A horrific scene stretched before Karl—scorched earth, torn metal, twisted wood, and soot-covered wreckage from the crashed ship. Metal that he didn't recognize as the summoning machine lay destroyed around him while survivors of both sides stumbled to their feet, each with a measly one hit point left.

Karl was drawn forward towards the ring of stones like a moth to a bug zapper. A sinister hiss resonated in the air and eerie green flame coiled around several square stones like writhing, sickly snakes. The unhealthy light seemed to be rooted in each stone like burning ivy, and as Karl approached it, a tendril lashed out at him – but bounced off harmlessly.

Velezteristixis stared in disbelief as Karl stood there unscathed by the forces of evil. It was truly inconceivable; he'd dumbly sauntered up to the maelstrom of unbearable destruction and just.. swatted it away? This was supposed to be the part where Velezteristixis rolled around and laughed at how stupid people were, it was supposed to be funnier every time. This wasn't funny.

"Magus?" asked Velezteristixis, the Raccon Devils health bar showed a mere 50%.

"Yeah, it does look kind of like snot." Karl peered into the vortex of slithering turquoise destruction.

"No, not mucus, I mean you are a Great Magus - oh. Of course you're joking. Yet another wisecracking wizard. Wonderful. Love meeting people like you."

Karl had no clue what the chubby raccoon was mumbling about. He looked down to find the stone Devin had given him dissolve before his eyes - a faint, green hue devouring it into nothingness.

"Watch out!" Brenda yelled, yanking Karl away in time to avoid a tendril of chaotic energy stretching out for him.

The group's harrowing crash-landing had left them battered but alive – all things considered. they hastily set up defensive lines around Karl.

"I think we just phased the boss in one hit!" Dumdum whooped, giving Karl a reassuring nudge with his elbow.

"You know," one of Karl's other healers named HotHealBot commented in awe, "For a second there, I thought we were all of bunch of lemmings following Karl off a cliff."

"How could you doubt the Boss?" another of Karls followers named SirLoinOfBeef asked.

"I don't know, I was weak. There was just something about flying a ship full force into a the ground as everything was on fire around us that made me doubt him. It'll never happen again."

Karl turned his gaze to find his two most trusted allies standing steadfastly on either side of him, Brenda with her indomitable tank skill, and Dumdum who never failed him as his stalwart healer.

"Everyone's accounted for and just about healed up," said Dumdum.

The adventurers, with their dented armor and array of weapons, formed a ragged circle around Karl. On the opposite side, snarling orcs, goblins, and ogres bared their teeth as they sharpened their claws, wicked blades, and maces against each other in anticipation. The tension was almost tangible, crackling like electricity between the two forces.

"Don't worry Boss, we'll take these small fry." Brenda didn't hesitate, crashing into the melee of opponents with a graceful flurry of punches and kicks, her movements almost dance-like as she took on as many enemies as possible.

Dumdum sprang into action, flicking out a healing spell in one hand while wielding his gnarled staff in the other. A goblin bared its jagged teeth, before it could pounce Dumdum smashed it in the face with a powerful swing of his staff. The goblin clung to the healer’s staff with it's teeth, and Dumdum ran off in the distance, dragging the little monster behind him.

Karl watched in awe from behind as his team charged forward like an unstoppable avalanche. Tanks hurled themselves into the frontlines, their faces determined and set for battle as they clashed against Orcs, Ogres and Goblins. DPS unleashed their might, swords flashing like lightning as they sliced through flesh and armor alike, hammers smashing into thick metal armor and shields while knives darted with deadly accuracy through the throng.

One DPS in thick plate armor was sent flying ass over teakettle by an ogre's mace while an assassin tackled a summoner orc to the ground, his book skittering away across the battlefield. The assassin leapt back out of harm's way just before a rain of arrows descended on them both.

A group of DPS overwhelmed the massive ogre, sheer weight of bodies dragging the behemoth down as they clung to it like parasites. A spray of bodies flew around as the beast struggled and failed to hold them off, but it was no use - they just picked themselves up and charged back into the fray.

Magic swirled through the air, and bolts of fire, beams of frost, and elemental summons emerged from the depths of the realms to join the fight. Fireballs exploded against the creatures' ranks like meteors crashing into the earth, fissures opened up beneath to swallow entire packs of mobs at a time - all part of the chaotic mess of destruction.

Karl stood back, glad to have no part of it.

“It appears we two share a moment, Magus.” Lord Velezteristixis said, then gestured at the writhing green pit “oh us and this...unfortunate arrangement of 'things best not seen by mortal eyes',”

Karl glanced around, wondering what Magus the fat raccoon was talking to. Or what a Magus was.

