BOOK FOUR: THE KINGDOM BEYOND THE LAST GATE
Chapter 32: What Freedom Created
The face in the black crack smiled.
Riva couldn't move.
It looked like her.
But there was something wrong with its eyes.
They contained no fear.
No anger.
No love.
Only emptiness.
Caelan stepped in front of Riva.
"Stay back."
The figure laughed.
"Still protecting her?"
Caelan raised his sword.
"Who are you?"
The figure looked at him.
"Someone who was never supposed to exist."
Riva's voice was barely a whisper.
"Another version of me."
The figure smiled.
"No."
It stepped through the crack.
"I am the consequence of you."
---
The moment its feet touched the ground, every Crown disappeared.
The Blue Crown vanished from Naren's hands.
The Red Crown vanished from Elara.
The white Crown vanished from Riva.
Seris looked horrified.
"The Crowns are gone."
Riva stared at her.
"How?"
The figure answered:
"Because they were never the source."
Riva looked at it.
"Then what are they?"
"Locks."
"Locks for what?"
The figure smiled.
"Me."
---
The ground cracked.
Darkness spread beneath their feet.
Lyra stepped backward.
"We need to leave."
Seris shook her head.
"There's nowhere to go."
"Why?"
"Because it's not opening a Gate."
Seris looked at the figure.
"It's opening existence itself."
---
Riva stepped forward.
"Tell me your name."
The figure smiled.
"I don't have one."
"Then I'll give you one."
"Why?"
"Because everything deserves a name."
The figure's expression changed.
For the first time...
It looked uncertain.
Riva said:
"Nyra."
The figure repeated it.
"Nyra."
Riva nodded.
"Yes."
Nyra smiled.
"I like it."
Then she raised her hand.
The entire battlefield disappeared.
---
Riva opened her eyes.
She was standing in a village.
People were walking around.
Children were playing.
The sun was shining.
Everything looked ordinary.
Too ordinary.
Caelan appeared beside her.
"Where are we?"
Riva looked around.
"I don't know."
A woman walked past them.
She looked familiar.
Riva followed her.
Then stopped.
The woman had Riva's face.
Another version.
A different life.
Another possibility.
Riva understood.
"This is a world she created."
Caelan frowned.
"Who?"
"Nyra."
---
The village changed.
Suddenly it became a city.
Then a battlefield.
Then a forest.
Then a palace.
Every few seconds...
The world changed.
Caelan grabbed Riva's hand.
"She's showing us possibilities."
"No."
Riva shook her head.
"She's showing us choices."
---
Nyra appeared across the street.
"You finally understand."
Riva looked at her.
"Why are you doing this?"
"Because you gave me freedom."
"You wanted it."
"I did."
"Then why are you hurting people?"
Nyra laughed.
"Because freedom isn't kind."
Riva frowned.
"What does that mean?"
"Freedom means everyone gets to choose."
"Even when their choices hurt others."
"Even when they choose destruction."
"Even when they choose you."
Riva stared.
"Choose me?"
Nyra smiled.
"That's the part you never understood."
---
The village disappeared.
Riva found herself standing in a massive hall.
Hundreds of people were there.
They all looked at her.
Some were angry.
Some were afraid.
Some were smiling.
One man stepped forward.
"You created us."
Riva nodded.
"Yes."
"You gave us life."
"Yes."
"Then you owe us."
Riva frowned.
"What do I owe you?"
"Purpose."
Another person shouted:
"You abandoned us."
Another:
"You made us suffer."
Another:
"You made us love."
Another:
"You made us die."
Riva stood silently.
She couldn't argue.
Because they were right.
---
Nyra appeared beside her.
"This is your greatest mistake."
Riva looked at her.
"What?"
"You thought giving people freedom would make them happy."
"It doesn't."
"It makes them responsible."
Riva looked around.
"Then that's their choice."
Nyra smiled.
"Exactly."
"Now tell me..."
She pointed toward the crowd.
"Who should decide what they do with it?"
Riva answered:
"No one."
Nyra smiled.
"Then you understand."
---
A sudden explosion shook the hall.
People began fighting.
Some attacked Nyra.
Some attacked Riva.
Others attacked one another.
Caelan drew his sword.
"Riva!"
"Don't!"
She stopped him.
"Let them choose."
"They'll kill each other."
"Maybe."
Caelan stared at her.
"That's not an answer."
Riva looked at him.
"It's the truth."
---
Nyra watched silently.
Then something unexpected happened.
A man dropped his weapon.
