Long, long ago, in a corner of the universe, there was a land of chaos named Anu, a world containing countless possibilities. It was not the chaos of the Shadowlands, but a land more rational and more wondrous than that existence.
Nothing there had a fixed nature, and it contained the light and shadow of creation's beginning. But after a long time, it developed an awareness of itself and decided to make itself purer. In its ignorance, it separated the darkness and light within its existence, and under the influence of a certain power, they became a wild, seven-headed demonic dragon, Tathamet, and a man who symbolized light, Anu.
They waged an eternal war, each seeking to devour the other and achieve true purity.
In the end, they destroyed each other. The dragon's body became the Burning Hells, while the man of light's body became the eternally holy High Heavens. The dragon's seven heads inherited the darkest wills, each taking on its own aspect, and became the seven Great Demons.
Mephisto represented hatred, Baal destruction, Diablo terror, Andariel anger, Duriel pain, Belial lies, and Azmodan sin.
They ruled the Burning Hells with cruel iron fists. Each possessed a Soulstone symbolizing their own existence, allowing them to crawl out of the abyss of death time and again in their battles against the High Heavens, fighting those holy, winged beings to the death.
Naturally, beings capable of matching the dragon's seven aspects of darkness were no ordinary creatures either. The archangels who ruled the High Heavens were five wills divided from the divinity of light.
Auriel, the Archangel of Hope, represented eternal hope and wielded ribbons of light.
Itherael, the Archangel of Fate, held the Scroll of Fate.
Imperius, the Archangel of Valor, represented boundless courage and wielded a spear.
Malthael, the