The night after the fall of the first wall was short.
Few managed to truly rest.
Even within the conquered sections of the fortress, we could still hear enemy movements coming from the deeper inner regions. The demons had not abandoned their positions. They had merely retreated to deeper defensive lines.
When dawn arrived, I was already awake.
I stepped out of the makeshift tent set up within the conquered area and looked at the scene around me.
The destruction was obvious.
Parts of the wall had been shattered.
The towers were covered in massive cracks.
The ground was scarred by the marks of battle.
Even so, the fortress remained imposing.
It was hard to believe that this was still only one part of its structure.
In the distance, more black walls still stood.
They seemed to be watching our presence.
Scarlett appeared beside me, holding a mug of hot coffee.
"You wake up way too early."
"So do you."
"I couldn't sleep."
"Thinking about the battle?"
She gave a small smile.
"Thinking about blowing things up."
I shook my head.
"Of course you were."
Before the conversation could continue, we heard a trumpet echo across the battlefield.
The signal to gather the troops.
The offensive would continue.
A short time later, all the commanders had assembled.
Drakarion was reviewing the reports.
Lyannis organized the information.
The officers discussed advance routes.
The scouts had returned during the night with important news.
The demons had transformed the inner part of the fortress into an enormous defensive zone.
Fortified corridors.
Reinforced gates.
Elevated positions for archers.
Traps.
Everything had been prepared to slow our advance.
"Their objective is to wear us down."
Lyannis said as she pointed at the map.
"The longer it takes us to reach the center of the fortress, the more strength we'll expend."
Drakarion agreed.
"And that works in Vaelthor's favor."
I watched the map in silence.
It made sense.
The First General remained hidden.
Meanwhile, we were forced to fight continuously.
He was making us spend energy.
Mana.
Resources.
Time.
Exactly as an experienced commander would.
"Then we'll keep advancing."
I said.
Everyone present agreed.
There was no other option.
Soon afterward, the troops began to move.
This time, the advance took place through great stone corridors that connected the outer areas to the central parts of the fortress.
The walls now towered above our heads.
The feeling was strange.
It was as if we were venturing deeper and deeper into the mouth of a gigantic beast.
The first clashes began only a few minutes later.
Groups of demons emerged from side passages.
They tried to block our advance.
But they were quickly defeated.
The soldiers were motivated after the previous day's victory.
The adventurers were as well.
During the first few hours, we made considerable progress.
However, everything changed when we reached the second defensive line.
There, the demons had built a true fortress within the fortress.
Barricades of black stone blocked the corridors.
Defensive towers covered multiple angles.
Archers and mages occupied elevated positions.
The moment we appeared, we were met with a rain of attacks.
Explosions erupted everywhere.
Arrows cut through the air.
Spells struck the ground without pause.
The soldiers were forced to retreat several meters.
"So they finally decided to fight seriously."
Rai'kanna muttered.
She seemed excited.
I, on the other hand, was analyzing the situation.
The enemy's position was excellent.
A direct assault would cause many casualties.
We needed to create an opening.
That was when Vespera approached me.
"I can solve part of the problem."
I looked at her.
"What are you thinking?"
She pointed toward one of the towers.
"The commanders are up there."
I observed carefully.
She was right.
Several demons were clearly coordinating the defenses in that area.
"Can you hit them from here?"
She smiled.
"Watch."
Vespera stepped back a few paces.
She closed her eyes.
Took a deep breath.
Then she drew her bowstring.
Mana began gathering around the arrow.
Seconds later, she fired.
The projectile crossed the battlefield at astonishing speed.
It struck one of the commanders directly.
The demon fell from the tower.
The allied soldiers cheered.
But Vespera wasn't finished yet.
Another arrow.
Then another.
And another.
Within minutes, several defensive leaders had been eliminated.
The enemy's coordination began to collapse.
That gave us the opportunity we needed.
"Now!"
I shouted.
The troops surged forward.
The corridors once again became the stage for fierce combat.
My sword cut through demons relentlessly.
Beside me, Rai'kanna crushed any resistance.
