Recap of Chapter 8:
Ka'roth led his horde of nearly 400 beasts over the Stone Divide into a dead, ashen wasteland. There, he sensed the first Abyssal presence—a tall faceless shape watching him from the distance. In the Blood Marsh, his horde fought segmented, eyeless creatures, and Ka'roth's glowing lines brightened as he absorbed their essence. The faceless watcher appeared again, pointing at him before vanishing. The whispers grew louder: "Closer… closer…" Ka'roth pressed forward, determined to confront this Abyss.
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The Edge of the Abyss
The Blood Marsh thinned as Ka'roth pushed onward, his claws sinking into cracked black soil. The air grew colder. Even his glowing scales dimmed under a strange shadow that stretched across the land.
At last, they reached it: The Abyss.
It was not just a pit—it was a wound in the world itself. A vast chasm split the earth, so wide no beast could leap it, and so deep that no light reached the bottom. Black mist bled from its depths, curling upward like living tendrils. The sound of faint whispers rose from below, thousands of voices speaking at once, but none in words Ka'roth understood.
His horde halted instinctively, pressing low to the ground. Even the fiercest of them whimpered. Ka'roth alone stepped forward, his claws scraping against stone as he approached the edge. His glowing eyes pierced the mist, but no bottom could be seen.
Then he felt it—the gaze.
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The Abyssal Entity Appears
From the mist below, a shape began to rise. It climbed without sound or motion, simply emerging from the depths as if space itself bent for it.
The faceless figure returned, now closer—taller than before, its head brushing against the clouds. Its thin arms hung unnaturally long, clawed fingers dragging through the air. Its eyeless face tilted toward Ka'roth.
The whispers ceased.
Silence fell across the Abyss.
Then its mouth opened—not wide, but impossibly deep, stretching down its neck like a tear in reality. From within came a single voice:
"Ka'roth."
The horde behind him trembled. Never before had his name been spoken aloud.
Ka'roth bared his fangs, stepping forward. His glowing lines flared brighter, his wings spreading wide in challenge.
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The Clash
Without warning, the Abyssal Entity moved. Its clawed hand lashed upward faster than Ka'roth could see, slamming against the cliffside where he stood. The ground shattered, hurling beasts backward.
Ka'roth leapt high, wings beating hard. He swooped down and slashed across the creature's arm, his claws glowing bright. Sparks flew, but instead of blood, black mist poured from the wound.
The Abyssal Entity's other arm shot out, catching Ka'roth mid-air. It slammed him against the ground, the impact cracking stone beneath him. Pain flared, but Ka'roth roared louder, biting down on its clawed hand, tearing chunks of shadow-like flesh.
He launched upward, driving his claws into its neck and ripping downward, splitting its faceless head apart. Black mist erupted, burning his scales, but Ka'roth refused to let go.
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The Struggle
The horde erupted into chaos. Raptors lunged at the creature's legs, tearing at the shadowy tendrils. Tusked grazers rammed its knees. Winged beasts dove in, striking its head again and again.
But the Abyssal Entity fought like no beast Ka'roth had faced. Every strike they landed seemed to pass through mist, reforming seconds later.
Ka'roth's glowing lines pulsed violently, his chest burning as if his own essence answered the Abyss itself. The whispers returned, screaming in unison:
"Consume or be consumed!"
With a deafening roar, Ka'roth dug his claws into the creature's chest and pulled with all his strength. His glowing lines flared white-hot as he ripped the Entity apart, tearing it in half.
The world went silent.
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The Abyss Reacts
As the Entity collapsed into mist, its essence surged into Ka'roth, flooding his body. His vision blurred, his wings spread wider than ever before, and his glowing marks shifted—spreading across his limbs, tail, and even his face, forming patterns like jagged runes.
He staggered, panting heavily. His horde stared, frozen in awe.
Then the Abyss stirred.
From below came a deep, rumbling sound—not a roar, not a voice, but a heartbeat. The chasm pulsed like a living thing, and countless glowing eyes flickered within its depths.
Ka'roth's gaze narrowed. This was no longer just a place. The Abyss was alive. And it had noticed him.
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The Beast Sovereign
Ka'roth turned back to his horde. They were silent, kneeling instinctively, their heads lowered. Even the strongest among them dared not move under his gaze.
He raised his wings high, his shadow engulfing them all. His roar shattered the silence, carrying across the Abyss itself.
In that moment, Ka'roth was no longer just Apex. He was Sovereign.
But deep below, the Abyss whispered once more:
"Rise higher… or fall within."
Ka'roth bared his teeth. He would not fall.
If the Abyss wanted him, it would have to fear him first.
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