Valerius remained staring at the black raven. Its purple eyes reminded him of his trusted spy during the war—the Nightseekers.
"A familiar voice," Valerius said as he slowly raised his hand. "Malphas? Is that you?"
The raven descended from the branch and in an instant, it was enveloped in dark smoke. The bird's form changed until it became a small, slender man with long silver hair, wearing a tattered black robe. He knelt before Valerius, his forehead touching the dry ground.
"Lord! You're alive!" the man's voice was full of emotion. "I am your servant, Malphas. I've waited for thousands of years... hiding in the shadows, hoping to feel your presence again."
Valerius examined his general. His form was far from its former strength.
"Where are the others? Where is my army?"
Malphas' shoulders slumped. "They're gone, Lord. When Infernum fell, the Union of Light pursued us to the ends of the world. Some were killed, others imprisoned in the Hero's Sanctuary. I'm the only one left to guard this ruin."
Valerius ginned his teeth. His fists clenched in anger.
"Hero's Sanctuary... the seal I saw on the map. Is that where they took my generals?"
"Yes, Lord. That's where they imprisoned the 'monsters' they couldn't kill. But be careful," Malphas warned. "Your power is not enough. The current 'Heroes' are protected by the holy blessing of the church."
"I don't need a reminder of my weakness," Valerius replied coldly. "For now, we need to find shelter. Oakhaven... that's the closest town."
"But your appearance, Lord..." Malphas said, looking at Valerius' pale skin and eyes that occasionally glowed red. "People in this era fear any trace of darkness."
"That's why we have a cloak," Valerius said, pulling up the hood to cover his face. "And you, return to raven form. Don't make a sound unless there's danger."
As they approached Oakhaven, the surroundings gradually changed. The dense forest gave way to a well-maintained road. They saw horse-drawn carriages and farmers working in the fields. To the people, Valerius was just a strange traveler or a humble adventurer.
At the town entrance, a large arch loomed before them with the symbol of the sun—the mark of the Union of Light. Valerius' hand trembled slightly as he passed it, as if the symbol was burning his skin.
They entered a small tavern called The Rusty Tankard to gather information. Inside, it was noisy. People were discussing the upcoming celebration for the arrival of a "Holy Knight" from the capital.
Valerius sat in a dark corner. He placed the silver coin he took from Kael on the table.
"Bring me ale," he ordered the waitress.
As he waited, he overheard a conversation from the next table.
"Did you hear? Some thieves broke into the Forbidden Altar earlier. Survivors say some evil spirit was awakened," a man said.
"Nonsense," another replied. "The Demon Lord has been ashes for a long time. The only danger now is the rising church taxes."
Valerius smiled under his hood. Ashes? If only they knew the ashes they're talking about are currently drinking beside them.
But suddenly, the entire tavern fell silent. The door opened and a group of soldiers in white armor entered. In their midst was a young woman with golden hair, carrying a small crystal orb emitting white light.
"Apologies for the interruption," the woman said, her voice gentle but full of authority. "We're from the Inquisitor's Office. We've detected traces of Miasma or dark magic around this town. We need to examine each of you."
The people whispered, showing fear. The woman raised her crystal. It was a Soul Scanner—a device that could determine if a being was human or a demon.
Valerius felt his heart beating fast. At 1% power, his ability to hide his aura was limited.
"Lord, we need to leave," the raven whispered from outside the window.
Too late. The female Knight was already looking at the dark corner where Valerius was. The crystal orb began to glow purple—the color of warning.
"You," the woman called, slowly grasping her sword's hilt. "Raise your hood. Show me your face."
Valerius looked up. His eyes glowed dark red in the shadows.
You want the truth? he thought. I'll give you the truth you've been fearing.