BOOK FOUR: THE KINGDOM BEYOND THE LAST GATE
Chapter 31: The First Creation
The black star continued to expand.
Riva stood frozen beneath it.
Elara's words echoed in her mind.
I was created to replace you.
"No."
Riva shook her head.
"That's not why I created you."
Elara looked at her.
"Then why?"
Riva opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Because somewhere deep inside her...
She already knew the answer.
She simply didn't want to remember it.
---
Caelan stepped beside her.
"Riva."
She didn't respond.
"Look at me."
Slowly, she turned.
"What if she's right?"
Caelan frowned.
"About what?"
"What if I really created her to replace me?"
Caelan shook his head.
"You created her."
"That's all that matters."
"But what if—"
"Riva."
He took her hand.
"You aren't the person you were thousands of years ago."
She looked at him.
"Maybe I am."
"No."
His voice was firm.
"You're the person standing here now."
---
The black star suddenly flashed.
A wave of darkness swept across the sky.
Elara collapsed.
"Elara!"
Riva rushed to her.
Her daughter was trembling.
"Mother..."
"I'm here."
"I can hear something."
"What?"
"The beginning."
Riva froze.
"What beginning?"
Elara looked up.
"Before the first world."
---
The world disappeared.
Riva found herself standing in darkness.
Elara was beside her.
There was no Caelan.
No Seris.
No Lyra.
Nothing.
Only darkness.
Then a small light appeared.
Riva stared.
The light grew.
A star was born.
Then another.
Then thousands.
Elara whispered:
"Is this how the world began?"
Riva shook her head.
"No."
"Then what are we seeing?"
"The moment before creation."
---
A figure appeared.
Riva.
But not the Riva they knew.
She was younger.
She stood alone in the darkness.
No Crowns.
No Gates.
No kingdoms.
She looked frightened.
Elara watched her.
"That's you."
Riva nodded.
The first Riva raised her hands.
"I want a world where nothing has to be alone."
A small sphere of light appeared.
She touched it.
The first world was created.
Riva smiled.
"I did it."
---
Then another figure appeared.
Aurelia.
She approached the first Riva.
"You created life."
Riva smiled.
"Yes."
"Then create something that can protect it."
Riva thought for a moment.
She created Kael.
He opened his eyes.
"What am I?"
Riva smiled.
"You're my guardian."
Kael looked around.
"Guardian of what?"
"Everything."
---
Elara watched silently.
Then she whispered:
"That's not how I remember it."
Riva turned.
"What do you mean?"
"I remember Kael differently."
Before Riva could answer, the memory changed.
Kael stood alone.
He looked at the world.
People were laughing.
Children were playing.
But Kael wasn't smiling.
Aurelia approached him.
"You're thinking too much."
Kael looked at her.
"They aren't free."
Aurelia frowned.
"What?"
"They believe they're choosing."
"But every path has already been decided."
Aurelia remained silent.
Kael continued:
"Riva decides everything."
---
The memory shifted again.
Kael stood before Riva.
"You need to stop."
Riva looked confused.
"Stop what?"
"Choosing for everyone."
"I created this world."
"That doesn't make it yours."
Riva's expression hardened.
"I know what's best."
Kael shook his head.
"That's exactly the problem."
---
Elara looked at her mother.
"You were controlling them."
Riva lowered her eyes.
"Yes."
"But why?"
"Because I was afraid."
"Of what?"
"Death."
---
The memory changed.
Riva watched as one of her creations died.
She tried to bring him back.
She failed.
Another died.
Then another.
She couldn't accept it.
So she created the Crown of Death.
Then the Crown of Birth.
Then Memory.
Then War.
Then Shadow.
One by one...
She created ways to control every part of existence.
Elara stared.
"You were trying to defeat death."
Riva nodded.
"I thought if I controlled everything..."
"...nothing could hurt me again."
---
The memory changed once more.
Riva stood before a newborn child.
Elara.
She was tiny.
Fragile.
Alive.
Riva held her.
Kael stood nearby.
"Why did you create her?"
Riva looked at the child.
"Because I made a mistake."
Kael frowned.
"What mistake?"
"I forgot what life was supposed to be."
She looked at Elara.
"I don't want to control her."
Kael stared.
"Then what will you do?"
Riva smiled.
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"She will choose."
---
Elara's eyes filled with tears.
"You created me to be free."
Riva nodded.
"Yes."
"Not to replace you."
"No."
"Then why did you say I would?"
Riva looked toward the darkness.
"Because someone changed that memory."
A voice answered:
"Not someone."
Riva froze.
The black star appeared again.
"You did."
---
The darkness shattered.
Riva and Elara were thrown back into reality.
Caelan caught Riva.
