THE LAST HEIR OF THE VOID KINGDOM

CHAPTER 6

The Last Heir of the Void Kingdom

Chapter 6: The Guardian of Shadows

The red light on the dragon's map moved unnaturally fast.

Too fast for a horse.

Too fast for any ordinary traveller.

Arin stared as the glowing point crossed miles of wilderness in seconds.

"What is that?" he asked.

The dragon's ancient eyes narrowed.

"A Guardian."

"One of the Seven?"

The dragon nodded.

"But something is wrong."

A violent tremor rattled the cavern.

Dust fell from the ceiling.

Far above, the Void Titan let out another earth-shaking roar.

The kingdom was running out of time.

Then the glowing point stopped.

Directly above them.

Inside Castle Noctis.

A cold wind swept through the cavern.

The torches suddenly extinguished.

One by one.

Darkness consumed the chamber.

Only the dragon's starlight remained.

Footsteps echoed from the tunnel entrance.

Slow.

Calm.

Confident.

A figure emerged from the shadows.

A girl.

She looked no older than eighteen.

Black hair fell over one eye.

A long dark coat fluttered behind her.

Two curved daggers hung from her belt.

Most striking of all were her eyes.

One silver.

One gold.

Arin immediately sensed power.

Ancient power.

The girl glanced at the dragon.

Then at Lyra.

Finally, her gaze settled on Arin.

For several seconds, nobody spoke.

Then she sighed.

"Great."

Arin blinked.

"What?"

"The prophecy is doomed."

Lyra stepped forward.

"Who are you?"

The girl yawned.

"Ash."

The dragon's eyes widened.

To Arin's shock, the mighty creature lowered its head.

A gesture of respect.

"Guardian of Shadows."

Arin froze.

One of the Seven.

Already.

Ash looked at him critically.

"You look smaller than I expected."

"I'm standing right here."

"That's unfortunate."

Lyra struggled not to laugh.

The dragon, however, remained serious.

"Why have you come?"

Ash's expression darkened.

The humour vanished instantly.

"The Hollow King has found the First Key."

Silence.

Arin looked between them.

"What key?"

Nobody answered.

Which told him everything.

It was bad.

Very bad.

The dragon finally spoke.

"Explain."

Ash crossed her arms.

"Three days ago, an ancient vault beneath the Black Desert was opened."

The dragon's scales dimmed.

"Impossible."

"I thought so too."

Ash pulled a crystal sphere from her coat.

Cloudy images appeared inside it.

A ruined temple.

Dead guardians.

Broken seals.

At the centre stood a hooded figure surrounded by darkness.

Even through the vision, Arin felt sick.

The darkness moved like living creatures.

Like eyes staring from an endless abyss.

"The Hollow King's servants recovered the First Key."

"What does it unlock?" Arin asked.

Ash looked directly at him.

"The prison."

The words felt like ice.

"The Hollow King's prison?" Arin asked.

Ash nodded.

"There were seven locks."

The dragon continued.

"And seven keys."

Realisation slowly dawned on Arin.

"The Seven Guardians were protecting them."

"Exactly," Ash replied.

"The First Key is already lost."

Lyra clenched her fists.

"How many remain secure?"

Ash hesitated.

Then she answered.

"Five."

Arin frowned.

"Wait... shouldn't there be six left?"

Nobody spoke.

A terrible feeling settled in his stomach.

The dragon finally looked away.

Ash lowered her head.

"Oh no," Arin whispered.

A deafening crash shook the cavern.

The ceiling cracked.

The Void Titan was getting closer.

But suddenly it seemed like the smaller threat.

"One key is already gone," Arin said carefully.

"The First Key."

Ash nodded.

"Another disappeared centuries ago."

The dragon added quietly:

"The Seventh Key."

Arin's heart pounded.

"Where is it?"

Ash looked directly at the crown on his head.

Arin froze.

"No."

Nobody answered.

"No way."

The dragon sighed.

"The Seventh Key was hidden within the royal bloodline."

The crown began glowing.

Silver symbols spread across its surface.

The Astral Core pulsed.

Arin took a step back.

"You mean..."

"You are carrying it."

At that exact moment, a sinister laugh echoed through the cavern.

Every light went out.

Even the dragon's starlight flickered.

A crack appeared in the air itself.

Darkness poured through it like liquid.

Ash immediately drew her daggers.

The dragon spread its wings.

Lyra prepared for battle.

Arin felt his pulse racing.

A figure stepped through the rift.

Tall.

Armoured.

Familiar.

Lord Malakar.

But he wasn't alone.

Behind him stood three masked warriors.

Each radiating terrifying power.

The cavern trembled beneath their presence.

Malakar smiled.

His crimson eyes gleaming.

"Excellent."

He looked at Arin.

Then at the glowing crown.

Then at the Guardian of Shadows.

"It's so helpful when all my problems gather in one place."

Ash's expression hardened.

For the first time, she looked genuinely worried.

Malakar slowly drew a black blade from his side.

Dark energy exploded through the cavern.

The Heart of the Void began to crack again.

And from deep within the mountain, something colossal started to awaken.

Something far older than the dragon.

Far older than the kingdom.

Far older than the Hollow King itself.

A single eye opened beneath the mountain.

And it was looking directly at Arin.

To be continued...