As Things Went

Imperius P.O.V

Tyrael was heavier than I thought. It wasn't unbearable, but still rather bothersome concerning flight. His armor was heavy enough, plus his mortal weight- most mortals weighed about twice that of an average angel. Tyrael was fairly large for a human, and thus, was cumbersome.

I didn't say anything to the mortal though. He was enjoying (aided) flight to much for me to break in.

It was a good thing the Council Chambers were close to where we had been. The way I held Tyrael was awkward and ungainly. If we were going to be doing this often, I would have to figure out a better way to carry him.

I laughed internally when both Itherael and Auriel stared at our arrival. Tyrael shuffled nervously when I put him down. I thought the whole situation was funny for some reason. Then again, I did have a tendency to laugh at odd things (e.g Inarius' hypersomnia.)

My mirth was short lived however. The Black Soulstone sat perched in the middle of the chamber, upon an alter, as though it would be worshipped. I resisted the powerful urge to knock it form the pedestal.

"Imperius. Tyrael. Good of you to join us." Auriel sent me an annoyed look. I merely twitched my wings in a dismissive way at her. Tyrael glanced from me, to her, to Itherael, and back again. Itherael seemed to be trying not to draw attention to himself.

Things had gone from mildly amusing to borderline hostile in a matter of a single sentence. I sent a quick glance towards the Soulstone, which continued to sit upon it's alter.

"Good to join you." I muttered.

"What is this meeting about?" Tyrael changed the subject.

"We need to decide what to do about the stone." Auriel declared. Tyrael nodded.

"I propose it be sealed in a chamber of pure sound and light, and fall under an eternal watch." The Archangel of Hope raised her fist.

"That's all well and good," I began. "But how do we know the stone itself is enough to keep the evils contained? It houses all seven evils. Past soulstones have failed to contain one demon lord, let alone seven. Even if the prison were flawless, what if the stone breaks? Then we have a box full of the most powerful demons there are! I doubt any prison could hold all of them forever." Everyone stared at me. I stared back.

What was their problem? Did they think I had no comprehension of what the stone was?

"Imperius?" Tyrael eyed me with a look that I couldn't identify. "How did you know about the evils being in soulstones previously?" Oh...well shit. I had forgotten that Tyrael had never told the council about the Primes being on Sanctuary. It was the Nephalem who had told me.

"Does that really matter right now Tyrael? Can't we discuss my knowledge of your actions at a later date?"

"I would like to know as well Imperius." Auriel crossed her arms at me.

"Well it's not like I'm going to actually tell you, so either we do what we came here to do, or we wait around and get nothing done." Everyone stared at me again. Auriel looked like she didn't know whether to slap me or laugh. Itherael looked very confused.

"Why wouldn't you tell us?" Tyrael.

"Why do you think?"

"You did something we wouldn't approve of."

"I told you I'm not telling you Tyrael, so you might as well give up."

"...does This have anything to do with your absence?" I twitched my wings. And suddenly saw a way out.

"Well it's not like you were going to tell what you knew about the soulstones. That would be admitting to crimes, wouldn't it?"

"You-" Itherael spoke up for the first time. "You were on Sanctuary."

"Perhaps." I muttered.

"You went to Sanctuary, to find out about what I had done there?" Tyrael's eyed bore into my helm. Auriel glared at me. I was suddenly very annoyed.

"I don't remember questioning your actions whenever you used to disappear Tyrael." My wings hiked up, and began to radiate heat. Well, more heat than usual. And angel's wings were already quite hot. Usually. Malthael's wings had actually been the opposite. They were cool, but not cold. It was comforting.

I suddenly missed Malthael very much. We would have already figured out what to do with the damn stone if he were still here. We wouldn't be questioning each other's every move. We would still...trust each other.

Malthael had bound us together, made us whole. He was everyone's friend. He and Tyrael bonded over the need to see both sides of things, and their general calmness. He had spent many hours with Itherael, acting as a sort of study-partner, and was able to calm him when even Auriel couldn't. He had loved walking with Auriel through her Gardens. I had trusted him like I had trusted only Inarius, for neither of them had ever judged me. No other could claim that.

