Diablo: The Mightiest Sin

By Umnusman

Note from the author:

Thank you in advance for reading my first fan fiction and published writing ever! Please note that all the content below is written by a Dane who has English as his second language. My grammar is decent as well as my vocabulary but I lack skills in punctuation which I consider my big writing weakness, I hope you can still make sense of my work and find it enjoyable.

The story you are about read is based on a fan's idea to give some story to one of his favorite characters from the newly released PC/Mac title, Diablo 3, the story contains gory details and foul language so you have been warned. Also please note that if you have not played Diablo 3 you might find minor spoilers in the text, read on your own accord. Once again thank you for taking your time reading my first published writing.

- Umnusman

The Endless Hells were home to the fearsome and brutal demons, an ancient race of savage brutes and malicious creatures in many different shapes and sizes. The most powerful and terrifying demons were of course the rulers of this world that mostly consisted of dark rocks and pits of magma, but also large fortresses and towers made of black, jagged rocks and where pools of blood, torn limbs and decayed bodies were spread out and left as if it was the most ordinary things to in a wasteland. The inhabitants of this vast world of rock and magma only knew one thing, do whatever the stronger ones tell you to, but of course this could be complicated when there were many rulers of hell who each sought to be the greater. Among these rulers was the Lord of Sin, Azmodan, a gigantic demon whose appearance alone reflected his title, but with such great power that it too could be a testament to his title as Lord.

This great demon, who amongst the seven lords was considered one of the four Lesser Evils, was one among all the seven lords of hell, who was also quite able to use his head, and not just his power, to make his goals and dreams become reality. Standing on four large and powerful insect-like legs, the ruler had a large torso decorated with different types of treasure and jewelry, like the torso he had two also large arms with clawed hands and from his back two large, horn like appendages extended. The face of Azmodan was, as most might imagine, as fearsome as the rest of his form, a large glowing mouth with dagger sharp teeth was placed below his large nose and four equally big, glowing eyes dotted his face with fiery pupils, the rest of his head was plated in the same dark matter that his four legs and horns seemed to be made from. Those were the features of the Lord of Sin that his demonic minions recognized their master with, but also his voice which was just as sinister.

In a great fortress in the fiery Endless Hells, Azmodan resided for the time being, plotting how to become supreme ruler of the demonic realm. In a great dark chamber, with a huge pool of hot lava in the center and with large torches on pillars, Azmodan was speaking with his advisors. The large demon lord stood in the center with his legs barely sinking into the molten lava and three much smaller demons in dark garments, and one large demon with four incredibly long pillar-like arms stood before the Lord of Sin. They were in midst of battle plans, as Azmodan had devised a plot on how to get rid of the three Greater Evils of hell, the three brothers, Mephisto, Baal, and the youngest, Diablo, so that the Endless Hells would become his alone to rule. The five demon's meeting had gone on for about an hour and seemed to be reaching its end.

"… We believe, Lord Azmodan, that if this plan is to succeed, we should require the aid of the other Lesser Evils, you and Belial alone cannot possibly hope to get the three great brothers banished from hell."

The center most demon in garments spoke, then held out its hands towards the great demon lord and with an ominous purple glow, produced images of two terrifying demons. The Lord of Sin moved a bit closer and inspected the two projected images of his two siblings, his four glowing eyes scanned them then fell on the demon who had spoken again.

"With you commanding THEIR forces, the High Heavens are sure to retaliate, and with you and your three siblings being the Lesser Evils, they are sure to target three greater ones first, just as Lord Belial said."

The demon finished which made the great Lord of Sin back up and take a few steps back into the lava pit. He placed his hand on his chin and stroke it gently with his thumb and index finger, then produced a sinister, toothed smirk. Azmodan lowered his hand then held one out towards the four.

"And this, my precious advisors, is why I value you so highly, this plan can work. But as you say yourself, Raktol, this will require Andariel's and Duriel's aid"

The demon lord spoke in his deep thunderous voice. The four advisors gave a brief nod each, and then watched as Azmodan stepped out of the lava pit and headed to a great door of the same black rocks as the fortress was made of. Drops of lava fell onto the dark stone brick floor from the sharp ends of the demon lord's large feet as he approached the door with heavy steps.

"I shall send word to the two, this meeting is adjourned, you may return to your personal duties."

