Deep within the volcanic mountain at the heart of the Kingdom of Astergard, the realm trembled at the sound of terrifying, thunderous roars. King James Clark ordered his army commanders, Siraj Nوتين (Siraj Nوتين) and Radkov Tonalin, to prepare for battle. Taking an elite force with them, they set off toward the mountain, while the remaining commanders and soldiers tightened security to the maximum, awaiting the return of Princes Casper Clark and Allen Clark—who had recently joined the ranks of the Sacred Heroes—from the Empire of Troy.
The commanders raced toward the mountain. An alliance was also forged with the Kingdom of Ford, with Marshals Nestro Douvan and Pedro Magnus joining the fray alongside the forces of Ford.
The joint coalition army stood before the dark maw of the volcanic mountain. The entrance to the abyss shimmered with a malevolent, demonic aura. Surrounding it were grotesque monsters with colossal heads, their cores glowing with dark, magical energy—resembling crimson eyes lying in wait for their prey.
Siraj Nوتين, commander of the first front, directed his troops with a firm tone: "These beasts have been appearing in numerous caverns lately! We must remain extremely cautious against any unexpected interference—or any traps!"
Radkov Tonalin, commander of the second front, stepped forward confidently: "Indeed, we must stay vigilant. We shall divide into four main assault groups, with a special emergency unit stationed at the rear to monitor the situation and respond to any unforeseen developments. Coordination is the key to survival here!"
"What are your thoughts, Marshal Pedro Magnus?" Pedro replied, "You're right—we must remain on the highest alert. Very well, let's move out."
The four groups dispatched the monsters at the entrance after a brief but fierce battle, then proceeded with extreme caution into the dark depths of the dungeon. Meanwhile, the special emergency unit remained outside, their eyes scanning the surrounding shadows.
An Astrgardian soldier—whispering to a soldier from Ford beside him, his expression one of astonishment—remarked, "Who would have thought we'd end up allied like this? Just yesterday we were on the verge of clashing, and today we're fighting shoulder to shoulder."
The soldier from Ford replied calmly, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, "Such is fate, my friend. Sometimes, common enemies unite those who once considered each other adversaries."
The Deadly Shadow: The Slaughter Begins
At that moment, a mysterious shadow emerged behind the emergency unit, reeking of death. One of the soldiers turned in alarm, but in the blink of an eye, his head was severed; he fell to the ground without even a cry. Stunned by the sudden horror, the others immediately raised their weapons and lunged at the unknown figure.
A soldier screamed in terror, "Who are you?! You monster!"
But their attacks were in vain. The mysterious figure moved with supernatural speed, swinging his blade to cut them all down, leaving nothing but the dismembered remains of the soldiers in his wake. In a matter of moments, they were completely wiped out—all that remained were lifeless corpses and black blood splattered across the rocky ground. The mysterious figure was Sebastian Clark, leader of the Aramagon organization, who kept his very existence shrouded in legend. In a deep, emotionless voice that echoed through the chilling silence, he declared, "The operation... has begun."
The four advancing groups continued their exploration of the volcanic mountain, oblivious to the carnage that had unfolded behind them. The mountain's passages were narrow and winding, the air heavy with the pungent scent of sulfur.
Siraj Nوتين (speaking via a magical telepathic device, his tone cautious): "Siraj here, leader of Group One. How are things on your end, Radkov? Anything unusual?"
Radkov Tonalin (his voice coming through the telepathic link, laced with tension): "Things seem qui—oh, good god!" (He could not finish; his voice dissolved into a scream.) "Emergency! We're under attack by a massive army of demonic spiders! They possess the same demonic cores we saw outside! They're enormous—and incredibly powerful!"
At that very moment, the same scenario played out for Siraj, as well as for Marshal Pedro Magnus and Marshal Nestro Dovan. From the shadows, a vast swarm of twisted goblins—each bearing a glowing demonic core—surged toward the three groups.
Siraj (his voice filled with shock and terror, speaking telepathically to Radkov): "Radkov, the same thing is happening here! A swarm of demonic goblins! We've walked into a trap! Someone has set us up!"
Pedro Magnus: "It seems all four groups have been trapped—" (He did not finish his sentence.)
The connection was lost.
Marshal Nestro Douvan: "Pedro, what happened? Speak—Pedro! Damn it, what is going on on this mountain?"
Radkov (his voice firm despite the chaos): "Comrades! Give it everything you've got! We won't just wipe them out—we'll make them regret ever attacking us!"
A fierce battle raged across all four fronts; the sound of swords clashing against demonic bodies filled the air, while magical spells erupted in the darkness. Every group suffered heavy casualties, and many soldiers fell. But the most tragic fate befell the third group, which had been advancing through a side passage.
A soldier from the third group (his voice filled with absolute terror, barely audible over the telepathic link before it cut out): "What in the hell is this?! It just killed—" (A piercing scream, punctuated by the sickening sound of bones breaking.) "Help! Someone help us! There's a terrifying monster here!"
