Chapter 42
"Dear Sophie,
I was hoping I wouldn't have to write you on the first day, but alas… Things did not really start out well.
First, I discovered that Lyndon, that idiot, taught Inarius how to pickpocket unaware people on the streets. I am certain it was not voluntary, but at the same time, he should have had more forethought! I can hardly believe how irresponsible he can be at times!
Then, we met a gingerbread-loving demon coming out of the main road's Waypoint…"
Let it be known that exclaiming "Ooh, gingerbread! My favorite!" does indeed greatly diminish one's threatening presence.
The demon was clearly not interested in the two startled opponents in the slightest. It happily threw its long, scaly arms at the offerings and fished out a gingerbread from one of the baskets. Tyrael couldn't help but share a glance of utter confusion with Inarius who was behind the demon. The little angel held his black dagger in both hands, but he obviously had no idea what to do with it. Tyrael felt very much the same way in that moment.
The demon was apparently of Azmodan's ilk, considering his immediate zeroing in on the food. Still, he did not look like the usual gluttony demons, for which Tyrael was silently grateful. Ghom and his servants were the single most disgusting and vile of all the residents of the Burning Hells. This unwanted guest had no legs, instead he was a hovering torso with a huge head and long arms. Its face was covered in a cowl, but his dog-like mouth with the enormous fangs was clearly visible. In any other case, the visage would have been most intimidating, now it was a rather stupid sight with the demon stuffing himself with the fresh bakery.
Before Tyrael could recover from his shock and finally attack, the demon turned around, looking for a beverage amidst the offerings. He and Inarius locked eyes for a long second.
- Did angels shrink while I was away? – the demon asked, just as shocked.
Tyrael acted first. Being fed up with the whole day already, he lunged forward and swung El'druin in a wide arc, aiming to chop the demon in two.
However, in the next split second a ground pillar crashed into the monster's chest, knocking him back, straight into Tyrael's face. The two of them crashed into the ground hard, with the mortal angel struggling to push the smelly rags off of himself.
- Gah, what the hell! – the demon screeched in rage and he quickly got up, dragging Tyrael along.
The mortal angel clung to the rags, called El'druin to his free hand and chopped off the left arm with an angry shout. The monster screamed and began flying around in a small but wild circle, spraying black blood everywhere. In its mad dash, it unintentionally dodged Inarius' other pillars bursting from the ground, but Tyrael almost got nailed in the leg twice by them.
Finally, Inarius created a lance of red gem from thin air and lunged forward with a shrill battle cry, just as Tyrael could grab a firmer hold on the demon. He swung El'druin with all his might in a horizontal arc, beheading the monster. He failed to notice the blade missing Inarius' face by a hair's length, making the little angel recoil with shock.
The headless corpse tumbled to the ground, Tyrael rolled off its back and quickly sprung to his feet. Next to him, Inarius was peeling himself up from the ground, his trajectory cut woefully short.
- You almost cut me! – he shrieked, pointing an accusing finger at Tyrael.
- No, I didn't! I aimed at the demon – the mortal angel argued.
- You were too close!
- You were too close, Inarius.
The ground rose beneath Inarius and the angel quickly ascended to eye level, drawing very near to the surprised Tyrael.
- We are not called "Inarius", angel – he boomed in a deep voice, his gems flashing up. – We were named Quiet by our Guardian, and we bear it with pride. You would do well to remember that before we decide you are no longer welcomed on this world.
- If it is truly you, Worldstone, why are you here? What do you wish to gain? – Tyrael asked after some hesitation, catching himself raising El'druin in a defensive stance.
"Inarius's" eyes dangerously narrowed at the sight.
- You believe you can hurt me with that sword, angel? That you had destroyed me with it all those years ago?
- I had.
- I had allowed you to succeed.
This gave Tyrael a dreadful pause.
- I could have cleared the corruption of Tathamet's Second Head, given a bit of time. Nothing may disturb my being, I am the shard of the true Anu! – "Inarius" slightly drew back on his pillar, almost nonchalantly. – But the process may have had an effect on my world, that is true. I took the opportunity and allowed you to shatter me… so I could have a chance to change form and protect my world that way.
- You… guided Lyndon to Inarius? – Tyrael asked in disbelief.
- No. That was by chance. I merely saw the opening and acted. Now I—we must strive for balance in our soul. We are Quiet, not Inarius, nor the Worldstone.
- But he is still within you, then…
- Still here… ravaged, barely existing… Because none bothered to care for him – Inarius rumbled in displeasure. – My only friend in that massacre you call the Eternal Conflict, Third Note of Anu.
Tyrael lowered El'druin, unable to say anything. "Inarius" shook himself, descending back to the ground.
