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The Hunter and the Templar	By : BurneHazard Category: +A through F > Diablo III Views: 6473 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: Diablo III (3) and all content therein is the property of Blizzard Entertainment. This story is for entertainment purposes only and I make no money from writing it.

Chapter List
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            Again they entered the shadowy hell, again they were besieged by waves of demons. Once again they cut through the cursed throng. Killashandra even missed when the oculus guardian fell since it was no more challenge than the rest of the demons. Her only clue was when they found the oculus unprotected. It was almost too easy. And hope was answered when Auriel came to them the split instant before the rift closed to provide them an exit.
            When they emerged back onto the second tier of the Gardens of Hope, again Diablo's voice burned their ears. Neither of them paid much attention to his threats and boasting. The hunter had already seen the words as empty and Kormac could now see the same. His faith was stronger than ever and bolstered by the holy armaments he had been loaned. And with Auriel so close, they were directly within the grip of Hope itself.
            It came as a surprise however as they followed the swooping archangel up a set of stairs to another dais--and saw Tyrael standing before them along with a slightly battered-looking Lyndon and a very worried Eirena.
            "Tyrael!"(1) Killa called as he turned.
            "Yes, my friend. I am ready to again fight by your side," he said. "I was wrong to give in to despair. You have shown me there is still a chance for victory."(2)
            He reached out to grip the hunter's shoulder when she drew near. A relieved smile came to Killa's lips as she rested one hand on his wrist, giving a squeeze just as she had that moment in the deserts outside of Caldeum. She did not notice the way Kormac was watching them.
            "But we must hurry. Even now Diablo makes his way to the Silver Spire!"(3) he said as he turned. Auriel dropped down and activated the portal that Tyrael faced before she soared up to rejoin the fighting elsewhere.
            "I finally understand," the mortal angel said as he motioned for the rest of them to use the portal. "Your kind faces death and darkness every day, yet still you find the courage to move forward. It is an honor to be one of you."(4)
            "I knew you would understand with time,"(5) the enchantress said.
            "Oh, you still have much to discover, my friend!"(6) Lyndon said with a grin--which earned him an elbow in the ribs from Killa, and another from Eirena. Between the attacks from both sides, he could only give a strangled "oof!"
            Unaware of the interaction, Tyrael stepped through the glowing ring. Killa followed along with Eirena. Lyndon and Kormac were the last, for different reasons. The templar was thinking about Tyrael's words. The scoundrel was contemplating the templar's new armor and strange new attention towards the hunter. He hoped the nudges had been enough and they had completely settled their differences.
            As they emerged on the Crystal Colonnade, the others were collecting themselves once more. Kormac moved beside Killa as Tyrael followed close on her other side. Lyndon and Eirena trailed and kept an eye on the skies and sides of the walkway.
            "We're near the spire now," the templar said as he looked at the architecture before them. "Wait, who's that ahead?"(7)
            "Oh, dear. He has returned,"(8) Eirena uttered in a worried tone.
            They topped the stairs to see three angelic warriors fighting oppressors. Just as they arrived, the demons received reinforcements, surrounding the warriors and turning toward the group. Suddenly, a gold pillar struck the ground and exploded outward. The demons were annihilated as Imperius took form in the midst of the angels he had just rescued. They snapped to attention as any experienced soldiers would before their commander.
            "You!" the archangel bellowed, jabbing his polearm toward Killa. "Your kind does not belong here!"(9)
            Kormac immediately moved forward but was halted by Tyrael's hand on his shoulder, keeping him partially hidden by the mortal angel. He need not have worried. Auriel and Itherael dropped from above, flanking Killa. Their presence in clear support and defense of the hunter seemed to affect Imperius as some of the light faded from his weapon. "If I see you again, you will die!"(10)
            He vanished in another column of light, joined by the three warriors he had saved. Killa only then realized she had growled at the archangel. Pulling her emotions under control again, she was mildly surprised to hear Auriel speak.
            "Pay him no mind; this is your fight, nephalem. Your power is even greater than Tyrael foresaw."(11)
            Tyrael nodded, "One can only hope. But now we must stop Diablo before he reaches the Crystal Arch above us!"(12)
            Both archangels nodded and turned to clear the corruption from their path with mighty blows. Killa said nothing as she started forward once more. The urge to growl remained even as she found herself grinning again. It was rather fun...all the destruction and dying demons. But every time she saw another piece of beauty destroyed, another patch of corruption tainting the place, the pain reminded her it was not a game.
            As they neared the doorway, shadowy figures dropped down on them from above. Auriel and Itherael immediately attacked the shades as the others fought them off. Tyrael shielded Eirena as Lyndon aided her in destroying those closest. Kormac fought those trying to attack Killa as her bolts found them.
            "Go! Quickly," Itherael's voice echoed around them.

