Abaddon

Chapter 18 : A Rising Storm

Darkness swallowed the sky, turning the once bright horizon into a void of shadows. The air was thick, heavy with a chill that bit into the skin. It wasn’t natural. The warmth of the sun had vanished beneath a storm that carried malice—a dread that crept into the bones of every man and woman in camp.

I sat at the central tent where another meeting had been called. A new problem had emerged. We had barely recovered from the battle of Evergreen, yet now, another beast was stirring in the forest. The reports brought back by our scouts were grim enough to silence even the loudest knights.

“A massive creature,” one of the scouts had said earlier, “its scales like forged iron, glinting in the dark like metal. A long appendage on its face—flexible, strong enough to uproot trees in one strike. It walks on all fours, and each step makes the earth shake.”

Now those words echoed through every mind in the tent. The expressions around me were uneasy—men who had faced monsters before, now pale at the thought of this one. Whatever it was, it was unlike anything we had faced.

“This creature,” Lancelot muttered, his brow furrowed, “it doesn’t exist in any record. No mention in scripture, no note in the archives. Its presence defies logic.”

I stayed quiet, my thoughts swirling.

‘Was this because of the death of the Leviathan?’ I wondered. That creature’s death had unleashed an enormous wave of malice across the land. Could that lingering energy have awakened something older—something worse?

Before anyone could answer, Elise spoke, her voice breaking the tension that had filled the room.

“Is it possible,” she asked softly, “that this creature isn’t hostile?”

All heads turned toward her. The tent filled with murmurs. No one had expected that question.

Lancelot gave a faint scoff. “The malice it emits says otherwise.”

“If that’s the case,” Elise countered, “why hasn’t it attacked the camp? From the reports, it’s been seen near the edge of Evergreen—close enough to reach us. Yet it hasn’t. It just… moves through the forest.”

Her eyes swept across the room. “If it truly wanted to destroy us, we’d already be dead.”

Uriel leaned forward, studying her carefully. “What are you implying, Elise?”

Elise took a breath. “I mean, I can’t sense its hatred. I can feel the malice in the air, yes—but it’s not directed at us. It’s like… it’s mourning something. Or protecting something.”

Her words drew another wave of murmurs. Some nodded thoughtfully. Others frowned in disbelief.

Uriel glanced at me from across the table. She didn’t speak, but her eyes said what she wanted to—say something.

And I agreed with Elise.

“She’s right,” I said, earning a few sharp stares. “If it hasn’t attacked us, then rushing in with swords drawn would be foolish. Maybe we should try to understand what it’s doing first. If it’s not our enemy, we don’t need another battle.”

The murmurs grew louder. The council members began arguing amongst themselves. Then, one of them—an older knight from the southern division—slammed his hands onto the table.

“Reason with a beast?” he barked. His tone was laced with disbelief. “Are you serious? What next, share a meal with it?”

The room fell into silent judgment. Every gaze roamed, searching for a solid response. I turned my glance to Uriel, who stared at me. Her gaze quiet yet firm, filled with thought. I let out a soft sigh, sinking into my chair. She turned her gaze to Elise, giving her a nod to continue.

“So tell me, Elise, what is your plan?” she asked.

I looked around, watching the displeased faces of the council members, yet no one dared to speak up again.

“My plan? My plan is to go in alone and speak with this beast.”

Her words raised another wave of murmurs, which was immediately silenced by Uriel’s lifted hand.

“Talk to the beast? What makes you think that is possible?” Uriel asked with a plain look on her face.

“I have been reading up on my eyes,” Elise replied. “And in that period, I learned I can see the emotions and consciousness of a being. Right now, I see something more scared than angry, and it’s looking for something. If I can get close enough to it and read its consciousness, maybe I could find what it’s searching for and get it to calm down.”

I raised my brow, surprised by what she said. I wasn’t alone either. The room burst into murmurs again. Some hopeful, others doubtful. Then one spoke up—a tall, scarred knight whose voice carried a rough, tired edge.

“How sure are you about this?” he asked.

Elise gave me a glance and then looked at Uriel. “Honestly, I’m not confident. But there’s a chance it can work. I know that’s not reassuring, but all I’m asking for is a chance and time to try. If it doesn’t work, then you’re free to fight. But please, give me that chance.”

Her words were calm, sincere. Pride melted from every face in the tent, replaced by quiet understanding. The tension that had filled the room faded into stillness.

Uriel rose from her seat, her expression unreadable. Her eyes drifted across the faces of everyone in the tent. “All in favor of letting Elise reason with the beast, raise your hands.”

For a moment, no one moved. Then, one by one, hands went up—hesitant at first, then unanimous. Even Lancelot’s hand joined the rest.

Uriel nodded. “Then it’s decided.”

The weight of the decision pressed on the air. Elise bowed her head in gratitude. I caught her gaze for a moment—calm, but determined. Whatever she planned to do, she had already committed to it.

As the meeting ended and the tent emptied, I lingered behind. Outside, the clouds above twisted and rumbled, flashes of faint light flickering deep within them.

A storm was coming again.