As Zethrael and the others started their march, a dark shroud began to hover over the demonic horde. Every step Zethrael took resulted in the earth at his feet being scorched and burned. Even with his flames completely extinguished, the only thing that remained behind him was the charred smoldering remains of plants.
Damarus chimed in, telling the horde of several tasks that were required of them before the assault on the town. One task caught Zethrael's attention. "A band of local heroes is staying in one of the taverns... they should be moving on soon. If my sources are correct, they recently defended two other towns from a demon invasion. Taking them out is imperative."
"My skills would be best used in head on combat, so am ready to move on the tavern to remove the band of heroes from this world, Damarus." said Zethrael. The burning eagerness to slaughter the heroes lingered on each word that left his blazing furnace-like mouth.
Zethrael bellowed a deep wicked laugh at the sight of the Paladin squealing away what he had surely promised to never tell.
"Now, demons, we march upon Thurzen."
Damarus stepped out of the cavern, and light began to permeate through the black smoke, which was now dissipating out the cave opening. Zethrael, relaxed after the slaughter, followed the leader of the demon squad into the daylight.
Zethrael emerged into a world he had nearly forgotten. Foul skies of blue, a bright green growth covered the ground, even the animals that he could see were odd to him.
Damarus spoke again, "This will all be ours in time."
"Indeed"
The black charcoal smoke slowly billowed out of the cave, and started to cast a foreboding shadow that gradually engulfed the meadow as if predicting the spread of evil that would soon march across this world.
Zethrael used the bone spear as the perfect distraction to get within reach of the knight, unseen.
In a deep, menacing voice, Zethrael muttered "Behind you" into the ear of the knight.
The Paladin, caught off guard, whirled around to meet face to face with the terrible shadow demon. But before he could deliver a single blow, Zethrael latched his flaming hands onto the holy shield and hurled the Knight of Zakarum sailing through the air. Zethrael's hands were seared from where they contacted the shield, but he dared not to show the slightest grimace. Not amongst these creatures of Hell.
"Join the fight, coward knight!" Zethrael mocked as he catapulted the Paladin into the fray. The warrior hit with a loud metallic thud which sent the shield clattering away from his grasp. And now the Knight of Zakarum was truly afraid, for he lie directly in the center of the demon warriors, and without his shield.
"Feast my brothers!!" The shadow demon announced with wicked glee.
A whip cracks. A beast snarls. They move in for the kill.
Zethrael's thoughts wavered for moment, as he forgot how disorienting it was to be summoned into Sanctuary.
"Demons! THEY HAVE DEMONS!!" A human voice cried out.
The fear pouring from these mortals fed Zethrael's hunger, which hadn't been sated by human fear in ages. Something felt different from the last time he was on Sanctuary. He no longer felt drained as he once did 300 years ago. He felt... himself. As if he was still in Hell. The Worldstone! It's power has been weakened!
"Do not lose faith men, the light shall see us through this test!" shouted a dark skinned man clad in shining armor, and carrying a large gilded shield and an ornate scepter.
"Knight of Zakarum, you shall tremble before us!" Zethrael bellowed out, his voice pulsing with dreadful shrieks of a thousand slain souls.
Zethrael marched through the ranks of soldiers towards the knight of Zakarum, the soldiers in the way posed little threat. Flames erupted from the shadow demon's back, and thick black sulfuric smoke billowed from his body, damping the light slightly. A nearby cultist is struck with an arrow, and from the wound explodes a demon imp screeching with evil glee.
A soldier more courageous than the rest ran at Zethrael, sword primed to strike at the demon. The man's courage quickly faltered as Zethrael palmed the soldier's head, the human's flesh bubbling as the searing heat from the demon's hand melted the skin. The man's screams were quickly silenced as his face erupted in flames. Zethrael hurled the rag doll human at the Paladin, who ducked under his shield, shrugging off the blow.
"You shall not survive this!"Bellowed Zethrael, taunting the man again.
The shadow demon reached his smoldering hands in the direction of the Knight of Zakarum and flames erupted all around the human. But the flames were quickly diminished as the air around the paladin seemed unnaturally cold. And just as Zethrael concentrated his fury at the human to amplify the blazing fire, a cultist fleeing for his life collided with the shadow demon, disrupting his spell. Zethrael roared out in disgust, and slammed his now flaming fist into the cultist, the man's body crashed to the floor, blood splashing out from his skull.
