Sarina stood frozen, her breath shallow as the reality of her situation settled in. The vast, crumbling fortress of the Abyss loomed before her, its dark, spiked towers twisting into the oppressive sky. Thunder rumbled in the distance, but it was unnatural—more like the deep growl of some ancient beast stirring beneath the ground. Shadows writhed in every corner, threatening to swallow her whole. And yet, despite the weight of dread pressing down on her, she had no choice but to move forward.

Her body ached from the previous battle, her muscles tense and weary, but Sarina knew she couldn't rest. Azrathis was somewhere within these cursed halls, and each second wasted brought her closer to losing herself completely to the Abyss's call. She could feel it more strongly now, that dark energy pulling at her soul, urging her to give in. The whispers that had once been faint were now a constant presence in her mind, coiling around her thoughts like venomous serpents.

Just give in, they whispered seductively. Embrace the darkness. You are already one of us.

Sarina gritted her teeth, her grip tightening around the hilt of her sword. She couldn't allow herself to falter now. Not after everything she had been through. She had fought too hard, sacrificed too much to succumb to the Abyss. She thought of the people who depended on her, the lives she had vowed to protect. She thought of her friends—those who had fallen and those who still fought, unaware of the weight she carried.

With a deep breath, Sarina stepped into the fortress. The air inside was thick, heavy with the stench of decay and ancient malice. The walls seemed to pulse with a life of their own, the stone etched with runes that glowed faintly in the dim light. As she moved deeper into the labyrinthine corridors, she could hear the distant echo of footsteps—not hers, but something else moving just out of sight.

She wasn’t alone.

Her heart raced, and her eyes darted from shadow to shadow, searching for any sign of movement. The further she went, the stronger the pull of the Abyss became, tugging at her very core. She could feel the dark energy coursing through her veins, making her steps feel heavier, her limbs sluggish. The sword at her side, usually a comforting weight, now felt alien in her hands, the runes along its blade flickering like dying embers.

The whispers grew louder.

"You cannot fight it."

"Join us."

"You belong here."

The voices of the Abyss had always been distant before, but now they were so loud it was as if they were speaking directly into her ear. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts, but it was no use. The more she resisted, the stronger they became.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows ahead—a tall, cloaked figure with glowing violet eyes. The air around them shimmered with dark magic, and Sarina knew without a doubt who it was.

Azrathis.

The Demon Queen stood before her, a smirk playing on her lips as she regarded Sarina with cold amusement. Her wings were folded neatly behind her, but even in this form, her power was palpable, radiating from her like a storm. Sarina could feel the weight of her gaze, like claws digging into her mind, prying at her defenses.

"You’ve come far, little hero," Azrathis said, her voice smooth and dangerous. "But this is where your journey ends."

Sarina raised her sword, ignoring the tremble in her hand. "I won’t let you win," she said, her voice steady despite the chaos swirling inside her.

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Azrathis chuckled, the sound low and sinister. "Win? You still think this is a battle you can fight? You are already mine, Sarina. The Abyss is in you. You are the Abyss."

The words struck deep, but Sarina refused to let them take hold. "I am not yours," she spat. "I will never be yours."

Azrathis tilted her head, her smirk widening. "You still don’t understand, do you?" She stepped closer, her presence suffocating. "You cannot escape what you are. The Abyss is not something you can simply defeat. It is a part of you now, and it will consume you."

Sarina lunged forward, her sword aimed for Azrathis’s heart. But the Demon Queen moved faster than she anticipated, sidestepping the attack with ease. In one swift motion, Azrathis grabbed Sarina by the wrist, twisting her arm until she cried out in pain and dropped her weapon. The sword clattered to the ground, its light flickering before it went dark.

"You are fighting a losing battle, child," Azrathis hissed, her voice laced with cruel amusement. "The Abyss has already claimed you."

With a flick of her wrist, she sent Sarina flying across the room. Sarina hit the ground hard, her vision swimming as pain shot through her body. She gasped for breath, struggling to push herself up, but her limbs felt like lead. The darkness was closing in, the whispers growing louder and more insistent.

"Give in."

"It will be easier if you stop fighting."

"You are one of us now."

Sarina squeezed her eyes shut, willing the voices to stop, but they only grew louder, their presence suffocating. She could feel the Abyss pressing down on her, crushing her spirit beneath its weight. The temptation to surrender was overwhelming. To let go, to stop fighting… it would be so easy.

But then, a different voice cut through the darkness—a voice that was not her own, yet somehow familiar.

"Remember who you are."

The words were soft, barely audible, but they stirred something deep within Sarina. She forced her eyes open, gasping for air as she fought against the weight of the Abyss. She wasn’t alone in this fight. There were people who depended on her, people she had vowed to protect. She couldn’t give up now.

With a surge of strength, Sarina pushed herself to her feet. The whispers were still there, clawing at her mind, but she wouldn’t let them control her. Not now. Not ever.

Azrathis watched her with narrowed eyes, her smirk fading into a look of cold fury. "You’re stronger than I anticipated," she muttered, her wings spreading wide as dark energy crackled around her. "But strength alone won’t save you."

Sarina didn’t respond. She didn’t need to. With a fierce determination burning in her chest, she called upon the power of the Abyss, not to give in to it, but to harness it. The dark energy surged through her, but this time, she was in control. Her eyes glowed with an eerie light, and shadows coiled around her like living armor.

Azrathis’s eyes widened in surprise, but the look quickly morphed into one of amusement. "So, you think you can control it? How amusing."

Sarina said nothing, her focus entirely on the battle ahead. She lunged at Azrathis again, her movements swift and precise. This time, the Demon Queen didn’t have the advantage. The two clashed, their powers colliding in a violent storm of dark energy and steel.

The fortress trembled as they fought, the walls cracking under the strain of their battle. Sarina could feel the Abyss inside her, fueling her strikes, but she kept it at bay, refusing to let it consume her. She was in control.

For now.

Azrathis’s laughter echoed through the chamber as she parried Sarina’s attacks with ease. "You may be strong, but the Abyss is stronger. It will break you, just as it has broken countless others before you."

Sarina didn’t respond. She couldn’t afford to let Azrathis’s words distract her. She pressed on, her strikes growing more ferocious with each passing second. But Azrathis was right about one thing—the Abyss was powerful, and Sarina could feel it pushing against her control, threatening to overwhelm her at any moment.

But she couldn’t afford to lose. Not now. Not when she was so close.

With one final, desperate strike, Sarina plunged her sword into Azrathis’s side. The Demon Queen let out a furious scream, dark energy exploding from her wound and sending Sarina flying backward. She hit the ground hard, her vision blurring as the darkness closed in around her once again.

Azrathis staggered, clutching her wound with a snarl. "You… you’ll regret this," she spat, her wings beating furiously as she vanished into the shadows.

Sarina lay on the cold, stone floor, her body trembling with exhaustion. The Abyss still whispered in her ear, but she pushed it aside, refusing to let it take hold. She had won this battle, but the war was far from over.

With a deep breath, she forced herself to her feet. Azrathis was still out there, still a threat, but Sarina wasn’t going to give up. Not now. Not ever.

The fortress was crumbling around her, the shadows retreating as the dark energy began to dissipate. Sarina sheathed her sword, her eyes glowing faintly with the power of the Abyss.

She would find Azrathis. And she would end this.