Nestled away from prying eyes, the outskirts of Clavis held a chilling secret—a vast, malevolent dungeon. The chilling wind from the forest surrounding it seemed to whisper tales of despair, making even the bravest souls quiver.
Inside this dark lair was a pit, a nightmarish hole that bore witness to the broken spirits of almost 4,000 souls. Their mournful cries echoed, resonating with pain and forming an eerie lullaby that the walls of the dungeon had become accustomed to. The torment they felt seemed palpable, adding an extra layer of dread to the chilling atmosphere.
Commanding the space near the pit was Lucius, an entity of unparalleled power. Next to him stood the city lord and the commander. However, they weren't the authoritative figures of old. Their original consciousness had been supplanted by the twisted remnants of souls Lucius had previously devoured. They were now extensions of Lucius's will, their autonomy lost.
Acknowledging Lucius's silent command, the guards donning heavy armor retreated, their footsteps echoing as they left. The cavernous room fell silent, save for the melancholic moans from the tormented souls below.
Lucius, a once-great demon god who, at his zenith, had the power to obliterate entire universes with a mere thought, stood poised. His gaze, filled with a dark intent, surveyed the pit, seemingly lost in its depth and the souls it harbored.
Suddenly, the aura around him transformed. His eyes, once a calm abyss, now burned with a fierce, eerie crimson. From his outstretched hand, tendrils of pure, dark essence emerged, writhing and spiraling, reaching out hungrily for the souls trapped below.
The act of devouring was deliberate and prolonged. Each soul was absorbed meticulously, its essence weaving into Lucius's being, patching up fragments of his once colossal power. With every intake, his aura grew denser, his form more formidable. As he consumed the rich blood essence, a transformation occurred. His muscles bulged, his skin took on a lustrous sheen, almost impenetrable, and an overwhelming force of malevolence surrounded him.
By the time this ritual concluded, the pit, once a sea of despair and torment, lay eerily silent and devoid of life, with only remnants of bones and desiccated pools of blood hinting at the horror it once contained.
This newly acquired strength made Lucius nearly invincible to the denizens of Clavis. Even the most skilled Mages would now cower in his presence, and the entire city could be razed to the ground on his whims.
Yet, in the recesses of his mind, Lucius knew he was incomplete. To truly restore his soul, he needed more than just human souls; he required the potent, chaotic essence of demons.
Turning to the city lord with an air of majesty, he instructed, "Rumors are rife about unexplained disappearances within Clavis. Harness this fear. Arrest innocent citizens, skillfully fabricate evidence to implicate them in these occurrences, and deliver them to me."
To the commander, his voice unwavering, he ordered, "Intensify your hunts. I want every bandit lurking in the shadows to find their way to my abyss."
Both men, fully under Lucius's dominion, nodded in affirmation, preparing to execute their dark tasks.