Two things. Actually, a few things. One, if you have a problem with my
grammar, be civil when you tell me about it. Two, the game is really
pissing me off. I'm currently a level 40 trying to get to 41 since I need
to be at that level to use this thing I have. Anyways, I'm still looking
for a replacement sword. I've had Shadow Fang since before I killed
Mephisto in normal mode, so that's kind of sad. And I finally managed to
replace my Rogue's bow. It was getting rather pathetic as she's had that
bow since the first act of the normal campaign. Oh, one more thing. This
chapter focuses on a rather interesting development, and only slows down
after a little while. Therefore, there won't be much in the way of actual
fighting.
Chapter 10: Desolation
Marko was sitting on his throne, considering his options when Phallus appeared in the chamber.
"My lord?"
Marko nodded towards her.
"Phallus. I assume you've heard."
She nodded too. "It is said that a power greater than you has summoned you."
"Yes. After all this time, whoever's been manipulating Hell has decided to show their faces. I'm to meet one of their representatives in a few minutes."
"What will you do?" Phallus asked.
"I'm not sure yet. I don't know how powerful they are, and that could be a problem."
"How could they be more powerful than you?"
Marko smiled. In many ways, they could be.
"When are you supposed to meet them?" Phallus asked.
"Actually, I'll be leaving now."
Marko shimmered and left the chamber. Phallus sighed. It was hard to do your master's bidding if he kept disappearing like that.
============================================================================
Marko appeared in a large chamber and turned to face a man standing a few feet from him. The man had black hair and for some reason his eyes were black as well.
"Lord Marko of Darkness," he said.
"Why exactly am I here?" Marko asked the man. He could sense the man's power, and it was far greater than his. If there were others like him, he might be in trouble.
"I am Fleet Admiral Drake, the Lord of the Night," the man replied, "You have been summoned because your interference with Earth has upset the plans of the Council."
"And what is this council?"
"The Council of Eternity has directed the war against the Host since the beginning," said Drake, "The Council does not wish for Earth to be attacked yet, and you have displeased several of the council members."
"I was not aware of their plans," said Marko. Though he may lack a soul, he still was intelligent enough to realize that he couldn't face down this Council by himself.
"We are aware of that. However, we have a proposition for you. If you are willing to become a Representative of the Council, you will retain your powers and we will handle unraveling this mass you've made."
"A Representative? That is all?"
"Do not assume too much," Drake warned, "I am a Representative, but I hold power greater than any other mortal. Believe me when I say this. Being a Representative means you have true power. Either take it or leave it. It is your choice."
"And if I refuse?"
"I will execute you myself."
Marko nodded. "Very well, I accept."
Drake raised his hand and white light shone out of it. The light struck Marko and he screamed out in pain.
"One requirement of being a Representative is that you have a soul," said Drake.
============================================================================
Marko woke up in some kind of room. As he thought things over, he suddenly realized what he had done.
"My god, how could I?"
He tried to get up but pain shot through his body and forced him back down. A nurse walked in and looked down at him.
"You're awake. I'll get the admiral."
Marko barely heard her but his head snapped up when he felt an immensely powerful being enter the room. It was Drake.
"I assume your soul has been successfully restored," he said.
Marko nodded, the tears starting to dry up.
"Very well. A shuttle is prepared and will return you to Sanctuary."
"I don't deserve to return. I laid waste to my homelands and killed those that trusted me."
"Time has been reversed," Drake informed him, "The population of Sanctuary is not aware of the invasion. However, those in Heaven remember it clearly though it has not taken place yet."
"Yet?"
"The invasion may still begin if you do not return to Sanctuary. You must destroy the Dragon of the Abyss."
"Then I'll go back," said Marko, "If it means keeping Kari safe."
"Do you want us to send a message to your wife?"
"Just tell her that I'm back," said Marko, "Tell her that I'm no longer the Master of Darkness."
"But you still are," Drake reminded him, "You are and forever will be the Master of Darkness."
"But I don't have to bloody act like it," Marko spat, "Now where's the transport? I need to get home."
"One of the officers will show you there. Oh, and it doesn't matter if your wife knows whether you're a Representative of the Council or not. She'll probably be informed by the Host once you've returned."
