"Man fears God because he is the creator; the end all to everything our mortality stands for. To be in his counsel, is to lose all that we have ever known, and we as man cannot accept that loss of control.
Man fears Satan because he is the force from which the good and evil of man is measured. He embodies all of our nightmares and through them we must find our sanctity. In this, a 'balance' forms; the correlation of life and death, of good and evil, salvation and damnation.
'The Balance' is what makes man special in the overall plans of both 'Heaven' and 'Hell'. We are blessed with life, though guaranteed death. In death, we are greeted by eternal salvation, or eternal damnation. Our death is defined by our life; we are either Agents of the Light, or Minions of the Void. Once understood, it is easy to understand how man has become pawns in a game far beyond our understanding. What we believed to be good was far beyond evil. For our own personal salvation, we unwittingly expose others to damnation. For that salvation, I sacrified my life...and now I await my damnation."
-Tal Rasha
any comments on this prologue are appreciated. If desired, more has been written and will be shared.
I really like the third paragraph's first two sentences. Especially the second sentence. "We are blessed with life, but guaranteed death". It sounds really... wise. And the rest is good too. Except, I'm jut not sure how much of it fits in with the world of Sanctuary. Neither God nor Satan have ever been mentioned, only the Angiris Council (and possibly someone higher?) or Diablo and his brothers. And we aren't yet sure about what exactly happens to our souls when we die. Priests of Rathma always talk about this balance, and death being another stage of life, but they don't really say that we either go to Heaven or Hell. Its all speculation though, so I won't discuss it here (because its been discussed in so many other places). But if you want to, at the beginning you could write 'Assuming this is what Tal Rasha personally believes, which may or may not be true'. Then you'd be covered.
Sure, post some more (But put the quoted parts in italics?)
the idea was to write the story from retrospect; to build upon the dire nature of the situations at that moment. These accounts were originally scribed during the time of the Great Conquests to capture the Primes in their stones, so much of it is subjective.
In being subjective, I also took the approach that man recognized the direct characterization between good & evil being heaven & hell. Just as the Holy Trinity is comprised of The Father, The Son & The Holy Spirit I approached this situation with the brothers being somewhat of an "Unholy Trinity": Terror, Hatred & Destruction; for all of our sins will lead us down one of those paths.
Aside from those small points I'm excited that you guys enjoy the idea. As soon as I get my computer back from my previous job's audit, I'll probably post some music that correlates to the story ^+^
I'll start typing up chapter one if requested by popular demand
PlugY for Diablo II allows you to reset skills and stats, transfer items between characters in singleplayer, obtain all ladder runewords and do all Uberquests while offline. It is the only way to do all of the above. Please use it.
Supporting big shoulderpads and flashy armor since 2004.
Well, seeing as Tal Rasha was allied with the heavens, some of the lines don't quite jell with what I would expect from him:
"What we believed to be good was far beyond evil. For our own personal salvation, we unwittingly expose others to damnation. For that salvation, I sacrified my life...and now I await my damnation."
I don't think Tal Rasha would believe he was damned for fighting the 3. I also don't feel he would think the Heavens were worse then evil. Plus, it sounds more along the lines of what a Necro would think then a Horadrim. Deckard says a LOT, and repeats a LOT, but I don't think he ever mentions the word balance.
It is a good writeup, except it doesn't seem to fit what I understand of the character.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]"Fool! You have just ensured the doom of this world. You cannot even begin to imagine what you've set in motion this day. Go to the Temple of Light, in the eastern ciry of Kurast. There you will find the gate to Hell opened before you. You must find the courage to step through that gate Marius. Take the stone you hold to the Hellforge, where it will be destroyed. Now run! Take the stone and run!"
Well, seeing as Tal Rasha was allied with the heavens, some of the lines don't quite jell with what I would expect from him:
"What we believed to be good was far beyond evil. For our own personal salvation, we unwittingly expose others to damnation. For that salvation, I sacrified my life...and now I await my damnation."
