Chapter 2647: Story 2648: The Brother in the Fortress

The gates remained closed.

Behind them, the stranger with Kael’s face waited.

Kael turned toward the battlefield.

“Hold them!”

Isabella raised her spear.

“Last March, with me!”

Soldiers surged forward. Mara fired while Ethan covered her. Adrian shouted orders as ancient warriors collided with the black-bone army.

But something was wrong.

The ancient soldiers were protecting Kael.

Every blade that came near him was struck aside by warriors wearing armor older than the First Kingdom.

Seraphine stared.

“They recognize him.”

Lena looked at Kael.

“They recognize Azrael.”

Kael barely heard her.

He watched the fortress.

The shadow woman stood beside him.

“You must enter.”

Kael tightened his grip.

“Who is he?”

“Your brother.”

“You said he was taken before I was born.”

“He was.”

“By whom?”

The woman looked toward the fortress.

“By the King Before Kings.”

Kael froze.

“Why?”

“Because he feared losing two sons.”

Kael frowned.

“I don’t understand.”

“One would inherit the throne. The other would destroy it.”

“And he chose?”

“He chose to hide the destroyer.”

Kael stared at her.

“You mean me?”

She nodded.

“He took your brother instead.”

A thunderous sound came from inside the fortress.

BOOM.

The ground split.

The black fortress opened its enormous doors again.

The stranger stepped forward.

His armor looked alive. Crimson lines moved beneath it like veins.

His sword dragged across the stone, leaving burning marks.

He stopped several steps away.

“What is your name?”

The stranger smiled.

“They gave me many names.”

His eyes narrowed.

“My first name was Azael.”

Lena gasped.

“Azael?”

Seraphine whispered,

“The First Shadow Brother...”

Azael smiled.

“Ancient records remember me?”

Kael stepped forward.

“Why do you look like me?”

“Because we were born together.”

Kael froze.

“Impossible.”

Azael pointed toward Kael’s chest.

“Your blood was divided before we opened our eyes.”

The shadow woman bowed.

“The King Before Kings feared what two sons could become.”

Elias stared at Azael.

“Then why was I never told?”

Azael looked at him.

“Because you were the third.”

His voice became colder.

“The balance required three children. Only two were dangerous.”

Lena stepped between them.

“What happened?”

Azael’s smile vanished.

“I was taken into the darkness.”

The sun flickered.

“I was trained to become the weapon that would kill my own brother.”

Kael’s sword trembled.

“You were sent to kill me?”

“Yes.”

Azael lowered his weapon.

“But when I saw your face, I remembered something darkness could never erase.”

“What?”

Azael smiled sadly.

“You were my little brother.”

The black fortress screamed.

Every ancient warrior dropped to one knee.

The shadow woman turned toward the mountains.

“The Witness has found you.”

Above them, the black sun opened like an eye.

A voice shook the world.

“AZAEL... AZRAEL...”

Kael felt his blood ignite.

Azael looked upward.

Fear appeared in his crimson eyes.

“It has awakened.”

Kael raised his blade.

“What is it?”

Azael whispered,

“The thing that taught me how to hate.”

Then the fortress walls began to bleed black blood.