"How messed up will my life be when I get back?" Marko asked.
"Depends on if you're willing to fix it. Now get going. You're not the only one trying to get work done."
Marko was given some kind of battle armor to wear. It was a rich blue and looked pretty sturdy, even if it was a bit thin for Marko's taste. He was also given Darkscythe back, though Marko wanted to throw it away. However, he might need it when he returned. The Dragon of the Abyss was still a powerful being.
When Marko arrived at the gate, he was surprised that they were actually in space. Apparently they were in some kind of structure orbiting a planet. He had heard of the satellites that orbited the Earth, but had not seen anything this large. Perhaps these people were truly powerful. He got onto some kind of transport and strapped down. The shuttle departed from the station and headed towards Sanctuary.
"Lord Lyther."
Marko looked up and found a man in black armor standing next to him.
"I am Colonel Harrison of the Brotherhood of the Night. We have been ordered to act as your bodyguards and to also teach you how to access your other powers."
"My other powers?"
"Tapping into the power of the Abyss is useful, but if you can merge that with the power already in you, then you would be truly powerful. If you're willing to learn."
"I assume I don't really have a choice."
Harrison shrugged. "It would be useful in your role as a Representative."
"Very well then. Are you going to help me face down the Dragon?"
Harrison shook his head. "My men have orders not to interfere with that battle. Any others, however, we will help you."
"Very well."
"Get some rest sir. It'll be a while before we get to Sanctuary."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kari wasn't exactly sure she believed what had happened. Apparently Time itself had been reversed and so the battle between the High Heavens and the Burning Hell had never happened. That also meant that the people who had died were now alive, and Sanctuary was still safe. And there was another matter too. The three Archangel sisters had returned, but they were in the bodies of Charsi, Kashya, and Anya. They informed the High Heavens of exactly how they came to be in the bodies of three mortals and Kari had a chance to talk with the three women. The three weren't too annoyed with having to share their bodies, but they were saddened to know that Marko had betrayed them. And that led to the final question. What exactly had happened to Marko.
"All I remember is that he said something about going to meet some power greater than him," said Charity. She was still in Kashya's body and had not transformed into her angelic form.
"What power can be greater than Marko?" Kari asked, "He was the Lord of Hell."
"Not exactly."
Everyone looked over at Tyrael.
"What do you mean Tyrael?" Anya asked. Victoria stayed in the background, letting her host speak as she wished.
"There are other universes in which the fight between light and darkness takes place," he explained, "The Host has always led the light in the fight, and the Council of Eternity has always led darkness. However, there is a third side. Chaos. Chaos does not work for either of us and is a third faction entirely. Many times we the Host and the Council have set aside our differences to defeat Chaos, but otherwise we have always fought each other. Marko may have meant the Council of Eternity. There is a total of eleven members, all easily far more powerful than any of us. The Members of the Council rarely fight themselves, unless they are challenging another Member. Instead they use Representatives of the Council or Candidates of the Council. Representatives are as powerful as the most powerful Archangel, but they are rarely called upon. They themselves use lesser agents. Candidates are people who would become a Member if their patron dies. Many times they themselves kill their patron in order to ascend, but that is extremely difficult as their patron might attempt to kill them as well."
"So you think Marko made some kind of deal with this Council?" Kari asked.
"It is likely that the Council reversed time," said Serenity, "However, we still don't know what happened to Marko. If he returns, we will know he is allied with the Council."
"What will happen then?" Fara asked, "Marko is still a friend to us. Is it possible to restore his soul?"
"That would depend," said Victoria, taking over the body, "If he is important enough to the Council, they will have restored his soul themselves. If they didn't we might have a chance at it. We could petition the Council to allow us to do so. Doing it without their permission would bring destruction upon Sanctuary again."
Suddenly an Angel appeared.
"Archangel Kailua, a message has arrived from the Lord Lyther."
"What? What is it!"
"He says that he is returning to Sanctuary and for you not to worry. He has a soul again."
Kari let out a sigh of relief.
"That's good to hear. When will he arrive?"
"In three hours."
"What!"
The Angel bowed and disappeared.
