In the moment before the Titan's hand reached him, Kael braced himself for a searing, unbearable pain—but what he felt was entirely unexpected; instead of burning, a deep, penetrating warmth spread from the Titan's hand and flowed into him. It was as though he were standing beneath the summer sun, its rays soaking into his skin, traveling deeper, warming his bones.

This warmth wasn't just comforting; it was powerful. It surged through him, infusing his entire being with a strange, invigorating energy. It was as if the essence of the Titan was pouring into him, intertwining with his own essence, awakening something ancient that had long lain dormant inside him.

Suddenly, a light pulse emanated from the Titan's hand, rushing through Kael's veins like a flood of molten power. His body convulsed, the strength overwhelming him. He gasped, barely able to stay on his feet as his muscles twitched and his bones seemed to hum with newfound energy.

"Arghh!" Kael cried out as the surge intensified, lifting him from the ground. He hovered in the air, suspended by an unseen force, and the world around him blurred into a whirlpool of light and shadow.

Time seemed to freeze. The world fell away, and everything—the village, the trees, the sky—became distant and still, like a memory paused in time.

Then, suddenly, Kael was no longer in the village. He found himself transported to another time, another place—a chaotic battlefield unlike anything he had ever imagined.

He stood in the middle of what he believed as the Titans' final battle, and the sight before him was awe-inspiring and terrifying. Colossal figures towering over mountains clashed with the gods in a storm of fury and destruction. He could feel the ground tremble beneath him with each mighty blow.

Massive Titans shaped the landscape as they fought, their control over the elements causing rivers to flow and mountains to rise. Kael watched in awe as the Titans unleashed their fury, wielding forces defying reality.

Among the chaos, Kael's eyes locked onto one figure—Oranos, the Worldbreaker. Kael was surprised as felt an inexplicable connection to him as if he had known him all his life.

That was how he knew the one he was looking at was Oranos.

Without warning, Oranos swung his massive mace, his strikes filled with the force of nature itself, each shaking the earth's very fabric, toward the other side that he believed as the Gods.

The Titans fought valiantly, their mastery of the natural world bending the battlefield to their will. Still, it was clear that the tide was turning. The gods, led by Zephryx, the Sky Sovereign, fought with unrelenting power. Lightning streaked across the sky as Zephryx commanded the storm, his sword crackling with divine energy.

And then, Kael saw it—the moment that changed everything. It was the same as what Amna told to the kids and him. That was one of the reasons why he could guess who the Titan or the God was.

Phyrax, the Titan of Stone, turned on his own kind. His betrayal split the Titans' ranks, creating an opening for the gods to exploit. The Titans, once united, crumbled under the weight of betrayal. The breach widened, and with it, the gods pressed their advantage.

Kael's heart ached as he watched Oranos fight on, refusing to yield even as his comrades fell around him. The final moments of the battle were devastating—Oranos, though strong and defiant, was overwhelmed. The gods unleashed their full might, and the Titans fell, their legacy buried beneath the ruins of the world they had once shaped.

Tears welled in Kael's eyes, spilling down his cheeks as he witnessed the destruction. The betrayal, the heartache, and the overwhelming power of the gods filled him with sorrow and anger.

"The gods… they are the real villains," Kael whispered, his voice trembling with realization.

The gods, once revered, were not the benevolent protectors the world believed them to be. They were conquerors, their power built on lies and treachery.

The vision shifted. Kael saw a world remade by the gods, where the Titans' legacy was all but forgotten—reduced to myths and whispers. The gods ruled supreme, their control absolute, their corruption hidden beneath layers of false history.

Anger boiled inside Kael. The gods had not only defeated the Titans, they had manipulated the truth to maintain their tyranny. The people, including his village, were mere pawns in the gods' game of control, oppressed under the weight of a false narrative.

As the vision faded, Kael found himself back at the altar, breathing heavily, struggling to understand what he had just seen. Then, Oranos's voice cut through the silence, calm but filled with a quiet power.

"You have seen the true story of our defeat," Oranos said, his voice carrying both sorrow and unyielding resolve. "But our defeat was not the end. The gods' victory was incomplete, for the spirit of the Titans lives on in those brave enough to resist them. Kael, I ask you now—do you wish to take on my power, to slay the gods who claim to rule your world?"

Kael hesitated the weight of the question pressing down on him. He thought of everything he had learned and the corruption hidden from them for so long. His village, his people, had been living under the gods' control for centuries, blind to the truth.

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He thought of Amna, his Uncle Gregor, Aunt Rhea, and the villagers who had suffered under the gods' oppressive rule. He could not ignore the pain and injustice they endured, the heavy burden of false worship, and the fear they carried. This was no longer just about him or his village—a battle for truth and justice, a struggle far larger than anyone.

With a deep breath, Kael's hesitation melted away, replaced by a newfound resolve. "Yes," he declared, his voice steady and sure. "I will take your power. I will challenge the gods and make things right—for my village, for everyone."

