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The forsaken Code. Chapter Twenty-Six : Echoes of the void
Noah took a steadying breath as the remnants of the Abyss faded into the void. His heart was still pounding, his body aching from the battle. He glanced at his wrist where the mark had cooled, the pain a distant echo now. But the memory of its burn lingered. He wasn’t free—not yet.Killian exhaled sharply, running a hand through his sweat-damp hair. “So, what now? We just keep moving forward?”Vance dusted off his coat, shaking his head. “Forward is the only option. Unless you’d rather set up camp and wait for the next nightmare to come crawling out of the dark.”Noah turned to the hooded woman. “You said this was just the beginning. What did you mean?”She studied him for a moment, her gaze unreadable. “The Abyss tested you, but it has not given up. You rejected it today, but it will try again. Stronger. Smarter. You must be ready.”Noah clenched his fists. “Then tell me how. How do I fight it?”“The answer lies beyond this passage,” she said, motioning to the path ahead. “But be war
The forsaken Code. Chapter Twenty- Seven: Echoes of the abyss.
The void ahead seemed to pulse, shifting like a living entity as Noah and his companions pressed forward. The weight of the Abyss still lingered, its presence a whisper at the edge of his mind. Though the immediate danger had passed, he knew better than to assume it was truly gone."I hate to admit it," Vance muttered, flicking away a lingering wisp of darkness from his shoulder, "but that thing had me questioning my life choices."Killian smirked, adjusting his grip on his blade. "If you actually took time to think before charging in, you'd have a shorter list of regrets."The hooded woman, ever silent, walked ahead with purpose. Noah studied her movements—calm, deliberate, almost as if she knew exactly where they were going. He quickened his pace until he was beside her. "You knew the Abyss wouldn’t fully consume me. Didn’t you?"She turned her head slightly, the dim glow of her ethereal markings casting faint shadows across her face. "I suspected. But only you could decide that."H
The forsaken Code. Chapter Twenty- Eight:. The abyss Reckoning
Noah steadied his breathing as they ventured deeper into the Abyss. The oppressive weight of the void seemed to retreat, but he knew better—it was watching, waiting for the moment to strike again. His mark still pulsed, a steady rhythm against his wrist, reminding him of the tenuous connection he had forced into submission.Killian walked beside him, sword drawn, his eyes scanning their surroundings for any movement. Vance trailed slightly behind, flicking embers from his fingertips as if to reassure himself that his magic was still intact. The hooded woman, ever enigmatic, led the way, her steps sure despite the shifting darkness beneath them.“This isn’t over,” she murmured, breaking the silence. “The Abyss does not relinquish what it has claimed without consequence.”Noah clenched his jaw. “Then let it try again. I’ll be ready.”A chuckle escaped Killian. “That’s the spirit, but let’s not tempt fate too much.”Vance let out a low whistle. “I hate to agree with the swordsman, but we
The forsaken Code. Chapter Twenty- four:. Empty Whispers
The Abyss had quieted, but its presence lingered, a phantom clinging to the edges of Noah’s consciousness. Every breath he took felt heavier, as though the void itself was watching, waiting.Vance stretched, rolling his shoulders as he surveyed the remnants of their battle. "So, what now? We just keep walking and hope this thing doesn’t come back for round two?"Killian scoffed. "I doubt it’s that simple. Something tells me it won’t give up that easily."The hooded woman, still an enigma, turned toward Noah. "You resisted it, but resistance is not enough. The Abyss does not forget, nor does it forgive."Noah frowned. "Then what am I supposed to do? Keep pushing it back forever?"She studied him carefully, the glow in her eyes dim but piercing. "No. You must learn to wield the power it fears. Until then, you remain prey."A shiver ran down Noah’s spine. He had barely survived this time—how was he supposed to control something that wanted to consume him?The cavernous path ahead stretch
The forsaken Code. Chapter Twenty-Five:. Defeated
Noah's breath was steady, his resolve hardened by the confrontation with the Abyss. Though the darkness had retreated, the sensation of being watched remained. The hooded woman stood beside him, her glowing symbols dimming slightly, her gaze unreadable."It will return," she warned. "And next time, it will not hesitate."Noah flexed his fingers, the mark on his wrist tingling with residual energy. "Then we make sure we're ready."Killian sheathed his sword, his usual smirk replaced with a contemplative frown. "I still don’t get what you did back there. The way the Abyss reacted… it was like you turned its own power against it."Vance whistled. "Whatever it was, let's hope you can do it again. We’re far from done here."The ground beneath them shifted slightly, as though the world itself was adjusting to their presence. They were in the heart of the Abyss now, and the path ahead was uncertain.The hooded woman turned to Noah. "There is something you must see. Come."They followed her d
The forsaken Code. Chapter Twenty- six:. Defeated (2)
The Abyss let out one final, ear-splitting shriek as its form twisted and unraveled. The darkness that had once loomed over them like an eternal nightmare shattered, dissipating into the void like smoke caught in the wind. The oppressive weight that had suffocated Noah and his companions lifted, leaving behind only silence.Noah staggered, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. The mark on his wrist no longer burned; instead, it pulsed with a steady, quiet glow. He had done it. They had done it.Killian wiped the sweat from his brow, his sword still clenched in his hand as if expecting the Abyss to reform. When it didn’t, he let out a short, disbelieving laugh. “It’s… it’s actually gone.”Vance, who had been bracing for another wave of darkness, slowly lowered his hands, his fire extinguishing. “I can’t believe it,” he muttered. “I thought for sure we’d be swallowed whole.”The hooded woman stepped forward, her gaze fixed on Noah. “You have severed the Abyss’s hold,” she sai
