Super Gene 2 Chapter 11: The Path of Shadows
Han Sen stood at the edge of the village, gazing toward the dark horizon. The elder's revelation weighed heavily on his mind. Beyond the Veil lay the door—a mysterious portal that could hold the key to understanding not just the Abyss, but the secrets his grandfather had pursued.
"The heart of the Abyss…" Han Sen murmured. The faint outline of the massive door from his visions lingered in his thoughts, its golden radiance contrasting against the realm's oppressive darkness.
Before he could act, the elder approached him again, carrying a small, rune-covered talisman.
"Take this," the elder said. "It is an artifact from our ancestors. It will protect you from the fog's influence for a time, but be warned—it will not last forever."
Han Sen accepted the talisman, bowing slightly. "Thank you. I'll repay this debt when I can."
The elder shook his head. "If you truly wish to repay us, bring light to this forsaken place. That is all we ask."
With that, Han Sen set out once more, the talisman glowing faintly in his grasp.
The Maze of Despair
The path leading deeper into the Veil of Shadows was a treacherous one. The terrain became increasingly unstable, with jagged cliffs and deep chasms cutting across the landscape. The oppressive mist grew thicker, swirling around Han Sen like a living entity, but the talisman's glow kept it at bay.
After hours of navigating the desolate expanse, Han Sen encountered what appeared to be a maze—an enormous structure made of dark stone, its walls towering high into the murky sky. The air inside the maze was colder, and the faint whispers of the fog seemed louder here, echoing off the walls.
"This must be the Path of Shadows the elder mentioned," Han Sen thought, stepping cautiously into the labyrinth.
The maze was unlike anything he had ever seen. The walls shifted and reconfigured themselves as he moved, creating new pathways and sealing old ones. Strange symbols glowed faintly on the stone, and every turn felt like stepping into a different reality.
The Echo of Regrets
As Han Sen delved deeper, he began to feel an unusual weight in his chest. The whispers of the fog grew clearer, and they no longer felt like random murmurs—they were memories.
"Why did you abandon her?" a voice hissed.
Han Sen froze. The voice was unmistakable—it was his own. Visions began to flash before his eyes: moments of failure, regret, and hesitation.
"This is a test," he realized. "The maze is trying to break me."
He steadied himself, focusing on his breathing. "I've made mistakes, but I won't let them define me."
The whispers intensified, but Han Sen pushed forward, each step a defiance of the maze's influence. He used his golden aura to illuminate the path ahead, dispelling the illusions as they appeared.
Guardians of the Labyrinth
Eventually, Han Sen reached the center of the maze. There, he found a massive chamber dominated by an ornate pedestal. Floating above the pedestal was an orb of pure darkness, pulsating with an eerie light.
Before he could approach, the shadows in the room began to coalesce, forming two towering figures. They were humanoid but faceless, their bodies adorned with ancient armor that seemed to absorb all light.
The guardians didn't speak. They moved with inhuman speed, attacking Han Sen in perfect synchronization.
Han Sen dodged the first strike, his reflexes honed to perfection. He countered with a burst of energy, but the guardians absorbed the attack as though it were nothing.
"These things are different," Han Sen thought, his mind racing. "They're not like the shadow beasts."
He switched tactics, focusing on precision and timing rather than raw power. Using his energy, he created illusions to distract the guardians, forcing them to split their focus.
After a grueling battle, Han Sen managed to exploit a weakness in their movements, delivering a decisive strike that shattered the first guardian's core. The second guardian faltered, and Han Sen capitalized, finishing it off with a powerful blast of light.
The Orb of Shadows
With the guardians defeated, the chamber fell silent. Han Sen approached the pedestal cautiously, his eyes fixed on the orb. The darkness within it seemed alive, swirling and shifting as though it were aware of his presence.
As he reached out, the orb emitted a pulse of energy, and a voice echoed in his mind.
"Seeker of the Abyss, you have proven your strength, but strength alone will not carry you forward. To uncover the truth, you must embrace the shadows as well as the light."
The orb dissolved into streams of energy that flowed into Han Sen's body. He felt a surge of power, but it was different from his usual energy—it was darker, colder, and more profound.
"This energy…" Han Sen whispered, clenching his fists. "It's like the Abyss itself."
A Glimpse of the Door
The chamber began to collapse, the maze unraveling around him. Han Sen dashed through the shifting corridors, using his newfound power to navigate the ever-changing paths.
When he finally emerged, he found himself standing on a high plateau overlooking the Veil. In the distance, he saw it—the golden door from his visions, its radiant light piercing through the darkness.
"So it's real," Han Sen said, his eyes narrowing. "And it's closer than I thought."
The journey to the door would not be easy. Between him and his goal lay an expanse of treacherous terrain, shadow beasts, and mysteries yet to be uncovered.
But for the first time since entering the Abyss, Han Sen felt a glimmer of hope.