Chapter: Return and Reckoning
The last of the Silver Dwarves lay unconscious or too wounded to rise, their weapons scattered like broken oaths across the blackened clearing. The dwarven children, still bound and frightened, stared in awe and disbelief at the young man who had just felled an entire squad without a single death.
Luke didn't turn around. His eyes were fixed on the Demon of Terror, who at last moved.
A low, rumbling growl echoed from the obsidian creature's chest, like a volcano gritting its teeth. It stepped forward, talons twitching with infernal heat, molten cracks along its arms flaring with each breath. Its presence alone made the trees behind Luke quiver, their bark peeling and leaves blackening.
"So you are the hunter," the demon hissed, voice deep and jagged like a landslide. "I've heard of you. Luke Astoria. Slayer of Behemoths. Bane of the Fireborn."
Luke didn't answer. He simply raised Beastender.
Behind him, Rindle and the other six dwarves dashed into the clearing. Thornton, eyes still burning with fury, immediately ran to the children.
"Get those ropes off!" he barked, and the team moved with swift hands and comforting voices. The children, though trembling, began to loosen under their touch.
"Take them back to the village," Luke said without turning his gaze.
Thornton hesitated. "What about you?"
Luke slid his foot back, lowering into a ready stance. "I'll finish what I started."
The Demon of Terror spread its arms wide, a hellish smile creasing its rocky face. "You are alone, hunter. Brave—but foolish."
"No," Luke replied quietly, "You're alone."
With a sudden surge of motion, the Demon lunged—faster than its size should allow. It swung a flaming claw downward, intending to cleave Luke in half.
CLANG!
Luke met it mid-strike, sword clashing with claw. Sparks and fire exploded on impact, shaking the ground. The dwarves, children in tow, fled into the trees—just as the true battle began.
Fire burst from the demon's body like a living storm. It lashed out with fists of magma, tail strikes, flaming breath that scorched the earth. But Luke was everywhere at once—ducking under swipes, leaping over molten slashes, parrying with impossible precision. Beastender glowed silver-white, resisting flame and darkness alike.
The battle lit up the forest like a lightning storm. Trees ignited. Stones cracked. The earth itself groaned.
But Luke never faltered.
Each strike he landed chipped away at the demon's armor. Each movement pushed the beast back. There was no fear in Luke's eyes—only resolve.
Far away, the seven dwarves and the children reached the edge of the mist. Safe. Home in sight.
Rindle glanced back, catching a final flash of silver and fire in the sky.
"Do you think he'll be okay?" one of the children whispered.
Thornton didn't stop walking. "He's Luke Astoria."
He smiled grimly.
"He doesn't lose."
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Chapter: The Mountain Within
As Luke battled the Demon of Terror in the heart of the clearing, the Seven Dwarves pressed deeper into the demon's hideout—a series of twisted, blackstone tunnels hidden behind hanging roots and burned vines. The air inside was thick with the scent of smoke and rot, and each step echoed with dread.
Torches along the walls burned with eerie blue flame. The children were somewhere within. They could feel it.
"Stay close," said Marnick, the oldest of the Seven, squinting through the gloom. "No tellin' what else is down here."
They moved swiftly but carefully—Rindle holding the map scanner, two others untying scraps of rope and checking for signs of the kidnapped dwarflings. But just as they reached a wide chamber where the flicker of cage bars glinted in the torchlight—
A deep rumble stopped them in their tracks.
From the far side of the chamber, a hole in the wall cracked open with a bellow of shaking stone and wind. Roots tore free as a monstrous form emerged—a creature of bark, moss, and glowing veins of sapphire light.
It was a Blue-Ranked Tree Demon, towering and knotted, its eyes two glowing blue crystals, its wooden arms the size of small carts. It let out a low, furious roar—branches whipping through the air, bark grinding like stone.
The Seven Dwarves froze.
They weren't warriors. They were inventors. Tinkerers. Tricksters. Solvers of puzzles and problems. None had ever faced a real battle—until now.
"W-We have to do something!" shouted Rindle.
The demon advanced.
One of them—Doltin, the quietest and most nervous of the group—stepped forward. His knees shook, and his hands trembled at his sides. He was always the thinker, the observer. But now, something stirred in him. Something ancient.
"I'll hold it off," Doli (Doltin) said, swallowing hard.
"You what?!" Thornton barked.
Doli didn't look back. His voice wavered—but held. "Get the children. I'll keep it busy."
He stepped into the middle of the chamber. The others didn't move—until Marnick gave a quick nod. "You heard him. Let's move!"
As they dashed toward the caged children, Doli closed his eyes and took a long, steadying breath. His fingers curled into the cold stone beneath him.
"Alright," he whispered. "Earth… I need you."
Suddenly, the chamber shook.
The stone beneath Doli rippled—moved—responding to his command. From the ground, jagged pillars of stone exploded upward, stabbing toward the Blue Tree Demon's limbs, slicing through its wooden armor. The monster roared and swung a massive root-fist down—
But Doli responded.
Two colossal stone hands erupted from the floor and slapped the demon away with a thunderous CRACK!, sending it reeling across the chamber. The torchlight danced wildly as roots flew and shattered against the walls.
Doli breathed harder, sweat dripping down his temple, but his focus only sharpened. His fear was still there—but it bowed to his will.
"You want more?! I'll give you a whole damn mountain! Now—fall!" he shouted.
The ground beneath him cracked wide, and with a mighty roar of the earth itself, a mountain of rock and crystal surged up from the cavern floor, rising higher and higher before collapsing with unstoppable force on top of the Tree Demon.
BOOOOOOM!
Dust and splinters filled the chamber. The echo carried for miles.
When the rumble died, nothing remained of the tree creature—just shattered wood, broken sapphire veins, and silence.
Doltin fell to one knee, panting.
Then—
"YEEAAAAH!" Rindle cheered from the back. "That's our boy!"
The rest of the Seven ran to Doli, slapping his back, hollering and hugging him.
"You summoned a mountain!" shouted Thornton, wide-eyed.
"I didn't even know you could do that!" said Marnick, half-laughing.
Doltin smiled, dazed and proud. "I… didn't either."
With the monster gone, they quickly unlocked the cages. The dwarven children rushed into their arms, tearful and safe.
One of the kids looked at Doli, eyes wide. "You saved us with the earth... like a real mountain dwarf."
Doltin smiled again—this time with confidence.
"Guess I am."