Chapter 2710: Story 2711: The Voice of the Mother

The Beast opened its mouth wider.

Ronan stared into the darkness between its enormous jaws.

Something was moving inside.

Not one thing.

Hundreds.

Pale hands crawled across the creature’s throat, followed by twisted faces that appeared beneath its skin.

Lyra stepped backward.

“What is inside that thing?”

Kael’s face went pale.

“The dead.”

Ronan barely heard him.

He could only hear his mother’s voice.

“My son... run.”

His sword trembled in his hand.

“Mother?”

The Beast suddenly roared.

The sound shook the entire palace.

Ronan was thrown backward.

Lyra caught his arm before he fell into the collapsing floor.

“Ronan!”

He looked at her.

“My mother is inside it.”

Lyra stared at the creature.

“That isn’t possible.”

“I heard her.”

Kael approached slowly.

“Ronan, listen to me.”

Ronan turned toward him.

“You knew her.”

Kael stopped.

“You knew what happened to my mother.”

Kael lowered his eyes.

“I knew your family.”

“Then tell me the truth!”

Kael looked toward the First King.

The King remained silent.

Finally, Kael spoke.

“Your mother was one of the Guardians.”

Ronan froze.

“She protected the First Kingdom.”

“Why did she leave?”

Kael swallowed.

“She didn’t.”

Ronan’s expression changed.

“What?”

Kael pointed toward the Beast.

“She was taken.”

The creature suddenly opened its jaws again.

A woman’s face appeared between the rows of teeth.

Ronan recognized her immediately.

His mother’s face.

Her eyes were filled with tears.

“Ronan...”

He stepped forward.

The First King raised his sword.

“Do not approach it.”

Ronan ignored him.

The Beast lowered its head.

His mother’s voice became clearer.

“Your father is still alive.”

Ronan stopped.

“What did you say?”

Kael looked shocked.

Even Elias stared at the Beast.

The voice continued.

“He is beneath the First Kingdom.”

Ronan’s heart pounded.

“My father?”

The Beast suddenly screamed.

The woman’s face disappeared.

Darkness flooded its mouth.

The First King attacked.

Ronan blocked the strike.

The impact sent him sliding across the stone.

“You will not hear another word from it,” the King said.

Ronan rose slowly.

“You’re hiding something.”

“I am protecting you.”

“You destroyed my family!”

The King raised his sword.

“I saved your bloodline.”

Ronan charged.

Their swords collided.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

The palace shook with every strike.

Lyra fired an arrow at the King’s shoulder.

He turned and deflected it.

Elias suddenly attacked from behind.

The King blocked him too.

“You both carry the same blood,” he said.

“Yet neither understands what it means.”

The Beast roared.

A red wave erupted from its body.

The First King was thrown across the chamber.

Ronan’s sword began glowing brighter.

The red mark on his forehead spread down his face.

Then every dead soldier in the kingdom stood.

Thousands of voices spoke together.

“THE BLOODLINE RETURNS.”

The Beast lowered its head.

Its enormous eyes fixed on Ronan.

Then the creature whispered:

“Your father is waiting beneath the throne.”

The ground suddenly split open beneath Ronan.

He fell into darkness.

Lyra screamed his name.

And somewhere far below, a man’s voice answered:

“Ronan... my son.”