The cold mountain air bit at Amon and Elena as they made their way down the narrow, rocky path. Behind them, Merrick's cottage disappeared into the fog, swallowed by the dense trees and the ancient wilderness that surrounded it. The artifact was safely secured in Elena's pack, though its presence felt like a living thing—a weight neither of them could shake.
The journey ahead was daunting. The mountains of Central Asia, where the first of the seals was hidden, were unforgiving. But it wasn't the rugged terrain that unnerved them—it was the looming sense that time was running out.
They walked in silence for a while, the crunch of their boots against the dirt and rock the only sound in the stillness. Elena glanced at Amon, her mind racing with the implications of what they had learned from Merrick.
"This Abyss," she began, breaking the silence. "What do you think it is, really? Is it just a force, or something… worse?"
Amon didn't answer right away. His expression was distant, as though he were peering into a part of his memory too dark to bring to the surface. Finally, he spoke, his voice quiet but steady. "I've encountered many things in my lifetime—things most would consider myths or legends. But the Abyss… it's something different. It's not just a force. It's alive, in a way. And it's hungry."
Elena shuddered at his words. "Hungry for what?"
Amon's gaze hardened. "Chaos. Destruction. It feeds on the collapse of order. The civilizations that came before us—some of them were wiped out by forces like this, ones they couldn't control or even comprehend."
"And the Watchers stopped it?" Elena asked, hoping for some semblance of reassurance.
"They contained it," Amon corrected, his voice heavy with the weight of the truth. "But they didn't destroy it. That's why they created the seals—to keep the Abyss from escaping, from devouring everything in its path. But now, with Malakai hunting the artifacts, we're standing on the edge of that same disaster."
Elena absorbed his words in silence, the enormity of the situation pressing down on her. The artifact in her pack was no longer just a mysterious object—it was a piece of a puzzle that could either save the world or tear it apart.
"We can stop him," she said, more to herself than to Amon. "We have to."
Amon gave her a sidelong glance, his expression unreadable. "We'll try. But Malakai isn't the only enemy we're facing."
Elena frowned. "What do you mean?"
Amon stopped walking and turned to face her. His eyes were sharp, calculating. "Merrick didn't say it outright, but I could tell from the way he spoke about the Watchers. There are others out there—others who know about the Abyss, about the seals. And not all of them will be on our side."
Elena's heart skipped a beat. "You think there are more people like Malakai?"
"I know there are," Amon said grimly. "Over the centuries, I've crossed paths with men and women who sought power for themselves, who believed they could control forces beyond their understanding. The Watchers may be long gone, but their secrets weren't buried with them. There are factions out there, hidden societies, who would kill for what we have."
Elena's stomach twisted. The threat of Malakai was terrifying enough, but now they had to consider others—unknown enemies lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike.
"So, what do we do?" she asked, her voice quieter now, tinged with uncertainty.
"We keep moving," Amon replied, his voice firm. "We find the seals before Malakai does, and we figure out how to stop him. But we have to be prepared for the worst. The closer we get to the truth, the more enemies we'll face."
Elena nodded, her resolve hardening. She had come too far to back down now. No matter what waited for them in the mountains or in the shadows, they had to see this through.
As they descended from the mountain range and made their way toward the nearest town, they found a small, rundown tavern on the outskirts. It was a quiet place, the kind of spot where travelers passed through without staying long. Inside, a few locals sat at the bar, nursing drinks and keeping to themselves. Amon and Elena sat at a corner table, the low hum of conversation providing a strange comfort after the isolation of the mountain.
Elena pulled out Merrick's book and laid it on the table between them. "We need to start figuring out where the other seals are. Merrick said this temple in Central Asia is the first, but that still leaves three more."
Amon nodded, his gaze fixed on the book. "The seals were spread out across the world. The Watchers made sure they were well hidden, far from prying eyes. The texts should give us some clues, but we'll need to dig deeper."
Elena began flipping through the pages, scanning the strange symbols and drawings. "It's going to take time to decipher all of this. Even Merrick wasn't sure of everything."
"We don't have much time," Amon said quietly. "Malakai's already ahead of us. If he finds another seal, the balance could tip in his favor."
Elena sighed, her eyes still on the pages. "This whole thing feels like chasing ghosts. The Watchers, the Abyss… it's hard to believe any of this is real."
Amon leaned back in his chair, his expression distant. "Reality is more fragile than most people think. The world we know—the world people are comfortable in—it's built on layers of history, of myths and legends that are all too real. We're not chasing ghosts. We're chasing the truth."
Elena looked up at him, her gaze steady. "Then we're going to find it."
Suddenly, the door to the tavern swung open with a loud creak. A gust of cold air swept through the room, drawing the attention of everyone inside. A group of men entered, their faces hidden beneath dark hoods. They moved with a quiet, deliberate confidence, their presence immediately unsettling.
Amon's posture shifted ever so slightly, his eyes narrowing as he watched them.
"They don't belong here," Elena whispered, sensing the same tension.
The men walked to the bar, their movements calculated. One of them glanced around the room, his gaze lingering on Amon and Elena for just a second too long.
"They're watching us," Elena muttered, her hand instinctively moving toward her pack, where the artifact lay hidden.
Amon nodded subtly. "Stay calm. Don't make any sudden moves."
But Elena could feel it—the rising tension, the sense that something was about to happen. She glanced at Amon, her pulse quickening. "What do we do?"
Before Amon could respond, one of the hooded men stepped forward, his hand reaching inside his cloak. The room seemed to hold its breath.
"We've been looking for you," the man said, his voice cold and sharp. His eyes locked on Amon's, unblinking. "And now that we've found you, there's no escape."
Amon stood slowly, his expression unreadable. "I don't know who you think I am, but you're mistaken."
The man's lips curled into a sinister smile. "Oh, we know exactly who you are, Amon. And we know what you're carrying."
Elena's blood ran cold. How did they know?
Amon's hand moved toward the hilt of his blade, concealed beneath his coat. His voice was low, deadly. "If you know who I am, then you know this won't end well for you."
The man chuckled darkly. "Perhaps. But we're not the only ones hunting you."
Elena's heart raced as the tension in the room snapped like a wire pulled too tight. The confrontation was inevitable. And she knew, in that moment, they were no longer just trying to stop Malakai—they were being hunted by forces they had yet to understand.