This goddamn chapter, man...


Chapter 31

Tyrael would have liked to gather up Anu, Fate, the Sanctuary gods, and every other superior being, and kindly explain to them what "semblance of temporary peace" actually meant.

It took every ounce of his willpower to hold onto his common sense. The urge to just scream "WHAT?!", maybe fling himself backwards on his seat because he just couldn't remain still after that bombshell, was overwhelming like the addiction he had developed for Chalad'ar around a year ago.

He wasn't proud of that bit in his life.

Still, Tyrael managed to take a few deep breaths, stop the scream in his throat, wipe off the sweat from his brow, and quickly take over the situation.

- Alright—alright – he breathed hard. – Not alright, actually, but… before I go down this rabbit hole, please help me take care of Inarius first.

- Who? The kid's name's Quiet, Tyrael – Haile stared at him.

- Wait, this is Inarius? – Sophie looked down at the still sleeping child.

- Just… please help! – Tyrael swallowed his immediate gut-reaction to argue about the name.

Sophie quickly took the helm from there. She scooped Inarius out of Tyrael's hug (despite the archangel's protests), and carried him to the bathing room, all the while marveling at his newly revealed angelic form.

- He's so cute! How can he be that world-destroyer you warned me about? – she cooed over the baby angel.

- Do not let his appearance fool you – Tyrael tried to warn her, but received little attention.

Sophie scrubbed Inarius clean in the bath tub. The small angel woke up… kind of. He looked like he was trapped in a semi-sleeping state, owlishly blinking up to the nurse, but clearly not registering fully what he was seeing.

- Nice lady – he mumbled, woozily reaching out for her.

Tyrael caught himself straining his every muscle, ready to jump and push Sophie out of the way of any danger. The woman however gently took the small hand and scrubbed it with soap, all the while smiling.

- Hello, little one!

- Auriel?

- No, darling, my name is Sophia.

- Auriel Sofffia…

Sophie looked like she would just about melt right there and then from Inarius' "cuteness". Tyrael couldn't help but grimace at that. Finishing with the little angel, the nurse ordered him to take a bath as well ("Have you looked at yourself?!"), while she went and tucked Inarius in bed. Granted, washing off the grime did help him feel a bit better, but Tyrael most certainly did not like how close Inarius and Sophie were physically. Although his former worries about the angel's world-destroying tendencies had been mostly dismissed by Ytar's support and half-baked explanation, this did not automatically mean any trust. Inarius could still very well be a grave danger to all around him: be it because of his still developing control over his disturbing powers, or because of his headstrong nature and talent for seeking out just the most dangerous situations possible. He could very well drag Sophie into something horrible that was caused by his stubbornness and…

Tyrael would rather not finish the thought, instead he donned on a new tunic and staggered back into the dining hall with a deep sigh. Haile had prepared stew for lunch (he was a surprising good cook), and the archangel gratefully dug into his bowl. Haile was busy shepherding his kids around the table and entrusting them with keeping an eye on the sleeping Inarius after the meal. Kyla and Geralt were eager to help and they quickly gobbled up the food, not even caring to stick around and check out what made the adults so rattled.

- You should have seen Johanna, she was so awesome! That speech she made and everything – Kyla rambled with sparkling eyes. – When I grow up, I want to be just like her!

- We will see about that – Haile mumbled under his nose, clearly displeased with this idea.

He was obviously keeping the children in the dark about something, and that did not lift Tyrael's spirit. After Sophie joined them at the table, and the kids left to no doubt literally watch over Inarius in the bed, the three adults sat and ate, Tyrael very briefly recounting their separation from Lyndon in the marsh, as well as their misadventures in Corvus. He left out Ytar and the scarabs, though. With that done, the archangel fell silent for a while, gathering every ounce of his willpower to withstand the incoming disaster.

-… Fine. I think I am as ready as I can be at this point. Tell me what is going on, please – Tyrael sighed eventually, his bowl mostly empty.

- Shit is going on, that's what! – grumbled Haile, stressfully drumming on the table with his fingers.

This gesture from such a battle-hardened man, who had not been impressed in the slightest by neither Azmodan nor Malthael, was all the more alarming.

