I currently have a weapon that the game calls Shadow Fang, two words. So
far it's served me well as the only demon that is able to stand up against
it is Izual, and he is pretty strong. Right now, I'm struggling to find
equipment that is better that what I already have, and I have so much lousy
gold that it is getting ridiculous. Also, I have so many runes, jewels,
and gems that I am out of room in my stash. This is really getting on my
nerves. Oh, two things. Out of simple curiosity, where exactly do you
meet Hadriel, the angel that guards the Chaos Sanctuary, and where the
bloody hell is the Hellforge! And I am also aware that Blizzard already
gave titles to the other Lesser Evils, but I didn't have them on hand and I
kind of feel like it's unbalanced with so many guys and only one girl, so I
adapted.
Chapter 9: The Objective
Marko had returned to the chamber where the three Archangels were held. Each of them was as powerful as Kailua, if not more. However, their power was cut off and he was drawing on it now. They would most likely be imprisoned here forever as an energy source for him. It was cruel, but he was the Dark Lord of Hell. What did he care about kindness?
"My Lord."
"Baal. What is it?"
"The Amazons have fallen and their island is ours."
"Good. What of the progress on the assault of the Worldstone?"
"Unfortunately, the remaining mortals gathered there are resisting with an extreme fanaticism. They have smashed over two million of our troops."
"They are desperate. Baal, go and relieve Belial and send her back. You managed to capture the Worldstone once, it shouldn't be a problem for you to do it again."
Baal nodded and left the chamber. Marko turned his attention back to the three Archangels. They had been raised out of the blood and hung there. Each of them was extremely beautiful, and the blood running down their bodies only made them more desirable. He was rather sure their blood tasted sweet, but Marko controlled himself. Once Kailua was brought to him, he would satisfy his hunger and lust. Perhaps he should taste one of the Archangels before him. He finally decided to forget about it and left the room. The crosses lowered back into the blood again, submerging the Archangels.
============================================================================
The Sisters of the Light had managed to pull away from their bodies and were conversing on another plane of existence. The souls of their hosts were also present, but they were hallow husks of what had been great women.
"The Master of Darkness," said Serenity, "Who would have thought the prophecies were true?"
"And to think that he was human," added Victoria, "He could have laid waste to the High Heavens already. Why is he waiting?"
"He is waiting for the perfect moment to strike," said Charity, "Marko knows that if he struck immediately, unorganized, he could lose. However, with what he has done, he has increased his chance of success greatly."
"Shadowfang was destroyed," said Victoria, "Marko had actually led the assault to destroy it. But it does no good, for a new demonblade has been created."
"Darkscythe," said Serenity, "I can feel its power even from here."
"We are still connected to the mortal realm," Charity reminded them, "Therefore, we still have a means of gaining information."
"Unfortunately, we cannot use the information. We are bound here and I doubt Marko would be stupid enough to let down his guard and allow us to escape."
"Marko."
The three Archangels looked over at Charsi. Her eyes were blank and unreadable. She had been the first of the three hosts to speak.
"How could he do this to his friends," said Victoria, "He is no longer human. He is more demon than human."
"Perhaps we can kill him with our powers," Serenity suggested, "He draws upon them and utilizes them. What if we could change the flows somewhat so it would start harming him?"
"That is possible," said Victoria, "However, it may take centuries to do so."
"We might as well start," said Charity, "Even if we take that long to kill him, we would still be doing some good."
============================================================================
Baal was present leading one of the largest demon armies ever amassed. Within the ranks some of the most powerful demons ever created from the Abyss were gathered for one last push for control of the Worldstone. The defenders of the Worldstone had been wearied by the unstopping assaults the legion of Hell was launching, and had been driven out of their main camp. Now they were gathered just outside and above the Worldstone Chamber, preparing for one last desperate attempt to keep the Worldstone safe. Though the Worldstone was still young, it had enough power that whenever a demon approached it, it immediately began to accumulate wounds. This caused attacking very costly on the demon's part, and this one advantage had helped keep the tide in favor of the mortals. Baal fired a powerful beam of black energy at the center of the camp of defenders, and was able to shatter the magic shield that protected the camp. Demons teleported in and hacked away, disappearing moments later to recover. Baal created a clone of himself and sent the creature down. Many of the defenders tried to challenge the beast but fell before its incredible power. The army of demons descended upon the large fortress-camp and slew anyone that got in their way. The Necromancers summoned armies of skeletons and golems, finally stopping the demons in their tracks. This gave the other defenders a chance to catch their breath and soon a counterattack was underway. The demons were expecting it and managed to smash it with little difficulty. The defenders had taken dreadful casualties and many were on the verge of despair when dozens of bright forms appeared. The Angels attacked the demons and annihilated the entire first wave. Baal's clone was cut to pieces by three Archangels who then turned their attention to the army of demon-mages. The demon-mages unleashed powerful spells but they barely touched the Archangels. The ground erupted at the feet of the demons and swallowed them up before closing again. More Angels poured through and finally killed the remaining attackers. Another assault had been defeated.
