“Just as Tathamet was all evil, so Anu was all good. Some say that the Crystal Arch is a remnant of this great warrior.”
- Tyrael
Anu, as legend has it, was the first being in Creation. He fought a battle with Tathamet, the Supreme Evil, which led to the death of both of them and the creation of Heaven and Hell, angels and demons.
Dawn:
The Skatsim sage, Lam Esen wrote that at the beginning of time there was a single, magnificent pearl, in which Anu resided. Anu was the sum of all: good and evil, light and darkness, physical and mystical, joy and sadness - all reflected in his crystalline form. During his eternal sleep, Anu emerged, who was a being embodying all aspects. Seeking a state of complete purity and perfection, Anu erased all evil from himself. Every discord disappeared… for a time. The aspects of evil that Anu rejected took the form of Tathamet, the first Supreme Evil. Although they were separate entities, they were still bound by a spiritual bond. They began to wage an endless war of light and darkness for countless eons, unable to tip the scales of victory in favor of one side. Eventually, their powers allowed them to deliver the final blow. The energy dormant in both caused an explosion of light and matter so great that it gave birth to the universe.
Legacy:
According to sources, Anu moved to a dimension beyond the universe, to a paradise where nothing was certain. Despite this, as is known, he left his legacy in the universe. The Eye of Anu, later known as the World Stone, remained at the center of Creation as the foundation of all places, times, and possibilities. Anu’s spine shot into the depths of the primordial darkness where it gradually slowed and cooled. After many years, it transformed into the Crystal Arch, around which the High Heavens gained their shape and form. It was from this Arc that the angels were born.
The existence of Anu is known to some people, but their interpretations of the legend of the beginning of the universe vary - some, especially in more primitive cultures, see the legend of Anu as absolutely true. Other scholars and mystics see the tale as a complex metaphor for good and evil and a constant, endless struggle fueled by the forces of nature. It is worth noting that for many scholars the archangels of the Angiris Council are living embodiments of the virtues of Anu. Although many of these aspects have been altered by the angels, Imperius, Tyrael, Auriel, Itherael and Malthael represent (or represented) the virtues of Anu such as courage, justice, hope, fate and wisdom.
Some believe that the Great Rogar Stone was created from the crystallized blood of Anu.
Zoltun Kull claimed that humans, not angels, were the true descendants of Anu, because when Anu cast his darker self away, true evil and suffering were born. In his thinking, opposed to Anu’s path, humanity had to tame its inner demons to become something much stronger.
The Ring of Oculus refers to the “one god” in Diablo III. This is likely a reference to Anu.