The shattered glass lay scattered across the classroom floor.
Tiny pieces reflected the afternoon sunlight like countless broken stars.
Takash remained seated at his desk.
His body was still.
His mind was not.
Every second felt heavier than the last.
Miss Sandalis had run away.
Not walked away.
Not calmly left the room.
She had fled.
And before leaving, she had looked directly into his eyes.
A look of terror.
Pure terror.
The kind of fear that could not be faked.
The kind of fear a person showed when facing something impossible.
Takash clenched his fists.
"What did she see?" he whispered.
No answer came.
Only silence.
The classroom was empty now.
Most students had already gone home.
The sounds of distant conversations echoed through the college corridors.
Normally such sounds felt comforting.
Today they felt distant.
Unreal.
Takash slowly stood up.
His reflection appeared in a nearby window.
Same face.
Same black hair.
Same eyes.
Nothing looked different.
Yet something inside him felt strange.
As if a sleeping beast had opened one eye.
A cold chill crawled down his spine.
He quickly looked behind him.
Nobody.
The room remained empty.
Takash laughed nervously.
"Great. Now I'm imagining things."
Humans always did this.
Something weird happened and suddenly every shadow became suspicious.
Every creak became a ghost.
Every reflection became a horror movie.
Unfortunately for Takash, this time the shadows actually had reasons to be suspicious.
Without warning, the classroom lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then darkness swallowed the room.
Takash froze.
"What the..."
The windows suddenly slammed shut.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
The sound echoed throughout the classroom.
The temperature dropped instantly.
His breath became visible.
It was as if winter itself had entered the room.
Takash backed away from the windows.
Fear tightened around his chest.
Then he heard it.
A whisper.
Soft.
Ancient.
Coming from everywhere at once.
"He has awakened..."
Takash spun around.
"Who's there?"
Silence.
Then another whisper.
"The heir has returned..."
His heart began racing.
"Show yourself!"
The darkness inside the classroom shifted.
At first it looked like ordinary shadows.
Then they started moving.
Crawling.
Twisting.
Stretching.
Gathering together in the center of the room.
Takash watched in horror as the shadows merged into a single figure.
Tall.
Massive.
Almost seven feet in height.
Ancient black armor covered its body.
Its face remained hidden beneath darkness.
Only two glowing violet eyes could be seen.
The figure stood motionless.
Watching him.
Takash could barely breathe.
Everything inside him screamed to run.
Yet his legs refused to move.
The shadow took a step forward.
The floor trembled.
Another step.
And another.
Finally it stopped.
Directly before him.
Then something unexpected happened.
The creature dropped to one knee.
And bowed.
Takash blinked.
"What?"
The shadow lowered its head.
Its voice sounded like thunder mixed with whispers.
Thousands of voices speaking together.
"Greetings, my lord."
Takash stared.
Then laughed nervously.
"You're talking to the wrong person."
The creature remained kneeling.
"We have searched for centuries."
Takash swallowed.
"Who are you?"
The glowing eyes brightened.
"I am Varuk."
The name felt ancient.
Powerful.
Dangerous.
"I was once commander of the Abyss Legion."
Takash frowned.
"Abyss Legion?"
The creature nodded.
"Your army."
Takash almost laughed.
"My army?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Listen, I think you've mistaken me for someone else."
"No."
The answer came instantly.
Absolute certainty.
"No mistake exists."
The classroom became silent once more.
Varuk slowly raised his head.
"You are Takash Sachidev."
Takash's eyes widened.
"You know my name?"
"I know far more than that."
A strange pressure filled the room.
The shadows around them became darker.
Alive.
Watching.
Waiting.
Varuk extended one armored hand.
A black flame appeared above his palm.
Within the flame images began forming.
Cities.
Mountains.
Oceans.
Worlds.
Then...
War.
Endless war.
Millions of soldiers.
Dragons flying through crimson skies.
Giants fighting creatures made of darkness.
And at the center of it all stood a king.
A young king.
Wearing black armor.
Holding a sword made of violet fire.
Entire armies bowed before him.
The king slowly turned.
For a brief second Takash saw his face.
His blood froze.
The king looked exactly like him.
"No..."
Takash stumbled backward.
"No, that's impossible."
The vision disappeared.
The black flame vanished.
Varuk spoke quietly.
"You remember."