I don't think Tal Rasha would believe he was damned for fighting the 3. I also don't feel he would think the Heavens were worse then evil. Plus, it sounds more along the lines of what a Necro would think then a Horadrim. Deckard says a LOT, and repeats a LOT, but I don't think he ever mentions the word balance.
It is a good writeup, except it doesn't seem to fit what I understand of the character.
tis just the prologue, a build up to the actual story. The mage was not "damned" for fighting, but he sacrificed himself to capture and enslave the Lord of Destruction. I could explain what he meant in those lines, but by doing so I would spoil the entire first chapter . Until I have that chapter posted, just remember that this is a personal account during a very volatile time in Sanctuary's (and especially Tal Rasha's) history
this is an excerpt from Chapter One to possibly keep you guys buzzing until I get home from work and finish typing it for submission:
"He is the reason for our imprisonment!"Baal shouted. His hatred of the Archangel began to overflow into my envy of those benefitting from my sacrifice."His cause is NOT righteous! His words are NOT true! He is far greater the Lord of Destruction as I will ever be!" His words shocked me. Although they were coming from the most evil of the Three, his feelings could easily be meshed with my own. Just as my mind began to trail, I found myself channeling all that I could muster to attack the fraudulent protector. I could not understand this, but I understood that it was his bidding to capture the Three. My thoughts pondered his motives:
Did he know that the demons could escape?
Did he know that mortal men would have to sacrifice themselves to contain them?
If he did, why allow Sanctuary's strongest heroes to endure such torment if man's will can truly be broken?
Am I a sacrifice to this Demon Lord? To continue some astral game of "good .vs. evil"?
My confusion turned into hatred, and that hatred made me long for the Angel's destruction.
PlugY for Diablo II allows you to reset skills and stats, transfer items between characters in singleplayer, obtain all ladder runewords and do all Uberquests while offline. It is the only way to do all of the above. Please use it.
Supporting big shoulderpads and flashy armor since 2004.
Quote from Arreats Summit about Mortals going to heaven/hell
Oblivion Knight(Undead) Doom Knight, Abyss Knight, Oblivion Knight Undead Fighter - The souls of the most ruthless and corrupt mortal warriors to die in the Sin War often come to reside in Hell. Forged in the fires of eternal punishment, someof these spirits are reborn as cruel shadows of their former glory. Clad in demon forged armor and wielding arcane weapons of destruction, they roam the gateway to Hell in search of those who would invade their sinister domain. Undead Mage Like their brutish counterparts, these minions of Hell are comprised of the most mendacious and merciless Sorcerers and Necromancers slain in the Mage Clan Wars. Their thirst for power has followed them to the grave and was easily manipulated by the Prime Evils when creating these dark mages. Wielding the same powers in Hell as they did in the mortal realm, they pose a fatal threat to even the most experienced adventurer.
Perhaps. Because the "Death Issue" remains largely a mystery to us nowadays, we can't really tell if this information is correct.
I can dead mortals ending up in Hell and serving the Three, but not because of some set rule that sinners go to Hell. I'd like to see it more as an active event, such as the Prime Evils actually "capturing" or forcing down souls into Hell at their time of death.
Of course, such an act would be hard to accomplish, because of the protection Sanctuary has had over the years from the Worldstone. But in a time of great crisis, such as the mage wars, perhaps it owuld be easier for the Three to manipulate dead souls, and so would explain why some mortals end up in Hell.
PlugY for Diablo II allows you to reset skills and stats, transfer items between characters in singleplayer, obtain all ladder runewords and do all Uberquests while offline. It is the only way to do all of the above. Please use it.
Supporting big shoulderpads and flashy armor since 2004.
"You will NEVER succeed!" shouted the voice in my head. I tried to drown out the loud, scratchy tone, but more and more maddening images broke my concentration. "Destruction cannot be tamed by mere men!" The voice screamed. Frightening images of mutilated bodies bounced around my mind, startling me. My eyes watered as I closed them to block out the visions. Suddenly, Baal's screaming face made me jump, as he maniacally laughed at my fears. "If only you could've met true Terror himself, he would make quick work of you, little man!" He laughed again. This time, the searing laugh frustrated more than frightened me.
