Thaddeus (Chapter 15)

Template:Thaddeus nav The Lord of Pain, fifth of the Great Evils,

King of flies and maggots, all rot and filth.

Devouring, he comes behind Destruction,

Jealous of his primacy, desiring all himself.

Greedy, violent, gluttonous, rebellious --

His lords have punished him many times…

-- Chronicles of Zakarum, c. 14, v. 1-6

Inside Horazon's sanctuary, several spells were permanently set to create gates, going out to various places around the world –- or out of the world. Some names were familiar; Gehenna, Abaddon, the lake of fire. Horazon must have gone directly to the infernal reaches to look for slaves. No doubt this suited the "slaves" just fine; why seek a victim out, when he will come to you? Not all of Horazon's gates led to hellish destinations, but many of the earthly places no longer existed, or were unknown to Thaddeus.

There were a few books on the platform, so Thaddeus began looking them over. Perhaps the ancient mage had observed the entombment of Baal and made a note of it. The first book he went to was a diary, open on a tall stand; Horazon's private journal. As might be expected, most of it was sorcerous ranting about power and such; Thaddeus' gorge rose from reading it, so he paged through quickly. Near the end, he found Horazon's account of Tal Rasha and Baal. Most of it was empty rambling, but Horazon noted that the entombment in the "canyon of the magi", a small canyon with the tombs of six other sorcerers. Baal was in the corner tomb, the largest.

One of Horazon's gates led to the canyon of the magi, so Thaddeus went directly there. The sun had just risen: light was peeking into the gorge, creeping slowly across the walls where seven ancient tombs yawned wide open. A waypoint, its flames extinguished, sat on the canyon floor. It was covered with dirt, obviously disused for a long time. After getting his bearings, Thaddeus set out for the north-east corner, sure that was Diablo's destination.

As he walked, the ground began twitching under his feet, and a huge Sand Maggot burst up underneath him. More tunneled up through the sand as a crowd of javelin-hurling Saber Cats sprang out of hiding, peppering Thaddeus with their spears. After blocking most of the first volley, Thaddeus summoned the hammers, sending them spinning through his enemies. The Saber Cats quickly learned it was best to avoid the slow, spinning missiles, so Thaddeus had to close and deal with them in melee. The maggots weren't nearly as intelligent -- besides, they were much bigger targets.

As he fought his way to the tomb, Thaddeus wondered if Diablo had reached the tomb first. The monsters in the canyon might indicate so, they were his beasts, and seemed to have been expecting Thaddeus' arrival. When he got the tomb entrance, his heart sank; two sets of human footprints led in, and one set ran out. Was this Diablo, and some companion? What manner of man would travel with a dark lord? There was no time to ask questions; the tracks looked fresh, so there might still be a chance to catch him.

In the tomb's interior, Thaddeus lost the trail on the stone floor. While there was some sand and grit, he wasn't a good enough tracker to read such poor signs in near-darkness. The tomb was huge, with tunnels branching everywhere. All were full of ghosts, mummies, and the huge Gorebellies, who had fresh corpses to use as weapons. Thaddeus hardly had a moment to look for his quarry, the place was so thick with defenders. Finally, in a small side tunnel he almost overlooked, he found the tracks again. They went into a small room with a socket set in the floor; the trail led up to the north wall -– and through, as though the stone wall wasn't even there.

Panic gripped Thaddeus. He bent to examine the tracks -– they were no illusion. The wall was real and solid, not giving in the slightest to his shoulder. The empty socket in the middle of the floor was where the Horadric staff would no doubt go; Diablo hadn't needed one after all. Thaddeus quickly returned to Lut Gholein, and put the staff together. With the press of a button, the corrosion filled out with shining metal, the bent shaft straightened and acquired a new polish, and the two pieces joined as though they had never been separated. Cain was very happy to see the staff, but when he asked to hold it, Thaddeus just grunted and ran to his portal. The staff fit into the socket; a glow filled the room, and lightning shot out of the staff's head, shattering the north wall. A foul smell washed out into the room.

Heedless, Thaddeus climbed over the pile of rubble, peering ahead into darkness. In his haste, he didn't watch his footing; the rubble gave way, sending him tumbling into a deep pit full of horrible-smelling mud. Standing up, Thaddeus realized it probably wasn't mud; it was alive with maggots, some of them nearly two feet long. Then, something slammed into him, sending him flying across the room into a wall.

