I felt myself being drawn by an invisible force, my feet seemingly stuck to the stone floor of the church. I tried to turn and leave, but my body refused to obey. Each step felt like I was stepping deeper into an abyss. I couldn't explain that sense of pressure—whether it was the power of the abyss pushing me or some mysterious summoning guiding me into this ruined altar.
I turned back and looked at the piece of flesh on the altar. It still lay there quietly, its surface glistening with an unnatural sheen. Suddenly, it seemed to twitch, slightly swelling as if a pulse was beating inside it, emitting a faint sound—like some liquid flowing within it, slow and rhythmic.
No… this wasn't the pulse of flesh.
It was something alive. It was calling me, just like the whispers. The voice echoed again, low and hoarse, as if it was murmuring directly into my ear: "Come... join us, become a part of us..."
My hand moved involuntarily, stretching toward the flesh on the altar. The moment I touched it, a violent tremor surged from the depths of the altar. The walls of the church shook violently, as if being torn apart by an invisible force. The air grew thick with a rancid smell, mixing with the salty air of the sea, a scent that came from the depths—corruption and rebirth.
Suddenly, the piece of flesh on the altar exploded. The scattered liquid surged toward my body like a tidal wave. I couldn't resist, feeling that viscous substance seep into my skin, infiltrating my bones. My consciousness began to blur, the whispers growing louder, clearer, as if the voices of ancient beings were converging upon my mind in an instant.
"You are no longer yourself," the voice grew clearer, as if it was coming from deep inside me, from a place I had long forgotten. "You belong to the abyss, to the flesh of rebirth. Now, release your soul, and embrace the new existence."
I fought against the agony in my body, my mind still struggling to hold onto itself. But I could feel more and more alien consciousnesses invading me. My thoughts were no longer mine, being overtaken by those deep-sea entities. I could see ancient symbols flashing in front of me, twisting into shapes I couldn't comprehend.
"There's no turning back," the voice sneered, its tone cold and indifferent. "You have been chosen, to become part of us."
The air in the church became heavier, as if invisible waters were gradually drowning me. I could feel every nerve in my body burning, my skin crawling as if something was changing beneath it. My body was no longer what I knew it to be, and I could feel a chill creeping into my organs, as if an irresistible force was controlling me. I wanted to run, but all my strength was suppressed. I couldn't move, not even breathe.
Then, I saw the symbols on the altar flash again. They materialized in the air at an impossible speed, like they were coming from another dimension, from the deep sea. I saw them connect to form an image—a sea deity, with huge eyes rising from the depths, gleaming with a light that didn't belong to humans. They were staring at me, seeing into the deepest parts of my soul, into my fear and despair.
Everything seemed unbearably real. Those eyes pierced my soul as if they were going to tear me apart. Then, their gaze softened, but was filled with an irresistible command.
"You will become one of us."
"Flesh is the eternal vessel, thought is but a fleeting shadow."
In that moment, my consciousness almost shattered. The power of the abyss began to claim my soul, and my mind grew increasingly blurry. That powerful desire, that call, finally overwhelmed me, and I lost all control over myself. My body was no longer mine, it had been taken over by the sea deity, becoming part of its ritual of rebirth.
I knew then that there was no turning back.
"You are our new vessel," the voice said coldly. "Welcome home."
My world began to fade, finally disappearing into the abyss's call.