Diablo Chronicles Episode 12: The Last Mountain Guarded by Harrogath

This is a fan narrative rewritten based on the events of the original game. The characters' emotions, dialogues, and scene atmospheres have been reconstructed, and it includes major spoilers.

Baal's Northern Invasion and the Despair of Harrogath

A cold northern wind whipped against the barren peaks of Mount Arreat, whipping up a fierce blizzard. Before the massive gates of Harrogath lay the horrific scars of destruction left behind by the demon legions led by Baal. The last bastion of the Barbarians, where the hero had barely managed to arrive, was filled with thick despair and the stench of blood.

Qual-Kehk, the mercenary captain, exhaled a ragged breath as he stared at the black smoke rising beyond the fortress walls. Deep lines of sorrow for his fallen kin and a boiling rage toward the demons were etched into his face. Though wary of the foreign hero, he thought this stranger might be the single thread of hope to turn the tide of this desperate war.

In a corner of the plaza, Malah the healer silently tended to the horrific wounds of the injured Barbarians. Her wrinkled hands were warm, but her eyes held a deep dread of the approaching doom. Grasping the hero's hand, Malah earnestly prayed in a trembling voice that the blessings of Mount Arreat would be with them.

At Larzuk's forge, only the heavy ring of a hammer shaping weapons echoed through the freezing air. Vowing vengeance for his brothers who died besieged by the demons, he melted iron and sharpened blades day and night. Larzuk handed the hero the sharpest weapon he had forged, pleading for a blood-debt to be repaid.

Scouts arrived panting, delivering the devastating news that Baal's main army had already crossed the mountainside and was marching toward the fortress. The thunderous roar of catapults battering the gates shook the entire town like an earthquake. Dark shadows fell over the faces of the people, and Qual-Kehk tightened the straps of his shield with a grim expression.

With all the elder councilors dead, Nihlathak, the sole survivor, watched them from a corner of the plaza with a cynical gaze. He did not hide his displeasure, mocking even the hero's arrival as a futile struggle. The townsfolk felt an inexplicable sense of unease at his cold demeanor.

The hero resolved to open the tightly shut, massive wooden gates and venture out into the blizzard-swept battlefield. Meeting the hero's resolute gaze, Qual-Kehk finally opened the gates, giving a grave warning about the dangers of the Bloody Foothills. The mountain path, stained red with the blood of demons, lay open like a gaping maw, awaiting the hero's footsteps.

In the bone-chilling cold, the hero gripped their weapon tightly and took their first step beyond the gates of Harrogath. Beyond the blizzard, countless silhouettes of demons wavered, uttering bizarre shrieks as they approached. The final battle for the fate of Sanctuary had finally begun its cruel act on the rugged slopes of Mount Arreat.

Slaying Shenk the Overseer on the Bloody Foothills and Rescuing the Captives

Upon entering the Bloody Foothills, a horrific stench of sulfur and burning flesh filled the air. Across the mountainside, massive siege catapults relentlessly hurled burning boulders toward the walls of Harrogath. The demonic legions continued their march, filling the mountain paths as far as the eye could see.

In the midst of the battlefield, Shenk the Overseer, a cruel taskmaster, brandished a spiked whip, brutally driving his minions forward. His massive, hideous bulk was the very embodiment of battlefield terror, and a sickening crack echoed through the air each time his whip lashed out. Spotting the hero, Shenk burst into a bizarre laugh and charged.

A fierce battle between the hero and Shenk began on the snow-covered hill. Shenk's massive whip tore through the blizzard, and the hero ducked just in time to evade the lethal strike. Weapons and magic clashed violently, sending sparks flying in all directions, and even the surrounding minions were blown away by the shockwaves.

Shenk unleashed furious attacks like a beast that knew no pain, but he gradually began to suffer wounds from the hero's calm and precise counterattacks. Black blood stained the snow, and Shenk's movements slowed visibly. Seizing a gap in the enemy's defense, the hero channeled all their strength and drove their weapon deep into Shenk's vital spot.