- After your house caught on fire, maybe half a day later Johanna came to town – Sophie began in a low voice. – She had Eirena, Shen and Myriam with her.

- Haedrig and Brycen? – Tyrael frowned in confusion.

- We didn't see them. They just disappeared – Haile shook his head.

- Kormac joined them in the city. She made camp in the Akarat's Glory Square, like during Malthael's attack – Sophie went on, invoking the Survivors' Enclave's former name. – Nobody knew why she came and she didn't say it at first. Then she began gathering the people, calling them from everywhere in the city. Nobles, peasants, everyone.

- And they all came – Tyrael nodded, knowing fully well how much weight the Nephalem's words carried. She had become an icon, and even kings listened to her.

- Of course they did – Haile snorted. – She began speaking about a new future, and how every human has the ability to change our fate and keep it under our control. That it was a unique ability no other sentient being in Creation possesses, and we should use it to its maximum potential as a result.

- I must say it was… convincing – Sophie mumbled, biting her lower lip in worry.

- Convincing like all hell. Then she brought up Malthael and his damned gang of Heaven-rejects, and how humanity cannot even trust angels anymore. "Look at the destruction these beings of Light brought", she said.

- The Reapers weren't truly angels anymore – Tyrael hissed through clenched teeth.

- I know it. Sophie knows it. Try telling it to the rest of Westmarch.

- Or to the entire world, for that matter – Sophie added helplessly. – All everyone saw were angels twisting their loved ones and faithful pets into horrible creatures. The Reapers themselves invoked the High Heavens at times during the massacre. How do you explain that?

No how, Tyrael thought bitterly, and Johanna knows this as well.

- She got the crowd all riled up, naturally. Everyone remembers, and deep down everyone wants revenge for it. They didn't even get to see the gloomy fucker's death. Can't say I do not feel the same way. That's why it was so damn hard to fight off Johanna's charm at first. I hate to admit, my boy, but I was hooked in at the beginning – Haile spat on the ground, summing up his opinion about this whole situation.

-… I cannot blame you.

- Then she proposed we consider the High Heavens just as much of an enemy as we do the Hells – Sophie took over. – She explained how Malthael used an artifact to tear apart human souls. Angels are capable of literally anything to see us dead. She even said how antagonistic Imperius had been to her, despite her efforts to save the High Heavens along with all of Creation. She stirred up quite the hate for that archangel. But she even claimed that she saw the angels plotting against us.

- At that time, I already knew something was very wrong, so I spoke up and asked how the hell she knows. She waved around some kind of weird mirror thing in the air, saying she can spy on the Heavens with it – Haile shook his head angrily.

- A… mirror? – Tyrael blinked in confusion.

- It was the most simple-looking round handmirror you can possibly imagine. Anyway, bottomline is, the people got excited and expressed their newly formed opinions about the angels… as you could no doubt see it on your way here.

- Please tell me they don't actually plan an attack on the Heavens! – Tyrael leaned forward, voice pretty much begging.

- No, thankfully they don't. Johanna called for everyone to "be patient" – Sophie exhaled loudly.

- She has a plan, apparently, and she can prepare our nations for it as well –Haile finished.

-… That's even worse – Tyrael groaned, pushing the almost finished bowl away.

- Told you to hold onto your pants, my boy. But the story doesn't end there. I was called into their camp after the gathering.

- What did you see?!

- Nothing good. There are no traces of Haedrig or Brycen. Shen only appeared for a second out of his tent, but I swear to Akarat, he had sheer purple eyes. It was unsettling – Haile anxiously rubbed his hands together. – Johanna was downright maniacal, I swear. She had that sparkle in her eyes, you know that "complete madman" kind. She asked me if she could count on me in her hour of need. I told her an attack on the High Heavens was suicidal at best, but she just frowned and shooed it away. I have no idea what has gotten into her, but she is not the Johanna we have grown to know, Tyrael. It's like an impostor almost…

- No, it has to be Johanna. I have… seen her abilities, they are all the same they used to be – Tyrael mumbled.

- I have no idea what is going on, but it was honestly terrifying. Johanna said "I have potential", and that she would hope to see me in the future. After that they prepared to leave for Kingsport, no doubt to stir up more hate for the Heavens – Haile's eyes darkened, clearly not looking forward to it.

