Chapter 11
At the bottom of the stair was an large arena. The floor was sections of grates over a massive fire pit. The gates they entered through slammed shut and the all too familiar laughter of Maghda filled the room.
Maghda flittered about by the gate across the way. "Leah must be back in Tristram, crying over the old man's corpse." She laughed loudly barely covering her mouth with the back of her hand. "She'll soon have three more to cry over."
The party tensed and aimed their weapons. "Come over her Maghda and let us see if you make good on your threats."
Maghda scoffed and began to fade again. "Meet...the Butcher!"
The gate she floated by dropped open suddenly. What was inside was a giant beast of a monsters. Tusk jutted out from it's lower lip, horns cascading off the back of its head. It's body was slabs of flesh stitched together and claws flexing around a massive sickle and cleaver crafted of bones and blood covered iron. It's roar shook the room and it charged with unexpected speeds from it's gates. Kasler and Dante dodge to one side and Laufey to the other. Arrows did nothing to slow the behemoth down. It charged with such determination that it stunned itself every time it struck a wall. The pets were kicked to the side as the floor begun to light up. Fire burst up and scorched everyone standing on the grate. Laufey saw felt that the battle was taking to long and he knew they had to get the weakened Dante back to town.
"Kasler!" He called as he pumped more beams into the Butchers flank.
"Can it fucking wait?!" Kasler yelled as he dropped a sentry into the Butcher's path.
Laufey rolled his eyes and dodged the fire lit grate. "Keep him busy for a moment." He yelled again.
"What in the hell do you think we've been doing?!" Dante shouted as he rolled underneath the Butcher's legs.
Laufey didn't comment but locked his hands in a complex shape. He muttered a chant as fast as he could under his breath. Kasler saw Laufey's body begin to glow with an aura around him. A moment later there was nothing but a nebual filled floating silhouette in place where Laufey was. It glided over to the Butcher fast and a complex glyph appeared a foot from it's chest. A violet and white beam shot from the design and Butchered screamed curses when it made contact. He swung wildly at the astral body, making contact with nothing. A few minutes of the continuous beam was what finally did the Butcher in. He crumpled and shrieked painfully as his body began to collapse.
The astral body floated a moment longer to be sure there were no more threats. When its feet touched the grate, Laufey suddenly appeared in it's place. "And that gentlemen is why I don't do more then two shows a week." He bowed deeply.
Kasler and Dante laughed and clasped Laufey on the back. Their revels were interrupted by pained screaming in the distance. They saw an open passage from behind where the Butcher had come out. The pets went first and they rest followed as they ran down the wall-less stairs down. A group of cultist had the stranger suspended with bands of magic, he howled in pain as they poured more magic into him. The pets barreled into the mages and soon the small group lay dead. The stranger laid on his stomach on the ground.
Laufey came running up and was grabbed by the cloak. "I am...dying." The stranger struggled to speak.
Dante felt panic swell in his gut, he saw Kasler produce the sword pieces made whole. Kasler held out the sword. "Angel, take up your sword!"
The stranger took hold. "My sword..."
White and golden light flashed all around him and he was changed. No longer in rags but in gleaming gold armor and a confident stance. "I remember now." He looked at the party with pride beaming from his face. "I was an archangel of the High Heavens!"
Laufey looked amazed and clapped the strangers shoulder guard. The man clapped Laufey's hand. "I was the embodiment of justice! I was...I am... Tyrael!"
"..." Tyrael stretched his chest and arms. "You have restored my mind, friends and now I remember the warning I came to deliver."
Tyrael's face darkened and grew tight with seriousness. "Belial and Azmodan, the last lords of Hell are unleashing a tide of darkness that will drown this world. Already Belial's shadow has fallen upon Caldeum."
"Caldeum?" Laufey felt panic over the safety of the Great Library of Caldeum."
Kasler removed his helmet and smiled. "Then we will go to Caldeum and introduce ourselves to Belial."
"Beat me to it." Dante chuckled and nodded in agreement.
"We must move quickly. Let us return to Tristram and make ready." Tryael summoned a portal back to Tristram and waved the party through.
Dante, Kasler, and Laufey dropped off armor at Haedrigs. Tryael suggested they meet in the Inn. The three ordered food and drink while they waited for the angel to come. It wasn't long and Tyrael seated himself at their table, along with Leah, whom looked longingly at Kasler when he was distracted.
Tyrael waved off the barmaid and spoke to the group. "Time grows short my friends. Even now Belial's influence spreads through Caldeum."
