Opening his eyes, Sirius found himself beneath the skeletal arms of blackened, dead trees, their gnarled branches stripped of leaves. Above, the sky was painted in a grim tapestry of three dark red suns, casting a sickly crimson glow over the desolate land. The earth beneath his feet was barren and cracked, the weight of decay suffocating the atmosphere, amplifying the eerie stillness that reigned.
The Abyssal Plane.
The thought clawed its way into Sirius's mind as he groaned, struggling to rise. His body ached, muscles sore, but he was otherwise unharmed. As he surveyed his surroundings, the grim realization struck: he was alone, cast into this forsaken part of the Abyssal Plane. The others were nowhere to be seen.
Surprisingly, panic did not consume him. Instead, he took a moment to calm his nerves, forcing his breath to slow as he began assessing his situation.
"The Abyssal Plane…" he mused, glancing around at the quiet desolation. 'But the lack of Abyssal Shades here suggests I'm at the periphery. The only way back would be to find the calamity gate… or survive long enough for someone to mount a rescue.'
He shook his head, dismissing the first thought. 'No. Counting on a rescue is a fool's hope. The chances of anyone breaching the gate and caring enough to search are slim to none.' His eyes hardened. 'And I don't want Aunt coming here.'
That left him with two choices: make a break for the gate and escape, or conquer it outright. The absurdity of those options almost made him laugh. He let out a weary sigh, muttering to the emptiness around him, "Neither of those are even remotely possible, are they?"
His thoughts churned as he walked aimlessly. 'If I want to survive, I'll need two things. First, allies—I need to find the others. And second, strength. I have to become a Soul Weaver as quickly as possible. My Soul Weave may be weak, but it's all I've got.'
His gaze steeled with grim resolve. "I need to kill an Abyssal Shade."
Killing one of the abominations was known to be the fastest path to becoming a Soul Weaver, and in this cursed plane, it might be his only chance. But first, allies. He thought of Xander, hoping against hope his cousin was safe.
"Please be alive," Sirius whispered, before continuing into the unknown.
...
Elsewhere, deep within the twisted forest of dead trees, Xander and Emilia moved cautiously through the undergrowth. Xander led the way, his senses heightened by his Soul Weave, making him less detectable to the lurking horrors around them. Behind him, Emilia followed, pale with terror but obediently adhering to his every instruction.
For now, she hid in the hollow of a dead tree, her heart pounding against her ribs as she waited. The silence was a living thing, oppressive and suffocating. She dared not utter a word, for fear of what might be lurking just beyond her sight. Each passing minute felt like an eternity.
Finally, a silhouette approached. Relief washed over her as she recognized the familiar figure.
"The path's clear," Xander whispered. "We can move now."
They proceeded, moving as quietly as possible through the shadowed wasteland. After what felt like hours, Emilia broke the silence. "Xander… what about Sirius?"
"What about him?" Xander replied, his eyes still scanning the horizon for any signs of danger.
"Do you think he's safe?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Of course he is," Xander replied, though his voice wavered. "He's stronger than both of us."
"But we're just kids," Emilia pressed, anxiety lacing her words. "These creatures… they're strong, even for Soul Weavers! And Sirius...his Soul Weave is the Salt Weave, right?"
"Enough!" Xander snapped, his voice louder than he intended. The echoes bounced ominously off the trees, causing them both to freeze.
Fear gripped Emilia, but before she could apologize, Xander grabbed her hand and pulled her to a safer location, away from the exposed path. Catching his breath, he softened his tone.
"Look, I know you're scared. I am too. But dwelling on those thoughts will only break our resolve. Do you understand?" He stared into her eyes, waiting for a response.
"I do," she whispered.
Xander forced a smile, trying to project confidence. "Besides, I have faith in my brother. He promised to make me a great Soul Weaver, the greatest even. He can't die...not like this. Our job now is to survive and get stronger. Are you with me?" He extended his hand, his smile steady despite the darkness surrounding them.
Emilia stared at his hand, her fear still gnawing at her resolve. But after a moment, she grasped it. "Of course. It's our only chance."
"Then let's go," Xander said. "We need to find more survivors."
They pressed forward, but soon Xander paused, motioning for silence. Emilia held her breath, her heart hammering in her chest. There, faint but growing closer, were the unmistakable sounds of footsteps. Many footsteps. Was it a group of survivors? Or a pack of grotesque beasts?
Xander exhaled in relief. "It's survivors… and they're Soul Weavers."
Emilia cautiously stepped from her hiding spot, spotting Aurelia leading a small group of three men, all clad in combat gear designed for Soul Weavers. The sight of them sent a wave of hope surging through her.
Xander and Emilia joined the group, learning of other survivors hiding in a nearby cave, its entrance shielded by soul essence to keep the Abyssal Shades at bay. Escape was still a distant hope, but with more hands and stronger fighters, they had a chance.
....
Meanwhile, on the other side of the forest, Sirius was running for his life.
"Dammit!" he cursed for the first time in his life, narrowly dodging as a massive creature crashed into a nearby tree, shaking the ground with its impact. He didn't dare look back, focusing only on keeping his feet moving as he weaved through the thicket of dead trees.
Thus began Sirius's first day in the Abyssal Plane. His battle for survival had only just begun.