The wind howled through the ruined valley, carrying the scent of death and decay. Dark clouds churned overhead, blotting out the moon's silver glow. The ground beneath was scorched and cracked, a battlefield long abandoned but never forgotten.
A lone figure strode forward, his black cloak billowing behind him. His footsteps were silent despite the jagged rocks beneath. His presence alone carried a weight that sent shivers through the spines of those who dared to watch from the shadows.
Kol Vaelros had returned.
Once feared as the scourge of the realms, his name was now whispered as a warning—a reminder of what happens when power consumes a man. His piercing golden eyes glowed faintly under the hood of his cloak, scanning the ruined landscape.
The remnants of a once-great kingdom lay before him. This was where it had all begun. The place where he had once fought, bled, and lost everything.
His fingers curled into fists. His body ached with the weight of memories, but he shoved them down. He was not here to mourn the past. He was here to reclaim what was his.
A distant sound caught his attention—footsteps, deliberate and heavy. He turned slowly, eyes narrowing. From the darkness, a group of figures emerged, their weapons drawn and their faces etched with caution. Hunters.
"Kol Vaelros," one of them spoke, his voice steady but edged with fear. "You've been gone for years. Why return now?"
Kol tilted his head, a smirk forming on his lips. "To finish what I started."
The hunters shifted, gripping their weapons tighter. Kol could feel their fear, taste it in the air. It was almost amusing.
One of them lunged forward, aiming to strike. Kol barely moved—his hand shot out, gripping the hunter's throat in an instant. The man gasped, struggling against an impossible force.
"You should've run," Kol whispered before tightening his grip. A sickening snap echoed in the silent night. The hunter's lifeless body crumpled to the ground.
The others hesitated. They knew now—this was no ordinary battle. This was a reckoning.
Kol took a step forward, his aura flaring like a black flame, swallowing the light around him.
"Who's next?"