1 The Cursed Mage’s Downfall

In the days of yore, when the sun and the moon shared the sky, and the stars did dance in the celestial tapestry, there came unto the realm a prophecy most dire. Scribed by the hand of a seer whose eyes did pierce the veil of time, the ancient parchment bore the tale of the Cursed Mage.

"Lo," spoke the seer, "a time of great darkness shall descend upon the land, and in its midst, a mage of unparalleled power shall arise. This mage, a master of the darkest arts, shall bring forth chaos and destruction hitherto unseen in the annals of history."

"Mark ye well," the prophecy continued, "the signs of his coming. For as the shadows lengthen and the nights grow cold, the very air shall tremble at his approach. The earth shall quake, and the seas shall rise, all in obeisance to the power that he wields."

"The Cursed Mage, as he shall be named by those who tremble at his deeds, shall forge a path through the realm, leaving naught but devastation in his wake. No fortress shall withstand his might, no city shall escape his wrath, and no creature shall find solace in the face of his darkness."

"And so, ye children of the realm, take heed of this prophecy. For when the Cursed Mage doth rise, the fate of all shall hang in the balance, and the world itself shall cower beneath the weight of his terrible power."

Thus was the ancient prophecy laid down in the annals of history, and so began the legend of the Cursed Mage, a harbinger of doom whose coming would herald an era of chaos and destruction.

In a distant realm, where magic and myth intertwined, the very mention of a name could send shivers down the spine of even the bravest warriors. Seth, the legendary dark mage, was such a figure. His immense power and mastery of the dark arts were unrivaled, casting a shadow over the lands he traversed.

His mastery over the rare and dangerous dark magic had made others uneasy, leading some to suspect that he was the dark mage mentioned in the ancient prophecy. Yet, truth be told, Seth was unable to control the darkness within him fully. The darkness within him would occasionally seize control of his consciousness during moments of anger and devastation, transforming him into a malevolent and unrecognizable version of himself. This change instilled great fear and concern among the people, as they struggled to reconcile the kind-hearted person they knew with the ruthless force of destruction he became.

Over time, Seth's grip on sanity began to slip, as the darkness gnawed at his very being. He found himself at times unable to distinguish friend from foe, and during that one fateful day, as fate would have it, the sun and moon began to align perfectly with the Realm of Anduron, casting an eerie shadow over the land. The light was swallowed by the dark, and darkness enveloped the realm, it was a "Solar Eclipse."

Seth's dark powers amplified and intensified. The overwhelming surge of power began to take over him, and he found himself unable to resist its malevolent influence. Nobody knows why he suddenly got into a blind rage and unleashed his full fury upon the realm. In just a few minutes, villages burned, people were injured, and lives were nearly lost. Chaos reigned as everything in its path was laid waste. Since then, the incident has been referred to as "The Darkest Moment."

As the people began to think of their own survival, they forgo their humanity and started to prioritize their lives over what was best for everyone. Once again, the prophecy of the rise of a Cursed Mage who would bring about an era of chaos and destruction haunted their minds. Realizing the potential catastrophe that Seth's uncontrolled power could unleash upon the world, the elders of the realm made a fateful decision to protect their people.

The Kingdom of Elyria buzzed with anticipation as elders from various races gathered to form a council of formidable masters. Among them were Elder Voltagar of the elves, a master of lightning; Elder Froswyn of the Merfolk, a master of ice; and the most powerful of them all, the human Elder Pyrion, a master of fire. United by the heavy burden of deciding Seth's fate, they believed that sealing his dark powers deep within his soul and destroying it was the only way to prevent the prophecy from coming to pass. In doing so, they hoped to save their realm from the devastation that Seth could bring, even if it meant forsaking their own morals and compassion.

These wise elders approached Elric Skyweaver, a talented wind elemental mage, and Seth's closest friend. With grave expressions, they explained the dire circumstances to him, arguing that Seth's sacrifice was necessary for the safety of their world. As the gravity of the situation settled in, Elric found himself torn between his loyalty to his best friend and his duty to protect the realm from impending doom. The tension in the air was palpable as they awaited his decision, hoping that he would understand the stakes at hand and join them in their difficult mission.

With heavy hearts and great reluctance, the elders managed to convince Elric that this was the only way to protect their realm and the people they cared for. Torn between his loyalty to his best friend and the responsibility to protect countless lives, Elric ultimately agreed to aid the elders in their plan, his heart weighed down by the difficult choice.

As they prepared to enact their plan, the elders and Elric watched from a distance as Seth single-handedly fought off several mythical creatures attacking civilians on the outskirts of Elyria. Despite his exhaustion from the intense battle, Seth's innate sense of justice and kindness shone through, making it even harder for his comrades to accept the task that lay ahead of them.

Knowing Seth's energy had waned, the elders saw their opportunity to act. They approached him cautiously, their hearts aching with the knowledge of the betrayal they were about to commit. As they drew nearer, Seth, sensing their presence, turned to face them with a weary smile.

"Lord Elders," he said, panting from the exertion, "I have taken care of the threat. The people are safe now."

But instead of sharing in his relief, the elders exchanged sorrowful glances, knowing what they had to do. Elder Pyrion spoke softly, his voice heavy with regret, "We're sorry, my child."

