Diablo
The Awakening of Chaos
Chapter One
Desert Terror
"Halt! Who are you?" the battle-hardened guard demanded, pointing his spear at the unknown warrior before him. The warrior merely lifted his hand out of the battle-worn red cape, revealing the armor underneath, and moved the spear out of the way.
"You don't need to know," he said. He glared at the old soldier with his impetuous green eyes from under his dark brown hair, making the guard flinch, and then walked through the gate to the town of Lut Gholien. He had a cross-shaped scar across the right side of his face, and another scar just underneath his left eye. The sun had darkened his skin, and he wore dulled battle-armor over dark blue and black garb. A worn, socketed longsword was strapped to his left hip, and inserted in it were four perfect gems—a ruby, a sapphire, a topaz, and an emerald. Truly, a weapon to be feared.
Rua Dragonheart had long grown up since the death of his sister, Kalia Dragonheart, by the hands of Ziatoch, nearly four years earlier.
He wrapped himself up in his cape with one hand and shielded his eyes from the sandstorm with the other as he walked quietly down the streets, trying to ponder what Ziatoch's next move would be. It was rumored that he would strike in the Western Kingdoms soon. He planned on being there when he did.
And then I'll be able to settle the score, he thought.
He decided to continue moving into the darker part of the town, and he entered Atma's tavern. He ordered some ale and paid Atma while he carefully scrutinized the occupants of the tavern. The person he was looking for was not here yet, and he noticed that several people were looking at him hungrily. Rua subtly swept his cape back with his free hand to reveal his sword, and the others found a renewed interest in the ale before them.
Rua looked up and saw a large man enter the tavern. He was tall, about 6'5," with slightly long, blond hair and hazel eyes. He wore a faded, sleeveless white shirt, black trousers, and wolf-skin boots. In a scabbard on his back was a massive sword. His hands were clothed in steel gauntlets, and there was a small dagger on the scabbard's strap. The newcomer wore a carefree grin that made those who looked at him want to smack it off of him. He scanned the tavern, and when his eyes rested on Rua, they lit in recognition and he strolled across and sat next to him, ordering some ale.
"About time you got here, Rua," he said, "You were supposed to be here last week."
"I got laid up for a while, Jordan," Rua replied, "How did you get in here, anyway?"
Jordan Brewer was a notorious bandit known throughout the Western Kingdoms and Aranoch. He was also the head of the checkpoint in the Barrier Mountains, the mountain range that separated the Western Kingdoms from the Aranoch Wastes. He was a lover of wine, women, and song, and wanted in at least 14 different cities worldwide.
Jordan laughed at the question. "These amateurs could never catch me! You should know that by now!"
Rua smiled slightly, and patted his friend on the shoulder. "Good to have you back, Jordan," he said. He moved his chair back and started for the door. Jordan didn't bother to pay for his drink, and left with Rua, taking his drink, and the mug, with him. Together, they walked the streets of Lut Gholien, discussing the rumors of Ziatoch's supposed appearance in the Kingdoms.
"Well, you were right, Rua," Jordan said, "My friends and I scoped out the mountains… there are hundreds of them there. It's only a matter of time when he unleashes them all."
"Hundreds of them? Gods, curse it all! And these damned nobles here won't believe it."
"I don't think he's going to attack the Kingdoms."
"What makes you think that?" Rua asked slowly.
Jordan sighed and explained. "Those demons were searching for something in the mountains. They called it… the Revival Key, or something like that. Not many of my men know demon tongue. Whatever it is, Ziatoch wants it badly. Those monsters were nearly wetting themselves…"
"Revival Key? Wait… I don't like the sound of that. What could it be?"
"I have no idea. Have you heard from Relayia yet?"
"No… I haven't. I hope she's okay."
"There is a lot riding on her shoulders."
Rua did not respond, for at that moment, several screams rose into the air as an explosion of black fire erupted in the town square. The two warriors looked at each other once, then rushed in the direction of the fire. The two friends looked around in surprise at the madness. Many people had been killed, and several demons were running amok in the streets. Rua and Jordan both drew their swords, and with a loud cry, charged into the fray.
Jordan reached the first monster, a massive Sand Maggot. The large insect screeched and spit its venom at the bandit, but Jordan dodged the projectile and buried his large sword in the monster's head. He quickly twisted round and swung horizontally and cleaved a Sabercat in half. He looked around and ran off against some more demons, screaming madly the entire way.
Rua ran at his enemies, concentrated, and began pulling air particles around him, making him invisible and speeding him up greatly. In one swift attack, Rua's blazing sword had slashed a Sabercat entirely in half and reappeared about fifteen paces behind it. It was the attack Phase Shift, and it was one of his most powerful attacks. He whipped around and lashed out with his booted foot at another Sabercat's stomach before burying his blade into her head.
