The landscape before them twisted like a waking nightmare. The air around the Ashen Peaks was thick with an unnatural fog that rolled over the jagged cliffs and deep ravines, curling in on itself like a sentient thing. As Maerlyn and Kaelen approached the base of the towering mountains, the sky above darkened, and the ground beneath them seemed to hum with a strange energy. The whispers of the Veil, though faint, still clung to the edges of their minds, filling the air with an overwhelming sense of unease.
Kaelen's footsteps were steady, but Maerlyn could feel the weight of every step, as though the earth beneath them was reluctant to allow their passage. The Elderborn's words echoed in Maerlyn's thoughts like a drumbeat, the mention of the "Abyss" sending a chill down his spine. What had they walked into? What was truly waiting for them in the heart of these cursed mountains?
"We're almost there," Kaelen muttered, glancing up at the towering peaks. His face was set, eyes narrowing as if trying to peer through the thick mist that hung heavy in the air.
Maerlyn's throat tightened, but he nodded, forcing his fear aside. "The truth… It's waiting."
A shiver ran through him at the thought. Was it a truth they would be able to handle? He had once thought he understood what it meant to face the Veil, but now, everything felt like it had shifted beneath his feet. The weight of the journey was pressing down on him, and every fiber of his being screamed to turn back, to leave the mysteries of the Peaks undisturbed. But Kaelen was right—they had come too far. There was no turning back now.
The fog grew thicker as they climbed, obscuring their vision. Maerlyn could barely make out the silhouette of Kaelen in front of him. The path had become treacherous, the rocks slick with moisture, their surfaces rough and uneven. But Kaelen led the way with a steady pace, his eyes ever watchful for any sign of movement in the mist.
Suddenly, the fog parted, and before them, nestled between two sheer cliffs, stood a massive, ancient archway. It was made of black stone, weathered by time and the elements, its surface etched with symbols that seemed to shift as Maerlyn stared at them. The arch was impossibly tall, taller than any structure Maerlyn had ever seen, and it pulsed with an eerie, dark energy, like the heartbeat of some ancient, slumbering creature.
"This is it," Kaelen whispered, his voice reverberating with a mix of awe and dread. "The Gate of Echoes."
The words felt like a weight on Maerlyn's chest. The air around the gate was thick with a strange vibration, a hum that seemed to penetrate the bones, making the very ground feel unstable. The Veil was stronger here, and Maerlyn could almost feel it, wrapping around them like a shroud, pulling at his mind, his will.
Maerlyn stepped forward, his breath shallow. "What lies beyond it?"
Kaelen shook his head, his eyes locked on the gate. "I don't know. But whatever it is, we're about to find out."
They stood before the gate, the symbols on its surface swirling as if alive. A low, guttural sound began to emanate from the stone, and Maerlyn felt a chill wash over him, seeping into his skin, into his very soul. The symbols began to pulse with a rhythmic energy, their dark light casting long shadows across the rocky terrain.
With a creak and a rumble, the massive stone doors of the gate began to part. Slowly, with the sound of grinding stone, they opened inward, revealing a dark passage beyond. The air that poured from the depths of the gate was cold, carrying with it the scent of ancient decay and forgotten things.
The gate was an invitation—and a warning.
"Do we go in?" Maerlyn asked, his voice barely above a whisper. His fingers gripped the hilt of his sword, and he felt the heavy weight of the decision settle on him.
Kaelen didn't hesitate. His hand rested on the pommel of his dagger, his jaw set. "We have no choice now. The Veil is closing in on us, and the only way forward is through."
With a deep breath, Maerlyn nodded. His heart thundered in his chest, but he stepped forward, crossing the threshold into the dark passage. Kaelen followed close behind, his footsteps echoing in the silent void.
The moment they crossed the threshold, the air shifted. The world around them seemed to bend, the path ahead stretching out impossibly long, the walls of the passage narrowing as if they were walking down a tunnel that had no end. Time seemed to warp in the passageway, and Maerlyn felt the weight of every second, each stretching and bending under the pressure of the unknown.
The whispers returned.
This time, they were louder. They weren't just voices—memories, fragments of voices from a thousand different sources, speaking at once. Some were clear, others distorted, but all spoke with the same urgency, the same call.
You seek the truth, but it comes with a price.
The Abyss is not what it seems.
Once you step through, you may never return.
Maerlyn clenched his fists, blocking out the voices as best as he could. He glanced at Kaelen, who seemed to be deep in thought, his gaze distant. They walked for what felt like hours, though Maerlyn couldn't be sure. The air grew heavier, the darkness more suffocating.
Finally, they reached the end of the passage.
Before them stood another gate, this one different from the first. It was made of silver, not black stone, and its surface was smooth, unmarred by time or decay. The symbols on the gate were unfamiliar, though they held an unsettling beauty, and they shimmered with a light that seemed to draw Maerlyn in, tugging at something deep inside him.
Kaelen stopped before it, his eyes narrowing. "This is it," he said, his voice tight. "The heart of the Abyss."
Maerlyn swallowed, his heart pounding in his chest. He had no idea what lay beyond this gate, but he knew—deep down—that whatever it was, it would be unlike anything they had faced before.
The silver gate began to open, slowly, its surface rippling like water disturbed by a stone. As the door creaked open, a wave of dark energy poured out, engulfing them in a suffocating cloud.
Maerlyn felt his breath catch in his throat as a vision suddenly flashed before his eyes.
He saw the Veil, not as a shadow or a force, but as a living entity—a vast, sprawling thing that stretched across worlds, bending and warping reality. And in the centre of it all, a figure, a being of immense power, its face was hidden in darkness, yet its presence was felt in every fibre of Maerlyn's being.
You have come for the truth, the figure said, its voice echoing in his mind. *But truth is a weapon. And weapons must be wielded carefully.*
The vision vanished as quickly as it had come, leaving Maerlyn shaken. He looked at Kaelen, whose expression had hardened, his gaze fixed on the gate before them.
"We're not going to like what we find," Kaelen said quietly.
Maerlyn nodded, a sense of finality settling in his chest. They had crossed the threshold of the Abyss. There would be no turning back now.
With a deep breath, they stepped forward together, into the unknown.