Mitherael's mind was in turmoil. He didn't know why he took the stone. He didn't physically touch it, but he knew he couldn't leave it for others to find. He knew that a powerful demon was in it. He was fighting with the conflicting thought to give it to the High Heavens.
:Let's face it. You don't want to leave me behind. I could even help you.:
"Shut up!" Mitherael growled at the small bag. "I already know that I'm being hunted down."
:I am shielding you from being seen. Yes. I have that power. I know how the High Heavens work. The only way we can be found is if we let ourselves be approached. The further we are from the rest, the harder it will be for them to find us. I can help you.:
"And then what? For what purpose? Okay. You help me. Then what?"
:The girl in your thoughts. Who is she?:
"Someone that cannot be touched," he grunted, as he trudged through a forest thicket.
:I find it...odd...that she reminds me of Imperius...:
"That's enough out of you!" he snapped and got ready to throw the stone away.
:I can help you get close to her.:
At that said, he stopped himself. And now the demon found a way into the mortal angel's desires. "It's impossible. She's always watched and guarded."
:But, you have yet to answer my question. Who is she? Why is she so important?:
Mitherael narrowed his eyes and shivered. "She belongs to Imperius. She is his ward."
:Imperius has a...:
At the howling laughter he got now, he made ready to fling the stone far off. "I will not let you touch her!"
:Whoever said that I was the one who wanted to do that? I was thinking that you could touch her. To be with her at long last.:
"No. I will refuse it. And I'm turning you in to Imperius."
:I doubt you can. Think on it. Don't you want to create something with her? Something on a grand scale? I'm sure that it would be possible.:
"And you think on this," Mitherael growled. "The entire Angelic Host is protecting her. Because she belongs to him, she is always watched! Don't you get it?!"
:Do we know what is transpiring now?:
"No. I've been out of the loop for some time. I know that things may have happened. It's...been a good year and a half, at least. So I do not know much. I have been purposely kept busy."
:Then we need to find a way back in. You could set me aside, and I can shield myself. We can find out what is going on. Learn the ways in and out of the High Heavens. We need to find out what is happening to keep with current events.:
"Why should I let you help me when you won't even tell me who you are?" he asked. At the silence he got now, he smirked. "Thought so."
He continued to move along the old woodland path. When he came to a small clearing, he sighed and rested against a tree. He was clearly at a loss on what to do. I don't want to endanger Anaurael. I don't want to endanger Heaven. I'm being hunted now for abandoning my post with the Horadrim. He could only hope that the box he left behind wasn't found.
"He's over here!" a voice shouted in the distance. "I can sense him!"
"What?! Impossible!" Mitherael gasped. The scouting group had made a lucky choice in direction and began to close in on his location. Now that they were getting closer, the shielding was wearing off. He had to put distance between his pursuers quickly to reestablish the shielding.
:You have to run! They are on to us! The closer they get, the more they can sense you!:
"Your name first," Mitherael said and stood firm. He heard the horrible sound of demonic swearing, but he wouldn't budge. "Say it. Or I give you over willingly."
:Diablo.:
His eyes widened, but he cringed, too. He knew exactly how deadly Diablo was. And he also knew that Diablo could help him gain another way to access Heaven undetected. He fought with himself for less than half a second. He made his choice.
"I sensed him over here!" Ikarius said when he plunged forward. He found the area empty. Mitherael was being shielded by the strong demon soul, as he retreated away. The further away he got, the harder it would be for them to trace him. Only Imperius would have been able to spot him fleeing the area. The Archangel always detected his rival. The lesser angels couldn't sense him. Even as mortals, the angels had this handicap.
"He got away again! Why is he running?!" Borithius growled out.
"Because he knows what we may do to him, if he's caught," Sithus sighed and shook his head.
"Well, he's not that far out. He has to be close. We need to keep searching," Ikarius said. "And...do you feel that? There's a presence here! It's fading now, but it was here. Likely with Mitherael. A vile one, too. I mean...what could cause that? Is this why he's running?"
"But...what could cause such a feeling unless it's...a demon..." Borithius began to pale. "And it would have to be very strong, too."
"He must have found a Soulstone. Or something like it. And he probably doesn't know about it! Much less what it may be that he has in his possession!" Tytherius gaped. "None of us told him about them. How could we when he was always off on patrol? We have to warn him!"
"And it has to be a strong one, if we can sense it. It was rumored that Diablo's box was found," Sithus said. "And it was...oh, Hell. It was along the same route Mitherael was last on!"
"And, if Mitherael has the stone..." Ikarius said with a grim look. "We have to find him! Now!"
"One of us has to report to Tyrael," Borithius said.
"Let me," Ikarius nodded. "You three need to find Mitherael. I'll see if we can get some of the Host to help us find him. They can still fly."
"Go!" Sithus nodded. Ikarius nodded back and bolted back to the main Horadrim camp. He knew that time was of the essence now. He was panting when he finally made it back.
"Tyrael...! Where...is he...?!" Ikarius panted and coughed to catch his breath.
