Pacs, Aelda, Darwin, and Callie reached the Kingdom Ravenmark. From a distance, they observed the kingdom—darkness looming over it. The natural habitats around it seemed dead, drained of life. Demonic guards stood on duty, watching the surroundings.
"How should we enter?" Aelda asked.
"We'll have to force our way in," Pacs replied.
Darwin readied himself without hesitation, prepared to break into the castle without question. Callie stepped forward and summoned a pack of dark wolves.
The wolves lunged at the guards, tearing into them. Taking advantage of the chaos, Pacs and the others struck swiftly, cutting down the remaining guards and forcing their way into the kingdom.
They ran inside, moving as fast as possible. In the middle of the kingdom, they saw the villagers gathered within a large circle of spells.
Dark, shadowy, spirit-like creatures were being extracted from their bodies. One by one, the villagers collapsed, their forms turning into dark ash.
A cold breeze swept through, carrying the ashes into the air—until nothing remained, and the villagers vanished completely.
"You killed them," Pacs said.
"You're too late, hero," the Demon Lord replied. "You could have saved them. It's all your fault… hero."
"Hahahah…" The Demon Lord laughed.
Pacs charged toward him, intent on ending it for good. Demonic guards stepped in his path one by one, but Pacs cut them down as he pushed forward, trying to reach the Demon Lord.
Aelda, Darwin, and Callie were pulled into the fight as well, clashing with the remaining guards. Amid the chaos, the Demon Lord turned and walked into the castle, leaving them behind to deal with his forces.
The fight dragged on for several minutes. Demonic guards completely surrounded Pacs, Aelda, Darwin, and Callie. They stood back to back, facing all four directions as the guards rushed in.
They dodged incoming strikes, blocked heavy blows, and countered with precision. Steel clashed, bodies fell, and the ground grew still. One by one, the guards were cut down.
After a while, every demonic guard in the kingdom lay defeated.
Only the Demon Lord remained—his strength restored, the fatigue from the ritual he hold to kill the village peoples is gone.
Pacs and the others decided to rest and recover before entering the castle to confront the Demon Lord.
As they regained their strength, the castle doors creaked open, and the Demon Lord stepped out.
"I must praise you," he said, his voice calm. "To wipe out all my demonic guards… perhaps you truly can be a hero."
By then, Pacs and the others had recovered.
"From today, you won't sacrifice any more innocent people," Pacs said.
With that, he charged toward the Demon Lord, weapon in hand.
The Demon Lord stood still, not even attempting to dodge. Pacs struck him again and again, each blow heavier than the last, until he unleashed his special attack—"Demolition Strike."
The hit landed clean. The damage was immense, sending the Demon Lord crashing into the rubble.
For a moment, everything went still. Then he rose again, his body covered in wounds, bleeding heavily.
"We can beat him," Aelda said.
Darwin followed up with a heavy strike, his blow carving a deep wound. Blood poured out like water, staining the ground beneath the Demon Lord.
Callie and Aelda stepped forward together, casting a combined spell—"Bleeding Winds."
The attack struck the Demon Lord, and the effect was immediate. His wounds tore wider, the bleeding turning violent and uncontrollable.
Blood poured from his body as his strength gave out.
At last, he collapsed face down onto the ground, motionless.
"We did it… we beat the Demon Lord," Callie and Aelda said.
Pacs steadied his breathing, slowly calming down as he lowered his sword. Darwin lowered his weapon as well, and for a moment, they all stood there in silence, catching their breath.
"Now, there won't be any more innocent people sacrificed… not anymore," Pacs said.
"Let's get out of here," Aelda added. "I don't want to stay any longer."
Callie smiles lightly. "I can't believe it… defeating the Demon Lord turned out to be this easy."
Pacs, Aelda, Darwin, and Callie began to leave the kingdom.
As they turned away, the Demon Lord's body moved. His wounds closed, flesh restoring itself, until he rose again—completely unharmed.
"Perhaps I shouldn't have underestimated you," the Demon Lord said. "But now, I won't take you lightly anymore."
His gaze fixed on Pacs.
"Prepare to meet your end, hero."
The Demon Lord struck from behind, unseen.
The blow landed before Pacs could react, tearing through him—part of his torso lost in an instant.
Aelda froze, her eyes wide with despair as she looked at Pacs.
Darwin turned at once, stepping in and blocking the Demon Lord's next strike. He held his ground, taking the blows head-on, buying time.
Aelda rushed to Pacs, Callie also helped as she cast her healing magic—"Genesis Healing."
A soft light enveloped Pacs. Flesh began to restore, the missing part of his torso slowly reforming as the wound closed.
Pacs holding to live , breath by breath, as Aelda Heals him.
Darwin struggled to hold his ground against the Demon Lord. His heavy attacks were blocked again and again, each one stopped with ease.
In a single swift motion, the Demon Lord overpowered him, lifting him into the air with one hand.
Darwin, exhausted and broken, let out a faint breath. "I always wanted to join a hero's party… I'm satisfied now… to be part of one… facing a Demon Lord."
Before anyone could react, the Demon Lord drove his hand through Darwin's torso.
A sharp, brutal motion followed—
And Darwin's body was torn in two.