Azmodan spoke and pushed the doors open with his clawed hands and entered a grand hallway. This long room was decorated by corpses on the walls as well as black statues, two long streams of lava moved silent in two near equal sized pools created near the two side walls and illuminated the room with the orange glow of the lava. Halfway through the hallway, Azmodan stopped and looked to the side where to winged demons perched from two hanging statues and returned their lord's look with their utmost attention.

"How can we be of service, Lord Azmodan?"

One of them spoke in a low raspy voice. These flying horrors were Azmodan's two messengers, among his many demonic minions of the same breed, these were the fastest and also very deadly, they had delivered many messages to important demons that Azmodan needed to contact. Azmodan turned slightly then pointed to the two with one of his thick fingers.

"I require you to send the same message to my two siblings, Andariel and Duriel, The message is as followed:

My dear sibling, I, Azmodan, have decided that it is time for us to once again rage war upon our ancient enemies, the angels of the High Heavens. For this I require your forces and yourselves to pledge to my service, as we are sure to be successful after so many years of silence, in which we have gotten stronger in both numbers and power, once we attack along with Belial, the three great lords, Diablo, Mephisto, and Baal too, will surely follow in our footsteps and then help us seal our pathetic enemies' fate.

You can do this for me, yes, Gyrom, and Tanok?"

Azmodan finished and looked with eager eyes to his two messengers who had closed their eyes and done their best to imprint their master's words into their memory. The two suddenly opened their eyes and nodded once each. Azmodan smiled then turned and headed down the hallway once more. Departing with the words:

"Splendid, make haste, for soon I shall be the lord of the Endless Hells".

Only one week passed before Azmodan got his answer. The Endless Hells were going to rage war upon the High Heavens and just as he and his advisors had planned, the three Greater Evils followed briefly in the attacks and they too send their forces to help defeat the angels, the ancient enemies of the demons. Upon the frontlines in the angelic realm, Azmodan was faced with his most powerful foe yet, Imperius, the Archangel of Valor.

The Lord of Sin stood upon the floating planes of glass that had been bloodied with the angel's fading lights, around the demon lord raged many demons as they clashed with a few angels trying to guard their home. One such angel slew a demon with his sword and celebrated his kill with a triumphant battle-cry, however soon he found himself wrapped by Azmodan's clawed hand and brought to the demon lord's sinister face.

"Foolish little angel, you should pay more attention to the battle around you and celebrate when the battle is won, now you shall not see the end of it, but I will let you die knowing you failed your precious little cloud kingdom."

"I am not afraid to die, demon, my life will be the last you take!"

"We shall see, be gone from this world now!"

The two spoke before Azmodan finally crushed the angel in his hand and simply let the now dead, holy warrior fall to the battle scarred ground. Just as he did though, a powerful light blinded him and made the large demon take a few quick steps back, stepping on a few of his minions as he did, instantly killing them by piercing them and crushing them under his enormous weight.

"This blasted light…"

Azmodan mumbled then suddenly felt a surge of pain from the arm he tried to block the light with, the light faded and as he lowered his arm and saw a small cut had been made with his black blood pouring out from it, and then he saw a much more powerful angel had arrived.

The warrior flying before him wore a golden armor and pointed a long spear with a glowing tip at him. His long red, and tendril like wings moved gently just like the angel levitating slightly up and down in midair. The demon lord smirked and held out his hands, this opponent was one he had been hoping would come before him.

"Imperius, I am delighted that you come before me to surrender your life, it saves me the trouble of having to look for you while bringing down your wretched home!"

Azmodan spoke and produced a dark sinister laugh from his huge mouth.

The golden armor clad angel swung his spear and held it down his side, then pointed his free hand to the demon, a glow starting to emanate from it.

"I did not come here to give up my life to you, Azmodan, on the contrary I came to wrest yours from you."

Imperius spoke then had white flames blow out from his hand and onto the large demon that roared in pain and took a few more steps back while shielding his face with his large, gray skinned arm. However as he did, a large ball of fire appeared in the Lord of Sin's other hand which he threw at the angel who was taken by surprise and was sent into a pillar that crumbled due to the powerful impact. Azmodan stood up straight then charged the crumbling pillar with a roar and tightened one of his hands into a fist, and punched the remains of the pillar. However as he did a white haze passed him and manifested as the golden angel behind him that slashed his spear at the demon's back. Exclaiming a roar of pain, Azmodan quickly turned then spewed out a dark solution which the angel quickly got out of the way of, the black liquid splashed onto an unaware demon who whined in pain as its body started to dissolve, flesh and bone alike.

