Chapter 2652: Story 2653: The Fifth Child

Darkness swallowed the temple.

Kael could hear nothing.

Then came breathing.

“Azrael...”

Kael opened his eyes.

The temple had changed. The statues were gone, and black veins pulsed across the walls like living arteries. The empty cradle remained before him, surrounded by floating drops of blood.

Lena stood beside Elias, her silver eyes glowing.

Azael raised his white blade.

“Where is he?”

A voice answered from the darkness.

“Not he.”

Kael tightened his grip.

“Then who?”

A small figure stepped from behind the cradle.

It was a child.

His skin was pale, almost transparent, and his silver eyes carried an ancient sadness. Black markings covered his arms, forming symbols older than AZRAEL and AZAEL.

He looked at Kael.

Then smiled.

“Brother.”

Kael could not move.

Azael stepped between them.

“Who are you?”

“You were taken.”

His eyes shifted toward Kael.

“And you were hidden.”

Then he touched his chest.

“I was forgotten.”

Seraphine whispered, “That is impossible.”

The forgotten king stared at the child.

“You survived.”

“You remember me?”

The old king fell to his knees.

“I remember what happened before the first kingdom.”

Kael stepped closer.

“What is your name?”

The child smiled sadly.

“I had one.”

The black veins across the walls burned crimson.

“But the darkness ate it.”

A deep roar came from beneath the temple.

The Nameless King screamed outside.

“DO NOT SPEAK HIS NAME!”

“It is coming.”

Lena raised her hands.

“What is coming?”

“The one who took me.”

The temple shook violently.

A black crack opened across the floor.

A cold wind rose from beneath it, carrying thousands of whispers.

“Return...”

Elias’s golden veins flared.

“Kael, something is moving beneath us.”

Azael stepped beside his brother.

“Whatever comes, we face it together.”

The child suddenly grabbed his hand.

A vision exploded into Kael’s mind.

He saw the crimson world before kingdoms existed.

The King Before Kings stood beside the shadow mother.

Five cradles rested before them.

Kael.

Azael.

Lena.

Elias.

And the fifth child.

Behind the fifth cradle stood something enormous.

It had no face.

No crown.

No eyes.

Only endless darkness.

The creature reached down.

The shadow mother screamed.

The King Before Kings drew his sword.

But the darkness took the child before either could stop it.

Kael tore himself from the vision.

The child was crying.

“You saw it.”

Kael breathed heavily.

“Yes.”

“That thing is still inside me.”

The temple doors exploded.

The Nameless King’s skull appeared beyond the ruins, black fire pouring from its mouth.

“No!”

Its three crimson eyes locked onto the child.

“YOU WERE NEVER SUPPOSED TO RETURN.”

The child stepped forward.

His silver eyes turned black.

“I did not return.”

He looked at Kael.

“You found me.”

Behind him, darkness rose like a colossal figure.

“The first darkness has found its vessel.”

Kael raised his crimson blade.

“No.”

He stood beside the child.

“It has found his brothers.”

The darkness roared.

The entire upside-down city began to collapse.