The air was thick with the stench of blood and despair. The torches on the stone walls flickered with eerie green flames, casting long, ominous shadows. Crumbled pillars and the remains of fallen adventurers littered the floor, a testament to the countless who had perished in this accursed place.
At the center of it all, Glaze Ardent, leader of the Silver Fang Guild, knelt on the cold, hard ground. His once-shining silver armor was dented, stained with blood, and cracked in several places. His left eye was swollen shut, his right arm hung limply at his side, and his greatsword lay broken behind him. Yet, despite his wounds, his eyes still burned with unyielding defiance.
Before him stood Azrael, the Demon King, ruler of the Evernight Dungeon, the deepest and most dangerous labyrinth in the kingdom of Eldoria. His towering figure was clad in black armor, engraved with ominous red runes that pulsed with dark energy. In his right hand, he held a long, jagged blade that radiated a chilling presence—Voidrend, the Blade of Annihilation.
Azrael gazed down at Glaze, amusement glinting in his glowing crimson eyes. He rested his blade against Glaze's neck, the cold metal pressing against his skin.
"To think that the mighty Glaze Ardent, leader of the most powerful guild in Eldoria, would end up groveling at my feet." Azrael smirked, his deep voice dripping with mockery. "You gave me quite the warm-up, I'll admit. But this… this is your end."
Glaze coughed, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, but he grinned through the pain.
"You may have defeated me... but you won't have the last laugh." His voice was hoarse but unwavering. "I was never the strongest to begin with. My daughter... she's stronger than I ever was. And when she comes for you... you'll wish you had died here with me."
Azrael's amused expression twisted into one of intrigue. He tilted his head.
"Your daughter, you say?" He chuckled, his laughter echoing through the cavernous hall. "A warrior stronger than the great Glaze? Oh, now you've piqued my interest."
The demon king's grin darkened, his eyes gleaming with cruel delight.
"Tell me... is she beautiful?"
Glaze's body tensed. His fists clenched.
Azrael licked his lips. "If she's as strong as you claim, she must have inherited your talents... but let's hope she also inherited some beauty. It would be a shame if I had to break an ugly woman."
His voice turned sinister, dripping with malice. "When she comes for me, I'll make sure to have my fun with her first. I'll take my time... turning her into my favorite toy."
Glaze's breath hitched, his fury boiling over. His eyes, once dim with exhaustion, flared with burning rage.
"You bastard..." His voice was low, but the sheer hatred in his tone made even the dungeon walls tremble. "Even if you capture her, she will never submit to you. She will stand tall... and she will kill you. No matter what you do, no matter what tricks you try, you will die by her hands."
Azrael's expression darkened. The smug amusement faded from his face, replaced with cold, unfiltered rage.
"You think some brat can kill me?" His voice rumbled like distant thunder. "Enough of your delusions, worm. Let me send you to the abyss where you belong!"
In a flash, Azrael raised Voidrend and swung it down.
SHING!
Blood sprayed into the air. Glaze's head was severed from his body, tumbling onto the stone floor with a dull thud. His lifeless body collapsed beside it, the once-great warrior reduced to nothing more than a corpse.
Azrael exhaled, staring at the fallen guild leader with disdain. He flicked his blade, sending the blood splattering onto the floor.
"Hmph. A fool until the end."
Yet, as he turned away, a lingering thought crept into his mind.
A daughter... stronger than Glaze.
Azrael's lips curled into a wicked grin.
"Fine. Let her come. Let her march into my dungeon, thinking she can best me." His crimson eyes gleamed with hunger. "And when she does... she will learn the true meaning of despair."
As the Demon King's laughter echoed through the abyss, the wheels of fate had begun to turn.
For the heir of Glaze Ardent would soon rise—to avenge her father, to challenge the darkness, and to bring ruin upon the Demon King himself.
TO BE CONTINUED...