As the last of the demon defenders who protected the long corridor fell, their final screams echoed throughout the place before going silent.

Roland could smell and even taste the metallic scent of blood. As the hero who had to constantly enter fights, he was by now used to it.

The battered strike team and the main host of Elris's forces finally stood united inside the fortress.

Roland tightened his grip on the holy spear, its glow cutting through the remaining passageway.

Stella stood at his side, her wards equally as radiant, but with the added healing effect that helped everyone get close to their peak form.

Around them, Renar issued orders to reform ranks now that the space was reduced. Zavar reinforced the crumbling walls with an earth spell since the floor and walls had been heavily damaged by the siege weapons attack before.

In front of them loomed the great doors to the throne room.

They were ancient, carved from black stone, one could tell right away that there were signs of corruption just by looking at the walls, red and black runes lit up not letting them pass with ease.

Even in ruin, the sigil of Elris could still be seen beneath the layers of demonic magic.

The defenders tried to defend this place with their life.

That could only mean that beyond the doors, there was something or someone important.

Everyone could hear guttural chants from inside that and the sound of various armored individuals coming together as if gathering the last fighters for a final stand.

Renar's voice was low but firm. "They will have fortified this chamber. Expect the strongest of the remaining vampires and demons. Their commander will be waiting."

Lucien stepped forward, blade gleaming faintly in the light. "Do you really think it will get much more dangerous than what we faced outside? I don't think that is possible..."

Roland glanced at Stella.

She met his gaze. "Of course it will be, it is the last trial we must face, I bet it will be one of the generals that stayed back?" she asked.

Roland agreed with his wife's suggestion and gave a small nod, the cloak shifting across his shoulders, ready to take an enemy's life in mere seconds. "Sounds like you know what a boss battle is. If not, don't worry about it and follow me; there shouldn't be anyone we should be worried about by now."

With a signal from Renar, the soldiers continued after them. Soon they reached the end of the passage where two great doors groaned under the force of Stella's barrier that forcefully pushed them inward, slamming open with a thunderous crash.

The throne room and everyone within were revealed.

Once the heart of Elris, it was now a desecrated hall. Columns that had once borne banners depicting the light spirit were draped in chains of black iron, a place that Moragg quietly remembered as she had been at times hung there as a prisoner.

The throne itself, carved of precious metals, was all but worn now, cracks and dried blood made it obviously reek of death.

Around it stood a host of enemies, a few vampire knights clad in black plate, as well as a few demons that stood ready to take their last stance.

Roland could even tell there were mages in the distance within the room, ready to cast some spells.

And at the head of them all, a towering figure rose from the steps of the throne. A vampire lord clads in dark armor, his crimson eyes piercing through the darkness within the room.

His blade was long and jagged, etched with runes that pulsed with blood.

He raised his weapon and spoke out with a sinister voice that carried through the ruined hall.

"You dare march into my castle, hero, break my buildings, destroy my army, and think you will get out of here alive? What say you we both battle it out, just you and me, and we shall find out just whose tomb this place will be?"

The deep, low voice had reached everyone's ears.

The vampire royal roared while waiting for Roland's answer; its mere gaze caused some to start hallucinating, an effect Roland was now immune to.

Roland lifted his spear as Stella placed strength into her wards to try to release those who were charmed by the vampire with ease.

"Fine then, come, I feel it is only right I defeat you to reclaim this place," Roland said, his voice steady. "Just know that we will take back what is ours as it should be, fair and square."

The vampire lord stood tall, his crimson gaze now being reflected by Stella's barriers to prevent further problems within the army swept across the hall as though he was the rightful king and ruler of this place.

He lowered his crimson blade to his side for a moment and spread his arms wide, before pulling on the chains draped from the columns that rattled as a platform dropped with many of his kind within it.

"I am Valerius Duskbane," he declared, his voice soothing but with a chill everyone could feel.

"One of the few vampire royals dragged here through a human ritual," Valerius said, his voice chilling though smooth. "Stolen from the ever-dark lands where we thrived for centuries. And now I am trapped in this atrocious, sun-soaked world… so forgive my attitude."

