BOOK FOUR: THE KINGDOM BEYOND THE LAST GATE
Chapter 1: The Black Gate
The black Gate stood silently beneath the night sky.
No wind touched it.
No stars reflected from its surface.
It was as if the Gate had been carved from the darkness itself.
Riva stood before it, holding the silver key.
The Seven Keepers surrounded her.
Behind them stood the remains of the First Kingdom.
Ahead...
An unknown world waited.
---
Aarvi stared at the crown symbol carved into the Gate.
"I don't like that."
Lucien smiled faintly.
"That's probably because it's terrifying."
"No."
Aarvi shook her head.
"I mean I really don't like it."
Eva stepped closer.
"There are no records of this Gate."
The First Guardian nodded.
"Because there shouldn't be one."
---
Caelan looked at Aren.
His brother had remained unusually quiet since the First Kingdom fell.
"You know something."
Aren looked toward the Gate.
"I know what it represents."
"What?"
"The kingdom before Aurelia."
Riva frowned.
"You said Aurelia was the First Kingdom."
Aren shook his head.
"That's what everyone was taught."
"That's not what actually happened."
---
The First Guardian closed his eyes.
"I was hoping you wouldn't remember."
Aren looked at him.
"I remember everything now."
The Guardian sighed.
"Then tell them."
Aren turned toward the Covenant.
"Before Aurelia..."
"There was another kingdom."
"It was called Elaris."
---
Eva immediately opened her notebook.
"Elaris?"
Aren nodded.
"The oldest kingdom ever created."
"It existed before the Seven Flames were separated."
"Before the first Gate."
"Before the First Promise."
Riva stared at the black Gate.
"Then why was it erased?"
Aren didn't answer immediately.
Finally...
"Because its king tried to become immortal."
---
The ground trembled.
A deep voice came from beyond the Gate.
"That is not the whole truth."
Everyone froze.
The voice continued.
"Your brother remembers what they allowed him to remember."
Aren's expression hardened.
"Who are you?"
The voice laughed softly.
"You already know."
The black Gate began opening.
Slowly.
Beyond it was not darkness.
It was a city.
A massive city stretching beneath a crimson moon.
Black towers rose into the sky.
Silver rivers flowed between enormous buildings.
At the center stood a palace.
Its highest tower reached beyond the clouds.
And above that tower...
Hung a broken crown.
---
Riva whispered,
"Elaris..."
The First Guardian looked terrified.
"Impossible."
Lucien drew his sword.
"Why?"
"Because Elaris was destroyed."
Aren shook his head.
"No."
"It was hidden."
---
The black Gate opened completely.
A cold wind swept through the group.
The voice spoke again.
"Welcome home."
Riva stepped forward.
The silver key suddenly began glowing.
But this time...
The Seven Flames didn't respond.
Instead...
A new symbol appeared on the key.
A black crown.
Riva pulled her hand back.
"What is happening?"
The First Guardian whispered:
"The Gate has recognized you."
"As what?"
He looked at her with fear.
"The next Queen."
Everyone went silent.
Riva stared at him.
"What?"
The Guardian shook his head.
"I don't know why."
Aren suddenly stepped forward.
"Wait."
He stared at the crown symbol.
"I do."
---
Aren walked toward Riva.
"The rulers of Elaris weren't chosen by blood."
"They were chosen by the Gates."
Riva looked at him.
"And the crown?"
Aren pointed toward the palace.
"The crown chooses the person who can open every Gate."
Riva's heart began pounding.
"Why would it choose me?"
Aren looked toward the palace.
"Because you're the first person in history who carries..."
"...the power of every Promise."
---
A loud bell rang from the distant city.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Lights began appearing throughout Elaris.
Thousands of windows illuminated simultaneously.
People stepped into the streets.
They were watching the Gate.
Watching Riva.
Then...
Every person in the city knelt.
Aarvi's mouth fell open.
"Why are they kneeling?"
Aren's expression became serious.
"Because they know who she is."
Riva looked at the city.
"I've never been here."
Aren shook his head.
"You haven't."
"But someone who looked exactly like you..."
"...was their last Queen."
---
The black Gate suddenly closed behind them.
Everyone turned.
The First Guardian shouted:
"Riva!"
Too late.
The Gate had vanished.
They were trapped inside Elaris.
The crimson moon rose higher.
The palace doors opened in the distance.
And a woman wearing a black crown stepped onto the balcony.
She looked exactly like Riva.
The woman smiled.
Then she spoke across the entire kingdom.
"My successor has finally arrived."
Riva stared at her.
Her heart stopped.
"That's..."
Eva whispered:
"Your face."
The crowned woman raised one hand.
Every bell in Elaris began ringing.
"Welcome, Riva."
A pause.
Then her smile disappeared.
"Now tell me..."
"...why did you steal my kingdom?"
The entire city fell silent.
And Riva realized...
The kingdom beyond the Gate wasn't waiting for them.
It had been waiting for her.
End of Chapter 1