A Glimpse into the Void
The chamber trembled as the Abyss turned its gaze upon them.
Darkness swirled, writhing and pulsing as if it were a living thing. The runes on the stone floor flickered violently, their glow struggling against the presence that had awoken.
Seraphina staggered backward, clutching her son tightly. His small hand was still outstretched, fingers grasping at something unseen.
The hooded man moved swiftly, his robes billowing as he slammed his palm onto the stone platform. The sigils flared with brilliant light, forming a barrier between them and the encroaching darkness.
"Hold him back!" he commanded, his voice sharp. "If he pulls too much, the Abyss will—"
His words were cut off as a shadow tendril lashed out.
Seraphina barely had time to react. She turned, shielding her child as the tendril whipped toward them—
Only for it to halt inches away.
The shadows quivered, as if uncertain.
Seraphina dared to glance up.
And what she saw stole her breath.
The tendril wasn't just a shapeless void. It had form—it had eyes. Countless, shifting, ever-changing eyes.
And they were all looking at her son.
A whisper slithered through her mind.
"He is ours."
Seraphina's heart pounded. "No," she hissed through clenched teeth. "He belongs to no one but himself."
Her son's glowing eyes flickered, his tiny fingers curling. The shadows quivered—as if in response to his emotions.
The hooded man gritted his teeth. "Enough!" He slammed both hands down. The barrier surged, forcing the darkness back.
The shadows recoiled, hissing, retreating toward the cracks of the chamber. The countless eyes blinked one last time… and then vanished.
The runes steadied. The air, thick with tension, stilled.
Seraphina let out a shaky breath, holding her child close. His eyelids drooped, exhaustion washing over his small body.
The hooded man exhaled slowly, his hands trembling slightly. He turned to her, his face unreadable.
"Your son," he said, "is something the Abyss has never seen before."
Seraphina swallowed. "What does that mean?"
The man hesitated, then whispered:
"It means the Abyss is afraid of him."
---
The Inquisition Draws Near
Far beyond the sanctuary, Malagar's forces reached the mountain pass.
The wind howled through the rocky cliffs, but the knights rode on, their torches burning bright against the darkening sky.
A scout rushed forward. "My lord, we've confirmed it—the heretic is hiding with the Exiled Ones."
Malagar's golden eyes narrowed. "And the child?"
The scout hesitated. "We… don't know yet. But the Exiled are preparing for war."
Malagar scoffed. "Then they know their fate is sealed."
He raised his sword. "We march at dawn. No one leaves that sanctuary alive."
The knights roared their approval.
The hunt was nearly over.
---
A Price for Knowledge
Back in the underground chamber, Seraphina sat beside her sleeping child, her mind racing.
The hooded man stood nearby, watching the now-dormant runes.
"You saw it, didn't you?" she asked.
He didn't answer immediately. When he did, his voice was distant.
"I have spent my life studying the Abyss. I have seen horrors that would break the minds of lesser men."
He turned to face her.
"But what we witnessed tonight was something different. The Abyss… hesitated."
Seraphina frowned. "And you think it was because of my son?"
The man nodded. "Something within him unsettles it. Perhaps it's his bloodline. Perhaps it's something more." He crossed his arms. "Either way, we must tread carefully. The Abyss does not hesitate without reason."
Seraphina's gaze dropped to her sleeping child.
She already knew that.
She just didn't know whether it was a blessing or a curse.
---
A Silent Watcher
Far beyond the chamber, in the darkest corners of the Abyss, something shifted.
A presence—**older than time, older than the world itself—**stirred from its slumber.
And for the first time in centuries…
It opened its eyes.
The Abyss Stirs
A Presence Beyond Understanding
Deep in the abyss, something ancient had awakened.
It had no name, no form that could be understood by mortal minds. It existed beyond time, beyond the laws of creation, lurking in the unseen spaces where reality bled into the unknown.
And now… it watched.
Not with eyes, but with awareness that stretched across the void, reaching through the thin veil between worlds.
It had felt the presence of the child.
Not just an ordinary child—something more. Something wrong.
"He is not of us. And yet… he touches the Abyss."
For the first time in eternity, the Abyss hesitated.
And that was enough for the balance to shift.
---
Seraphina's Fears
Seraphina's fingers brushed against her son's forehead. His small chest rose and fell with steady, peaceful breaths. He looked innocent—so fragile.
But she had seen what had happened in that chamber.
The Abyss had responded to him. And worse… it had feared him.
She turned toward the hooded man, her voice quiet but sharp. "You said you could teach me to fight it. But what if it's not the Abyss that I need to fear?"
The man did not answer immediately. His gaze remained locked on the sleeping child.
Finally, he spoke. "I will teach you what I can. But understand this—" He met her eyes, his expression unreadable. "Your son is no ordinary being. If the Abyss recoiled from him, then there is a reason. And whatever that reason is… it will not stay hidden forever."
Seraphina clenched her fists. "Then I'll be ready."
The hooded man studied her for a long moment, then nodded.
"Very well," he said. "Then let us begin."
---
The Inquisition's Assault Begins
The morning sun pierced the storm clouds as Malagar's forces reached the sanctuary.
The Exiled Ones had fortified the outer defenses, their warriors lining the walls with bows and spears. Even those who had long abandoned war stood with weapons in hand—because they knew there would be no mercy.
Malagar raised his sword high.
"Burn it to the ground," he commanded.
The Inquisition charged.
Arrows rained down, steel clashed against steel, and the mountain sanctuary became a battleground.
Within the depths of the stronghold, Seraphina felt the tremor of the first explosion.
The Inquisition had come for them.
She turned to the hooded man. "No more waiting. We leave—now."
The man hesitated, then nodded. "Then prepare yourself, Seraphina." He motioned toward the passageway leading deeper underground. "Because there is only one path left."
Seraphina exhaled sharply, adjusting her grip on her son.
A path through the Abyss itself.
---
The Abyss Watches
Far beyond the battle, in the depths of the unseen world, the ancient presence continued to observe.
It had no emotions. No will as mortals understood it.
But as it watched the events unfold, it made a decision.
The Abyss would not wait for the child to come to it.
It would come for him.
And when that moment arrived, there would be no more hesitation.
Only consumption.