Chapter 10: Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Off to Hell We Go
"You know, I'm probably going to sound like an idiot for saying this…" Lyndon started saying, firing an arrow into the eye of a demon. It fell into a twitching heap before them, its friends crawling over it.
"Then perhaps you shouldn't say it if you wish to avoid looking foolish." Korgaroth said, lifting a demon overhead and squashing some tormented stingers with it. He then charged into a group of soul lashers and grabbed them by their tongues, tossing them around like a flail.
"…But there are a lot of demons in Hell." Lyndon finished. He turned to see Eirena casting a spell, causing a few demons nearby to start tearing each other apart. He loaded a scatter bolt into his crossbow, peppering several more demons as they approached.
"Oh yes. It's very surprising to find out that there are a lot of demons living in their home realm." Li Ming said sarcastically. She had several mobs blocked off by tornados and hydras, tearing them apart with brutal ease. He ducked as an axe sailed out of a tornado, the meaty thunk telling him that it crashed into whatever was trying to sneak up on him.
"Now you understand the kind of trouble Demon Hunters have." Valla added, sniping demons from afar with her bow. A bat flew near her, flitting in and out of the fight to scratch at demons. "With every demon we kill, there are likely dozens waiting to take its place."
"No, I mean that there are still a lot of demons in Hell." He tried to explain. Ishtar returned from the fight and looked at him in confusion. There were barely a few drops of blood on her.
"That does not make much sense. How is that different from what you just said before?"
"How did you even hear me in all that?" Lyndon pointed towards the mass of demons with his crossbow, firing another bolt. The demon it hit stumbled back in pain, before falling off the hanging path they were currently fighting through.
"I think I understand what he means." Kormac replied, oddly coming to his aid. Odd. Usually he would've probably enjoyed seeing him embarrassed. "We just fought and killed our way through a sizable army of demons back outside Arreat Crater."
"Correct." Serenity replied.
"There were enough demons there to challenge a good-sized human army, or a kingdom in fact. And yet even after leaving most of them dead and scattered out there…"
"There are still enough demons in here to make another army or three." Naziba realised what they were meaning."
"Exactly." Lyndon said. "You'd think Hell would be out of things to kill by now."
"Not necessarily." Valla replied. "This is their home. An oozing pit of foulness and pure evil, forever tainted by horrors and the Great Evils. A place like this isn't going to be cleansed of all inhabitants in a single war, even by us. The best we can do is to clear enough of a path to make it down to the Hearts of Sin and destroy them. With them gone, the demons standing between us and Azmodan will be much easier to deal with."
"Easier to deal with? They're practically throwing themselves at us right now, trying to overwhelm us through sheer numbers." Ling said incredulously. By now they had fought their way to a ramp heading downwards. Naziba created a large wall of dead to block the passage, while Valla, Eirena, Lyndon and Ming stood on the cliffs above and rained devastation down on the demons. "If they were any weaker we could literally keep moving as we kill them instead of having to stop every now and then."
"Maybe not. He's probably got the strongest demons guarding him." Lyndon pondered. "But now that you mentioned the Hearts, what do you think will be guarding them?"
"Demon lords maybe? Powerful enchantments? Why are you even concerned about them?" Kormac asked.
"Hey, these Sin Hearts sounds pretty damn important to Azmodan. He's probably got things guarding them meant to kill us all in horrible brutal ways if we're lucky."
"True." Serenity admitted. "Or he could simply be relying on the fact that this is home territory to guard them. It wouldn't be the first blunder he's made over these past few days."
"Somehow I do not think that having to fight six incredibly skilled warriors counts as a 'tactical blunder'." Eirena said.
"You know what I think is a tactical blunder? Sending all these demons to fight us." Lyndon said.
"Really?" Korgaroth smiled. "Right then. Tell us how that's a tactical blunder."
"This place looks like a bloody maze. There are paths going everywhere down here. We could be wandering for days or weeks if he didn't keep sending demons to block us off. Instead, they're leading us right to him."
"What if he is aware of that, and is having them come at us from the wrong direction?" Ishtar asked him.
"Then we just follow the trail of bodies until we find a path we haven't killed anything on yet."
Naziba laughed. "When I left my tribe to seek out the falling star, I never imagined that one day I would be using my enemies remains as waypoints to guide me."
"Well I never imagined I'd hang around with people capable of killing enough people to mark our trail." The last demon screamed as a swarm of locusts devoured it and left only bone. They stood for a second before crashing down in a heap. Confident that they were all dead, Naziba dispelled the wall and they continued marching further in. The ground they walked upon oozed and squelched under their feet, lumps somehow moving as they stepped on them.
Li-Ming frowned as something was squished under her heel. "What exactly is this stuff? It feels disgusting to even walk upon." Korgaroth leaned down, running his hand over the ground. Naziba sighed, as though he already knew the answer and they weren't going to like it. Korgaroth nodded before standing back up and catching up to them.
"From the way it feels on the skin and how soft parts of it are, I'm certain that the ground upon which we walk is made from demon flesh." He said matter-of-factly. Ming stared at him in shock and faint horror before lifting herself off the ground in a show of magic, revulsion now expressed. Korgaroth chuckled at her uneasiness. Not that Lyndon could blame her. Sure, the Thieves Guild wasn't a palace (it used to be a part of Kingsport's sewers after all) but at least they had some class. This was almost obscene for the sake of being obscene.
Mind you, they were in Hell right now.
Valla suddenly looked up as a rumbling sound filled the air, eyes like a hawk as she tried to spot whatever made the noise. Her eyes widened as she finally saw it. "Everyone, move!" She shouted at them, rushing forward with speed. Months of dealing with all kinds of threats made them chase after her, only giving a quick glance upwards at what they were moving away from. A giant boulder was falling down towards them, already incredibly close. Too close. They only just got out of the way when it slammed through the path they were walking on.
But they hadn't gotten far enough to escape the results.
The path cracked and splintered, falling apart too fast for them to escape. They started yelling as their feet trod thin air and they fell towards the endless abyss below. Li-Ming used her magic to help herself float towards the still standing outcrop, turning to watch the others fall in alarm. Valla and Serenity fell onto another path further down, having been at the head of the pack when they were running. Korgaroth managed to grab a jutting spike with one hand, while using the other to catch Eirena as she nearly fell past. Naziba was grabbed by Ishtar, who managed to bound off the falling pieces to jump to safety.
