powerful yet nameless abomination growled. "We serve the Maiden of Anguish, you have no choice in station."

"Of station I have no complaints." Gambring replyed violently, spittle dribbling over the coarse black fur under his chin. "This lack of war... Hunger...No battle... Tears at me... It gnaws at me like Defilers.."

"You and every one of your kind..." The Larger, nameless Abomination who had been given the title of Commanding Tyrant snarled, snapping out a wicked claw and cutting into his brethren's shoulder. "If it is battle you wish.." The larger, slightly green Abomination reared up on it's haunches, more than doubling it's height and puffing up threateningly. "Then let it be joined... I could use meat!"

Knowing that he was no match for the larger, more elite of his kind, Gambring backed down and braced for the backhanded blow that he knew was to come from cowering away from the fight, the small abomination was surprised when the strike never came. Cautiously, Gambring opened his eyes, more than a bit shocked when he realized that his nameless superior had himself been struck down. A freshly made arrow shaft protruding from the large abomination's throat, one of the few spots not protected by the otherwise all encompassing iron-like hide.

Gambring grinned wickedly as he howled into the early light of the coming morning and stamped his large, furry, clawed foot down on the nameless superior's skull and caved it in. Now, Gambring had claimed command of the Maiden's defense.

"ATTACK!!" Gamgring gargled out in the tongue of the lower demons that would now fear him as a supreme tyrant. "Slay the woe-mans till none live! ALL TO THE GATE!"

Gambring couldn't belive his luck as he looked up, noting the vollys of arrows that flew over his head. By pure luck, he had been standing behind a jutting portion of the wall and was all but invisible to the foolish mortals that attacked from below. He would have to be sure to bring tribute to his Maiden Goddess in return for this fortune.
Two live rogues would be a fine prize for the demon queen.
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"Battle-Eagle!" Flavie, Kashya's last remaining officer cried out over the din of the creatures that filed out of the twisted oak and iron doors of the Monastery.
"WE CAN REMAIN NO LONGER! WE MUST RETREAT!"

Kashya ducked out of her cover, a small boulder that she had once played on as a child, and fired three rapid shots into the flood of demons, fallen, and corrupted sisters that had come together, forming a single wave of bloodlust that overwhelmed any rogue archer that they found, tearing them to shreds in moments.

Ducking back, Kashya looked over to her side. Out of the sixty-eight rogues that had come on this mission, it was safe to assume that only the twelve that were with the Battle-Eagle behind this boulder had managed to evade the rampaging creatures.
Most of them were wounded, some carrying scars from near-fatal encounters with former comrades while others tried to ignore burns from both the Fallen Shaman's fire and the lightning that flew from the mouths of these new, shaggy, hunch-backed monstrosities. Even Flavie, who was the best melee fighter that Kashya had under her command, had a large gash in her forehead from a Fallen's claw.

"Fall back..." Kashya uttered weakly, wondering if any of the rogues (Including herself) would survive this suicidal mission. "Do everything you can to avoid being found or followed."

"Battle-Eagle..." Flavie started, dried blood crusted over one eye. "How can those fools have any chance against these odds?"

Kashya shook her head sadly. "They don't..." She replied, knowing that the end was coming for them all. "Get our troops out of here and advise them to make their peace with the Sightless Eye... We may be standing before it soon."

With that, little more than a dozen rogues, all that survived of a sisterhood that only a few months before numbered in the thousands, fled before the chaotic wave of maddened demons, heartless monsters, and their own crazed sisters.

Kashya damned them.. and herself... for expecting anything but a complete, crushing defeat.
In the end, there was no victory against such reckless hatered. There was no way to resist such might.
'It was an honor to know you all.' Kashya though, throwing one last, longing glance up to the monastery. 'May you die with honor.'

With that, Kashya turned her back to the Citadel that had always been her home. Her spirit failing at last as she realized that there was no hope after all.
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Something was wrong.
Andariel felt in in the pit of her human host's stomach.

The Rogues had somehow managed to evade her patrolling convert mortals and stage an attack on her newly claimed fortress. While the attempted seige was laughable and it seemed that the foolish humans had been driven back into their holes like rats waiting for death to come, something nagged at the Maiden of Anguish.

She had lived since the beginning of known time. For eons uncounted, she had commanded her legions and often fought on the front lines of The Great Conflict. She understood battlefield stratigems and had concocted more than her fair share of manuvers and seiges.

This foolharty human assualt was easily pushed back. The humans eraticated or running for their lives. In less than a quarter of an hour, what was likely the last of the human military strength for many leagues around was destroyed.

Still, the Maiden of Anguish... Maven of Poison....The Bitch-Queen of the First Level of Hell, was worried.
It had been an easy victory.

