69 The 1001st Chosen Cup of Heaven (1/2)
”The locked door is the only one open to you!” A deep rumbling voice descended from up on high like the commandment of a god. It's authority was absolute and for a second it felt like all the world paused in time to hear its command.
”Open the door, walk the path, escape Fate itself! The Akashic Scroll is written upon by Fate, but why not you, yourself!”
Suddenly every door in the room surrounding Lineir whirled into a seething hole of violet blackness. The chains composed of runes were sucked in as if a great wind was hungrily drawing them towards an unknown destination and Lineir had the feeling that if not for these chains everything in the room would be sucked in, stone, rock, air, even light! The only door which had not turned into a terrifying black hole was the one in front of him. The chains were rattling as if some terrible being inside wanted to break free. A horrible noise raised all the hairs on Lineir's body that weren't already standing straight up. It was a miserable scream which tore the fluttering air as a sword might slice the wings off a butterfly. A piercing howl accompanied it. Then another, and another! Soon a monstrous orchestra of screams which carried the laments of every possible kind of human emotion echoed across the room like some wind chamber.
”OPEN THE DOOR OR BECOME ONE OF THE LOST!” The voice commanded one last time and for a moment there was utter silence as time froze. Lineir stared ahead at the fluttering chains and heard the screams of what felt like all human kind ripple across his flesh.
”I have to open that?? SH*T!” But he lost no time to materialize Mei in his hand and swing with all his might. Streams of lightning and darkness Qi followed the slash and sliced across the chains. However, the door barely even trembled.
”Break damn you!”
Lineir slashed and cut as viciously as he had ever had, but to no avail. The terrifying noises only grew louder and his skin vibrated intensely as a feeling of crisis only grew. Impending doom was coming...and the only way to escape was through this door! The power of Madness swelled up within him more intensely than it had in a long time. In this desperate time, when man fought against something beyond his understanding, Madness is sure to arise!
Boom! Booom!! BOOOOOOM!!!
With each blow the sound of explosions increased as each blow came faster, more precise, and layered upon each other like a web! Lineir felt his reflexes stretch beyond anything he had ever felt before as his red tinted vision turned the already hellish landscape into a true vista worthy of the Nine Hells! Looking at the chains, they began to vibrate intensely, and slight nicks appeared where he slashed, though at best, they could only be called superficial flaws in the runic links. The voice appeared to talk faster and louder, almost as if it was showing some excitement.
”OPEN THE DOOR AND DEFY FATE!”
Now the chains were shaking beyond intensely. They shook around and flexed as if some mad beast was entangled within and was struggling to break free. Lineir's hands were rimmed with blood as no matter how tough they were, the blows he had been dealing were layered with Madness. Finally, he swung one last time with all his might and charges of darkness and lightning spanned the whole length of the door, every chain vibrating in sync.
”Break!”
KACHA!
As the vibrations reached the peak, a terrifying humming seemed to drown out the desolate screams behind and the chains shattered into runes which bled away in a brilliant flash! The door seemed to be sucked open from behind of its own accord and Lineir was pulled into a gaping stretch of deep darkness. Away....away...away... the lingering authority of a voice long gone trailed him into the void,