"Thank you," the leader of the Necromancers said, "If you had not come, we would have lost."
The lead Archangel touched down and the light receded around her. Many in the camp gasped when they recognized Kari.
"Kari?" said Herad, "Is that really you?"
"It is I," Kari replied, "I have come to offer you the help of the High Heavens in the defense of the Worldstone."
"Of course we accept," said Ofier, the leader of the Necromancers, "However, why does the High Heavens start interfering with our world now?"
"Because if the Worldstone falls, the High Heavens will be exposed to direct invasion from Hell," said Kari, "and it is very likely that the Master of Darkness will succeed in destroying the High Heavens."
Herad nodded. "We will not allow the Master of Darkness to defeat us. If we must, we will go down to Hell and kill him."
"No! You mustn't do such a thing. And besides, you cannot kill him. He is too powerful."
"Who is the Master of Darkness?" Ofier asked.
Kari didn't answer and merely disappeared in a flash of light. One of the other Archangels left with her, but the Angels and the last Archangel remained.
"You must understand the pain that Kailua feels," the Archangel said, "She mourns for her love."
"Marko failed?" said Herad.
"In a way, yes. Marko Lyther has been corrupted and has become the Master of Darkness."
============================================================================
"Baal."
"Angels and Archangels of the Heavens interfered," said Baal, "They destroyed our forces."
"You failed."
"What would you have me do, attack again uselessly and allow myself to be destroyed?"
Marko flicked his hand towards Baal and a red energy sphere shot out. It struck the Lord of Destruction and he exploded into flames. Baal screamed out as his body was being slowly consumed. Marko raised his arm and a yellow stream of energy flowed into his hand. Baal then exploded and nothing remained of him except for some ashes. The stream stopped and Marko opened his hand, revealing a black gem.
"That is the price of failure," he said to the remaining Council members.
Belial swallowed. It could easily have been her, for she had also failed to capture the Worldstone. The images of the other Evils blinked out and soon they were alone.
"Belial. What should I do to you for failing me as well?"
"I was not given sufficient time to take care of them," said Belial, "If you give me another chance, I am sure I will not fail you."
"Stop begging. It's unbecoming of a member of the Council. You currently have nothing to fear, I never expected you to be able to penetrate the defenses of the defenders. However, there is something you can do."
"What is it, my lord?"
"You will go to Mephisto and inform him that I sent you to assist him. You are to be the Priestess of Zakarum and oversee the sacrifices. I also want you to oversee the construction of the new Hellgate. It will be needed to ensure our success."
"Yes my lord."
Belial then teleported out of the room. Marko walked into the chamber where the Archangels were held and raised one of the crosses. On it was Serenity. She looked up at him and tried to ignore the blood dripping off of her body. Marko floated over to her and stopped level to her.
"Do you know what this is?" he asked her, showing her the black gem.
Serenity didn't bother to answer. In truth, she had never seen anything like it before. Also, she didn't want to look at it. The gem was emanating dark powers all over the room. It was making her sick.
"So you've never seen one. Good. I'll have the pleasure to tell you want it is. This gem holds the power of Destruction, the exact opposite of yours. Do you know what I plan on doing with it?"
"You're going to absorb it," Serenity answered.
"Wrong. You're going to absorb it."
Serenity stared at Marko in horror. Now she realized what Marko intended to do with the black gem. He was going to corrupt her.
"Correct, my dear Archangel."
Marko smiled wickedly as he placed the black gem over her heart. Slowly the gem melted into her body. The Archangel tried to scream but no sound came out of her mouth. After it was completely in her body, Serenity felt as if something was taking over. In seconds, her mind was completely changed.
"Welcome to Hell, Lady of Destruction. What shall I call you?"
"My name is Kyris," she answered.
"Kyris. As your first order, you are to spy on the other two Archangels for me and inform me of what they are trying to do. Understand?"
Kyris nodded.
Marko took out a rune and implanted it into her head. The symbol glowed for a second before disappearing.
"Good. Understand, I do not tolerate disloyalty."
Kyris nodded before she was lowered back into the pool of blood. She drank down as much as she wanted, feeling satisfied with the warm blood flowing over her.
