Bloody Adventures-Chapter 30: The Abyss Below

After they said their goodbyes to Lynx, Arthur and Adora stepped out of the throne hall, the massive ice doors groaning as they shut behind them.

The tension from their meeting with Lynx still clung to Arthur's mind, but Adora looked entirely unaffected—if anything, she looked mildly annoyed, as if the entire conversation had been a waste of her time.

Arthur, on the other hand, still processed what had happened. Lynx's power, Nobu's utterly humiliating and instant death, and—more than anything—that strange, ominous energy Arthur had sensed within the castle.

"So," Adora muttered as they walked through the frost-covered halls, "that was the great Lynx. Stronger than I thought, but still a little dramatic, don't you think?"

Arthur gave her a sideways glance. "He literally killed Nobu in a fraction of a second."

"Yeah, but did you see the way he smirked afterward? Classic arrogant king behavior," she scoffed.

Arthur sighed. "Adora, I don't think you're grasping the seriousness of—"

"I'm grasping it just fine," she cut in. "We don't fight him head-on unless we know what we're dealing with. Which means..."

Arthur exhaled. "Gathering information first."

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"Exactly." Adora smirked. "See? You can be smart sometimes."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Glad you approve."

They reached their rooms, and Adora stretched. "I need some rest. You should probably do the same."

Arthur hesitated. "You go ahead. I want to take a look around the castle."

Adora gave him a suspicious glance. "Just don't do anything stupid."

"Me? Never."

Adora narrowed her eyes. "That means you definitely will."

Arthur smirked. "Goodnight, Adora."

She shook her head and entered her room.

Arthur waited until her door shut before turning on his heels. He had no intention of simply walking around—there was something in this castle, something that called to him from deep below.

And he intended to find out what it was. Arthur moved through the castle's lower levels, passing empty storage rooms and narrow corridors lined with thick ice. The deeper he went, the colder it became.

It was unnatural. Then he found it. A small wooden door at the end of a long hallway. It was strange—everything in this castle was made of ice or stone, yet this door was old, battered wood. But what truly caught his attention was the power pulsing from behind it.

A single guard stood before it, his breath visible in the frigid air. His eyes narrowed as Arthur approached.

"This area is restricted," the guard said firmly. "Turn back."

Arthur didn't answer. Instead, in a single swift motion, he lunged forward. His dagger flashed as he drove it into the man's throat. The guard choked, blood spilling onto the icy ground. Arthur caught the body before it could collapse, lowering it silently.

With the guard out of the way, Arthur turned to the door. It looked weak, but as soon as he tried to push it open, he realized it was anything but. Reinforced. Strong. The metal lock was thick, enchanted, nearly unbreakable.

Arthur inhaled sharply. "Alright... let's see how strong this thing really is."

He clenched his fist, veins bulging as his strength surged. With a sharp breath, he pulled back his arm—

And slammed his fist into the lock with everything he had.

The metal slowly split, shattering the lock. The door slowly opened.

Arthur exhaled, shaking his hand. "Damn. That hurt."

Beyond the door, a spiral staircase stretched downward, disappearing into the darkness.

Arthur hesitated for only a second before stepping forward.

The deeper he went, the stronger the energy became.

Arthur had descended at least 100 meters before the staircase finally ended. The air was dense, heavy with something ancient. The corridor ahead of him was vast—and guarded.

Two men in thick armor stood at the entrance to a massive hall. They hadn't noticed him yet.

Arthur took a deep breath. Alright. Quick and clean.

He shot forward like a shadow.

The first guard barely had time to react before Arthur's dagger sliced across his throat. The second turned, reaching for his sword—

Too late.

Arthur grabbed him by the helmet and slammed his head against the ice wall. The guard collapsed instantly.

Arthur stepped over the bodies and entered the hall.

And what he saw stole his breath away.

The ceiling stretched over 50 meters high, the cavernous space impossibly massive.

But what truly caught his eye was the colossal door before him.

It stood at least 30 meters tall, made not of ice, but of stone. Unlike anything else in this frozen wasteland.

The surface was covered in intricate carvings. Battlefields, gods, monstrous creatures—each detail vivid, filled with history long forgotten.

And in the center of it all...

A blue sigil. Floating.

It pulsed gently, radiating power unlike anything Arthur had ever felt.

He swallowed hard. "What the hell is this place?"

Slowly, he approached without even thinking about the risk of the sigil being dangerous, just because he was too curious about what this mysterious thing was.

The sigil's glow intensified. The surrounding air tightened, a silent force pressing against his skin. It was as if a freezing cold was burning through his skin. Rupturing it from the outside.

Arthur reached out. His fingers were getting colder and colder without stopping.

The moment his fingers neared the sigil.

A shockwave of frost exploded outward, nearly erasing Arthur's arm out of existence.

Arthur was flung back, crashing into the ground. His body tensed as an overwhelming pressure pushed down on him. He couldn't breathe.

His veins burned. His muscles locked.

A whisper filled the air— not words, but something older than language, a presence that should not be here. It was an ancient artifact.

Arthur forced himself to his knees, gasping. His vision blurred.

Then—

Footsteps.

He wasn't alone.

The pressure lifted, just enough for Arthur to react. He scrambled back, pushing himself to his feet as a shadow emerged from the far end of the chamber.

A figure stood there. Cloaked, unmoving. Watching.

Arthur's grip tightened on his blade. No. Not yet.

This was too much. Too fast.

With a clenched jaw, he turned—and ran.

The moment he crossed the hall's threshold, the crushing presence vanished. The door loomed behind him, untouched, unbroken.

His heart pounded as he ascended the spiral stairs, breath ragged.

When he finally reached the top, he exhaled sharply, his hands still trembling.

Whatever was down there...

It wasn't meant to be found, ever...