Chapter 2616: Story 2617: The Eyes Beneath the Earth

The red eyes disappeared.

For several seconds, the mountains were silent.

Kael stared into the darkness, his sword still glowing faintly with Origin blood.

“Where did it go?” Ethan asked.

Lena shook her head.

“It didn’t go anywhere.”

Her voice trembled.

“It went deeper.”

Adrian looked toward the ground.

“How deep?”

Lena swallowed.

“Beneath the old kingdom.”

Isabella immediately turned toward her soldiers.

“Prepare the camp.”

The Last March began moving with military precision. Tents were raised, weapons distributed, and scouts disappeared into the surrounding forest.

Kael watched them carefully.

“You knew this would happen.”

Isabella looked at him.

“We knew something would awaken when the Origin Chamber was opened.”

“You knew about me too.”

“Yes.”

Kael stepped closer.

“Then tell me everything.”

Isabella remained silent.

Mara crossed her arms.

“He deserves answers.”

Isabella finally sighed.

“Fifteen years ago, my unit discovered Veyr’s first underground facility. We found records describing three children.”

Kael’s expression hardened.

“K-26. K-27. K-28.”

Isabella nodded.

“Elias, you, and Lena.”

“What happened to Elias?”

The question hung in the cold air.

Isabella looked toward the mountains.

“He survived the experiment.”

Kael froze.

“You said he died.”

“I said the world believed he died.”

Lena stepped forward.

“Where is he?”

Isabella’s eyes became grim.

“We don’t know.”

A sudden horn sounded from the eastern forest.

One long blast.

Then three short ones.

The soldiers immediately raised their weapons.

Isabella drew her spear.

“Scouts.”

A wounded man stumbled from the trees.

Two soldiers caught him before he collapsed.

His armor was covered in black dust.

“Marshal...”

Isabella knelt beside him.

“What happened?”

The scout struggled to breathe.

“We found them.”

“Who?”

His eyes widened with terror.

“The dead.”

Ethan raised his rifle.

“How many?”

The scout looked toward the forest.

“Thousands.”

Then the trees began shaking.

Birds exploded into the night sky.

Kael raised his shield.

“Everyone behind me.”

The first zombie emerged between the trees.

Then ten.

Then a hundred.

The Last March opened fire.

Gunshots echoed across the valley.

Mara released bolts rapidly while Ethan fired controlled bursts.

Kael charged into the advancing horde.

His sword cut through the darkness.

But something was wrong.

The zombies weren’t attacking randomly.

They were moving around Kael.

Avoiding him.

Following him.

Lena suddenly cried out.

“They’re looking for me!”

A massive roar shook the mountains.

Every zombie stopped.

Their heads turned toward the eastern ridge.

Then they dropped to their knees.

Isabella stared in disbelief.

“What are they doing?”

Adrian whispered,

“Waiting.”

A shadow appeared on the ridge.

It was tall.

Human-shaped.

A long coat moved in the wind.

Kael raised his sword.

The figure stepped into the moonlight.

Kael’s breath stopped.

The face was scarred, pale, and strangely familiar.

Lena whispered one word.

“Elias.”

The figure smiled.

“Brother.”

Kael stared at the man he had believed dead for years.

Elias raised one hand.

Behind him, thousands of undead stood.

But they weren’t following Kael anymore.

They were following Elias.

Elias looked toward Lena.

“It’s time to finish what Veyr started.”

Then the ground beneath the Last March split open.