"What happened?" a Horadrim man asked and helped him to sit down.
"We need Tyrael! Now!" Ikarius seemed to beg. At the sight of Mauriel walking over to him, he seemed to shake his head with despair. She smoothed back his white hair to try and calm him down.
"What happened?" she asked and sat next to him. He put his arm around her and shivered.
"Mitherael. We...we think he has Diablo's Soulstone. We need the help of the Host," he whispered softly. At her horrified look, she bolted from him and sent a message to Lorath. From her spot near Bramwell, he easily got the message from a carrier pigeon with a quick five minute flight. On reading the message, he ran swiftly to Tyrael's chambers. An angelic guard opened the door for him.
"We need Tyrael! It's confirmed that Mitherael may have Diablo's Soulstone. The mortal angels are having problems tracking him down. They hope that angels from the Host can help scout," Lorath explained quickly. At this, one of the guards quickly went up to Heaven to find Tyrael and relay the issue at hand. He was in Anaurael's bedroom, and he gave a look of complete shock at this news.
"I'm getting Imperius!" Izarius nodded and quickly left the room to find him in his inner sanctum. Anaurael had already alerted him to what was going on.
"So, he does have Diablo's Soulstone," Imperius sighed and shook his head with disgust. "If he hasn't given it over by now, then he has likely gone rogue."
"I hate to admit it, but that would be the case," Izarius nodded.
"Consult with Myriam," Anaurael said. Izarius paused at this idea and went to find Darius. He couldn't leave to find her now, but Darius could. When the Vecin seer was found, she had a grim look on her face. She didn't like it any more than anyone else, and she regarded Darius critically when he stood before her. He didn't even need to tell her why he was there.
"This does not bode well," Myriam sighed and leaned heavily on her staff. "If he is running, then he knows what demon is in his grasp. He got the demon to admit what it can be called. And it is the very one we all fear. It may be too late for the fallen angel by the time the day is out."
"What do you mean?" Darius asked.
"He will be convinced to let the Evil help get that which he desires," she said gently and squeezed his large hand. "Time is against us."
"What does Mitherael desire?" he asked.
"Why did the fallen one remove his wings?" she asked evenly. He shook his head at this.
"How long do you think we have?" Darius asked.
"It depends on how much he can curb himself from temptation," she sighed. "Some will go through any measures to get what they wish for."
"Sacrilege..." Darius whispered. She nodded to him and released his hand. He went straight back to Heaven to report what was told to him.
"I should search for him! I need to..." Imperius started. At Anaurael's hand to his cheek, he paused with sudden reason. "No. I need to stay. He would try to come here. To reach you..."
"You would think so?" she frowned.
"I do. Diablo is one that I would not underestimate. If he finds out that Mitherael used to be an angel from Heaven, he will try to convince him to find a way back here. And he may use you as the reason. We know you were desired by him. I can only hope that Diablo did not learn about you."
"And, if he did?" she asked with a small wince.
"You're never leaving my side," he vowed and squeezed her. "I cannot risk it now. With this threat revealed, there is simply no way that it can happen. I will escort you everywhere. You will be with me wherever I need to be. It cannot be helped. And if I cannot search..."
"Let Tyrael send down some of my old following," Malthael said when he appeared. "They can scout effectively without being seen. They know how."
"Do so!" Imperius nodded. At the sight of Anarius appearing with Imperael, it was only too obvious that Anaurael was going to be guarded to the teeth. When Izarius walked back into Anaurael's room, he saw Malthael talking to the small Fetish warrior. He was speaking in the language of the dead.
"Yes. You can talk to me. That is good. I need to tell you something," Malthael said. The Fetish warrior listened with rapt attention. At the news given, it was not happy.
"How keep safe? I work hard!" it said.
"Eh?" the specialized Greed Goblin asked. The warrior chittered in response to relay what was going on. The goblin was pissed. He hopped over to the mirror and sent a message. Greed was now notified in full. Gurzick was soon in the room with them.
"Leave it to me to find this one," Greed said through the crown.
"Do be careful. We don't know what Diablo will pull," Izarius cautioned.
"I'm well aware. Shall I notify the powerful one? The one that I help assist for the girl?" he asked. "I think it may be needed."
"The Nephalem? Yes. Let the Nephalem know," Izarius nodded. "Let all of the heroes know."
"I will," Greed said and let Gurzick vanish away to spread the word. Izarius looked over at Imperius and Anaurael. Tyrael began to make plans to leave, but Anarius stopped him.
"FATHER, YOU ARE NEEDED HERE. MOTHER NEEDS TO BE KEPT CALM. IF YOU LEAVE, THEN YOU WORRY HER. REMAIN HERE. AS MUCH AS YOU ARE NEEDED THERE, THIS IS MOTHER. SHE IS WITH OFFSPRING," Anarius said and rested a hand on his shoulder. Tyrael sighed, but he nodded with understanding. "LET YOUR FOLLOWING IN WISDOM ASSIST. THEY KNOW HOW TO SCOUT UNSEEN."
"This was another reason why you wanted them back, didn't you?" Izarius asked.