As for Lyndon, it was only through sheer luck that he managed to hit a different path with enough force to wind him. He rolled over several times, taking deep wheezing breaths. A good thing he did though, as Kormac landed right where he had been lying before. There was a loud bellow as Naziba's 'pets' fell past them all, before it all became silent.
"Are you guys alright?!" He heard Ming shout from above. He opened his eyes to see her looking down at them, concern visible on her face even from such a distance. A chorus of voices responded. Well, at least everyone made it alive.
"We're fine Ming." Serenity responded loudly."
"Thank the gods." She sighed in relief. "What now though? Should we try to find a way back to each other?"
"Every moment we're down here is another moment the Great Evils could try to escape. We can't waste time trying to find each other again. Keep pushing forward toward the Hearts. Hopefully, we'll find each other again as we make our way to Azmodan."
"Very well then. I'll see you guys at Azmodan's corpse." Ming replied. She sighed again as she stood back up, absently brushing down her robes. She had been truly afraid for a moment there. She actually thought that the others had all died. She knew they were stronger than regular people, but she highly doubted that even they could survive a fall like that. Her worrying thoughts were interrupted by a deep growling behind her, along with a lot of chuckling. She turned to see a large group of demons approaching. Evidently, they must've thought that she was vulnerable on her own. An easy kill.
Well, she'll soon teach them the error in their ways.
Remembering one spell that she had researched and started training in, she tapped into her pool of arcane energy and reached out to any and all sympathetic magic around her. A bubble of arcane power formed around her, while frost started forming over the plating on her robes. A shaman fired off a fireball, but it dissipated harmlessly against her barrier. She smirked at them as she summoned a hydra construct, its skin purple from the arcane energy thrumming through it.
The demons, filled with bravado and stupidity, charged forward to their deaths.
"Of all the rotten hellspawn luck." Lyndon was muttering as he and Kormac further into Hell itself. "Here we were, fighting the good fight and kicking demon ass, when they managed split us up and make us vulnerable."
"Vulnerable?" Kormac said incredulously. He looked upwards, where they could hear explosions and screams echoing around. "Do they sound vulnerable to you?"
"Not them. Us. We're vulnerable down here, alone."
"What rubbish. We've already fought our way through their army. We can handle whatever demon rushes us."
"We didn't do anything. If it weren't for the Nephalem, we wouldn't have even made it past Bastion's Keep's gates. They're the ones doing all the work. We're just providing… moral support."
"…Alright fine. It's certainly true that our friends are doing most of the work. But we've still managed to survive alongside them. That's not easy to do, what with all the fireballs and poisons and energy beams floating about. We can take these monsters."
"You're too bloody optimistic for your own good. You know that, right?" Lyndon said moodily. "But it's not like there's anything else to do down here so… lead the way." They started marching again, heading in the direction they were already going before their… untimely fall. Lyndon didn't like this one bit. He was a thief, a scoundrel for Akarat's sake. Guards, fellow thieves, goatmen, those were things he could fight alone. Or with a meatshield. But the legions of Hell? That was so out of his purview that it wasn't even funny. There was a damn good reason you don't hear of many thieves looting demons. They usually ended up as a meal, if they were lucky. "Why did I have to end up with you? Why couldn't I have fallen next to Ishtar, or Serenity, or even Ming? At least then I'd be able to look at something beautiful before I die." He muttered.
"Will you stop complaining?" Kormac glared back at him. "Believe me, I'd rather have ended up with someone else besides your sinful self. But we must fight with the hand we're dealt with. Complaining isn't going to help matters."
"Sinful?!" Lyndon said, affronted. "That's a bit rude, considering where we are right now."
"You're a thief who robs the just, interested only in coin and the pleasures of flesh. You're rude and unapologetic to the forces of good…"
"So I like beautiful women and gold. Lots of people like that kind of stuff. And I'm not rude to the forces of good. Just you."
"That still doesn't change the fact that you steal every last coin from those needier than you."
Lyndon snorted. "Needy? Since when have the nobility even been considered needy? They've got plenty of coin to share. I'm just helping them spread it out."
"Into your pocket."
"What? I need gold. Paying off the Merchant's Guild isn't easy, you know. Or cheap."
"And just why are you paying off the Merchant Guild? Did you steal something that they wanted more?"
"In a sense." He admitted. He still remembered the shock he felt when he saw Edlin being dragged off in chains. The guilt when he learnt the truth of what happened. And it got even worse when Rea accused him of setting him up to try and 'clear the way' for the two of them. While his heart still longs for her, he would never consider harming his brother. He was the only family he had left.
His guilt and loathing was interrupted by a meaty growl. He readied his crossbow as demons marched towards them. Blood dangled from their jaws and scars littered their bodies. They looked like they eat entire groups of men for breakfast.
"So, do we have a plan that won't involve using me as bait?" Kormac asked as he readied his shield and spear. He was thankful for Korgaroth gifting him with the Three Hundredth Spear. He may not be able to truly tap into its power, but it was better than nothing.
"Just keep them away from me, and hopefully we'll both survive this. Don't forget, it's not like I can just run off down here." Lyndon replied.
"True." Kormac admitted. The demons roared as they charged, several falling as Lyndon's arrows found their mark. Others though kept charging despite the meant-to-be mortal injuries. Kormac responded with a shout of his own, slamming into the demons with his shield while running them through with his spear. The demons, spotting a challenge when one is announced, focused only on him. Lyndon used that moment to put several others down.
They kept at this for a while, slowly but surely pushing their way through the line. Lyndon would keep back, peppering them with arrows from afar. While Kormac would make sure than none got past him to attack the more fragile scoundrel. It was only by calling on the powers of the light to heal him that he hadn't fallen. But he could tell that it was only a matter of time.
But as he kept going as a true Templar should, he finally noticed something.
"There are less of them now than before." He called back, driving the tip of his spear through a demon's skull. It nearly pulled him over as it fell, until he managed to pull the spear free. Blood flowed down the handle, making it harder to keep hold of.
"Well of course there's less. We've been handling ourselves well against them."
"No, I mean…"
"I know what you mean. I watched as at least half of them ran off. I guess our friends are causing even more trouble than they expected. All the better for us I guess. Let's get moving before they remember us." A distant explosion lit up the area, and several severed demon parts rained down around them.
