A Mother's Resolve
The chamber was deathly silent, the weight of the hooded man's words pressing down on Seraphina like an unseen force.
"To keep him human… or let him become what he was meant to be."
She stared into the man's abyss-tainted eyes, searching for an answer, for a hint of mercy. But there was none. Only inevitability.
Her arms instinctively tightened around her son. His tiny fingers curled against her cloak, as if sensing the turmoil in her heart.
"I don't accept that," Seraphina whispered. "He is my son. Not a monster."
The hooded man's lips curled into something resembling a smile—though it held no warmth. "And yet, you seek refuge among those who were once called monsters. You wish to control what cannot be contained. Tell me, Seraphina—" his voice dropped to a near whisper, "—will you still hold him when the Abyss comes to claim him?"
Seraphina's jaw clenched. "I will not abandon my child."
The man studied her for a long moment. Then, with a slow nod, he turned away.
"Very well," he said. "Then I will teach you how to fight the Abyss."
Ravian, who had been silent through the exchange, finally spoke. "Can you truly do that?" His hand rested on his sword hilt, his distrust evident.
The man did not look back. "No one can fight the Abyss forever. But I can show her how to buy time."
He gestured toward the archway at the back of the chamber. Shadows slithered along the walls, forming strange patterns of runes that pulsed with a dull, rhythmic glow.
"Come," he said. "You must see what lies ahead."
---
The Inquisition Marches
The torches of the Inquisition burned against the night sky, a crimson serpent winding through the darkened plains. At its head, Malagar rode with unshaken determination, his golden armor gleaming in the moonlight.
Beside him, a priest chanted in hushed tones, his words weaving divine protection over the warriors.
"The corruption grows stronger," the priest murmured. "It has awakened."
Malagar's grip on his reins tightened.
"Then we are running out of time."
He lifted his sword, the blessed steel glinting with holy radiance.
"The heretic and her cursed child must not reach the Exiled Ones. We end this before the darkness can take root."
A roar of agreement rose from the knights.
And so, with the force of an empire behind them, the Inquisition rode toward the mountains—toward the abyss-born child who could spell the end of all things.
---
Abyssal Whispers
As Seraphina followed the hooded man deeper into the sanctum, a cold presence brushed against her mind.
A whisper, barely audible.
"You are not ready."
She shuddered but did not stop walking.
The passage walls were etched with symbols that pulsed with a faint, living glow. They seemed to shift and writhe in the dim torchlight, as if whispering secrets too ancient for mortal tongues.
"These are barriers," the man explained. "Wards meant to keep the Abyss from seeping into our realm."
Seraphina's eyes flickered to the shadows shifting beyond the runes. A feeling of unease coiled in her stomach.
"And yet… it still watches us," she murmured.
The man exhaled. "It always does."
They reached the end of the passage, where a heavy stone door loomed before them. The hooded man placed his palm against the surface, and with a low rumble, it began to move.
Beyond it lay a vast underground chamber—a place that should not exist.
The air crackled with unseen energy. The very fabric of reality seemed thinner here.
Seraphina stepped forward, and the whispers in her mind grew louder.
"This is where you will begin," the man said.
"If you wish to fight the Abyss… you must first understand it."
Seraphina swallowed hard.
She had already stepped onto the path of no return.
And the Abyss was waiting.
Lessons in the Abyss
The Forbidden Chamber
Seraphina stood at the threshold of the underground chamber, her heart pounding as the heavy stone door slid open. The air inside was thick—not just with dust and age, but with something deeper. Something unseen.
Dark sigils were carved into the walls, pulsating with a dim, unnatural glow. At the center of the chamber, a massive circular stone platform lay embedded with runes that twisted and rearranged themselves as she stared.
The hooded man stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "This is where you will begin. If you are to protect your son, you must learn the nature of his power."
Seraphina hesitated, glancing down at the small child in her arms. He was watching the glowing runes with too much understanding for a child so young.
She took a breath and nodded. "What do I need to do?"
The hooded man gestured toward the platform. "Step forward. And listen."
Seraphina hesitated before moving. As soon as her foot touched the stone, a shiver ran down her spine.
The whispers grew louder.
Not just in her mind—they filled the chamber.
"She comes… she comes… the mother of the abyss-born…"
Her breath caught in her throat.
She wasn't imagining it.
The shadows were speaking.
---
The First Lesson: Understanding the Abyss
The hooded man studied her reaction carefully. "You hear them, don't you?"
Seraphina's hands clenched into fists. "You mean the whispers?"
He nodded. "The Abyss does not speak in words, but in intent. It does not lie, nor does it tell the truth. It simply… is."
Seraphina shuddered. "Then what does it want?"
The man's gaze darkened. "Everything."
She swallowed.
"Then how do I stop it?"
The hooded man let out a dry chuckle. "You don't." He gestured at the runes beneath them. "You survive it. You resist its pull. But you will never truly silence it."
Seraphina exhaled slowly, steadying herself. "Then teach me how to resist it."
The man studied her for a long moment before nodding.
"Very well. We begin now."
---
The Inquisition's March
As Seraphina took her first steps toward understanding the Abyss, Malagar's forces closed in.
The knights rode through the mountains, torches lighting the path ahead. The sky above was darkening, a storm brewing over the peaks.
A scout rushed forward, bowing before Malagar. "My lord, we've found traces of them. They're heading toward the Exiled Ones' sanctuary."
Malagar's lips curled into a grim smile.
"Then they've already lost."
He turned to his soldiers, his golden eyes burning with conviction.
"The heretic and her child have nowhere left to run. Tonight, we end this."
The knights roared in agreement.
And so, beneath the storm-lit sky, the hunt pressed on.
---
The Abyss Awakens
Back in the underground chamber, Seraphina closed her eyes, focusing on the energy around her. The hooded man's voice was distant now, guiding her through the presence that lurked beneath reality itself.
"Feel the Abyss, but do not fall into it."
The whispers in her mind swirled, growing chaotic. Shadows coiled around the edges of the chamber.
And then—the child moved.
Her son reached out a small hand.
The shadows responded.
The entire chamber trembled. The runes pulsed violently. And deep within the abyss, something stirred.
The hooded man's expression shifted—for the first time, there was fear.
"This isn't supposed to happen," he murmured.
Seraphina's pulse raced. "What do you mean?"
Before he could answer, the shadows collapsed inward.
And the Abyss looked back.