Chapter 2.34: The Enochian Tower

They are all standing in the main room. All the different Ways are cleared and they have collected the five Enochian Crystals.
“So where do we need to hang the mirror now?” Bruq looks confused as he and Oslando take down the mirror and let it rest against the wall.
“Well”, the half-elf says, “I hoped that Hadriel would have appeared as soon as we collected the last gem, but I guess that’s not going to be the case.”
At that point, they all hear their own crystal speak to them, all saying exactly the same thing. “Get me out of your bag!”
The sentences are repeated in a hurried manner and become louder every time they’re shouted in their mind. They take them out quickly. Their light flickers faster and faster, the intensity almost as bright as the burning sun that’s blocked out by the silver walls of this incarcerating tower.
“Well done.” Multiple voices echo throughout the room, speaking harmoniously while tunes of crackling fire accompany the choir of words. All the crystals fall silent as Hadriel speaks. He steps forward from the light. They feel how the glow of his skin makes the air tingle and how the warmth of his incorporeal wings cranks up the temperature to the point pearls of sweat are decorating their foreheads. The silver glyphs of his cloth are similar to the ones on the Enochian Mirror and are more vibrant than they were before.
(Deception 11 versus Insight 17)
“I’m glad to see you have collected these precious objects. We can finally restore the mirror and return it to my masters.” He stretches his arm towards them, hand open wide, waiting for them to walk the few feet up to him and give him what he asked them to deliver.
“Yes, about that”, Dargothoth says, displeasing the angelic being beyond belief, “we all have some questions about this hunt for gemstones.”
The temperature goes up even further as the white flames of his eyes spiral up towards the ceiling.
“I see you have discarded your deceptive skin.” Hadriels voice thunders and his long white hairs start to levitate. “I’m surprised your companions have tolerated your existence after learning so much about you. You really are more vile than most of the demons I’ve faced.”
The cleric takes a step forward and points his sceptre at the angel. “I wanted to say the exact same thing to you, Hadriel, First Descendant of the Seraphim. The Seraphim are vengeful beings. They prefer to kill something with fire than to reason in peace, so you can lose the whole holy act around your persona.”
To make sure he doesn't turn the whole tower into an environment so hot it would feel like the flames of hell closing in on them, the others join the conversation less aggressively.
“What he is saying”, Oslando quickly adds, “is that we have some questions about this quest.”
Before he can continue, Hadriel immediately cuts him off. “I know you all have questions and I can answer them, right after you hand me the Enochian Crystals. I kindly remind you that you are in no position to make any kind of demands. You are on a divine mission. You must complete your task now.”
He makes the same hand gesture, bidding them to obey.
“Can you explain how and why the souls of people we knew are trapped within them? Why are they tailored to torment us?”
He falls silent for a few seconds, keeping a stern face while it feels like he’s looking deep into everyone’s soul at the same time.
“Their souls have tied you into the prophecies I spoke off. It was a sacrifice that was intertwined with their existence, written before they were even born. It was beyond my power to save them if I wanted to. They were captured by these crystals when they passed to the other side. To intervene with this is to go directly against what my masters believe is right and holy. And now they serve the heavenly purpose of fueling the Enochian Mirror, a paramount role for a mortal soul to play. They accepted this fate and I can guarantee they will be blessed for eternity.”
They don’t respond the way he hoped they would, still hesitant to hand over the souls without really knowing what will happen.
“The halfling said he was praying for salvation for the terrible things he has done. He said he brought me back from the dead. Why do you need a rotten soul like that? He wasn’t worth saving. He wasn’t even literally dying, only figuratively and he deserved that.” Mero’s words are harsh and sincere.
“And the souls of innocent children?” Bruq’s voice is excessively loud, fueled by emotions. His eyes have turned black and his face shows all the anger he’s been repressing.
“Elaith was alive when I left home to come to you. You knew it was going to happen and you needed me here to prevent me from stopping the gnolls.”
“And what exactly do you mean with ‘fueling’? We know the mirror works as a portal as well. Are these souls just a power source to create a gateway to somewhere? Are they sacrificed for this?” Lyssa sounds as if she has been betrayed, even though she doesn’t give a damn about the soul of captain Valos.
(Intelligence 19)
“Oh, I see now.” Dargothoth chuckles and he shakes his head with an evil smile across his face. “That’s why the cultists took it. It’s a portal to Abaddon. It was never yours to begin with and now your masters want it? I guess they want to politely discuss the eternal conflicts with the archdemons, don’t they? And with us collecting both innocent and twisted souls to create a portal that’s powerful enough, you don’t need to get your divine hands dirty.”
The temperature drops and the light dims.
“It is of no concern to feeble-minded mortals what the archangels of the Silver Circle have planned for Abaddon or any world for that matter. They are the law and pureness all should live by and if they would tell you the inhabitants of Abaddon are unworthy, you all should wish they were killed yesterday rather than tomorrow. You are a grain of sand passing through the hourglass that tells the time of this war. You will not stand in my way. Now give me the crystals!”
Oslando walks up to Dargothoth, standing next to him and close to Hadriel.
“I don’t believe this is just. No innocent beings can be sacrificed for a greater good, a questionable greater good, I might add.”
The draconian smiles and looks to his right.
“The insolence! The heresy! You have gone way beyond what any merciful creature would to tolerate. To have this worshipper of a fake god speak against me is no surprise, but a righteous person like you! He has clouded your minds with occult magic!”
Oslando shakes his head.
“No, he hasn’t. You have done that and that was a big mistake.” He looks over to the priest. “I have no objections anymore to adding him to your list.”
“Great.” Dargothoth smiles and tightens his grip around his weapon. The sapphire glows red with the blood of creatures yet to flow.