Chapter 187: Face
Denzel kept climbing.
He had officially decided that Eldoria had a problem with stairs.
Not normal stairs, either.
These were the kind that existed solely to make people question their life choices.
Behind him, the First Crown followed in complete silence.
Or rather, what remained of it.
Its black armor had disappeared, replaced by blue flames that burned without producing heat. Every step it took made the ancient stone beneath its feet glow briefly before fading again.
Denzel glanced back.
"You’re really following us?"
The guardian said nothing.
"You’re a very quiet companion."
Nothing.
"Great conversation."
Sophia glanced at him.
"You’re talking to it?"
"I’m trying to establish a relationship."
"With a guardian that just called you king?"
"Exactly. I think communication is important."
The Knight climbed past them.
"You’re wasting time."
Denzel looked at her back.
"You’re surprisingly good at ruining jokes."
"I wasn’t joking."
"Yeah. That’s the problem."
The Knight ignored him.
They reached the top of the staircase.
The corridor they had entered from was still there, but it had changed.
The golden doors were gone.
The walls were covered in cracks, and blue light leaked through them in thin veins.
Somewhere far above, something groaned.
Not the dungeon.
The entire mountain.
Sophia stopped.
"Did you hear that?"
Denzel nodded.
The sound came again.
A deep, dragging rumble.
The guardian lifted its head.
Its single blue eye brightened.
"Coming."
Denzel frowned.
"What’s coming?"
The guardian pointed upward.
Before Denzel could ask again, the ceiling exploded.
Stone crashed down.
"Move!"
The Knight grabbed Sophia and dragged her sideways.
Denzel threw himself against the wall as a massive chunk of rock smashed into the floor.
Dust filled the corridor.
He coughed.
"Okay."
Sophia waved the dust away.
"That was close."
Denzel looked at the hole above them.
"I’m starting to think the dungeon doesn’t like us."
The guardian stepped through the falling dust.
It looked upward.
Then it spoke.
"Not dungeon."
Denzel’s expression tightened.
"Then what?"
"Kingdom."
Another tremor shook the corridor.
The floor tilted beneath them.
Sophia stumbled.
Denzel caught her around the waist before she fell.
"Got you."
She steadied herself.
"Thanks."
"Try not to fall. I’m already carrying enough emotional baggage."
Sophia almost smiled.
The Knight looked toward the guardian.
"What is happening?"
The guardian’s blue flames flickered.
"Seal opening."
Denzel looked at the system.
[Second Seal: 28%.]
He frowned.
"It’s going up."
The Knight’s face hardened.
"How quickly?"
Denzel watched the number change.
[29%.]
[30%.]
"Very."
The Knight immediately turned toward the corridor.
"We need to reach the throne room."
Denzel followed.
"Why?"
"If the second seal breaks completely, whatever is beneath it will be released."
"That much I figured."
"No."
She stopped.
Her eyes met his.
"You don’t understand what that means."
Denzel waited.
The Knight lowered her voice.
"The second seal isn’t keeping something trapped."
Denzel’s expression changed.
"Then what is it doing?"
"It is keeping something asleep."
The words settled heavily.
Sophia looked at the guardian.
"And the First Crown?"
The guardian answered.
"Awakened."
Denzel frowned.
"That sounds like a bad combination."
"It is."
"Finally, someone gives me a straight answer."
They hurried down the corridor.
The further they went, the more the dungeon changed.
The ancient stone walls began giving way to polished black marble.
Old banners appeared between the pillars.
Each carried the same symbol.
A crown surrounded by seven circles.
Denzel slowed.
He had seen the symbol before.
On the throne.
On the seals.
On the pendant.
And now—
on the banners.
He reached out and brushed his fingers against one.
The fabric immediately turned to ash.
Denzel pulled his hand back.
"Okay."
Sophia stared.
"You didn’t even do anything."
"I touched it."
"That shouldn’t have happened."
"I’m beginning to realize that sentence applies to me quite often."
The Knight looked at the ashes.
"This corridor hasn’t been touched in centuries."
Denzel looked at the guardian.
"Apparently it recognized me."
The guardian’s blue eye remained fixed ahead.
"Blood remembers."
Denzel’s humor faded.
"Does mine?"
The guardian didn’t answer.
That was answer enough.
They reached another set of doors.
These were smaller than the golden ones.
Black.
No handles.
Seven circles were carved across them.
Denzel approached.
