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Prologue

  A lone man steps forward and gazes out over a barren wasteland. He is a hulking giant with red skin pulled taught over bulging muscles. Glowing red text circles around his biceps and his skin seems to give way to bone as it approached his hands. Above his head, words glow red for all to see, declaring to anyone nearby:

  With a wave of his hand, an army of death rises up from the shadows around him. Towering skeletons stretching towards the sky begin to march forward, ignoring the hoards it squishes with every step. Thousands upon thousands of shadowed undead flow past Tyvum like black water; all marching towards their goal: a towering structure in front of them that seems to climb into the sky forever.

  Suddenly the darkened clouds above give way to radiant light that bathes the land with holy energy. Smoke begins to pour off the undead as the light burns throughout their bones. Tyvum however, does not seem bothered by the light. He does however, sag in anticipation at what often follows the light.

  Clouds begin to circle a hole in the sky. Indecipherable text appears and circles around itself in a ring. As the text begins to speed up more and more script begins to appear, layering over itself to form a grand disk in the sky. Once the radiant disk finishes its own construction, a falling star descends through the middle of the disk, causing it to expand to form a tunnel long enough to touch the ground.

  The falling star collides with the ground and spills glowing motes of light in all directions. White wings spread wide from the star, disappearing into yet more motes of light; revealing a proud man standing tall with polished metal armor. Behind him a cape of pure white flows without cause and above his head, a similar but opposite set of words appear.

  “So you’ve finally arrived. Good, I'm getting tired of this game.” Tyvum growls.

  The Hero smiles brightly as he stands before the army of undead. Raising a sword he declares to all: “You may be growing tired but I am just getting started, villain!”

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  But instead of rising to the challenge, The Villain lets out a long and tired sigh. “Cease the theatrics, Verick. We both know what happens next”.

  The Villain raises a hand and waves it through the air as if brushing aside an annoying insect. Instantly, the entire skeleton army vanished. What was once a force capable of doing battle with an entire country had been reduced down to just two men.

  “You’ve discovered all my Phylacteries, slain my demon generals, and turned my own spies against me.” The Villain groans. “This illusory army was my only chance at accomplishing my goal but now that you’re here … well… I give up.”

  The smile from The Hero fades, his sword arm falls and his Heroic pose loses all meaning. Even the radiant light seems to dim slightly. Frowning, The Hero sheathes his sword and approaches the man before him. “You could have at least played your part. Giving up like this is infuriating.” His once boisterous voice now takes on a tone more closely resembling that of vile hatred.

  Despite being much taller than Verick, The Villain seemed quite small as he kneels before The Hero. A foot across the jaw promptly sends The Villain sprawling across the ground. “This was supposed to be my big moment. A final battle to the death, one that would grace the pages of history books for generations. Instead you just up and give up” Verick spits.

  The Villain does not rise from the ground, instead he moves to a sitting position while keeping his head lowered. Wisps of smoke rise from his fallen form as the radiant light rapidly burns away at him. “It’s been fifty years, Verick. Grant an old man his rest.”

  “Someone like you doesn’t deserve it,” he scowls.

  “Maybe so,” The Villain chuckles drying, drawing forth a dagger he had saved for just such an occasion. The dagger was made of pure white from the blade to the hilt, save for a single line of blue that pulsed down the center of the blade. Blue sigils faded in and out of existence in the air around it. It was a beautiful dagger.

  It was a disgusting, vile, repulsive dagger! Seeing this, The Hero became enraged! “You wouldn’t dare deny me my quest! I shall be the one to slay you, no one else!” He raised his sword high into the air and began gathering radiant light, extending the blade far past its normal length. The sky separated and the land sang in response to this power for holy decimation has come!

  “Fear not, noble Verick, for you’ve no doubt done enough to claim credit for this kill.” He smiled a wide, toothy, wide-eyed grin. As the radiant light began to build in front of him, The Villain brought the dagger behind his head and laughed uproariously. “See you in hell!”

  Despite the cheers echoing throughout the world at this moment, one man does not join the celebrations.

  The Hero stands alone on an empty battlefield with no more scars than it had previously. He seemingly stares at nothing, for only his eyes can perceive the floating blue box in front of him. He scans over it for a moment with frustration plain on his face.

  “You’ve got to be shitting me.” He cursed.

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