2025-03-29 17:33:40The ruins felt heavier, like an invisible weight pressing against Noah’s chest. Every step forward sent a ripple through the air, as if the world itself was resisting their presence.
Killian exhaled sharply. “Okay, so let me get this straight. The Veil isn’t a place, it’s a barrier? A wall between us and whatever’s on the other side?” Noah nodded. “Yeah. And I think… I think I can feel it.” Vance glanced at him. “Describe it.” Noah hesitated, searching for the right words. “It’s like standing in a dream you don’t belong to. The closer I get, the more I feel like… I’m being watched.” Killian scoffed. “Watched by what?” Before Noah could answer, the wind shifted. And the shadows moved. Killian froze mid-step. “Tell me that was just my imagination.” It wasn’t. Shapes slithered between the ruins, figures barely visible against the dim light. Their eyes gleamed—hundreds of them. Not human. Not alive. Vance’s voice was calm, but firm. “We’re not alone.” The ground beneath them trembled. The air grew thick. And then, the whispers returned. “Turn back.” “You do not belong here.” “Leave before you are unmade.” Noah gritted his teeth, his hands clenching into fists. “No. We came for answers. We’re not leaving.” The whispers shifted—from warning to something else. Laughter. Low. Hollow. Echoing from nowhere. Then—the shadows attacked. Dark tendrils lashed out from every direction. Vance reacted instantly, a blue aura flaring around him as he slashed through the darkness with precise, controlled movements. Killian roared, flames erupting from his fists as he struck back, burning through the writhing mass. Noah’s instincts screamed. The Veil was reacting. Defending itself. And if they didn’t stop it— It would erase them. Noah took a deep breath and reached out with his ability. The air twisted. Reality bent. And for the first time—Noah pushed back. The shadows froze. For a single, impossible moment, the world stopped. Then—the Veil shattered. A blinding light erupted from the ruins, swallowing everything in sight. The wind howled. The ground split apart. And then— The three of them were falling. Straight into the unknown. The fall felt endless. A void of weightlessness, the world spinning in chaos as light and shadow twisted around them. Noah’s mind raced, heart pounding against his ribs. He tried to scream, but the sound was swallowed by the abyss. Then—impact. Noah crashed onto something solid, pain jolting through his body. He gasped, forcing himself upright, blinking against the dizziness. He wasn’t alone. Killian groaned a few feet away, rubbing his shoulder. Vance landed with feline grace, rolling to his feet with a sharp intake of breath. “Where—” Noah coughed. “Where are we?” The world around them was… wrong. Ruins stretched in every direction, but they were different now—glowing, pulsing with energy, as if they had been waiting for something. The sky above was an unnatural swirl of deep violet and streaks of silver, casting eerie shadows on the ground. And then, there were the figures. Not the shadows from before. These were people. Dozens of them, standing in a perfect circle around the trio. Their eyes glowed like molten gold, their faces hidden beneath dark hoods. Vance stepped forward, cautious. “No sudden movements,” he murmured. One of the figures moved. A woman, her robes flowing as if caught in an invisible current. When she spoke, her voice resonated, not in the air, but in their minds. “You have broken the Veil.” Noah swallowed. “We didn’t mean to.” The woman tilted her head. “Intent is irrelevant. The Veil is broken. The passage is open.” Killian shifted uncomfortably. “That… doesn’t sound good.” The woman ignored him, her golden eyes locking onto Noah. “You are the key.” Noah stiffened. “The what?” “The key,” she repeated. “The one who sees beyond. The one who was never meant to exist in only one world.” A cold chill ran through him. Vance’s expression darkened. “What does that mean?” Another voice answered—a deep, inhuman growl from behind them. “It means he doesn’t belong here.” Noah turned slowly. A massive figure loomed in the shadows—towering, shifting, as if it was barely holding itself together. Its form flickered between solid and mist, its eyes twin abysses of endless hunger. Noah’s breath hitched. He knew what this was. A Riftborn. A creature from beyond the Veil. And it was staring straight at him.
Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
The forsaken Code. Chapter Thirteen:. The Riftborn's Hunger.
The Riftborn loomed over them, its form flickering between states—sometimes solid, sometimes a twisting mass of shadows, its edges fraying like torn fabric against the eerie violet glow of the sky.Noah’s body went rigid. His pulse roared in his ears. He had read about Riftborns in old texts—creatures that should not exist in any reality, beings that belonged to the space between worlds. But reading about them and standing in front of one were two different things entirely.Killian took a step back, his fingers twitching toward his dagger. Vance remained eerily still, his golden eyes narrowed as he studied the creature.The hooded woman—the one who had spoken to them—lifted a hand, as if holding the Riftborn at bay. “The Veil is weak,” she intoned. “And so, they come.”Noah forced himself to find his voice. “They? There are more of these things?”The woman nodded slowly. “Where the Rift thins, they gather.”The Riftborn let out a low, reverberating growl that rattled Noah’s bones.
The forsaken Code. Chapter Fourteen:. The mark of the abyss.
Noah’s breath hitched. His fingers brushed over the dark mark curling around his wrist, feeling the unnatural heat pulsing beneath his skin. It didn’t hurt, but the sensation was wrong, like something alive was beneath the surface.Killian was the first to break the silence.“What do you mean, ‘he’ll become one of them’?” His voice was sharp, demanding answers.The hooded woman didn’t flinch. “The Abyss doesn’t let go of its chosen. Once it marks you, it slowly drains your essence. Your thoughts… your will… your very existence fades until you are nothing but a hollow shell.”Noah’s pulse pounded in his ears. He clenched his fists. “So you’re saying I’m cursed?”She nodded. “In a way, yes.”Vance sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Fantastic. Another problem added to our never-ending list.”Noah barely heard him. His mind raced, his heartbeat erratic.He had barely escaped the Abyss, and now it was inside him?Killian stepped forward, jaw tight. “How do we stop it?”The woman hes
The forsaken Code. Chapter fifteen:. Abyss Battle
The shadows twisted and writhed, forming grotesque figures with glowing, hollow eyes. They didn’t move like normal creatures. They slithered, shifted, and melted into the darkness before reforming elsewhere, always just out of reach.Noah’s grip on his weapon tightened. His breathing was shallow, the weight of the Abyss pressing against his chest like an invisible force. The dark mark on his wrist pulsed violently, as if responding to the creatures in front of him.Killian stepped in front of him, sword raised. “Stay close.” His voice was steady, but Noah could hear the tension beneath it.Vance cracked his knuckles. “I don’t suppose we can reason with these things?”The hooded woman shook her head. “They are not creatures of reason. They are fragments of the Abyss itself, drawn to its mark on Noah.”“Great.” Vance sighed, pulling a dagger from his belt. “Then I guess we do this the hard way.”The shadows attacked.Noah barely had time to react as one lunged at him, its form stretchin
The forsaken Code. Chapter sixteen: The abyss Hunger.
The darkness surged forward, swallowing the last slivers of light. Noah gripped his weapon tighter, his breath quick and uneven. The Abyss was alive around them, twisting, shifting, waiting to consume.Killian stood beside him, sword raised, his stance firm. "We need a plan. Fast."Vance kept his back to them, scanning the shadows. "Plan? Pretty sure our plan is to survive."The hooded woman remained motionless, watching. "The Abyss is testing you."Noah frowned. "Testing us? For what?""To see if you belong." Her voice was calm, but her eyes carried a warning. "If you fail, it will keep you."Noah’s heart pounded. The dark mark on his wrist burned, pulsing like it had a life of its own. He could hear the whispers again, creeping into his mind, tempting him to let go, to surrender.He shook his head. "We’re not losing to this thing."The shadows moved again, faster this time. A clawed hand lashed out from the void. Noah barely dodged, stumbling back as Killian slashed at the creature.
The forsaken Code. Chapter seventeen: Shadows in the Dark.
