“You cannot keep me here forever.” A terrifying voice echoed through the cold air. “You are growing weaker. I can feel it.”

  An ominous presence was felt somewhere in the northern reaches of Terra, where the great battle took fold. The night was cold, dense mist enveloped the desolate wasteland. Dark clouds loom above, while a faint glimmer of moonlight barely illuminated the ground below. The distant caws of ravens were echoing in the background. No signs of life can be seen. Piles of rubble, dirt, and dead trees scattered across the land. Everything was in ruin.

  A cold wind howled through, slightly clearing the mist. In its wake, a hooded figure emerged, kneeling on the cobblestone ground. A staff gripped firmly in her right hand, golden and white, its surface gleaming in the pale moonlight. The intricate ornaments carved along its length seemed to pulse with energy, all flowing toward the crimson orb at its center, a gem that radiated a brilliant red glow. She remained motionless, her hood shadowing her face, her eyes closed in quiet meditation. She had been kneeling there for some time now, gathering her strength, preparing for what was about to come.

  The sorceress opened her eyes, carefully assessing the surroundings once more. Before her lay a large ancient seal, its glowing inscriptions carved into the ground, partially buried beneath a heap of large rocks. A deep, jagged crack marred the seal’s surface emanating an eerie green light slowly pulsing from within. Encircling the seal stood five pillars of varying heights, their surfaces etched with ancient runic inlays, each one crowned with a crimson orb, identical to the one on her staff. She looked at them, her gaze moved from one to the next, assessing them intently before stepping forward. She placed her left hand on the nearest pillar. A faint pulse of energy flickered beneath her fingertips, fading, but still holding.

  "They're still intact. Good," she murmured.

  She turned her head, gazing beyond the pillars, her eyes fixed on the abandoned castle in the distance. A fading relic of a bygone era, its crumbling walls and shattered towers standing defiantly against the storm-laden sky, refusing to collapse despite the relentless passage of time. Then, a sudden flash of lightning tore through the darkness, followed by a thunderous roar that shook the air. For a brief moment, the battlefield was illuminated, revealing the scattered remnants of war, decayed bones, rusted armor, weathered weapons. Faint echoes of a battle long lost to time.

  From deep within the fractured seal, a low, menacing laugh slithered through the air, reverberating with a chilling presence. The ravens stirred, shifting upon their gnarled, lifeless perches, their beady eyes gleaming in the dim light, watching, waiting, as if they already knew what was about to unfold.

  She walked to the center, in front of the ancient seal, raised her staff forward, swinging it through air in an elegant motion, casting a series of spells in quick succession, energies weaving through the mist, illuminating her face as her hood fell. Then, sigils appeared, one before the seal, and two more on either side, their symbols pulsating with ethereal light. Reaching into her cloak, she pulled out a small purple gem and tossed it into the air just beside her. With a precise motion, she pointed her staff toward it, releasing a surge of magic. The gem flared to life, and a fourth sigil materialized midair, glowing in a deep violet hue. She took a step back, gripping her staff with both hands, her stance unwavering.

  The five pillars trembled, their hold on the seal weakening. The Veil, an invisible shroud that had long concealed this place from the world, began to dissolve. Faint at first, then rapidly unraveling, it peeled away like mist in the wind, leaving the ancient battleground exposed.

  A sinister pulse of dark power surged through the air, growing stronger with each passing second. Then, the veil vanished completely.

  From the depths of the abandoned castle, unsettling noises echoed, deep growls, the clanking of armor, the rustling of movement in the darkness. The Legions of the Dark Lord had awakened. They felt his presence returning. They knew the seal was gone. Without hesitation, they rushed from the castle’s ruins, surging toward the battlefield, eager to reach their master.

  Meanwhile, the sorceress was already channeling her next spell. Gripping her staff firmly with both hands, she held it upright as a massive sigil materialized beneath her, glowing, rotating, pulsating with raw energy. With a swift motion, she lifted the staff toward the sky, her voice ringing out "Calamity: Flames of Annihilation!"

  From above, colossal pillars of fire rained down, crashing into the ground and engulfing the advancing legions in flames. Screeches of agony filled the air as many were incinerated before they could reach him. Yet, a handful managed to escape the inferno, pressing forward in a desperate attempt to free their master.

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  But the sorceress was far from finished. She dropped to her knees, pressing both hands against the ground. A surge of mana pulsed from her fingertips, unleashing a powerful tremor that consumed the remaining legions.

