Revelation of the Abyss

Those were exhausting attempts on patience and determination, when each of your feelings tried to penetrate inside. For example, such as this what she felt whenever Ilyana awoke in a certain discomfort,it felt tight or even as something is pushing inward to get outside; fear coexistence with this very taste and longing for eagerness. It was once this mysterious house, one which invited and befogged everything inside and out, a mystery in a good way; but now, every creak and groan, every flickering shadow made this into a fortress, one under siege.

Zarvian, ever vigilant, had become even more watchful. His wild heart now weighed his shoulders like a man always on guard. Ilyana noticed how his eyes darted to every darkened corner or how his hand lingered by the hilt of his sword even in the mansion's corridors.

It changed the forest, that is, beyond what it was before, no longer just that tangle of trees and shadows. Eclipsia was alive, aware of their every movement, and the whispers-a constant now-aided her in sleeping.

One evening, as the sky transformed into deep hues of twilight, Ilyana was drawn to the garden. The air was cool, with a scent of damp earth filling her senses. She needed some space to think about everything that had happened since arriving in this place: the Starfall Realm, the portal, the warnings. It was all too much.

"Ilyana," a soft voice called from behind.

She turned to see Zarvian standing at the edge of the garden, his dark shape a silhouette against dim light seeping out from the mansion windows. There was something almost comforting about him; something also alarming, as though reminding her again of all the peril surrounding their tenuous peace.

"Couldn't catch up?" he said, and stepped closer to her.

She shook her head. "Too much in my head. The portal, the forest, the whispers. It's as if everything's encroaching me."

Zarvian looked at her with a serious face, then nodded. "You see, Ilyana. That is indeed because it is. The forest knows how powerful you are, as do the things beyond. And they watch for one moment of vulnerability."

"Soon," she said, brushing her hair. "So soon, I guess I am exactly a target."

Zarvian smiled slightly. "You've always been a target. You just didn't realize it."

She let out a sigh and her eyes strayed to the forest. The trees stood there silently, their branches groaning in the wind. But there was no comfort in their presence-only an air of foreboding.

"Do you ever wonder if this is all too much?" she asked softly. "If maybe we're not strong enough to face what's coming?"

Zarvian paused. His face said nothing at all, then came forward, low and firm words. "It's not being without doubt, Ilyana. That's strength-standing firm, even when it's scary, and you're stronger than you think."

His words were simple, but full of might, and hit her right on the center. She nodded and strength started pouring from his steadfast presence.

---

Ilyana lay there as a noise struck her which made hairs stand on her arm. Low and guttural, the sound of growling, it had resonated through the walls of her room. Ilyana sat upright with a thumping heart.

Shadows twisted at the borders of her bedroom, unnatural in form and threatening.

Whispers that were hardly audible moments before had become cacophonous voices calling to her.

"Ilyana…," one voice hissed.

"Come to us…," another coaxed.

She gripped the edge of her blanket. Her breaths came fast and shallow. "What do you want from me?" she asked, her voice shaking but unyielding.

The shadows did not reply, but rather extended themselves to cross the room, forming something like human limbs, all part of the fantasy.

Luminous eyes shone through and lit everything within their vision. They bobbed and shook as though barely fastened to earth.

"You cannot conceal what you are," it croaked, a voice that was like a rip in space.

She leaped out of bed, flattened herself against the wall. "What do you mean? What am I?"

"The key," said the figure, looking through her. "The portal, the realm, the forest-they're all tied to you. But that bond comes at a price."

"What price?

The form grew closer still, its looming shape casting her into shadow. "To bear such power is to become a vessel for it. You will be tested, broken, and remade. Only then will you understand the true nature of your destiny."

Ilyana's hands trembled, but she didn't retreat. "And if I refuse?

The figure cocked his head and turned his smile upside down on some shadowy face. "Refusal is not a choice," he said. "Starfall Realm chose you, Ilyana. You belong now to it."He didn't wait for her to say anything in response. He disappeared into shadows, leaving Ilyana alone in the stifling silence of her room.

She elaborated on everything that had happened between them the next day to Zarvin as they sat in that mansion's library. He listened word for word, but his face turned darker.

"It's started," he said grimly.

"What has started?" Ilyana asked on the spot.

"The trials," Zarvian explained. "The Starfall Realm is testing you, putting you to see just how far you'll go for it. And that'll never stop till it gets what it wants."

Ilyana furrowed her brow. "And what does it want?"

Your loyalty, he said. Your submission. The realm feeds on power, and it'll do whatever in its power can to claim that of yours.

She sank back into her chair, his words landing on her like an axe. "What am I supposed to do?"

"You fight," Zarvian growled. "You fight with everything you have. The realm may be powerful, but it is not invincible. It chose you for a reason, Ilyana. That means you have the strength to resist it."

---

Days passed by. She devoted her complete self into practice. She was indeed bringing Zarvian closer to the edges of that arena as much as to her corners of a mind to push her to stand up against that fears, those doubts, those weaknesses.

The mansion became the battlefield and the big halls were resonating with their practice drills. Ilyana's inner bond to the red energy within herself was now keener and more potent because she was able to wield this energy to perfect the control. It flowed within her veins as living force, power, and unyielding strength.

But with every win came new trouble. The whispers grew louder, always there in her head. Shadows inside the mansion began to step a little bolder and a little more purposeful in their movement. And the forest. it had closed in upon them, the distant sounds that had once been easy to ignore now crushing in.

One night, standing on the balcony of the mansion, looking into the moonlit forest, a hand rested upon her shoulder. She turned to find Zarvian staring at her, his expression unreadable.

"You are doing fine," he said.

"Am I?" she asked hesitantly in her voice.

Zarvian nodded. "You have progressed much, Ilyana. But the worst part is yet to come.".

She sighed, her eyes drifting to the forest. "Do you ever wonder if it's all worth it? All this training, all this fighting. What if we're just delaying the inevitable?"

Zarvian's eyes softened. "It's worth it because you're worth it. This world, this fight ,it's nothing without you. Remember that."

His words, simple yet powerful, filled her with a renewed sense of purpose. She nodded, determination blazing in her eyes.

As moonlight flooded the forest with its silvery sheen, Ilyana knew only one thing: she was ready for whatever lay ahead. Starfall Realm had chosen her; now it was her turn to decide her destiny.