In the depths of the stone corridors that have never known light, to the tune of the wind playing the melody of death, Shao stepped steadily through the heavy shadows. The echo of his footsteps bounced off the walls, accompanied by the sound of ancient chains swaying in the darkness, as if waiting for the moment of release from an eternal curse.
The scent of blood still lingered in his nostrils from the previous battle, and his bruised and scarred body had yet to recover. Yet, his eyes burned with unwavering determination. After the last confrontation in the Hall of Mirrors, he discovered that everything he had endured was merely a test—a prelude to plunging into the depths of truth.
He ran his hand across a cold wall and felt a faint pulse beneath it, as if the stone itself possessed a heart. "Time here does not flow as it should…" he whispered to himself. The echo of the bound woman's words from the previous hall still resonated in his mind:
"The chains do not bind you… They keep you conscious. Remember, the shadows guard the door."
Suddenly, the wall before him slowly split open, revealing a long corridor bathed in dim blue light. He advanced cautiously, his sword in his right hand, while his other hand brushed against the strange mark that had appeared on his chest ever since he touched the mysterious woman's blood. It was not merely a tattoo—it pulsed and burned whenever he neared the truth.
At the end of the corridor stood a colossal gateway of bones, etched with ancient symbols unlike anything he had ever seen. Just as he reached out to open it, a deep, metallic voice resonated in his mind:
"Choose truth… or remain a slave to ignorance."
Without hesitation, he pushed open the gate.
Before his eyes stretched a vast circular hall lined with broken statues. At its center, a massive chain hung from the ceiling, binding a giant kneeling figure—its body covered in wounds and markings, its face buried in shadow. Shao needed no explanation… He had seen this being in his nightmares.
But what truly startled him was that the entity spoke, its voice hoarse:
"You have returned… Bearer of the cursed blood."
Shao froze in place.
"Who… are you?" he asked hesitantly.
"I was the first to be bound, so the gate would remain closed… And you, you are the heir to my sin." the entity responded, its chains groaning as if they wept.
The ground trembled. The statues began to crumble one by one, and the still shadows stirred, as if awakening from centuries of slumber.
"The blood that was spilled has restored the pulse to the stone and broken the silence… Now, you must choose, Shao," the entity said, its voice strained.
"Choose what?" Shao asked, gripping his sword tightly.
"Either protect me… and keep the gate sealed… or end my suffering and open it… to unleash what lies beyond."
A dreadful silence filled the space. Shao was not prepared for this kind of decision, but he knew retreat was not an option. Every step he had taken since the start of his journey had led him to this moment.
Suddenly, the mark on his chest flared, and a muffled scream echoed from his core—interwoven with countless cries, as if every soul he had crossed was pleading for him not to make the wrong choice.
He raised his sword, and the air around him ignited.
"I will not be a prisoner to choices made by others," he declared, charging toward the entity—not to attack, but to understand… to confront the truth that had always eluded him.
The chapter closed as the chains quivered, and fate penned its lines anew.