The damp air of the lower halls clung to Ren Zian's skin as he stepped out from the narrow archway, Lyra close behind. The echo of their footsteps bounced off the stone walls, mingling with the distant hum of chains dragging somewhere in the shadows. They had descended deep into the Hall of Binding, a place Ren suspected the villain had chosen precisely to stifle movement and weaken morale.
Every wall was lined with black-iron shackles. Some hung empty, but others clinked faintly, their ends disappearing into glowing glyphs carved into the floor. The air here was heavy—not from any natural atmosphere, but from an oppressive magic that pressed down on his chest.
Lyra touched his arm, her eyes scanning the shifting darkness ahead. "The wards here feed on restriction. The longer we stay, the more our movements will slow." Her tone was sharp, almost impatient. "We need to find him fast."
Ren nodded, tightening his grip on his sword. "Then let's not give him the time he wants."
They followed the faint sound of metal scraping against stone, weaving past broken pillars and collapsed alcoves until the corridor widened into a massive chamber. At its center stood a figure bound in heavy chains, his head bowed, the dim torchlight glinting off the metal restraints. But Ren knew instantly—it was not the villain.
The prisoner lifted their face. It was a young woman, her silver hair matted, her wrists raw from the shackles. She tried to speak, but a faint shimmer of magic sealed her lips.
Lyra stepped forward, brows furrowed. "It's a suppression seal. The kind that silences both magic and voice."
Ren scanned the chamber's edges, his instincts warning him that this setup was deliberate. And sure enough, the shadows in the far corner moved—not like something alive, but like liquid smoke.
From the darkness stepped Kael Vorn, a tall man draped in layers of black-and-silver armor, each piece etched with runes that seemed to shift under the light. His eyes gleamed with cold amusement.
"I see the rumors were true," Kael said, voice deep and slow. "The Chaos Emperor's chosen is making his rounds." He gave the chained woman a glance, almost casual. "Do you know how many have tried to free her? And do you know how many ended up in chains beside her?"
Ren took a step forward. "I'm guessing you're hoping I'll be next."
Kael smirked, drawing a long, jagged blade. "Not hoping. Planning."
Before Ren could move, the floor beneath them lit up with intricate circles of crimson light. The moment his boots touched them, heavy spectral chains shot upward, wrapping around his arms and legs. Lyra reacted instantly, summoning a swirl of thorned vines that lashed at the glowing bindings, but every strike only made the chains reform stronger.
Kael's blade flicked out, and a second circle ignited beneath Lyra, pinning her in place.
"This hall was built to break warriors," Kael said, walking toward them slowly. "Strength? Worthless here. Magic? Muted. Every struggle feeds the chains, tightens the hold."
Ren tested the bindings, feeling the strange magic crawling along them. Lyra's voice cut through his thoughts. "Ren. Don't fight them head-on. The glyphs are feeding off resistance."
He stilled. Instead of pulling against the chains, he closed his eyes, focusing inward. The Chaos System's presence flickered at the edge of his mind, and he reached for it—not for brute force, but for precision.
When his eyes snapped open, they glowed faintly. He angled his body just enough to avoid direct strain and murmured, "Memory Seal: Clarity."
The chaos energy surged, running along the bindings like black fire. The chains twitched, then snapped at their weakest point—not from strength, but from the magic unraveling their structure. In the same moment, Lyra's vines, now laced with chaos energy from his proximity, shredded the bindings around her.
Kael's amused look faded. "So you've got tricks. Good."
Ren lunged forward, their blades meeting with a sharp clang. Kael's strikes were deliberate, aiming not just to wound but to push Ren back toward the glowing glyphs. Lyra circled the edge of the battle, her hands weaving a pattern in the air, each motion layering protective wards around Ren's path.
The fight was close—Kael's armor deflected most direct hits, forcing Ren to aim for joints and unarmored gaps. But Kael was fast, using the hall's magic to his advantage. Every missed strike by Ren seemed to slow him just enough for Kael to press forward.
Then Lyra's voice rang out. "Now!"
Ren shifted position, baiting Kael into stepping onto one of the original glyphs. The moment Kael's boot touched the circle, Lyra slammed her hands into the ground. Vines erupted, locking around his legs as Ren's chaos energy flooded the glyph, causing it to flare uncontrollably.
The backlash was immediate. The magic Kael had been drawing from the hall turned on him, the chains lashing out like enraged serpents, wrapping around his limbs and throat.
Kael snarled, trying to cut himself free, but Ren stepped in, pressing his blade against the villain's chest. "You built your power on binding others. Guess it's fitting you end up the same way."
With a single, precise thrust, Ren drove the sword into the glowing core at Kael's chestplate. The light sputtered and went out, the chains dissolving into harmless motes of dust.
Kael fell to his knees, glaring up at them. "You… think this changes anything? The Hall has many masters…" His voice faded as unconsciousness claimed him.
Ren turned to the chained woman. Lyra moved to her side, breaking the magical seal. As the shackles clattered to the floor, the woman gasped, her voice hoarse. "I thought… no one could reach me here."
Ren offered a hand. "You're free now. What's your name?"
She hesitated before answering. "Serenya."
There was something in her eyes—relief, but also the wariness of someone who had been betrayed before. Still, she took his hand, her grip surprisingly steady.
Lyra glanced between them but said nothing, though her posture stayed close to Ren's.
As they prepared to leave the chamber, the oppressive magic of the hall seemed to fade, replaced by a faint warmth that lingered in the air. Ren knew it wasn't just from the battle's end—it was from the bond forged in the act of saving someone from chains they thought would never break.
And as they stepped back into the corridor, he felt the Chaos System stir again, quietly acknowledging the victory.