The Three Hybrid's

Chapter 6: The King Calls His Sons

The roar echoed through Hollow Valley.

The mountains trembled as a wave of darkness spread across the sky, swallowing the Blood Moon. Every werewolf, vampire, and witch turned toward the northern cliffs where the earth continued to crack apart.

Lucian was awake.

A freezing wind swept across the battlefield, carrying an ancient voice that seemed to come from everywhere at once.

"My children... come home."

Max Draven's body became rigid.

For the first time since escaping the seal, fear flashed across his face.

Alex slowly lowered his sword.

"He found us."

Dave clenched his fists.

"I'm not going anywhere."

Kieran laughed from the broken ruins, blood running down the side of his face.

"You still don't understand."

He pointed toward Max.

"The First Hybrid has been waiting for his sons."

Max's blue eyes burned with anger.

"I have no father."

Kieran smiled.

"Tell that to Lucian."

Dark energy exploded from Kieran's body.

The remaining Shadow Soldiers rose from the ground once again.

"Kill them all!" Kieran shouted.

The second battle for Hollow Valley began.

---

"Werewolves, hold the eastern wall!" Alpha Ronan roared.

His warriors transformed instantly, their howls echoing through the valley.

"Vampires, protect the witches!" Selene commanded.

Vampire soldiers rushed toward the collapsing barriers.

Mira slammed her staff into the ground, creating a giant golden shield around the injured.

Ella stood beside her, breathing heavily after using the Heart Crystal's power.

The golden mark on her palm still glowed.

"It hasn't stopped," Ella whispered.

Mira looked worried.

"It won't stop now."

"The Fourth Blood has awakened completely."

Ella looked toward Max.

He was already fighting again.

---

Max charged through the Shadow Army.

Blue energy surrounded his fists as he destroyed enemy after enemy.

Alex fought beside him, moving like silver lightning through the battlefield.

Dave laughed as black blades pierced his body and healed seconds later.

The three brothers fought as one.

Kieran watched them with cold eyes.

"You've always been strongest together."

"But let's see what happens apart."

He raised both hands.

Three black circles appeared beneath the brothers.

Dark chains shot out from the ground.

Max jumped away.

Alex cut through his chains.

Dave broke his apart with brute strength.

Kieran smiled.

"So predictable."

The chains suddenly changed direction.

Instead of attacking the brothers...

They rushed toward Ella.

"Ella!" James shouted.

James transformed into his full wolf form and jumped in front of her.

The chains wrapped around him instead.

He crashed to the ground.

"James!" Ella screamed.

Max turned instantly.

Without hesitation, he abandoned his fight and rushed toward James.

Kieran laughed.

"You always choose others before yourself."

Max tore the chains apart with one strike.

James looked up in surprise.

"You saved me... again."

Max offered him a hand.

"Stand up."

James hesitated before accepting it.

For the first time, the two men stood side by side.

---

The sky suddenly grew darker.

A giant shadow appeared above the mountains.

Silver eyes opened inside the darkness.

Every shadow creature dropped to one knee.

Lucian's voice echoed across Hollow Valley.

"Max."

The battlefield became silent.

Max slowly looked toward the sky.

"What do you want?"

"Return."

"No."

"You belong to me."

Blue energy exploded around Max.

"I belong to no one."

The shadow laughed.

"You've forgotten who gave you your power."

Alex stepped beside Max.

"We choose our own destiny."

Dave joined them.

"And we'll never kneel."

Lucian's laughter disappeared.

The shadow vanished.

But the pressure remained.

---

Kieran attacked without warning.

His black sword cut toward Alex.

Alex blocked it, but the force threw him across the battlefield.

Dave charged Kieran with a roar.

The Shadow General caught Dave's fist.

"I've been studying all three of you for centuries."

Dark magic spread through Dave's arm.

For the first time...

His healing slowed.

Dave stared at his arm.

"What did you do?"

Kieran smiled.

"Even immortality has limits."

Max attacked with full strength.

Blue light collided with black darkness.

The explosion shattered ancient stone pillars across Hollow Valley.

Kieran slid backward several meters.

Blood ran from his mouth.

Max had injured him.

Kieran wiped the blood away.

"Good."

"Now you're fighting seriously."

---

Ella knelt beside Mira.

"What happened to Dave?"

Mira's expression became grave.

"Kieran poisoned his immortal blood."

"Can he die?"

"I don't know."

Ella looked toward Dave.

He was struggling to stand.

Without thinking, she ran toward him.

"Ella, wait!" Mira shouted.

Kieran saw her coming.

His eyes filled with excitement.

"The Fourth Blood."

He rushed toward Ella.

Max disappeared.

A blue flash crossed the battlefield.

Max blocked Kieran's attack with both hands.

The impact created another shockwave.

"Touch her..."

Max's voice was colder than ice.

"...and I will end you."

Kieran smiled.

"Protecting her has become your weakness."

Max answered with a punch that shattered Kieran's sword.

The Shadow General flew across the valley.

Every warrior stopped.

No one had ever broken Kieran's weapon before.

---

Dave collapsed onto one knee.

The poison spread across his chest.

His healing had almost stopped.

Ella reached him.

"Don't move."

Dave laughed weakly.

"You sound like Max."

She placed her glowing hand on his wound.

Golden light poured into Dave's body.

The black poison disappeared.

Dave's wounds healed instantly.

His silver eyes widened.

"It worked."

Mira stared in disbelief.

"The Fourth Blood can purify hybrid blood."

Alex looked toward Ella.

"She saved Dave."

Max watched silently.

Something inside him changed.

---

The ground shook again.

A massive stone altar rose from the center of Hollow Valley.

Ancient runes covered every side.

Mira's face turned pale.

"The Blood Altar."

"What is it?" Ronan asked.

"The place where the witches sealed Lucian's power."

Ella's mark began glowing wildly.

The altar answered her.

Golden light connected Ella to the altar.

Kieran looked terrified.

"Stop her!"

Shadow creatures rushed toward the altar.

Ronan led the werewolves.

"No one reaches Ella!"

Selene and the vampires joined them.

The alliance fought together with everything they had.

James stood beside Max.

"I'll protect the altar."

Max nodded once.

"I'll protect you."

The battle became fiercer than ever.

---

Ella stepped onto the altar.

Ancient symbols appeared beneath her feet.

The entire valley glowed gold.

She heard Ana's voice.

"The Blood Altar remembers the truth."

Visions flooded her mind.

She saw three young brothers chained beneath Hollow Valley.

She saw Seraphina crying as she begged the witches to save them.

She saw Lucian reaching for the boys.

Then she heard Seraphina's final words.

"Promise me... my sons will never become monsters."

Ella opened her eyes in shock.

"They weren't born evil."

The golden light burst across Hollow Valley.

Every shadow creature screamed.

Kieran stepped backward.

"No..."

Max looked at Ella.

She stared back at him with tears in her eyes.

"I know the truth now."

Before Max could ask what she meant...

The Blood Altar cracked.

A beam of black light shot into the sky.

The Blood Moon turned darker.

Lucian's voice thundered across the valley.

"The gate is opening."

A gigantic black gate slowly began rising behind the mountains.

Max's face became completely serious.

"The Ancient Gate..."

Mira whispered in horror.

"We're out of time."

The gate continued opening as darkness poured into the world.

And beyond the gate...

Something else was waiting.