The camp was quiet after the coalition's retreat, but the air was heavy with tension. The Dominion's disciples moved with caution, their eyes betraying a mix of triumph and unease. The Abyssal Shard had proven its worth in battle, but its presence cast a shadow that even the victory couldn't dispel.
Kael stood at the edge of the Obsidian Altar, staring at the shard in his hand. Its glow was faint but steady, its energy thrumming in time with his heartbeat. The Abyss's whispers had grown quieter since the battle, but they lingered at the edges of his mind, waiting for the right moment to strike.
Ryn approached cautiously, her blade resting against her hip. "You've been staring at that thing for hours. What's it telling you now?"
Kael didn't look at her. "It's not what it's saying. It's what it's not saying."
Ryn frowned. "That's… not comforting."
Kael finally turned to face her. "The shard isn't just a weapon. It's something more. And the Abyss… it's hiding something."
The Sovereign's Directive
The Sovereign summoned Kael, Ryn, and Sylas to the altar that evening. His crimson eyes burned faintly in the dim light, his presence commanding as always. Zereth and the Shadowspire emissaries lingered in the background, their expressions unreadable.
"The coalition's defeat has bought us time, but not peace," the Sovereign began. "They will regroup, and they will come for us again. We must not allow them to gain the upper hand."
Sylas leaned casually against a pillar, their tone light. "What's the plan, oh fearless leader? Another shard? A secret weapon? Or do we just keep punching until they fall?"
The Sovereign ignored the remark, his gaze fixed on Kael. "The shard has unlocked a new path—a way to deepen our connection to the Abyss and secure our dominance."
Kael frowned. "And what's the cost?"
The Sovereign's eyes narrowed slightly. "All power demands sacrifice. The Abyss has chosen you, Kael. It will show you the way."
Kael hesitated, the shard's faint glow intensifying in his hand. "What if the way leads to something we can't control?"
The Sovereign's voice was steady. "Then you will ensure that it does not."
The Abyss Unveiled
The shard's energy grew stronger as Kael followed the Sovereign's directive. It led him to a hidden chamber beneath the Obsidian Altar, a place where the shadows moved with a life of their own. The air was thick with Abyssal energy, the whispers louder here, almost deafening.
Ryn and Sylas accompanied him, their expressions wary. Sylas peered at the shifting shadows with faint amusement. "This place just screams 'bad idea,' doesn't it?"
Ryn shot him a look. "Not helping."
Kael stepped forward, the shard glowing brightly in his hand. The shadows parted before him, revealing a pedestal at the center of the chamber. On it rested a circular artifact—a ring carved from black stone, its surface etched with glowing red runes.
"The Ring of Dominion," Kael said, his voice barely above a whisper. The name had come to him unbidden, the Abyss's whispers guiding his thoughts.
Ryn frowned. "What is it?"
Kael hesitated. "A key. Or a chain. Maybe both."
A Dangerous Revelation
As Kael reached for the ring, the Abyss surged within him, its whispers coalescing into a single, resonant voice. "You seek control, but the Abyss cannot be bound. It consumes, and it creates."
The moment Kael touched the ring, visions flooded his mind. He saw the wasteland consumed by shadow, its cities and sects crumbling under the weight of the Abyss's power. He saw himself standing at the center of it all, the shard and ring glowing brightly in his hands.
But he also saw the cost—disciples falling to the Abyss's influence, their humanity stripped away. He saw Ryn turning her blade on him, her eyes filled with sorrow and anger. And he saw the Sovereign, his crimson eyes burning with triumph, standing over a shattered wasteland.
The visions faded, leaving Kael breathless. The ring pulsed faintly in his hand, its energy resonating with the shard. The Abyss's voice echoed in his mind. "You are the key. But the lock is not yet complete."
Ryn's Growing Doubts
Ryn watched Kael silently as they returned to the surface. His grip on the shard and the ring was tight, his expression distant. She could see the strain in his eyes, the weight of the Abyss pressing down on him.
"You saw something," she said finally.
Kael glanced at her but didn't respond.
Ryn stepped closer, her voice firm. "You can't shut me out, Kael. If this thing is going to destroy you, I need to know."
Kael sighed, his shoulders sagging. "I saw what the Abyss wants. What it could do. And what it might make me do."
Ryn's gaze softened. "Then we fight it. Together."
Kael shook his head. "It's not that simple. The Abyss… it's not just a force. It's a choice. And I don't know if I can make the right one."
Sylas's Warning
Later that night, Sylas approached Kael as he stood alone near the edge of the altar. The moonlight cast long shadows across the camp, the shard's glow faint but steady in his hand.
"You're carrying a lot, Kael," Sylas said, their tone uncharacteristically serious. "Too much, maybe."
Kael glanced at them. "You think I should put it down?"
Sylas tilted their head. "I think you should decide what you're carrying it for. The Abyss doesn't care about you, you know. It's not your friend. It's just hungry."
Kael frowned. "Then why does it need me?"
Sylas's smile was faint and enigmatic. "Maybe it doesn't. Maybe you're just the one who picked it up."
The Path Forward
The Sovereign gathered the disciples the next day, his presence as commanding as ever. The coalition's defeat had bought them time, but the Sovereign's focus was on the future.
"The Abyss grows restless," he said. "It demands more. And we will give it what it seeks."
Kael stood at the forefront of the gathering, the shard and ring pulsing faintly at his side. The Abyss's whispers were louder now, their tone more insistent.
Ryn stood beside him, her hand on her blade. "Whatever happens, we face it together."
Kael nodded, though the weight of the Abyss still pressed heavily on him. The Dominion's path was dark, but Kael knew one thing for certain—the Abyss's demands were far from over.
End of Chapter 37