The man wearily observed the cloaked figure behind him, who had been holding up a piece of firewood. The figure’s cloak was old, worn, ripped, stitched up in parts here and there, and generally very tattered.

The cloak somewhat obscured their face, but the fire gave light to its shadow. Their eyes were sleepless, and their gaze was focused yet adrift. They observed the man with a clear intent, of what I could not say.

The man had waited long enough, 

‘Who are you?’

“...”

‘I ask again, who are you?’ 

“...”

‘How did you get here?’

…

The man waited in silence, with the cloaked figure’s mouth not moving at all, not even to breathe, (though the concept of oxygen in an Abyss is a complicated matter). He had enough, and began to wonder in the direction he was trying to go already.

WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING?

‘?’ The man darted his head around to the figure, slightly startled by their soothing yet imposing voice. 

‘I wish to leave this Abyss, as I have been trying to for a good while now.’

WHY DO YOU WISH TO LEAVE?

‘Because I am trapped within an Abyss you fool! Why else do you think I would leave?’

WHAT WILL YOU RETURN TO?

‘...’

I ASK AGAIN, WHAT. WILL. YOU. RETURN. TO?

‘...’

WHAT WILL YOU-

‘BE QUIET!’

The man began to breathe heavily, the echoes of air were felt throughout the Abyss. He looked at the figure with eyes of pure spite and hatred.

‘My life ended the day that my enemies banished me here…

Yet..’

THEN WHERE DO YOU WISH TO LEAVE TO?

‘Yet, I still desire to leave this place.’

PERHAPS YOUR DESIRE IS NOT WITHIN THE REALM OF YOUR BEST INTERESTS.

‘What?’

THE WORLD YOU WILL HEAD TOWARDS IS A PLACE OF MALICE AND HATRED.  YOU MUST STAY HERE.

The fire on the torchwood grew in its intensity, and yet the face of the cloaked figure became even darker.

‘I shall not stay here, for I am to be free.’

FREE?

‘Yes, as I assume you want to be as well.’

FREE?! DON’T MAKE ME LAUGH! FREEDOM IS NOT SOMETHING ONE CAN OBTAIN EASILY YOU KNOW.

‘I beg your pardon?’

LET ME ELABORATE. I AM THE GUARDIAN. GUARDIAN OF THE ABYSS. I CAN FREE YOU FROM THE ABYSS. YET IT SHALL COME AT A PRICE.

‘What kind of price?’

I SHALL WARN YOU NOW. IT IS NOT A PLEASANT ONE.

‘I..I don’t care. Tell me what it is. Now.’

The cloaked figure tilted their head up carefully. A shadow crept over the top of their face, likening their eyes to pure darkness. 

Their arm began to crack as it started a chain of movements, with it lifting up ever so slowly.  Their finger pointed sharply at the man’s right arm. A bewildered expression came from the man.

TO LEAVE THIS ABYSS, YOU MUST SACRIFICE SOMETHING YOU LOVE AND LOATHE.

‘And why do you point at my arm?’ He turned sheepishly away from the Guardian so that it could no longer be visible to them.

BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOUR ARM IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO YOUR HISTORY. AND THAT YOU DESPISE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE WITH IT.

‘Wha-How did- How do you know that?!’

BECAUSE I AM THE GUARDIAN. I KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT THE SUBJECTS HERE.

A silence fell upon the both of them. The man looked at his arm. Funny, he thought. He didn’t remember there being blood there..

A fire grew in him, and he darted back to the Guardian.

‘I’ll do it.’

ARE YOU SURE?

‘Certain. Anything to get myself out of here.’

UNDERSTOOD.

The Guardian pried through their cloak, and found a knife. They tossed it over to the man, who caught it mid air. The man inhaled for a second, and with a swift strike cut off their right arm. 

From this action a horrible scream was relinquished, and the man was in a considerable state of pain and anguish. Blood had splattered onto his body, with a significant amount landing on his face.

THE RITUAL IS COMPLETE.

After a few seconds of silence, the Abyss began to shift. Parts of it seemed to rearrange itself in a way which was very peculiar. The end result was a portal next to both of them.

YOU MAY FREE YOURSELF OF THIS PRISON. 

The man staggered his way to the exit.

HOWEVER, WHAT YOU MAY FACE ON THE OTHER SIDE COULD BE WORSE THAN THIS TRIAL HERE.

The man glared at the Guardian.