Chapter 2687: Story 2688: The Body of Elarion

The ancient figure stepped through the broken chain.

Kael raised his sword.

“Stop!”

Azael stood beside Kael, trembling.

“That body...”

Kael stared.

“It is mine.”

“No,” Azael whispered. “It is what you were before the First Soul was divided.”

The figure smiled.

“Before division, before names, before memory.”

Kael’s white eyes narrowed.

“Elarion.”

The figure stopped.

“Yes.”

Behind Kael, the ninth heart beat again.

“You left this body when you became the door.”

Kael stepped forward through the trembling darkness.

“I never left.”

“You were forced out.”

“By whom?”

The darkness above them opened like a wound in creation.

A colossal white eye appeared.

“The King Before Kings.”

Kael froze.

Azael tightened his grip.

“He separated us.”

“He feared what Elarion would become.”

His grip tightened as ancient memories burned through his veins again.

The white tree.

The eight children.

The black throne.

A ninth shadow.

And himself standing before the King Before Kings.

The King raised a black blade.

“You cannot remain whole.”

Elarion answered,

“Then divide me.”

Kael staggered.

“No...”

Azael caught him.

“What did you see?”

Kael looked at his brother.

“I chose it.”

“You chose division because you believed it would save everyone.”

“Did it?”

The ancient body looked toward the dying worlds.

“No.”

One world disappeared beneath the darkness.

Then another followed silently.

Kael lowered his sword.

“What is killing them?”

“Your awakening.”

“Then I will stop.”

“You cannot.”

“Why?”

“Your body is returning to its original state.”

Black armor formed across the ancient figure.

Silver light burned beneath its skin.

Its face slowly changed.

Into Kael.

Older.

Colder.

Complete.

“I am not your enemy.”

“Then what are you?”

“Your beginning.”

The ninth heart inside Kael suddenly cracked.

A shockwave erupted.

Lena appeared within the darkness.

“KAEL!”

She stood inside the white heart, surrounded by chains.

“Do not let him merge with you!”

The ancient body looked toward her.

“She remembers.”

Kael stepped between them.

“Tell me what you know.”

Lena shook her head.

“If the original body returns completely, the First Soul will become one.”

Kael frowned.

“And then?”

Lena’s voice broke.

“The thing inside it will awaken.”

“That is the truth they hid from you.”

Kael looked toward the dying worlds.

“What thing?”

The white eye above them opened wider.

A voice came from beyond it.

“Me.”

The darkness behind the figure split apart.

A gigantic hand emerged.

It seized the ancient body by the throat.

Kael raised his sword.

“Let him go!”

The unseen entity laughed.

“You still protect yourself.”

Kael charged.

White fire exploded from his blade.

The hand released the ancient body.

For one moment, Kael and his original self stood together.

Two bodies.

One soul.

Then the ninth heart shattered.

Blinding light consumed them both.

When Kael opened his eyes, Azael was gone.

Lena was gone.

The worlds were gone.

Only a white throne remained.

Someone was sitting upon it.

Someone wearing Kael’s face.

But this time, the stranger opened crimson eyes.

“Brother,” he whispered.

“I have finally returned.”