Marko left the chamber, part of his plan fulfilled. Now he knew that it was possible to corrupt an Archangel quickly. He just needed Mephisto and Diablo to slip up, and soon he would have under his control the three most powerful Archangels of all time.
============================================================================
Geysers of fire erupted all around the High Heavens. They formed a wall of fire around the Heavens, ensuring that nothing entered or escaped. Suddenly dozens of massive serpentine dragons flew out from the geysers and breathed fire upon the city. A blue shield stopped the fire but the dragons did not give up. Soon a massive army had also amassed and the first assault on the High Heavens began.
"Angels! Attack!"
Kailua and Tyrael led the massive counterattack of the Angels and Archangels. The Companions followed close behind. There were fierce melee battles all around, demons swarming the defenders of Heaven. What surprised her was that Diablo, the Lord of Terror, was present. He was killing dozens of Angels that tried to stand in his way and none could stand up to him. Kailua flew over and smashed him to the side with one blow. She summoned her powers again and blasted him. Diablo countered and fired a powerful red lightning bolt. Kailua dodged it and struck back. The two powerful beings attacked and defended, but neither could gain the upper hand. Suddenly Tyrael was with her and knocked Diablo back. The two Archangels forced the Lord of Terror to flee before rejoining the battle with their comrades. The demons had taken horrendous casualties and were being pushed back. Suddenly the dragons turned their attention to the defenders and attacked. This forced the warriors to fall back and merely hold a line. Within a few more minutes, it was over.
"Kari."
Kailua looked at Fara.
"It's Falvie."
Kailua flew over to her friend. Falvie was lying on the ground, an arrow punching through her heart. Kailua hugged the body, praying for her friend's soul. Tears ran down her eyes as the pain built up.
============================================================================
"My lord."
Marko stood and looked over at Diablo.
"You were repulsed."
"Apologies my lord, but was not the objective to gain a foothold?"
"Yes. You did succeed there. How soon will we be ready for another assault?"
"Our forces are massing. It will only take a little longer."
"Very well. Leave me."
Diablo teleported out of the room, leaving Marko. He let a smile creep onto his face, a smile that would have scared anyone that saw it. For some odd reason, he was wearing an odd piece of metal on his belt. It looked like a rectangular tube with another rectangle attached to the bottom sticking down. Unknown to anyone else, this was actually a weapon he had procured from Earth. Yes, the other world of humanity. The remaining forces gathered around Sanctuary's Worldstone were preparing to travel to Earth to prepare that world to repel his forces. The fools. He would be ready to invade Earth long before they were able to penetrate the barrier between their world and Earth.
Mephisto appeared in the room.
"You summoned me, my lord?"
"Yes."
Marko raised his hand and sucked Mephisto's energy from his body. The Lord of Hatred screamed out in pain and exploded into flames. Another black crystal appeared in Marko's hand. He really should have destroyed Diablo as well, but he still needed the Lord of Terror for one more thing. He walked into the chamber where the three Archangels were held. Charity was raised up and Marko didn't bother to explain what he was doing. He placed the crystal over her heart and it latched on. It pulled itself in and flowed into her body. She screamed, but once the power of the crystal took hold of her, she stopped. She then looked at Marko, black light shining out of her eyes.
"One more to go," he said, "So what is your name?"
"Phallus."
Marko smiled and Phallus returned it as she was lowered back into the pool of blood. Marko turned immediately and left. There were preparations he needed to take care of. Darkscythe was still at his side, and this sword would be extremely useful when the confrontation came.
============================================================================
The High Heavens had summoned all the warriors it could in order to defend the Crystal Arch. Kailua was floating in the main plaza with her friends, simply resting and waiting for the next battle. The armies of Hell also waited as it gathered more and more strength.
"We should attack and try to disperse them," said Qual-Kehk, "Simply sitting here will do no good."
"We cannot," said Kailua, "If even one of us steps outside, we would immediately be beset upon by demons. It would be suicide."
"How did Marko defeat all those creatures in Hell?" said Fara, "If we knew that, we might be able to stop him."
"Perhaps."
The others looked at Kailua. Ever since Falvie's death, she had become more and more withdrawn. That was not a good sign.
"Kari, come on."
Fara took hold of Kailua's hand and she returned to the ground. The light shining around her disappeared and she was Kari again, fragile and in pain. Fara hugged her and Kari couldn't help but cry. Falvie's death had proved to her that Marko might be beyond redemption.
"It's going to be okay," she said, "Come on Kari. It's going to be okay."
"You don't know that," Kari muttered, "Marko's going to destroy us."
"If he really wanted to destroy us, he would have done so already. Why hasn't he?" Greiz asked.
