This Battle is Far From Over

The last thing I heard before everything went black was Aiden's voice, his footsteps pounding closer. "I'm coming, Avant. Just hang on."

And then darkness.

When I awoke, the stronghold was still. The oppressive weight of the Abyss had lifted, but it hadn't gone entirely. I could still feel it, lurking at the edges of my mind. But for now, it was quiet.

I tried to push myself up, but my body wouldn't respond. I was spent—completely drained from the battle.

"Stay down," a voice said, and I felt Aiden's hand on my shoulder, holding me in place. "You're not going anywhere."

I blinked up at him, his face blurry but familiar. He looked exhausted, dark circles under his eyes, his jaw tight with worry.

"You should've listened to me," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "You nearly got yourself killed."

I managed a weak smile. "Wouldn't be the first time."

Aiden's eyes hardened. "This isn't a joke, Avant. You can't keep throwing yourself into danger like this. If you die—"

"I'm not going to die," I interrupted, my voice stronger than I felt. "Not until this is over."

He didn't say anything, but the tension between us hung heavy in the air. He was scared—I could see it in his eyes. And I couldn't blame him. I was scared too.

But we didn't have time to dwell on that.

Durga's team had returned, leading the rescued students through the dark corridors of the stronghold. They looked shaken but alive. As Durga approached, her face grim, I could see the weight of leadership in every line of her posture.

"We need to move," she said, her voice steady. "The stronghold's starting to collapse. We don't have much time."

I nodded, forcing myself to stand with Aiden's help. My legs felt like they were made of lead, but I managed to stay upright.

As we began to move, the ground trembled beneath our feet. The walls shifted and twisted, the very architecture of the Abyss reacting to the defeat of its Guardian.

But I couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't over—not by a long shot. The Abyss had let us go this time, but it would be waiting. It always was.

I quickly recalled my encounter with the Abyssal Guardian just before the intense fight began. From the moment I engaged it in battle within its stronghold, it was clear that this creature possessed a keen intelligence—far more than the mindless rage of the Berserkers or the shadowy cunning of the Dark Stalkers.

The cold air within the Abyssal Stronghold clung to my skin, each breath like inhaling ice. My heart pounded in time with the steady thrum of something darker, deeper, lurking in the shadows.

I could feel the weight of my own thoughts bearing down, threatening to drown me in doubts.

The Abyss had that effect on people—it twisted not just your surroundings but your mind. Every inch of this cursed place oozed corruption, and the deeper we went, the more I could feel it gnawing at the edges of my consciousness.

I stood in the center of a vast, dark chamber, the ceiling lost somewhere in the gloom above. The air was thick with the oppressive scent of rot and ancient magic, each breath bringing with it the weight of forgotten things—long-since consumed by the Abyss.

The silence was thick, broken only by the occasional distant rumble as the stronghold groaned in protest against its own existence.

And then I felt it.

The Abyssal Guardian—its presence creeping along my senses like oil over water. A figure emerged from the shadows ahead of me, towering and twisted, its once noble form now corrupted by the very darkness it had sworn to protect. A shiver of recognition passed through me.

This creature wasn't just an enemy—it was something more, something tied to the 13th Constellation and the legacy of Ophiuchus.

Its voice was like nails on glass, a low, twisted hiss that seemed to reverberate through my skull. "Avant Dekus... you carry the power of the Ophiuchus... yet you are not free from the Abyss's touch. I can feel it inside you. Surrender to it... and I can show you true power."

I clenched my fists, feeling the familiar burn of Ophiuchus energy pulse through my veins. The duality of it—the creation and destruction—roared in defiance inside me. I couldn't deny that the Abyss's touch had been there since I first awakened, but to give in to it? No. That wasn't who I was.

"You think you can tempt me with power?" I spat, squaring my stance. "I've seen what the Abyss does to those who let it in. It consumes them. It twists them into monsters like you."

The Guardian chuckled darkly, stepping closer. Its eyes glowed with an unnatural light—two orbs of crimson set in a face that had once been human. "And yet... here you stand, in its very heart. You are already half-consumed, Ophiuchus Awakener. Why fight the inevitable?"

I could feel it then—deep inside me—a pull. A whisper that came not just from the Abyss, but from within my own power. The Ophiuchus mark flared hot against my skin, invisible but always there, like a brand seared into my soul.

I ignored the taunts and called forth my chains. They emerged from the air around me, glowing with a pale, ethereal light—ten serpentine chains, each one as much a part of me as the blood in my veins. With a thought, they shot forward, aiming to bind the Guardian in place.

But the Abyss was faster. Shadows surged from the ground, meeting my chains in midair, wrapping around them with a sinister hiss. For a moment, we stood locked in a battle of wills, the Guardian and I, each trying to overpower the other.

"You cannot defeat me," it snarled. "Not here. Not in the Abyss."

"Watch me," I growled through gritted teeth.

Then I heard it—a voice cutting through the chaos, distant but sharp. Aiden's voice, echoing through the corridors leading into the chamber.

"Durga! You're leaving him there alone?!"

His tone was furious, filled with a rage I'd only ever heard once before—the day I was almost drowned because some kids tricked me into thinking that if I can get a shiny stone at the bottom of the pond I could make my wish come true. At that time it was Aiden who brought me out to play with his friends. 

Aiden had never forgiven himself for that. And I knew—he couldn't bear to lose me too.

But I couldn't think about that now. I had a battle to win.

As the Guardian advanced, shadows twisted and writhed, forming jagged claws that raked the ground with every step. I dodged the first attack, rolling to the side and lashing out with my chains, attempting to bind its limbs. But the creature was too fast, too unpredictable. Every movement felt like a dance on the edge of a knife, and I was bleeding energy with each passing second.

"Aiden, It's fine!" I shouted, parrying another strike as I felt the walls closing in. "I can handle this."

"Handle this?" I could almost hear him scoff from somewhere behind me. "You're about to get yourself killed!"

The Guardian lunged again, its claws barely missing my face as I sidestepped and retaliated with a swift kick to its midsection. It barely staggered, the dark energy surrounding it absorbing most of the blow. My mind raced, trying to find an opening, something I could exploit—but every moment felt like pushing against a rising tide.

With a shout, I unleashed my power. The chains lashed out, this time faster, stronger—imbued with the combined force of Ophiuchus and Celestial energy. They wrapped around the Guardian, binding it in place with a force that shook the entire chamber.

The creature struggled, roaring in fury, but it couldn't break free. I could feel the energy surging through me, pulling at the edges of my consciousness. It was too much—I couldn't hold it for long.

"Avant!" Aiden's voice was closer now, desperate. "Don't die on me. I swear to God, if you die here, I'll—"

"I'm not dying," I whispered, though my vision was starting to blur. "Not yet."

With one final surge of energy, I brought the chains crashing down, pulling the Guardian into a stasis-like state. The chamber shook violently as if the stronghold itself was reacting to the creature's defeat. I could feel my energy draining fast, my limbs growing heavy. My knees buckled, and I collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.

But the battle was far from over.

And somewhere deep inside, I could feel it—its pull, its whisper. The Abyss wasn't done with me yet.

But I wasn't done with it either.

As we emerged from the darkness, the pale light of the Zodiac Universe greeted us, a stark contrast to the shadowed depths we'd left behind. I took a deep breath, the cold air filling my lungs, and for a moment, I felt at peace.

I glanced at Aiden, his face set in determination, and then back at the stronghold behind us, its dark silhouette looming on the horizon.

Whatever came next, I knew we'd face it together.

And this time, we wouldn't lose.