The moment Kael stepped through the portal, the laws of reality changed.
Gravity disappeared.
Time slowed.
Even sound seemed distant.
Floating continents stretched across an endless violet sky, connected by enormous rivers of silver light.
Ancient stars hung impossibly close.
Kael's Sovereign Eye activated automatically.
> **[Primordial Realm detected.]**
>
> **[World Age: Older than recorded existence.]**
>
> **[Warning: Current laws differ from host universe.]**
>
> **[Sovereign Authority temporarily restricted to 82%.]**
Kael frowned.
"Restricted?"
His mother nodded.
"The Primordial Realm doesn't recognize the laws of Heaven."
"So my authority is weaker here."
"Only temporarily."
Kael looked across the strange landscape.
"Where do we find Veyra?"
His mother pointed toward a distant black continent.
"There."
A massive structure rose from it.
A ruined palace surrounded by countless broken statues.
"The First Palace."
Kael narrowed his eyes.
"That's where my father died?"
His mother hesitated.
"Yes."
Kael started walking.
Seraphine followed.
Lyra and Eclipse came behind them.
But before they reached the palace, a voice echoed across the sky.
**"You shouldn't have returned."**
Kael stopped.
A massive golden figure descended from above.
Unlike Veyra, this being looked almost human.
He wore ancient armor and carried a spear made of pure light.
Kael's system reacted.
> **[Primordial Entity detected.]**
>
> **Name:** Solen
>
> **Authority:** Law of Creation
>
> **Status:** Active
>
> **Threat Level:** Extreme
Solen looked at Kael's mother.
"You brought him here."
She stepped forward.
"He's ready."
Solen looked at Kael.
"No."
Kael raised an eyebrow.
"Then test me."
Solen smiled.
"Very well."
### The First Trial
Solen raised his spear.
The entire continent trembled.
Kael activated Sovereign Mode.
Their weapons collided.
**BOOM!**
The shockwave shattered several floating islands.
Kael slid backward.
Solen attacked again.
Kael blocked.
Again.
Again.
The Primordial's movements were incredibly fast.
But Kael gradually adapted.
His eyes changed.
He began predicting every attack.
Solen noticed.
"Your father had the same eyes."
Kael countered with a powerful slash.
"Tell me about him."
Solen blocked.
"Your father wasn't a hero."
Kael's expression darkened.
"What?"
"He destroyed the Primordial Council."
"He killed countless beings."
"He nearly destroyed this realm."
Kael stopped.
"Why?"
Solen's expression became complicated.
"Because he discovered the truth."
"What truth?"
Solen lowered his spear.
"That the Primordials were never the creators."
Kael froze.
"Then who created them?"
Solen looked toward the black palace.
"Your father discovered something beyond even this realm."
"The **First Will**."
### The First Will
Kael's mother stepped forward.
"Solen, enough."
Kael looked at her.
"You knew?"
She nodded.
"Your father discovered that reality itself possessed consciousness."
"The universe was alive."
Kael looked around.
"And the Primordials?"
"Servants."
Solen continued:
"They were created to maintain reality."
"Veyra rebelled."
"Your father joined him."
Kael frowned.
"My father joined Veyra?"
"Temporarily."
"He believed Veyra was trying to free existence."
"But Veyra wanted something else."
"Power?"
Solen shook his head.
"Freedom."
Kael understood.
Veyra didn't want to rule the universe.
He wanted to destroy the laws that controlled it.
"Then why did my father oppose him?"
Solen looked toward Kael.
"Because your father realized what would happen if the laws disappeared."
Kael whispered:
"Everything would collapse."
Solen nodded.
"Exactly."
A sudden tremor shook the realm.
Eclipse growled.
**"He's here."**
Everyone turned.
The sky darkened.
A black portal opened above the First Palace.
Veyra descended.
But this time—
he wasn't alone.
Behind him stood hundreds of ancient beings.
Kael's system flashed.
> **[Primordial Army detected.]**
>
> **[Estimated strength: Extreme.]**
>
> **[Warning: Multiple Creator-level entities present.]**
Kael raised his sword.
Veyra smiled.
"Welcome home."
Kael stepped forward.
"I'm here for my father."
Veyra laughed.
"You still think your father needs saving."
"He's already dead."
Kael's grip tightened.
"Then give me his soul."
Veyra shook his head.
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because he isn't inside me anymore."
Kael froze.
"Then where is he?"
Veyra pointed toward the palace.
"Inside the First Will."
Silence.
Kael's mother closed her eyes.
She had known.
Kael turned toward her.
"You knew."
She nodded.
"Your father sacrificed his soul to the First Will."
"Why?"
"To stop it from awakening."
Kael stared at the palace.
"And now?"
Veyra smiled.
"Now that you're here..."
The palace began glowing.
"...it doesn't need him anymore."
A massive heartbeat echoed across the Primordial Realm.
**THUMP.**
**THUMP.**
**THUMP.**
The floating continents began breaking apart.
The stars went dark.
And a voice older than the universe itself spoke:
**"SON OF AREN."**
Kael looked up.
**"RETURN
WHAT BELONGS TO ME."**
His system disappeared completely.
For the first time since Kael's awakening—
the system had gone silent.
Kael's expression hardened.
He raised his sword.
"If you want something from me..."
His Sovereign Aura exploded.
"...come and take it."
The First Palace opened.
And something enormous began awakening inside.
**To be continued...**