Chapter 2730: Story 2731: The March to the Surface

The First Kingdom exploded into darkness.

Ronan hit the ground hard.

His shield slid across the stone, disappearing into the shadows.

“Lyra!”

“I’m here!”

Her voice came from somewhere nearby.

Ronan pushed himself up.

Dust filled the chamber.

The Ancient King was gone.

So was the throne.

But the chains remained.

Aren was still trapped within them.

His body hung above the ruined floor, silver light flickering around him.

“Ronan...”

“I’m coming!”

Ronan charged toward him.

A black creature suddenly leaped from the darkness.

Lyra’s arrow struck its throat.

It collapsed before reaching Ronan.

“Move!” she shouted.

Ronan reached Aren.

He raised his sword and struck the chain.

Nothing happened.

Again.

The blade cracked further.

“It’s not breaking!”

Kael approached through the smoke.

“Because you’re fighting the chain.”

Ronan looked at him.

“What should I fight?”

Kael pointed toward Aren.

“The power holding it.”

Ronan frowned.

“How?”

Kael stared at the red mark on Ronan’s face.

“Your blood.”

Ronan looked at his burning palm.

Before he could answer, Elias appeared beside them.

His black armor was damaged, and dark blood ran down his face.

“I can help.”

Ronan turned.

“You’re sure?”

Elias looked at Aren.

“He’s my brother.”

He placed his hand against one of the chains.

Black energy spread from his fingers.

Aren screamed.

The chain began to weaken.

Ronan understood.

He pressed his bloody palm against it.

Red and black energy collided.

The chain shattered.

Aren fell.

Ronan caught him.

For several seconds, Aren did not move.

Then he opened his eyes.

“Is it gone?”

Ronan looked into the darkness.

“No.”

A deep rumble answered.

“It followed us.”

The ground suddenly split.

Kael shouted.

“Run!”

Everyone raced toward the ancient stairway.

Behind them, the dead army began climbing upward.

Thousands.

Then tens of thousands.

Their footsteps shook the kingdom.

Lyra looked back.

“They’re coming after us.”

Elias shook his head.

“No.”

He stopped.

“They’re going to the surface.”

Ronan grabbed his arm.

“Then we stop them there.”

Elias looked at him.

“You don’t understand.”

“What?”

“The Ancient King isn’t sending soldiers.”

Elias pointed upward.

“He’s sending an army to wake something else.”

Kael’s face turned pale.

“The surface burial grounds.”

Elias nodded.

“If the Ancient King reaches them, every corpse buried above will rise.”

Ronan tightened his grip on his sword.

“Then we reach the surface first.”

They climbed faster.

Aren stumbled.

Lyra caught him.

“Stay with us.”

Aren looked at her.

“I can hear them.”

“Hear what?”

He stared upward.

“Millions of voices.”

The stairway shook violently.

Stone fell from the ceiling.

Then a voice echoed through the darkness.

“RUN, FIRST SON.”

Ronan stopped.

The voice continued.

“THE WORLD ABOVE IS ALREADY DEAD.”

The final stone door appeared ahead.

Ronan raised his shield.

Elias stood beside him.

Kael readied his sword.

Lyra drew her bow.

Aren’s silver eyes opened.

Ronan pushed the door.

Bright daylight flooded the stairway.

They stepped onto the surface.

And froze.

Across the horizon, graves were opening.

One after another.

Then thousands.

Then millions.

The dead were rising.

And behind them, something enormous moved beneath the earth.