"Somehow I doubt that'll happen anytime soon." Kormac responded dryly. Nevertheless, they moved quickly through the hanging paths of Hell, both watching carefully for any demon that hadn't joined their brethren in dying horribly. But it looked as though most demons weren't smart enough to avoid committing suicide by Nephalem. They only encountered a couple of lumbering demons on their own, and between the two of them they were killed with ease.
Sadly though, nothing in Hell suggested that it was built with signs, map or even landmarks.
"I swear that we've passed that angry demon chained to the wall already." Lyndon said, pointing at the giant creature glaring at them and gnashing its teeth.
"We have not. I think we'd notice if we were going round in circles." Kormac replied. Lyndon thought things over before firing an arrow into the demon's eye. It roared in anger and pain. "Why did you even do that?"
"So we know if we pass him next time. And it's not like he's going to kill us. He's chained to the wall. If he was going to break free he'd have done it by now."
"Still, please don't taunt the giant demon who could kill us. It's… tacky." Shaking his head, he led the way again. This time Lyndon kept a closer eye on the demons they passed. It didn't take long to reach a demon… with an arrow in its eye.
"See? I knew we were going in circles. You haven't got a clue where…" He turned, only to find the Kormac was no longer with him. He was standing on a circular platform, surrounded by a dark mist. He sighed resignedly. "Well, I suppose dying in Hell isn't the worst way to go. At least it's not the Thieves Guild."
"My, my." A familiar feminine voice said seductively. He turned around quickly, eyes roaming everywhere. "You're such a bad boy. I like that in a human." The voice chuckled, and he looked upwards. He backed away quickly as a woman dropped down from the sky. From the waist up, she was a highly attractive and sexualized woman dressed in provocative clothing. But from the waist down, she was a massive demonic spider. Mandibles glittered from her waist, and gold decorated her limbs.
There was no doubt that he wouldn't beat her alone. He fired a bolt at her face all the same. Let it never be said that he wouldn't go down fighting.
The demon, Cydaea, grabbed the arrow before it struck her, chuckling still as she broke it. "Do not worry. I am not here to kill you. In fact, I feel that we could both prosper from this meeting."
"Somehow I have a feeling that we have different ideas on how we could 'prosper'." He replied. Maybe if he stalled for time, the others could arrive and save him. "A man I met once told me that spiders eat their mates."
"True. But I am not offering that. Not yet at any rate." She stalked around him, her spider limbs allowing her to cover the distance quickly despite his efforts to remain at a distance. "You see, your friends are becoming quite… irritating, really. A nuisance that just won't go away."
Lyndon snorted. "I suppose even Azmodan can't lose half his army without realising he made a terrible mistake. Or ten." Cydaea kept smiling, though it became thinner. Bitterer. "You and your master must be even dumber than I thought if you think I'll ever betray them. They're my friends.
"No. No, they're not. They only tolerate you because they want your help against us. But none of them actually trust you. As soon as they win, they'll dispose of you. They'll take everything from you and throw you away. I imagine there's a small, dank, miserable cell with your name on it. Or a hangman's noose." Lyndon's throat felt dry. A… A noose? No, no. He may have robbed a lot of people, sure. But that would hardly warrant death. And besides, they'd never betray him like that.
Right?
"What if I said that I could offer you everything you've ever wanted? All your deepest desires and wants? Keep you free and healthy?"
"…I'm listening." Cydaea smiled a predatory smirk.
"Lord Azmodan rewards his allies deeply for their services. We could offer you mountains of golds and treasure. Enough to make you as rich as kings. Enough to make you a king. You could have an empire, as vast as the sky and filled with the most loyal of subjects. Your every need handed to you by a legion of servants. You could have everything made from gold. Gold crossbows, golden silk, a golden throne in a golden room. Jewels lining every surface. A castle that reaches to the highest reaches of the Heavens." She leaned in and whispered into his ear. "And of course, wondrous pleasures of… the flesh."
A silken hand stroked his shoulder. He turned and was surprised to see Li-Ming smiling serenely at him. And without a single stich of clothing, her young nubile body on full display. More hands grasping at him, Valla and Leah holding him close, pressing themselves against him. Serenity stood by Ming, a silken ribbon trailing around her and drawing attention to her lack of clothing. Ishtar kneeled before him, offering a crown of gold and rubies. Eirena stood before him, dancing provocatively so that the eye was drawn to her slim figure and beautiful curves. Not one of them wore anything, save for a collar round their necks. He kept looking from left to right and back, more details forming around him. He was standing before a massive throne, easily ten times his height and as wide as a building. A deep rich red carpet led from his feet to the doors at the far, far, far end of the throne room. An army of people, mainly beautiful women, knelt before him. In their hands were small chests practically glowing with gold and precious gems.
His mouth started to water, and his pants felt far too small.
"Yes. You could have all of that. And so much more. All you have to do, if help us instead of the Nephalem. Stab them in the back. Betray them before they betray you. Trick them into a trap at the Sin Heart. Do this, and you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams." And with that, she slinked away. The mist faded, but not before a bright light illuminated a path before them. Even when the light faded, Lyndon could still see an afterimage of it. Always along that path. Before he could decide what to do, Kormac came stumbling up behind him. He looked up at the demon, the one with the arrow in its eye, and sighed.
"Well, it appears that you were right. We have been walking in circles. Do we have a plan B?" Lyndon blinked, shaking himself awake from the fantasy he was indulging.
"This place has to have a way out. Let me take a go at leading us out of here. You never know, luck favors the scoundrel after all."
"Favors the foolish you mean." But when Lyndon marched towards the path – and the glow before it – Kormac was right behind him. "When exactly did you get ahead of me anyway?"
"You mean behind you. You were going in a circle after all. And not too long ago. Right after I spotted the demon again." They followed the path, until it led them to a new and unrecognised area of Hell. "There. You see? I knew I'd have better luck than you."
"Ass." Lyndon turned again, another afterimage of light pointing him down another trail. Clearly Cydaea wanted him to find the others to lure them in.
He knew without a doubt what his choice would end up being. There was no way around it. Though he fought the good fight, sometimes you just have to go with what you want.
He just hoped that the others would forgive him.
