Leaving the Abyss

[Warning: User's sanity is deteriorating; if the user's sanity deteriorates any further, the quest will fail.]

Bellator couldn't think; his mind was slowly deteriorating, and he had completely ignored the message from the system.

'IM SORRY,' Bellator kept repeating inside his head.

While his mind was deteriorating, his body still lay on the cold hard cave floor, and the glow of the moon could be seen hitting his body.

As an ethereal pink glow covered his body, the effect of the pink glow was unknown, yet it seemed to be protecting him.

Back in the Abyss, Bellator's psyche continued deteriorating.

[Warning: User's sanity is reaching the limit.]

Unaware of the system message, Bellator collapsed on the ground, clutching his head, blood started oozing from his pores.

'This pain is unbearable; when will it end?'

While his mind suffered in the Abyss, in the cave, Bellator's body could also be seen having an adverse reaction, as blood leaked from his body.

The necklace shined a myriad of different colors, each with a different effect, as it used all its strength trying to protect its host.

In the Abyss, Bellator's mind was slowly unraveling. Just as it seemed that it was over for him, a voice appeared in his head.

Unlike Ethan's voice, which had been wanting to kill him, this voice seemed to want to protect him.

The voice felt familiar, a voice he could never forget, a voice he missed every single day.

Hearing the voice, an image popped inside his head—a chubby man with a gentle smile on his face.

"It's not real, son," the voice spoke.

"Dd.. Dad," Bellator said with a weak voice.

'Is he another illusion?' Bellator thought as his dad's voice reverberated in his head.

Emotions overcame Bellator as tears stained his cheeks.

"I'm right here for you, son," the voice of Bellator's father said.

"You're stronger than this; what happened was in the past—you have to let it go," the voice continued.

"You've got a new family who is waiting for your return," the voice spoke.

"I can't, Dad; I killed him," Bellator said as guilt gnawed at his heart.

"Son, it's my fault, so I'll carry all your guilt for you. If I stayed alive, it wouldn't have happened, so let it go—I will carry that burden for you," the voice said as his regretful voice echoed in Bellator's head.

Hearing the voice, the blood, which had been endlessly flowing out of his body, stopped as he gained some clarity.

'Thank you, Dad.' As his father's words consoled him, he let go of everything that had been holding him back.

Ethan never stopped shouting; he kept on trying to drive Bellator insane, yet the voice of his father kept him sane.

Ethan's voice started getting dimmer, being silenced by the voice of Bellator's father as his voice, which previously had been loud and dominating, slowly faded out of existence.

'He's gone, I'm sorry, Ethan,' he thought as he was left alone with his dad.

"Are you also an illusion?" he asked as he thought about his dad.

"I don't think so; the last thing I remember is a feeling that you needed help, and I appeared here," his father Alex answered.

"I have never stopped watching over you; I was happy when you finally seemed to find happiness with your new family," Alex responded, smiling at his son.

[10 minutes remaining.]

As another notification appeared in front of Bellator, he felt sad. He had finally gotten to see his father again, and their time would be cut short.

"Dad..." Tears streamed down Bellator's face, emotions he had been hiding for a long time streamed out.

As he cried, arms embraced him in a hug, further proof he wasn't an illusion.

"I'm always here for you, Noah," Alex said as he hugged him.

"I know it's hard; you are carrying the weight of this world on your shoulders. You must stop trying to do it alone; no person can carry the weight of the world alone," Alex said as he happily embraced his son.

"It seems my time here is coming to an end," Alex said as his body started fading away.

"I love you, Noah," and with those final words, Alex disappeared.

"I love you too, Dad," Bellator said as another notification popped.

[Quest Complete.]

[Reward: Trait - The One Who Sees All.]

[Would you like to merge with the trait?]

[Note: Merging is irreversible.]

[Y/N.]

Looking at those words, Bellator reflected on his journey.

'I never thought I would get to see Dad again; it seems this journey gave me more benefits than I thought it would,' he thought as he finally got closure.

'Though it's crazy how it seriously thinks I went through all of this just to not get the reward, obviously yes.'

[User has selected Yes; Merging commencing.]

Shutting his eyes while preparing for pain, Bellator's body tensed.

But after a minute, nothing happened.

[Merging: 74%.]

'Wow, this is the first time I haven't felt pain when receiving something. It seems that necklace traumatized me,' Bellator thought, chuckling.

[Merging: 100%.]

As the merging completed, the Abyss, which Bellator had spent a year in, started collapsing; it looked like broken glass as glimpses of light started shining through.

Looking at the broken glass-like collapse of the Abyss, a thought went through his head.

'I have got a new beginning, just like the Abyss; where there is darkness, there is always light, and it seems I finally found the light.' Bellator thought as a smile formed on his face.

Though another fleeting thought popped by.

'I've been gazing at the Abyss so long; I hope it hasn't gazed at me too.'