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

That night, back at the police station, Naina sent the locket for forensic analysis while Aryan, Karan, and Riya sat in the briefing room.

Naina re-entered the room, holding her phone. Her expression was unreadable.

She turned the phone around and showed them a text message.

"V is dead. Proceed accordingly."

A heavy, unsettling silence.

Aryan's stomach dropped.

Karan's hands clenched into fists. "What the hell does that mean?"

Naina's face was grim. "It means someone else was involved. And they're already moving forward with whatever plan they had."

Riya's voice was barely above a whisper. "It's not over."

Aryan stared at the words on the screen. His mind raced with possibilities.

If the killer had been part of something bigger…

What were they dealing with?

And more importantly—who had sent this message?

Naina deleted the text immediately and pulled out her own encrypted device. She quickly traced the number, but the result was exactly what she had feared.

"They're covering their tracks," she muttered.

Aryan exhaled. "So, what do we do?"

Naina's eyes narrowed. "We find them. Before they find us."

Later that night, Aryan sat on his bed in the apartment, staring at the locket. Turning it over in his hands.

Karan sat across from him, silent.

Riya had gone to bed early. She barely spoke the entire night.

Aryan looked up. "None of us are."

"But it's different for her," Karan muttered. "She was kidnapped, tortured, almost killed… this doesn't just go away."

Because deep down, he knew Karan was right.

This wasn't something Riya—or any of them—could move on from.

Not when it was still happening.

Karan ran a hand through his hair. "So, what now?"

Aryan held up the locket. "This is our only clue. We find out who these people are."

"We end this. For good."

In a darkened room, a figure sat in front of a large screen. Multiple live surveillance feeds flickered across it, showing different locations across the city.

A soft chime echoed in the silent space.

The figure tapped on their phone. A message appeared.

"The Abyss is watching. The hunt begins."

The figure smirked, their fingers tracing the edge of a silver pendant.

The same pendant Aryan had found in the locket.

"The next phase is ready."

The figure leaned back, watching the screens with cold amusement.

Because the game was far from over.

Chapter 31 - The Message