Alyssia sat quietly in the serene glade, her gaze fixed on Elyndor as the ancient Elf God prepared to recount a story lost to time. The forest around them seemed to hold its breath, as though nature itself was awaiting the words that would follow.
"Long ago, before even the rise of the Empire, there was a time when the realms were divided between light and shadow. In the deepest recesses of the Abyss, a being was born—not of our world, but from the very essence of chaos and destruction," Elyndor began, his voice soft yet resonant, carrying the weight of eons.
"Enma, the Abyssal God, was the embodiment of all that is destructive and chaotic. His very presence warped reality, turning beauty into ruin, life into death. For centuries, he remained bound to the Abyss, a place where light dared not venture, but his hunger grew with each passing age."
Alyssia listened intently, her heart pounding as she felt the gravity of the story.
"But Enma was clever," Elyndor continued. "He found a way to breach the barrier between the Abyss and the mortal realm by feeding on despair and darkness. Wars, betrayal, suffering—all these things gave him power. And so, in a time of great conflict, he emerged into our world, bringing with him untold destruction."
Alyssia's breath caught in her throat as she imagined the terror that must have gripped the realms. She had seen the destruction the Empire could cause, but this—this was something far worse.
"Many of us—Guardians, gods, and mortals alike—fought to push him back. The war raged for centuries, but Enma's power was unmatched. We realized we couldn't defeat him outright. Instead, we forged a plan—a plan to seal him back within the Abyss."
Elyndor's eyes darkened as he spoke of the sealing. "It took the combined strength of the Guardians and the ancient magics of the Elves. We used the elements, the natural forces of the world, to create a prison for him deep within the Abyss. Gaia, with her control over the earth and life, was crucial in ensuring the prison held. But the cost was immense."
The Elf God paused, his expression pained. "Many lives were lost. And though we succeeded in sealing Enma, we knew the seal was not eternal. It required balance. Should that balance be broken, Enma would rise once more."
"Nyx's death," Alyssia murmured, the weight of realization hitting her. "It disrupted the balance."
Elyndor nodded gravely. "Yes. And now the Abyss stirs. The more chaos and despair the world falls into, the closer we come to Enma's return."
Alyssia clenched her fists, her determination hardening. "We'll stop him. We have to."
---
Back in Valoria, Nymeria sat before a small group of trusted advisors. The heavy silence in the room was a reflection of the tension that had gripped the kingdom since the news of Nyx's fall. Queen Nymeria, though poised, couldn't shake the fear that gnawed at her.
"I was raised on tales of the Abyss," she began, her voice steady yet laced with unease. "My mother used to tell me of the ancient war between Enma and Elyndor—a war that nearly destroyed all the realms."
Her advisors exchanged uncertain glances, but they remained silent, listening intently as the queen continued.
"According to the legends, the war began when Enma found a way to escape the Abyss. He brought with him a darkness that consumed everything in its path. The skies turned black, the seas boiled, and the land became a barren wasteland wherever his shadow touched."
Nymeria paused, her eyes distant, as though recalling the ancient tales from her childhood. "Elyndor and the Guardians were the last hope. They gathered their forces—the elves, humans, and all the creatures of the earth—united against the common threat. The war spanned centuries, but even then, they could not destroy Enma."
One of her advisors spoke up, his voice trembling. "How did they stop him, Your Majesty?"
Nymeria's expression hardened. "By sacrificing nearly everything. The Elves used their ancient magic to bind Enma to the Abyss, and Gaia herself created the seal that holds him there to this day. But the legends say that as long as darkness and despair exist in the world, Enma's prison weakens."
The advisor who had spoken paled. "And now… with Nyx's death?"
Nymeria's jaw tightened. "The seal is weakening. We must prepare for the possibility that Enma will rise again."
---
Deep within the Abyss, Enma stirred. His essence, dark and formless, writhed in the void that had been his prison for millennia. His consciousness drifted through memories of his battles with the Guardians, particularly Elyndor.
"Elyndor," Enma's voice echoed, a soundless thought that resonated through the Abyss. "The one who bound me. You believed you could contain chaos, that your precious Guardians could suppress the inevitable."
He remembered the Elf God's face, the determination in his eyes as they clashed during the ancient war. Elyndor had been formidable—his mastery of natural forces, combined with the strength of the Guardians, had made him a worthy adversary.
But Enma's rage was boundless. He was the Abyss, a force that could never be truly destroyed. Elyndor had only delayed the inevitable.
"You and your Guardians," Enma mused, a dark laugh forming in the depths of his mind. "You thought you could imprison me forever. But time is on my side. The world crumbles. Despair festers. And soon, I will be free."
He could feel the cracks forming in his prison, the weakening of the seal. The death of Nyx had been the catalyst, but the despair of the mortal realms—the wars, the betrayals, the suffering—it all fed him, making him stronger with each passing day.
"When I rise again, Elyndor, you will be the first to fall," Enma promised. "This time, there will be no prison to hold me. I will consume the world, and all will bow before the Abyss."
With that dark vow, Enma's presence grew stronger, a malignant force stirring within the void. The time was drawing near. His moment of freedom was approaching, and neither Elyndor, Gaia, nor any of the Guardians would be able to stop him.
---
As the stories of Enma's dark past echoed through the realms, the shadow of his return loomed ever closer. Alyssia, Nymeria, and even Enma himself understood that the final battle between light and shadow was inevitable—and the fate of all worlds would hang in the balance.