Chapter 35: Chapter 35 – The Pact Beyond the Abyss (2)

Killing intent exploded.

No—

Not killing intent.

Existence itself rejected her.

For one horrifying moment Eternia felt her soul being crushed beneath something infinitely larger than herself.

Her knees slammed into nothingness.

Blood spilled from her mouth.

Her vision darkened.

Pain.

Absolute pain.

She couldn’t breathe.

Couldn’t think.

Couldn’t move.

This pressure—

Even the monster she fought before dying as Shatter felt like dust compared to this.

Not even close.

Not remotely close.

And suddenly—

Memories surfaced.

Her old life.

Her noble family.

Being abandoned.

Being hunted.

Running.

Struggling.

Fighting.

Dying.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Powerless.

Always powerless.

Always beneath something stronger.

Always ordered around.

Always crushed.

Always forced.

Something inside her snapped.

Slowly—

Very slowly—

Eternia lifted her head.

Blood dripped from her lips.

Her entire body shook.

Yet her eyes—

Remained clear.

Cold.

Sharp.

Contempt filled them.

Pure contempt.

She stared upward.

Directly into countless impossible eyes.

And spoke.

"...No."

Silence.

Absolute silence.

The void froze.

Even reality stopped.

The creature stared. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Eternia continued.

Voice trembling.

Body shaking.

Yet unyielding.

"...I spent my whole first life beneath others."

Images flashed through her mind.

Her family.

Nobles.

Enemies.

The monster that killed her.

"...I crawled."

"...Begged."

"...Struggled."

Her eyes narrowed.

"...I died."

Silence.

"...And after all that..."

Mana slowly rose around her.

"...You think I’ll hand over my body because you ordered me to?"

The void remained still.

Very still.

Too still.

Eternia stared upward.

Fear still consumed her.

Her body still screamed danger.

Every instinct begged her to kneel.

To surrender.

To survive.

But—

She refused.

Because if she bowed now—

Nothing changed.

Not really.

She would still be weak.

Still controlled.

Still someone else’s tool.

Never.

NEVER.

Not again.

Silence stretched endlessly.

One second.

Ten.

A hundred.

Then—

The entity spoke.

Quietly.

Almost curiously.

"Oh?"

The countless eyes narrowed.

"I see."

Silence.

Then—

Something impossible happened.

The pressure vanished.

Instantly.

Completely.

Eternia nearly collapsed.

Her lungs finally moved again.

The entity stared downward.

Then—

Reality twisted.

And for the first time—

Something resembling amusement echoed through the abyss.

"Interesting."

Silence.

"Very interesting."

Eternia frowned.

"...What?"

The eyes watched her.

Millions.

Billions.

Then—

The voice echoed once more.

Slowly.

Anciently.

"Then let us gamble."

Eternia froze.

"...What?"

The creature leaned closer.

Closer.

Closer.

Until its eyes became the entire sky.

"A wager."

Silence.

"If you win..."

Reality trembled.

"I shall abandon the vessel demand."

Eternia’s eyes widened.

Wait—

Really?

But before relief could appear—

The entity continued.

"But if you lose..."

Silence.

Countless eyes opened simultaneously.

The void cracked.

And every eye smiled.

"You become mine whenever I ask no restriction and you will forget about this deal"

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Eternia stared upward.

Her heartbeat stopped.

Because suddenly—

For the first time—

She realized something.

This creature—

This thing—

Was enjoying itself.

Enjoying her.

And somehow—

That realization felt far more terrifying.

Then—

The creature spoke again.

One final sentence.

And Eternia’s face instantly changed.

"The game begins now."

Darkness exploded.

The void shattered.

And Eternia suddenly fell.

Fell endlessly into the abyss—

As something below slowly opened its eyes.