Chapter 30: Into the Depths

Lahsiv stood in the center of the Abyssal Hall, his pulse quickened by the vision the Abyss had shown him. The symbol—the mark of the Umbral Circle—had been burned into his mind. He knew where they were hiding now. Their base wasn’t far, hidden beneath the old ruins of an abandoned fortress just beyond the Academy’s protective borders. The Circle had been closer than he had thought, working in the shadows all this time.

It was time to confront them.

The air in the chamber was thick with the dark energy that clung to the walls like a living thing. Lahsiv could feel the Abyss’s presence more keenly than ever now, its whispers faint but constant. The power it granted him was growing, feeding off his desire for control, but the risk of letting it consume him was ever present. He had learned to push that fear aside. There was no room for hesitation now.

Elira met him near the Academy’s outer walls just before midnight. The moonlight cast long shadows across the stone paths, and the cool night air hummed with tension. Her eyes were filled with determination, but there was a flicker of unease in her expression.

“You’re sure about this?” she asked, her voice low as she adjusted her cloak. “The Circle’s base… it won’t be easy to breach.”

Lahsiv gave her a sharp nod. “We don’t have a choice. The Circle’s agents won’t stop unless we destroy their source. We strike now, before they can make another move.”

Elira nodded in response, her fingers brushing the hilt of her dagger. “Alright. Lead the way.”

The two moved swiftly and silently through the night, slipping past the Academy’s wards and into the forest that surrounded the fortress. The trees loomed overhead, their branches forming a dark canopy that blocked out most of the moonlight. The path was narrow and overgrown, but Lahsiv knew the way—his connection to the Abyss had shown him everything he needed.

As they ventured deeper into the woods, Lahsiv felt the presence of dark energy growing stronger. The ruins were close. He could sense the Abyss swirling beneath the earth, its power tied to the Circle’s hidden sanctuary. His grip on the Sword of Ruin tightened as they approached a large, crumbling structure, half-hidden by the forest.

“This is it,” Lahsiv said, stopping at the edge of the ruins.

Elira glanced around, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the area. “There’s no sign of guards.”

“They won’t need them,” Lahsiv replied. “The Circle uses wards to protect their base. The entrance is hidden, but I can feel it.”

He closed his eyes, reaching out with his senses, feeling for the pulse of dark energy that lingered beneath the surface. The Abyss responded, guiding him to a large stone at the base of a ruined tower. Lahsiv knelt down, pressing his hand against the stone, and muttered a few words in the ancient language of the Abyss.

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There was a faint rumble as the stone shifted, revealing a dark passage leading down into the earth.

“This way,” Lahsiv said, rising to his feet and stepping toward the entrance.

Elira hesitated for a moment, then followed him into the darkness.

The tunnel was narrow and cold, the walls slick with moisture and ancient moss. The further they descended, the stronger the presence of dark energy became. Lahsiv’s connection to the Abyss grew sharper with each step, but he could also feel the weight of the Circle’s power pressing against him, testing his resolve.

Elira moved quietly beside him, her eyes scanning every corner as they made their way deeper underground. The air was thick with tension, the oppressive feeling of being watched growing with every step.

Finally, they reached the end of the passage. A massive stone door stood before them, etched with the same sigil Lahsiv had seen in his vision—the mark of the Umbral Circle. The door pulsed faintly with dark energy, sealing whatever lay beyond.

“This is it,” Lahsiv whispered, placing his hand on the door.

Elira glanced at him, her voice barely audible. “What’s the plan?”

Lahsiv didn’t look at her, his focus entirely on the door. “We go in, we find their leaders, and we end this.”

He pushed the door open with a low groan, the sound echoing through the chamber beyond. The room they entered was vast and dimly lit, with high stone ceilings and walls covered in ancient runes. At the center of the room stood several hooded figures, their faces hidden behind dark masks. Lahsiv recognized the aura of power that radiated from them—these were the true leaders of the Umbral Circle.

The tallest figure stepped forward, his voice low and smooth. “Lahsiv Vale. We knew you would come.”

Lahsiv’s hand tightened on his sword. “You’ve been hiding in the shadows for too long. This ends now.”

The leader chuckled softly, the sound cold and hollow. “You think you’ve come here to end us? You have no idea what you’ve stumbled into. The Abyss is not something you can simply control. It will devour you, just as it has countless others before you.”

Lahsiv stepped forward, his eyes burning with cold determination. “I’ve mastered the Abyss. I don’t need your warnings.”

The leader raised his hand, and the other figures began to chant, their voices low and filled with dark energy. The runes on the walls pulsed, and the air around them grew thick with power. The ground beneath their feet trembled, and Lahsiv could feel the Abyss stirring, its presence overwhelming.

“They’re drawing on the Abyss,” Elira whispered, her voice tense.

Lahsiv nodded. “Stay close. This is what they’ve been preparing for.”

The leader of the Circle raised both hands, and a wave of dark energy surged toward Lahsiv and Elira. Lahsiv moved instantly, raising his sword and channeling the Abyss’s power into a protective shield. The wave crashed against it, sending sparks of dark energy into the air, but Lahsiv held firm.

“Elira, now!” he shouted, and she darted forward, her dagger gleaming as she aimed for the nearest figure.

Lahsiv pushed forward as well, his sword flashing as he met the Circle’s leaders head-on. The air crackled with power as they clashed, the dark energy of the Abyss swirling around them like a living storm. Lahsiv moved with deadly precision, his every strike fueled by the Abyss’s strength.

The Circle’s leader fought back, summoning tendrils of shadow that lashed out at Lahsiv, but he was ready. He slashed through the tendrils with ease, his sword cutting through the darkness as if it were nothing. The Abyss surged within him, feeding his power, pushing him further.

Elira moved with grace, dodging blasts of energy as she struck at the Circle’s followers, her movements quick and precise. But even as they fought, the Circle’s power grew stronger, the chamber around them trembling with the force of their dark magic.

Lahsiv felt it then—a deep, rumbling power rising from beneath the earth. The Abyss was responding to the battle, its hunger for destruction growing. The Circle was trying to unleash something far more dangerous than even Lahsiv had anticipated.

“We have to end this now,” Lahsiv muttered, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the leader.

With a final burst of strength, Lahsiv surged forward, his sword cutting through the Circle’s defenses. The leader’s eyes widened in shock as Lahsiv’s blade pierced through his chest, dark energy spilling from the wound.

The chanting stopped. The power in the room faltered.

The Circle’s leader staggered back, his voice a hoarse whisper. “You think you’ve won… but the Abyss will claim you… just as it claimed us…”

With those final words, the leader crumbled into darkness, his body dissolving into the shadows.

The room fell silent.

Lahsiv stood over the fallen figure, his breathing heavy, his sword still gleaming with dark energy. Elira approached him cautiously, her face pale but determined.

“It’s over,” she said, though her voice held a note of uncertainty.

Lahsiv glanced at her, his eyes cold. “No. This is only the beginning.”

As the shadows of the Abyss swirled around them, Lahsiv knew that the Circle’s defeat had only unleashed something far more dangerous. The Abyss was still watching, still waiting.

And now, it had set its sights on him.