"I guess you are not as powerful as I thought," I replied.
"Ahh," Baal responded. "You only communicate out of arrogance, I see. I shall take great pleasure in humbling your feeble mind!" The beast had gotten agitated, which was a benefit to my concentration. It had been less than an hour since the sacrifice, and the demon wasted no time in trying to corrupt my soul.
"Darkness lingers in the pit of your soul, sorcerer," he continued, his voice boasting an overwhelming malicious enjoyment. "You believed not in the Light, but you feared the Destuction I cause."
"But I do not fear YOU!" I snapped back, hoping to subdue his growing confidence.
"Perhaps," he responded. I extended a deep sigh of relief in his silence, my conquest; but it took him no time to vie for the upper hand. "But you fear my presence on this plane. Your soul trembles before me, as lost little child with nowhere to turn." His response nearly shattered me. The beast probed me, hoping to find some way to destroy my sub-consciousness. If he succeeded, I would become mad, forever desiring more knowledge of the Arcane, and using any means necessary to become enlightened. Else, I would surely die, on a nonstop pathway to perdition.
"Eternal Damnation," he responded.
"How...?" I asked, startled and confused.
"I can read your mind," he muttered. "I have complete access to all that is you, and I plan to become very comfortable. One of my first acts will be to encourage you to think, not speak. Your one-sided conversations are scaring your entourage." As I looked around, I saw six guards surrounding my person; each wearing an eerily confused look. The Vizjerei accompanying the guards looked on with dark, sorrowful eyes. I was so caught up in combating the demon that I did not hear the mage muttering a spell of protection.
"Forgive me," I breathed to my captors. Usually, I would feel safe in such an entourage, but today no solace would come to me. Sadly, I no longer recognized those around me.
"Those fools want to protect you," Baal cackled. "They act as though they care for you, and yet they walk you to your death." His words seared my consciousness as I felt the guards prod me along. I fixed my gaze on the sorcerer.
"You seek to destroy me?" I asked. I realized immediately that the voice was not my own. The serpentine hiss of the Demon Lord was enough to startle the guards and make my soul shutter. The raspy words I uttered sounded far more scathing than any words I heard in my head. My stomach sank. I beg my captives' forgiveness as I lead myself further into the tomb, the guards following at a greater distance. The tomb was dim, but through the torch's illumination, I could make out freshly carved symbols decorating every corridor we entered. The guards hurried me along more firmly, realizing that I am no longer one of "them". Their polearms in my back frustrated me.
"Yes." the demon hissed. “Get angry! I told you that they are not here to comfort you, only lead you to your doom! You have sacrificed your soul to eternal damnation, the least these wretches can do is humbly honor your presence." I struggled to remove the thoughts before me, but being a scholar, I could never fully ignore a good point, and his was very logical.
"Demand they kneel before you!" He commanded. He felt his influence tighten around the goodness in my heart. As his grip tightened, I began to realize that kindness WAS in fact a weakness. The demon cackled maniacally. I tried with all of my might to drown out the thoughts the demon placed in my head, but I realized that the more I tried to fill my mind with good, the more twisted those "good" thoughts became. The demon was winning.
"Destroy them..." whispered a serene voice. The voice was such an adverse tone to what was echoing in my head that it was almost soothing. I latched on to you that serenity as a child would its mother when sensing danger. At that moment, my mind became deathly quiet. I faded from my depths of my consciousness and returned to the darkness of the tomb. The corridors began sloping downward, indicating that we were venturing deeper into the Earth. The partial silence in my head gave me the opportunity to take account of my captives. In watching them cautiously follow me, I became rather perturbed. I wanted to question them, ask them why they alienate their savior so. I failed to understand why they would make me feel so alone in my last moment amongst the very souls for which I sacrificed my own. I stopped and faced them.
