Many years ago, In a faraway land in a forgotten temple, the earth suddenly groaned, a deep, resonant cry of pain, as the final link in the divine chain shattered and the fiend of pure malice was released.
Twenty-one heroes stood before the ancient seal, their resolve a burning fire in their eyes. A deafening silence fell, then a cackle that shook the earth echoed from the seal's core, followed by a chorus of whispers that promised power, glory, and an end to all pain. The heroes gritted their teeth, resisting the fiend's corrupting power.
"Ah, finally I'm back," a dark, inhuman voice boomed from the core of the seal.
"Brace yourselves," Aurora, the hero of time, said, his voice a pillar of determination despite his grim expression. He stood at the forefront, his divine weapon—the Scepter of Truth—held high. The heroes readied their weapons, staring at the seal, poised to strike.
The first crack formed, then another, and another, until the barrier broke completely. Dark energy, a vile poison, seeped into the world, bringing with it whispers and a thick, purple mist. From the mist, a single silhouette emerged. The fiend. It had a human form, its skin a deep purple, its eyes as black as an abyss, and elongated horns that sprouted from its head.
The fiend grinned, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth. "My dear friends, it's nice to be back," it spoke, its voice the very essence of evil.
Aurora's frown deepened. "We are not your friends, fiend."
The fiend took a step forward, the smile fading from its face. "Do you know how long I was trapped in that hell?" it asked, raising its hands as it counted on its fingers. "Ten thousand years. I've been trapped in that seal for ten thousand years, and you still wish to lock me back inside?" A hint of fury tinged its voice.
The fiend's gaze landed on Aurora, and the hero flinched as he felt a mountain of pressure pressing down on him.
"I'll give you humans a chance," the fiend said, a throne materializing out of nothing. It sat, a picture of twisted grace. "Either let me go and I'll forget about this grudge, or you fight, and this temple becomes your graveyard. Choose wisely." It stretched its hands toward the massive temple that they were in.
Aurora glanced at the other heroes. A few stood their ground, but many were visibly shaking, their confident fronts a fragile facade. He looked back at the fiend, his voice booming with defiance. "We refuse." His scepter pulsed with an ethereal blue light.
The fiend sighed in disappointment. "Then die."
Then the mist consumed everything and the heroes attacked.
* * *
The earth was easily torn apart by their battle, the temple's massive structure reduced to dust and replaced by a large crater. The two sides remained at a stalemate, The heroes fought with vigor and determination, but even they couldn't defeat the fiend. The fiend in question was bleeding a purplish ooze, a deep frown etched on its inhuman face. It was deeply unsatisfied at the fact that none were dead. Each was bleeding badly, especially Aurora. His armor was torn, his face a mess. The other heroes were no exception.
The fiend broke into a mad laugh, the earth shaking and the mist intensifying. "Very good, very good… Looks like I couldn't bring at least one of you down with me."
"We shall meet again, heroes, but next time it won't be so easy," it declared in a deep voice as it rose from its broken and decimated throne.
Aurora's breath came out in ragged gasps. "This isn't over. We will hunt you down and finally put an end to your reign," he said, his voice lacking the resolve from before but still filled with immense hatred.
The fiend smiled before turning its back to them. It drew a symbol in the air, and a vortex opened, leading to its domain.
"I'll be waiting for you," the fiend waved as it took a step forward.
The sword hero's blade shone with a golden aura as he lunged at the fiend. With a casual kick to the ribs, the fiend sent the hero flying, coughing up blood.
Aurora pointed his scepter at the fiend as it passed through the vortex. A bright, destructive blast shot from the Scepter of Truth, vaporizing the ground beneath it. The fiend let out a guttural cry of pain as the vortex closed, and the world fell silent once more.