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

Karan stood frozen in the middle of the bustling street, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Riya was gone.

His heart pounded in his chest as the image of the black van speeding away burned into his mind. He had just been standing beside her. Just seconds ago, she was right there. And now—

His hands shook as he redialed Naina's number. She picked up instantly.

"Karan, where are you?" Her voice was sharp, controlled.

Karan barely recognized his own voice when he spoke. "She—she was just here. The van—it was parked across the street. I turned for one second, and she was gone!"

"Calm down, Karan. Think. What direction did the van go?"

Karan spun in circles, his vision blurry with panic. "I—I don't know! It just disappeared into traffic."

There was silence on the line. Then Naina spoke, her voice firm and commanding.

"Listen to me. We will find her. But you need to focus. Go to the nearest CCTV camera—NOW."

Karan's legs moved before his mind caught up. He ran toward a small electronics shop with a security camera pointed toward the road. Barging inside, he slammed his hands on the counter.

"Your CCTV footage—I need it! NOW!"

The shopkeeper looked startled. "What? Why?"

Karan barely contained his frustration. "My girlfriend was just KIDNAPPED. A black van took her! Check your cameras!"

At that moment, Naina arrived.

She flashed her badge. "Do as he says."

The shopkeeper didn't waste another second. He quickly pulled up the footage, rewinding to the last few minutes. Karan's heart hammered as he watched the screen.

And then—there it was.

Riya, standing at the ice cream stall.

Karan, just a few feet away, checking his phone.

And then, the moment everything went wrong.

A man wearing a mask stepped up behind her, grabbing her in one swift motion.

She struggled. Her mouth opened to scream—

But he covered her face with a cloth.

Within seconds, her body went limp.

Another man opened the van's door, and the masked figure shoved her inside.

Karan's stomach twisted painfully. He had been right there. And he had missed it.

Naina rewound the footage and paused. Her eyes locked onto the masked man.

And there, peeking out from beneath the mask—

A few strands of curly hair.

Karan's fists clenched. "It's him."

Naina's face hardened. "We have a lead. And we're not stopping until we find him."

Karan swallowed hard, his body trembling with rage.

"We have to save her."

And this time—he wouldn't fail.

Chapter 19: Karan’s Panic