DIABLO II: THE LORD OF DESTRUCTION

The Worldstone

by PJ

 

Qual Kehk held his burly arms across his wide chest as he watched the sun dip below the horizon. The chill wind ruffled Qual's wild, white hair, but the old warrior paid it no mind, he had stood upon the walls of Harrogath for most of his adult life, the battlements were his home, his place was upon them, guarding his Clan.

Qual looked over his shoulder when a gray-robed Elder wheezed up a staircase to join the old warrior. Qual sneered at the display of weakness, but smoothed his expression when the bony Elder caught his breath to address Qual.

"The..the ward is..failing, gasped the Elder, clutching at his thin chest.

"Aye, Aust warned me that the ward around Harrogath would die after a time," nodded Qual calmly.

"Only Aust knew the spell of warding, with him gone.."

"The Elders cannot renew Harrogath's barrier, the city is open to attack by the demons," finished Qual, sighing.

"What should we do?" trembled the Elder in the bitter cold of falling night.

"I do not think the demons will attack Harrogath, the Lord of Destruction is after the Worldstone. Anya has told me that Baal has the Relic of the Ancients, he will press on to Mount Arreat, we are safe enough for now, until the demon lord reaches the Worldstone."

"Then what happens?"

"We all die."

***

"I'm fine, Old Mother!" grinned Anya, fending off Malah's hands as she rose from her bed.

"You need to rest, child! Give your body time to heal properly!" scolded Malah, frowning darkly.

Anya teetered on her bare feet, she padded across the bedroom, raising her palms to warm them over a crackling fire.

"I'm tired of lying in bed all day, I should be helping you mind the shop."

"Business is slow, child, I can manage on my own," argued Malah, snatching Anya's right elbow. "Now back to bed this instant! No arguments!"

Anya looked down at the hunched old woman and sighed in resignation, then raised her head sharply when she heard a violent crash from the shop downstairs.

"Stay here!" hissed Malah when Anya broke away to peer out the open bedroom door. Anya narrowed her eyes, she clutched her hands to her chest when she heard the familiar, cruel giggling of succubi. Anya's thumping heart froze when she heard a deep, bone-chilling male voice, the voice of damnation personified.

Ignoring Malah's inquires, Anya rushed to the fireplace and removed the sheathed sword that hung upon the mantle. The barbarian girl drew the short blade, it was forged of silver and etched with powerful runes, Malah's husband had used it to slay raiding demonspawn when he served as a guard of Harrogath.

"Close the door behind me and latch it! Don't come down unless I say it's safe!" ordered Anya, going through the open door and walking down the short hall to the stairs that led down to the shop's back room.

"Don't go down there!" hissed Malah from the bedroom.

Anya pressed a finger to her lips, then padded to the top of the stairs, peering down cautiously. She barely heard the bedroom door close and latch, she smiled in relief before slowly descending the narrow staircase.

A succubus appeared at the foot of the stairs. She looked up, noticed Anya, and smiled widely, licking, wet, scarlet lips. With leather wings fluttering, the succubus raced up the stairs, sharp claws extended. Anya brandished her sword with both hands, then brought the blade down when the demon was in range. The succubus howled while clutching her right wrist, crimson eyes huge as steaming, black blood seared the wooden steps. Anya struck again quickly, opening the demon's blue throat. The barbarian girl raised her smoking sword and watched the struck succubus bounce down the staircase. A second succubus appeared just as the first demon crashed to the floor, she hissed up at Anya and twitched her wings.

The succubus hastily made way for a black-robed figure. The figure wore a heavy black cowl, he raised the cowl with a partially scaled right claw, black nails gleaming in the faint candlelight burning from the shop counter. The face was human, but disfigured with a bulging forehead covered in peeling red skin, crimson scales glistening underneath. The man wore a thick, tangled, black beard streaked with white, the nose was long and beaked. The robed man's black hair was missing in patches, more red scales were visible. The man licked his cracked lips with a long, black, serpentine tongue, his eyes were glowing crimson, with slitted black pupils.

"Drop your sword and come to me," rumbled the robed man, beckoning Anya with his right claw, his crimson eyes boring into her mind.