Radkov, Siraj, and Nestro were left reeling by the sudden loss of contact and that final, harrowing scream. Having managed to repel the initial assault with great difficulty, they rushed toward the third group's position. What they found there was worse than any nightmare: the severed heads of the soldiers lay scattered across the ground, and blood coated the walls.
They attempted to reach the other units via telepathy, but to no avail. The connection had been completely severed. Radkov (speaking in a desperate tone, his eyes scanning the horrific surroundings): "There is only one way to escape this hell. I don't have enough energy to transport more than one person out of this dungeon. What do you think, Siraj—and you, Yanistro?"
Siraj and Nistro both offered a faint, hollow smile—a smile of despair and resignation to their fate.
Siraj (in a quiet voice, heavy with deep sorrow): "So... this is the end for us."
The Appearance of Morgoth: Unimaginable Terror
In a moment of sheer horror, the destructive beast—the very creature responsible for this carnage—emerged from behind them. It was colossal, having remained perfectly concealed, its eyes gleaming in the darkness. Before they could react, it smashed the exit they had come through, trapping them deep within the dungeon.
Radkov (moving with lightning speed toward a wounded soldier who was barely breathing, his eyes pleading desperately): "Go! You must go! Tell the King everything that has happened and demand full reinforcements! Get help immediately! You are our only hope!"
Siraj (frozen in shock, his eyes widening in absolute terror as he beheld the beast): "Impossible... how could a creature like this be here?! It was supposed to have been destroyed a decade ago! No... it's... the monster Morgoth!"
Radkov (shaking Siraj's shoulder firmly): "Pull yourself together, Siraj! There's no time for panic!"
Nistro: "What kind of aura is this? I've never seen..." (He is killed in a gruesome, bloody fashion.)
Both of them were left reeling, horrified by what they were witnessing. Siraj cast his final teleportation spell, pushing the wounded soldier toward the shattered entrance. With great difficulty, the soldier crawled toward the King, eventually collapsing unconscious before the palace gates—a silent plea for help. Guards quickly rushed him inside, as chaos and anxiety began to grip the kingdom.
Sebastian Clark, clad in black, watched the situation calmly, sitting with an air of legendary composure—reminiscent of "The Godfather."
Sebastian: "As expected... Morgoth's trap has been sprung."
Siraj (his voice strained, struggling to process the reality): "Radkov... it's Morgoth. He's capable of moving at blinding speeds, his body can constantly replicate itself, and he wields volcanic-mud magic."
Radkov (his eyes sharpening for battle, accepting his fate): "So, things have truly taken a turn for the worse." This illustrates the extent of the devastation that took place.
The final battle against the monster Morgoth had begun. He was a terrifying beast—
striking like a phantom, he slaughtered the remaining soldiers in mere moments. Only Siraj and Radkov, the exhausted commanders, were left.
They fought with everything they had, straining every ounce of their strength to prolong the battle—hoping only to buy time until reinforcements arrived. But Morgoth was faster and far more ferocious. Seizing Siraj in his powerful claws, the beast brutally severed his arms, leaving him to scream in agony. Radkov tried desperately to tend to his comrade, even as the monster prepared for a final, lethal blow.
Just when all seemed lost, two figures suddenly intervened! Moving with blinding speed, they struck the beast with a potent magical blast, driving him back!
One of them (in a confident, warrior-like tone): "Well held—we've arrived just in time."
Radkov's eyes widened; a faint smile, born of both exhaustion and hope, touched his lips.
Radkov (in a barely audible whisper): "You've finally come... Prince Casper... and Prince Alin!"
Casper (with a serious expression, stepping toward Radkov): "Don't exhaust yourself by speaking now." "Let's tend to your wounds first."
Just then, Oliver Wilson—the Viceroy of the Kingdom of Ford—and Darwin Smith, commander of the kingdom's First Army, arrived.
With their arrival, the reinforcements were complete.
Observing the scene, Sebastian Clark's subtle expression shifted slightly as he caught sight of Casper and Allen.
Oliver (clutching his head, his face etched with exhaustion): "We've lost all our soldiers, along with Marshal Pedro Magnus and Marshal Nestro Douvan."
Darwin Smith, commander of the First Army, wore a look of intense fury.
Casper (staring sharply): "What a demonic magical power radiating from him..."
Viceroy Oliver: "So, how do we put an end to it?"
Allen (contemplating the *dimas*, his tone anxious): "Don't you notice the strange, unnatural stillness hanging over this *dimas*?"
Darwin: "You're right."
Darwin unleashed an earth-magic assault; waves of rock and soil surged toward the shadows, exposing and crushing a group of hidden monsters lying in ambush. Meanwhile, Allen swiftly healed Radkov and stanched the severe bleeding from Siraj's wounds.
Allen (decisively): "Leave the rest to us. Get out of here immediately and report the situation. What lies ahead is beyond your capabilities now."
The four of them braced themselves for the final battle against Morgoth and the remaining monsters.