"How do we find him?" Leah picked at the table as she rolled her eyes. 'Great, another wild goose chase after some myth.' She thought to herself.
"We won't have to." Tyrael smiled and sat back in his chair. "Maghda will lead us straight to him."
Leah leaned forward to get a better look into the angel's face. "I'm not going anywhere until Uncle Deckard's laid to rest."
Dante chuckled. "Fine. Stay. It'll be quiet."
"..." Laufey lightly whacked Dante's arm with the back of his hand. "Another time."
Leah glared hatefully at Dante until Kasler put a gentle hand to her arm. "We must move on. But we must honor our dead first."
Tryael was satisfied and rose from the table. "I've called for a caravan to take us all to the east. Speak to the caravan master when you are ready to go. We will see to Cain as we depart." He placed a hand on Leah's shoulder as he left, Leah followed.
Later that evening Cain's remains were wrapped and placed on a alter of wood and kindling. Leah stood at the side as Tyrael came up bearing a torch to light the pyre. Tears streaked her face and she held Cain's journal to her chest.
"It was all just stories" She said to Cain as she placed the journal carefully on his chest. "My uncle saw what he wanted to see."
Tyrael came a little closer. "Deckard sacrificed much to protect this world," He looked at his old friends face. "But his work is not over."
Leah gave the angel a fowl look. "What would you know about sacrifice?" Her anger was thick in her words.
Tyrael said nothing but took her hand and showed her what happened to him.
A room with floors and walls made of crystal, gold trim and blue light emitting from every corner. A council was meeting and at the head was a large angel with intricately designed gold plate armor. A deep and angry voice boomed from behind it's narrow gaps into his helmet.
He pointed accusingly at the angel in the center. "Tyrael, the ancient laws of the High Heavens strictly forbids us from interfering with the mortal world." The orange tendrils that made up his wings glowed brighter with his anger.
Tyrael wore the same armor he had as a human, in place of the rags were white and gold trimmed cloth. In place of a helmet it had a hood and his face was a void of blackness. His wings were tendrils as well, although they were blue in hue and moved like gentle waves into water. He didn't react to the higher angels shouts.
"Yet you have done so. Brazenly!" The angel shouted, nearing a rage, hints of disgust were heard.
Tyrael stepped forward and addressed the other boldly. "All I am guilty of, Imperious, is bringing justice while you hide, cowering, behind your throne."
"Silence!" Imperious hollered at the top of his lungs, taking flight up and shooting down to stand level with the accused angel.
"You will now answer for your transgressions!" Imperious took Tyrael by the throat and lifted him off his feet. With his free hand he summoned his spear into existence.
As Imperious was about to drive the spears split tip into the angels head, Tyrael grabbed the shaft, halting it inches from his face. The angels took off and grappled in the air. Grunting and trying to gain the upper hand over the other. Tyrael managed to knock the spear from Imperious's hand and it skittered away. Imperious made a dive to retrieve his weapon but found it trained at his face as it rose.
Tyrael grasped the spear tightly looking down at the checked angel. "You cannot judge me!" He gestured the spear toward Imperious's face. "I am justice itself!"
Imperious rose silently as Tyrael continued. "We were meant for more then this...to protect the innocent."
The angel addressed the unseen council. "But if your precious laws all bind you to inaction...then I will no longer stand as your brother!" He drove the spear hard into the crystal floor.
Such force of conviction drove Leah out of the vision. She looked up with a sad expression. "You choose...to be one of us." She placed a hand on Tyrael's chest to see the rest of his vision.
Tyrael took his hands to his shoulder armor and begin to painfully pry it from himself. As he did he groaned in pain till it was free of his body. Imperious raised a hand to guard himself from what he was seeing. "Sacrilege!" He gasped and backed away.
The shoulder armor with the wing tendrils attached fell to the ground, burning all it touched. Tyrael's hood slowly drew back as his human face began to burn itself into existence. The tendrils turned a vibrant orange and both of his wrist were wrapped in tendril as he was dragged through the crystal floor. Leah saw him shrouded in flames as he fell to earth.
Tyrael's voice spoke softly in her mind. "Thus I fell...willingly."
She opened her eyes and looked up at the angel. He offered her hand and helped her stand. "Because humanity is the only hope for this world."
Leah again approached Deckard's pyre. "I never believed...All your crazy tales..." She cried silently as she took the book back. "The work you never finished."
Tyrael brought the torch down into the wood and watched as the fire leaped up around Cain's body. Leah clutched the book tightly. "I will finish it uncle. I will carry on for you."