Li-Ming hemmed and hawed as she spotted what she assumed to be a Sin Heart. At least, that's what it had to be. It looked like a giant heart and it beats like a heart and it's surrounded by blood. So what else could it be? But what had her stalling was the fact that there was no form of guard around it. At least, not visible at any rate. There was a barrier around it, but she could already 'see' the energy stabilising it. Given enough time, and she could dismantle it with ease.
But should she wait for the others first? She might've managed to survive the hordes of Hell (barring a few stressful moments with some Elites), but she could easily imagine Azmodan having something far stronger guarding his most prized tools. But then again, he hasn't made that many good decisions lately. Even separating them was a pure fluke, all things considered. And it certainly didn't slow her down that much.
"Ah, Li-Ming." She started as she heard Serenity's voice. She turned to see the Crusader approaching, her shield splattered with blood. "I'm glad to see you. I was worried that if you made it here you'd charge in alone without checking for any dangers. Good thing that I was mistaken."
"Not as much as you think." Ming admitted. "I was actually just debating waiting for the others before I went in. I can't see any enemies nearby. There's no magical traces aside from the shield, and I can spot any hiding places. As far as I can tell, the shield is the only defence."
"It is very much like demons to have them hiding elsewhere, ready to attack in droves when the time is right." Valla said, eyes' watching everything like a hawk.
"Well, I'd imagine that between the three of us we can handle whatever Azmodan throws at us." Serenity said jovially. "Think you can dismantle that barrier?"
"Please. I could it when I was half my age." Ming boasted. Just keep me covered." They quickly moved down the stairs, eyes roaming everywhere for any suspicious signs. Ironically, the fact that there were no signs was suspicious enough. Ming hurried over to the barrier, hands held near it and magical energy jumping from them to the shield. Valla and Serenity twisted round as laughter filled the air.
"Oh, I see that you managed to survive your battle through the halls of Hell." A sultry voice sounded around them. "Good. I'm rather looking forward to breaking you all. But where are my manners? I really should introduce myself."
"Ming. Get that barrier down." Valla hissed, eyes and crossbows aimed in every direction.
"I'm trying." She hissed back. "This thing has a lot of power coursing through it. Give me a couple more minutes."
"I am Cydaea." The voice continued. "Maiden of Lust. Consort of Azmodan." Ming glanced up and quickly conjured a shield around herself, just as Cydaea dropped down on top of her. "And your imminent demise." She slammed herself down on Ming again, the crashing against the shield echoing through the chambers. Serenity rushed in and slammed her shield into her, knocking her away.
"It's her. She's the one powering the barrier. Kill her, and the shield drops." Ming shouted, her barrier replenishing itself.
"Then focus all your efforts on destroying her." Serenity replied, raising her hammer above her head. A beam of light blasted down from the chasm above, searing the ground and burning the demon's skin. Valla threw several caltrops at her feet, the spikes catching on the spider limbs. Cydaea responded by arching her abdomen, a net of webbing flying towards them. Valla dodged it and returned fire, shooting bola after bola at her legs. Cydaea fired several more times, her webs just missing the Demon Hunter. So she changed targets. Ming managed to summon her Hydra construct before she found herself bowled over by the webbing. It stuck everywhere, binding her to the floor and to herself. She struggled against it until logic finally settled in, and then she calmed herself down and summoned a small ring of flame. The webbing caught fire, her own armor and frost magic protecting her from her spells. As soon as strands started snapping, she pulled off as much of it as possible and got to her feet and back into the fight.
A good thing too, considering that Cydaea had pulled out spiderlings from Gods-knows-where. Actually, given her title of 'Maiden of Lust', She had a good idea where.
"Hmm. You are certainly… entertaining." Cydaea said, knocked back slightly as Serenity threw a hammer at her chest. A strand of webbing fired from her abdomen and pulled her upwards. "Play with my daughters now. I do not want you to finish our climax so soon." Succubi flapped down around them, cackling as they threw fireballs around. Ming created mirror images of herself, disorientating them and getting in some cheap shots. Burning corpses flopped to the ground, with more studded with arrows. Serenity finished them off by hitting one so hard that it exploded, killing her sisters in the process. They stood there for a moment, adrenaline running through their systems.
"Well, if I ever needed another reason to never want a demon as a lover, that would one of them." Ming snarked, pulling away the last of the webs. She grunted in pain as they tugged away at her hair. Next time, she was going to stay on the move. "Since we didn't kill her, I guess I should start dispelling the barrier again." She knelt down by the Heart, her magic probing the energies surrounding it. Fortunately, she knew where she had to go.
"What do you suppose that fight was all about? A test?" Serenity asked. "A distraction?"
"My guess is that she thought she could stop us when we're in such a small group. She had to run after we proved we were more than she could handle." Valla stated. "Of course that means that next time, she will be ready for us."
"True. But next time we should have everyone back together again. So it all evens out." Ming replied, the barrier falling before her. "There. The Heart is vulnerable. Anyone want to do the honors?" Valla responded by tossing a grenade at it, the glue sticking it to the Heart's side. When it exploded, it tore a hole. The heart shuddered before collapsing in on itself, falling apart into nothing. The chamber shook for a moment before returning to normal. "That's one down. One more to go, and then Azmodan himself. I'm assuming that we're continuing downwards without the others?"
Serenity nodded. "They fell much farther than we did. It's likely that their path is leading them to the next Sin Heart. Who knows? We might even come across them after they destroy the next one."
"Well they'd better not start on Azmodan without us. I already had to miss killing one Great Evil. I am not missing out on the last one in existence."
"Don't worry. I don't think anyone's foolhardy enough to try it alone."
"Would you stop pushing me already?" Lyndon grumbled as he felt Kormac's shield against his back again. "I'm going as fast as I can without running into an ambush."
"I just wish to finish this hunt faster, that's all." Kormac replied. "Something doesn't feel right here."
"Now that we can agree on." Lyndon muttered. "But what are you in such a hurry for? Afraid that the Black Soulstone will fail before we're done? I thought you thought better of Leah than that."
"It's not the Soulstone I'm worried about. It's you."
"Me? You… You're actually worried about me?"