The darkness shifted around them, restless and alive. Noah gripped his weapon tighter, his pulse quickening as the whispering voices grew louder. They slithered through his mind, their words just out of reach, teasing and taunting.Killian stepped beside him, his blade steady. "We need to move. Standing here makes us easy targets."Vance exhaled sharply. "Easier said than done. We can barely see where we're going."The hooded woman raised her hand. A faint glow flickered from her palm, illuminating the swirling void. "Follow my lead. The Abyss thrives on hesitation. If we falter, it will consume us."Noah swallowed, nodding. "Then let’s keep moving."They pressed forward, their steps cautious. The ground beneath them felt strange—solid yet shifting, like walking on the surface of a deep ocean. Noah’s mark pulsed again, the heat spreading up his arm. He clenched his jaw, ignoring the unease crawling up his spine.A low growl rumbled from the shadows.Killian stopped abruptly, his eyes
The forsaken Code. Chapter Eighteen:. The abyss Call.
A deep hum resonated through the cavern, vibrating in Noah’s bones. The pulsing core before them shifted, dark tendrils snaking outward like it was alive.Killian stepped in front of Noah, his sword raised. "I don’t like this."Vance rolled his shoulders. "We came all this way. Might as well see what happens."Noah swallowed hard. He could feel the pull of the Abyss, stronger than ever. It wasn’t just calling him—it was waiting.The hooded woman finally spoke. "The Abyss does not give power freely. It demands something in return."Noah’s hands clenched into fists. "What does it want?"Her gaze locked onto his. "A choice."The pulsing core brightened, and suddenly, shadows swirled around Noah, wrapping around him like chains. He gasped, struggling against the unseen force."Noah!" Killian lunged forward, but an invisible barrier sent him flying backward. Vance cursed, trying to reach him, but the darkness pushed them away.Noah gritted his teeth. The Abyss’s voice slithered into his
The forsaken Code. Chapter Nineteen: A lingering Threat
The moment Noah stepped through the portal, the air around him changed. The heavy, suffocating presence of the Abyss faded, replaced by the crisp night breeze. He stumbled slightly, his body still weak, but Killian was there to steady him.They stood in the ruins once more, the moon casting long shadows across the broken stones. For a moment, everything was silent—too silent.Vance exhaled loudly. “I can’t believe we actually made it out.”Noah didn’t respond. His mind was still reeling from what he had seen inside the Abyss. The whispers, the shadows, the thing that had nearly swallowed him whole.The hooded woman stepped forward, her voice calm as always. “The Abyss may have let you leave, but it hasn’t forgotten you.”Killian tensed. “What does that mean?”She looked at Noah. “The mark remains. The connection is still there. The Abyss has touched you, and that touch does not simply vanish.”Noah glanced at his wrist. The mark no longer burned, but it was still there, a dark reminde
The forsaken Code. Chapter Twenty:. Into the Abyss
The darkness was no longer just a presence—it was a force. It clung to their skin, filled their lungs, and whispered secrets that none of them wanted to hear. Noah braced himself, gripping his weapon tightly as the shadows circled them like a predator sizing up its prey.Killian’s stance was firm, his blade reflecting what little light remained in this forsaken place. "Noah, can you feel that?"Noah nodded. "Yeah. It’s getting stronger."Vance narrowed his eyes, scanning their surroundings. "This is wrong. We need to move—now."The hooded woman remained eerily still. Her voice, when it came, was almost a whisper. "There is no escape. The Abyss has already claimed us."Before anyone could respond, the darkness lunged.Noah barely had time to react as something massive slammed into them. He was thrown back, the impact knocking the wind from his lungs. He hit the ground hard, pain jolting through his body as his vision blurred.Killian shouted his name, but the sound was drowned out by t
Latest Chapter
Chapter Twenty-three:. The abyss Stir
Noah’s breath came in short gasps as he stood amidst the swirling darkness. The Abyss pulsed around them, a living entity pressing against their minds, their bodies. He could feel it now—its hunger, its patience, its desire to consume him whole.Killian stood beside him, blade raised, his muscles tense as he scanned the ever-shifting void. Vance, his usual sarcasm absent, gripped his weapon tightly, his knuckles turning white. The hooded woman remained eerily calm, her gaze fixed on something unseen.Noah clenched his fists. “What now?”The woman finally spoke, her voice steady. “The Abyss knows you’re here. It won’t let you leave easily.”Killian scoffed. “Yeah, we figured that much.”The laughter from the shadows returned, echoing around them like a cruel symphony. Noah turned sharply, catching glimpses of figures moving just beyond the edges of his vision. They were being watched.Then, without warning, the darkness attacked.A shadow lunged, tendrils stretching out like claws. Noa
Chapter twenty-two: Into the Unknown.
