The Chains That Bind

The night was heavy with secrets.

The city around us was alive, but not in the way a city should be. It didn't breathe. It whispered. The buildings, the alleyways, the people—they all felt like they were part of something larger. Something rotten.

And we were about to cut it open.

The Gathering

The three of us—Zhao Yue, Yusheng, and I—moved like shadows through the crowd, each step careful, deliberate.

A great fire burned in the city square, its embers rising into the night. Around it, the people gathered in silence. Not in reverence, but in expectation.

The speaker stood before them, draped in ceremonial robes. His voice was smooth, practiced. A man who had convinced himself that his sins were just.

"Brothers and sisters," he called, "tonight, we celebrate the will of the gods! For they have given us strength, they have given us food, they have given us life!"

A cheer rose from the crowd. A hollow sound.

I felt the weight of the words press against my chest. This city wasn't just taking power. It was worshipping its chains.

Zhao Yue stood close, her fingers lightly touching the hilt of her sword. A warrior's instinct. Ready. Watching.

Yusheng was different. He had a smirk on his lips, but his eyes were sharp, taking in every detail. His fingers twitched slightly—a nervous tick I hadn't noticed before.

"Look at their hands," he muttered.

I followed his gaze.

Some of the men in the front—the strong ones—had faint markings on their wrists. Symbols, like they had been branded. But the scars were fresh.

And then I saw it.

A cage.

A massive iron construct, covered with cloth, sitting just behind the speaker.

Something was inside it. Something that was still moving.

The speaker gestured to the cage, his voice rising. "Tonight, we offer the gods what they desire! The strong shall be rewarded, and the unworthy shall be cast aside!"

The crowd roared.

I gritted my teeth. This wasn't faith. It was madness.

Zhao Yue exhaled, barely above a whisper. "They're making a sacrifice."

I nodded. "We need to see who—or what—is inside."

Yusheng cracked his knuckles. "Then we better move fast."

I activated my Abyssal Instinct.

The world shifted. The crowd's cheers became layered, distorted—like a second voice whispered beneath them. The fire's embers twisted in unnatural patterns. And that cage…

It wasn't just a prison. It was a gate.

My heart pounded. Something was waiting on the other side.

A Risky Move

We pushed through the crowd, weaving between bodies, until we reached the outer edge of the square.

I spotted a man with the brand on his wrist standing near the cage—a guard, but not a soldier. Just another chosen pawn.

Yusheng smirked. "I got this."

Before I could stop him, he stumbled forward, acting drunk. "Hey, brother! That cage got beer in it? 'Cause I sure as hell need another drink!"

The guard scoffed, shoving him back. "Move along."

Yusheng clutched his chest. "Ohh, you wound me! You think I'm not worthy? Come on, let me—"

His hand flicked.

A small, sharp piece of metal slipped into the guard's belt. A tiny movement. Almost invisible.

But I saw it.

Yusheng wasn't just quick. He was a thief.

The guard rolled his eyes and turned away, but the damage was done.

I caught Yusheng's gaze. He winked.

The lock was already broken.

The Cage Opens

We moved. Fast.

Zhao Yue reached the cage first, pulling the cloth aside.

Inside was a man.

He was battered, bloodied—but his eyes burned with fury. His arms were bound in thick rope, his wrists seared with the same branding as the guards.

His muscles tensed as he met my gaze. "Who the hell are you?"

Zhao Yue didn't hesitate. She cut his restraints.

The second his arms were free, he lunged forward—grabbing my collar.

"You don't know what you've done," he hissed.

Then the world broke.

A sound unlike anything I had ever heard filled the square. A deep, guttural, cosmic noise that wasn't heard with ears—but with the soul.

And in the fire, a shape began to form.

Abyssal Awakening

[System Notification: The Outer Gods have taken notice of your defiance.]

[New Title: Marked by the Abyss]

The Outer Gods recognize you. They are watching.

[New Ability: Abyssal Resilience (Rank A)]

When facing entities beyond human understanding, your mind and body will resist their influence.

I staggered. Everything blurred, then sharpened.

The shadows around the fire grew tendrils. The crowd didn't scream. They didn't run. They knelt.

And the man we had just freed?

His hands ignited with power.

"They're coming," he growled. "We either fight, or we die."

I tightened my grip on my blade.

Zhao Yue took her stance beside me, her breath steady. "Then we fight."

Yusheng cracked his knuckles. "Damn. I was hoping for an easy night."

The fire surged. The tendrils stretched. The gods were reaching through.

And we were out of time.