"I am. Though you fight against the forces of evil, you are still a sinful man. You are led by your lust and greed for gold and baser instincts. You like the easy way of life, always taking things instead of working for them. Never risking your life when you can risk others. The demons may very well hone in on your soul and offer you the world. And I'm worried that you might take it."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Lyndon replied acidly. But his heart was a washed with guilt. "I'll have you know that I liked the easy things in life then I wouldn't be down here arse-deep in demons. Fighting the legions of Hell isn't exactly a barrel of laughs."
"Let me finish. As I was going to say, despite all that I know that deep down, you are a good person."
"And I'll have you know that you are a…" Lyndon stopped, having finally understood his words. "What?"
"You could've left us in Caldeum, far away from anyone who would hunt you down. You could've robbed us blind and ran, or sold us out to those who despise us. Yet here you are, deep in Hell itself and, as you say, 'arse-deep in demons'. I am merely fearful for your soul. It does not deserve to burn here, when it could be bountiful in the Light."
"Oh, I don't about that. Don't get me wrong, I'm flattered that you think of me that way. But I somehow doubt that fighting against the Great Evils is enough to get me in the Light like you." His body was wracked with more guilt. He wished he could tell Kormac about the demon's deal. But he was fully aware that she could be listening in right now. "Truth is, none of the gold I steal is actually used on myself."
"What do you mean?"
"I…" He sighed. "I have a brother in the Kingsport Guard. Edlin. He and I were orphans, and he did everything he could to look after me. We always had each other's back. Always helping each other out. Even when I joined the Thieves Guild and he the Guard, we never let that get between us. I didn't even hate him when the woman I truly loved married him instead."
"He sounds noble. What exactly has happened that you need to steal gold for him?"
"We used to have a bit of a system. At times I would pass on a message about certain guild plans. He would bring along the guard and catch members in the act, and everyone thought of it as a fluke. But one mission, our last mission, he came too early."
"And so the Guard thought he had something to do with it."
"Indeed. He's currently rotting away in a cell. His wife, Rea, believed that I made it all up to get him out of the way."
"Did you?"
"No! Gods no. I might've been upset that she chose him over me, but he's still my only family. I would never betray him. But unfortunately, he believes Rea. Now their whole family won't have anything to do with me."
"That is truly sad. But what of the gold?"
"Part of it is to feed his family. Keep them well off and away from creditors. But most of it goes to paying the Merchant Guild so that they can find 'evidence' to exonerate him. I doubt he'll appreciate the work I'm doing. But as long as he's not in prison, I'll be fine with whatever he feels about me."
Kormac was silent for a long while. They had fought their way through another few groups of enemies and reached a series of stairs going ever downward before he placed a hand on Lyndon's shoulder.
"Lyndon. Even with everything I just said about you, the good and the bad, it is clear that I've misjudged you. It's an honor to fight by your side."
Lyndon felt uneasy and embarrassed. "Well… You haven't completely misjudged me. I still wouldn't say no to a lovely woman willing to join me in bed. And it's not like I don't enjoy the sight of gold."
"True. But that still doesn't change what I've just said." Kormac laughed.
"Well, in that case I enjoy your company too. Especially since you've stopped being so high and mighty about being a force of good."
"I was arrogant, wasn't I? I probably would've put one of the Great Evils to shame with my pride."
"I wouldn't go that far. But yes, you were unbearably arrogant. Now that you've gotten past that though, I actually admire the strength you have in your beliefs. It's rare to meet men with such principles. Most of the ones I've met are willing to sell their principles for enough gold."
"Then they do not deserve such principles." They heard Korgaroth say. They both turned to see him and Eirena marching down the stairs towards them. She smiled and ran ahead, giving them both strong hugs.
"I was so worried about you both." She said. "I was afraid that you had both perished on your way here."
"Ah, no need to worry Eirena. It's going to take a lot more than a measly fall to end me. I'm far too handsome to die. Though it's still a good thing that I dodged Kormac. I don't think even Azmodan could've survived that."
"A man's convictions are heavy on the soul. I doubt you could handle the strain." Kormac replied jovially. "But I must thank you both for drawing the demons' attentions. It was so much easier to survive once most of them left to fight you all."
"They were certainly persistent about running to their deaths." Eirena responded. "Korgaroth just kept carving a path through their corpses."
"The little one didn't do a bad job either." Korgaroth slapped her on the shoulder, practically throwing her into Kormac. He blushed deeply. "I saw her blast half a dozen demons in the abyss at once."
"I thought it was raining demons at one point. Good job. I honestly thought that Ming's work or something."
"Who says I didn't make it rain demons?" Li-Ming, Valla and Serenity were at the top of the stairs, smiling down upon them. Well, it looks like almost the whole gang is here now. Scratch that. Lyndon thought as he looked at the ring around their stairs. Ishtar and Naziba were standing on them, apparently trying to find a way over to the rest of them. "Now, we've managed to destroy one of the Sin Hearts, but they're being guarded by a demon by the name of Cydaea. Big spider lady." She shuddered, while Lyndon immediately understood who she was referring to. "But the three of us managed to drive her off. I'm certain that between the seven…" She spotted Ishtar and Naziba too. "Nine of us, we can easily wipe her out."
"We shall be victorious." Naziba agreed. Though he watched Lyndon carefully. Suddenly he felt even more nervous. Were those 'Spirits' of his aware of what he was planning? And if so, why didn't he say anything? Perhaps he was planning on trapping him and Cydaea with another trap. But there was nothing he could do but press on. And hope for the best.
"Well, what are we standing around for?" Lyndon asked as he led the charge. "That Sin Heart isn't going to kill itself you know." They all headed downward, eyes roaming to catch sight of the demoness. But Lyndon's sharp eyes saw her first. She was hanging high overhead, hidden behind an outcropping. She nodded at him, before drawing a finger across her throat. He gulped, but stayed his ground. He had to do this. It was the only way. Despite what Ming had said, he felt as though she was too strong to beat in a straightforward fight. He fingered the jar he held in his pocket. A special blend he always kept for slowing down others. It was the best he could come up with. They had reached the base of the structure, the Heart beating before him, when he stopped. The others stopped too, likely wondering if he had seen anything.
"I am truly sorry about this." Lyndon said forlornly, even as he quickly threw the jar at their feet and pulled his crossbow free. The jar practically exploded and released a large puddle of glue at their feet, trapping them in their place. They shouted in alarm, but Lyndon kept his crossbow pointed at Eirena's heart. She may be powerful in magic, but she was still vulnerable. Cydaea dropped down now, chuckling evilly to herself. Succubi flapped down around them, licking their lips in anticipation. The Nephalem – his former friends – settled for glaring at him, aware that anything else could cause Eirena's death.
