Chapter 17 Kings Never Kneel

The Aftermath of War

I stood in the wreckage of the tower, my body still thrumming with the energy of a thousand fallen warriors. My golden aura flickered around me, but the spirits were quiet now, their battle fought.

For now.

I let out a breath, my muscles aching like hell. "Well," I muttered to myself, cracking my neck, "that was fun."

Behind me, the last remnants of the Shadow Saiyans were nothing more than drifting wisps of darkness. Xyros had run. I still wasn't sure if that was a win or if I had just pissed him off enough that he needed a new plan.

Probably both.

Footsteps crunched against the rubble.

I turned to see Korr walking toward me, arms crossed, his silver eyes narrowed. He stopped, looked me up and down, and let out a slow whistle.

"Well," he said. "That was… something."

I rolled my shoulders. "Gonna be more specific, or are you just here to admire the view?"

"I'm debating whether I should be impressed or concerned," he admitted. "You just tapped into the power of the entire ancestral Saiyan lineage, wiped out an army of nightmares, and scared off the most dangerous being we've seen in centuries."

I grinned. "So… impressed?"

He sighed. "Mostly concerned."

---

The Tower's Secrets

The ruins of the tower still pulsed with energy, ancient Saiyan inscriptions glowing faintly beneath the dust and debris.

I glanced around, frowning. "This place doesn't feel… done."

Korr's expression darkened. "It's not."

Before I could ask what he meant, a deep rumbling shook the ground beneath us. The very foundations of the tower trembled, and the air grew thick with an unseen force.

I tensed. "Uh… please tell me that's just normal post-battle earthquakes."

Korr didn't answer. His gaze was locked on something behind me.

I turned—

And froze.

At the center of the shattered tower, where my battle with Xyros had torn open the stone, a door had appeared. A massive, ancient gateway carved from obsidian, covered in Saiyan runes I didn't recognize.

And at its center, embedded in the stone, was a symbol I did recognize.

The Black Core.

My stomach twisted. "That's… not good."

Korr stepped forward cautiously. "The tower was never just a trial ground," he murmured. "It was a seal."

A bad feeling coiled in my gut. "A seal for what?"

A voice—not Korr's—answered.

"For the one who came before."

---

A Message from the Past

The voice echoed through the ruins, deep and ancient. The air itself seemed to bend under its presence, as if time had momentarily forgotten how to move forward.

And then—

A figure emerged.

Not physically—it was a projection, a recording left behind in the very essence of the tower. But the presence it carried felt real.

An old Saiyan warrior stood before us, his battle-worn armor bearing the crest of an empire long lost to history. His golden eyes—burning like fire—pierced through me.

"I am Raiko," he said, voice like thunder. "The last of the Saiyan Kings."

I blinked. "Okay, that's a hell of an intro."

Raiko didn't acknowledge my sarcasm.

"This message is for the one who carries the blood of the fallen," he continued. "If you stand here now, it means the Shadow Saiyans have returned."

I exchanged a glance with Korr. "Yeah, no kidding."

Raiko's gaze didn't waver. "And if they have returned… then so has he."

The air turned to ice.

"He?" I echoed. "Who's 'he'?"

Raiko's expression hardened.

"The First Shadow."

A chill ran down my spine.

Korr stiffened beside me. "That's not possible. The First Shadow was sealed away with the Black Core. He should be—"

"Time does not hold him as it does you," Raiko interrupted. "His return is inevitable."

Well. That was fantastic news.

---

The Truth About Xyros

Raiko's projection turned toward me, his fiery gaze locking onto mine.

"The power you wield," he said, "is the last hope of our people. The strength of the fallen lives within you—but it will not be enough."

I frowned. "Excuse me? I just wiped the floor with an entire army."

Raiko's expression didn't change. "And yet Xyros still stands."

…Damn it. He had a point.

I crossed my arms. "Fine. You obviously know something we don't. Spill it."

Raiko nodded. "Xyros is strong, but he is merely the harbinger." His eyes burned brighter. "He does not seek power for himself—he seeks to free the First Shadow."

Silence.

My stomach dropped.

Korr's hands clenched into fists. "If he succeeds…"

Raiko's voice was grim. "Then your fight will not be for victory. It will be for survival."

I exhaled sharply. "Alright. Cool. No pressure."

Raiko stepped forward, his energy beginning to flicker. "There is one last thing."

I tensed. "Oh, good. More bad news."

"You carry the power of the fallen," Raiko said, "but you are not the first."

I blinked. "Wait. What?"

Raiko's form began to fade, his time running out. "There was another. Long ago."

The tower trembled once more. The gateway pulsed.

And as Raiko vanished into golden light, his final words echoed through the ruins:

"To defeat the First Shadow… you must find him."

---

The Hunt Begins

Silence hung in the air long after Raiko disappeared.

I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling. "So. Let me get this straight." I pointed at the massive Black Core seal. "Xyros is trying to break that open."

Korr nodded grimly.

"And inside it is the worst thing to ever exist."

"Correct."

I gestured to the space where Raiko had just been. "And now we have to go find some mystery guy who apparently has the key to stopping it?"

Korr nodded again.

I sighed. "Man, I hate prophecies."

"Agreed," Korr muttered.

I dusted myself off. "Alright. Where do we start?"

Korr frowned. "I don't know."

"Great." I turned toward the exit. "Then let's go find someone who does."

I had a feeling things were about to get a lot more complicated.

And I was never wrong about that.

---

Next Time on Ancient Legends…

A forgotten warrior?!

The hunt for answers begins!

And what exactly is the First Shadow?!

Find out next time on Ancient Legends!