Diablo:The Beginning of new Anguish

The realization that hell was practically on my heels did not set in until four or five demons were nearly upon me.

As I realized this I figured if I willed the demons to fall over I might have a chance at getting away, fighting was not an option right now.

As I heard feet stumble I knew that perhaps it worked, I hoped that it worked for I was not going to look back, not after coming this far.

The demons screamed apparently frustrated and angry. I looked up at the tree branches I was avoiding and decided if there roots can tie me up then perhaps the branches could be a nuisance.

I willed the branches to come down and strike the demons, hoping to slow them down as I ran.

The demons angry cries were all I needed to confirm what I was doing was working. I continued running as fast as I can willing myself to go faster after every moment hoping that I actually was.

Hours passed as I continued running, I could feel my lungs growing heavy, I would have to stop soon. There was no sign of demons behind me anymore but I was not going to take the chance.

My focus turned to finding water, I sensed a running stream nearby and decided that is to be my destination. I focused on seeing if demons were around and it was safe but I could not sense any demons nearby.

As I approached the stream I slowed looking around at my surroundings. I had no idea where I was, I assumed I must be getting close to the mountain pass into the desert.

As I knelt down beside the stream I noticed dead fish floating by on the surface, the water was tainted. I swore aloud wondering how far away the next source of water would be and if it was going to be contaminated as well.

An Idea formed into my head and I smiled wondering why I did not think of this before. I put my hand in the water and willed it to be free of any taint.

I sat and watched, I spotted another dead fish floating by. Had it worked? I grabbed a handful of water and inspected it. It did not seem tainted but I would not have noticed it was if I had not spotted the dead fish.

A drank some of it and it tasted good, not waiting any longer I pulled out my canteen and filled it with the water and quickly drank every ounce of it. I came to the conclusion that I was dehydrated. I had not noticed before how bad my throat was parched but I quickly filled up my bottle at least seven more times and drank it all before filling it up again and putting it away.

My thoughts set on the setting sun, it would be dark soon. Hard to believe the day slipped away so fast. Running from demons, battling demons, encountering angels, all in one day took a toll on my mind and I was exhausted.

As I found a nice tree to lay against I remembered the nightmares. Will they return? Will they consume me? I felt my eyes drop, the world became a rather blur, as I fell into a deep dark sleep.
The screams echoed, the demonic laughter was deafening as I scurried about. I was lost in darkness.

Suddenly red eyes appeared all around me laughing in delight. A cloaked demon stepped forward.

“Hello little mortal.” Azmodan hissed. “You robbed me today, and you'll be punished for it.”

“No!”I yelled searching for my bow but it was not where to be found.

“Looking for this?” Azmodan held out my bow with a twisted smile. “Along with this?” He then held out my knife in the other hand.

I backed up only to bump into a demon, started I turned quickly away from it backing up into another, then another. They were closing in around me.

I decided to lash out with my fists but only struck air, the demons were laughing in delight as I failed to hit them.

Suddenly Azmodan was upon me. “I believe I'll take you as my prize.” He said whispering into my ear. “You better start moving that tree your sleeping under wont protect you from me.”

I jolted awake sitting up breathing heavily. I reached for my bow and to my satisfaction it was there. I grabbed it and wondered if I had enough time to hunt a small animal. Perhaps hunting for berries will have to suffice for my early morning meal.

I decided it would have to do, I quickly quenched my early morning thirst and refilled my canteen and took off.

As I ran my nightmare returned to my thoughts. Normally I was able to control these things but this time it was different. Azmodan was more cunning than I had first believed.

Shaking my head and focusing on a berry bush I accidentally stumbled upon one. I smiled to myself thinking that it would take all morning to come across one.

I quickly picked nearly all the food off the bush and put a few into my pouch and eating the rest.

Smiling as my hunger was satisfied, I quickly started off on my trek east. The mountain pass to the desert was my destination. At the pace I am traveling I should reach the pass by midday.

The run was surprisingly peaceful, I was still shaken by the events I witnessed yesterday and I hoped there would be more angels trying to combat the demons. They were great allies to have.

My focus suddenly turned toward the road that was nearby, I sensed travelers heading east. Perhaps I should warn them of the demon threat if they were not aware already.

I ran out onto the road and to my surprise it was not just people it was a caravan. There were soldiers who were protecting the travelers oddly enough there was only a few travelers.

One of the soldiers saw me and told everyone to stop, he went over to a short man he wore blue garments and whispered something to him.
They both started coming toward my way and I walked toward them.

“Greetings traveler.” He said in a cheerful manner. “What brings you this way?”

“I am heading east. To Lut Gholein.” I told him.

“Why that's where my caravan is heading, you are welcome to travel along if you wish, we have food and shelter and camping material.”

“Thank you, I believe I will take you up on this offer, also may I ask are you aware of the demons roaming these lands?”

The man laughed. “Demons? Have not seen or heard the like in nearly twenty years. Although I did hear rumors that there was a demon army north near Bastions Keep in the Barbarian lands.”

“Well sad to say those rumors are correct and demons have started terrorizing these lands Bramwell has already been destroyed.”

The soldier and the man stared at me in disbelief.

“Should we send news to Tristram?” The guard asked the man.

“It will be useless. I have seen this army with my own eyes and it does not matter how much warning you give them there defenses will fail.”

“I believe our only action would be to quickly head east.” The short man said. “I don't believe Lut Gholein has suffered any attacks yet and they must be warned.”

