The Forsaken Hero

Forcing our way through the lava tunnels was almost ridiculously easy. Unlike the gargantuan caverns where the main battle took place, there was nowhere for the demons to hide, leaving them exposed to concentrated blasts of Sun Magic. Before long, the tide of the small, scaled fire demons slowed, and we broke through into another cavern.

Glowing rivers of lava provided an ominous, orange light as they dripped into craggy precipices. Hunks of igneous rock jutted from the uneven floor, pointing up toward the ceiling, which rounded off several hundred feet above our heads. Hundreds of tunnels ruptured the walls, allowing the remaining hordes of the demons to flee our arrival. They had long since given up attacking us, The overwhelming might of the Sun Hero forcing their violent natures into submission.

A massive stone door, crafted from the same glassy lava rock as the rest of the cavern, loomed on the far wall. Infernal runes were etched deep within the rock encasing the door, radiating a flickering light like dying embers.

Soltair’s face lit up the instant he laid eyes on the door. "Looks like you were right. The boss room."

I spared a glance at Fyren, who looked completely unsurprised, before moving to lay a hand on Soltair’s arm. "We should be careful. They must know we’re here.

"As if that will save them." he scoffed. "Let’s go."

My first instinct was to take it slowly and cast a few preparatory spells, the vivid memory of their scorn at my caution in the goblin cave silenced my tongue. Instead, I followed meekly behind, casting several spells on myself for extra protection.

Soltair took care of the door in much the same manner as the first, slamming his holy sword against it until it shattered. A blast of scorching air rushed through the fractured stone, striking us with a blast of fiery heat. Fortunately, the third-circle spells held, but the sheer intensity of the heat was shocking. The lava chambers we passed through, where literal rivers of lava flowed freely, barely tickled the barrier, yet the temperature behind this door threatened the integrity of the Fire Shield itself.

Soltair pushed his hand forward, blowing the wreckage of the ruined door clear with a wave of light. I clutched my staff tightly as he moved beyond the doorway, striding fearlessly into the solitary chamber beyond. The cavern was a featureless dome, similar to the entrance of the dungeon. The ambient light of lava was gone, the only source of illumination being a small, head-sized ball of fire bobbing gently in the center of the room. Despite its relatively small size, I confirmed its nature with the Eyes of Fate. Only the Gate Core could be the center of so much magic.