The heroes reappeared on the battlefield, their bodies glowing with the divine energy bestowed upon them. Echohade, sensing the shift in their power, narrowed his eyes, his malevolent grin faltering for the first time.
"You think new tricks will save you?" Echohade sneered. "You will all perish, just like the rest."
Lucas stepped forward, his eyes glowing with an eerie light. He raised his arms, and the ground around him began to tremble. Shadows coalesced into forms, taking shape and solidifying. From the darkness, powerful monsters of the past, once vanquished, rose again under Lucas's control.
"Let's see how you fare against the dead," Lucas said, his voice echoing with an otherworldly resonance.
The spectral monsters charged at Echohade, their roars filling the air. Echohade lashed out with telekinetic force, but the undead creatures were relentless, their bodies reforming and attacking with unyielding ferocity. Lucas directed them with precision, using his shadow manipulation to strengthen and protect his allies.
Jason, meanwhile, moved with a speed that defied comprehension. Time itself bent to his will as he darted around the battlefield, creating temporal distortions that slowed Echohade's movements. With each strike, Jason manipulated time, freezing Echohade for crucial moments that allowed the others to land powerful blows.
"Now, Marcus!" Jason shouted, his voice seemingly coming from everywhere at once.
Marcus, his body glowing with pure energy, launched a series of devastating punches, each one resonating with amplified force. Echohade staggered under the assault, but his fury only grew.
Sophia, with her foresight, anticipated Echohade's every move, guiding her team with strategic brilliance. "Lucas, reinforce the left! Jason, create a temporal loop around him!"
Lucas conjured a wall of shadow, blocking Echohade's path, while Jason created a loop that trapped Echohade in a cycle of repeating attacks. The chaos god's rage boiled over, his power surging in an attempt to break free.
"You will not defeat me!" Echohade roared, his eyes glowing with dark energy. He unleashed a massive telekinetic wave, shattering the temporal loop and scattering the heroes.
But Lucas was ready. Summoning the full extent of his shadow powers, he called forth the spirits of ancient warriors, their forms solidifying into an army of spectral fighters. "Attack!" he commanded, and the spectral army surged forward.
Echohade fought back with all his might, his super strength and telekinesis wreaking havoc. Yet, the combined might of the spectral army, Lucas's monsters, and the relentless heroes began to wear him down.
Jason, moving faster than ever, created a temporal distortion around Echohade, freezing him momentarily. "Now, everyone!"
Marcus, Sophia, and Lucas combined their attacks, hitting Echohade with a barrage of power. Echohade's form flickered, his strength waning under the relentless assault.
In a final, desperate bid, Echohade gathered his remaining power, preparing to unleash a cataclysmic attack. "If I am to fall, I will take you all with me!"
But the heroes were ready. With their newfound divine powers, they stood united, their energies converging into a single, blinding beam of light.
"Together!" Lucas shouted, his voice resonating with the strength of their bond.
The beam struck Echohade, engulfing him in a radiant explosion of divine energy. His screams of rage and pain echoed across the battlefield as the light consumed him, his form dissolving into nothingness.
When the light faded, the heroes stood victorious, their bodies battered but their spirits unbroken. The battlefield was silent, the air thick with the remnants of their struggle.
They looked at each other, the weight of their victory sinking in. "We did it," Sophia whispered, her voice filled with awe and relief.
Lucas nodded, his eyes scanning the horizon. "Echohade is gone. But the fight is never truly over. We must remain vigilant."
Jason, his body still glowing with residual energy, smiled. "Together, we can face anything."
The Ultimate Showdown: ends with the heroes standing triumphant, their bond stronger than ever. They have defeated Echohade, but they know that new challenges await. As they look to the future, their resolve to protect New Athens and each other is unwavering.