"You traitor." Kormac hissed. But it definitely sounded as though his heart wasn't in it. "We trusted you to do the right thing. I should've realised that a cad like you only cared for yourself."
"Oh, do not be so harsh. He only did what none of you thought of, and chose the winning side." Cydaea said to them. "Why settle for being a nobody in Sanctuary, when he could be a king in Hell? It was your own blind faith in others that caused this. You are your only enemy."
"But… Why?" Eirena asked, tears running down her cheeks. Kormac growled before looking down at his feet in surprise.
"She's fast enough to catch an arrow in her hand, and skilled enough in magic to craft the illusion of us going in a circle. You lot may be alright, with your mystical Nephalem powers. But I've only got my crossbow and my wits to protect me. And sometimes, you just have to accept that you can't win a fight."
"Then you at least die trying." Kormac yelled as he pulled himself free of the goop, charging forward and glowing with holy magic. Cydaea reared her abdomen, ready to trap him in webbing and likely eat him alive.
"Which is why you simply cheat." That was when Lyndon acted.
He twisted on the spot and fired his arrow at Cydaea herself. Distracted by the Templar, she couldn't stop the arrow from penetrating her eye. She screamed and stumbled, her webbing missing completely. At the same time, Kormac charged past Lyndon and slammed his shield into Cydaea. Disorientated and wounded, she fell to her side and tried to defend herself from his spear. The others stared at them in shock as Lyndon moved towards them, firing arrow after arrow at the Succubi.
"Come on!" He shouted. "The goop can't hold onto you if you put some effort into breaking free. It's meant more for distraction than capture." Korgaroth stumbled free of the goop, charging towards Cydaea while throwing axes at any Succubi that got too close. The others followed suit quickly afterwards, dealing with the surrounding monsters before going for Cydaea. The demoness had stumbled back to her feet, but her expression was one of pure rage.
"You dare? You dare?!" She screeched, lashing out wildly. "I will rip the flesh from your bones. I will feast upon your organs and grind your bones into paste. You will regret ever betraying me, Scoundrel!"
"Well that's what you get for thinking I'm so shallow as to be persuaded by a few gold trinkets." Lyndon shot back, even as he kept moving and firing arrows into her skin. "Belial and Azmodan have made it pretty clear that they plan on wiping out the human race. Do you really think I'm going to trust demons to keep their word and let me live? I'd likely be dead before my friends die if you had your way." Cydaea spotted him with her one good eye, screeching and charging for him. She pushed her way through the others, ignoring when Korgaroth sliced off her arm and Serenity crushed her leg. She ignored the burns Ming inflicted, and the parts of her body melting from poison. To her, the Nephalem were no longer important. She just had to kill this human for his treachery.
She was nearly upon him when Kormac threw his spear through all four legs on her left side, jumped onto her and slammed his shield into her back. He put all his weight onto his shield, pressing her against the ground. Lyndon immediately shot an arrow into her other eye, blinding her. Serenity raised her hammer, and a glowing circle formed around her. The air seemed to press down on her, the ground cracking under the strain.
"Oh, and another thing?" Lyndon started saying, pushing his crossbow right against her forehead. "That whole thing about my friends putting me in a cell when this is all over? I never once believed that." He pulled the trigger, and the demoness went limb. Korgaroth slammed his axe through her neck, just to make sure. The barrier surrounding the Heart dissipated instantly, leaving it vulnerable. Lyndon looked up to see the others watching him. Some in confusion, others in wariness, but mostly in surprise. "Sorry about tricking you guys like that. I wanted to tell you my plan, but I was worried that she'd hear us."
"I'm…I'm…" For once, Ming seemed lost for words. "Can you begin by explaining what the plan was?!"
"She cornered me while we were separated, offering me the world if I agreed to work with her. Considering I'm sure the only other option was that she'd gut me, I wasn't in a position to say no at the time."
"You could've just told us before the fight. She wouldn't be able to reach you while we were there." Serenity stated.
"She could've. I don't doubt that you could've killed her in a fight. But I was worried that she'd kill me before you could kill her. But if I could trick her first, I might just survive."
"And the paste?" Valla asked, fingers coated in the slime.
"A little recipe I cooked up. It's tough when first released, but a couple good tugs break the whole thing down. It's meant more to cause any guards chasing me to topple over rather than keep them in place for long. By the time they get back up, I'm usually in the clear. There's no way it would've held any of you for long."
"Alright then. I can accept that you pretended to be on her side to avoid getting killed. I can accept that you trapped us with a weak tar glue substance. I can even accept that you threatened Eirena to stop us from acting too early." Ming turned to Kormac, hands on her hips. "But how did you know about his plan?"
"I didn't." He replied truthfully. "I just worked on a gut feeling."
"A gut feeling?"
"Yes. I know by now that Lyndon is a good man at heart. In fact, he just told me a story before about how he's stealing gold to get his brother free. I just couldn't accept that he would go back to being a cad so easily."
"So… you gambled."
"Well, yes." He admitted.
Lyndon smiled. "Remind me to not play cards with you any time soon. I've seen holy artifacts with less luck than you." He turned back to others, Valla and Korgaroth still looking at him warily. His smile slid off his face. "You… you all forgive me for that, right? I only meant to help."
Serenity looked at the others, before nodding and placing a hand gently on his shoulder. "Not everyone is brave enough to spit on a demon without help. But I find the fact that you've followed us into Hell itself brave enough for a dozen heroes."
"Thank you Serenity." He said. And he meant it. "Now, let's blow this thing already. We've got a Great Evil to rip apart."
The nine of them marched boldly into the heart of Hell itself, a trail of demon corpses behind them. They didn't flinch as chains formed behind them, trapping them within the central stage. None were planning on leaving with Azmodan's soul in their grasp. Out of the shadows before them, four glowing red eyes glared. Azmodan scuttled forward on his six giant insectoid legs, his massive stomach rippling with every movement. Flames billowed from his mouth.
"Nephalem fools. When the Soulstone is imbedded in my flesh, the Seven shall be as one within me. I will be the sum of all Hells. I shall be the Prime Evil." Azmodan rumbled, his deep voice filling the air.