- Hear this, Tyrael – he said. –I remember you, Inarius remembers you, but we do not remember you. We are a new being. We learn and grow and have a new life. And we have a name. It is Quiet. Learn it.
- I… do not understand completely.
- No matter. You have never understood either of us before.
- Your powers were never meant to be fully discovered, Worldstone.
- And yet, Inarius had understood me. He had known my plight… and he had promised a new life. A promise he had kept – "Inarius" glanced at him with all the disdain of the world. – Know that I, the Worldstone, loath all of you. Spawns of Anu and of Tathamet, there is no difference between you. You all used me as a tool, discarded the wonders I have created and their potential for something new, then destroyed them.
Tyrael couldn't help but imagine what the Worldstone could have done to all of them, had it been able to act on its own…
What the Worldstone could very well do now that it had a new body…
- As to what shall we, Quiet, think of you in this new life… that has yet to form now, doesn't it? You are partly responsible for what happens from here on out, angel – "Inarius" waved as a final dismiss. – Make the most of it.
The fires in the gems extinguished and "Inarius" blinked owlishly.
- Why we stand around? – he asked, confused.
- I— – Tyrael stammered, the familiar child-like voice deepening his shock somehow.
-… I can call for help. We no need to walk – "Inarius" frowned at him. – You alright?
- No, Anu damnit, I am not! You just turned into the Worldstone, don't act like everything is normal! – Tyrael snapped loudly, desperately trying to regain any semblance of understanding.
- No, I did not! Why are you so mean?! – "Inarius" cried angrily.
- I, mean?! You—!
- You always shout! You always angry! I did nothing bad! I offer help and you shout for a thing I did no do! – "Inarius" shouted with tearful eyes. – You are mean! I miss Leendonn.
With that, he plopped onto the ground and began weeping, little fists rubbing his eyes furiously. Tyrael stood there, like a sack of uselessness, before he too sat down in a defeated heap with a sigh that could tear a smaller bush out of the ground.
- I'm sorry, I just… I do not know what is going on – he mumbled.
It was the truth. The last time he had felt this lost, was when he fell to Sanctuary, and had no idea who he was or why he was there. He felt like the ground was just pulled out from under his legs.
- You… probably did not notice, but… you sometimes turn into someone else. Into the Worldstone, to be precise – Tyrael began uncertainly, trying to process the information as he was saying it. – And… we had a talk just now, even if you do not remember it. And… it was very confusing.
"Inarius" stopped his bailing and glanced up at him, still rubbing his eyes occasionally.
- I need time to make sense of it. If I even can, that is – Tyrael massaged his forehead. – I am sorry, I should not have shouted at you. You had no idea what was happening.
- Bad day – "Inarius" murmured, staring before himself.
- Very bad day – Tyrael agreed absentmindedly.
He shook himself, getting to his feet.
- Alright, In—Quiet – he said, trying to push the troubling thoughts aside.
The little angel stared up at him in disbelief.
- You mentioned something about some kind of help?
-… I can call for help. We do no need horses.
- Not.
- What?
- "We do not need horses."
- I said that.
- No, you said—N-nevermind. So what is this help? – Tyrael sighed, waving away the topic for now.
"Inarius" stood and chirped, letting a small shockwave sweep across the forest around them. He waited for a few seconds, listening, then turned to Tyrael.
- We go back to the road. They do no like trees. Hard to move around them, they say.
- Who says that?
- The help.
Tyrael decided to give up, before his brain would burn up from all the confusion he had to endure just today. They left the tampered Waypoint behind and tracked back to the main road. There, the fallen angel wasn't even surprised anymore to meet a smaller herd of Beasts. The animals patiently stood around, waiting for them, they honked and snorted as greetings.
- These are called Beasts. They are herbivores – Tyrael stated simply, unable to stop his scholar side.
- Heee—what? – "Inarius" glanced up at him.
- Herbivore. It means they eat plants.
- Herrrbee-whor—
- No, not that word! – Tyrael interrupted with panicked hurry.
- What word? – "Inarius" asked with honest bewilderment.
- The one you tried to say just now. It is "herbivore". Her-bi-vore.
The little angel uncertainly glanced at the snorting Beasts, then back at Tyrael.
-… They say they will need to go soon. We should go with them – he finally gestured at the herd with his head.
- Alright, let's hitch a ride – Tyrael sighed deeply, accepting that today was yet again not his day.
The sun was already at its zenith, they would need to hurry to cover some proper distance now.
oooOOOooo
Beasts ran fast.
