I shoved the door open, the hinges screaming in protest. The room beyond was shrouded in darkness, thick and oppressive, as though the very air had been corrupted.
The faint pulse of energy that had drawn me here thrummed louder, a dissonant heartbeat that resonated through the shadows. My flames flickered to life, casting eerie purple light that licked at the edges of the room, revealing its grotesque contents.
The walls were lined with crude iron shackles, their surfaces marred with deep grooves where something or someone had struggled violently.
The floor was littered with broken chains, dried blood pooling in cracks between the warped wood. The stench of decay and something acrid, chemical, assaulted my senses.
My gaze was drawn to the far corner, where a hulking figure crouched. Its body was grotesque, muscles bulging unnaturally beneath torn, leathery skin that bore the marks of haphazard stitching, as if it had been pieced together from disparate parts.
A low, guttural growl echoed from its throat, and it shifted slightly, the floor groaning beneath its massive weight. The faint energy I had sensed flared violently, radiating from the creature like a beacon of twisted power.
This wasn't Aeliana. This was something far worse.
I took a cautious step forward, my flames flaring brighter to illuminate the beast fully. Its head snapped toward me, revealing a grotesque visage: red eyes burning with fury, jagged fangs protruding from a maw too wide for its face, and a head misshapen from what looked like crude experimentation.
Strapped to its back were remnants of what appeared to be mechanical implants, sparking weakly as though struggling to function.
"What in the name of the abyss are you?" I muttered, more to myself than to it.
The creature answered with a deafening roar, the force of it shaking the walls and nearly extinguishing my flames.
It lunged forward, moving with terrifying speed for something of its size. Instinct took over, and I dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the massive clawed hand that gouged deep trenches into the wooden floor where I had been standing.
Rolling to my feet, I unleashed a stream of purple fire, the flames surging toward the beast with a roar of their own.
They struck its chest, enveloping it in a blaze that should have brought it to its knees. But instead of faltering, the creature charged through the inferno, its skin blistering but refusing to yield.
It slammed into me with the force of a battering ram, sending me flying across the room. My back collided with the wall, the impact driving the air from my lungs.
I coughed, struggling to regain my footing as the creature advanced, its footsteps heavy and deliberate. It raised a clawed hand, the sharpened talons glinting ominously in the dim light.
I barely managed to conjure a barrier of flame in time, the claws slamming into it with enough force to send cracks rippling through my defence.
The heat from my flames did little to deter it; its skin seemed resistant, as if the experiments done to it had made it impervious to pain.
"Fine," I spat, anger bubbling to the surface as I pushed back against its strength. "You want to play hard? Let's play."
I dropped the barrier and rolled beneath its outstretched arm, coming up behind it. With a swift motion, I sent a concentrated burst of fire directly at the base of its spine, aiming for the sparking mechanical implants.
The explosion rocked the room, sending shards of metal flying. The creature howled in pain, staggering forward as the remnants of its implants disintegrated in a shower of sparks.
For a moment, I thought I had the upper hand. But then it turned, its eyes blazing with even more fury.
The damage seemed only to enrage it further. It charged again, this time leaping into the air with surprising agility. I barely managed to dodge, the floor splintering beneath the force of its landing.
I retaliated with a series of rapid-fire bursts, each flame strike aimed at its vulnerable joints—its knees, its shoulders.
The flames bit into its flesh, causing it to stumble, but it refused to fall. Instead, it swung its massive arm, the claws grazing my side. Pain flared as blood seeped through the torn fabric of my tunic, but I couldn't afford to slow down.
The creature lunged again, this time feinting left before swinging right. The unexpected manoeuvre caught me off guard, its massive fist connecting with my shoulder and sending me crashing into a rusted table. The impact left me dazed, my vision swimming as I struggled to rise.
It didn't give me a moment's reprieve. It was on me again, claws slicing downward in a vicious arc. I rolled to the side just as the claws tore through the table, splinters flying in every direction.
Summoning the last reserves of my strength, I conjured a concentrated orb of fire, the flames swirling with volatile energy. I hurled it at its chest, the explosion rocking the room and sending both of us sprawling.
I hit the ground hard, my head spinning. When I looked up, the creature was staggering but still standing, smoke rising from its charred torso. Its movements were slower now, more laboured, but its eyes burned with unrelenting fury.
I pushed myself to my feet, every muscle in my body screaming in protest. My flames sputtered, their strength waning with my own. I gritted my teeth, refusing to show weakness.
