Chains of Revelation
The whispers grew louder. Deeper… further… closer to truth… They slithered through his thoughts, weaving doubt and desire together. The void stirred in response, a hungry force begging for release. Li Tian forced his breathing to steady, clenching his fists to drown out the pull of the voices.
The stone beneath his feet shifted slightly, uneven and cracked as though it bore the scars of ancient battles. His footsteps kicked up faint traces of dust that lingered in the air like ghosts. Each step felt heavier than the last, as though the corridor itself resisted his passage. The walls seemed to pulse, the runes carved into the stone flickering with faint light that dimmed the farther he ventured.
He reached a set of stone steps descending into yet another chamber. The space was vast, its ceiling obscured by shadows. Chains crisscrossed overhead, their links pulsing faintly as though alive. At the center of the chamber lay an enormous altar carved from black stone. Above it hovered a massive, swirling vortex of shadow and light—an open wound in reality.
Li Tian froze, his eyes locked on the vortex. It pulsed with energy, tendrils of darkness stretching outward before retreating. The chains around his arms tightened, their runes flaring as if sensing the presence of something ancient.
Bind or be consumed… The whispers echoed, clearer now.
The void inside him roared, pushing against his control. It recognized the power before him—and it craved it.
Li Tian stepped closer, the weight of the chamber pressing harder against him. The air vibrated, rippling as though alive. The shadows shifted, forming shapes at the edges of the room. Figures began to emerge—guardians like before, but larger, their forms crackling with energy. Chains coiled around their limbs, their eyes burning with crimson light.
The first guardian stepped forward, dragging chains that rattled like thunder. Its presence sent waves of pressure through the chamber, and the runes on Li Tian's arms blazed in response. He clenched his fists, summoning tendrils of void energy that writhed outward, ready to strike.
The guardian lunged.
Li Tian reacted instantly, unleashing a torrent of energy. The void lashed out, tendrils colliding with the guardian's chains. Sparks erupted, illuminating the chamber in flashes of light and shadow. The guardian staggered but did not fall. It roared, hurling its chains toward Li Tian.
He dodged, barely avoiding the strike as the chains shattered the stone floor. Void energy surged through his veins, pushing him faster. He retaliated, the chains on his arms unraveling and snapping toward the guardian. They coiled around its limbs, their runes flaring as they began to tighten.
The guardian fought back, its power surging as it pulled against the chains. Li Tian gritted his teeth, pouring more energy into the bindings. The runes blazed, and cracks spread across the guardian's form before it collapsed into smoke.
Another guardian emerged, followed by two more. Li Tian's pulse quickened, but he did not hesitate. The void flared, and he called upon the shard's energy. The chains on his arms shifted, their runes twisting as the power of the shard flowed into them.
The first guardian lunged, but Li Tian met it head-on. The chains lashed out, binding it in an instant. The second struck from behind, but he twisted, releasing a burst of void energy that sent it sprawling. The third came from the side, its chains striking like whips. Li Tian deflected the attack, but the force sent him staggering back.
Pain flared, but he didn't stop. The void surged, and the shard pulsed, feeding him strength. He unleashed another wave of energy, binding the last two guardians and forcing them to their knees.
The chamber trembled as the vortex above the altar pulsed. The shadows writhed, and the whispers grew deafening. Release us… bind us… claim us…
Li Tian staggered, his breath ragged. The chains around his arms glowed brighter, their energy resonating with the vortex. He could feel it calling to him, its power vast and unrestrained.
The tendrils of the vortex began to stretch outward, licking at the chains that bound him. Each pulse of energy fed the hunger that gnawed at the edges of his soul. He clenched his fists tighter, the chains rattling as his grip on them wavered for just an instant. The shard flared in his palm, anchoring him as the void pushed harder.
He stepped toward the altar, his fingers trembling as he reached out. The void roared, surging to the surface, but he forced it back. The shard in his hand flared, its energy merging with the chains as the runes shifted again. The whispers softened, their tone shifting from demand to anticipation.
You are not ready… but you must proceed… deeper still…
Li Tian clenched his fists, the chains rattling softly as the energy settled. He turned away from the altar, his gaze fixed on the path ahead. The shadows lingered, but they did not move.
The chamber behind him felt alive, its energy pressing against his back like a phantom's touch. The faint tremors in the ground did not fade, and the distant echoes of chains rattling lingered in his ears. With the shard pulsing in his hand and the chains still burning with energy, Li Tian stepped forward, vanishing once more into the depths.