The Harbinger's words hung in the air like an omen, thick with the weight of doom. The storm around them raged with increasing intensity, as though the very elements themselves had chosen sides in this battle. The ground shook beneath their feet as dark energy swirled in the air.
Zaria stepped forward, a defiant look in her eyes. "You've got it wrong. We've been through too much to let some dark god bring about the end. We won't let it happen."
Nyron's eyes glowed with dark energy as he gripped his scythe tightly. "We've defeated worse than you. If you think you can stop us, then come. We'll show you."
Kaelen's voice rumbled like thunder as he lifted his axe. "You won't leave this place in one piece."
The Harbinger's cold gaze shifted to each of them, his lips curling into a grin that sent shivers down their spines. "You think you can stop me? I am the embodiment of the void, the nothingness that exists between the worlds. You cannot fight what is beyond even time itself."
Orin clenched his fists, determination shining in his eyes. "We'll see about that."
Without warning, the Harbinger raised a hand, and the storm erupted into a violent fury. Lightning streaked across the sky, thunder crashing around them as the very earth seemed to tremble. Dark tendrils of energy shot toward the group, faster than they could react.
Kaelen swung his axe, the heavy blade cutting through the air and deflecting several of the tendrils, but more kept coming. Zaria raised her hand, summoning a barrier of light that absorbed the impact of the dark energy.
Orin's sword glowed with a brilliant light as he charged forward, cutting through the dark tendrils with precision. But the Harbinger was relentless, sending wave after wave of energy at them, each one more powerful than the last.
"We need to find its weakness!" Orin shouted over the roaring storm.
Nyron's gaze narrowed, his scythe crackling with shadowy energy. "I know what to do."
With a single motion, he plunged his scythe into the ground. Shadows erupted from the earth, spreading across the land like ink blotting out the sun. The storm seemed to falter for a moment as the dark energy around them was swallowed up.
The Harbinger's form wavered, its solid shape flickering like a flame in the wind. "Impossible…"
"This ends now," Nyron said, his voice like a whisper of death.
With a roar, he unleashed the full force of the shadows within him, sending a massive wave of darkness toward the Harbinger. The energy collided with the creature's form, tearing through it like paper. The Harbinger screamed in agony, its body unraveling as the darkness consumed it.
But before it vanished completely, it let out one last, chilling laugh. "You may have defeated me, but this is only a small part of the truth. The Nine Worlds are far from safe. The true master will rise…"
And with that, the Harbinger dissolved into nothingness, leaving behind only the storm's fading echoes.
The group stood in stunned silence, the remnants of the storm dissipating into the night sky. The oppressive atmosphere began to lift, but the unease in their hearts only grew stronger.
"We haven't won," Orin said softly, his sword still glowing faintly in the aftermath of the battle. "That was just a warning. The true threat is still out there, and we're no closer to stopping it."
Zaria shook her head, her expression determined. "We'll find it. Together, we'll stop whatever's coming."
Nyron's dark aura flickered around him, his eyes filled with an understanding deeper than the others could see. "The Harbinger was only the messenger. The true enemy remains hidden. And they will stop at nothing to bring about the end."
As they regrouped, the weight of their task ahead settled over them. The Nine Worlds were connected by a force older and more powerful than they had imagined, and the battle to protect them had only just begun.
But with their unity and determination, Orin and his companions knew that they were the only ones who could stop what was to come.