The arena shook with the echo of the broken binding. The shattered fragment of heaven's chain dissolved into sparks, rising toward the storm above.
But instead of releasing him, the trial tightened its grip.
The remaining chains glowed brighter, their light searing his skin like molten iron. His vision blurred. The world fell away.
---
The Vision
When his eyes opened, he was no longer in the arena.
He stood in a boundless void, where chains stretched endlessly in every direction—woven into the very fabric of the cosmos. Some glowed with divine radiance, others pulsed with shadow darker than night. Together they formed a lattice holding the universe itself in place.
At the center hung a colossal figure, bound by countless chains that pierced its flesh. Its face was hidden in shadow, but its presence was overwhelming—ancient, wrathful, and divine.
A voice, deep as thunder, shook the void:
"Child of Ash. You dare to break what Heaven forged?"
---
The Stranger in Chains
Arhaan's own golden chains trembled wildly. They writhed toward the bound figure as if drawn by blood.
"Who are you?" Arhaan demanded.
The shadowed giant lifted its head slightly, revealing burning eyes like collapsing stars.
"I am the First Prisoner. The one who defied Heaven before you were dust. Your chains… are fragments of mine."
The revelation slammed into him like lightning. His power, his curse—it wasn't random. It was a piece of something ancient, something the heavens themselves had once shackled.
---
The Warning
The First Prisoner's voice turned to a whisper that cut through the void.
"Break their bindings, and you walk my path. But know this, boy… the higher you climb, the heavier the chains will grow. Until even gods kneel—or you are torn apart."
Before Arhaan could speak, the void shattered.
---
Back to the Trial
He was back in the arena, the disciples still shouting, the elders watching coldly. His body burned, bloodied, half-broken—but his eyes now carried something new.
Not just defiance.
Understanding.
The golden chains burst forth again, wrapping around the next divine binding. With a roar that shook the valley, he tore it free.
The sky howled in fury.