Love with an Angel

"Know this, Nephalem, even if you have managed to defeat me, the Angels are not as different from us than you may think…", Diablo's chest burned in a crimson light as his flesh and body began to disappear, only his words were echoing in Arcos ears which were still taunting him at this very moment of the Demon lord's defeat by the hand of a mortal.

"Your kind will always be looked upon as a failure of creation... no matter how much you have sacrificed for them…", more and more of his body was engulfed in flames while Arcos stood in front of the Lord of Terror, ignoring the last words of the demon as he lowered his bow. "I don't need angels or demons. I will make my own fate."

Laughter echoed once again in his ears as Diablo fell from atop the Crystal Arch, his body disappearing completely during his fall from the High Heavens, leaving nothing but a trail of smoke which vanished just like the corruption that once filled the sacred place. Arcos gave a deep sigh, his bow clattering onto the ground as he dropped onto his knees. He had gotten his revenge, he faced countless of demons and he had made an end to them. In his eyes, he had fulfilled his oath as a demon hunter, he had gotten the revenge he had always longed for and which made things more complicated than he could have ever imagined before his journey started in New Tristram. He knew that Diablo's words were true, many Angels were still hating humanity, and even though he knew that many others didn't, he couldn't forget it. But just as he said, he wouldn't need them. He wouldn't need anything or anyone else anymore.

XxxxxxxX

Auriel looked at her wings which regained their glow again as the black mist of Diablo's body disappeared during its fall from the Crystal Arch, the corrupted growth around her vanishing just as quickly while the light shone ever so brightly again in the High Heavens. If anyone could see her face, she would smile from ear to ear. The Nephalem had done it, just as she knew and always hoped he would.

She wasted no time and made her way towards the Crystal Arch immediately, looking for the Nephalem whom she wanted to meet personally. When she arrived there however, she only found Tyrael and Itherael conversing with each other. A slight feeling of dread overcame her as she approached them before Tyrael noticed her arrival.

"Where is the Nephalem?", she spoke in her clear voice.

"I wish I knew. He was last seen on his way out of the Crystal Arch but he seems to have left the High Heavens already.", Tyrael responded.

"The Council will start soon, Auriel.", Itherael informed her to which she nodded.

"I will be there shortly.", she said before he left towards the Library of Fate to resume his duties. Inside, she pondered why the Nephalem would leave so suddenly. She had hoped she could speak with him personally, to thank him for saving her when she needed his aid. She felt constricted, she wanted to find him but she couldn't just leave the High Heavens with no reason, yet her thoughts still lingered on him. He had occupied her thoughts, and a growing feeling was urging her to find him which slightly unsettled her. Tyrael noticed her mindly absence and decided to step in.

"Is something the matter, Auriel? You are oddly quiet.", he asked. She thought for a brief moment about approaching her problem, but decided to do it subtly.

"I wonder why the Nephalem decided to leave so suddenly.", she said in her smooth voice.

"No doubt he had his reasons. His actions have shown that mankind and angels together can achieve something far greater and end this conflict. Why the extreme interest though?", he asked.

"I didn't get the chance to thank him personally when he came to my aid to free me. I hope that, perhaps, I will meet him again.", she said in a clear tone but the hope in her voice betrayed part of her thoughts and made Tyrael raise his eyebrow slightly as a thought appeared in his mind.

'Perhaps Angels are not as different from humans in terms of emotions'

"I'm sure you will. If anything, I doubt we will have heard of him for the last time.", Auriel nodded and left the spire of the Crystal Arch.

XxxxxxxX

'They fear your kind's ability to choose between good and evil…'

Arcos twisted in his sleep, his eyebrows narrowing with a growing pain in his head.

'They would have eradicated you without hesitation simply for existing if your kind wouldn't have done anything to sway their minds…'

Visions and images appeared in his mind, showing him the angels as they debated over mankind until he couldn't tell the difference between sleep and reality anymore.

'After all, what have they ever done to assist you when your own kind was slaughtered? Even though you have sacrificed so much for them…'

An image appeared in front of his mental eye as the voice purred in his mind.

