text: [Themes: fantasy, fantasy]
  
  That's the last thing you do before passing. Between your shuttered eyes you can make out one last thing.
  
  An even bigger smile on Lars' face.
  
  The next time you wake up your chained in darkness. You can still reach around a fair bit and waste no time exploring your surroundings by touch. When you get to your face you find it hastily wrapped in gauze and bandages. You shallow and taste dried up blood sticking to your mouth like honey. You really need a drink. With nobody around you start banging your chains against the ground. It makes a loud rattling sound that will surely attract anyone close by.
  
  Nothing. Wherever you are nobody is here. Although, you assume Lars will be back soon. That is, unless he was killed as raving mad men often are. As you sit here hungry, tired, and thirsty you rack your mind trying to remember anything that can help you. Your head pounds with each thought, it feels like a hangover but a 100 time worse. Getting whack in the head may have some long-lasting effect on your mental capabilities.
  
  After a few minutes of fruitless concentration, it hits you. The thing that got you into this mess is what will get you out; Catia. While the alcohol has mostly worn off, your injuries have left you in a susceptible state. Assuming she wasn't lying when she said she would meet you again, she should be able to get you out of this mess. You can't believe you need a demon to rescue you, but you have no choice.
  
  "Catia," you whisper.
  
  A few seconds pass and despair creeps in. Just before you lose all hope a dark cloud appears in the room. It dispels a nauseous fume that ferociously attacks your lungs. You start violently coughing more blood, mostly dry, as you vision blurs. Your eyes shut close and you feel your grip on reality slipping away.
  
  You awaken to find yourself in a metallic cage. This room is much brighter than the one before.
  
  "When I saw you chained I figured a cage would make you feel right at home."
  
  It's Catia and you're getting a very different vibe from her than last time. Your gut tells you to do what she says as you are powerless.
  
  "Now tell me, how come I wasn't the first one to put you in chains?" she says while licking her lips.
  
  "It's not like it was consensual. I was blindsided and nearly died."
  
  She gives you a playful smile and whispers in to your ear
  
  "Tell me everything and don't spare any details.
  
  Seeing as you don't have much of a choice you describe everything that's occurred since you last saw her. You don't withhold even the most irrelevant details.
  
  "It's nice to know you believe I exist. I know it's hard to believe someone this beautiful isn't a figment of your imagination."
  
  Her red eyes pierce into your mind, daring you to think otherwise.
  
  "So, what do you think we should do about Lars?" you ask.
  
  She starts laughing to herself.
  
  "What?"
  
  She walks towards your cage and reaches inside. She puts her hand on your chin and points your head upwards. She locks eyes with you and grins widely
  
  "You're going to kill the captain!"
  
  Later
  
  It took a lot less convincing that you thought it would. Something about Catia just makes you want to obey her, though this time around you didn't have much choice. She didn't give you a reason other than saying
  
  "Chaos sows the seeds of discontent."
  
  Which if you agree with this line of thinking, you are only helping the infernal realm by following Catia. Her influence is so strong you didn't consider any other option. Or maybe you just really want to fuck her. Either way, time to kill the captain.
  
  After releasing you from your cage, she offers to heal you with dark magic. You agree, as you can barely move let alone assassinate someone. What you didn't know is that another demon would be performing the ritual.
  
  "Why is a human stinking up the place?"
  
  "Mind your manners, Jirzan. Someone finally wants you for your magic and you treat them like this?"
  
  "Heh I guess you got a point. They don't call me Jirzan the Lunatic for nothing. Alright tell me what you need me to do."
  
  She whispers into his ear and is too quiet to understand. Though you make out words such as "transform" and painful.
  
  What exactly do they plan on doing to you? Perhaps you should try backing out of this whole ritual.
  
  > Back out
  "Hey uh guys, I don't know about this. I think it would be best if I just heal the natural way."
  
  Jirzan turns towards you and hisses.
  
  "You insolent fool! You dare turn the opportunity to become a demon, what else do you have going for you in life?"
  
  You instinctively start backing away as he gets angrier.
  
  "Is it my epithet 'Lunatic' that scares you? You humans disgust me. If that scares you I couldn't imagine what you'd think about the meaning of my first name."
  
  Well his epithet played a role, but dark magic frightens you more. Now you're curious about his first name and don't hesitate in asking him,
  
  "What does Jirzan mean?"
  
  He does a little dance and is excited to share,
  
  "Enslaver. My full name means translates to Enslaver the Lunatic. As a shorthand, 'Deranged Enslaver' works as well."
  
  He's known as an Enslaver? Kind of ironic seeing as he is doing Catia's bidding. How did he plan to enslave you with dark magic? Does dark magic break demonic rule or did he have no intent on subjugating you?
  
