Chapter 14: The Unawakened Curse

Kael Ardyn’s footsteps echoed through the dungeon halls, the shadows stretching long and ominous. He felt a strange unease today, a creeping weight that clung to his chest. The mark on his left hand pulsed faintly, yet the energy felt different—less stable, more erratic.

A distant screech drew his attention. Emerging from the darkness was a twisted figure, humanoid but with elongated limbs and hollow eyes. Kael’s heart skipped a beat. There was a darkness surrounding it, something unnatural.

He swung his sword, but the blade barely grazed the creature. Its speed and unpredictability were unlike anything he had faced before. Each strike Kael made seemed to be anticipated, countered with cruel precision.

“This… this is no ordinary monster,” he muttered, feeling a shiver run down his spine.

The creature lunged again, and this time, Kael stumbled, catching the edge of its claw on his shoulder. Pain exploded, sharp and unrelenting. The mark on his hand flared, and a voice—soft, haunting—echoed in his mind. You are unready.

Kael staggered back, trembling. “Unawakened… curse?” he whispered. His pulse raced. He had trained, grown stronger, but clearly, there was a limit he had yet to surpass.

The creature pressed the attack, forcing Kael to dodge and counter with everything he had. Sweat and blood mixed on his face as he fought desperately, each strike fueled by both fear and determination. He could feel the power in his mark straining to aid him, but it was incomplete.

Finally, seizing a brief opening, Kael struck with Void Slash. Dark energy surged along his blade, hitting the creature squarely. It screeched, disintegrating into a shadowy mist that dissipated into the dungeon air.

Kael sank to his knees, breathing heavily. The room was silent, but the mark on his hand still pulsed, erratic and restless. He had survived, but he knew the battle was not just physical—it was a test of his readiness, a challenge to awaken the power lying dormant within him.

He stood, staring at his glowing hand. “I am unawakened… but I will master this. I will not be controlled by fear or weakness. The curse will not stop me.”

Kael’s resolve hardened. Every battle, every dungeon, every trial was a step toward awakening the full potential within him. The path would be painful, dangerous, and uncertain—but he would walk it, and he would rise above.