He stretched out both arms and a dark aura slowly rose around him. It looked like a thick fog made of shadows. The priest spoke in a deep voice, each word filled with devotion and madness.

"Fear. Pain. Despair. All of it belongs to the Abyss. Their cries are the source of our offering."

His followers, robed figures of the Abyssal Cult, gathered behind him. They lowered their heads and placed their hands on the ground.

"My Lord, the souls are screaming," one of them whispered. His voice trembled. "The fear they left behind is strong. The city is soaked in it."

The Dark Priest nodded without emotion.

"Good. Absorb everything. The Abyss grows with every breath of their terror."

He turned towards the man sitting at the centre.

"Lord Apostle,please begin.

A strange ritual began.

The cultists took out dark crystal orbs and placed them on the ground. The crystals glowed faintly at first, then brighter, pulsing like a beating heart.

"On The Eve's death,your misery will be the source of God's power.Rejoice cause not all are lucky to become a part of his.''

The air around them changed as if something was being sucked from the ground.Strange darkish mass seemed like spirits, weakened and broken, began to rise up from the dead and gathered around the crystals.

Screams echoed faintly.

"Help... please... help..."

"Mama... where are you..."

"Make it stop... please..."

The voices made even the undead pause. The Apostle closed his eyes and breathed deeply, as if the pain itself gave him strength.

"Do you hear them?" he asked softly, almost like a teacher testing students. "This is the sound of a world falling apart. This is the song of the Abyss. Remember it well."

The cultists shivered and nodded.

Another follower approached him.

"My Lord, what is our next target? Shall we march deeper into the Duchy?"

The Apostle's eyes gleamed with hunger for destruction.

"Our purpose is clear. We spread dread, and with dread we will break these lands apart and bring salvation. The next major city is Vancouver but we need to devour the small cities and villages in between.It stands close and will fall just like this one. After that, we take the roads leading to the main estate of the Salvos Duchy."

He pressed his hand over one of the glowing crystals. It darkened suddenly, turning completely black as if it absorbed the last drop of life from the land.

"When we gather enough fear and pain, the Abyss Gate will open."

A murmur of excitement broke among the followers.

"The world abandoned us," he continued, voice low and cold. "They mocked us and called us monsters. Now we give them what they deserve. We return the pain they gave us. Let them scream and let them break apart. And when their last hope dies, then the Abyss will rise."

The ground beneath them trembled. The sky turned darker, shifting like storm clouds made of shadows.

"Now Arise.."

And the bodies of the dead started to rise again.

The Apostle looked over the ruined city one more time. His eyes showed no joy and no regret. Only the will to carry out purpose.

"All of this," he whispered, "is just the beginning."

And the wind carried those words through the broken streets, mixing with the whispers of the dead.

....

In Blank City…

Ethan's whole body went still. The message in his hand felt unreal, like his mind refused to accept it. Diana covered her mouth and Lia's eyes widened as she read over his shoulder.

"How is this possible?" Diana whispered.

Lia shook her head, her voice trembling. "This cannot be real."

Ethan did not answer. He just stared at the letters again and again, as if they might change.

At his call, Rina arrived at Blank City. The moment she stepped into the hall, the air grew heavy. She carried a message of her own, and her expression alone made everyone tense.

Her voice was steady, yet the words felt like thunder.

"The Noctis has fallen."

The room froze. The sound of those few words hit everyone like a blade. Sophia stumbled back in shock and grabbed the side of a chair.

"What? Noctis? The fortress city?" she asked, breathless. "How did this happen?"

Rina exhaled shakily. "I do not know all the details. I have already withdrawn most of my informants, but from what I heard, a massive army of zombies attacked."

"Zombies," Diana whispered, horrified.

The moment the word left her mouth, all eyes turned toward Ethan. His expression twisted, dark and disgusted. His jaw clenched so tightly that the muscle in his cheek twitched.

That word was like a wound reopening.

Zombies.

How could he forget? A few years ago, a Lich disguised as a priest had killed innocent people under Ethan's protection. He still saw it in his nightmares. The betrayal, the screams, the smell of death. It had left a crack in his heart that never fully healed.

He had sworn then that if he ever met such creatures again, he would crush them and break them apart and burn their existence to nothing.

Now, they have returned again.

"Abyssal Cult…" Ethan muttered, remembering the information Blanco had given him.

Lia frowned. "Abyssal Cult? What is that?"

Ethan looked at her, then at Rina, who stepped forward with a deep frown.

"They worship Demon Gods that belong to the abyss of hell," Rina explained slowly. "The Abyssal Cult worships the Demon God Azetec."

"Azetec," Ethan repeated the name under his breath, tasting it like something bitter. "Does he have the power to turn people into zombies?"

Rina shook her head. "No. He accepts souls and becomes stronger from them. For his existence, he needs a constant refinement of souls. As for these undead husks, it is the wraiths from the abyss that inhabit and move them."

Ethan lowered his gaze and nodded once, absorbing the information like a general preparing for war.

"I see," he murmured.

Silence fell over the hall. Everyone felt the pressure closing in, as if something dark had already set its eyes on them.

Suddenly, a firm knock sounded against the door.

Thud. Thud.

Oliver entered quickly. His face was pale. His breath was uneven.

"My Lord," he said, bowing his head, "an urgent message has arrived from the Duchy."

The already heavy room lost the last bit of calm it had. Every heart skipped a beat. The hush that followed was sharp and cold.

No one needed to say it, but all of them understood.

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