  "Were you planning to enslave me? How can you just do that, doesn't a deal have to be made?"
  
  "A deal? Why do you think I was banished to earth? I don't do deals and see no reason why I should. All I need is your consent to use dark magic and I can do whatever I want."
  
  Looks like you dodge a bullet. Although, you're still confused about this whole banishment to earth. You thought demons were mounting a full-scale invasion. You bring up your confusion and that only causes him to laugh at you.
  
  "You think I would be near humans willingly? The only reason I'm here is because dark magic is outlawed in hell. Demons tend to stray away from things they don't understand"
  
  "Same reason I'm here," adds Catia.
  
  If not here by free-will, what explains the siege of the capital? How would a bunch of misfits pose a threat to the elite empiric army? As you to reason through it, your brain aches with pain. Damn that hit from Lars got you good.
  
  "Well if he doesn't want to go through with the ritual then my work here is done," says Jirzan.
  
  "Not so fast!" says Catia.
  
  "Eh? Do you want me to kill him or something? I thought you could use the practice."
  
  Catia sighs and places her hand on hip whist saying,
  
  "What about instead of turning him into a demon we make him a Doom Knight? All you'd have to do is teach him a little dark magic and we should be all set."
  
  You don't even know what a Doom Knight is and still don't trust Jirzan to teach you.
  
  "You think this imbecile could handle learning the dark arts? You have truly gone mad! And to think, they call me the lunatic."
  
  "C'mon Zan, you owe me this. Backing out will only lead to more consequences down the road."
  
  This seems to shut him up real quick. He starts cursing as it becomes clear to you Catia has something he dearly wants.
  
  "Fine I'll do it, under two conditions. The first, I will need his full consent to do the initiation spell. Without it, there is no way he could become a Doom Knight. The second, you return Coyote back to me once I finish."
  
  Catia nods and agrees to his terms. She now turns to you and asks,
  
  "Any questions?"
  
  > What's a Doom Knight?
  You rack your brain and try to formulate some questions. Everything they've been saying kind of has blurred together. Though you do want to know what exactly a Doom Knight is.
  
  "Doom Knights are slayers of all things good and holy. Think of them as some sort of reverse paladin."
  
  You always thought paladins were self-righteous assholes. They claim to protect others from evil yet persecute the smallest of sins. Who knows, Doom Knights might be more to your liking.
  
  Other questions?
  
  > Why you?
  "I told you he would ask this!" says Jirzan.
  
  "We might as well tell him the truth, or he might not join," says Catia.
  
  "Go ahead, though you are putting a lot of trust in a meathead."
  
  Catia explains how if they wanted to, demons could conquer earth in minutes.
  
  "Why don't you then?" you ask.
  
  Catia pauses and starts speaking in a sad tone,
  
  "If we did, I could never return to my homeland. In the underworld, different dimensions are at constant war. When darkness fights darkness, brute strength does nothing. You must outsmart your opponent through trickery and manipulation. That's where you come in."
  
  She goes on to explain how banished demons are sent to lesser domains, such as earth, to earn redemption. Some demons are content with wreaking havoc, but others long for home. Take Jirzan for example, he couldn't care less about the underworld. He thrives of chaos and enslaves all weaker than him.
  
  "The only reason he's helping is because he has no choice," adds Catia.
  
  In Catia's case, she needs to others to do her own bidding to prove she does not have to relay on brute strength. Lucky for her, succubi are experts at having others do what they want. By having you kill the captain, she can prove just how capable she is.
  
  "Making Lars believe you are a demon, and constructing a fake deal with him, proves how I can bend reality to my whim," boasts Catia.
  
  Regardless of what you think of her motivations, it seems the only choice you have is to follow her.
  
  What else do you want to know?
  
  > What if you refuse?
  "You should ask Lars that question. Refuse to help and I'll take back mine. Your fate would be out of my hands," she says.
  
  This is a really sticky situation. You hate when you have choices stripped away from you.
  
  What else do you want to know?
  
  > Who's Coyote?
  "THAT IS OF NO CONCERN TO YOU!" screams Jirzan.
  
  Catia bites her lips, as if she wants to say something. A few more seconds past and it is clear none of them want to share this information with you.
  
  Moving on...
  
  > Are done questioning.
  Catia smiles and flicks her tail at you in excitement. Jirzan on the other hand is starting to lose patience.
  
  "If you have no more questions, we should begin immediately. Do you consent to me using dark magic to perform the Doom Knight ritual?"
  
  You hesitate, what is stopping him from going against his word? Catia senses your hesitation and points out,
  
  "There is no need to be scared. Whatever Jirzan could gain from enslaving you is not worth what he would lose from me. Plus, you have no choice anyway. It's either agree to the ritual or be sent back to Lars."
  
