Gabriel stood on the edge of the cliff, the weight of the world pressing on his shoulders. The horizon once filled with the shimmering light of distant stars was now swallowed by a thick, oppressive darkness. The realms themselves were beginning to tear at the seams, corrupted by Lucifer's influence. With each day, the heavens were dimming. The gods had withdrawn into their palaces, leaving only the remnants of their power scattered across the realms.
His breath was shallow, his fingers trembling around the hilt of his sword. The weight of the angelic power coursing through him was almost too much to bear. Yet it was not just the divine energy that gnawed at him—it was the darker force that surged beneath it, a power he couldn't yet fully comprehend. Medusa's cryptic words echoed in his mind, a constant reminder of the wound within him.
"Is this how it ends?" he murmured to himself, looking over the barren landscape of Arkanis, the world's last bastion of hope.
"Not if you stop it," a voice said from behind him.
Gabriel turned, hand instinctively reaching for his blade, only to lower it when he saw the figure emerging from the shadows.
A tall man, with silver hair and robes that seemed to shimmer with a light of their own. His eyes were an unearthly shade of blue, intense and wise, as though they had seen the birth and death of countless worlds.
"You... you're the one they spoke of," Gabriel said, voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes," the man replied, stepping forward, his every movement exuding an aura of ancient power. "I am Merlin, the Wizard of All Wizards. And you, Gabriel, have a destiny far greater than you can imagine."
Gabriel frowned, shaking his head. "Destiny... all I know is that Lucifer is spreading chaos across the realms, and I don't know how to stop it."
Merlin studied him with a piercing gaze, as though seeing straight through to Gabriel's soul. "Lucifer's influence is but the beginning. There are forces much older, much more dangerous, at work. Forces that you cannot fight alone."
"I don't have a choice," Gabriel said, clenching his fists. "I can feel the darkness within me. It's growing stronger. And I can't control it."
Merlin nodded slowly. "That is why I am here. You must learn to control it, or it will control you."
Gabriel met his eyes, the weight of Merlin's words sinking in. "You want to mentor me?"
"Yes," Merlin said, his voice steady. "But it won't be easy. You will need to unlock the power within you, learn to harness both the light and the dark. Only then will you be able to face the trials ahead."
Gabriel's heart raced. He had always known there was more to his power than he understood, but this—this was something entirely different. "What if I fail?"
"Then the realms will fall," Merlin replied, his tone grave. "But failure is not your fate. Not if you're willing to learn."
With a deep breath, Gabriel nodded. "I'm ready."
Merlin smiled faintly. "Good. Then your training begins now."