Chapter 78

Sai walked at the head of the group, his boots crunching softly against the cracked stone of the narrow mountain pass. The jagged cliffs rose high on either side, fractured peaks of blackened rock scarred by ancient battles and pulsing faintly with the remnants of abyssal magic.

The wind was cold and thin, cutting against his face, but he barely felt it.

Because the Abyss was still with him.

The black mist curled softly around his boots, trailing behind him like a second shadow. It moved with him now—silent and obedient—never pulling, never resisting.

But it was always there.

No longer something he had to summon or command.

It was simply part of him.

And it would never leave.

The Rift Between Them

The others followed behind him.

Ezren moved ahead, silent and sharp, his dagger still in hand, watchful as always. His golden abyssal eyes flickered faintly as he scanned the ridgeline, his every movement calculated and deliberate.

Kael walked at Sai's side, his massive greatsword resting against his shoulder, but his hand never left the hilt. His steps were slow but steady, his eyes calm but alert.

Ever the immovable wall.

And Lena…

She walked behind them.

Close enough to keep pace, but far enough that her footsteps didn't overlap with Sai's.

She hadn't spoken since they had left the ruins.

She hadn't looked at him, either.

And even though she wasn't far away, Sai could feel the distance between them.

It was heavier than the air.

More suffocating than the abyssal mist.

And it ached.

His eyes flickered slightly to the side, but he didn't glance back.

Because he knew what he would see.

Her arms were crossed tightly over her chest, her knuckles pale, her head lowered slightly beneath her hood.

But he could still feel her eyes on him.

Watching.

Waiting.

Measuring.

And he hated it.

The Path Through the Mountains

The path wound sharply, narrowing into a slender ridge where the jagged stone fell away into deep chasms on either side.

The Abyss lingered faintly in the air here. Sai could feel it pulsing—a distant, constant thrum on the edge of his senses.

It wasn't a gate.

It was deeper.

Older.

A scar in the very foundation of the world—a wound that had never closed.

And it was calling to him.

Sai's fingers twitched slightly, and the mist coiled tighter around his legs, responding to his unease.

He felt the black tendrils shift slightly, rising and falling with his breathing.

And he didn't even notice.

Because it was natural now.

Like a heartbeat.

Part of him.

And that realization made his chest tighten faintly.

The Break in the Silence

They walked in silence for nearly an hour, the jagged ridge winding slowly upward, the path narrowing with each step.

No one spoke.

No one asked where Sai was leading them.

Because they knew.

They could feel it.

The pull of the Abyss, guiding him toward something only he could sense.

And none of them questioned it.

Until Lena's voice broke the silence.

Soft.

Quiet.

But sharp enough to cut through him.

"…How long?"

Sai's steps slowed faintly, his boots grinding softly against the gravel.

He didn't stop walking.

But he heard her.

Her voice was steady but raw, barely louder than a whisper.

"How long are you going to pretend you're still you?"

Sai's jaw tightened slightly.

But he didn't turn around.

He didn't slow down.

Because if he did—he wasn't sure he could keep walking.

Lena's footsteps quickened faintly, and she closed the distance between them, stepping to his side.

Her eyes were locked on him now, sharp and unyielding, burning with something raw and uncertain.

Her voice was quieter this time, but it struck harder.

"You're not the same, Sai," she whispered.

His chest tightened slightly.

Because she was right.

And he hated it.

He could feel it—the way the Abyss clung to him, the way it coiled around his shadow, always present, always moving.

Part of him now.

He didn't need to summon it anymore.

It simply… was.

And she could see it.

Sai let out a slow breath, his voice steady but low.

"I'm still me."

Lena's eyes narrowed sharply, her lips parting slightly in disbelief.

"No," she murmured softly. "You're not."

The words hit him harder than they should have.

Because he knew they were true.

Her eyes flickered slightly, and for the first time, he saw it.

Not fear.

Not anger.

Grief.

She was losing him.

And they both knew it.

A Fragile Truth

Sai slowly turned toward her, his golden abyssal eyes flickering softly in the dim light.

The mist coiled softly around his ankles, faint tendrils of blackness trailing through the gravel.

And he didn't command it.

It simply moved with him.

Her eyes lowered slightly, watching the way the mist lingered around him, clinging to his limbs like living shadows.

Her voice was barely a whisper.

"You can't stop it, can you?"

Sai's throat tightened faintly.

He slowly lifted his hand, spreading his fingers slightly, and the mist rose instantly, swirling upward in thin, twisting tendrils.

Effortless.

Natural.

Instinct.

He exhaled slowly, clenching his hand into a fist.

The mist stilled.

But it didn't leave.

It never would.

His voice was quiet but steady.

"…No."

Lena's breath caught faintly, her hands trembling slightly at her sides.

Her eyes were wide, but not with fear.

With something softer.

And so much worse.

Her voice cracked slightly.

"…You're not coming back, are you?"

Sai's chest tightened violently.

For a brief moment, he couldn't breathe.

Because he knew she wasn't asking if he would survive.

She was asking if he would still be Sai.

And he didn't know the answer.

So he lied.

His voice was soft but certain.

"I'll always be me."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn't pull away.

And he hated himself for how grateful he was.

Because she was still there.

And he knew one day she might not be.

But she was still there now.

And for now—that was enough.

The Road Ahead

The group walked on, their footsteps slow but steady, the mountain pass stretching endlessly before them.

Ezren's sharp eyes flickered ahead, his dagger glimmering faintly with abyssal fire.

Kael's heavy boots crunched over the broken stone, his greatsword resting heavily against his shoulder.

But Lena stayed close.

Her steps quiet but constant, her eyes always on him.

Watching.

Waiting.

And Sai didn't push her away.

Because even though the Abyss walked with him now, clinging to his shadow—

She still walked beside him.

And for now—that was enough.