The enormous staircase seemed endless.
Each step carried us deeper into the heart of Vaelthor's fortress.
The sounds of battle gradually faded behind us.
We could still hear fighting taking place in more distant sectors, but the intensity diminished as we advanced.
It was as if we were entering a reserved area.
A place separated from the rest of the war.
I walked at the front beside Rai'kanna and Scarlett.
Just behind us came Elara, Liriel, Vespera, and Lyannis.
Drakarion led another group a few meters behind us alongside elite soldiers and veteran adventurers.
No one spoke much.
Everyone felt the same thing.
The closeness of our objective.
After so many days of battle.
After so many losses.
After so many fights.
We were finally approaching the center of that fortress.
The mana in the surroundings grew heavier and heavier.
The air felt colder.
Denser.
At times, even breathing seemed to require more effort.
"Are you all feeling it too?"
Elara asked.
"Yes."
Lyannis replied.
"The concentration of demonic energy is increasing."
Liriel observed the walls as we walked.
Black runes covered various parts of the structure.
Some glowed faintly.
Others seemed to pulse as though they were alive.
"This place was prepared over a very long time."
She said.
"It doesn't look like a fortress built in haste."
I agreed.
Everything there conveyed a sense of planning.
Nothing seemed improvised.
Vaelthor had clearly transformed this place into his main base.
After several minutes of climbing, we finally reached the top of the staircase.
The scene before us immediately caught my attention.
A massive corridor stretched ahead.
The columns were gigantic.
The ceiling seemed high enough to accommodate a dragon.
Black torches illuminated the path with violet flames.
Despite its grandeur, something felt strange.
There was no one there.
No guards.
No demons.
No visible traps.
Only silence.
A great deal of silence.
Scarlett narrowed her eyes.
"I don't like this."
"Neither do I."
Vespera replied.
Rai'kanna gripped her axe more tightly.
"Maybe they're preparing an ambush."
"Possibly."
Lyannis said.
We continued forward cautiously.
Every step echoed through the corridor.
The sound seemed to spread throughout the entire structure.
Even so, nothing happened.
No enemies appeared.
No attacks came.
That began to bother me.
Because it made no sense.
The demons had defended every meter of this fortress.
Why would they abandon its most important area?
We kept walking.
The corridor seemed endless.
Then we finally caught sight of an enormous door at the far end.
It was probably the largest door I had ever seen.
Built from black metal.
Covered in demonic symbols.
Dozens of meters high.
It seemed to mark the entrance to something important.
Very important.
I stopped before it.
Everyone else did the same.
Scarlett looked at me.
"I think we've arrived."
I nodded.
My heart was beating faster.
It was impossible not to feel tense at that moment.
Slowly, I placed my hand against the door.
Then I pushed.
To my surprise, it opened easily.
The sound of metal echoed through the corridor.
The opening revealed a gigantic hall.
For a few seconds, I simply stared.
It was impossible not to be impressed.
The hall was enormous.
Far larger than any castle chamber I had ever seen.
Gigantic columns supported the ceiling.
Black tapestries decorated the walls.
Demonic runes glowed everywhere.
In the center was a long stone pathway.
And at the end of it...
A throne.
An enormous black throne.
Imposing.
Threatening.
Forged from a material that seemed to absorb light itself.
Everyone immediately looked toward it.
But something was wrong.
The throne was empty.
Completely empty.
Silence fell over the group.
Vespera was the first to speak.
"Where is he?"
No one answered.
Because we were all thinking exactly the same thing.
Where was Vaelthor?
We slowly advanced through the hall.
Remaining alert in every direction.
Even so, there was no sign of anyone.
No guards.
No soldiers.
No demons.
It was as if the place had been abandoned.
But that was impossible.
I reached the base of the throne.
I looked around.
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
Rai'kanna stepped closer.
"This doesn't make any sense."
"I agree."
Scarlett said.
"We didn't fight for days just to find an empty room."
Lyannis examined the surroundings.
"Perhaps there's a secret passage."
Elara began inspecting the walls.
