Rise of the Dark Book 3 Chapter 27: The Chainkeeper’s Trial
- Brian Stein
- May 18
- 5 min read
The cavern trembled as the newly awakened god took his first steps forward, shaking off centuries of stone and silence. His golden eyes, sharp and ancient, swept over the Vanguard with an intensity that made even Alex instinctively brace herself. This wasn’t like facing the Olympians—there was no arrogance, no divine posturing.
This god was different.
Leo felt the weight of the god’s gaze settle on him, pressing down like an invisible force. He clenched his fists, the golden-dark energy in his veins flaring in response.
The god tilted his head slightly. “You are the one who woke me.”
Leo didn’t flinch. “Not on purpose.”
A low hum rumbled from the god’s chest, somewhere between amusement and calculation.
“Intent is irrelevant. You reached for the chain, and it answered.” He glanced at the shattered runes around him. “Tell me, do you even know what you’ve set in motion?”
Mira stepped forward cautiously, her light magic glowing faintly in her palm. “You were sealed here for a reason.”
The god’s gaze flicked to her, and for a moment, something unreadable passed across his expression. “Yes. I was.”
Ethan shifted uncomfortably. “Okay, I’m just gonna ask—should we be worried about you not being sealed anymore?”
The god smiled, though there was no warmth in it. “That depends entirely on what you do next.” He took a step closer to the group, and the air around them pulsed with raw energy. “I am the Chainkeeper. My duty was never to rule, nor to conquer, but to bind that which should never be unleashed.” His gaze settled on the still-swirling portal behind them. “And yet, I wake to find the Void stirring once more.”
Kayla tightened her grip on her sword. “You know how to stop it, then.”
The Chainkeeper studied her, then exhaled slowly. “Perhaps.” His golden eyes narrowed on
Leo. “But first, I must know if you are worthy of wielding the power you claim.”
Leo tensed. “What?”
The Chainkeeper extended his hand toward Leo. “The Void has marked you, yet you stand here, neither consumed nor surrendered.” He lowered his hand slightly, his voice darkening.
“I do not trust that balance. It must be tested.”
A blast of golden energy erupted from the god’s palm, striking Leo in the chest.
Leo barely had time to react before the world collapsed around him.
The others watched in horror as Leo vanished in an instant, his body consumed by golden light.
“Leo!” Alex lunged forward, but the Chainkeeper lifted a hand, stopping her in place.
“He is not gone,” the god said calmly. “I have placed him within the Trial of Chains. If he is to control the Void’s power, he must prove that it does not control him.”
Kayla took a threatening step forward. “Bring him back.”
The Chainkeeper’s gaze didn’t waver. “If he is strong enough, he will return on his own.”
Mira’s magic flared dangerously in her hands. “And if he isn’t?”
The god’s expression remained unreadable. “Then he will be lost.”
Alex felt her pulse hammering in her chest. “What is the Trial of Chains?”
The Chainkeeper finally turned his full attention to her. “A test designed to break those who cannot bear the weight of their own fate.” He glanced at the portal. “He is tethered between what he was and what he could become. If he falters, the Void will claim him.”
Ethan exhaled sharply. “Great. So, we just sit here and hope he wins an existential battle against an interdimensional nightmare?”
The god didn’t answer.
Alex’s grip tightened on her sword. She hated this. Hated standing still. Hated knowing that
Leo was alone in whatever nightmare this god had thrown him into.
But there was nothing she could do.
Leo had to fight this battle himself.
Leo fell.
Or maybe he didn’t. The sensation was impossible to describe. He was nowhere, yet everywhere. His body felt weightless, suspended in a void that was neither dark nor light.
Then he landed.
The impact wasn’t physical. It was something worse.
The moment his feet touched solid ground, chains erupted from the darkness, wrapping around his arms, legs, and torso. He gritted his teeth, instinctively summoning his power, but the golden-dark energy sparked and died.
He looked up, and his breath caught.
Before him stood a mirror. But the reflection staring back wasn’t him.
It was the other Leo.
The one who had once given in to Chaos. The one who had craved power. His reflection smirked, tilting its head slightly.
“Well. This is familiar, isn’t it?”
Leo exhaled sharply. “I don’t have time for this.”
His reflection chuckled. “That’s the funny thing about trials. They don’t care what you want.”
The smirk faded, replaced by something colder. “You think you’ve got it all figured out, don’t you? You think you’re in control.”
Leo pulled against the chains, but they tightened. “I am.”
His reflection leaned forward. “Then why are you still bound?”
Leo clenched his jaw. “You tell me.”
The chains rattled, and his reflection’s eyes burned. “Because deep down, you know the truth.” He gestured toward the swirling abyss behind them. “The Void didn’t choose you. You chose it.”
Leo froze.
His reflection smiled. “You let it in. You wanted it.”
The chains tightened, and for the first time, Leo felt the weight of them—not just on his body, but on his soul.
The voice of the Void whispered in his ear. You were never meant to resist.
Leo gritted his teeth. “I didn’t choose this.”
His reflection’s smirk widened. “Then prove it.”
The chains burned, and the darkness closed in.
Alex paced at the edge of the cavern, glancing toward the spot where Leo had disappeared.
It had been too long.
The Chainkeeper stood motionless, watching.
Mira spoke first. “You said he has to prove himself. But how does he win?”
The god didn’t look at her. “He must break the chains that bind him.”
Kayla scoffed. “Yeah, well, considering he literally vanished in a burst of chains, I’m gonna guess that’s not as easy as it sounds.”
The Chainkeeper finally turned his gaze back to them. “He fights against himself. If he fails, then he was never meant to carry this power.”
Alex hated every word.
She clenched her fists. “He’s stronger than you think.”
The god studied her for a moment, then nodded slightly. “Perhaps.”
The air shifted.
The cavern trembled again, but this time, it wasn’t the same as before. This wasn’t the Void.
It was Leo.
A crackling surge of golden-dark energy erupted from the center of the cavern, splitting through the stone. A burst of light followed, blinding and brilliant.
Then Leo fell forward, collapsing onto the ground.
The chains were gone.
Mira was the first to move, kneeling beside him, checking for breath. “He’s alive.”
Leo coughed, then groaned, blinking open his golden eyes. His voice was hoarse. “That… sucked.”
Kayla let out a short laugh. “You think?”
Ethan grinned. “So, I’m guessing you won?”
Leo exhaled, pushing himself up. “Yeah. I won.” His golden-dark energy flickered again, but this time, it wasn’t unstable. It was controlled.
The Chainkeeper stepped forward, studying him. “You broke the chains.”
Leo met his gaze. “Yeah.” He clenched his fists. “And now I know how to stop the Void.”
Alex’s heart pounded. “How?”
Leo turned to the portal, his expression hardening. “The Void’s power is endless, but it needs an anchor—a vessel to hold it.” He looked back at them. “It was bound before. And we can bind it again.”
The Chainkeeper nodded, a small smile playing at his lips. “Now you understand.”
Leo exhaled, turning back to the group. “We need to move. The Void isn’t waiting anymore.”
Alex nodded. “Then let’s end this.”
The Vanguard stood together, ready for whatever came next.
The war had begun.
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