The creature roared again, though its voice was weaker, and charged. This time, it moved more erratically, its attacks wild and unpredictable.
I dodged as best I could, each movement sending fresh waves of pain through my battered body. My flames lashed out in retaliation, striking its legs and chest, but they were weaker now, more like embers than an inferno.
The creature swiped at me again, its claws connecting with my arm and leaving deep gashes. I cried out, stumbling backward. Blood dripped onto the floor, mingling with the ashes and debris. The room spun, the edges of my vision darkening.
The beast saw its opening. It lunged, slamming into me and pinning me to the ground. Its weight was crushing, its claws digging into my shoulders as its grotesque face loomed inches from mine.
I struggled, flames flaring weakly in my hands as I tried to push it off, but my strength was fading fast.
The creature opened its maw, revealing rows of jagged teeth, and let out a guttural growl that sent shivers down my spine. Its breath was hot and rancid, its saliva dripping onto my face. My flames sputtered again, barely flickering to life.
For the first time, a cold tendril of fear coiled in my chest. I was out of time, out of strength, and out of options.
The beast leaned closer, its claws digging deeper, and I realised with grim certainty that I was in a losing position.
Pinned beneath the monstrous weight of the creature, I fought to steady my breath, my flames flickering weakly at the edges of my hands. My strength was waning, and every muscle in my body screamed in protest. T
he beast leaned closer, its jagged teeth gleaming in the dim light, and its rancid breath washed over me. My vision blurred, darkness creeping in at the corners.
And then, amidst the chaos and pain, a thought pierced through like a shard of light: Aeliana.
Her face flooded my mind, the memory of her gentle smile and warm laughter cutting through the despair threatening to drown me.
She had always been my anchor, the one person who reminded me of who I was beyond the fire and fury. If I fell here, if I allowed this abomination to end me, what would happen to her?
She was counting on me, waiting for me to find her. Nathaniel had hidden her away, and I'd promised myself I'd tear apart this realm brick by brick to bring her back.
My chest tightened, not with fear, but with resolve. I couldn't let this beast stop me. Not here. Not now. Aeliana's name burned in my mind, and with it came a surge of energy, an unrelenting determination to finish this.
The creature snarled, saliva dripping onto my face as it reared back, ready to strike the killing blow. But I was no longer helpless.
My hands ignited with renewed fire, brighter and hotter than before. The flames spread rapidly, engulfing my arms and shoulders, coursing through me like a second heartbeat.
"No," I growled, my voice filled with unyielding defiance. "You won't stop me. Not for her. Not for anyone."
With a roar of my own, I thrust my hands upward, the fire exploding from my palms in a searing inferno. The creature howled, its claws releasing me as it staggered back, smoke rising from its charred flesh. I rolled to my feet, ignoring the pain lancing through my body.
My flames danced wildly around me, casting flickering shadows that made the monster appear even more grotesque.
It lunged again, its movements more frantic now, but I was ready. I sidestepped its attack, my flames slashing through the air like a living whip.
The fire struck its side, the impact sending it crashing into the wall with a thunderous crack. The wood splintered, and the creature collapsed to the ground, snarling as it struggled to rise.
"This ends now," I said, my voice cold and steady. My flames intensified, their heat warping the air around me.
The beast roared, its body trembling as it dragged itself upright. I could see the desperation in its eyes now, the flicker of realisation that it was no match for the inferno I was about to unleash.
I raised my hands, gathering every ounce of power I had left. The fire coiled around me, growing larger, hotter, until it felt like the room itself might ignite. My vision blurred with the heat, but I didn't falter.
For Aeliana. For everything this monster represented. For the pain and suffering Nathaniel had caused.
The creature charged, its massive body hurtling toward me like a final act of defiance. But it was too late. I unleashed the flames in a devastating torrent, the fire roaring to life as it surged forward, consuming everything in its path.
The room was bathed in blinding light as the inferno engulfed the creature, its howls of rage and pain echoing before they were drowned out entirely.
When the fire finally receded, nothing remained of the beast but ash, smouldering on the floor in a charred outline. The room was silent now, save for the crackling of embers and the ragged sound of my breathing.
I staggered, my knees threatening to give out, but I forced myself to stay upright. The flames at my fingertips flickered and died, leaving only the faint warmth of their memory. I wiped the blood from my face, my body trembling with exhaustion.
"I'm coming, Aeliana," I whispered, the words a promise as I turned toward the next door. The fight wasn't over. Not yet.