The Last Keeper of Magic

Chapter 19: The First Arin

The figure stood beyond the Final Gate.

Silver hair.

Golden eyes.

Arin's face.

But there was something different in his expression.

He looked older.

Colder.

As if he had spent centuries waiting in darkness.

Arin stared at him.

"Who are you?"

The stranger smiled.

"I already told you."

He stepped through the Final Gate.

"I am the first version of you."

Auren immediately moved between them.

"Stay away from my brother."

The stranger looked at Auren.

"Brother?"

He laughed softly.

"You still believe you understand what family means."

Auren's eyes narrowed.

"What does that mean?"

The stranger pointed toward him.

"You were created second."

Then he pointed toward Luna.

"She was created third."

Finally, his eyes returned to Arin.

"And he..."

He smiled.

"...was created first."

Arin felt a strange pressure inside his chest.

"You're saying I wasn't born?"

The stranger shook his head.

"You were."

He paused.

"But you weren't the first Arin."

The battlefield became silent.

Even the First King stopped moving.

Kael whispered,

"This doesn't make sense."

Lyra looked at the stranger.

"It does."

Everyone turned toward her.

Lyra continued,

"Queen Elara wasn't only hiding Luna."

She looked at Arin.

"She was hiding him."

The stranger smiled.

"Very good."

Arin looked at Lyra.

"You knew?"

"No."

Lyra shook her head.

"I only suspected."

The stranger raised his hand.

A wave of silver light spread across the First Realm.

Suddenly, everyone saw a memory.

Queen Elara stood inside a laboratory beneath the Golden Palace.

Around her were enormous crystals.

Inside one crystal was a young Arin.

Another contained Auren.

A third contained Luna.

Elara looked exhausted.

An ancient voice spoke behind her.

"Three vessels cannot contain Creation."

Elara answered,

"They aren't vessels."

"What are they?"

"My children."

The memory changed.

The first crystal opened.

Young Arin stepped out.

Golden energy surrounded him.

Elara hugged him.

"My son."

Then the First Arin looked at her.

"Mother, why am I here?"

Elara cried.

"Because I made a mistake."

The memory shattered.

Arin opened his eyes.

"No."

The stranger looked at him.

"Yes."

Arin stepped forward.

"My mother didn't create me."

The stranger answered calmly.

"She didn't."

He pointed toward the enormous First Creation.

"It did."

Arin turned.

The silver-eyed being watched him.

The First Creation spoke.

"You were my first gift."

Arin's breathing stopped.

"What does that mean?"

"I was born from your power."

The stranger laughed.

"You see?"

He walked closer.

"The First Creation was not your creation."

He pointed toward Arin.

"It was your reflection."

Arin's mind filled with memories.

A child.

A golden light.

A world forming around him.

Mountains rising.

Oceans appearing.

Stars being born.

He had created them.

But he had forgotten.

The First King suddenly spoke.

"Now you understand why your mother feared you."

Arin turned toward him.

"You knew."

"Of course."

"Then why did you spend all this time trying to control me?"

The First King smiled.

"Because I was afraid of what you would become."

Arin stared at him.

"You?"

For the first time, the First King looked away.

"I have seen what Creation can do."

Auren stepped beside Arin.

"Then why are you still trying to open the gate?"

The First King answered,

"Because something worse is coming."

Everyone froze.

The stranger laughed.

"Finally."

He looked toward the sky.

"The First King admits it."

Arin asked,

"What is worse than the First Creation?"

The stranger looked at him.

"You."

Arin's golden energy erupted.

"I won't become a monster."

"I know."

The stranger smiled.

"That's why I need to become you."

Suddenly, the stranger disappeared.

He reappeared behind Arin.

Kael attacked.

The stranger blocked him with one hand.

A burst of silver energy sent Kael flying.

"Kael!"

Arin rushed toward him.

But the stranger raised his hand.

A silver chain wrapped around Arin.

The Golden Core inside his chest began glowing violently.

Arin struggled.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking back what belongs to me."

Silver energy entered his body.

The seven powers inside Arin began separating.

Fire.

