The sound of my footsteps echoed in the vast silence as I approached the end of the corridor. Each step felt heavier than the last, as if the very air were pushing back against me. The walls, carved with glowing runes that pulsed faintly, seemed to stretch upward forever, their light dimming the deeper I went.
Ahead, the passage opened into an enormous chamber, and I stopped at the threshold, my breath catching in my throat.
The gate dominated the space.
It was massive, jagged, and ancient, carved from black stone that seemed to drink in the faint light around it. Crimson runes twisted across its surface, glowing faintly with a rhythm like a slow heartbeat. Each pulse of light sent ripples through the chamber, casting sharp, flickering shadows that seemed to shift and claw at the walls.
The gate radiated power, a cold and suffocating energy that pressed down on my chest. It wasn't just a door—it was alive.
The orb in my hand reacted immediately, its shadows thrashing violently as though they recognized the gate. Black veins spread rapidly up my arms, glowing faintly beneath my skin. The pain was sharp and unrelenting, each pulse driving deeper into my chest.
I hesitated, my instincts screaming at me to turn back. But the pull of the shadows was undeniable, dragging me closer to the gate with every beat of the orb in my hand.
When I stepped forward, the hum of the dungeon changed. It grew louder, deeper, resonating through the ground beneath my boots like a drumbeat.
Then the gate spoke.
Its voice was deep and guttural, reverberating through the chamber like an earthquake.
"Bearer of shadows," it rumbled, each word heavy with authority. "What will you offer?"
The sound froze me in place. The words weren't just spoken—they were felt, vibrating through my chest and spine, lodging themselves in my very bones.
"Offer?" I whispered, my voice hoarse. My fingers tightened around the orb, its surface growing colder as the shadows writhed against its confines. "What do you mean, 'offer?'"
The runes on the gate flared, their crimson light intensifying. The energy in the chamber thickened, pressing harder against me, each breath growing more difficult.
"The shadows demand balance," the gate continued, its tone colder now, almost mocking. "To wield chaos is to pay its price. What will you sacrifice to proceed?"
I stumbled back a step as the words sank in. Sacrifice? The thought filled me with a cold dread.
"What do you mean, sacrifice?" I demanded, my voice trembling. "What are you asking for?"
The orb pulsed violently, and a wave of pain shot through my chest. I gasped, clutching at the black veins that now spread across my arms and shoulders.
Images flashed in my mind—brief, fractured, like shards of broken glass.
A city engulfed in flames.
A towering figure cloaked in shadows.
A hand outstretched, holding an orb identical to mine.
The images vanished as quickly as they had come, leaving a hollow ache in my chest. My knees buckled, and I staggered forward, barely managing to stay upright.
The gate rumbled again, louder this time.
"The Abyss does not forgive. It does not give freely. Choose, or it will choose for you."
I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stand.
"What do you want from me?" I shouted, my voice echoing through the chamber. "I didn't ask for this! I didn't choose this power!"
The gate's runes twisted and shifted, their light spilling across the floor like liquid fire. The air grew colder, and the shadows inside the orb surged, coiling around my arm and dragging me closer to the gate.
The pain in my chest deepened, sharp and unrelenting, as the black veins beneath my skin glowed brighter.
Another image flashed in my mind—this one clearer, sharper.
I was standing in a darkened room, a familiar one, though I couldn't place it. A single figure knelt before me, their body obscured by shadows. My hand was outstretched, the orb glowing faintly in my palm.
"Do it," a voice whispered in my mind. "They are the cost."
The image vanished, and I staggered back, my chest heaving as I gasped for air.
The gate's voice returned, colder than before.
"Sacrifice is the only truth of chaos. The price must be paid."
The orb pulsed sharply, and the shadows surged outward, wrapping around my legs and pulling me toward the gate.
"Stop!" I shouted, my voice raw as I struggled against the pull.
But the shadows didn't relent. They coiled tighter, spreading up my arms and chest, their movements erratic and frenzied.
The runes on the gate flared brighter, and the air in the chamber trembled with a deafening roar.
"Enough!" I cried, slamming the orb against the gate.
The moment it made contact, a surge of energy erupted from the gate, slamming into me like a physical blow. I was thrown back, hitting the ground hard as the runes twisted and fractured, their light spilling out in jagged beams.
The platform beneath me shook violently, cracks spreading across the stone as the gate groaned.
The runes split apart, and the gate shuddered one final time before swinging open.
The space beyond the gate was a void—a massive chasm filled with floating platforms that drifted unpredictably in the darkness. Crimson light pulsed faintly from the walls, illuminating the jagged edges of the platforms and the swirling abyss below.
The hum of the dungeon transformed into a deep roar, vibrating through the air and the stone beneath my feet.
The orb in my hand pulsed softly, its shadows calming as though satisfied.
The Keeper's voice echoed faintly, distant but clear.
"You have chosen," it said. "The path forward is open, but the Abyss is far from finished with you."
I stood, my legs trembling as I stared at the floating platforms ahead. The pain in my chest had dulled, but the weight of the orb in my hand was heavier than ever.
Steeling myself, I took the first step onto the nearest platform, the jagged stone tilting slightly beneath my weight.
The Abyss beckoned, and I had no choice but to follow.