"But this means that Marko is an important ally to the Council," said Kari, "But, he's my husband. I won't let that be in our way!"
"Do not worry Kailua," Tyrael said, trying to sooth her. "You are his wife and there is nothing the High Heavens will do to attempt to destroy that."
"Good."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Lord Lyther. We have arrived."
Marko nodded and stood.
"Where exactly are we?"
"We are in Kurast and will be using the Inferno Gate buried under the city to reach the Burning Hell."
"I assume the Pandemonium Fortress no longer exists?"
"That is correct."
Marko stepped out of the shuttle and saw many paladins, mages, and civilians gathered around the shuttle. They were looking in wonder at the massive shuttle, having never seen anything like it before. However, many knew who Marko was.
"Let's go," he said to his guards.
The squadron of soldiers surrounded Marko and escorted him towards the ruined Temple of Light. Marko entered the Temple, fully aware that many people were watching him. However, the way down had also been destroyed.
"We can phase through," said Harrison, "You do know how to do that, right?"
Marko nodded and walked through the wall with the other soldiers behind him. They walked for a while until they came out of the stone walls into the chamber that held the Inferno Gate.
"So this is the Inferno Gate," said Harrison, "Doesn't look like much."
Marko gave him a look before walking up to the gate. He could hear the screaming of damned souls as they tried to escape Hell, but they could not leave.
"Let's go," he said.
The soldiers stepped into Hell and appeared with a massive army of demons before them.
"Lord Lyther, save your strength. We will take care of them."
"I thought you couldn't help me in this battle."
Now it was Harrison that gave Marko a look. "We cannot fight the Dragon for you. However, that doesn't mean we can't kill demons for you."
The warriors all drew their swords and attacked. Marko wasn't sure if he could even see them as they stormed the army of demons. He saw body parts flying all around as the warriors sliced through the enemy troops. From time to time black fire erupted that seemed to wipe out half of the demons, but more poured in. The Venom Lords and Abyss Knights kept coming. Suddenly Marko saw the Dragon.
"Well, might as well get it over with."
Marko drew his sword and suddenly felt pressure along his back. Slowly the pressure grew until pain shot throughout is spine. He screamed out in pain as suddenly two black wings, like that of a raven's sprouted and grew. They finally stopped and Marko fell to his knees. However, he now felt the burning power within Darkscythe. It was time to destroy the Dragon.
Marko took flight, flapping the wings on his back and shot towards the Dragon. The beast unleashed black fire at Marko but he simply flew right through it, ignoring the power that the Dragon was producing. Suddenly the black fire turned dark blue and struck Marko down. He fell to the ground, his wings cushioning the fall. Demons were upon him in seconds but as they approached him they simply vaporized. Marko got back up and this time fired dark energy at the Dragon. It struck the beast and the creature roared out in pain.
By now the other soldiers had literally destroyed almost every demon that was present. They quickly turned their attention to Marko and watched the battle closely.
Marko tore the ground apart with a gesture and pillars of fire shot out and bathed the beast. The creature tried to dodge it but its whole body got burned. It retaliated and started freezing all of Hell. Demons unfortunate enough to be on the ground froze right over and died while the soldiers took to the air and stayed there.
Marko took flight himself, ignoring the pain in his wings. He got under the Dragon and stabbed Darkscythe deep into its stomach, injuring the creature. The Dragon knocked him away with a swipe of its claws, cutting through the armor but not hurting Marko. He in turn flew over the Dragon and drove Darkscythe deep into the one spot the Dragon could not reach. The Dragon whipped Marko with its tail and he fell of the creature's back, but the sword continued to plow deeper and deeper into the beast. The Dragon roared frantically, unable to reach the sword. Finally, hole started appearing throughout its body and black light shone out. The creature roared one more time before it exploded, its blood and guts splashing all over the battlefield. Marko himself was splashed by a massive amount of blood. However, Darkscythe survived and floated to Marko. It too was colored red by the Dragon's blood. Marko took the sword and felt the power flow through him again. The gash in his armor disappeared and the crack in his wings healed. He withdrew his wings and sheathed the sword. The other warriors approached him.
