Kael's eyes snapped open. The darkness was still absolute, but the gloom no longer felt suffocating. Instead, a warm current of energy flowed through his entire body, dispelling the aches and the familiar hollow feeling. The Defective Core that had once been his shackles was gone. In its place was a powerful, pure stream, gushing like an endless spring.
He tried to move. His muscles, once sore and battered from beatings, now felt revitalized. Kael felt light, more agile than ever. He raised his hand in the dark. A tiny speck of light flickered at his fingertip, dancing like a firefly.
"What is this...?" Kael whispered, his voice hoarse.
It wasn't the basic magic he'd seen from apprentice mages. This speck of light had an indescribable color, neither the blue of water nor the red of fire. It was a blend of everything, primal and pure. He tried to focus. The speck of light grew, dancing in the air, then suddenly extinguished.
Kael gasped. He felt a slight depletion of energy, but then, the warm current in his body quickly refilled the void. Primordial Energy. The name echoed in his mind, not merely a word, but a sensation, a truth etched deep into his very bones.
He looked around. The cave was still dark, but his eyes seemed to have adapted. A faint light from a crack high above filtered down, revealing his surroundings. He found himself lying beside an ancient stone altar. On it lay the cylindrical object he had touched – now it was no longer rusted but emitted a faint, pale green glow, weak but full of life. The ancient runes carved into its surface seemed to dance, captivating his gaze.
"This is it..." Kael gently touched the object again. A flood of information surged into his mind, not images, but sensations, pure knowledge.
He saw a brilliant civilization, cities built of light and energy, people with no specific Source Cores but who could control all things with mere thought. They were the "Primordial Awakened" of a forgotten era. They used Primordial Energy to build, to heal, and to fight. Then, a catastrophe struck, plunging the world into darkness, wiping out that civilization, and altering Arcania's energy structure, giving birth to the Source Cores that current humans cultivated.
Kael was stunned. This wasn't just a memory or a dream. This was knowledge directly infused into his mind. He not only possessed Primordial Energy but was also the only one in thousands of years who could access these secrets.
He stood up, his body now feeling different. It wasn't raw power, but harmony, a deep connection with everything around him. Kael felt as if he could hear the stones, feel the vibrations in the air.
He moved closer to the cave mouth, looking down into the abyssal depth. A shiver ran down his spine. Fortunately, he hadn't died. He looked up at the sheer cliff face. Too high to climb without tools. He was trapped.
"I have to get out of here," Kael murmured.
He closed his eyes, focusing on the flow of Primordial Energy within him. He recalled the sensation of creating that speck of light. This time, he tried something different. He visualized a gentle stream of energy flowing down to the soles of his feet, connecting with the ground.
And then, a strange sensation appeared. He could "push" himself upward, as if gravity were lighter. Kael stretched, leaping. He jumped significantly higher than normal, enough to grasp a ledge above. He tried again, more carefully, using Primordial Energy to grip the crevices, moving upward slowly but steadily.
The climb was arduous, but Kael no longer felt hopeless. He had a purpose. He had power. Every meter climbed was a meter he felt himself being reborn.
Finally, after many hours, Kael reached the mouth of the abyss. The dazzling sunlight of early morning Arcania poured down, making him squint. The fresh air, though still carrying a faint stench of the slums, felt strangely pleasant.
He stood there, on the edge of the chasm, looking down at the awakening city. No longer the miserable cripple pushed down by Radek. Now, he was Kael – the one who had touched Primordial Energy, the one who had awakened a fragment of a lost era.
Radek's cruel sneer flashed in his mind. Kael clenched his fists. He wouldn't run anymore. He wouldn't be weak anymore. This journey had only just begun.