Ch37: Assaulting the Fortress
It didn't take long at all for our group to find the Siege Runes and defeat the ones that were in charge of them, even though my demon sisters, mom, and Hael were unable to call upon their powers. They had other means of attacking their foes now that they were human, such as using weapons, sharp shields, and, in the case of Serena and Lilith, a new set of yellers due to them being human kids now. Their screams actually echoed throughout the entirety of Pandemonium, which made the demons' advanced hearing hurt gravely.
"Hehe! I LOVE being a little human girl! I didn't expect to be so loud with my screams though," Serena giggled. "Well, when it comes to human children, their screams are only beat out in loudness by machinery sounds," mom smirked, looking at me specifically. "I honestly wouldn't mind it so much... but I could have at least gotten my look changed... I hate blonde hair," Hael frowned. "Well, since you're basically my polar opposite, blonde hair is the more plausible route to go," Leah smirked. "Rgh... fair point," Hael frowned back.
We then arrived at the entrance to the ram and we met Tyrael right there. "I come with grave news, friends," he said, his expression being one of seriousness. "Malthael has begun creation of a new Soulstone, one that is able to trap all demonic essences. He did this by creating a false Black Soulstone after the original was destroyed, and then began his assault on humanity. He plans on extracting all demonic life and putting it in the stone. If he succeeds, it will kill every human in Sanctuary, as they are all half-demon."
"Shit just got real," I frowned as I looked at the ram. "Well, what are we waiting for then?! Let's go and serve this loony a taste of his own medicine!" I exclaimed as I led the charge to the battering ram and, once everyone was on, I focused my power and filled it up with the 3 Siege Runes. "Okay, time to start the process!" I smiled as the ram immediately went backwards and I began to use some of my power on it, hoping that I could enhance its effects on the fortress walls. And sure enough, when I powered it up with some explosion magic, the ram, upon impact, ended up breaking right through in one strike, a large explosion happening that also managed to kill some reapers that tried to stop it.
"Hehe! One explosive ram served hot and ready," I smiled as Tyrael and my group all proceeded into the fortress. We were now in Malthael's domain. And he knew it. That much was clear when he appeared before us the moment we stopped at the end of the walkway. "Nephalem... you are very persistent with your efforts... yet I sense no demonic essence in any of you... join me in the fight for the good of all Angels, and together we can make this world paradise..." Malthael said to us with a raspy voice.
"You think I would team up with someone that's trying to kill all of humanity for no other reason than they have demon blood?!" I exclaimed at him. "All demons are evil... you wouldn't understand," Malthael frowned. "UM, HELLO?! YOU HAPPEN TO BE TALKING TO 3 DEMONS THAT HAVE CHANGED THEIR WAYS, INCLUDING EVEN MORE THAT ARE NICE LIKE CYDAEA! YOU ARE WORSE THAN DIABLO, BELIAL, AZMODAN, AND EVEN MEPHISTO! YOU ARE WORSE THAN TERROR, LIES, SIN, AND HATRED INCARNATE! YOU MONSTER!" Serena exclaimed, yelling loud enough and long enough that the fortress actually rumbled from her echoed voice. It didn't surprise me that she was out of breath afterwards.
Malthael looked shocked by what Serena had yelled and he began to breathe raspy breaths as I could tell he was contemplating what she had just said. After breathing for a bit, he sighed and looked at me specifically with a frown. "Tell me, Nephalem... how many good demons have you encountered on your travels?... And how many were human?" Malthael asked me. "Oh, you really want me to run down the list?" I asked with a smirk. "Well, there is nearly all the citizens of New Tristram, Caldeum, Bastion's Keep, and Westmarch, Emperor Hakan II, Leah Cain, Deckard Cain, Maghda the Witch, Serena the imp, Lilith the succubus, Captain Haile, Captain Rumford, Alma the human-Mallet Lord half-breed, Haedrig Eamon, Mira Eamon, Covetous Shen, Zoltun Kuelle, Nellie, the human-Deciever half-breed, Cydaea, the Maiden of Lust, and Mona, the human-succubus half-breed. And I'm sure there are countless more humans and demons alike that would be willing to prove that their lives are not evil like you claim they all have no matter what! Humans and demons may have their flaws, but did you also forget that even Angels aren't perfect? What if I decided that I wanted to kill all of Angels because I thought all of them were flawed? Would that really be any different than you trying to kill anything with demon blood?!" I exclaimed at him.
Malthael looked at me with a frown and took the stone in his hand, which was still incomplete. He then shattered it, which shocked me and the others greatly. "If you really think that humanity is worth saving, then prove your worth... Come and face me in battle... If you can best me and put me out of my misery... I will allow your race to live on... die at my hands, however, and all those with demon blood will die and become one with Death... I await you in the heart of the fortress, Nephalem..." he growled with raspy air as he then had his visage disappear.
"Well, I didn't expect that," Tyrael gulped. "Now let's go after Malthael," I frowned. "Sounds like a plan to me," Serena frowned as we went down the staircase and we were then shocked to see someone that we never expected to see. Four people to be precise. "C-Captain Rumford? Uncle Deckard?! Hakan? And even Asheara?..." Leah gulped as we all saw the four in front of us. "It has been a long while, Leah... and you too, Lisa and Janet Farthing," Uncle Deckard said with a face that looked to be crying tears of joy, even though they just evaporated into the air before hitting the ground. They were spirits without a doubt.
"I-I didn't even know that you and Asheara died, Captain Rumford... if only I'd known," I sobbed a bit. "I died nobly, defending my town from cultists that were trying to attack New Tristram. Sadly, I was the only casualty," Rumford frowned. "And I died by the hands of Malthael's foul Reapers... I thank you for saving the other Iron Wolves and Caldeum in my stead, Janet Farthing," Asheara sighed. "Um... if I could interrupt?" Hakan asked, his face also full of uncertainty. "We need to tell you of something important... Malthael is unable to be attacked directly as of current... his... body is both alive and undead... the only way to confront him at current... is for you to become imbued with Death, just like he is," Hakan said, shy as ever. "So how do we go about doing that?" Serena asked. "Follow us, and we'll show you," Cain said as he and the other spirits turned into balls of light and they flew their way forward, urging us to follow. "Let's go," Hael frowned as she and the rest of us took our chances. These were definitely our allies and Malthael was our enemy.