Into the Abyss

The night had been restless. Even as dawn crept over the horizon, the air remained thick with unease. Kuro sat near the fire, staring at The Eminence resting across his lap. The whispers were louder now, no longer a distant murmur but an insistent presence pressing against his thoughts.

Alice stretched, yawning as she sat up. "So, what's the plan? Track down Lucien and shake some answers out of him?"

Aurora, who had barely slept, glanced at Kuro. "We don't have a choice. That shadow last night… it knew him. Whatever's happening, he understands it better than we do."

Kuro nodded. "Then we move out now."

The group gathered their things and set off, following the trail Lucien had disappeared into the night before. The path wound through a dense forest, the towering trees casting long, eerie shadows. The deeper they went, the quieter the world became—no birds, no wind. Just silence.

Alice shivered. "I hate this place."

Aurora scanned their surroundings warily. "Stay alert. We're being watched."

Kuro could feel it too. The abyss stirred, reacting to something nearby. He tightened his grip on his sword as the whispers coiled around his mind. Closer… deeper… you seek truth?

Then, without warning, the ground beneath them trembled. A surge of black mist erupted from the earth, swirling violently. From its depths, figures emerged—twisted, humanoid creatures with hollow eyes and elongated limbs.

Alice cursed, drawing her daggers. "Of course it's monsters. Why wouldn't it be monsters?"

Aurora loosed an arrow, striking one of the creatures in the head. It staggered but didn't fall. Instead, the mist around it reformed, sealing the wound as if it had never been struck.

Kuro stepped forward, The Eminence pulsing in his hand. The moment he swung, the abyss surged through him. The blade cut through the nearest creature effortlessly, its form unraveling like smoke. The others hesitated, their eyeless faces turning toward him.

They recognized the sword.

The whispers surged again. Command… or be consumed.

Kuro ignored them, raising his weapon. "We finish this fast."

Alice and Aurora flanked him as the creatures lunged. Alice moved like a phantom, her daggers flashing in the dim light. Aurora's arrows struck true, aiming for weak points. But the creatures kept reforming, their mist-like bodies refusing to stay down.

Kuro clenched his jaw. "They won't die like this."

The Eminence burned in his grip, the abyss demanding release. Use us.

A surge of dark energy pulsed from the blade. The mist creatures froze, their bodies convulsing. Then, as if answering an unspoken call, they collapsed inward, consumed by the abyss itself.

Silence returned.

Alice let out a breath. "Okay… that was new."

Aurora stared at Kuro, her expression unreadable. "You controlled it."

Kuro exhaled slowly, the power still thrumming beneath his skin. "I think I'm starting to understand it."

Before anyone could respond, a slow clap echoed through the trees.

Lucien emerged from the shadows, a smirk on his lips. "Impressive. Most would've been devoured by now."

Alice bristled. "You knew this would happen, didn't you?"

Lucien shrugged. "I wanted to see if he was ready."

Aurora took a step forward, anger flashing in her eyes. "Ready for what?"

Lucien met Kuro's gaze. "To wield the abyss properly. The real test starts now."

Kuro narrowed his eyes. "Then start talking."

Lucien's smirk widened. "Gladly. But first… are you prepared to hear the truth?"

The whispers in Kuro's mind grew deafening.

Something told him he wasn't ready for what came next.