BOOK TWO: THE KINGDOM BEYOND THE GATE
Chapter 5: The Hall of Echoes
The enormous stone door opened completely.
A warm golden light poured into the chamber.
The cold air of the White Valley disappeared behind them.
For a few seconds, no one moved.
The Five Heirs stood frozen before the entrance.
The child's laughter echoed once again.
Soft.
Joyful.
Yet strangely lonely.
It sounded as though someone had been waiting for them for a very long time.
Riva slowly stepped inside.
The others followed.
The moment all five entered—
The massive stone door closed behind them with a deafening boom.
Silence.
Only the golden light remained.
The Hall of Echoes was unlike any place they had ever seen.
The ceiling was so high that it disappeared into darkness.
Hundreds of floating crystal orbs drifted through the air like tiny moons.
Each orb contained moving images.
Some showed ancient cities.
Others showed forests, oceans, deserts, and kingdoms that none of them recognized.
Thousands of memories floated around them.
Preserved.
Waiting.
At the center of the hall stood a circular pool made entirely of silver light.
The water reflected no one's face.
Instead...
It reflected different people.
Different times.
Different lives.
Eva stared in amazement.
"This place remembers everything..."
Elian nodded.
"This is where forgotten memories come when the Gate erases them."
Aarvi slowly turned around.
"So every memory ever stolen..."
"...ends up here?"
"Not every memory," Elian replied.
"Only the memories that history was never allowed to keep."
Suddenly one of the floating crystal orbs drifted toward Parna.
It stopped only inches from her face.
Inside it—
She saw a little girl.
No older than six.
Running barefoot through a field of glowing flowers.
Birds followed her everywhere she went.
The little girl laughed as butterflies landed on her hands.
Parna felt tears forming in her eyes.
"I know her..."
The orb touched her forehead.
Instantly—
The memory became real.
She stood inside the flower field.
The little girl turned toward her.
Their faces were identical.
The child smiled.
"You came back."
Parna knelt.
"Who are you?"
"I'm the first Parna."
The answer stole her breath.
"You aren't seeing your past life."
The little girl continued.
"You're seeing the first person who carried your Star."
Before Parna could ask another question—
The field dissolved into golden light.
She returned to the Hall of Echoes.
Only a single flower remained in her hand.
A blue flower that would never fade.
Meanwhile, another crystal floated toward Eva.
The compass suddenly flew out of her hands and touched the crystal.
A library appeared around her.
Shelves stretched endlessly in every direction.
An elderly woman sat beside a window, carefully polishing the mysterious compass.
Eva immediately recognized her.
"My grandmother..."
The old woman smiled gently.
"I knew you would come."
Eva ran toward her.
"You knew about the compass?"
Her grandmother nodded.
"It was never mine."
"I was only keeping it safe until it found you."
She placed one hand over Eva's heart.
"The compass doesn't show directions."
"It shows choices."
Then the library disappeared.
Eva found herself back inside the Hall.
The compass had changed once again.
A new silver symbol had appeared on its surface.
Aarvi looked around nervously.
"So..."
"Am I next?"
Almost immediately—
The ancient box opened by itself.
A beam of light rose from inside.
Another crystal floated toward her.
The vision began.
She found herself inside a warm wooden workshop.
An old man carved tiny wooden stars while humming softly.
Her uncle.
She smiled through tears.
"I miss you."
The old man looked up.
"I know."
He walked toward her carrying the mysterious box.
"I never built this box."
"I was asked to protect it."
"By whom?" Aarvi whispered.
The old man smiled sadly.
"I promised never to say."
He gently placed the box into her hands.
"But I can tell you this..."
"The final compartment doesn't contain an object."
"It contains a name."
Before Aarvi could ask whose name—
The vision ended.
Riva and Orion watched silently.
Neither had received a memory.
Not yet.
Then...
The silver pool at the center of the hall began glowing.
Its calm surface turned into moving water.
The child's laughter echoed once more.
This time...
It came from inside the pool.
A small figure slowly emerged.
A little girl.
Around eight years old.
She wore simple white clothes.
Silver hair reached her shoulders.
Her bright golden eyes shone with innocence.
She smiled at the Five Heirs.
"I've been waiting."
Riva stepped forward carefully.
"Who are you?"
The little girl tilted her head.
"I don't remember my name."
Silence filled the hall.
"You don't remember?"
The girl shook her head.
"The Gate took it."
"I only remember one thing."
"What?"
Riva asked.
The child's smile slowly disappeared.
Then she whispered—
"They're coming."
The floating crystal orbs suddenly began shaking.
One after another—
They cracked.
Thousands of memories escaped into the air.
The entire Hall trembled violently.
Elian's face turned pale.
"No..."
"They found us."
Outside the Hall of Echoes...
A massive explosion echoed through the mountain.
The stone floor beneath their feet cracked.
Dust rained from the ceiling.
Cassian's voice echoed faintly through the sealed doorway.
"Riva!"
"They've brought reinforcements!"
"The valley is falling!"
The little girl looked toward the door.
Then toward Riva.
Her golden eyes filled with fear.
"They must never reach the Memory Core."
Riva frowned.
"The what?"
The little girl slowly pointed toward the center of the silver pool.
The water parted.
A staircase of light descended into endless darkness.
At the very bottom...
A brilliant crystal heart pulsed slowly.
Like the heartbeat of the Hall itself.
The little girl's voice trembled.
"That's where every forgotten memory in existence is protected."
"If it is destroyed..."
She looked at each of the Five Heirs.
"No one will ever remember who they truly are."
At that exact moment—
A deafening roar echoed beneath the Hall.
Not from above.
From below.
Something ancient...
Was climbing toward the Memory Core.
End of Chapter 5