Kapitel 35: Chapter 35: The Abyss Beckons
The journey to the Citadel was fraught with tension. The forest around them seemed alive with whispers, faint echoes that stirred the air and crawled under their skin. Azarion tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, the shadows swirling faintly around him a constant reminder of the power he had taken—and the price it demanded.
Sera walked a step behind him, her sharp eyes scanning the mist-cloaked trees. Her unease had grown since their encounter with the shadow beast. She didn't trust the silence that followed them, nor did she trust the darkness coiling around Azarion.
"Do you hear it?" Sera asked, breaking the stillness.
"Hear what?" Azarion replied, though he already knew the answer.
"The whispers," she said, her voice low. "They're getting louder."
Azarion paused, his gaze fixed on the path ahead. The whispers had been haunting him since they left the Vault, but he had hoped Sera wouldn't notice. Now, there was no denying it.
"They're trying to break us," Azarion said finally, his tone calm but firm. "The Abyss doesn't want us to reach the Citadel."
Sera's eyes narrowed. "You say that like it's a test. What if it's more than that?"
Azarion turned to face her, his expression unreadable. "It doesn't matter what it is. We'll overcome it."
Before Sera could respond, a low rumble echoed through the forest. The ground beneath their feet trembled, and the mist thickened, curling around them like a living thing.
"We're not alone," Sera said, drawing her daggers.
Azarion unsheathed his sword, the Eternal Flame sparking to life in his hands. But this time, the fire was tinged with shadow, its glow unsettlingly dim.
From the mist emerged figures—vague, distorted silhouettes with glowing eyes and unnatural movements. They were neither fully human nor beast, their forms shifting as though they were made of liquid shadow.
Sera tightened her grip on her weapons. "Let me guess—more friends from the Abyss?"
"Something like that," Azarion muttered, stepping forward. "Stay close."
The shadowy figures moved in unison, their steps silent yet deliberate. One lunged at Sera, its claws outstretched. She ducked and slashed upward, her dagger cutting through its form. The creature let out a screech and dissolved into mist, but two more took its place.
Azarion raised his sword, the fire and shadow entwining as he struck. His attack tore through the creatures, their forms disintegrating on impact. But as the shadows faded, he felt a sharp tug in his chest—a pull toward the darkness he had absorbed.
The whispers grew louder, echoing in his mind.
"Why resist? This power could be yours. You could save them all."
Azarion gritted his teeth, shaking off the voice. "Not today," he muttered under his breath.
Sera fought beside him, her movements quick and precise. But for every creature they defeated, more seemed to emerge from the mist.
"There's no end to them!" she shouted, dodging a swipe from another shadow.
Azarion scanned the area, his mind racing. The creatures were a distraction, a way to wear them down before the real threat appeared.
"Keep moving!" he called out. "We can't stay here!"
Sera nodded, and the two of them pushed forward, cutting through the endless waves of shadow. The mist seemed to thicken with every step, the air growing colder.
Then, as suddenly as it began, the attacks stopped.
The forest fell silent once more, the mist receding like a tide. Sera lowered her daggers, her chest heaving. "What just happened?"
Azarion didn't answer. His gaze was fixed on the path ahead, where a figure now stood.
It was tall and shrouded in darkness, its form barely distinguishable from the shadows around it. Its eyes glowed a piercing violet, and its presence radiated an overwhelming sense of dread.
Sera took a step back. "Azarion... what is that?"
He didn't respond immediately. The whispers in his mind grew deafening, the voice of the Abyss speaking through the figure before them.
"You've come far, Azarion. But you cannot deny what you've become."
Azarion gripped his sword tightly, the shadows around him swirling faster. "I'm not like you."
The figure tilted its head, a faint, mocking smile visible beneath its hood. "Aren't you? You wield our power. You hear our voice. You are already one of us."
Sera stepped forward, her daggers at the ready. "He's nothing like you. And if you think you can stop us, you're dead wrong."
The figure laughed—a low, echoing sound that sent chills down their spines. "Brave words. But you'll see the truth soon enough."
Without warning, the figure raised its hand, and the ground beneath them cracked. Tendrils of shadow erupted from the earth, coiling toward them like serpents.
Azarion reacted instinctively, slashing through the tendrils with the Eternal Flame. But with each strike, the pull of the Abyss grew stronger, threatening to consume him.
"Azarion!" Sera shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos. "Don't let it take you!"
He closed his eyes, focusing on the fire within him—the light that still burned despite the shadows. With a roar, he unleashed a powerful wave of flame, driving back the tendrils and shattering the figure's form.
The forest fell silent once more, the oppressive energy lifting.
Azarion sank to one knee, his breathing heavy. The shadows around him faded, but the weight of the Abyss lingered.
Sera knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"
He nodded, though his expression was grim. "We have to keep moving. The Citadel isn't far."
As they continued their journey, the words of the shadowy figure echoed in Azarion's mind.
"You are already one of us."
And deep down, he couldn't deny the fear that it might be true.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein