The Truth That Should Not Be
Chapter 67: Into the Abyss
Darkness swallowed him whole.
Hyun's body felt weightless, adrift in an endless void where time and space had no meaning. There was no up or down, no ground beneath his feet, no sky above his head—only the suffocating embrace of the abyss.
Pain pulsed through his chest, spreading like poison through his veins. His fingers twitched, reaching for something—anything—but all he grasped was emptiness. His own breath echoed around him, shallow and strained.
Then, a voice.
Soft. Familiar. Terrifying.
"Did you really think you could escape?"
Hyun's eyes snapped open.
In front of him stood a figure cloaked in shadows, its form shifting and twisting like a living nightmare. It had no face, yet he could feel its gaze piercing through him, weighing down his soul.
"You are nothing but a fracture in time," the entity whispered. "An anomaly that was never meant to exist."
Hyun clenched his fists. His golden energy flared weakly around him, flickering like a dying flame. "I don't care what you think I am. I will not disappear."
The figure chuckled. "Oh, but you already are."
Hyun's body convulsed. A sharp, unbearable force dragged at him, tearing him apart piece by piece. His memories unraveled—Yuna's smile, her laughter, the warmth of her touch—all slipping through his fingers like sand.
"No—!" He fought, struggled, but the abyss was relentless. The world around him cracked, distorted, dissolving into nothingness.
And then—
A light.
Faint. Distant. But real.
Yuna's voice cut through the void. "Hyun! Find me!"
His breath hitched. That wasn't a memory.
That was real.
Summoning every ounce of strength left in his body, Hyun reached toward the light. The abyss roared in protest, its darkness tightening around him, but he pushed forward. His golden energy reignited, bursting to life with a force he didn't know he still had.
The voice of the abyss twisted into something else—fear.
"No. This is impossible."
Hyun's eyes burned with determination. "Nothing is impossible. Not if I can still hear her. Not if she's waiting for me."
The golden light intensified, swallowing the darkness whole. The abyss screamed, its tendrils writhing and retreating as Hyun propelled himself forward. The void trembled, cracks of pure light breaking through the endless blackness.
And then—
A hand.
Yuna's hand, reaching for him through the blinding glow.
Without hesitation, Hyun grasped it.
And everything shattered.
Chapter 68: Beyond the Abyss
The blinding light engulfed Hyun as his fingers tightened around Yuna's hand. Warmth surged through his body, chasing away the lingering chill of the abyss. For a brief moment, everything was silent.
Then, the world burst back into motion.
Hyun and Yuna tumbled onto solid ground, their breaths ragged. The golden glow around them faded slowly, revealing a landscape that was both familiar and alien. Towering trees with shimmering leaves stretched toward a twilight sky streaked with colors Hyun had never seen before.
"Hyun…" Yuna's voice trembled as she sat up, her eyes scanning their surroundings. "Where are we?"
Hyun pushed himself to his feet, his legs unsteady. "I don't know," he admitted, his voice hoarse. "But we're not in the abyss anymore."
Before Yuna could respond, a distant roar shook the air. The ground beneath them rumbled, and Hyun instinctively stepped in front of her, his golden energy flickering back to life.
From the horizon, a shadow loomed—a massive, serpentine creature with eyes that glowed like molten lava. Its scales shimmered with an unnatural light as it slithered toward them, its movements swift and predatory.
"Hyun…" Yuna's voice was barely a whisper. "What is that?"
He didn't answer. There wasn't time. The creature let out another ear-splitting roar, its fiery gaze locking onto them.
"Run!" Hyun shouted, grabbing Yuna's hand and pulling her away as the ground erupted behind them. Debris rained down, but Hyun's focus was on the path ahead, weaving through the towering trees as the creature closed in.
"We can't outrun it!" Yuna cried, her voice laced with panic.
Hyun's mind raced. They needed a plan—anything to give them an edge. He glanced around desperately, his eyes catching the faint glow of a crystalline structure in the distance. It stood tall, its surface reflecting the strange hues of the sky.
"There!" he shouted, pointing toward it. "We need to reach that!"
Yuna didn't hesitate, following his lead as they sprinted toward the structure. The creature roared again, the heat of its breath searing the air around them. Hyun gritted his teeth, pushing his body to its limits.
As they neared the crystalline structure, a barrier of light suddenly shimmered into existence, stopping the creature in its tracks. It recoiled with a deafening screech, its molten eyes narrowing as it circled the edge of the barrier, unable to pass through.
Hyun and Yuna stumbled inside, collapsing onto the smooth, glowing floor. Their breaths came in sharp gasps as the barrier pulsed with energy, keeping the creature at bay.
"What… is this place?" Yuna murmured, her voice barely audible.
Hyun shook his head, his eyes scanning the intricate patterns carved into the crystal walls. "I don't know," he said softly. "But I think… we were meant to find it."
As if in response to his words, the center of the structure began to glow, a soft hum filling the air. Hyun and Yuna exchanged a glance, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten.
"Hyun," Yuna whispered, her hand reaching for his. "What if this is the key to ending all of this?"
He looked at her, his resolve hardening. "Then we'll find out. Together."
The hum grew louder, the light intensifying as the structure began to reveal its secrets.
Chapter 69: The Truth That Should Not Be
The darkness lifted, but something was wrong.
Hyun groaned as he pushed himself up, his body aching from the force of their fall. The golden structure around them pulsed with an eerie light, but the air felt… different. Heavy. As if the world itself was holding its breath.
Yuna stirred beside him, her fingers clutching at his sleeve. "Hyun… this place…"
He helped her up, his senses screaming at him to stay alert. The chamber they had entered was massive, its walls adorned with intricate golden symbols that shimmered like stars. But the most disturbing part was the center of the room.
A throne.
And on it sat… Hyun.
His breath caught in his throat. The figure on the throne was identical to him in every way—his face, his posture, even the way his golden energy flickered. But his eyes… his eyes were empty. Hollow. As if something had stripped the very soul from him.
Yuna gasped, stepping back. "Hyun… what is this?"
The figure slowly lifted his gaze, an eerie smile spreading across his lips. "You shouldn't be here."
Hyun's fists clenched. "Who—what are you?"
The other Hyun rose from the throne, his movements slow and deliberate. "I am what you were meant to become. The true guardian of this world. The version of you that accepted his fate."
A cold dread coiled in Hyun's stomach. "That's impossible."
The other Hyun tilted his head. "Is it? You defied fate. You refused to let go. And now, you've broken something that was never meant to be touched."
The walls of the chamber pulsed violently, as if reality itself was reacting to the confrontation.
Yuna grabbed Hyun's hand. "We need to leave. Now."
But the other Hyun took a step forward. "You can't leave. Not anymore. There can't be two of us."
The moment the words left his lips, the chamber trembled, golden symbols morphing into dark veins of corruption. The air became suffocating, pressing against Hyun's chest.
Then—
The other Hyun attacked.
A shockwave of golden energy exploded from him, forcing Hyun and Yuna backward. Hyun barely managed to throw up a barrier, but cracks splintered through it instantly.
The other Hyun smirked. "You're weak. That's why fate abandoned you."
Hyun gritted his teeth. "I won't let fate decide who I am."
The air around them ignited with energy as the two versions of Hyun faced each other, the final battle for existence about to begin.