For a thousand years, silence shrouded the Abyssal Throne. But tonight, the earth trembles. The rituals of the devotees have finally borne fruit. In the center of a pentagram drawn in fresh blood, a hand as black as coal clawed its way out of hell.
Valerius, the former Demon Lord who was betrayed by the seven "Heroes," has returned. He did not return for peace; he returned to reclaim every drop of blood stolen from him. The air turned into the scent of iron and sulfur. His first breath upon the surface world caused every plant within a ten-mile radius to wither instantly.
""Where are they?""Valerius whispered. His voice sounded like the grinding of two massive boulders.""Where are the cowards they called saviors?""
A knight attempted to approach, his sword shaking in his grip. In the blink of an eye, Valerius needed no weapon. With his left hand, he gripped the knight's face and watched it liquefy until it turned to ash. No screams. No mercy. Only the sound of falling steel.
Valerius walked out of the collapsing cathedral, every step leaving a scorched imprint on the earth. Before him lay the town of Oakhaven a peaceful settlement built atop the ruins of his former kingdom. People were screaming, not in joy, but in sheer terror of the black shadow eclipsing the moon.
A group of High Mages blocked his path.""Back to the abyss, monster!""Their leader shouted, unleashing a massive fireball.
Valerius didn't even blink. He tore the flames apart with his bare hands. In a blur of motion, he appeared behind the mage. He gripped the man's spine and slowly pulled upward until the bones snapped a crisp decoupling of flesh and life. Blood splattered across his face, and instead of disgust, he licked it with a grin.
""The taste of fear,""he uttered as the corpse slumped to the ground like a wet sack of rags. ""It is even sweeter than I remember.""
In an instant, Valerius raised his hand. The fallen soldiers nearby began to rise, their eyes glowing with pure black energy. His army of the dead was ready to feast.