Anya's eyelids drooped, her lips parted as she slowly lowered her suddenly heavy blade.

"Come to me, Anya," whispered the stranger, curling his fingers into a scarlet fist.

One plodding step at a time, Anya descended the stair, the tip of her silver blade dragging across the wood.

Anya reached the foot of the stairs. The stranger seized her left wrist and twisted it cruelly, Anya winced and released the enchanted sword, it clattered loudly onto the floorboards. The stranger's left arm slithered around Anya's small waist, he licked her left cheek with his sinuous, black tongue. Anya looked up at the man, her eyes glazed under her captor's mesmerism.

"Take the child, now I have all I require to claim the cursed Worldstone," smiled Baal triumphantly, handing the submissive barbarian girl to the waiting succubus.

***

Zara allowed Gorm to lead the way up the narrow mountain slope. The rogue and druid had spent most of the day climbing the face of Mount Arreat, the summit was almost within reach, just as the blue sky transformed to bright scarlet. Zara clung to the thick, warm folds of her fur cloak, she had tied back her golden hair with a strip of leather, her cheeks glowed crimson from the bite of the chilly breeze. To Zara's right was a heart-stopping abyss cloaked in fluffy, white cloud, she kept close to the rock face, her furry boots scrabbling up the gentle, pebble-strewn slope.

The scarlet canopy began to shift to ebony. Gorm waited for Zara to join him, when she stopped to his right the druid pointed down into a bowl-shaped depression before them.

"The Altar of the Heavens," said Gorm solemnly.

A platform of gray marble sat in the center of the depression. Slender gray pillars of ivory-veined marble framed the edge of the platform, golden runes ran up along the pillars and in a circle within the column frame. A blocky table of marble rested in the middle of the platform, one long, rectangular block resting on two shorter blocks. Two ethereal forms stood at the head and foot of the marble table, they turned to face Zara and Gorm.

Both ghostly men were tall and muscular like their barbarian brethren. One man had a curly beard of shining gold, the other a shaggy beard of glittering silver. The ghosts were garbed in thick furs of white and gold, they wore heavy leather belts with enormous glowing swords hanging from them. The blonde-bearded Ancient scowled at Zara's presence, the silver-beard smiled and motioned for Zara to approach.

"Good luck, woman," wished Gorm.

"You're not coming?"

"The Trial of the Ancients is for you alone," replied Gorm before he walked away from the edge of the depression, disappearing a short way down the mountain's face. Zara rested her hand on her sword hilt and descended to the waiting Ancients.

***

The throne was made of cold, gray marble, it stood, tall and eternal, a monument to power beyond human comprehension. Baal climbed the short stone stair that led up to the empty seat. He tossed back the long hems of his black robes and spun, then reclined into the high-backed throne, his jagged, ivory teeth flashing with pleasure.

"Behold the Lord of Destruction's Throne! From this high seat I will watch Sanctuary burn and listen to the wails of despair emanating from Heaven!"

The enormous cavern in the core of Mount Arreat was overflowing the demonspawn. The demons thrust up their claws and bony limbs, their tentacles and fanged maws, they roared their adulation to their lord, and Baal basked in their worship and fear.

Baal stood from the throne and descended to the cavern floor. The milling demons made a path for Baal, Anya, and her succubus keeper. Beyond the throne, set on the far wall, was a glowing oval of golden light. Baal narrowed his crimson eyes, the succubus turned her lovely face away. Reaching down with his right claw, Baal took Anya's small, left hand and pulled her after him into the radiant portal, Anya followed obediently, her will bound by Baal's overwhelming demonic power.

Beyond the golden portal was a perfectly circular chamber made of pure, white marble. At the center of the chamber glowed an orb of gold, it was like a small sun set in the heart of the mountain, its beams were soft and warm to the touch.

Baal flinched away from the Worldstone. He grasped Anya's sleeping shift and ripped it from her body, Anya made no move to fight the demon lord, she simply stared up into his burning, crimson eyes, her mouth hanging open, her arms limp at her sides. Baal laid his claws upon the naked girl's slim shoulders and positioned her before the brilliant Worldstone. Holding Anya, Baal snarled and rolled his thick neck, his human host body cracked and split like an overripe fruit, huge, leathery wings exploded from Baal's shoulders, curved horns broke through the peeling flesh of his brow.

