Cairos didn’t move.
For several seconds, he simply sat on the edge of his bed, staring into the darkness.
His breathing gradually slowed, but the words remained.
What did you become?
He hadn’t spoken Kael’s name in years.
Not because he had forgotten him.
Because remembering him hurt.
Cairos reached toward the table beside his bed and picked up a small metal pendant.
It was old, its edges worn smooth from years of being handled.
At its centre was a symbol carved into the metal: a circle split down the middle.
The same symbol Kael had seen beneath the Abyss.
Cairos closed his fist around it.
“No.” He shook his head.
“That isn’t possible.” A knock came at the door.
Cairos immediately hid the pendant beneath his shirt.
“Come in.” A woman in a dark military coat stepped inside.
She was tall, with silver hair tied behind her head and a thin scar running from her left temple to her jaw.
“Commander Cairos.” Cairos looked at her.
“Report.” “The western surveillance barrier detected an abnormal fluctuation.” “How abnormal?” The woman hesitated.
“Classified as an Abyssal event.” Cairos stood.
“Where?” “Sector Seven.” His eyes narrowed.
“That’s impossible.” “We thought so too.” She placed a tablet on the desk.
A map appeared, with a red point pulsing deep beneath the western territory.
“How long ago?” “Approximately nine minutes.” “Any casualties?” “None.” Cairos looked at her.
“None?” “That’s what’s strange.” Every sensor at the monitoring station had activated simultaneously.
Then every reading had dropped to zero for exactly three seconds.
Cairos stared at the numbers.
Three seconds.
That was all it took for something inside the Abyss to breathe.
“Send a team.” The woman frowned.
“Commander, the Council ordered all Abyssal investigations suspended.” “I know.” “Then why—” “Send the team.” She didn’t move.
“Sir…” Cairos looked directly at her.
“If the Council asks, you never received the order.” She studied him before nodding.
“Yes, Commander.” “Take people you trust.” “Why?” Cairos looked back at the map.
“Because if I’m right…” He paused.
“…the Abyss isn’t waking up.” The woman waited.
Cairos finished quietly.
“Something inside it already woke up.” Far beneath the world, Kael opened his eyes.
He was standing.
He didn’t remember standing.
The last thing he remembered was pain.
Now nothing hurt.
Almost.
Kael touched his chest.
The black veins were gone, but a faint mark had appeared across his palm, shaped like a crack.
“What did you give me?” The Abyss remained silent.
The creature stood several metres away.
“You still there?” It nodded.
“You can understand me now.” Another nod.
“And you can speak.” A pause.
Then— “Yes.” Kael studied it.
“What’s your name?” The creature didn’t answer.
“Don’t have one?” “No.” Kael looked at its featureless face.
“Then I’ll give you one.” The creature waited.
“Shade.” A strange vibration passed through the Abyss.
“Shade,” it repeated.
Kael nodded.
“Good enough.” He turned away.
“Now tell me something.
What is the Abyss?” “Not a place.” “Then what is it?” Shade lifted its head.
“A prison.” Kael’s eyes narrowed.
“For what?” Before Shade could answer, the ground trembled.
Boom.
A second heartbeat shook the darkness.
Boom.
A third struck so hard that Shade dropped to one knee.
BOOM.
Two enormous eyes opened in the distance.
Kael stared.
“What is it?” Shade’s voice became quiet.
“An ancient.” The pressure grew.
Kael could barely breathe, yet he remained standing.
The voice came from everywhere.
“You carry the scent of the one who betrayed us.” Kael’s expression hardened.
“Who?” “Cairos.” Memory struck him like a blade.
Blood.
A broken sword.
Cairos reaching toward him.
A voice whispering, I’m sorry.
Kael staggered.
“Why don’t I remember?” “The Abyss took the memory.” “Then give it back.” The ancient laughed.
“Earn it.” Kael slowly stood.
“Fine.” He looked into the darkness.
“Then I’ll earn every damn memory.” The Abyss went silent.
Above them, Cairos suddenly felt the pendant beneath his shirt grow hot.
He pulled it out.
The split circle was glowing black.
His face went pale.
Kael had remembered the first fragment.
And the Council was going to know soon.
Cairos is finally moving, Kael has Shade, and the truth about Kael’s past has started to crack open.
But remember: the Abyss never gives anything for free.