[ST] - Venturing out into a different world

This Friday's story will lead us out into the world, a very special one I may add - though sadly no creation of my own thoughts. The realm I'm talking about goes by the name of 'Sanctuary' and might ring a bell for many many people out there. It' is fairly known for being the favorite world to invade by the Prime Evil Diablo and his two brothers from the similar named series of Diablo created by Blizzard Entertainment.

Yes another Blizzard game and yes another fanfict. I know I know, but I did not however in this special case write it just for the fun of it, but with a  goal in mind. You see, there was this little private kind of giveaway for a Beta-key for Diablo III on a German forum and I just had to try my luck.

The text I ended up writing isn't too long all in all, picturing a barbarian and his followers venturing down into the catacombs below the cathedral of (New) Tristram.
Overall I put roughly an hour's worth of work into it and for that I'm rather pleased with the outcome. It's a one-shot so you need not worry that I'll come up with more of these, though you never know until it happens ... or doesn't happen... which is kinda, yeah you get the idea.

Enjoy!


*~*


My fingers tremble under the weight of the jagged crown I’m holding onto far too tightly. It’s such a frail little thing and still it wouldn’t even let my hands that are accustomed to carrying only the heaviest of axes come to a rest. But soon enough they shall take back up the things they are more proficient with.

Standing in front of his throne, the old husk of bones binding the Black King to the mortal world rests only a few steps away from me and I hesitate. A feature the hot-headed barbarians of the North are not commonly known for, it is often forgotten that there are the few amongst even us that can guide their fury to their own ends.

How long has it taken to find this room amidst all the darkness inhabiting this shattered place? How long has it taken to carve a way through all the hallways filled by his servants? I don’t know... Speaking truthfully: I don’t quite remember the time I spend killing. Countless skeletons had been shattered over the course of the night. Countless more mindless zombies followed being ripped apart by cold steal and the flurry of blows I unleash once the rage was set free.

But it isn’t solely about slaying the mindless ones just for the fun of it, for the thrill of battle. No. There is but a cause to this madness that drives me deeper and deeper into the catacombs of this here monastery. Otherwise I would not be standing here right now.

The Skeleton King has emerged from his dreamless slumber yet again, raising his minions by the hundreds as he lingers within these halls. Dead and immortal his spirit governs over the graves of many, resurrecting them as he pleases. Threatening to swallow this part of our world as a whole in the name of the Prime Evil, he continues to build his army of loyal servants. Spreading the decease of undeath along the way that has taken so many before, he scorches the land like a plague, leaving nothing behind in his wake.

The people of New Tristram, residing so close to the source, begged me for my aid. They offered whatever they could muster as a reward, but of what use is gold for me? And still I quickly decided to face this immortal foe and put the rumors to the test. There are so many other things that drive me, though none of it is greed.

Yet even I, a simple brute searching for the perfect fight and the life-long opponent, knows as much that my axe would not be able to damage a ghost.

But there is a way as I was to find out. There is a way to bind him again to a mortal coil. To bind his spirit to his body and then end his presence in our realm once and for all. It was the crown I needed. With this token of his former life the apparition should be forced back into his mangled corpse, a vessel I will be able to destroy.

So here I stand, inches away of what could be either a pitiful ruse or a chance for me to die. Not that it mattered as the bittersweet anticipation for the fight to come already washed over me.

Would he offer what I seek?

Who knows? Though I highly doubt it due to the current circumstances...

Am I alone? Yes, and no. The darkness residing in this place makes sure for us to see as little as possible of each other, but they are here with me. Sadly for me, but fortunately for the inhabitants of New Tristram I am not the only one who followed their call.

The moment I finally step up to King Leoric’s corpse a swift gust of wind sweeps through our little group, bringing along a relentless chill to mind and body. Our warmth not yet fully taken from us I carefully set the crown onto his head.

Wary of what might be upon us, I step back, my hands already taking up my trusted axes.

His laughter is carried into the room as the wind picks up again, this time though not ceasing anymore. The voice grows louder and louder as the whole room shakes under tremors. A moment later it’s over already, everything still the same. Filled with disbelief I stare at my companions, had this been a trick after all?

The moment my lust for battle almost faded the corpse of Leoric seemed to move, renewing the fire inside me. His fingers clutched the side of his throne, the right hand reaching for his weapon hiding out in the shadows close by not far next to his resting place, the Black King emerges with a vile laughter. The mace smashes onto the ground, the place of impact clearly visible I hear something that immediately lets the hearts of my companions drop.

The bridge far behind us crumbled and fell into the abyss as the moans of his servants buried together with him in this room picked up to a choir of death.

Well met, King Leoric.

I charge at him, my weapons ready to lash out at his frail vessel as his maniacal laughter meets my own.

Well met indeed.


*~*


And there you go. Unfortunately it did not end up to be enough to actually win the key, but well - it was a rather subjective little contest and it doesn't matter too much. In the end I at least had a bit of fun coming up with this short scrap of text.

Either way I hope you enjoyed reading it as well.
As always thanks for reading, have a great weekend and prepare for the 15th of May, as hell is once again unleashed in Sanctuary! (yay)
Marc, barbarian in training

Just to be on the safe side of things: I do not own any rights for anything related to the Diablo series. It's all Blizzard Entertainment's stuff! Sue them, not me..! Which in this case would most likely mean sue err.. yourself?