**Chapter 5: Awakened Power**
The towering titan, wreathed in darkness and blazing light, stood motionless in the center of the chamber. Its fiery gaze was fixed on Kaine, its presence overwhelming. The very air seemed to vibrate with the force of its power, and Kaine could feel the ground trembling beneath his feet.
Aira scrambled to her feet beside him, her daggers drawn, but her usual calm was gone, replaced by a look of pure shock. Rael, for once, had nothing to say. His hammer was raised, but even he seemed unsure of what to do.
The titan spoke again, its voice like an avalanche, rumbling and ancient.
**"I am Kralgor, the Titan of Ruin. I was sealed here by the gods for daring to defy them, but now… you have awakened me."**
Kaine's mind raced. The system was still silent, no guidance, no insight. The **Shard of the Stone Titan** lay on the floor where it had been thrown, its light dimmed. He had known something powerful was sealed here, but this… this was beyond anything he had imagined.
Kralgor took a step forward, and the chamber shook with the force of his movements. His gaze shifted to the others, lingering on Rael and Aira for a moment before returning to Kaine.
**"You carry the mark of the gods, mortal. But you are not one of them. You are… something else."**
Kaine swallowed hard. His hand instinctively went to the **Shard of Creation**, the ancient item that granted him access to the system. The titan could sense it. He had no idea what to say or do—every instinct told him to run, but there was no escape from this being.
"We didn't come here to free you," Kaine said, his voice hoarse but steady. "We didn't know."
Kralgor's eyes blazed brighter, and a low, thunderous laugh echoed through the chamber. **"Ignorance is no defense. But I owe you no vengeance. Not yet."**
Kaine felt a surge of relief, but it was fleeting. This titan wasn't angry… yet. But it was clearly dangerous, and they had no idea what it wanted.
Rael, still standing tall but clearly nervous, finally found his voice. "So what now, big guy? You're free. You gonna wreck the place or…?"
Aira shot him a warning glare, but Kralgor merely turned his head slightly, regarding Rael as if he were little more than an insect.
**"The gods bound me here to keep me from the world. I would see that world again. But first…"** Kralgor's gaze returned to Kaine. **"You will aid me."**
Kaine blinked. Aid him? He didn't know what Kralgor expected, but the idea of helping a titan—one who had been imprisoned by the gods themselves—wasn't exactly appealing.
"I'm not sure what you want from me," Kaine said cautiously.
Kralgor's expression darkened. **"You carry the power of the gods within you. You awakened me. You will help me reclaim what was taken from me—the power of my brethren, sealed in this world. In return, I will grant you strength beyond imagining."**
Kaine glanced at Aira and Rael. This wasn't just about surviving the moment anymore. This titan, this being of ruin, was offering power in exchange for help—help to release more titans.
Rael, ever the thrill-seeker, looked intrigued. "Strength beyond imagining, you say? That's… tempting."
Aira, on the other hand, was more wary. "Releasing more titans? That sounds like a fast way to end the world as we know it."
Kaine's mind churned. The system had brought him here, guided him to this moment, but it hadn't warned him about this. What did it mean? Was this some kind of test? And if so, what would happen if he refused?
**[Warning: Entity is attempting to form a Pact]**
The system's voice cut through his thoughts, but it was faint, like a whisper. Kaine froze. A pact? The titan was trying to bind him in some way, using his connection to the system.
Kralgor's voice rumbled again. **"Do not be afraid, mortal. The gods have failed you, failed this world. But together, we will reshape it."**
Kaine could feel the pressure of Kralgor's will pressing down on him, urging him to agree, to take the power being offered. But something inside him resisted. The system had always been his guide, his source of strength, and it was warning him now. This was more than just a simple offer of power—it was a binding contract with a being who had been sealed away for a reason.
"No," Kaine said, his voice firm despite the fear in his chest. "I won't help you release more titans. I don't know why the gods sealed you away, but I'm not going to unleash that kind of destruction."
Kralgor's eyes flared with fury, and the ground trembled beneath Kaine's feet. **"You dare defy me? After I offered you power beyond your comprehension?!"**
Rael took a step back, gripping his hammer tightly, but he looked ready to fight. Aira, too, was tense, her daggers at the ready.
Kaine stood his ground, meeting the titan's gaze. "I do."
For a moment, there was silence, the air heavy with tension. Then, to Kaine's surprise, Kralgor's fury subsided, and a cold, calculating expression crossed his face.
**"So be it,"** the titan said, his voice low and dangerous. **"You have made your choice. But know this, mortal: the gods cannot protect you. Not from me."**
Without another word, Kralgor turned and began to fade, his massive form dissolving into the shadows of the chamber. The oppressive weight of his presence lifted, and the room fell silent.
Rael let out a long breath. "Well, that was… intense."
Aira sheathed her daggers, her face pale but composed. "He's not gone. He's out there now, and he's going to come for us."
Kaine nodded, his mind still reeling. He had just defied a titan—one of the most powerful beings in existence. And now, he was marked.
But something stirred within him, a sense of purpose that hadn't been there before. The system had warned him for a reason, and despite the danger, he felt like this was part of something bigger.
"Then we'll have to be ready," Kaine said quietly.
A new objective appeared in the corner of his vision, glowing faintly.
**[New Quest: The Titan's Challenge]**
**[Objective: Prepare for Kralgor's Return]**
As they left the forgotten temple, Kaine couldn't shake the feeling that they had just stepped into a conflict far larger than any of them had imagined. Kralgor wasn't the only titan out there, and if he was right, the gods' influence was weakening.
The world was about to change, and Kaine had a feeling that he was going to be right at the center of it.