The air crackled with energy as Drake stood at the center of the collapsing throne room, his heart pounding in his chest. He had faced countless enemies, endured unbearable losses, and pushed himself beyond the breaking point—but this, the final battle, felt like standing at the edge of oblivion.
Before him stood Gruter, now fully transformed into his monstrous form, a grotesque fusion of twisted flesh and shadow, towering over Drake like an unholy force of nature. His eyes glowed a hellish red, his skin rippling with the souls he had consumed, each one trapped in eternal agony, fueling his immense power. His wings, massive and jagged, blocked out the remnants of light seeping through the broken ceiling. Around them, the fortress groaned and trembled, as if the world itself couldn't bear the weight of their clash.
"You've come far, Drake," Gruter's voice echoed, deep and unnatural, reverberating with the voices of the damned. "But you are still only mortal. You cannot hope to defeat a god."
Drake's grip tightened around the Blade of Shadows, the sword's dark energy surging through him, whispering of power and vengeance. He could feel the toll it had taken on him—the more he used the blade, the more it consumed him. His vision blurred at the edges, his body heavy with exhaustion, but he refused to let the blade take control. This was his fight, and he would win it on his terms.
"This ends here, Gruter," Drake growled, his voice raw with determination. "No more games. No more deaths. You've taken everything from me… but I'll make sure you never take another soul."
With a roar, Drake charged forward, the Blade of Shadows igniting with dark fire as he slashed at Gruter. The demon lord's monstrous claws came down to meet him, and the impact sent shockwaves through the ground. Drake's blade clashed against Gruter's claws, sparks flying, the force of their blows shaking the very foundations of the fortress.
Gruter laughed, his voice dripping with malice. "Is that all you've got, boy? You're weak. You've always been weak."
Drake gritted his teeth and pushed harder, his body screaming in protest, but he couldn't afford to stop. Every strike, every swing of his sword, felt like it was draining him—like the darkness of the Blade of Shadows was feeding on his very soul. But he couldn't give in. He wouldn't give in.
With a swift motion, Gruter lashed out with his wings, sending Drake flying across the room. He crashed into a pillar, the wind knocked out of him as pain shot through his body. Blood dripped from his forehead, blurring his vision, but he forced himself back to his feet.
"You're nothing without that sword," Gruter sneered, his eyes narrowing. "You think you're a hero, but you're just a puppet—another tool for darkness."
Drake wiped the blood from his eyes, his breath ragged. Gruter was right. The Blade of Shadows had given him strength, but it had also chained him to its darkness. And yet, he knew that without it, he stood no chance of defeating Gruter.
"You're wrong," Drake said, standing tall despite the pain. "This blade may be dark, but I'm the one in control."
Summoning every ounce of strength left within him, Drake lunged forward once more, channeling his will into the Blade of Shadows. As he slashed, the sword's energy erupted in a wave of dark fire that collided with Gruter's monstrous form. The demon lord recoiled, momentarily stunned by the ferocity of the attack.
"You cannot win, Drake," Gruter snarled, his voice cracking with anger as his wings beat furiously, sending gusts of wind that shook the crumbling walls. "I am eternal. I have consumed the souls of countless warriors far greater than you!"
"Then you'll choke on mine," Drake shouted back, pushing forward despite the overwhelming fatigue in his limbs. He leaped into the air, the Blade of Shadows glowing with a mix of dark and light energy, as if responding to Drake's indomitable will. With a mighty strike, he brought the blade down toward Gruter's chest.
The demon lord raised his claws to block the blow, but Drake's momentum was unstoppable. The blade pierced through Gruter's defenses, striking deep into his core. Gruter let out a deafening roar, the souls trapped within him howling as they were released, spiraling into the sky like wisps of smoke.
Drake's entire body trembled from the sheer force of the attack, the power surging through him almost too much to bear. He could feel the Blade of Shadows pulling at him, draining his life force as it tried to claim him fully. But Drake refused to give in. With one final push, he twisted the blade, driving it deeper into Gruter's heart.
Gruter's massive form began to break apart, cracks spreading through his body like a shattered mirror. His wings crumbled, his monstrous claws disintegrating into ash. The demon lord's voice, once so powerful, now faltered, reduced to a mere whisper.
"This... cannot... be," Gruter gasped, his eyes wide with disbelief as the darkness consuming him dissipated. "I am... a god…"
"You're nothing," Drake spat, his voice low and filled with finality.
With one last, desperate scream, Gruter's body exploded in a torrent of black energy. The force of the blast sent Drake tumbling backward, the Blade of Shadows slipping from his hand as the entire throne room collapsed around them.