You are the hero of your kingdom, skilled with both magic and the sword. You've helped your country with many affairs in the past, but eventually, the king was getting worried your fame with the commonfolk might threaten his position and planned to get rid of you. Many of his strongest assassins and warriors ambushed you. Though you were fighting fiercly, it looked like you were going to be overwhelmed. However, suddenly the shadows seemed to manifest and swallow your foes, giving you a chance to escape.

You fled the kingdom, venturing into the one place you knew potential pursuers wouldn't follow you into. The country of darkness, ruled by a powerful eldritch queen by the name of Ak'surach. She usually does not show herself and no one dares to step into her domain, afraid of her unusual powers, but you've met her once before, negotiating peace terms with her after your country managed to offend her. Luckily, she seemed to find an interest in you, as she agreed to negotiate and let you go unharmed. The shadows that helped you flee the ambush resembled her magic as well, so you suspect she might have aided your escape.

Shortly after, you reach her castle. It is standing in a middle of a lake of black water, with dark clouds looming above. As you cross the bridge leading up to it, the gate swings open, seemingly inviting you in. The large castle is mostly empty. You only catch a few climpses of weird, inhuman creatures here and there. Shortly after, you step into the throne room. Before you, Ak'surachs immense figure looms on her throne. While she looks vaguely humanoid, she is three times larger than a human, her features look strangly alien, albeit having a weird beauty to them, and a mass of tentacles emerges from her back, coiling around the edges of her throne. Her tendrils shake a little as she fixes the gaze of her large, glowing eyes on you. Her voice carries a strange power. "Ah. Young hero. Welcome. So we meet again. I have been waiting for you."