Mortally wounded, Shenk shrieked in agony, his massive body reeling. The moment his bulk collapsed, pent-up explosive energy erupted in all directions, flashing with an intense light. Even the surrounding demon minions were caught in the horrific blast, reduced to ash without a trace.

After defeating Shenk, the hero discovered crude cages surrounded by sharp wooden stakes deep within the battlefield. Inside were Barbarian warriors who had been captured and horribly tortured by Baal's army. Though exhausted by the cold and hunger, an unyielding fighting spirit still flickered faintly in their eyes.

The hero shattered the cage doors in a single blow, freeing the imprisoned warriors. Unshackled, the Barbarians expressed their deep gratitude, picking up weapons scattered on the ground and raising a cry of vengeance. They burned with a resolute determination to break through the demonic encirclement, return to Harrogath, and defend the gates once more.

When the rescued warriors returned safely to Harrogath, Qual-Kehk's tightly closed heart finally opened. He truly recognized the hero's courage and strength, willingly offering his finest soldiers to fight alongside the hero. The residents of Harrogath finally saw a true light of hope in this stranger.

The Rescue of Anya and Nihlathak's Deadly Betrayal

When the hero returned to town, Malah approached them secretly, scanning the surroundings. She revealed her strong suspicion that Anya, the daughter of an elder, had been missing for several days and that Nihlathak was deeply involved. Grasping the hero's hand desperately, Malah begged them to search the Frozen River and find Anya.

At Malah's request, the hero braved the bone-chilling cold and made their way to the Frozen River. Inside the crystal-clear ice caverns, ferocious Wendigos and frozen beasts lay in wait, watching for intruders. Fending off the onslaught of ambushing monsters, the hero pressed deeper into the cavern along the slippery ice paths.

In the deepest part of the cavern, the hero finally found Anya, trapped in the center of a massive pillar of ice. Her body was bound tight by magical ice, and only painful groans faintly escaped her pale lips. The hero tried to shatter the ice with their weapon, but Nihlathak's cursed magic would not budge.

The hero rushed back to town to inform Malah, who handed them a powerful thawing potion she had prepared herself. Returning to the Frozen River, the hero poured the potion onto the ice pillar, and with a bizarre sound, the magic dissolved. Anya collapsed onto the cold ground, gasping for air as she was freed.

Having regained her strength, Anya exposed Nihlathak's horrific betrayal in a trembling voice. Under the pretext of saving Harrogath, he had made a secret deal with Baal and imprisoned her in this icy tomb when she opposed him. In Anya's eyes, rage toward the traitor clashed with the fear of losing her homeland.

The most shocking revelation was that Nihlathak had handed over the Relic of the Ancients—the Elder's Token—to Baal. With this relic, Baal could bypass the Rite of Passage of the Ancients and head straight to the Worldstone, bypassing Mount Arreat's defenses. Sanctuary's most crucial line of defense had been effortlessly breached due to internal betrayal.

When Anya returned safely to Harrogath, supported by the hero, the town square erupted in immense shock and fury. Realizing his sins had been exposed, Nihlathak had already cowardly slipped out of the town and fled to the Halls of Pain. The villagers cursed the traitor's name and begged the hero to bring him to justice.

The hero entered the dark temple where Nihlathak hid through a portal opened by Anya. Though Nihlathak resisted by summoning legions of undead, he ultimately met a miserable end before the hero's overwhelming power. Having executed the traitor, the hero wasted no time and hastened toward the summit of Mount Arreat, hot on Baal's trail.

The Three Ancients and the Rite of Passage on Mount Arreat's Summit

The path to the summit of Mount Arreat was a complex maze of rugged Crystal Passages and Glacial Trails. Demons trapped within the ancient ice awoke to block the hero's path, and sharp icicles rained down like daggers. The hero silently pressed forward through the biting cold and the stench of demon blood.

After a long and grueling climb, the hero finally reached the Ancient's Way, situated at the summit of Mount Arreat. Around the magnificent altar rising above the clouds, a sacred energy that had guarded the history of Sanctuary hung heavily. Only the howling wind broke the silence of the empty summit, whispering in the hero's ears.