Without warning, the elders launched a coordinated attack on Seth, employing their various magical abilities to weaken him further. Each elder murmured their own incantations, their voices forming a haunting harmony.

Elder Froswyn acted first, swiftly conjuring a series of ice shards that sliced through the air, homing in on Seth's legs. As the icy projectiles whizzed past, they left a trail of frost, turning the ground beneath them into a frigid, slippery surface. Their aim was precise, intending to immobilize Seth and prevent any chance of escape.

Next, Elder Voltagar, the master of lightning, called upon his formidable powers. He conjured a large, crackling ball of lightning that hummed with intense energy. With a flick of his wrist, the electrified sphere enveloped Seth, creating a barrier of force that buzzed and sparked, discouraging any attempt to flee.

Finally, Elder Pyrion, the master of fire and the strongest of the three, stepped forward. His hands danced with flickering flames, gathering intensity as he prepared his assault. With a bellowing roar, he unleashed a barrage of fireballs towards their former ally. The fireballs streaked across the battlefield, their flames hungry and relentless, aiming to deal significant damage.

Seth, taken aback by their sudden assault, tried to defend himself. He nimbly dodged the initial attacks, his eyes wide with disbelief as he called out, "What's happening? Aren't we allies!?" Despite his best efforts to evade the onslaught, Seth's foot was caught by one of Elder Froswyn's ice shards, leaving him vulnerable.

Seizing the opportunity, Elder Pyrion prepared to execute his ultimate skill. With Seth momentarily immobilized, the powerful fire mage focused his energy, determined to bring the battle to an end.

With a determined shout, Elder Pyrion cried out, "Inferno!" He raised his hands towards the sky, his fingers weaving a complex pattern of arcane symbols in the air. A fiery projectile began to form, growing in intensity as he completed the incantation. The blazing inferno rained down upon Seth, who desperately tried to erect a barrier of dark magic in response.

However, just as Seth was about to shield himself, the projectile's speed and power suddenly increased. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Elric, who was using his wind magic to amplify the strength and velocity of Pyrion's attack. It was too late for Seth to react, and as his defenses faltered, the fiery onslaught struck him with full force.

Seth's eyes filled with a mix of disbelief and hurt as he realized the intent behind their actions. Betrayed and overwhelmed, he could only brace himself for the consequences of their devastating assault.

Elric could barely meet Seth's questioning gaze as his friend struggled to stand. The weight of his actions bore down on him, making it difficult to breathe. "I'm so sorry, Seth," he whispered, his voice thick with regret. "But it's for the greater good. We can't let the prophecy come to pass."

The elders gathered around Seth, weaving intricate incantations on the ground surrounding him. They intended to seal his dark power within his soul and then destroy it. However, their attempts to annihilate his soul were unsuccessful, leaving them uncertain of how to proceed.

Elder Pyrion furrowed his brow, contemplating their next move. Elric, his heart heavy but his determination unwavering, proposed a daring idea. He suggested they shatter Seth's soul into fragments and entrust them to the various races to guard for the rest of time.

The elders hesitated, weighing the consequences of such a bold plan. But as they considered the gravity of the situation, they realized it was the only way to prevent the prophecy from coming true.

Elric, desperate to give Seth a chance at redemption, fell to his knees and begged the elders, "Please, can't we show some mercy and understanding? We could send the core of Seth's soul to a parallel dimension without magic. Maybe there, his soul could find a new life and leave behind the darkness of its past."

The elders, aware that Seth had not yet done anything to deserve such a fate, were deeply moved by Elric's impassioned plea, ultimately agreeing to his proposal. They managed to break Seth's soul into the core and four other pieces. Each of them pledged to protect one fragment with their lives.

United, they combined their powers and executed a forbidden spell to send Seth's soul's core to a parallel dimension devoid of magic. This extreme measure was taken to ensure the prophecy would never come to pass, protecting the world from the Cursed Mage's devastating power, while simultaneously offering Seth's soul a glimmer of hope for a different future.

As the spell took effect, Seth's eyes met Elric's one last time. In that brief moment, a flicker of understanding passed between the two friends, a silent farewell that spoke volumes of their unbreakable bond. Seth's body crumpled to the ground, lifeless and defeated, but a small part of him lived on, thanks to Elric's desperate act of love and loyalty.

Soon after Seth's passing, the elders and Elric looked at each other, coming to a mutual understanding that this secret must remain between them alone. They agreed that it was in the best interest of the people of the realm to believe that the Cursed Mage's soul had been destroyed, in order to bring them peace and quell their fears of the prophecy.

Together, they fabricated a story that detailed the destruction of the Cursed Mage's soul, painting a picture of a world now safe from his potentially devastating power. They vowed to uphold this lie, a necessary deception to protect both Seth and the people they served.

As the realm began to rebuild and move forward, the elders carried the weight of their decision with them, always aware of the immense responsibility they had shouldered. Deep within their hearts, each of them silently hoped that Seth's soul, now free from the burden of his dark past, might find a new life in that distant parallel dimension, one filled with hope and the chance to begin anew.

And so, the legend of the Cursed Mage came to an end, or so they thought. In truth, the story was far from over, for Seth's soul would eventually be reborn as Kael Voss, in a world without magic, setting the stage for an extraordinary adventure yet.