"Who do you think I am? I'm Nightmare, Hell's lord, master of dreams, embodiment of fear!" Nightmare, the demon lord, proclaimed.
He was formidable.
"Who cares what you are!" Andariel closed in, his lightning-wreathed blade slashing at Nightmare's waist.
A black orb of energy burst from Nightmare, clashing with Andariel. A screech, like glass under pressure, erupted where Oathkeeper met the dark aura. Nightmare felt immense pressure—greater than facing the Ancient One.
Forced to abandon his waist, Nightmare unleashed energy from both hands to block the blade. Black blood sprayed from his waist wound, unhealed from the Ancient One's dark dimension-powered dagger, despite days passing.
"Ha!" Andariel's war cry surged his power. His blade cut through the energy, homing in on Nightmare's wound.
As Thunder Tribe leader, Andariel mastered Whirlwind, the barbarian's signature skill. Oathkeeper, forged to punish his brothers' betrayal, amplified basic strikes. Though Whirlwind wasn't enhanced, it overwhelmed Nightmare.
"Sleep and face your nightmares!" Nightmare snarled, his dark aura exploding, dragging Andariel and nearby demons into a dream dimension—Nightmare's domain.
As dream dimension lord, Nightmare rivaled Dormammu in status but not power quality. His dream realm enveloped Hell's corner, pulling all thinking beings into Andariel's dream—not his legendary forging of Oathkeeper, but his death against Baal.
Baal, destruction incarnate, was unstoppable. All existence crumbled under his power. Nightmare and his minions, entering Andariel's dream, faced Baal's terrifying visage. Though demons were ugly, Baal's destructive essence pierced onlookers' eyes.
Andariel, who died facing Baal alone, saw his body dissolve, leaving only a shallow scratch. Fear of his own weakness was his nightmare. Nightmare aimed to break Andariel's will through this dream, as he'd done before—even Dormammu faltered, haunted by his own fears as a former human wizard turned dimension god.
But Andariel, the oath-bound barbarian, had an unshakable will. "Xia!" His war cry rang out, eyes locking onto Nightmare and his minions.
"Your power's like this? This Baal seems weaker than the one I fought," Andariel said, pausing, staring at the Hell lord who killed him, lost in memory.
"What's that? I control your dream, but I can't move him!" Nightmare panicked. Normally, he wielded everything in a dream, but Baal's image ignored his command, standing motionless.
"You're hilarious! I'm laughing!" Andariel roared, swinging Oathkeeper wildly. "Thanks for the reminder. Let me tell you a story!"
He approached Baal's still form, eyeing the familiar scratches on its waist. "He's destruction itself. I barely resisted before dying. You think you can control his image? It's just my memory of his destructive essence, but even a dream can't tame destruction."
Andariel longed for a drink, gazing at Baal. "No demon's stronger than us Hell lords!" Nightmare ranted, unable to accept a greater demon in another's dream.
"Boasting in someone else's dream? Time to die!" Andariel ignored Baal, charging Nightmare. The demon minions, seeing Baal, groveled, pledging loyalty.
"Impossible!" Nightmare's aura swelled, drawing on fear's power. As dream dimension lord, fear fueled him, and his own terror amplified it. Screaming hysterically, he lunged at Andariel with bony, rough arms.
"Harrogath's sheltered souls don't fall to mental attacks. I'm Andariel, Oathkeeper!" Andariel's blade severed Nightmare's hands. "No story? Then die!"
His mood soured by Baal's image, Andariel's blade danced like fireworks, Frenzy's black bloodlight bursting. Nightmare, Hell's lord, fell in Andariel's dream, reduced to a wisp of fear, lingering in Hell's corner, awaiting rebirth.
Born of fear, Nightmare claimed the dream dimension but lost growth potential. Fear sustained him, ensuring he'd never fully perish.
Before leaving the dream, Andariel glanced at Baal's image. As an ancestor spirit, he hadn't dreamed in ages. As he exited, the dream collapsed. Baal's image seemed to quiver.
(Chapter End)
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