This was probably not news to hunters and scholars, but it was certainly news to Tyrael who had to cling to his mount for dear life as they tore across the plains of the Kingdom of Westmarch. The Beasts were faster than most horses and thanks to their fingers, they dug their hands into the ground and changed directions that way.
Staying on them was a balancing act on its own, but Tyrael somehow managed to do so until the sun neared the horizon on the west. He clung to the thick horns and squeezed the wide neck with his legs as best as he could. When the Beasts finally slowed down and stopped by a smaller stream for the night, the mortal angel tumbled to the ground and needed a few minutes to be able to regain some strength into his limbs.
- This is going to kill me – he croaked as "Inarius" walked up to him uncertainly.
- Are you alright?
- No, I can't feel my arms…
"Inarius" touched his hand, and in an unpleasant flash, the terrible pain in his muscles left his body, leaving behind a rapidly fading tingling sensation. Tyrael shook his head in surprise. He was still tired but moving did not cause him pain anymore.
- Uhm… thank you? – he slowly stood up, glancing at "Inarius" who merely nodded.
- They say the town is still a day away, but they need rest – the little angel translated the snorting of the alpha Beast, a big bulky red-furred monstrosity that could have passed for a swine-herd as far as smell was concerned.
- I could use a pause as well. We can stay for the night here – Tyrael admitted as he began unpacking the camping tools.
Normally he wouldn't have opted for making camp in such an open area, but they were surrounded by an entire herd of Beasts. They should be fine. So, after placing the two sleeping matts and making a small campfire ("Inarius" had to quiet down the Beasts who were less than thrilled at the sight of fire), Tyrael finally sat down on the ground with a loud sigh. After a moment of staring forward (again that dark smudge in the corner of his eye… weird), he quickly pulled out a piece of paper, a quill and a small bottle of ink from his sack and began writing. He figured he could write his first letter to Sophie, even if he had no idea when he could actually send it back to her.
- What are you doing? – "Inarius" asked curiously, looking at him from across the campfire.
- Sophie asked me to write letters to her while we are on the road, so that she knows what is happening to us – Tyrael explained absentmindedly.
- What is a letter?
-… Lyndon didn't write any?
- No?
Tyrael paused but then quickly shook his head. Of course. Whom Lyndon would write to? The scoundrel was woefully alone in the world. Suddenly Sophie's demand for letters filled Tyrael with warmth.
Someone cared about him and wanted to know what was happening to him.
- Letters are… written messages, you see – Tyrael briefly showed the paper to "Inarius". – People write them in some place, then send it away so another person can read it somewhere else. You can write about a lot of different topics in a letter, some are very serious and secretive, others not so much.
- You writing secrets?
- No, I merely put down the events of the day so Sophie knows about them once she reads it. I'll just need to find a man to send it back to Westmarch with.
- You like Soffia?
- Yes, I do. She is very kind and an interesting person.
"Inarius" remained silent for a while before murmuring:
- It is nice no being alone.
Tyrael glanced up at him before turning back to his letter. True, it was pleasant knowing there was someone back at home who waited for you to return. If Tyrael had to be honest with himself, not even the Angiris Council had provided him with this backup. Usually they went to face danger together in the first place, and during Tyrael's secret Horadrim project he could not rely on his siblings in that matter. Then Malthael up and left and that resulted in a steep decline in morale, and that's… where probably everything went to hell.
Reading through the letter, Tyrael grimaced at how their first day started out. Where would it go from here? Knowing his luck, probably downhill. Tyrael really did not want to find out what that looked like.
Apparently "downhill" didn't hear his wishes, because the next second a flash exploded into his vision, and suddenly Tyrael found himself in a small, feathery body with a sudden craving for seeds and earthworms.
Oh hey, look at that! It's a chapter! Been a while since we had one around here, cupcakes!
With the University officially behind me, and my last completely free summer at hand, I'm hoping to make up for lost time now. :) With any luck, I can keep up with this plan, along with my other projects at hand.
Once again, thank you everyone for your patience. I apologize for the big hiatus, it couldn't be helped.
Lore & Trivia Corner
- The demon from the Waypoint is modelled after the picture in the Book of Cain which depicts the first demon in Sanctuary, summoned by a Vizjerei Mage.
- Tyrael and the Worldstone: at the end of Diablo 2 Lord of Destruction, Baal had been banished but not before he had corrupted the Worldstone. Tyrael theorized this will have catastrophic effects on Sanctuary, so instead he chose the last resort and destroyed the Stone, Mount Arreat and himself by hurling El'druin at it with all his might. I've always found that strange, how the Stone had survived an eternity of war around it, if all it took to blow it up was whacking a sword, that looks like a toothpick in comparison, at it. Oh well, magic bullshit it is!
