Shackles Of Fate

Jin sat in the dim glow of the flickering lanterns, his wrists bound by thick iron cuffs. The cold, damp air pressed against his skin, carrying the scent of wet stone and decay.

Water dripped somewhere in the distance, each drop marking the passage of time with a slow, rhythmic beat.

His body ached—his shoulder throbbed from the earlier blow, and a dull, lingering haze clouded his mind. The poison had nearly drained him, but clarity was creeping back.

He flexed his fingers, testing the range of his movement. The chains rattled softly, but they held firm. He needed to regain his strength—and fast.

A presence lingered beyond the iron bars. Commander Darius stood with his arms crossed, watching him with a mix of amusement and calculation. His dark armor gleamed under the torchlight, an imposing contrast against the damp stone walls. There was a smug certainty about him, an air of confidence that irked Jin. He had seen men like this before—leaders who believed power made them untouchable.

"I expected you to take longer to recover," Darius said, tilting his head slightly. "You're full of surprises, wanderer."

Jin remained silent. He had no interest in entertaining the man's gloating. Instead, he observed.

Darius took a step closer to the bars. "The Withering Moon," he mused. "You recognized the name, didn't you?" A knowing smirk played at his lips. "You know what it means. What it represents."

Jin's heartbeat remained steady, but inside, his mind was racing. He had spent years in the Hollow Vale, piecing together fragments of lost knowledge. The Withering Moon was always spoken of in hushed tones, wrapped in mystery and fear. It was more than legend—more than myth.

It was something real.

And it was dangerous.

"You've seen it, haven't you?" Darius pressed. His voice was quieter now, almost eager. "The remnants of its power. The way the world bends around those it touches." He paused, studying Jin's expression. "You are one of them. That is why I need you."

Jin exhaled slowly. "And if I refuse?"

Darius chuckled, the sound low and measured. "Then you waste away in this cell, never knowing the truth of what you are." He gestured toward the corridor beyond the bars. "But if you cooperate… I can show you everything."

Jin studied him carefully. The man wasn't bluffing. There was no desperation in his tone, only unwavering certainty. He truly believed Jin had no choice in this matter.

A mistake.

Jin leaned forward slightly, his shackles clinking as he rested his hands on his knees. His voice was even, deliberate. "You misunderstand something, Commander. You think you have me cornered? But you don't know what you've trapped yourself with."

Darius raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Enlighten me."

Jin closed his eyes, drawing in a slow breath. He reached inward, toward the quiet hum of energy buried deep within him—a force he had spent years taming, tempering, fearing. It was a power the Hollow Vale had whispered of in broken voices, a power that did not obey chains.

A chill spread through the air. The torches flickered. A low hum reverberated through the stone walls, faint at first, then rising in intensity. Darius's smirk faltered as he took a step back.

Jin opened his eyes.

A pale mist coiled around his hands, seeping from the iron shackles as though rejecting their hold. He pulled, and with a sharp snap, the metal bindings shattered like brittle glass.

A moment of silence hung in the air.

Then—

A sharp whistle cut through the tension as Darius unsheathed his sword. "Impressive," he admitted. "But you still have nowhere to run."

Jin flexed his fingers, feeling the restored freedom of movement. "Who said I was running?"

The air thickened.

The torches dimmed.

Shadows stretched unnaturally along the stone walls.

Darius's eyes flicked to the corridor. "Guards!" he called, his voice echoing through the hall.

Jin didn't wait.

He lunged, moving faster than human eyes could track.

His hand found the hilt of a discarded blade—old, rusted, but still sharp enough.

He twisted, deflecting the first strike from the nearest guard as they rushed into the chamber.

Chaos erupted.

Jin moved like a wraith, weaving between his attackers with practiced ease. A blade slashed toward him—he ducked low, sweeping the legs out from under the first soldier. Another lunged with a spear; Jin twisted, using the momentum of his spin to drive his elbow into the man's ribs. The guard crumpled, gasping for breath.

The corridor was narrow, forcing his enemies to funnel through a tight space. It was a weakness Jin exploited ruthlessly.

Darius was the only one who kept up his sword, a blur of steel. Their blades met, sparks flying. Jin could feel the commander's strength in each clash, but he had fought specters more terrifying than this man.

Darius feinted left, then brought his sword down in a brutal arc. Jin pivoted, barely dodging in time. The blade struck stone, embedding deep. Seizing the opening, Jin drove his knee into Darius's ribs. The commander grunted, stumbling back.

"Enough!" Darius growled, his hand rising.

A pulse of energy surged through the air. Jin's instincts screamed at him to move, but he was a fraction too late. Chains of blackened light shot from Darius's palm, wrapping around Jin's limbs with an unnatural force. He barely had time to react before he was yanked backward, slamming into the prison wall.

Pain lanced through his body as the chains tightened, burning into his skin. Darius stepped forward, his breath unsteady. "I told you," he panted. "You are part of this, whether you like it or not."

Jin's vision blurred. The power binding him was ancient—something far beyond simple cultivation techniques. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to focus.

He wasn't done yet.

Summoning every ounce of strength he had left, Jin let go—fully embracing the energy that had once whispered to him in the depths of the Hollow Vale.

The torches extinguished, plunging the corridor into darkness.

A howl, unnatural and bone-chilling, echoed through the halls.

Darius faltered. The guards hesitated.

Jin's lips curled into a faint smile. "You wanted to see the Withering Moon's power?" His voice was barely a whisper, but it carried through the silence like a death knell. "Let me show you."

The shadows surged.

And the world shattered.