~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`
            The gateway they entered was so dark and so tainted it barely resembled anything of the Silver City. Even the statues depicting angels were so corrupted they were closer to demonic creatures than sanctified beings. Tyrael stumbled upon seeing the utter devastation of his former home. Eirena immediately went to his side to offer support as he pulled himself together once more. Kormac looked back, sympathy in his own visor-shaded eyes.
            "Look at the destruction Diablo has wrought. If we do not stop him, this is the future of all creation," he said. Tears were gathering in his eyes as he bowed his head. "Though I forsook my home, to see it again like this... Any joy I might have had is replaced with sorrow."(13)
            Killa looked over her shoulder to the mortal angel then turned her attention forward once more. She said nothing as they continued. There was something ahead that gave her a slight chill of alarm. It was different than what they had previously encountered. A sense of dread formed and grew as they drew closer to a ghostly-pale light. The dread solidified when they came face to face with the specter of Leah.
            "How does it feel?" the girl's ghost asked as her hollow eyes stared straight through Killa. "Knowing you helped me become the Prime Evil?" She laughed. "For all your mighty deeds, all you really accomplished was unleashing me upon the world. Some savior you are, nephalem."(14)
            Her dread had continued to grow with every word to fall from Leah's lips. It was exactly how she had been feeling. Always arriving too late. Always a second too late. She never tried hard enough. Always failing. Always too slow, too weak, too distracted. Even with all the power she had, she did nothing but bring death and destruction in her wake. But then one thing shattered the spell leaving her chilled to the bone and her head snapped up.
            "Leah, please!"(15) Lyndon begged, stepping forward with one hand rising.
            "Leah, wait!"(16) Kormac cried, starting forward as the ghost vanished amidst icy laughter.
            "Leah never called me 'nephalem'," Killa growled as her crossbows rose.
            In the next instant, another of the insectoid demons appeared. She had a name for them now as she fired point-blank into that twisted visage, shattering its face. Her fingers caressed the triggers, releasing an unending stream of bolts into the skull, reducing it to pulp as the demon fell, crumbling before her wrath.
            The others shook off the spell that the terror demon had snared them in and gasped in shock as they recovered. Killa checked to make sure they were all fine before pushing forward. The rules had just changed. Her heart was racing with something more than mere adrenaline now. Now, she was reminded of her shortcomings. Her failures. Now, she had more reason than ever to stop Diablo in his tracks.
            As they activated the next conduit to take them into the spire's first level, shadow rippled about the hunter's body. She sensed more obstacles ahead and now she was ready for them. That was, until she saw the next phantom. Again she found herself halting mid-stride as she recognized the shrewd face of the Horadrim traitor that gave her the visions to initially unbalance her and cause her self-control to falter.
            "You killed me without a second thought when I was no longer of use to you," Zoltun Kulle's image accused. "How can you damn those who helped you?"(17)
            Going pale, she stared at the specter as everything he had tempted her with returned. Paired with his words, it was as if he had struck a blow straight on her heart. Wavering, she fought against the sudden doubts she had locked away, the certainty that she would lose herself to chaos and kill those she sought to protect--harm those she had formed bonds with. It was so easy to see them all dead, by her own hand.
            She was so lost in what her mind was presenting her with that she did not notice when the specter vanished and a demon took its place. The great talons rose, spreading and ready to descend upon her frozen form. It was Kormac who shook the spell off first and charged in to bring his shield up as the claws fell.
            "Lies!"(18) he shouted as the talons struck the shield and screeched over the metal.
            Killa came back to her senses when she was jerked against a solid body. Blinking, she became aware of what had happened in the same instant that the templar's shield came alive. Pure white tendrils reminiscent of angelic wings rose from the top of the shield to dance in the air, shedding pure light around them. The corruption clinging to half-destroyed columns burnt away, crumbling away from their feet wherever the light touched. The shield itself glowed and trembled with a pure, beautiful song.
            And in that moment, the angel warrior's words came to both of them at the same instant: When you seek to protect that which you hold most dear, you will see it come alive...
            Then the demon roared and the moment was lost as she dropped to one knee and brought both crossbows up. With Kormac shielding from overhead attacks, it was easy to lay a stream of fire to take out the beast's legs. It screeched as it fell and suddenly flame pelted it from above as other arrows struck its constructed body. Eirena and Lyndon lent their aid as Tyrael stood as defense between them and the demon.
            Shaken yet again, Killa kicked the crumbling corpse to make it collapse faster as she walked through it. Kormac followed immediately but wisely remained quiet. He had seen enough on the shocked, pale features to grasp that this battle was going to be harder on the demon hunter than it would be on the rest of them. And even as his shield pulsed with warm light upon his arm, he wondered how he could possibly shield her from herself.

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            The deeper they went, the darker the spire became. It made it easier for shades to ambush them. Even though they destroyed the attackers, the small wounds they inflected began to take a toll on Eirena, Lyndon and even Tyrael. In the case of the mortal angel though, it was more than the injuries to his body. It was the growing corruption of his ancient home that ate at him.
