My Taboo Harem System

The ground split open.

Denzel barely had time to react.

"Move!"

He grabbed the Knight by the arm and pulled her backward.

The woman stumbled with them as a crack tore through the hillside.

It raced toward the ruined city, splitting stone and swallowing chunks of earth. Dust erupted from the streets below. Broken walls collapsed into the widening fissure.

Then something struck the underside of the ruins.

Boom.

The entire valley shook.

Denzel planted his feet.

The pendant around his neck burned against his chest.

Not hot enough to burn him.

Hot enough to feel alive.

Another impact came.

Boom.

The soldiers on the ridge remained on one knee.

None of them moved.

That bothered Denzel more than the thing climbing out of the earth.

"They’re not attacking," the Knight said.

Denzel kept his eyes on the city.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because they’re waiting."

"For what?"

The ground beneath the palace exploded upward.

A column of black stone rose from the ruins.

It pushed through collapsed buildings, sending broken masonry flying in every direction.

Denzel stared.

It wasn’t a creature.

Not yet.

The thing rising from beneath Eldoria was architecture.

A tower.

A massive black tower emerging from underneath the royal palace as though the city had been built on top of it rather than the other way around.

Ancient markings covered its surface.

Blue light pulsed between them.

Once.

Twice.

With every pulse, the pendant around Denzel’s neck responded.

The woman whispered something.

Denzel looked at her.

"What?"

She didn’t answer.

"Hey."

Her eyes remained fixed on the tower.

"The King’s Hall."

Denzel frowned.

"That?"

"No."

She shook her head.

"That isn’t the hall."

Another tremor rolled through the valley.

The tower continued rising.

"The King’s Prison."

The Knight looked at her.

"Prison?"

The woman nodded slowly.

"The place beneath the palace."

Denzel’s grip tightened around his sword.

"You said the royal archives were hidden."

"They were."

"And this?"

"It was hidden deeper."

"From whom?"

The woman looked at him.

"Everyone."

A roar suddenly erupted from beneath the city.

It wasn’t human.

It wasn’t even close.

The soldiers finally stood.

Every black blade rose at once.

The Knight shifted her stance.

"They’re moving."

Denzel watched the army.

The red symbol on their armor began glowing.

One after another, the soldiers turned toward the tower.

None of them looked at Denzel anymore.

That was worse.

The first soldier lowered his weapon.

Then he spoke.

"Witness the return."

The others repeated him.

"Witness the return."

Their voices rolled across the valley.

Denzel’s stomach tightened.

"Return of what?"

The woman grabbed his sleeve.

"We need to go."

Denzel pulled his arm free.

"You’ve said that three times."

"And I’m going to keep saying it."

"Not until you tell me what that thing is."

The woman looked toward the tower.

"It isn’t the thing you should be afraid of."

Denzel followed her gaze.

"What, then?"

Her expression tightened.

"The door."

A deep metallic sound echoed through the valley.

Something inside the black tower had moved.

Denzel stared.

There was a set of enormous doors halfway up the structure.

They were opening.

Slowly.

A thin line of blue light appeared between them.

The Knight swallowed.

"That’s not a door."

Denzel glanced at her.

"What is it?"

She shook her head.

"I don’t know."

The woman answered instead.

"The King’s Seal."

Denzel looked at her.

"You just said it was a prison."

"It is."

"Then why does it have a seal?"

"Because whatever is inside was never meant to leave."

Denzel’s eyes narrowed.

"And the soldiers?"

"They aren’t here to stop it."

The woman looked at the army.

"They’re here to worship it."

A shadow moved behind the opening.

Denzel felt the hair on his arms rise.

The shadow was enormous.

Far too large to fit through the doors.

Then something struck the inside.

Boom.

The tower shook.

Blue light exploded through every crack.

The soldiers lowered themselves again.

The Knight raised her sword.

"Denzel."

"I see it."

"We should leave."

"I know."

"You’re not moving."

"I noticed."

She gave him a sharp look.

Denzel ignored it.

His attention had shifted to the pendant.

The royal seal was glowing brighter.

Not randomly.

It was pulsing in a pattern.

Three short flashes.

Pause.

Three flashes.

Denzel’s eyes narrowed.

The symbol on the soldiers’ armor had the same rhythm.

He looked toward the woman.

"You said Sophia found the King’s final record."

"Yes."

"What did it contain?"

"I don’t know."

"You don’t know?"

"I told you. I was a servant."

"But you survived."

Her expression tightened.

"Yes."

"Then you saw what happened."

The woman looked away.

"I saw enough."

Denzel stepped closer.

"Tell me."

She remained silent.

"Tell me."

The woman’s fingers tightened around the torch.

"When Eldoria fell, the king ordered the royal family to evacuate."

Denzel glanced toward the ruins.

"But they didn’t."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because the attack wasn’t coming from outside."

The Knight’s expression changed.

"What?"

The woman looked at her.

"The enemy was already inside the palace."

Denzel’s eyes narrowed.

"How?"

"We never found out."

