Chapter 2621: Story 2622: The Battle for the First Kingdom

Marcus Veyr stepped through the shattered gates.

Behind him came hundreds of infected soldiers, their bodies twisted by Origin blood. Black veins covered their faces, while red light burned inside their eyes.

The ancient guardians immediately raised their weapons.

Seraphine struck her staff against the stone floor.

“Defend the kingdom!”

The armored dead charged.

Steel collided with steel.

The underground city erupted into chaos.

Kael raised his shield as an infected soldier attacked him. He blocked the blade, spun, and drove his sword through the creature’s chest.

Another came from behind.

Mara’s crossbow bolt struck its head.

“Left side!” she shouted.

Kael nodded.

Ethan fired his rifle into the advancing army while Isabella led the Last March against the attackers.

Adrian stayed beside Lena.

“Don’t let the veins spread.”

“I’m trying.”

Lena suddenly grabbed her wrist.

The device beneath her skin began glowing.

A red pulse traveled through her arm.

Adrian’s eyes widened.

“It’s receiving a signal.”

“From Veyr?”

“No.”

He looked toward the center of the city.

“From below.”

Kael heard him.

“Below what?”

Seraphine answered.

“The throne.”

Kael turned toward the enormous palace at the far end of the kingdom.

Veyr suddenly appeared above the battlefield.

His transformed body rose into the air, surrounded by red energy.

“Kael!”

Kael looked up.

Veyr smiled.

“You have spent your entire life fighting the dead.”

He raised one hand.

“You never understood that you were born to command them.”

Thousands of ancient guardians stopped fighting.

Every armored creature turned toward Kael.

Then they dropped to one knee.

The battlefield became silent.

Veyr laughed.

“Do you see?”

Kael lowered his sword.

“I see an army that doesn’t belong to you.”

Veyr’s expression darkened.

“Then take it.”

Kael felt the strange pressure inside his chest again.

The blood of the ancient king awakened.

Red light spread across his arms.

His sword began glowing.

The kneeling guardians raised their heads.

Kael whispered,

“Stand.”

Every guardian rose.

Veyr’s smile vanished.

Kael pointed his sword toward him.

“Protect the kingdom.”

The ancient army roared.

They charged Veyr’s forces.

The battle became even more violent.

Mara fought beside Ethan while Isabella’s soldiers pushed the infected back toward the gates.

Suddenly, the palace doors opened.

A black wind swept through the city.

Lena screamed.

Kael turned.

At the end of the palace stood a massive throne carved from black stone.

Behind it was a staircase descending into darkness.

Seraphine’s face became pale.

“The throne has awakened.”

Adrian stared at her.

“What does that mean?”

“It means the First Origin knows Kael is here.”

A deep voice echoed through the palace.

“BLOOD OF MY KING.”

Kael stepped forward.

The voice continued.

“COME BELOW.”

Veyr suddenly attacked.

A wave of red energy struck Kael and sent him crashing through a stone wall.

“Kael!” Lena screamed.

He rose from the rubble.

Veyr landed before him.

“You cannot defeat me anymore.”

Kael wiped blood from his mouth.

“Then I’ll prove you wrong.”

Their weapons collided.

The impact shook the palace.

Meanwhile, Lena stared at the dark staircase.

Something was calling her.

Not Veyr.

Not the First Origin.

Something else.

She slowly stepped toward it.

Adrian grabbed her arm.

“Where are you going?”

Lena looked into the darkness.

“I don’t know.”

Her eyes began glowing red.

“But something down there knows my name.”

A whisper rose from beneath the throne.

“Lena...”

She pulled free.

And before anyone could stop her, she descended into the darkness.

Behind her, the ancient throne began to crack open.

Something was waking beneath it.