The Lazy Chronicles: Apartment of the Apocalypse-Chapter 115 - 116 – Into the Abyss

The darkness swallowed them whole.

Mallory felt her body stretch and compress at the same time, as if the universe itself was twisting her into something new. Her breath hitched—was she even breathing? She couldn’t feel her lungs, her limbs, even the weight of her own existence.

Then, with a sudden jolt, reality snapped back into place.

Mallory stumbled forward, feet landing on solid ground. The cold air stung her face. She gasped, light exploding in her vision as she adjusted to her surroundings.

The others landed beside her.

Greg hit the ground face-first with a groan. "I HATE magic portals."

Elara landed gracefully, scanning the area with narrowed eyes. "Where... are we?"

They stood on an enormous stone platform, suspended in an endless sea of swirling mist. Massive, crumbling bridges stretched into the fog, leading to towering ruins in the distance. The sky—if it could be called that—was an endless expanse of shifting darkness, streaked with rivers of silver light.

And at the very center of the platform stood an altar—and a throne.

Mallory’s breath caught.

A figure sat upon it.

The Forgotten King

The man on the throne was ancient, yet untouched by time. His armor gleamed like blackened silver, his long hair flowing like ink in the airless void. His eyes—glowing pools of deep crimson—locked onto Mallory the moment she moved.

The weight of his gaze pressed down on them like a thousand unseen hands.

Greg audibly gulped. "I vote we go back through the portal."

Quinn stepped forward, hand on his sword. "Who are you?"

The figure stood, his movements eerily smooth. His voice was deep, layered, as if multiple voices spoke in unison.

"I am the Forgotten King."

A pulse of energy rippled through the platform, rattling the ancient stones beneath them. The very mist seemed to tremble at his words.

Mallory’s grip on her dagger tightened. "Are you the one guarding the gate?"

The king’s eyes flickered. "I am its creator."

Greg muttered, "Great. Even worse."

The king descended the steps of the throne, each step reverberating through the void. "You have come seeking answers. Seeking power." His gaze settled on Mallory. "And you hold the key."

Mallory’s hand went to her satchel—only to realize the key was gone.

No—it was here.

Inside her.

She could feel it—woven into her very being, thrumming with the same energy as the gate behind them.

The Forgotten King’s expression was unreadable. "Then the choice is yours."

The Choice

Mallory forced herself to remain steady. "What choice?"

The king gestured, and the air around them shifted. Images flickered in the mist—worlds beyond their own. Cities bathed in golden light. Kingdoms crumbling into dust. A vision of the Screaming Wastes, swallowed by shadows.

"The gate was sealed for a reason," the king said. "Beyond it lies a force that does not belong in this world. A force that I once sought to control."

Greg whispered, "Let me guess. It didn’t go well?"

The king’s eyes darkened. "It consumed everything. I sealed it away—at a cost. But the seal was never meant to last forever."

The visions shifted—showing Mallory.

Her past. Her struggles. The moment she took the key.

"You were chosen," the king said. "Because the gate must either be restored... or broken."

The others stiffened.

Elara frowned. "What happens if we restore it?"

"The world remains as it is," the king said. "The force beyond will stay contained. But the seal will not last another era. In time, someone else will be forced to stand where you do now."

Quinn narrowed his eyes. "And if we break it?"

The king’s expression did not change.

"The world will change," he said. "The force beyond will be free—but so too will its power."

Greg immediately took a step back. "Nope. Nope, nope, nope. Bad idea. Terrible idea."

Mallory felt her heart pound.

She didn’t know what this "force" was. But she could feel it—waiting in the abyss, just beyond the throne.

A hunger. A promise.

And deep down, something inside her whispered:

This power could be yours.

The Guardian’s Warning

Before she could speak, Alex suddenly dropped to a knee, clutching his head.

Mallory’s stomach twisted. "Alex?"

His breath was ragged. "Something’s... wrong."

The air around them shook.

The mist twisted violently, and for the first time, the Forgotten King’s expression changed—to concern.

"The seal is already weakening." His voice was sharp now. "It senses your presence."

A deep rumble echoed through the void.

Mallory turned toward the portal they had come through—only to see something moving within it.

Something massive.

The shadows shifted and writhed, taking form. A hand—clawed, impossibly large—began to emerge.

And from the abyss, a voice whispered—not in words, but in feeling.

A call.

An offer.

A demand.

Mallory’s blood turned to ice.

The Forgotten King took a step forward, and for the first time, there was urgency in his voice.

"Decide, quickly. Seal it... or claim it."

Mallory’s breath caught.

The others looked at her, waiting.

Greg was shaking his head violently.

Quinn and Elara were tense, uncertain.

Alex—struggling against whatever force was pulling at him—met her eyes.

And Mallory knew—this was it.

The choice that would change everything.

What would she do?

None none none none

Decide, quickly. Seal it... or claim it."

Mallory’s breath caught.

The others looked at her, waiting.

Greg was shaking his head violently.

Quinn and Elara were tense, uncertain.

Alex—struggling against whatever force was pulling at him—met her eyes.

And Mallory knew—this was it.

The choice that would change everything.

What would she do?

None none none none

Wait for the update as I’m having difficulty in writing.

Decide, quickly. Seal it... or claim it."

Mallory’s breath caught.

The others looked at her, waiting.

Greg was shaking his head violently.

Quinn and Elara were tense, uncertain.

Alex—struggling against whatever force was pulling at him—met her eyes.

And Mallory knew—this was it.

The choice that would change everything.

What would she do?

None none none none

To be continued n dt.

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