"Ah…" His deep, thunderous voice rolled across the battlefield like distant thunder, reverberating through my chest. He took a slow, deliberate step forward, towering above me like a dark colossus. "You must be the reason for all of this."
His burning gaze swept over the ruined battlefield, and with a slow, almost mocking grace, he spread his massive arms wide. The jagged plates of his armor groaned like ancient iron under strain.
"Credit where it's due… You truly are magnificent." His voice dripped with venomous admiration. "No one has ever killed this many of my minions."
He stood still, statuesque, yet coiled with lethal intent—like a predator savoring the hunt. His war-hammer rested heavily in his grip, darkened with blood and ash, the faint glow of cursed runes crawling along its surface.
My heart pounded, but I forced myself to focus. I needed a spell—a powerful one, but not something that would drain me entirely. Supernova was out of the question. I barely had enough mana left to keep breathing.
Ice Spears? No, too predictable. He'd shatter them before they got close.
Lightning Surge? Not enough coverage.
I clenched my staff tighter. I needed something disruptive—something he wouldn't expect.
Before I could act, his voice shattered my concentration.
"But let me say this from the beginning…"
He lifted his war-hammer effortlessly, its enormous weight seeming inconsequential in his massive grip. The earth groaned beneath his feet, fissures spider-webbing outward as dark magic radiated from him like suffocating heat.
"That…"
With a monstrous swing, he slammed the war-hammer into the ground.
The impact exploded outward in a devastating shockwave, tearing through the battlefield with apocalyptic force. The ground cracked and split beneath me, sending jagged rock spires into the air.
"...will only tickle me."
The sheer power of the impact knocked me off my feet, my shield flickering under the brutal assault. The air left my lungs, and for a terrifying second, I thought he'd broken the very ground beneath me.
He took another step forward, his burning gaze locked onto me.
"Entertain me…."
Astoroth raises his war-hammer when he's right in front of me. I just stood there, frozen in place and closed my eyes. In front of the very thing that I swore to destroy, I can't do anything.
But when I opened my eyes, Astoroth let out a guttural growl, his molten eyes blazing with furious disbelief. His war-hammer trembled in his grip as he wrenched his gaze downward.
Protruding from his armored chest was a massive, double-edged battle axe, its jagged steel still dripping with dark ichor. Not just any axe—his axe.
"Who dares—?!" Astoroth bellowed, voice cracking like thunder, but before he could finish, the axe ripped itself free from his chest with a sickening metallic screech, flying back through the air.
I turned just in time to see him.
Roderick.
He caught the returning axe effortlessly, his scarred hand closing around its handle like it was forged into his very being. His other arm hefted a massive iron-forged shield, battered yet unyielding, etched with the sigil of our family—faint but proud.
His thick beard had grown even longer, streaked with harsh silver from countless battles, but his eyes... His eyes were still the fierce, determined flames I remembered. His frame was somehow broader, thicker, muscles like carved granite, radiating sheer, immovable strength.
He planted himself firmly in front of me, shield raised, his back like a living fortress. A walking mountain of steel, fury, and loyalty.
"Hello, sis." His voice was rougher, deeper than I remembered—but it was still him.
I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. A storm of relief, joy, and overwhelming emotion surged through me, choking my throat. He was here.
Astoroth snarled, ripping his war-hammer free from the shattered earth. "Who dares challenge me?! Speak your name, worm!"
Astoroth's molten eyes narrowed in contempt as Roderick casually swung his axe onto his shoulder like he was greeting an old friend.
"Hi," Roderick said with that infuriatingly cocky grin I'd seen him wear countless times. "Name's Roderick. I'm her brother. Nice to meet you."
Yep. That's my brother, alright.
Astoroth roared, his war-hammer blazing with dark fire as he raised it high, ready to crush Roderick into the earth. But Roderick was already moving.
With a thunderous crash, he launched himself forward like a living battering ram, his boots carving deep furrows into the battlefield. His axe gleamed wickedly as he swung it in a brutal, upward arc, aiming directly for Astoroth's torso.
The two titans collided with earth-shattering force. Sparks flew as steel met steel, Roderick's axe clashing against Astoroth's war-hammer with a deafening clang. The shockwave sent nearby minions sprawling.
