The night in the secluded forest was unsettling. The rustling leaves seemed to carry voices, whispers that Jin Shang could barely make out. The Abyss within him resonated faintly, its presence a comforting yet ominous reminder of his growing power.
Kaelros sat cross-legged near the dying embers of their campfire, his hands glowing faintly as he channeled elemental energy to recover. Lysander leaned against a tree, sharpening his blade in silence, though his watchful eyes betrayed his unease.
Jin sat apart from the others, his mind racing. The vision granted by the temple's Abyssal sphere still lingered, vivid and haunting. The truth about the Celestials—their oppression and fear of the Abyss—had lit a fire in him. But it wasn't just anger that drove him; it was the realization that his path would reshape everything.
---
A Ghostly Visitor
As the moon rose higher, the forest grew eerily quiet. Even the nocturnal creatures seemed to retreat, as if sensing an intruder. Jin felt it first—a presence, ancient and cold, watching from the shadows.
"Do you feel that?" he asked, his voice cutting through the silence.
Kaelros opened his eyes, his expression grim. "It's not the Celestials. This… feels different."
Before anyone could react, a spectral figure materialized from the shadows. It was a man cloaked in tattered robes, his translucent form glowing faintly. His face was gaunt, his eyes hollow yet filled with a strange intensity.
"Jin Shang," the specter said, his voice like the rustling of dead leaves. "You choosed a dangerous path."
Lysander's hand went to his blade, but the specter raised a hand. "I mean no harm. I am but a fragment of a soul long forgotten, a servant of the Abyss who walked the path which you are now walking."
Jin rose to his feet, his Abyssal energy flaring instinctively. "Who are you? What do you want?"
The specter smiled faintly. "I was once known as Erethion, a mortal who sought to wield the Abyss to free my people from the Celestials' tyranny. But I failed. My soul was consumed, leaving only this shadow behind."
Kaelros narrowed his eyes. "And why appear now? What do you want from him?"
"I wish to warn him," Erethion replied. "The Abyss is not a mere power to be wielded. It is a living force, ancient and eternal. It seeks to reclaim what was taken from it, but it does not care for mortals or their struggles. It will use you, Jin Shang, just as it used me."
Jin's gaze didn't waver. "I've heard this warning before. I won't let the Abyss control me."
Erethion's expression darkened. "Many have said the same. Few have succeeded. If you truly wish to master the Abyss, you must go to the Well of Echoes."
---
The Well of Echoes
Kaelros frowned. "The Well of Echoes? That's no mere legend?"
"It is real," Erethion said. "A place where the Abyss converges with the physical realm, where its essence is purest. It is said that those who survive the Well's trials emerge as true masters of the Abyss—or are consumed by it entirely."
Jin's fists clenched. "Where is it?"
Erethion hesitated. "Beyond the Blackthorn Mountains lies the Shrouded Wastes. The Well is hidden there, guarded by ancient wards and creatures born of the Abyss itself. Reaching it will not be easy, but if you succeed, you will wield a power that even the Celestials fear."
Lysander spoke up, his tone skeptical. "And how do we know this isn't a trap? Maybe the Well is just another way for the Abyss to claim him."
"It very well might be," Erethion admitted. "But if Jin Shang wishes to stand against the Celestial Council, he has no other choice. The Well is his only path forward."
With that, the specter began to fade, his form dissolving into the night. "Beware, Jin Shang. The Abyss is both a gift and a curse. Choose your steps wisely."
As Erethion vanished, the forest came alive again with the sounds of night. But the weight of his words lingered, heavy and oppressive.
---
A New Mission
Kaelros broke the silence, his expression troubled. "The Well of Echoes. That place is more dangerous than anything we've faced. Are you sure about this?"
Jin's gaze was resolute. "If the Abyss is my weapon, then I need to master it completely. The Celestials won't stop, and neither will I."
Lysander sighed, sheathing his blade. "Then we'd better prepare. If Erethion was right, the Shrouded Wastes are no walk in the park. And something tells me the Celestials won't wait for us to finish our little pilgrimage."
Kaelros nodded, though his expression remained grim. "If we do this, we'll need more than strength. The Well won't just test your power—it'll test your will."
Jin looked at his companions, his determination unwavering. "Then we'd better get moving. The storm is coming, and we don't have time to waste."
As the group prepared to leave, far above in the celestial realms, the Council convened once more. Themis, battered but unbroken, stood before the other Celestials.
"He grows stronger," she said, her voice laced with frustration. "If he reaches the Well of Echoes, we may lose our chance to stop him."
One of the Council members, a figure cloaked in radiant light, spoke with authority. "Then we will ensure he never reaches it. Dispatch the Harbinger."
Themis's eyes widened. "The Harbinger? That's—"
"A necessary measure," the figure interrupted. "Jin Shang has become more than a threat. He is a symbol. And symbols must be crushed."
The die was cast. As Jin and his companions set out for the Shrouded Wastes, they were unaware that the Council's deadliest weapon was already on their trail. The road to the Well of Echoes would be a trial not just of strength, but of survival itself.