"Don't you ever shut up?" Lyndon asked, burying a bolt in his skin. Azmodan simply growled and pulled it free, his eyes glowing brighter. They all moved as he seared the ground with a fiery beam. Fortunately for them, he could only chase after one person at a time.
"Target his legs. Immobilise him." Serenity shouted, slamming her shield against one of his legs. He tried to squash her, but she moved to the side and pulled out a flail. The chain glowed with holy power as she smacked him with it, an ethereal chain wrapping around the limb before exploding. On the other side, Valla shot an exploding arrow at his face, alternating between that and shooting bolas at another leg. With every blast, a small piece of scale was fractured off. Ishtar focused on a third limb, her punches causing the scales to crack a bit more with every punch. As Azmodan lashed out at her, He was attacked from behind by a storm of hail and ice. Ming ran around him, throwing arcane orb after arcane orb. Naziba had his Gargantuan climb up his side, battering his limbs as it got close to them. Lyndon was firing arrows at him while he was distracted, with Kormac playing defence. Eirena summoned an illusionary Gargantuan, with Azmodan falling for it. Korgaroth slammed his blade deep into another of his legs, shouting in defiance as he cleaved and hewed.
"For my people!" He shouted loudly, his body practically bulking up as his rage filled him to the brink. While the others were dancing around, He was attacking head on. Azmodan lashed out with his claws while continuously firing his beam, but Korgaroth's armor allowed him to weather the blow. As his body suffered more and more injuries, his mind remembered the pain his people suffered. All the suspicions and hatred people felt about their duty to protect the Worldstone. All the men lost in battle to keep it safe. His own father killed because no one bothered to talk to them. And then Baal comes along and forces the destruction of Mount Arreat, and the loss of their home. Something inside of him broke under the strain of his rage, and his body felt as though it were aflame. Everything cracked as he grew even larger than before, his skin marred with volcanic cracks and his hair turning white. But instead of burning him, the fire within bolstered his strength. When he slammed his axe into Azmodan's leg, yelling in fury, he managed to nearly cleave it in twain. The Great Evil screamed in pain as he lashed out again, severing the limb and causing him to stumble. Azmodan lashed out, but Korgaroth was already moving away and aiming for another leg. This time he started hacking away in rage, each swing biting deeper and deeper. He nearly managed to rip it apart before his fury was spent. His body smoked from the fury that had been within, and he felt the pain his rage had kept at bay. He couldn't do anything to stop Azmodan from swatting him away. Nor could he find the strength to rise up again.
"Arrogant Nephalem. My demons will feast on your pride as they devour your flesh." Azmodan said, summoning a portal device with a wave of his hand. Demons poured out from it, roaring in anger and looking ready to tear anything in range. Lyndon and Eirena immediately started targeting them, aiming more for the device than the demons. A roaring beam of fire pierced through the demons and seared through the device, destroying it. Azmodan stumbled again as Ishtar finally punched his other leg apart. His movements were slower, more awkward. They were piling damage onto him. He summoned a massive fireball above his head, where it travelled slowly to the ground below. The Nephalem scattered as it landed, avoiding being burned to ash by its intense heat.
"Enough! The dark powers of Hell will consume you. You cannot escape your death." Dark pools started bubbling from below, spreading across the ground. Serenity hissed as she accidently stepped in it, the power of it trying to tear away at her. She quickly moved away, aware that they couldn't fight with that underfoot. Azmodan chuckled as he stayed away, teetering on only four legs. He threw another large fireball, forcing them to move again while he fired his laser from afar. Ming distracted him by throwing an Arcane Orb at his damaged leg. The one Korgaroth had been attacking. With so little of it still attached, her strike was the last straw. It blew apart, and Azmodan nearly fell. He was clearly weakened. What had been signs of boastful arrogance was now replaced with uncertainty. He was losing. And he knew it. He waved his hands again, summoning more and more devices. Too many for them to ignore. They were forced to attack the demons instead, leaving Azmodan unopposed to attack from afar. And the pools were getting closer now. If they did not kill him soon, they would be overwhelmed. Serenity bowed her head, and prayed.
"Akarat, I beseech you. Call upon the Light to show me a way through this fight. Show me a way to defeat the last Lord of Hell, and cleanse his evil from the world." She murmured to herself. As if in answer, her body swelled with Holy power. The demons cried out in pain as they backed away, those closest caught in an explosion of light. When the light faded, armor materialised and slammed onto her body, making her larger than the demons and light to spill out of the spaces in her armor. Her flail and shield glowed too, filled with powerful energy. Wasting no time, she charged forwards to Azmodan. When she stepped into the black pools, they did not affect her. Azmodan's eyes widened, and he unleashed his attacks on her. But she ploughed through them and slammed her shield heavily against his leg. The force behind it caused the leg to crumble. He yelled in pain as he fell, finding himself unable to support his weight or even move. Naziba got as close as he could, and a swarm of insects billowed outwards from him. They swarmed Azmodan, biting every surface and growing in size until they covered every inch of him. His thrashing grew weaker and weaker, until they departed to reveal his skeleton picked clean. The bones shattered into dust, only his dark soul left. The devices crumbled, and the demons ran in fear. They all stood in the empty room, their adrenaline still high. Korgaroth coughed loudly as he got to his feet, limping over to the others.
"We did it." Serenity said, almost as if she were in shock. "I… I never thought it was truly possible, but we've done it. All Seven Lords have been beaten. Hell has been beaten. We've won."
"Indeed." They heard Tyrael's voice from behind them. They turned to see him leading Adria and Leah towards them, the Black Soulstone ready. "I too never believed that this day would come. And to think that it was the Nephalem who managed to end the Eternal Conflict rather than the greatest of Heaven's champions." He chuckled. "Perhaps this will convince my brethren that they were wrong to think of your kind as 'lesser'."
"This is not the time for self-congratulations." Adria scolded them. "The fight is not over until we have captured Azmodan's Soul and shattered the Soulstone. Only when we have done both can we truly rest." They all nodded and stepped away, giving Leah room to work. The Soulstone shook as it rose through the air, as though Azmodan's Soul was trying to stay away from it. But it was futile. His soul was absorbed into the stone, trapped like the rest of his brethren. Everyone sighed, the hardest part over now. "There. It is done. Leah and I will return to Bastion's Keep to finish the ritual necessary to destroy it."
