Chapter 19: Into the Abyss

The moment Arjuna stepped through the portal, the world around him twisted like a violent whirlpool. The colors swept into each other, and the air thickened with the smell of burning earth and sulfur. His surroundings became distorted, and for a split second, he thought he was falling, a sensation of weightlessness overwhelming him.

But then, as suddenly, his feet met solid ground, and the world stabilized itself.

Asura region. It was exactly as he had imagined, but even worse. The sky above swirled with a deep, bruised purple, ominous clouds that seemed to pulse with a disturbing energy. The air was thick and oppressive, the very atmosphere was shaking with a strain that sent chills through his spine. Jagged mountains hovered in the distance, their peaks hidden by a dark mist. The ground beneath his feet was broken and barren, a vast wasteland littered with the remains of ancient structures as far as the eye could see—the ruins of a civilization that had long been lost.

A dark, suffocating silence hung over the place, broken only by the distant roar of a storm sweeping across the distant horizon.

Arjun’s grip on the Codex strengthened while surveying the landscape. He could feel the weight of the pressure realm on her, trying to force his will on her, but she refused to yield. There was something wrong here – something more than just broken ground and oppressive environment. It was as if the fabric of reality had thinned, as if the region itself was on the verge of collapse.

Radhika, Kunal and Meera stepped through the portal behind her, each of them immediately preparing themselves against the harsh environment. Kunal adjusted the straps on his gear, his eyes scanning the horizon while Meera quickly set about preparing some protective talismans.

“This place...” Kunal muttered, his voice was low. “It seems ... Unnatural.

Radhika looked around, her expression dark. “It’s worse than I expected. I can feel the air going up. There’s something terribly wrong here.

Arjun nodded, his face serious. He could feel it, too—like an overwhelming presence, just lurking out of sight. The echoes of ancient power, now twisted and corrupted. It was as if the land were alive, full of resentment and malice.

“We need to move forward,” Arjun said, his voice steady but urgent. “We don’t know what’s waiting for us here, but we can’t afford to waste any more time.”

They sailed cautiously through the desolate landscape. The terrain was treacherous – sharp, jagged spikes of broken rock and black earth made each stage feel dangerous. The further they walked, the more oppressive the air became, filled with an energy that made it difficult to breathe.

As they crossed the barren land, the ruins of the once great Asura cities appeared. The huge tower, now reduced to crumbling stone, reached skyward like the skeletal remains of an ancient animal. The architecture was unlike anything seen by Arjuna before, intricate and twisted, with carvings of dark gods and terrifying creatures decorating every surface.

“This place was once magnificent,” Radhika murmured, her eyes fixed on the ruins. “But now, it’s nothing more than a grave.”

Arjun remained silent, his mind racing. The Asura realm was home to powerful, ancient creatures – creatures that once ruled with an iron fist. But something happened here that led to its downfall. The echoes of that collapse still remained, filling the air with a foreboding sense of loss and despair.

They walked for hours, the silence of the realm pressing on them, until, finally, they came upon what they were looking for: the heart of the Asura realm.

It was a huge fortress, perched atop a mountain that seemed to rise from the bones of the earth. The structure itself was imposing, a twisted amalgamation of jagged stone and dark metal, with towers that spiraled into the sky like the claws of a great beast. In the distance, Arjuna could see the faint flicker of movement - a figure standing at the entrance of the fortress, watching them approach.

“That’s what it is,” Kunal said softly, both fear and certainty in his voice. “That’s what we’re looking for.

Arjuna’s pulse quickened as he focused on the figure. There was something familiar about him — an aura, a presence, that felt like it was beckoning him. The figure stood still, as if waiting for them, his dark silhouette casting a long shadow in the dim light.

“We need to be careful,” Mira whispered. “Whatever it is, it’s powerful. We don’t know how strong he is, but we need everything we’ve got.

Arjuna shook his head. “We will face him together. Stay close.

With a determined step, Arjun moved the group forward, the distance between him and Aakriti shrinking with every heartbeat. The closer they got, the more the air seemed to crackling with stress, as if the world was holding its own breath.

And then, just as they reached the base of the fortress, the figure was moved.

She stepped forward, the ground beneath her feet seeming to wave with her presence. Arjun’s heart skipped a beat as the features of the figure came into sharp focus. A tall, imposing man, with piercing eyes that glowed with an unnatural light. Her skin was a deep, dark shade, as if carved by the very stone of the realm. His presence was overwhelming, like an ancient god returning to claim what belonged to him.

But it was not her presence that made Arjuna’s blood cold – it was the recognition in his eyes.

The man in front of him was someone he had seen before, though he couldn’t keep up when or where. But the connection was undeniable.

“You’ve arrived,” the man said, his voice deep and resonant, echoing through the air. “I was wondering when you will come, Arjun.

Arjun’s breath caught in his throat. Who are you? He demanded, trying to steady his voice, though his heart pounded in his chest.

The figure tilted her head, a twisted smile playing on her lips. “I have many names, Arjuna. But you can call me... South.

The name struck Arjuna like a thunderbolt. South. The shadow of her past, the name that haunted her dreams. He knew it once, but had pushed it away. The one who betrayed him, who played a hand in the destruction of everything he fought for.

“No,” Arjun whispered, his voice trembling. “It can’t be you.

But the smile of the South only widened.

“I never left, Arjun,” she said, her eyes shining with malice. “I’ve been waiting. See. And now... Now you will see the true power of the Asura realm. The power you never realized.

Before Arjuna could react, Dakshina raised his hand, and the ground beneath them trembled violently. Dark energy rose from the fortress, wrapping around them like a suffocating blanket. Arjuna’s body stiffened as the force of magic hit him like a bolt of lightning.

“Welcome back,” South’s voice echoes in the distance, “to your true destiny.”

Chapter end