"So, enough mucking about. I am Lord Velezteristixis, He Who Crawls From The Hells, The Bandit of the Beyond!"

"Lord Viagrastinks?"

"Lord Velezteristixis. The Unchained One, The Black Hand, His Infernal Majesty - any of that ring a bell?" the fat raccoon looked desperate, "How about The Mephistopheles of Mischief? No? Come on, everyone knows that one!"

"Lord Villianexists?" Karl tried again. "Can I just call you Vel or Lex?"

"Not you too... Do you seriously not know who I am?"

Karl continued to stare, not wanting to hurt the fat little raccoons feelings more than he already was.

"Then maybe you remember me as The One You Crashed Your Ship Into Five Minutes Ago?"

"Oh yeah, that," Karl muttered, "Totally not my fault. It's practically impossible to land a interstellar ship with mittens on."

"Did you try taking them off?" asked Velezteristixis, Karl only gave him a blank stare, "I just came from a realm where lies were real tangible objects - and I still can't tell whether or not you're having me on."

The green coils in the circle of chaos pulsed with energy, drawing Lord Velezteristixis' attention. “Alright, enough stalling! The circle has been recharged."

Karl was taken aback by the trickery. "Hang on, you were stalling this entire time?!"

Velezteristixis chuckled. "First time being duped by an interdimensional evil entity?”

"You cheated!" Karl charged.

"Haha," Velezteristixis said with a knowing smirk. "Now I know you're messing with me."

"Cheater!" Karl spat.

Velezteristixis exploded forward, an earth-shaking roar ringing out from his lips. His eyes were ablaze with fury as he charged towards Karl. Karl stumbled back in terror, desperately clinging to the furry panda helmet atop his head. All fighting ceased to a standstill. Velezteristixis' raccoon hands hung midair, inches from Karls face. All the surrounding orcs, ogres, goblins and players alike ceased their movement.

Karl clapped his mittens with such force that it created a shockwave that rippled through the air like thunder, its echoing cacophony growing louder with each beat until it finally burst forth and hit his enemies with a crashing boom. When the mittens lost their energy, a soft pfffft was released into the air.

Karl bellowed a powerful roar and tore off his 'tan line inspector' shirt, unleashing an intense light that shone from his body like molten gold. His skin glowed brightly, illuminating blinding the world to anything but his majesty. His sock and sandal-clad clad feet sank deep into the ground with a single stomp each. His stance was so solid and powerful that the ground around him cracked and strained.

As Karl swung his electric-blue pool noodle, it hummed and flickered with electric sparks as and cleaved through the air, leaving a glowing trail of power like a comet’s tail. Its high-pitched resonance grew louder and more intense as it cut through the atmosphere.

The pool noodle smashed into the Raccoon Demon Lord with immense force, shaking the very fabric of reality and causing a thunderous clap to resound throughout the area. His body was sent flying backwards as a torrent of sparks and electricity cascaded off him like stars. As he collided with the writhing green tendrils of the demonic circle, they ensnared him tightly in a cocoon-like embrace before carrying him away. His features were distorted in agony and shock, his eyes bulging out of their sockets, while the pool noodle that struck him splintered and cracked, its electrical charge dissipating.

Karl could still heard Lord Velezteristixis from within the writhing tendrils, his voice came out muffled, "Now I know what you're thinking, should I consume the weakened Demon Lord, and the answer might surprise-"

The demonic tendrils writhed and shifted like living vines, their faint green hue growing to an almost blinding intensity as they curled around the demon lord raccoon. Tightening around their prey, they burrowed into his fur and began to draw out a sickly green light from within him, their hollow cores pulsing hungrily. The soul and essence of the lord was quickly devoured by them, filling the air with a chorus of agonizing despair and leaving nothing of the raccoon behind.

Karl's followers gawped in unmasked aw and worship at the carnage Karl had inflicted.

Nekomata leapt into the scene, skidding to a halt next to Karl, taking only a second to read the scene, "Huh, looks like i was worried for nothing." He looked at Karl. "Good job."

Thin wisps of green energy lashed out and grasped the weakened orcs, goblins, and ogres. They tried to run, but were too weakened to escape the swirling verdure tide.

Karl's followers scattered like dust in the wind, all but one, the mage Dillydallius, who was dragged kicking and screaming with the mobs into the glowing green circle.

"Ooof, that did not look fun." Muttered Neko

"Hey, you okay in there buddy?" ventured Karl.