Chapter 48: The Unholy Choice

The sigil glowed brighter, the very air thickening with heat and darkness.

The Abyss was opening.

Aryan stood before the Cult Leader, his breath shallow, his body frozen. The Leader's silver mask gleamed in the flickering light, the hypnotic pendulum swinging in his hand.

The Cult Leader's voice was soft, persuasive, deadly.

"You can stop this, Aryan."

Aryan's fists clenched.

The Leader tilted his head. "All you have to do is take my place."

The words hung in the air.

A cruel invitation.

A chance to end it all… but at what cost?

Aryan's heart hammered.

He knew what this meant.

If he accepted, he would become the next leader.

The cycle would continue.

And the Abyss would still take what it was owed.

Aryan's voice was firm.

"No."

The Cult Leader sighed, shaking his head.

"Foolish boy."

Then—

The pendulum swung faster.

Aryan's vision blurred.

His mind went blank.

The world around him faded into nothingness.

Only the Cult Leader's voice remained.

"Aryan…"

The voice slithered through his mind.

"You will listen."

Aryan's body stiffened.

His eyes darkened.

The Cult Leader smiled beneath his mask.

"Now," he whispered, "kill them."

Naina, Karan, and Riya struggled against the cultists holding them.

Two masked figures each restrained them, their grips iron-strong.

Naina's eyes locked onto Aryan.

Something was wrong.

Aryan's hands twitched.

He turned toward her—his expression empty, devoid of life.

The knife in his hand glinted in the firelight.

He took a step forward.

Naina's heart ached.

"Aryan?" she whispered.

His footsteps didn't stop.

Another step closer.

Karan struggled violently. "Damn it, Aryan! Snap out of it!"

Riya's voice trembled. "He's—he's not hearing us!"

Naina closed her eyes.

She knew.

There was no way out.

And if she was going to die, she wanted it to be by his hands—not theirs.

Her lips parted slightly.

And she whispered—

"Kill me."

Aryan raised the knife.

Karan and Riya screamed.

Naina's breath slowed.

Then—

Something flickered in Aryan's eyes.

For a moment—**just a split second—**the Leader lost his grip on the hypnosis.

A single ember burned in Aryan's gaze.

And that was enough.

The knife trembled in Aryan's hand.

His vision cleared.

His heartbeat thundered.

And the truth hit him like a crashing wave.

He had been seconds away from killing Naina.

His hands shook violently.

The Cult Leader's voice wavered. "No… No, no, no."

Aryan turned sharply.

His eyes burned with fury.

His fingers tightened around the blade.

And before the Cult Leader could react—

Aryan lunged.

The knife sank into the Leader's stomach.

Then—again.

And again.

And again.

Aryan's rage took over.

The Cult Leader staggered back, choking, gasping.

Aryan grabbed him by the collar of his robe, pulling him closer.

His voice was cold, unwavering.

"Burn in your own damn Abyss."

With a final roar, Aryan shoved the Leader into the fire.

The flames consumed him instantly.

His screams echoed through the temple, twisting into something inhuman.

And then—

Something terrifying happened.

The moment the Leader fell into the flames, the other cultists stopped moving.

Their bodies tensed.

Their empty, hollow eyes turned toward the fire.

One by one—they stepped forward.

And walked into the flames.

Their robes ignited instantly, their bodies turning to ashes before they even hit the ground.

Yet, they kept walking.

As if they had no choice.

As if they were following their master.

And then—

The ground shook.

The sigil cracked, splitting apart.

A thunderous roar erupted from beneath the temple.

The Abyss was collapsing.

And the entire temple was going down with it.