Adarsh_Kartik

"Some doors should never be opened. Some secrets should never be uncovered. But when the Abyss calls, no one escapes."

Aryan, an ordinary IT professional, never expected his life to spiral into darkness. When his close friend Meera goes missing, what starts as a simple inquiry turns into a nightmare of blood, deception, and an ancient cult known as The Pendulum of Death.

The deeper Aryan digs, the more horrifying the truth becomes—people disappearing without a trace, ritualistic murders, and a secret that refuses to stay buried. Alongside his loyal friends Karan and Riya, and the sharp-witted police officer Naina, Aryan finds himself on a collision course with a deadly force that transcends reality.

As they uncover the cult’s twisted rituals, hypnotic mind control, and a leader who claims to have touched the Abyss itself, they realize that stopping them means more than just survival—it means preventing an apocalyptic sacrifice.

But when the Cult Leader offers Aryan a choice—become the new vessel or let the world burn—Aryan must face the ultimate truth.

Because the Abyss never truly dies.

And those who stare into it for too long… never return the same.

Shadows Of The Abyss

The next evening, Karan excitedly told Aryan about his conversation with Riya.

"So, get this," Karan said, pacing around their apartment. "Riya's sister is an IPS officer."

Aryan, who was working on his laptop, barely looked up. "That's great, man. At least you'll have someone to bail you out if you get arrested."

Karan rolled his eyes. "Very funny. But seriously, she sounds like a total badass. Riya says she's overprotective, but I think I'll be fine."

Aryan smirked. "Let's see how confident you are when she's actually grilling you."

Karan ignored the comment. "Anyway, I told Riya I wanted to meet her sister soon. Maybe you should come along too. We could use a little backup."

Aryan sighed. "Fine. But if this turns into an interrogation, I'm leaving you there."

The next day, Aryan and Karan arrived at Riya's apartment. Karan was unusually nervous, adjusting his shirt in the mirror by the entrance.

"You're acting like you're meeting her for a marriage proposal," Aryan teased.

Riya opened the door and greeted them with a smile. "Come in, come in."

As they sat on the sofa, Riya called out, "Didi! They're here!"

A voice from the other room responded, "I'll be there in a minute."

Aryan took a sip of water, looking around the apartment. It was well-kept and had a few framed pictures of Riya and her sister. He couldn't see the sister's face clearly, but something about the posture looked… familiar.

Standing before them, in full uniform, was IPS Officer Naina Rathore.

The same Naina he had met at the police station.

The same Naina he had made a complete fool of himself in front of.

The same Naina he couldn't stop thinking about.

For a moment, everything around him blurred. He barely registered Karan standing up, greeting her with a nervous smile.

Naina's eyes flickered with shock as she recognized Aryan.

"You?!" she blurted out, just as Aryan managed to stammer, "You're Riya's sister?!"

Riya looked between them, confused. "Wait… you two know each other?"

Karan smirked, enjoying Aryan's discomfort. "Oh yeah. They've met before."

Naina composed herself quickly, crossing her arms. "Yes. We have."

Aryan's heart was pounding. He had been completely unprepared for this.

Karan leaned closer and whispered in his ear, "Dude… you're screwed."

And for the first time in his life, Aryan completely agreed.

Chapter 11: A Shocking Connection