Chapter 29: The Abyssal Devourer

The Abyssal Devourer loomed over Azarion and Sera, its twisted, formless body rippling as though it was made of living darkness. Its many glowing eyes shifted restlessly, focusing on its prey with a hunger that seemed insatiable. The air in the chamber grew colder, suffused with the oppressive energy of the Abyss.

The herald stood by the altar, his voice echoing ominously. "Struggle if you must, bearer of the Flame, but the Abyss always consumes. Your light is no match for its void."

Azarion's grip on his sword tightened. The Eternal Flame within him burned fiercely, a defiant light against the encroaching darkness.

"Sera," he said, his voice steady, "focus on the herald. I'll handle the beast."

Sera gave a sharp nod, flipping her daggers into position. "You better not get yourself killed, hero. I've got plans after this."

Azarion smirked, the golden light of his sword illuminating his determined face. "I'll hold you to that."

---

The Devourer struck first, a massive tendril of shadow slamming into the ground where Azarion stood. He leapt aside, the impact leaving a deep crack in the stone floor. Before it could retract, Azarion swung his sword, slicing through the tendril. The creature recoiled with a deafening roar, but the severed piece of its body melted into the floor, reforming almost instantly.

"It regenerates," Azarion muttered, his jaw tightening. "This won't be easy."

The creature lashed out again, this time with multiple tendrils. Azarion dodged and parried, his golden blade leaving trails of light in the air. Each strike burned away the shadow temporarily, but the Abyssal Devourer continued to press its assault, relentless and unyielding.

Meanwhile, Sera darted toward the herald, her movements swift and fluid. The cloaked figure raised a hand, summoning bolts of dark energy that crackled through the air. Sera weaved between them, closing the distance with deadly precision.

"Your tricks won't save you," she hissed, her daggers flashing as she aimed for the herald's chest.

But before her blades could strike, the herald vanished, reappearing a few steps away. His voice was calm, almost mocking. "You cannot touch what is bound to the Abyss."

Sera gritted her teeth. "Guess I'll just have to unbind you, then."

---

The battle raged on. Azarion's flames clashed with the Devourer's shadows, the chamber filling with bursts of light and darkness. Despite his strength, the creature's regenerative abilities and overwhelming size made it a formidable opponent.

The Flame within Azarion pulsed, urging him to push harder. He raised his sword high, channeling the full power of the Eternal Flame. Golden fire erupted from the blade, forming a radiant wave that crashed into the Devourer. The beast let out an ear-splitting roar, its body writhing as the flames burned away a significant portion of its mass.

But the victory was short-lived. From the portal behind the altar, more shadowy tendrils emerged, feeding the Devourer and restoring its lost form.

"This isn't working," Azarion said, frustration evident in his voice.

Sera, still engaged with the herald, glanced over her shoulder. "Then figure something out, because I've got my hands full here!"

The herald's dark magic forced Sera to stay on the defensive. He summoned spectral chains that snaked through the air, seeking to bind her movements. She dodged and slashed at them, but they kept coming, their ethereal nature making them difficult to destroy.

Azarion's mind raced. The creature wasn't just drawing strength from the portal—it was tied to it. Destroying the portal might be their only chance.

"Sera!" he called out. "We need to close that portal!"

Sera nodded, breaking away from the herald's chains. "Easier said than done!"

---

Azarion charged toward the altar, his sword blazing with golden fire. The Abyssal Devourer roared in protest, its massive form blocking his path. Tendrils of shadow lashed out, but Azarion stood his ground, deflecting them with powerful swings of his blade.

"Not this time," he growled, pouring more of the Flame's power into his strikes. The creature faltered, its form destabilizing under the intensity of the light.

Sera seized the opportunity. Using her agility, she darted past the herald, her daggers glinting in the faint light of the runes. Reaching the altar, she scanned the glowing symbols etched into its surface.

"These runes are maintaining the portal," she muttered. "If I can disrupt them…"

The herald appeared beside her, his voice cold and menacing. "You dare meddle with the Abyss?"

Sera didn't hesitate. "I dare a lot of things."

She plunged one of her daggers into the center of the altar, disrupting the flow of energy. The runes flickered, and the portal wavered, its edges rippling like disturbed water.

The Abyssal Devourer let out a furious roar, its body convulsing as the portal's instability weakened it. Azarion took advantage, unleashing another powerful strike. The golden fire surged through the creature, burning away its shadows piece by piece.

"Sera, keep going!" Azarion shouted.

She nodded, pulling her dagger free and stabbing it into another rune. The altar shuddered, cracks spreading across its surface. The portal shrank further, its dark energy dissipating.

The herald raised his hands, summoning a torrent of dark magic. "You will not destroy what you do not understand!"

Azarion stepped between Sera and the attack, his sword absorbing the brunt of the energy. The impact drove him to one knee, but he held firm, the Flame shielding them both.

"Sera, finish it!" he yelled.

With a final, decisive strike, Sera shattered the last rune. The altar crumbled, and the portal collapsed in on itself, dragging the remaining shadows into its void. The Abyssal Devourer let out a final, anguished roar before disintegrating into nothingness.

The chamber fell silent, the oppressive energy lifting.

---

Azarion lowered his sword, breathing heavily. "You okay?" he asked Sera.

She smirked, wiping sweat from her brow. "Never better. You?"

"I've been worse," he said with a faint smile.

The herald, weakened and without his portal, glared at them from across the chamber. "You may have won this battle," he said, his voice trembling with rage. "But the Abyss is eternal. Its reach is infinite."

Azarion stepped forward, his sword glowing once more. "And I'll be here to stop it, every time."

Before the herald could respond, he vanished in a swirl of dark mist, leaving the chamber empty save for Azarion and Sera.

Sera sighed, sheathing her daggers. "Well, that was fun. So, what's next?"

Azarion looked toward the crumbled altar, his expression resolute. "We find the source of the Abyss. And we end it, once and for all."