The ancient gate creaked open slowly.
Stone ground against stone with a deep, echoing rumble that spread through the ravine like distant thunder. Dust fell from the surrounding cliffs, drifting downward in pale clouds that glowed faintly in the blue crystal light embedded in the rock walls.
Kael Varyn stood before the opening gate, unmoving.
The darkness beyond it was thick and unnatural, swallowing the faint light of the ravine as if it were a living thing.
Cold air flowed outward from the opening.
Ancient.
Stale.
Untouched for centuries.
Kael stepped forward.
Behind him, far above the ravine, Seris Vale watched the gate open with widening eyes.
Her breath caught in her throat.
An ancient ruin…
But this ruin felt wrong.
Most ruins radiated remnants of spiritual energy—faint traces left behind by cultivators long gone.
This place radiated something else entirely.
Something darker.
Something that made the hair on the back of her neck rise.
Seris clenched her fists.
What exactly have you found, Kael Varyn…?
Below, Kael crossed the threshold of the gate.
The moment he stepped inside—
The gate slammed shut behind him.
The sound echoed violently through the ravine.
Seris flinched.
Her eyes locked onto the now-sealed gate.
"…Damn it."
Inside the Temple
Darkness surrounded Kael.
Absolute darkness.
For several seconds, even his enhanced vision struggled to adjust.
Then faint blue flames ignited along the walls.
One after another.
A line of ghostly torches burst into life, illuminating a massive underground hall.
Kael slowly scanned his surroundings.
The chamber was enormous.
At least fifty meters across.
The ceiling rose high above him, supported by enormous pillars carved from black stone.
Strange symbols covered every surface—runes that twisted into unfamiliar shapes.
Some looked like claws.
Others resembled eyes staring endlessly into darkness.
Kael stepped forward carefully.
His footsteps echoed across the silent hall.
The air felt heavy here.
Not with spiritual energy…
But with something deeper.
The Hollow Abyss within him stirred violently.
The Shadow Core pulsed with excitement.
Home…
Kael's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Home?"
The whisper echoed again in his mind.
One of many…
Kael continued walking.
At the center of the chamber stood a massive circular platform carved into the stone floor.
On it rested a pedestal.
And atop the pedestal—
A small black crystal.
The crystal pulsed faintly, releasing waves of dark energy that rippled through the temple like invisible tides.
Kael approached slowly.
Every instinct told him this was important.
Extremely important.
But ancient ruins rarely left their treasures unguarded.
He stopped three meters from the pedestal.
Nothing happened.
Kael waited.
Still nothing.
He frowned slightly.
"Well," he muttered, "that's suspicious."
He stepped forward again.
The moment his foot touched the platform—
The temple trembled.
Blue flames flickered violently along the walls.
Then a deep voice echoed through the chamber.
"Trial Initiated."
Kael sighed.
"Of course."
The stone floor cracked open around the circular platform.
Four enormous pillars rose slowly from the ground, each carved with ancient abyss runes.
Dark energy surged between them, forming a glowing barrier around the platform.
Kael stepped back instinctively.
Then the shadows behind the pillars began to move.
Something massive emerged from the darkness.
The Abyss Sentinel
The creature that stepped forward was unlike anything Kael had seen before.
Its body resembled a humanoid statue carved from black stone, but cracks ran across its surface like glowing veins.
Dark energy pulsed within those cracks like blood.
Its eyes burned with pale blue fire.
The creature stood nearly four meters tall.
In its hands, it held a massive blade formed from condensed abyss energy.
Kael tilted his head slightly.
"…That's new."
The sentinel lifted its sword slowly.
Its voice echoed again through the chamber.
"Only those acknowledged by the Abyss may claim its power."
The blade pointed directly at Kael.
"Prove your worth."
The sentinel attacked instantly.
The Trial of Power
The blade cut through the air with terrifying speed.
Kael barely dodged, the edge of the weapon slicing through the stone floor where he had stood.
The impact shattered the platform.
Fragments of stone flew across the chamber.
Kael jumped backward, landing near one of the pillars.
His eyes sharpened.
