Chapter 2728: Story 2729: The Throne of Sacrifice

The First Kingdom erupted.

Dead soldiers collided beneath the ancient palace, their weapons crashing against stone and bone. Red fire burst from the walls as the kingdom itself seemed to scream.

Ronan raised his shield.

“Lyra! Stay close!”

Lyra released three arrows in rapid succession.

Each struck a dead warrior in the skull.

“I’m not planning to leave!”

Kael swung his ancient axe, cutting through two corpses.

“Protect Aren!”

Ronan turned.

Aren stood motionless.

His silver eyes were fixed on the black throne.

Something was calling him.

“Ronan,” Aren whispered.

“What?”

“The throne is choosing.”

Suddenly, black chains shot from beneath the throne.

Ronan grabbed Aren and pulled him away.

The chains smashed into the stone where Aren had stood.

Elias watched from across the battlefield.

His red eyes narrowed.

“Brother.”

Ronan faced him.

“You’re not taking Aren.”

Elias smiled.

“I don’t want Aren.”

He pointed toward Ronan.

“I want you.”

Ronan tightened his grip on his sword.

“Then come and get me.”

Elias disappeared.

A heartbeat later, he struck.

Ronan barely raised his shield.

The impact threw him across the chamber.

He crashed against a pillar.

Lyra fired at Elias.

Elias turned.

The arrow stopped inches from his face.

Black energy crushed it.

Lyra stepped backward.

Elias looked at her.

“You cannot kill a king.”

Lyra drew another arrow.

“Good thing I wasn’t aiming for you.”

She fired.

The arrow struck a chain above Elias.

The chain broke.

A massive stone block fell toward him.

Elias leaped aside.

Ronan rose.

“Now!”

Kael understood immediately.

He charged the throne.

Aren followed.

The black throne began pulsing like a living heart.

Kael struck it with his axe.

The blade shattered.

Kael stared at the broken weapon.

“It cannot be destroyed.”

Aren touched the throne.

The entire kingdom went silent.

Every dead warrior stopped moving.

Elias froze.

Ronan stared at his brother.

“Aren?”

Aren’s silver eyes turned completely white.

Then the throne spoke.

“THIRD KING.”

Aren screamed.

A shockwave exploded from his body.

Every corpse in the kingdom fell to its knees.

Even Elias was forced down.

The First King slowly lowered his head.

“No...”

Ronan stepped toward Aren.

“Aren, fight it!”

Aren looked at him.

For a moment, he was only a frightened boy.

“Ronan...”

Then his voice changed.

Thousands of dead voices spoke through him.

“THE SACRIFICE HAS BEEN CHOSEN.”

Black chains wrapped around Aren’s body.

Ronan attacked them.

His sword struck one chain.

The blade cracked.

Elias suddenly stood.

“No!”

For the first time, fear filled his face.

He charged toward Aren.

Ronan blocked him.

“You said you wanted me!”

Elias stared at him.

“I changed my mind.”

The throne opened.

A vast darkness appeared beneath it.

Something inside began climbing upward.

The First King whispered:

“The throne does not need one brother to die.”

Ronan looked at him.

“Then what does it need?”

The First King looked toward the darkness.

“All three.”

A terrible roar shook the kingdom.

Aren screamed.

Elias’s black armor began cracking.

Ronan’s red mark burned across his face.

Then a voice rose from beneath the throne.

“THREE BLOODS. ONE KINGDOM. ONE FINAL KING.”

The darkness swallowed the throne.

And something ancient opened its eyes.