One of the other demons had already begun to push a black mist towards the Paladin. I'll show him real darkness. He thought.
"You can quell my fire, but how can you fight if you can't see." Thick soot and smoke spilled from the shadow demon, quickly engulfing the whole of his being. Even the gleaming flames in the demon's eyes were drowned in the dark cloud. Barely a moment passed and the entirety of the room was filled with the ash and smoke, obscuring all sight. The Knight of Zakarum's white light faded and the grip on his scepter loosened. The few humans who remained to fight coughed in the thick charcoal air.
"I can smell you, Zakarum." Zethrael boasted, as he began to make his way through the charcoal air directly towards the knight.
Zethrael's ruse had succeeded. He felt the power of the spider demon suck the air from around him, and he gasped for a moment from the sudden attack. Zethrael restrained himself from exploding a pillar of fire from the ground upon which Basoriel stood. Surely engulfing Basoriel in fire wouldn't have been enough, for this was a mage demon. And as Lord Diablo instructed, the best way to deal with mages is through physical means.
What this minion of Namphiel didn't realize is that when you are a being of fire, you require significantly less air to sustain yourself. And while most any other demons would have collapsed from the show of skill, Zethrael feigned a choke until the minion released him.
"Now... have we any real questions, or shall we tempt me once more?"
Zethrael bowed his head slightly and held back a smirk.
"If at all possible, capture any angels you find, as they can be used in some... particularly nasty summoning rituals, and as you see from your comrade, can turn on their masters within several decades of demonic taint."
Angels?Zethrael thought. An Archangel would prove an interesting opponent. He remembered hearing stories of Archangels bringing lesser demons to their knees with only their thoughts.
"I apologize oh mighty mage Basoriel. Send us on our way so that we may do Namphiel's bidding and wreak havoc in Sanctuary." Zethrael showed respect, but emphasized "Namphiel's" to remind Basoriel that the Lord had picked Zethrael for a reason. Should he and Basoriel have another confrontation, he would show that he isn't as weak as Basoriel's sources assumed.
Something about this Demon Lord reminded Zethrael about the his Master's brother, Baal. Maybe it was the way his fingers would brush his temple as he sat on his throne, or perhaps it was the way he pondered every word that would leave his mouth. Or maybe it was what Namphiel feared. His fears did not rest on things like death or dismemberment, his fears were much worse than that. For he simply feared failure at the hands of the Prime Evils.
And that was what interested Zethrael. The Prime Evils! They have returned. But does that mean Lord Diablo has forgiven my past transgressions? If my Lord knew where I was, He could have punished me whenever He wanted.
"Some of you possess armies, some of you estates and followers. All will be enlisted to this cause, and all have been sent to report to the Chaos Sanctuary, our lord Diablo awaits them..."
It is true! Perhaps my Lord isn't angry with me. Did I do well in His stead? Well this will be my chance to prove I am not the young weakling demon I once was when I confronted Belial.
Zethrael followed along with the other demons to the next chamber, just as massive as the previous. Again there were circles and runes inscribed on the floor, but in place of a throne was a stone alter, stained by countless sacrifices. And upon that alter lie a human, bound at the wrists and ankles with jagged steel that dug deep into his flesh. But he wasn't dead just yet, for his purpose was soon to come.
"Now... as for a leader, you will do quite nicely." Basoriel said, pointing to Damarus.
"I will not fail our cause." Damarus said solemnly, confident in his ability to lead this expedition.
Zethrael wondered what this demon had done in his life? Had he led the minions of Diablo head on into the war machines of Azmodon? Had he stood toe to toe in battle with the Lord of Sin himself?No, he had not.
"Are there any questions before this summoning commences? We cannot wait long, we must begin as soon as possible."
"Questions?" Zethrael spoke, "There are many, but all are beyond your knowledge, spiderling." Zethrael mocked as he stepped onto one of the runed circles.
Black. As far as the immortal eye can see is only the ink like darkness, save for one light source. The jagged Chasm of Avarice rips across the charcoal landscape and plunges deep into the onyx colored terrain. Black smoke billows up from the great chasm, obscuring some of the light so that only flickers of orange and yellow creep through.
The one place where he wouldn't be searched for. This was his domain.
Something small skitters. A flash of red splits the darkness. Fangs. Talons. Tail. The tiny creature runs as fast as it can. It skids suddenly to a halt, black sand scrapes, pebbles bounce. The small red scaled head flicks from side to side, beady yellow eyes darting back and forth. Heavy panicked breaths exhale from a hole in its face, edged with needle like bones jutting from the flesh.