- Potential, as in as a general, or as a…? – Tyrael trailed off uncertainly.

Was Johanna… looking for developing nephalem? Haile had proven to be quite indomitable in the war against Azmodan and Malthael, he certainly had something in him.

- I don't know, and I didn't promise anything – Haile shook his head. – I practically fled from that place, and I ain't proud of it.

- And Myriam?

- She wasn't there during the talk, actually. I didn't even see her. But then, when I left the camp and was busy making my way back home, Myriam pretty much ambushed me from a sidestreet and grabbed my arm so hard I thought she wanted to tear it right off!

- She attacked you?!

- I thought the same at first, but she just stared at me with those haunted eyes for like a minute or so. It was horrifying. She didn't react to anything I was saying to her, but she finally said a single sentence, before disappearing again. And you ain't gonna like it, Tyrael.

- What was it? – the archangel asked, totally defeated.

Haile took a deep breath and exhaled loudly:

- "Do not let us win."

oooOOOooo

Quiet did not see any dreams, thankfully.

He dimly registered lying in a very comfortable place, covered by another very comfortable thing. It was warm and soft and fuzzy, and it really reminded him of his first few days with Leendonn when his friend would bundle him up with a blanket.

Yeah, that was it. They were on the road with Leendonn, still going to Weztmarch. Everything had been just a bad dream: they were still together, there had been no scary man in big armor who wrecked houses, no grumpy mean Teeriel, no dark gloomy place, no cruel ghosts, no separation from his friend.

No small red needle ready to kill someone from behind.

Quiet shuddered, he pulled the comfortable warm thing closer to himself.

Except there was a red needle, aimed to end Teeriel. There were ghosts that showed him what kind of monster he had been a long long time ago. Quiet whimpered, trying to escape from the bad pictures and back into the warmth, but it was getting more and more difficult. Eventually the last vestiges of his make-believe world were torn to shreds as reality came back, knocking down the door.

He remembered willingly choosing to go on his separate way for a time, leaving Leendonn behind.

Quiet opened his eyes, vision blurry from tears. He didn't see much, but he felt too miserable for it anyway.

- Quiet?

The little angel blinked in confusion, trying to identify the two smudges before him.

- Yo, wake up, you sleepy head!

He definitely knew these two voices, though. Quiet willed himself to wipe the tears out of his eyes, and he finally saw the others: a human girl with red hair and a boy with blonde hair.

Oh. Jeralt and Kyla.

- H—hi – Quiet stammered, slowly sitting up in his bed, looking around in the completely foreign room.

- You like to sleep a lot, don't you? – Kyla grinned at him.

- We brought you kookies – Jeralt offered a plate of strange brown disks.

-… What is "kooky"?

- It's a yummy treat! Here, check it! – Kyla shoved one into his hands without hesitation, then she too took one and munched it down in a blink of an eye.

Quiet hesitantly follower her suit, and gently nibbled at the kooky. It was kind of dry but also sweet, which he really enjoyed. So he slowly ate it, his tired and sad mind desperately latching onto this positive feeling.

It occurred to him that he should offer a few of these to Leendonn, but he quickly recalled that Leendonn was not with him now.

Quiet felt tears welling up in his eyes again, and he let his hand clutching the remnants of the kooky fall.

- H—hey, what is wrong, Quiet? – Jeralt stammered, placing the tray on a small table.

- Did you have a bad dream? – Kyla asked, surprisingly gently, her usual loudness suddenly disappearing.

- Yes – Quiet breathed, unable to talk louder.

- What happened?

- I—miss Leendonn. I want my friend…

- Wait, Leendonn is not your dad? – Kyla frowned in confusion.

- Hey, it's okay – Jeralt mumbled uncertainly, patting the angel's blanket-covered legs.

- Did he leave you behind? – Kyla pried further.

- No! I did! – Quiet cried out, wailing. – But I miss him! I want to be with him! But I can't because—because… I'm bad and—need to learn more and—

Once again the inability to express himself properly with words left him confused and frustrated. Quiet gave up and buried his face into his pulled up knees. He could only hear Kyla and Jeralt shuffling around, but he did not bother to look up.

