Chapter 109 - Chapter 109: The Creator’s Daughter

The chamber fell completely still.Lyra couldn't take her eyes off the man standing in the doorway.The armor was unmistakable.She had seen it in the memories.The Creator.The man who had supposedly died.The man who had feared the First Flame.The man who had ordered the creation of the weapon that could erase everything.And now he was standing before her.Calling her his daughter.Lyra's mother stepped forward."You're not him."The Creator smiled."You've always hated admitting when you were wrong."Her mother froze.Kael moved in front of Lyra."Stay behind me."The Creator barely glanced at him."You cannot protect her from me."Kael tightened his grip on his sword."Watch me."The Creator finally looked at him.For a moment, nothing happened.Then Kael's sword cracked.He stared at the blade.A thin fracture had appeared across the metal.Kael immediately stepped back.The Creator hadn't even touched him."Don't provoke him," the Firstborn warned.The Creator turned toward the silver-eyed man."You remember."The Firstborn's jaw tightened."I remember killing you."Lyra's eyes widened.The Creator laughed softly."And yet here I am.""You aren't alive.""No."The Creator touched his chest."What remains of me is enough."Lyra stepped forward."Why did you call me your daughter?"Her mother immediately grabbed her arm."Lyra, don't."But Lyra pulled free."I deserve an answer."The Creator looked at her."You do."He walked slowly into the chamber."Your father loved you."Lyra's expression hardened."Don't talk about him.""He believed he could hide you from me.""He protected me from you.""Yes."The Creator stopped."And that is why he had to die."Lyra's eyes filled with anger."You killed him.""No."The Creator's expression remained calm."He chose to die."Her mother stepped forward."Because you gave him no other choice."The Creator looked at her."I gave both of you a choice.""You threatened our daughter.""I warned you about what she carried."Lyra's heart sank."The Eighth Flame."The Creator nodded."Not merely the Eighth Flame."He pointed toward Lyra."The original source."The Seven Hearts immediately began glowing.The Creator's gaze shifted toward them."You have finally awakened all seven."Lyra raised her hand."They chose me.""Of course they did.""Then you can't control them."The Creator smiled."I never wanted to control them."The Firstborn stepped forward."Don't lie."The Creator looked at him."You still believe the First Flame was meant to be free.""It was.""No."The Creator's voice became colder."It was meant to remain contained."The chamber shook.Lyra looked toward her mother."You told me the Creator divided the First Flame because he was afraid of it.""He was."The Creator interrupted."Because I discovered the truth."Lyra stared at him."What truth?"The Creator looked toward the broken throne."The First Flame isn't a source of power."He paused."It is a doorway."A chill moved through Lyra."A doorway to what?"The Creator looked directly at her."To the beginning of existence."The Firstborn shook his head."That's not what I remember.""Because I removed that memory."The Firstborn's eyes widened."You…"The Creator raised one hand.The Firstborn suddenly fell to one knee.Lyra rushed toward him."Stop!"The Creator lowered his hand.The pressure vanished.The Firstborn breathed heavily.Lyra stared at the Creator."You can control him.""I can control what remains of him."The Firstborn slowly stood."I killed you once."The Creator smiled."And you will remember why."A flash of light erupted between them.The Firstborn suddenly staggered.Images appeared around him.The Creator.The First World.The First Flame.Then Lyra's father.And finally, a scene that none of them had seen before.The Creator stood beside Lyra's father.Both men faced the First Flame.The Creator spoke."If we destroy it, the doorway closes."Lyra's father shook his head."And what happens to everything connected to it?""They will survive.""You're lying."The Creator turned toward him."You've already chosen her."Lyra's father looked toward a sleeping infant.Lyra.The memory ended.The Firstborn covered his face."I remember."Lyra approached him."What happened?"He looked at her."Your father betrayed the Creator.""Why?""Because the Creator wanted to destroy the First Flame completely."Lyra looked at the Creator."And my father stopped him.""Yes."The Creator didn't deny it."Your father chose you over everything else."Lyra's mother whispered,"And that's why you killed him."The Creator shook his head."That's why I imprisoned him."Lyra froze."What?"Her mother's face went pale.The Creator continued."Your father's soul remained connected to the throne."Lyra remembered the man she had just lost.The throne.The prison.His final words.Keep choosing.Tears filled her eyes."You knew I'd come.""I knew you would eventually.""Why?"The Creator's smile disappeared."Because the throne was never waiting for a ruler."He looked toward Lyra's palm."It was waiting for its key."The black mark that Lyra had destroyed suddenly reappeared.Her mother gasped."No."The Creator raised his hand.The mark spread across Lyra's palm.Lyra cried out as a wave of pain shot through her.Kael rushed forward.The Creator stopped him with a single gesture."Don't."Kael struggled against the invisible force.Lyra looked at the Creator."What are you doing to me?""I'm opening the door."Behind Lyra, the seven Hearts suddenly formed a perfect circle.The floor beneath them began glowing.The Firstborn stared at the symbol."That's the original seal."The Creator nodded."Yes."Lyra looked toward her mother."You knew about this?"Her mother shook her head."No."The Creator smiled."She didn't."He looked at Lyra."Your mother thought she was protecting you."He paused."But your father knew the truth."Lyra's heart stopped."What truth?"The Creator stepped closer."You were never created to carry the First Flame."The Seven Hearts began spinning faster."You were created to awaken it."The chamber exploded with golden light.The seven Hearts vanished.The ground beneath Lyra opened.And from somewhere deep below the First World came the sound of something enormous taking its first breath.The Creator smiled."Now, my daughter…"His eyes turned completely white."…wake the First Flame."