BOOK FOUR: THE KINGDOM BEYOND THE LAST GATE
Chapter 25: The Woman Who Remembered Everything
The underwater city was drowning.
Not in water.
In memories.
Every street had become a battlefield from another age.
People were seeing dead relatives.
Ancient kings walked through the crowds.
Children remembered lives they had never lived.
Some people screamed.
Others laughed.
Some simply stood still, unable to understand which life belonged to them.
Riva looked at Naren.
"Can you stop it?"
Naren shook his head.
"The Blue Crown is no longer listening to me."
"Why?"
"Because someone else is controlling the Memory Sea."
Riva's eyes narrowed.
"Who?"
Naren looked toward the highest tower.
"The Crown of Memory."
---
They climbed the tower.
Caelan stayed beside Riva.
Elara followed closely behind.
Naren walked in front.
At the top was a circular room.
There was no ceiling.
Only darkness above.
In the center stood a woman.
She looked about thirty.
Long black hair.
Silver eyes.
A golden crown rested on her forehead.
The Crown of Memory.
Riva stopped.
The woman smiled.
"You finally came."
Naren raised his weapon.
"Who are you?"
The woman looked at him.
"You don't remember me?"
Naren froze.
"Should I?"
She laughed.
"Of course."
She turned toward Riva.
"Your mother remembers."
Riva stared at her.
"I don't."
The woman's smile widened.
"Not yet."
---
Kael appeared behind them.
The woman looked at him.
"You took too long."
Kael bowed his head.
"She resisted."
Riva looked between them.
"You know each other."
The woman nodded.
"We've known each other for centuries."
"Who are you?"
The woman touched the Crown.
"My name is Seris."
Riva's eyes narrowed.
"The Crown of Memory."
Seris smiled.
"No."
She touched her chest.
"I am its keeper."
---
Elara stepped forward.
"Why are you helping Kael?"
Seris looked at her.
"I'm not."
Kael's expression changed.
"Seris."
She ignored him.
"I have my own purpose."
Riva frowned.
"Then why did you activate the Memory Sea?"
"Because someone needed to remember."
"Remember what?"
Seris looked at Riva.
"Everything."
---
She raised her hand.
The room disappeared.
Riva found herself standing in another place.
A palace.
Snow covered the ground.
She recognized it.
The First Kingdom.
But it was thousands of years earlier.
Seris stood beside her.
"Watch."
A young Riva appeared.
Not the Riva she knew.
Another version.
She was wearing a black crown.
Beside her stood Kael.
And in front of them...
The First Aurelia.
The young Riva was crying.
"Why are you making me choose?"
The First Aurelia answered:
"Because if you don't..."
"Kael will die."
Kael looked at Riva.
"Choose me."
Riva shook her head.
"I can't."
The First Aurelia raised her hand.
"Then I will choose for you."
The memory shattered.
---
Riva stared at Seris.
"What was that?"
"The first time you met Kael."
"No."
Riva shook her head.
"I've never met him."
Seris smiled.
"That's what they wanted you to believe."
"Who?"
"The First Aurelia."
Riva's face hardened.
"Why?"
"Because Kael wasn't her enemy."
"Then what was he?"
Seris looked toward Kael.
"Her brother."
Silence.
Riva turned toward him.
Kael said nothing.
Seris continued:
"The First Aurelia and Kael were born together."
"Two halves of the same power."
"She controlled creation."
"He controlled destruction."
Riva whispered:
"The First Kingdom needed both."
Seris nodded.
"But Aurelia wanted everything."
---
Kael finally spoke.
"She betrayed me."
Seris looked at him.
"And you tried to destroy her."
"I had no choice."
"There is always a choice."
Kael glared at her.
"You sound like Riva."
Seris smiled.
"Perhaps that's why I like her."
---
Riva stepped toward Seris.
"What do you want from me?"
"Nothing."
"Then why bring me here?"
"Because you are carrying something no Crown can control."
"The Eighth Flame."
Seris nodded.
"Choice."
Riva looked at the crown.
"Can the Crown of Memory control it?"
"No."
"Then what can?"
Seris became serious.
"Nothing."
"That's why Kael is afraid of you."
---
Kael stepped forward.
"You've said enough."
He raised the Black Crown.
The room darkened.
Seris raised her hand.
The Crown of Memory answered.
Blue light collided with black.
The tower shook.
Riva grabbed Elara.
"Get back!"
Caelan pulled Naren away.
Seris screamed:
"Riva!"
Riva looked at her.
"Choose!"
"Choose what?"
"Who you believe!"
Riva looked at Kael.
Then Seris.
Then her daughter.
Then Caelan.
She closed her eyes.
"I choose myself."
The Eighth Flame exploded.
Both Crowns were thrown backward.
---
Everything went silent.
Riva opened her eyes.
Seris was on the ground.
Kael was gone.
The Crown of Memory lay cracked beside Seris.
Riva approached.
"Are you okay?"
Seris laughed weakly.
"You really are different."
"Different from what?"
"Every other Riva."
Riva frowned.
"How many have you met?"
Seris looked at the broken crown.
"All of them."
Riva's heart stopped.
"You remember every version?"
"Yes."
"Then tell me."
"Tell me what happened to them."
Seris stood slowly.
"Seven died."
"One survived."
Riva whispered:
"The eighth."
Seris nodded.
"You."
---
Riva looked confused.
"But the older Riva said—"
"She was wrong."
"Why?"
"Because she remembered the wrong ending."
Riva stared.
"Then what happened to the eighth Riva?"
Seris looked directly into her eyes.
"She didn't die."
"She didn't disappear."
"She became the Crown of Memory."
Riva's breath caught.
"What?"
Seris touched the golden crown.
"You're looking at her."
---
Riva stepped backward.
"No."
Seris smiled sadly.
"Yes."
"You?"
"I was Riva."
Riva stared at her.
"You look nothing like me."
"Because I gave up my body."
"For what?"
"To remember."
---
Caelan stepped closer.
"Then why don't you look like her?"
Seris answered:
"Because the Crown changes its keeper."
"It takes the face of the person who remembers."
Riva looked at the crown.
"Then why does she look like that?"
Seris smiled.
"Because I have remembered too much."
---
Naren suddenly cried out.
The Blue Crown began glowing.
Seris turned.
"What happened?"
Naren looked toward the ocean.
"I can hear something."
Riva moved toward him.
"What?"
He whispered:
"Someone is calling the Crowns."
"Who?"
Naren looked terrified.
"The Sixth Crown-bearer."
Riva frowned.
"There are only five Crowns."
Naren shook his head.
"Not anymore."
A sixth light appeared above the underwater city.
Then a seventh.
Then an eighth.
Riva looked toward the sky.
Eight Crowns.
Eight bearers.
And at the center of them...
A symbol she had never seen before.
A red eye.
Seris whispered:
"The Crown of War."
Riva stared.
"Who has it?"
Seris looked toward the eastern horizon.
"Someone who hates you."
"Who?"
Seris's expression became grim.
"Your sister."
Riva froze.
"I don't have a sister."
Seris shook her head.
"Not in this life."
She looked toward the sky.
"But in the first one..."
"...you did."
End of Chapter 25