The Castle Lord [part 2]

With a burst of speed, Northern launched himself forward, his sword trailing a blazing arc of light as he unleashed a ruthless flurry of strikes.

His blade sang through the air, each slash punctuated by the crackling of energy as it clashed against an unseen barrier erected by the castle lord.

The towering being, shrouded in a mantle of swirling darkness, regarded Northern with an intense, menacing gaze then grinned and uttered in monster tongue:

"How futile."

Its fiery eyes burned with an ancient fury, and the very air seemed to crackle with raw power as it extended its clawed hand, unleashing a torrent of red macabre energy.

Northern deftly maneuvered through the bombardment, his sword weaving a deliberate dance as he deflected and parried the barrage of arcane blasts.

Embers and smoke swirled around him, the heat searing his skin—not that he could feel it—as he pressed his assault, determined to break through the maelstrom's defenses.