A dead silence filled the ancient city.
Kano stepped onto the stone-paved road that had once been the main street of Gorodis — the dwarven capital, now buried under rubble and forgotten even by history itself. Towering stone walls rose high around them, creating an eerie feeling that the city itself was watching… as if thousands of mute witnesses with dust-filled sockets were still staring at the living who dared to enter.
The group moved slowly.
The light of magical lanterns still flickered on the walls, glowing with a strange violet hue. That was wrong — everyone knew dwarven magic had vanished with the fall of the city.
—"Gorodis…" Rudgard murmured quietly, his deep voice carrying a note of sorrow. —"Once, life thrived here. The best blacksmiths, alchemists, craftsmen… Dwarves who had no equal in the forging of weapons."
Kano felt his boot crush something. Slowly, he looked down.
A skull.
Skeletons lay everywhere — some in shattered armor, others without clothing, as if they'd been burned by magical fire. Some still clung to each other, locked in a final embrace — whether in protection or farewell, it was impossible to tell.
—"Something's very wrong here…" Elgot muttered, halting by one of the skeletons. He picked up a fragment of bone and frowned.
—"They weren't just killed," he said, examining the remains. —"Look at the texture of the bone. It's as if it was drawn out from the inside."
—"What?!" Kano turned sharply.
—"Some kinds of dark magic consume the body from within, leaving only a shell. This could have been done by something from the otherworld."
A chill ran down Kano's spine.
From deep within the ruins came a disturbing sound — a distant, low whisper that seemed to seep into the very air.
Revana, who had been moving silently beside them, suddenly froze. She closed her eyes as if listening to something, her hands trembling.
—"There's something else here…" she whispered.
—"What do you sense?" Rudgard asked, tightening his grip on his axe.
Revana drew in a deep breath, and for a moment, her eyes flashed red.
A powerful wave of magic gripped her body. She shuddered — as if she'd just received… a message.
"Revana, you must destroy the portal in Gorodis. It belongs to another demon king. Doing so will shatter his plans and allow us to strengthen our hold. And remember — Kano must become yours. His power is needed by us."
Her pupils widened, and she nearly lost her balance.
—"What's wrong with you?!" Kano caught her by the shoulder.
Revana's breathing was heavy. She couldn't tell the truth.
—"Just… felt too much magic at once. There's definitely something here… something ancient, powerful."
Kano pressed his lips together, watching her. He wasn't sure she was telling him everything, but now wasn't the time for questions.
—"Ready?" Elgot's voice came from beside a massive set of gates.
The throne hall lay ahead.
Beyond these gates was the truth of Gorodis — and perhaps death.
The dark, massive gates loomed before the party.
Their surface was covered in ancient dwarven runes long since drained of power. Kano ran his hand across the stone — it was cold, like death itself.
—"Once, kings ruled here." Rudgard tightened his grip on his axe. —"But now the throne belongs to others."
Elgot waved his hand in the air, scattering the dust drifting before the gates. He could feel the magical energy from within.
—"They don't just live here… They've made this place their sanctuary."
Kano glanced at Revana, who still looked tense after the message she'd received. She knew what awaited them.
—"Ready?" he asked.
The dwarves tightened their hold on their weapons.
With a heavy push, Rudgard pressed the old mechanism, and the gates opened with a deep, echoing rumble.
A moment of silence.
And then they saw it.
The grand dwarven throne hall had been utterly transformed.
Instead of rich décor and mighty symbols of power, chaos reigned. Stone columns were painted black, ancient frescoes were defaced, and where once wrought metal adorned the walls, now hung the symbols of a demonic cult.
And directly before the throne stood something far worse — a portal.
Dark purple, with chaotic bursts of black magic, it radiated an energy so intense that even Kano could feel it. Sweat broke across his back.
Revana froze, her eyes glowing faintly red.
"This is it… THIS PORTAL. IT'S STILL ACTIVE!"
But that wasn't the worst of it.
On the throne sat a lizardman — not just a chieftain, but their king.
He was massive, towering over two meters tall, clad in armor made from the hides of beasts, his eyes glowing a bloody crimson. His claws were marked with scars, and his teeth were sharpened like daggers.
Beside him stood dozens of lizardmen, all in heavy armor, armed with spears and swords.
On the floor, magical crystals lay scattered, fallen from the bodies of the dead, casting a sinister shimmer across the hall.
The lizardmen stood at the ready. They were waiting.
—"Fresh meat…" the lizardman king rasped, his voice like the hiss of a serpent.
He rose slowly from the throne, his sharp claws clicking lightly against the metal armrest.
—"How many years has it been since we last hosted 'heroes' here?"
His smile widened.
—"Every one of them was a fool. Every one of them died. And you… will be no exception."
The dwarves tightened their grip on their weapons, and Kano stepped forward.
—"We're not here to talk." His voice was cold.
The lizardman leader only laughed.
—"So you've come to die. Very well… let me speed up the process."
He jerked his hand upward, and the lizardmen charged.
The throne hall erupted into chaos.
From the platform by the throne, the lizardmen leapt down with wild cries, gripping spears and curved blades. Their eyes blazed red, reflecting the glint of the crystals scattered across the floor.
Kano moved on instinct, dodging as the first attacker swung a spear at him. Feeling the tip slice the air just centimeters from his face, he sprang back and knocked the blow aside with his sword.
—"They're faster than they look!" Rudgard shouted, ducking under the swing of a lizardman's axe.
The dwarves locked into formation, shoulder to shoulder, their shields forming an unbreakable barrier against the advancing enemy. They struck in short, brutal blows with swords and axes — but the numbers were on the lizardmen's side.
Elgot thrust out his hand.
—"Enough!"
A flash of lightning burst from his palm, crashing into the heart of the enemy ranks. Screams filled the hall as the current surged through their bodies, melting armor against their flesh. Several dropped dead, but the rest — even scorched — rushed forward with renewed fury.
Kano dove back into the fight. His body moved faster than before, as if pure instinct had taken over. He cut through the enemy with his sword, each strike leaving a thin layer of frost over their wounds.
—"They don't fear pain!" he called, as one lizardman, even with a gaping wound in his chest, kept attacking.
—"They do! Just not pain — death!" Elgot's voice roared above the storm of battle. —"Press harder!"
With a single swing of his axe, Rudgard split an enemy in two, and the dwarves fought on with savage determination.
Revana remained in the shadows, not taking part in the clash. Her eyes were fixed on the portal. It was still active.
She knew her orders well — destroy it. But right now, Kano and the others couldn't withdraw. She would have to act quickly… before anyone learned her true mission.