Baal pressed Anya against the golden Worldstone. Digging his black nails into Anya's flesh, the demon lord licked between the barbarian girl's pert breasts, his huge, scarlet member rubbed between Anya's slim legs. Anya moaned softly, she reached out and placed her palms upon Baal's lance-like erection, she caressed the demon lord's enormous cock head, her fingers gentle and stroking.

***

Zara lay on her back, naked upon the Altar of the Heavens. Within the confines of the Altar the Ancient Ones had material form. Talic knelt between Zara's open legs, pumping sharply into her cunt with a huge, pulsing member. Madawc knelt at Zara's head, he ran his thick, rough fingers over Zara's gold hair as she slurped on his cock, the fingers of her left hand milking his long, glistening prick. Madawc moved his right hand from Zara's warm hair to her luscious breasts, he filled his large palm with Zara's right tit, he squeezed and tugged on the soft mound, then pinched her erect nipple. Zara slid her tongue underneath Madawc's heavy, drooping cock, she sucked each of his swollen balls into her wet mouth, she moaned softly, stroking the Ancient One's purple shaft with her right hand, fingers squeezing the throbbing pole.

Talic palmed Zara's rounded buttocks and raised her crotch into the air. The blonde Ancient One dragged his nails across Zara's hot flesh, stabbing into her soaked cunt, burying his prick to the hilt within her tight, yielding vagina. Talic bucked harder and harder between Zara's slick thighs, he threw back his golden mane, grunting with every sharp thrust into the naked woman.

***

Anya was spread-eagled upon the Worldstone. She moaned raggedly, sweat covered every flushed inch of her naked body as Baal thrust into her, black nails dragging across her bouncing tits, drool splashing over her face and throat. Anya felt the Worldstone beneath her, warm and smooth as glass, its warmth growing the longer Baal humped her, as if the artifact took pleasure from the act taking place upon it.

Baal released Anya's quivering breasts and snatched her limp wrists. The demon lord licked Anya's slender neck and milky shoulders, his breath was hot upon Anya's perspiring face. Anya couldn't tear her eyes away from Baal's burning orbs, he possessed her utterly, she whimpered as she felt the demon lord's cock swell within her belly, pulsing with obscene excitement.

***

Zara was on her hands and knees, bucking back and forth. Talic humped Zara's clenched buttocks, he clutched her smooth thighs, spearing through her dripping pussy, his own muscular, bare chest gleaming with sweat. Madawc held Zara's head, he arched his back as he thrust between Zara's tender lips, his cock huge, forcing Zara to open her jaws to the limit. Zara's bared teeth scratched Madawc's saliva-drenched prick as it burrowed deep into her throat. Zara stroked the engorged cock in her mouth with her tongue, caressing the pulsating veins along its length, fondling the pole until finally Madawc climaxed, squirting salty milk through her gaping mouth.

Zara swallowed the silver-beard's cream even as Talic slapped his hairy crotch into her taut ass. Squeezing Zara's slim thighs, the Ancient One exploded within her cunt, flooding her sex with cum, the overflow spilling thickly down Zara's gleaming legs.

"You may enter Mount Arreat," groaned both Ancient Ones.

***

The Worldstone was hot beneath Anya. Golden brilliance filled the barbarian girl's vision, she could only make out a dark outline of Baal above her, stabbing between her legs, pinning her to the searing orb.

Baal raised his horned head and bared long, dripping fangs. The demon lord lunged and tore into Anya's neck, the barbarian girl shuddered, then grew still. Anya's blood poured over the brilliant Worldstone, where the girl's blood touched, the artifact blackened, its golden light dimmed, then died.

Baal dropped off the darkening Worldstone and tossed Anya's body aside, not caring where it fell. Baal smiled and nodded in satisfaction as the Worldstone's light completely died, it was a cold, obsidian orb of rock, not a trace of warmth remained.

"The barriers will now fall, and Hell shall claim the world," murmured Baal, a shiver of ecstasy running through his powerful frame.

*****