"I don't know," Kari cried, "I just don't know anymore."
Fara gave the others a worried look. None of them knew what to do. Kari had been such a strong spirit before, but now she had been shattered. Hopefully she would last through this confrontation.
============================================================================
"My lord."
Marko was sitting on his throne when Belial appeared.
"What is it?" he asked.
"May I inquire as what you are intending? You have the High Heavens at your mercy, but you do not attack them."
"The High Heavens is merely an obstacle to true power," said Marko, "They will fall once I say so."
"I see. Then what is your true objective?"
"It has occurred to me that the forces of Hell are merely pawns, even I," Marko began, "The High Heavens communicates with its masters through the Crystal Arch, yet what we are doing satisfies our masters. Well, I will not stand for this. I am the Master of Darkness, and no one is my master."
Belial had some idea what he was talking about. It had always been whispered by the more powerful demons that whoever was the Lord of Hell was, there was always someone or ones that were above them. Apparently, that was true and Marko didn't like it.
"So what will you do?" Belial asked.
"You certainly ask a lot of questions," said Marko.
"I merely wish to learn your intent so I can serve you better."
"Then you are dismissed. Oh, and tell Diablo to launch another assault on the High Heavens. Once that assault is over, he is to return and see me."
Belial bowed and teleported. Everything was going according to Marko's plan.
============================================================================
The defenders of the High Heaven immediately responded to the attack by the forces of Hell. Diablo was at the front, smashing Angels that challenged him into pieces. Three Archangels flanked him and attacked, one of them was Kailua. He fired powerful red lightning spells at them, but all of them were immune to lightning. Fire was another story. Diablo unleashed Apocalypse spells on the Archangels and wounded two. Kailua dodged his attacks and attacked with the Valor of Light. Diablo tried to back away from the sword, but Kailua kept up her attack. Around her massive battles raged. Fara and the Companions faced down armies of demons and defeated them, equipped with powerful weapons of the Host. Kailua concentrated on her own battle, trying to kill Diablo. Suddenly a spear punched through his chest and Diablo screamed in pain. He swept his hand back and caught Greiz in the motion of backing away. The blow severed his head and it fell to the battleground. Greiz's body fell, exploding into flames and finally disappearing.
"Greiz!" Kailua screamed.
She charged at Diablo and cried out as she brought the Valor of Light down on him. Diablo unleashed a powerful beam of black energy, but it dissipated once it got close to Kailua. She slashed at Diablo and felt the blade get stuck as it stopped slicing through in Diablo's chest. His head had been shredded and his body was starting to set on fire. A massive explosion threw her back hard and she landed on her back. When she stood, she saw the demon armies retreating. Rikardo walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"You did well," he said, "The real Marko would be proud."
Kailua tried to smile but ended up crying in his arms. Only in battle did she forget her pains, but it was in battle that more was created.
============================================================================
Marko was playing with another black gem. The remaining Lesser Evils were gathered and looked at Marko nervously. With the last failure, many were sure that dying at the hands of an Archangel was better than dying at Marko's hand. He stood and walked to the Archangels. Victoria looked at him and then at her two sisters. She could definitely feel the dark aura now and she was pretty sure what the black gem was for. She tried to struggle but it was useless. Finally, the last Sister of Light had been corrupted.
"And what are you called?" Marko said.
"Dyth."
Marko nodded. With a wave of his hands the three sisters were released from the crosses. They floated down and black wings extended from their bodies. Black armor also surrounded them and their eyes even turned black.
"Very well," he said, "Each of you is stronger than any Archangel in the High Heavens. Now, you serve me. Come. It is time for what I meant for you three to do."
Everyone in the chamber disappeared and reappeared in front of the Hellgate leading to Kurast. They stepped through and were greeted by the sight of humans chained and forced to march to cages.
"Belial, is the site ready?" Marko asked.
"Yes my lord, just as you had requested."
Marko led the strange procession as they walked towards a large open-air temple. It was circular in design and had a large triangle inside. There was also a giant pyre of red energy spouting into the air.
"Take your positions," Marko ordered the three sisters.
The three sisters moved to where their symbol was and stood there.
"Powers of Terror, Destruction, and Hatred," Marko chanted, "Come forth and open the way to Earth."
Yellow energy came from Kyris, red from Dyth, and purple from Phallus. Their energy shot into the pyre and turned the red color into a dark blue. The pyre of energy then shot up into the sky and disappeared into the clouds. However, Marko was quite aware of what was happening. The energy struck something and started spreading out all over it. It was a sphere and the size of Sanctuary. Finally, an entire planet appeared. The barrier on the planet was shattered and struck down onto the planet. A large iron tower shaped like an obelisk was shattered by the power. Energy swept throughout the city and wiped it out. Soon all that remained of what had been a might city was a large crater.
