“This light gives off no heat. How does it work?” Vix asked. She whistled through her teeth as she rubbed her hand gently over the glowing blue lines on the smooth, dark walls.

“I think it is from an advanced energy source. I don’t know of magic spells lasting this long. Unless the Dungeon employs mages to constantly renew them,” Viridal answered. The wizard stroked his narrow white beard thoughtfully.

The six adventurers had teleported into a vast chamber. The walls and floors were smooth and made from a material that Impetitus couldn’t identify. It was cold to the touch and hard like steel but dark like onyx. Embedded into the walls were narrow blue lines that traveled in an unfathomable pattern throughout the room. They bathed the area in dim light. The chamber had an arched ceiling dozens of meters above their heads and was barely visible. There were four symmetrically spaced pillars with a red carpet that ran between them through the center. On one end of the carpet was a raised dais that sat a throne, and on the other end was a set of wide double doors. The doors were closed. The throne was massive and made from the same materials as the floor and walls. It appeared to have risen out of the floor rather than being a piece of furniture.

Sitting on the throne was a sizeable humanoid skeleton. It had a bat-like skull that showed large fangs as it slouched. Its claw hands resting on the armrests, and its legs spread out before it.

“So this be the Dreaded one?” Markham asked. The dwarf was standing on the dais next to the throne, and he barely came up to the slouched skeleton’s chest. A pile of ash surrounded the creature. Around its feet, under its arms, and around the chair it sat on.

The half-orc was on the other side of the throne, studying the creature. Gregan’s head came to the sitting creature’s chin level. In the center of the room, on the red carpet, were Impetitus and Viridal. Verene was a distance away by the door. Vix was walking along the sides, tracing her battle-scarred hands along the glowing blue lines.

“Yes, exactly the way we left him,” Impetitus said.

“Curious. Something removed the other fallen demons but left the Dreaded One on the throne,” Viridal observed.

“Others?” Asked Vix.

“This was our final stand against the dark lord and a small army of his minions,” explained the mage. He shuddered, briefly remembering that horrific experience.

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“There were eight of us at the start of the encounter. The most powerful group of adventurers you will ever find. Just the three of us remained,” Impetitus said and motioned toward Viridal and Verene.

Gregan gave a low whistle. He reached out a hand to touch a skeletal wing and caused it to collapse with a clatter. In the room’s silence, the clatter was akin to a roar of thunder.

“You fool! Don’t touch anything,” Verene hissed.

“Why? We are just waiting for your goblins to show up,” the half-orc growled in defiance.

“Idiot, this Dungeon is much larger than what we have explored. It still houses many denizens. Many of which would not appreciate our returning,” said Viridal.

Gregan’s face was twisted into a snarl as he made to walk over to the wizard. Markham rested a restraining hand on the angry half-orc’s chest, and the mercenary calmed. The dwarf looked up toward Impetitus.

“So whats da plan? Why we are here?” He asked.

“We have reason to believe that the Goblins do not know about the defeat of their Dreaded One. We learned from their village leaders that they were on a quest to come here,” the templar answered.

Just then, a howl could be heard coming from beyond the door. The group tensed. Verene backed slowly away from the door just in time as it flew open. A flying horror entered. It had leathery red skin and a canine-like face lined with sharp fangs. Its sinewy arms ended in vicious claws. Its yellow eyes noticed Impetitus right away.

“Yooou!” It screeched and pointed a dirty, clawed finger. It began to howl and then stopped as a short spear thudded into its chest, causing it to stagger lower to the ground.

Verene appeared behind the demon and stabbed it once with her sword. She backflipped out of the way before it sliced her with its claws. The demon yanked Gregan’s spear out from its chest. The wounds that were oozing dark ichor began to close!

“My weapon was enchanted! Can they not die?” Cried Gregan.

“Yes, you just need to hit them more,” Viridal said as he retreated behind the dwarven defender.

The demon made to soar higher, but a metal ball attached to a long chain struck it soundly in the head. Vix twirled her chain and hit it again with the other balled end of her chain. It fell to the ground, where Impetitus impaled it with his sword. The creature screeched, and its leathery skin dissolved into black ash, leaving its skeletal remains behind.

From the hallway beyond the double doors, many more terrifying howls and dozens of glowing yellow eye slits could be seen. The adventurers readied their weapons. Impetitus and Gregan were in the front. Vix was behind them and could cover their flanks with her chain weapon. Markham held the rear and was guarding Viridal. The mage mumbled an enchantment, and swirling magical winds buffeted his comrades, making their movements easier and faster. Verene melded into the shadows near the pillars. The glint of the steel on her sword was the last thing to be seen before she vanished.

“You know, demons are a lot less scary after you’ve killed one,” Vix observed. The terrible creatures swarmed into the room.