My Taboo Harem System

Denzel ran.

He didn’t think about the statues.

He didn’t think about the king.

He didn’t even think about the thing laughing beneath the floor.

Sophia had screamed one word.

Run.

So he did.

The Knight followed immediately, her boots striking the stone behind him.

"Which way?"

Denzel looked around.

The chamber had changed.

The entrance was gone.

The walls that had surrounded them moments ago were now covered in enormous stone doors.

Six of them.

Three on each side.

Every door carried the same royal seal.

Denzel’s pendant burned against his chest.

The king laughed behind them.

"Too late."

Denzel stopped.

The Knight nearly crashed into him.

"What are you doing?"

Denzel turned.

The king remained seated on the throne.

He hadn’t moved.

Yet somehow, his voice was closer now.

"Bring me my son."

Denzel stared at him.

"Who?"

The king smiled.

"You know."

"No."

The king’s blue eyes brightened.

"You do."

The pendant around Denzel’s neck pulsed.

THUMP.

A sharp pain shot through his chest.

Denzel grabbed the pendant.

"What the hell?"

The woman behind them gasped.

She was staring at the throne.

"The king isn’t looking at you."

Denzel looked back.

The king’s gaze had shifted.

He was looking at the woman.

Her face went pale.

"No."

The king smiled.

"You remember."

The woman took a step backward.

"I was a child."

"You were there."

"I didn’t understand."

"You understood enough."

The Knight moved between them.

"Back away from her."

The king’s smile disappeared.

"You have no place here."

The Knight raised her sword.

"Neither do you."

For the first time, something changed in the king’s expression.

Not anger.

Recognition.

"You carry the blade of the royal guard."

The Knight’s grip tightened.

"You know this sword?"

"I remember every sword that served me."

Denzel looked at her.

She didn’t answer.

The king lifted one finger.

The statues moved.

Every stone head turned toward the Knight.

She took a slow step backward.

"Denzel."

"I see them."

"No."

Her eyes stayed on the statues.

"They’re looking at me."

One statue stepped forward.

Stone scraped against stone.

Then another.

Then another.

Denzel raised his sword.

"Stay behind me."

The Knight shook her head.

"No."

She stepped beside him.

"If they come, we fight together."

Denzel glanced at her.

"Good."

The first statue attacked.

Its stone sword came down.

Denzel blocked it.

The impact nearly knocked him off his feet.

The Knight struck from the side.

Her blade shattered the statue’s arm.

Stone exploded across the floor.

The statue didn’t fall.

Its broken arm regenerated.

Denzel stared.

"That’s annoying."

The Knight kicked it backward.

"Very."

Three more statues moved.

Then ten.

Then twenty.

The chamber filled with stone footsteps.

Denzel tightened his grip.

"We need another plan."

The woman suddenly shouted.

"Don’t destroy them!"

Denzel looked at her.

"Why?"

"They’re guardians!"

"That’s what they’re doing!"

"No!"

She pointed toward the throne.

"They’re protecting the king."

Denzel looked at the king.

The old man sat perfectly still.

Waiting.

The woman continued.

"They won’t stop until we reach him."

Denzel frowned.

"Then we reach him."

The Knight stared at him.

"That’s your plan?"

"It’s better than fighting a hundred statues."

They moved.

Denzel charged toward the throne.

The Knight stayed beside him.

The statues attacked from both sides.

Their blades struck stone.

Denzel ducked beneath one.

The Knight blocked another.

A statue grabbed Denzel’s shoulder.

He twisted and drove his elbow into its chest.

Nothing.

The thing didn’t even flinch.

"Seriously?"

It raised its sword.

The pendant flashed.

Blue light erupted from Denzel’s chest.

The statue froze.

Its sword stopped inches from his face.

Denzel stared.

The blue light spread across the statue’s body.

Cracks appeared.

Then the entire thing collapsed.

The Knight looked at him.

"What did you do?"

"I have absolutely no idea."

Another statue rushed them.

Denzel raised his hand instinctively.

The pendant flashed again.

The statue stopped.

Then knelt.

Denzel froze.

The Knight froze too.

The woman whispered.

"The seal."

Denzel looked at the kneeling statue.

"It obeyed me."

"No."

She shook her head.

"It recognized you."

Denzel looked toward the king.

The king was smiling again.

"Now you understand."

Denzel’s eyes narrowed.

"Understand what?"

The king leaned forward.

"You are not the bearer."

Denzel’s stomach tightened.

"Then what am I?"

The king’s smile widened.

"My blood."

Silence.

Denzel stared at him.

"What?"

The Knight looked at the king.

"That’s impossible."

The woman slowly stood.

"No."

Her voice trembled.

"It isn’t."

Denzel turned toward her.

"You knew."

She shook her head.

"I suspected."

"That’s not the same thing."

"No."

She swallowed.

"It isn’t."

The king laughed softly.

"She always was good at hiding things."

Denzel stepped closer.

"My blood?"

The king nodded.

"Your blood."

Denzel looked down at his hands.

Nothing changed.

He still looked like himself.

Still felt like himself.

There was no sudden revelation.

No memory.

Just a growing pressure behind his eyes.

The king spoke again.

"Your mother never told you."

Denzel froze.

The chamber disappeared for a second.

Not literally.

His attention narrowed.

"What did you say?"

"Your mother."

Denzel stepped toward the throne.

"Don’t talk about her."

The king’s expression became almost amused.

"You still remember her."

"Don’t."

"She was afraid of what you would become."

Denzel’s jaw tightened.

The Knight glanced at him.