"Never?"

"No."

The woman swallowed.

"The guards opened the gates themselves."

Denzel stared at her.

"Betrayal."

"Yes."

"And the king?"

"He knew."

"How?"

"Because he was the one who ordered the gates opened."

Silence.

Denzel stared at her.

"That makes no sense."

"It didn’t then either."

The woman looked toward the tower.

"Until we discovered what was beneath the palace."

A deep groan came from the black structure.

The doors opened another inch.

The blue light intensified.

Denzel felt something tugging at his chest.

Not physically.

Something deeper.

The pendant seemed to be pulling toward the tower.

He took one involuntary step.

The Knight caught his shoulder.

"Don’t."

Denzel stopped.

"I wasn’t planning to."

"You were walking."

"I noticed."

She didn’t let go.

"Then notice this too."

She pointed toward the tower.

"The thing inside is calling you."

Denzel looked at her.

"How do you know?"

"Because you’re the only one reacting."

She was right.

The woman wasn’t moving.

The soldiers weren’t moving.

Only Denzel could feel it.

A faint pressure behind his eyes.

A whisper beneath his thoughts.

Not words.

Recognition.

Like something on the other side of the tower already knew him.

Then—

"Denzel!"

Sophia’s voice.

His head snapped toward the city.

The woman froze.

The Knight raised her sword.

"Sophia?"

The voice came again.

"Denzel!"

This time, it was unmistakable.

She was alive.

Denzel started forward.

The woman grabbed him.

"No."

He looked down at her hand.

"Let go."

"You can’t go there."

"She’s there."

"I know."

"Then let go."

The woman shook her head.

"You don’t understand. The palace isn’t safe."

"Nothing here is safe."

"You’re not listening."

"Then explain faster."

She looked into his eyes.

"Sophia isn’t calling you from the palace."

Denzel frowned.

"Then where?"

The woman pointed at the black tower.

"From underneath it."

The Knight’s grip tightened around her sword.

"That’s impossible."

The woman shook her head.

"No."

Her voice dropped.

"That’s exactly what they want you to think."

Denzel looked toward the tower.

The voice came again.

"Denzel!"

He could hear the panic now.

Sophia wasn’t calling him to come.

She was warning him.

He stepped forward.

"She’s in trouble."

The woman grabbed him again.

"So are you."

Denzel looked at her.

"What did Sophia find?"

The woman hesitated.

"The final record."

"That isn’t an answer."

"It told her who caused the fall of Eldoria."

"And?"

The woman looked toward the soldiers.

"They weren’t the ones who destroyed the kingdom."

Denzel’s eyes narrowed.

"Then who did?"

The woman whispered the answer.

"The king."

The Knight stared at her.

"What?"

"He opened the prison."

The valley went silent.

Denzel looked at the tower.

The shadow inside shifted.

The woman continued.

"The royal family didn’t die because enemies invaded Eldoria."

Her voice trembled.

"They died because the king believed he could control what was beneath the palace."

Denzel’s jaw tightened.

"What was it?"

She looked at him.

"The first bearer."

Denzel frowned.

"The first bearer of what?"

The woman pointed at his pendant.

"The royal seal."

A sharp crack sounded from the tower.

One of the enormous doors broke.

The right side fell outward.

It struck the ruins below with enough force to send a shockwave across the valley.

Soldiers were thrown backward.

The Knight staggered.

Denzel remained standing.

Something had changed.

The voice inside his head was clearer now.

Not Sophia.

Another voice.

An old man’s voice.

Weak.

Tired.

Waiting.

"Bearer."

Denzel froze.

The voice continued.

"Come."

The pendant flared.

The blue light swallowed his hand.

The Knight grabbed his shoulder.

"Denzel!"

He looked at her.

"I hear him."

"Hear who?"

Denzel looked at the tower.

"The king."

The woman went pale.

"No."

"What?"

"He shouldn’t be able to speak."

Denzel looked at her.

"Why?"

"Because he died twenty years ago."

The voice came again.

This time, all three heard it.

"Denzel."

The woman dropped the torch.

It hit the ground and rolled.

The flame went out.

The Knight stared into the darkness.

The soldiers began chanting.

"Bearer."

"Bearer."

"Bearer."

The sound grew louder.

Denzel turned toward them.

Their helmets concealed their faces, but something about their posture had changed.

They weren’t soldiers anymore.

They were waiting for a command.

The leader stepped forward.

"Royal blood has returned."

Denzel raised his sword.

"I already told you. I don’t have anything you want."

The leader’s head tilted.

"You misunderstand."

He pointed at Denzel.

"We don’t want the seal."

Denzel’s eyes narrowed.

"We want you to open the gate."

The black tower shook.

The blue markings across its surface flashed.

Denzel felt the pressure in his chest intensify.

The Knight stepped in front of him.

"Then you’re going to have a problem."

The leader looked at her.

"You cannot stop what is coming."

"Maybe."

She tightened her grip.

"But I can stop you."

The soldiers raised their weapons.

