When Lucas awoke, the world was sharper. He could see through walls of lies, hear whispers behind closed doors. Malgros stirred inside him, always present, always hungry.
"You will give me blood," the demon whispered.
"Only theirs," Lucas replied.
The Ashen Veil was not a myth. They controlled Eastbridge from the shadows: judges, priests, doctors—pillars of the community who bathed in demonic gifts. Their power was immense, but Lucas had become something worse.
The first to fall was Dr. Vernes, a man who stitched smiles on corpses for ritual displays. Lucas found him in his mansion, surrounded by relics and half-formed golems.
"Your sins call to me," Malgros growled through Lucas's mouth.
Vernes had time to scream before the walls melted.