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

The underground chamber reeked of decay.

Karan and Riya stepped cautiously into the dark space, their footsteps echoing off the stone walls. The flickering light of their flashlights illuminated rows of human skulls, each one stacked neatly against the walls, staring at them with hollow, lifeless eyes.

A massive cauldron sat in the center of the chamber, filled with a thick, boiling black liquid that bubbled ominously. Strange symbols were etched into the ground, forming a grotesque pattern of spirals and jagged lines.

Riya swallowed hard. "This… this isn't just a hideout."

Karan exhaled. "It's a ritual site."

Then, his eyes landed on an old wooden box resting atop an altar.

The words carved into it sent a chill down his spine.

Beneath it, in dried blood, another phrase was scrawled:

Karan turned to Riya. "Who the hell is the Gatekeeper?"

Riya's fingers trembled as she touched the words. "I don't know. But if they've left this here… it means we're meant to find him."

Karan lifted the heavy lid of the box, revealing a single aged parchment.

It was covered in ancient text and symbols, written in a language neither of them recognized. But at the top, in bold letters, one phrase stood out:

"The Abyss does not forgive. The Abyss does not forget."

Karan grabbed his phone and took photos of the parchment before closing the box. "We need answers."

Riya nodded, her voice barely a whisper. "We need to find the Gatekeeper."

Chapter 37: The Hidden Research