"I will go with you. I wish to see this happen with my own eyes, so that I know that they are gone forever." Tyrael turned to the Nephalem. "Before we left the keep, Captain Haile told me of several fires they saw from the ramparts. He's certain that they are camps still under assault from demons. I imagine he's hoping that you could go and rescue them if possible."
Ming gave a tired smile. "Certainly. Just mark on the map where they were, and we'll go and save them from the last few demons." Tyrael nodded, and passed them a marked map. Haile must've prepared it before they left. He then turned and left, no doubt heading for the waypoint they activated on the way down. Ishtar turned to Korgaroth, and looked at him with concern.
"Are you alright now? I had feared the worst when you stopped moving." She said. Korgaroth smiled and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"I am fine now. The rage was willing, but the flesh was weak. Perhaps if I tap into such power again, I can learn to use it without falling apart afterwards." She kept watching him in concern. "Do not worry about me. Worry about the demons that get in our way right now."
"I feel sorry for them already." Lyndon snarked.
"Thank you for the rescue." Guard Ulfric said over and over again. He and his remaining men were limping after them, wounded and tired but alive. "If it weren't for your aid, none of us would've survived that horror."
"Just doing our job." Valla said. "It's time these demons learn their place."
"They weren't that hard." Ming scoffed. "Not compared to Azmodan himself. But I doubt we'll have to worry about them for much longer."
"We will." Ishtar replied. "There must always be balance in the world. And sometimes that means that Evil will remain."
"Kill joy." Ming muttered, sticking her tongue out at the older woman.
"Ishtar is right Ming." Serenity admonished. "The demons aren't going to stop just because they are leaderless. It just means that they will never be as big a threat as they were before." She was about to say more, but they all stopped in shock as they entered Bastion's Keep. It had been… ravaged. Completely ravaged. Guards laid in pieces on the floor, while fires burned across the room. Blood pooled everywhere, while questionable meat hung from the rafters.
"Brothers!" Ulfric shouted in alarm, running to check on the dead and the wounded. The Nephalem ran around the room, eyes watching for any sign of the attackers. As Korgaroth passed the entranceway made by demons breaking in, he caught a glimpse of something inside. He pulled his axe free and held it threateningly towards the passage.
"Lower your axe Korgaroth. It's us." Haedrig's gruff voice echoed out from the passage. He stepped forward, hammer ready, and followed by many civilians. But not all of them, Korgaroth noted. Not all of them.
"Haedrig." Ming called out, running to hug the blacksmith. He pulled her into a deep hug, eyes glistening. "What happened? Did demons sneak in somehow? Was it an ambush?"
Haedrig shook his head. "It… It was… I still can't…" He shook his head again. "It was Leah. She was… possessed somehow. By Diablo himself."
"No." She whispered. The others looked on in horror. Leah? Possessed? By Diablo? But how? He was contained. They were all contained. "But… How?"
"You'll have to ask Tyrael about that. Assuming he's even still alive. He went with Adria and Leah to destroy the damn thing." They all ran for the barracks Leah had been set up in, ignoring the blood on the floor and the body parts on the steps. They barely kept an eye out for any lingering traps, too alarmed to really care. When they arrived at the barracks, they found only streaks of blood, heading towards the stairs to the tower. They climbed them, two or three steps at a time, until they reached the chilled air and open space. Here, it was even worse. Blood arrayed in the shape of a pentagram. Fire still sputtering in the frozen air. A massive fiery portal at one corner.
And Tyrael, struggling to his feet and surrounded by the dead.
"Tyrael." Serenity called out, rushing to his side. She grabbed a healing potion from her belt, practically shoving it down his throat. He coughed violently, but his movements became stronger, and he at last managed to climb to his knees. "What happened? Haedrig only told us that Diablo managed to possess Leah. Did Adria's spell fail?"
"No. it worked exactly as she intended." He growled. "She played us all. This whole plan to capture all Seven Evils in the Black Soulstone was merely a part of Diablo's plan to reign supreme."
"Diablo's? But then…" Kormac's eyes widened. "But then that means that…"
"Yes. She working for him this whole time. Tricking us into ensuring every step of his foul plan. Even Leah's birth was nothing more than a cog in his machine."
"But… how?" Ming asked in horror. "How could he have planned for her? Why is she so important?"
"Because… Because Leah's father is the Dark Wanderer. Formally known as Prince Aidan, the eldest son of King Leoric. And at the time, a vessel for Diablo himself."
"So Leah was sired with his twisted energy." Ishtar understood. "But then that means that Adria gave herself willingly to him. She gave birth to Leah knowing what her fate would be." Her hands clenched tightly, her knuckles turning white. "We must find her and make her suffer."
"Forget about Adria for now. She's not important. Diablo is now the Prime Evil. Tathamet reborn. He marches against the High Heavens, and plans to destroy it all. We have to stop him."
"Oh, we will. We will destroy him and end Leah's torment. He will not succeed against us. Stay here and heal." But Tyrael shook his head and got to his feet.
"I've healed enough. My home is under siege, and my brothers and sisters will require aid. We've stopped Diablo before many times. This time will be no different."
"I hope you're right." Lyndon said quietly. "Because I'm not leaving until we save Leah."
The ten of them stepped through the portal, not completely certain of what would wait for them on the other side.
Ok, we're getting closer to ending this part. Sorry about this if anyone's getting tired of this part and want to see Dresden in action again. I didn't realise just how long it was going to take me to do it all. I'm actually thinking of stopping it after the next chapter, and get back to the present. Let me know in a review if you want me to do Westmarch or just skip it for later.
Now, obviously those who have played Diablo 3 know that there was no splitting up the party. I just thought that was a good way to show Lyndon and Kormac becoming better buddies. And if you think about it, your companions are more vulnerable than your Nephalem characters. It makes sense that they wouldn't be able to just walk up and kill a demon on their own. I hope you enjoyed that little extra part.
And finally, the rescuing of the guards near the end. In the cutscene itself, Leah gets possessed by Diablo who then creates the portal and enters the High Heavens. But afterwards, several NPCs are found dead in the keep. It's pretty much implied that Diablo killed them all for fun. So having the fight explains why the Nephalem couldn't stop Adria's plan. Instead of having your character just sit back and listen to her monologue.