In the center of the altar stood the majestic, colossal statues of three legendary Nephalem: Talic, Korlic, and Madawc. They were the ancestors of Arreat who had guarded the gates to the Worldstone for ages, barring entry to the unworthy. The overwhelming aura radiating from the statues choked the hero's breath.

As the hero placed their hand on the celestial altar and began the Rite of the Ancients, lightning struck from the heavens, and the statues came to life. Breaking free from their stone shells, the three ancestors radiated a golden battle aura and pointed their weapons at the hero. Their deep, resonant voices shook the mountain summit, announcing the start of the trial.

A fierce struggle to prove the hero's worth unfolded on the cloud-shrouded mountain summit. Talic's Whirlwind tore through the blizzard to strike, while Korlic, wielding a massive polearm, launched devastating Leap Attacks from the air at terrifying speeds. Madawc's sharp axes pierced through blind spots, pushing the hero to the absolute brink.

Under the flawless coordinated assault of the three Ancients, the hero endured agonizing pain as if their entire body were being torn apart. Yet, the hero never backed down, drawing upon the experience of countless past battles to evade the enemy's strikes and launch counterattacks. Even in the freezing cold where blood and sweat froze instantly, the hero's fighting spirit burned all the hotter.

At the climax of the fierce battle, the three Ancients finally lowered their weapons simultaneously and stepped back. Sincerely recognizing the hero's unyielding will and superb martial prowess, they paid deep respect before hardening back into golden statues. The ancestors of Arreat had finally granted the hero passage to the Worldstone.

The tightly shut, massive iron gates of the Worldstone Keep slowly began to open with a heavy, grinding sound. The spirits of the ancestors warned that Baal had already infiltrated the keep using the relic, entrusting the fate of Sanctuary to the hero. Taking a deep breath, the hero took heavy steps into the darkness of the keep.

The Worldstone Chamber and Baal's Horrific Corruption

The interior of the Worldstone Keep was already rotting from Baal's horrific corruption. Sticky demonic veins of blood oozed down the marble walls, and the air was thick with a toxic miasma that made even breathing difficult. Wary of the red eyes of demons gleaming in the darkness, the hero cautiously descended.

Upon reaching the Throne of Destruction deep within the keep, the minions of Hell summoned by Baal surged forward in waves. Powerful demon hordes—including Colenzo the Annihilator, Achmel the Cursed, Bartuc the Bloody leading the Council Members, and Ventar the Unholy leading the Venom Lords—pounced to tear the hero to shreds. Relentlessly swinging their blood-stained weapon, the hero eliminated the Lord of Destruction's army one by one.

Baal sat arrogantly upon his throne, letting out a bizarre, mocking laugh as he watched the hero struggle against his minions. He attempted to gnaw away at the hero's mind by unleashing horrific illusions and curses, but the hero's steadfast resolve did not waver. Each time Baal's laughter ceased, the air around the throne grew heavy and still.

Finally, the strongest of his servants, the Minions of Destruction, fell at the hero's feet. As the massive, dinosaur-like demons died with death rattles, Baal could not hide his panic and rose from his seat. Avoiding a direct confrontation with the hero, he opened a portal behind him and fled into the Worldstone Chamber.

Without hesitation, the hero threw themselves into the blood-red portal Baal had left open, pursuing him closely into the Worldstone Chamber. The space beyond the portal swirled with a bizarre, dreamlike energy, as if the physical laws of Sanctuary had collapsed. Readjusting their grip on their weapon, the hero slowly approached the Lord of Destruction waiting in the heart of Sanctuary.

In the center of the chamber, the Worldstone—a crystal as massive as a mountain range—floated in midair, radiating a mystical light. It was the primordial relic used to create Sanctuary away from the eyes of Heaven and Hell, and to suppress humanity's latent potential. The hero paused, catching their breath as they looked up at its overwhelming size and grandeur.

But the awe was short-lived; the surface of the massive crystal was already horribly covered in red and black tentacles spread by Baal. The energy of corruption was seeping into the heart of the Worldstone like a pulsing heartbeat, and its once-clear light was degrading into a murky blood-red. The seeds of ruin that would contaminate all of Sanctuary had already taken deep root.

