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 hospital was locked down. Security was tightened at every entrance, officers were stationed along the hallways, and Rajat Verma's room was under constant surveillance.

But Aryan wasn't convinced it was enough.

The killer had been too precise, too careful. If he had managed to kill so many victims without leaving a trace, what was stopping him from getting to Rajat?

Karan paced outside the hospital room, his arms crossed. "I don't like this. It feels too… easy."

Aryan sighed. "The killer gave us 24 hours. That means he's already planned something. We just don't know what."

Naina, standing beside them, had her eyes on her phone, tracking the security feed. "We have officers at every entry point. There's no way he's getting in."

Aryan nodded, but a sinking feeling remained in his chest. This wasn't over.

The clock ticked down. One hour left.

Aryan and Karan remained on high alert outside the hospital room, while Naina coordinated with her officers. Every minute felt like an eternity.

Then, everything happened at once.

A blood-curdling scream echoed through the corridor.

Aryan and Karan spun around just as two officers collapsed to the ground—knocked unconscious.

The hospital lights flickered, and for a split second, the security cameras went black.

Then came the most horrifying sound—Rajat screaming from inside his room.

Aryan lunged for the door and pushed it open.

Through the dim light, he saw him.

A man in a hoodie, standing over Rajat's hospital bed, a knife pressed against his throat.

For a split second, Rajat's terrified eyes met Aryan's. He tried to scream, but the blade sliced across his neck.

Blood sprayed across the white sheets.

Aryan shouted in rage and ran forward, but before he could grab the killer, an explosion of fire erupted in the room.

The killer had set the place on fire.

The flames spread rapidly, engulfing the bed, the walls—everything.

Aryan felt the heat scorch his skin as he lunged through the smoke, grabbing for the killer's hoodie—

For one second, he caught a glimpse of something.

Then, the killer yanked away and disappeared into the fire.

Aryan stumbled backward, coughing as the smoke overwhelmed him. His vision blurred.

The last thing he heard was Naina's voice shouting his name before everything went black.

Chapter 14: The Murder at the Hospital