At least not until he felt two pairs of arms encircling him from both sides. Jeralt and Kyla climbed onto the bed and they hugged Quiet from left and right, cuddling up to him. Quiet fell silent in surprise, but he quickly broke in the embrace and let his tears fall freely. He keened his heart out, hoping that the sound would explain everything he couldn't with mere words. The two children remained with him, Kyla mumbling things like "It's okay, it's alright" and Jeralt just patting the angel's head with one hand.

Quiet snaked each of his arms around their necks and pulled them closer. He needed this physical contact to anchor himself back to the world. Leendonn had always done the same to him.

A soft brush on his head, pulling him back into reality after an endless period of nothing, reminding him that he was still alive.

Everything is going to be alright

Quiet sniffled, marveling at this new detail in his first memory in his life. It was a simple flash of something more other than Leendonn's words, but still it felt earth-shattering, world-changing. His crying grew softer, his sadness less cruel on his mind. Every fiber of his being now focused on this new memory, of that simple yet incredible touch that dragged him back to life.

Leendonn had promised everything would be alright, and Leendonn never broke his word. Quiet had to have faith in it. Everything would be alright. They would see each other again soon. Now that his friend was not around, it was up to the little angel to make sure it happened.

Quiet too would keep his word to his friend.

He sunk into the shared hug, slowly settling down in his newly found hope.

oooOOOooo

- So… now what? – Sophie asked in a small voice.

Tyrael had no idea how to reply to that. He stared blankly at the table as his mind processed everything and connected the dots. Haile had been right, that single sentence Myriam uttered was the worst possible thing she could have said.

- Johanna had been corrupted – Tyrael breathed finally.

He realized the numbness that suddenly flooded him was the defensive measures of his mind, shielding itself from the all-consuming panic and terror that would have almost certainly sent him over the edge.

- Yeah… I thought the same thing too – Haile admitted in a low voice, hanging his head in defeat and crossing his arms.

- The one who killed the Prime Evil and Death itself – Sophie bit her lower lip once again. – Are we doomed?

- Yes. I'm sorry, girl – Haile nodded slowly. – If she decides to destroy the world, we cannot stop her.

But within her beats a mortal heart that one day will be tempted to corruption.

Tyrael ran his fingers across his bald head. His worst fear became reality. The single most powerful being in all of Creation, set on a dark path. Whatever her goal might have been – total destruction, domination or other – it mattered little from their stand-point.

- So who did this to her? That Mega Evil thing? – Haile growled in helpless anger.

-… It could be Diablo, yes. Or some other horror of the Hells who remained unknown until now… Or even an angel, out of spite towards humanity. My kind is capable of hideous manipulation as well – Tyrael said after a moment of thinking, recalling Balzael and his disgusting tactics.

- Damn fucking hell! – Haile spat again. – If we are about to die one way or another, at least I would have liked to know who stabbed us in the back like that! But the coward doesn't even own up to it.

Sophie was visibly shaking at this point. Tyrael reached out awkwardly and wove his fingers around her clutched hands over the table.

- Is there no way to stop her? – she breathed.

Tyrael was about to open his mouth, even though he himself didn't know what to say when…

- Dad! Dad!

Kyla, Geralt and Inarius burst into the room, holding a tray full of cookies.

- Quiet made more cookies! – Geralt gestured excitedly at the tray.

- It's like he melted them out of thin air, it was amazing! – Kyla laughed.

Inarius sheepishly stood behind them, head slightly ducked and hands behind his back. The three kids quickly placed the food on the table, while the adults rushed to take up more carefree poses and mask their anguish. Inarius clearly picked up on it, however, and his eyes darted between the three of them.

- Thank you so much, children – Sophie spoke first, forcing a smile on her face as she reached for a cookie.

Tyrael stared at the tray, contemplating whether or not eat something. He still felt sick from the revelation, but something kept his eyes on the cookies.

"It's like he melted them out of thin air"

His glance fluttered to the timid Inarius, while Geralt and Kyla rambled on about something Tyrael didn't even process fully. His mind was completely focused on another detail: the red gem in the angel's tiara.

"I believe you already know, or at least suspect it, angel."

- Maybe there is a way – he suddenly spoke up, mind still working overtime.

- What? – Haile stared at him, and even the kids fell silent.

