The last thing Valerius remembered was the light—a blinding, holy white light that pierced his chest from the sword of the seven heroes. After that, there was only darkness and the cold embrace of nothingness for a thousand years. But now, he heard a sound. A faint drip of water. Tuk. Tuk. Tuk.
Valerius slowly opened his eyes. It wasn't the red sky of his former kingdom, Infernum, that greeted him. Instead, he found himself inside a ruined altar, covered in thick dust and vines. His body, once ablaze with dark fire, was now frail and looked like an ordinary human.
"Where... am I?" his voice was hoarse, as if unused for a long time.
He struggled to rise. Every movement hurt. At his feet, he saw a broken mirror. The former Demon Lord, feared by the whole world, was now a man with pale skin, long black hair, and gray eyes—the red glow of his power gone.
"A thousand years," he whispered to himself, feeling the weak flow of mana around him. The world had changed. He no longer smelled the stench of blood and brimstone in the air. Instead, he smelled fresh grass and wet earth.
He was about to exit the ruin when he heard footsteps. He quickly hid behind a large pillar.
"Are you sure, Kael? They say this place is cursed," a woman's voice said.
"Don't be afraid, Lira. The old texts say this is where the Demon Lord's remains were last seen. If we get even a piece of his gear, we'll be rich in the capital!" a man replied.
Valerius peeked. Two young adventurers entered the altar. They wore iron gear that looked low-grade to the former lord's eyes. Valerius noticed their medallions. They bore the mark of the seven stars—the symbol of the families that killed him.
A fierce hatred awoke in his cold heart. Though he wasn't as strong as before, his knowledge of the Dark Arts remained. Valerius raised his trembling hand and whispered an ancient incantation.
"Shadow Bind."
Suddenly, shadows on the floor stretched like chains and bound the adventurers' legs.
"What is this?! Kael, help!" the woman shouted.
Valerius emerged from the darkness. His aura, though weak, was enough to make the strangers' knees tremble. He looked straight into their eyes.
"Tell me," Valerius began walking closer, each step like the sound of death. "Who rules this world now?"
The Demon Lord had returned, and his vengeance would begin in a world that had forgotten his name.