The Shadow King Returns (First Person — Present Day)
The earth split like a broken jaw. Fire hissed, shadows peeled back, and I stepped out into the world again.
For the first time in a century, I breathed air that wasn't soaked in ash and brimstone. I closed my eyes, inhaling deep, the night wind brushing over my skin. Cool. Sweet. Alive.
"Ahhh," I sighed, spreading my arms as if the whole world were mine again. "How refreshing. So clean. So sharp. Not like that rotting stench of sulfur and burnt bones down below. No more chains, no more smoke choking my lungs. It feels… good to be back."
Behind me, the ground shook as my soldiers rose one by one. Wolves forged in fire and darkness, their bodies scarred with the mark of the Underworld. Loyal. Mine.
Tagan, my general, stepped forward. He dropped to one knee, head bowed, his voice gravelly with reverence.
"My King… what is the next step?"
I tilted my head, a grin tugging at my mouth. "What do you mean, Tagan?"