"Nicely done, Lord Lyther," said Harrison.
"Let's get out of here," said Marko.
"Very well. Do you want to go back to Kurast or the High Heavens?"
Marko considered the choices. He could continue to dodge Kari or meet her right now. It was actually a rather difficult decision but he made it.
"Let's go see Kari."
Harrison opened a red portal and the men walked through. When Marko reappeared, the blood was gone from his face and hair yet it was still on his armor. That was better than nothing. Before them stood the gates into the High Heavens.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Alarm!"
Angels and Archangels flew to the gate and exited, surrounding the group of warriors. Kari and the Companions also joined them, but instead of attacking Kari ran up to Marko and hugged him. Tears streaked down her cheeks as she cried, glad to see her love. Marko returned the hug but eyed the warriors of the Heavens nervously. He didn't want to kill anyone here, but some looked like they would attack anyways. However, Tyrael and the three sisters appeared and waved the other Angels away.
"Lord Lyther. It is a pleasure to see you restored."
Marko nodded but held onto Kari. He wasn't exactly sure what the Host's rules were about relationships between Representatives and Archangels. However, Tyrael didn't stop either of them.
"So what happens now?" Marko asked.
"We return to Sanctuary," Harrison said, "I have your orders from the Council."
Marko nodded. "So what are all of you going to do?"
"I plan on staying with Kari," said Fara, "I'm sorry Marko, but I'm not sure I know you anymore. After all you've done?"
"Of course," said Marko, "You want to protect her."
"I think all of us will return with Kari," said Greiz, "Hell, Lut Gholein is getting dull and I'm sure me and my men can be of some service to you. But we're not going to kill innocent people."
"I would never ask any of you to do such a thing."
"Me and the Iron Wolves should also move on," said Asheara, "We'll come with you."
Marko sighed. "Maybe I can restore the trust you once had in me. But for now, I'm simply going to return to Sanctuary. Where are we going?"
"The Western Kingdoms. It is time order is restored there. Besides, the Council wants a foothold there."
"Okay. But for now, let's just try to sort things out, okay?"
Kari smiled and kissed Marko. Yes, that would be a good start.
End of Chapter 10
No, this is not the end. This is actually the beta to the actual story, and the main problem was I didn't have enough time to actually write all of it. Trust me, once I actually get the thing fully written, it's a lot better than this. So expect to see all of the chapters removed and me starting over again. It should be more stretched out and detailed.
Z98
Chapter 10: Desolation
Marko was sitting on his throne, considering his options when Phallus appeared in the chamber.
"My lord?"
Marko nodded towards her.
"Phallus. I assume you've heard."
She nodded too. "It is said that a power greater than you has summoned you."
"Yes. After all this time, whoever's been manipulating Hell has decided to show their faces. I'm to meet one of their representatives in a few minutes."
"What will you do?" Phallus asked.
"I'm not sure yet. I don't know how powerful they are, and that could be a problem."
"How could they be more powerful than you?"
Marko smiled. In many ways, they could be.
"When are you supposed to meet them?" Phallus asked.
"Actually, I'll be leaving now."
Marko shimmered and left the chamber. Phallus sighed. It was hard to do your master's bidding if he kept disappearing like that.
============================================================================
Marko appeared in a large chamber and turned to face a man standing a few feet from him. The man had black hair and for some reason his eyes were black as well.
"Lord Marko of Darkness," he said.
"Why exactly am I here?" Marko asked the man. He could sense the man's power, and it was far greater than his. If there were others like him, he might be in trouble.
"I am Fleet Admiral Drake, the Lord of the Night," the man replied, "You have been summoned because your interference with Earth has upset the plans of the Council."
"And what is this council?"
"The Council of Eternity has directed the war against the Host since the beginning," said Drake, "The Council does not wish for Earth to be attacked yet, and you have displeased several of the council members."
"I was not aware of their plans," said Marko. Though he may lack a soul, he still was intelligent enough to realize that he couldn't face down this Council by himself.
"We are aware of that. However, we have a proposition for you. If you are willing to become a Representative of the Council, you will retain your powers and we will handle unraveling this mass you've made."
"A Representative? That is all?"
