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 spent the next two days in the hospital, recovering from the smoke inhalation and his injuries. Karan and Riya stayed by his side, while Naina kept him updated on the case. Despite the tightened security, the killer had escaped once again, leaving no trace behind.

But this time, Aryan had seen something.

The image of the curly-haired figure haunted his thoughts. It wasn't enough to identify the killer, but it was a start.

On the third day, Aryan finally sat up properly. The dizziness had faded, and his strength was returning. He looked around the hospital room and found Karan dozing off on the couch while Riya scrolled through her phone.

"You guys didn't have to stay here the whole time," Aryan said, his voice still hoarse.

Riya looked up and smiled. "Try telling that to Karan. He refused to leave."

Karan stirred at the sound of his name and blinked awake. "You're talking? Good. That means you're not dead."

Karan sat up and rubbed his face. "Man, you seriously need to stop almost dying. It's exhausting."

Riya sighed. "You have no idea how worried we were."

Aryan exhaled. "I know. But we're not done yet. The killer is still out there."

Karan's expression hardened. "And now, he knows that you saw something. That makes you his next target."

Aryan nodded. He had thought the same thing.

At that moment, the door opened, and Naina walked in. She had a serious look on her face, holding a file in her hands.

"How's our hero doing?" she asked, closing the door behind her.

Naina sat down next to his bed and handed him the file. "We went through the employee records of your company and cross-checked with missing persons cases from the last two years."

Aryan flipped through the pages, his eyes scanning the names.

Naina leaned forward. "There's something we didn't notice before. Most of the victims—Meera, Rajat, and a few others—had some kind of interaction with the same person."

Aryan's fingers tightened around the file. "Who?"

"We're still verifying, but one name keeps coming up. And if we're right…" She exhaled sharply. "Then the killer is closer than we ever imagined."

A chill ran down Aryan's spine.

They were finally closing in.

But so was the killer.

Chapter 17: Recovery & Realization