The Underground Abyss

  The pressure was crushing. The Plant Colossus tightened its coils, dragging Isaac deeper into the earth.

  Isaac couldn't breathe. His ribs groaned under the weight.

  CRACK.

  With a roar of effort, Isaac grabbed one of the massive wooden thorns protruding from the creature's body and snapped it off. It was as sharp as a spear and dripping with sap.

  "Open wide..."

  He jammed the thorn into the creature’s giant, glowing eye.

  SCREEEECH!

  The monster convulsed, its grip loosening as agony flooded its nervous system. Isaac didn't stop. He ripped the thorn out and plunged it into the other eye. Then again. And again. He stabbed wildly, a blur of violence, until the creature’s movements became sluggish and finally stopped.

  Dead.

  But they were still buried.

  "Damn it!"

  Isaac screamed, channeling every ounce of his remaining mana.

  "BREAK!"

  A massive electric discharge exploded from his body. It didn't push the earth up; it blasted the floor down.

  The ground beneath them disintegrated. Isaac fell into the void, tumbling through darkness, debris raining around him.

  THUD.

  He hit solid ground. He rolled, gasping, just as a massive pile of rocks crashed where he had been a second ago, sealing the shaft he fell through.

  Silence.

  Isaac lay there for a long minute, staring at the darkness. He groaned, forcing himself to sit up. His armor was scratched, covered in dirt and green blood.

  He heard the sound of trickling water.

  He limped over to a crack in the wall where clear, cold groundwater was leaking. He drank greedily, washing the dirt from his face.

  "Better."

  He reached into his pouch, miraculously intact, and pulled out his flask. He took a long swig of the strong spirit.

  "Saludê."

  He wiped his mouth and looked ahead.

  He wasn't in a natural cave anymore. He was in a corridor. The walls were smooth, ancient stone mixed with strange, rusted metal.

  He began to walk.

  A few meters in, he stopped.

  Scattered across the floor were bodies. They were mechanical. Twisted metal, shattered lenses, sparks dying in the gloom.

  "They look like... robots," Isaac whispered, kneeling to inspect a severed mechanical arm.

  He continued, his boots echoing softly. He heard a whisper.

  Scritch. Scratch.

  He merged with the shadows.

  Ahead, a figure was hunched over a destroyed pile of machinery. A woman—or what looked like one. Half her face was synthetic, and her left arm was a complex array of tools. She was scavenging parts, muttering to herself.

  Isaac stepped out.

  "Calm down," he said, hands raised. "I'm not going to hurt you."

  The cyborg jumped, spinning around with a jagged piece of metal in her hand. Her optic lens zoomed in and out frantically.

  "How... c-can... I... tr-trust... y-your... w-word?"

  Her voice was distorted, skipping like a broken record.

  "I don't know," Isaac shrugged, lowering his hands. "But relax. I'm not an enemy."

  The woman lowered the metal shard, but huddled back into the corner, trembling.

  "Fine," Isaac sighed. "I'm going to keep moving. Good luck with... that."

  He started to walk past her.

  The woman leaped up. She grabbed his arm with a metallic grip. She shook her head frantically.

  "What is it?" Isaac asked.

  "There... is... a... m-mon-ster..." she stuttered. "T-tall... s-strong..."

  "You mean the Plant Creature?" Isaac pointed up. "I already killed it."

  "No..." She shook her head violently. "No... no... no... no... A... m-man... with... a... sw-sword... B-big... sword... th-that... re-flects... ev-ery-thing..."

  Isaac frowned. "A reflecting sword? Where did you see this?"

  The woman pointed down the dark corridor.

  "Okay..." Isaac adjusted his gauntlet. "I'll go check it out."

  She grabbed him again, harder. She let go, reached into a pouch on her belt, and pulled out a small, glowing chip. She opened a panel on her own neck.

  Click. Whirrr.

  She swapped the chips. Her eyes flashed blue.

  "Much better," she said, her voice now smooth, melodic, and fast. "Sorry about that. My vocal processor was fried. Anyway, as I was saying... I'm coming with you. That monster is too powerful. He killed all my friends."

  "So all these robots... were your friends?"

  "Yes," she looked at the wreckage sadly. "You are human, right? I heard your planet was destroyed. I'm sorry. Earth was a nice place. Good music."

  Isaac raised an eyebrow. "Humm... thanks. What is your name? What planet are you from?"

  "My name is Ina-N7," she said, tapping her chestplate. "I am from the planet Astreus. And you?"

  "Isaac."

  "Yes, yes, cool name," Ina nodded enthusiastically. "So, Isaac... what do you hope to find down here?"

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  They began to walk together down the corridor.

  "I'm looking for an Abyssal Weapon," Isaac said.

  Ina stopped dead in her tracks. Isaac stopped and looked back.

  "What?"

  "How did you know there were Abyssal Waves here?" she asked, her mechanical eye spinning.

  "A friend told me."

  Ina processed this, then hurried to catch up.

  "I see... Well, until now, I thought only my people had the ability to detect and connect with the Abyss."