And Andariel knew that easy victories were often a precursor to a trap.
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Fifteen minutes had passed since the new Commanding Tyrant, Gambring, had called all claws and blades from the Outer Cloister to the gate to repel the meager attack on the walls of Andariel's Monastery. Now, the Colister, a now lifeless garden filled with thorns, dead roses, and broken statues of once glorious Rogue heroes, there was a single flat stone, laying untouched by the occupying armies of demons.

All was silent, and only the howl of the creatures that had been called to battle could be heard in the distance, when a ring of pure blue fire exploded into existance.
First, the Barbarian Warrior Tozam charged out, his face grim and his body protected by a shirt of powerful steel rings.
He swirved his head about, looking for any enemies that would have to be silence before the others would have to come though. Satisfied that the area was reasonably secure, Tozam did as they had planned and threw a small pebble at the portal.
It would never make it though of course. Tozam had been led to belive that the Portals were one way only. But the ring flared for a moment as the Portal disintigrated the stone and flared on both sides.

A second later, Raid came though, a newly crafted composite bow at the ready and a gold-laced leather armor against her skin. Tozam wondered for a moment how practical the armor was, but said nothing. This was far too great a task to waste any time with thoughts of fashion.

Preen and Natalie were next. Preen had refused any of the equipment that was offered, but had learned a valuable lession in Tristram and had his belt crammed full of healing and stamina replinishing potions. Natalie, in true Zann'Esu form, refused material armor, instead draping herself within an invisible shell of frost and ice. Her staff, this time reinforced with steel to prevent it from shattering easily, was held in tightly in her hands while a pair of thick leather gloves, enchanted to increase her strength should the situation call for it, twisted against the oak and steel of the battle-stave.

Cathim and Durom followed close behind. The Druid looked no different, wearing his usual leather and hide armor while weilding his precious Dreth'leth Spear. The only difference that the Barbarian could tell was the pair of rings, one on each hand, that Durom had quickly snatched up three days before when they had left the Encampment.

Cathim had managed to find a new wand after all and, with help from Deckard Cain, had found it's name was 'Bone-Master'. Exactly what it did was a mistery to Tozam, but judging from the fact that Cathim kept the new wand in his belt while his other wand (Which he had re-named- Tooth-Spitter) was in his hand and ready for battle.

Kassyera the Assassin came next. Her new claws (which Tozam belived she had made herself with six daggers, some leather, and a bit of iron wire) were in her hands and deadly as anything she had wielded before. Her legs and arms, which had once been unprotected and bare, were now covered in an oily, smooth looking black leather that Tozam had never seen before. Where she had gotten those from was a mystery, but at least she had shared with her new comrades the extent of some of the ingenious traps that she kept in her belt.

Last though the Portal was the tan-skinned Elric, his black tunic and trousers seeming to be the only thing between his meager seeming frame and the weapons of an army of demons. Still, even Preen had come to realize that this seeming child was far...far more than any of them could understand with a mere glance.
With a slight Florish, Elric flicked his wrist and the glowing blue pool of flames vanished behind him.

Eight warriors now stood in the center of hostile ground. Right in the maw of the beast.
And, if Elric was right about the Bitch-Queen Andariel sensing their entrance, they would not have any chance to escape until their task was done.

"We're in..." Elric said slowly, his voice not betraying his emotions, but his bright green eyes shining with excitement. "Lets get to work."

(To be continued)
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Post.

Well, here we are, many weeks past what I said the posting of the next chapter would be. But, rest assured for all of you peoples that have been waiting, there is a perfectly good explaination.

You see….
It all started about the time that I posted the last chapter. At the time, I was expecting several very important video game releases including Halo 2 and the long awaited title by Blizzard Entertainment: World of Warcraft.
Need I say more….. Yes I need.

Following a full week of exploration of Halo 2 (Oh, and cutting my college career short on account of the Evils of Calculus) I finally beat the first person shooter and prepared to post the next chapter of Diablo Online.
It was about this time that my internet connection was fried by forces beyond my control.(STUPID ELRIC!!!) And it was not until three days later that I was able to get back online. Thankfully, I ended up getting a wireless Router which allowed me to get online from any place in the house Via Updated Wireless Modem Laptop. Something that would come in handy later.
Then, much to my own dismay as I re-read the chapter, I realized that the first version required rewriting due to the fact that I divulged too much history on my favorite Character: Elric.

Elric: "Thank you, Robin."
Robin: "Shut Up, Elric. We are not having a moment."

The very next day after I got Diablo finished and ready to post online: It was too late. World of Warcraft launched on Nov. 23rd and sold out across the United States in record shattering numbers: making it the largest opening day release of all PC gaming history. (Yes. Even bigger than the foul Everquest could ever hope)
Life was sweet. I had The World of Warcraft Collector's Edition in my hand and ready to play the game that I had longed to play for over three years.

