There are stories whispered in hushed tones, tales that speak of a time when the sky was filled with darkness and the world was seized by despair. In these tales which have been passed down through the generations, a great demon named Malleus is portrayed as the harbinger of doom and destruction. Spreading his fierce and relentless wrath, Malleus laid waste to the realms of man, devouring entire kingdoms in a matter of days. This is not one of those stories. No, this is the tale of an unexpected journey that would lead to the unmasking of the demon’s true nature.
The sky was a canvas streaked with hues of orange and red as the sun sank below the horizon, stretching shadows across the small village of Gorthram’s Hollow. A gentle breeze carried the scent of woodsmoke and hay, as Thane, a brawny young blacksmith, labored intensely over a forge that roared with the hunger of a thousand suns. He worked diligently, his hammer striking down upon the anvil with vigorous precision.
Thane was known for his skill, having created nigh-indestructible blades that drew the envy of blacksmiths from neighboring towns. One day, while working on a weapon for his own use, he felt an eerie shadow cast upon him. He looked up to find a robed figure standing in the doorway of his forge, wearing a cloak that seemed to have been dipped in the blackest ink imaginable.
“May I help you?” Thane queried cautiously.
The figure stepped forward, revealing pale hands that were gnarled like ancient oak branches. A voice like nails upon stone issued forth from beneath its ebony hood.
“Thane of Gorthram’s Hollow,” it rasped. “You have been chosen to bear a great burden.”
Unease settled on Thane like a leaden shroud. “And who are you to bestow such a burden?”
The figure threw back its hood, revealing a face ravaged by the procession of countless years. “My name is Derthos, and I am your taskmaster in this endeavor. A great demon, Malleus, has awoken from the depths of his eternal slumber. You must forge a weapon of such might that it can vanquish this ancient evil.”
Thane stared at Derthos, his grip on the hammer tightening. “And what makes you think I would willingly face such peril?”
“Because,” Derthos replied calmly, “the world needs a hero, and you, Thane, are that hero.”
Resigned to his fate, Thane nodded. He set to work forging the weapon that would become his legacy. The act of creation was intertwined with an intrinsic force that seemed to push his very being to its utmost limits. The blade he crafted shone like moonlight, its surface rippling with the promise of the power it would unleash.
With the weapon completed, Thane and Derthos set forth on their perilous journey to confront Malleus. They traversed landscapes that had been twisted and wrung out by the demon’s malevolent presence; valleys where rivers ran red with blood, and forests whose shadows housed unspeakable horrors.
Days turned to weeks as they pursued Malleus’ trail. Along their journey, they were joined by the enigmatic bow-wielding Elara, a huntress who had pledged her solitary life to the protection of her enchanted forest, and Volgrim, a former prince turned rogue sorcerer, who sought redemption for the curse that had consumed his family and kingdom.
Together, their assembled party had become an unrelenting force of righteous vengeance. The weight of their quest had become immeasurable as they drew closer to their goal.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they arrived at the deep cavern that served as Malleus’ lair. Thane gripped his legendary weapon, the culmination of his life’s work, as the four of them prepared to face the demon that had terrorized the realms.
Yet, inside the cavern, they found nothing but darkness and silence. No beastly demon with flaming eyes and razor-sharp claws awaited them, but rather an old, tired creature with skin like parchment and a defeated expression.
“My dear heroes,” Malleus sighed, “your efforts are wasted on me. I am no longer the destroyer of worlds you seek to vanquish.”
The company exchanged bewildered glances before Thane stepped forward. “If you pose no threat, then why has destruction followed in your wake?”
The demon bowed his head. “That destruction is not my doing, but rather the result of my presence. The world has turned me into a symbol of fear and despair, and though I wish to make amends, there is little I can do.”
It was in this moment that Thane understood the true burden he had been chosen to bear; not to defeat a great evil, but to help heal one. And so, they left Malleus’ cavern not as vanquishers of a vile fiend, but as allies to a misunderstood being seeking redemption.
Together, they set forth to repair the damage Malleus’ presence had wrought upon the world, forging a new path for themselves and writing their own story in the annals of time. And so, the legend of Thane and his companions grew not from a victory over a fearsome demon, but from an unexpected alliance that would change the world forever.
Author: Opney. Illustrator: Dalli. Publisher: Cyber.
