Jeffrey was abandoned at birth by his parents, just another orphan left alone in an unforgiving world. He was one of the lucky ones; he was adopted as an infant by a humble Minnesota family. They raised him on Christian values and instilled in him an innate respect for humankind. His life with them was peaceful, quiet. Ordinary.

Still, he harbored doubts and questions as to who his birth parents were and why they abandoned him, questions that his adoptive parents couldn’t answer. No one could even say whether they were alive or dead.

Until the morning of October 30th, 2016. A mysterious visit from a lawyer revealed not only their identities, but the answer to the question: their bodies had been found in the woods by their home, lives lost in an apparently violent altercation. Their property had been left in Jeffrey’s name.

He wasn’t sure how to feel. It was as though he’d been given his birth parents, only to have them taken away again. For days, he meditated on the situation until he came to a decision. He didn’t fully understand why he wanted to see their home; they were strangers to him, and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to change that. Curiosity won.

Their house was dark and empty of all but some sparse furnishings. If he didn’t know any better, he would assume it was long abandoned. Searching room after room devoid of normal comforts and luxuries that he took for granted, he finally found his parents’ bedroom.

A bible, well-used, and a crucifix were the room’s only adornments. He almost stepped on the giant pentagram etched into the floor surrounding their bed. To his horror, he could see that it was drawn in blood. In a state of shock, he fled the room, but there was no escape from the house.

An unnatural wind closed every exit. He was trapped. That was when the house began to shake. Red light flooded through the windows as though the fires of hell were just outside.

A voice, great and terrible surrounded him then and he could do nothing but listen.

At last, my son, you are here. Grieve not for your parents, for their souls are now mine. Yours is a life wasted on questions without answer, boundless potential unfulfilled. There is a darkness inside of you. Your heart clings to suffering. You thirst for revenge.

As soon as Jeffrey heard it, he knew it was true, that his peaceful life had been a lie.

“Who are you?” he asked.

The monstrous voice answered.

I am Adversary, the Beast, Destroyer. I am the King of Pain. I am the Fallen Star, and you are my son. I alone can give you all the power you desire. The power to recover a life wasted. You need not suffer any longer. You have but to accept my gift and everything will be yours. What do you choose?