The world warped as Ryu stepped through the vortex, his senses dazed by a rush of light and shadow. The feeling was disorienting, akin to being flung into icy water while being spun in every direction. He couldn't even tell which way was up for an instant, his hand instinctively tightening on his sword.
Then the chaos subsided, and his feet hit solid ground.
Ryu blinked, his vision clearing. Whatever was beyond the gateway was completely unlike anything he had seen before. The chamber was a place that seemed impossible to build; its dimensions stretched past what should have been allowed in the ruins. The air was filled with shattered light and shadow, lit up like embers drifting over the impossible landscape: spiraling stone pillars, broken pathways left suspended in midair, and rivers of glowing energy that flowed in unnatural patterns.
Behind him, Aris and Draven coalesced, stumbling a little to adjust to the new surroundings.
"Alright," Draven said, shaking his head. "That's the last time I let you go first, Ryu. What is this place?"
Aris spun in a slow circle, her daggers glinting faintly. "It feels… wrong. Like it shouldn't be here."
A message came through:
[You have entered the Heart of the Abyssal Nexus.]
[Warning: Environmental hazards detected. Energy levels unstable.]
The air itself buzzed with energy, a constant hum resonating in their bones. Ryu held up the Abyssal Orb, its light growing brighter as if resonating with the environment. The pulsing glow illuminated a path of floating platforms that led deeper into the chamber.
"This is it," Ryu said, his voice steady. "The source of the Nexus's power is here somewhere. Stay close and watch your step."
The team began to creep slowly across the platforms, the ground beneath them buckling with every step. Beneath them, an apparently endless void stretched into darkness, broken only by the faint glimmers of energy spiraling upward like distant stars.
Halfway across the first platform, the air changed. A low, guttural growl echoed through the chamber, sending a chill down their spines.
"What was that?" Aris asked, her eyes scanning the darkness.
Before anyone could say anything, a massive shape emerged from the shadows. It was a creature unlike any they had faced before—a hulking, serpentine form covered in jagged, glowing scales that pulsed with the same energy as the Nexus. Its eyes burned with malevolent light, and its mouth opened to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth.
A notification flashed in their vision:
[Abyssal Entity: Nexus Leviathan]
Level:???
Health:???
Draven groaned, raising his shield. "Of course it's a giant monster. Why wouldn't it be a giant monster?"
The Leviathan let out a deafening roar, the sound echoing in the chamber and making the platforms shake. It surged forward with frightening speed, its massive tail swiping across the path.
"Move!" Ryu cried out, springing to the next platform as the tail smashed into the one they'd been standing on. The stone shattered, its fragments spinning down into the void.
Aris was already in motion, her agility keeping her ahead of the collapsing platforms. "We can't fight it here! There's no room to maneuver!"
Ryu looked forward. The floating platforms continued along the path, toward a glowing structure in the distance—a huge sphere of energy encased in shifting, translucent barriers.
"The core!" he called out. "If we can get to it, we might be able to shut this thing down!"
Draven grunted as he blocked a stray energy projectile from the Leviathan's mouth. "Easier said than done, Ryu!"
The team sprinted across the platforms, the Leviathan in relentless pursuit. Its glowing scales pulsed brighter, and bolts of energy rained down from its body, shattering pathways and forcing them to leap between crumbling platforms.
Ryu activated [Abyssal Sight], his vision shifting to reveal faint energy trails connecting the Leviathan to the glowing core in the distance. "It's drawing power from the core, just like the Sentinel!
"Then we cut the link!" Aris shouted, throwing a throwing dagger at one of the Leviathan's glowing veins. The blade struck true, causing a burst of energy that made the creature roar in pain.
Draven grinned. "Now we're getting somewhere!" He charged forward, slamming his shield into one of the creature's coiling appendages. The impact sent a shockwave through the platform, momentarily halting the Leviathan's advance.
"Keep it distracted!" he called out, his focus being the blazing core. He launched [Abyssal Dash], where the orb in his hand bursts out as he speeds forward towards the core.
The Leviathan roared, its attention snapping back to Ryu. It lunged, its massive jaws closing in on him just as he reached the final platform. At the last second, Draven intercepted it, planting himself in front of the beast with his shield raised.
"Go, Ryu!" Draven bellowed, his voice strained as the Leviathan's teeth scraped against his shield. "We'll hold it off!"
Ryu didn't hesitate. He reached the core, where the Abyssal Orb was glowing brighter than ever. A new notification appeared:
[Core Stabilization Protocol Detected.]
[Activate Abyssal Overload to sever all connections?]
"Yes!" Ryu shouted, thrusting the orb into the core's energy field.
The chamber burst into light as the orb absorbed the core's energy, cutting the Leviathan's connection. The creature let out a final, agonized roar as its glowing veins dimmed, its massive form collapsing into the void below.
Another notification:
[Abyssal Nexus Core Neutralized.]
[Energy levels stabilizing. Exit pathway unlocked.]
The team regrouped on the platform, their bodies aching but their spirits victorious. The glowing pathways in the chamber began to fade, the oppressive energy dissipating.
Draven slumped to the ground, his shield clattering beside him. "I don't care what's waiting outside. I'm sleeping for a week."
Aris smirked, though her exhaustion was evident. "Make it two. You've earned it."
Ryu held up the Abyssal Orb, its glow faint but steady. He stared into its depths, a sense of unease lingering despite their victory.
"This isn't the end," he murmured. "There's something else out there—something bigger."
Aris and Draven exchanged a glance, their expressions hardening.
"Then we'll be ready," Aris said firmly.
Together, they turned toward the newly revealed exit, stepping forward into the unknown.