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 drifted in and out of consciousness.

His body ached, his head throbbed, and every breath felt like fire in his lungs. He was aware of voices around him, but they sounded distant, muffled.

Then, slowly, the fog in his mind began to clear.

The beeping of machines. The smell of antiseptic. The feeling of soft sheets beneath him.

He was in a hospital bed.

His eyes fluttered open, and the first thing he saw was Naina, sitting beside him. She looked exhausted, her usually sharp gaze softened with relief.

"You're awake," she said, her voice steady but laced with concern.

Aryan groaned, trying to sit up, but pain shot through his body. He winced.

"Take it easy," Naina said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You inhaled a lot of smoke. You're lucky to be alive."

Aryan swallowed, his throat dry. "The… killer?"

Naina's jaw tightened. "Gone. Again."

Aryan closed his eyes in frustration. Another chance lost.

Just then, the door swung open, and Karan rushed in, followed closely by Riya.

"Dude!" Karan nearly shouted, his face filled with relief. "You scared the hell out of us!"

Aryan managed a weak smirk. "Guess I have a habit of doing that."

Riya stepped closer, concern in her eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got hit by a truck," Aryan muttered.

Karan shook his head. "A burning hospital room is worse than a truck, man."

Aryan forced himself to focus. "The killer… I saw something."

Aryan took a shaky breath, forcing himself to recall the brief glimpse he had gotten before the fire consumed everything.

"Curly hair," he said, his voice hoarse. "The killer had curly hair."

Silence filled the room as they absorbed the information.

Naina's eyes darkened. "That's something. It's not much, but it's a start."

Karan crossed his arms. "So we're looking for a psychopath with curly hair. Great."

Aryan exhaled. It wasn't much, but it was the first real clue they had.

And they weren't going to waste it.

Chapter 16: The Clue