1 Preface: An Awakening

Two guards stand alone in front of a small wooden door. It was a door that had never opened in either man's lifetime. They chatted in a bored manner, disregarding the dark that surrounded them. That dark was the blackness of a cave, broken only by the light of mounted torches slowly losing the fight against the depth's darkness. This was the worst duty that existed in the royal library and museum. That is, to guard the door that never opens. New guards were told tales of an evil that lurked beyond the door. They were told that it was the same evil that the priests warned of on feast days. But, two veterans knew these to be foolish stories for the uninitiated.

A soft creak from that door froze both men. They turned to see the door that never opens swing open in spite of the strong lock on it. In the open doorway they saw an old man wearing a dusty white robe staring at them. Their panicked eyes deceived them and a closer look made them realize that the man was not old. He was merely weary, hungry, thirsty, and coated in dust.

"Ah, I see that my home has been trespassed." The man spoke in a dry tone with a voice that still rolled with the life of a gentle brook. The calm energy in his voice sparked confusion in the guards due to the stark contrast of the voice and the man's appearance.

Both guards stepped back. Jim placed his hand on his sword's hilt while Gregory dropped his spear down defensively.

"Who are you?" That is the door to the devil. It leads to the eternal grave of the Night Lord's chosen firstborn." Jim's voice barked at first, but quieted to a whisper by the end.

The young man with old eyes smiled, "I have given a warning and will not do so again. Good day."

Gregory felt sweat drip down his nose and his hands trembled at the man's words. He looked into the aged eyes of the man and knew fear. Gregory took a half step back as the man took a step towards him. However, Jim launched himself forward with a choked yell. Jim moved while drawing his blade, but the blade never left its sheath. The middle-aged man caught the hilt with one hand and stabbed Jim's side knife into Jim's throat. Gregory froze staring into the haunted eyes of the devil.

Gregory's chest tightened as his eyes widened in disbelief. No one could move that fast. The tip of his spear scraped the stone as his arms sunk in hopelessness. He watched in silent horror as his friend's legs gave way. As Jim died, Gregory was overwhelmed with despair, and he began to speak of stories that he had been taught as a child.

"They tell stories of you. The leader of the demons that were locked away. The undying that waits below. Your worshipers have been hunted to exile. You were bound by our Eternal Emperor. Sealed into a great cage that would hold you until the end of time. It was always said that the Empire prepared for the glorious battle where we would lead a charge against the minions of darkness to wipe out the last of your evil. Only the darkest whispers told of your eventual rise.

"They say that you are the enemy of our way of life. That you seek to undo our Empire of light. The priests speak of yearly sacrifice keeping us safe. I attended the slaughtering of a cow and bathed in its blood in honest prayer. I prayed that you would stay locked away. That you and your agents would never return to this would. The priests claimed that you would stay locked away."

The man who had seen far too much watched Gregory make his speech with eyes that held pain floating on the surface of an eternal ocean of agony.

"Three times my oldest friend and only living enemy has made a move against me. Twice his attempts have failed. However, this is a new weapon that he has made. If he wishes to name me devil, then I will be one. It is closer to the truth than I would like. Your death is not your fault. Greater men than you have fallen to me.

"Will you destroy the world?"

"I will do what I must." The man's dry voice was resolute, but his face was tinged with sadness

In the darkness, in the depths of an old, dusty mausoleum a clattering faded in the flickering light as Gregory choked on his last breath.

The devil will break free from his prison. He will rise to shatter the monuments of greatness.

– Tome of the glorious first emperor.

The sacred Guardian, chosen among the sacred lords of time, will fall to be bound by undying chains. Evil will seek to extinguish the light of our world. A solitary invader will breach the wall of our home, he will come with sadness to break humanity.

-The seventh holy prophet