            "The fountains of Heaven flowed with the energy of the Crystal Arch. But now look at them..."(19) he said heavily as they passed molten pools spewing burning sulfur into the air.
            Kormac moved closer to them, motioning for Eirena and Lyndon to do the same as he scanned the gloom around them. "The shadows draw close around us. There is no turning back now,"(20) he muttered.
            Killa looked at him then back to Tyrael. Still, she said nothing and moved on along her way. The others kept close, but they were not close enough to prevent what was coming. A sense of danger made her pause and look around. From out of nowhere, a body slammed full-force into hers, sweeping her up off the ground and throwing her hard into a crumbling column. Her flying body broke through the weak stone to bring it crashing down toward the group. They scattered as she struck the far wall and hit the floor.
            Coughing, lurching up onto hands and knees, she looked for her attacker. Aside from shadow and the light cast from the hellish pools of Heaven's corrupted fountains, she saw nothing. Kormac and Tyrael were picking themselves up and helping the others to stand again. Gripping one crossbow tight in her hand, she left the other free as she rose slowly from her crouch. Moving away from the wall as she caught her breath, she turned in a slow circle.
            "The Lord of Terror has emptied the Burning Hells. He sends his entire host against us..."(21) Tyrael said to warn them.
            It struck again, coming from the shadows to slam into Killa's back and again lift her from the ground to send her flying. She tried to twist, feeling a painfully strong grip around her. But it let go before she could secure a hold. Her stomach and chest met the solid stone column soundly and her entire body whipped around it from the force. A loud crack came from the impact as stone broke. Falling to the floor, she landed hard and coughed as the wind was again forced from her lungs.
            "Shandra!"
            Not certain just which of the men had called her name, she pushed herself up slowly. Her arms and legs were both sluggish as her body throbbed with pain. The crack had not been her spine even if her body responded sluggishly, she could still move. Lifting her head, she looked toward the voices. Whatever kept hitting her had placed a good distance between them. It was not a promising sight.
            Rising again, she kept her back to the column that had halted her flight. The crossbow was still in her hand as glowing eyes raked the darkness. Listening, tuning out the sound of her own harsh breathing, she focused. Sure enough, there was a rustle, then a whoosh of wind. It was circling. Tracking it through sound alone, she stared into the gloom without trying to follow it with her eyes. Then it was there again.
            This time she turned to face it. It struck her armored torso and swept her up into the air. She brought her arm up and around, aiming down, and fired a bolt into the creature's back point-blank. It released a paralyzing screech as she used her free hand to grab hold of it. When it released her, she did not go flying. Whipping her body around and up, she snared it with one leg as she fired into its body again and again, searching for any sign of a head.
            It crashed into the ground, trapping her beneath its body and knocking the breath from her lungs again. After so many times of being winded, her lungs barely hesitated to draw in another painful breath. Still she fired until it was clear whatever had struck her was not moving. Sagging back onto the floor, she swallowed hard and turned her attention to the pounding her body had taken. Nothing broken or ruptured. She would feel it later but aside from a throbbing soreness she could continue.
            "Shandra!" Tyrael shouted as he reached her first. Dropping to one knee, he reached out to grab whatever it was on top of her and pull it back. Whatever he saw made him tense and his eyes widen. "No..."
            Lyndon was next to skid to her side and reach out to help her sit up. He accidentally found one of the places on her back that would be a giant bruise soon and made her tense and hiss. Muttering an apology, he shifted his grip. Then Kormac and Eirena were there as well. The templar started to offer her a hand before he saw what had shocked Tyrael and froze as well.
            "Prophet preserve us!" Eirena exclaimed.
            At last, she saw what it was that had attacked her. It was an angel...only, it was not angelic any longer. The garb was blackened and tainted by demonic corruption. The once ethereal wings were skeletal things the color of charcoal. Instead of a mace or sword, it held a blunt scythe gripped in one blighted hand. And seeing it did make her heart seize in horror for a brief moment. But she had already seen angels impaled and tormented, trapped in suffering. The shock of this wore off quickly.
            "Angels may not become demons, but it's clear they're not immune to being corrupted either," she said as she cradled aching ribs.
            Her voice snapped Eirena and Kormac back to the present. But it took the templar shaking Tyrael's shoulder to pull him back from his horror. Eirena immediately hugged him tight. He squeezed her gently before rising. When she let go and stepped back, he brought his sword up and plunged it down into the corrupted angel's body. Light flared and consumed the creature in a blinding flare. It crumbled to char and ash like the demons did.
            Without a word, Killa moved on. She checked the crossbow for damage and reloaded it when she found none. The second was also checked and reloaded as she continued. Tyrael finally caught up and resumed leading them toward their destination. All of them remained silent, caught up in their own thoughts. Only the hunter's eyes flashed when she made her decision and lifted her head once more. She had demons to kill!
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The Hunter and the Templar