"Hah! Perhaps I should continue this way and have you, defeat your own army…"

Imperius spoke watching the dissolving demon but then suddenly received a powerful fist onto his smaller body and was send onto the glass platform and groaned in pain. As he did, Azmodan approached slowly but stopped seeing some of his demon spawn was coming to finish off the angel.

"Yes my minions, kill this flying rat and led us be rid of the angels and their bright heavens!"

Azmodan spoke then laughed believing the angel would die now. However, as the demons approached the downed angel, Imperius transformed into the white haze and quickly ascended into the air where he quickly manifested and pointed his spear to the demon lord of sin again. His wings sprouted wildly like wild fire, it was obvious the angel was serious now and also very upset with how things were looking for both his home and himself.

"I am not dead yet wretch! I shall destroy you and your army of mongrels right now!"

Imperius yelled and started to emanate a powerful white glow and his wings started grow even bigger too. Azmodan saw this as a bad sign, he could feel the power building up inside the angel and as the Lord of Sin, he could also see Imperius growing lust to rid the heavens of all the attacking demons, and whatever he was doing was powerful enough to gravely wound him and kill the many demons around him, perhaps it was time for a tactical retreat. Holding out his thick arms in front of him, ominous red beams shot out from his palms that twisted and twirled before him until a ring which became a portal to his own domain, the Endless Hells was formed.

"This is not over, Imperius!"

Azmodan spoke then went with all haste into the portal, many of his demonic minions followed close behind him but some others chose to stay. That was the first of many great victories for the angels in that was, and because of it, the angels, inevitably, won the war and successfully defended their home. However for Azmodan this was also a victory on his side, his plan had worked and in the war's aftermath the three Greater Evils of the Endless Hells was banished to the human realm, Sanctuary under the accusation they had not done their part for winning the war to which all the four Lesser Evils voted to. Only a year after, Azmodan began ruling as the major ruler of the Endless Hells, taking the territory of the three evils that had been banished. With next to no opposition Azmodan successfully conquered most of the Endless Hells. Many years after only he and the Lord of Lies, Belial, remained in hell as the two other Lesser Evils, Andariel and Duriel was summoned by Diablo to help him free his two imprisoned brothers, but later they were all sealed away.

Then one day, in the Endless Hells…

"… So what you are saying Azmodan, is that with this black soulstone we may conquer both the heaven but also Sanctuary?"

Belial, who was visiting Azmodan in his new grand palace, asked the large demon lord and looked up to him to see if he was serious. The smaller demon lord's look was returned with a devilish smirk from Azmodan. He approached his smaller brother and nodded.

"Indeed Belial, with the others sealed away in it; we can draw upon their power and then crash the heavens into Sanctuary."

Azmodan said and walked past his brother who followed him into Azmodan's throne room. The greater demon stopped near some other demons and signaled them to prepare his meal, he then turned to Belial and lowered himself, placing a hand near Belial, with this agreement soon made, Azmodan, would become the greatest demon who had ever walked upon the dust of hell.

"Now leave me brother, I am tired and with this business settled you got much to see to, as far as I know, one of your generals have already started looking this black soulstone, now is the time for you to take over Caldeum and make sure nobody there gets in our way, I will then see to it that my… our armies are prepared to assault Sanctuary."

Azmodan spoke then stood up again and placed his hands on his stomach, looking at Belial, awaiting him to take his leave. Belial nodded then opened a portal, after bidding each other farewell Belial left and Azmodan found himself to his throne where he awaited his meal to show up.

"Oh Belial, if only you know what I have in store for you and our other brothers and sisters…"

Azmodan spoke to himself but paused as a large demon arrived carrying a large cage with humans from Sanctuary in it, all bound and blindfolded. He handed the cage to Azmodan who licked his lips, saliva started dripping from his huge mouth and onto the dark floor. The humans looked around confused and scared, speaking in confusion and fright, they were not aware where they were nor what was about to happen to them. With great haste and greed, he tore open the cage and tipped the cage over his open and awaiting maw, swallowing some human whole and chewing up some of the others. Once he was done, blood dripped from his jaw and the Lord of Sin threw away the ruined cage, a satisfied yet sinister smile formed on his demonic face.

"… Yes soon I shall devour all of you six with the soulstone and become the one, true, Prime Evil of hell!"