"Riva!"
She looked around.
The battlefield had changed.
The sky was no longer black.
It was completely white.
Seris stood nearby.
Lyra was kneeling.
Naren was holding the Blue Crown.
And above them...
The black star had become a doorway.
Seris whispered:
"It's opening."
Riva stared.
"What's behind it?"
Seris looked terrified.
"The place where your first creation still lives."
Riva frowned.
"Who?"
Seris didn't answer.
Instead, Elara whispered:
"Me."
---
Everyone turned toward her.
Elara stepped forward.
"I remember now."
Riva grabbed her hand.
"What do you remember?"
Elara looked at the doorway.
"When Mother created me..."
"She didn't create one version of me."
Riva's blood ran cold.
"What?"
Elara continued:
"She created thousands."
"Every possible Elara."
"Every possible choice."
"Every possible future."
Riva stared.
"And the world we know?"
Elara shook her head.
"Only one survived."
---
Caelan stepped forward.
"Then what is behind the doorway?"
Elara looked at him.
"All the others."
Riva's heart sank.
"Other versions of you?"
Elara nodded.
"And they're waking up."
---
The doorway opened.
Hundreds of silhouettes appeared.
Some looked like Elara.
Some were children.
Some were older.
Some had wings.
Some had horns.
Some wore crowns.
Some carried weapons.
Some were crying.
Some were smiling.
But every single one had Elara's face.
Riva whispered:
"How many?"
Elara stared.
"Too many."
One version stepped forward.
She looked exactly like Elara.
Except her eyes were black.
She smiled.
"Mother."
Riva froze.
The girl continued:
"You chose her."
She pointed toward Elara.
"Not us."
Another version appeared.
"You abandoned us."
Another:
"You erased us."
Another:
"You promised we'd all have a world."
Riva stepped backward.
"I didn't know."
The black-eyed Elara smiled.
"That's why we're angry."
---
Caelan raised his sword.
"Stay away from her."
The black-eyed Elara laughed.
"You're protecting the wrong one."
Riva looked at her.
"What do you want?"
The girl answered:
"Our world."
"Which world?"
She smiled.
"The one you destroyed."
Riva's heart stopped.
"How?"
The girl pointed toward the doorway.
"Bring us back."
Riva looked at Elara.
Her daughter was crying.
"Mother..."
Riva held her.
"What do we do?"
Elara shook her head.
"I don't know."
Then the white Crown appeared between them.
It floated toward Riva.
The black-eyed Elara whispered:
"Create us again."
Riva stared at the Crown.
She understood.
She could bring them back.
She could create thousands of worlds.
She could give every version of Elara a life.
But there was a cost.
Riva looked at the Crown.
"What happens if I do?"
Seris answered:
"You won't have enough power left to protect this world."
Riva looked at Elara.
Then Caelan.
Then Lyra.
Then Naren.
The choice was obvious.
And yet...
It was the hardest choice she had ever faced.
Riva slowly reached toward the Crown.
Elara grabbed her wrist.
"No."
Riva looked at her.
"Why?"
"Because I don't want you to sacrifice this world for me."
Riva's eyes filled with tears.
"You are my daughter."
"And they're your creations too."
"I can't choose between you."
Elara smiled sadly.
"Then don't."
Riva frowned.
"What?"
Elara looked toward the thousands of versions of herself.
"We don't have to choose."
Riva stared at her.
Elara continued:
"We need another way."
A smile slowly appeared on Riva's face.
"You're right."
The black-eyed Elara's smile disappeared.
"What are you planning?"
Riva raised the white Crown.
"Something I should have done from the beginning."
"What?"
Riva looked at every version of Elara.
"I'm going to give you something I never gave anyone."
"Choice."
The white Crown exploded with light.
Every version of Elara disappeared.
The doorway began closing.
But the black-eyed Elara remained.
She stared at Riva.
"What did you do?"
Riva smiled.
"I didn't destroy you."
"I released you."
The girl looked confused.
Then she began to fade.
For the first time...
She smiled.
"Thank you."
The doorway closed.
Silence returned.
Elara looked at her mother.
"Did you really release them?"
Riva nodded.
"Yes."
"Where will they go?"
"Wherever they choose."
Elara hugged her.
And for the first time since the Crowns had appeared...
Riva felt no fear.
But then Caelan looked toward the sky.
"Riva."
She turned.
A tiny black crack remained above them.
"What?"
Caelan pointed.
Something was moving inside it.
A hand emerged.
Then another.
Then a face.
Riva's smile disappeared.
The face looked exactly like hers.
But this time...
It was smiling.
"You released me."
Riva froze.
The voice whispered:
"Now I can finally become what you were afraid of."
End of Chapter 31