บท 33: Chapter 33: The Abyss Below
The spiral staircase seemed endless, winding down into darkness that grew colder and more oppressive with each step. Azarion's hand tightened around the hilt of his sword, the faint glow of the Eternal Flame at his side casting flickering shadows against the walls. Beside him, Sera kept her daggers ready, her sharp eyes scanning for movement.
The air carried a faint hum, like the whisper of something ancient and alive. Each step felt heavier, as if the weight of the Abyss itself pressed against them.
"Is it just me, or does it feel like we're walking into the maw of some great beast?" Sera muttered, breaking the silence.
"It's not just you," Azarion replied, his voice low. "Stay close."
They reached the bottom at last—a vast, cavernous chamber carved from black stone. The floor was etched with intricate runes, their lines glowing faintly with blue light. In the center of the room stood an altar, its surface worn and cracked, as though it had endured countless rituals. Suspended above it was a sphere of pulsating energy, a chaotic mix of light and shadow that seemed to writhe and shift as they approached.
"The Vault of Eldrath," Sera whispered. "Doesn't look too welcoming."
Azarion nodded, stepping closer. The power emanating from the sphere was palpable, a raw, unrestrained force that set his nerves on edge. This was no ordinary artifact—it felt alive, aware of their presence.
As they approached, the Magister's voice echoed in the chamber, though she was nowhere to be seen.
"The Abyss is not a place, but a force—a hunger that consumes all. This sphere is its tether, a fragment of its power contained within Eldrath's wards. It is both a weapon and a curse."
Azarion frowned. "If it's contained, why bring us here? What are we supposed to do with it?"
The Magister's voice grew colder. "To face the Abyss, you must understand it. And to understand it, you must wield its shadow as well as its flame."
Sera stepped forward, her eyes narrowing. "This sounds like a trap. What aren't you telling us?"
A rumble echoed through the chamber, and the glowing runes on the floor flared brighter. The sphere above the altar pulsed violently, its light throwing wild shadows across the room.
"The choice is his," the Magister said. "To strengthen the Eternal Flame, Azarion must absorb the fragment. But doing so will bind him to the Abyss, just as it binds the Flame. The more power he gains, the closer he will come to becoming one with it."
Azarion clenched his fists, his heart pounding. "You're asking me to risk everything—to risk losing myself—to fight this thing?"
"Yes," the Magister replied. "Because without that power, you cannot hope to defeat it."
Sera turned to Azarion, her voice urgent. "You don't have to do this. We'll find another way. There's always another way."
Azarion met her gaze, his mind racing. She was right—there had to be another way. But deep down, he knew the truth. The Abyss was unlike any foe he had faced before. If he didn't take this power, it might mean the end of everything.
"I have to," he said, his voice steady. "If this is what it takes to stop the Abyss, then I'll do it."
Sera's expression hardened. "You don't know what this will do to you."
"No," Azarion admitted. "But I know what will happen if I don't try."
He stepped forward, reaching out toward the sphere. The moment his fingers brushed its surface, a surge of energy slammed into him, driving him to his knees. Darkness flooded his vision, and the sound of distant screams filled his ears.
The world around him dissolved, and he found himself standing in a void. Shadows swirled around him, and in the center of the darkness, a massive, monstrous form took shape—an endless maw filled with jagged teeth, eyes glowing like dying stars.
"You dare to claim my power?" the Abyss roared, its voice shaking the void.
Azarion gritted his teeth, raising the Eternal Flame. "I don't claim it—I take it. You don't control me."
The Abyss laughed, a terrible, echoing sound. "We shall see, little flame. We shall see."
---
Back in the chamber, Sera watched in horror as Azarion's body convulsed, the energy of the sphere coursing through him. The runes on the floor began to crack, releasing bursts of dark energy that lashed out like tendrils.
"Azarion!" she shouted, rushing forward.
The tendrils lashed out at her, forcing her back. She could only watch as Azarion's body was engulfed in a swirling vortex of light and shadow.
When the energy finally subsided, Azarion staggered to his feet. His eyes glowed with a strange, otherworldly light, and faint tendrils of shadow flickered around him like a living aura.
"Azarion?" Sera asked cautiously.
He turned to her, his expression calm but unreadable. "I'm fine."
But Sera wasn't convinced. Something had changed. The Azarion standing before her wasn't the same man who had descended into the Vault. And deep within her, she felt a growing sense of dread.
"Let's go," Azarion said, his voice steady. "We have a war to win."
Sera nodded reluctantly, following him toward the staircase. But as they ascended, she couldn't shake the feeling that they had unleashed something far more dangerous than the Abyss itself.
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