Chapter 2732: Story 2733: The Father of the Ancient King

The gate opened completely.

Something stepped through.

Ronan raised his shield.

Lyra drew another arrow.

Kael’s sword trembled in his hand.

Elias stared at the creature.

Aren could not move.

The being stood taller than any man, wrapped in ancient black robes and broken armor. Its face was pale and almost human, but two enormous red eyes burned beneath a crown of twisted bone.

Around its body, shadows moved like living smoke.

It looked across the battlefield.

Every corpse immediately bowed.

The creature smiled.

“After so many centuries...”

Its voice shook the mountains.

“I have returned.”

Ronan stepped forward.

“Who are you?”

The creature looked at him.

Its smile disappeared.

“You carry his blood.”

Ronan tightened his grip.

“Whose?”

The creature pointed toward the ground.

“The First King’s.”

Elias stepped beside Ronan.

“And you?”

The creature looked at Elias.

“The Second King’s blood.”

Then its eyes moved toward Aren.

“And the Third.”

Aren backed away.

“What do you want?”

The creature slowly raised one hand.

“You.”

Black chains erupted from the ground.

Ronan cut the first chain.

Elias destroyed another.

Lyra fired three arrows.

Each arrow struck a chain and shattered it.

But dozens more appeared.

Aren screamed as they wrapped around his arms.

“Ronan!”

Ronan charged.

The creature raised its hand.

A wall of darkness slammed into Ronan.

He flew backward and crashed into a dead tree.

“RONAN!”

Lyra ran toward him.

The creature turned toward her.

“You defend the First Son.”

Lyra raised her bow.

“I defend my friends.”

She fired.

The arrow struck the creature’s chest.

For the first time, it staggered.

Ronan saw something beneath its robes.

A glowing red symbol.

The same symbol that had appeared on his sword.

“Lyra!”

She looked at him.

“The mark!”

Ronan stood.

“That thing has the same symbol.”

Kael’s expression changed.

“No.”

Ronan turned.

“What?”

Kael stared at the creature.

“I was wrong.”

The creature laughed.

“You were wrong about everything, old guardian.”

Kael lowered his sword.

“What are you?”

The creature stepped forward.

“I am the one who created the blood that created your kings.”

The earth shook.

“I am the Father of the Ancient King.”

Elias’s face hardened.

“Then you created the First King?”

The creature smiled.

“I created the bloodline.”

Ronan raised his sword.

“Why?”

The creature looked toward the millions of dead.

“To build a vessel capable of ruling both worlds.”

Aren suddenly screamed.

Silver light exploded from his body.

The chains tightened.

The creature smiled.

“And now the vessel is ready.”

Ronan charged.

Elias followed.

The two brothers attacked together.

The creature blocked both blades with one hand.

A shockwave exploded across the battlefield.

Ronan fell to one knee.

Elias crashed beside him.

The creature stepped toward Aren.

“No!”

Ronan forced himself up.

The red symbol on his sword began glowing brighter than ever.

The creature stopped.

For the first time, fear appeared in its eyes.

“You...”

Ronan raised the sword.

“You made one mistake.”

The creature stared.

“What?”

Ronan’s eyes burned red.

“You created three brothers.”

Behind him, Elias stood.

Aren’s silver chains began cracking.

Lyra drew her bow.

Kael raised his sword.

Ronan pointed his blade toward the creature.

“And we’re still together.”

The creature smiled again.

“Then let me see which brother breaks first.”

The sky turned black.

And every dead creature on the battlefield began screaming.