'Your own sister…'

Arcos screamed as he awoke from his sleep, panting heavily as the moonlight shone into his childhood home. He covered his eyes with his hands, trying to forget everything he had witnessed while trying to calm down. 'It was only a dream…' he tried to assure himself as he looked out of the window from beside his bed, showing him the forest outside of his home where he had once lost everything he held dear in a single night. After returning from the High Heavens weeks ago it was the first thing he did, returning to his childhood home which lay deep in the forest near Westmarch to settle down alone, giving him time to think about everything he had experienced. What he saw mere moments ago however, was giving him a hard time to settle down again.

It was one of the biggest things which bothered his mind, not giving it any peace the more he thought about it. The Angels.

It filled him with so many emotions and thoughts that he simply couldn't make out what he truly thought about them. Part of him was angry at them, for never helping them when they needed their aid, when they were slaughtered, when they lost their hope and turned to demons for aid instead, part of him secretly wanted to believe that they could look out for each other and live in harmony together as he tried everything to help them defend their home against the demons, to show them that humans would aid them in their time of need. And another part of him simply saw them as equal as important as demons, not caring in any way about his kind just as much as the demons did. After all, they were only viewed as a failure, weren't they?

He clenched his fist as his expression was emotionless, his eyes once again burning with all of these thoughts which consistently fought against one another within him. And in the end, a single tear ran down his cheek as a slight sob escaped him, before he lay back into his bed again, slowly wiping the tear away from his face as he once again covered his eyes with his arms, trying to let sleep overcome him again.

That was when he suddenly felt something.

He perked up immediately from his bed, looking at every corner of his only room but ultimately found nothing as he slowly got up, his armored boots and gauntlets still equipped. Strangely he still couldn't shake off the feeling of another presence within his home, and his experiences taught him to react upon those instincts. He reached for the bow which lay on his table beside the bed before he stopped dead in his tracks.

He gasped as a hand gently touched his shoulder to which he slowly turned around before taking a step back, the figure in front of him hesitantly pulling back. It was wearing a gray priests cloak with a hood that covered the entire face of the stranger but Arcos immediately relaxed when the figure spoke up.

"Forgive me for disturbing you, I did not mean to.", the voice spoke smoothly and he remembered it clearly, but the growing curiosity of the purpose of the figures visit was the first thing on his mind as it removed its cloak, revealing the Archangel of Hope standing in front of him once again as she let her wings flow outward. If someone could see her face right now, she would smile warmly at him.

"Why are you here?", his voice held no hatred against her, merely the curiosity was apparent as he looked at her warily. That an angel appeared now didn't help him in his emotional conflict…

Inwardly, Auriel felt a surge of happiness going through her as she once again laid eyes upon the Nephalem, she had searched all of Sanctuary for him as the growing feeling inside of her was only increasing for every day that passed until she began to leave the High Heavens at times to find him. For weeks she was left with no trace or hint where he might have went until she simply relied onto her instincts to guide her through all of Sanctuary, travelling through many places in disguise before she finally found him again.

"I wanted to thank you personally for what you did when I was at my weakest. I wished I could have met you sooner but you have left the High Heavens very suddenly, so I decided to search for you. Did something happen?", she asked with concern. It surprised him to hear that she searched through Sanctuary for him but it only confused him even further.

"No, but neither did I have anything left to do at this place, so I left. Just as I am free to do anything I want now. Your kind doesn't need any help from us anymore.", he said.

Auriel sensed the slight distrust in his voice as he looked out of a window, the moonlight shining upon him. She stayed silent for a moment as she calmly approached him, surprising him as she gently laid a gauntlet onto his hand, making his vision go blank as images filled his mind.

…

Auriel struggled as every single move she made was hurting her even more than before, she was only barely able to move her head inside of her prison while Rakanoth took pleasure in watching her futile attempts as she looked around the Library of Fate, seemingly looking for any opportunities to escape.

"What are you looking for? Your friends won't be able to help you, if anything, isn't it agonizing to be here, helpless, while every single one of your kind is being slaughtered?", the Lord of Despair grinned as he stopped in front of her, focusing on her gaze. He wanted her to give in into despair, but she would never give him that satisfaction. Not if there was hope. Someone whom she prayed would come to her aid, someone whom she has observed ever since he started his journey to get revenge against the demons that tore everything away from him. The Nephalem.