"Do not assume too much," Drake warned, "I am a Representative, but I hold power greater than any other mortal. Believe me when I say this. Being a Representative means you have true power. Either take it or leave it. It is your choice."
"And if I refuse?"
"I will execute you myself."
Marko nodded. "Very well, I accept."
Drake raised his hand and white light shone out of it. The light struck Marko and he screamed out in pain.
"One requirement of being a Representative is that you have a soul," said Drake.
============================================================================
Marko woke up in some kind of room. As he thought things over, he suddenly realized what he had done.
"My god, how could I?"
He tried to get up but pain shot through his body and forced him back down. A nurse walked in and looked down at him.
"You're awake. I'll get the admiral."
Marko barely heard her but his head snapped up when he felt an immensely powerful being enter the room. It was Drake.
"I assume your soul has been successfully restored," he said.
Marko nodded, the tears starting to dry up.
"Very well. A shuttle is prepared and will return you to Sanctuary."
"I don't deserve to return. I laid waste to my homelands and killed those that trusted me."
"Time has been reversed," Drake informed him, "The population of Sanctuary is not aware of the invasion. However, those in Heaven remember it clearly though it has not taken place yet."
"Yet?"
"The invasion may still begin if you do not return to Sanctuary. You must destroy the Dragon of the Abyss."
"Then I'll go back," said Marko, "If it means keeping Kari safe."
"Do you want us to send a message to your wife?"
"Just tell her that I'm back," said Marko, "Tell her that I'm no longer the Master of Darkness."
"But you still are," Drake reminded him, "You are and forever will be the Master of Darkness."
"But I don't have to bloody act like it," Marko spat, "Now where's the transport? I need to get home."
"One of the officers will show you there. Oh, and it doesn't matter if your wife knows whether you're a Representative of the Council or not. She'll probably be informed by the Host once you've returned."
"How messed up will my life be when I get back?" Marko asked.
"Depends on if you're willing to fix it. Now get going. You're not the only one trying to get work done."
Marko was given some kind of battle armor to wear. It was a rich blue and looked pretty sturdy, even if it was a bit thin for Marko's taste. He was also given Darkscythe back, though Marko wanted to throw it away. However, he might need it when he returned. The Dragon of the Abyss was still a powerful being.
When Marko arrived at the gate, he was surprised that they were actually in space. Apparently they were in some kind of structure orbiting a planet. He had heard of the satellites that orbited the Earth, but had not seen anything this large. Perhaps these people were truly powerful. He got onto some kind of transport and strapped down. The shuttle departed from the station and headed towards Sanctuary.
"Lord Lyther."
Marko looked up and found a man in black armor standing next to him.
"I am Colonel Harrison of the Brotherhood of the Night. We have been ordered to act as your bodyguards and to also teach you how to access your other powers."
"My other powers?"
"Tapping into the power of the Abyss is useful, but if you can merge that with the power already in you, then you would be truly powerful. If you're willing to learn."
"I assume I don't really have a choice."
Harrison shrugged. "It would be useful in your role as a Representative."
"Very well then. Are you going to help me face down the Dragon?"
Harrison shook his head. "My men have orders not to interfere with that battle. Any others, however, we will help you."
"Very well."
"Get some rest sir. It'll be a while before we get to Sanctuary."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kari wasn't exactly sure she believed what had happened. Apparently Time itself had been reversed and so the battle between the High Heavens and the Burning Hell had never happened. That also meant that the people who had died were now alive, and Sanctuary was still safe. And there was another matter too. The three Archangel sisters had returned, but they were in the bodies of Charsi, Kashya, and Anya. They informed the High Heavens of exactly how they came to be in the bodies of three mortals and Kari had a chance to talk with the three women. The three weren't too annoyed with having to share their bodies, but they were saddened to know that Marko had betrayed them. And that led to the final question. What exactly had happened to Marko.
"All I remember is that he said something about going to meet some power greater than him," said Charity. She was still in Kashya's body and had not transformed into her angelic form.
"What power can be greater than Marko?" Kari asked, "He was the Lord of Hell."
"Not exactly."
Everyone looked over at Tyrael.
