The early morning light filtered through the dense canopy of the forest as Edward moved swiftly, his mind still reeling from the events of the night. The Heart of the Abyss felt heavier in his satchel, like it was slowly drawing him into its darkness. The stone circle, the void, and the shadowbeast's demise replayed in his thoughts. He knew the danger wasn't gone—it was only lurking in the shadows, waiting.
He needed to reach Lyssa and Aran. They would be heading toward the eastern mountains as planned, but they were all in the dark about what they were really facing. Edward could no longer pretend he was in control. The Heart was more than just an artifact—it was a portal to something far more sinister, and the thought sent chills down his spine.
As he weaved through the trees, his mind wandered back to the moment when he'd grasped the Heart. It had spoken to him in a language he didn't understand, yet it felt familiar. A voice from the depths of the abyss, beckoning him to embrace its power. He had managed to resist—for now—but how long could he hold out before the Heart's whispers became too strong to ignore?
Breaking free of the underbrush, Edward found a small clearing by a stream. He knelt by the water, splashing it on his face, trying to shake the fatigue that clung to him. The air was still, eerily so, as if the forest was holding its breath.
"Edward!"
The voice startled him, pulling him back to reality. He turned to see Lyssa and Aran emerging from the trees, their faces filled with relief and worry. Lyssa's sharp eyes were scanning the area, while Aran looked pale, his hand still clutching his side from their harrowing escape the night before.
"You made it," Aran breathed, half in disbelief. "We thought—"
"That the beast got me?" Edward interrupted, standing and wiping his hands on his trousers. "I managed to deal with it. But we have bigger problems now."
Lyssa crossed her arms, her expression hardening. "What do you mean, 'bigger problems'? That thing nearly killed us last night. What could be worse?"
Edward hesitated, glancing at the satchel where the Heart was safely tucked away. He knew they deserved to know the truth, but how much should he reveal? The more he learned about the Heart, the more dangerous it became—for all of them.
"The Heart," he began, his voice low. "It's more than we thought. It's not just a relic with dark magic. It's a key."
"A key?" Aran asked, confused. "To what?"
Edward's gaze darkened as he recalled the abyss he had seen, the void stretching endlessly beneath the stone circle. "To something ancient. Something imprisoned. When I fought the beast, the Heart showed me a glimpse of what lies beyond the abyss. There's a presence… I don't know what it is, but it's powerful and dangerous. And if the Heart falls into the wrong hands, whatever's trapped there could be released."
Lyssa's face grew serious, her usual confident demeanor faltering for the first time. "So we've been carrying around a ticking time bomb this whole time?"
Edward nodded grimly. "And it's drawing attention. That shadowbeast was only the beginning. I think whatever was controlling it is still out there, watching."
Aran shifted uneasily, glancing around the forest as if expecting something to leap out at them at any moment. "What do we do? We can't just keep running. If the Heart is that dangerous, we need to destroy it."
Lyssa shook her head. "We don't even know if that's possible. Artifacts like this don't just break. They have layers of protection, some that even the most powerful mages can't crack."
Edward clenched his fists, the weight of the Heart pressing down on him more than ever. "Destroying it might not be the answer. It's connected to the abyss. If we destroy the Heart, we could trigger whatever's lurking inside. There's too much we don't know."
Lyssa paced back and forth, her mind clearly racing as she tried to process the gravity of the situation. "Then we need information. If this Heart is as ancient as you say, there's bound to be someone—or something—that knows about it."
"I agree," Edward said. "There's a library hidden in the eastern mountains. It's run by an ancient order of scholars—The Keepers of Aether. They have records that date back thousands of years, maybe even further. If anyone knows what the Heart truly is, it's them."
Aran frowned. "The Keepers of Aether? I've heard of them, but aren't they… reclusive? I mean, they don't just let anyone waltz into their library."
Edward gave a small, bitter smile. "We'll have to convince them otherwise."
Lyssa stopped pacing and turned to face Edward, her eyes fierce with determination. "Fine. We go to the Keepers. But you better hope they have the answers we need. Because if this thing is as dangerous as you say, we're not just dealing with our own lives anymore. The fate of everything could be at stake."
Edward met her gaze, his resolve hardening. He knew she was right. The Heart wasn't just their problem—it was a threat to the world itself. And time was running out.
Without another word, the three of them set off toward the eastern mountains, the forest quiet behind them. The Heart of the Abyss pulsed softly in Edward's satchel, its power humming through the air.
As they journeyed deeper into the unknown, one thought haunted Edward's mind: they were walking into a storm far greater than any of them could have imagined.
And the Heart… was only the beginning.