Chapter 2640: Story 2641: The Son of the King

The mountains screamed.

Thunder rolled across the sky as enormous cracks tore through the stone above the Blood Gate. Dust and shattered rock poured into the darkness, while the crimson eye inside the throne watched Kael without blinking.

“You are lying,” Kael said.

The ancient voice shook the chamber.

“I do not lie.”

Kael raised his sword.

“Then prove it.”

The eye pulsed once.

A wave of crimson energy exploded outward.

Kael, Lena, and Elias were thrown across the chamber. Kael struck the stone floor and rolled, his shield scraping against the ground. Lena caught herself against a broken pillar.

King Arkan stood motionless.

His face had turned pale.

“You cannot be his son,” Arkan whispered.

The eye turned toward him.

“You knew.”

Arkan stepped backward.

“I knew nothing.”

“You guarded the blood. Yet you never understood the child.”

Kael slowly stood.

“What child?”

The crimson eye returned its attention to him.

“You.”

Images flooded his mind.

A vast ancient kingdom appeared.

There was only darkness.

Then a giant figure emerged, wearing a crown formed from living bone.

Beside it stood a woman holding three newborn children.

The first child cried.

The second opened glowing crimson eyes.

The third reached toward the darkness.

Kael recognized himself.

Lena gasped.

“They are us.”

The vision changed.

A younger Sleeping King appeared, bleeding.

He fought the giant king, carrying the three children away.

“He stole us,” Elias whispered.

“No,” Lena said firmly. “He protected us.”

The vision shattered.

Kael looked toward Arkan.

“You said one must die.”

Arkan lowered his head.

“That was never the true law.”

Elias stepped forward.

“Then why did you tell us?”

“Because I was afraid.”

The admission silenced them.

Veyr suddenly laughed.

Black flames erupted around him.

“Fear,” he said. “The oldest weakness of kings.”

“I understand now. Kael is not an heir.”

Veyr pointed toward the crimson eye.

“He is the bloodline’s original vessel.”

The eye darkened.

“Wrong.”

Veyr’s smile disappeared.

“I am not your vessel,” Kael said.

The eye answered.

“You were never created to carry my blood.”

Kael froze.

“You were born from it.”

Silence filled the chamber.

Lena stepped beside her brother.

“Then what does that make us?”

The eye slowly moved toward her.

“You are the children of the King Before Kings.”

Elias tightened his grip.

“And our father?”

The chamber trembled.

“Your father betrayed me.”

Kael stared upward.

“Why?”

The answer came like thunder.

“Because he chose his children over his kingdom.”

For the first time, Kael understood.

Their father had not abandoned them.

He had fought for them.

Suddenly, the crimson heart began beating again.

BOOM.

BOOM.

BOOM.

The Blood Gate opened wider.

Beyond it appeared an endless red sky filled with countless ancient crowns.

Veyr stared into the opening.

“What is that?”

Arkan whispered the truth.

“The First Kingdom was never the beginning.”

The eye spoke once more.

“It was only the first prison.”

A colossal hand emerged from the Blood Gate.

Kael raised his sword.

Lena summoned the dead.

Elias stepped forward.

Together, the three siblings faced the darkness.

Then a voice called their names.

“Kael.”

“Lena.”

“Elias.”

The ancient king spoke.

“Come home, my children.”

The Blood Gate exploded open.