The journey to the heart of the continent was not easy. With the Ring of Despair, Valerius managed to walk among townspeople unnoticed, using a magic that made him look like an ordinary old traveler. But his mission was far from ordinary: the Hero's Sanctuary.
To the world, it was a holy temple where the spirits of fallen Heroes resided. But to Malphas and Valerius, it was a suffocating prison built atop a Mana Spring to drain the power of those imprisoned within.
"Lord, the Sanctuary is guarded by the Order of the Silver Shield," Malphas whispered as he flew above a steep ravine. "They are the finest paladins of the Union of Light. And worse... the entire area is covered by an Anti-Magic Field."
Valerius stopped before a massive fortress made of white stone that seemed to glow under the moon. The fortress stood in the middle of a lake, and the only path was a long bridge guarded by dozens of soldiers.
"Anti-magic field," Valerius repeated with sarcasm. "An invention of those who fear what they don't understand. But their field is based on Holy Mana. It can't contain pure darkness."
Valerius touched his ring. Instead of using brute force, he chose a stealthier approach. He slowly submerged himself into the lake's water. The water was cold, but Valerius didn't mind. Using his power, he enveloped himself in a thin layer of shadow that blended with the water.
Under the fortress, he found an old water drain—the prison's sewage system. It stank, but it was his only way to avoid the guards above.
Inside, the Sanctuary's aura began to weigh him down. Valerius felt every fiber of his power being drained by the walls.
"He's here," Valerius said. "I feel his anger."
In the deepest part of the prison, in a cell chained with golden shackles, was a red-haired woman with long horns. She was Ignis, the Fire General. Her body was covered in wounds that wouldn't heal due to the holy magic of the chains.
"Who's there?" Ignis' voice was hoarse and weak, but still fierce. "If you're another priest here to beg me to repent, you'd do better to just kill me."
Valerius emerged from the shadows. He removed his hood, revealing his glowing red eyes.
"Is this how you greet your king, Ignis?"
The female general froze. Her eyes widened, and her body trembled in shock.
"L-lord? Valerius? Impossible... I saw you disappear before my eyes!"
"Darkness doesn't die, Ignis. It only rests," Valerius replied.
He approached the chains. As he touched the gold, his skin began to smoke. The Anti-Magic Field was trying to crush his aura. But Valerius didn't let go. He forced the power of the Ring of Despair to bend the steel.
"ARGH!" Valerius shouted as his hands burned.
With a mighty pull, the holy chains broke. Ignis fell to the ground, caught by Valerius.
As they touched, part of Ignis' strength flowed back to Valerius, and Valerius' power revived the dying flames of Ignis.
But breaking the chains triggered a loud alarm throughout the Sanctuary.
"THE PRISONERS! SOMETHING'S BREAKING IN!" the guards above shouted.
"Lord, we need to leave!" Malphas warned, reappearing in human form. "The High Paladins are coming!"
Valerius looked at Ignis, now slowly standing, her hands beginning to blaze with blue flames.
"Ignis, can you fight?"
A terrifying smile spread across the general's face.
"For you, Lord... I'll burn this whole world."
"Not the world," Valerius corrected, facing the door where the paladins would enter. "Let's start with this church."