@Looking for Baal?@ a voice croaked, full of equal parts amusement and phlegm. A huge THING was bearing down on him again. In shape, it was much like the maggots squirming around his legs, but the end rearing up was easily ten feet off the ground. Its long body, covered with many insectile legs, negotiated the pit of filth easily. Blocking the charge was pointless; it just slammed into him again. Dodging was impossible, thigh-deep in muck. Gathering his wits, Thaddeus prayed for a Blessed Hammer, but the thing chopped at him with its axe-like arms, breaking his concentration.

Whenever Thaddeus tried to gain some distance, the maggot slid across its pit of ordure to slam into him. Finally, the thing pinned him to a wall with its body, hammering down on his shield with both arms. Thaddeus got a good look at its face; this was Duriel, the Lord of Pain, one of the Princes of Hell! Certainly not his quarry, and a sign that Diablo had been here and gone. Just like Andariel, this lord of the maggots had been left behind to delay pursuit. This, of course, meant Thaddeus had to defeat this worm right now.

Pinned to the wall, his shield in Duriel's face, Thaddeus couldn't do much. But Duriel couldn't do anything besides pound on the shield; his body was far too soft to press the breath out of Thaddeus' lungs. Duriel was big and powerful, but by all Zakarum's accounts of him, demon lords do come smarter, and he'd never been known for patience. Casually, Thaddeus took a potion from his belt and drank. Feeling better, he calmly said, "When you are ready, o minor lordling of all that squishes. You're not getting anywhere doing this."

With a snort, Duriel pushed away from the wall, and tried to slam in again; Thaddeus barely avoided it. Now that he had room to swing, Thaddeus went at it zealously, his scepter bouncing off Duriel's pulpy body, occasionally breaking the translucent skin. Every now and then, he'd miss with a shield block, letting Duriel get in a strike. Better to let him think an open fight was working, than to invite another slam into the wall. While Duriel's arms were powerful, his weight was his true advantage.

By judicious use of healing potions and making Duriel's few hits look worse than they were, Thaddeus slowly whittled the monster down. Whenever it looked like Duriel was thinking of a slam, Thaddeus let a blow hit, or would let his own strikes diminish to egg him on. A scepter might not be the best weapon to use on him (something with an edge would slice into that pulpy body,) but perceptibly, Duriel's strikes weakened. His head lowered, bruises appeared under Thaddeus' blows, and finally, his body slumped forward. Thaddeus finished with a blow to the back of Duriel's skull, perhaps the only hard part of his body.

Light finally entered the chamber. Thaddeus was in a pit full of filth, absolutely covered with the stuff. Before him, Duriel's body had burst, spewing maggot-ridden intestines and foul liquid all around him. Huge, hairy worms also squirmed in the pit, waving their heads and slithering along the floor. It was all too much; Thaddeus threw up all over the inside of his helmet. Feeling weak and ashamed, Thaddeus emptied the helm, and looked for something to wipe it out with. Everything he had was covered with something far worse. Sickened, he put the helmet back on and tried to climb out of the pit. The way back to the tomb was too steep, but another entrance stood in the east.

Through a short hallway, Thaddeus saw a gentle glow. In a large cave, a bridge led over a pit of fire; hovering over the bridge was... the most beautiful, awe-inspiring being he could ever have imagined. The glow of its wings filled the room with sublime illumination; armor sheathed its body and a sword hung by its side, but there couldn't possibly be any malice from this being. So overwhelming was this vision, Thaddeus completely forgot that he was still up to his eyeballs in muck. Barely aware of his own body, he went forward, and knelt at the angel's feet.

"Greetings, mortal. I thank you for my freedom... though I did expect you earlier."

"Glorious angel! My feeble efforts have been for naught. I have come here in pursuit of Diablo, but have been unable to find or stop him."

"I have tried to aid you in your quest, but cannot do so openly under Heaven's eye. Last night, Diablo and I fought. I tried to stop him from freeing his brother Baal, but I have failed. Now, both stalk your world."

Suddenly, all was clear. Thaddeus had been under a watchful eye, all this time; the fear that gripped him seemed so foolish now. "Your blessings are clear to me! All your gifts have been great and good, though my own weakness and fear have overcome me, so my quest is not complete."

