A dim light began to gradually expand... it quickly turned into a blazing glow that tore through the darkness, a pure light, but painful, harsh... even for Diablo, the Demon King himself, the pain was unbearable.
He felt his being coming apart... his bones, his skin, his blood... every cell in him fading away... then suddenly, a massive explosion roared, destroying the entire temple, its walls shattering, the ground breaking apart, and flames rising into the sky.
But despite the destruction, this was the beginning... the first step had succeeded.
His soul was stored inside an ancient rune stone, the most powerful demonic artifact ever made, while his original corpse... was hidden away, its location known only to his loyal servant Herfort.
---
The Continent of Afrir... Silver Province
Throughout the province, celebrations filled the air, white flowers covered the streets, people danced and sang joyfully at the birth of the Viscount's youngest son.
In the lavish palace, Mark Silver, a well-known swordsman, paced anxiously back and forth, waiting for the birth of his child.
Inside the birthing room, his wife's screams tore through the stillness, pain wracking her body, but her smile shone despite her paleness... as if she were bidding farewell to life.
Moments passed... then silence fell... and after it, the sound of a baby crying... then a faint laugh.
The maid rushed in, her face pale: "My lord... my lord... I'm sorry..."
Mark stood, his heart nearly bursting: "What happened?! The baby?!"
"The baby is fine... but... your wife..."
Mark ran as fast as he could to the room, looked at his wife... her body pale, her soul fading, but she smiled... a smile of final light.
She whispered in a broken voice: "You were always... my knight... my angel... take care of our son..."
A tear fell from Mark's eye, he held her to his chest and whispered: "I promise... this is a promise from the man who killed a dragon."
He carried his newborn son, his eyes gleaming with a mix of tears and love: "Your name... Jamie Silver..."
---
Inside the child's mind...
The infant's tearful eyes looked around, but he was no ordinary baby... inside him was the Demon King himself, Diablo.
Moments ago, he had been in the midst of the Ascension ritual, and now... trapped in the body of a fragile infant only minutes old.
He smiled inwardly, despite the pain, despite the weakness of his new body: "Kekeke... excellent... the first step of my plan is complete... and the rest will follow..."
---
**To be continued...**