The darkness from the abyss poured out like a black flood, covering the entire area, turning day into endless night. The Dark Lord – the colossal black figure a hundred meters tall, with eyes glowing red like hellfire – stood in the center, his laughter echoing like thunder: "My son... You finally came. The power of darkness flows in your blood – merge with me, and we shall rule Elyria!" His voice was like the screams of a thousand souls, vibrating the air, causing surrounding trees to wither and vanish. His Legion – tens of thousands of corrupted monsters, giant phantoms, and dark Avatars – surged forward like a tide, charging into the alliance.
Alex stood in the middle of the battlefield, his heart pounding, his Level 46 power of darkness surging more intensely than ever. But the secret from the ancient library still haunted him: he was the Dark Lord's descendant; this power was a blood legacy. "No... I am not your son! I am Alex, from another world!" he yelled, activating Shadow Ascend – the new skill from the previous quest, transforming his body into a colossal shadow form thirty meters tall, with black tentacles coiling and eyes glowing with magic. The darkness covered him like armor, yet whispered temptingly: "Merge... Become the sovereign..." Elara beside him, holding her shimmering green bow, cried out: "You are not alone! We fight together!" Pyra flew overhead in dragon form, breathing sacred fire to incinerate the enemy. Grom swung his Mithril hammer, leading the Dwarves to cleave through the shadows. Eldrin and the elves fired arrows like rain, Durin and the Dwarves formed a shield wall, Ignis led the dragons to breathe fire, and the human troops from Eldoria supported with fire magic. The alliance of thousands of warriors charged in, the clang of metal, the explosion of fire, and the swirling darkness echoing across the abyss.
The battle erupted with horrifying intensity. The Shadow Legion rushed forward like a raging wave; corrupted Orcs roared and clashed with the Dwarves; giant Shadow Beasts tore at the dragons. Pyra breathed fire, incinerating a large squad; their bodies burned black and dissolved, but a Dark Lord Avatar struck her with a black scythe, tearing her wing; hot dragon blood sprayed like lava. "Aargh! I will burn you!" Pyra roared, lashing her tail to crush it. Grom was surrounded by dark Goblins; his hammer beheaded two, but one grazed his chest with an axe; blood flowed profusely. "Don't stop! For the Dwarves!" Grom yelled, continuing to hack. Elara fired green arrows continuously; the bolts pierced a Shadow Beast, exploding and burning it from within, but darkness wrapped around her leg, fiercely draining her life force. "Elara!" Alex yelled, using Shadow Barrier to shield her, blocking the darkness.
The Dark Lord laughed loudly, swinging his colossal hand, summoning a giant wave of darkness that covered the entire battlefield, swallowing hundreds of alliance warriors. Agonizing screams echoed; invisible phantoms attacked from all sides. "Shadow Eclipse!" Alex activated the skill, creating a massive zone of darkness that devoured the enemy legion, draining life force and transferring it to his allies, healing wounds quickly. [Experience +2000.] But the Dark Lord countered: "You use my power against me? Naive!" He summoned giant Avatars that rushed Alex, their scythes striking down like black lightning bolts, tearing the air. Alex dodged, but the blow grazed his shadow shoulder, tearing his dark "flesh," the pain spreading like a soul being ripped apart. "Aaaargh!" He countered with Shadow Strike Barrage, a series of dark blades flying swiftly, severing the Avatar's arm; black blood sprayed.
The alliance fought back fiercely: Ignis led the dragons, breathing sacred fire to create a circle of fire around the abyss, incinerating the enemy. Durin rallied the Dwarves into a shield wall; Mithril hammers cleaved the darkness like cutting paper. Eldrin used forest magic to create green vines that wrapped tightly around the monsters; elves fired arrows like rain. Human troops used exploding fire magic, pushing back the assault. But the Shadow Legion was endless; a large squad lunged at Elara and Grom. Grom beheaded three Orcs but collapsed from exhaustion. Elara fired an arrow to save him, but a phantom wrapped around her, powerfully draining her life force. "No!" Alex charged over, using Shadow Army to summon twenty phantoms – now stronger thanks to the level up – which lunged and tore at the enemy, saving her. His phantoms wrestled with the foes, claws tearing the dark flesh; the shadows swirled like a storm. [Experience +1500. Level up: Level 46 → Level 48.]
The Dark Lord rushed Alex, his colossal hand striking down like a falling mountain. "Merge with me, son! You cannot defy your bloodline!" Alex dodged with Shadow Cloak, vanished into the darkness, and reappeared behind him. "Shadow Fusion Ascend!" He combined everything: shadow with fire from Pyra, forest from Elara, and Mithril hammer force from Grom, forming a giant dark-red-green hybrid form; his tentacles swept across, burning and draining life force simultaneously. The tentacles pierced the Dark Lord's chest, draining the ancient magic; he roared in agony: "You... dare!" He unleashed a counter-attack of ultimate darkness, wrapping around Alex, draining his life force with unprecedented power. The backlash surged violently: Alex's eyes turned bloodshot; the darkness whispered intensely: "Merge... Rule... Devour all!" He nearly lost control; his phantoms turned to attack the alliance; one grazed Elara, tearing her shoulder.
"Elara!" Alex screamed internally, the image of her injured, her warm smile, and the memory of Earth flooding back – a normal life, but now he had a reason to live. "No! I control the darkness, not the other way around!" He resisted, using Elara's forest magic to balance, and Pyra's fire to burn away the backlash. With renewed strength, he plunged his Mithril sword – now shimmering with sacred fire and forest magic – into the Dark Lord's dark core. The sword pierced through; the darkness exploded with earth-shattering force; the abyss trembled, and the legion vanished in droves. The Dark Lord convulsed, his giant figure dissolving into black dust: "You... will regret this... Eternal darkness..." He vanished; the ancient seal closed. [Quest Complete: Shadow Ascend Skill acquired, Level +15 (Level 48 → Level 63).]
The battlefield fell silent; the alliance cheered for victory. The darkness gradually dissipated; the sun rose. Alex returned to his normal form, collapsing in exhaustion, but the darkness was now gentle, a balanced part of him. Elara ran to him, hugging him: "You did it! The true Shadow Sovereign." Grom patted his shoulder: "Lad, you're a hero." Ignis nodded: "Fire and shadow are balanced." Eldrin smiled: "The prophecy is fulfilled."
But Alex knew, the darkness never truly disappears. He looked at the closing abyss, whispering: "I will protect this world."