"You must seek out Diablo and Ball. They journey to Kurast, to join their brother Mephisto, who is now lord of that place."

Thaddeus' heart sank. "The prisoner now rules?"

"He has corrupted his Soulstone, and uses its power against his captors. I cannot pursue them; my body is spent, the energies binding me to this world are fading. You must go to Kurast, and prevent the Three from reuniting. If they do, all hope for your world is lost."

"I shall, great angel! I pray for the strength to succeed, to dispel my doubts..."

"Let your prayers rise up from the boat. Time is precious."

"Yes, great angel! I... I..."

The angel gave no sign of impatience, but said, "Go. Now."

Back in Lut Gholein, Thaddeus hastened to Jerhyn's palace, to explain about the sanctuary, the canyon of tombs, the battle with Duriel, and the wonderful angel who appeared to revitalize his quest. On the way, he wondered why everyone in town was running away from him, holding their noses. The palace doors were shut, with Jerhyn and his two faithful guardsmen peering down from the battlements.

"Lord Jerhyn! I bring you news!"

"Whatever you are, go away! I'm summoning more guards!"

Looking down at himself, Thaddeus realized he was still caked in demon sh!t and his own vomit. He'd gone before an angel looking like this! Though his face was burning with shame, Thaddeus pulled his helmet off and addressed Jerhyn again. "Lord Jerhyn! Your palace is safe, the gate went to Horazon's Arcane Sanctuary!"

"That's safe?" one guard asked the other.

"Oh, it is you!" Jerhyn laughed. "You encountered something much worse than Horazon, I take it?"

"I encountered Duriel, the demon lord of excrement!"

Jerhyn nodded. "That would explain it."

"He was defeated, but Diablo and his brother Baal have escaped! I must go to Kurast in pursuit of them, with all possible speed!"

"Go to Meshif, and tell him he is free to go, so long as he takes you there. And please, do something about yourself first! If you come near him, you might kill him!"

Thaddeus stopped in the market square, to take advantage of Lysander's sprinklers. While getting rinsed, he explained everything to Fara and Cain.

"This is a serious setback. Baal is in possession of one of the world's most powerful mages, and Diablo guides his path." Cain frowned. "There is much known only to the Horadrim, which Baal could make use of against us. I fear for our future."

"I do not," Thaddeus smiled. "We are on their heels, and Heaven watches over us."

"What do you mean?" Fara asked.

"In Baal's tomb, there was an angel, who had contested with Diablo."

"Ah, that must have been the enigmatic archangel Tyrael!" Cain smiled. "He was advisor to the Horadrim from the beginning, and gave us the Soulstones. Of all the heavenly host, he could he called the bravest and most sympathetic towards humanity's plight."

"But... he could not stop Diablo?" Fara asked.

"I suppose the combined might of two of the brothers was too much for him," Thaddeus surmised, shaking the last of Duriel off. "Which is why I must go to Kurast, and prevent the third from combining with them."

Slowly, Fara nodded. "I would that you could go anywhere else."

Thaddeus shook his head. "Tyrael told me Mephisto is master of Kurast now. I suspected this some time ago, and am not afraid to have it confirmed."

"I think I suspected it as well." A tear came to Fara's eye. "I fear for you, going to Kurast. The Hand of Zakarum is wicked, and can only have grown worse since I last saw it."

"I... do not know what I will find there." Thaddeus rinsed his helmet out. "No doubt terrible things await my arrival. But I must succeed. There is no other option open to me."

"Of course there isn't," Cain said. "That is why I must accompany you. I have not set foot in glorious Kurast for many years, but I hope my knowledge can aid you."

"I am sure it will. You have been a great help to me. There, I feel a bit more presentable. We must go to Meshif's ship. Time and tide wait for no man."

Concluding thoughts:

1. Okay, Blessed Hammer is a good skill, but you have to know how to use it. It's not a point-and-shoot. Moving around and spamming hammers is a good strategy for dealing with crowds, but it's lousy on single monsters.
2. I haven't been using Holy Shield, I need a few more skill points to get the duration up to something decent. Soon, though.
3. Charging with a Maul is sweet.
4. Xanthippe recently got through Act 1 nightmare. Damn, that's hard on players 8. Bosses everywhere, and 2 out of 3 are lightning enchanted. She's let Kasim go into retirement, and gotten herself a might merc. Let's see how he does.