Smoke, darker than the surrounding landscape, begins to trickle from a crack in the slate-like earth. It works its way upwards glancing off the underbelly of the red demon. His eyes flare wide. Panic sets in. He runs. But he never had a chance to escape evil of this magnitude. The trickle of sooty smoke follows every footstep of the little red demon, until it suddenly vanishes.
A massive billowing cloud of smoke explodes from the obsidian ground just in front of the red demon. Pointed black stone flies in all directions. The red demon slides to a stop. Knees shaking.
Through the shadow and smoke two faint yellow specs of light begin to emerge. Eyes. Then two thick, black, scaled wings rip through the smoke as the beast of darkness lunges forth. A clawed onyx colored hand grabs the throat of the little red creature, the demonic fingers wrapping all the way around the neck.
The shadow demon's jaws part to reveal a burning furnace of horror and trepidation. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" Boomed the monstrous creature."WHO SENT YOU?!" Jets of fire flicking from his eyes and mouth inches from the face of the red imp.
For the red devilkin, the face of the shadow demon was much more terrifying. The shadow demon's eyes bore straight into the soul of the imp and saw his worst fears and brought them to the front of the devilkin's mind. Glimpses of unimaginable deaths at the hands of this black archfiend formed in every minute plume of smoke that stretched from his body. Flames erupted from the back of the black monstrosity. If the red imp could cry, he would have. "I...I...I was just lost I...I...swear!" The terrified imp stammered.
The shadow demon's voice crackled with power as he spoke again. "I AM THE PRINCE OF DREAD!! KNOW THAT AND FLEE FROM THIS PLACE FOR ALL OF ETERNITY!!" He roared, as he flung the red imp flying through the air.
The devilkin smacked on the hard obsidian ground. Bones cracked, and he grimaced. But much worse would happen to him if he stayed. The little imp limped off as quickly as his feeble body could take him.
The Prince of Dread, Zethrael let his flames die down and his smoke dissipate. The Prince relaxed for a split second when he felt a tug at the edge of his mind.
"NO!" The Prince's flames exploded forth from his body, burning a fierce blue. His wings snapped outwards. Zethrael desperately dug his claws into the shale and slate, but it was a futile attempt to prevent the inevitable.
The world shifted to nothingness and Zethrael clawed at emptiness for a moment, and realized that this summoning was different than his last. A different Demon Lord was calling on him. With this knowledge, the Prince stood a little taller, pulled his wings in a bit, and let his fire extinguish itself.
His world shifted again, and Zethrael found solid footing in a magnificent hall. Before him were several demons standing on elaborately runed circles much like the one he currently stood on. He knew none of the demons here save one. The demon Lord Namphiel perched on his obsidian throne. This was a demon Lord, but he was no Lord of Terror. Nothing Namphiel could do would instill the fear like Zethrael had experienced at the hands of Lord Diablo. Or so he thought.
"Why have I been summoned?" Zethrael asked boldly.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Damarus chimed in, telling the horde of several tasks that were required of them before the assault on the town. One task caught Zethrael's attention. "A band of local heroes is staying in one of the taverns... they should be moving on soon. If my sources are correct, they recently defended two other towns from a demon invasion. Taking them out is imperative."
"My skills would be best used in head on combat, so am ready to move on the tavern to remove the band of heroes from this world, Damarus." said Zethrael. The burning eagerness to slaughter the heroes lingered on each word that left his blazing furnace-like mouth.
"Now, demons, we march upon Thurzen."
Damarus stepped out of the cavern, and light began to permeate through the black smoke, which was now dissipating out the cave opening. Zethrael, relaxed after the slaughter, followed the leader of the demon squad into the daylight.
Zethrael emerged into a world he had nearly forgotten. Foul skies of blue, a bright green growth covered the ground, even the animals that he could see were odd to him.
Damarus spoke again, "This will all be ours in time."
"Indeed"
The black charcoal smoke slowly billowed out of the cave, and started to cast a foreboding shadow that gradually engulfed the meadow as if predicting the spread of evil that would soon march across this world.
In a deep, menacing voice, Zethrael muttered "Behind you" into the ear of the knight.
The Paladin, caught off guard, whirled around to meet face to face with the terrible shadow demon. But before he could deliver a single blow, Zethrael latched his flaming hands onto the holy shield and hurled the Knight of Zakarum sailing through the air. Zethrael's hands were seared from where they contacted the shield, but he dared not to show the slightest grimace. Not amongst these creatures of Hell.