"Do I make you uncomfortable?" I asked, my voice once again my own. The humility in my voice comforted some, but most continued to look at me with hardened stares. "I have sacrificed my life for the capture of this demon lord, forced to imprison myself in an eternal struggle with the damned and you will show me no honor?" I stepped towards the weary group in an effort to plead my case. As I stepped towards them, they stepped away from me. This notion enraged me. I turned away, disgusted by what I had just experienced. I peered into the Darkness, realizing that all that the torch’s Light could not touch signified my future; the Light behind me signified all that I had ever known. I stood there, between Light and Darkness. The feeling of accepting the unknown as my eternity for those without honor sickened me. At that moment, the Demon Lord spoke again, this time more calmly.
"They lead you to impending doom," he told me. As he continued to speak to me, I realized he was no longer hell bent on my destruction. Alas, I could not say the same for my human counterparts.
"You fear me," I declared as I stood in the midst of their silence. I felt their fear wash over mea like a cool summer rain. To satisfy my thirst, I substituted that fear for the honor I felt I deserved. "Be well my friends," I stated confidently as I continued my trek. "I am your friend, I will not destroy you...But there is no guarantee that I will die alone." I could not tell if that declaration was a threat or a promise, but I reveled in it nonetheless. The farther into the crypt we descended, the more I began to embrace the darkness. I drowned myself in the sounds of death, inhaling its scent. This time, the young magi's muttering broke my concentration.
"He is weak," whispered that calming voice. "Destroy him." In observing his incantations, I noticed that he was far from a match for me. It disturbed me that the Horadrim would send such an inexperienced mage on such a task, and the notion that I would be too weak to defend myself infuriated me even further.
"I demand you stop your futile chanting, young mage." At this point, my own voice had taken on a deeper, more sinister tone. "Had I wished to destroy you, your feeble magics would do you no justice." I stopped to ensure that my words hit their marks. I smiled as his chanting came to a halt. "Your cooperation is appreciated," I said as I continued my venture.
"You are a great and wise young, young mage." Baal declared mockingly. It was soothing to receive a compliment rather than constant regression. A few yards ahead of us stood a doorway, illuminated by an eerily bright light. As we ventured through the doorway, we entered a great chamber with torches littering its perimeter. In the center of the chamber stood a large column, only accessible by a wicker bridge, near the column stood the golden-plate clad Angel, Tyrael. I felt honored, to be in his presence, but simultaneously an incredible rage began to form.
"He is the reason for our imprisonment!"Baal shouted. His hatred of the Archangel began to overflow into my envy of those benefiting from my sacrifice."His cause is NOT righteous! His words are NOT true! He is far greater the Lord of Destruction as I will ever be!" His words shocked me. Although they were coming from the most evil of the Three, his feelings could easily mesh with my own. Just as my mind began to trail, I found myself channeling all that I could muster to attack the fraudulent protector. I could not understand this, but I understood that it was his bidding to capture the Three. My thoughts pondered his motives:
Did he know that the demons could escape?
Did he know that mortal men would have to sacrifice themselves to contain them?
If he did, why allow Sanctuary's strongest heroes to endure such torment if man's will can truly be broken?
Am I a sacrifice to this Demon Lord, to continue some astral game of "good .vs. evil"?
My confusion turned into hatred, and that hatred made me long for the Angel's destruction.
"Tal Rasha!" Tyrael screamed as he converted to a defensive stance. "You MUST hold on a bit longer! If he gains control now, all would have been lost in vain!" Unfortunately, I was too engulfed in analyzing the questions swimming in my consciousness. Tyrael battled back against the Dark influence subjugating my body. The soulstone lit the room a brilliant pink as the Demon Lord worked to combine our powers to overpower the Archangel.