  You gulp and shake nervously thinking of the possibility.
  
  "Fine, I consent."
  
  With that out of the way Jirzan explains the plan. He will perform the doom ritual and you will do nothing. Any attempts at resistance could interfere with the ritual and have untold consequences. Stay still and focus on deep, calm breaths.
  
  You do as you're told and focus on controlled breathing. Jirzan begins to chant nonsensical phrases at a deafening tone. The ground starts shaking and your heart starts beating rapidly.
  
  "Alash Tad Al-Ash Tal Ashtu."
  
  The moment Jirzan finishes speaking everything goes black. You hear nothing, see nothing, and feel nothing.
  
  "D—on-----'t resis--t---" you hear a distorted voice say.
  
  Suddenly, a blinding light of darkness flashes before you. You didn't think such a thing existed, but a voice explains,
  
  "Behold, pure darkness! Conjured using the 5th edition of Dark Magic for Dummies and performed by yours truly."
  
  As the flash from darkness fades away you are greeted by a creature from your nightmares. It stands at twice your height, with unorthodox body proportions. Its arms drag on the floor as it walks. It's grayish in color and appears faceless. It starts speaking again despite not having a mouth,
  
  "Why have you come here mortal? What is it that you seek?"
  
  You explain your situation and how you were sent to become a Doom Knight. It responds with uncertainty,
  
  "You wish to become a Doom Knight? This is the first time a human has come for that purpose. For good reason too, the moral confines of humans make the process a death sentence."
  
  You react with contention,
  
  "I can't care about moral confines, I have no choice. The demon who sent me here will surely kill me if I fail. Is there nothing you can do?"
  
  "There is always something I can do. The only question is, can you live with the consequences?"
  
  You remain silent.
  
  "That isn't rhetorical by the way, do you believe you are capable of surviving? Despite feeling as if you have no choice, your morality still limits you. Hell, have you even killed someone before?"
  
  You continue your silence as you can't argue.
  
  "Look, I could always use more prophets of doom and it seems like you are set on going through with this. I could simply perform the incantation and hope for the best. However, if you don't want to take the risk, I'll transform you into a demon. Not a traditional demon, but one like a less powerful version of me. You'll lose your humanity, but you will be guaranteed to become a Doom Knight."
  
  Your skin crawls at the idea of looking like him. What choice do you have though, lest you want to risk everything?
  
  > lose your humanity
  "Turn me into a demon. If that's my only path to become a Doom Knight, then so be it."
  
  The creature seems happy about your response and begins the ritual. A purple hue begins to form around it. The hue expands until it reaches you. Your body goes limp and you start to float in the air. It feels like something is being taken from you.
  
  Your fingertips start to tingle. This feeling spreads through the rest of your body. You have no control over your body and remember what Jirzan told you,
  
  "Don't resist."
  
  You focus on your breathing and ignore everything else. An itching sensation spreads across your face breaking your concentration. The intensity increases as the ritual draws to a close.
  
  "Haha, it's working!"
  
  You gain some control over your body and stare at the creature. Then you stare at yourself, your arms have paled and begin to stretch out. Your back contorts as bones impale your flesh. Layers of skin form over your newly grown bones. As this is all happening your mind begins to slip...
  
  You forgot why you're here and what you're doing. You crave destruction and serve a purpose greater than yourself. The transformation is complete.
  
  "Holy shit I did it! I mean, you survived! Welcome to being a Doom Knight, I've infused your soul with dark magic, so it should come naturally."
  
  You stare back at this creature with a newfound kinship. This is your brother in destruction and chaos, you serve the same master and the same purpose.
  
  "I will embrace this new title and destroy all who get in my way," you say.
  
  The creature happily agrees and begins the process of sending you back to where you've came. He says a few words and you are enveloped by a dark mist. Instantaneous you find yourself in a room with two demons.
  
  "WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?" shouts Jirzan.
  
  "I don't know but it's abhorrent, and that's coming from a mistress of hell," Says Catia.
  
  "I am a Doom Knight, I bring despair and misery wherever I go."
  
  They look at you in shock as if a sudden realization has overcome them. You don't feel any sense of kinship towards either of them.
  
  "Well, it's safe to assume the ritual worked, I just didn't expect this," says Jirzan.
  
  "This was not the desired result and you know that. However, you can consider your debt repaid if you help me send him to Ashton," says Catia.
  
  Why does that word sound so familiar? You ignore any thoughts and familiarity and focus on your one goal: destruction.
  
  "I'll help you but then I'm done. Let's go, I'll begin the teleportation process."
  
  Jirzan snaps his fingers and you find yourself transported to a dirt road. You look around and see that this road leads to a city. You crave destruction and find yourself instinctively walking towards it. Your long, slender arms drag through dirt and scattered snow.
  