Scarlett used magic to destroy barricades.
Liriel kept the wounded alive.
Elara protected the most vulnerable groups with currents of wind.
Lyannis continued coordinating everything.
The advance resumed.
But another problem soon appeared.
A massive metal gate blocked access to the next sector.
Unlike the previous gates, this one seemed even more durable.
Demonic runes glowed across its entire surface.
Scarlett examined it quickly.
"This one's going to be a pain."
"Can you destroy it?"
"I can."
She smiled.
"But it's going to be fun."
Before I could answer, she was already gathering mana.
An absurd amount of energy began concentrating around her.
The nearby soldiers instinctively stepped back.
Even I could feel the magical pressure rising.
Then she released the spell.
A gigantic bolt of lightning crashed into the gate.
The explosion illuminated the entire corridor.
The impact was so powerful that the walls trembled.
When the smoke cleared, the structure was still standing.
But it was covered in cracks.
"Your turn."
She said.
I nodded.
I channeled mana into my sword.
Golden flames engulfed the blade.
Then I struck.
The blow landed directly at the center of the gate.
The cracks spread wider.
Seconds later, the entire structure collapsed.
The soldiers cheered once again.
Another obstacle had been overcome.
We continued advancing.
The deeper we entered the fortress, the more we realized the true scale of the place.
Corridors branched off in every direction.
Staircases connected different levels.
Enormous halls appeared one after another.
It was practically an underground military city.
At one point, we reached a vast inner plaza.
There, the demonic resistance became much stronger.
Hundreds of enemies awaited our arrival.
And this time, they were not alone.
Enormous creatures guarded the area.
Elite monsters.
Different from those we had fought in the outer fields.
They possessed black natural armor.
Massive claws.
Glowing red eyes.
Simply looking at them caused discomfort.
"So these are the inner guardians."
Drakarion said as he arrived with part of the troops.
One of the monsters roared.
The sound echoed throughout the entire plaza.
Then they charged.
The battle immediately descended into chaos.
The monsters were far stronger than ordinary soldiers.
Even experienced adventurers had to fight cautiously.
I confronted one of them directly.
The creature attacked with astonishing speed.
I barely dodged.
The impact of its claws shattered part of the ground.
I counterattacked immediately.
My sword carved a deep wound.
But the monster kept advancing.
It was durable.
Extremely durable.
The fight lasted several minutes.
Only after concentrating mana into a more powerful strike was I finally able to defeat it.
But there were others.
Many others.
Throughout the plaza, similar battles were unfolding.
Rai'kanna fought two at once.
Scarlett continuously unleashed magic.
Elara helped surrounded groups.
Liriel rushed from one wounded soldier to another.
Vespera eliminated important targets from a distance.
The battle seemed endless.
But little by little, we gained the advantage.
The monsters fell.
The demons retreated.
The plaza was finally secured.
When the last enemy collapsed, a brief silence settled over the area.
The soldiers breathed in relief.
The adventurers took the opportunity to catch their breath.
I looked around.
Then I noticed something.
A massive staircase rose beyond the plaza.
It led to an even deeper section of the fortress.
Drakarion approached.
"It's that way."
"I think so too."
Lyannis studied the map.
"The center of the fortress should be close."
My heart beat a little faster.
After so many days of battle.
After so many fights.
We were finally getting close.
Very close.
Scarlett walked over to me.
"It looks like we're about to meet our host."
I looked at the massive staircase.
At the corridors disappearing into darkness.
Then I nodded.
"Yes."
Because I could feel it.
Something about that area was different.
The mana filling the surroundings felt heavier.
Denser.
More oppressive.
As though an enormous presence was waiting.
Watching.
Awaiting our arrival.
The soldiers began reorganizing their formations.
The adventurers recovered their strength.
But inside me, one certainty had already taken shape.
We were getting closer and closer to Vaelthor.
And for the first time since the siege had begun, I truly felt that our encounter with the First Demon General was near.
With that thought, I began climbing the massive staircase beside my companions, advancing toward the heart of the black fortress.