The valley was eerily silent, the mist curling around the jagged rocks like fingers of some unseen force. Kael moved cautiously, his golden eyes scanning the terrain for even the faintest sign of Varyon's corruption. Selara, Nyxara, and Aurielle flanked him, unaware of the shadows coiling further ahead.
Selara's wings flexed nervously. "It feels too quiet… almost like the valley is holding its breath."
Nyxara smirked, crouching low. "Quiet usually means trouble. And I'm getting tired of things being too easy."
Aurielle's calm voice sliced through the tension. "The presence ahead is immense… far beyond orcs, or fae illusions. Kael, it is unlike anything you have faced. You must be ready."
Kael's gaze swept over the horizon, golden eyes narrowing. He felt it—the weight of elite warriors infused with dark, corrupt magic. They had been summoned deliberately, a test of strength, skill, and resolve. His body tensed, muscles coiling like springs ready to strike.
The shadows shifted. Four figures emerged, towering, armored in jagged steel that seemed to absorb light. Each wielded weapons imbued with dark energy, their aura oppressive and heavy, radiating malice.
Nyxara hissed, claws digging into the soil. "Well… this is new."
Selara spread her wings, claws extended. "Stay close. Kael, lead the fight."
Kael stepped forward, golden eyes glowing faintly, but outwardly he remained stoic, unreadable. No one could see what was about to awaken within him—not Selara, not Nyxara, not Aurielle.
The first clash was brutal. Arrows of shadowed energy cut through the air while the elite warriors' blades struck with devastating force. Kael moved with preternatural precision, but even he was pushed back, the sheer skill of the opponents overwhelming. One of the larger warriors swung a dark axe, catching Kael across the shoulder and sending him crashing into a jagged stone outcrop. Pain flared through his body, a burning reminder of his mortality—or what he had believed was his limit.
The three women reacted instantly, moving to shield him. Selara's claws slashed, Nyxara darted with a blur of motion, and Aurielle's magic flared to protect, yet the elite warriors pressed their advantage with merciless coordination.
Alone, Kael closed his eyes.
A soft hum began deep inside his chest. At first, subtle, like a heartbeat, then growing into a roaring pulse. Ancient runes appeared, circling around him in golden light, floating and shifting, forming intricate patterns that only he could see. The system had awakened—but its presence was invisible to the outside world.
"System activated: Primordial Bloodline confirmed. Hidden powers unlocked. Skills, artifacts, and legacy progression now available. Proceed to unlock full potential."
Kael's senses expanded. Every movement, every flaw in his opponents' form, every magical pulse became crystal clear. The pain of the strike faded under the system's awakening, replaced with raw, sharpened awareness and potential beyond centuries of dormancy.
He opened his eyes. Only he could see the glowing interface hovering before him—stats for strength, magic, agility, and hidden skills. Skills he had not yet learned, power he had not yet wielded, lay before him in branching paths. Artifacts embedded in the valley pulsed faintly, waiting to be claimed through the system.
Kael rose slowly, golden eyes blazing, the aura around him flaring with uncontainable force. The elite warriors faltered, sensing something different, yet unaware of the invisible changes surging within him.
Selara gasped softly, wings brushing against him. "Kael… what is happening?"
Kael said nothing, his stoicism unbroken. No one could know. Not yet. The system's awakening was his alone, a secret that would fuel his rise.
With precise, controlled movements, Kael struck back. His speed, strength, and magical coordination had multiplied beyond natural limits. Each motion was perfect, calculated, devastating. The elite warriors' attacks fell short, their synchronization unraveling as Kael's newfound perception allowed him to anticipate every strike.
Nyxara blinked, astonished at his sudden shift. "You… you just got stronger, didn't you?"
Kael's lips remained a line, eyes fixed on the battlefield. He allowed no words, no outward display, only action.
Aurielle's protective aura flared, unaware of the system but sensing the change. "His power… it has increased dramatically. How?"
Kael's hands glowed faintly as he unleashed a controlled surge, knocking two of the warriors to the ground without breaking stride. He remained calm, stoic, and untouchable, yet every strike was measured, every motion deliberate. The system fed him information in real time—opponent weaknesses, magical fluxes, potential counters—and he adapted seamlessly.
The final elite warrior hesitated, sensing the overwhelming power radiating from Kael. His golden eyes glowed like the sun itself, yet his calm, unreadable expression concealed the extent of his awakening. Kael advanced, aura blazing, and with a final, precise strike, the elite fell, retreating into the mist.
The valley fell silent once more. Kael stood alone, stoic, golden eyes scanning the horizon. Selara, Nyxara, and Aurielle flanked him, unaware of the true source of his newfound strength.
Selara whispered teasingly, "I… I don't know what you did, but that was… impressive."
Nyxara smirked. "Yeah. I love it. You're so mysterious, even when you're unbeatable."
Aurielle floated closer, serene as ever. "Whatever it was, it is undeniable. Your growth will shape the future of this world."
Kael allowed himself a subtle, almost imperceptible nod. The system hummed faintly within him, runes flickering, unseen by any eyes but his own. This secret power, now awakened, would be his alone to wield, his edge against the darkness gathering beyond the horizon.
The storm was coming. Varyon's influence pulsed in the distance, armies gathering, shadows stirring—but Kael was ready. His stoicism remained unbroken, yet within, the Primordial system whispered promises of growth, mastery, and dominance.
Only he could see it.
And only he would decide when the world would know the full measure of the dragon Emperor awakening from centuries of hidden slumber.