The forsaken Code. Chapter Twenty- seven:. The final confrontation
The Abyss was no longer a mere force to be reckoned with; it had become an entity in its own right, its tendrils frenzied, its eyes burning with hatred and fear. Noah could feel it gathering itself, preparing for one final strike, but something had shifted within him. The mark on his wrist pulsed with energy, its rhythm in sync with his heartbeat. He wasn't the man who had walked into this battle mere hours ago—he had grown. And now, the Abyss would face him, not as a victim, but as a force of nature itself.The hooded woman stepped back, her eyes narrowed as she observed the shifting shadows. "This is it. You’ve awakened the power within you, Noah. Now, you must wield it."Noah's eyes never left the swirling mass in front of him. The Abyss was taking form, its colossal figure now a twisted mirror of his own fears and weaknesses. The creature’s roar reverberated through the air, as though mocking him, daring him to challenge it one last time.“I don’t have a choice,” Noah muttered und
The forsaken Code. Chapter Twenty- eight:. Into the Darklands
The journey toward the Darklands was unlike anything Noah had ever experienced. The air grew colder with every step they took, a biting chill that gnawed at their bones. The landscape around them transformed slowly, as though the world itself was warping in response to their approach. The once lush forests gave way to barren, twisted trees, their gnarled branches clawing at the sky like skeletal fingers. The ground was cracked and dry, with jagged rocks jutting out of the earth at odd angles.As they ventured further, the silence of the land weighed heavily on them. The usual sounds of nature—the rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds—were conspicuously absent. Only the occasional screech of a distant bird of prey broke the oppressive stillness, but it was always followed by an unsettling silence, as if the land itself were holding its breath.Noah’s thoughts drifted back to the conversation they had before they left. The hooded woman had been cryptic in her explanations, offering
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Chapter Thirty- nine: Noah's past Reflection (3)
Killian didn’t press further, and for that, Noah was grateful. He wasn’t sure he had the strength to put everything into words just yet.The fire had long since burned out, leaving only glowing embers between them, and for a moment, the world felt still. But Noah knew better than to trust stillness. The Darklands had a way of lulling travelers into a false sense of security before striking when they least expected it.“I don’t sleep much either,” Killian admitted after a moment, breaking the silence. His voice was quieter than usual, almost contemplative. “Too many things in my head. Too many things I’ve done that won’t let me rest.”Noah glanced at him, surprised. Killian wasn’t the type to talk about himself. He had always been the steady one, the fighter who never seemed to flinch, the man who never hesitated. But now, sitting in the dim light, he seemed… human. Tired.Noah hesitated before speaking. “What did you do?”Killian sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “You ever make a
Chapter Thirty-Eight: Noah's past Reflection (2)
Noah sat by the dying embers of the campfire, his mind drifting to a time before the Darklands, before the Abyss had marked him. The others had settled in for the night, their breathing slow and steady, but sleep eluded him.His father’s voice echoed in his mind, sharp and unforgiving. "You were never meant to lead, Noah. You hesitate. You doubt. That’s what makes you weak."Noah had always struggled under the weight of his father’s expectations. The man had been a force of nature—unyielding, disciplined, and entirely without mercy. He had trained Noah from the time he could walk, pushing him beyond his limits, testing his resolve at every turn. But no matter how hard he tried, it had never been enough."A leader doesn’t second-guess himself," his father had said, after watching Noah hesitate before striking an opponent in one of their countless sparring matches. "A leader commands."Noah had never wanted to command. He had wanted freedom, choices that were his own. But fate had other
Chapter Thirty-seven: Noah's past Reflection
The fire crackled softly, its warmth a stark contrast to the cold weight settling in Noah’s chest. The others had drifted into restless sleep, exhaustion finally catching up to them after the ordeal in the Darklands. But Noah couldn’t close his eyes. Not yet.He stared into the embers, lost in thought. The hooded woman’s words echoed in his mind: You didn’t just restrain it. You claimed dominion over it.A bitter chuckle escaped him. He hadn’t sought power. He never had. But power had a way of finding him, twisting itself into his life whether he wanted it or not.The memory came unbidden—his father’s voice, sharp and full of disappointment.“You hesitate, Noah. You always hesitate. And that is why you will never be strong enough.”He had been a child then, no older than ten, standing in the courtyard of their old estate. His hands trembled around the hilt of the wooden practice sword, his opponent a boy two years older, taller, stronger. The clash of training blades echoed around the
Chapter Thirty-six: Finally