"Then rise, Kael," Oranos's voice boomed, the light from the Titan intensifying. "You are the successor to my legacy, endowed with the Titans' strength. Your journey will be fraught with danger, but remember this—you are not alone. My power now flows through you, and the gods cannot break our bond. Proclaim to the heavens that the Titans' legacy endures."

The light around Kael intensified, the Titan's energy flowing into him like fire, filling him with an ancient strength unlike anything he had ever known. Once weak and trembling, his body stood tall and firm, the pain from before replaced by an exhilarating surge of power.

As the light faded, Kael slowly descended to the ground, feeling a deep connection to the earth beneath him, a bond that stretched back to the very origins of the world. The power of Oranos—the power of the Titans—was now his.

Kael glanced at the villagers, who were still frozen in place, their expressions locked in a mix of fear and awe. He turned to Amna, her wide eyes reflecting a mixture of shock and disbelief.

Then, the Titan's voice echoed in his mind once more. "The legacy of Oranos is now yours. Use this power wisely, Kael, for the world's fate now rests in your hands."

The Titan's form began to fade, its massive figure dissolving into shimmering light. But before it disappeared completely, its final words echoed in Kael's mind, "Seek the lost. Restore the balance. The gods must not prevail."

As the light vanished, Kael stumbled forward, exhausted yet filled with a strange sense of purpose. The village square, filled with chaos and noise, now lay eerily quiet. Once terrified, the villagers stood frozen, their faces drained of color.

Tovan, pale and trembling, took cautious steps toward Kael, his eyes wide with disbelief. "The Titan," he whispered, barely audible. "Does it… chose you?"

Kael, his heart pounding, struggled to find his voice. The weight of everything that had just happened pressed down on him, and he felt lost in the storm of his own thoughts. "Why… why me?" he managed to ask, his voice trembling with confusion and fear.

Amna, who had been standing nearby, stepped forward. Her usual composure was shattered, replaced by a look of shock and awe. He looked at Tovan before turning to Kael, "What does the chief mean by that? Are you a Godslayer now?" she stammered, her voice shaking.

Their conversation remained between them, for the rest of the villagers were still reeling from what they had witnessed. They had seen Kael lifted by the Titan, but they hadn't heard the exchange, the call to action.

"I can't say for certain, Kael," Tovan replied, shaking his head. "But if ‘that’ Titan chose you, there must be a reason—a purpose. Maybe… maybe you are the hope for humanity."

A distant rumble filled the air before Kael could process the implications—a low, ominous sound that made Kael's heart skip a beat.

"The Divine Chosen," Tovan whispered, his face turning pale with dread. "They've found out!"

Kael felt the earth tremble beneath his feet, and a cold fear gripped him. The gods, those all-powerful beings who had crushed the Titans, would not take kindly to a mere mortal wielding their enemies' power. They would come for him and destroy anyone in their path.

"You must go," Tovan urged, gripping Kael's arm tightly. "Now, before they arrive."

"Go, Kael!" Amna added, her voice filled with urgency. "We'll hold them off, but you must get out of here."

Kael hesitated, his heart heavy with the thought of leaving his home and his people. This village was more than just a place—it was his family, his entire world. But deep down, he knew what he had to do.

He scanned the crowd, searching for familiar faces. His aunt Rhea rushed toward him, her face filled with fear and desperation, but there was no sign of Uncle Gregor. A wave of sadness washed over him; he had always sought Gregor's advice in times like this.

"Go now, Kael," Rhea urged, her voice thick with emotion. "If you stay, they'll destroy us all. You have to leave."

Kael swallowed hard, his throat tight with emotion. "Aunt Rhea…" he whispered, but she enveloped him in a tight embrace before he could say more.

"Go," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Go, and don't look back. We'll pray for you."

Kael felt tears sting his eyes as he held her close, trying to memorize the feeling of her embrace. He wanted to promise her he'd be okay, but the words wouldn't come. Instead, he nodded silently, pulling away from her with a heavy heart.

"Please, take care of them," Kael said to Amna, who nodded with worry in her eyes.

"I will," she replied, her voice soft but filled with determination.

Just as Kael prepared to leave, the villagers' whispers grew louder, their fear becoming panic.

"He's cursed!" someone cried.

"The gods will kill us all because of him!" another shouted, their voice tinged with desperation.

A crowd began to form, their faces twisted with fear and anger. These weren't the same villagers Kael had known his whole life. They had been consumed by terror, willing to do anything to appease the gods and save themselves.

"Drive him out!" one of the villagers yelled. "Before the gods punish us all!"

Kael's heart raced as the crowd closed in, their fear-fueled rage pushing him back. He could see the terror in their eyes—the terror that he would bring Thalios's wrath down upon them.

With one last glance at his Aunt Rhea and Amna, Kael turned and sprinted into the Blackwood, the villagers' cries fading behind him as he disappeared into the forest's depths.

His heart pounded in his chest, fear and uncertainty gripping him as he ran. He had no idea where he was going, but he knew one thing—he couldn't stop—not now, not ever.

As he vanished into the forest, the Titan's final words echoed in his mind, a quiet reminder of the task ahead:

Seek the lost. Restore the balance.

And so, Kael began the journey that would change the world forever.