  "Anything from the Abyss is almost non-existent here," Isaac noted. "It's very rare. As far as I know, only two people possess Abyssal Weapons."

  "Understandable."

  "And you?" Isaac asked. "What are you doing here?"

  "Weeeell," Ina gestured with her robotic hand. "My people have no interest in weapons... unlike you biologicals. But we are very interested in Spectral Stones."

  "Spectral Stones?"

  "Yes. They are the primary power source of my planet. One stone can provide near-infinite energy for millennia. That's why we are here. We scanned for Abyssal Wave signals for years. When we find them, we launch a... let's say, 'legal' expedition to find the stones. Usually, we find one or two."

  She kicked a piece of debris.

  "As you can see, this time we were attacked by that big guy down the hall."

  "Hum," Isaac grunted.

  "So, how about we make a deal?" Ina hopped in front of him, walking backward. "We fight this big guy together. I keep the Stones... and you keep this 'Weapon'. How about it? How about it, huh?"

  Isaac looked at the quirky android. He smiled.

  "Alright. It's a deal."

  "Then let's gooooo!" Ina cheered, marching forward.

  The Abyssal Antechamber

  Ina bolted forward, her servos whining as she picked up speed. Isaac followed, a blue streak in the gloom.

  They skidded to a halt at the entrance of a colossal circular chamber.

  "Wait..." Isaac grabbed Ina’s shoulder, pulling her back.

  "What?"

  "Let me go first," Isaac commanded, his voice low. He gently moved the cyborg behind him.

  In the center of the room, a man sat on a throne of black rock. A sword—monstrous in size, easily seven feet long and thick as a tombstone—was stabbed into the ground before him.

  The man stood up. He was a titan, standing nearly eight feet tall, clad in armor that seemed to be made of polished liquid mercury.

  Ina gasped, her sensors flashing red warnings. Isaac stepped in front of her, shielding her.

  "Let me handle this alone for now," Isaac whispered without looking back. "You are my support. Watch for openings. And stay out of trouble. Do you understand?"

  "Y-Yes..." Ina stammered, her cooling fans spinning up.

  "Finished whispering, human?"

  The voice boomed through the chamber, vibrating in their chests. Isaac and Ina froze.

  "What?" The Guardian stepped forward, his hand hovering near the giant blade. "Did you think I was mute?"

  "Who are you?" Isaac demanded, mana flaring around his fists. "Why do you block our path?"

  Ina scrambled to find a vantage point behind a pillar. The Guardian glanced at her, then smiled—a cold, mirror-like expression.

  "My name? It is irrelevant. My purpose is absolute: To kill everything. To kill everyone."

  CRUNCH.

  The Guardian ripped the massive sword from the stone floor with one hand as if it weighed nothing. He pointed the tip at Isaac.

  "You are strong, human. My Blade hungers for you."

  "Hmph."

  The Guardian began to laugh.

  Isaac didn't wait.

  ZZZZZT!

  Twin beams of high-intensity laser fire erupted from Isaac’s eyes, aiming for the Guardian's chest.

  The Guardian didn't block. He didn't dodge. The lasers hit him—and simply bent. The light curved around his body like water flowing over a stone, dissipating harmlessly into the walls.

  "Humm... Interesting."

  The Guardian opened his mouth.

  ZOOOM!

  A blue laser—identical to Isaac’s but twice as thick—shot from the Guardian’s mouth.

  "What?!"

  Isaac barely twisted his body in mid-air. The beam grazed his shoulder, vaporizing his pauldron instantly.

  Isaac landed, skidding back. Ina watched in horror.

  Unbelievable, Isaac thought, sweat forming on his brow. It’s like he copied my power... amplified it... and fired it back.

  "Is that it?" The Guardian taunted. "Come at me with everything!"

  If he copies and reflects, I have to be careful.

  Isaac looked at Ina. She was trembling. He sighed.

  "Fine. Let's dance."

  [BERSERK MODE]

  BOOM.

  The air cracked. Isaac’s skeleton lit up. He vanished, reappearing instantly behind the Guardian, delivering a punch that could shatter a mountain.

  SWISH.

  The Guardian moved. He didn't just dodge; he flowed around the punch like liquid. Isaac struck again. And again. A barrage of lightning-fast blows. The Guardian evaded every single one with terrifying ease, laughing.

  "Pathetic!"

  Ina saw Isaac struggling. She raised her arm cannon.

  "Damn it... he's too fast!"

  She calculated a trajectory and fired a concentrated plasma bolt.

  The Guardian didn't even look. He simply raised his index finger.

  PING.

  The plasma bolt hit his fingertip and bounced straight back at Ina.

  "Ah!"

  Ina threw herself to the floor. The reflected bolt obliterated the pillar she was hiding behind.

  "Pathetic, both of you," the Guardian sneered.

  With a casual backhand, he struck Isaac.

  CRACK.

  Isaac was launched across the room, smashing into the stone wall. He fell to his knees, coughing blood. The Berserk aura flickered.

