Chapter 2709: Story 2710: The Beast Below

The voice echoed through the underground kingdom.

“FIRST SON... COME TO ME.”

Ronan stared into the enormous crack beneath the palace.

The darkness seemed endless.

Another heartbeat shook the floor.

THUMP.

Stone pillars collapsed around them.

Lyra grabbed Ronan’s arm.

“We have to get out.”

Ronan shook his head.

“No.”

She stared at him.

“No?”

“That voice called me.”

Kael stepped forward.

“Ronan, whatever is down there, it existed before the First Kingdom.”

The First King suddenly raised his hand.

“Silence.”

The dead soldiers immediately stopped moving.

Even the Beast remained motionless.

Ronan looked at the King.

“You’re afraid of it.”

The King’s red eyes narrowed.

“I fear nothing.”

Another heartbeat exploded through the palace.

THUMP.

The King’s armor cracked.

A thin line of black energy crawled across his chest.

Elias looked horrified.

“What is happening to you?”

The King looked down at the spreading darkness.

“The seal is breaking.”

Kael’s face became pale.

“What seal?”

The First King looked toward the enormous crack.

“The seal that has kept the First Beast beneath this kingdom for thousands of years.”

Ronan looked at the darkness.

“Why was it sealed?”

The King slowly turned toward him.

“Because it was never meant to live among the dead.”

A monstrous roar erupted from below.

The entire palace shook violently.

The dead soldiers fell to the ground.

The Beast screamed and crawled backward.

For the first time, the enormous creature looked terrified.

Then two gigantic claws emerged from the crack.

Stone exploded outward.

Ronan raised his shield.

Lyra fired arrow after arrow.

The arrows disappeared into the darkness.

Kael shouted:

“Move!”

Everyone ran as the floor collapsed behind them.

Elias grabbed Ronan’s shoulder.

“Come with me!”

Ronan pushed him away.

“No.”

“You don’t understand!”

“I understand enough.”

Elias stared at him.

“If that thing reaches you, it will use your blood to escape.”

Ronan froze.

“My blood?”

Elias nodded.

“The First Beast cannot leave this kingdom without the blood of the First Son.”

Kael looked at Elias in shock.

“How do you know that?”

Elias pointed toward the crack.

“Because it told me.”

A deafening roar answered him.

The First King suddenly attacked.

His sword struck the ground beside Ronan.

Ronan blocked the next strike.

Steel collided.

The King was impossibly strong.

Ronan was pushed backward.

“You will not reach the Beast,” the King said.

Ronan gritted his teeth.

“I wasn’t planning to.”

Then the Beast’s enormous head emerged from the darkness.

Its eyes were larger than the palace gates.

Its mouth opened.

Rows of ancient teeth filled the darkness.

The creature looked directly at Ronan.

Then it whispered his name.

“Ronan...”

The red mark on his forehead burned.

His sword exploded with red light.

The Beast suddenly stopped.

Its enormous head lowered.

And from somewhere inside its body came a human voice.

A voice Ronan recognized.

His blood ran cold.

It was his mother’s voice.

“My son... run.”

Ronan stared into the darkness.

Then the Beast opened its mouth wider.

And something moved inside.