His Broken Fairy

Chapter 5: The Abyss Beckons

Lysandra's body felt weightless as she tumbled through the darkness, her mind reeling from the force of the portal's pull. Cold air whipped around her, and the disorienting sensation of being suspended in a void left her gasping for breath. She couldn't tell which way was up, or if there was even an up to begin with. The sensation of falling seemed endless, and panic clutched at her chest.

Where was Zareth? The thought echoed in her mind, a thread of terror running through her. He had told her to go through the gate, to trust him. But now, without his presence, the fear she had buried deep began to rise, threatening to overwhelm her.

Just as Lysandra thought she could take no more, the pull of the abyss lessened, and the darkness around her began to thin. Her feet touched something solid—cold, hard stone—and the sudden impact made her knees buckle. She collapsed to the ground, her limbs trembling as the overwhelming sense of weightlessness dissipated.

For a few moments, she simply lay there, catching her breath, her hands splayed across the rough surface beneath her. The ground was smooth but frigid, like ancient stone that had never seen the light of day. Slowly, Lysandra forced herself to sit up, her eyes adjusting to her new surroundings.

She was no longer in the prison.

The realm she now found herself in was vast and alien, the sky an endless swirl of blood-red clouds. Jagged mountains pierced the horizon, their blackened peaks cutting into the heavens. The ground beneath her was made of dark, cracked stone, littered with the faint glow of red veins running through the earth like molten lava. The air was thick and heavy, smelling faintly of sulfur and ash. It was an oppressive landscape, utterly foreign and yet, somehow, familiar.

Hell.

Lysandra had never seen it before, but the stories she had heard throughout her life couldn't compare to the harsh reality of it. This was Zareth's domain, his kingdom—the place where he reigned as King of Hell.

For a moment, panic threatened to consume her. She was alone in a place she didn't understand, far from the prison she had once feared but at least understood. And Zareth... Zareth was still in the prison, fighting those monstrous wardens. She had no idea if he had survived, if he had followed her through the gate.

A sickening sense of guilt gnawed at her insides. I should have stayed. I shouldn't have left him. But she knew Zareth had given her no choice. He had commanded her to leave, to take the only chance they had at freedom.

She stood on unsteady legs, scanning the landscape. There was no sign of him—no ripple in the air, no shadowy figure emerging from the gate. The oppressive silence of the realm pressed in on her, thick and suffocating. She swallowed hard, feeling more alone than she ever had.

Suddenly, a low growl rumbled behind her. Lysandra froze, her breath catching in her throat. Slowly, she turned around.

A creature stood on the ledge above her, its form massive and hulking. Its skin was dark and leathery, with veins of molten lava pulsing just beneath the surface. Horns curled from its head, and glowing red eyes stared down at her with predatory intent. A demon.

It snarled, sharp teeth gleaming in the dim light, and for a moment, Lysandra's heart stopped. She had no weapons, no power, no means to defend herself. All she could do was stand there, frozen in terror.

The demon stalked forward, its heavy steps shaking the ground beneath her feet. Its eyes locked on her, hungry and relentless. Lysandra's pulse raced, her muscles tensing as adrenaline surged through her body.

Run. The instinct to flee screamed in her mind, but her legs felt like lead, refusing to move.

Just as the creature lunged toward her, a blast of dark energy shot through the air, slamming into the demon with bone-shattering force. The demon howled in pain as it was thrown backward, its body crashing into the ground with a sickening thud.