ActRaiser

According to the instruction booklet, the world is maintained by a deity known as "The Master." Tanzra, referred to as "The Evil One", is the eternal enemy of The Master and wishes to conquer the world. His six Guardians attacked The Master in a battle that lasted several days. After the battle, The Master retreated to his Sky Palace, which floats in the sky atop a cloud, to tend to his grave injuries. He erected a barricade and fell into a long and deep sleep. With The Master incapacitated, Tanzra divided the world into six lands, each ruled by one of his guardians. The Master awoke several hundred years later with his injuries completely healed, but his power had been removed as the people turned towards evil. He removed his barrier from the Sky Palace, determined to free the world from The Evil One.

As the game progresses the Master recovers his power by rebuilding the civilizations of his people. During this time many citizens of the Master's civilizations speak to him through prayer. In this way the Master learns of special offerings that the people have for him, and hears the requests and troubles of his people. By fulfilling their requests (which always requires the Master to fight monsters at some point) the Master is able to allow each civilization to become as prosperous as possible. One of the Master's final favors to each population is to rid some location in the region of monsters by having the player complete one of the side scrolling action stages. The final boss in each of these six stages is one of the six guardians who serve Tanzra. After each guardian has been slain the region of Death Heim becomes available to enter for the Master.

Death Heim is the final side action sequence the player completes. It contains no side scrolling levels, only a sequence of boss battles. The player fights in turn each of the six guardians and then finally battles the demon Tanzra (who has two forms). After this final battle the world is rid of Tanzra and his followers, and the Master's people can continue to build their civilizations in peace.

The Master and his servant revisit the many civilizations that they had helped to build, and make observations of the people. They take time to remember special characters that helped play a role in leading or saving the people. When the Master and servant finish revisiting the final civilization, they look inside the shrine. No one is inside worshiping the Master anymore. The servant observes that although the people once prayed to the master in times of trouble, they no longer do. He suggests that as cultures become more advanced, they are no longer reliant on the Master for help, and that they feel happy and free now that they are independent. The Master and his servant then enter the sky palace and depart into the heavens.

The conclusion of the story reflects the idea that people who are not suffering or in need of help can feel as though they are independent and do not need guidance from any 'higher power'.