"I will destroy you!" shouted Baal as he cast a dark incantation towards his opponent. "You have made a grave mistake, Angel! This one wants you dead all the same!" I felt the Demon Lord probing my mind for a suitable attack. As he searched, I found myself enthralled in his very own mind, probing his sorcery to find some way of saving myself. I found a shielding spell that I thought could ward him from my soul, but as I began mouthing the spell, the Demon began to conjure a spell of his own. We spoke simultaneously, making a strange twist of common and demonic dialect into a single language. He chose my favorite flame spell, and the shielding spell I chose seemed to make the fireball undispellable. I watched in sheer disbelief as Tyrael absorbed the brunt of the attack, his divine raiment damaged by mortal words. Excited by my conquest, I forced my way back into the Demon's mind, probing his knowledge into the darkened ways of the Arcane. At this point, I did not care if the angel defeated the Demon and my body destroyed. All I cared about was obtaining as much as I could before my damnation began. The Archangel continued to plead with me.
"Your words fall on deaf ears!" The Demon reveled. "The mage has become comfortable in the darkness to which you have foolishly condemned him! You were a fool to believe that you could circumvent the balance with mere Stones! You will suffer for your transgressions!" The Demon attacked, but was stopped by a force only known to mortal men.
"So help me, if what this demon says is true I'll end your life right now," Tyrael snapped as he wrapped his will around my soul. "Your vessel will be broken, and you will remain trapped in oblivion." The sound, logical thinker that I once was found myself dumbfounded by the choice Tyrael gave to the Demon. If the Demon's banishment was so simple, why not destroy its vessel? My death was imminent; therefore, I failed to understand why he would spare my life. With what energy I had left, I looked directly into the Angel's eyes, and managed a final declaration through his strangling grasp:
"Your logic is flawed." Tyrael seemed to reel in response to my words. The overly confused look on his face was so amusing; I could not help but laugh. Of course, the demon shared my enjoyment of this moment, and laughed as well. Our howls filled the chamber with maniacal echoes, mocking the silent hero. In his frustration, he slammed us against the sole column, where we were to be imprisoned for all eternity.
"May the Light embrace you," he muttered as a collection of Zakarum priests began a holy Ritual of Binding. Their words burned through my body, sending me into convulsions and the Demon into a frenzy. Before they could finish the ritual, I blacked out. The last thought through my mind was the demon, Baal.
"The Archangel will betray you. All will be lost in time..."
PlugY for Diablo II allows you to reset skills and stats, transfer items between characters in singleplayer, obtain all ladder runewords and do all Uberquests while offline. It is the only way to do all of the above. Please use it.
Supporting big shoulderpads and flashy armor since 2004.
"The Balance"
the Solitarium is my dominion...
Sure, post some more
In being subjective, I also took the approach that man recognized the direct characterization between good & evil being heaven & hell. Just as the Holy Trinity is comprised of The Father, The Son & The Holy Spirit I approached this situation with the brothers being somewhat of an "Unholy Trinity": Terror, Hatred & Destruction; for all of our sins will lead us down one of those paths.
Aside from those small points I'm excited that you guys enjoy the idea. As soon as I get my computer back from my previous job's audit, I'll probably post some music that correlates to the story ^+^
I'll start typing up chapter one if requested by popular demand
the Solitarium is my dominion...
But, as pointed out, the chances of "God" existing seem slim, and Satan is more or less embodied by the Three. Other than that, it's amazing.
"What we believed to be good was far beyond evil. For our own personal salvation, we unwittingly expose others to damnation. For that salvation, I sacrified my life...and now I await my damnation."
I don't think Tal Rasha would believe he was damned for fighting the 3. I also don't feel he would think the Heavens were worse then evil. Plus, it sounds more along the lines of what a Necro would think then a Horadrim. Deckard says a LOT, and repeats a LOT, but I don't think he ever mentions the word balance.
It is a good writeup, except it doesn't seem to fit what I understand of the character.
Fuck you, I'm a dragon.
tis just the prologue, a build up to the actual story. The mage was not "damned" for fighting, but he sacrificed himself to capture and enslave the Lord of Destruction. I could explain what he meant in those lines, but by doing so I would spoil the entire first chapter
the Solitarium is my dominion...
