Sweet dreams from the Green Team...

(Posted by Babe Bridou on May 31, 2004)

Legend has it said, that the believers of the source and the followers of ancient paths shall return to the original void by the hand of their creator.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, anvil to anvil.

BabyGreenPriest had been envisionned with tales of forthcoming glory, the second day after his disappearance from Travincal. In his dreams, his cloths embodied the spirit of their maker, the old Tristramian smith Griswold.

"Hear my words, Priest, for I shall bestow you a quest for your people. You shall go and collect an old artifact of power, the dreaded Razortail belt, which was made out of the skin of the razor sharks of the Sea of Stars by the mermaid people. Few are known to be kept by the fallen council members of Travincal."

And thus BabyGreenPriest took his scepter, armour, crown and shield and engaged what would be his last journey, a journey through nightmare into oblivion.

As the faithful Zakarumite arrived for the fourth time to the corrupted city of Travincal, the streets were once again only the shadows of themselves. His long-lost friends, brothers in arms and in heart, those who had been his parents, masters and students, comrades and partners, the followers of Zakarum had fallen to the grip of the reptilian council. With the fervour of his people and the force of one, he charged blindingly at the fiendish authority, ignoring their ruthless attempts at fighting back.

Toorc was the first to drop, as Griswold's Redemption crushed the lizard head in three disgusting pieces. There was the sound of a claw ripping on the hero's back, and in a reflex the Priest turned round and with a quick slap of his shield, Griswold's Honour, sent Ismael Vilehand sprawling away. The council member adjusted his stance, caressed his lips with his fingers, licked the green blood due to the smite and smiled, oblivious to the death of his devilish partner. His slash, even if it had not pierced the golden armour, was enough to doom the priest with the dreadest curse of them all... The priest just ignored the warning and sent the council member back to his creator with a powerful avenging blow.
There was only one remaining, and his name was Geleb Flamefinger. BabyGreenPriest prepared for the fight - an easy one again. Or so he thought. Once again, the priest charged. Once again, he let the scepter down with the fervour of his people. One last time the priest struck, and Geleb exploded. Everything was silent. The nightmare had ended. Griswold had claimed his legacy back.

GreenFlash was sleeping safely in the Pandemonium Fortress when she felt a distant mourn. She hurried to the Priest's room, only to find Grüntropf the necromancer cloaking the inert body of her friend.
"I felt a disruption - what happened to BabyGreenPriest?"
"He had a lethal nightmare", the necromancer said. "His soul is busy with the heir, now. He wonders if he can make it back to hell in another incarnation", he added. Then, mumbling to himself: "Now when I push that little trigger on the back of the belt, I turn into a vampire... Interesting..."
"the... heir?" the sorceress asked.
"It happens when death occurs to someone with enough faith in his purpose, and enough time and willpower to continue the fight. The Heir is a chosen youngster, raised to follow the path of his parent."

Sine_Nomine entered the room.
http://www.hase.net/d2/lastchancetosee.jpg "I can remember now. I am a Heir, too. My first task was to grow quickly in power and knowledge to be able to fight along with you again", she said.
"But we were... that was months ago!" Greenflash said, with a desperate tone. "Will the heir be able to make it?"
"Yes, if we all pray for his success. He has two days to grow. Two days to fight back. I will pray for enchants", Sine_Nomine announced.
"Then I'll pray to bestow him enhanced life and two artifacts to aid him in his task", Greenflash said.
"I'll send him my undertaker, the Photographer assassin", Grüntropf said.

The other members of the Green Team mourned the loss of their friend for a while. Even the merry Jamella felt sorrow for the death of the Priest.

Two days later. The Pandemonium Fortress.

"ouch", Sine_Nomine said.
"you were close to make it. We will fight without you, and without your heir now", said the big Green-Horn.
"Be assured we will kill in your name, Babe", added GreenSin.
"The team will survive without you. We can make it, and we will make it", said Grüntropf.
"This is bad news. We must stick together. It's time to get stock options on potions at Jamella's", Greenflash said.
"Hooooooooooowwwwl", ViridisLupus pointed out.
"The wolf is right, that boss skellie in hell sewers was tough. Mind your steps, my friends. As the old man from Star Wars says: 'May the Force be with you'", said a ghostly figure.

Pause.

"Will I be allowed to cast Bone Prisons now?"
"NO!"

The journey through the plains of despair was seemingly eventless for the green raiders, everything falling before them due to their intensive training as teammates. Of course, lacking of the meditation and cleansing aura was somehow slowing them down, but Jamella's business had never been so fruitful. Oh, and their was this baby, too:

They made it to the river of flame before starting chaining smithing the hellforge. From his distant incarnation, BabyGreenPriest could hear the sound of the Armourer Hephasto being bashed once, twice...
"agdhell, agdhell2, agdhell3, agdhell4, agdhell5, agdhell... so this is it, the last hellforge quest before going on with the chaos sanctuary."

Indeed, there had been some action...

...along with nice visual effects...

...and of course, dolby surround sfx and all...

...along with great rewards for the winners...

...but they never knew it was made up from the beginning.

The Armourer spawned again, only this time with a serious grudge and the determination to defend his hammer ferociously. Without even thinking about the consequences, Green-Horn the barbarian closed the distance between his Immortal King's Stone Crusher and his opponent's jaw, ViridisLupus the werewolf ran on all fours to claw the demon away, following the commandments of Aldur, while Sine_Nomine the enchantress teleported a fiery caduceus on the neck of Hephasto.

Hephasto laughed at the mortals and wiped them down.

Luck had abandonned the Green Raiders, as the three sturdiest of them fell in a single blow, or should I say too many blows at once?

Their heart filled with fright as well as revenge, GreenFlash, GreenSin and Grüntropf fought harshly the demon in order to retrieve the corpses of their fallen comrades. After a gigantic fight, the demon fell (or was it parked?).

The sorceress, assassin and necromancer would finish the quest on their own.

Of course, that wasn't enough to stop the Green Team from merrily rejoicing on simple things in life, such as a group picture:

...and just for all to know, the Green Team is NOT dead! The three survivors taught Diablo a lesson, and are on their way to do the same to Baal, Lister & co!

CAST, in order of disappearance:

...and the survivors, in no particular order:

Have fun!

"does that mean I can at last cast bone prisons?"
"errm uh, yes, Jens, yes..."

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