"There is always hope. A light that cuts through the darkness. And for as long as this light exists, I will never give in into despair. For that light will be your downfall, Rakanoth.", she spoke calmly as the demons grin turned into a snarl. Steps were suddenly drawing closer from behind the Lord of Despair and as he turned, Auriel's wish was granted.

"Nephalem…"

…

He gasped as the vision faded again, looking back at Auriel who never diverted her gaze from him.

"You think that your kind is not worth anything to us, don't you? But please, believe me, many of us are eternally grateful for what you have done for us. I am grateful for what you have done for us.", she whispered. Arcos was overwhelmed at the sensations he felt as he saw everything from her perspective during this vision, he couldn't have known. He never could have. But how could she have observed him, since when and for how long?

…why?

He remembered the times as he pondered what he would do once he had gotten his revenge, the times when he had doubts about himself, about his cause. He always felt like he could talk about it, he always felt like somebody would listen, he never truly felt… alone, during these times. There always seemed to be something which made him feel as though there was somebody with him. He always believed it would be the spirit of his sister, watching him and following wherever he went. But now that he thought about it, it made sense. He never abandoned any hope in his travels. It was her.

He huffed and pulled his hand away from her's. Even so, it didn't change the fact that he didn't wanted to have anything to do with any angel either. And neither did he wanted to question anything, it was of no importance to him anymore.

"Fine, I appreciate your thankfulness but if there is nothing else you need from me then you are only wasting your time with me, there's not much I can offer you.", he said in a neutral tone before he turned his head to the side slightly, pondering about what else she might need. To his surprise however, she simply settled onto one of the chairs standing beside the table, folding her wings slightly together.

"Would you mind if I stay for a while?", now that only added to his already growing curiosity.

"And why is that?"

"Because I want to talk with you. I don't want you to think that I would be wasting my time to see you. You are living alone here and I simply wish to give you company, for you are not just a mere Nephalem, you are a friend to me.", Auriel kept a soft tone as she spoke. Arcos merely stood there for what felt like hours to him, yet only a few seconds passed as she slightly tilted her head under his questioning gaze, not bothered in the slightest. In the end, he sighed and turned towards his small fireplace beside the chair on which Auriel had settled down. She followed his movements but kept quite as he lit up the fire beside her, creating a comfortable warmth which soon filled the small house, the cracking sounds of the small flames adding to the atmosphere. He warmed himself at the fire as a wave of nostalgia hit him, the only difference this time was that he actually was in the company of the being that always seemed to have been with him, not only a mere presence that he could feel at the back of his mind but it still felt the same nonetheless. It made him feel… safe. Even if he didn't wanted to admit it. Or could she read his mind? He didn't know what he was supposed to say anymore, regardless of how familiar her presence felt. If she truly had always been there when he talked about everything that bothered him, how much did he share with her without really knowing? He couldn't remember himself all the things he had talked about… but why wasn't he offended at her actions? He still didn't feel like he had told these things to the wrong being, even though he barely knew anything about her. Something just still made him feel like he was drawn to her in a way…

Without a second thought he glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes, seeing her hooded face looking at the small flames. Somehow he considered the fact that she and all of the angels kept their faces hidden under those white and golden hoods as a part of themselves, as if their covered faces were their actual faces. Did they even have a face under that hood? It didn't bothered him either for an unknown reason… since he could still somehow feel the expression they were holding. At least with the ones he had encountered.

Her thoughts, however, were occupied with a whole other matter as she looked at the soothing little flames before she noticed him glancing at her in wonder. Unbeknownst to him, she regarded him with a longing gaze, a friend to her, a dear friend to her indeed… but that was not what she wanted. Memories of her fondness towards her interactions with him, remembering when he indirectly told her of his one and only desire to have a mate he valued more than anything in his life and nothing else. She couldn't do otherwise but smile at the honesty and innocence of his wish. The glee she felt when she studied the possibilities of the reproduction of angels, and that it truly was possible for her. She was always fascinated by the history of Inarius and Lilith, and it always came into her mind whenever she regarded or thought of him during his journey. A Nephalem? No, but a human that picked her interest simply by being himself, an innocent and sweet human whose positive way of thinking was corrupted by the actions of demons, making him a silent and distrustful being, but deep down his original values still resided in him, if only he wouldn't give up hope in them. He didn't wanted to see the good of the world that still existed, he didn't wanted to enjoy anymore, he didn't wanted to keep up his hope towards the good things around him, and that was where she wanted to have her place in her life. Beside him, making him see what good he did for everybody, show him her care, but most of all…

… how much she truly felt for him ever since she laid eyes upon him.