He lifted his blade, the runes along its jagged edge pulsing with a sinister glow. His aura expanded outward, a crushing pressure that forced the weaker soldiers to stumble back as their minds were assaulted by a powerful dark charm.

"I have slaughtered both demons and humans to reach this point," Valerius continued, his crimson gaze narrowing. "So, tell me, hero.... who was the traitor among us that helped you? Do not think I cannot smell the stench of our kind hidden within your pitiful force."

The soldiers behind Roland stirred, ready to attack the vampire royal to counteract the charming aura of the vampire. Stella's wards expanded even further while shielding their minds from his deadly charm.

Roland stepped forward, cloak unfurled, ready to fight the vampire to protect the others.

He pointed the holy spear forth, its radiant glow cutting clean through the vampire's oppressive aura. "Unlike your kind, we don't betray our allies, Valerius. Now then, you should know that Elris does not belong to you, and it never did. This throne is as good as ours, so how about you leave before you make me have to destroy the very important parts of this place?"

Valerius's smile revealed razor-sharp fangs, before licking his lips as if he was looking at his next meal. "You should know the answer to that, of course, we won't budge…. But you. At least you will die with courage. Now, hero, come and entertain me."

With that, the vampire lord blurred forward, faster than mortal eyes could follow, his red blade screaming through the air as the duel for the throne began.

"Be careful, Roland, we will stay back to not get in your way," Stella spoke as the rest followed her example.

Valerius's crimson blade crashed against Roland's holy spear, the impact sending a thunderous shockwave across the throne room. Soldiers staggered back, and even the chains hanging from the columns rattled under the force.

Roland pushed back with all his might; the spear's light elemental energy kept the enemy at bay as he forced Valerius to stay back, but the vampire seemed to blink again, vanishing from sight.

A whisper brushed Roland's ear, "Too slow."

The blade struck for his side, only to be met by the sudden lash of his cloak.

The shadow of the blood royal whipped around, catching Valerius's weapon and holding it long enough for Roland to thrust his spear forward. The radiant tip grazed Valerius's armor, searing the blackened steel and sending sparks of holy light hissing through the cracks.

The vampire king recoiled with a hiss, his crimson eyes gleaming brighter. He raised a clawed hand to push the tip of the bladed spear back.

From his palm burst a wave of blood-mist that spread across the throne room, and dark red tendrils began to come from the floor, trying to pull the spear away from Roland.

The hero could hear how the weaker soldiers cried out as the mist entered their lungs and minds; even the wards were not able to stop it from passing through.

"Stay close!" Stella shouted towards them; she was already halfway spent keeping the shields up since the start of the fight.

She produced more than one ward, expanding them like a dome of blinding light which kept the vampire prince's army in check.

Soon the mist recoiled from her power, but Valerius only laughed.

"You think your little light will save them? I had time to work on a counter for the light spirits' power, lots of time!"

He blurred again, striking from above this time, blade descending in a crimson arc.

Roland crossed his spear to block, the force of the impact driving him to one knee as sparks and shadows exploded around them.

Roland's cloak lashed upward in retaliation, then with a quick slash for Valerius's throat, but the vampire twisted away with supernatural speed, landing several steps back.

"Nice cloak, I wouldn't mind having it for my own… interesting," Valerius mused, licking a few drops of blood he managed to gather from a nip that he caused on Roland's cheek.

"That, however, is demon armor, just to let you know, it belongs to a very capable general back in the day, one Moragg should have known, to bad I killed him for going against me… how funny that I will have to kill its wielder yet again..."

Roland rose slowly, eyes burning, the spear's glow cutting through the blood-mist. "Keep believing that, you may be fast, but none of your attacks really impressed me.."

With a roar, he surged forward, spear and cloak striking as one.

The throne room erupted in chaos. Valerius met Roland's fury with speed and precision, each clash sending shockwaves through the hall.

Holy light and blood-curse warred across the chamber, illuminating the desecrated throne as if lightning were striking the place. Soldiers on both sides could only watch in awe and terror as hero and vampire king dueled for the fate of Elris.