Liriel studied the runes.
Vespera kept her bow ready.
Everyone searched for answers.
But none came.
Then something changed.
It was subtle.
Almost imperceptible.
A vibration rippled through the hall.
My entire body went on alert.
The others felt it as well.
Liriel quickly turned her head.
"Did you all feel that?"
"Yes."
I replied.
The vibration returned.
This time, stronger.
The ground trembled slightly.
The flames of the torches began to flicker.
The air grew even heavier.
Far heavier.
Scarlett immediately assumed a combat stance.
"Finally."
The shadows near the throne began to move.
Slowly at first.
Then more intensely.
It was as if the darkness itself were coming to life.
The soldiers behind us began to grow nervous.
Some took a step back.
Others raised their weapons.
The temperature inside the hall dropped.
An overwhelming pressure filled the room.
My entire body tensed.
It was unlike anything I had ever felt before.
Completely different.
Even Drakarion became serious.
"That presence..."
He muttered.
The shadows continued spreading.
Flowing across the hall.
Climbing the columns.
Engulfing the surroundings.
Then a voice echoed.
Deep.
Cold.
Powerful.
"So you've finally arrived."
Everyone immediately searched for the source of the voice.
But no one was visible.
Only shadows.
More shadows.
"I must admit you took longer than I expected."
The voice echoed again.
This time accompanied by a quiet laugh.
Rai'kanna tightened her grip on the axe.
"Show yourself."
For a few seconds, nothing happened.
Then the shadows began to gather.
Converging near the throne.
An enormous mass of darkness appeared before us.
It continued growing.
Becoming larger and larger.
Denser.
More threatening.
The soldiers began to retreat.
Even experienced adventurers looked uneasy.
I understood why.
That presence was overwhelming.
It felt as though it were pressing directly against our souls.
As if it were trying to crush our very will.
Liriel gripped her staff more tightly.
Elara stepped closer to her.
Vespera nocked an arrow.
Lyannis began gathering mana.
Everyone was ready.
But no one attacked.
Because something told us it would be useless at that moment.
The mass of shadows continued taking shape.
Arms emerged.
Legs.
A humanoid silhouette.
With every passing second, the figure became more defined.
More real.
More threatening.
My heart raced.
At last, we stood before the one we had sought throughout the entire campaign.
The one responsible for this war.
The leader of that army.
The First Demon General.
But we still couldn't see his face.
The darkness continued covering part of his figure.
Even so, his presence alone was enough to leave a tremendous impact.
One soldier behind us fell to his knees.
Another began to tremble.
The pressure was unbearable for some.
Drakarion immediately stepped forward.
His own aura flared around his body.
Trying to protect the nearest soldiers.
It helped somewhat.
But it did not completely remove the effect.
The shadowy figure remained standing before the throne.
Watching us.
Like a predator observing its prey.
Then the voice echoed once more.
This time filled with amusement.
"So you're the hero."
I kept my gaze fixed on the figure.
"You must be Vaelthor."
A quiet laugh answered me.
"Interesting."
The shadows slowly began to fade.
Very slowly.
Gradually revealing parts of the figure.
First the black armor.
Then the broad shoulders.
The hands.
The sword strapped across his back.
But before his face could be fully revealed, another wave of pressure exploded throughout the hall.
Far stronger than the previous one.
Several soldiers were forced to step back.
Some nearly lost their balance.
Even I found it difficult to remain standing still.
Scarlett narrowed her eyes.
Rai'kanna smiled.
As though she had finally found an opponent worthy of her.
Meanwhile, I stared at the figure before the throne.
Now I was absolutely certain.
There was no doubt.
No room left for speculation.
After so many days of battle.
After so many deaths.
After such relentless advance.
We had finally reached the end of that march.
And standing before us was the most powerful presence we had felt since the beginning of the war.
The true lord of that fortress.
The First Demon General of the Demons.
With that certainty, I kept my hand firmly on my sword as the shadows continued to slowly dissipate, revealing more and more of the monstrous figure waiting before the Throne of Ruin.