Chapter 20: The Abyss Beckons

Lahsiv’s fingers hovered just inches from the black crystal atop the pedestal, his heart pounding in his chest. The voice that echoed through the chamber had come from nowhere and everywhere all at once, the sound rumbling through the ancient stone walls like the whisper of an ancient god.

“You’ve come far, child of darkness. But are you ready to face what lies beyond?”

Lahsiv clenched his jaw, his muscles tensing. He had encountered forces beyond comprehension before, but the Abyss was something more, something alive. It was as if it watched, judged, and decided who was worthy. His experiences with the dark crystal in the Abyssal Hall had made it clear—power from the Abyss was not freely given, and every step deeper into its shadows came with a cost.

Behind him, Reya stood frozen, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and fear. She had felt it too—the sheer presence that radiated from the crystal, the promise of unimaginable power, and the looming threat of something far darker.

“What is this?” she whispered, her voice shaky for the first time.

Lahsiv ignored her question, his focus entirely on the crystal. The pull of the Abyss was stronger than ever now, like a whirlpool of energy drawing him in. Whatever lay beyond this moment would change him—he could feel it. But he had come too far to stop now.

Without hesitation, Lahsiv reached out and touched the surface of the crystal.

The moment his fingers made contact, the entire chamber trembled. Dark energy surged through his body, racing through his veins like molten fire. The connection to the Abyss deepened, and for a brief moment, Lahsiv felt as if he were standing at the edge of an endless void, staring into the very heart of darkness.

The voice returned, louder now, more insistent.

“The Abyss does not simply give. It tests. You seek power, but power demands sacrifice. Will you accept the cost?”

Lahsiv gritted his teeth, his body shaking under the strain of the dark energy pouring into him. He had always known that there would be a price, but the power he sought was worth it. He wasn’t afraid of sacrifice.

“I accept,” Lahsiv growled through clenched teeth, forcing the words out even as the dark energy threatened to consume him.

The crystal pulsed with an intense light, and for a moment, the world around him seemed to blur. Shadows writhed across the walls of the chamber, twisting and bending as if they were alive. Lahsiv could feel the presence of the Abyss surrounding him, pushing against his very soul. It was testing him, weighing his worth.

Then, suddenly, the light from the crystal dimmed, and the energy flooding his body began to stabilize. Lahsiv exhaled sharply, his grip on the crystal tightening as he regained control. He had passed the test—for now.

But the Abyss had not finished with him yet.

The world around him shifted, and Lahsiv found himself no longer in the underground chamber. He stood instead in a vast, dark expanse, the sky above him a swirling vortex of black and purple energy. The ground beneath his feet was cracked and barren, and the air was thick with an oppressive, suffocating force.

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This was no ordinary place. Lahsiv realized with a start that he had been transported to another plane, an extension of the Abyss itself. Here, the rules of the physical world didn’t seem to apply. The darkness was alive, and it responded to his every move, swirling around him like a living thing.

In the distance, figures began to take shape—dark, twisted beings with glowing eyes and jagged, malformed bodies. They were like shadows given form, creatures born from the very essence of the Abyss. Lahsiv could feel their hunger, their thirst for destruction. And they were coming for him.

The voice spoke again, but this time, it was different—darker, more menacing.

“Prove yourself, child of the Abyss. Survive, or be consumed.”

Lahsiv drew his sword, the Sword of Ruin gleaming faintly with dark energy as he prepared for battle. The creatures surged forward, their movements erratic and wild, like predators driven mad with hunger. Lahsiv could feel the malevolent energy radiating from them, thick and oppressive. This was no ordinary test—these creatures were manifestations of the Abyss itself, and they would not stop until they had devoured him.

He moved quickly, dodging the first creature’s attack with ease as it lunged at him. His sword cut through the air, meeting the creature’s shadowy form and slicing through it with a burst of Dark Karma. The creature shrieked, its form disintegrating into black mist before vanishing entirely.

But there were more. Dozens more.

The ground beneath his feet cracked as the creatures closed in, surrounding him on all sides. Lahsiv’s heart raced, but his mind remained sharp. He had faced death before, and he knew the Abyss would not let him walk away easily. But he had no intention of being consumed.

Lahsiv activated Shadow Dominion, and the darkness around him responded immediately. Tendrils of shadow burst forth from the ground, wrapping around the approaching creatures and holding them in place. The dark energy coursed through him, bending the shadows to his will as he directed them with precision. The creatures writhed and struggled, their glowing eyes filled with fury, but Lahsiv’s control over the Abyss was absolute.

With a swift motion, he unleashed a wave of Dark Karma, obliterating the creatures in a violent explosion of shadow and energy. The force of the blast shook the ground, and for a moment, the air was filled with the echoes of the Abyss’s rage.

But it wasn’t over.

As the last of the creatures faded into the mist, the ground beneath Lahsiv’s feet began to shift once again. The darkness around him deepened, and from the shadows, a new figure emerged—a massive, hulking creature, far more powerful than the ones he had faced before. Its body was made entirely of shadow, its eyes burning with a malevolent red light. This was a true beast of the Abyss, and its power dwarfed anything Lahsiv had encountered.

The creature roared, the sound reverberating through the expanse like thunder, and charged toward Lahsiv with terrifying speed.

Lahsiv stood his ground, his eyes narrowing as he prepared for the final battle. He had come too far to fall now. The Abyss had tested him before, but this time, it would know his strength.

The beast swung a massive, shadowy claw at him, but Lahsiv dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow. He struck back with the Sword of Ruin, his blade cutting into the creature’s form and sending waves of dark energy crashing into it. But the beast barely flinched, its body reforming almost instantly as it turned on him again.

Lahsiv’s mind raced. The creature was regenerating faster than he could damage it. He needed something more—something stronger. The Abyss was alive here, and if he was going to survive, he would have to push his control over the shadows further than ever before.

Closing his eyes, Lahsiv reached deep within himself, drawing on the full power of the Abyss. The shadows around him responded, gathering at his command, swirling around him in a storm of dark energy. He could feel the weight of the Abyss pressing against him, but he forced himself to remain in control, to bend the darkness to his will.

When he opened his eyes, the creature lunged at him again, its massive form barreling toward him with unstoppable force.

But this time, Lahsiv was ready.

With a single, focused thought, he unleashed the full force of Shadow Dominion, directing the shadows to consume the creature entirely. The darkness around him surged forward, enveloping the beast in a wave of black energy. The creature roared in defiance, thrashing violently as the shadows closed in, but it was no match for Lahsiv’s control.

The shadows tightened, pulling the creature deeper into the Abyss, until finally, with a final, desperate scream, the beast was consumed.

The expanse fell silent.

Lahsiv stood alone once again, his body trembling from the exertion of the battle. The power of the Abyss still thrummed through him, but for now, it was quiet. He had proven himself.

The voice returned, softer now, almost… approving.

“You have passed, child of the Abyss. But remember—the Abyss does not forget.”

The world around him began to fade, the dark expanse dissolving into shadows as the chamber in the Academy slowly reformed around him. Lahsiv found himself standing once again before the stone pedestal, the black crystal still pulsing faintly with dark energy.

Reya stood nearby, her eyes wide with shock. She hadn’t seen what Lahsiv had faced, but she could sense the change in him.

“You… survived,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.

Lahsiv didn’t respond. His thoughts were still racing, his mind consumed with the power he had just unleashed.

He had passed the test, but the Abyss’s warning lingered in his mind.

The Abyss does not forget.