Denzel stepped beside her.

"Don’t."

She glanced at him.

"Don’t what?"

"Fight them."

Her eyebrows rose.

"You have a better idea?"

"Yes."

Denzel looked toward the tower.

"We go inside."

The Knight stared at him.

"You can’t be serious."

"I am."

"That’s the prison."

"I know."

"Something inside killed an entire kingdom."

"I know."

"And you want to walk toward it?"

Denzel glanced at her.

"Sophia is inside."

The Knight’s expression softened for half a second.

Then she sighed.

"Of course."

The woman shook her head violently.

"No."

Denzel turned.

"You’re not coming."

"I am."

The woman stared at him.

"You’ll die."

"Probably."

"That’s not reassuring."

"Wasn’t supposed to be."

He started down the hillside.

The Knight followed.

The woman remained where she was for several seconds.

Then she picked up the torch and hurried after them.

"You two are insane."

Denzel didn’t look back.

"That’s becoming another common theme."

The Knight glanced at him.

"You stole my line."

"I improved it."

"You didn’t."

They descended toward the ruins.

The army didn’t attack.

That made Denzel increasingly uneasy.

Every soldier simply watched.

As they approached the city, the blue symbols continued illuminating beneath their feet.

One.

Then another.

Then another.

The path seemed to form itself.

A trail leading directly toward the black tower.

Denzel stopped at the edge of the ruined street.

The city stretched ahead.

Broken houses.

Collapsed walls.

Ancient statues lying face-down in the dirt.

And everywhere, those blue symbols.

He crouched beside one.

The moment his fingers touched it, a memory flashed through his mind.

A crowded street.

People running.

Fire.

Screaming.

A palace glowing blue in the distance.

A young girl being dragged through a doorway.

Sophia.

Denzel jerked his hand away.

He breathed hard.

The Knight noticed.

"What did you see?"

"Nothing useful."

The woman stared at the symbol.

"You saw something."

Denzel looked at her.

"Your face says you know what."

She hesitated.

"The seal records memories."

"Whose?"

"The kingdom’s."

Denzel looked back at the symbol.

"Then why did it show me Sophia?"

The woman didn’t answer.

Denzel stood.

"Why?"

"She may have left her memory behind."

"For me?"

"I don’t know."

Denzel studied her.

She was lying.

Not completely.

But enough.

He didn’t press.

Not yet.

A scream echoed through the ruins.

"Denzel!"

Sophia.

This time, it came from the palace.

He ran.

The Knight swore and followed.

The woman hurried behind them.

They crossed the ruined streets.

The closer they got to the palace, the brighter the symbols became.

The black tower rose above them.

Its broken doors were now fully open.

Inside was darkness.

Not ordinary darkness.

It seemed to swallow the blue light around it.

Denzel stopped before the entrance.

The voice came again.

"Bearer."

He stepped forward.

The Knight grabbed his arm.

"Together."

Denzel looked at her.

She nodded toward the darkness.

"If we’re going in there, we’re going together."

Denzel nodded.

"Fine."

The woman stood behind them.

"Wait."

They turned.

She was staring at the entrance.

"What?"

She pointed.

"Look at the floor."

Denzel lowered his eyes.

There were footprints.

Fresh ones.

Small.

One set.

Sophia.

They led into the darkness.

Denzel’s grip tightened.

"She went in."

The woman nodded.

"And she didn’t come back out."

Denzel stepped through the doorway.

The Knight followed.

The woman took one final breath before entering behind them.

The moment all three crossed the threshold—

The doors slammed shut.

Darkness swallowed them.

The Knight’s sword scraped against the stone.

"Denzel?"

"Here."

"I can’t see."

"Neither can I."

The woman whispered.

"Don’t move."

Denzel frowned.

"Why?"

"Because there are things in this room."

He stopped.

Something breathed in the darkness.

Once.

Slowly.

From somewhere ahead.

Then another breath answered from behind.

The Knight raised her sword.

Denzel extended his hand.

The pendant responded.

Blue light spread from his chest.

The darkness receded.

The room appeared.

Rows of statues stood along the walls.

Hundreds of them.

Kings.

Knights.

Servants.

Children.

Every statue faced the center.

Denzel looked ahead.

At the center of the chamber stood a stone throne.

And seated upon it—

Was a man.

Old.

Pale.

Motionless.

A crown rested on his head.

His eyes were closed.

The woman dropped to her knees.

"The king."

Denzel stared.

The corpse opened its eyes.

Blue light filled them.

The Knight raised her sword.

The king smiled.

Then his gaze moved directly to Denzel.

"Finally."

Denzel’s blood ran cold.

The king slowly lifted one hand.

The entire chamber answered.

Every statue turned its head.

And beneath the stone floor—

Something began laughing.

The king’s smile widened.

"Bring me my son."

Denzel froze.

The Knight looked at him.

The woman covered her mouth.

And somewhere deeper beneath the palace, Sophia screamed again.

This time—

She didn’t call Denzel’s name.

She screamed one word.

"RUN!"