"It is done," said Marko, "Prepare for the invasion of Earth."
End of Chapter 9
Yes, this chapter is shorter, but I needed to end it so I can work on something else.
Z98
Chapter 9: The Objective
Marko had returned to the chamber where the three Archangels were held. Each of them was as powerful as Kailua, if not more. However, their power was cut off and he was drawing on it now. They would most likely be imprisoned here forever as an energy source for him. It was cruel, but he was the Dark Lord of Hell. What did he care about kindness?
"My Lord."
"Baal. What is it?"
"The Amazons have fallen and their island is ours."
"Good. What of the progress on the assault of the Worldstone?"
"Unfortunately, the remaining mortals gathered there are resisting with an extreme fanaticism. They have smashed over two million of our troops."
"They are desperate. Baal, go and relieve Belial and send her back. You managed to capture the Worldstone once, it shouldn't be a problem for you to do it again."
Baal nodded and left the chamber. Marko turned his attention back to the three Archangels. They had been raised out of the blood and hung there. Each of them was extremely beautiful, and the blood running down their bodies only made them more desirable. He was rather sure their blood tasted sweet, but Marko controlled himself. Once Kailua was brought to him, he would satisfy his hunger and lust. Perhaps he should taste one of the Archangels before him. He finally decided to forget about it and left the room. The crosses lowered back into the blood again, submerging the Archangels.
============================================================================
The Sisters of the Light had managed to pull away from their bodies and were conversing on another plane of existence. The souls of their hosts were also present, but they were hallow husks of what had been great women.
"The Master of Darkness," said Serenity, "Who would have thought the prophecies were true?"
"And to think that he was human," added Victoria, "He could have laid waste to the High Heavens already. Why is he waiting?"
"He is waiting for the perfect moment to strike," said Charity, "Marko knows that if he struck immediately, unorganized, he could lose. However, with what he has done, he has increased his chance of success greatly."
"Shadowfang was destroyed," said Victoria, "Marko had actually led the assault to destroy it. But it does no good, for a new demonblade has been created."
"Darkscythe," said Serenity, "I can feel its power even from here."
"We are still connected to the mortal realm," Charity reminded them, "Therefore, we still have a means of gaining information."
"Unfortunately, we cannot use the information. We are bound here and I doubt Marko would be stupid enough to let down his guard and allow us to escape."
"Marko."
The three Archangels looked over at Charsi. Her eyes were blank and unreadable. She had been the first of the three hosts to speak.
"How could he do this to his friends," said Victoria, "He is no longer human. He is more demon than human."
"Perhaps we can kill him with our powers," Serenity suggested, "He draws upon them and utilizes them. What if we could change the flows somewhat so it would start harming him?"
"That is possible," said Victoria, "However, it may take centuries to do so."
"We might as well start," said Charity, "Even if we take that long to kill him, we would still be doing some good."
============================================================================
Baal was present leading one of the largest demon armies ever amassed. Within the ranks some of the most powerful demons ever created from the Abyss were gathered for one last push for control of the Worldstone. The defenders of the Worldstone had been wearied by the unstopping assaults the legion of Hell was launching, and had been driven out of their main camp. Now they were gathered just outside and above the Worldstone Chamber, preparing for one last desperate attempt to keep the Worldstone safe. Though the Worldstone was still young, it had enough power that whenever a demon approached it, it immediately began to accumulate wounds. This caused attacking very costly on the demon's part, and this one advantage had helped keep the tide in favor of the mortals. Baal fired a powerful beam of black energy at the center of the camp of defenders, and was able to shatter the magic shield that protected the camp. Demons teleported in and hacked away, disappearing moments later to recover. Baal created a clone of himself and sent the creature down. Many of the defenders tried to challenge the beast but fell before its incredible power. The army of demons descended upon the large fortress-camp and slew anyone that got in their way. The Necromancers summoned armies of skeletons and golems, finally stopping the demons in their tracks. This gave the other defenders a chance to catch their breath and soon a counterattack was underway. The demons were expecting it and managed to smash it with little difficulty. The defenders had taken dreadful casualties and many were on the verge of despair when dozens of bright forms appeared. The Angels attacked the demons and annihilated the entire first wave. Baal's clone was cut to pieces by three Archangels who then turned their attention to the army of demon-mages. The demon-mages unleashed powerful spells but they barely touched the Archangels. The ground erupted at the feet of the demons and swallowed them up before closing again. More Angels poured through and finally killed the remaining attackers. Another assault had been defeated.
