BOOK FOUR: THE KINGDOM BEYOND THE LAST GATE
Chapter 16: The Last Version of Riva
Nobody moved.
The woman standing at the top of the palace stairs looked exactly like Riva.
But older.
Much older.
Her silver eyes were tired.
Her clothes were covered in blood.
A long sword rested in her hand.
Riva stared at her.
"You killed the First Aurelia?"
The woman nodded.
"Yes."
Elara stepped closer to Riva.
"Don't trust her."
The older Riva smiled sadly.
"Good."
"You're finally learning."
---
Caelan raised his sword.
"Who are you?"
The older Riva looked at him.
"Someone who remembers what you don't."
Caelan frowned.
"Then tell us."
She looked toward Riva.
"Not here."
"Why?"
"Because this palace is listening."
---
The First Aurelia stepped through the Gate.
The moment she saw the older Riva...
She froze.
"You."
The older Riva lifted her sword.
"You remember me."
The First Aurelia's expression hardened.
"I thought you were dead."
"I was."
Silence.
"Then how are you here?"
The older Riva smiled.
"Because you never understood what Riva really is."
She looked toward the younger Riva.
"She doesn't die."
"She continues."
---
Riva stepped forward.
"What does that mean?"
The older version looked at her.
"Every time the world ends..."
"...you are reborn."
Riva's face went pale.
"How many times?"
The older Riva looked away.
"Too many."
---
Aren stepped closer.
"How many?"
The older Riva answered:
"Seven."
Eva opened her notebook.
"Seven versions?"
"Seven lives."
"Seven endings."
"Seven attempts to stop the same disaster."
Riva whispered:
"And this is the seventh?"
The older Riva nodded.
"The final one."
---
Elara looked at the older Riva.
"She's lying."
The older Riva smiled.
"Why would I lie?"
"Because you want Mother to become you."
The older Riva's smile disappeared.
Riva turned toward Elara.
"What does she mean?"
Elara answered:
"The last Riva always becomes the Guardian of the Gate."
Riva looked at the older woman.
"And you?"
"I became it."
"Why?"
"Because someone had to."
---
The First Aurelia suddenly laughed.
"She always says that."
The older Riva turned toward her.
"You don't get to speak."
"You failed."
"I saved what I could."
"You destroyed the Kingdom."
"I stopped you."
The First Aurelia's eyes darkened.
"You murdered your own mother."
Riva looked at them.
"Mother?"
The older Riva lowered her sword.
"She's lying."
The First Aurelia smiled.
"Am I?"
---
Riva looked between them.
"Which one of you is telling the truth?"
Neither answered.
Then Elara stepped forward.
"Both."
Everyone looked at her.
Elara continued:
"They fought."
"They both lost."
"And the First Kingdom died."
---
The palace shook.
A crack appeared across the golden floor.
The older Riva looked toward the sky.
"We don't have much time."
"For what?"
She looked at Elara.
"For the Devourers."
---
The darkness beyond the city began moving.
The Devourers had followed them.
Black shapes filled the sky.
The First Aurelia raised her hands.
The older Riva raised her sword.
Riva looked at them.
"Can we stop them?"
The older Riva answered:
"Not by fighting."
"Then how?"
"By closing the First Gate."
Riva frowned.
"I thought the Last Gate was the dangerous one."
The older Riva shook her head.
"The Last Gate is only the door."
"To what?"
"The First Gate."
---
Riva suddenly understood.
"If the First Gate opens..."
"The Devourers can enter every world."
Elara nodded.
"And once they enter..."
"They won't stop."
---
The First Aurelia looked at Elara.
"Give me the lock."
Riva immediately stepped between them.
"No."
The First Aurelia's eyes became cold.
"She is the only one who can close it."
"Then we'll find another way."
"There isn't one."
The older Riva interrupted.
"She's right."
Riva turned.
"What?"
"Elara is the lock."
"If she doesn't enter the First Gate..."
"The Devourers will consume everything."
Riva stared at her daughter.
"No."
Elara smiled sadly.
"Mother..."
"No."
"I knew this would happen."
"You're not going anywhere."
Elara took Riva's hand.
"I've been waiting seventeen years."
"For you."
Riva shook her head.
"You don't have to sacrifice yourself."
Elara smiled.
"I know."
"Then I won't let you."
---
The older Riva stepped forward.
"That's why I came."
Riva looked at her.
"Why?"
"To show you the truth."
She lowered her sword.
"You don't have to repeat my life."
Riva stared.
"What?"
The older Riva pointed toward the palace.
"Every previous version of you believed sacrifice was the only answer."
"They gave up everything."
"Their memories."
"Their families."
"Their children."
"Their lives."
"And every time..."
"The world survived."
"But you?"
She looked directly into Riva's eyes.
"You were never meant to sacrifice Elara."
---
Riva's heart stopped.
"Then what am I supposed to do?"
The older Riva smiled.
"For the first time..."
"Choose something impossible."
---
The Devourers descended.
The golden city began collapsing.
Elara suddenly grabbed Riva's hand.
"Mother."
"What?"
"I know how to stop them."
Riva looked at her.
"How?"
Elara pointed toward the palace.
"There's something inside."
"What?"
"The original Flame."
Riva's eyes widened.
"The First Flame?"
Elara nodded.
"The one that existed before the Seven."
"Where?"
Elara looked at the First Aurelia.
"Inside her."
---
The First Aurelia stepped backward.
"No."
The older Riva smiled.
"Now you understand why I killed her."
Riva stared at the First Aurelia.
"You have the First Flame."
The woman said nothing.
Riva stepped closer.
"Give it to me."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because if you take it..."
"You'll become what I am."
Riva looked at her.
"Then I'll find another way."
The First Aurelia laughed.
"There is no other way."
Riva raised her hand.
The seven Flames appeared.
Not complete.
Not powerful.
But alive.
She looked at Elara.
Then Caelan.
Then the older version of herself.
And finally...
At the First Aurelia.
"I've spent my whole life being told there is only one way."
She closed her fist.
"I'm done believing it."
---
The seven Flames merged.
But instead of becoming one...
They formed an eighth light.
Something completely new.
The First Aurelia stared in horror.
"No."
The older Riva whispered:
"Impossible."
Elara smiled.
"Mother found the missing Flame."
Riva looked at the new light.
"What is it?"
Elara answered:
"Choice."
The eighth Flame exploded across the First Kingdom.
Every Gate stopped.
The Devourers screamed.
And for the first time in thousands of years...
The First Kingdom began to wake.
End of Chapter 16