Chapter 2668: Story 2669: The Guardian Beyond the Door

Kael stepped through the white door.

For a moment, everything disappeared.

Only silence remained.

Then his feet touched solid ground.

Lena stood beside him.

The others emerged behind him.

Ahead stretched a kingdom.

Its towers floated in the air.

At its center stood a gigantic throne.

Someone sat upon it.

Kael raised his sword.

“Who are you?”

The figure slowly stood.

It wore ancient armor and a silver mask.

“I waited for you, Elarion.”

Kael tightened his grip.

“Why do you call me that?”

“Azrael was the guardian’s name.”

The stranger removed it.

Kael froze.

The face was his, but older.

“I am your first form.”

Azael stared.

“Another memory?”

“No.”

The stranger looked at Kael.

“I am the guardian before memory.”

The kingdom shook.

Lena whispered, “Something is coming.”

“The Beginning heard you.”

A heartbeat echoed.

Boom.

The white rivers turned red.

The floating towers cracked.

Elias’s golden veins ignited.

“It is beneath us.”

The fifth child spread his black wings.

“No.”

He trembled.

“It is beneath it.”

The ground opened.

A white hand emerged.

It was covered with ancient eyes.

Kael raised his sword.

The stranger raised a hand.

“Do not attack.”

“It is reaching for us.”

“It seeks something else.”

The hand opened.

Inside its palm was a tiny white flame.

The sixth child suddenly fell to his knees.

“I remember that.”

Kael looked at him.

“What is it?”

“The first light.”

The flame entered the sixth child’s chest.

He screamed.

Silver light exploded around him.

His black markings vanished.

Azael stared.

“The darkness is leaving.”

The stranger whispered,

“The first light has returned.”

Kael stepped forward.

“Then who?”

The stranger looked at the sixth child.

“He was never the sixth.”

Silence followed.

Lena’s eyes widened.

“Then what is he?”

The stranger pointed toward Kael.

“He is your original heart’s memory.”

Kael’s chest burned.

The seven symbols connected.

White, black, red, gold, silver, and crimson light merged.

A new symbol appeared above Kael’s heart.

It looked like an open circle surrounding an eye.

The stranger bowed.

“The Guardian has awakened.”

Kael looked at his hands.

“What am I supposed to guard?”

The stranger looked upward.

The white sky cracked.

Beyond it appeared the enormous white eye.

“The Beginning.”

A cold voice echoed.

“Elarion.”

Kael raised his sword.

The ancient voice continued.

“You survived once.”

The white eye opened.

“You will not survive twice.”

Kael stepped forward.

Lena stood beside him.

Azael raised his weapon.

Elias released golden energy.

The fifth child spread his wings.

The sixth child’s silver light intensified.

Kael looked at them.

“We survived because we stood together.”

The stranger smiled.

“Then remember the final truth.”

“What truth?”

The throne behind him shattered.

He pointed beyond the kingdom.

“The Beginning is not a place.”

A massive shadow appeared behind the white eye.

“It is a living thing.”

The kingdom began collapsing.

Kael raised his glowing sword.

“Then we face it.”

The shadow opened countless eyes.

And for the first time, the Beginning spoke with fear.

“Elarion...”