The air inside the Abyss thickened, pressing against Noah’s skin like an unseen weight. Every breath felt heavier, every step slower. The shadows around them twisted and shifted, whispering in voices that didn’t belong to any living being.Killian moved closer to Noah, his grip tightening on his sword. “I don’t like this. It feels like we’re being watched.”Vance let out a humorless chuckle. “That’s because we are.”The hooded woman didn’t turn. “Stay focused. The Abyss feeds on fear.”Noah swallowed hard. His wrist burned where the dark mark pulsed, reacting to the Abyss in ways he didn’t understand. Was it calling him deeper? Or warning him?A gust of cold wind swept through the void, carrying with it a sound—a low growl, deep and guttural. It came from everywhere and nowhere at once.Killian stopped walking. “Tell me that was just the wind.”The hooded woman finally turned to them, her expression unreadable. “It knows you’re here.”Before anyone could react, the darkness moved.A s
Chapter Twenty One:. Shadows of the abyss
The darkness pressed in from all sides, suffocating and absolute. Noah’s breath came in short, sharp gasps as he gripped the hilt of his weapon tighter. The whispers had grown louder, filling his mind with unintelligible murmurs that sent chills down his spine.Killian stood beside him, tense and alert, his blade gleaming faintly in the dim light. Vance, a few steps away, had his back against a jagged rock, scanning the shifting void around them. The hooded woman remained still, her face unreadable beneath the shadow of her cloak.“We need to move,” Vance muttered. “Standing here isn’t going to help.”Noah swallowed hard. “Where do we even go? This place doesn’t follow normal rules.”The hooded woman finally spoke. “We follow the mark.”Noah frowned and glanced at his wrist. The dark mark pulsed, its glow faint but unmistakable. A sense of direction tugged at him, as though something unseen was pulling him forward.Killian noticed. “You feel it, don’t you?”Noah nodded hesitantly. “Ye
Chapter Twenty:. Into the Abyss
The darkness was no longer just a presence—it was a force. It clung to their skin, filled their lungs, and whispered secrets that none of them wanted to hear. Noah braced himself, gripping his weapon tightly as the shadows circled them like a predator sizing up its prey.Killian’s stance was firm, his blade reflecting what little light remained in this forsaken place. "Noah, can you feel that?"Noah nodded. "Yeah. It’s getting stronger."Vance narrowed his eyes, scanning their surroundings. "This is wrong. We need to move—now."The hooded woman remained eerily still. Her voice, when it came, was almost a whisper. "There is no escape. The Abyss has already claimed us."Before anyone could respond, the darkness lunged.Noah barely had time to react as something massive slammed into them. He was thrown back, the impact knocking the wind from his lungs. He hit the ground hard, pain jolting through his body as his vision blurred.Killian shouted his name, but the sound was drowned out by t
Chapter Nineteen: A lingering Threat
The moment Noah stepped through the portal, the air around him changed. The heavy, suffocating presence of the Abyss faded, replaced by the crisp night breeze. He stumbled slightly, his body still weak, but Killian was there to steady him.They stood in the ruins once more, the moon casting long shadows across the broken stones. For a moment, everything was silent—too silent.Vance exhaled loudly. “I can’t believe we actually made it out.”Noah didn’t respond. His mind was still reeling from what he had seen inside the Abyss. The whispers, the shadows, the thing that had nearly swallowed him whole.The hooded woman stepped forward, her voice calm as always. “The Abyss may have let you leave, but it hasn’t forgotten you.”Killian tensed. “What does that mean?”She looked at Noah. “The mark remains. The connection is still there. The Abyss has touched you, and that touch does not simply vanish.”Noah glanced at his wrist. The mark no longer burned, but it was still there, a dark reminde
Chapter Eighteen:. The abyss Call.