Takash shook his head violently.
"No."
"You saw him."
"No!"
"You saw yourself."
The words struck harder than any weapon.
Pain exploded inside Takash's chest.
He fell to his knees.
"AAAHHHH!"
A flood of memories attacked his mind.
Not normal memories.
Ancient memories.
Impossible memories.
A throne made of black crystal.
Seven glowing gates.
Countless worlds connected together.
A woman with silver hair smiling at him.
A battlefield covered in fire.
A voice crying his name.
And then...
Betrayal.
Someone stabbing him from behind.
Darkness.
Death.
The visions ended.
Takash collapsed onto the floor.
Sweat covered his face.
His entire body trembled.
Varuk watched silently.
Finally he spoke.
"The seal is breaking."
Takash slowly looked up.
"What seal?"
"The seal placed upon your soul."
Before Varuk could continue, another voice suddenly echoed through the room.
A female voice.
Cold.
Beautiful.
Dangerous.
"Interesting."
Varuk instantly stood.
His hand moved toward a sword hanging at his waist.
The shadows themselves seemed afraid.
A tear appeared in the air.
Reality literally split apart.
A woman stepped through.
Long silver hair.
Golden eyes.
Pale skin.
She looked no older than twenty.
Yet the power surrounding her felt older than history itself.
Takash stared.
For some reason she seemed familiar.
The woman smiled.
"Hello, Takash."
His heart skipped a beat.
"Who are you?"
The woman ignored the question.
Instead she looked toward Varuk.
"I didn't expect the Abyss Legion to find him first."
Varuk's voice became hostile.
"Leave."
The woman laughed.
"I don't take orders from ghosts."
The atmosphere grew tense.
Even Takash could feel it.
These two knew each other.
And they definitely weren't friends.
The woman finally turned back toward him.
Her expression softened.
"Do you know why your professor ran away?"
Takash froze.
Miss Sandalis.
The woman continued.
"She saw your true eyes."
"My what?"
The woman pointed toward a nearby piece of broken glass.
"Look."
Takash slowly picked it up.
His reflection stared back.
Then his eyes widened.
His pupils were no longer black.
They glowed with a mixture of violet, blue, and silver.
Energy moved within them like living stars.
Takash dropped the glass.
"No..."
The woman nodded.
"The awakening has begun."
Takash stepped backward.
"What am I?"
Silence followed.
Even Varuk remained quiet.
Finally the woman answered.
"You are the last Abyss King."
The words felt impossible.
Ridiculous.
Yet deep inside...
Part of him already knew.
A memory stirred.
A forgotten truth struggling to awaken.
Suddenly alarms began ringing throughout the college.
Students screamed outside.
Running footsteps echoed through the corridors.
The woman frowned.
"Too late."
Varuk looked toward the window.
His glowing eyes narrowed.
"They found him."
Takash's heartbeat accelerated.
"Who found me?"
Neither answered.
Instead both stared outside.
Takash moved toward the window.
Then he saw them.
Dozens of figures standing across the college grounds.
Each wearing white cloaks.
Each carrying strange weapons.
Their faces hidden beneath masks.
One of them slowly pointed toward the classroom.
Toward him.
The leader raised a hand.
A circle of golden light appeared in the sky.
Students ran in panic.
Teachers screamed.
Cars stopped moving.
The entire world seemed frozen in fear.
The woman cursed under her breath.
"The Order has arrived."
Varuk drew his sword.
Black flames erupted around the blade.
"For the king."
Takash looked between them.
Completely confused.
Completely terrified.
"What is happening?!"
The woman looked directly into his eyes.
"The people outside have hunted your bloodline for thousands of years."
Takash's mouth went dry.
"And now?"
The woman's expression turned serious.
A rare hint of concern appeared in her golden eyes.
"Now they know you're alive."
Outside, the giant golden circle above the college began opening.
Something enormous moved within the light.
Something ancient.
Something terrifying.
The sky itself started shaking.
Students pointed upward in horror.
Takash felt every instinct inside him screaming danger.
Whatever was coming...
It was coming for him.
The silver-haired woman stepped beside him.
Varuk stood on his other side.
For the first time, both allies and enemies had revealed themselves.
The game had begun.
And somewhere beyond the opening gate...
A monstrous pair of glowing red eyes slowly opened.
To Be Continued...
Authors note
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