But he didn't trusted her. He didn't trusted any of the angels. And it hurt her that he still believed that he wasn't worth anything compared to her, she could still see it in his eyes. She needed him to see that they were equal, and not because he was a Nephalem, but because they shared the traits together they both value the most, even if he was trying not to show it. Kindness… and innocence. She knew not what it was that immediately woke her interest in him, but she believed that it was meant to happen. He couldn't stay away from her, not as long as he was still fighting within himself whether to trust and believe her or not. Suddenly he sighed, making her turn her head into his direction before he spoke up.

"Your presence, it… still feels familiar…", he rather mumbled to himself but she could still understand him perfectly.

"I'm glad that you still feel connected to it. I always enjoyed to be in your presence, even though I could never be there personally…", Arcos slightly turned his head in surprise and wonder when she got up from the chair and closed the distance between them before she settled on the ground beside him, looking at the soothing flames again. He didn't pull away from her but he still turned his head away from her which he couldn't even explain to himself. Auriel smiled inwardly, the more she spend time with him personally just as he knew it from his kind, the more he would hopefully see that she could be with him without giving him the feeling of being unimportant. He could see that she could be with him at all times, living together in the High Heavens…

She blinked before she pushed those thoughts into the back of her mind, all would be in due time. Her dreams were still just that, dreams. But she wanted nothing more than for those dreams to come true. She would forever care for him, just as she knew he would for her.

However long it may take, she would forever hold on to him and nobody else, and she needed to try it.

"Do you know why many Angels hold a strong hatred against your kind?", she needed to solve this issue, if she didn't do it now, she might as well never do it and risk having all she dreamed about to be forever out of her grasp. He didn't answer but instead kept his gaze on the fire, letting her continue, his expressions slowly darkening.

"They fear your kind's ability to choose between good and evil. They fear that you could overwhelmingly choose evil and overthrow us…", Auriel spoke with sadness as she turned to look at him.

"And what if I would!?", suddenly everything broke within him as he couldn't hold anything back anymore, the hatred, sadness and confusion coming to the surface.

"If we're not an abomination, we're a threat, if we're not a threat, we're something which is beyond of your control, and if anything, we're probably everything which is bad! We're something you can just vote upon whether to spare or kill, we don't matter when we're slaughtered, we're evil when we have nowhere to go to and turn to demons, I hate you!", he shouted everything from within his soul as he was already standing in front of her, tears streaming down from his face.

But he stopped as Auriel simply knelt in front of him, facing the ground as a glowing sword suddenly appeared in his hand, his eyes widening as Auriel slowly met his gaze before she whispered.

"Then kill me…"

He gasped as he looked at the sword and then back to her, her gaze never leaving his anymore.

"I will not resist. Kill me and take revenge for our sins. But I only want to say one last thing… it is one of my biggest dreams to see your kind living in peace and kindness together with us, I voted for your kind not because I believed that you were a threat that could be on our side but because I believed in the good within you, ever since I first laid eyes upon you… and regardless of your choice, I know that you are a kind person and that will always be… I know that in my heart…", she whispered the last part softly, waiting patiently for him to take her life. He could only look at her with a tearful face, sobbing silently as he gazed at her, feelings he never felt before surfacing within him as his mind made its choice.

clank

The sword clattered on the ground as he fell to his knees, new tears running down his face between his sobs.

"N-no… no… never…", suddenly an armored hand carefully wiped away his tears before gently raising his head to meet her gaze before she softly cupped his cheeks with both of her hands, her head only inches apart of him.

"I wish for nothing more than to be with you for eternity, my dear one… I love you…", she whispered softly before she closed the gap between them, connecting their lips together in a confession of love that would mark the beginning of their future life together, as mates, bound together for eternity…

And that's it! I'm glad I could make something for this, I couldn't do otherwise but think about making it, I like the thought of this pairing and I had a lot of fun playing Diablo 3, since it was also the first time I played any Diablo game, which probably means that it will stay as my most favourite one even if I should play the other two games in the future. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this!