"Thank you," the leader of the Necromancers said, "If you had not come, we would have lost."
The lead Archangel touched down and the light receded around her. Many in the camp gasped when they recognized Kari.
"Kari?" said Herad, "Is that really you?"
"It is I," Kari replied, "I have come to offer you the help of the High Heavens in the defense of the Worldstone."
"Of course we accept," said Ofier, the leader of the Necromancers, "However, why does the High Heavens start interfering with our world now?"
"Because if the Worldstone falls, the High Heavens will be exposed to direct invasion from Hell," said Kari, "and it is very likely that the Master of Darkness will succeed in destroying the High Heavens."
Herad nodded. "We will not allow the Master of Darkness to defeat us. If we must, we will go down to Hell and kill him."
"No! You mustn't do such a thing. And besides, you cannot kill him. He is too powerful."
"Who is the Master of Darkness?" Ofier asked.
Kari didn't answer and merely disappeared in a flash of light. One of the other Archangels left with her, but the Angels and the last Archangel remained.
"You must understand the pain that Kailua feels," the Archangel said, "She mourns for her love."
"Marko failed?" said Herad.
"In a way, yes. Marko Lyther has been corrupted and has become the Master of Darkness."
============================================================================
"Baal."
"Angels and Archangels of the Heavens interfered," said Baal, "They destroyed our forces."
"You failed."
"What would you have me do, attack again uselessly and allow myself to be destroyed?"
Marko flicked his hand towards Baal and a red energy sphere shot out. It struck the Lord of Destruction and he exploded into flames. Baal screamed out as his body was being slowly consumed. Marko raised his arm and a yellow stream of energy flowed into his hand. Baal then exploded and nothing remained of him except for some ashes. The stream stopped and Marko opened his hand, revealing a black gem.
"That is the price of failure," he said to the remaining Council members.
Belial swallowed. It could easily have been her, for she had also failed to capture the Worldstone. The images of the other Evils blinked out and soon they were alone.
"Belial. What should I do to you for failing me as well?"
"I was not given sufficient time to take care of them," said Belial, "If you give me another chance, I am sure I will not fail you."
"Stop begging. It's unbecoming of a member of the Council. You currently have nothing to fear, I never expected you to be able to penetrate the defenses of the defenders. However, there is something you can do."
"What is it, my lord?"
"You will go to Mephisto and inform him that I sent you to assist him. You are to be the Priestess of Zakarum and oversee the sacrifices. I also want you to oversee the construction of the new Hellgate. It will be needed to ensure our success."
"Yes my lord."
Belial then teleported out of the room. Marko walked into the chamber where the Archangels were held and raised one of the crosses. On it was Serenity. She looked up at him and tried to ignore the blood dripping off of her body. Marko floated over to her and stopped level to her.
"Do you know what this is?" he asked her, showing her the black gem.
Serenity didn't bother to answer. In truth, she had never seen anything like it before. Also, she didn't want to look at it. The gem was emanating dark powers all over the room. It was making her sick.
"So you've never seen one. Good. I'll have the pleasure to tell you want it is. This gem holds the power of Destruction, the exact opposite of yours. Do you know what I plan on doing with it?"
"You're going to absorb it," Serenity answered.
"Wrong. You're going to absorb it."
Serenity stared at Marko in horror. Now she realized what Marko intended to do with the black gem. He was going to corrupt her.
"Correct, my dear Archangel."
Marko smiled wickedly as he placed the black gem over her heart. Slowly the gem melted into her body. The Archangel tried to scream but no sound came out of her mouth. After it was completely in her body, Serenity felt as if something was taking over. In seconds, her mind was completely changed.
"Welcome to Hell, Lady of Destruction. What shall I call you?"
"My name is Kyris," she answered.
"Kyris. As your first order, you are to spy on the other two Archangels for me and inform me of what they are trying to do. Understand?"
Kyris nodded.
Marko took out a rune and implanted it into her head. The symbol glowed for a second before disappearing.
"Good. Understand, I do not tolerate disloyalty."
Kyris nodded before she was lowered back into the pool of blood. She drank down as much as she wanted, feeling satisfied with the warm blood flowing over her.
Marko left the chamber, part of his plan fulfilled. Now he knew that it was possible to corrupt an Archangel quickly. He just needed Mephisto and Diablo to slip up, and soon he would have under his control the three most powerful Archangels of all time.
