Chapter 174: Battlequeen

Chapter 174: Battlequeen

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As Velara rallied her troops, the sound of heavy footfalls echoed through the corridors, signaling the approach of the Demon King Generals. Their presence alone sent ripples of dark energy through the tunnels, unsettling even the most seasoned dwarven warriors. The stone walls of the Dwarven Kingdom groaned under the strain of their power.

Velara gripped Stormbreaker tightly as she led her troops through the labyrinthine tunnels to meet the demons head-on. Her heart raced, but her resolve was unwavering. She knew what was at stake.

Emerging into the main chamber that led to the heart of the kingdom, Velara saw them. Three figures loomed ahead, each exuding an aura of darkness and malice. Morgath, the necromancer, stood in the center, his skeletal hands weaving dark energy around him, a macabre grin on his face as his eyes locked onto Velara's forces. To his left, Garruk, the hulking warrior, stood with his massive axe resting against his shoulder, the ground shaking with every subtle movement he made. On his right was Thalor, the assassin, his form flickering in and out of the shadows, his twin blades gleaming ominously.

The battlefield stretched before them-a narrow corridor with jagged stone walls on either side. It was the perfect place for the dwarves to hold their ground, but against these enemies, even that advantage felt fragile.

Velara stepped forward, her eyes locking onto the Demon King Generals. Her armor shimmered under the flickering torchlight, the Aetherium Plate humming with magical energy. "You will not take this kingdom," she said, her voice carrying across the chamber. "Not while I stand here."

Morgath's skeletal grin widened, his voice like the rasp of bones. "Ah, the battlequeen herself. How noble of you to meet us in person. It will make your death all the more satisfying."

Velara didn't flinch. "We've faced worse than you," she replied. "And we still stand."

Garruk let out a thunderous laugh, his deep voice reverberating through the chamber. "We will see how long you stand, dwarf!" He hefted his massive axe, the blade glowing with the promise of destruction. "You and your kingdom will fall before us, like all the others."

Velara focused her energy, the Storm's Call within her warhammer building as she summoned lightning from the skies above. A massive bolt of lightning struck down from the heavens, arcing toward Morgath and his undead minions. The blast sent a shockwave through the chamber, obliterating several of the necromancer's twisted creations.

But Morgath only grinned, raising his skeletal hands again. "You cannot destroy what is already dead, queen," he taunted, raising more corpses to join the fight.

Garruk roared, charging at Velara once more. She met his attack with a fierce counter, sending shockwaves through the chamber with every clash of their weapons. Despite the strength of her armor and the power of Stormbreaker, Garruk's relentless assault was wearing her down.

Then, in the blink of an eye, Thalor reappeared, his blades flashing as he struck at her back. Velara barely managed to twist out of the way, the assassin's strike glancing off her armor with a spark of energy.

"You cannot face us all," Thalor whispered in her ear before vanishing again.

Velara's breath came in heavy bursts as she took a step back. She knew she couldn't hold them off alone-not forever. But she wasn't alone. Not yet.

"Vincent," she murmured, her gaze flickering toward the inner chambers of the kingdom. Reinforcements would come, but until then, she had to keep fighting.

With a roar, Velara lifted Stormbreaker high, summoning the full might of her magic. The ground beneath her feet trembled as she unleashed a devastating shockwave that rippled through the entire chamber, forcing Garruk back and temporarily disrupting Morgath's spell. "You want my kingdom?" Velara growled, her voice filled with fury. "You'll have to take it over my dead body."

And with that, she charged forward, ready to face the Demon King Generals head-on.