NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2: Shadows of the Past
Elara stood at the edge of the abyss, her gaze fixed on the swirling darkness below. The prophecy still echoed in her mind, a constant reminder of the path she was about to take. But the abyss was more than just a place of power—it was a place of memories, of secrets buried deep within her lineage.
As Elara took a step forward, Kael's voice cut through the stillness. "You're not ready," he said, his tone tinged with both concern and a hint of something darker. "You don't yet understand what's at stake."
Elara turned to face him, her piercing blue eyes unwavering. "I have no choice but to understand, Kael. This power... this abyss, it's calling to me. I can feel it in my bones."
Kael's expression hardened, but there was a sadness in his eyes. "I know what you're feeling. I've been where you are. But the abyss is more than just a source of power—it's a place that reveals the darkest parts of your soul. Are you ready to face them?"
She hesitated for a moment, but only for a moment. "I have to. For my people. For myself."
Kael's gaze softened, but his next words were firm. "The past is not something you can escape. Your family, your lineage... they've left scars on this world, Elara. Scars that still bleed."
Elara felt a chill creep down her spine as she thought of her family. Her ancestors, revered and feared for their immense power, had abandoned her. Her lineage had been twisted by generations of dark sorcery, leaving her with a legacy she neither understood nor wanted. But it was a legacy she couldn't run from.
"You think I don't know that?" she said, her voice steady but carrying the weight of unspoken pain. "But I have to reclaim it, Kael. The prophecy says that I can stabilize the primordial energy. I can change the balance of this world."
Kael stepped closer, his eyes locking onto hers. "You think you can change things? You think this power will make you stronger? The power of the abyss doesn't give. It takes. It consumes."
Elara's heart pounded, but her resolve only grew stronger. "I'm not afraid of it."
Kael exhaled sharply, but his words were gentle. "Maybe you should be."
As the wind howled around them, the air grew thick with an otherworldly tension. The abyss, once a distant concept, now felt too close, as though it was waiting for her to make the first move. Kael's warning hung in the air like a storm cloud, but Elara knew that her journey had already begun.
She took a deep breath, stepping into the abyss, the darkness swallowing her whole. But just before she disappeared from Kael's sight, she heard his voice, low and desperate.
"Be careful, Elara. The past is always watching."
With that, the abyss claimed her.