Passing through the gate of twilight, Lila, Eron, and Elin emerged into the Realm of the Gate of Dawn.
They stood on a floating twilight crystal platform, high up in a tremendous sky full of dawning colors and dying colors. Before them loomed the Gate of Dawn, a colossal ring of shadow and silver, gently pulsating, its very center a maelstrom of whirling light.
Around them, lanterns from every world floated in leisurely orbits, casting soft, watchful light.
The Calm Before the Storm
Elin opened the Book of Eternity, now floating beside her, its leaves turning separately, revealing the seven illuminated Keys. The image of the Gate in the middle pulsed, waiting.
Eron held his staff, its crystal glowing in harmony with the vibration of the Gate.
Lila raised the lantern of twilight, the pendant glowing on her chest. She felt all Keys within her, memories of the journey rising: her grandmother's lantern, the hidden door, the islands of lanterns, the Heartstone, the shadowed ambassador, besieged Auraleaf.
"This ends now," Lila whispered.
"Or begins," Elin replied softly.
The Shadow Lords Arrive
Darkness rolled over the twilight sky as three gigantic shadow figures formed out of the churning mists:
A shadow serpent, eyes burning violet.
A shadowed knight, a darkness sword.
A robed figure with lantern eyes, the Shadow Envoy took on its true form.
They walked around the Gate, their voices thundering:
"The Gate will open, and all the realms will merge into the Eternal Shadow."
Eron stepped forward, staff at the ready. "Not on our feet."
The Battle Begins
The serpent struck, jaws agape, but Lila brandished the twilight lantern, its light a twilight barrier that shunted the attack aside, waves of dawn-coursed shadow surging across the platform.
The knight struck at Eron, their sword and staff clashing in a storm of sparks, blow upon blow shuddering the platform.
Elin spoke out of the Book of Eternity, casting shafts of dawn light to pin down the robed figure's dark tendrils, but the Envoy moved with speeds that defied the laws of reality, darkness uncurling to attack.
Lila's Resolve
As the serpent uncoiled to strike, Lila shut her eyes and invoked the six Keys within her:
Aurelin. Serathil. Calenyr. Nythelen. Thalorien. Valaryn.
She named them with a whisper, the pendant and lantern burning as the power of twilight mixed with the light of dawn to form a new, steady flame.
She opened her eyes and faced the serpent, stepping into the blackness of it, the lantern held high.
"You will not take this dawn from us."
She unleashed a blast of twilight-dawn power, crashing into the serpent, its dark form screaming as it disintegrated into mist.
Eron's Stand
The knight shoved Eron back, his black sword sinking into Eron's staff, but Eron remained firm in position.
"Light opposes shadow."
Snarling, he channeled the strength of the Heartstone, his staff ablaze with raw dawnfire, striking the sword of the knight and shattering it, the shadow beast disintegrating in a blast of energy.
Elin's Faith
The Shadow Envoy advanced upon Elin, shadow tendrils whipping as she struggled to maintain the Book of Eternity steady.
"You will not last forever," the Envoy snarled.
Elin's gaze glowed softly, unwavering. "We do not need forever."
She spoke the name of the seventh Key:
"Aetheryn."
The Book flashed with radiance, building a dawn bulwark that deflected the shadow tendrils, blinding the Envoy.
The Gate Calls
The Gate of Dawn pulsed rapidly, its whirlpool growing, sucking in shadow and twilight alike.
The Shadow Envoy spun towards Lila, its lantern eyes trembling.
"The Gate demands a price."
"I am aware," Lila stepped forward, raising the lantern of twilight.
The Choice
When the Gate finally swung wide, it revealed a world of simple dawn light on the other side, but shadows lapped at the edges, seeking to tarnish it.
Lila felt the pendant hot with power, the lantern firm.
"Light and dark. Dawn and twilight."
She took a deep breath, remembering the child she had once been, alone, afraid.
"I will take both."
Taking one final step, Lila merged the twilights lantern's strength with the Gate, firming it, forcing back the darkness and letting the world of dawn pour through.
The Shadow Envoy screamed as its form was engulfed by the vortex, the shadows vanishing into innocent mist, being absorbed by the light of the lanterns.
The Dawn Breaks
The suffering vortex dissipated, the Gate of Dawn becoming solid, its center a serene dawn sky with drift lanterns, opening to the world of light.
The lanterns that ringed the world pulsed gently, a procession of soft victory.
Eron immersed his staff, tired but smiling. Elin shut the Book of Eternity, her face filled with tears.
Lila let the lantern twilight fall, the pendant a warmth on her bosom.
"It's done."
Outside them, the Gate of Dawn blazed steadily, its light seen in the still waters of the lantern rivers across all worlds.