He looked at the person he had been fighting.
"I don't want this."
The other person lowered their weapon.
"I don't either."
One by one...
People stopped fighting.
Not because Riva commanded them.
Not because Nyra controlled them.
Because they chose to.
Nyra's expression changed.
Riva smiled.
"That's freedom."
Nyra looked at her.
"And if they choose wrong?"
"Then they learn."
"And if they don't?"
"We help them."
Nyra stared.
"You still believe in them."
Riva nodded.
"I have to."
---
The hall disappeared.
Riva returned to the battlefield.
Elara ran toward her.
"Mother!"
Riva hugged her.
"You're okay."
"Where did you go?"
"Somewhere I needed to be."
Elara looked at Nyra.
"Who is she?"
Riva turned.
Nyra stood silently.
"She's part of me."
Elara stared.
"Then why does she hate us?"
Nyra answered:
"I don't."
Elara frowned.
"Then what do you want?"
Nyra looked at her.
"You."
Riva stepped forward.
"Why?"
"Because you're proof."
"Proof of what?"
"That Riva can create something she can't control."
Elara looked at her mother.
Nyra continued:
"And that frightens her."
---
Riva shook her head.
"No."
Nyra smiled.
"You're still afraid."
"Of what?"
"Of losing her."
Riva looked at Elara.
Of course she was.
She had lost Elara before.
She had forgotten her.
She had watched worlds collapse.
She had watched people die.
But this time...
She wouldn't control her daughter to keep her safe.
She would trust her.
Riva looked at Elara.
"I am afraid."
Elara took her hand.
"Me too."
Nyra watched them.
Then something strange happened.
She began crying.
Riva stared.
"Nyra?"
Nyra wiped her face.
"I don't understand."
"What?"
"I can feel it."
"Feel what?"
Nyra looked at Riva.
"Love."
---
The darkness around her began disappearing.
Seris stared.
"That's impossible."
Riva looked at her.
"What?"
"Nyra wasn't supposed to be capable of emotion."
"Why?"
"Because she was created from the part of you that existed before love."
Riva looked at Nyra.
"Then how can she feel it?"
Seris shook her head.
"I don't know."
Nyra smiled through her tears.
"You gave it to me."
Riva frowned.
"When?"
"When you gave me a choice."
---
The sky suddenly cracked.
A deep roar echoed across the world.
Everyone looked upward.
Seris went pale.
"No."
Riva looked at her.
"What now?"
Seris whispered:
"The Void."
The black star returned.
But this time it wasn't alone.
Hundreds of black stars appeared around it.
Then thousands.
Then millions.
Riva stared.
"What are they?"
Seris answered:
"Worlds."
Riva's blood ran cold.
"Dead worlds?"
"No."
"Possible worlds."
Nyra looked toward the sky.
"They're coming."
---
Elara stepped closer.
"Coming for what?"
Nyra looked at Riva.
"For their Creator."
Riva raised her eyes.
Millions of worlds were moving toward them.
Each one carried a different version of reality.
Different people.
Different histories.
Different Elara's.
Different Caelans.
Different Rivás.
Riva whispered:
"They all want something."
Nyra nodded.
"What?"
Nyra looked at her.
"To be the real world."
Silence.
Riva finally understood.
If she chose one...
Every other world would disappear.
If she refused...
All of them would collide.
Caelan looked at her.
"Riva."
She nodded.
"I know."
"What are you going to do?"
Riva looked at the millions of worlds.
Then at Elara.
Then at Nyra.
"I won't choose."
Caelan stared.
"Then what?"
Riva smiled.
"We'll build a world where every world can exist."
Seris shook her head.
"That's impossible."
Riva looked at the sky.
"It was impossible before."
She raised her hand.
"Now I know how to do it."
The white Crown reappeared.
But this time...
It wasn't in Riva's hand.
It appeared above Elara.
Elara looked up.
"Mother?"
Riva smiled.
"You should create it."
Elara stared.
"Me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because this time..."
Riva took her hand.
"...I don't want to create the future."
"I want you to."
Elara smiled.
The Crown descended toward her.
But before she could touch it...
Nyra stepped forward.
"I'll help."
Riva looked at her.
"Are you sure?"
Nyra nodded.
"For the first time..."
She smiled.
"I want to create something too."
The three of them stood beneath the millions of approaching worlds.
Mother.
Daughter.
And the forgotten part of creation.
Then Elara reached for the Crown.
The entire universe held its breath.
End of Chapter 32