This opponent was far stronger than the root guardian from earlier.
The sentinel moved again.
Its massive body crossed the distance between them in a single step.
The blade descended toward Kael's head.
Kael raised his hand.
Black mist exploded outward.
"Abyss Devour!"
Dark tendrils wrapped around the sentinel's arm.
But just like the guardian before it—
The energy refused to drain.
Kael clicked his tongue.
"Figures."
The sentinel twisted its arm violently.
The tendrils snapped instantly.
Then the blade came down again.
Kael rolled aside, barely avoiding the strike.
The floor cracked again under the weapon's impact.
Kael stood quickly.
He needed a different strategy.
The sentinel's power wasn't purely spiritual.
It was constructed from ancient abyss energy.
Meaning…
Only abyss power could damage it.
Kael closed his eyes briefly.
The Hollow Abyss responded immediately.
Darkness surged through his meridians.
The Shadow Core rotated faster.
When Kael opened his eyes again, faint black light glowed within them.
"Alright," he whispered.
"Let's try this properly."
The Abyss Responds
Kael raised both hands.
Shadow energy erupted around him like a storm.
Black mist filled the chamber, swirling violently between the pillars.
The sentinel paused for a moment.
Its glowing eyes flickered.
Then it attacked again.
But this time Kael moved first.
His body blurred as he stepped forward using the shadow mist as cover.
He appeared directly in front of the sentinel.
His fist struck the creature's chest.
The impact echoed like thunder.
Cracks spread across the stone armor.
The sentinel staggered slightly.
Kael smiled.
"There it is."
He struck again.
And again.
Each blow infused with abyss energy.
Each strike widening the cracks across the sentinel's body.
The creature roared in response.
Its blade swung wildly, forcing Kael to retreat.
But the damage had been done.
Dark energy leaked from the fractures in its body.
Kael raised his hand once more.
The shadow mist condensed into dozens of thin tendrils.
They shot forward simultaneously.
This time they pierced directly into the cracks.
The sentinel froze.
Its body trembled.
Kael activated the technique fully.
"Abyss Devour."
Dark energy surged through the tendrils.
The sentinel's internal power began flowing into Kael's Shadow Core.
Slowly.
But steadily.
The creature struggled violently.
But the more it moved, the more cracks spread across its body.
Finally—
With a thunderous crack—
The sentinel shattered.
Stone fragments exploded outward as the construct collapsed into pieces.
The barrier around the platform faded instantly.
Silence returned to the temple.
Kael exhaled slowly.
"Trial passed, I assume."
The voice returned.
"Acknowledged."
The pedestal began glowing.
The black crystal lifted slightly into the air.
Then it drifted toward Kael.
He caught it carefully.
The moment his fingers touched the crystal—
Information flooded into his mind.
Ancient knowledge.
Fragments of forgotten techniques.
Images of an empire swallowed by darkness.
Kael staggered slightly as the visions poured into his consciousness.
When they finally stopped, he took a slow breath.
His eyes gleamed with excitement.
"…An Abyss Manual fragment."
The crystal dissolved into black mist, merging with the Shadow Core inside his body.
The power within him surged instantly.
The temple trembled again.
The voice spoke one final time.
"First fragment acquired."
"Nine remain."
Kael blinked.
"Nine?"
That meant—
There were ten fragments scattered across the world.
And this was only the first.
Kael chuckled quietly.
"Well…"
He rolled his shoulders slowly.
"This journey just got a lot bigger."
Above the Ravine
Outside the sealed gate, Seris Vale still stood at the edge of the ravine.
Suddenly—
A pulse of dark energy erupted from below.
The ground trembled beneath her feet.
Her eyes widened.
"What did he just awaken…?"
Far below, hidden within the ancient temple, Kael Varyn stood calmly in the fading shadow mist.
The Hollow Abyss whispered again.
The path has begun.
Kael smiled faintly.
"Yes."
"The first step."
And somewhere far away—
Beyond forests, beyond kingdoms—
Something ancient stirred.
As if the world itself had noticed that the Heir of the Abyss had taken his first true step toward power.