Capítulo 38: ### **Chapter 37: Into the Abyss**
The journey ahead of us was uncertain, and the dangers were manifold. The island where the Heart of the Void was said to be hidden was not just a place lost to time—it was a place wrapped in myth, feared by those who knew of it, and avoided by even the most seasoned adventurers. The map we'd uncovered in the journal pointed to its location, but it gave us little else. What it lacked in detail, it made up for in ominous warnings—warnings that had been ignored, perhaps, by those who had come before us, or lost to time. We could only hope the clues we had gathered would be enough.
As the sun began to set behind the crumbling city, casting long shadows over the catacombs we had called home for the past few days, I felt a weight settle over me. The rift's power was growing, pulsing and thrumming in the back of my mind like a constant reminder that we were running out of time. The more we learned about it, the more the truth began to gnaw at me—that the rift wasn't simply an anomaly or a tear in reality. It was a living force. And if we didn't stop it, it would consume everything.
I turned to Elena, who was meticulously packing the supplies for our journey. Her expression was calm, but I could see the tension in her posture—the stiff set of her shoulders, the slight furrow of her brow. She was just as aware of the stakes as I was.
"We're almost ready," she said, her voice a mixture of resolve and uncertainty. "But I need to ask you something, Klaus."
I looked at her, my brow furrowing. "What is it?"
Elena paused, glancing up at me. "Are you sure we can do this? I mean, we're talking about something far beyond us. The rift… the Heart of the Void… I just want to make sure we're not walking into something we can't handle."
Her concern was understandable, but it didn't change the reality of the situation. If we didn't act, the rift would keep growing. The consequences of that were unimaginable. We didn't have the luxury of doubt or second-guessing. We had to press on.
"We don't have a choice," I replied, my voice quiet but firm. "If we don't do this, the rift will tear everything apart. We can't afford to let it reach its full power."
She nodded slowly, though her eyes betrayed her lingering worry. "And if it's too late already?"
I hesitated, the question hanging in the air like a cloud of uncertainty. "Then we fight. We fight until there's nothing left. We can't give up, Elena. Not now."
I watched as she tightened the straps on her bag, securing the weapons and supplies we would need for the journey. There was no turning back now. We were about to set off on a path that would lead us into the heart of darkness itself.
---
The island, as the journal described, was situated on the edge of the world. It was surrounded by treacherous seas, marked by swirling currents and dangerous reefs. Getting there would be no easy feat. We would need a ship—a fast one—and a skilled crew willing to brave the elements and face the unknown. Fortunately, there were those in the city who still owed me favors, even if they were reluctant to admit it.
I had made arrangements with an old contact, a pirate captain by the name of Faron. He had a reputation for being one of the best in the business, and his ship, the *Seraphim*, was as fast as they came. It would be our only hope of reaching the island in time.
When we arrived at the docks, the *Seraphim* stood out against the dark waters, its sails unfurled and its crew preparing for departure. Faron himself was standing at the ship's bow, a dark figure in the moonlight. He was a tall man, with a scar running down the side of his face and an air of quiet authority about him. His piercing gaze swept over us as we approached.
"You're sure about this, Klaus?" Faron's voice was rough, the sound of a man who had lived through too many storms. "The island you're talking about… it's cursed. Not many come back from it."
"I'm aware," I said evenly, my gaze meeting his. "But it's the only place we can find what we need. We need to get there before it's too late."
Faron studied me for a moment, his lips pressing into a thin line. "I'll take you there, but you'll be on your own once you arrive. This ship isn't going any further. If you think you're walking into danger now, just wait until you see what's waiting on that island."
I inclined my head. "We're prepared for whatever comes. Just get us to the island."
He nodded, though I could see the skepticism in his eyes. "Aye, if you say so. But don't say I didn't warn you."
---
As the *Seraphim* cut through the dark waters, the wind howling around us, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched. The rift's influence was growing, its tendrils reaching into the world, warping the air around us. I could feel it in the pit of my stomach, an unease that gnawed at my very core. But I wasn't about to show weakness—not now, not when Elena was counting on me.
The sea was rougher than I had anticipated, the waves crashing violently against the sides of the ship. Even the crew, seasoned as they were, seemed uneasy. We sailed deeper into the unknown, far from the familiar shores of the mainland, and the world around us grew quieter—oppressive even, as though the sea itself had grown wary of what we were about to uncover.
"How much further?" Elena asked, her voice tense as she gripped the railing next to me.
I glanced out at the horizon, where the dark outline of the island was beginning to take shape. It was closer now, but I could feel the weight of the distance pressing on us. "Not long," I replied, though my voice betrayed the anxiety I felt creeping in. "We'll reach it before dawn."
The island itself was like a phantom, barely visible in the darkness. The jagged cliffs rose high from the sea, their black stone sharp and unforgiving. The air around us seemed thick with fog, and the only sound was the rhythmic crash of the waves against the rocks. It was a place untouched by time, a place that had been forgotten for a reason.
As we neared the island, Faron came to stand beside us, his eyes fixed on the shore. "There's something about this place," he said quietly, almost as if speaking to himself. "It doesn't feel right. Be careful when you set foot on land."
I nodded, my gaze hardening as I watched the island grow closer. This was it. This was where we would either find the Heart of the Void, or die trying. And there was no turning back.
---
The ship anchored just off the shore, the crew watching warily as Elena and I prepared to disembark. We had brought only the essentials—we wouldn't need more. Whatever we found on the island would either help us or kill us. There was no middle ground.
As I stepped onto the rocky shore, the air around me seemed to shift. It was heavy—pressing down on us with an unseen force. The rift's presence was palpable here, its power curling around us like a predator circling its prey.
"Let's move," I said, my voice tight with the tension that I felt in every inch of my being. "Stay close."
We made our way inland, the dense forest surrounding us on all sides. The trees were gnarled and twisted, their roots clawing at the earth as though they were trying to escape something beneath the surface. The path ahead was unclear, but I knew the Heart of the Void was somewhere deep in the heart of this cursed land.
Elena and I pressed on, our senses heightened. I could feel the rift's energy growing stronger with every step. We were getting closer.
But so, it seemed, was something else.
Estado de energía semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Piedra de
Poder