Roderick didn't hesitate—he twisted mid-swing, using the force of his blocked attack to pivot, bringing his shield around like a battering ram, slamming it into Astoroth's side with bone-crunching power.
Astoroth barely budged.
With a snarl, the demon wrenched his war-hammer around in a brutal counterstrike. Roderick twisted just in time, raising his shield. The hammer struck like a falling mountain, sending a crackling web of fractures through the shield's metal face and launching Roderick backward.
He slammed into the ground but rolled instantly back to his feet, spitting blood with a wild grin. "Is that all you got, you overgrown furnace?"
Astoroth surged forward with terrifying speed for something his size. His war-hammer swung down with monstrous force, intent on crushing Roderick into the dirt.
Roderick ducked low, narrowly avoiding the devastating blow as it shattered the earth where he'd stood. Using the opening, he surged upward, driving his axe into Astoroth's side, splitting through infernal armor.
Astoroth grunted, more annoyed than hurt. He backhanded Roderick with his free hand, sending my brother flying through the air like a ragdoll.
He skidded across the battlefield, carving a deep trench before coming to a stop.
I felt my breath hitch—but Roderick was already pushing himself up again, coughing but still grinning through bloodied teeth.
"You hit like a cranky goat."
Astoroth's expression darkened, his molten eyes burning brighter with wrath. "I will break you."
Roderick spat blood and raised his axe again.
"Try."
I forced myself upright, gripping my staff with renewed purpose. Roderick was here, his broad shoulders like a shield against the chaos. No more hesitation. We would face this together.
Astoroth raised his war-hammer high, dark flames twisting around its jagged edges. Roderick surged forward, axe flashing in the dim, blood-soaked air.
With a swift twist of my staff, I summoned a surge of wind, sending a powerful gust crashing into Roderick's back. His momentum doubled, his axe slicing through the air with devastating speed.
The ground quaked as steel met demonic iron, forcing Astoroth back a full step—the first time he had moved.
Astoroth let out a thunderous snarl, bringing his war-hammer around in a vicious arc. I slammed my staff into the ground, weaving glowing mana-chains from the earth. They coiled around Astoroth's massive legs, binding him in place.
His claws tore through the magical bindings with brutal strength, shattering them in a spray of glowing shards—but it was long enough.
Roderick was already there, swinging upward with his axe. Steel tore flesh, ripping through Astoroth's chest plate and leaving a long, bleeding gash that spilled golden, molten ichor across the cracked ground.
Astoroth staggered, his hand brushing the deep wound as his molten eyes widened in shock.
"The first time you've ever bled?" Roderick taunted, stepping back with his axe held high. "Get used to it."
Astoroth's snarl twisted into something darker—a grim, murderous resolve.
I thrust my staff forward, unleashing a burst of kinetic force that slammed into his torso, forcing him back another step. The ground splintered beneath his feet.
Astoroth touched the oozing wound on his side, glaring at the golden ichor staining his fingertips.
"Impressive," he hissed, rolling his shoulders. "But still… insufficient."
His war-hammer blazed, wreathed in hellfire, and he charged.
I whirled my staff, casting a shimmering mana-shield just before Astoroth's war-hammer crashed down. Blinding sparks exploded as the shield shattered under the devastating impact.
But Roderick was already there, raising his shield just in time.
Astoroth's war-hammer slammed into the enchanted steel with a resounding boom, the force driving Roderick back several paces—but he held firm, boots digging into the dirt as he absorbed the crushing blow.
His axe spun in a deadly arc, forcing Astoroth back once more.
The demon lord growled, touching his still-bleeding wounds, smoldering hatred burning in his molten eyes.
"You will both fall," he hissed, his voice dripping with malice.
I raised my staff, energy crackling at my fingertips as I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with my brother.
"Try."
From the corner of my eye, I caught a familiar movement—Rowan. His armor was splattered with blood, his beard matted and stained, but otherwise, he seemed unscathed. He strode toward us with that steady, unyielding purpose I'd come to recognize. He must've taken down Veythra.
Before I could react, Astoroth roared, swinging his colossal war-hammer in a fiery arc toward Rowan. But the dwarf was already moving, sidestepping with impossible grace, his lance twisting in a deadly arc that grazed Astoroth's armored side, tearing through the smoldering black steel.
Rowan's expression never changed—calm, fierce, and utterly focused.
Beside me, Roderick stared in disbelief, his mouth hanging slightly open. "Is that... Rowan Hale?"
"Yup." I wiped the sweat from my brow, still gasping for breath. "I've been traveling with him for almost a year now."
Roderick turned to me, eyes wide. "You've been traveling with him all this time? Sis, I'm jealous!"
I couldn't help but let out a short laugh, though it was quickly cut off when Astoroth's war-hammer came crashing down toward Rowan once more. He barely dodged, rolling to the side, his lance flashing upward in a lethal thrust that forced the demon lord back.
Rowan's sharp gaze flicked toward us, irritation sparking in his eyes.
"A little bit of help, please?" he barked, breath still steady despite the intense battle.
Roderick rolled his shoulders, stretching out his thick neck. "Right. Sorry about that." He adjusted his axe, already stepping forward with purposeful strides.
"On your mark, sir."
Rowan lunged first, his lance a deadly blur of steel. He moved like lightning, weaving between Astoroth's monstrous swings with practiced precision. Every strike was calculated, aiming for joints in the dark, burnished armor or exposed flesh beneath the twisted plates.
Astoroth bellowed, swinging his war-hammer in a wide arc, its edge burning with hellfire. Rowan darted underneath, narrowly escaping the hammer's destructive path as it shattered the ground into molten craters.
Roderick charged in next, a relentless force of nature. His massive axe cleaved through demon-forged steel, every swing powerful enough to knock Astoroth back a step, forcing him on the defensive. His mighty shield deflected Astoroth's crushing blows, the sound of metal striking metal echoing across the battlefield like a war drum.
I raised my staff, its crystal tip gleaming, and focused on the raging storm of combat. With a swift motion, I conjured binding winds, howling currents of magical force that coiled around Astoroth's arms, slowing his strikes.
Astoroth snarled, yanking against the magical bindings, but Rowan was already behind him, his lance piercing deep into Astoroth's side, drawing a spray of golden blood.
Roderick followed, launching a brutal uppercut swing aimed for Astoroth's neck—but the demon caught the blade mid-swing, his fingers searing against the enchanted steel.
A sudden movement to my left—Sir Cedric.
He emerged from the haze of war, his greatsword raised high, still stained with the remnants of his brutal fight with Kazareth. His armor was dented and bloodied, but his stance was unwavering.
With a fierce battle cry, Sir Cedric swung with all his strength, his blade cleaving through Astoroth's armored side in a blinding arc, splitting armor and flesh alike. Golden blood spattered across the ruined ground.
Astoroth howled in fury, his voice a thunderous roar that shook the very earth. His eyes blazed like molten pits, filled with unholy rage.
We had wounded him, bled him—but instead of weakening, his rage intensified.
Astoroth lifted his war-hammer high, crackling with dark energy, and let out a furious bellow:
"ENOUGH!"
Astoroth slammed his war-hammer into the ground, sending a wave of dark energy erupting outward in a thunderous explosion. The air itself shattered with the force, hurling us backward like leaves in a storm.
Sir Cedric was flung through the air like a ragdoll, crashing into a shattered boulder with a bone-jarring thud. Rowan disappeared into the haze, his body lost in the churning dust and ash.
I only survived because I was shielded behind Roderick's enormous frame. The impact reverberated through him like a falling mountain, his massive body absorbing the worst of the blast. Even so, I felt the crushing force rattle my bones, leaving me gasping for breath as I tried to steady myself.
When the dust cleared, Astoroth still stood, unscathed, his wounds already healed, his monstrous form towering over the battlefield. His once-massive war-hammer had split in two, becoming twin hammers infused with crackling hellfire, one gripped menacingly in each hand.
Sir Cedric, breathing heavily but still defiant, charged forward. His greatsword glinted in the faint light, scarred but unyielding.
He moved with deadly precision, weaving through the fallen corpses. His gaze locked onto Astoroth, his stance measured, calculating—a master tactician preparing the perfect strike.