"What do you mean Tyrael?" Anya asked. Victoria stayed in the background, letting her host speak as she wished.
"There are other universes in which the fight between light and darkness takes place," he explained, "The Host has always led the light in the fight, and the Council of Eternity has always led darkness. However, there is a third side. Chaos. Chaos does not work for either of us and is a third faction entirely. Many times we the Host and the Council have set aside our differences to defeat Chaos, but otherwise we have always fought each other. Marko may have meant the Council of Eternity. There is a total of eleven members, all easily far more powerful than any of us. The Members of the Council rarely fight themselves, unless they are challenging another Member. Instead they use Representatives of the Council or Candidates of the Council. Representatives are as powerful as the most powerful Archangel, but they are rarely called upon. They themselves use lesser agents. Candidates are people who would become a Member if their patron dies. Many times they themselves kill their patron in order to ascend, but that is extremely difficult as their patron might attempt to kill them as well."
"So you think Marko made some kind of deal with this Council?" Kari asked.
"It is likely that the Council reversed time," said Serenity, "However, we still don't know what happened to Marko. If he returns, we will know he is allied with the Council."
"What will happen then?" Fara asked, "Marko is still a friend to us. Is it possible to restore his soul?"
"That would depend," said Victoria, taking over the body, "If he is important enough to the Council, they will have restored his soul themselves. If they didn't we might have a chance at it. We could petition the Council to allow us to do so. Doing it without their permission would bring destruction upon Sanctuary again."
Suddenly an Angel appeared.
"Archangel Kailua, a message has arrived from the Lord Lyther."
"What? What is it!"
"He says that he is returning to Sanctuary and for you not to worry. He has a soul again."
Kari let out a sigh of relief.
"That's good to hear. When will he arrive?"
"In three hours."
"What!"
The Angel bowed and disappeared.
"But this means that Marko is an important ally to the Council," said Kari, "But, he's my husband. I won't let that be in our way!"
"Do not worry Kailua," Tyrael said, trying to sooth her. "You are his wife and there is nothing the High Heavens will do to attempt to destroy that."
"Good."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Lord Lyther. We have arrived."
Marko nodded and stood.
"Where exactly are we?"
"We are in Kurast and will be using the Inferno Gate buried under the city to reach the Burning Hell."
"I assume the Pandemonium Fortress no longer exists?"
"That is correct."
Marko stepped out of the shuttle and saw many paladins, mages, and civilians gathered around the shuttle. They were looking in wonder at the massive shuttle, having never seen anything like it before. However, many knew who Marko was.
"Let's go," he said to his guards.
The squadron of soldiers surrounded Marko and escorted him towards the ruined Temple of Light. Marko entered the Temple, fully aware that many people were watching him. However, the way down had also been destroyed.
"We can phase through," said Harrison, "You do know how to do that, right?"
Marko nodded and walked through the wall with the other soldiers behind him. They walked for a while until they came out of the stone walls into the chamber that held the Inferno Gate.
"So this is the Inferno Gate," said Harrison, "Doesn't look like much."
Marko gave him a look before walking up to the gate. He could hear the screaming of damned souls as they tried to escape Hell, but they could not leave.
"Let's go," he said.
The soldiers stepped into Hell and appeared with a massive army of demons before them.
"Lord Lyther, save your strength. We will take care of them."
"I thought you couldn't help me in this battle."
Now it was Harrison that gave Marko a look. "We cannot fight the Dragon for you. However, that doesn't mean we can't kill demons for you."
The warriors all drew their swords and attacked. Marko wasn't sure if he could even see them as they stormed the army of demons. He saw body parts flying all around as the warriors sliced through the enemy troops. From time to time black fire erupted that seemed to wipe out half of the demons, but more poured in. The Venom Lords and Abyss Knights kept coming. Suddenly Marko saw the Dragon.
"Well, might as well get it over with."
Marko drew his sword and suddenly felt pressure along his back. Slowly the pressure grew until pain shot throughout is spine. He screamed out in pain as suddenly two black wings, like that of a raven's sprouted and grew. They finally stopped and Marko fell to his knees. However, he now felt the burning power within Darkscythe. It was time to destroy the Dragon.
