Chapter Sixty-One

Ethan's shout resounded through the collapsing chamber, resonating off the dividers as the heart of the abyss beat with renewed, noxious energy. The ground trembled brutally underneath him, and he could feel the chamber tearing apart. Miriam was gone, devoured by the darkness, her sacrifice in vain.

But he couldn't bear to succumb to lost hope. He had to escape, one way or another, or the chasm would devour him as well. The heart of the chasm lingered before him, its dim rings coming like claws, hungry for his soul. The air crackled with dull energy, thick and choking.

In that minute of dread, Ethan felt a move, a little swell within the darkness, nearly subtle. The heart of the chasm had taken Miriam, but in doing so, it had used an incredible amount of its energy. For a brief minute, its hold on this reality faltered.

Summoning each ounce of strength he had, Ethan reached out with his intellect, looking for the faint connection to the world above the abyss. He had once traveled betw