  Then, a sudden shift in the air. The dark energy within the crack surged, growing more unstable, swelling with violent intensity. Until suddenly, a powerful blast erupted from within, sending a shockwave through the ruins. Thick clouds of smoke engulfed the area, swirling like a living storm. Through the haze, a shadow moved, a figure charging forward at inhuman speed.

  It was Raziel. The Supreme Ancient emerged from the abyss, clad in his battle-worn armor, still gleaming with dark power. His very presence made the air tremble.

  The sorceress reacted instantly. With a flick of her wrist, she swiftly conjured a rift around him, briefly slowing his movements for a fleeting second, just enough time for the sigils she had placed to activate. One by one, they ignited in succession, their radiant glow intensifying, locking him in place and rendering him immobile. But he was far too powerful. The ethereal bindings strained, and with sheer force, he broke free just enough to move his right hand. He lifted his finger towards her, dark magic coiling at its tip, ready to strike. But before he could release his spell, the floating sigil behind him flared to life. A series of tethering chains erupted from the sigil, snaking around his right hand, locking it in place. The spell disrupted his casting, nullifying his attack.

  It had all been a setup, carefully laid to buy her just enough time. With the tethering chains already beginning to weaken, she channeled her remaining energy into a more powerful binding spell, a precision spell, one that could hold him longer. Her staff hovered before her, its crimson orb pulsing with power. She lifted her palm, pressing it against the glowing gem. She cast the spell with unwavering precision. "Prismatic Binding!" A brilliant beam of pure energy erupted from her staff, striking Raziel directly. The air trembled as the spell wrapped around him, solidifying into an unyielding force. In her prime, she had been unstoppable. A mere human would have been imprisoned for an entire day and even an Ancient for three full minutes. But Raziel was no ordinary Ancient. He was Supreme. And with her power waning, the spell’s grip on him would not last long.

  Raziel’s gaze locked onto her, his burning eyes brimming with malice. "Sivil!" His deep voice rumbled through the ruins, followed by a deep, menacing laugh. "You’re growing weaker. Do you really believe you can keep me imprisoned forever?"

  Sivil’s grip on her staff tightened. "You will not prevail in this world. Leave the Land of Terra be."

  Raziel sneered. "Two hundred years have passed since our last battle… and yet, you haven’t aged a day." His eyes narrowed, his voice dripping with malice. "But I can feel it, your energy is fading." He took a slow breath, his laughter echoed through the air, dark and unrelenting. "You stand alone. Where are the others? Gone! And soon… you will be too."

  The air crackled with unseen pressure, the weight of his presence suffocating. Sivil’s eyes burned with defiance. "As long as I stand, you will never succeed!"

  Raziel glared at Sivil menacingly, his very form a testament to his supremacy. Even in his bare state, he was massive, towering twice the size of an average human. A glowing aura of blue and green energy radiated from him, the sheer force of his presence threatening to crush the air around him.

  Sivil had no time to hesitate. She released the sigils, freeing herself to summon a more powerful spell. She raised her staff and called down the storm. "Lightning Bolt!" The sky split apart, unleashing a relentless barrage of lightning upon him. Each strike forced the Supreme Ancient into a defensive stance, preventing him from casting a counterspell.

  Seizing the opportunity, she channeled the last of her strength into the five pillars, pouring nearly all of her remaining mana, her very essence into the crimson orbs atop them. The seal had to hold. With a final, desperate effort, she invoked a Dark Spell: Eternal Prison.

  From the depths of the ruined land, black chains erupted, coiling around the Supreme Ancient, binding him in place.

  Raziel snarled, his voice echoing with fury. "This will not hold me forever! I will break free! I will hunt you down and end you! Your kind will suffer!"

  The chains tightened, but still, he resisted. Another set of chains, thicker and stronger, slithered forth, wrapping tightly around his massive form. They constricted with unyielding force, dragging him downward. The earth trembled as he was pulled into the abyss until he vanished from sight.

  Raziel roared in defiance, but it was too late. The darkness swallowed him whole, his voice fading into nothingness. And then... silence. The Supreme Ancient was sealed once more.

  Drained of all strength, Sivil collapsed to her knees. A slight miscalculation could have spelled disaster. If even a single spell had slipped past her defenses, it would have meant her demise. Even more terrifying was the Supreme Ancient’s sheer power, unmatched in strength, unparalleled in speed, coupled with his nearly indestructible physical defense. There had been no room for error.

  The five pillars stood unshaken, their power at its peak. If her calculations were correct, the seal would endure for another hundred years.

  The Dark Lord’s presence had faded. Yet, across Terra, remnants of his influence still lingered, and ancient forces lay hidden in the shadows.

  For now, peace had returned.

  But how long would it last?