"He is the reason for our imprisonment!" Baal shouted. His hatred of the Archangel began to overflow into my envy of those benefitting from my sacrifice. "His cause is NOT righteous! His words are NOT true! He is far greater the Lord of Destruction as I will ever be!" His words shocked me. Although they were coming from the most evil of the Three, his feelings could easily be meshed with my own. Just as my mind began to trail, I found myself channeling all that I could muster to attack the fraudulent protector. I could not understand this, but I understood that it was his bidding to capture the Three. My thoughts pondered his motives:
Did he know that the demons could escape?
Did he know that mortal men would have to sacrifice themselves to contain them?
If he did, why allow Sanctuary's strongest heroes to endure such torment if man's will can truly be broken?
Am I a sacrifice to this Demon Lord? To continue some astral game of "good .vs. evil"?
My confusion turned into hatred, and that hatred made me long for the Angel's destruction.
the Solitarium is my dominion...
Maybe this is outdated though?
I can dead mortals ending up in Hell and serving the Three, but not because of some set rule that sinners go to Hell. I'd like to see it more as an active event, such as the Prime Evils actually "capturing" or forcing down souls into Hell at their time of death.
Of course, such an act would be hard to accomplish, because of the protection Sanctuary has had over the years from the Worldstone. But in a time of great crisis, such as the mage wars, perhaps it owuld be easier for the Three to manipulate dead souls, and so would explain why some mortals end up in Hell.
"You will NEVER succeed!" shouted the voice in my head. I tried to drown out the loud, scratchy tone, but more and more maddening images broke my concentration. "Destruction cannot be tamed by mere men!" The voice screamed. Frightening images of mutilated bodies bounced around my mind, startling me. My eyes watered as I closed them to block out the visions. Suddenly, Baal's screaming face made me jump, as he maniacally laughed at my fears. "If only you could've met true Terror himself, he would make quick work of you, little man!" He laughed again. This time, the searing laugh frustrated more than frightened me.
"I guess you are not as powerful as I thought," I replied.
"Ahh," Baal responded. "You only communicate out of arrogance, I see. I shall take great pleasure in humbling your feeble mind!" The beast had gotten agitated, which was a benefit to my concentration. It had been less than an hour since the sacrifice, and the demon wasted no time in trying to corrupt my soul.
"Darkness lingers in the pit of your soul, sorcerer," he continued, his voice boasting an overwhelming malicious enjoyment. "You believed not in the Light, but you feared the Destuction I cause."
"But I do not fear YOU!" I snapped back, hoping to subdue his growing confidence.
"Perhaps," he responded. I extended a deep sigh of relief in his silence, my conquest; but it took him no time to vie for the upper hand. "But you fear my presence on this plane. Your soul trembles before me, as lost little child with nowhere to turn." His response nearly shattered me. The beast probed me, hoping to find some way to destroy my sub-consciousness. If he succeeded, I would become mad, forever desiring more knowledge of the Arcane, and using any means necessary to become enlightened. Else, I would surely die, on a nonstop pathway to perdition.
"Eternal Damnation," he responded.
"How...?" I asked, startled and confused.
"I can read your mind," he muttered. "I have complete access to all that is you, and I plan to become very comfortable. One of my first acts will be to encourage you to think, not speak. Your one-sided conversations are scaring your entourage." As I looked around, I saw six guards surrounding my person; each wearing an eerily confused look. The Vizjerei accompanying the guards looked on with dark, sorrowful eyes. I was so caught up in combating the demon that I did not hear the mage muttering a spell of protection.
"Forgive me," I breathed to my captors. Usually, I would feel safe in such an entourage, but today no solace would come to me. Sadly, I no longer recognized those around me.
"Those fools want to protect you," Baal cackled. "They act as though they care for you, and yet they walk you to your death." His words seared my consciousness as I felt the guards prod me along. I fixed my gaze on the sorcerer.