"Join the fight, coward knight!" Zethrael mocked as he catapulted the Paladin into the fray. The warrior hit with a loud metallic thud which sent the shield clattering away from his grasp. And now the Knight of Zakarum was truly afraid, for he lie directly in the center of the demon warriors, and without his shield.
"Feast my brothers!!" The shadow demon announced with wicked glee.
A whip cracks. A beast snarls. They move in for the kill.
"Demons! THEY HAVE DEMONS!!" A human voice cried out.
The fear pouring from these mortals fed Zethrael's hunger, which hadn't been sated by human fear in ages. Something felt different from the last time he was on Sanctuary. He no longer felt drained as he once did 300 years ago. He felt... himself. As if he was still in Hell. The Worldstone! It's power has been weakened!
"Do not lose faith men, the light shall see us through this test!" shouted a dark skinned man clad in shining armor, and carrying a large gilded shield and an ornate scepter.
"Knight of Zakarum, you shall tremble before us!" Zethrael bellowed out, his voice pulsing with dreadful shrieks of a thousand slain souls.
Zethrael marched through the ranks of soldiers towards the knight of Zakarum, the soldiers in the way posed little threat. Flames erupted from the shadow demon's back, and thick black sulfuric smoke billowed from his body, damping the light slightly. A nearby cultist is struck with an arrow, and from the wound explodes a demon imp screeching with evil glee.
A soldier more courageous than the rest ran at Zethrael, sword primed to strike at the demon. The man's courage quickly faltered as Zethrael palmed the soldier's head, the human's flesh bubbling as the searing heat from the demon's hand melted the skin. The man's screams were quickly silenced as his face erupted in flames. Zethrael hurled the rag doll human at the Paladin, who ducked under his shield, shrugging off the blow.
"You shall not survive this!" Bellowed Zethrael, taunting the man again.
The shadow demon reached his smoldering hands in the direction of the Knight of Zakarum and flames erupted all around the human. But the flames were quickly diminished as the air around the paladin seemed unnaturally cold. And just as Zethrael concentrated his fury at the human to amplify the blazing fire, a cultist fleeing for his life collided with the shadow demon, disrupting his spell. Zethrael roared out in disgust, and slammed his now flaming fist into the cultist, the man's body crashed to the floor, blood splashing out from his skull.
One of the other demons had already begun to push a black mist towards the Paladin. I'll show him real darkness. He thought.
"You can quell my fire, but how can you fight if you can't see." Thick soot and smoke spilled from the shadow demon, quickly engulfing the whole of his being. Even the gleaming flames in the demon's eyes were drowned in the dark cloud. Barely a moment passed and the entirety of the room was filled with the ash and smoke, obscuring all sight. The Knight of Zakarum's white light faded and the grip on his scepter loosened. The few humans who remained to fight coughed in the thick charcoal air.
"I can smell you, Zakarum." Zethrael boasted, as he began to make his way through the charcoal air directly towards the knight.
What this minion of Namphiel didn't realize is that when you are a being of fire, you require significantly less air to sustain yourself. And while most any other demons would have collapsed from the show of skill, Zethrael feigned a choke until the minion released him.
"Now... have we any real questions, or shall we tempt me once more?"
Zethrael bowed his head slightly and held back a smirk.
"If at all possible, capture any angels you find, as they can be used in some... particularly nasty summoning rituals, and as you see from your comrade, can turn on their masters within several decades of demonic taint."
Angels? Zethrael thought. An Archangel would prove an interesting opponent. He remembered hearing stories of Archangels bringing lesser demons to their knees with only their thoughts.
"I apologize oh mighty mage Basoriel. Send us on our way so that we may do Namphiel's bidding and wreak havoc in Sanctuary." Zethrael showed respect, but emphasized "Namphiel's" to remind Basoriel that the Lord had picked Zethrael for a reason. Should he and Basoriel have another confrontation, he would show that he isn't as weak as Basoriel's sources assumed.
And that was what interested Zethrael. The Prime Evils! They have returned. But does that mean Lord Diablo has forgiven my past transgressions? If my Lord knew where I was, He could have punished me whenever He wanted.
"Some of you possess armies, some of you estates and followers. All will be enlisted to this cause, and all have been sent to report to the Chaos Sanctuary, our lord Diablo awaits them..."
