In the depths of that majestic abyss, the "Death Lord" stood as rigid as a statue carved from the void. His eyes pierced the gloom, anticipating what was to come. When Andre finally stepped into the lair, he was met with a gaze that felt like a physical weight. The resemblance to the man from Andre's dreams was uncanny—feature for feature, they were identical. Yet, the aura was fundamentally different. This boy lacked that piercing stare that tells legends without uttering a word—the kind of gaze that commands the universe to fall silent.
The silence was shattered by Andre's sharp voice: "Who are you? And where am I?"
The Death Lord replied, his voice a hollow echo rising from the bowels of the earth: "Welcome to the Den of Death. I am the dread that dwells in the hearts of all worlds. I am the nightmare for anyone who dares speak my name. I am the one who sent you your destiny, and I am the one you seek to slay. I am the Death Lord."
A confident, perhaps reckless, smile played on Andre's lips. He gripped his sword so tightly his knuckles turned white. "Perfect. Then you are the first one I shall cut down."
The Death Lord looked at him with pity mixed with disdain. "Kill me? You? A boy in whom I feel but a flicker of magic? You, who fled like a frightened rabbit from a few soldiers in my forest? Do you even comprehend the words leaving your mouth? Are you a madman, a fool, or simply ignorant of the laws of this world?"
"I am neither a fool nor ignorant," Andre spat, his eyes sparking with fury. "To hell with this world and its laws! Everything I want is standing right in front of me. I have no time for chatter; there is another head I must take after yours."
A heavy silence lingered for a few seconds before the Death Lord broke it with a provocative calm: "Then step forward... and let us see what you can do, boy."
The Trial of Bones
Andre didn't wait for a second invitation. He launched himself like an arrow, channeling the Demon Lord's fire. His blade glowed with a hellish heat, illuminating the cavern's darkness as he swung. But from nothingness, an armored skeleton materialized, parrying the blow with the solidity of stone.
"So, you have begun to use that power," the Death Lord remarked coldly. "Mildly impressive... but do you truly think such a meager amount of energy can reach me?"
Ignoring him, Andre engaged the skeleton, the air filling with the screech of clashing steel. Suddenly, a second skeleton lunged. With a lightning reflex, Andre kicked the first and parried the second.
"Listen closely," the Death Lord commanded. "Every minute, a new skeleton shall rise from the void. If you can defeat them all before the next summon, the path to me will be open. What do you think of this test?"
Andre had no luxury to respond. The two skeletons fought with terrifying synergy. He focused, pumping more demonic fire into his blade, shattering the first and overwhelming the second. But as the Death Lord announced the third, the complexity grew.
The third was faster, stronger. Realizing brute force wasn't enough, Andre lowered his sword to the ground and flicked a handful of dust toward the construct. The skeleton ignored it—a fatal mistake. Using his magic, Andre caused the grains to expand within the creature's joints until it exploded into bone shards.
The Final Confrontation
By the time the fourth and fifth skeletons appeared, Andre was pushed to his limits. Through a combination of trickery—hiding within a fissure in the earth—and sheer explosive power, he managed to clear the floor just as the minute expired.
Panting, Andre marched toward the motionless Death Lord. He pointed his blade at the entity's chest. "Your end is here. And don't worry, I'll make sure Maurice follows you to hell."
The Death Lord sighed in genuine disappointment. "You have failed me, Andre. I expected something grand, but watching you fight... I realize it is hopeless. You will never be the person from my dream. My hopes have evaporated."
"I don't care about your dreams!" Andre screamed. "I will kill you for everything you and Maurice have done!"
In a blur of motion, the Death Lord caught Andre's blade with his bare hand and pulled it toward his own heart. "You truly are a fool. You know nothing of the truth of this world. Let me show you what your eyes refuse to see."
Suddenly, the stone carvings behind him roared to life. The giant dragon etched into the wall breathed terrifying blue flames. Shadows split open to reveal four soul-crushing warriors, followed by an endless legion: dragons, monsters, armored titans—a horde from hell surrounding them.
Andre froze, terror seeping into his marrow. The Death Lord drove Andre's sword deeper into his own chest. "Let me show you the meaning of 'Death Lord'."
The blade pierced his heart, but there was no blood. No pain. No death. The sword looked like a toy in his chest. "How do you kill one who cannot die? Answer me!"
Hysteria took over. Andre stabbed him repeatedly, but the immortal body remained unfazed. "Impossible... he won't die!"
"And now, Andre," the Death Lord said with haunting calm, "tell me... how do you wish to die?"
The Death Lord gestured toward Andre's right arm—a silent command. Like a puppet stripped of its will, Andre raised his own sword to his throat.
The Interruption
"Stop, Death Lord!" a strange voice cried out. "Killing him serves nothing. The Demon Lord cannot use that power once the vessel is dead, and you will lose your chance forever."
The Death Lord turned slowly to find a masked figure. Only glowing yellow eyes and a confident, toothy grin were visible.
"To enter my lair and speak with such arrogance... " You must be very confident in your strength," the Death Lord mused.
"I'm not ready to die, and I don't plan on fighting you," the stranger replied calmly. "But I am someone you knew very well... long before you became the 'Death Lord'."
The figure pulled out an ancient necklace with a rare, antique coin. As soon as the Death Lord saw it, both he and the Demon Lord inside Andre screamed in a single, terror-stricken voice:
"Impossible... FALAK?!"