The air grew heavier, thick with a presence unseen but deeply felt. Each step forward sent a ripple through the Darklands, as though Noah’s very existence unsettled the slumbering force beneath them. The terrain twisted, shifting like a living thing reacting to their intrusion.Vance walked beside him, his daggers drawn but loose in his grip, his gaze darting to the shifting landscape. "You feel that, don’t you? It’s like the ground’s... breathing."Killian exhaled sharply. "More like watching. I don’t like it."The hooded woman kept her eyes forward, her posture rigid. "It knows you now, Noah. And it’s testing you."Noah tightened his fists, the mark on his wrist pulsing in time with his heartbeat. He could feel the connection deepening, the abyssal power within him stirring in response to the land’s awakening. The knowledge unsettled him—but fear would do him no good. He had already chosen this path.Then, without warning, the ground ahead of them cracked open.A deep, guttural soun
Chapter Thirty- five: Darklands Awakening
The silence was deafening. The darkness no longer writhed, no longer reached for him with insatiable hunger. Yet Noah could still feel its presence, distant but lingering, like an ember smoldering beneath the ash.He exhaled sharply, his muscles trembling from the effort of binding the creature. His mind swam with exhaustion, yet the weight of the moment kept him grounded.Killian staggered to his feet, dusting himself off. His usual smirk was absent, replaced by something almost wary. “So… does this mean it’s over?”Vance shot him a look, sheathing his daggers. “You really think something like that goes down without consequences?”Noah flexed his fingers, staring at the mark on his wrist. The pain had subsided, but an odd sensation remained—like a tether stretching into the void.The hooded woman stepped closer, her gaze sharp. “You’ve done what no one else could. But this is only the beginning.”Noah frowned, his heart still racing. “What do you mean?”She hesitated for the first ti
Chapter Twenty- nine: Bound by shadows
The path ahead was a winding, narrow trail, barely visible under the creeping darkness that seemed to grow thicker with each passing moment. The trees loomed over them like towering giants, their twisted limbs blocking out any semblance of light. The further they went, the more Noah felt as though the land itself was closing in on them, as though the very earth were conspiring to keep them in this oppressive shadow.Noah’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. The mark on his wrist had not stopped pulsing, and the more he tried to ignore it, the more it seemed to demand his attention. It wasn’t just the mark, though—it was the whole of this place. The air felt heavy with something ancient, something old and powerful. It was the weight of forgotten things, of lost memories that no one wanted to remember.He glanced over at Killian, who was still tense and alert, his eyes darting to every shadow, every flicker of movement in the periphery. Even Vance, who usually carried himself with a sort
Chapter Twenty- eight:. Into the Darklands
The journey toward the Darklands was unlike anything Noah had ever experienced. The air grew colder with every step they took, a biting chill that gnawed at their bones. The landscape around them transformed slowly, as though the world itself was warping in response to their approach. The once lush forests gave way to barren, twisted trees, their gnarled branches clawing at the sky like skeletal fingers. The ground was cracked and dry, with jagged rocks jutting out of the earth at odd angles.As they ventured further, the silence of the land weighed heavily on them. The usual sounds of nature—the rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds—were conspicuously absent. Only the occasional screech of a distant bird of prey broke the oppressive stillness, but it was always followed by an unsettling silence, as if the land itself were holding its breath.Noah’s thoughts drifted back to the conversation they had before they left. The hooded woman had been cryptic in her explanations, offering
Chapter Twenty- seven:. The final confrontation
The Abyss was no longer a mere force to be reckoned with; it had become an entity in its own right, its tendrils frenzied, its eyes burning with hatred and fear. Noah could feel it gathering itself, preparing for one final strike, but something had shifted within him. The mark on his wrist pulsed with energy, its rhythm in sync with his heartbeat. He wasn't the man who had walked into this battle mere hours ago—he had grown. And now, the Abyss would face him, not as a victim, but as a force of nature itself.The hooded woman stepped back, her eyes narrowed as she observed the shifting shadows. "This is it. You’ve awakened the power within you, Noah. Now, you must wield it."Noah's eyes never left the swirling mass in front of him. The Abyss was taking form, its colossal figure now a twisted mirror of his own fears and weaknesses. The creature’s roar reverberated through the air, as though mocking him, daring him to challenge it one last time.“I don’t have a choice,” Noah muttered und
Chapter Twenty- six:. Defeated (2)
The Abyss let out one final, ear-splitting shriek as its form twisted and unraveled. The darkness that had once loomed over them like an eternal nightmare shattered, dissipating into the void like smoke caught in the wind. The oppressive weight that had suffocated Noah and his companions lifted, leaving behind only silence.Noah staggered, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. The mark on his wrist no longer burned; instead, it pulsed with a steady, quiet glow. He had done it. They had done it.Killian wiped the sweat from his brow, his sword still clenched in his hand as if expecting the Abyss to reform. When it didn’t, he let out a short, disbelieving laugh. “It’s… it’s actually gone.”Vance, who had been bracing for another wave of darkness, slowly lowered his hands, his fire extinguishing. “I can’t believe it,” he muttered. “I thought for sure we’d be swallowed whole.”The hooded woman stepped forward, her gaze fixed on Noah. “You have severed the Abyss’s hold,” she sai
