The light of purification still filled the ruined hall.
The marks left on Vaelthor's body were still visible.
Black smoke escaped from parts of his armor.
The demonic energy surrounding him no longer seemed as stable as before.
For the first time since that battle had begun, the First Demon General had been wounded.
But no one let their guard down.
Quite the opposite.
This was precisely when he became even more dangerous.
Vaelthor's crimson eyes swept across the entire group.
First Scarlett.
Then Vespera.
Elara.
Lyannis.
Liriel.
Rai'kanna.
Finally, he looked back at me.
The silence lasted only a few seconds.
Then a low laugh echoed through the hall.
Vaelthor began to laugh.
It was not a mocking laugh.
Nor one of amusement.
It was a laugh filled with anger.
Controlled anger.
Dangerous anger.
"Interesting."
He tightened his grip on the sword.
"Very interesting."
The magical pressure began to rise once more.
The shadows scattered throughout the hall started moving again.
Even wounded, his presence remained overwhelming.
Rai'kanna spun her axe.
"He still has plenty of energy."
"I noticed."
I replied.
Scarlett gathered mana between her fingers.
Small bolts of lightning appeared around her.
"Then let's finish this quickly."
Liriel remained focused, keeping the purification active.
The holy light continued to slowly corrode the demonic energy filling the surroundings.
It was an advantage we couldn't afford to waste.
Vaelthor raised his sword.
"The problem with all of you."
His voice echoed through the hall.
"Is that you believe you've already won."
An explosion of black mana shook the entire fortress.
The walls cracked.
The ground trembled.
Part of the ceiling collapsed.
Stones began falling from several places.
The entire structure seemed to be reaching its limit.
Elara immediately raised a wind barrier to prevent the falling debris from hitting the group.
The stones were deflected before reaching us.
But that made one thing clear.
The battle was completely destroying the fortress.
And there wasn't much time left before everything collapsed.
Vaelthor disappeared.
One instant he was standing still.
The next, he was right in front of Scarlett.
His sword came down at an unbelievable speed.
Scarlett managed to raise an electric barrier at the last moment.
The impact shattered the defense.
But it bought her enough time to retreat.
Rai'kanna appeared from the side.
Her axe sliced through the air.
Vaelthor dodged.
I charged at the same time.
My sword met his.
Golden flames erupted.
A wave of energy swept through the hall.
The nearby rubble was blasted away.
For a few seconds, we remained locked in that clash of power.
The blessing was still active.
But I could feel time slipping away.
Every second was precious.
Every moment had to be used.
"Now!"
I shouted.
The entire group moved.
Vespera fired three enchanted arrows.
Lyannis cast a series of magical enhancements upon us.
Elara created blades of wind.
Scarlett gathered lightning.
Rai'kanna charged once again.
For the first time since the battle had begun, we were attacking together.
Without interruption.
Without having to retreat.
Without being forced back.
Vaelthor blocked several attacks.
Dodged others.
But he could no longer handle everything the same way.
One of Vespera's arrows pierced his shoulder.
One of Scarlett's lightning bolts struck part of his armor.
A wind blade opened a shallow cut across his arm.
Minor injuries.
But important ones.
Because they proved something.
He could be hit.
He could be hurt.
He could bleed.
His expression grew even darker.
"You really are irritating."
Scarlett smiled.
"Thank you."
"It wasn't a compliment."
"I know."
Her reply even drew a small laugh from Rai'kanna.
But the battle continued.
There was no room for distractions.
No room for mistakes.
Vaelthor raised his free hand.
An enormous sphere of black energy appeared above him.
Its size increased rapidly.
The magical pressure became suffocating.
Even I felt a chill.
That was dangerous.
Very dangerous.
"Fall back!"
I shouted.
The girls obeyed immediately.
The next instant, the sphere was launched.
The explosion destroyed a massive section of the hall.
Pillars were obliterated.
The floor collapsed.
A shockwave swept through the entire fortress.
For a few seconds, everything was covered in dust.
When visibility returned, an entire section of the hall simply no longer existed.
Rai'kanna whistled.
"That would've hurt."
"A little."
Scarlett replied.
Even in that situation, they still managed to joke.
That helped me stay calm.
Because it meant none of them had lost confidence.
And confidence was incredibly important at that moment.
Liriel's light remained active.
Every second further weakened the demonic energy.
Vaelthor noticed that as well.
His gaze turned toward her.
He realized he needed to stop the purification.
Immediately.
Before it was too late.
The general charged.
Straight toward Liriel.
But we had already expected that.
Vespera fired first.
Her arrow forced Vaelthor to change direction.
Elara raised a barrier.
Scarlett unleashed lightning.
Rai'kanna attacked from the side.
I charged from the front.
We turned his attempt into a trap.
Another one.
Explosions began erupting one after another.
With every passing moment, the hall suffered more damage.
With every passing moment, Vaelthor accumulated more injuries.
They weren't fatal wounds.
But they were adding up.
Wearing him down.
Weakening him.
Preparing the decisive moment.
Then I felt something different.
A familiar energy.
Powerful.
Intense.
The Dragon Flames responded.
My sword began to shine even brighter.
Golden energy flowed across the entire blade.
The runes engraved upon the weapon began to glow.
My heart raced.
I recognized that feeling.
Power was gathering.
Preparing to be unleashed.
Scarlett noticed.
"The final strike?"
"Almost."
I replied.
Rai'kanna smiled.
"Then let's create the opening."
The girls understood immediately.
Without needing an explanation.
Without needing another word.
It was trust built through hundreds of battles.
Elara began gathering wind.
Scarlett accumulated electricity.
Vespera prepared her most powerful arrows.
Lyannis enhanced our physical abilities.
Liriel maintained the purification.
Rai'kanna charged.
And I began concentrating all of my remaining energy into my sword.
The golden flames intensified.
Then they intensified again.
And once more.
The temperature around us began to rise.
The very light of the sword illuminated the hall.
Vaelthor noticed immediately.
His eyes narrowed.
He understood what was happening.
He realized we were preparing something great.
Something dangerous.
Something truly capable of threatening him.
Then he did exactly what I expected.
He tried to stop me.
The First General charged at full speed.
But the girls were waiting.
Scarlett unleashed a storm of lightning.
Elara created a wall of wind.
Vespera fired arrow after arrow.
Rai'kanna blocked his path.
For a few seconds, they managed to hold him back.
Not completely.
But enough.
Exactly enough.
The energy within my sword reached its limit.
The Dragon Flames completely engulfed the blade.
A golden aura appeared around my body.
The entire hall was illuminated.
Vaelthor finally managed to break through the girls' defense.
But it was already too late.
Far too late.
Because I was ready.
I gripped my sword with both hands.
I took a deep breath.
And aimed directly at the First General.
His expression changed.
For the first time since I met him.
I saw genuine concern in his eyes.
Not fear.
Not yet.
But concern.
Because he understood.
He understood that this attack would be different from all the previous ones.
He understood that this strike carried everything I still had.
All of my mana.
All of my strength.
All of my determination.
All of my flames.
Then I charged.
And as the golden sword cut through the hall toward Vaelthor, completely illuminating the ruins of the fortress, only one certainty filled my mind.
The battle was approaching its end.
And the fate of the First General would be decided in the next clash.