The Demon King's castle was located deep within the demon realm in a city known as 'Gorthalon'.
Gorthalon, a sprawling fortress city built into the rugged landscape of the demon realm, was a place of dark majesty and foreboding power.
In the human texts, Gorthalon was described to be the mountain where the first Dragon King had once built his lair, as it was a mountain situated on-top of a massive natural mana vein and was arguably the best place in the entire landscape of Terra Nova to reside and practice skills as a warrior.
However, as time passed on, it was the demons that had conquered this mountain from the dragons and it was the first Demon King who had built the magnificent palace that stood there today, which every subsequent Demon King had used as their base of operations.
Just as StrongHaven was a human city that had never once been conquered throughout its history, Gorthalon was a demon city that had never been conquered since its establishment many hundred years ago.
As Eren, accompanied by Count Vaughn, journeyed through the treacherous paths leading to Gorthalon, the first time that he got a glimpse of the city from a distance, Eren felt goosebumps arise all over his skin.
Towering spires of black stone reached towards the ashen sky, and the city itself looked like a scene out of a fantasy novel with massive wyverns flying over the demon king's castle like bats and the whole city looking dark and dangerous from afar.
As they neared the city, the oppressive atmosphere of the demon realm grew more intense, as suddenly the temperature seemed to drop by several degrees causing Eren to feel cold and jittery as he started to shiver.
*Krrkrrkrkrrr*
Everytime that he breathed hard, moisture from his mouth condensed rapidly in the cold air, giving a misty appearance.
"Congratulations human, you are the first human to enter Gorthalon as a pet and not a slave–" Count Vaugn said, as he gave Eren a compliment which was no better than an insult, however, it wasn't like he knew the difference between the two anyways.
Choosing to ignore the Count's comments, Eren decided to focus on the demon capital city instead which was a testament to the demons' savage strength, with massive walls and fortifications designed to keep out any invaders.
From a distance, the capital city's skyline seemed to be dominated solely by the Demon King's Castle which was an immense fortress carved into the heart of a mountain.
The structure was a masterpiece of brutal architecture, with jagged edges and towering battlements that seemed to pierce the heavens.
The walls were adorned with the bones of fallen enemies, and crimson banners fluttered in the wind, each one bearing the mark of the Demon King.
As they approached the castle, Eren could see demonic beasts and Chimera patrolling the perimeter, their glowing eyes watching his every move.
Massive, hulking creatures with razor-sharp claws and thick, armored hides roamed the grounds, a constant reminder of the power that resided within.
Guards, clad in dark armor and wielding wickedly curved weapons, stood vigilant at every entrance, their eyes filled with a menacing glow.
The entrance to the castle was a massive iron gate, intricately carved with scenes of battle and conquest.
As they approached the gate, Count Vaughn presented a sigil to the guards which was a mark of his status and the gates immediately creaked open, revealing the darkened interior within.
The atmosphere inside the demon king's castle was even more oppressive, with dimly lit corridors and the distant sounds of growls and whispers, than the rest of the city which was already very oppressive, as there was something about the place that psychologically pressured Eren and made him feel extremely uncomfortable.
As their carriage rolled to a stop outside the main palace door, Eren dismounted from the carriage only to witness an actual dragon sleeping far in the distance.
[ System Notification: You are in the presence of a primordial being. ]
[ System Notification :- Dragon's Fear is affecting you, you have been paralyzed for 15 seconds ]
For 15 seconds Eren felt unable to move a single muscle in his body as he stood frozen at the sight of an actual dragon sleeping casually within the demon king's castle.
"Hahahaha, the poor human is too weak to resist the dragon's fear…. We will have to wait until the weakling snaps out of it" Count Vaugn teased as he slapped Eren hard on his back.
"That's the King's Personal Mount…. Our King has enslaved an actual Dragon. That's how powerful he is" Count Vaugn said, as Eren could not even begin to fathom how strong one had to be to actually enslave a mighty dragon as their personal mount.
'I'm pretty sure there is not a single player within the world of Terra Nova who has got the chance to see a live dragon or the demon realm yet.
If I share these visuals on a stream? Won't I become the most famous player overnight?' Eren wondered, as he started recording his surroundings although he did not intend to post these videos on the forum just yet.
After he snapped out of the Dragon's Fear, he was escorted inside the demon king's castle alongside Count Vaugn, as he got to witness the grandeur of the Demon King up-close.
The castle's interior was a labyrinth of stone and shadow, with torches casting flickering light on the walls.
The decor was sparse, with only the occasional trophy of war or demonic artifacts adorning the corridors.
Eren's footsteps echoed loudly as he followed Count Vaughn deeper into the heart of the castle, his senses heightened by the palpable aura of power that permeated the place.
As they approached the throne room, the presence of guards increased, each one more imposing than the last.
The entrance to the throne room was a massive set of doors, carved from obsidian and inlaid with veins of molten gold.
"Open" commanded Count Vaugn, as two massive troll slaves pushed the doors open, and Eren was met with a sight that took his breath away.
The throne room was a vast chamber, its ceiling supported by towering pillars of black stone.
The floor of the throne room was covered in dark marble, and the walls were lined with tapestries depicting the Demon King's conquests such as his victory over the dragon that turned it into his slave.
At the far end of the room, on a raised dais, sat the Demon King himself.
The Demon King was a figure of terrifying majesty, his form clad in obsidian armor that seemed to absorb the light around him.
He was a gray skinned demon with the most handsome features that Eren had ever seen.
In terms of looks, the Demon King looked like the epitome of beauty with a face that had perfect symmetry, yet, one could not be comfortable gazing at that face, as the demon king's eyes made one's very soul tremble as one gazed into it.
His eyes glowed with an inner fire, and his presence exuded an aura of absolute authority. The throne he sat upon was a massive, ornate seat, carved from the bones of ancient beasts and inlaid with dark gems that pulsed with a sinister energy.
Eren felt a shiver run down his spine as he approached the throne, as he had never seen a figure as intimidating as the Demon King ever before in his life.