Nitish Vayne hung precariously from the thick vines that snaked down the walls of the Abyss. His fingers, bruised and bloodied from the jagged rocks he had desperately grabbed during his fall, clung to the only lifeline between him and the darkness below. The air around him was heavy with an unnatural chill, the faint whispers of the Abyss seeming to mock his predicament.
Below him, the Abyss yawned like a bottomless maw. The faint, eerie glow of chaotic mana flickered sporadically, casting ominous shadows on the jagged rocks and twisted vegetation that grew out of the walls. Above him, the opening from which he had been thrown was now just a faint speck of light. The sounds of the crowd's jeers and laughter were long gone, replaced by the eerie silence of the Abyss.
Nitish's muscles screamed in protest as he tried to adjust his grip. He glanced down and let out a shaky breath. The darkness seemed endless, and he had no idea how far the fall would be. The vines creaked under his weight, and he knew they wouldn't hold for long.
As Nitish dangled there, his mind raced. His thoughts were a whirlwind of rage, despair, and something he hadn't felt in a long time—determination. He began to speak to himself, his voice a mixture of anger and resolve.
Nitish: "This is where it ends, huh? Betrayed by the people I helped. Betrayed by the woman I loved. Cast into the Abyss like trash."
He clenched his teeth, the memory of the crowd's faces flashing in his mind—faces that had once looked at him with gratitude, now twisted in hatred. He could still hear their curses, their jeers.
Nitish: "I gave them everything. My time, my energy, my elixirs. I saved their lives, healed their wounds, and this is how they repay me?"
The vines creaked again, and he felt himself slip a few inches. Panic flared briefly in his chest, but he forced it down, focusing on the rage that burned inside him.
Nitish: "No. I won't die like this. I can't. If I die here, they win. Elizabeth wins. The king wins. All of them, laughing at me while they sit on their thrones, thinking they've rid the world of another Vayne."
He tightened his grip, his knuckles white against the vines.
Nitish: "Kindness is a sin in this world. My father was right. Kindness without vigilance… it's just an invitation for betrayal. But vengeance? That's a language everyone understands. And I'll make them understand. Every single one of them."
The vines groaned again, and this time, one of them snapped. Nitish's heart leapt into his throat as his body swung violently. His fingers slipped, but he managed to catch another vine just before he fell completely.
Nitish: "Damn it! Focus! This isn't over. You're stronger than this, Nitish. You've always been stronger than they gave you credit for."
He took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. His muscles ached, but he could feel the raw strength in his arms, the result of years of physical training that had been dismissed by others as pointless. It wasn't pointless now. It was the only thing keeping him alive.
For a moment, Nitish allowed himself to hope that he might climb back up, but the vines had other plans. Another loud snap echoed through the Abyss as the vine he was holding onto tore free from the wall. Gravity claimed him, and Nitish plummeted into the darkness.
The wind howled in his ears as he fell, the cold air stinging his face. He braced himself, his body tensing as he prepared for the inevitable impact. The seconds stretched into an eternity, and then—
Crash!
Nitish hit the ground hard, the force of the impact knocking the wind from his lungs. He rolled to the side, coughing and gasping for air. Pain radiated through his body, but to his surprise, he was alive. His training had paid off. His body, hardened by years of discipline, had absorbed the fall better than he could have hoped.
He lay there for a moment, staring up at the faint glow of the Abyss. His chest heaved as he caught his breath, his mind racing with a mixture of relief and disbelief.
Nitish: "Still alive… Somehow."
Nitish sat up slowly, wincing as pain lanced through his ribs. He looked around, taking in his surroundings. The ground was uneven, covered in jagged rocks and patches of glowing moss. Strange, twisted trees grew from the rocky floor, their branches curling like claws. The air was thick with the stench of decay.
And then he saw it.
In the distance, perched on a cluster of rocks, was a creature unlike anything he had ever seen. It was a bird, or at least it resembled one. Its body was black and sinewy, with three long, spindly legs that ended in razor-sharp claws. Its eyes glowed with a sickly green light, and its beak was curved and serrated. The creature tilted its head, its gaze locking onto Nitish.
Nitish's heart pounded in his chest as he scrambled to his feet. The bird let out a guttural screech, its claws scraping against the rocks as it leapt toward him.
Nitish: "Oh, hell no. Not like this!"
He dodged to the side as the creature swooped past him, its claws slicing through the air where he had been standing. Nitish grabbed a nearby rock, his mind racing.
Nitish: "You can't take this thing head-on. Think, Nitish. Use your strength, use your brain."
The creature circled back, its glowing eyes narrowing. Nitish raised the rock, waiting for the right moment. As the bird lunged again, he swung with all his might. The rock connected with a sickening crunch, and the creature screeched in pain, its flight faltering.
It wasn't dead, but it was hurt. Nitish seized the opportunity, grabbing a jagged branch from the ground. As the bird recovered, he charged, driving the makeshift weapon into its side. The creature let out one final screech before collapsing, its body twitching before going still.
Nitish stood over the corpse, his chest heaving, his hands shaking. He stared at the bloodied branch in his hand, then at the creature, and finally at himself.
Nitish: "I'm… stronger than I thought."
As the adrenaline began to fade, Nitish sank to his knees. His mind replayed everything that had led him here: the accusations, the betrayal, Elizabeth's cold words, the jeering crowd. The faces of the people he had once helped haunted him, their anger and hatred cutting deeper than any blade.
He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms.
Nitish: "Kindness. That's what got me here. My father warned me. Kindness without vigilance leads to betrayal."
He remembered his father's words, the rare moment of vulnerability they had shared.
Eryndor: "You have my anger, son. Use it wisely."
Nitish's gaze hardened, his bloodied face twisting into a snarl.
Nitish: "I will. I swear I will."
He stood, his body aching but his resolve unshaken. He stared into the depths of the Abyss, where more dangers surely awaited him.
Nitish: "They threw me here to die. They think this is the end for me. But they're wrong. This is only the beginning."
He clenched his fists, his voice low but filled with venom.
Nitish: "Elizabeth, Alaric, the Elders, all of you who turned against me… you will regret this. I will climb out of this hell. I will return. And when I do, I'll make you pay for every betrayal, every lie, every life you've destroyed."
Nitish turned away from the corpse of the bird, his eyes scanning the darkness ahead. He didn't know what lay in wait, but he knew he couldn't stop. He had survived the fall, survived his first battle, and he would survive whatever the Abyss threw at him next.
As he walked forward, his steps steady and deliberate, one thought burned in his mind: vengeance. It was no longer just a desire—it was his purpose, his reason to keep going. The Abyss had not broken him. It had only awakened something that had been dormant for too long.
Nitish Vayne had fallen, but he would rise again. And when he did, the world would tremble.