Episode 18 — The Temple of Seven Kings
The sky burned with crystal light and darkness.
Far above the battlefield, Aurelion and the Void King clashed like gods.
Every collision shattered mountains.
Every roar shook the continent.
The Frozen Pass was becoming a graveyard.
Kai held tightly onto Nyrax.
The young dragon hovered above the battlefield.
His blue eyes reflected the war raging around them.
The Heart of Winter pulsed rapidly.
Not with fear.
With urgency.
Something was calling him.
Again.
Deep below.
Beneath the ice.
Beneath the mountains.
Beneath the battlefield.
Nyrax suddenly turned away from the war.
"Kai..."
Seraphine shouted from above.
"Where are you going?!"
Kai looked toward the canyon floor.
A massive crack had opened during the battle.
Blue light glowed from somewhere inside.
"I think..."
Kai whispered.
"It's calling us."
Without waiting—
Nyrax folded his wings.
And dove.
WHOOSH!
The young dragon plunged into the darkness.
Past shattered ice.
Past ancient ruins.
Past forgotten tunnels hidden for thousands of years.
The deeper they descended—
The stronger the pull became.
Soon the sounds of battle disappeared.
Only silence remained.
Then they reached it.
A colossal underground cavern.
Larger than an entire city.
Kai stared in awe.
Ancient dragon statues surrounded the chamber.
Crystal rivers flowed through the darkness.
Gigantic pillars stretched into the unseen ceiling above.
Blue runes illuminated everything.
At the center stood a temple.
Not built by humans.
Not built by Dragon Riders.
Built by dragons.
The Temple of Seven Kings.
The moment Nyrax landed—
Every rune inside the cavern ignited.
BOOOOM!
Ancient blue light flooded the chamber.
The entire temple awakened.
Then seven crystal thrones emerged from the floor.
Massive.
Ancient.
Majestic.
Six stood empty.
One glowed brilliantly.
The throne of Aurelion.
Suddenly—
The Heart of Winter floated from Nyrax's chest.
Kai stepped back.
"What are you doing?"
The crystal ignored him.
It drifted toward the center of the chamber.
Then entered an enormous crystal pedestal.
The entire temple shook.
Ancient machinery awakened.
Runes spun across the walls.
Dragon symbols illuminated the cavern.
And a voice echoed through the darkness.
Not Veyrath.
Not Aurelion.
Someone older.
"The heir arrives."
A gigantic figure appeared above the pedestal.
A spectral dragon.
Transparent.
Golden.
Beautiful.
Its wings stretched across the cavern.
Its eyes glowed like stars.
Kai stared upward.
"Who are you?"
The dragon smiled.
"I am Solaryn."
"Second Dragon King."
"Guardian of Prophecy."
Kai's heart raced.
Another Dragon King.
Solaryn lowered his head.
"For ten thousand years..."
"We have waited."
Then the dragon looked toward Nyrax.
Not at Kai.
At Nyrax.
"The Eighth Throne awakens."
Silence.
Kai frowned.
"There are only seven thrones."
The golden dragon's smile disappeared.
"There were once eight."
The cavern became silent.
"Before the betrayal."
Suddenly—
Images appeared around the temple.
Ancient memories.
Eight Dragon Kings standing together.
Not seven.
Eight.
At the center stood a massive black dragon.
Larger than all the others.
Crowned with blue crystal fire.
Kai immediately recognized him.
The spectral dragon behind Nyrax.
The dragon from Episode 15.
The king from his visions.
"The First King."
Solaryn whispered.
"The Dragon Emperor."
The image shifted.
Kai watched in horror as the Dragon Emperor battled something beyond imagination.
A creature of living darkness.
A monster larger than mountains.
Larger than kingdoms.
Larger than dragons.
The Firstborn.
The true form of the Void King.
The battle destroyed continents.
Split oceans.
Shattered civilizations.
Then the vision ended.
Solaryn's eyes darkened.
"The Emperor vanished."
"The Void King survived."
"History forgot."
Then the dragon turned toward Nyrax.
"Until now."
Suddenly—
The temple shook violently.
BOOOOOOOM!
The ceiling cracked.
Dust rained downward.
Something had found them.
Far above—
The battle had reached the temple.
A roar echoed through the cavern.
May you like
The Void King.
And it was coming.