That's when the nuke hit my house.

I somehow survived the holocaust that decimated the countryside and reduced the red-neck population of my hometown to zero.
All and all, a pretty good cosmetic improvement.

Unfortunately, unbeknownst to me, the nuke was directed at a top secret underground facility that harbored a deadly radioactive bacteria for study. Of course, and with my luck it just had to happen, The EMP pulse from the nuclear explosion cause the fail-safe to fail (as they always do) and it released the radioactive bacteria to infect all the dead red-necks. And then twelve hours later, the red-necks rose from the grave hungering for human flesh and NASCAR results.
Myself, an Air Force Engineer, A surviving police officer, a pretty red-headed woman named Tess, and a stalwart housewife managed to keep the radioactive flesh eating zombies at bay with only our wits, four shot-guns, a mini-van, an elongated carrot, and an inexplicable knowledge of battle-field tactics and agricultural science.

Everything was looking good.
And that's when the meteor hit.

Of course, I can't die until I get a few books published, so I once again managed to survive, found a Wi-Fi point, and accessed the internet with my laptop to take my mind off of the horrors of the Holocaust War of the Mutant Red-Neck Zombies by playing seven straight days of World of Warcraft.

Then, finally free of all worldly worries while I sat in the burnt out wasteland that was once my home, I came to and remembered that my fans needed me to come back and post the long overdue chapter of Diablo.

Cathim: Wait…. What happened to the zombies?

Robin: The Meteor killed them.

Tozam: Then what about the Bacteria?

Robin: It was wiped out by alien bacteria that was brought by the meteor in a massive bacteria on bacteria war… very Ironic.

Natalie: Okayyyy…. Then why haven't we all been infected with the alien bacteria?

Robin: Because it only infects other bacteria. Gawd… PAY ATTENTION!

(Elric, Natalie, Tozam, and Cathim all stare blankly at Robin)

Elric: Robin, you are lying though your teeth. I think you just quoted every crappy apocalypse movie you could think of so that your fans wouldn't fry you for being late.

Robin: No I didn't! I RESENT THAT!…. I only quoted the unrealistic ones.

Natalie: Nah,…. Hollywood doesn't understand apocalypse. They seem to think that if one little thing goes away, the entire modern world falls apart.

Cathim: Yeah. Like in "Road Warrior' it was Gas and in 'Water World' It was land.

Tozam: What went away in 'The Matrix?

Cathim: Sunlight.

Elric: I thought the missing element was plot.

Cathim: I'm talking about Matrix One, Dumb demon.

(The Preceding sehgment was generously inspired(and/or stolen from) the talented writer of A very good website that, if you are not already familiar with it, should be your very next stop on the world wide web.)

Well, I am back. The Halo addiction is over and, while the World of Warcraft addiction lingers, it is manageable. And, since I don't have to worry about college anymore, you can expect to see more of me. Also, I have just started up another daiblo fic: 'Robin's Bloopers and Gag reel', which shows the funny skits and bloopers starring your favorite Diablo Fiction Charcters both in and out of the world of Sanctuary. As a result: The Robin Shirewood Interviews will be moved to the Blooper Reel fic. If you want a laugh, go there. For just the story, come to Diablo: The Epic Behind the Game.

Next Week: (And I promise to have it up next week, cross my heart and hope to be impaled on a thousand spikes while weasels nip at my toes and I am forced to listen to a medley of Britney Spears/ N'Sync/ Backstreet Boys/ Little Romeo songs all played at maximum volume and slightly altered to make them all sound like the Chipmunks.)

The Time has come at last. The first of many great battles is joined.
The time has come to take the battle to Andariel.

Well, see you Friday everybody. And if I don't come… Feel free to spam away and overload my E-mail box with spamming reviews. Everybody except Foo… who I hope to have a moderator delete your very very annoying spam reviews… Never…EVER EVER do that again (Holds up Ion Cannon)

And do I have to say it? Of course I have to say it.... R&R people.. no more spam unless I'm late... but I love critizim and it makes me feel like I have something to live for aside from reaching level 60 in World Of Warcraft. The more reviews I get, the more people I think are gonna kill me if I don't update, and the faster I type.
Thank you everyone... GOODNIGHT!

-Signing off: Robin (Mega-Fan of the Blue Army's -1 soldier: Caboose from )

Caboose Quote: (Standing in a field of dead red and blue Spartans from Halo) "Look… More sleeping people. It… Must… Be… Naptime. But who has naptime now? Naptime comes BEFORE Pants time… not after. I think these people are just making up times. (Episode 39 Red vs. Blue: The Blood Gultch cronicles.)