THE STORY OF LIVES

CHAPTER-5

Toby stared at the massive iron door, its surface covered in intricate runes that pulsed faintly with a dark energy. The witch's words echoed in his mind: Once you cross, there is no coming back. He knew that crossing the Veil was more than just a physical act—it was a journey into the heart of darkness, into a realm where the very laws of nature bent and twisted. But it was a journey he had no choice but to make. The demon that had taken everything from him lay beyond this door, and Toby would not stop until he had its head.

The witch stood beside him, her gaze fixed on the door as though she could see beyond it into the other world. "Before you enter," she said softly, "there is one final thing you must understand. The Veil is not just a boundary between realms—it is a prison. On the other side, the creatures you will face are not bound by the same rules as you. They are not hindered by flesh and bone, nor are they constrained by time. And the demon... it is not the same as when it crossed into your world. It has grown, fed on the darkness, and now rules over the other realm like a god."

Toby's grip on his sword tightened. He had anticipated that the demon would be stronger on its own ground, but the thought of facing it in a place where it was all but omnipotent sent a chill down his spine. Still, there was no turning back now. "I don't care," he said, his voice low and determined. "I'll kill it, no matter what it has become."

The witch's dark eyes flickered with something unreadable—perhaps pity, perhaps admiration. "Very well," she said, stepping forward and placing her hands on the door. The runes began to glow brighter under her touch, and a deep, resonant hum filled the air as the ancient magic within the door awakened. "The gateway is open," she whispered, stepping back as the door slowly swung inward, revealing a swirling vortex of shadows and light beyond.

Toby took a deep breath, the weight of the moment pressing down on him like a great storm. He had spent years preparing for this, but now, standing on the threshold of the Veil, he felt the enormity of what he was about to do. The other realm was a place of nightmares, a realm where few had ventured and none had returned. But Toby wasn't like the others—he had been forged in the fires of vengeance, his soul hardened by loss and pain. Without a second glance at the witch, he stepped through the doorway and into the darkness.

The world around him shifted the moment he crossed the threshold. It was like falling, a sensation of weightlessness as the air itself seemed to pull him forward. The swirling shadows enveloped him, their touch cold and invasive, as though they were alive and probing the very essence of his being. For a moment, Toby felt disoriented, as if he were floating between worlds, caught in a place where time and space held no meaning. And then, just as suddenly, the darkness receded, and he found himself standing in a vast, desolate landscape.

The sky above was a churning mass of storm clouds, illuminated by flashes of eerie purple lightning. The ground beneath his feet was black and cracked, as though the very earth had been scorched by some ancient fire. Jagged mountains rose in the distance, their peaks shrouded in mist, and the air was thick with the scent of decay. This was the other realm, the land beyond the Veil—a place of ruin and despair, where the laws of nature were warped beyond recognition.

Toby's breath came in shallow gasps as he surveyed his surroundings. The air here was heavy, oppressive, and he could feel the weight of the realm pressing down on him, making it difficult to breathe. There was no sign of life—no birds, no animals, not even the wind stirred the dead landscape. But Toby knew better than to assume he was alone. The witch had warned him about the guardians of the Veil, creatures that watched over this realm and served the demon. And somewhere, hidden in the shadows, they were watching him now.

He drew his sword, its familiar weight a comfort in this strange and hostile place. The blade gleamed faintly in the dim light, a reminder of the battles he had fought and won. But here, in this realm, he couldn't rely on his sword alone. The demon's power would be overwhelming, and the creatures that roamed these lands were far more dangerous than anything he had faced before. Toby took a deep breath, steadying himself. There was no room for fear now. He had crossed the Veil, and there was no turning back.