After purifying the Dark Core, Merslin's party headed for the Shadow Throne, located on the highest floor of the fortress. This was the place where the final battle with the ruler of the Shadow-kin, Nightfall, would take place—an area where the aura of darkness was most intensely concentrated.
The stairs leading to the top floor were shrouded in dark power, and they moved with caution, one step at a time. As they ascended, they found elite Dark Knights waiting for them. The knights, clad in black armor, threatened the allies with powerful weapons and magic.
Kaila raised the Sun Sword high and shouted, "We take down the elite knights first! Everyone, prepare!"
Merslin, Kaila, and Adeon worked together to confront the knights. Merslin attacked them by mixing magic and swordsmanship. "Lightning Spear!" A flash of lightning shot from his hand, striking the knights.
Kaila broke through the knights' defenses with the Sun Sword. "I will end this darkness!" His sword radiated an intense light, felling his foes.
Adeon blocked the knights' attacks with his paladin's shield while unleashing a powerful assault. "The power of justice will bring you down!" His shield glowed, subduing the enemies.
After the elite knights were defeated, dark wraiths appeared and began to torment the allies, moving under Nightfall's command.
Ria cast healing and defensive spells to protect the party. "We will win this together! Everyone, stay strong!" Her spells restored her allies' health and bolstered their defenses.
Daren called upon the power of nature to subdue the wraiths. "The power of nature will defeat you!" He summoned tree roots to restrict the wraiths' movements and used a whirlwind spell to scatter them with a powerful gust of wind.
Once the wraiths were dealt with, they came face to face with the ancient mechanical devices installed to defend Nightfall. These contraptions neutralized the allies by combining powerful magic with mechanical attacks.
Sera used her rogue skills to destroy the devices. "We have to destroy these machines! I'll take the lead!" She moved quickly, finding and destroying their weak points.
With Sera's help, Merslin disabled the remaining machines, and the allies proceeded toward the throne where Nightfall sat. He was waiting for them, his eyes glowing red, a powerful dark aura swirling around him. "I have been waiting for you," Nightfall said. "But your journey ends here. The darkness will swallow you. All of you!!"
Merslin shouted with a resolute voice, "Nightfall, your darkness ends now."
Nightfall sneered. "Light, you say. And where is your precious light of salvation now?"
Adeon raised his paladin's shield and cried, "In the name of the light!" He charged at Nightfall.
Nightfall replied cynically, "Paladin, even your light will not protect you here."
As the battle began, Nightfall attacked with a mixture of powerful dark magic and physical strikes. "Taste the Bone Storm! Here, your souls will find no salvation!" his cold, imperious voice boomed.
Merslin attacked by mixing magic and swordsmanship. "Ice Orb! Summon Hydra!" His spell called forth a massive Ice Hydra that assaulted Nightfall.
Kaila and Adeon blocked Nightfall's attacks from the front. "I will end this darkness!" Kaila declared, breaking through Nightfall's defenses with the Sun Sword. Adeon protected his companions with his paladin's shield while delivering powerful blows. Ria and Daren provided support with healing spells and nature magic, using a whirlwind and summoning giant boulders to strike Nightfall.
Nightfall countered with overwhelming dark magic. "Your resistance is futile! You will meet a tragic end! Kneel before the darkness!" he shrieked, unleashing a blast of power that sent the allies flying several meters back.
Ria used a Beacon of Light to protect her fallen companions. "I will protect you with this light!" Her spell enveloped them, preventing their defeat.
Nightfall turned his back on the fallen party and approached his throne. He removed his helmet and reached for a black crystal hovering above it. The dark aura began to transfer into him, his power concentrating within his body.
"Now is our chance! Let's all attack together!" Merslin shouted as the party recovered.
But in that instant, Nightfall began to grow gigantic. He absorbed the fallen Dark Knights and numerous other souls, his body swelling in size. Now a giant, he was covered in a dark aura, radiating immense power. "Now you can no longer stop me! You will meet a tragic end!"
The giant Nightfall's darkness could not be stopped even by the Sun Sword. The paladin's blessing and everyone's efforts were not enough. At that moment, a bird was seen flying from the distance. It was the giant bird that had traveled with Merslin from Celesta. Merslin asked his companions to give him their strength. At his firm and earnest words, Kaila handed him the Sun Sword. Daren and other druid shamans gave the spirit's power to the bird. The bird, already large, grew even bigger, becoming a vessel for the spirit's power. It was then revealed to be a descendant of a legendary Divine Beast.
Ria, Adeon, and the other healers cast all their enhancement spells on Merslin, pledging themselves to the sacrifice. Mounted on the giant bird, Merslin, wielding the Sun Sword, faced the giant Nightfall. Nightfall struck at them with immense force, but he could not break the life-risking shield protecting them. Stopping his renewed attack, Nightfall unleashed a powerful blast of energy at Merslin.
In response, Merslin and the bird incarnated as a Phoenix and aimed for Nightfall's heart. The colossal clash between them shook the Fortress of Darkness, causing the allied forces waiting outside to flinch and even retreat from the citadel. After several impacts, Merslin's great Phoenix pierced Nightfall's heart, putting an end to the darkness.
As he vanished, Nightfall spoke, his voice tinged with regret, yet also relief. "Was this... destiny?"
The aftershock from the clash between the Shadow-kin and the Phoenix blew away the clothes and body hair of everyone present on the scene. Just then, a dimensional portal opened, and Merslin's party stepped inside. The portal led them out into the sky of the Luminaria Kingdom. To the citizens below, it looked as if the sun itself was opening up and people were emerging, a sight they beheld with the same awe as if they were witnessing the descent of angels.
"Those are the legendary saviors." "That's right. We are saved now." "The gods' blessings upon them."
