Chapter 2566: Story 2567: The Realm Beyond the Crimson Throne

The dimensional rift remained open above the golden desert.

Crimson energy swirled within its depths, forming a passage toward a realm that seemed to exist outside ordinary space.

No stars moved there.

No planets turned.

Everything appeared frozen beneath a vast crimson sky.

Victoria Kane stared into the rift.

Nox’Rath stood beside her, silent.

Cole finally broke the silence.

"You said you escaped from there."

Nox’Rath nodded.

"Long ago."

"What is it?"

Nox’Rath looked toward the distant crimson realm.

"A prison."

"For what?"

His expression darkened.

"For something creation was never meant to remember."

Dr. Evelyn Brooks opened Elias Crow’s journal.

For several seconds, nothing happened.

Then silver letters slowly appeared.

The Realm Beyond the Crimson Throne: The place where the First War began... and where the oldest enemy was imprisoned.

Evelyn’s eyes widened.

"The First War didn’t begin in our universe."

"No," Nox’Rath replied.

"It began there."

Victoria looked toward the rift.

"Then that’s where we’re going."

Cassian approached them.

"The Crimson Ark is damaged."

"The remaining soldiers have surrendered."

Victoria looked at him.

"And Valerius?"

"Gone."

"Then he will return."

Nox’Rath nodded.

"He always does."

Suddenly, Azrakar released a deep growl.

The ancient guardian turned toward the rift.

Its enormous eyes filled with recognition.

Victoria placed a hand against its stone hide.

"You know what’s inside."

Azrakar lowered its head.

A single golden memory appeared between them.

Victoria saw an ancient battlefield.

The sky was black.

Seven immense figures stood before a colossal sealed gate.

Behind the gate...

Something moved.

Something so vast that even the stars appeared tiny beside it.

Victoria stepped backward.

"What is that?"

Azrakar’s memory answered without words.

The First Hunger.

A cold feeling passed through her.

Nox’Rath closed his eyes.

"I remember now."

Everyone turned toward him.

"I wasn’t born the Endless Shadow."

"I became it after encountering the First Hunger."

Father Gabriel frowned.

"What did it do?"

Nox’Rath’s voice trembled.

"It showed me eternity without meaning."

"It convinced me that everything would eventually disappear."

"So I tried to end everything before it could suffer."

Victoria understood.

"The darkness wasn’t your beginning."

"It was your mistake."

Nox’Rath nodded.

"And Valerius?"

"He made the opposite mistake."

Victoria looked at him.

"He tried to control everything."

"Exactly."

Dr. Evelyn closed the journal.

"Then perhaps the First Hunger feeds on both."

"Despair..."

"...and control."

Victoria looked toward the golden pathways stretching between the seven hundred thirteen worlds.

"The Crimson Throne tried to control creation."

"The Endless Darkness tried to consume it."

She raised the Dawnblade.

"We’ll do neither."

"We’ll protect its freedom."

A golden gateway opened behind her.

The companions gathered.

Cole checked his rifle.

Lucas adjusted his bow.

Selene and Roland joined the group through the Asterion gateway.

Father Gabriel carried the symbol of the First Dawn.

Dr. Evelyn secured the journal.

Cassian lifted his crimson spear.

Even Azrakar lowered its enormous head toward the portal.

Victoria smiled.

"You’re coming too?"

The ancient guardian released a deep rumble.

Nox’Rath translated.

"He says the First Memory cannot remain outside the place where it was born."

Victoria nodded.

"Then we go together."

Far beyond the rift...

Valerius stood before a colossal black gate.

Behind him, the surviving Crimson soldiers waited in silence.

He removed his crown.

For the first time, he looked afraid.

A voice emerged from behind the sealed gate.

"The Keeper has returned."

Valerius lowered his head.

"Yes."

"And the First Memory walks beside her."

"Yes."

A long silence followed.

Then the gate trembled.

Cracks appeared across its surface.

"Then the final age has begun."

Valerius looked toward the approaching golden light.

"What do you want?"

The voice answered.

"Not the worlds."

"Not the stars."

"I want the Keeper."

The black gate began opening.

A single enormous crimson eye appeared beyond it.

Back in the desert, Victoria suddenly stopped.

The Living Dawn inside her heart pulsed violently.

She looked into the rift.

Something was looking back.

Not at the army.

Not at Azrakar.

Only at her.

Victoria tightened her grip on the Dawnblade.

"Then let it look."

She stepped through the gateway.

Behind her, the others followed.

The Realm Beyond the Crimson Throne awaited.

And somewhere beyond its ancient gates...

The oldest enemy in creation had finally awakened.