BOOK FOUR: THE KINGDOM BEYOND THE LAST GATE
Chapter 7: The Hope That Refused to Die
The sky turned gold.
For one impossible moment...
Everything stopped.
The falling buildings.
The screaming people.
The black Gate.
Even the creature.
Everything froze beneath the light of Hope.
Riva floated in the center of it all.
The silver key burned in her hand.
The crown-shaped mark on her wrist glowed brighter than ever.
The creature stared at her.
"You..."
Its voice trembled.
"You shouldn't possess that."
Riva looked at the golden light surrounding her.
"Then why does it answer me?"
The creature didn't respond.
---
Below her...
Caelan stood frozen.
"Riva!"
She looked down.
"I'm okay."
"You don't look okay!"
Riva smiled.
"I'll be fine."
Aren stepped beside him.
"Don't lie to him."
Riva looked at Aren.
Aren's eyes narrowed.
"You know what this is."
Riva shook her head.
"No."
"You do."
Aren pointed toward the golden light.
"That's not just Hope."
"What is it?"
"The original Flame."
---
The First Guardian looked horrified.
"The First Flame."
Riva turned.
"The First Flame?"
He nodded.
"Before the Seven Flames existed..."
"There was one."
"The Flame of Origin."
"What happened to it?"
"It was divided."
"Into the Seven."
Riva looked at the golden light.
"Then why is mine whole?"
The First Guardian whispered:
"Because you were created from it."
---
The creature screamed.
Dark chains shot toward Riva.
She raised the silver key.
The golden light shattered the chains.
One by one...
They disappeared.
The creature stepped backward.
"No."
Riva slowly descended.
"You wanted me to open the Last Gate."
The creature nodded.
"Yes."
"You created me."
"No."
It paused.
"Something older than me did."
Riva frowned.
"Who?"
The creature looked toward the black Gate.
"The one who sits beyond the Last Kingdom."
---
The Gate trembled.
A voice came from somewhere beyond it.
"Enough."
The creature immediately lowered its head.
Riva's heart stopped.
The voice continued.
"Bring her to me."
The creature bowed.
"Yes."
Riva looked toward the darkness.
"Who are you?"
No answer.
Only laughter.
---
The golden light around Riva suddenly changed.
It became a shield.
The creature attacked again.
This time...
Riva didn't run.
She raised the Key.
A golden wave exploded outward.
The creature was thrown backward.
The black Gate cracked.
Aren shouted:
"Riva!"
She looked down.
"What?"
"Close it!"
"What?"
"The Gate!"
"If it stays open..."
"Elaris will be destroyed."
Riva looked around.
The city was still collapsing.
People were still trapped.
She knew what she had to do.
---
Riva pointed the Key toward the Gate.
"I don't know if this will work."
The First Guardian shouted:
"It might not!"
Riva smiled.
"Then we'll try."
She pushed the Key forward.
The golden Flame entered the Gate.
The black surface began closing.
The creature screamed.
"NO!"
It lunged toward her.
Caelan jumped.
He caught its arm.
The creature threw him across the courtyard.
"CAELAN!"
Aren attacked next.
Then Lucien.
Then Seraphine.
The other Keepers joined them.
The creature fought all of them.
But it was weakening.
---
Riva pushed harder.
The Gate continued closing.
The creature suddenly stopped fighting.
It looked at Caelan.
Then smiled.
"You don't know what you're protecting."
Caelan stood.
"What?"
The creature pointed at Riva.
"Ask her."
Everyone looked toward Riva.
"What is it talking about?"
Riva didn't answer.
The creature laughed.
"She knows."
Caelan looked at Riva.
"Riva?"
She shook her head.
"I don't."
The creature whispered:
"You will."
---
The Gate slammed shut.
Silence.
The black sky disappeared.
The crimson moon returned.
The city stopped collapsing.
Elaris remained.
Everyone stood frozen.
Then...
The people began cheering.
They had survived.
---
Riva fell from the sky.
Caelan ran toward her.
He caught her before she hit the ground.
"You did it."
Riva smiled weakly.
"We did it."
He shook his head.
"You almost died."
"But I didn't."
"That's not funny."
Riva laughed softly.
"I'm sorry."
Caelan looked at her wrist.
The crown mark had changed.
It was now half gold...
And half black.
---
The Queen approached.
She looked at Riva's wrist.
Her face became pale.
"No."
Riva noticed.
"What?"
The Queen took a step backward.
"The mark."
"What about it?"
"It's not a crown."
Riva frowned.
"Then what is it?"
The Queen whispered:
"It's a seal."
---
Everyone became silent.
Aren stepped closer.
"A seal for what?"
The Queen looked toward the palace.
"The Last Gate isn't sealed."
Riva stared at her.
"Then what did I seal?"
The Queen's voice trembled.
"You sealed yourself."
---
Riva's eyes widened.
"What?"
The Queen continued:
"When you used the Flame of Origin..."
"You didn't close the Gate."
"You moved it."
"Where?"
The Queen looked directly at Riva.
"Inside you."
---
Riva suddenly heard a heartbeat.
Not hers.
Something else.
Boom.
She touched her chest.
Boom.
Caelan looked at her.
"Riva?"
BOOM.
The black crown mark spread across her arm.
A second voice whispered inside her mind.
Not the creature.
Not the older Riva.
Something much older.
"At last."
Riva's eyes turned completely black.
Then she smiled.
But the smile wasn't hers.
"I can finally see."
Caelan stepped backward.
"Riva?"
She slowly looked at him.
And answered in a voice he had never heard before:
"Hello, Caelan."
End of Chapter 7