The Nine Leaders buried Ren deep beneath the earth, in the center of the Great Continent.
But Ren's body was still a black hole. It sucked the energy from the soil.
To keep the seal active, the Nine Leaders had to make a pact.
"We will guard this tomb forever," Guan declared.
They built nine massive towers around the tomb. Each leader sat on top of a tower. They meditated. They poured their own Aspects into the seal to feed Ren, so Ren would not eat the world.
They became the Nine Monarchs.
They were no longer humans. They were living batteries, eternal wardens of the ultimate sin.