The figure lifted a hand, and the ground trembled. Dark tendrils of energy shot out from the earth, wrapping around their legs, pulling them toward the ancient being. Orin fought against the pull, using the power of the Nexus to sever the tendrils with a swing of his scythe.
But the figure only chuckled, the sound echoing through the broken realm like thunder.
"You cannot fight me, boy," it said, its voice growing colder, more menacing. "I am the foundation of this world, the one who birthed all that is—light and dark, life and death. You are nothing but ants beneath my heel."
Zaria raised her hand, a bright flash of light radiating from her palm. "Then we'll crush you under our feet."
With a flash, the light shot forward, colliding with the figure. But it flickered and dissipated, as though the figure was simply absorbing it into itself. The shadows around them thickened, dark energy swirling like a storm.
"Your light is nothing," the figure hissed, "and your unity is meaningless."
Riven clenched his fists, preparing for a strike. "Then we'll fight you with everything we have."
Kaelen's axe surged with power as he swung it at the figure, the impact creating a shockwave that sent the ground splintering. But once again, the creature seemed unaffected, merely flickering and reappearing in a different spot.
Orin's eyes narrowed. "We need to focus. This being draws strength from the environment, from the very fabric of reality. We need to sever its connection to this place."
"But how?" Zaria asked, gritting her teeth. "We've barely made a dent."
"Let me handle it," Nyron said, stepping forward, his dark aura intensifying. "I've faced powers like this before."
He raised his scythe—the one forged from the very shadows of the realm—and began to chant in a language that seemed to resonate with the darkness itself. As he spoke, the shadows around them began to twist, responding to his call.
The Primordial's voice grew agitated. "No! You cannot control the darkness! You are nothing more than an echo of the shadows!"
But Nyron's scythe pulsed with energy, and with a final, resounding incantation, the darkness that the Primordial had harnessed began to unravel. The earth trembled as the Primordial's connection to the Forgotten Realms weakened.
"Now!" Nyron shouted, his voice raw with power. "Attack it with everything!"