This is the first in a few chapters that I have begun to write with
essentially a renaissance period world with Diablo. I might have a few
things wrong, but they are only here to progress the story.
Preface: Enemies None too Obvious
"It has been so long since I have come to protect this realm," Tyreal seemed reminiscent, almost relieved to have returned to the disgusting filth of the mortal world. He held his sword in scabbard almost instinctively, the land was so dark. "Indeed, the world has changed, as have our focuses, since the Worldstone's destruction." Gyrenthal took guard, fully aware of what had become of the men of the world. "They could not have forgotten, could they Gyrethal??" Tyreal's ignorant distress was the direct result of his betrayal of heaven and following banishment. "Yes, while the damaged was massive, the humans foolishly dismissed it as past, feeling we had finished off evil with the destruction of that stone. Indeed, man's evil has taken full force upon the world, dividing the lands, and separating neighbors and families. And it is this evil that has reawakened forced not mean to be disturbed" "Yes, do not deny it, Tyreal. I know you sense it to, you banishment has not corrupted you that far. You sense the presence all too familiar, especially to yourself." "I sense nothing!" The astounded Angel did not understand Gyrethal's pessimism. "I believe that your position as Principality has allowed you to detect things which I cannot." "I believe you are concentrating your powers on matters other than those of evil. Do not allow your mind to dwell elsewhere, lest you fall from the Lord's graces once again." This shook the Angel, and he quickly refocused himself. "I sense- NO. It's impossible! He cannot have returned!" The vision of a ram-horned red behemoth came to his mind, the face of Terror itself, DIABLO. "But- how- what-" "Then you realize your fault?" "But he was defeated by the five warriors within the depths of Hell itself! How does his presence still exist?" Gyrethal's flaming hand rested on the shoulder of the much dimmer Angel. "The Soul stones were destroyed, but not the soul itself. Diablo still was existent, wandering upon the many planes, searching for one fool enough to allow his all-consuming presence within them, so that he may once again return to Hell to bring Terror to all." "And his brothers?" the trembling Tyreal asked his own brother. "Yes, Mephisto has suffered his same fate." "But what of Baal?" panicked the smaller angel. "See for yourself," Spreading his ethereal wings, Gyrethal streaked across the mortal sky to a large stone area within a surrounding jungle. "A city," remarked an unseeing Tyreal. "Look closer, my brother," And with this command, Tyreal saw what he could not have foreseen since his heavenly days. The city was dominated by a single large temple, a stepped pyramid of massive proportions, which went beyond what Tyreal though mortal's skills were capable of. And within the pillars surrounding the peak, he could see plainly: the rising smoke from a human sacrifice, performed at the foot of a massive pedestal, upon which stood a massive stone carving of Baal. "We must stop those foolish humans before they awaken their own destruction!!" But before Tyreal could unsheathe his ethereal saber, his wrath was halted by strong, burning wing-appendage. "BROTHER! You must not fool with matters that are not yours to meddle with! Have YOU forgotten the wrath that YOU allowed to unleash so many centuries ago??" Tyreal recoiled, and his anger was suppressed. "You cannot do this again, Tyreal. I don't want to have to kill you. I am your brother, and I do indeed love you, but I am also your superior officer, and thus your supervisor. You must realize that the wrath that Baal will unleash is only do to the foolish medelling of mortals, and thus it is the mortals who must fight destruction and his minions. It is our duty, as angels and warriors of the light, not to interfere with the duties of our counterparts on Earth. The Paladins and Zealots will deal with the evil ones appropriately." "I understand, brother." Tyreal's wings lowered as his defeat in this argument was obvious. "But even so, what can we do to at least help this fight?" "Look on," Gyrethal replied. "Our true fight lies elsewhere with enemies whom are not so, obvious."
Preface: Enemies None too Obvious
"It has been so long since I have come to protect this realm," Tyreal seemed reminiscent, almost relieved to have returned to the disgusting filth of the mortal world. He held his sword in scabbard almost instinctively, the land was so dark. "Indeed, the world has changed, as have our focuses, since the Worldstone's destruction." Gyrenthal took guard, fully aware of what had become of the men of the world. "They could not have forgotten, could they Gyrethal??" Tyreal's ignorant distress was the direct result of his betrayal of heaven and following banishment. "Yes, while the damaged was massive, the humans foolishly dismissed it as past, feeling we had finished off evil with the destruction of that stone. Indeed, man's evil has taken full force upon the world, dividing the lands, and separating neighbors and families. And it is this evil that has reawakened forced not mean to be disturbed" "Yes, do not deny it, Tyreal. I know you sense it to, you banishment has not corrupted you that far. You sense the presence all too familiar, especially to yourself." "I sense nothing!" The astounded Angel did not understand Gyrethal's pessimism. "I believe that your position as Principality has allowed you to detect things which I cannot." "I believe you are concentrating your powers on matters other than those of evil. Do not allow your mind to dwell elsewhere, lest you fall from the Lord's graces once again." This shook the Angel, and he quickly refocused himself. "I sense- NO. It's impossible! He cannot have returned!" The vision of a ram-horned red behemoth came to his mind, the face of Terror itself, DIABLO. "But- how- what-" "Then you realize your fault?" "But he was defeated by the five warriors within the depths of Hell itself! How does his presence still exist?" Gyrethal's flaming hand rested on the shoulder of the much dimmer Angel. "The Soul stones were destroyed, but not the soul itself. Diablo still was existent, wandering upon the many planes, searching for one fool enough to allow his all-consuming presence within them, so that he may once again return to Hell to bring Terror to all." "And his brothers?" the trembling Tyreal asked his own brother. "Yes, Mephisto has suffered his same fate." "But what of Baal?" panicked the smaller angel. "See for yourself," Spreading his ethereal wings, Gyrethal streaked across the mortal sky to a large stone area within a surrounding jungle. "A city," remarked an unseeing Tyreal. "Look closer, my brother," And with this command, Tyreal saw what he could not have foreseen since his heavenly days. The city was dominated by a single large temple, a stepped pyramid of massive proportions, which went beyond what Tyreal though mortal's skills were capable of. And within the pillars surrounding the peak, he could see plainly: the rising smoke from a human sacrifice, performed at the foot of a massive pedestal, upon which stood a massive stone carving of Baal. "We must stop those foolish humans before they awaken their own destruction!!" But before Tyreal could unsheathe his ethereal saber, his wrath was halted by strong, burning wing-appendage. "BROTHER! You must not fool with matters that are not yours to meddle with! Have YOU forgotten the wrath that YOU allowed to unleash so many centuries ago??" Tyreal recoiled, and his anger was suppressed. "You cannot do this again, Tyreal. I don't want to have to kill you. I am your brother, and I do indeed love you, but I am also your superior officer, and thus your supervisor. You must realize that the wrath that Baal will unleash is only do to the foolish medelling of mortals, and thus it is the mortals who must fight destruction and his minions. It is our duty, as angels and warriors of the light, not to interfere with the duties of our counterparts on Earth. The Paladins and Zealots will deal with the evil ones appropriately." "I understand, brother." Tyreal's wings lowered as his defeat in this argument was obvious. "But even so, what can we do to at least help this fight?" "Look on," Gyrethal replied. "Our true fight lies elsewhere with enemies whom are not so, obvious."