The Last Bargain

Chapter XXXVII: Into The Abyss

Zento and Shin stepped into the swirling portal, their forms swallowed by the darkness as they crossed the threshold into the unknown. For a moment, they were engulfed by a blinding light, and then everything went pitch black. The air around them felt thick and heavy, as if they were moving through water, and they struggled to breathe.

Zento could feel the ground shifting beneath his feet, the texture changing from smooth stone to rough gravel and then to something that felt like sand. He reached out instinctively, and his hand brushed against Shin's shoulder, reassuring him that his friend was still by his side.

"Shin," he whispered, his voice echoing strangely in the void, "are you okay?"

Shin nodded, though he knew Zento couldn't see it in the darkness. "I'm here," he replied quietly, gripping Zento's arm for a moment to confirm his presence. "But... where are we?"

Before Zento could respond, the darkness around them began to shift. Shapes emerged from the void, hazy and indistinct at first, but then growing clearer. They found themselves standing in what looked like a vast, open plain, the ground cracked and dry, stretching endlessly in all directions. A crimson sky loomed overhead, thick clouds roiling like a storm was brewing. The air smelled faintly of iron and smoke.

And there, in the distance, they saw him—Raito.

He stood alone, his back to them, his posture hunched, his shoulders heavy with exhaustion. His clothes were tattered, and his skin was pale and slick with sweat. Blood dripped steadily from a thousand small cuts that covered his body, each wound oozing slowly, creating a dark, expanding pool at his feet. His hair hung in damp, tangled strands around his face, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

"Raito!" Shin shouted, his voice filled with urgency as he started running toward him. "Raito, it's us! Zento and Shin!"

But Raito didn't turn. He seemed almost oblivious to their presence, his gaze fixed on something just beyond the horizon, his eyes hollow and distant, filled with a pain so deep it seemed to swallow all light. His hands were clenched into fists, his knuckles white, his whole body trembling with effort.

Zento felt a chill run down his spine as he took in the sight of his friend. "What happened to him...?" he murmured, his voice low. "What kind of trial is this?"

They moved closer, each step feeling heavier, as if the ground itself were trying to hold them back. As they approached, they began to hear faint murmurs, whispers that seemed to come from all around them, filling the air with a low, haunting sound.

"Failure... weakness... doubt..."

The whispers grew louder, more insistent, a chorus of voices that seemed to be coming from nowhere and everywhere all at once. Zento felt a shiver run down his spine, his heart pounding in his chest. "Do you hear that?" he asked, glancing at Shin.

Shin nodded, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the area around them. "Yeah," he muttered. "It's like... the air itself is speaking."

The whispers grew louder still, turning into a cacophony of taunts and accusations, each word a dagger aimed at the heart. "You failed... you are weak... you will never succeed..."

Raito flinched at the sound, his body tensing, his head bowing lower. His hands trembled, and Zento saw fresh blood trickling from his palms, as if he were clenching his fists so tightly that his nails were cutting into his skin.

"Raito!" Zento shouted, stepping forward. "Listen to me! We're here! We came to help you!"

Raito's head twitched slightly, but he still didn't turn around. It was as if he were trapped in his own world, unable to hear or see them, his mind lost in whatever nightmare had been forced upon him.

Shin felt a surge of desperation. "Raito, snap out of it!" he yelled, his voice breaking with emotion. "We're here! You don't have to face this alone!"

Still, there was no response. The whispers grew louder, more aggressive, and Shin could see Raito's body shuddering with every word. He could feel the weight of those voices pressing down on his friend, tearing at his spirit.

Zento clenched his fists, his frustration mounting. "Why won't he respond?" he muttered, his voice tight with anger and fear. "What's happening to him?"

Shin shook his head, his mind racing. "I don't know," he replied. "But we have to reach him... somehow."

They moved closer still, pushing through the thick, oppressive air, their eyes fixed on Raito. As they drew nearer, they began to see shadows moving in the periphery of their vision—dark, flickering shapes that seemed to dance just out of sight, moving with the rhythm of the whispers.

"Look," Zento whispered, pointing to the shadows. "What are those...?"

Shin squinted, trying to make out the shapes. "I don't know," he admitted. "But they don't feel right..."

Suddenly, one of the shadows lunged forward, moving with a speed that defied belief. It struck at Raito, and he flinched, a fresh cut opening on his arm, a line of crimson spilling down his skin. He staggered, but remained standing, his face twisted with pain.

"These shadows..." Zento said, realization dawning on him. "They're his trial. They're attacking him... every time he falters."

Shin nodded grimly. "They feed on his doubt... his pain. And every time he doubts himself, they cut him again."

Zento felt his anger flare. "We have to stop them," he said fiercely. "We have to reach him before they... before they do something worse."

Shin agreed, his face set with determination. "Raito!" he shouted again, his voice filled with urgency. "We're coming to get you out of here!"

But as they took another step forward, the shadows seemed to turn on them, their forms stretching and growing, becoming more distinct. Faces appeared in the darkness—faces filled with malice and anger, their eyes glowing with a cold, malevolent light.

"Stay back!" one of the shadows hissed, its voice a harsh whisper that cut through the air. "This is not your trial... this is not your place."

Zento felt a wave of cold sweep over him, but he stood his ground. "We're not leaving him!" he shouted back, his voice steady despite the fear twisting in his gut.

The shadows laughed, a low, hollow sound. "You think you can save him?" they mocked. "You think your friendship is enough to break his chains?"

Shin clenched his fists, his eyes blazing. "We're going to try," he said fiercely. "We're not giving up on him!"

The shadows surged forward, surrounding them, their faces twisting with malice. The air grew colder still, the whispers rising to a deafening pitch.

Zento took a deep breath, steadying himself. "We fight," he said quietly to Shin. "Together."

Shin nodded, his eyes never leaving the shadows. "Always," he replied.

They prepared themselves, bracing for the onslaught of the shadows, knowing that this was just the beginning of what lay ahead. They could feel the pull of Raito's pain, the weight of his struggle, and they knew they had to reach him.

No matter what.

As the shadows closed in, the whispers turned into a roar, the air vibrating with tension. The portal behind them sealed shut, leaving them no way back, no escape.

They were in Raito's trial now, and there was no turning back.