BOOK FOUR: THE KINGDOM BEYOND THE LAST GATE
Chapter 22: The Black Crown
The village had gone silent.
The strange golden light was gone.
The Three Keepers had disappeared beneath the mountains.
But their warning remained.
One of the five wants you dead.
Riva couldn't stop thinking about those words.
She stood at the edge of the forest, staring toward the horizon.
Five lights had appeared in different directions.
Five Crown-bearers.
Five strangers.
And one of them was already hunting her.
Caelan walked toward her.
"You haven't slept."
Riva shook her head.
"Neither have you."
He smiled faintly.
"I was waiting for you to admit it."
Riva looked at him.
"Do you think the Keepers can be trusted?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because anyone who tells us that they control birth, death, and memory doesn't exactly inspire confidence."
Riva laughed softly.
It was the first time she had laughed since the Gates disappeared.
Then Elara joined them.
"I found something."
---
They followed Elara to the old temple outside the village.
The temple had been abandoned for generations.
Its walls were covered with faded paintings.
Aarvi was already examining them.
"These weren't painted by humans."
Riva touched one of the symbols.
The wall moved.
A hidden doorway appeared.
Inside was a circular chamber.
At its center stood a stone table.
Five objects rested on it.
A silver feather.
A red stone.
A blue ring.
A golden mask.
And a black crown.
Riva stared.
"The Five Crowns."
The First Guardian shook his head.
"No."
He stepped closer.
"These aren't crowns."
"Then what are they?"
"Keys."
---
Aren picked up the silver feather.
The moment his fingers touched it...
The chamber shook.
A vision appeared.
A young woman standing on top of a mountain.
She had white hair.
Silver eyes.
And a sword made of light.
Aren dropped the feather.
"Who was that?"
The First Guardian answered:
"The first Crown-bearer."
Riva looked at the objects.
"There are five."
"Five Crown-bearers."
"Then why are the objects here?"
The First Guardian's face became serious.
"Because they are calling them."
---
Elara touched the blue ring.
Her eyes suddenly widened.
"Mother."
Riva rushed toward her.
"What did you see?"
"A city."
"What kind?"
"Underwater."
Riva frowned.
"Underwater?"
Elara nodded.
"There's someone there."
"Who?"
Elara whispered:
"A boy."
---
The red stone began glowing.
Caelan touched it.
A vision appeared.
A battlefield.
Thousands of soldiers.
A young man stood alone among them.
Blood covered his clothes.
He held a red crown.
Caelan pulled his hand away.
"He's fighting something."
"What?"
Caelan shook his head.
"I don't know."
---
The golden mask began glowing next.
Aarvi stepped closer.
The mask showed a woman sitting inside a giant library.
Books floated around her.
She was reading something.
Then she looked directly toward them.
Aarvi stepped back.
"She saw us."
Riva frowned.
"How?"
"I don't know."
---
Then...
The black crown moved.
Nobody touched it.
It rose into the air.
The chamber became freezing cold.
The First Guardian whispered:
"Don't let it touch you."
Riva stared.
"Why?"
"Because that one belongs to the enemy."
The crown suddenly flew toward the wall.
It struck the stone.
A crack appeared.
A face appeared inside it.
A man's face.
He looked young.
Calm.
Beautiful.
And completely emotionless.
He smiled.
"Hello, Riva."
Riva froze.
"Who are you?"
The man laughed.
"You don't remember me."
Riva stared.
"No."
"You should."
He leaned closer.
"We were married."
---
Silence.
Caelan stepped forward.
"What did you say?"
The man smiled.
"Seven lives ago..."
"I was her husband."
Riva's face went pale.
"You're lying."
"Am I?"
The man raised his hand.
A black crown appeared above him.
"I remember everything."
"Every life."
"Every death."
"Every time she chose him."
He looked at Caelan.
"And every time she chose me instead."
Caelan's expression hardened.
"You never had her."
The man laughed.
"That's where you're wrong."
---
Riva felt a strange pressure in her chest.
Fragments of memory appeared.
A wedding.
A black dress.
A palace covered in snow.
A man standing beside her.
His hand holding hers.
His voice whispering:
"You will always return to me."
Riva stumbled backward.
"No."
The man smiled.
"Now you remember."
---
The First Guardian raised his weapon.
"Name yourself."
The man looked at him.
"My name is Kael."
The First Guardian's face went pale.
"No."
Kael smiled.
"You remember me too."
Riva looked at the old man.
"Who is he?"
The First Guardian whispered:
"The Lost King."
---
Kael continued:
"I ruled the First Kingdom before Aurelia."
Riva frowned.
"That's impossible."
"I was erased."
"By whom?"
Kael looked toward the First Guardian.
"By the woman you called Aurelia."
Riva's eyes widened.
"The First Aurelia?"
Kael nodded.
"She took my throne."
"She took my kingdom."
"And when I refused to disappear..."
"She cursed me."
Riva whispered:
"That's why you became the Black Crown."
Kael smiled.
"Exactly."
---
The chamber shook.
Kael's face became serious.
"You broke the Gates."
Riva nodded.
"And now..."
"You've broken my prison."
Caelan stepped forward.
"You want revenge."
Kael looked at him.
"No."
"What then?"
"I want what was taken from me."
Riva stared.
"The kingdom?"
"No."
"Then what?"
Kael looked directly at her.
"You."
---
Caelan moved instantly.
His sword struck the black crown.
The crown shattered.
But Kael didn't disappear.
Instead...
The fragments transformed into black birds.
They flew around the chamber.
Elara screamed.
The lights went out.
Riva felt someone grab her hand.
Caelan.
Then another hand.
Elara.
"Stay together!"
The birds attacked.
Riva raised the Eighth Flame.
White light exploded through the room.
The birds vanished.
Silence returned.
But Kael was gone.
---
On the stone table...
The black crown remained.
Cracked.
But alive.
Riva approached it.
A message appeared above it.
KAEL — CROWN OF SHADOW
Below his name were six symbols.
Five were dark.
One was glowing.
Riva stared.
"What does that mean?"
The First Guardian answered:
"He's not the only one."
"Kael has already found another Crown-bearer."
Riva's eyes widened.
"Who?"
The First Guardian looked toward the northern horizon.
"The Crown of Memory."
Riva looked at the five objects.
"So he's collecting them."
"Yes."
"Why?"
The old man hesitated.
"Because whoever gathers all eight Crowns..."
Riva waited.
"...becomes the ruler of every world."
---
Riva looked toward the horizon.
"We have to move."
Caelan nodded.
"Where first?"
Elara touched the blue ring.
"The underwater city."
Riva looked at her.
"Why?"
Elara's expression became serious.
"Because the boy I saw..."
She paused.
"...was holding a Crown."
"And he wasn't alone."
Riva frowned.
"Who was with him?"
Elara looked frightened.
"Kael."
---
Far away...
Beneath an endless black ocean...
A young man opened his eyes.
A blue crown rested on his head.
Kael stood behind him.
The boy looked toward the surface.
"Is she coming?"
Kael smiled.
"Yes."
The boy looked afraid.
"What if she doesn't choose me?"
Kael placed a hand on his shoulder.
"She will."
"She always does."
The boy lowered his head.
"And if she remembers?"
Kael's smile disappeared.
"Then we kill Caelan first."
End of Chapter 22