Chapter 130: The abyss
When the Sigil Guardian collapsed the ground shook for everyone present. Big cracks appeared in the old stone floor to reveal a new staircase leading down into total darkness while fine dust and small particles floated through the air. The total quietest made everyone tense.
After the combat Natasha brushed away the moisture on her forehead while her weapon emitted faint power. Her blood pumped hard from the fight yet she needed to press on since the victory celebration would wait. The stairway at the floor's center loomed as an open mouth ready to engulf them.
System Alert:
Guardian Defeated!
Path to the Abyss Unlocked.
Once you start going into the Abyss you cannot change your decision. Do you wish to proceed?
Alison jerked her eyes to the entrance. As he looked further into the darkness he pressed his weapon tightly against his grip. He spoke under his breath as though addressing an object rather than the stairs. "It's a damn seal."
Eldric studied the damaged rock by his knees as the fading bright letters began to disappear. The underground chamber had a purpose beyond serving as a burial place because it existed to block entry to what lay within. He spoke with a serious tone as his eyes narrowed. "And we just broke it."
Underneath our position a deep grumbling noise emerged producing discomfort in our group. An unnatural chill swept through the room that felt like a deep sleep breaking breath of an old being.
She held her chest tightly as noticeable discomfort showed on her face. "There's… something down there. And it's watching us."
Usually fearless Dren paused before speaking. We should not enter the area according to Dren.
The game display changed unexpectedly before Natasha could speak. The text on the system alert displayed random letter changes as if possessed by something sinister.
System Override Detected. Initiating Forced Descent.
A strong jolt disturbed the entire room space. The floor beneath them collapsed.
The team members ended their descent one after another.
___
Darkness enveloped them.
The movement through darkness made her heart race as she stretched her fingers to find any support for her descent. The strong wind noise drowned out her hearing yet she couldn't detect the bottom. The sound of voices around her became garbled and vanished as though their directions pulled them apart.
Her body hit the surface of the ground hard.
The intensity of pain made her stop rolling while she tried to catch her breath. The collision shook all the bones in her body yet failed to kill her. Each teammate in turn landed near her and let out suffering groans.
The small amount of available light showed the location where they landed. They descended into a deep cavern which lost its top to darkness above. A peculiar luminescent fungus attached to the rocky walls cast dim fluorescent light in blue and violet.
He lifted himself from his position by brushing away the dirt. "Everyone alive?"
Ira groaned. "Barely."
Dren coughed. Our team should have made a decision first before descending to such a terrible place.
After standing up Natasha checked the surroundings. The ground appeared too engineered with its even surface because it had not developed naturally. Past the fungal light I spotted something moving in front of me.
A long silhouette passed over the stone ground. Then another. And another.
Eldric drew his weapon. "We're not alone."
Human figures took shape from the darkness but they wore a deformed appearance and ancient damaged armor. Their eyes shined red with evil from the empty holes in their eye sockets. The creatures moved their bodies oddly as their heads rotated in directions no human could turn.
System Notification:
The Abyss has released a new enemy class of Abyssal Revenants.
The Abyss makes you more vulnerable to any form of magical power protection. Combat effectiveness reduced by 30%.
Natasha clenched her jaw. "Great. We're weaker here."
Alison took a defensive stance. Our chances of survival decrease when staying at a fixed location. We need to move."
While keeping one hand pressed against her chest Ira confirmed her assessment. "There's… something deeper inside. A presence stronger than these things."
Eldric held his knife firmly in his hands. "Then we carve our way through."
The Abyssal Revenants lunged.
---
The battle was brutal.
Natasha met the monsters with her sword yet she sensed an abnormality to the encounter. After receiving attacks their bodies turned into black fog and returned to their original state within seconds. They had become living symbols of bottomless darkness when their connection to the void prevented them from dying permanently.
Although Alison hurt the enemies the creatures kept returning to fight. "This is pointless! They keep coming back!"
The sign of her cheek lit up as she clenched her teeth. "We need to purify them! Their link to the Abyss sustains their existence each time they die.
The blade of Natasha's sword reacted to Ira's magic by emitting a burst of power. The Sigil Guardian's power transformed the artifact by making it different. When Natasha slashed the Revenant Ira's spell power combined with her weapon to bathe the creature in a bright beam that ended its existence instantly.
The monster released its hideous cry before disappearing entirely.
Natasha's eyes widened. "That's it! Magic-infused attacks!"
Having no moment to spare Eldric used his own power to make his sword shine with silver flames. They modified their fighting style one after another before each swing sent the Revenants back to nothingness.
Time passed slowly before the last corrupted beings vanished into air.
With heavy breaths Natasha cleaned her sword blade. "We need to keep moving."
Alison glanced at her weapon. "Your sword changed."
She examined the blade and saw the weak residual light still present on the edge. The sword seemed different now because its internal energy felt unlike its previous state. Stronger. And somehow, familiar.
She stared at the sword without showing her thoughts. She detects that the energy feels like the Abyss but remains untainted.
Dren exhaled sharply. Hopefully this change in the weapon supports our side.
Eldric pointed to the passageway in front of them. The time to discover this mystery has passed. The mystery below our feet understands that we make our way toward it.
The group continued moving deeper into the dark passage despite uncertain dangers.
The group advanced only to find the air temperature became chilling. The atmosphere became thick and hard to breathe. A massive door appeared in their sight but remained hidden in shadow until they approached within its edge.
A symbol… that pulsed with life.
The entrance felt the approaching visitors and started to unlock itself.