The old man stood before the group of five, his eyes gleaming with an otherworldly intensity. He cleared his throat, and in a low, mysterious tone, began to speak:
"When darkness spreads and evil reigns,
The devil's hand shall bring forth mortal pains.
Humanity's descent into the abyss shall be swift,
Until a shadow walker arises, gifted with the darkest drift.
"With powers born of night and shadow's might,
He shall confront the devil in a final, fateful fight.
The shadows shall be his cloak, his shield, his sword,
And with them, he shall bring forth a new dawn, or a darker chord.
"The devil's reign shall end, and man shall be free,
If the shadow walker can wield his power with destiny.
The fate of humanity hangs in the balance, a thread so fine,
Will the shadow walker rise, or shall the devil's darkness entwine?"
As the old man finished speaking, the group of five looked at each other with a mix of fascination and trepidation. One of them, a young woman with piercing green eyes, spoke up.
"What does it mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
The old man smiled, his eyes glinting with a knowing light. "It means that the fate of humanity is uncertain," he replied. "The devil's influence is growing, and if left unchecked, it will bring about our downfall. But there is hope. A shadow walker, a person with the power to control the shadows, may arise to confront the devil and save humanity."
A burly man with a thick beard spoke up, his voice skeptical. "And what makes you think this shadow walker is going to show up?"
The old man's smile grew wider. "The prophecy doesn't say he will," he replied. "It says he may. The outcome is far from certain."
The group fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts about the prophecy and its implications.
**********************************
Dante's soul had drifted through the Elysian fields, a realm of serene beauty and tranquility. As it wandered, he came face to face with a being of radiant light - the divine angel of Light and Prophecy.
Raziel.
He had seen a statue of the Angel at Daris it matched the humanoid celestial being.
The angel's wings shimmered with an ethereal glow, and his eyes burned with an inner light that seemed to see right through to the soul. He regarded Dante with a gentle smile.
"Greetings, Dante," the angel said, their voice like music.
"Where am I, your holiness?" Dante asked, bowing.
"You are in the Elysian fields, home of the greatest late heroes."Raziel answered kindly.
" What?! "Dante became alarmed.
" Yes, my child. Unfortunately, death has clasped her cold hands around you. "
" No, no! I can't die, not now! "Dante's expression became grim.
" I'm sorry, Dante. "Raziel's face softened.
" Please, release my soul into my body. I have to kill Asmodeus before he hurts anyone. "Dante begged.
" Why is that? Surely, the five remaining Paladins should be able to defeat Asmodeus, if not kill him. "Raziel questioned.
" No! It has to be me. Asmodeus has the Dark Hold and no one can predict what he might do next. "
" Fine then. I will fill your body with your soul but be warned, death comes for us all"
Dante's soul felt a sense of wonder and awe in the Raziel's presence.
The angel's gaze seemed to pierce the veil of time, seeing beyond the mortal realm. "You have been chosen to fulfill an ancient prophecy," they replied. "A time of great darkness approaches, and the world needs a champion with your unique gifts."
Dante's soul felt a surge of determination. "Tell me more," he urged, eager to learn his fate.
The angel's smile grew wider. "Your path will be fraught with danger, but you will not walk alone. You will be guided by the light of prophecy, and your abilities will be honed to perfection."
As the Raziel spoke, Dante's soul felt a sense of purpose and direction. He knew that he would return to the mortal realm, armed with new knowledge and determination.
The angel's words hung in the air, a promise of what was to come.
***************************************
Izalea, William, Pearl and Charles stood before Asmodeus, ready to do anything to protect Daris. If Daris fell, Asmodeus would advance deeper into the Shadowfell and attack the other sub divisions.
However, that seemed like a distant dream, with the Dark Hold bending to Asmodeus' will.
The four powerhouses charged at once, each one attacking from Asmodeus' blindspots. Asmodeus smiled at their futile attempt and released an enormous amount of dark rose thorns, creating a prison to trap them but they weren't weaklings. Izalea's water blades sliced through them in an instant and William used that opportunity to attack. With the speed of light, he managed to dash behind Asmodeus, with the intention of binding him with a whip of light. Asmodeus was fast enough to jump away and kick William in mid air, sending him crashing into a rock boulder. Pearl used her powers to create an earthquake, shattering the ground beneath Asmodeus. The latter laughed at her attempt and flew away from the rubble. Izalea, summoned a wave of churning blue liquid that crashed against the fallen angel's feet. But Asmodeus barely flinched, his dark wings absorbing the impact.
Next, William , unleashed a blast of radiant energy that illuminated the darkened landscape. Asmodeus shielded his eyes, but his gaze soon adjusted, and he retaliated with a wave of shadowy tendrils that sought to snuff out the light.
Meanwhile, Pearl summoned a boulder from the ground, sending it hurtling towards Asmodeus. But the fallen angel was too quick, and he sidestepped the attack with ease. He countered with a blast of dark thorns that Pearl barely dodged.
Charles watched the battle unfold, his eyes fixed on Asmodeus's vulnerabilities. He sensed the dark energy coursing through his veins and knew that exploiting it could be key to their victory. With a subtle gesture, he manipulated the blood within Asmodeus's body, causing him to stumble.
The four warriors capitalized on the momentary distraction. Izalea unleashed a torrent of water that slashed Asmodeus, while William blasted him with intense light. Pearl once again summoned a quake that shook the ground beneath Asmodeus's feet, and Charles manipulated his own blood against him, causing him to bleed from within.
Asmodeus roared in rage, his powers surging out of control. But the Paladins and Charles held their ground, their combined strength proving a match for the fallen angel. Slowly but surely, Asmodeus's powers waned, and he stumbled backwards.
The Paladins finally had a glimpse of victory.