Ren, Elena, Evie, Lorelai, and Azazel entered through the imposing gates, and was greeted by an eerie silence.
Uncertainty hung in the air as they embarked on their mission, leaving hope with those they'd left behind in Obsidianreach.
The destiny of the Netherworld teetered on the edge, the true trial awaiting within the shadowed corridors of the warlord's fortress.
Venturing deeper, the group noticed the conspicuous absence of guards and soldiers. The castle echoed with an unsettling stillness.
"I didn't expect it to be so empty," Elena remarked.
"It's not what you'd envision for a castle," Evie added.
Azazel places his hands behind his neck, and explained, "The seven warlords don't rely on soldiers. They're the most powerful demons and devils in the Netherworld ever since my absence."
Everyone gave him he side eyes.
Ren humored him with a question, "As the Demon King, what's your plan for Voraxa, one of your warlords?"
Elena chimed in, "That's right. You two are once friends, right? She might kill you for impersonating her king."
Azazel's playful grin disappeared as he replied, "I haven't thought about it seriously, to be honest."
Lorelai rolled her eyes, dismissing him, "Because you're not the Demon King, just a delusional kid."
Azazel's grin returned. "What if I speak the truth?"
Lorelai nonchalantly retorted, "Then I'll prostrate myself and apologize, my lord."
Azazel's grin widened. "Deal."
Though Lorelai had made the promise, she promptly forgot about it in the next moment.
"Hmm . . . now that you mention it, maybe I'd just ask her to stop her rampage and serve me again," Azazel said nonchalantly.
"Do you really think that would work?" Ren inquired.
Azazel nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! Among my warlords, Voraxa is the sweetest! Sure, she's a bit gluttonous, but she's the sweetest little devil you could ask for in a group!"
"The sweetest?" Ren and the others exchanged incredulous glances.
The mental image of terrorizing towns, hoarding resources, and mercilessly punishing any mistakes didn't align with their definition of a sweet girl.
"What a delusional kid," Lorelai sighed.
The group had finally entered the castle. The corridors of Voraxa's castle were a labyrinth of darkness, each step echoing rebounded against the walls.
Torches flickered along the stone walls, casting long, distorted shadows that seemed to dance with malevolence.
The air was heavy, charged with a sense of foreboding that heightened the group's awareness.
Ren and Azazel took the lead, his senses attuned to the subtle shifts in the environment. Elena, Evie, and Lorelai followed closely, their weapons drawn.
The castle seemed to swallow the sound of their footsteps, creating an eerie silence broken only by the distant echoes of unseen chambers.
As they navigated the winding passages, the group encountered locked doors, hidden passages, and occasional signs of the castle's ancient history.
It became clear that Voraxa's fortress was not just a physical barrier but a testament to the secrets woven into the fabric of the Netherworld.
Then they encountered the castle's inhabitants for the first time — servants comprised of lesser demons and devils in various shapes and sizes.
Ren and the others stared at the servants, who reciprocated with a curious gaze, pausing their tasks for the day.
Azazel casually broke the silent standoff, raising his hand in greeting. "Yo!"
The servants shrieked, retreating and disappearing into the shadows.
"How rude," Azazel commented. "They should have serve us drinks or something."
"We're not guests here," Elena said, dismissing the encounter.
"Did they not even try to stop us?" Evie wondered. "They seemed scared."
"Looks like they want us to stop Voraxa more than anything else," Elena added.
"Heh. I bet they've noticed how strong I am," Lorelai boasted. "They made the right choice by backing away; they just saved their lives."
"Right, right," Ren commented. "Let's move on."
As they pressed deeper into where Voraxa was, the first challenge presented itself in the form of a massive chamber guarded by enchanted sentinels. The statues, carved from black stone, came to life as the group entered.
Their eyes glowed with an eerie light, and their movements were swift despite their heavy appearance.
Ren signaled to the others, and the battle was swift and quick than he had expected.
Elena's whip clashed with the enchanted blade of a sentinel, sparks flying with each impact.
Evie unleashed illusions, disrupting statues formations and attack patterns.
Lorelai weaved between them, and quickly killed them with one strike.
Ren didn't have to do anything, and the battle had already ended hardly a minute after it commenced.
"Ahahaha! Good job, everyone!" Azazel shouted in glee.
Lorelai swiftly whacked his head. "You didn't even do anything here!"
"I cheered you on from the backlines, you know!" Azazel complained.
Lorelai delivered another solid whack to his head.
"What's that for?" Azazel whined, massaging the sizable lumps on his head.
"Your face is pissing me off!" Lorelai snapped and moved ahead.
Azazel could only watch Lorelai's retreating back, shaking his head. "She's definitely going to be alone. She's very violent."
His smile returned, eyes narrowing crescent-like, and his nose inflated as he sported a creepy, wide grin. "Eheeheehee. But I don't mind violent women at all."
The group pressed on, navigating through cryptic chambers, haunted corridors, and arcane puzzles that tested both their strength and intellect. The castle responded to their presence, shifting and rearranging itself as if it possessed a life of its own.
Amidst the challenges, they discovered relics hinting at the castle's history — ancient texts, forgotten artifacts, and murals depicting battles long past.
"Do you know Voraxa well?" Ren asked Azazel cautiously, aware of his dubious credibility but seeking information about the impending threat.
Azazel nodded. "Of course, she's one of my warlords, and we've spent hundreds of years together."
He grinned and spoke with enthusiasm and fondness, "We first met in a poor dying village when I was still starting my conquest of becoming the Demon King. She was just a child then. I remember how she wanted to kill me to eat my flesh to satiate her hunger, even though she was so scrawny and nothing but bones. Ahahaha. She's got guts. That was a memorable first encounter."
"You don't say," Ren deadpanned.