"You seek to destroy me?" I asked. I realized immediately that the voice was not my own. The serpentine hiss of the Demon Lord was enough to startle the guards and make my soul shutter. The raspy words I uttered sounded far more scathing than any words I heard in my head. My stomach sank. I beg my captives' forgiveness as I lead myself further into the tomb, the guards following at a greater distance. The tomb was dim, but through the torch's illumination, I could make out freshly carved symbols decorating every corridor we entered. The guards hurried me along more firmly, realizing that I am no longer one of "them". Their polearms in my back frustrated me.
"Yes." the demon hissed. “Get angry! I told you that they are not here to comfort you, only lead you to your doom! You have sacrificed your soul to eternal damnation, the least these wretches can do is humbly honor your presence." I struggled to remove the thoughts before me, but being a scholar, I could never fully ignore a good point, and his was very logical.
"Demand they kneel before you!" He commanded. He felt his influence tighten around the goodness in my heart. As his grip tightened, I began to realize that kindness WAS in fact a weakness. The demon cackled maniacally. I tried with all of my might to drown out the thoughts the demon placed in my head, but I realized that the more I tried to fill my mind with good, the more twisted those "good" thoughts became. The demon was winning.
"Destroy them..." whispered a serene voice. The voice was such an adverse tone to what was echoing in my head that it was almost soothing. I latched on to you that serenity as a child would its mother when sensing danger. At that moment, my mind became deathly quiet. I faded from my depths of my consciousness and returned to the darkness of the tomb. The corridors began sloping downward, indicating that we were venturing deeper into the Earth. The partial silence in my head gave me the opportunity to take account of my captives. In watching them cautiously follow me, I became rather perturbed. I wanted to question them, ask them why they alienate their savior so. I failed to understand why they would make me feel so alone in my last moment amongst the very souls for which I sacrificed my own. I stopped and faced them.
"Do I make you uncomfortable?" I asked, my voice once again my own. The humility in my voice comforted some, but most continued to look at me with hardened stares. "I have sacrificed my life for the capture of this demon lord, forced to imprison myself in an eternal struggle with the damned and you will show me no honor?" I stepped towards the weary group in an effort to plead my case. As I stepped towards them, they stepped away from me. This notion enraged me. I turned away, disgusted by what I had just experienced. I peered into the Darkness, realizing that all that the torch’s Light could not touch signified my future; the Light behind me signified all that I had ever known. I stood there, between Light and Darkness. The feeling of accepting the unknown as my eternity for those without honor sickened me. At that moment, the Demon Lord spoke again, this time more calmly.
"They lead you to impending doom," he told me. As he continued to speak to me, I realized he was no longer hell bent on my destruction. Alas, I could not say the same for my human counterparts.
"You fear me," I declared as I stood in the midst of their silence. I felt their fear wash over mea like a cool summer rain. To satisfy my thirst, I substituted that fear for the honor I felt I deserved. "Be well my friends," I stated confidently as I continued my trek. "I am your friend, I will not destroy you...But there is no guarantee that I will die alone." I could not tell if that declaration was a threat or a promise, but I reveled in it nonetheless. The farther into the crypt we descended, the more I began to embrace the darkness. I drowned myself in the sounds of death, inhaling its scent. This time, the young magi's muttering broke my concentration.
"He is weak," whispered that calming voice. "Destroy him." In observing his incantations, I noticed that he was far from a match for me. It disturbed me that the Horadrim would send such an inexperienced mage on such a task, and the notion that I would be too weak to defend myself infuriated me even further.
"I demand you stop your futile chanting, young mage." At this point, my own voice had taken on a deeper, more sinister tone. "Had I wished to destroy you, your feeble magics would do you no justice." I stopped to ensure that my words hit their marks. I smiled as his chanting came to a halt. "Your cooperation is appreciated," I said as I continued my venture.
"You are a great and wise young, young mage." Baal declared mockingly. It was soothing to receive a compliment rather than constant regression. A few yards ahead of us stood a doorway, illuminated by an eerily bright light. As we ventured through the doorway, we entered a great chamber with torches littering its perimeter. In the center of the chamber stood a large column, only accessible by a wicker bridge, near the column stood the golden-plate clad Angel, Tyrael. I felt honored, to be in his presence, but simultaneously an incredible rage began to form.
