RISEN: The fallen one

Meanwhile back in the mortal realm...

The Archon stood atop a windswept hill, his eyes scanning the horizon as he gazed out upon the mortal realm. His thoughts were consumed by a single, burning question: where was Zorvath, his long-lost friend and fellow guardian of the magical realm?

The Archon had been searching for Zorvath for what felt like an eternity, following a trail of faint, shimmering threads of magic that seemed to emanate from the wizard's presence. He had scoured the countryside, seeking out any hint of Zorvath's whereabouts, and finally, he had picked up the scent.

A faint, pulsating glow seemed to emanate from the nearby mountain, a glow that the Archon knew was unmistakable. It was the signature of Zorvath's magic, a magic that the Archon had known and recognized for centuries.

Without hesitation, the Archon set off towards the mountain, his feet carrying him swiftly down the hillside. As he walked, the glow grew brighter, illuminating the surrounding landscape with an ethereal, otherworldly light.

The Archon's heart leapt with excitement as he realized that he was closing in on his quarry. He had been searching for Zorvath for so long, and finally, he was about to be reunited with his old friend.

But as he entered the valley, the Archon's excitement was tempered by a sense of unease. Something felt off, something that he couldn't quite put his finger on. The air seemed to vibrate with an ominous, malevolent energy, an energy that seemed to emanate from a dark, foreboding presence that lurked just out of sight.

The Archon's eyes narrowed, his senses on high alert as he scanned the surroundings for any sign of danger. And then, in the distance, he saw it: A figure surrounded with dark energy.

The Archon stood tall, his eyes fixed on the figure standing atop the nearby ridge. As he drew closer, he saw that it was not a figure at all, but a massive, twisted creature that seemed to be crafted from the very shadows themselves.

The creature was a demon dog, its body a mass of writhing, pulsing tendrils that seemed to shift and writhe like living darkness. Its eyes glowed with an otherworldly energy, and its jaws were open wide, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth.

The Archon recognized the creature as a guardian, a powerful demon that had been tasked with guarding a portal to the underworld. The creature was the pet of that demon Zorvath and Azrael had defeated earlier.

The demon dog let out a deafening roar, its body surging forward as it prepared to attack. But the Archon was not intimidated. With a swift, effortless motion, he raised his hand, and a blast of pure energy shot forth, striking the demon dog with incredible force.

The creature let out a pained yelp, its body stumbling backward as it tried to absorb the impact of the Archon's attack. But the Archon was relentless, unleashing a barrage of powerful blows that struck the demon dog with precision and deadliness.

The creature tried to defend itself, summoning a wave of dark energy to crash down upon the Archon. But the Archon was too powerful, and he easily deflected the attack with a wave of his hand.

With one final, crushing blow, the Archon struck the demon dog down, its body dissipating into nothingness as it let out a defeated whimper.

As the demon dog disappeared, the portal it had been guarding began to glow with an intense, pulsating energy. The Archon watched as the portal began to close, its edges sealing shut with a loud, echoing clang.

The Archon's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with the implications of what he had just seen. He knew that the portal had been a gateway to the underworld, and that its closure meant that Xorax, the Demon King, had been denied a powerful advantage.

But the Archon also knew that this was far from the end of the battle. Xorax would not take this defeat lightly, and he would stop at nothing to claim victory.

Azrael's eyes snapped open, his senses on high alert as he felt a sudden, powerful presence in the air. He sat up, his hand instinctively going to the hilt of his sword, his fingers wrapping around it with a familiar, comforting feel. As he scanned the surroundings, his gaze swept across the ruined temple, taking in the destruction caused by the battle with Xarath. The air was still thick with the scent of smoke and ozone, and the silence was oppressive, punctuated only by the distant call of a bird.

Luna, who had been busy healing the temple and repairing the damage caused by the battle, looked up from her work, a concerned expression on her face. Her eyes, normally bright and sparkling, were tired and drawn, and her skin was pale with exhaustion. She had been working tirelessly to restore the temple, using her magic to repair the damaged stone and rebuild the shattered statues.

"Azrael, what's wrong?" she asked, her voice soft and gentle, but with an undercurrent of worry.

Azrael's eyes narrowed, his gaze still scanning the surroundings. "I sense a presence," he said, his voice low and cautious. "A powerful one. I'm not sure what it is, but i hope it's not another enermy."

Luna closed her eyes, focusing her senses on the presence, trying to pinpoint its location and determine its intentions.

As she concentrated, her face grew more and more tense, her brow furrowed in concern. After a moment, she opened her eyes, a look of surprise on her face. "I can sense it too," she said. "And I think I can pinpoint its location."

Azrael's eyes locked onto Luna's, his expression intense. "Where is it?" he asked, his voice low and urgent.

Luna hesitated, her eyes darting back and forth as she concentrated. "It's...it's not far from here," she said finally. "Maybe a few miles to the east. But Azrael, I have to warn you, the magic I sense coming from this presence is incredibly powerful. More powerful even than Zorvath's."

Azrael's eyes narrowed, his grip on his sword tightening. "That's not possible," he said, his voice skeptical. "Zorvath is one of the most powerful wizards in the realm. Who or what could possibly be more powerful than him?"

Luna's expression was grim. "I don't know," she said. "But I do know that we need to be careful. If this presence is an enemy, we could be in big trouble."

" Well, well, its about time." Zorvath said smiling.