The doors opened before he touched them.
Sophia stopped.
"That’s becoming unsettling."
Denzel looked at her.
"Only becoming?"
She shook her head.
They entered.
Denzel immediately recognized the room.
The throne room.
Except it wasn’t the throne room they had entered before.
This one was older.
Much older.
The walls were lined with statues of kings.
Some had been destroyed.
Others had their faces scratched away.
At the center stood a massive throne made from black stone.
And sitting on it—
was a man.
Denzel stopped.
The man looked younger than he had expected.
Dark hair.
Pale skin.
A long black coat.
No crown.
No armor.
He simply sat there with one hand resting against the throne.
His eyes were closed.
Denzel’s heart began beating faster.
Sophia whispered,
"Is that—"
The man opened his eyes.
Silver.
Exactly like Kael’s.
"Denzel."
Denzel froze.
The man smiled.
"You finally came."
The Knight stepped forward.
"Stay behind me."
Denzel barely heard her.
He was staring at the man.
There was something about him.
Something familiar.
Not comforting.
Not warm.
Familiar in the way a nightmare could feel familiar after you’d dreamed it too many times.
"You know my name."
The man stood.
"I’ve known it since before you were born."
Denzel tightened his grip around the dagger.
"That’s becoming a very annoying sentence."
The man laughed softly.
"You still have his humor."
"Whose?"
"Your father’s."
Denzel’s expression hardened.
"You know him?"
The man’s smile disappeared.
"I knew him."
The room became colder.
Denzel stepped forward.
"Where is he?"
The man looked toward the throne.
"Where he belongs."
"That tells me nothing."
"It wasn’t meant to."
Denzel glanced at the Knight.
She had gone pale.
"You know him too."
She didn’t answer.
Denzel sighed.
"Of course."
The man looked at her.
"You brought him here."
The Knight’s hand tightened around her sword.
"I brought him to survive."
"No."
The man’s gaze returned to Denzel.
"You brought him to awaken."
Sophia stepped forward.
"Who are you?"
The man ignored her.
Denzel didn’t.
"I asked first."
The man smiled.
"My name is Ardyn."
Denzel waited.
Nothing.
"Should that mean something to me?"
"It will."
"Everyone here keeps saying that."
Ardyn walked down from the throne.
The guardian immediately moved between them.
Blue flames surged around its body.
Ardyn stopped.
"You’re awake."
The guardian lowered its head.
"Master."
Denzel’s eyebrows rose.
"Master?"
The Knight’s expression changed.
"That isn’t possible."
Ardyn smiled.
"Many things are impossible until they happen."
The guardian turned toward Denzel.
"Bloodline."
Denzel pointed at Ardyn.
"So he’s your master?"
The guardian shook its head.
"Not him."
Denzel blinked.
Ardyn’s smile widened.
"The guardian serves the Crown."
Denzel slowly looked at himself.
"No."
Ardyn nodded.
"Yes."
Denzel shook his head.
"I’m not wearing a crown."
"You don’t need to."
Ardyn’s gaze dropped to Denzel’s chest.
"The Crown is inside you."
The room shook.
[Second Seal: 35%.]
Denzel stared at the system.
Then at Ardyn.
"What happens when it reaches one hundred?"
Ardyn’s expression became almost sympathetic.
"You remember."
Denzel’s stomach tightened.
"Remember what?"
"Who you were."
"I know who I am."
"No."
Ardyn took another step.
"You know who you became."
Denzel raised his dagger.
"Try me."
Ardyn stopped.
Then he smiled.
"Your mother said the same thing."
Everything went silent.
Denzel’s grip tightened.
"You know my mother?"
"I know where she is."
"Where?"
Ardyn pointed toward the throne.
"Below."
Denzel’s chest tightened.
"The voice."
Ardyn nodded.
"She has been calling you."
Denzel looked at Sophia.
She looked frightened.
The Knight raised her sword.
"You shouldn’t be speaking to him."
Ardyn looked at her.
"You’re still protecting him."
"I gave my word."
"You gave your word to a dead king."
The Knight’s expression hardened.
"He isn’t dead."
Ardyn’s smile disappeared.
"No."
He looked at Denzel.
"He isn’t."
Denzel’s heart slammed against his ribs.
"What does that mean?"
Ardyn walked toward the throne.
"You’ve been asking the wrong question."
Denzel followed with his eyes.
"What should I ask?"
"Why your father disappeared."
