The corridor opened into an enormous chamber, a vast, hollow expanse that felt impossibly large. I stopped just inside the entrance, my breath catching as my eyes adjusted to the dim red light emanating from the walls.
At the center of the chamber stood a towering gate, its surface jagged and ancient, etched with glowing crimson runes that pulsed faintly. The gate seemed to hum with an unearthly energy, a low, rhythmic vibration that resonated through the floor and into my chest.
I tightened my grip on the orb as its shadows began to writhe violently, responding to the oppressive energy radiating from the gate. The veins beneath my skin flared to life, glowing faintly as they spread up my arms and across my chest. My body felt heavier with each step I took toward the gate, as though the air itself were trying to hold me back.
The hum grew louder as I approached, turning into a low, resonant growl that made my teeth vibrate.
The Keeper's voice echoed through the chamber, calm yet unyielding.
"You stand before the Black Gate," it said. "Beyond lies the next trial—a realm of chaos where no laws hold. To proceed is to risk annihilation."
The shadows in the orb churned violently, and I felt a sharp jolt of pain shoot through my chest. I clutched at the black veins beneath my skin, gasping as the energy radiating from the gate seemed to pierce through me.
"What kind of trial is this?" I demanded, my voice strained.
The Keeper's glowing eyes appeared faintly above the gate, their cold, unblinking gaze boring into me.
"The Abyss does not forgive," it said. "It does not favor the weak. It is chaos incarnate, unbound by light or time. The shadows within you hunger. They will guide you—or destroy you."
The orb in my hand pulsed sharply, pulling me toward the gate. My body moved instinctively, each step slow and deliberate as the energy from the gate grew stronger, almost suffocating.
"Why does it feel like the dungeon itself is alive?" I muttered, my voice barely audible.
The Keeper's voice remained calm. "The dungeon is alive. It watches. It waits. And it hungers."
My hands trembled as I stopped in front of the gate, staring up at its immense surface. The runes carved into it shifted and twisted, their glow pulsing in time with the shadows inside the orb.
"Step forward," the Keeper said. "Embrace the Abyss."
I hesitated, my chest tightening. Every instinct screamed at me to turn back, to find another way out. But I knew there was no escape—not until the dungeon was finished with me.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself, and placed my hand against the gate.
The moment my fingers touched the surface, the runes flared to life.
A surge of raw energy shot through me, and I cried out as the black veins beneath my skin glowed brighter, spreading across my chest and neck. The shadows in the orb exploded outward, coiling around my arm and slamming into the gate.
The gate groaned, its surface cracking as it began to split open. A blinding red light spilled out from the widening gap, and the air grew colder, heavier, as though the dungeon itself were holding its breath.
The orb pulsed violently, pulling me forward as the gate swung open, revealing the space beyond.
It wasn't a room. It was a void.
The Abyss stretched endlessly before me, an infinite chasm of darkness pierced by faint, flickering lights. Floating platforms of jagged stone hovered in the void, shifting unpredictably as though caught in an invisible current.
The hum of the dungeon had transformed into a deep, guttural roar that resonated through the air, vibrating in my chest. The orb in my hand glowed faintly, its light barely cutting through the oppressive darkness.
I stepped cautiously onto the first platform, the stone beneath my boots slick and uneven. The platform shifted slightly under my weight, and I froze, my heart pounding as the sound of grinding stone echoed through the void.
The shadows within the orb stirred uneasily, their movements sharp and erratic.
"I have to cross this?" I muttered, staring at the floating platforms ahead.
The Keeper's voice returned, distant but unmistakable. "The Abyss tests all who enter. It will show you no mercy."
As if on cue, the platform beneath me jolted, tilting sharply to one side. I stumbled, nearly losing my footing as the orb pulsed violently, its shadows lashing out to stabilize me.
Ahead, the next platform shifted, rising and falling as if mocking me. The gaps between the platforms were wide and treacherous, and the faint lights in the distance flickered as if they might disappear entirely.
I took a deep breath, tightening my grip on the orb. "One step at a time," I told myself.
The first leap was harder than I expected.
I pushed off the tilting platform, my legs trembling as I landed on the next. The stone was jagged and uneven, and I nearly slipped as the platform wobbled beneath me.
The shadows in the orb reacted instantly, lashing out to anchor me in place. I exhaled sharply, my chest heaving as I steadied myself.
But before I could move again, I heard it.
A low, guttural growl echoed through the void, faint but unmistakable.
I turned sharply, my eyes scanning the darkness. The platform behind me was empty, but the sound grew louder, closer.
Then I saw them.
Creatures emerged from the shadows, their forms flickering in and out of sight as they leapt between the platforms. They were hunched and twisted, their bodies black and slick like the walls of the dungeon. Glowing red eyes pierced through the darkness, locking onto me with predatory intent.
The orb in my hand surged, the shadows within it writhing violently. The black veins beneath my skin flared to life, spreading further as the creatures closed in.
The first one lunged, its claws slicing through the air as it leapt toward me.
I swung the orb instinctively, and the shadows erupted outward, slamming into the creature midair. It screeched as it was thrown back, its body dissolving into smoke as it fell into the Abyss.
The other creatures hesitated, snarling as they circled the platform.
I didn't wait for them to attack.
The orb pulsed sharply, and the shadows lashed out again, coiling around the nearest creature and yanking it into the void. The others scattered, leaping between platforms as they tried to flank me.
The platform beneath me wobbled, and I stumbled, barely catching myself as another creature lunged.
This time, the shadows moved faster, striking with precise, whip-like movements that tore the creature apart before it could reach me.
But more were coming.
The battle became a blur of movement and chaos.
I leapt between platforms, the jagged stones shifting and tilting unpredictably beneath my feet. The shadows inside the orb seemed to take on a life of their own, lashing out at the creatures with brutal efficiency.
Each time a creature fell, another took its place, their growls and snarls growing louder as they closed in.
My chest burned, the black veins pulsing brighter as the orb grew heavier in my hand. My movements became slower, each step more labored as the weight of the Abyss pressed against me.
But I couldn't stop.
With one final leap, I landed on a larger platform, the stone steadier beneath my boots. The creatures hesitated, their glowing eyes narrowing as they retreated into the shadows.
The orb pulsed softly, its light steady as the shadows inside calmed.
I stood there, gasping for air, my body trembling. The platform stretched out before me, leading to another gate at the far end of the chasm.
The Keeper's voice returned, soft and distant.
"You have crossed the first threshold," it said. "But the Abyss is far from finished with you."
I tightened my grip on the orb, staring at the gate ahead. The path was treacherous, the shadows hungry, but I wasn't going to stop now.
The Abyss beckoned, and I was ready to face it.