The woman lowered her eyes.

Denzel noticed.

"She knew."

The woman said nothing.

"She knew about me."

Silence.

Denzel’s voice hardened.

"You all knew."

The king smiled.

"Not all."

The floor shook.

A deep sound came from beneath them.

Then Sophia screamed again.

"Denzel!"

He turned toward the far wall.

The sound had come from behind one of the doors.

He ran toward it.

The king’s voice followed.

"You cannot save her."

Denzel stopped.

"Watch me."

The king smiled.

"That is exactly what I want."

Denzel turned slowly.

"What?"

The king leaned back.

"Open the door."

Denzel looked at the six doors.

"Which one?"

The king didn’t answer.

The pendant began glowing.

One door responded.

The symbol above it illuminated.

Denzel walked toward it.

The Knight caught his arm.

"Don’t."

"She’s behind it."

"That’s what he wants."

"I know."

"Then why are you going?"

Denzel looked at her.

"Because she’s still there."

The Knight stared at him for a moment.

Then released him.

"I’ll cover you."

Denzel nodded.

He placed his hand against the door.

The moment he touched it—

THUMP.

The door opened.

Cold air rushed out.

A narrow staircase descended.

Sophia’s voice came from below.

"Denzel."

This time, it sounded real.

He stepped inside.

The Knight followed.

The woman hesitated.

The king spoke behind them.

"Stay."

She froze.

Denzel looked back.

The king was staring directly at her.

"You owe me."

The woman trembled.

"I owe you nothing."

"You survived because I allowed you to."

Her eyes filled with anger.

"You killed everyone."

"I saved what mattered."

"You destroyed Eldoria."

"I created what came after."

The woman shook her head.

"You were supposed to protect them."

The king smiled.

"I did."

Denzel looked between them.

"Enough."

The king’s gaze returned to him.

"Go."

Denzel frowned.

"What?"

"Go save the girl."

The king’s smile returned.

"Then come back to me."

The door began closing.

Denzel stepped backward.

"What happens then?"

The king’s eyes glowed brighter.

"You’ll remember."

The door slammed shut.

Darkness surrounded them.

The Knight lit a small flame.

Denzel started down the stairs.

"How far?"

"Far."

"Helpful."

She glanced at him.

"You don’t want the truth."

"I’ve noticed that truth keeps finding me anyway."

They descended.

The walls were covered in carvings.

Kings.

Wars.

Royal ceremonies.

Then Denzel saw something familiar.

A woman holding a baby.

His steps slowed.

The carving showed her standing before the royal throne.

The king stood behind her.

And in her arms—

A child.

A small mark was carved into the child’s chest.

Three lines through a circle.

Denzel stared.

"That’s me."

The Knight looked at the carving.

She said nothing.

Denzel touched the stone.

Another memory flashed.

His mother.

Young.

Terrified.

Holding him tightly.

The king stood across from her.

"You cannot hide him forever."

His mother shook her head.

"He is my son."

"He is mine."

"No."

She backed away.

"He will never belong to you."

The memory shattered.

Denzel pulled his hand away.

His breathing had become uneven.

The Knight touched his shoulder.

"You okay?"

"No."

She nodded.

"Fair."

He looked at her.

"You knew my mother?"

"No."

"Then how do you know about the seal?"

She hesitated.

"Because everyone in the royal guard was told the same story."

"What story?"

"That the king had one heir."

Denzel frowned.

"I don’t have a brother."

The Knight’s face tightened.

"That’s where you’re wrong."

A voice came from below.

"You’re not his heir."

Denzel froze.

Sophia.

Her voice.

The Knight raised her sword.

"Denzel."

"I know."

They continued down.

The stairs ended at a massive chamber.

At the center stood a glass prison.

Inside it—

Sophia.

Denzel’s heart jumped.

"Sophia!"

She looked up.

Her face was pale.

Her hands were pressed against the glass.

"Denzel!"

He ran toward her.

The Knight followed.

Denzel reached the prison.

"Are you hurt?"

Sophia shook her head.

"No."

"What happened?"

"I found the record."

"Then the king trapped you?"

Sophia looked behind him.

Her eyes widened.

"He’s awake."

Denzel turned.

The chamber behind them was empty.

"What?"

Sophia shook her head.

"The other one."

Denzel frowned.

"What other one?"

Sophia pointed toward the glass floor beneath them.

Denzel looked down.

Something moved underneath.

A shadow.

Large.

Human-shaped.

It slowly raised its head.

Denzel stepped backward.

Sophia’s voice trembled.

"He’s been waiting for you."

The Knight raised her sword.

"Who?"

Sophia looked at Denzel.

"Your brother."

The glass prison cracked.

Denzel stared at her.

"I don’t have a brother."

The shadow beneath the floor smiled.

Then a voice echoed through the chamber.

"You do now."

The glass shattered.

Sophia fell forward.

Denzel caught her.

The floor exploded.

A man climbed out of the darkness.

He looked almost exactly like Denzel.

Same face.

Same eyes.

But his eyes glowed blue.

Black markings covered his neck and arms.

And on his chest—

The royal seal burned brightly.

The man looked at Denzel.

Then smiled.

"Hello, brother."

Denzel’s grip tightened around Sophia.

The Knight raised her sword.

The man laughed.

"Don’t worry."

He looked toward the ceiling.

"The king wants him alive."

Denzel stared at him.

"And what do you want?"

The man’s smile disappeared.

"You."

He stepped forward.

"Dead."

The chamber doors slammed shut.

And beneath Eldoria—

the first war of the royal bloodline began.