Chapter One: Re-Try

The cult leader, standing before Zane, sneered at him. "Fool," he spat, "You may have won the battle, but you will not win the war."

With a flick of his wrist, the cult leader activated the artifact, and Zane could feel the magic radiate from it. A swirling portal opened up in the center of the room, and the cult leader stepped through, vanishing into its depths.

Zane watched, his heart pounding with anger and fear. He knew that the cult leader was summoning the lord of darkness, Zion, and with that, the cult leader would have the power to control earth, wind, fire... everything.

And Zane, the strongest man alive, would be powerless to stop him.

But before he could react, his clan, who stood nearby, watching the fight, betrayed him. They pulled out weapons, attacking Zane from all sides. Despite his overwhelming strength and skills, he was no match for their treachery, and in the end, he was overpowered and trapped.

They used the mythical artifact, trapping him in the dungeon, left to rot. No one else in the world knew of his whereabouts. He was alone.

With bitter tears burning his eyes and rage coursing through his veins, Zane swore to break free and exact revenge on the cult leader and his treacherous clan. He would find a way out of the dungeon and make them pay for their betrayal.

For 10 years, Zane was trapped in the dungeon, constantly battling for his life. The dungeon was a treacherous place, filled with dangerous creatures and magic of all sorts, and Zane was forced to fight for every inch of ground. His only company was the voices in his head, the memories of his past and the voices of his enemies, telling him that he would never escape.

But during his long imprisonment, Zane had slowly began to lose his memories, and his memories of even his mother, father, and younger sister. Yet through all of the things he forgot, the only thing that stuck with him the most was getting revenge on everyone who wronged him. He vowed to fight even until the destruction of the world itself if it meant improvement.

He vowed to change. To a leader with an iron fist. He would use his strength and power to execute revenge on all those who did him wrong.

As for the cult leader, in Zane's absence, he had been working tirelessly to summon the dark lord Zion. It had taken him over 10 years, but finally, he was close to his goal. And when he finally summoned the dark lord, Zion would have the power to control the world, to enslave the people and bring them under his heel.

But Zane was determined to stop him, and he was ready to fight with all his might. He would not let the cult leader and the dark lord Zion bring destruction and chaos to the world. He would save the people from their clutches, no matter the cost.

After so many years of being imprisoned, he looked around the place he had now called "home" but all he saw were vast amounts of nothing and air that was hard to breathe in. He had been trapped in the dark dungeon for so long, that the thought of the sun and the scent of the fresh air was almost gone.

But then, he suddenly spotted a door, an ancient wooden door, half-hidden by the ground he had not traveled upon. His curiosity got the better of him, and he approached it. As he reached for it, it suddenly opened, and a strong breeze blew through, clearing away the dust that had been collected on the door for who knows how many decades.

Zane peered into the doorway and was surprised to see a dark, yet clear forest on the other side. It was dark, but vibrant and colorful, with high trees that reached up into the sky, sparkling in the sunlight, which he thought he would never see again.

And then, as if in answer to his questions, a voice echoed in his head, saying "This is your chance, Zane. You can be free, you can escape from this damned dark dungeon and start a new life."

And with a sudden burst of adrenaline, Zane stepped through the door and found himself in the forest. As he looked around, he saw trees, a small lake, and he could hear the sounds of a city or a village nearby. He ran over there and saw what he thought was heaven.

He took a deep breath, and with revenge in mind, determination, began sprinting towards the the city, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead and to start a new life of pure revenge.

Zane stood at the edge of the city, breathing in the sights and sounds of life. It had been so long since he had seen anything but the dark walls of the dungeon, and he felt a sense of freedom that he had never experienced before.

Despite the wonder of being in a new place, Zane couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. He felt like he was being watched, like there was something lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike.

He decided to approach a group of people, hoping to learn more about his surroundings and the city. He approached one of the locals, a young woman with long, dark hair and piercing green eyes. Her skin was tanned, and she carried herself with a confidence that was almost palpable.

"Excuse me," Zane said, "Can you tell me what city this is?"

The woman turned to face him, and Zane was surprised to see a smile on her face. "This is New Haven," she said, "The center of the world, where anything is possible."

Zane couldn't help but feel the sense of awe at the woman's words. It was as if he was in a different world, one where anything was possible and where he could start a new life.

Zane then waited a moment and asked, "is there anywhere to stay nearby? I'm kinda lost right now."

The woman responded, "Oh, yes there is. If you continue going south and reach a building called "Haven's new magic products" and turn left right after that shop, there's a hotel there." Said the woman wearing a warm smile, long dark hair, and sparkling in the light from the sun glaring down.

Zane thanked the young woman, and walked through the small city streets, taking in the sights and sounds around him. He had finally escaped the dark dungeon, and he felt a sense of freedom that he had never experienced before.

As he walked, he couldn't help but think back to all the battles he had fought, all the skills he had honed. He had gone through so much in the dungeon, but he had never given up, and now he felt like he had a whole new lease on life.

As he approached the hotel, Zane stopped and looked up at the tall building. It was a place to rest, to recharge, and to practice his skills. He needed to keep them sharp, to be prepared for whatever challenges lay ahead.

So he entered the hotel, he found himself an empty room, and began to practice. He swung his small, medium length sword, he threw punches so fast that you could physically see the energy around them, he did everything in his power to hone his skills in this new environment.

As he practiced, Zane began to talk to himself, voicing all the thoughts and feelings that he had suppressed for so long.

"I'm finally back," he muttered, swinging his sword in a wide arc. "I can't believe it. Now I can finally get my revenge, and do everything I wanted!"