In the first future, King's kingdom was ablaze. Flames licked at the imposing buildings, turning them into charred skeletons. The sky, once blue, was tinged orange and red, obscured by thick, suffocating smoke.
He saw his friends and allies falling around him, their lifeless bodies scattered across the ground like broken dolls. Defeat was palpable, a suffocating weight on his chest. He knew he was fighting a losing battle, that his kingdom was doomed. Death awaited him, cold and merciless.
The smell of sulfur and burnt flesh invaded King's nostrils as he struggled to open his eyes. A hellish vision stretched before him: an endless abyss, cracked by rivers of fire and punctuated by obsidian peaks. Hell. The pain was omnipresent, a constant throbbing that coursed through every fiber of his being. But he refused to give in. He had died before, but this time it was different. This time, he wouldn't rest until he escaped that cursed place.
The first level of Hell teemed with lesser demons, grotesque creatures that lunged at him with sharp claws and fangs. King, however, fought with the ferocity of a caged lion. With each demon he felled, he tore away its skin and bones, adding them to a macabre shield that grew larger with each battle. The demonic blood that permeated the shield seemed to vibrate with a profane energy, making it impenetrable. Blows that should have split it in two were deflected without causing the slightest damage.
Level after level, King ascended, leaving a trail of demonic corpses in his wake. With each battle, his determination grew stronger, fueled by the pain and suffering that surrounded him. The shield, now the size of a man, pulsed with the power of the thousands of demons he had defeated. On the ninth level, Hela herself awaited him, a being of terrifying beauty and immeasurable power. The battle was epic, a clash of wills that shook the foundations of Hell. But King, relentless, with his indestructible shield, finally triumphed.
With Hela's fall, a deafening silence fell over Hell. The rivers of fire seemed not to diminish, the darkness receded. King, facing the great wolf Fenrir, planted his shield in the bloodied ground. "I am King, the King of Hell!" roared King, driven mad by fury and the eternity he had spent there.
King's vision plunged even deeper into the darkness. In one of the futures, the shadowy presence mentioned by Ignis materialized, revealing its true form: the Demon of Darkness, an ancient entity of unimaginable power. Its form was a whirlwind of shadows in humanoid shape, a mass of darkness emanating a somber aura capable of corrupting anyone. Its white eyes burned with a malevolent intensity, promising pain and destruction. Around it, reality distorted, the laws of physics bending to its will. The air crackled with dark energy, and the ground trembled beneath its feet.
The demon of darkness loomed like a titan, its shadow looming over the world, threatening to consume it entirely. Its voice, a guttural whisper echoing in the depths of King's mind, promised power beyond his comprehension, a power that could change the course of destiny. But at what cost?
King felt the demon's malevolent influence seeping into his thoughts, attempting to seduce him with promises of power and vengeance. The temptation was immense, an irresistible force pulling him towards the darkness. He knew that if he succumbed, he would be doomed, his soul lost forever. The fight against the demon of darkness would not only be a battle for the survival of his kingdom, but a battle for his own soul.
Darkness pulsed around King, the voice of the ancient demon a hissing whisper in his mind. "So much pain, so much rage... surrender to me, King. I will give you the power to crush your enemies, to avenge those you have lost."
King felt his defenses crumble, temptation corroding his resolve. "Power... vengeance..." he muttered, his eyes glazed.
"Yes..." whispered the demon, his voice gaining strength. "Embrace the darkness, and all this power will be yours."
The instant the darkness threatened to engulf him completely, Thor's medallion sparked, emitting a beam of divine energy that coursed through his body.
"Argh!" King screamed, the pain tearing him from the clutches of seduction. The darkness receded, the demon's voice dissipating like smoke.
King gasped, his body trembling, but his mind clear. He looked at the medallion, now glowing softly. "Lord...Thor?" he whispered, his voice weak. "Thank you."
"I have seen the future, the darkness it will bring. But I will not succumb. I will fight." King took a deep breath, courage returning to his heart. The vision of the dark future still haunted him, but now he was prepared. The fight against the demon of darkness would be arduous, but he was not alone. He had Thor's protection, faith in his heart, and the determination of a king ready to defend his kingdom, whatever the cost.
The light from the Sanctuary of the Tides bathed King, who blinked, confused. The memory of the empty dimension, the icy cold, and the fight against Hela faded like mist in the sun. He looked around, recognizing the ethereal architecture of the sanctuary. Before him, floating serenely, was the oracle, a luminous and ethereal figure. He realized he was lying on one of Ignis's front paws, who was also lying down, looking at him with a worried expression.
"King! You're back!" exclaimed Ignis, relief evident in his voice. "What happened? You were meditating, suddenly you fainted, and from then on you wouldn't stop spitting blood, as if you were being killed repeatedly!"
King frowned, trying to remember. "I... I don't know. I don't remember any of that. I remember being here, entering the sanctuary, and after that there's only a void in my memory." He looked at the oracle, searching for answers. "What happened?"
The oracle, its voice like the whisper of water, replied: "You faced the tests, King, you proved your worth. Congratulations, you passed the test."
King felt a chill. The sensation of something important lost, of an erased experience, troubled him. But he knew he needed to focus on the present. There was a threat looming over all worlds, the "Dark Presence" that Ignis had spoken of, and he needed answers.
"Oracle," Ignis said, his voice firm despite the confusion, "we are here to learn about the Dark Presence. What can you tell us?"