Infernal resurrection

Chapter 4: Beneath the Surface

April's POV

Do I really like this? The gasps, the whispers, the fearful glances cast my way. Once, the thrill of it fed me, ignited something fierce within. But now? I'm not so sure. Is this really my desire?

For 20 years, I'd been hidden, cloaked away from the chaos of Hell. Those years... they were a gift. I learned who I could be without the constant threat of war, without the pressure to maintain my ruthless reputation. My absence may have cost me my status, but it granted me something far greater-a sense of self. And that was exactly what I was here to reclaim.

The memories of why I'd been banished surged forward. Back then, I was relentless. Anyone who dared to challenge me was met with fury, violence. I didn't just rule; I crushed anyone who stood in my way. I thought it was strength, but the Overlords saw it as recklessness, a threat to the order they fought to maintain.

In truth, my punishment wasn't only their decision-it was also mine. I needed to go, needed to escape the cycle I'd trapped myself in. The title, the fear, the constant power struggles... it had consumed me. Twenty years ago, I was someone else-someone I'm no longer certain I want to be.

Now, I wasn't here to reclaim my throne or to strike terror into the hearts of those around me. No, this time it was different. I have a purpose now, something far beyond fear or dominance.

My return wasn't about power or revenge. It was about finding that piece of myself I'd left behind, buried beneath the shadows of my past. And the one thing I wanted... the one thing I had come back to reclaim...

Freedom.

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April took a slow, deliberate breath, letting the weight of her resolve settle within her. As she looked over Pentagram City, she knew that her return wasn't about falling back into old habits but forging a new path.