Chapter 46: The Truth Beneath

Sable's vision blurred as he fell through the endless void. It was as if the world was collapsing around him, his body weightless, being pulled in every direction by some unseen force. His mind raced, desperately trying to grasp onto anything solid, but there was nothing. No walls. No ground. Just the cold, infinite darkness.

The only sound was his heartbeat, frantic and pounding in his ears, like the rhythm of a countdown. And yet, no matter how much he fought against the pull, the fall continued. Time seemed to stretch into infinity, moments feeling like days, his pulse quickening as the fear within him intensified.

And then, in an instant, it stopped.

Sable crashed to the ground with a sickening thud, his body colliding with something solid, but there was no immediate pain. His mind had been too overwhelmed to even register the shock of the impact. He lay there, panting, his breaths ragged, before he forced himself to stand, trembling.

The world around him had changed once again.

Gone was the endless expanse of nothingness. In its place, there was a vast, desolate landscape stretching out before him. A field of ash, as though the world had been burnt to the ground. Jagged mountains lined the horizon, their peaks lost in a swirling, angry sky of dark clouds. The ground was cracked and barren, littered with remnants of shattered stone and decayed metal — the remains of a long-forgotten world.

This wasn't just a new environment. This was something older, darker. This was Eidolon's true face.

"Welcome to the end, Sable," the voice from before whispered, its words slithering through his mind like a poison.

Sable's hands clenched into fists, the rage that had been building up inside him threatening to burst. He was done with being a pawn in someone else's game. He was done being pushed around, dragged through these nightmares.

"No," he spat, his voice cold and full of defiance. "I'm not just some piece in your game. I will end this. I'll destroy whatever this is."

The voice chuckled, an ominous sound that filled the air around him. "You can't destroy what you don't understand. And you, Sable, have barely scratched the surface."

Sable's eyes narrowed. He wasn't sure what this place was, but he could feel it in his bones. This wasn't just Eidolon. This was something else — something deeper, darker, and far more dangerous.

And then, the ground beneath him trembled.

A loud, horrific screeching sound filled the air as the earth split open, and from the gaping chasm, a figure emerged.

It was humanoid in shape, but distorted, its body writhing with shadowy tendrils, its form shifting like liquid darkness. It towered over Sable, its glowing red eyes fixating on him with an unnerving intensity. The creature's voice was a guttural growl that seemed to resonate from deep within the earth.

"The end is inevitable," it rasped. "You cannot stop what is coming. You are nothing but a glitch in the system, a failed experiment. And now, you will pay the price."

Sable took a step back, his heart pounding in his chest, but he didn't retreat. This was it. This was the enemy he had been waiting for — the force behind the chaos, the true antagonist hiding in the shadows. The one who had orchestrated everything, pulling the strings from behind the scenes.

"You're wrong," Sable said, his voice steady but filled with conviction. "I'm not a glitch. I'm not a failure. I'm the one who's going to tear this place down, piece by piece."

The creature's eyes flared with an eerie light, and the ground beneath Sable's feet shifted again, the earth warping and twisting as if the very world was trying to consume him. But he wouldn't fall. He wouldn't let it win.

He had come this far. He had survived the endless trials, the torturous battles, the enemies and allies alike who had tried to break him. And now, he stood on the precipice of the final fight.

The creature raised one massive, clawed hand, and with a single motion, it sent a wave of shadow crashing toward Sable. The force was overwhelming, the very air warping as the darkness tore through the space between them.

Sable's instincts kicked in. He barely dodged the attack, his body moving on its own as the shadows swirled around him, like serpents ready to strike. He drew a breath, focusing all of his energy into the pulse, channeling every ounce of his power into his next move.

In an instant, Sable darted forward, his speed a blur as he launched himself toward the creature, slashing through the tendrils of darkness that tried to ensnare him. The blade in his hand shimmered with the energy of the pulse, its edges crackling with raw power. Every strike he made cut through the shadows like a hot knife through butter.

But the creature wasn't finished. With a roar, it slammed its fist into the ground, sending a shockwave rippling through the air. The force was enough to knock Sable off his feet, sending him sprawling to the ground. His vision blurred as he struggled to regain his footing, but the creature was already upon him, its claws reaching down to finish him off.

Sable, now!

The voice broke through his mind, an unexpected warning. He didn't hesitate. He gritted his teeth, focusing every ounce of his energy on the pulse as he rolled to the side, narrowly dodging the deadly claws. With a surge of power, he summoned the pulse in full force, blasting a wave of energy toward the creature's core.

The creature shrieked, its form disintegrating into a cloud of shadows as the pulse hit it. But even as the creature vanished, Sable knew it wasn't over. There was something deeper at play, something more than just this monster. The true enemy, the one controlling everything, was still out there, hidden in the shadows.

Sable stood, his body battered but unbroken. His eyes burned with determination.

This was only the beginning. He would face whatever came next. And he would win.