Marko took flight, flapping the wings on his back and shot towards the Dragon. The beast unleashed black fire at Marko but he simply flew right through it, ignoring the power that the Dragon was producing. Suddenly the black fire turned dark blue and struck Marko down. He fell to the ground, his wings cushioning the fall. Demons were upon him in seconds but as they approached him they simply vaporized. Marko got back up and this time fired dark energy at the Dragon. It struck the beast and the creature roared out in pain.
By now the other soldiers had literally destroyed almost every demon that was present. They quickly turned their attention to Marko and watched the battle closely.
Marko tore the ground apart with a gesture and pillars of fire shot out and bathed the beast. The creature tried to dodge it but its whole body got burned. It retaliated and started freezing all of Hell. Demons unfortunate enough to be on the ground froze right over and died while the soldiers took to the air and stayed there.
Marko took flight himself, ignoring the pain in his wings. He got under the Dragon and stabbed Darkscythe deep into its stomach, injuring the creature. The Dragon knocked him away with a swipe of its claws, cutting through the armor but not hurting Marko. He in turn flew over the Dragon and drove Darkscythe deep into the one spot the Dragon could not reach. The Dragon whipped Marko with its tail and he fell of the creature's back, but the sword continued to plow deeper and deeper into the beast. The Dragon roared frantically, unable to reach the sword. Finally, hole started appearing throughout its body and black light shone out. The creature roared one more time before it exploded, its blood and guts splashing all over the battlefield. Marko himself was splashed by a massive amount of blood. However, Darkscythe survived and floated to Marko. It too was colored red by the Dragon's blood. Marko took the sword and felt the power flow through him again. The gash in his armor disappeared and the crack in his wings healed. He withdrew his wings and sheathed the sword. The other warriors approached him.
"Nicely done, Lord Lyther," said Harrison.
"Let's get out of here," said Marko.
"Very well. Do you want to go back to Kurast or the High Heavens?"
Marko considered the choices. He could continue to dodge Kari or meet her right now. It was actually a rather difficult decision but he made it.
"Let's go see Kari."
Harrison opened a red portal and the men walked through. When Marko reappeared, the blood was gone from his face and hair yet it was still on his armor. That was better than nothing. Before them stood the gates into the High Heavens.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Alarm!"
Angels and Archangels flew to the gate and exited, surrounding the group of warriors. Kari and the Companions also joined them, but instead of attacking Kari ran up to Marko and hugged him. Tears streaked down her cheeks as she cried, glad to see her love. Marko returned the hug but eyed the warriors of the Heavens nervously. He didn't want to kill anyone here, but some looked like they would attack anyways. However, Tyrael and the three sisters appeared and waved the other Angels away.
"Lord Lyther. It is a pleasure to see you restored."
Marko nodded but held onto Kari. He wasn't exactly sure what the Host's rules were about relationships between Representatives and Archangels. However, Tyrael didn't stop either of them.
"So what happens now?" Marko asked.
"We return to Sanctuary," Harrison said, "I have your orders from the Council."
Marko nodded. "So what are all of you going to do?"
"I plan on staying with Kari," said Fara, "I'm sorry Marko, but I'm not sure I know you anymore. After all you've done?"
"Of course," said Marko, "You want to protect her."
"I think all of us will return with Kari," said Greiz, "Hell, Lut Gholein is getting dull and I'm sure me and my men can be of some service to you. But we're not going to kill innocent people."
"I would never ask any of you to do such a thing."
"Me and the Iron Wolves should also move on," said Asheara, "We'll come with you."
Marko sighed. "Maybe I can restore the trust you once had in me. But for now, I'm simply going to return to Sanctuary. Where are we going?"
"The Western Kingdoms. It is time order is restored there. Besides, the Council wants a foothold there."
"Okay. But for now, let's just try to sort things out, okay?"
Kari smiled and kissed Marko. Yes, that would be a good start.
End of Chapter 10
No, this is not the end. This is actually the beta to the actual story, and the main problem was I didn't have enough time to actually write all of it. Trust me, once I actually get the thing fully written, it's a lot better than this. So expect to see all of the chapters removed and me starting over again. It should be more stretched out and detailed.
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