- What way? For what? – Kyla demanded impatiently.

- I… – Tyrael stammered, resurfacing from his brainstorming.

Haile quickly got the memo and he shepherded the complaining children out of the dining hall, declaring it to be an adult matter. Inarius remained there with them, uncertainly walking up to Sophie and waving at her.

- Hi – he said timidly. – I am Quiet.

- I am Sophia. It is nice to meet you, Quiet. You have two very nice names – Sophie smiled earnestly at him.

-… I don't like "Inarius"…

- Alright, my boy, whatcha got? – Haile threw himself back down onto the chair.

- I… cannot say – Tyrael mumbled, suddenly losing his focus from doubt.

- What?!

- Tyrael, you had an idea, yes? – Sophie cocked her head to the side.

- Yes, but… no, nevermind. It wouldn't work, now that I've put some thought into it – the archangel backpedaled quickly, crestfallen.

Did he honestly believed just now that pitting an underdeveloped angel against the Hero of Sanctuary was a good idea?! Really?! Truth to be told, desperation had made him come up with rather stupid and/or suicidal plans in the past (just look at his fall, or the big heist of the Black Soulstone for that matter), but Tyrael really hoped he'd be over these tendencies by now.

- I thought I had it… Not even close. I apologize – he sighed deeply, clearly humbled.

- Oh well – Sophie said softly, still cuddling Inarius on her lap.

- Sssshit. I thought you would be able to give us some hope, boy – Haile massaged his forehead. – Now what?

- I—don't know – Tyrael shook his head in defeat.

- I need to go to that grassy place – Inarius suddenly spoke up in a low voice.

- Inarius, that is not that important – Tyrael waved tiredly.

- But it is! I need to go!

- Stop it! We have bigger problems now! – the archangel snapped, slamming his fist on the table.

- Tyrael, leave him out of this! – Sophie boomed at him.

The fallen angel stared at Sophie in disbelief then his eyes shifted to Inarius and they were filled with murderous rage. He got up and stormed out of the room, somehow ending up on the stairs before the house's entrance. With an exhausted and angry sigh he sat down on one step hard and rested his forehead on his pulled up knees, hands covering the back of his head.

After a while the entrance door creaked and out stepped Sophie, sitting down next to him with pulled up knees also.

- Tyrael… I'm sorry for shouting – she said gently. – I understand you are tense right now, we all are. But Quiet did not deserve that outburst.

- You don't know him, Sophie. I do – Tyrael raised his head with a loud sigh.

- Do you really? You told me he was a monster bent on Sanctuary's destruction. Then you show up on the doorstep with him in your arms.

Tyrael paused for a second.

- I admit he's not here with malevolent intents. I have received confirmation about that. But he still has his old flaws, the very things that constantly landed him in terrible danger in the past…

- And led to Sanctuary's creation in the end? – Sophie interrupted.

-… Yes. I reckon they did – Tyrael scratched his head.

It was true. Without Inarius' stubbornness and strange worldview, none of this would have come to life. Not Sanctuary, not the nephalem.

Not Sophie.

- Tell me, Tyrael. You clearly knew Inarius well in the past – the woman went on, slowly weaving her fingers around Tyrael's. – Did you have a strained relationship back then?

- That is putting it mildly, to be honest.

- So… did that work on him?

-… Pardon?

- Did this shouting, these outbursts work on him back then? Did he change for the better? Or did he double down on them, just to deny you? – Sophie asked, clearly already knowing the answer.

-… He just kept going. It may have been the reason behind Sanctuary – Tyrael mumbled, recalling every annoying trick, habit and action Inarius had pulled just to set him on edge.

- Maybe. But do you see it? It did not work in the past, it will not work now. All you are doing is turning him against you. He will do the exact opposite of what you demand of him, simply out of spite. That is the true danger here.

- But how can I keep him out of trouble, Sophie?! If I don't say anything, his own flaws will lead him to danger, and if I do, he will willingly jump headfirst into it! What am I to do here? He's impossible! – Tyrael cried in frustration, angrily punching the tiles under him with his free hand.

Sophie took a deep breath, pressing her side to the fallen angel's to calm him down.

- You said just now his caretaker was Lyndon? – she turned to him.

