Read Online Diablo III: Storm of Light by Nate Kenyon - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Nate Kenyon
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of the ancients. You need to understand this history, for it has a bearing on why we are here today.”
“The nephalem were courageous and pure,” Cullen said. “We have studied them in the texts.”
Tyrael nodded. Then he told them of the creation of the Black Soulstone by the Horadric mage Zoltun Kulle, an original member of the Horadrim and a man of great potential. Kulle’s fate was a constant reminder of the dangers they all faced. Power could corrupt, and the temptation toward darkness was strong, and Kulle’s relentless lust for immortality was his downfall. Although Kulle was eventually destroyed, his Black Soulstone, an object of immense and unknown power, was used centuries later in the transformation of the girl Leah into the Prime Evil and the assault on the gates of Heaven. The Crystal Arch had only been saved through the heroic actions of a true nephalem, a mortal blessed with abilities that came from this ancient birthright, one who could rise above even the strongest angel or demon.
The telling of this took a long time, and the flames began to draw low before Gynvir rose to stock them with new wood and Shanar breathed life into the fire. “This nephalem hero now stalks the lands somewhere east of Westmarch,” Tyrael said. “Searching for the witch Adria, who remains missing. I have come to Sanctuary and assembled you here because we must act on another urgent matter of crucial importance, and there is little time left. The Black Soulstone is once again endangering all we hold dear, but it cannot be safely destroyed. There is only one solution: it must be hidden away. I have chosen you—as I did centuries ago in assembling the Horadrim to hunt down and capture the Prime Evils—to assist me in this vital mission.”
It was the scholar who finally spoke again. The man reminded Tyrael of Deckard Cain; although the two were physically very different, they shared a natural curiosity and a quick mind.
“A letter from Leah was delivered by a courier to our temple in Gea Kul some time ago,” Cullen said. “She wrote about findinga stranger with a broken sword in Tristram. She described Deckard’s death at the cultists’ hands and the discovery of the soulstone. And she wrote about finding her mother still alive and asked for our help in deciphering the stone’s true nature.”
“So you know that I speak the truth in this.”
“Adria was convinced that it held the key to destroying the seven Evils from the Hells. I scoured our library for anything I could find on the stone and sent my notes to Caldeum, but they were returned to me. The messenger told me that Leah could not be found. Now you tell us that she . . .”
Cullen stopped for a moment, carefully removing his spectacles. He slipped a cloth from his satchel and wiped his moist eyes, then returned the spectacles to the bridge of his nose. “All those years wondering about her mother,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “She deserved a better fate.”
“She fought against the possession of her soul,” Tyrael said. “The fall of the gates was not her doing. The Prime Evil had already overtaken her. I believe her suffering was brief.”
Cullen nodded, glancing at his two companions, Thomas and the monk. “Where is the stone now?” he asked.
“It sits in the Heavens, protected by the Luminarei, the Defenders of the Arch.”
“A holy guard? Why not leave it in place?”
“The stone is too dangerous. Already it has begun to corrupt the Heavens, and I fear that soon it will be too late to act. But the Angiris Council will never voluntarily choose to hand it over to humans for safekeeping.”
“Then what are you suggesting we do?”
Tyrael met the scholar’s gaze. “We must invade the Heavens and steal it.”
The group erupted into shocked disbelief. “Invade the Heavens?” Cullen said. “From my studies, humans have never set foot there, at least before this battle you describe with the Prime Evil.Mortals cannot
“The nephalem were courageous and pure,” Cullen said. “We have studied them in the texts.”
Tyrael nodded. Then he told them of the creation of the Black Soulstone by the Horadric mage Zoltun Kulle, an original member of the Horadrim and a man of great potential. Kulle’s fate was a constant reminder of the dangers they all faced. Power could corrupt, and the temptation toward darkness was strong, and Kulle’s relentless lust for immortality was his downfall. Although Kulle was eventually destroyed, his Black Soulstone, an object of immense and unknown power, was used centuries later in the transformation of the girl Leah into the Prime Evil and the assault on the gates of Heaven. The Crystal Arch had only been saved through the heroic actions of a true nephalem, a mortal blessed with abilities that came from this ancient birthright, one who could rise above even the strongest angel or demon.
The telling of this took a long time, and the flames began to draw low before Gynvir rose to stock them with new wood and Shanar breathed life into the fire. “This nephalem hero now stalks the lands somewhere east of Westmarch,” Tyrael said. “Searching for the witch Adria, who remains missing. I have come to Sanctuary and assembled you here because we must act on another urgent matter of crucial importance, and there is little time left. The Black Soulstone is once again endangering all we hold dear, but it cannot be safely destroyed. There is only one solution: it must be hidden away. I have chosen you—as I did centuries ago in assembling the Horadrim to hunt down and capture the Prime Evils—to assist me in this vital mission.”
It was the scholar who finally spoke again. The man reminded Tyrael of Deckard Cain; although the two were physically very different, they shared a natural curiosity and a quick mind.
“A letter from Leah was delivered by a courier to our temple in Gea Kul some time ago,” Cullen said. “She wrote about findinga stranger with a broken sword in Tristram. She described Deckard’s death at the cultists’ hands and the discovery of the soulstone. And she wrote about finding her mother still alive and asked for our help in deciphering the stone’s true nature.”
“So you know that I speak the truth in this.”
“Adria was convinced that it held the key to destroying the seven Evils from the Hells. I scoured our library for anything I could find on the stone and sent my notes to Caldeum, but they were returned to me. The messenger told me that Leah could not be found. Now you tell us that she . . .”
Cullen stopped for a moment, carefully removing his spectacles. He slipped a cloth from his satchel and wiped his moist eyes, then returned the spectacles to the bridge of his nose. “All those years wondering about her mother,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “She deserved a better fate.”
“She fought against the possession of her soul,” Tyrael said. “The fall of the gates was not her doing. The Prime Evil had already overtaken her. I believe her suffering was brief.”
Cullen nodded, glancing at his two companions, Thomas and the monk. “Where is the stone now?” he asked.
“It sits in the Heavens, protected by the Luminarei, the Defenders of the Arch.”
“A holy guard? Why not leave it in place?”
“The stone is too dangerous. Already it has begun to corrupt the Heavens, and I fear that soon it will be too late to act. But the Angiris Council will never voluntarily choose to hand it over to humans for safekeeping.”
“Then what are you suggesting we do?”
Tyrael met the scholar’s gaze. “We must invade the Heavens and steal it.”
The group erupted into shocked disbelief. “Invade the Heavens?” Cullen said. “From my studies, humans have never set foot there, at least before this battle you describe with the Prime Evil.Mortals cannot
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