You looked down at the four kneeling heroes with cold, unreadable eyes. The entire throne room held its breath.
"You want to join us?" you said quietly. "Very well. But you have not earned that right yet. Words and kneeling mean nothing after what you did to my brother for weeks."
Lukas stood silently beside you, shadows flickering, letting you speak.
You continued, voice firm and absolute:
"Prove yourselves first. Go to the ruins of Eldenwood. Rebuild the village with your own hands and magic. Protect the survivors who are returning there. Hunt down any remaining demonic forces still lurking in the area. Publicly denounce the Goddess and the deal she made in every town you pass. When the village stands again and the people feel safe… then, and only then, we will speak about you joining us."
The four heroes bowed even lower, voices shaking with determination.
"We accept, Lord Grim. We will prove ourselves. Thank you for giving us this chance."
They rose slowly, faces pale but resolute, and left the throne room without another word. The King watched them go in stunned silence.
You turned to your group.
"We're done here for now."
Meanwhile, deep in the forbidden void between realms…
The Goddess had finally found it.
After days of tearing through ancient, forbidden scrolls and breaking through layers of cosmic seals, she stood before a massive, pulsating sphere of black chains floating in an endless darkness. The air itself felt heavy and evil.
The First Djinn — the very first being ever granted unlimited wish power by the original God — had been sealed here for millennia after it turned malevolent and tried to consume the world.
The Goddess stepped forward, her golden eyes blazing with desperate ambition. She placed her hand on the outermost chain.
The sphere cracked open with a thunderous sound.
A pair of glowing crimson eyes snapped open inside the darkness.
A deep, ancient, and mocking voice echoed through the void:
"Well, well… what's a little Goddess doing in my prison? Come to beg? Or have you finally grown tired of playing holy?"
The Goddess didn't flinch. Her voice was cold and direct.
"I want to make a deal with you, First Djinn. The most powerful evil djinn this world has ever known."
She continued, eyes narrowing:
"There is a new genie in the mortal realm — one who stole true genie power and humiliated me. He has a brother he calls Cosmic Lord. I want them both destroyed. Their companions too. Help me unseal you fully and I will give you freedom… and a share of the mortal world to rule as you wish."
The First Djinn's laughter rumbled like collapsing stars, dark and amused.
"A deal with a desperate little goddess? How delicious. Tell me more about this 'new genie'… and perhaps I'll consider it."
The chains around the sphere began to loosen slightly as the ancient evil entity stirred with interest.
Back in the capital, you, Miya, Lukas, and Liora stood outside the palace. The four heroes had already left to begin their proving task.
Miya looked at you with fierce loyalty.
"My lord… the Goddess is clearly planning something dangerous. I can feel divine movement in the heavens. What do we do now?"
Lukas's shadows coiled restlessly. "Big brother… I'm ready for whatever comes next."