Chapter 2685: Story 2686: The Forgotten Self

Something wearing Kael’s face stepped out.

It moved slowly.

Its silver eyes remained fixed on him.

Azael raised his sword.

“Stay away from my brother.”

The creature smiled.

“Your brother?”

Its voice sounded exactly like Kael’s.

“Which one?”

Azael froze.

Kael stepped forward.

“Who are you?”

The creature touched its chest.

“I am what you removed.”

Kael’s blackened white fire flickered.

“What did I remove?”

“Your fear.”

The creature smiled.

“Your hatred. Your memories. Your weakness.”

Lena screamed from inside the white heart.

“Kael, don’t believe it!”

The creature looked toward her.

“She remembers.”

Kael turned sharply.

“Remembers what?”

The creature raised one hand.

The entire chamber changed.

A battlefield appeared around them.

Millions of beings stood beneath a black sun.

At the center was Elarion.

But he was different.

His armor was covered in blood.

His sword was black.

Behind him stood Azael, Lena, Elias, and the other children.

All of them were kneeling.

Kael stared at the vision.

“What happened here?”

The creature answered,

“You won.”

Kael looked at the bodies.

“This is victory?”

“For you.”

The vision shifted.

Elarion walked toward the white tree.

The First Father stood before him.

“You cannot continue.”

Elarion raised his sword.

“I must.”

“For what?”

“To end the cycle.”

The First Father stepped aside.

Behind him stood the enormous white heart.

Elarion approached it.

Then he removed his own heart.

Azael gasped.

“No...”

The vision showed Elarion dividing the heart into countless pieces.

Kael watched in horror.

“Why would I do that?”

The creature answered,

“Because you discovered the truth.”

“What truth?”

“That the First Soul was never one soul.”

The heart pieces floated upward.

Each became a child.

Lena.

Elias.

Azael.

The fifth.

The sixth.

The Forgotten Child.

And others hidden beyond memory.

Kael looked at the creature.

“Then what was I?”

The creature smiled.

“The part that remained outside.”

Suddenly, the battlefield disappeared.

Kael found himself standing before the white heart again.

Lena reached through its surface.

“Kael, please.”

He moved toward her.

The creature blocked him.

“If you touch her, you will remember everything.”

“I want to.”

“You will also remember what you did.”

Kael stopped.

Azael stepped beside him.

“Whatever happened, we face it together.”

The creature laughed.

“You still think he is your brother.”

Azael raised his sword.

“He is.”

The creature whispered,

“Then ask him what happened to the ninth child.”

Silence.

Kael’s eyes widened.

“Ninth child?”

The creature leaned closer.

“You remember eight.”

Kael shook his head.

“No.”

“You remember the fragments.”

The creature pointed at Kael’s chest.

“But one was never divided.”

Azael lowered his sword.

“Who?”

The creature smiled.

“Me.”

Kael suddenly understood.

“You are not my forgotten memory.”

The creature’s smile widened.

“No.”

The white heart began cracking.

“I am the part of your soul that refused to die.”

Lena screamed again.

The cracks spread across the chamber.

Then the creature whispered,

“And now I want my body back.”

Kael’s black fire erupted.

Azael stepped forward.

The creature disappeared.

And Kael suddenly felt another heartbeat inside his body.