The story of Diablo 4 continues soon with the second expansion, Lords of Hatred. The archvillain Mephisto returns, but this time in the form of Akarat. But who is that anyway?
Who is Akarat? Akarat was born in Xiansai. This is a place in the far north of Sankturio that has not been explored in any Diablo game so far. His mother is from Nahantu, but had to flee with many residents after Mephisto had contaminated the land with his hatred.
As a child, Akarat also had to flee after his village was attacked by demons. He eventually joined an order that focused on meditation and peace. Like a monk order, they renounced material goods. One day, Akarat witnessed a light event, supposedly attributed to the angel Yaerius. He allegedly declared Akarat to be a prophet who would spread the teachings of light.
It is not entirely clear if that really happened or if Akarat actually saw something entirely different. However, Akarat embarked on a journey to preach the light that is said to slumber in people in order to renounce evil.
Akarat in Nahantu
How did Akarat become a prophet? After his alleged revelation, Akarat set out on a pilgrimage to Kehjistan. With him was his childhood friend Ysevete as his first follower. He spread his teachings of light and gathered followers.
One day, his path took him to Nahantu, a land corrupted by Mephisto’s hatred. There they encountered the Umbaru Tusega, who helped them against the monsters. After Akarat and his companions helped Tusega find his dead brother, Tusega joined Akarat’s group. Akarat had a new goal: he wanted to destroy Mephisto’s influence.
For that, they sought a seed of hatred, which Akarat was indeed able to cleanse. Afterward, they sought the other seeds of hatred and freed the land from corruption. Akarat’s deeds spread, and he gained new followers. One day he found the spirit world in Nahantu.
He also taught his followers to travel there, and they explored this world. This knowledge led to the development of the Spiritborn, the new class from the expansion Vessel of Hatred for Diablo 4. While Akarat and his followers were dealing with the spirit world, hatred returned to infect Nahantu again.
Akarat realized, thanks to the spirit guardian Ah Bulan, that he had a mission: he must destroy Mephisto, the source of corruption. Otherwise, Nahantu cannot be freed. Without telling his followers, he entered the jungle of the land.
The confrontation with Mephisto
How did the fight between Mephisto and Akarat go? On his journey to destroy the seeds of hatred, Akarat found a cave. There he found the avatar of Mephisto, a bloody wolf. You can also see him in Diablo 4. Ysevete, who secretly followed Akarat, felt indescribable pain just from the words of Mephisto.
A battle began between Akarat and Mephisto’s avatar. Akarat fought fiercely but also realized that he could not defeat him, an immortal being, in battle. He outsmarted him. Akarat let himself be bitten by him and released the light within himself. Mephisto had never felt such pain before. His avatar was destroyed, but Akarat died.
Ysevete brought Akarat’s body to a place of light that he and his followers had built. There he was buried so that his body could not be corrupted. His followers spread Akarat’s teachings in stories and other works. Ysevete founded the Spiritborn. Akarat himself appeared in the spirit world in the form of a lion, whom players can encounter.
The order of Zakrum, the church of light, is also based on Akarat’s teachings. Akarat never intended to found an order or a religion. Thus, the paladins are also based on Akarat’s teachings, even if the Zakrum order often leads to fanaticism and other extremes.
The unpleasant return
of Akarat
How does Akarat return in the next expansion? In the first expansion of Diablo 4, players meet Eru. He wants to help us free Neyrelle. But ultimately, Eru betrays the player and Neyrelle. He has made a pact with Mephisto to protect Nahantu.
Eru takes Mephisto’s soulstone and Akarat’s body. After the boss battle against Mephisto, you will see Akarat being revived. But not as himself, rather possessed by Mephisto.
As seen in a trailer for the upcoming expansion Lords of Hatred (Source: YouTube), Mephisto now tries to corrupt the world of Sankturio definitively with his hatred as the false prophet Arakat. Thus, he acts against the actual teachings of Arakat.
The prophet of light has ultimately become what he actually wanted to destroy. How dangerous Mephisto will be in the new expansion was already shown by Blizzard in a new video: New video shows how dangerous the big boss in Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred really will be, just as dark as one would expect
Your opinion is important to us!
Do you like the article? Then let us know!