# Chapter 7: Flames of the Past
Kael stood amidst the ruins, the wind carrying the faint scent of smoke and charred metal. The growl from the distance had vanished, but the residue of its presence lingered—a subtle vibration in the air, a warning that something larger watched, waiting. The Codex pulsed with impatience, its hunger growing with every heartbeat. Kael could feel it urging him forward, deeper into the labyrinthine streets, toward greater power.
The city, though lifeless in appearance, held echoes of the past. Broken windows reflected dim light, rusted vehicles leaned precariously, and charred walls whispered stories of the people who had once lived here. Kael's gaze lingered on a partially collapsed building, its facade scorched and blackened. Something about it drew him in. He moved cautiously, the Codex thrumming in response to his proximity.
Inside the building, Kael found remnants of a home—a scorched table, toppled chairs, and photographs blackened by smoke. One image remained surprisingly intact: a man and a woman, smiling, holding a child in their arms. Kael's crimson eyes softened momentarily as he stared at the frozen moment of happiness. In a world consumed by ruin, these fragments of life seemed impossibly distant, yet they resonated with a strange warmth.
The Codex pulsed sharply, dragging Kael from his thoughts. Hunger, power, survival—it demanded attention. He glanced around, scanning for threats, and sensed movement in the upper floors. Two figures emerged from the shadows, their forms hunched, their eyes wary. They were scavengers, young and desperate, seeking anything of value in the ruins.
Kael's presence made them pause. The crimson glow of the Codex painted him as a creature of another world, something not entirely human. Fear radiated from them, palpable and intoxicating. Kael stepped forward, his grip tightening around the steel pipe.
"Stay where you are," he commanded, his voice low, resonant, carrying authority beyond his years.
The scavengers froze, unsure whether to flee or fight. Kael could feel the Codex feeding on their hesitation, their fear becoming sustenance. With a controlled movement, he shattered a nearby wall fragment with a single strike of his pipe. Dust and debris cascaded down, startling the scavengers further.
*Feed me,* the Codex whispered, and Kael understood instantly. The energy of destruction, the raw fear of the weak, would empower him. He advanced, precise and deliberate, forcing them back. The first scavenger tripped over debris, and Kael used the momentum to shove him against the wall, immobilizing him without a lethal strike. The second raised a crude weapon, but Kael struck the ground beside him, sending a shockwave of rubble that unbalanced the boy and left him gasping.
The confrontation was over, yet the lesson was clear. Weakness would not be tolerated. Kael's power was growing, fed by the remnants of chaos, by every act of control he exerted over his surroundings.
*Skill Progress: Devour Debris — Level 5*
Kael released the scavengers, letting them stumble back into the ruins, their fear still radiating in waves he could feel. He knew they would not forget this encounter. And neither would the others.
Turning his gaze to the building's upper floors, Kael felt another presence—a stronger, more disciplined aura. Someone trained, someone dangerous. The Codex pulsed violently at the signal, its hunger nearly overwhelming. Kael's lips curved into a grim smile. He had found the next challenge, the next source of power.
Stepping over the debris, he moved toward the stairs. Each step was measured, deliberate, the Codex guiding his movements, feeding on the tension and anticipation that charged the air. The ruins themselves seemed to lean toward him, as if recognizing the rise of a new force within their shattered streets.
Kael's mind flickered briefly to the past—the betrayal, the hunger, the nights spent in the shadow of death. It was all behind him now. Every memory of weakness had been consumed, transmuted into strength. He was no longer a victim of the ruins. He was becoming their master.
And in the darkness above, something waited. Something that would challenge him, push him, and feed the Codex with the energy of true confrontation.
The flames of the past had led him here. And from them, Kael would forge a path toward something far greater—the first true test of his power, and a step closer to becoming the God of Ruin.