It is true! Perhaps my Lord isn't angry with me. Did I do well in His stead? Well this will be my chance to prove I am not the young weakling demon I once was when I confronted Belial.
Zethrael followed along with the other demons to the next chamber, just as massive as the previous. Again there were circles and runes inscribed on the floor, but in place of a throne was a stone alter, stained by countless sacrifices. And upon that alter lie a human, bound at the wrists and ankles with jagged steel that dug deep into his flesh. But he wasn't dead just yet, for his purpose was soon to come.
"Now... as for a leader, you will do quite nicely." Basoriel said, pointing to Damarus.
"I will not fail our cause." Damarus said solemnly, confident in his ability to lead this expedition.
Zethrael wondered what this demon had done in his life? Had he led the minions of Diablo head on into the war machines of Azmodon? Had he stood toe to toe in battle with the Lord of Sin himself? No, he had not.
"Are there any questions before this summoning commences? We cannot wait long, we must begin as soon as possible."
"Questions?" Zethrael spoke, "There are many, but all are beyond your knowledge, spiderling." Zethrael mocked as he stepped onto one of the runed circles.
The one place where he wouldn't be searched for. This was his domain.
Something small skitters. A flash of red splits the darkness. Fangs. Talons. Tail. The tiny creature runs as fast as it can. It skids suddenly to a halt, black sand scrapes, pebbles bounce. The small red scaled head flicks from side to side, beady yellow eyes darting back and forth. Heavy panicked breaths exhale from a hole in its face, edged with needle like bones jutting from the flesh.
Smoke, darker than the surrounding landscape, begins to trickle from a crack in the slate-like earth. It works its way upwards glancing off the underbelly of the red demon. His eyes flare wide. Panic sets in. He runs. But he never had a chance to escape evil of this magnitude. The trickle of sooty smoke follows every footstep of the little red demon, until it suddenly vanishes.
A massive billowing cloud of smoke explodes from the obsidian ground just in front of the red demon. Pointed black stone flies in all directions. The red demon slides to a stop. Knees shaking.
Through the shadow and smoke two faint yellow specs of light begin to emerge. Eyes. Then two thick, black, scaled wings rip through the smoke as the beast of darkness lunges forth. A clawed onyx colored hand grabs the throat of the little red creature, the demonic fingers wrapping all the way around the neck.
The shadow demon's jaws part to reveal a burning furnace of horror and trepidation. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" Boomed the monstrous creature. "WHO SENT YOU?!" Jets of fire flicking from his eyes and mouth inches from the face of the red imp.
For the red devilkin, the face of the shadow demon was much more terrifying. The shadow demon's eyes bore straight into the soul of the imp and saw his worst fears and brought them to the front of the devilkin's mind. Glimpses of unimaginable deaths at the hands of this black archfiend formed in every minute plume of smoke that stretched from his body. Flames erupted from the back of the black monstrosity. If the red imp could cry, he would have.
"I...I...I was just lost I...I...swear!" The terrified imp stammered.
The shadow demon's voice crackled with power as he spoke again. "I AM THE PRINCE OF DREAD!! KNOW THAT AND FLEE FROM THIS PLACE FOR ALL OF ETERNITY!!" He roared, as he flung the red imp flying through the air.
The devilkin smacked on the hard obsidian ground. Bones cracked, and he grimaced. But much worse would happen to him if he stayed. The little imp limped off as quickly as his feeble body could take him.
The Prince of Dread, Zethrael let his flames die down and his smoke dissipate. The Prince relaxed for a split second when he felt a tug at the edge of his mind.
"NO!" The Prince's flames exploded forth from his body, burning a fierce blue. His wings snapped outwards. Zethrael desperately dug his claws into the shale and slate, but it was a futile attempt to prevent the inevitable.
The world shifted to nothingness and Zethrael clawed at emptiness for a moment, and realized that this summoning was different than his last. A different Demon Lord was calling on him. With this knowledge, the Prince stood a little taller, pulled his wings in a bit, and let his fire extinguish itself.
His world shifted again, and Zethrael found solid footing in a magnificent hall. Before him were several demons standing on elaborately runed circles much like the one he currently stood on. He knew none of the demons here save one. The demon Lord Namphiel perched on his obsidian throne. This was a demon Lord, but he was no Lord of Terror. Nothing Namphiel could do would instill the fear like Zethrael had experienced at the hands of Lord Diablo. Or so he thought.
"Why have I been summoned?" Zethrael asked boldly.