The wind was heavier today, thick with the scent of ash and hope. Velmora had begun its slow, deliberate healing. The walls were crumbling, but the people were rising from the debris, their hearts slowly mending. Lucian had been able to see the transformation in their eyes as the days passed. The hope that had once been buried beneath the weight of the Abyss was now shining through—fragile, but alive.
But still, there was something gnawing at the edges of Lucian's mind. Something unresolved.
Selene sensed it before he could put it into words. As they walked through the newly repaired city streets, she reached out, brushing her fingers against his arm. "What's on your mind?" she asked softly.
Lucian didn't answer immediately. He glanced at the people around them—children playing in the streets, families rebuilding their homes, the distant hum of workers and builders coming together. For all the healing happening in the city, he still felt a weight he couldn't shake.
"I've been thinking," he said at last, his voice low, "about the Abyss."
Selene's eyes narrowed, but she didn't interrupt. She knew what he meant.
"The rift is closed," she said, her tone gentle but firm. "The Heart is gone. The Forsaken are no more. There's nothing left."
But Lucian shook his head. "It can't be that simple. We don't know all there is to know about the Abyss." His eyes met hers, dark and filled with uncertainty. "Nyx was the one who opened the rift, but… she was a part of something much older. Something deeper. And it's still out there."
Selene paused, feeling the shift in the air around them. The air was thick with a tension that only the two of them seemed to feel, as if the world was holding its breath.
"You're not thinking of reopening it, are you?" she asked, though the question sounded more like a warning.
"No," Lucian said quickly, though his mind was in turmoil. "I don't know what I'm thinking. I just can't shake the feeling that there's something… more. Something we missed."
Ash, who had been walking just behind them, caught up, sensing the change in the conversation. "What do you mean?" they asked, their voice hoarse, though it carried the weight of curiosity.
Lucian turned toward them. "The Abyss isn't just some dark void. It was once part of something much larger. I've been feeling echoes of its presence even now."
Selene and Ash exchanged a glance. It was clear they both understood the depth of his concerns.
"Echoes?" Selene asked, her tone wary. "What do you mean by that?"
Lucian glanced around the city, his gaze distant. "The Abyss... it wasn't just a source of power. It was a door—a threshold to something far more dangerous, something ancient. Even now, I can feel its whispers." He clenched his fists. "It's not just gone. It's waiting."
Ash took a step forward, their brow furrowed. "And you think it could return?"
"I don't know," Lucian admitted. "But I can't ignore it. I need to find out what's left of it. What it was before Nyx ever touched it."
Silence hung in the air, thick with the weight of his words. Selene and Ash exchanged glances again, this time a mix of concern and understanding. They had seen firsthand what the Abyss could do, what it had done to Lucian and the world around them. But this... this felt different. There was a new kind of urgency in Lucian's voice—a quiet resolve that they couldn't ignore.
Finally, Selene spoke, her voice firm but full of trust. "Then we'll find out together."
Lucian looked at her, and for a moment, the weight of everything they had gone through settled between them. Her gaze softened as she stepped closer, offering him a rare, comforting smile.
"The world may not be fully healed yet," she said, "but we will face whatever is left of the Abyss together. We've already survived the worst."
Ash nodded, their voice hoarse but resolute. "We're with you, Lucian. Whatever this is, we'll face it."
The resolve in his chest grew, filling the void that had haunted him for days. He wasn't alone in this. Not anymore. And whatever came next, he wasn't going to face it with fear. They were stronger now.
He had no idea what lay ahead, but he was no longer running from it.
The Forgotten Path
That night, Lucian stood before the ancient temple in the northernmost part of Velmora, a structure that had long been forgotten by most of the world. It was said to be a place of power, an ancient site connected to the origins of the Abyss itself. Lucian had found it only through cryptic texts, remnants of knowledge that had survived the centuries. This was the first clue that had surfaced since the destruction of the Heart.
Selene and Ash stood behind him, waiting as he approached the temple's entrance. The air around them crackled with an unspoken tension. The further they ventured into the wilderness, the more they could feel the ancient energy stirring in the air. The echoes Lucian had spoken of were growing louder.
"Are you sure about this?" Ash asked, their voice uneasy. "This place… it feels wrong."
Lucian turned to face them, his face grim. "I'm sure. We need to know what happened here. If there's anything left of the Abyss, this is where we'll find it."
They made their way inside, the darkened corridors lit only by the dim glow of Selene's flames. The temple was ancient, its stone walls cracked and overgrown with vines. But there was still a sense of grandeur to it, as if it had once held great significance. The walls were lined with faded carvings, strange symbols Lucian had never seen before.
"What is this place?" Selene asked, her voice hushed.
Lucian ran his fingers along the stone walls, tracing the intricate symbols. "This… this was a place of worship. A sanctuary to the ancient forces that controlled the Abyss. Long before Nyx, before the rift opened. This temple was a conduit to a power much greater than we've ever known."
Ash shuddered. "I don't like the sound of that."
Lucian's gaze hardened as he stepped deeper into the heart of the temple. "Neither do I. But we need to understand it. Or we might risk repeating the past."
The further they went, the more the air grew thick with energy. It was the same darkness they had felt when facing the Abyss—but it was different. This was older. More ancient.
Finally, they reached the inner sanctum of the temple. In the center of the room stood a pedestal, upon which rested a small, glowing stone. Its light pulsed in rhythm with Lucian's heartbeat.
"That's it," he whispered. "The Heart."
But it wasn't the same as the one they had destroyed. This one was smaller, quieter. But the power emanating from it was unmistakable.
Lucian reached out, his hand trembling, but before his fingers could touch the stone, Selene stopped him.
"Wait," she said, her voice filled with caution. "Something isn't right."
Lucian's eyes narrowed. But it was too late.
The stone's light flared to life, and the ground beneath their feet began to tremble. The walls of the temple shifted, and a voice—deep, resonating, and ancient—echoed through the chamber.
"You have returned."
The words flooded their minds, twisting their thoughts.
The Abyss had never truly gone. It had only been waiting.
And now, it was waking again.
End of Chapter Sixty-Six