The tunnel opened into a vast chamber, its ceiling lost in shadows, its walls lined with jagged crystals that pulsed with a faint, sickly light. At the center of the chamber, on a raised platform of black stone, stood the demon.
He was waiting for them.
His crimson skin gleamed under the crystal light, his golden eyes fixed on the entrance as if he had known they would come. His arms were crossed over his chest, his posture relaxed, almost bored. The horns that swept back from his forehead seemed larger now, more prominent, and the shadows around him writhed like living things.
"I was wondering when you'd arrive," he said, his voice echoing off the chamber walls. "The hounds were supposed to slow you down, not provide a warm-up exercise."
Hope stepped forward, her greatsword blazing with golden light. "Your pets are dead, demon. Just like you're going to be."