“I'll go tell the others we are going to quicken our pace.” The soldier said heading back to the caravan.

“Oh where are my manners?” The short man said to me. “I am Warriv.”

“Warriv?” I said astonished. “I have not seen you in nearly twenty years!”

“Do I know you?” He asked.

“I traveled with your caravan to Lut Gholein after the monastery was cleansed, after the death of the Andarial.

Warriv seemed to shiver a little when I mentioned her name. “Ah yes I remember you now. It's good to see you are still alive.”

“Likewise. So have you been running the caravan back and fourth between here and Lut Gholein for the last twenty years?”

“When the rouges need supplies I travel east and get them. Also its nice to see old friends again. We can talk later lets get the caravan moving again we must make haste.”

We did not travel at my speed but it was nice talking with people, by late evening we finally made it through the pass and we were now heading into the desert. I spoke with a young family that was heading east to find a new place to live, they wanted to experience life in the desert.

“Well as you may know it's completely really hot.” I said smiling at them.

They laughed. The father was tall and skinny and to me seemed like he had not eaten in years. But he was really cheerful and optimistic. I admired that in him.

“Yea I know.” He said to me. “But hey its something new and perhaps if were lucky we might find something we like.”

So far Warriv only told the soldiers about the demon threat, I found it sad that there dreams would be shattered and they would probably wind up dead.

The mother carried a small baby girl in her arms.

“How old is she?” I asked.

“She has been a blessing to us for a year.” She said smiling.

“May I hold her?” I asked.

“Sure.” She handed me the baby and I took her and held her gently.

I looked at her, forcing myself not to cry, such a beautiful baby, and if she does somehow survive she will be growing up in a completely hellish environment.

“What is her name?” I asked handing back the baby to her mother.

“Her name is Anna.” She said.

“That's a beautiful name.”

“Thank you.”

The temperature suddenly changed, the nice cool climate was no more. The desert was unusually hot, at least the sun was setting but that did not help the heat.

The baby started moving around obviously uncomfortable in the heat.

“How long will we travel?” I yelled at warriv.

“Until it is nearly dark!” He shouted back.

I was not comfortable with the pace we were moving at, the sun was setting. If Azmodan send a squad of demons after me then this caravan was not safe.

Nightfall came and we set up camp.

“We should be in Lut Gholein by tomorrow at midday.” Warriv told us as we sat around the campfire.

As I lay down my eyes nearly shut I heard strange voices inside my head, not just any voice though it was the voice of Azmodan.

“Don't fall asleep.” he said in a mocking voice. “You are my trophy and I would hate to see the cultists I sent after the caravan to slit your throat in your sleep. You should get out of there, all I want is the child.”

I snapped awake interrupting the demons horrific laugh. I closed my eyes and tried to come to my senses, was the demon telling the truth or was he just tormenting me?

As I stood up I noticed something move far off into the distance. I woke up the soldiers and Warriv.

“What is it lad?” Warriv asked.

“There are things moving out in the distance. I don't think they are friendly.”

The soldiers went on guard as they heard me say this looking out into the desert.

“I fear they may be after the child.” I said to the captain and Warriv.

“How would you know this and why would they be after the child?”

“I just feel it, trust me please.”

“Alright.” Warriv said sighing.

Suddenly there was a scream, one of the soldiers was not accounted for.

I pulled out my bow closed my eyes and focused on where they were. I shot my arrow off into the distance.

The soldier came crawling back into the camp a dagger sticking out of its back he shuddered and lay still.

“Be on guard!” The captain yelled.

Suddenly they were upon us, people wearing dark cloaks and long swords in there hands, they were skilled and charged at the soldiers.

I smiled knowing they were just men. I shot an arrow at one of them, it hit them where there face would be and they fell over dead.

I looked over at another soldier being hard pressed by one of the cultists, I shot an arrow at him slaying him instantly as it landed in his neck.

The soldier turned to me and nodded and continued on with the fight.

I heard a scream from the mother. “They have my child!” She yelled.

I quickly ran over to her. “Which way did they go?”

She pointed at one of the dark figured running out of the camp into the distance, I quickly started running after him. I could hear the baby's cries in the distance.

Little did the cultist I was chasing know that I was faster and stronger than him. He would not live long. I willed the desert sand in front of him to fly into his face. I watched with satisfaction as I saw him tumble to the ground trying to get sand out of his eyes.

I quickly came upon him, turning him over. Something was not right I no longer heard the babies cries.

“Where is the child!” I said holding the knife to his throat.

He laughed and spit in my face.

I punched him. “Where is the child!” I said again.

“You fool, I don't have the child.”

I cursed myself for falling for such a trap I quickly turned to see if any attackers were coming at me.

The man laughed again. “You are not so bright.”

I grabbed my bow and shot an arrow into his head and turned to run toward the camp.

Something was wrong. As I neared the camp I could no longer see the soldiers fighting or any fighting for that matter. As I approached I heard sobs, I went over to the mother.

“What happened?” I asked. “Did everyone die?” I looked around but there were no bodies to be found except the two cultists I killed. “Did they run off?”

The women continued crying her face buried into her hands.

“Please.” I begged. “Tell me what happened, where is the child?”

Suddenly the women stopped crying and started making another sound. I stared in disbelief was this women laughing? Clearly she had gone insane.

She looked up to me and I jumped back reaching for my bow, I found myself staring at her, staring into her deep red glowing eyes that seemed so mesmerizing I watched her smile, and her razor sharp teeth glinted as the light of the slowly dieing fire danced upon them.