- Yes.

- Well… he clearly did something right then, kept Inarius under control easily. Which means that Inarius is not impossible… he just needs the right attitude. Without Lyndon, you can only guess and try things out, but the answer has to be out there.

Tyrael remained silent, thinking.

- I know you are worried about Inarius in a way and you are trying to mend his flaws so he wouldn't be in danger that much. But you are making things worse with this tone. You need to change it somehow, look for a different approach, otherwise you will be just much of a cause of the next disaster as his flaws will be.

- I… reckon I understand what you are saying – Tyrael sighed in defeat. – But I do not know how to do it. In my immortal life, I was barely feeling, and even later I had never become a people-person, so to speak. It wasn't my duty, Auriel would handle those.

- You never had a girlfriend before, either, yet look at you – Sophie smiled at him, warmly pecking him on the cheek. – You are doing rather fine, I'd say.

Tyrael could feel his face heating up at this gesture, and he instinctively leaned to Sophie slightly, just to get closer to her.

- What I am trying to say is that you won't be able to achieve anything without trying – Sophie went on. – Sure, the first few times it won't work out well. You will need to stop yourself from slipping back into your usual shouting then. But you will get the hang of it eventually. Surely, Lyndon didn't have it smooth either the first time around.

- He never told me about that.

- I am certain he had his own problems. But he had time and opportunity for trial and error. Until you are reunited with him, your task is very much the same.

- By Anu, you almost sound like… someone I met recently – Tyrael chuckled at the last sentence.

He could almost picture Ytar going "well, she is right, you know".

- That someone must have been most wise – Sophie smirked with humor.

Tyrael exhaled loudly, finally relaxing his tensed body a bit:

- Alright… I'll try to find a different approach. We have a long road ahead of us, after all.

Sophie nodded, and together they finally retreated into the house. In the dining hall, Haile was busy teaching Inarius about how to properly hold that black dagger ("Not like that sly fox scoundrel, small one!") and some extra tricky slashes and stabs. The little angel was clearly very uncomfortable, especially when Haile used his own body to use as an example, but he listened intensely.

Tyrael leaned against the table tiredly.

- Alright, Inarius – he finally said. – Let us set out on the road.


Ugh, it was one of those "hard delivery" cases, you cupcakes know the ones. I'd have had the time for it, while waiting for commissions on DA and on Tumblr, but for the life of me I couldn't quite nail it down. Thankfully that is over, and the next chapter will be smoother and more action-packed, hopefully. Such downtimes are needed occasionally, though. :) Tell me what you think, because I am honestly not sure about the quality with this one. It was such a hard fight to put it together...

Thank you, cupcakes for your unbreakable patience! You guys rock! Bonus points of rocking for all who can guess what that "weird mirror" is. ^^

Lore & Trivia Corner

- Tyrael's addiction to Chalad'ar: in the book Storm of Light, Tyrael at first is afraid to fully embrace his new aspect, Wisdom, and start using Chalad'ar to look for answers. When he begins using it, at first the Chalice works with him, it shows important truths and hints and what needs to be done. But later it would start to overwhelm Tyrael and acts as a drug, making the fallen angel temporarily forget his worries and entire surroundings, making him black out for longer and longer as time goes on. It's... pretty disturbing, actually.

- Brycen: Brycen is the not-too bright but honest, hard-working and good-natured boy who can be rescued during almost the very beginning of RoS storyline. Haedrig tells you he heard strange noises from the cellar and you rescue Brycen from the undead there as a result. Later he latches onto Haedrig in gratitude, and while he causes some trouble, he means to help him. Haedrig tries to push him away at first, but eventually warms up to the boy and finally accepts him as his new apprentice.

- "But within her...": this sentence is from the ending cinematic of RoS where Tyrael narrates the end of Malthael and the rise of the Nephalem.

Guest review replies

- Guest (who wrote for Ch1): Thank you for your support ^^ Who knows, perhaps they might end up in the High Heavens eventually. ;) It wouldn't be all that surprising, considering the madness that can end up happening in Diablo.

DeviantArt stuff

- Valorous Charge: -deviantart -.- com-(slash)-kenyizsu-(slash)-art-(slash)-Diablo-Valorous-Charge-757328106