"He is the reason for our imprisonment!"Baal shouted. His hatred of the Archangel began to overflow into my envy of those benefiting from my sacrifice."His cause is NOT righteous! His words are NOT true! He is far greater the Lord of Destruction as I will ever be!" His words shocked me. Although they were coming from the most evil of the Three, his feelings could easily mesh with my own. Just as my mind began to trail, I found myself channeling all that I could muster to attack the fraudulent protector. I could not understand this, but I understood that it was his bidding to capture the Three. My thoughts pondered his motives:
Did he know that the demons could escape?
Did he know that mortal men would have to sacrifice themselves to contain them?
If he did, why allow Sanctuary's strongest heroes to endure such torment if man's will can truly be broken?
Am I a sacrifice to this Demon Lord, to continue some astral game of "good .vs. evil"?
My confusion turned into hatred, and that hatred made me long for the Angel's destruction.
"Tal Rasha!" Tyrael screamed as he converted to a defensive stance. "You MUST hold on a bit longer! If he gains control now, all would have been lost in vain!" Unfortunately, I was too engulfed in analyzing the questions swimming in my consciousness. Tyrael battled back against the Dark influence subjugating my body. The soulstone lit the room a brilliant pink as the Demon Lord worked to combine our powers to overpower the Archangel.
"I will destroy you!" shouted Baal as he cast a dark incantation towards his opponent. "You have made a grave mistake, Angel! This one wants you dead all the same!" I felt the Demon Lord probing my mind for a suitable attack. As he searched, I found myself enthralled in his very own mind, probing his sorcery to find some way of saving myself. I found a shielding spell that I thought could ward him from my soul, but as I began mouthing the spell, the Demon began to conjure a spell of his own. We spoke simultaneously, making a strange twist of common and demonic dialect into a single language. He chose my favorite flame spell, and the shielding spell I chose seemed to make the fireball undispellable. I watched in sheer disbelief as Tyrael absorbed the brunt of the attack, his divine raiment damaged by mortal words. Excited by my conquest, I forced my way back into the Demon's mind, probing his knowledge into the darkened ways of the Arcane. At this point, I did not care if the angel defeated the Demon and my body destroyed. All I cared about was obtaining as much as I could before my damnation began. The Archangel continued to plead with me.
"Your words fall on deaf ears!" The Demon reveled. "The mage has become comfortable in the darkness to which you have foolishly condemned him! You were a fool to believe that you could circumvent the balance with mere Stones! You will suffer for your transgressions!" The Demon attacked, but was stopped by a force only known to mortal men.
"So help me, if what this demon says is true I'll end your life right now," Tyrael snapped as he wrapped his will around my soul. "Your vessel will be broken, and you will remain trapped in oblivion." The sound, logical thinker that I once was found myself dumbfounded by the choice Tyrael gave to the Demon. If the Demon's banishment was so simple, why not destroy its vessel? My death was imminent; therefore, I failed to understand why he would spare my life. With what energy I had left, I looked directly into the Angel's eyes, and managed a final declaration through his strangling grasp:
"Your logic is flawed." Tyrael seemed to reel in response to my words. The overly confused look on his face was so amusing; I could not help but laugh. Of course, the demon shared my enjoyment of this moment, and laughed as well. Our howls filled the chamber with maniacal echoes, mocking the silent hero. In his frustration, he slammed us against the sole column, where we were to be imprisoned for all eternity.
"May the Light embrace you," he muttered as a collection of Zakarum priests began a holy Ritual of Binding. Their words burned through my body, sending me into convulsions and the Demon into a frenzy. Before they could finish the ritual, I blacked out. The last thought through my mind was the demon, Baal.
"The Archangel will betray you. All will be lost in time..."
the Solitarium is my dominion...
lol, it was 3am when I wrote it, so I was kinda wavering
chapter 2 coming soon if by popular demand
the Solitarium is my dominion...