More enemies appeared. A large Sand Maggot ran up toward a small child, its jaws snapping greedily. Rua saw and launched himself up into the air and landed on its back, then stabbed his sword down into the insect's neck. Fire, frost, lighting, and poison washed out of the blade and instantly killed the monster. Rua took off from the mutated beast's corpse and into a group of Scarab Demons. Each slice of his blade brought bolts of lightning from the demons' skin, but he nimbly dodged each.
Two Blunderbores had emerged from the flames. Their huge arms carried the putrefying corpse of a human, wrapped up in chains to be used as giant clubs. Jordan saw that he finally found some opponents worth his strength. With a mighty shout, Jordan charged the two demons with his huge sword raised high. The monsters roared back and charged. They met head-on, and Jordan's blade landed hit after hit on the massive arms and legs of the monsters.
All the while, Jordan quickly reached over and grabbed objects from the monsters: gold, potions, useless pieces of junk. Soon he got bored, and with one quick slice, he spilled the guts of one of the Blunderbores. The demon screamed and fell to the ground, and its companion leaped over it and swung hard at the bandit. Jordan's sword didn't just parry the monster's cabalistic weapon; it cleaved right through it and buried it in the monster's neck.
Rua's stood between three Sand Raiders, all brandishing katanas in their hands. A breeze started to blow, causing the green-eyed warrior's tattered red cape to billow back. He raised one eyebrow at the monster ahead of him. That was all that was needed. The demons all charged.
Rua focused the air particles under him to launch himself high into the air, and he then dropped down sword first. His blade landed right in the center of the Sand Raider's chest, killing it instantly—the Driver attack. He pushed himself off the corpse and began to cross swords with the other two monsters, expertly blocking and parrying the eight blades that lashed out at him. Jordan's sword flew through the air like a javelin and severed the spinal cord of the monster on Rua's left, surprising the Raider on the right. Rua saw his chance and beheaded the demon.
The other monsters were being rounded up and slain by Griez, the mercenary captain, Geglash, the city drunk, and the other soldiers commanded by Griez. Soon, all the demons were dead. Griez and Geglash wandered up to the two of them, recognizing both as friends. The drunk was laughing.
"Gods, that was fun! But it kills me ta think that it's all because of the breakin' of the Worldstone."
Rua and Jordan exchanged dark, knowing looks, and then Rua turned to the two others and spoke.
"That attack wasn't because of the Worldstone."
Griez spoke up. "What? How would you know, Rua?"
"Because if it was, there'd be Megademons and Oblivion Knights attacking," Jordan replied darkly, "those creatures were native."
"What? Then why'd they attack?" Griez asked.
"Because of the Master of Darkness," Rua said, "He's here… and he's hoping to kill me to get me out of his plans."
Griez and Geglash looked at each other as the green-eyed warrior walked off to the Desert Rose Inn.
It was the dream again. Always the dream.
Light. Blinding white light. Rua held up his hand to block some of it, and soon the light parted. And he saw a nightmare.
It was a rocky plain. The land looked dead and barren. Above him, the sky blazed a fierce crimson. Black clouds churned and boiled throughout it. And there were two figures. One looked slightly normal. The other was a monster of hellish design.
The first being before him looked human… but he was clothed in black robes, and strange, twisted armor. A black hood covered the figure's face, and jutting from his back were wings very much like those belonging to the Archangels. But they were black. Those wings pulsed and shone with an eerie light. In the corrupted Archangel's hand was a familiar sword… it was Ziatoch's sword, Kasra.
Then the demon came into focus. This monster was huge… it was shaped like a human, but with more demonic features. It was nearly twelve feet tall and covered from soles to crown in black scales. Silver scales covered its clawed feet and hands. Its head was long, jutting vertically. It had two glowing blue reptilian eyes. It had no mouth… none that he could see, at any rate. Wings like a bat's grew from its back, but the membranes weren't flesh at all… they were sheets of purple fire. Soot-colored bone plates covered the beast's shoulders, chest, and upper legs. From its back grew a long tail, a curving spike at the end. In its claws was a long black staff with two jagged, curved blades pointing forward, side-by-side.
The two monsters charged. Kasra and the demonic staff swung at the same time, and when they struck, white light blinded him again. When the light cleared, Rua saw that neither beings were there. They were gone, and in their place was a large, glowing black crystal shaped like a double-ended spike. He reached out to touch it, even though his mind screamed not to. His fingers were almost there…
And then he was walking along a hall. Strange carvings were in its golden walls. He walked down it, past the decaying bodies of slain demons. He walked up steps and through a red, rectangular portal and he then found himself in a large room that had hundreds of glowing red crystals growing out of the walls… no. They weren't growing from the walls… they looked like they were rammed into the walls from a great explosion. A pathway spanned over a pit to a large floating blue crystal.
