Chapter 20: Into the Shadows
Dante and his team began a long and dangerous journey to the Dark Lord's castle. With each step, they felt the weight of Ryker's loss, but they continued to move forward so that his sacrifice would not be in vain. However, throughout the journey, they had to fight not only their enemies, but also the darkness within themselves.
---
Internal Conflict
Kaelene was silent as she cleaned her magic sword. Dante noticed her state as he approached her. "Kaelene, aren't you going to say anything?"
Kaelene bowed her head. "Ryker's death is my fault. I couldn't protect him."
Dante replied with a stern expression. "We were all there. You know Ryker fought by his own choice. Blaming yourself won't bring him back."
Kaelene put her sword back in place, hiding her tears. "Maybe we can't win this war, Dante. We're losing every day."
Dante took a deep breath and spoke harshly. "Losing is not an option. Ryker knew it. And so do we. If we don't stop, this darkness will destroy everything."
---
The Dark Lord's Heralds
During the journey, the team encountered three of the Dark Lord's heralds. These heralds were the Dark Lord's most loyal soldiers:
1. Veyran - An assassin known for his poisoned weapons.
2. Morgath - A massive, nearly invincible warrior.
3. Lyara - A witch who could control minds with magic.
The team first encountered Veyran. Veyran set up an ambush deep in the forest and tried to neutralize the team with poisonous gases.
---
Battle: Veyran's Traps
Veyran moved quickly through the trees, attacking the team members. He quickly retreated after each attack with his poisoned daggers. Kaelene tried to stop him with a spear spell, but Veyran was too agile.
"With such a weak team you would challenge the Dark Lord?" Veyran taunted.
Lucian charged from the shadows, wounding Veyran. "Keep mocking. It will be your last mistake."
Veyran, angered by his wound, released his poisonous gases. The gas made the team's movement difficult. But Dante put on his mask and aimed his pistols.
"Veyran, stop talking. It's your turn," he said and fired one of his silver-plated pistols. The bullet ruptured one of Veyran's poison canisters, sending the gases back at him.
Dante lowered his pistol calmly as Veyran collapsed, out of breath. "Learn to set a better trap next time."
---
Continuing the Hard Road
The team moved forward, leaving Veyran behind. But fatigue and losses were wearing them down. Kaelene noticed that the power of her spells was diminishing. Lucian was taking more risks with each battle.
Dante tried to keep his team's morale high, but Ryker's absence loomed over everyone. Sienna broke the silence.
"Dante, the team needs to regroup. We must be ready before we fight."
Dante took a deep breath. "We have no choice but to be ready, Sienna. The Dark Lord's plans are advancing, and if we stand still, we will lose."
---
The Dark Lord's Castle
The team finally came into sight of the Dark Lord's castle. The castle, atop a massive mountain, glowing with dark energy, pierced the sky in a terrifying way.
Lucian looked up at the castle and muttered quietly. "This place... reeks of death."
Kaelene replied, gripping her magic sword tightly. "And we will stand against death."
Dante turned to the team and made one last speech. "We have come this far. Ryker may not be with us, but we will not forget his sacrifice. We will destroy this castle. And we will stop the Dark Lord once and for all."
---