Baal slowly turned toward the hero, continuing to inject his corrupt energy into the Worldstone. The spider-like legs extending from his back lashed menacingly through the air, and the murderous intent radiating from the Lord of Destruction weighed heavily upon the entire chamber. The final battle to decide the fate of Sanctuary began before the corrupting Worldstone.

The Final Battle with Baal, the Lord of Destruction

The final showdown with Baal, the Lord of Destruction, was nothing short of a vision of Hell. As Baal waved his hands, space tore open, and destructive waves of magic poured furiously toward the hero. Rolling across the floor, the hero evaded the lethal attacks and seized an opening to deliver a powerful blow to Baal's hideous body.

Cornered, Baal summoned an illusionary clone identical to himself to confuse the hero's vision. As two Baals unleashed powerful magic simultaneously, the entire chamber vibrated with explosions, shaking as if it would collapse. The hero pushed their senses to the absolute limit to discern the real Baal amidst the hailing attacks.

From the floor, venomous demon tentacles relentlessly erupted, clawing at the hero's ankles. Hit by the freezing waves emitted by Baal, the hero never let go of their weapon despite the agonizing stiffness creeping through their body. Under the blood-red flashes of the Worldstone, the desperate struggle between hero and demon raged on.

Enduring bone-shattering pain, the hero deciphered Baal's attack patterns. In the fleeting moment the clone dissolved, the hero squeezed out every ounce of their energy and lunged like lightning toward Baal's true body. The hero's weapon pierced through Baal's thick armor, driving a fatal blow deep into the heart of the Lord of Destruction.

A horrific shriek that shook heaven and earth erupted from Baal's mouth. Mortally wounded, his body could no longer contain the destructive energy, swelling grotesquely as it began to collapse. Black blood and venom sprayed in all directions, and Baal thrashed in agony before crashing miserably to the floor.

The out-of-control destructive energy went wild, shattering Baal's body in a blinding flash of light. After the horrific explosion swept through the chamber, only the remains of the Great Evil drifted away as black ash. Covered in blood, the hero gasped for breath, confirming with their own eyes that Baal had been completely annihilated.

Following Mephisto and Diablo, the last remaining Prime Evil, Baal, the Lord of Destruction, had finally fallen at the hero's feet. On the face of the hero who had halted the hellish invasion—which had felt like a endless nightmare—there was a deep exhaustion rather than the joy of victory. Yet, despite this monumental triumph, the ominous energy within the chamber did not dissipate.

As the hero caught their breath and looked up, the sight before them brought despair once more. Baal was dead, but the tentacles of corruption he had injected into the Worldstone did not stop, continuing to stretch toward the heart of the crystal. The battle to protect Sanctuary had been won, but the very foundation of Sanctuary was already terminally diseased.

Tyrael's Descent and the Irreversible Corruption

Just then, a blinding celestial light flashed in the air, and the Archangel Tyrael descended into the center of the chamber. His massive wings of light illuminated the dark space, and his majestic aura pushed back the surrounding evil. Tyrael looked down at the remains of the fallen Baal and sincerely praised the great victory achieved by the hero.

The Archangel paid deep respect to the courage of the hero, who, in a mortal body, had defeated all three Prime Evils. With the Lords of Hell vanquished, Sanctuary finally seemed to have escaped the brink of eternal damnation. Hearing Tyrael's praise, the hero lowered their heavy weapon, finally about to breathe a sigh of relief.

However, as Tyrael's gaze turned toward the massive Worldstone that was being stained red, a deep despair fell over the hood that concealed the archangel's face. His wings of light trembled anxiously, and the air in the chamber froze cold. Tyrael approached with somber steps and carefully placed his hand upon the surface of the corrupted crystal.

Tyrael let out a deep sigh as he gauged Baal's corruption, which had reached the very heart of the Worldstone. The venom left by the Lord of Destruction had already spread so lethally that it threatened to warp the fundamental structure of Sanctuary. A desperate judgment was passed: even with the power of an Archangel, it was impossible to purify or reverse this massive contamination.