Water.

Wind.

Earth.

Lightning.

Shadow.

Golden.

The stranger was pulling them out.

Auren attacked.

Darius and Lyra joined him.

Seraphine unleashed golden flames.

But none of their attacks reached the stranger.

Luna suddenly stepped forward.

"Stop!"

The stranger froze.

He looked at her.

"Luna."

She raised her hand.

Silver light surrounded her.

"You promised Mother."

The stranger's expression changed.

"Mother is gone."

"No."

Luna shook her head.

"Her memory isn't."

A tear fell from her eye.

And the entire First Realm began glowing.

A voice echoed across the battlefield.

Elara.

"Children..."

Arin's eyes widened.

"Mother?"

The voice continued.

"If you can hear this, then the Final Gate has opened."

Auren looked around.

"Where is she?"

The voice answered:

"I am not alive."

Arin's heart broke.

"But my message is."

A golden figure appeared above the battlefield.

Queen Elara.

She looked exactly as Arin remembered.

Silver hair.

Golden eyes.

A gentle expression.

She looked at all three children.

"I am sorry."

Arin whispered,

"Why?"

Elara continued.

"Because I couldn't protect you from the truth."

The stranger lowered his head.

Elara looked directly at him.

"You were my first mistake."

His eyes darkened.

"You called me your son."

"I did."

"Then why did you erase me?"

Elara closed her eyes.

"Because you were becoming something I could no longer control."

The stranger shouted,

"You feared me!"

"Yes."

The word echoed through the realm.

"I feared what you would become."

The stranger's silver energy exploded.

"You abandoned me!"

Elara answered softly,

"And I have regretted it every day."

Silence.

Arin looked at the stranger.

"You were my brother."

The stranger turned toward him.

"Not anymore."

He raised his hand.

The sky split apart.

The First Creation roared.

The First Realm began collapsing.

Elara's message continued.

"There is only one way to stop him."

Arin listened.

"You must choose."

"Choose what?"

"Creation..."

She looked at Arin.

"...or your family."

Arin's eyes widened.

The stranger smiled.

"Now you understand."

He pointed toward Luna.

"Choose."

Luna looked at Arin.

"Don't choose me."

Auren stepped forward.

"Don't listen to him."

The stranger laughed.

"If Arin keeps Creation, the First Realm will collapse."

He pointed toward Luna.

"If he gives up Creation, she lives."

Then he pointed toward Auren.

"And if he refuses both..."

A black crack appeared beneath Auren.

"...your brother dies."

Arin stood completely still.

His golden energy began fading.

Kael struggled to stand.

"Arin..."

Arin looked at his friends.

At Luna.

At Auren.

Then at the First Creation.

He finally understood.

This wasn't a battle of power.

It was a test of choice.

The same choice his mother had faced.

Arin closed his eyes.

Then he smiled.

The stranger frowned.

"Why are you smiling?"

Arin opened his eyes.

"Because you made one mistake."

"What?"

"You assumed I would choose between them."

Golden light erupted from Arin's body.

But this time it wasn't destructive.

It was peaceful.

Creation spread across the First Realm.

The broken mountains stopped collapsing.

The cracks closed.

The ancient statues returned to life.

The Final Gate stopped opening.

The First Creation lowered its head.

Arin spoke quietly.

"I won't choose between Creation and my family."

The stranger stared at him.

"Then what will you choose?"

Arin raised his hand.

"I'll create another choice."

The eighth symbol appeared.

Then a ninth symbol appeared beside it.

Everyone stared.

Even the First King stepped backward.

Luna whispered,

"That's impossible."

Arin looked toward her.

"What is it?"

"The symbol of Balance."

The First Creation suddenly spoke.

"Creator..."

Arin answered,

"Yes?"

"You remember."

Arin's eyes began glowing silver and gold.

"I remember everything."

The stranger's face changed.

"What did you remember?"

Arin looked directly at him.

"You're not my first version."

The stranger froze.

"You're..."

Arin raised his hand.

"...my first creation."

The stranger's smile disappeared.

And for the first time, he looked afraid.

To be continued...