In the Abyss

Andre felt severe pain shooting through his leg, a sharp sensation that took away his ability to breathe. He suppressed a scream, his sight filled with floating spots.

Where was he? The world was pitch black, with no hint of even a small glimmer of light. The deafening silence was more unbearable than any shout, making the throbbing in his head and the rough sound of his own breath louder.

Fear gripped him tightly, like a chilling snake constricting around his throat as time passed. He attempted to shift position and stand, but was stopped by another sharp wave of pain that caused his leg to collapse. He slammed down onto the merciless earth, letting out a primal groan.

Broken. There was no doubt that his leg was broken. The realization struck him as if he had been physically hit. Locked in a lonely, stifling darkness with a nonfunctional leg. This was the way in which he was going to meet his end. A feeble noise slipped out of his mouth, sounding pitiful in the vast void

However, a small glimmer of rebellion, a mere spark, burned inside him. Not a chance. He refused to leave like a cowardly dog. He gritted his teeth as he pushed himself up, utilizing his arms to gain leverage. The agony burned like a blazing fire, ready to devour him, yet he paid no attention to it. He needed to leave this place.

He tripped ahead, relying on his uninjured leg for support. Every single move was a torturous challenge, examining his determination. His head was spinning, with sweat causing a stinging sensation in his eyes. However, he continued forward, driven by a basic instinct to stay alive.

His foot bumped into a solid, metal object. Revenant was there, its comforting heaviness acting as an anchor in the overwhelming darkness. He let out a brief sigh of relief. He wasn't totally without weapons, at the very least.

His foot struck a hard, metallic object. In the oppressive darkness, Revenant's comforting heaviness gave a sense of stability. He let out a small sob of relief. He was not entirely without weapons.

Bending over, he extended his hand and felt the cold metal of the handle beneath his fingertips.

It felt solid, reassuring. With a renewed surge of determination, he straightened, the world tilting precariously around him. He had to find a way out of this darkness, even if it meant crawling on his broken leg. He wouldn't give in. Not yet.

He walked around and in the oppressive darkness, time lost all significance. Every painful step seemed to drag on forever. Andre's throat felt dry like a desert, while his stomach was empty and constantly reminded him of his weakening body. He tripped and fell against the cold, unyielding surface of a wall. The confident arrogance he had shown before had disappeared, replaced by intense, instinctual terror.

"Why me?" he rasped into the abyss, his voice cracking with desperation. "Why does this always happen to me? Are the gods playing some cruel joke?"

The endless darkness swallowed his words as they echoed back to him. Suddenly, a small point of light broke through the darkness, a small sign of resistance in the overwhelming darkness. Hope, a delicate spark, ignited inside of him.

Using the wall as a crutch, he limped towards the light, his injured leg pulsating rhythmically in the quiet. As he approached, the light's origin became clear: the familiar crystal shape of a magi shard, sparkling with a mystical yin-yang radiance. It throbbed with a slight heat, a guiding light in the never-ending darkness.

He was startled by a sound, a whisper that appeared to come from the shard.

"Hi."

Andre felt his heart pounding in his chest as he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Was he losing his mind? Was the darkness playing tricks on his vulnerable ass.

"Hey, down here." The voice, small and melodic, came again. Andre cautiously lowered his gaze back to the shard. The voice, somehow, seemed to be coming from… it.

"Over here," it urged, the light pulsing in a strange rhythm.

Andre's mind felt overwhelmed, on the verge of exploding. Was he hallucinating? Had the ordeal pushed him over the edge? But the shard, the light, it felt real, tangible. With a shaky hand, he reached out, his fingers brushing the cool surface. The voice didn't flinch.

Andre took a deep breath before coming to a conclusion. He was in despair, and honestly, he had nothing left to lose. Removing Revenant from its sheath, he presented it, with the shard floating in front of it. The brightness of the light increased, twirling at the bottom of the sword's handle where there was a solitary crystal.

With a single click, the crystal was released and the shard, directed by an invisible power, settled into position. As it happened, the usual hold of Revenant changed, with pointed spikes emerging from the metal, piercing his palm and causing a drop of blood to form.

He let out a gasp, which was soon overpowered by a powerful voice that resonated deep within him.

"Finally. Welcome, Andre," the voice rumbled, deep and powerful. "I am Revenant, your sword."

Andre's mouth hung open as he gazed at Revenant or whatever this was. His mind struggled to understand the strange transformation happening to his sword, as a voice emerged from it. "What... what are you?" he stuttered, the words getting stuck in his parched throat.

"A weapon," Revenant boomed, the voice resonating within his very bones, "but not just any weapon. I am a conduit. And now, thanks to you," the shard pulsed with an otherworldly light, "I am complete."

A conduit?" Andre repeated, the word foreign on his tongue. "Complete with what? That… that magic rock?"

A hint of amusement, if a sentient sword could be amused, filtered through Revenant's voice. "Indeed. That, Andre, is a yin-yang magi shard. The rarest, most powerful shard in existence."

Andre wrinkled his forehead. Magi shards, he remembered them from his time in the Academy. However, a fragment similar to this one, possessing two different qualities like yin and yang, was overwhelming his thoughts with its possible meanings.

Revenant kept going, "Lucky you are to have found me," Revenant continued, the light emanating from the shard intensifying. As it did, the surrounding darkness receded, revealing… a place.

Not the damp, cramped cave Andre anticipated, but a room. An impressive, extensive room made from shiny, refined obsidian. Statues of impressive figures, likely ancient mages, decorated the walls, their aged faces carved with a supernatural wisdom. Far away, elaborate murals with intricate carvings illustrated scenes of great magical strength.

Andre opened his eyes quickly, his sight adapting to the sudden brightness. "Where...where are we?" he whispered, his voice reverberating in the expansive chamber.

"Below the Azure Empire," Revenant rumbled, "deep within the very heart of the world. The Catacombs of the Shadowguard.