The first sound was a drumbeat.

Slow.

Deep.

Ancient.

Boom.

The chamber trembled.

Caelan looked toward the floor.

Another beat followed.

Boom.

Then thousands of voices rose from beneath the frozen kingdom.

The Northern Guardian turned toward the underground passage.

"The army."

Lucien tightened his grip on his sword.

"What army?"

The Keeper's face had lost all color.

"The army of the Crownless King."

Nethros stared at him.

"You said it was dead."

"It was."

"Then why can we hear them?"

The Keeper swallowed.

"Because dead armies don't always stay dead."

---

The floor split open.

Hands covered in ancient armor emerged from beneath the ice.

One after another, soldiers...