A deep hum resonated through the cavern, vibrating in Noah’s bones. The pulsing core before them shifted, dark tendrils snaking outward like it was alive.Killian stepped in front of Noah, his sword raised. "I don’t like this."Vance rolled his shoulders. "We came all this way. Might as well see what happens."Noah swallowed hard. He could feel the pull of the Abyss, stronger than ever. It wasn’t just calling him—it was waiting.The hooded woman finally spoke. "The Abyss does not give power freely. It demands something in return."Noah’s hands clenched into fists. "What does it want?"Her gaze locked onto his. "A choice."The pulsing core brightened, and suddenly, shadows swirled around Noah, wrapping around him like chains. He gasped, struggling against the unseen force."Noah!" Killian lunged forward, but an invisible barrier sent him flying backward. Vance cursed, trying to reach him, but the darkness pushed them away.Noah gritted his teeth. The Abyss’s voice slithered into his
Chapter seventeen: Shadows in the Dark.
The darkness shifted around them, restless and alive. Noah gripped his weapon tighter, his pulse quickening as the whispering voices grew louder. They slithered through his mind, their words just out of reach, teasing and taunting.Killian stepped beside him, his blade steady. "We need to move. Standing here makes us easy targets."Vance exhaled sharply. "Easier said than done. We can barely see where we're going."The hooded woman raised her hand. A faint glow flickered from her palm, illuminating the swirling void. "Follow my lead. The Abyss thrives on hesitation. If we falter, it will consume us."Noah swallowed, nodding. "Then let’s keep moving."They pressed forward, their steps cautious. The ground beneath them felt strange—solid yet shifting, like walking on the surface of a deep ocean. Noah’s mark pulsed again, the heat spreading up his arm. He clenched his jaw, ignoring the unease crawling up his spine.A low growl rumbled from the shadows.Killian stopped abruptly, his eyes
Chapter sixteen: The abyss Hunger.
The darkness surged forward, swallowing the last slivers of light. Noah gripped his weapon tighter, his breath quick and uneven. The Abyss was alive around them, twisting, shifting, waiting to consume.Killian stood beside him, sword raised, his stance firm. "We need a plan. Fast."Vance kept his back to them, scanning the shadows. "Plan? Pretty sure our plan is to survive."The hooded woman remained motionless, watching. "The Abyss is testing you."Noah frowned. "Testing us? For what?""To see if you belong." Her voice was calm, but her eyes carried a warning. "If you fail, it will keep you."Noah’s heart pounded. The dark mark on his wrist burned, pulsing like it had a life of its own. He could hear the whispers again, creeping into his mind, tempting him to let go, to surrender.He shook his head. "We’re not losing to this thing."The shadows moved again, faster this time. A clawed hand lashed out from the void. Noah barely dodged, stumbling back as Killian slashed at the creature.
Chapter fifteen:. Abyss Battle
The shadows twisted and writhed, forming grotesque figures with glowing, hollow eyes. They didn’t move like normal creatures. They slithered, shifted, and melted into the darkness before reforming elsewhere, always just out of reach.Noah’s grip on his weapon tightened. His breathing was shallow, the weight of the Abyss pressing against his chest like an invisible force. The dark mark on his wrist pulsed violently, as if responding to the creatures in front of him.Killian stepped in front of him, sword raised. “Stay close.” His voice was steady, but Noah could hear the tension beneath it.Vance cracked his knuckles. “I don’t suppose we can reason with these things?”The hooded woman shook her head. “They are not creatures of reason. They are fragments of the Abyss itself, drawn to its mark on Noah.”“Great.” Vance sighed, pulling a dagger from his belt. “Then I guess we do this the hard way.”The shadows attacked.Noah barely had time to react as one lunged at him, its form stretchin