============================================================================
Geysers of fire erupted all around the High Heavens. They formed a wall of fire around the Heavens, ensuring that nothing entered or escaped. Suddenly dozens of massive serpentine dragons flew out from the geysers and breathed fire upon the city. A blue shield stopped the fire but the dragons did not give up. Soon a massive army had also amassed and the first assault on the High Heavens began.
"Angels! Attack!"
Kailua and Tyrael led the massive counterattack of the Angels and Archangels. The Companions followed close behind. There were fierce melee battles all around, demons swarming the defenders of Heaven. What surprised her was that Diablo, the Lord of Terror, was present. He was killing dozens of Angels that tried to stand in his way and none could stand up to him. Kailua flew over and smashed him to the side with one blow. She summoned her powers again and blasted him. Diablo countered and fired a powerful red lightning bolt. Kailua dodged it and struck back. The two powerful beings attacked and defended, but neither could gain the upper hand. Suddenly Tyrael was with her and knocked Diablo back. The two Archangels forced the Lord of Terror to flee before rejoining the battle with their comrades. The demons had taken horrendous casualties and were being pushed back. Suddenly the dragons turned their attention to the defenders and attacked. This forced the warriors to fall back and merely hold a line. Within a few more minutes, it was over.
"Kari."
Kailua looked at Fara.
"It's Falvie."
Kailua flew over to her friend. Falvie was lying on the ground, an arrow punching through her heart. Kailua hugged the body, praying for her friend's soul. Tears ran down her eyes as the pain built up.
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"My lord."
Marko stood and looked over at Diablo.
"You were repulsed."
"Apologies my lord, but was not the objective to gain a foothold?"
"Yes. You did succeed there. How soon will we be ready for another assault?"
"Our forces are massing. It will only take a little longer."
"Very well. Leave me."
Diablo teleported out of the room, leaving Marko. He let a smile creep onto his face, a smile that would have scared anyone that saw it. For some odd reason, he was wearing an odd piece of metal on his belt. It looked like a rectangular tube with another rectangle attached to the bottom sticking down. Unknown to anyone else, this was actually a weapon he had procured from Earth. Yes, the other world of humanity. The remaining forces gathered around Sanctuary's Worldstone were preparing to travel to Earth to prepare that world to repel his forces. The fools. He would be ready to invade Earth long before they were able to penetrate the barrier between their world and Earth.
Mephisto appeared in the room.
"You summoned me, my lord?"
"Yes."
Marko raised his hand and sucked Mephisto's energy from his body. The Lord of Hatred screamed out in pain and exploded into flames. Another black crystal appeared in Marko's hand. He really should have destroyed Diablo as well, but he still needed the Lord of Terror for one more thing. He walked into the chamber where the three Archangels were held. Charity was raised up and Marko didn't bother to explain what he was doing. He placed the crystal over her heart and it latched on. It pulled itself in and flowed into her body. She screamed, but once the power of the crystal took hold of her, she stopped. She then looked at Marko, black light shining out of her eyes.
"One more to go," he said, "So what is your name?"
"Phallus."
Marko smiled and Phallus returned it as she was lowered back into the pool of blood. Marko turned immediately and left. There were preparations he needed to take care of. Darkscythe was still at his side, and this sword would be extremely useful when the confrontation came.
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The High Heavens had summoned all the warriors it could in order to defend the Crystal Arch. Kailua was floating in the main plaza with her friends, simply resting and waiting for the next battle. The armies of Hell also waited as it gathered more and more strength.
"We should attack and try to disperse them," said Qual-Kehk, "Simply sitting here will do no good."
"We cannot," said Kailua, "If even one of us steps outside, we would immediately be beset upon by demons. It would be suicide."
"How did Marko defeat all those creatures in Hell?" said Fara, "If we knew that, we might be able to stop him."
"Perhaps."
The others looked at Kailua. Ever since Falvie's death, she had become more and more withdrawn. That was not a good sign.
"Kari, come on."
Fara took hold of Kailua's hand and she returned to the ground. The light shining around her disappeared and she was Kari again, fragile and in pain. Fara hugged her and Kari couldn't help but cry. Falvie's death had proved to her that Marko might be beyond redemption.
"It's going to be okay," she said, "Come on Kari. It's going to be okay."
"You don't know that," Kari muttered, "Marko's going to destroy us."
"If he really wanted to destroy us, he would have done so already. Why hasn't he?" Greiz asked.
"I don't know," Kari cried, "I just don't know anymore."
Fara gave the others a worried look. None of them knew what to do. Kari had been such a strong spirit before, but now she had been shattered. Hopefully she would last through this confrontation.
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"My lord."
Marko was sitting on his throne when Belial appeared.
"What is it?" he asked.
