Tave stepped out into the open courtyard of the fortress.
The night had fully taken hold, and chaos ruled the air.
Demons were dancing in wild. Their bodies swayed like beasts drunk on blood and sound. Laughter echoed. Fires burned high, roasting monstrous creatures on giant spits. The scent of charred flesh and fermented blood was overwhelming.
And more importantly, they were drinking.
Tave's eyes moved across the crowd, carefully watching as demon after demon tilted their heads back and gulped down the brew, the very one he had laced with Lunaris Bloom.
At the center of it all was the throne.
A towering, jagged seat crafted from dark stone stood beside a massive fire pit. Around it, several elite demons, clearly stronger than the average rabble, stood at attention or sat close, watching the celebration unfold with unreadable expressions.
And there, sitting with unmistakable presence, was the leader of the entire force.
Marquis Kimaris.
