The massive stone guardian of the Shrine of Evil got down on one knee, saluted Val and declared, “I welcome this era’s Devil God!”
Val’s heart pounded in his chest as he observed this scene. He was a little overwhelmed to see a being as powerful as Gruul kneel before him. Still, he managed to maintain his composed exterior while internally his mind swirled with various thoughts about his newfound status and the responsibilities and troubles that it entailed.
“Rise,” Val commanded, his voice echoing in the vastness of the Shrine of Evil.
At his words, Gruul swiftly rose to its feet, the sheer power emanating from it making the air in the shrine even more oppressive, and now, that power was at Val’s disposal!
Despite his Emotional Impairment Trait, he couldn’t help but feel excited.
“So, what’s the next step for me to officially assume the title of Devil God?” Val asked, his eyes scanning Gruul’s massive form.
“All you have to do is sit on the Throne of Bones,” Gruul replied, its gaze shifting to the grim, skeletal chair in the heart of the shrine.
Gruul might seem calm on the outside, but his thoughts were in turmoil, the earth-shaking implications of what he had just realized sweeping through his mind like a whirlwind.
The Hellish Fire that Val wielded wasn’t a naturally occurring flame; it was a power far more ancient and potent, one that held the breath of a primordial creature birthed in the cosmic forge of love between two vastly different but immensely powerful entities.
The Empress of Void, a being that epitomized the essence of the Void itself, and the Demonic Dragon, a creature whose existence echoed with the raw and unbridled power of primeval times, had once intertwined their destinies. The union of these two incredible beings, born from a love as wild and untamed as the universe itself, gave birth to a unique existence that walked the line between two worlds—the Draconic Voidwalker.
The Draconic Voidwalker was a being of unparalleled power and mystery. Straddling the line between the physical and the metaphysical, it bore the traits of their two distinctive lineages.
It held the dominion over the unfathomable depths of the Void from its mother, the Empress, and the ferocious might and fire of the Demonic Dragons from its father.
And it was the breath of these Draconic Voidwalkers, the Hellish Fire, that Val had unknowingly summoned. This was not a simple flame but a power that could incinerate all matter, even bypassing physical defenses to target the soul directly. It was an ability only those with the blood of the Draconic Voidwalker could use.
This revelation left Gruul in awe.
The blood of the Draconic Voidwalker flowed in Val’s veins, linking him to a lineage of power and nobility beyond comprehension. It was this link, this unbroken chain of ancestry that reached back to the cosmic dance of the Empress of Void and the Demonic Dragon, that marked Val as a worthy candidate for the mantle of the Devil God. 𝑜𝑣𝓛xt.𝗇𝓔t
Gruul’s gaze, filled with newfound respect and awe, followed Val as he prepared to undertake the final step to claim his inheritance.
All the young man had to do was sit on the Throne of Bones, and he would ascend to the rank of Gods, becoming a Devil God!
With determined steps, Val moved towards the imposing Throne of Bones, the very seat of the Devil God. Each footfall echoed ominously around the shrine, as if the ancient halls themselves were bearing witness to this historic moment. He reached the throne and without hesitation, sat upon it.
As soon as Val’s body made contact with the throne, a flood of system notifications resounded in his mind, every word underscoring the significance of his new status.
[System Notification: Congratulations, Val! You have assumed the role of the Devil God. The ancient powers of the Devil God now reside within you.]
[System Notification: The ‘Corpse Sacrifice’ skill has now become available. You can now sacrifice the fresh corpses of the deceased to gain power to create undead.]
[System Notification: Your current level permits you to create and command up to 1000 undead.]
[System Notification: As the Devil God, you have gained control over the Shrine of Evil. You can now allow or restrict entry to the shrine at will.]
[System Notification: The Shrine of Evil is now your property. Control and protect this ancient place of power as you see fit.]
“Well, seems like I’ve graduated from being just a wanderer. I’m the Devil God now.” Val leaned back in his throne, his eyes gleaming with a profound thought. “I may have the power to create an undead legion, but that doesn’t mean I’ve one at my command yet. I’ll need to earn that, build it. Only hardwork will get me far in this world.”
Val could be seen looking at Gruul from the throne as he asked, “You said you’re the guardian of the shrine. What have you been protecting it from?”
Gruul’s stony gaze met Val’s as he began to speak. “Over the ages, the Shrine of Evil has attracted countless power-seekers. All lured by the ancient power that dwells within, power that, in the wrong hands, can bring about cataclysmic imbalance in the order of things on which the universe runs. It has been coveted by power-hungry warlords, despotic kings, and even gods. They all desired the power of the Devil God, the ability to command the forces of evil. However, they all met their ends at this very sight, killed by the previous devil god and then by his loyal servants such as myself when the Devil God disappeared. All the skeletons you see here are the last traces of their beings.”
“Tell me more about the previous Devil God and the shrine,” Val said.
Gruul replied, “The previous Devil God was Morkus. He was a being of incredible might and unmatched cunning. He unearthed and harnessed the raw essence of evil that was within the shrine, using it not for destruction, but for balance. Evil, after all, is but a part of the grand cosmic scale. Yet, he knew that such power, if misused, could tip the balance into chaos or order. He never used it for reason beyond comprehension.”