Chapter 108 - Chapter 108: The Darkness Within

Lyra stared at her hands.Black light pulsed beneath her skin. Once Twice.Then the Seven Hearts responded.Their darkness spread across the chamber like ink through water.Seraphine dropped to one knee."Something is wrong."Aurelia pressed a hand against her chest."I can feel it inside the Heart."Selene looked at Lyra."The connection is changing."Lyra backed away."I didn't do this."Her mother moved toward her."I know."The black mark on Lyra's palm opened again.A voice whispered through the chamber."You don't have to fear me."Lyra clenched her fist."Get out of my head.""I have nowhere else to go."Kael stepped between Lyra and the others."Whatever you are, leave her alone."The darkness answered with a quiet laugh."You cannot protect someone from what already belongs to her."Kael raised his sword."Try me."Lyra grabbed his arm."Don't."He looked at her."Why?""Because it wants us to fight."The Firstborn slowly stood.Lyra turned toward him."You knew this could happen.""I suspected it.""That's not an answer."He lowered his sword."The First Memory has been searching for a vessel since the Creator destroyed its original form."Lyra's voice hardened."And you think I'm that vessel?""No."He looked directly into her eyes."I think you're the reason it survived."Her mother stepped forward."Enough."The Firstborn turned toward her."You knew.""I knew something had been left inside her.""But you didn't know what."Her mother shook her head."I knew her father had made a sacrifice. I didn't know the sacrifice had left something behind."Lyra stared at her mother."Why didn't Dad tell you?""He tried."Her mother's eyes filled with tears."But he didn't have enough time."The black mark pulsed again.A sharp pain tore through Lyra's chest.She fell to her knees.Kael caught her before she hit the ground."Lyra!"Her body trembled.Inside her mind, she heard the voice again."Remember."The world around her disappeared.She was standing in a field beneath a silver sky.A little girl was running through the grass.Lyra recognized herself.She watched the child laugh as her father chased after her."Slow down!"The little Lyra turned."You'll never catch me!"Her father laughed."I don't need to catch you."He stopped."I only need to make sure you're safe."The memory shifted.Her mother stood beneath a tree, watching them.Then the sky turned black.The Creator appeared.Her father immediately moved in front of Lyra.The memory froze.Lyra stared at the scene."That's when he came for me."The voice answered."No."The image changed.She saw herself as a baby.Her mother held her.Her father stood beside them.But something else was present.A tiny black spark floated above the baby's chest.Lyra's eyes widened."That was me?""That was the First Memory."The spark slowly entered the infant Lyra.Her father watched in horror.He reached for it.The Creator stopped him."Don't."Her father turned."Get it out of her."The Creator shook his head."If you remove it now, she will die."Lyra watched helplessly.Her father looked at the baby."What happens when she grows?"The Creator's answer was cold."Then it will wake."The memory vanished.Lyra returned to the throne room with a gasp.Kael was still holding her.Her mother knelt beside her."What did you see?"Lyra stared at her."The Creator knew."Her mother went silent."He knew the First Memory was inside me."The Firstborn's face hardened."Then he didn't fear what you would become."Lyra looked at him."He feared what I would remember."The Firstborn slowly nodded."Exactly."A deep vibration shook the chamber.The seven Hearts lifted into the air.Their black glow began changing.Golden light appeared beneath the darkness.Seraphine looked up."Something is happening."Lyra stood.The darkness around the Hearts began peeling away.One layer.Then another.Until the seven Hearts shone brightly again.The voice inside Lyra became furious."Stop."Lyra looked at the Hearts.She understood."It can't control them."The Firstborn smiled faintly."Because the Hearts were never connected to the First Memory."Lyra looked at him."They were connected to me.""Yes."Her mother took her hand."And now they're choosing you again."The seven Hearts moved toward Lyra.But instead of entering her body, they formed a circle around her.The black mark on her palm began fading.The voice screamed inside her mind."You cannot erase me!"Lyra closed her eyes."I'm not going to erase you."The darkness went silent.Lyra opened her eyes."I'm going to remember you."The seven Hearts flashed.A shockwave swept through the chamber.The black mark shattered.For the first time, Lyra felt completely still inside.Then she heard another voice.Not the First Memory.Not the Void.Not the Creator.Her father's voice."Now you know why I chose you."Lyra's eyes filled with tears."Dad?"His voice came from the Seven Hearts."Don't fight what you are."The light around Lyra grew brighter."Understand it."Then his voice disappeared.The Firstborn suddenly looked toward the doorway."What is it?"Lyra turned.The ancient doorway was closing.But something was standing on the other side.A man.Tall.Motionless.Wearing the Creator's armor.Kael raised his sword."Another enemy?"The Firstborn stared at the figure."No."Lyra's mother whispered,"That's impossible."The armored man stepped through the doorway.His helmet lifted.Lyra's breath caught.She knew that face.She had seen it in her father's memories.The Creator.But he was supposed to be dead.The man looked directly at Lyra.And smiled."My daughter."