# Chapter 16: Echoes of Power
The fire had burned low, casting long shadows across the western sector of the ruins. Kael stood amidst the debris, the air thick with smoke and the lingering echoes of combat. Every heartbeat thrummed with the Codex's pulsing hunger, feeding on the residual energy of the defeated warriors and the chaos of the battlefield. He could feel his strength expanding, muscles taut and senses sharpened to an almost unnatural level.
Lyra approached, her staff lightly tapping against the cracked asphalt. "They weren't ordinary survivors," she said quietly. "Veylan's group… they were trained. Organized. And yet, you… you overwhelmed them."
Kael's crimson eyes swept over the ruins. "They were strong, yes," he admitted, "but every challenge has a weakness. Every force can be broken. And every ounce of their energy feeds me." The Codex pulsed violently at his words, as if affirming his dominance and hunger.
As he surveyed the ruins, a faint vibration caught his attention—subtle, deliberate. Someone or something else was moving through the city. Kael's instincts flared, the Codex urging him to follow the signal, to seek out the next source of power.
"They're coming," he murmured, voice low but intense. "Someone stronger. Something more dangerous."
Lyra's eyes narrowed. "Stronger than Veylan?"
Kael nodded. "Yes. And if the ruins have taught me anything, it's that the stronger the opponent, the greater the reward. The greater the growth."
They moved through the shattered streets with quiet precision, Kael's senses heightened, the Codex feeding on every shadow, every vibration, every flicker of movement. The ruins themselves seemed to shift in response, guiding him toward the approaching power.
Ahead, in the distance, Kael saw a faint glow—an unnatural light that pulsed like a heartbeat. It emanated from a building partially collapsed, its interior obscured by smoke and rubble. The energy radiating from within was immense, raw, and untamed. The Codex roared, sensing the power, urging Kael forward.
Lyra's voice broke the silence. "Whatever it is… it's not human."
Kael's grin widened, crimson eyes glowing brighter. "Then it's exactly what we need. True power waits for those who dare to claim it."
As they approached, a figure emerged from the smoke—a massive silhouette, its form distorted and terrifying. Muscles rippled beneath scarred skin, eyes glowing with an otherworldly intensity. Kael could feel the raw energy radiating from it, each heartbeat resonating like a drum, demanding recognition.
The Codex pulsed violently, hunger flaring as if sensing a feast of strength, fear, and chaos waiting to be consumed. Kael tightened his grip on the steel pipe, muscles coiling, senses on full alert.
Lyra positioned herself beside him, staff raised, ready for the inevitable clash. "Kael… whatever this is, be careful. This isn't just another challenge—it's a force of nature."
Kael's crimson eyes locked on the creature. "Then let's see what a force of nature can teach the God of Ruin."
The ruins trembled, the wind carrying the echoes of power and anticipation. Kael felt the surge of energy building within him, the Codex thrumming like a living heartbeat, preparing to consume and transmute the chaos around him.
The first strike would decide everything—the next battle, the next surge of power, the next step in Kael's ascent. He inhaled sharply, energy crackling around him, and stepped forward, ready to confront the unknown force that had emerged from the ashes of the city.
The echoes of power resonated through the ruins, heralding a confrontation that would push Kael Draven closer to his ultimat
e destiny: becoming the God of Ruin.