As Kael and Selene approached the source of the light, an unsettling quiet settled over them. The oppressive atmosphere that had surrounded them since their arrival in this twisted realm had not vanished, only shifted. The dark, churning sky still loomed above, but now the distant flicker of light felt... sentient, as if it were watching them, beckoning them closer.
"We're not alone," Selene said, her voice tense. She glanced around warily, her daggers at the ready.
Kael could feel it too. Something was following them, lurking just out of sight, hidden in the shadows. His connection to the temple's dark power was still present, a constant thrum in his chest. It gave him an edge, yes, but it also left him vulnerable—constantly battling against the pull of the abyss that threatened to consume him.
"Stay alert," Kael muttered, his eyes scanning the jagged landscape around them.
The path toward the light wasn't as straightforward as it appeared. The ground was treacherous, shifting beneath their feet like a living thing. The shadows themselves seemed to twist and warp, occasionally flickering into grotesque shapes that vanished as quickly as they appeared.
"What is this place?" Selene asked quietly. Her eyes were sharp, never resting on one spot for too long.
"I don't know," Kael replied, his voice low. "But it feels... alive. Like the temple. We need to stay focused."
They pressed on, the flickering light growing steadily brighter. But the further they walked, the more the landscape seemed to resist them. The ground heaved and cracked, the very air around them humming with a dark energy. And then, just as they thought they were getting closer, a low, guttural voice echoed through the air, stopping them in their tracks.
"Kael Armitage..."
Kael froze, his blood running cold. The voice was deep, ancient, and it seemed to come from everywhere at once. It wasn't a voice he recognized, but there was something eerily familiar about it.
"Who's there?" Kael demanded, his voice steady despite the growing sense of unease creeping through him.
For a moment, there was only silence. Then, the voice spoke again, this time closer.
"You are marked. You belong to the Abyss now."
Kael's hand instinctively went to his chest, where the dark energy still pulsed. The words sent a chill down his spine, but he forced himself to remain calm. He couldn't afford to lose control now, not when they were so close to whatever lay ahead.
"Ignore it," Kael said, turning to Selene. "We keep moving."
Selene hesitated for a brief moment, her eyes scanning the shadows around them. But she trusted Kael's judgment and nodded, gripping her daggers tighter.
As they continued forward, the voice grew louder, more insistent. It whispered Kael's name, taunted him with dark promises of power and destruction. The further they walked, the more Kael felt the weight of its influence pressing down on him, gnawing at the edges of his mind.
"You cannot escape," the voice hissed. "You are one with the darkness. You are bound to it."
Kael's grip on his sword tightened. The temptation was there—he could feel the dark power inside him responding to the voice, urging him to give in, to let it take control. But Kael refused. He couldn't let himself fall. Not now. Not ever.
Suddenly, the ground beneath them gave way.
"Kael!" Selene shouted as the earth crumbled, plunging them into darkness.
Kael's heart lurched as they fell, the world spinning around him in a blur of shadows and chaos. He tried to reach for Selene, but the darkness swallowed them both, pulling them deeper into the abyss.
For a moment, there was nothing but blackness. And then, with a jarring impact, Kael hit solid ground.
Groaning, he pushed himself up, wincing at the pain that shot through his body. The fall hadn't been long, but it had been enough to knock the wind out of him. He glanced around, his eyes adjusting to the dim light.
They were in a cavern, deep underground. The walls were jagged, made of some kind of dark stone that seemed to absorb all light. The air was thick with the same oppressive energy they had felt above, but here, it was stronger, almost tangible.
"Selene?" Kael called out, his voice echoing off the cavern walls.
A soft groan answered him, and Kael's heart leapt in relief. He scrambled over to where Selene lay a few feet away, helping her to sit up.
"You okay?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.
"Yeah," she replied, though her voice was strained. "Just a bit shaken. What... where are we?"
Kael glanced around, his brow furrowing. "I don't know. But whatever this place is, it's connected to the temple's power. We need to find a way out."
Selene nodded, though her eyes were wary. "And that voice...?"
Kael clenched his jaw. "It's part of the darkness. It's trying to break me."
Selene looked at him, her gaze steady. "You won't let it."
Kael gave a grim smile. "I don't plan to."
But even as he said the words, the voice whispered again, this time more faint, but no less menacing.
"You cannot resist forever, Kael. The Abyss always claims its own."
Kael ignored it, pushing the voice to the back of his mind. He couldn't afford to give it any power over him. Not now. Not when they were so close.
"Come on," he said, helping Selene to her feet. "Let's keep moving. There has to be a way out of here."
They started walking again, deeper into the cavern. The air grew colder, the walls closing in around them as the path narrowed. But Kael's resolve remained unshaken. Whatever the Abyss was, whatever the temple had done to him, he would fight it. He had no choice.
And as they ventured deeper into the unknown, Kael couldn't shake the feeling that something was waiting for them in the darkness. Something far worse than the Guardians they had faced above.