If the Worldstone were left to rot, the energies of Hell would inevitably spread across all of Sanctuary, mutating every living creature into a demon. Human souls would be corrupted, and the world would be in danger of falling into eternal colonization by Hell. Tyrael had to make a devastating and extreme decision that transcended the laws of both Heaven and Sanctuary.

Turning to the hero, Tyrael delivered a thunderbolt of truth in a heavy, resolute voice. To prevent Hell's complete invasion and save Sanctuary, there was no other way but to utterly destroy the already corrupted Worldstone. It was a horrific choice, one that had never been imagined since the creation of Sanctuary.

The hero looked at the Archangel with trembling eyes, as if asking what would happen to Sanctuary if the Worldstone were destroyed. Tyrael warned heavily that even he did not know the consequences, and that the world would change fundamentally. Yet, because they could not simply wait for doom, he was willing to bear the infamy of the destroyer.

Opening a red portal for the hero, Tyrael instructed them to evacuate to safety before the explosion occurred. The hero nodded silently before the Archangel's noble yet tragic decision that would decide the fate of Sanctuary. Taking one last look back at the corrupted Worldstone, the hero stepped through the portal back to Harrogath.

The Destruction of the Worldstone and the Dawn of a New Era

When the hero returned to the Harrogath plaza through the portal with a heavy heart, the townsfolk gathered to ask for news of victory. The hero announced that Baal had fallen, but instead of joy, their face held a deep dread of the massive changes to come. In the hero's silence, Qual-Kehk and Malah sensed an ominous presence.

At that same moment, Tyrael, left alone in the Worldstone Chamber, stood tall before the massive, corrupted crystal. He slowly raised El'druin, his sword symbolizing celestial justice, into the air. Along with the Archangel's resolute will, a blinding, pure white energy began to gather like a storm upon El'druin's blade.

The celestial light condensed at the tip of the sword, brilliantly illuminating the dark and murky chamber. Enduring the pain of breaking a taboo himself for the sake of Sanctuary's safety, Tyrael pushed the energy within his sword to its absolute limit. The wings of light spreading behind his back generated massive waves, clashing head-on with the corrupt energy of the Worldstone.

With all his might, Tyrael hurled the brilliantly shining El'druin toward the center of the corrupted Worldstone. The moment the celestial sword cut through the air and pierced deep into the heart of the crystal, a long silence enveloped the chamber as if time had stopped. Soon, the immense energy pent up inside the Worldstone breached its critical limit and began to expand blindingly.

With a deafening roar, the massive Worldstone that had sustained Sanctuary shattered into tens of thousands of fragments. The corrupt energy and celestial light tangled and went wild, tearing down the chamber walls and erupting outward. Even Tyrael's form was swept away without a trace into that overwhelming storm of light.

A colossal pillar of light shot into the sky from the summit of Mount Arreat as a horrific explosion occurred. The upper reaches of Mount Arreat, which had boasted its snow-covered majesty for thousands of years, collapsed violently like an erupting volcano, splitting the sky red. The vibrations of the collapsing mountain range shook not only Harrogath but all of Sanctuary.

The residents of Harrogath and the hero stood in the plaza, watching the horrific yet wondrous sight of their sacred mountain crumbling. Though the Barbarians grieved the loss of their home, they knelt in awe at the fact that the threat of Hell had ended. Amidst the raining fire, the hero silently prayed for Tyrael's sacrifice and the future of Sanctuary.

With the complete destruction of the Worldstone, which had suppressed and protected humanity for thousands of years, Sanctuary was changed forever. The veil that had hidden them from the eyes of Heaven and Hell was lifted, and the power of the Nephalem sleeping within humanity was ready to awaken once more. An era where unknown dangers and new hopes coexisted was beginning under the ash-gray sky.

Sources Consulted

Diablo I Official Manual

Official Blizzard Chronicle: The Tragedy of Tristram

Official Quest Data: Diablo II Act 1

Official Quest Data: Diablo II Act 2

Official Quest Data: Diablo II Act 3

Official Quest Data: Diablo II Act 4

Official Quest Data: Diablo II Act 5

Official Diablo I Store: GOG

Official Diablo II: Resurrected Store: Battle.net