As if on a transparent staircase, Merslin's party calmly descended from the sun. They were oblivious to their current appearance, filled only with the pride of having defeated the darkness and saved the entire continent, alongside a great sense of fatigue.
Hearing the news, the King and Queen of Luminaria rushed to the scene, relieved to see their son, Prince Kaila, among the party. Then, seeing their appearance, the King commanded all who guarded the royal family, including himself and the Queen, to remove their garments. This was partly because of the heroes' state, but also because of a legend of those who came from the sun in their primordial, original form.
Then, he proclaimed to all. "We are victorious, and so we may exist! To honor our saviors—not legends, but the heroes of today—I declare this day The Day of the Beginning!"
As the king's words ended, everyone present threw off their clothes and gave thanks for their survival.
Later, through discussions with the kingdom's key figures, The Day of the Beginning was officially declared. It became a day when all people would shed their clothes and return to their original state to honor life, their faith, and their heroes.
***
Episode : A New Companionship and a Farewell
After resolving the Shadow-kin incident, Merslin wandered the cities alone. His heart was not at peace, even after the fight against the remnants of the Shadow-kin had ended. He had lost much, and there were still many problems left to solve.
One sunny day in the Luminaria Kingdom, Merslin arrived in a small village. In the central square, the people were mesmerized by the dance of a woman. Her name was Sella. Her dance was like magic, captivating the hearts of all who watched.
Merslin watched Sella's dance and was drawn in by her charm. Her elegant movements and bright smile captured his heart. After the performance, he approached her.
"Hello. I am a man called Merslin. I was truly moved by your dance just now," Merslin said to Sella.
Sella smiled shyly and replied, "Hello, Lord Merslin. My name is Sella. Thank you for coming to see my dance."
They began to talk as they walked through the square together. Merslin told her of his fight against the remnants of the Shadow-kin to protect the Luminaria Kingdom. Sella, admiring his courage and dedication, said that she too wished to do something for the kingdom.
"Is there anything I can do for the kingdom?" Sella asked.
Merslin looked into her eyes and said, "Your dance has the power to move people's hearts. That alone is already a great help. And I believe you can play an even greater role in the future."
From that day on, Merslin and Sella met often and spent time together. Merslin taught her about martial arts and magic, and Sella showed him the beauty of dance. They grew closer and closer as they came to understand each other's worlds.
One day, Merslin said to Sella, "I must soon depart on another journey. The threat of the Shadow-kin remnants still remains. But the time I've spent with you is truly precious."
Sella took his hand and said, "I want to be with you, too. I want to accompany you on your journey and help you with my dance."
Merslin smiled and looked at her. "With you by my side, I feel I can overcome any hardship."
They embarked on a journey together. Merslin fought to stop the remnants of the Shadow-kin with Sella, and she, by his side, helped him by wielding magical energy through her dance. Their love grew deeper, and they became indispensable to one another.
One day, they faced a great crisis in the heart of the Luminaria Kingdom. A powerful force of Shadow-kin remnants was attempting to invade. Merslin and Sella had to fight one last time to protect the kingdom.
On the day of the decisive battle, Sella began to dance before the warriors. Her dance inspired courage in them and united their hearts as one. Merslin led the warriors against the Shadow-kin remnants. Sella's dance amplified their magical energy, helping the warriors to fight with even greater strength.
After the battle, Merslin held Sella and said, "Thanks to you, we were able to win. Your dance possesses a truly incredible power."
Sella, in his arms, said, "I am happy that I could be with you. Now, let's move forward together."
However, as time passed, Merslin and Sella felt that the time had come for them to go their separate ways. Merslin had to face more battles to protect the kingdom, and Sella, as a master of dance, had to further develop and spread her art.
"I think the time has come for us to walk our own paths," Merslin said.
Sella took his hand, tears streaming down her face. "The time I spent with you was so precious. But I must accept that our paths are different."
They shared one last embrace and said their goodbyes. Merslin had realized just how powerful Sella's dance was, and this greatly influenced his belief in and utilization of the power of art. Sella grew as a master of dance, inspiring many people through her art.
Merslin and his companions dedicated themselves to the reconstruction of the Luminaria Kingdom. The kingdom had suffered much damage from the Shadow-kin's invasion, and its main buildings and infrastructure were destroyed. The king, queen, and other key figures, with Merslin's help, resolved to rebuild the kingdom.
Merslin first assessed the damage and selected the areas in most urgent need of restoration. He used his magic to rebuild collapsed buildings and provide necessary resources. His companions also used their respective abilities to help. Kaila, as a powerful warrior, protected the people, and Adeon took responsibility for the kingdom's safety with his paladin's strength. Ria tended to the wounded with her healing magic, and Daren used the power of nature to cultivate crops, solving the kingdom's food problem.
Thanks to the efforts of Merslin and his companions, the kingdom gradually began to recover. The citizens, grateful for their dedication and hard work, found the hope to stand up again. The king and queen treated Merslin and his party as national guests, acknowledging their great contributions.
Once the Luminaria Kingdom was stable, Merslin decided to find a dimensional gate and return to his home. He researched how to open such a gate, referencing the ancient records and legends of the kingdom. Finally, he discovered that a dimensional gate was hidden in the deepest part of the fortress.
Merslin headed for the depths of the fortress with his companions. They prepared the ritual to open the gate, gathering the necessary magic and equipment. As the ritual began, a powerful energy filled the room, and the dimensional gate began to open.
Merslin bid farewell to his companions. "The time I spent with you all was truly precious. I promise we will meet again someday, but for now, I am returning to my home."
His companions wished him luck and saw him off. "May your journey be smooth, Merslin. Our friendship will always remain."