Chapter 38: Echoes Beyond the Abyssal Gate

The Abyssal Gate loomed before them, an imposing structure carved from black coral and shimmering with otherworldly energy. Its surface pulsed with a faint, rhythmic glow, each pulse resonating deep within Daniel's core. The water around the gate felt alive, vibrating with a strange intensity that made his fins tremble.

Mira halted, her gaze fixed on the gate. "This is it," she said, her voice a mixture of awe and trepidation. "The Abyssal Gate. Few have ever crossed it and returned."

Daniel swallowed hard, the weight of her words settling on him. "And the ones who didn't return?"

Her eyes narrowed. "They became part of the Abyss."

Daniel's system chimed, cutting through the heavy atmosphere:

[Structure Identified: Abyssal Gate.]

[Function: Passage to deeper layers of the Abyss. WARNING: Unstable energy detected.]

"Unstable?" Daniel muttered. "That's not comforting."