Caught up in my memories of a dear friend, I did not hear Tyrael's response, or Auriel's follow up. Instead, I turned towards where Malthael once stood among us, and stared at the Black Soulstone.

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Inarius P.O.V

I knew he'd come back. Imperius did not break his word. I still missed him though. When he came for me, I thought I had finally died in that hell-hole. When I realized this was not the case, I thought I was having a long, wonderful dream. I hoped I'd never have to wake up. I was thrilled when, days later, it became apparent that I was very much awake. And I was free.

The thought alone made me shiver with uncontrollable delight. Imperius had freed me. With the aid of my children no less. I was very pleased to see they still survived. No matter what my crazed thoughts were at the end of my time on Sanctuary, I loved each and every one of them. I didn't know how -was it truly possible for one to love so many?-but I believed I did. Even the ones who cast me down here. Especially my son, who mattered more to me than anything, who no doubt hated me to the end of his days.

Or did he still live? Was he watching me? Did he see the wreck of a thing his father had become? Did I even have the right to call myself that? He had called himself Rathma, in an effort to distance himself from me. Funny, I liked that name more than the one I'd given him-whatever that had been. I could barely remember my own name, let alone what his had been.

I would have to ask the mortals if they knew anything about him. I didn't think they would, but it couldn't hurt to ask.

The kind angel of Hope was checking bandages wound around the base of my left wing. Her hands were gentle, but precise. Lenedial, her name was. She and I had become friends of sorts in the time that she healed me.

"Your wings are looking a lot better. Still be very careful about them." Her own violet wings that she was so nervous about, but that I found quite pretty, gently swayed.

"Is there anything specific I should avoid?" My voice had improved from the scratchy, broken thing it was. It was still a bit rough, but now held more of a chime-like effect to it.

"Don't stretch to quick, and no power flapping. So basically what you've already been avoiding." Lenedial finished with my wing and stood back.

"Isn't it about time for you to sleep?" I eyed her over my shoulder. She heaved a sigh.

"Probably. I'd have thought that since Imperius isn't here anymore, I'd be free to overwork myself." She crossed her arms and snickered at me. I grinned back-and promptly cut my lip open. In one of his 'experiments', Mephisto had ripped all of my teeth (the angelic equivalent anyway) out and replaced them with shards of steel, which he'd filed into little diamonds. The result was that I now had knives for teeth, and no less than two cuts in my mouth at a time. I had gotten better about it though-it used to be five or so.

Lenedial shook her head, and handed me a damp wash-cloth.

"Alright, now shoo before I call the Nephalem." I grumbled good-naturedly while dabbing at the slice in my lip. Luckily it wasn't very deep this time.

Lenedial laughed, and turned to leave the room I had been occupying. I counted to five, and a human head poked into the door. Terra grinned at me. The monk, while calm and not all that mischievous, had a good sense of adventure. She was often trying to get her fellow monk, Neif, to relax and, as she put it, "Look around, listed to the birds, and sniff the flowers."

"We're going to the river between here and Wortham, a little down stream. Wanna come?" I thought it over in my head.

"Sure, why not? I can't swim though."

Terra shrugged. "Not a problem. Lenedial would probably put an arrow in all our eye-sockets if we got you in the water any way."

"Nah, she'd put an arrow in your eye-sockets for not inviting her." We both shared a laugh, as I carefully got to my feet. My balance was improving.

"To the river we go." Terra grinned again.

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I was going to write more ( a river scene) but didn't know quite where to go with this. The reason this took longer to get up was because A. I needed to get Storm of Light. B. I needed to read Storm of Light. and C. I didn't know how to write the Council's little bit.

Introducing P. O.V! There is stuff going on in both Sanctuary and Heaven, important stuff. Things should get a bit more interesting in next chapter-less thinking and more doing. Storm of Light also happens in this, so Tyrael goes to Sanctuary and reforms the Horadrim. I don't want to spoil any thing to much though- I do hope readers have read that book before, else this is probably gonna be fairly spoilerish.

Also, Every one who has reviewed, you are awesome! I really do appreciate it!