"I feel so very sparkled. To be honest, I would've gone mad the first week. Growing up in a world with internet does some weird things with one's resistance to isolation."

"Most would have gone mad, really. I sustained myself with mantras, lengthy periods of hibernation, and of course, my intense, bitter hatred for absolutely everyone."

"Heh, do you have, like, a tragic backstory or something? I mean besides the 'is just a head' thing? I am asking about things from way before the 'is just a head' thing."

The head raises its eyebrows. "My fellow Horadrim claimed I was driven mad by the search for the Prime Evils, if that counts. It's not true, but I did realize during that time that to be truly free, mankind would need to eradicate both Heaven and Hell and claim our rightful place as the heirs of Anu."

"I got the impression that angels generally just ignore mankind? Or you expect that to change?"

"I doubt very much that it would last beyond the eradication of the Prime Evils. Once they saw what we were truly capable of... not to mention it'd give them an opening to conclusively decide the Eternal Conflict. Once that was over there'd be nothing left to stop them from wiping humanity from Sanctuary and finally enjoying the eternal peace they crave."

"Anyone ever told you you're a cynic?" Lorath asks mildly.

"Yes."

"What's the deal with peace? I don't get the impression humans actively bother them much."

"Peace, to the angels, means a world of nothing but angels doing nothing but singing and philosophizing in their crystal palaces. They may try to act like they want humans to flourish, but make no mistake, to them we're only one step above the demons. We disgust them."

"That's actually true," Lorath comments. "The average angel would absolutely prefer if humanity didn't exist; they're highly xenophobic. The main reason I'm not worried is that they need us as cannon fodder against the demons, and that's not likely to change any time soon."

"Please. If we succeed in locking away the Evils for eternity, the angelic armies will crush the legions of the Burning Hells underfoot, and then turn on us."

Lorath shrugs. "And if it becomes necessary, we'll slaughter them like hogs. I just don't think we need to strike preemptively."

"Pathetic," Kulle sneers.

"You know, I am dying to bring something like an anthropologist or whoever has the job to figure out how other species work. One of the things that's so uncomfortable hearing about your inter-species troubles is how they sound just like what humans thought of each other before we had better scientific thinking skills. At any rate, I sort of agree with Lorath. Mostly because my world got really good at destroying things."

"Good to hear it," Lorath says.

Kulle huffs and says nothing.

Thomas pats Mr. Head. He also pats Lorath's butt. Any sign of that body?

Mr. Head attempts gamely to bite Thomas' hand, but fails.

The body is found in short order. There are some more animate statues standing guard over it for Li-Ming to disintegrate, which she does with gusto. Once they're dealt with, she levitates the headless corpse, sends it through a shimmering blue portal, and hops into the same portal herself.

Lorath follows suit.

So does everyone else.

They find Ari standing in the middle of a circle of intricate runes drawn in the sand, with Adria standing a few feet behind him. Li-Ming levitates Kulle's body and head into another circle, where they drop unceremoniously into the sand.

Without preamble, Ari begins chanting. His eyes and hands glow red. The light spreads like ink through milk, lighting up the runes of Ari's circle, then Kulle's, then Kulle's various appendages. There's an explosion of sand, and when it clears, Kulle is floating a few feet above the sandpit. He's tall, almost seven feet, and his eyes glow like candle flames.

"I live again!" he cackles.

"So you do. Now hold up your end of the bargain," Li-Ming murmurs.

"Of course, of course." With a wave of his hand, Kulle opens an amber portal. He floats through, followed by Li-Ming.

The portal evaporates the second she's through.

"Well, let's hope this doesn't blow up on our faces too badly."

Ari looks confused. "...was that supposed to happen?"

"No," Adria says tightly. "He separated us from her. This means he's going to try to kill her - or worse, recruit her to his way of thinking. I wish I'd thought to go in before her."

"Li-Ming can handle herself. I don't think she's going to get sweet-talked out of her soul by some undead mage."

Adria glares at him. "Don't underestimate your enemy, child."

"Oh, dear."

Then there is a ritual circle nearby. "Just in case we need to trap someone."

"Might be a good idea to just aim for a kill."

"Good idea," Adria says firmly.

There's a long wait.

Then the portal opens back up and Li-Ming stalks out, followed by a fist-sized black crystal floating behind her. There are scorchmarks on her armor, and she's leaning heavily on her staff as she walks, but she seems to be otherwise alright.

"What a fucking asshole," she says succinctly.

"At least did you make him regret his life choices?"

"He is dead, yes. Tried to convince me you were all going to betray me, or something. Especially Adria." She peers at the witch. "Also he mentioned that the five slain Lords of Hell were trapped in the stone already, somehow. I thought they would have returned to Hell?"

Adria shakes her head. "Most of their essence was drawn to the Black Abyss, that they might be reborn. But over the past twenty years I visited the sites where they were killed, and marked the traces left behind so that they would be drawn into the stone once it was activated. Thus all that remains is to slay Belial and Azmodan. Then I shall finally be able to extinguish the Lords of Hell once and for all."

"How do you intend to do that?"

Adria smirks. "I am a witch of unprecedented power, child. I must have some secrets."