Chapter 2678: Story 2679: The Forgotten King

Kael stepped through the white eye.

Cold darkness swallowed him.

For a moment, there was nothing—no ground, no sky, no sound. Then a distant heartbeat rolled through the void.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

Kael opened his eyes.

He stood before a colossal black throne.

The figure wearing his face remained seated upon it, silver eyes glowing beneath a crown formed from twisted shadows.

“You came,” it said.

Kael raised his sword.

“Who are you?”

The figure smiled.

“You already know.”

“No.”

“You have forgotten.”

The throne trembled.

Behind Kael, the white eye began shrinking until it became a distant star.

Kael turned.

“Lena!”

Her voice reached him faintly.

“Kael!”

He stepped toward the sound.

The figure stood.

“You cannot return yet.”

Kael spun around.

“Move.”

The figure descended from the throne.

Each step shook the darkness.

“You think Lena is calling you from outside.”

Kael’s grip tightened.

“She is.”

“No. She is calling you from within.”

Kael froze.

Suddenly, crimson light appeared around him.

Lena stood in the darkness.

Her silver eyes were filled with tears.

“Kael.”

He rushed toward her.

But she vanished.

A black hand emerged from the darkness and seized his shoulder.

Kael struck it with his sword.

The figure released him.

“You still believe every memory belongs to you.”

Kael stared at him.

“Then whose memories are these?”

The figure pointed toward the throne.

“Mine.”

The throne cracked.

Images poured from it.

Kael saw an ancient battlefield beneath a red sky.

He saw eight children standing before the white tree.

He saw Elarion kneeling.

He saw First Father holding a broken sword.

And behind them stood the same silver-eyed figure.

Kael whispered.

“You were there.”

“I was before them.”

The vision changed.

The figure stood before the First Soul, holding something glowing white.

A heart.

Kael’s heart.

The ancient figure pressed it into Elarion’s chest.

Kael staggered.

“That was mine.”

“Yes.”

“Why did you take it?”

“To save you.”

The darkness suddenly screamed.

The black throne split open.

Something enormous moved beneath it.

The silver-eyed figure looked upward.

“He found you.”

Kael raised his sword.

“Who?”

The answer came from everywhere.

“The prisoner.”

A gigantic white eye opened behind the throne.

Chains stretched across the darkness.

Then Kael heard Lena again.

“Remember your first name.”

His chest burned.

Elarion.

Azrael.

Kael.

Three names collided inside his mind.

The silver-eyed figure dropped to one knee.

“Now choose.”

Kael looked at him.

“What choice?”

“Which name will open the door.”

The white eye widened.

Behind it appeared a black silhouette with no face.

Kael recognized the voice.

“Elarion.”

He lifted his sword.

But before he could strike, the silhouette whispered:

“Brother.”

Kael stopped.

The silver-eyed figure looked terrified.

“That voice...”

Kael stared into the darkness.

“You know it.”

“Yes.”

“Who is it?”

The figure whispered one final word.

“Azael.”

The laughter grew louder, shaking the throne and awakening chains hidden beneath the endless darkness there.

And somewhere beyond the prison, something began laughing.