Chapter 29 – The Survivor’s Truth

Ren followed the cloaked figure through the desolate ruins, his mind racing. Seven years. He had been gone for seven years. The world he knew—his fight, his vengeance—had all been stolen from him.

His fists clenched. He had failed.

Yet, despite everything, he was still alive. And if he was alive, it meant he could still take it all back.

The cloaked figure moved swiftly, leading him into what remained of a crumbling temple. Strange symbols flickered on the cracked walls, glowing faintly in the dim light. A hidden sanctuary, untouched by the Abyss?

The figure turned. “Sit.”

Ren scowled but obeyed. His strength still felt restrained, his power locked beneath an invisible force. He needed answers.

The figure lowered their hood, revealing sharp, golden eyes and pale skin marred with faint scars. Their white hair was unkempt, but their presence was undeniably strong.

“My name is Sylas,” they finally said. “And you… you were supposed to stay dead.”

Ren’s glare sharpened. “Tough luck. Now start talking.”

Sylas exhaled, studying him. Then, they began.

"After you fell, Nyx didn’t just win—he erased everything that stood against him. The Abyss wasn’t just a war… it was a massacre."

Ren’s jaw tightened.

"The world resisted. Cities fell. Kingdoms burned. And then, five years ago, it ended. Nyx opened the final gate—The Abyssal Crown. And with it, he reshaped everything."

Ren’s breath hitched. The Abyssal Crown… he had heard whispers of it before. A power that could rewrite existence itself.

Sylas continued, voice grim. “This world? It’s no longer the one you knew. It’s Nyx’s empire now. The Abyss is law, and any who resist are hunted down. The last of the strong were either broken… or killed.”

Ren’s nails dug into his palms. This wasn’t just defeat.

It was annihilation.

He gritted his teeth. “And yet, here you are. Alive.”

Sylas smirked faintly. “A miracle. Or a mistake.” They leaned forward. “And now, you’re here too. Which means something’s changing.”

Ren narrowed his eyes. “You still haven’t explained why I’m even alive.”

Sylas was silent for a moment before finally answering.

“Because someone saved you. Someone who knew you couldn’t die yet.”

Ren’s pulse quickened. “Who?”

Sylas shook their head. “That’s not important yet.”

Ren scowled. “The hell it isn’t—”

BOOM.

The ground shook violently. Dust rained from the ceiling.

Sylas’ expression darkened. “Damn it… They’ve found us.”

Ren felt a deep, sickening presence approaching fast. It was suffocating, overwhelming—an abyssal force unlike any he had faced before.

Sylas tossed him a dagger. “You’re still too weak to fight at full power. So we run.”

Ren caught the blade, his grip tightening. His mind screamed at him to move, to escape.

But instead…

He smirked.

“Run?” He spun the dagger in his palm. “Nah. I think I’m done running.”

The shadows outside grew darker. The monsters had arrived.

And Ren was ready.