Dunamis's childhood was rough, as was most of a Tiefling's life. After years of violence and insult towards him and his parents he could no longer stand the suffering. In his teens Dunamis looked for a way to make it stop and free his parents from the abuse. So loud became the torment and desperation in his mind that someone heard the sound. At night he introduced himself as Baalzebul: "Excuse my uninvited attention, but I heard you had hardship and I can offer to dispose your problems." - in an act of despair Dunamis answered: "Please, I beg you, tell me how to rid my parents of this tyranny and I shall serve you" - "A service of a 1000 years, fed by daily rituals, to bestow you, Dunamis, with knowledge, power and my promise to forever free your family from malevolance. Do you accept this pact?", spoke Baalzebul. "I accept.", Dunamis answered. "I will contact you through burned wood", said Baalzebul, and with a wide grin he vanished.
The next day Dunamis woke up filled with energy. Eager to tell his parents he found a way to make their life easier, he ran into the living room, where his parents always made warm food to start the day. The room was empty but filled with noise. Not from inside, the sound came from outside. There was a crowd. Dunamis went out and made his way through the cheering mob to reach the center of attention. At his horror he found his mother's and father's lifeless bodies hanging from a tree. In the tree was burned: "Finally free." He doesn't remember a lot of what happens next, but the last thing he saw were all the faces of the crowd turning into that grin he saw last night. After turning the town and it's villagers to charred wood and dust he left. Filled with hatred, he lives with only one goal: to gain enough knowledge and power to get his revenge on his own patron; his deceiver; archdevil Baalzebul.
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Charred
Short StoryA young man seeks a form of power to rid his family of pain and hardship. He quickly learns that no power comes without a burden.
