Chapter 106 - Chapter 106: The Third Choice

The throne room trembled.Cracks spread across the ancient floor as the laughter of the Eternal Void rolled through the First World.Lyra stood between the crown and the open-hand symbol.Her father watched her carefully.Her mother remained trapped outside the invisible barrier."Lyra," she called. "Whatever the throne shows you, don't accept its terms."Lyra looked at her."You said there was no way to save him.""I said the throne won't let you."Her mother pressed both palms against the barrier."That's different."Lyra understood.The throne wasn't offering a choice.It was offering a sacrifice.Either the First World survived while her father's remaining soul disappeared, or the world collapsed with him.The throne had simply hidden the third possibility.Lyra turned toward her father."Who created these choices?"He glanced at the throne."The throne itself.""Then the throne is lying."Her father's expression softened."That's what I wanted you to realize."The King suddenly stepped forward.The enormous silver figure raised one hand.The seven Hearts reacted immediately.Seraphine cried out as Courage flared inside her.Aurelia dropped to one knee.Selene grabbed her chest.Rylan struggled to remain standing.Garrick's weapon slipped from his fingers.Caelan stared at the glowing mark spreading across his arm.Lyra felt the pain through all of them."They're connected to the throne."Her father nodded."The Seven Hearts were never merely weapons.""What are they?""Locks."Lyra's eyes widened."The Hearts are locks?""Seven locks holding the First World together."The Firstborn stepped forward."And the Eighth Flame is the key."Lyra looked at him."Then why was it placed inside me?""Because no one else could carry it without becoming the next prison."Her father looked toward the King."The Creator wanted the Eighth Flame for himself."The King slowly turned its head.A deep crack appeared across its silver face.The Eternal Void's laughter grew louder.The Firstborn raised his sword."We're running out of time."Lyra nodded."Tell me how to break the throne."Her father looked at her for a long moment."You don't break it.""Then what do I do?""You change what it was built to do."Lyra stared at the throne."How?""Give it a choice."She frowned."A throne can't choose.""Exactly."Her father pointed toward the open-hand symbol."The Creator made the throne to demand obedience. The First World gave it power because everyone obeyed."He looked at Lyra."But you already proved something.""What?""You can refuse."The crown beneath Lyra's feet began glowing.The throne responded.A powerful force pulled her forward.Kael grabbed her hand."Don't let it take you."Lyra tightened her grip."I'm not going anywhere."The throne pulled harder.Kael's boots slid across the floor.Her father shouted,"Lyra!"She looked up."Don't fight the throne."Lyra stared at him."Then what?""Refuse it without running from it."The answer finally made sense.Lyra released Kael's hand.She walked toward the throne.Her mother screamed her name.The Firstborn stepped forward."Lyra, wait."She raised her hand."I know what I'm doing."The crown floated from the floor and moved toward her head.Lyra let it come close.Then she caught it.The entire chamber went silent.The King lowered its enormous head."Kneel."Lyra held the crown in her hands."No."The throne shook."Rule.""No."The crown began cracking."Sacrifice."Lyra's eyes filled with tears."No."The crown shattered.Golden fragments scattered across the chamber.Her father smiled."That's it."The throne screamed.Not with a voice.With the sound of stone tearing apart.The seven Hearts erupted with light.The invisible barrier around Lyra's mother disappeared.She immediately ran to her daughter."Lyra!"They embraced.For a brief moment, Lyra allowed herself to breathe.Then her father spoke."There's one last thing."Lyra turned.His body was becoming transparent."Dad…"Her mother looked at him."No."He smiled."The throne is losing its hold on me."Lyra stepped toward him."Then stay.""I can't.""Why?""Because I'm not supposed to be here anymore."His gaze moved to Lyra's mother."You did well."Her mother began crying."I should have found you.""You protected our daughter.""I should have come back.""You did."He looked at Lyra."She brought you here."Lyra reached for him.Her fingers passed through his hand."Please."Her father smiled."You've spent your whole life believing you lost me."His voice became softer."You didn't."A golden light surrounded him.Lyra shook her head."No. Don't leave again.""I never really left."He touched her forehead."Every choice you made without me was still yours."The light grew brighter.Her father whispered his final words."Keep choosing."Then he disappeared.Lyra stood frozen.Her mother wrapped both arms around her.The Firstborn looked toward the throne."It's opening."Lyra slowly lifted her head.The broken throne was no longer a throne.Behind it stood a vast doorway filled with darkness.The King turned toward the opening.For the first time, it looked afraid.The Firstborn tightened his grip on his sword."What is that?"Lyra's mother stared at the doorway."The place the Creator tried to erase."Kael moved beside Lyra."What was inside it?"Her mother answered in a trembling voice."The first memory."A shape appeared within the darkness.Then another.Then hundreds.Thousands.Entire worlds began appearing inside the doorway.Lyra stared in disbelief.The Eternal Void wasn't coming from outside.It had been trapped inside the memories of every world the Creator had destroyed.The doorway opened wider.And a familiar voice came from within."Lyra."She froze.The voice belonged to her father.But he was already gone.Her mother's face turned pale."That's not him."The voice laughed softly."No."Two glowing eyes appeared in the darkness."I'm what your father was protecting you from."The Seven Hearts suddenly went dark.And the Firstborn dropped to his knees."The Creator's first mistake…"He looked up in horror."…has finally awakened."