In the middle of the burning town of Oakhaven, a figure emerged through the smoke. Sir Alistair, the "Golden Shield" of the church. His armor shimmered with holy light, a stark contrast to Valerius's obsidian aura.
""Halt, demon!""Alistair roared, raising his blessed warhammer. "In the name of the Seven Heroes,""I shall cast you back to the abyss!""
Valerius smirked. In a flash, their powers collided. The ground beneath them shattered. But Alistair's "holy" strength was like a candle flickering against a hurricane. With his claws, Valerius's hand pierced through the Paladin's steel plate straight into his chest.
Slowly, Alistair felt Valerius's cold fingers pinching his heart while it was still beating.
""Your gods are deaf, Alistair,""Valerius whispered into the dying paladin's ear. ""And your heart... is as riddled with sin as the people you protect.""
One powerful squeeze, and the sound of bursting flesh was the last thing heard in the plaza. The Golden Shield became nothing more than a bloody ornament on the ground. Valerius took the paladin's head and held it high before his army of the dead.
""Next... the Capital,"" he declared.
As Valerius walked down the corpse-strewn road, a familiar scent caught his nostrils the scent of wind magic. Atop the tower of Oakhaven stood Lady Seraphina, the Gale Archer and one of the "Seven Heroes" who had betrayed him.
""Valerius! You shouldn't be here!"" Seraphina screamed, her voice trembling with fear despite holding a bow made of pure gold. She unleashed a thousand wind arrows like lightning strikes raining from the sky.
But Valerius was no longer the merciful Demon Lord of the past. With a flick of his wrist, the blood on the ground rose and formed a massive shield. The arrows pierced the blood but turned to ash before they could touch his skin.
""Seraphina,"" Valerius whispered, yet the woman heard it like thunder inside her mind. ""I remember your laughter as you stabbed my back. Now, let me see your tears.""
Before the Archer could move, her own shadow turned into chains. It dragged her down from the tower, slamming her at Valerius's feet. Without ceremony, Valerius took her golden bow and snapped it like a toothpick.
""Please... have mercy,"" Seraphina begged, blood flowing from her shattered leg.
""Mercy is for the weak,"" Valerius replied.""And traitors... are for my ravens.""
Before he could even finish speaking, ravens made of black fire began tearing at Seraphina's flesh while she was still alive. Her screams served as music to the Demon Lord's ears as he continued his march toward the Capital.