Whispers in the Abyss

The cleft in the earth yawned behind them, insubstantial tendrils of darkness curling up like the breath of something ancient and alive. Luna's gaze stayed with it as Reid laid a firm hand on her shoulder.


"We have to keep moving," he pressed, his voice taut. "That thing won't stay dormant for long."

She nodded but couldn't shake off the unease that had settled in her chest. The crack was a reminder, an omen of what the puppeteer had promised. The abyss shall rise, and when it does, you will kneel.

A Desperate Escape


The rocky path through the ravine narrowed as they pressed onward, the oppressive darkness giving way to faint streaks of moonlight filtering through the jagged cliffs above. Reid stumbled, his injury slowing him down. Luna caught his arm, her grip firm despite her own exhaustion.

'Let me help," she said.


'I'm fine," Reid grunted, though the blood soaking his shirt told a different story.

You're stubborn, not invincible," she snapped. "Lean on me."

He hesitated, then relented, leaning against her as they climbed the uneven path. Every step felt like a battle, but the wolves' howls had faded into the distance, giving them a fragile sense of safety.

"Where are we even going?" Reid asked after a few moments.

"To someone who can help," Luna replied.

"Someone? Or something?"

Luna's jaw tightened. "Both.

Reid didn't push it any further. He knew by now that the only secrets Luna would share were those she was ready to reveal-or if they had no other choice.

The Sanctuary

Hours later, they emerged from the ravine into a dense forest, with towering trees casting long shadows on the ground. The air was cool, with the faint scent of pine and damp earth.

"Where is this 'help' of yours?" Reid asked, his voice heavy with fatigue.

"Not far," Luna replied, her eyes scanning the forest. "There's an old sanctuary not far from here. It's warded—shields strong enough to keep the shadows out."

"Great," Reid muttered. "But maybe next time, let's try aiming for a safe house that doesn't require us to nearly die getting there."

Luna's smirk was faint but silent. She knew what awaited them at the sanctuary was far from safe.

They tramped through the silence for what seemed to take hours; the dense undergrowth was going to slow them down considerably. Just as Reid's patience began to wane, they burst through the trees and saw it: a crumbling stone structure half-concealed by vines and moss.

"This is it?" Reid asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's stronger than it looks," Luna replied, stepping forward.

As they drew closer, the carvings in the stone-a whole series of minuscule, illegible symbols-began to light up, a response to their proximity. Luna reached and pressed her hand against the biggest of these, and a humming noise began to resound through the air. The vines receded to reveal a hidden door.

"Nice," Reid said, truly impressed, and followed her inside.

It was dark and cold inside; the air was heavy with ancient magic. Luna went first, her footsteps clattering in the deserted corridors.

Keeper

In the middle of the sanctuary, they found one figure waiting. An older woman sat with her legs crossed on the floor. Long silver hair cascaded down her shoulders and back. Her pale, moonlight-colored eyes flicked up to meet Luna's.

"You're late," the woman said. Her voice was sharp, melodious.

"Oh, good to see you too, Selene," Luna said. The edge of sarcasm laced her tone.

Selene rose gracefully, her gaze shifting to Reid. 'And who's this? Another stray you've picked up?"

'Name's Reid," he said, offering a weak smile. 'Pleasure to meet you."

Selene didn't return the gesture. Instead, her eyes lingered on his wound. 'You're lucky to be alive."

'Yeah, I've been hearing that a lot lately."

Selene sighed, then gestured for him to sit. 'Come. Let me tend to that injury before your luck runs out."

Reid hedged, but Luna nodded, silently nudging him to have faith in this woman. As Selene got to work, Luna moved out of the way, her brain already diving into the questions that had plagued her since the ravine.

A Glimpse into the Abyss

As Selene worked on Reid, Luna wandered into a side chamber filled with ancient scrolls and tomes. The light of one lone candle dancing upon the walls created long shadows, furthering the eerie atmosphere of the room.

Her eyes fell on a gigantic, dusty book that lay open on a pedestal in the middle of the room. The symbols etched into its cover glowed faintly, like the ones on the walls of the sanctuary.

Luna reached out hesitantly and opened the book. Its pages were filled with intricate diagrams and text that seemed to make little sense, yet one image immediately caught her eye-a picture of a great crack in the earth, dark tendrils spilling out.

Below it, one phrase was written in bold, archaic script:

The First Crack is the beginning of the end.

Her stomach quivered. It wasn't a coincidence. That crack they saw in the ravine wasn't a warning but an omen of the abyss breaking free.

"What are you looking at?" Selene's voice cut through her thoughts.

Luna turned to see the older woman standing in the doorway, her expression unreadable.

"The crack," Luna said, gesturing to the page. "It's real. It's already started."

Selene's face darkened. "I know."

The Puppeteer's Plan

Back in the central chamber, Selene relayed what she knew.

"The puppeteer isn't just trying to break the seal," she explained. "It's trying to merge our world with the abyss. If it succeeds, everything we know will be consumed by shadow."

"And the crack in the ravine?" Luna asked.

The look on Selene's face had turned grim. "It is the first step. The seal weakens and the shadows strengthen. If we do not act quick, the crack will spread, and the abyss will swallow us all."

"Then we stop it," he said again, much firmer this time.

An eyebrow went up. "You make it sound so simple."

"Isn't it?" he returned. "Find the crack, close it, save the world.

Selene laughed without humor. "If it were only so simple. The puppeteer has planned this for centuries. It knows our every move before we make it."

"Then we outsmart it," Luna said. "There has to be a way."

Selene considered her for a long time, then nodded. "Perhaps there is."

A Desperate Gamble

Selene took them into another chamber; on a huge stone table were maps of several eras and artifacts. In the center lay a small, glowing orb that pulsed with an otherworldly light.

"This is the key," said Selene, placing her hand over the orb. "It's a fragment of the original seal. If we can amplify its power, we may be able to repair the crack."

"But there's a catch," Luna ventured.

Selene nodded. "It is an ordeal to perform-it takes a lot of strength and sacrifice. And even then, it's not certain it will work. If we fail, the puppeteer will grow more powerful."

Reid frowned. "And if we don't try?"

Selene's gaze was grave. "Then the crack will spread, and the abyss will rise."

Luna looked at Reid, and she could feel how heavy it lay upon him, but the urgency was equally clear.

We have no other choice," Luna said. "We must try."

And with that, they readied themselves for the ritual. It was then that the orb started to shine brighter and its light filled the chamber. This, in turn, seemed to reach out to Luna, a very strange pull.

Images whirled through her mind-visions of the abyss devouring the land, dark tentacles reaching out and wrapping themselves around the ones she loved. And then she saw: the puppeteer, standing at the center of the storm, its eyes aglow with molten triumph.

"Luna!" Reid shouted, pulling her back into the world of the living.

She glanced down at the orb clutched in her hands and saw its light pulse in time with her erratic heartbeat.

"What was it?" Selene demanded.

Luna quivered as she said, "The future. And it's worse than we imagined."