THE CHAMBER WAS SILENT.
THE BLACK AURA SWIRLED VIOLENTLY AROUND RYUJIN AS HE KNELT ON THE STONE FLOOR,
HIS HANDS DIGGING INTO THE GROUND UNTIL HIS NAILS BROKE.
ARIANA HUGGED HIM FROM BEHIND, REFUSING TO LET GO.
"YOU'RE STRONGER THAN THIS! YOU'RE NOT A MONSTER!"
KAI GRIPPED HIS SHOULDER.
"DAMN IT, RYUJIN! SNAP OUT OF IT!"
THE INNER ABYSS
RYUJIN'S VISION TURNED BLACK.
HE WASN'T IN THE CHAMBER ANYMORE.
A VAST, ENDLESS VOID STRETCHED OUT IN ALL DIRECTIONS.
THOUSANDS OF EYES OPENED IN THE DARKNESS, WATCHING HIM.
"WHO… WHO'S THERE?"
A VOICE ANSWERED.
IT WAS NEITHER LOUD NOR SOFT. IT WAS EVERYWHERE.
"THEY CALL US MANY NAMES…
THE ABYSS… THE END… THE ETERNAL HUNGER…"
A COLOSSAL SHADOW ROSE FROM THE VOID, TALLER THAN MOUNTAINS.
ITS SHAPE SHIFTED CONSTANTLY, SOMETIMES HUMAN, SOMETIMES SOMETHING FAR WORSE.
"YOU HAVE OUR BLOOD, RYUJIN.
YOU HAVE OUR STRENGTH.
AND NOW… YOU HAVE OUR ATTENTION."
RYUJIN TOOK A STEP BACK, KATANA TIGHT IN HIS HAND.
"STAY AWAY FROM ME!"
THE VOICE LAUGHED, SHAKING THE VOID.
"YOU'VE ONLY TOUCHED A FRACTION OF OUR POWER.
ACCEPT US FULLY… AND YOU WILL BECOME GOD AMONG MORTALS.
NO ONE WILL EVER HURT YOU AGAIN."
RYUJIN'S TEETH GRITTED AS THE MEMORIES OF HIS FAMILY'S DEATH FLASHED IN HIS MIND.
HIS HAND TREMBLED.
Power… revenge…
BUT THEN ARIANA'S VOICE PIERCED THROUGH THE VOID.
"COME BACK TO US, RYUJIN! PLEASE!"
RYUJIN DROPPED TO HIS KNEES.
"I… I WON'T BE YOUR PUPPET."
THE ABYSS HOWLED IN FURY.
"YOU CAN'T ESCAPE US! YOU ARE OURS!"
RYUJIN LET OUT A ROAR, HIS KATANA SHINING WITH PURE ENERGY AS HE SLASHED THROUGH THE VOID ITSELF.
SHATTER!
THE DARKNESS CRACKED AND BROKE AWAY.
RYUJIN'S EYES SNAPPED OPEN.
THE BLACK AURA AROUND HIM VANISHED, REPLACED BY A CALM SILENCE.
ARIANA PULLED BACK, HER EYES WET WITH TEARS.
"YOU'RE… YOU'RE BACK…"
RYUJIN LOOKED AT HIS HANDS, STILL TREMBLING.
"YEAH… BUT THEY'RE NOT DONE WITH ME."
KAI FROWNED.
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"
RYUJIN STOOD, HIS EXPRESSION DARK.
"THE ABYSS KNOWS I EXIST NOW.
AND THEY'RE COMING FOR ME."
THE TEAM WALKED OUT OF THE COLLAPSING CHAMBER.
RYUJIN GLANCED BACK ONE LAST TIME, HIS EYES NARROWED.
This isn't over.