Aeron stood frozen, his heart pounding as he strained hisears, listening for any sign of the voices that had echoedthrough the darkness. But there was only silence now. Theabyss stretched endlessly around him, oppressive and cold.He shivered, hugging his frail body. The pain from the abysssickness flared through his side like fire, the infectionslowly devouring him from within.
He stumbled forward, one foot dragging in front of theother. The ground beneath his bare feet was slick anduneven, coated in some slimy substance he couldn'tidentify. The darkness was absolute, a suffocating void thatswallowed everything-light, sound, and hope.
"Was I imagining things?" Aeron muttered, his breath ashaky whisper that dissipated into the air. The cold clung tohis bones, wrapping around him like a death shroud.
The weight of the sickness pulsed in rhythm with hisheartbeat, each throb sending waves of agony through hisfrail body. His vision blurred as the black marks of theabyss sickness crept up his face, distorting his features.Every breath was labored, but still, he forced himself to keepmoving.
"At least if a monster finds me, itll be over quickly" Thethought was bitter, but there was a sliver of relief hiddenwithin it. Death was preferable to the slow torture of theabyss sickness.
Time lost its meaning as Aeron wandered through the dark,his mind detached from his aching body. He was a ghostdrifting through the abyss, barely conscious of where hewas going.
But then-faint and distant-he saw it.
A flickering light.
His pulse quickened, adrenaline flooding his veins. Hecrouched low, muscles tensed, eyes fixed on the source ofthe light. Then came the sound of movement-slow,deliberate, but growing faster. Something was coming.
Suddenly, a scream pierced the air, sharp and filled withterror.
"Ahhh!"
Then a monstrous roar followed, echoing through the abysslike the howl of a beast.
"What the hell is that?" Aeron whispered, his heartslamming against his ribcage.
Against every instinct telling him to flee, Aeron crept towardthe light. He had to know what was out there, had to findsome way to survive. As he neared the source, his breathcaught in his throat.
A body lay crumpled on the ground, torn apart. Blood pooledaround the lifeless form, the stench of death mixing withthe foul air of the abyss. Whatever had killed this personhad done so violently. Aeron's stomach churned, and hedoubled over, vomiting bile onto the ground.
"What could have done this...?"
He wiped his mouth and forced himself to look at the bodyagain. It was a man, his face twisted in a grotesque mask offear. Aeron spotted a pair of black shoes nearby, still intact.With trembling hands, he took them and slipped them ontohis feet-they were a perfect fit.
Desperation clawed at him as he rifled through the deadman's belongings. He found a bag, some food, and atattered map. His hands shook as he unfolded the paper. Itwas crude, barely legible, but it depicted a series ofpassages and markings.
Desperation clawed at him as he rifled through the deadman's belongings. He found a bag, some food, and atattered map. His hands shook as he unfolded the paper. Itwas crude, barely legible, but it depicted a series ofpassages and markings.
"A map... of the first section of the albyss?" Aeron's voicewas barely a whisper. This was his chance-his only chanceto survive.
He tooka deep breath and searched the body further. Ajacket with a strange symbol caught his eye. He pulled itover his thin, tattered shirt, grateful for the warmth itprovided. With the man's torch now in hand, he set off intothe abyss, the flickering light his only guide.
For hours, he walked. The map led him through windingtunnels, past jagged rocks and eerie formations thatseemed to shift in the corner of his vision. Every shadowfelt alive, every sound a potential threat. But Aeron keptmoving, clutching the torch like it was his lifeline.
Eventually, he arrived at the place marked on the map-alarge stone structure looming in the darkness.
"A temple?" Aeron's voice was filled with disbelief. Theancient building was covered in strange, intricate markings.He reached out to touch one, his fingers tracing theunfamiliar symbols.
Suddenly, the ground beneath him trembled. A blinding lighterupted from the markings, engulfing him in its glow.
"What the-?" Aeron stumbled back, panic rising in hischest.
A voice, deep and resonant, echoed through the abyss,filling his mind.
"Human, you bear the trace of the Divine One"
Aeron spun around, trying to find the source of the voice."Who's there?" he shouted.
"I am the ruler of this section of the abyss" the voiceboomed, shaking the very air around him.
"Ruler?" Aeron's voice was shaky. "I've never heard of anyruler of the abyss."
The voice laughed, a low, sinister sound. "Of course not.You humans know nothing. But that's irrelevant. Whatmatters is the trace you carry-the mark of the Divine One.Tell me, human, where did you acquire it?"
"I... I don't know what you're talking about" Aeron's handclutched his side as a sudden surge of pain tore throughhim. The abyss sickness was spreading, faster now, burningthrough his veins.
The voice hummed, as if in thought. "Interesting. It seemsyou truly don't know. The trace of the Divine One is a giftgranted only to those destined to wield great power. Andyet, you bear it without knowing its purpose."
Aeron's legs buckled under the weight of the sickness."Please.. the pain... it's too much."
"Ah, the abyss sickness" the voice said, almost casually. "Atrivial matter. I can remove it."
Before Aeron could respond, another light enveloped him. Itwas warm, soothing, washing away the agony in his body.The black marks of the sickness faded, and for the firsttime in years, Aeron felt... whole.
"The pain.. it's gone." Aeron's voice was filled with awe.
Aeron's legs buckled under the weight of the sickness."Please... the pain... it's too much"
"Ah, the abyss sickness," the voice said, almost casually. "Atrivial matter. l can remove it."
Before Aeron could respond, another light enveloped him. Itwas warm, soothing, washing away the agony in his body.The black marks of the sickness faded, and for the firsttime in years, Aeron felt... whole.
"The pain... it's gone.!" Aeron's voice was filled with awe.
"I have removed the abyss sickness from your body" thevoice said. "Consider it a gift, human."
"Why? Why help me?"
"Because you will be useful to me in the future. You maycall me Eve, and in time, we will speak again. But for now...survive.!"
The light vanished, and with it, the voice.
To be continued.....