"Are all humans so self-absorbed? Or is it just you?"
A sudden flash of curiosity struck Baal. In his life as the Demon Lord of Destruction, he had never truly conversed face-to-face with a human like this. To him, they were objects. This was the first time he had placed himself on equal footing. There was no habitual arrogance in his tone. In this moment, Baal was as peaceful as an old man watching the sunset.
"Demon! You have no right to question me!" Qual-Kehk roared, the sound like a great laugh.
He had wanted to say that for a long time. Even though this was only a fragment of Baal's consciousness, and the true Baal wouldn't remember this conversation after the blast, he needed to say it.
The Barbarians had feared the Great Evils for far too long. Even when they charged into battle and died without hesitation, that wasn't the same as being fearless. It was simply that the path they chose allowed no retreat.
"Why did Lilith make her choice? What did she see?" Baal asked, giving up on getting an answer from the dying Barbarian.
Qual-Kehk's soul was losing its coherence. Becoming fuel would only give the mountain a microscopic boost. Baal couldn't understand the logic.
"Perhaps Lilith saw Fate," a voice interrupted.
Bul-Kathos had approached. He spoke from a distance. "She saw the things that were destined, or perhaps she saw the things that only she could accomplish."
"Bul-Kathos? Do you intend to let a mere fragment of consciousness learn a secret before it dies?" Baal cackled. It was a sound designed to grate on Nephalem nerves—a trick he shared with Zoltun Kulle.
"You won this round, but it matters not to me. When you eventually come for me in the real world, my power and my station will become yours regardless." Baal spoke as if he had come to terms with it. His end was written.
"Do you wish to become an independent entity?" Bul-Kathos asked abruptly, his eyes dead serious.
It was a massive gamble. Any leniency shown to a Great Evil could lead to catastrophic consequences. The death toll wouldn't be measured in thousands, but millions. But Bul-Kathos was prepared to shoulder that burden.
He reached the spot where Qual-Kehk was fading and picked up the Mountain Splitter axe from the ground. The moment the freezing metal touched his palm, it erupted with a brilliant light.
Qual-Kehk was gone. It was only natural. Once a soul realizes its dream, there is nothing left to hold onto. That is what it means to find rest.
"What nonsense are you spouting? I am a part of myself, and that is all I will ever be," Baal said loudly, but his words sounded hollow. Almost hesitant.
Any being capable of independent thought possesses a spark of selfishness. It is a fundamental instinct of life. But selfishness is not something one usually broadcasts.
"I am asking you," Bul-Kathos emphasized, his voice heavy, "do you want to live as a human?"
His body was unnaturally tense. He was nervous. Bul-Kathos didn't feel "fear" as an emotion, but he knew his body's reactions. His mind had conquered terror, but his instincts remained. He was afraid of Baal's answer. Whether it was a 'yes' or a 'no,' the answer itself was terrifying.
"What do you want from me?" Baal's tone turned solemn. He could tell Bul-Kathos wasn't joking.
Bul-Kathos looked just as he did when he had vowed to take the Great Evil's head. His body was coiled like a spring, but his neck was relaxed, his head tilted slightly, a glint in his eyes.
"I want a powerhouse who understands Destruction to replace a different kind of ruin," Bul-Kathos stated.
He was being blunt. The idea had come from Auriel. From the moment she said she would replace the "Hope" of this world to shield him from its malice, Bul-Kathos had been thinking of a way to move the pieces.
The being in this world who commanded Destruction was the only one who could truly make Leoric vanish. Debts of hatred were not easily settled. Baal was the perfect candidate. The Master of Destruction. Pure ruin. He would understand that power far better than the entity currently holding it.
"Are you saying you would let me become the prime self, or a separate existence entirely from the name 'Baal'?"
"You would become a man. A human. Holding the power of Destruction."
Baal hesitated. But time was running out. The energy within the stone sphere was beginning to leak.
"I think you should speak to the real me about this, Bul-Kathos."
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