Denzel’s jaw tightened.
"I don’t know."
"Why your mother was imprisoned."
"I don’t know."
"Why the royal bloodline erased your memories."
Denzel’s expression changed.
Ardyn turned.
"And why you were sent away."
Denzel went still.
Sophia looked at him.
"You were sent away?"
Ardyn smiled.
"Your mother didn’t abandon you."
Denzel couldn’t speak.
"She hid you."
"From who?"
Ardyn’s silver eyes darkened.
"From yourself."
A violent tremor shook the room.
The statues cracked.
The throne split down the middle.
[Second Seal: 41%.]
Something beneath the floor roared.
The sound was so powerful that Sophia dropped to one knee.
Denzel staggered.
The guardian remained completely still.
Ardyn looked toward the floor.
"It is waking."
Denzel forced himself upright.
"What is it?"
Ardyn didn’t answer.
The floor beneath the throne opened.
A massive eye appeared in the darkness.
Black sclera.
Silver iris.
The same color as Denzel’s.
Denzel stared.
The eye blinked.
Then a voice rose from beneath the throne.
"Father."
Denzel’s blood turned cold.
Sophia looked at him.
The Knight raised her sword.
Ardyn closed his eyes.
And the guardian lowered itself to the floor.
Denzel stared at the darkness.
"Who did it call father?"
Ardyn opened his eyes.
"You."
Denzel shook his head.
"No."
The voice came again.
"Father."
The second seal climbed.
[Second Seal: 48%.]
Denzel’s vision blurred.
Images flashed.
A throne.
A woman holding him.
A man standing beside them.
His father.
But the man wasn’t looking at him.
He was looking at something beneath the throne.
Something enormous.
Something hungry.
Then the image changed.
Denzel saw himself.
Older.
Wearing the black crown.
Standing before seven kneeling kings.
His own voice echoed through the memory.
Open the gate.
Denzel stumbled backward.
"No."
Sophia grabbed him.
"Denzel!"
He pushed the memory away.
Ardyn watched him carefully.
"You’re remembering."
"Shut up."
"You’re afraid."
"Shut up."
"You should be."
Denzel looked up.
His eyes were cold now.
"Tell me the truth."
Ardyn smiled faintly.
"You’re not ready for it."
Denzel stepped forward.
"I didn’t ask if I’m ready."
He raised the dagger.
"I asked for the truth."
The room trembled again.
[Second Seal: 55%.]
The eye beneath the throne opened wider.
Ardyn looked at Denzel.
Then, for the first time, his expression showed genuine concern.
"The seal is opening too quickly."
Denzel frowned.
"Why?"
Ardyn looked at the guardian.
"Because the Crown has recognized its master."
The guardian rose.
Blue fire erupted from its body.
Then it turned toward Denzel.
"Command."
Denzel stared.
"What?"
"Give command."
The guardian lowered its head.
"King."
Denzel looked toward the throne.
Then toward the enormous eye beneath it.
His heart was pounding.
He didn’t know what he was.
He didn’t know what his family had done.
He didn’t know why his memories were gone.
But there was one thing he knew.
Whatever was beneath that throne had called him father.
And he wasn’t about to let it decide what that meant.
Denzel tightened his grip around the dagger.
"Fine."
The guardian waited.
Denzel pointed toward the throne.
"Open it."
Ardyn’s expression changed.
"Denzel, don’t."
The guardian moved.
Its hand slammed into the black stone.
The throne exploded.
A wave of blue energy tore through the chamber.
The floor disappeared beneath Denzel’s feet.
Sophia screamed.
The Knight lunged for him.
Too late.
Denzel fell.
Down.
Past stone.
Past darkness.
Past the broken seals.
The last thing he saw before everything went black was Ardyn standing above him.
And behind Ardyn—
a man.
Denzel’s father.
Watching him fall.
The man’s face was covered in blood.
But his eyes were clear.
And he was smiling.
Then the darkness swallowed Denzel completely.
[Second Seal: 63%.]
[Descent initiated.]
[Royal Memory Restoration: 12%.]
[Warning.]
[The entity below has awakened.]
Denzel opened his eyes.
Something was standing in front of him.
A man.
Tall.
Familiar.
The man smiled.
"It’s been a long time, son."
Denzel stared at him.
His father’s voice.
His father’s face.
And behind him, stretching endlessly into the darkness, were seven enormous doors.
All of them were opening.