# Chapter 23: Awakening the Primordial
The voice echoed through the mist, reverberating within Kael's mind and the Codex simultaneously. It was neither human nor fully corporeal—a resonance of immense age and power, vibrating with the force of the ruins themselves. Kael felt the ground beneath him shiver in response, as though the city acknowledged the awakening of a force long dormant.
Lyra's staff trembled slightly in her grip. "Kael… that voice… it's not just from a being. It's from something ancient. Something primordial. We need to be careful."
Kael's crimson eyes glowed, excitement and hunger intertwining. "Careful is for the weak. The stronger the opponent, the greater the reward. The Codex can sense it. Can't you feel the surge of energy?"
The mist thickened, swirling violently around them as the ground cracked, revealing glowing fissures beneath their feet. From these cracks, a towering form emerged, shrouded in writhing shadows and flickering light. Its size dwarfed the remnants of the ruined buildings, and its aura radiated ancient power.
The Codex pulsed violently within Kael, hunger flaring like a wildfire. Every fiber of his being screamed for confrontation. This was the ultimate force, the test of all his growth—the primordial force the whispers and shadows had hinted at.
Lyra's voice trembled. "Kael… this… this is beyond anything we've faced. You're going to need everything—the Codex, your strength, your instincts—to even stand."
Kael's grin widened, crimson energy spiraling outward, illuminating the mist. "Then let it come. The God of Ruin does not fear the ancient, the powerful, or the impossible. He rises, and he claims what he faces."
The primordial figure shifted, its form twisting like liquid shadow, eyes burning like molten stone. A low, resonant hum emanated from it, vibrating through the ruins and Kael's body. It was testing him, measuring his energy, his intent, his very essence.
Kael's pulse quickened, Codex flaring violently. His muscles coiled, senses sharpened, and every instinct primed. He advanced cautiously, steel pipe in hand, energy spiraling around him, ready to strike at the perfect moment.
*Skill Progress: Abyssal Resonance — Level 2*
*Skill Unlocked: Primordial Insight — Temporarily predicts opponent's movement and energy patterns, enhancing combat efficiency against ancient or powerful entities.*
The first clash was cataclysmic. Kael swung his steel pipe, enhanced by the Codex, and struck the primordial being. The impact sent shockwaves through the ruins, shattering walls and pulverizing debris into dust. Yet the entity remained unyielding, its form reforming with terrifying speed, its massive limbs cutting through the air with devastating force.
Lyra moved alongside him, striking at weak points with precise, lethal force, though even her attacks barely made a dent. Kael absorbed the energy of each strike and counter, feeling the Codex devour the raw power and feed it back into him, refining his abilities in real-time.
The battle raged like a storm, every clash, every roar, every pulse of energy amplifying Kael's strength. The ruins themselves seemed to quake, shadows and debris moving as if alive, drawn into the chaos.
Hours—or perhaps minutes, time distorted by the intensity—passed with Kael and the primordial force locked in an unrelenting dance of power. Crimson energy flared brighter, the Codex thrumming like a living heartbeat, absorbing, amplifying, and perfecting Kael's every motion.
Finally, with a calculated strike, Kael found an opening. His steel pipe connected with the entity's chest, and he felt the surge of ancient power flow into him, feeding the Codex in a frenzy of strength and insight.
The primordial figure staggered, its form shimmering and condensing, eyes glowing with acknowledgment. A deep, resonant voice echoed in Kael's mind: "You… are worthy. God of Ruin… you have awakened the force within the abyss. Rise, and claim your dominion."
Kael's crimson eyes blazed, energy spiraling outward in a storm of raw power. "I rise," he declared, voice echoing through the ruins. "I claim all that is mine!"
The Primordial had awakened, its energy integrated into Kael, the Codex roaring with satisfaction. The God of Ruin had ascended further, stronger, sharper, and hungrier than ever before.
The abyss itself had recognized him—and nothing in the ruins, shadows, or t
he world beyond would stand in his way.