Chapter 20: A Step into the Abyss

A heavy silence filled the air, thick with the weight of what had just transpired. My fingers trembled slightly as I clenched them into a fist, the remnants of dark energy still flickering around my skin like embers refusing to die. My breathing was slow, controlled—but beneath that calm, a storm churned within me.

The events leading up to this moment had been anything but simple. Power had awakened inside me, raw and untamed, stretching its claws into the deepest recesses of my being. Yet, the more I embraced it, the more I felt the world itself shifting around me.

I glanced around the ruined battlefield, the shattered remains of what had once stood as an unshakable stronghold. The walls, once pristine, bore deep cracks, whispering the tale of a power that should not exist in this world. My power.

And they had seen it.

The watching eyes of my enemies, of my so-called allies, of those who wished to see me fall—they had all borne witness to something beyond their understanding. It was a gamble, revealing even a fraction of what I was capable of, but hesitation had no place in my journey.

Footsteps echoed in the silence, deliberate and slow.

I turned my gaze toward the approaching figure. His presence alone was enough to make the remaining onlookers retreat, their fear evident in the way their bodies tensed. He was tall, draped in obsidian robes embroidered with silver, his expression unreadable beneath the mask of cold authority.

"You've changed," he said, his voice a mixture of curiosity and calculation.

I did not respond immediately. I let the silence stretch, allowing the weight of my presence to settle.

Then, I spoke. "Perhaps."

A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "No, this is more than just a simple change. You are not the same as before."

I narrowed my eyes. "You're observant."

His smirk deepened, but his gaze sharpened. "You can try to conceal it, but we both know something inside you has awakened."

I remained still, my mind racing. He wasn't wrong. The power that had surfaced—this cursed mark entwined with my very existence—had evolved. It was no longer a dormant force lying in wait. It was alive, breathing, demanding to be recognized.

The watching crowd whispered among themselves, uncertainty rippling through them like a plague. Some feared me. Others envied me. But there was one undeniable truth—none of them could ignore me.

The silence shattered as a sudden movement erupted from the shadows. A blur of motion, steel flashing through the air—a blade aimed directly at my throat.

I didn't flinch.

The world slowed as my instincts roared to life. I shifted, tilting my head just enough for the blade to graze past my skin. My arm moved in response, a flicker of dark energy coiling around my fingertips.

Before my attacker could react, I caught his wrist, twisting it with calculated precision. He gasped, the blade slipping from his grasp, and in that moment, I saw it—the raw desperation in his eyes.

"You hesitate," I murmured, my grip tightening. "A fatal mistake."

A pulse of power surged through my palm, and with a single motion, I sent him crashing into the ground. Dust and debris erupted around him as he let out a choked breath, his body convulsing from the impact.

The crowd took a step back, their fear thick in the air.

I exhaled, releasing the remnants of my power. The dark energy dissipated, but its presence lingered, whispering in the back of my mind.

The man in obsidian robes observed in silence before nodding, as if confirming something to himself.

"You are ready," he finally said.

"Ready for what?" I asked, my voice steady.

"For what comes next."

His words held weight, an unspoken truth buried within them. And though I knew I was stepping deeper into a world that did not welcome me, I could not turn back now.

The abyss had opened its arms.

And I was walking straight into it.

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Author's Note

If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to support me with power stones and leave a comment! Your feedback keeps me motivated to continue writing. Let me know what you think of this chapter, and what theories you have for what comes next!