Xander's voice echoed, swallowed by the oppressive silence. The coldness of the Abyss gnawed at him as he scanned the dimly lit surroundings. The place he found himself in now was entirely different from the chamber he had shared with Zara just moments ago—if they had even been real moments. The Abyss had no sense of time, no rhythm to its cruelty.
His head throbbed as he rose to his feet, body aching from the strain of his endless battles. The walls around him seemed to pulse with the life force of the Abyss itself, a subtle vibration in the stone that hummed like a distant heartbeat. The room was small, with a low ceiling and strange symbols carved into the walls, each one glowing faintly in the dark. He'd never seen this language before, but something about it felt eerily familiar.
Zara was gone.
Xander swallowed hard, pushing down the rising panic. He couldn't afford to lose control now. Zara had helped guide him through the trials, had fought by his side, and now, she was gone. Separated, trapped—he didn't know which. He had to find her, had to keep moving. The Abyss wouldn't give him time to rest or think.
His thoughts were interrupted by the faint sound of movement in the distance. He instinctively drew his sword, the familiar weight of it grounding him. Every step felt heavier, the energy of the Abyss seeping into his bones. He moved cautiously, each footstep echoing in the vast, eerie silence.
Suddenly, the ground beneath him trembled, sending cracks spidering across the stone floor. Xander's instincts kicked in, and he leapt backward just as the floor gave way beneath him. A chasm opened up, deep and dark, stretching out in every direction. His heart raced as he peered into the abyss below. Nothing but shadows and swirling darkness awaited anyone who fell.
But then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement again—this time on the other side of the chasm. A figure, shrouded in shadow, seemed to be watching him. His muscles tensed, and his mind raced. Was it another creature sent by the Abyss? Or something worse?
"Who's there?" Xander demanded, his voice carrying across the void.
The figure didn't respond. Instead, it turned and began to walk away, moving deeper into the shadows. Without thinking, Xander sprinted along the edge of the chasm, keeping the figure in sight. The ground shook beneath him again, cracks widening, but he kept running, his breath coming in sharp gasps.
He couldn't let it get away—not when it might be his only lead.
The figure disappeared into a tunnel carved into the stone wall, and Xander hesitated for just a moment before following. The tunnel was narrow, the walls pressing in on him from both sides, but he moved quickly, his heart pounding in his chest. The darkness seemed to close in around him, suffocating, but he pushed forward.
The passage opened up into another chamber, this one larger than the last, with jagged stone formations rising from the floor like teeth. The air here was thicker, filled with a strange, acrid smell that burned his throat. Xander's grip tightened on his sword as he scanned the room, searching for any sign of the figure.
And then he saw her.
Zara.
She was standing in the center of the chamber, facing away from him. Relief flooded Xander's chest, and for a moment, all the tension drained from his body. She was safe.
"Zara!" he called out, rushing toward her.
But as he drew closer, something felt wrong. Zara didn't turn, didn't acknowledge his presence at all. She stood still, unnaturally so, like a statue frozen in place.
"Zara?" Xander's voice was softer now, filled with uncertainty.
He reached out, his hand hovering just above her shoulder. Something about her felt… off. Her form flickered, like a shadow caught in a trick of the light, and when Xander touched her, his hand passed straight through her as if she were made of mist.
Cold dread gripped him.
This wasn't Zara.
The illusion shattered before his eyes, dissolving into a cloud of black smoke. Xander stumbled backward, his heart racing as the room began to shift around him. The stone walls twisted and warped, the jagged formations melting into shadow. The Abyss was toying with him again.
Before he could react, the ground trembled once more, this time with far more force. The air around him grew dense, suffocating, as if the Abyss itself was bearing down on him. He gasped for breath, feeling the weight of it in his lungs. The shadows in the room began to shift, coalescing into monstrous forms—hulking, twisted beasts with glowing eyes that burned with malice.
Xander drew his sword, steadying his stance. He was alone. No Zara to back him up. He'd have to face this fight on his own.
The first creature lunged at him with a snarl, its claws slicing through the air. Xander dodged, his movements quick and precise, and struck back, his sword cutting through the beast's thick hide. It let out a guttural roar, but it wasn't enough to stop it. The creature swiped at him again, its claws grazing his arm, drawing blood.
Gritting his teeth, Xander pushed through the pain and launched a counterattack, driving his blade deep into the creature's chest. It let out a final, pained shriek before collapsing into a heap of dark, oozing shadow.
But there were more.
The other creatures surrounded him, their glowing eyes locked onto him as they circled like predators closing in on their prey. Xander's breath came in ragged bursts, the weight of the Abyss pressing down on him. He was tired—too tired—but he couldn't afford to stop now.
He swung his sword at the nearest creature, but his movements were slower than before. The fatigue was catching up with him. One of the beasts took advantage of his sluggishness, slamming into him with enough force to send him crashing to the ground. His sword flew from his hand, skidding across the floor.
For a moment, Xander lay there, the cold stone beneath him sapping what little strength he had left. The creatures advanced, their growls low and menacing. He could feel the pull of the Abyss, the darkness closing in around him, tempting him to give up, to surrender.
But he wasn't done yet.
With a grunt of effort, Xander forced himself to his feet. His vision blurred, but his resolve hardened. He had come too far to fall now. He reached out, summoning the energy of the Abyss that coursed through him, the power he had been so reluctant to embrace.
The ground beneath him trembled, and the air crackled with dark energy. The creatures hesitated, their glowing eyes flickering as they sensed the shift in power. Xander raised his hand, and tendrils of shadow erupted from the floor, wrapping around the beasts and pulling them into the darkness.
The creatures struggled, snarling and thrashing, but the Abyss's power was too strong. One by one, they were consumed, their forms dissolving into nothingness.
Xander stood there, panting, his body trembling from the effort. The chamber was silent once more, the oppressive weight of the Abyss still lingering in the air. He had survived, but just barely.
As he staggered toward his sword, he caught sight of something in the corner of the chamber—something that hadn't been there before. A door.
It was small, almost hidden in the shadows, but it pulsed with a faint, otherworldly light. His heart pounded as he approached it, the exhaustion weighing on him like a lead blanket. The Abyss had led him here for a reason. Was this the way out? Or another trap?
He reached for the door, his fingers brushing against the cold metal handle. He hesitated for a moment, his mind racing. What lay beyond this door? More trials? More suffering? Or a path to freedom?
Before he could decide, the door creaked open on its own, revealing a dark hallway beyond.
Xander's pulse quickened as he stepped through, the weight of the Abyss pressing down on him with each step. Whatever awaited him on the other side, he knew it was far from over.
And Zara was still out there.