Chapter 21: Arrivederci
Having arrived at the Dark Lord's castle, Dante and his party were ready to face the dangers that awaited them within. The castle was like a living organism; the walls moved as if they were breathing, every corner echoing with the power of darkness.
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The First Obstacle: Morgath's Power
At the entrance to the castle, the party encountered Morgath in a massive hall. His body was as hard as steel, and he held a giant warhammer in his hands. The Dark Lord's symbol glowed on Morgath's chest.
"You have come this far, but you cannot go any further. The darkness will consume you," Morgath said in a booming voice.
Lucian stepped forward and readied his daggers. "If you wish to try to swallow us, then go ahead."
Morgath slammed his hammer down on the ground, and a shockwave shook the entire hall. The party was thrown to the ground, while Kaelene conjured a barrier. Morgath's strength, however, was incomparable to that of an ordinary enemy.
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A Fierce Battle
Morgath charged toward Kaelene, but Dante intervened and deflected the hammer with his pistols. "A giant attacking a woman? Not very impressive," he said sarcastically.
Dante and Lucian distracted Morgath together while Sienna tried to weaken Morgath's armor with magic. But Morgath grew angrier with each blow.
"None of you can defeat me!" she shouted, raising her hammer into the air and knocking a huge boulder from the ceiling.
Dante pulled Lucian aside at the last moment. "Do you have a plan, Lucian?" he asked.
Lucian smiled and replied. "Always."
Lucian moved quickly from the shadows, finding the weak spot in Morgath's armor. He thrust his daggers into it with all his might. Morgath roared in pain and stepped back.
Dante used this opportunity to aim his pistols. "This is your end, giant."
Dante fired one of his pistols, hitting Morgath's weak spot. Morgath collapsed to the ground with a huge crash and took his last breath.
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Lyara's Traps
After Morgath's death, the team moved deeper into the castle. However, Lyara was waiting for them. Lyara was a powerful sorceress and known for her mental manipulation abilities. She separated Dante and the team with different illusions.
Dante found himself at the scene of Ryker's death. However, this time Ryker was glaring at him. "You couldn't save me, Dante. You always fail. Your team follows you, but you only lead them to their deaths."
Dante shouted, clenching his fists. "This isn't real! Ryker wouldn't say this!"
Kaelene was drawn into an illusion where she faced her mother. "Everyone will die because of your weakness," her mother's voice said.
Lucian relived a past betrayal. "There's no way they'll forgive me," he muttered.
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Sienna's Rescue
Lyara tried to keep the team defenseless with these illusions she created in their minds. However, Sienna managed to break Lyara's influence with a powerful purification spell.
Dante aimed his pistols at Lyara as soon as he returned to reality. "How long did it take you to realize you couldn't defeat me in my mind?"
Lyara conjured a magical shield, but Kaelene's magically supported attack shattered the shield. Dante took the opportunity to knock Lyara out with one last bullet.
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The Dark Lord's Chamber
The team finally reached the Dark Lord's chamber. The Dark Lord, sitting on a massive throne, greeted them with a sinister smile.
"Your bravery is admirable," he said calmly. "But coming here has only hastened your fate."
Dante replied, raising his pistols. "My destiny will be to end you."
The Dark Lord raised his hand, stirring up the dark energy in the room. The walls shook, the floor cracked. "Then show me your destiny."
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