With a roar, he swung his greatsword in a blinding arc, aiming for Astoroth's exposed side. At the last second, he twisted, turning the attack into a deceptive feint, preparing for a second, lethal thrust toward Astoroth's neck.
But Astoroth wasn't fooled.
With impossible speed, he spun, deflecting Cedric's blade with one hammer while driving the other into his chest.
The impact was devastating. Armor shattered, and Cedric flew sideways, his body crashing into the broken remains of a stone pillar with a sickening crunch.
He slumped against the debris, blood dripping from his lips, yet his eyes burned with unyielding defiance. Even after such a brutal hit, Sir Cedric still gripped his sword, refusing to fall.
Astoroth's guttural laugh echoed like distant thunder—deep, cruel, triumphant—until he abruptly staggered to the side, a gleaming lance-tip slicing across his ribs. His golden blood sizzled as it hit the ground like molten iron.
Rowan Hale stood ready, his lance shimmering with runes that pulsed faintly in the dim, war-scorched light. His face was grim, his muscular frame coiled like a beast about to strike. His armor was scarred, bloodstained, but still whole.
"Monster..." Rowan growled, rolling his shoulders, adjusting his grip. "I've hunted worse than you."
Before Astoroth could respond, Rowan charged, his movements blindingly fast despite his dwarven stature. His lance blurred, striking with the precision of a predator's fang. Steel clashed against cursed iron as Rowan's attacks hammered Astoroth's defense in a relentless rhythm.
Astoroth swung one war-hammer, aiming to smash Rowan into the ground, but the dwarf twisted mid-stride, dodging the deadly arc with inhuman grace. He lunged low, aiming a deadly thrust toward Astoroth's exposed gut, a killing strike aimed for his infernal core.
But Astoroth twisted, deflecting the strike at the last moment with a grinding sweep of his other hammer. The force of the parry sent sparks flying, and Rowan barely managed to roll backward, narrowly avoiding a bone-crushing blow.
For a brief moment, I thought Rowan might end it there—his sheer ferocity and skill unmatched, his strikes precise and unforgiving. But Astoroth's massive strength and unyielding endurance were unholy, something beyond mortal limits.
Roderick roared from the side, launching himself like a battering ram, intending to aid Rowan—but Astoroth moved first.
With one titanic swing, he hurled a war-hammer toward Roderick with terrifying speed. The impact struck him mid-charge, sending him hurtling backward, shattering stone and earth where he crashed. I managed to roll to my side at the last second.
Before I could even process the horror, Astoroth pivoted, gripping his remaining hammer with both hands.
Rowan lunged again, his lance gleaming, but this time, Astoroth anticipated it. With unnatural speed, he slammed the hammer straight into Rowan's chest.
The impact thundered like a breaking mountain. Rowan's body was launched skyward, twisting mid-air before crashing into the shattered earth with a sickening crack. He didn't rise.
Astoroth let out a guttural roar, dark energy rippling outward like a living pulse. His voice seemed to ignite something terrifying in his remaining forces. His minions surged, driven by their master's boundless wrath.
Astoroth stood alone, but his very presence dominated the battlefield, unshaken, unstoppable.
He raised both war-hammers, their edges gleaming with malice, and roared again, daring anyone to challenge him.
Under the harsh sunlight, I stood alone, facing the last demon on earth..
His burning eyes locked onto mine, twin embers of fury fueled by ancient wrath and unending hatred. His massive frame loomed like a dark colossus, his war-hammers resting in his iron grip, ready to strike.
My fingers trembled around my staff, but not from fear. I was spent, my mana reserves nearly depleted. I had maybe three spells left, and even those might kill me if I pushed too hard.
I shouldn't have used Supernova so soon... but without it, the battlefield would've been lost. Now, I was empty, reduced to the barest threads of power.
Is this it? I thought, my breath coming in ragged gasps. Was this how it ended?
Astoroth's boots crushed the scorched earth as he began to move toward me, his expression twisted with predatory glee, ready to end this once and for all.
And then...
He stopped.
His head tilted, eyes narrowing as though hearing something distant.
BOOM.
I heard a roar of thunder.
To be continued...