"May I inquire as what you are intending? You have the High Heavens at your mercy, but you do not attack them."
"The High Heavens is merely an obstacle to true power," said Marko, "They will fall once I say so."
"I see. Then what is your true objective?"
"It has occurred to me that the forces of Hell are merely pawns, even I," Marko began, "The High Heavens communicates with its masters through the Crystal Arch, yet what we are doing satisfies our masters. Well, I will not stand for this. I am the Master of Darkness, and no one is my master."
Belial had some idea what he was talking about. It had always been whispered by the more powerful demons that whoever was the Lord of Hell was, there was always someone or ones that were above them. Apparently, that was true and Marko didn't like it.
"So what will you do?" Belial asked.
"You certainly ask a lot of questions," said Marko.
"I merely wish to learn your intent so I can serve you better."
"Then you are dismissed. Oh, and tell Diablo to launch another assault on the High Heavens. Once that assault is over, he is to return and see me."
Belial bowed and teleported. Everything was going according to Marko's plan.
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The defenders of the High Heaven immediately responded to the attack by the forces of Hell. Diablo was at the front, smashing Angels that challenged him into pieces. Three Archangels flanked him and attacked, one of them was Kailua. He fired powerful red lightning spells at them, but all of them were immune to lightning. Fire was another story. Diablo unleashed Apocalypse spells on the Archangels and wounded two. Kailua dodged his attacks and attacked with the Valor of Light. Diablo tried to back away from the sword, but Kailua kept up her attack. Around her massive battles raged. Fara and the Companions faced down armies of demons and defeated them, equipped with powerful weapons of the Host. Kailua concentrated on her own battle, trying to kill Diablo. Suddenly a spear punched through his chest and Diablo screamed in pain. He swept his hand back and caught Greiz in the motion of backing away. The blow severed his head and it fell to the battleground. Greiz's body fell, exploding into flames and finally disappearing.
"Greiz!" Kailua screamed.
She charged at Diablo and cried out as she brought the Valor of Light down on him. Diablo unleashed a powerful beam of black energy, but it dissipated once it got close to Kailua. She slashed at Diablo and felt the blade get stuck as it stopped slicing through in Diablo's chest. His head had been shredded and his body was starting to set on fire. A massive explosion threw her back hard and she landed on her back. When she stood, she saw the demon armies retreating. Rikardo walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"You did well," he said, "The real Marko would be proud."
Kailua tried to smile but ended up crying in his arms. Only in battle did she forget her pains, but it was in battle that more was created.
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Marko was playing with another black gem. The remaining Lesser Evils were gathered and looked at Marko nervously. With the last failure, many were sure that dying at the hands of an Archangel was better than dying at Marko's hand. He stood and walked to the Archangels. Victoria looked at him and then at her two sisters. She could definitely feel the dark aura now and she was pretty sure what the black gem was for. She tried to struggle but it was useless. Finally, the last Sister of Light had been corrupted.
"And what are you called?" Marko said.
"Dyth."
Marko nodded. With a wave of his hands the three sisters were released from the crosses. They floated down and black wings extended from their bodies. Black armor also surrounded them and their eyes even turned black.
"Very well," he said, "Each of you is stronger than any Archangel in the High Heavens. Now, you serve me. Come. It is time for what I meant for you three to do."
Everyone in the chamber disappeared and reappeared in front of the Hellgate leading to Kurast. They stepped through and were greeted by the sight of humans chained and forced to march to cages.
"Belial, is the site ready?" Marko asked.
"Yes my lord, just as you had requested."
Marko led the strange procession as they walked towards a large open-air temple. It was circular in design and had a large triangle inside. There was also a giant pyre of red energy spouting into the air.
"Take your positions," Marko ordered the three sisters.
The three sisters moved to where their symbol was and stood there.
"Powers of Terror, Destruction, and Hatred," Marko chanted, "Come forth and open the way to Earth."
Yellow energy came from Kyris, red from Dyth, and purple from Phallus. Their energy shot into the pyre and turned the red color into a dark blue. The pyre of energy then shot up into the sky and disappeared into the clouds. However, Marko was quite aware of what was happening. The energy struck something and started spreading out all over it. It was a sphere and the size of Sanctuary. Finally, an entire planet appeared. The barrier on the planet was shattered and struck down onto the planet. A large iron tower shaped like an obelisk was shattered by the power. Energy swept throughout the city and wiped it out. Soon all that remained of what had been a might city was a large crater.
"It is done," said Marko, "Prepare for the invasion of Earth."
End of Chapter 9
Yes, this chapter is shorter, but I needed to end it so I can work on something else.
Z98