BOOK THREE: THE FALL OF THE FIRST KINGDOM
Chapter 4: The Hall of the First King
The ancient throne trembled.
Deep beneath Aurelia Prime...
A pair of golden eyes slowly opened.
Dust that had remained untouched for thousands of years drifted through the silent chamber.
The unknown figure sitting upon the throne did not move.
Yet every pillar in the underground palace shook.
Far above...
The Six Heirs felt the vibration beneath their feet.
---
Riva looked toward the glowing map projected by Eva's compass.
The destination continued pulsing with silver light.
THE HALL OF THE FIRST KING
The words refused to disappear.
Lucien tightened his grip on the Blade of Dawn.
"I don't think it's inviting us."
Elias closed his pocket watch.
"No."
"It has awakened because you arrived."
---
The six Crown Keepers exchanged uneasy glances.
The eldest Keeper stepped forward.
"For thousands of years..."
"We guarded the entrance."
"But none of us were allowed inside."
Aarvi blinked.
"You protected a place you've never seen?"
The Keeper nodded.
"That was our oath."
---
The silver train's whistle echoed once more.
Its doors opened silently.
Elias smiled.
"Our next stop."
"The Hall of the First King."
---
The Six Heirs boarded the train again.
This time...
The six Crown Keepers remained behind.
Before the doors closed, the eldest Keeper spoke.
"Whatever happens..."
"Do not sit upon the throne."
The train departed.
No one asked why.
---
Outside the windows...
The beautiful streets of Aurelia Prime slowly disappeared.
Instead...
The train entered a tunnel made entirely of crystal.
Every crystal reflected a different memory.
Riva saw the orphanage.
Eva saw her grandmother smiling beside the mysterious compass.
Parna saw forests whispering her name.
Aarvi saw her uncle carving the wooden bird.
Lucien saw his father placing a sword into his hands.
Orion saw the day he first became a Guardian.
None of them touched the windows.
They instinctively understood.
These memories were alive.
---
Suddenly...
One crystal remained dark.
No reflection appeared.
Instead...
A shadow stood inside it.
Watching them.
Its face couldn't be seen.
Only two silver eyes.
Riva immediately stood.
"Who's there?"
The shadow smiled.
Then vanished.
---
Eva's compass spun wildly.
"It wasn't a memory."
"What was it?"
Elias answered quietly.
"A memory that remembers you."
Silence filled the compartment.
---
The train finally slowed.
A deep voice echoed through every carriage.
"Final Stop..."
"...The Hall of the First King."
The doors opened.
The Six Heirs stepped onto an enormous stone bridge suspended over an endless abyss.
No walls.
No ceiling.
Only darkness below.
At the end of the bridge stood a gigantic pair of golden doors.
Each door was over a hundred feet tall.
Across them were carved six familiar symbols.
A notebook.
A sword.
A compass.
A flower.
A wooden box.
A shield.
As the Six Heirs approached...
Their relics began glowing.
The doors slowly opened.
---
Beyond them stretched the largest hall any of them had ever seen.
Thousands of crystal pillars reached into the darkness above.
Silver rivers flowed across the marble floor.
Ancient banners still hung from the walls.
Untouched by time.
At the very end of the hall...
Upon seven stone steps...
Rested a magnificent throne made of white crystal.
It was beautiful.
Yet strangely lonely.
No crown rested upon it.
Only a single ancient book.
Bound in white leather.
The same book the mysterious figure at Black Hollow Station had been carrying.
---
Aarvi whispered,
"So..."
"This is where it all began."
Before anyone answered...
A voice echoed through the hall.
"No..."
"It began long before this."
Everyone turned.
Standing beside the throne was an old man dressed in royal robes.
His long white hair reached his waist.
A silver crown rested in his hands—not on his head.
His face carried centuries of sorrow.
Yet his eyes were warm.
He smiled gently.
"I've been waiting."
---
Lucien immediately raised his sword.
"Who are you?"
The old man bowed respectfully.
"I have held many titles."
"Guardian."
"Advisor."
"Servant."
"But history remembered only one."
He slowly raised the silver crown.
"I was..."
"...the First King's Chancellor."
Shock spread across the hall.
"The First King's Chancellor?"
Eva whispered.
"But everyone said the First King disappeared."
The old man nodded.
"He did."
"But someone had to remain."
---
Riva stepped forward.
"Then tell us."
"What really happened to the First Kingdom?"
The Chancellor looked toward the ancient throne.
His gentle smile disappeared.
"I can tell you..."
"But the Hall will not."
He pointed toward the white book.
"The Hall shows truth."
"It never speaks it."
---
Suddenly...
The ancient book opened by itself.
Its pages turned rapidly.
One page stopped.
Golden letters slowly appeared.
"The First King's Trial Begins."
The floor shook violently.
The crystal pillars burst into brilliant light.
The rivers stopped flowing.
The throne slowly rose into the air.
One by one...
Six smaller thrones emerged from beneath the marble floor.
Each stood before one of the Six Heirs.
Not to crown them.
To test them.
The Chancellor stepped backward.
His voice echoed through the enormous chamber.
"To learn why the First Kingdom fell..."
"You must first prove why the Covenant of Six deserves to know."
The seven thrones began glowing.
The hall disappeared in a blinding flash.
Each of the Six Heirs found themselves separated...
Inside a different trial.
And upon the floating throne...
A mysterious seventh figure slowly materialized.
Its face remained hidden.
But it whispered one sentence that chilled the hearts of every Heir.
"Welcome back... my children."
End of Chapter 4