  Ina rushed to him. "Isaac! Are you okay? We have to get out of here! We're going to die!"

  "No..." Isaac wheezed, wiping his mouth. "I can't leave."

  The Guardian began to walk toward them, dragging the massive sword. Sparks flew as the metal carved the floor.

  "So what are you going to do?" Ina asked, panic rising.

  "We need..." Isaac whispered, eyeing the enemy. "We need to separate him from that sword. That blade... it's the source. It’s what anchors his reflection ability."

  "And how do you plan to do that?"

  "Distract him. I'll find a way."

  The Guardian raised the sword for a killing strike.

  "NOW!"

  Ina leaped out, firing a Concussion Grenade. It exploded directly in the Guardian's face in a flash of blinding light.

  "ARGH!" The Guardian roared, blinded for a microsecond. He swung the sword wildly at Ina.

  Isaac saw the opening. He spotted a massive boulder dislodged from the ceiling during the fight.

  "INA! MOVE!"

  Isaac used his telekinesis to grip the multi-ton boulder. He hurled it with a roar.

  The Guardian regained his sight just as the rock flew at him. He laughed. He raised his hand.

  BOOM.

  A shockwave from his palm turned the boulder into dust.

  "Is that your plan? Throwing rocks?"

  But as the dust cloud settled, the Guardian’s eyes widened. Isaac was gone.

  WHOOSH.

  Isaac appeared through the dust, sliding low on the ground. He wasn't aiming for the Guardian. He kicked the Guardian's knee with bone-breaking force.

  CRACK.

  The Guardian buckled. Isaac grabbed the hilt of the giant sword and pulled.

  The Guardian released it to defend himself, and Isaac spun, kicking the titan in the face, sending him flying across the room.

  The Guardian crashed into the far wall. He roared, blood streaming from his nose. He looked at his empty hand. He looked at Isaac standing next to the sword.

  "YOU!"

  The Guardian charged. He moved like a freight train, desperate to reclaim his weapon.

  Isaac looked at the sword stuck in the ground. It was immense. It radiated a cold, dark energy.

  ~Careful, Isaac...

  A whisper echoed in his mind. Not from Ina. From the steel.

  The Guardian was ten feet away. Five feet.

  Isaac grabbed the hilt with both hands. He screamed, channeling every drop of his mana into his muscles.

  "HRAAAAAAAH!"

  He ripped the Abyssal Blade from the earth. It was impossibly heavy, heavier than a mountain.

  He didn't just lift it. He spun.

  SLASH.

  The air screamed as the black blade cut a perfect arc.

  The Guardian ran straight into it.

  Silence.

  The Guardian stopped. His eyes went wide.

  A thin red line appeared on his neck.

  His head slid slowly off his shoulders.

  THUD.

  The massive body collapsed to the floor. The head rolled away.

  Isaac dropped to one knee, the sword slipping from his grip and crashing into the stone, cracking the floor. He panted heavily, sweat dripping from his nose.

  Ina stood up slowly, her jaw hanging open. She walked over to Isaac.

  "Isaac... are you okay?"

  "I am..." Isaac gasped, clutching his chest. "I just... I feel strange."

  "Strange how?"

  "I don't know..." He looked at his hands. They were trembling, but not from fear. From adrenaline? Or something else? "I just know... we got lucky."

  Isaac forced himself up. Ina tried to help him.

  "Let's go."

  Ina looked at the giant sword.

  "We should take it," she said. She grabbed the hilt and pulled.

  Nothing. She activated her hydraulic boosters. "Hnnnng!"

  The sword didn't move a millimeter.

  "It weighs... tons..." Ina gasped. "It's physically impossible to lift."

  Isaac looked at the blade. He stepped forward, pushing Ina gently aside.

  He grabbed the hilt with one hand.

  He lifted it.

  It felt... light. Balanced. As if the sword wanted to be held by him.

  Ina’s optic sensors zoomed in, baffled. "How...?"

  "We better take it," Isaac said, his voice echoing slightly. "We don't know what we'll find ahead."

  He channeled electricity into the blade, then used his magnetism to bind it to the back of his armor. The massive sword locked into place with a heavy clank.

  "You're right," Ina nodded, still staring at him. "Let's go."

  They walked to the far end of the chamber. There was a door. It wasn't stone or wood. It was made of shifting, black geometry. No handle. Just a single, intricate keyhole in the center.

  "Now what?" Ina panicked slightly. "We don't have a key!"

  Isaac stared at the keyhole.

  "A key..."

  He reached into his pocket. He pulled out the Black Box he had taken from Jin. He opened it. Inside lay a key made of black bone.

  Yamato’s Key.

  He placed it into the keyhole.

  It fit perfectly.

  CLICK.

  He turned it.

  RUMBLE.

  The entire underground complex began to shake. The black door dissolved into mist, revealing a swirling vortex beyond.

  "LET'S GO! MOVE!" Isaac shouted over the roar of the opening gate.

  They ran into the darkness.