The chasm roared with a life of its own, the sound so deep and primal it resonated through my bones. Every instinct screamed at me to run, to escape, but there was nowhere to go. The dungeon had cornered me here, and the creature rising from the void was a force I couldn't comprehend.
The glowing eyes fixed on me, unblinking, their light cutting through the suffocating darkness. As it emerged further from the chasm, its full form began to take shape—an amalgamation of shifting shadows and jagged, obsidian-like stone. Its body twisted unnaturally, never fully solid, parts of it dissolving into smoke before reforming into sharp, predatory edges.
Its size was staggering, dwarfing the platform I stood on. The runes along the edges of the chasm flared brighter in its presence, their light fighting against the oppressive darkness that clung to the creature like a shroud.
For the first time, the shadows inside me recoiled.
The orb pulsed violently in my hand, the shadows within thrashing in a way I hadn't felt before. They weren't trying to escape—they were afraid.
The black veins on my arms flared brighter, spreading further up my neck and across my chest, the pain sharp and searing. The shadows pressed against my mind, their presence loud and chaotic, but they offered no answers, no guidance.
"Not so brave now, are you?" I muttered, trying to steady my breathing.
The creature moved, its form shifting and undulating as it surged forward. Its massive limbs slammed into the ground, the impact shaking the entire chamber and sending cracks spiderwebbing across the platform.
I stumbled, barely managing to keep my footing as the orb pulsed again, sharper this time, as though it were trying to pull me closer to the creature.
"No," I hissed, tightening my grip on the orb. "Not like this."
The creature roared, a sound that wasn't just noise but a wave of pressure that slammed into me, forcing me to my knees. My head pounded, the weight of the sound pressing against my skull, drowning out my thoughts.
The shadows inside the orb surged outward, forming a barrier around me. The tendrils coiled tightly, shielding me from the worst of the pressure, but the effort sent another wave of pain coursing through my body.
The creature stopped, towering over me, its glowing eyes narrowing as though it were studying me.
"You are not ready," the voice from the chasm said, echoing directly into my mind. "You cannot control what you have taken. You are weak."
"I've had enough of that word," I muttered through gritted teeth.
I forced myself to my feet, the shadows within me writhing violently, their movements erratic and chaotic. My body trembled, the black veins spreading further across my skin, but I ignored the pain.
"You want to test me?" I shouted, raising the orb. "Fine. Let's see what you've got."
The creature lunged.
Its massive form surged forward with impossible speed, its jagged limbs slamming into the ground where I had stood moments before. I dove to the side, the force of the impact sending a shockwave that shattered the platform and sent chunks of stone flying into the void.
The shadows reacted instantly, lashing out in jagged tendrils that coiled around the creature's limbs. They tightened, twisting and digging into its obsidian-like surface, but the creature didn't falter.
It roared again, the sound reverberating through the chamber, and the tendrils shattered, recoiling violently back into the orb.
I stumbled, the backlash sending a sharp jolt of pain through my chest. The creature turned toward me, its glowing eyes blazing with predatory intent.
"You are not enough," the voice said again, colder this time. "The Abyss does not favor the unworthy."
The shadows surged once more, their movements sharper, faster. They lashed out in rapid strikes, coiling around the creature's body and tearing into its shifting form. For a moment, the attacks seemed to work, chunks of its shadowy mass breaking away and dissolving into the void.
But the creature was relentless.
It shifted, its body twisting and reforming as it countered with a swipe of its massive arm. The blow caught me off guard, sending me flying across the platform. I hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the breath from my lungs.
The shadows erupted from the orb again, forming a protective barrier as the creature advanced. But the barrier cracked under the weight of its attack, the tendrils barely holding as the creature pressed forward.
The pain in my chest intensified, the black veins spreading further across my body. My vision blurred, the edges of the chamber dissolving into darkness as the voice returned.
"Submit, bearer. You cannot win."
I clenched my fists, my breaths ragged as I pushed myself to my knees. The orb in my hand pulsed erratically, the shadows inside it thrashing wildly.
"Shut up," I muttered, my voice barely audible.
The creature lunged again, its massive form towering over me as it raised a jagged limb to strike.
I raised the orb instinctively, and the shadows exploded outward, coiling around the creature and dragging it back toward the edge of the chasm.
The runes along the chasm flared brighter, their light cutting through the darkness as the shadows tightened, twisting and tearing into the creature's form.
It roared, thrashing against the tendrils, but this time they didn't break. They held, pulling the creature closer to the void.
For a moment, I thought I'd won.
But then, the creature's form shifted again. Its glowing eyes blazed brighter, and the tendrils binding it shattered, recoiling violently back into the orb.
The backlash sent a shockwave through my body, and I collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air.
The voice returned, softer this time, almost mocking.
"You are not enough."
The creature advanced again, its movements slower but deliberate. The platform beneath it cracked and crumbled, pieces falling into the abyss below.
I forced myself to my feet, every muscle in my body screaming in protest. The orb in my hand pulsed weakly, its light dim and unsteady.
The shadows inside me stirred, their presence louder now, pressing against the edges of my mind.
"Not yet," I whispered, tightening my grip on the orb. "I'm not done yet."
The creature lunged, and I raised the orb one final time. The shadows erupted outward, not as tendrils but as a massive wave of chaotic energy that consumed the entire platform.
The light from the runes vanished, and the chamber was plunged into darkness.
For a moment, there was silence.
And then, the roar of the Abyss returned.