Something was shining with golden light in that crystal. He walked toward the shining object… he saw that it was a sword of crystal and metal… the most elegant sword he had ever seen. He was about to touch it when the voice spoke…
"Ye who wields the power of the Angels… why do ye wield such power?" Suddenly, white light blazed from the sword. Rua threw his hands to his eyes and——shot up in his bed, drenched in cold sweat.
It was the damned dream again. What did it mean? Who were they? That corrupted Archangel and that huge black demon… and that voice. That voice commanded respect… and power. What did it mean when it asked him why he wielded the power of Angels? He had hardly any magical prowess at all… much less the awesome sorcery wielded by the elite warriors of the High Heavens.
Rua looked around. His clothes were on the small table, along with his few pieces of armor. His sword was sheathed and was just under his bed. He sighed. Not going to be any more sleep for tonight, he thought. He slid out of the bed and began to change into his clothes and armor. He had just strapped on his sword and slipped his cape on when he heard the first screams.
Rua charged out of the building and into the sandy streets. Demons. Everywhere there were demons. Two of them, both Blood Lords, spotted him and charged. Rua's sword was instantly out of its sheathe, and then Rua was dashing forward to meet his opponents. He Phase Shifted past one, spilling its entrails into the sand, and then whipped around and slashed the remaining demon across the back, through the armor and into the spinal cord. The demon was killed instantly. Just then, Jordan rushed up beside him. "Rua!" he shouted, "It's Ziatoch! He's here!"
Rua's eyes thinned, and suddenly, an unearthly cry arose. The two warriors whipped around and saw a frightening site. A Dracolich. The undead dragon stood on its hind feet, and its arms were coursing with dark energy. Its tattered and grotesque wings fluttered uselessly. Rotting scales hung off its body, and in its exposed ribcage was a glowing sphere: the dragon's soul. The Dracolich dropped to all fours and roared again. Then Rua saw him.
Standing on the roof of a nearby building, with his black blade drawn, was the Master of Darkness. His black and purple armor had a strange glow cast by the fires springing up all around the city. He threw back his head and laughed cruelly. The Dracolich charged.
Ziatoch looked out over the dunes to the shining jewel of Lut Gholien with his cruel red eyes. He wore completely black clothes, ornate and yet sturdy for travel at the same time. Strapped to his side was Kasra. The wind blew back his white hair, and the Master of Darkness started to smile. He felt his aura. The aura of the brother of Kalia Dragonheart. The aura of the one who was causing so much frustration in his plans to acquire the keys. He turned around and gazed out over his forces. It was rather small, but it was powerful. And no one would expect for them to appear in the heart of the city.
His spy said that that accursed Dragonheart brat had arrived there. And since Rua was indeed there, Ziatoch would make sure that the boy would never leave the city alive. In fact, he might just make sure that no one would leave Lut Gholien alive. With a thought, Ziatoch summoned the Armor of Hell's Darkness.
A black aura surrounded him. Black light flashed from his hands, waist, feet, and neck, and then, the Grasp of Cruelty appeared on his hands, the Girth of Pain was strapped around his waist with Kasra, the Path of Torment adorned his feet, and the Eye of Anguish appeared around his neck. Another flash of dark light, and the Embodiment of Destruction covered his body, the horned and plumed Gaze of Terror was on his head, and the Emblem of Hatred appeared strapped to his left arm.
Dark power instantly filled his body. The dark magic that had been granted by his Lord was fresh in his mind. Kasra hummed at his side, eager for fresh blood and fresh souls to consume. He was ready. He snapped his fingers and then quickly opened his right hand, and a twisted wand-like device with black demon wings at the tip was suddenly in his hands. These were the Wings of Chaos, a magical device to grant mass teleportation of demons and corrupt warriors. Perfect for the Master of Darkness, the elite general of the Prime Evils' minions.
With a thought, Ziatoch teleported himself and his small force into the heart of Lut Gholien. Instantly he began ordering his demons to attack. His massive Dracolich burst out of ground and began mauling several of the guards. Ziatoch himself drew Kasra and struck down several soldiers, then teleported himself to the top of a building.
Something caught his eye, and he turned to look at it. Sure enough, there was Dragonheart and his thieving friend. Brewer, he believed his name to be. Not that it mattered. They would all be dead this eve! With a malicious leer, Ziatoch mentally commanded his Dracolich to attack the two of them. The undead dragon landed on its forelegs and roared.
Ziatoch laughed. Things were going smoothly.