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 temple shook violently, the very ground splitting apart as flames consumed the ancient structure.

Aryan ran as fast as he could, gripping Naina's hand tightly. Karan and Riya followed close behind, dodging falling debris as the Abyss collapsed around them.

The fire roared behind them, licking at their heels, hungry, relentless.

A searing pain shot through Aryan's right hand.

A stray flame from the sigil had lashed out, wrapping around his skin like a living creature.

For a moment—he felt something.

Something ancient.

Something watching him.

Then, just as quickly, the fire vanished, leaving behind a deep, glowing mark.

Burned into his flesh.

But Aryan had no time to think.

Because the temple was collapsing.

And if they didn't move now—they would be buried alive.

The four of them sprinted toward the exit, the walls cracking, splitting apart.

Karan grabbed Riya's arm, pulling her out of the way as a pillar crashed down.

Aryan winced from the pain in his hand but kept running, dragging Naina with him.

The main entrance was just ahead.

But the ground split open, the stone floor crumbling into the abyss.

Without thinking, they leapt over the gap, landing hard on the other side.

The moment they cleared the temple's threshold—

The entire structure collapsed behind them.

A cloud of smoke and fire erupted, sending a shockwave through the air.

The Abyss was no more.

For a long moment, none of them spoke.

They just breathed.

The night sky stretched above them—silent, vast, endless.

The sound of crumbling stone faded, replaced by the distant hum of the jungle.

Karan let out a shaky laugh. "Holy… shit."

Riya dropped onto the ground, gasping. "Did… did that really happen?"

Naina leaned against a tree, her heart still racing. "We made it."

Aryan stared at his burned hand.

The sigil still glowed faintly, the pain dull but constant.

What the hell had the fire left behind?

But before he could dwell on it—

Naina turned to him, eyes sharp.

And punched him in the arm.

"OW—" Aryan yelped, rubbing his shoulder. "What the hell?"

She glared. "YOU ALMOST KILLED ME, YOU IDIOT!"

Karan snorted. "Yeah, dude. Not cool."

Riya folded her arms. "You were literally about to stab us!"

Aryan sighed, rubbing his temples. "I WAS HYPNOTIZED!"

Naina rolled her eyes. "Still. I'm mad."

Karan smirked. "She did tell you to kill her, though."

Naina shot him a death glare. "NOT HELPING."

Riya shook her head with a tired smile. "At least Aryan broke free before things got worse."

Aryan winced. "I… I don't know how I did."

His fingers twitched as he looked at his burned hand again.

But it hadn't consumed him.

Something was different now.

Instead, he exhaled and looked at his team—his friends.

They had survived hell.

And they had done it together.

He let out a small, tired chuckle. "So… what now?"

Naina sighed, stretching her arms. "Now? We go home."

Aryan frowned. "Why do you get to drive?"

Karan smirked. "Because you were literally a cult leader's puppet five minutes ago. I don't trust you behind the wheel."

But Karan was already grabbing the keys.

"Buckle up, losers. We're going home."

Chapter 49: The Marked One