The Descent
The walls seemed alive. They rippled and shifted, patterns forming and vanishing like whispers. The air hummed with unseen vibrations, and the weight of the void pressed heavier against his chest with each passing moment. The corridor sloped downward, spiraling deeper, and the light of the runes grew dimmer until only the faint glow of the orb illuminated his path.
"How far does this go?" Li Tian muttered, his voice barely more than a whisper. The void stirred in response, a restless hum vibrating through his veins.
"There is no end," the chained figure's voice echoed from behind him, though no footsteps followed. "The void is endless. But this path leads to its core."
Li Tian swallowed hard, his grip tightening around the orb. The chained figure's absence sent unease rippling through him, but he pressed forward. The void within him thrummed, hungry and expectant, as if it recognized what lay ahead.
Minutes passed—or was it hours? Time had become meaningless in the depths. Li Tian's muscles burned, and sweat slicked his palms, but he didn't stop. The tunnel widened suddenly, opening into a vast cavern.
The ceiling was lost to shadow, and towering pillars rose like jagged teeth from the ground. In the center of the cavern, a circular platform hovered above a swirling vortex of darkness. Chains dangled from the unseen ceiling, swaying as if touched by an invisible breeze. The platform pulsed faintly, mirroring the rhythm of the orb in Li Tian's hand.
The void's hunger surged, clawing at his control. He staggered, his knees trembling as the orb flared. Its light stretched outward, illuminating a narrow bridge that connected him to the platform. The bridge seemed fragile, suspended over the churning abyss below. The swirling darkness tugged at him, its pull almost physical, as though it recognized him as one of its own.
Li Tian exhaled, steadying his breath. "This is it."
The void inside him whispered, its voice no longer fragmented but clear and commanding. Claim it.
He stepped onto the bridge, and the chains above groaned. The air thickened, and the weight of the void pressed harder. The platform seemed impossibly far away, but he kept walking, each step deliberate. The bridge creaked underfoot, and shadows writhed along its edges, creeping closer.
A sound like grinding stone filled the cavern. Shadows coiled at the edges of the bridge, forming tendrils that reached toward him. Li Tian raised his free hand, summoning the void. Tendrils of dark energy lashed out, slicing through the shadows. They shrieked but did not retreat, reforming even faster.
"Not this time," Li Tian growled, pouring more energy into his attacks. The void surged outward, forming a barrier of writhing tendrils that repelled the encroaching darkness. Sweat poured down his face as he pushed forward, step by step.
The shadows swirled faster, and the chains rattled overhead. The air trembled as something shifted within the vortex below. A deep, resonant hum filled the chamber, and the void inside Li Tian roared in response. It no longer felt like an adversary but a force urging him onward, eager to merge with the abyss.
A figure began to rise from the darkness. Its form was obscured, but its presence was suffocating. The chains above it snapped taut, binding it to the platform, but the pressure it radiated was overwhelming. Two burning eyes flared to life, locking onto Li Tian. The force of its gaze threatened to shatter his focus, but he stood firm.
"What… is that?" Li Tian whispered, his voice barely audible.
"The heart of the abyss," the void whispered back. Face it—or fall.
The figure pulled against the chains, and the bridge trembled. Li Tian braced himself, channeling the void's energy into his limbs. The orb pulsed brighter, and the tendrils of void magic sharpened, twisting into jagged spears. The air hummed with tension, and the shadows writhed, as if anticipating the coming clash.
The chained figure's voice echoed faintly from the shadows behind him. "This is your final test. Bind the abyss, or it will consume you."
Li Tian clenched his fists. The shadows surged forward, and the chains rattled louder. He had come too far to fail now.
The figure lunged, and Li Tian's instincts took over. He unleashed the void, spears of energy erupting from his hands and colliding with the creature. The cavern shook as the energies met, light and shadow warring in a blinding explosion.
The creature roared, its chains straining as it surged toward him. Li Tian's vision blurred as the void pushed against his control, desperate to be released completely. For a moment, doubt crept into his thoughts—but he crushed it. He wasn't the same person who had first entered this abyss.
With a roar, he stepped onto the platform, the orb flaring with light. The void responded, forming shields and blades around him as the figure struck again. Sparks erupted where their energies clashed, and cracks splintered across the platform.
The void whispered, urging him to release it fully, but Li Tian held firm. He focused everything he had, forcing the void to obey his command. The energy flared brighter, and the chains binding the abyss snapped, wrapping around the creature instead. It howled as the chains tightened, pulling it back toward the vortex.
Li Tian fell to one knee, his breath ragged, but he didn't let go. The void pulsed, and the chains sealed, dragging the creature into the abyss below. Silence fell, and the platform steadied.
Li Tian stood, the orb dimming but steady in his palm. The test was over—but the war was just beginning.