Ch3: Deckard Cain Rescue Mission
After we all used the warp circle to travel to Old Tristram again, we were pleased to find out that, after barfing once again onto the ground while Leah unlocked the gate, mom, thanks to my getting rid of the worst of her toxic stomach bile, was now only able to cough up zombie dogs to aid us in battle. "Here, let me open the gate for you," Leah said as she did just that, the way to Adria's cottage now clear for our group.
"My mother used to live in the cottage that we're going to. I never met her because she left me in Uncle Deckard's care and she died a little bit afterwards," Leah explained as we went across the cobblestone path to get to the entrance of the cottage. "And what about your father?" I asked her. "He was once a brave hero who died during the battles against Diablo in Old Tristram. He was a very brave man," Leah said. I didn't have the heart to tell her that her father was Aiden, the vessel for Diablo. But as much as I hated to say it, that part had to happen... but a huge part of my undead soul wanted to prevent that from ever happening because of how kind and lovable Leah was... it was as if I were beginning to get attracted to her and I was feeling bad for thinking that...
It was then that we finally arrived at the cottage and Leah discovered the cellar. "Look! There's a cellar! Let's see what's inside," Leah said as she went for the entrance and climbed down the ladder, me and mom following suit as well as our 2 zombie dogs. After making it to the cellar, I decided to ask her something. "Did anyone say anything about your mother before? Because this cellar looks like it belongs to one who practices witchcraft," I frowned at her. "People always said she was a witch... but I never believed it," Leah gulped as we all went to the center of the cellar and we were immediately ambushed by zombies and the undead corpse of Captain Daltyn.
"I don't think these guys are friendly. Boys, attack the bad zombies!" mom exclaimed to the dogs, the two of them rushing forward and attacking the first few zombies that rose from the dead as I turned my attention to Captain Daltyn. I immediately cut off his head before he could attack and had to slice it in half when his body still moved without it. "Sorry Daltyn... forgive me," I frowned as I took the Cathedral key from his corpse and went over to Leah. "I found some journals left by my mother. What I found was quite disturbing. I'll meet you back in Tristram. Please go save my uncle!" Leah gulped. "You got it, Leah. Off to save Deckard Cain!" I smirked as me and my mom followed Leah to the exit of the cellar and we were immediately ambushed by some zombies breaking through the side entrance.
"Leah, you get back to the warp circle while me and mom deal with these zombies," I exclaimed, Leah doing just that as me, mom, and our 2 zombie dogs began to attack the zombies, obliterating them with ease. "I still don't get how this is at all possible... to be warped from our own world to a video game world? And we've been turned into highly-intelligent zombies? It's so surreal," mom admitted as we made our way forward past the mass grave and continued our bad zombie slaughter until we reached the entrance to the Cathedral.
"So we need to go into this church, do we?" mom asked. "Yep. There is a fallen star at the very bottom of this place that has caused all of these zombies to rise from the dead. Leah was there when the star impacted and witnessed her uncle be blasted to the lower levels of the Cathedral. We need to rescue him before he gets into trouble," I explained as we destroyed some more zombies and jumped down the first hole, emerging to the first level of the Cathedral's basement.
It was then that we realized that the way to the next level down was just a single long hallway that had only a few different turns as we proceeded onward, killing enemies ranging from Risen Dead, Grotesques, Skeleton Soldiers, and Carrion Bats. It didn't take long at all for me and mom to make it to a set of stairs that led to the lower levels of the chapel, which we quickly descended. And once we finally descended the stairs, we heard noises and looked to the top left corner to see an old man escaping skeletal soldiers and we were met with the visage of the Skeleton King, King Leoric.
"K-King Leoric..." Deckard gaped at his visage. "The Fallen Star awakened me! Now I will make you all suffer as I have suffered! Guards! Bring me his bones!" Leoric exclaimed as he disappeared and skeletons began to appear out of thin air, attempting to attack Deckard right away. "H-Help!" he exclaimed aloud as me, mom, and our zombie dogs quickly descended the stairs and began to attack the skeletons with ease.
"Yo, skeletons! Wanna have some bones? Why not take on some undead ladies for a chance?!" mom exclaimed as she brandished a large staff that she had found on the way down here, hitting the heads off of the Skeleton Soldiers as I did the same with my sword. It was then that the mini boss came out and, just like with Captain Daltyn, me and mom made quick work of him by means of mom smashing off his head and then crushing it with a single swing of her staff.
"You okay, Deckard? Leah sent us to come get you," I smiled at him. But I could tell by his face that he was stunned at me and mom's appearances... as well as the zombie dogs beginning to gnaw on some of the skeleton's bones. "I'm amazed... not one, but 2 Risen Dead that are sentient? Tell me, what are your names?" Deckard asked me and mom as we all headed for the secret passage to the church gardens. "My name is Lisa. Lisa Farthing," I smiled. "And I'm her mother, Janet Farthing... rgh... e-excuse me a second..." mom gagged as she soon puked onto the ground, revealing a small imp afterwards, one that looked female.
"Wait... you're not just a risen dead, but a wretched mother?" Deckard Cain gaped as the little female imp smiled at mom and rode on the back of one of the zombie dogs, making me smirk a bit. "Y-Yeah... but thanks to my daughter, I don't spit up disgusting evil as before," mom smirked. "We must discuss this upon arrival to New Tristram. The End Days may be a thing of the past with you two on our side," Deckard said as he used the warp circle with us following suit.