  "Not so fast! All you're supposed to do is kill the captain," says Catia.
  
  "Yes, I will kill him,"
  
  You continue marching to the city, Catia takes to the air to catch up with you.
  
  "We can't have people seeing you or they might alert the guards! Anyways, I want you to meet up with Lars first. We need him to think you've been a demon this whole time."
  
  You continue marching drowning out the sounds of Catia as you focus on razing this city to ash. She starts tugging on your arm trying to stop you. You ignore her as she realizes her efforts are futile.
  
  "Great, just great. How will I ever return home if I can't get a fucking human to follow my command."
  
  Jirzan comforts Catia and says,
  
  "This thing is no longer human. Its beyond our control and we need to move on."
  
  Catia and Jirzan start walking away but stay close enough to watch what you do. You reach the city walls and send a beam of pure darkness into it. It obliterates a ginormous portion of the wall, allowing you to easily walk through. Stepping into the city you feel a rush of déjà vu. Everything looks familiar but your craving for death and despair is too great to linger on it. People scream as you break into the nearest house.
  
  A family is cowered in the corner completely at your mercy. Another man stands with a sword and tells you,
  
  "Leave my family alone, monster! You won't kill them without killing me first."
  
  You're more than happy to oblige at least half this man's request. You raise your arms and slam them into him. The cracking of bone fills you with vigor.
  
  "Never tell a demon your thoughts and desires. Watch as I take everything dear to you."
  
  The man pleads through raspy breaths as you approach his family. It's a mother and her two daughters, you waste no time sending a beam of dark energy into the three of them. They die before having a chance to scream. You leave the man alive to suffer a slow, painful death. Your body courses with adrenaline as you find yourself surrounded.
  
  It's a group of about 15 armed guards armed with swords and shields. Their attempts at appearing composed are laughable. Every one of them fears you and you couldn't be happier. You decide to play around with them a bit,
  
  "Do not fear me humans. I will leave this city and never return."
  
  A few look all too happy to take you up on that, however one-man shouts,
  
  "We will smite all that is unholy! If we make an example out of you other demons will think twice before attacking Ashton!"
  
  What a brave attempt at defiance, too bad it is also insanely stupid. You conjure a cloud of acid and begin raining it down on them. The sound of burning fills your ears with joy. Some run away and the stupider ones attack. Swords pierce your flesh and you start to leak a yellowish fluid.
  
  "ONLY I KILL TODAY!" you scream.
  
  You flail your arms around breaking the bones of all you hit. Anyone who hasn't ran away are lying at your feet. You set their bodies ablaze and grin as they are turned to ash. The city's first line of protection didn't pose a threat. Nobody here can stop you as you set the entire city on fire. Many die and those who don't will forever be scarred by your presence. Word of your act soon begins to spread...
  
  > Epilogue #1: Heart of Darkness
  You live to destroy all life you meet. At first, this meant humans and other feeble creatures. You soon moved onto bigger prey when you discovered a demon hideout. The demons were more annoyed than anything. That changed when you began ripping off the heads of their young. They sprung to attack you and managed to inflict some pretty serious damage. When you realized this was a fight you couldn't win, you escaped to live another day and continue the path of destruction.
  
  Unfortunately, demons aren't the type to forgive and forget. They stormed the cave you made residence in and sought to kill you. You however, saw this coming and learned a mind control spell in preparation. These demons were banished from hell for being weak-willed. Most of them were lesser demons to begin with, barely fit to deal with a human let alone a Doom Knight. Once the spell was cast they all succumbed to your command.
  
  You and your band of misfits traveled the lands with an insatiable appetite for destruction. As you grew more powerful in the dark arts, you passed this blessing onto your followers. Soon they could massacre a city without you being present. The level of death and despair you caused grew exponentially.
  
  Present Day
  
  You awaken and find you have a visitor. It's a demon much bigger than yourself who seems familiar with your work.
  
  "You have far surpassed all expectations I had when I first noticed you. Tell me, why were banished to earth?"
  
  You don't remember banishment of any sort. Being a Doom Knight is all you've ever known. You explain,
  
  "My past life is a blur and it's best kept that way. All I know is I used to be a feeble-minded fool incapable of warding of the influences of a mere succubus."
  
  The demon, who tells you his name is Tornaxaan, is surprised. He tells you that whatever the reason for your banishment, you've earned the right to return home. You feel no desire to until he mentions,
  
  "This will provide you an excellent chance of honing your skills and learning from the most powerful demons. In only a couple of centuries you would be capable of destroying entire worlds."
  
  You're sold and thank Tornaxaan for the opportunity. All he says is,
  
  "You and I are going to have a hell of a time!"
  
  It's time to enter the heart of darkness.