Chapter 68: The Descent(Continued)

Nathan gasped for air, his body jerking as it hit solid ground. He groaned, disoriented by the fall into the Abyss. Around him, his friends were scattered, groaning in pain as they struggled to get to their feet. The oppressive darkness clung to them, pressing down like a heavy weight.

The faint light Nathan had seen earlier was now a distant flicker in the abyssal horizon. He could barely make out the shadowy silhouettes of his friends, their faces pale and frightened.

"Everyone okay?" Nathan asked, his voice rough.

"I think so," King muttered, pulling himself up. His arms trembled, and Nathan could see his exhaustion. "Where the hell are we?"

"The Abyss," Desire replied, her voice emotionless, but even she looked unsettled. "This is its heart. We may not survive this."

Nathan's sword trembled in his hand, the dark magic of the place reacting to its power. "We have to keep moving. We need to find a way out."

Angel nodded weakly, standing beside Nathan. "I don't know if there is a way out…"

As they began to walk, the ground beneath them shifted. The landscape around them twisted unnaturally, the dark void filled with strange structures and jagged rocks. The once distant flicker of light seemed to warp, moving farther away with each step.

"What is this place doing?" King asked, unnerved by the constant shifting.

Desire's eyes narrowed. "The Abyss plays tricks on your mind. The deeper you go, the more it warps reality."

Nathan gritted his teeth, gripping his sword tighter. "We'll fight through it. We've come too far to give up."

But even as he spoke, he felt the weight of despair creeping into his thoughts. The Abyss seemed alive, feeding off their fear and doubts. His resolve began to falter.

Suddenly, grotesque figures emerged from the shadows—twisted, humanoid forms with hollow eyes and mouths that emitted an eerie, high-pitched wail. They crawled toward the group on all fours, their bodies jerking unnaturally.

"Get ready!" Nathan shouted, raising his sword.

The others braced themselves as the creatures attacked. King unleashed a flurry of punches, his magic flickering weakly around his fists. Desire fought with a cold efficiency, her dark flames incinerating anything that came too close. Angel, however, seemed frozen, her fear palpable as the creatures closed in.

Nathan swung his sword, cutting through the creatures with brutal precision, but they kept coming, their hollow eyes locking onto him.

"Angel, focus!" he yelled, glancing back at her. She was trembling, backing away from the swarm of grotesque beings.

Before she could respond, one of the creatures lunged at her, knocking her to the ground. Its claws dug into her flesh, and she let out a bloodcurdling scream.

Nathan's heart raced as he rushed toward her, his sword cleaving through the creature. "Get up!" he shouted, grabbing her arm and pulling her to her feet.

But it was too late. The wound on her side was deep, blood pouring out rapidly. Angel gasped, clutching the wound as her legs buckled.

"No… no, you're not dying here!" Nathan yelled, his voice cracking with desperation.

King and Desire rushed to his side, their faces grim. They knew what was happening, but there was nothing they could do. Angel's life was slipping away, and the Abyss was already claiming her.

With a shuddering breath, Angel looked up at Nathan, her eyes filled with pain. "I… I'm sorry…"

"No," Nathan whispered, his hands trembling as he tried to stop the bleeding. "Don't you dare say that. You're going to make it."

Angel smiled weakly, her voice barely a whisper. "Take care of… the others…"

And then she was gone. Her body went limp, her eyes staring blankly into the void.

Nathan's chest tightened, and a wave of anger and sorrow washed over him. He screamed, the sound filled with anguish, echoing through the Abyss.

But there was no time to grieve. The creatures were still coming, drawn to the scent of death. Nathan rose to his feet, his sword blazing with newfound fury.

"We have to move," Desire said coldly, though her expression betrayed a flicker of sadness. "There's nothing we can do for her now."

King nodded, his face hardening as he pulled Nathan away from Angel's body. "We'll come back for her. We have to keep going."

But even as they moved, the weight of Angel's death hung over them. Nathan's mind was clouded with guilt and rage, and the Abyss seemed to feed on his turmoil, distorting the landscape even further.

Ahead of them, the faint light flickered again, and this time, Nathan could make out a figure standing within it—an ethereal form, barely visible through the darkness.

It was Angel.

But she wasn't the same.

Her body was translucent, her eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. She raised her hand toward them, her face devoid of emotion.

Nathan's breath caught in his throat. "Angel?"

Desire's voice was sharp. "That's not her."

The figure stepped forward, and the air grew colder. "You should not have come here," she said, her voice echoing unnaturally. "The Abyss does not forgive. It takes… and it never gives back."

Nathan took a step toward her, his mind racing. "Angel, it's me. We're going to get you out of here."

But the figure only shook her head. "I'm not Angel anymore."

And then the darkness around them surged, and the Abyss swallowed them whole.