Chapter 2703: Story 2704: The Brother Beneath

The ground split beneath the ruined castle.

Ronan barely kept his balance as a deep crack tore across the stone courtyard.

“Move!” Kael shouted.

Lyra grabbed Ronan’s arm and pulled him away from the widening fissure.

A thunderous roar erupted from below.

Dust and broken stones exploded into the air.

The zombies did not run.

They stood perfectly still, watching the darkness beneath the castle.

Ronan tightened his grip on his sword.

“What is down there?”

Kael stared into the crack.

“Something that should have remained buried.”

Another heartbeat echoed from below.

BOOM.

The castle shook.

BOOM.

A section of the throne room collapsed.

BOOM.

Then everything became silent.

Ronan looked toward the Hollow King.

The mysterious ruler was no longer smiling.

For the first time, fear appeared beneath his iron crown.

“What changed?” Ronan asked.

Kael answered quietly.

“The thing beneath us has awakened.”

A hand suddenly burst through the broken stone.

Its fingers were long, blackened, and covered with ancient scars.

Lyra stepped backward.

“What the hell is that?”

The hand pulled itself upward.

A man climbed from the darkness.

He wore pieces of ancient armor covered in frost and dried blood. His long black hair hung across his face.

He slowly raised his head.

Ronan froze.

The man’s face looked strangely familiar.

Not identical.

But familiar enough to make Ronan’s heart pound.

The stranger looked directly at him.

For several seconds, neither moved.

Then the stranger whispered:

“Ronan.”

Kael’s sword slipped slightly from his hand.

“No...”

Lyra looked at him.

“You know him?”

Kael stared at the stranger in disbelief.

“I thought he was dead.”

The stranger smiled.

“I was.”

Ronan raised his sword.

“Who are you?”

The man stepped forward.

“My name is Elias Draven.”

Ronan’s breathing stopped.

“Draven?”

Elias nodded.

“Your brother.”

The world seemed to disappear around Ronan.

Memories flashed through his mind.

A small house surrounded by snow.

A boy running through a forest.

Two wooden swords.

A woman’s voice calling them home.

Then fire.

Screaming.

Blood.

Ronan grabbed his head.

“No...”

Elias continued walking toward him.

“You were taken.”

Ronan looked up.

“What are you talking about?”

“The night our village burned, they took you.”

“Who?”

Elias glanced toward the Hollow King.

“They did.”

The Hollow King raised his hand.

Hundreds of zombies moved between the two brothers.

Kael stepped forward.

“Elias, don’t listen to him.”

Elias turned toward Kael.

“You knew where he was all these years.”

Kael’s expression hardened.

“I searched for you.”

“No,” Elias replied. “You searched for the boy.”

He pointed at Ronan.

“You never came for me.”

Kael lowered his eyes.

Ronan looked between them.

“What happened to you?”

Elias smiled bitterly.

“I died in this castle.”

A cold silence followed.

“Then why are you standing here?” Lyra asked.

Elias looked at her.

“Because death didn’t want me.”

Suddenly, his eyes turned black.

Every zombie in the courtyard dropped to its knees.

Ronan’s sword began glowing red again.

Elias extended his hand.

The dead rose.

Thousands of zombies turned toward Ronan.

Kael shouted:

“Ronan, run!”

But Ronan remained still.

Elias stared at his brother.

“You have the blood.”

Ronan raised his shield.

“Then come and take it.”

Elias smiled.

“Not yet.”

He turned toward the underground passage.

“The First Kingdom is waiting.”

Then he disappeared into the darkness.

The Hollow King followed.

The zombies marched after them.

Ronan stood silently.

Lyra touched his shoulder.

“Are you all right?”

Ronan looked into the darkness where his brother had vanished.

“No.”

He tightened his grip on his sword.

“But I’m going after him.”