The air crackled with residual energy as Kaida and Ryven stood at the ruins of the Oblivion Spire. Smoke rose from its shattered remains, forming ethereal tendrils that coiled toward the storm-ravaged sky. The faint glow in Kaida's hands persisted, pulsing in rhythm with her heartbeat—a reminder of the Abyss's choice.
"We should move," Ryven said, glancing uneasily at the Spire's remains. "Whatever you've taken from the Abyss... it's bound to attract attention."
Kaida nodded, her gaze lingering on the horizon. Despite their victory, unease weighed heavily on her. Her brother, Kael, was still missing, and Isolde's fate remained unclear.
As they began their descent from the Spire, a low rumble echoed through the ground, halting their steps. Kaida spun around, her senses heightened. From the rubble emerged a figure shrouded in black smoke. Its shape was vaguely humanoid, but its presence was otherworldly, exuding a palpable aura of malice.
"Did you think it would be that simple?" a voice hissed. The figure stepped forward, its form solidifying into a familiar silhouette.
"Isolde," Kaida breathed, her voice a mixture of relief and dread.
Her sister's armor was cracked, her sword shattered, but her eyes burned with an intensity that sent chills down Kaida's spine. The Abyss had not let her go—it had claimed her in a way far more insidious.
"You stole what was meant to be mine," Isolde snarled, her voice distorted, as if layered with the echoes of a thousand souls. "But the Abyss does not forgive. And it never forgets."
Kaida raised her hands defensively, the silvery glow surging to life. "The Abyss chose me, Isolde. You need to let it go."
"Let it go?" Isolde's laugh was hollow and twisted. "You think this is about choice? The Abyss doesn't choose—it consumes. And now, it's my turn to take what's owed to me."
Without warning, Isolde lunged, her movements unnaturally fast. Kaida barely had time to react, raising her hands to form a barrier of light. The impact sent her skidding backward, her boots scraping against the rocky terrain.
Ryven stepped in, his sword drawn, but a wave of dark energy from Isolde sent him flying. He crashed into a boulder with a sickening thud, slumping to the ground unconscious.
"Ryven!" Kaida cried, panic flaring in her chest.
Isolde advanced, her steps deliberate. The Abyss's corruption radiated from her like heat from a forge, warping the air around her. Kaida's mind raced. She couldn't match Isolde's raw power, but perhaps she didn't need to.
---
Kaida focused on the connection between her and the Abyss. The silvery glow in her hands wasn't just a weapon—it was a lifeline, a bridge between her and the chaotic force she now carried.
"I won't fight you, Isolde," she said, lowering her hands. "This ends now."
Isolde hesitated, confusion flickering across her face. "You think surrender will save you? You're more foolish than I thought."
Kaida took a step forward, her voice steady. "This isn't about saving myself. It's about saving us. The Abyss doesn't belong to either of us—it's bigger than that."
Isolde's expression twisted with rage. "Lies!" she screamed, unleashing a torrent of dark energy.
Kaida braced herself, reaching deep within for the Abyss's light. Instead of countering the attack, she absorbed it, the silvery glow intensifying as it swallowed Isolde's darkness.
The energy built to a crescendo, enveloping them both in a blinding light.
---
When the light faded, Kaida found herself in a vast, featureless expanse of white. Isolde stood before her, no longer clad in armor or shrouded in darkness. She looked like the sister Kaida remembered—vulnerable, uncertain, and very human.
"Where are we?" Isolde asked, her voice trembling.
Kaida approached cautiously. "Inside the Abyss, I think. Or maybe... beyond it."
A deep voice resonated around them, the same voice that had overseen their trial. "You have reached the Abyss's heart," it said. "What happens next is up to you."
Isolde turned to Kaida, desperation in her eyes. "Don't trust it. The Abyss lies—it twists everything."
Kaida regarded her sister carefully. Despite everything, she saw the pain and fear beneath Isolde's anger. "We don't have to fight anymore," she said softly. "Let me help you."
For a moment, Isolde hesitated. But before she could respond, the Abyss's voice cut through the stillness.
"One must stay. One must leave. Such is the balance."
Kaida's heart sank. "What do you mean?"
"The Abyss cannot release both of you. One will bear its power. The other will bear its consequences."
Isolde's eyes widened in realization. "It's a trick," she said, backing away. "It wants us to destroy each other."
Kaida looked at her sister, a painful clarity settling over her. "No," she said. "It wants us to choose."
---
The weight of the Abyss's words pressed down on Kaida. Could she sacrifice herself to save Isolde? Or could she trust her sister to wield the Abyss's power responsibly?
Her thoughts turned to Ryven, to her brother, Kael, still trapped in the Abyss's grasp. If she stayed, she could never save him. But if she left, could she live with the consequences?
Kaida stepped forward, her decision made.
---
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