"POSSIBLY," Anarius chuckled. That got them laughing softly.
"I am worried, though," Anaurael admitted. "If Mitherael succumbs to temptation..."
"He will not last long, if he comes here," Imperius growled out. "And he will have to go through me. He will have no chance."
"As long as he does not do anything foolish with the Soulstone..." Malthael said.
"Let me send a few scouts," Tyrael said. He was quick to contact Agrius to explain what was happening on Sanctuary. His lieutenant was completely enraged. Izual was quickly notified, and he even planned to see what he could do to help rally the Host. Itherael was next to appear with Auriel. His Scroll had revealed something important.
"We cannot allow Anaurael to be discovered by Mitherael at any cost," Itherael said gravely. "The moment she is seen by him, her life will be in danger."
"Greed's lair. It's the only way. But, only if Heaven is breached," Izarius said.
"As if it will," Imperael snorted.
"We should do another Lightsong. We need more warriors," Anaurael said.
"Do you feel well enough?" Imperius asked her.
"I do. I honestly think that we need more now than ever. I'll be with you when you train them, too. As you have said, I am safest with you," she said with a soft smile.
"That you are," he nodded and squeezed her gently.
"I shall inform the Host," Auriel nodded and left to do just that.
"THIS IS A GOOD DECISION. LET US DO THIS NOW," Anarius agreed in full.
"Should I assist...?" Malthael asked.
"YOU ARE BOUND DOWN TO YOUR FLESH. BUT, IF YOUR BODY SLEEPS, THEN IT MAY BE POSSIBLE. HOWEVER, I THINK IT MAY NOT HAPPEN THIS TIME," Anarius said and watched Mal play with a rattle from the cradle. Izarius was quick to gather him up, but it was Mithus that agreed to hold him. Azarius would help tend to Mal's needs, too, if he was needed.
"Should I join with the Lightsong?" Izarius asked.
"As you are now a lesser Aspect, I would recommend it," Itherael nodded. "You can assist with bringing in honor-bound warriors. All are, but you will help ensure that even more."
"Then I shall," Izarius nodded.
"I'll do what I can, but I may want Izual to help with Justice," Tyrael said. "Hmm. Should we have Inarius help? He's also Justice."
"No. Let him stay far off," Imperius said. "Izual should be enough."
"I shall join for Wisdom," Agrius said when he appeared. "I was informed of what is planned. I shall prepare the Crystal Arch now."
"Thank you," Tyrael nodded. Now that they were heading to the Crystal Arch to perform a much needed Lightsong, the Nephalem was being informed of what was going on. If displeasure had a better word, there would be no description to it. Gurzick was actually nervous.
"I need to get there now!" the powerful champion demanded. "I need to help track him down!"
"What's this?" Byden frowned when he walked over.
"Mitherael found Diablo's Soulstone," the Nephalem said. "He's one of the mortal angels."
"Great..." the Crusader winced.
"When do we leave?" Vincent asked calmly from where he stood by a tree. The other heroes were alerted and showed eagerness to help with the search.
"You should not fight," Mirdael growled to Moolara.
"And who will help with tracking?" she asked. The Fetish warriors around her hooted and hollered with excitement as they danced around. "Do not worry. I will be fine."
"As you say..." he muttered. She chuckled at him. At the sight of Sylauriel, Jozin seemed to regard her calmly. She was only there to deliver a message.
"A Lightsong is being performed. Heaven is going to create new forces," she said. "I am only letting you all know."
"Good," the Nephalem nodded. "Let's move."
"Okay!" Gurzick said and made the portal for them. Jozin gave his angelic partner a hug and let her return to Heaven. Then they went through Gurzick's portal. The hunt for Mitherael was on. The only question they had was how far off he had managed to get. With Diablo shielding him, it was doubtful they would find him right away. Mitherael was already ten miles ahead from where he last was. At the sight of something in the distance, an idea suddenly sparked.
A rogue Greed Goblin was in the distance. It was one that belonged to the Baroness. Mitherael knew that the goblins were famous for their teleporting powers. He glanced down at the bag at his hip that held the stone.
"Tell me," he asked. "What do you know of the Greed Goblins?"
:Disgusting whelps that are a waste of time.:
"Do you think you can get one to help us get somewhere else?" he asked now. There was now a pause, as the idea was thought over critically.
:Your idea may hold merit. Try and approach it.:
He nodded and carefully crept up to the giggling goblin. It was a basic white one to show it only gathered the usual treasures. He crouched low to the ground and charged it to catch it in his arms. It screamed and cast a portal to escape. Mitherael was pulled into it. He was now in the rival goblin's main home, and an alarm was sounded. At the sight of all the goblin sentries there holding spears at him, he was forced to pause. At the shrieking heard next, he was confronted by the Baroness, herself.
:I have an idea. Keep them busy. Or should I say...keep her busy...:
"How?!" Mitherael grunted and avoided a spear jab. He didn't like how the fat female was eyeing him. Now he realized exactly how he was to keep her busy. His day just got even worse.