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

Aryan's body felt heavy, his lungs burning as thick smoke filled the air. He could barely move, barely breathe. His vision blurred, and his body begged him to give in to the darkness.

But somewhere through the chaos, he heard it—

He forced his eyes open, but everything around him was a haze of orange and black. The fire was spreading fast, consuming everything in its path. He could barely make out Rajat's lifeless body on the bed, the blood mixing with the flames.

The killer was gone.

And Aryan was trapped.

Karan and Naina stood in the hallway, watching in horror as the room was engulfed in flames.

"He's still in there!" Karan shouted, his voice panicked.

Naina didn't hesitate. She grabbed a fire extinguisher and tried to push through the heat, but the fire was too intense.

The hospital's fire alarms blared, and the sprinklers kicked in, but the flames refused to die down.

"Dammit!" Naina cursed. She turned to the officers. "We need a way inside, now!"

Karan clenched his fists. "We don't have time! If we don't get him out, he's—"

Before he could finish, there was a crash.

The glass shattered.

And through the smoke, they saw him—Aryan, barely standing, blood trickling from a wound on his forehead.

He stumbled out of the room, coughing violently, before collapsing to his knees.

Karan rushed forward and grabbed him. "I got you, man. Stay with me."

Aryan's breathing was ragged. His mind was fading in and out, but he managed to whisper, "Curly hair…"

Naina knelt beside him, her face filled with concern. "What?"

Aryan's eyes fluttered as he fought to stay conscious.

"The killer…" he gasped. "Curly… hair…"

And then, everything went black.

Chapter 15: Aryan’s Near-Death Experience