Chapter 39 - The Abyssal Sigil

A few days later...

It was a dark night and everything around was silent. The moon hid behind a thick blanket of clouds, casting an eerie glow on the empty streets. 

In a dimly lit room in the small cottage near the outskirt, Elara gasped awake.

Her breath was ragged, her body ice-cold.

Visions. Shadows. Whispers that did not belong to this world.

The sigil's lingering magic still pulsed within her.

And within her mind, a name echoed—one she recognize, yet it sent shivers down her spine.

"Lucian." She called his name softly.

"What does it mean?" Elara pondered with a hint of confusion running through her mind. She felt as if- the force emanated from that Sigil seems to have something to do with Lucian.

Shocked by her own thought, Elara jumped out of her bed "Ayy why did I throw away that stuff?!" she groaned in frustration due to her carelessness.

Sighing to herself, she mumbled to herself "I need to bring back that Sigil and ask Lucian about it's origin".

Gazing at the window, "It still night time. Going out at this time is really risky". Her brows creased in worry, considering the temple's patrol has been increasing lately.

"I need to find some time to look for the Sigil back". Elara whispered softly.

---

The Sanctum Lumina, the grand ceremonial hall of the Luminaries Temple, stood bathed in a golden radiance. Towering stained-glass windows cast shifting patterns of celestial light across the polished marble floor.

At the heart of the chamber, beneath the sacred statue of the Holy Lord, sat Mother Aveline, the High Priestess of the Luminaries Temple.

She was the highest authority within the temple, yet tonight, she was not alone.

Seated before her in a semicircle were the Council of the Blessed, the governing body of elders who oversaw the High Priests and Priestesses of the Divine Order. Each member bore an air of quiet authority, their flowing robes embroidered with the golden insignia of their respective temples.

The air was tense.

Aveline's gaze swept over the gathered figures before she spoke, her voice measured yet heavy with meaning.

"A shift is happening within our lands."

A murmur rippled through the council.

"What do you mean, High Priestess Aveline?" Bishop Callum, an elder of the Temple of Dawn, leaned forward, concern etched upon his face.

Aveline's fingers traced the edge of the sacred tome before her. "Faith is wavering among our people. Devotees who once walked in the light now whisper in the dark. There have been… small acts of defiance, heretical sects questioning our authority. Rebellions have started brewing in the outskirts."

Bishop Seraphine, a rigid woman known for her unwavering devotion, scoffed. "Faithless cowards. They must be purged before their heresy spreads."

"It is not just doubt," Aveline countered, her voice firm. "It is something far more dangerous. Something hidden beneath the surface."

The chamber fell into a hush.

"Are you suggesting," Callum hesitated, "that there is a force behind this?"

Aveline exhaled slowly. "Perhaps. Or perhaps…" She paused, choosing her words carefully. "It is something ancient that has begun to stir."

A silence settled over the council.

Aveline closed her eyes, recalling a memory she had long buried—one from her youth.

(Flashback)

She had been merely thirteen when she overheard a conversation she was never meant to hear.

Deep within the Divine Archives, hidden behind ancient tomes, she had listened to a gathering of the elders from the previous Order. Their voices had been hushed, urgent.

"The Abyss Lord was not destroyed," one had whispered. "He was sealed. Sealed, but never truly gone."

"The Holy Lord barely managed to banish him. Should the seal ever weaken—should he return—the world will tremble once more."

"We must erase all records of his existence," another had said. "The people must never know. His name must be forgotten."

That day, Aveline had learned a terrifying truth.

Even the Divine Order feared the Abyss.

(End of Flashback)

She opened her eyes, her expression unreadable.

"We must act before it is too late."

Aveline turned toward Priest Aldric, a young but sharp priest from her temple, who had been leading a discreet investigation.

"What have you found?" she asked.

Aldric stepped forward, his expression grim. "While searching the outskirts, near one of the abandoned ruins, we discovered… this."

He lifted his hands.

In his palm rested a small, circular sigil, carved from blackened stone. Ancient symbols spiraled across its surface, shifting as if alive. A faint, eerie pulse of energy emanated from it.

The moment Aveline saw it, a chill ran down her spine.

The Abyssal Sigil.

Gasps echoed through the chamber.

"This… This is impossible!" Bishop Callum recoiled, eyes wide.

Bishop Seraphine's expression darkened. "This symbol is forbidden. It should not exist."

Aveline's voice was grave. "Where did you find it?"

Aldric's hands trembled slightly as he recounted, "We were investigating reports of strange activity near the ruins outside the city. In one of the chambers of the ruins, we found this blackened stone buried in the dirt, as if discarded. Someone must have possessed it recently… and then thrown it away."

"Then someone invoked its power," Aveline concluded. "And they still walk among us."

The council erupted into urgent discussion.

"The Abyss should have perished long ago!"

"Who would dare meddle with such a thing?"

"If this sigil exists, then…"

Aveline silenced them with a raised hand.

Her golden eyes burned with intensity.

"If this sigil has resurfaced, then the Abyss has not been erased from this world. It merely lay dormant."

"We must act swiftly."

The High Priestess rose from her seat, the sigil's eerie glow reflecting in her gaze.

"This investigation must remain in the shadows. We cannot risk panic among our people."

She turned toward the council, her tone unwavering.

"Send word to the other temples. We must begin a discreet purge. Track every whisper of heresy, every sign of corruption. The Luminaries Temple shall lead this crusade."

The council exchanged wary glances but nodded in agreement.

Bishop Seraphine pressed her lips together. "And if we discover the one who invoked this sigil?"

Aveline's expression hardened.

"Then we will do what must be done."

The meeting was adjourned.

As the council members departed, Aveline remained seated, her gaze locked onto the sigil.

She traced her fingers over its surface, the cold stone sending a chill through her fingertips.

The Abyss.

Had it already begun to awaken?

And if so…

Who had called its name?