The rain had grown merciless, a cold pounding that seeped through their cloaks and made every step a chore. The path through the valley was slick with mud, and Kael could feel his boots sucking into the earth with every stride. The Ironwood Keep loomed closer with each passing minute, its towering stone walls dark and imposing against the stormy sky. It was unlike any fortress Kael had ever seen. The thick ironwood trees surrounding the keep seemed to twist and bend in ways that made it seem as though they were part of the structure itself, their gnarled branches extending over the walls like ancient sentinels."There it is," Lysandra said, her voice barely audible over the roar of the storm. "Ironwood Keep. We should find shelter there and regroup."Kael eyed the fortress warily; everything about it felt wrong-the weighty oppression of the place, the treetops dark around it, the silence heavy in the air though wind and rain howled. It did not look like the sanctuary Lysandra had prom

The keep walls seemed to shake with his presence as Valaris stood framed in the doorway, a dark, almost suffocating aura emanating from him. Kael's hand tightened on the hilt of his sword; his heart was racing with growing panic. Lysandra and Eldric flanked him, their swords drawn at the ready. The atmosphere was heavy in the chamber, the firelight casting long shadows on cold stone walls.Valaris stepped forward; his voice was in a low and thickly malign manner. "You think you can defy me? You are but mere pawns in a game so much larger than you could ever conceive."Kael took a step forward, his gaze fixed upon Valaris. "We're not pawns. And we're not staying here to die."A cold smile twisted across Valaris' lips. "You misunderstand-you were never meant to leave this place. You have already lost.Valaris snarled and tossed his hand through the room. A dark pulse exploded from him with the force that sent them all off their feet. Kael felt the weight of the magic press against him,

The beast lunged forward with a snarling growl. Its body seemed to shift and writhe, as if it might be crafted from some species of dark liquid. Kael, Lysandra, and Eldric steeled themselves, their eyes fixed upon the unfolding danger. The chamber's self-destruction raged on-the walls and ceiling breaking asunder, each second a frantic flight against the clock.Kael's sword glittered in the weak light, and he felt the weight of the creature's dark presence weighing upon him. Lysandra and Eldric stood beside him, their faces set in grim resolution."We need to take it down," Kael yelled over the din of crumbling wreckage and the creature's guttural roars. "Work together and find its weak spot!Its eyes blazed with an eerie, malevolent light, as it let another bone-chilling roar loose. A huge, shadowy shape lashed out with tendrils of darkness, whipping through the air, forcing Kael and his companions to dodge and weave to keep their footing.Lysandra sprang forward, her dagger flashing