The aftermath of the battle left a heavy silence hanging over the shattered remains of the Ritual chamber. The walls that had once pulsed with dark energy now lay cracked and scorched. Flickering torches struggled to maintain their flame, casting eerie shadows across the broken bodies of the fallen elders.
Kalen stood amidst the ruins, his chest heaving as the weight of his victory settled over him. His body ached from the strain of the fight, his meridians raw from channeling the intensity of his icefire Qi. His gaze flickered over to Aria, who leaned against a pillar, breathing heavily, but alive. A few others from their rebellion stood scattered around the room, their expressions a mix of exhaustion and disbelief. They had done the impossible—they had struck down the Black Sect’s core leadership.
But Kalen knew better than to feel relief.
“We don’t have much time,” he muttered, breaking the silence. “The Abyssal energy will seek to reclaim what it’s lost. The Ritual’s collapse didn’t destroy it—it only bought us time.”
Aria nodded, pushing herself off the pillar. “Then we need to move. The rest of the sect will soon realize what’s happened. They won’t let us escape so easily.”
Kalen’s eyes darted toward the Convergence Altar. Though its glow had dimmed, it still pulsed faintly with residual power. The Abyssal energy was lingering, swirling like a storm trapped beneath the surface. His mind raced. The Abyss wasn’t just a source of power—it was a force of corruption, an entity that thrived on destruction. The elders had been controlling it, but now, without them, it was only a matter of time before it consumed the sect from within.
“I’m not leaving until we’re sure the Abyss is destroyed,” Kalen said firmly. His voice cut through the tension like ice. “If we let it regain strength, it’ll only breed more darkness.”
Aria hesitated, her eyes narrowing. “You mean to sever the Abyss completely?”
He nodded, his gaze hard. “We can’t let anyone else fall victim to its power. We end it here.”
----------------------------------------
They moved quickly through the sect, gathering supplies and allies as they went. Every step was calculated, every turn cloaked in the urgency of their mission. Kalen’s plan was dangerous—severing the Abyssal connection would require precision, and if they miscalculated, the entire sect could be engulfed in a catastrophic backlash.
As they made their way toward the Abyssal Chamber—the heart of the sect’s power—whispers of the rebellion spread like wildfire. Some disciples, confused and fearful, stayed out of their way. Others, too indoctrinated by the sect’s teachings, tried to block their path, but they were swiftly dealt with by Aria and the others.
When they finally reached the Abyssal Chamber, the tension was palpable. The massive, ornate doors loomed before them, sealed shut with layers of protection formed from years of dark rituals. The doors themselves were covered in intricate carvings, depicting ancient symbols and demonic beasts, all tied to the Abyss’s dark history.
Kalen stood before the doors, feeling the oppressive weight of the Abyssal energy beyond them. This was it—the culmination of everything the Black Sect had built, the source of their twisted power. If they could destroy this, the sect would crumble completely.
Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!
He turned to Aria. “We’ll need to disrupt the core of the chamber’s energy. Once we’re inside, I’ll need to channel the Abyssal Devouring Arts to absorb as much of it as I can.”
“That’s dangerous, Kalen,” Aria warned, her expression grim. “You’ve already taken in too much Abyssal energy. If you try to absorb more, it might consume you.”
Kalen knew she was right. His core still struggled to balance the Abyssal energy with his icefire Qi. But he had no other choice. He was the only one who could control the devouring techniques well enough to pull this off. If he failed, the Abyss would either overwhelm him, or it would tear through the sect unchecked.
“I won’t let it,” Kalen replied, his voice steady. “This ends now.”
Aria didn’t argue further. She stepped forward and placed her hand on the door, channeling her Qi into the seals that bound it shut. The runes flickered and cracked under the pressure of her energy, and after a few tense moments, the doors began to creak open.
The Abyssal Chamber was dark—darker than anything Kalen had ever seen. It wasn’t just the absence of light; it was a tangible, suffocating void that seemed to swallow sound and space itself. At the center of the chamber, a swirling vortex of black energy churned, crackling with malevolent power. This was the Abyss’s true form—an endless well of destruction.
Kalen took a deep breath and stepped forward, feeling the pull of the Abyss immediately. It beckoned to him, whispering promises of power, of dominance. His skin prickled with the sensation, but he forced himself to stay focused. He couldn’t afford to be distracted now.
“Stay back,” he told Aria and the others. “Once I start, the Abyss will try to latch onto anything it can.”
Without waiting for a response, Kalen began to channel the Abyssal Devouring Arts. He could feel the dark energy resisting him at first, but then, like a dam breaking, the Abyss surged toward him, its power flooding into his core. His icefire Qi flared, struggling to keep the balance as the Abyssal energy tried to overwhelm him.
The pain was immediate and excruciating. It felt as if his very soul was being torn apart, piece by piece, as the Abyssal power clashed with the icefire. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to endure it. This was the only way.
Kalen’s vision blurred, the world around him fading into darkness. He could hear the faint echoes of the Abyss, whispering in a language he didn’t understand. It was trying to consume him, to twist his mind, but he held on, his will unyielding.
Minutes passed—though it felt like hours—as he continued to absorb the Abyss’s energy. His body shook with the effort, his meridians screaming in protest. But slowly, he felt the vortex’s pull weakening. The Abyss was collapsing, its power dwindling with each passing moment.
But then, just as Kalen thought he had gained the upper hand, something shifted. A deep, guttural voice echoed in his mind, a voice that wasn’t his own.
"You dare… to consume me?"
Kalen’s heart raced. The Abyss wasn’t just energy—it was alive. It was aware.
"You are nothing, mortal. You seek to destroy what you cannot comprehend."
Kalen gritted his teeth, pushing harder. “I’ll destroy you if it’s the last thing I do.”
The Abyss roared in fury, and the energy surged again, more violently this time. Kalen screamed as the power ripped through him, but he didn’t let go. He couldn’t. If he released the Abyss now, it would tear him apart.
"You will fall like the rest," the voice growled. "You are but a fleeting spark in the darkness."
Kalen’s icefire Qi flared brighter than ever, pushing back against the Abyss’s words. “I’m more than that. I’m the one who will end you.”
With a final, desperate surge, Kalen poured every last ounce of his will into the Devouring Arts. The Abyss screamed, its voice a cacophony of rage and pain, as its power was finally consumed, drawn into Kalen’s core.
The vortex collapsed, and the Abyss fell silent.
Kalen collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath. His body was shaking, his core barely holding together under the strain. But it was over. The Abyss was gone.
Behind him, Aria rushed forward, her face a mix of concern and relief. “Kalen… are you—?”
“I’m fine,” he rasped, though every muscle in his body screamed in agony. “It’s done.”
The Abyssal Chamber, once a source of unimaginable darkness, now lay still and empty.
The Black Sect was finished.