The Veiled Prophet (novel)

The Veiled Prophet is a 2007 novel written by Richard A. Knaak and is the third novel in the Diablo trilogy, The Sin War. The book details the climax of the struggles over the Sanctuary, and the warring forces of the Angels, Demons, Inarius, and the edyrem, and the mage clans of Kehjan, who all have a stake in the outcome.

Description

Since the beginning of time, the angelic forces of the High Heavens and the demonic hordes of the Burning Hells have been locked in the Eternal Conflict for the fate of all Creation. That struggle has now spilled over into Sanctuary—the world of men. Determined to win mankind over to their respective causes, the forces of good and evil wage a secret war for mortal souls. This is the tale of the Sin War—the conflict that would forever change the destiny of man.

The demon-backed Triune has fallen. All that now stands in Uldyssian's path to freeing humanity is the Cathedral of Light and its charismatic leader the Prophet. But the Prophet is actually the renegade angel Inarius, who sees the world he created as his uncontested domain. Facing a cunning foe that would just as readily see Sanctuary destroyed than let it slip from his grasp, Uldyssian is blind to the others who would possess his world. Both the Burning Hells and the High Heavens now know of Sanctuary...and their warring hosts of demons and angels will stop at nothing to claim it.

Summary

The Veiled Prophet continues Uldyssian's journey toward Kehjan City where his goal is to seek the Mage Clans as allies against Inarius and his Cathedral of Light. The book lays the ground for upcoming Diablo games and novels.

Uldyssian plans to reach Kehjan City to convince the Mage Clans to ally against the Prophet (Inarius) and his Cathedral of Light servants. However, things get complicated. Uldyssian renamed his followers as The Edyrem, the descendents of the firstborn: the Nephalem. Serenthia and Uldyssian's brother, Mendeln, helped him control the masses of nearly a thousand Edyrem marching toward Kehjan City, still days ahead. Meldeln had learned from Rathma the ways of the Necromancer and communed with Ghosts who would tell him things as spies at his service. The Edyrem found a few merchant wagons and decided to talk to the influential merchant to seek an audience with the Mage Clans. Only Uldyssian continues the journey to Kehjan City alongside the merchant. Otherwise, Kehjan City would see the approach of a thousand Edyrem as an impending invasion.

On their way to the city, a mage and a servant attack the merchant wagons. Everyone is killed, but Uldyssian who fought in vain against a binding spell. Shortly, the mage brought Uldyssian to his sanctum beneath Kehjan City. The mage planned to frame Uldyssian to look like the murderer of the influential merchant so that the Edyrem would be blamed. His monstruous servant kept watch over Uldyssian, while his master left to meet the Mage Clans. The servant was more than what he seemed to be ... it was possessed by Malic, the loyal servant of the Primus. Uldyssian had thought Malic had died at the Church of the Triune all this time, and painfully found out how he had survived. In his hand, the monster held a crystal ... a fragment of the Worldstone. He would use it to transfer his soul into a new host. Each host burning away within days or hours. All this time seeking the opportunity to find Uldyssian as his final host.

Malic had taken possession of a disfigured man to serve and fuel the powers of one of the Mage Clans members, to put in motion a plan to reach Uldyssian. The monster was nearly possessing Uldyssian. The mage was interrogated by the council of the Mage Clans concerning the dead of the merchant and his guards, as their magic probes made them suspect the mage had something to do with the massacre. When suddenly, the building shook after an explosion. The mage arrived to the scene. Uldyssian was gone. His servant dead. Or nearly dead, for it possessed the mage claiming him as a new host.

Uldyssian ran still disoriented through the streets of Kehjan city, and found the Prince Ehmad on his way. The Prince trusted Uldyssian's words and promised an audience with the Mage Clans and nobles. However, Angel Inarius, as the Prophet, had sent many to spread lies across the land, blaming Uldyssian and the Edyrem for the deads of innocents all the way from Toraja to Seram. Inarius invaded Uldyssian's mind using his power to weaken him. They fought, and Uldyssian broke. To Uldyssian, he had failed to defeat Inarius and felt weak before such an opponent. However, the truth was that Inarius was deeply hurt. Uldyssian was much, much more than any mortal.

Inarius now feared Uldyssian. He would condemn all of Sanctuary just to destroy him. Even ... accept a pact with the Lord of Terror. More and more events are set in motion to pit and clash the Mage Clans against the Edyrem portraying Uldyssian as a killer of innocent people. And amidst all this conspiracy, lurked the menace of Malic's spirit who could be anyone, within any new host.

Trag'Oul and Rathma assist Uldyssian and his brother Mendeln, guiding them. But this is no longer a fight between Inarius and the erydem. The fate of Sanctuary and of many worlds is in peril. Trag'Oul the cosmic dragon can no longer keep Sanctuary cloaked from the High Heavens. The erydem march toward the Cathedral of Light, far to the north and are welcomed by the servants of the Prophet empowered by their master. The erydem are a worthy enemy, but when Inarius himself confronts Uldyssian the whole world of Sanctuary literally trembles as both titans collide as equals.

Just as the battle is nearly over, a more dangerous threat looms over Sanctuary ... the Heavenly Hosts arrive by the thousands from a vortex in the sky. Erydem fought Angels bravely, but if that was straining, things get spicy when the Burning Hells open it's gate wide open into Sanctuary .... clashing Demon, Edyrem, Nephalem and Angels in utter carnage against each other. Only one may stop the madness.It ends in a breathtaking and unexpected way.

When calm settles upon Sanctuary, the five members that compose the Angiris Council arrive to Sanctuary to rule judgement over Inarius and his creations. Imperius, Auriel (female), Malthael, Itherael, and Tyrael. As the five reach a final verdict, Mephisto comes forth to settle a pact with the Angiris Council. Tyrael requests an act from the Demon Lord as proof he will fulfill his end of the pact. Mephisto agrees, with the condition that he and his brothers would be given a prize to take with them to the Burning Hells, Inarius.