The Last Keeper of Magic

Chapter 17: The Eighth Symbol

The ground continued to split apart.

A massive hand emerged from beneath the First Realm, crushing ancient stone as it rose toward the sky.

Arin stood frozen.

He had faced armies.

He had fought the First King.

He had awakened all seven powers.

But this was different.

The presence beneath the earth did not feel like a king.

It did not feel like a warrior.

It felt like something that had existed before the Seven Realms themselves.

Kael stepped beside Arin.

"Whatever that thing is, we need to move."

Arin didn't answer.

His eyes remained fixed on the enormous crack.

"Luna is down there."

Auren grabbed his shoulder.

"Arin, listen to me. That voice may not be hers."

"I know."

"Then don't go."

Arin looked at him.

"But if it is Luna?"

Auren fell silent.

He knew the answer.

They couldn't leave her behind.

Suddenly, the eighth symbol in the sky became brighter.

Silver light descended toward the ground.

It struck the crack.

The enormous hand stopped moving.

For a moment, everything became silent.

Then the voice beneath the earth spoke again.

"Creation..."

The sound shook the mountains.

"...has returned."

The First King looked terrified.

"No."

Arin turned toward him.

"You know what this is."

The First King didn't answer.

Arin raised his hand.

Golden energy surrounded the First King.

"Tell me."

The First King struggled against the energy.

"You think you can control me?"

"I don't need to control you."

Arin's eyes began glowing.

"I only need the truth."

The First King stared at him.

Then he laughed.

"You really are your mother's son."

Auren stepped forward.

"What is beneath the First Realm?"

The First King looked at him.

"The beginning."

Lyra frowned.

"The beginning of what?"

"The beginning of everything."

The ground shook again.

The First King continued.

"Before the Seven Realms, before the Thrones, before the Golden Core, there was an ancient force."

Arin listened carefully.

"The First Creation."

Kael's expression changed.

"The First Creation?"

The First King nodded.

"It created the first world."

Auren asked, "Then why was it sealed?"

The First King smiled bitterly.

"Because it could create without limits."

Arin understood.

"If it can create anything..."

"It can also create beings capable of destroying everything."

The First King looked toward the crack.

"And your mother was the one who sealed it."

Arin's heart tightened.

"Why didn't she tell me?"

"Because she knew you would try to free it."

Arin shook his head.

"You're lying."

"Am I?"

The First King pointed toward the ground.

"Ask your sister."

Everyone looked down.

A golden light appeared inside the crack.

A girl slowly rose from the darkness.

Silver hair.

Golden eyes.

A white dress covered in ancient symbols.

Luna.

Arin couldn't breathe.

"Luna..."

She looked at him.

"Brother."

Arin stepped forward.

Auren moved with him.

"Luna!"

She smiled.

For the first time since entering the First Realm, Arin felt something other than fear.

Hope.

He ran toward her.

But Lyra shouted,

"Arin, stop!"

He stopped.

Luna looked at Lyra.

"Why?"

Lyra's face had gone pale.

"Because..."

She couldn't finish.

Luna tilted her head.

"What?"

Lyra slowly raised her weapon.

"Your shadow."

Everyone looked at the ground.

Luna's shadow was moving.

But Luna wasn't moving.

The shadow stretched across the stone.

Then it separated from her feet.

A second figure emerged from it.

A dark version of Luna.

Its eyes were completely black.

Arin's heart sank.

Luna whispered,

"Don't be afraid."

The dark figure smiled.

"I've been waiting for you."

Arin raised his hand.

Creation energy gathered around him.

"Get away from her."

The dark figure laughed.

"You still don't understand."

It pointed toward Luna.

"She isn't the prisoner."

Auren looked confused.

"Then what is she?"

The figure answered:

"She is the key."

The First King suddenly attacked.

Black and golden energy exploded across the battlefield.

Arin blocked the attack.

The impact sent him sliding backward.

Kael and Darius rushed forward.

The First King disappeared into a cloud of darkness.

"He's running!" Darius shouted.

"No."

Arin looked toward Luna.

"He wants something."

The dark figure had vanished.

Luna was standing alone.

Auren approached her slowly.

"Luna, do you remember us?"

She looked at him.

"Of course."

Auren's eyes filled with emotion.

"We thought you were dead."

"I was never dead."

"Then where were you?"

Luna looked down.

"Here."

She touched the ground.

"I've been sleeping beneath the First Realm."

Arin stepped closer.

"Who kept you here?"

Luna didn't answer.

Instead, she looked toward the eighth symbol.

"The seal."

Arin looked upward.

"What is the eighth symbol?"

Luna smiled sadly.

"It isn't a symbol."

"Then what is it?"

"A person."

Everyone became silent.

Arin's eyes widened.

"The eighth Guardian?"

Luna nodded.

"No."

She looked directly at Arin.

"The eighth Creator."

A shockwave passed through the First Realm.

The seven symbols began rotating around the eighth.

Fire.

Water.

Wind.

Earth.

Lightning.

Shadow.

Golden.

And Silver.

Arin felt the Golden Core inside him respond.

His seven powers began merging.

But something was wrong.

The Creation power inside him was resisting.

Luna reached toward him.

"Don't fight it."

Arin looked at her.

"What?"

"Your Creation power isn't complete."

Auren immediately stepped forward.

"But I gave him my half."

"You gave him your power."

Luna shook her head.

"Not the source."

Auren stared at her.

"Then what is the source?"

Luna pointed toward herself.

"Me."

Arin froze.

The truth struck him like lightning.

"The Creation power..."

"Was never meant to belong to two brothers."

Luna's eyes filled with tears.

"It was divided among three children."

Auren whispered,

"Three..."

Arin remembered the memory from the palace.

His mother holding Luna.

Three children.

Three pieces of something ancient.

Luna continued.

"Mother gave you the power to create."

She looked at Auren.

"She gave Auren the power to destroy."

Then she placed her hand over her heart.

"And she gave me the power to open."

Arin understood.

"The final gate."

Luna nodded.

"I am the key."

Suddenly, the First Realm turned dark.

A massive black portal appeared above the mountains.

The First King emerged from it.

But he was no longer alone.

Behind him stood thousands of shadow creatures.

And at the center of them was a figure wearing a silver crown.

Lyra gasped.

"No..."

Arin looked at her.

"Who is that?"

Lyra's voice trembled.

"The first Guardian."

Kael stared.

"I thought the Guardians were chosen by the Seven Realms."

"They were."

Lyra looked at the figure.

"Except the first one."

The crowned figure raised its hand.

Every ancient statue in the First Realm awakened.

The First King smiled.

"The time has come."

Arin stepped in front of Luna.

"You won't touch her."

The First King looked at him.

"I'm not here for Luna."

Arin frowned.

"Then what do you want?"

The First King pointed toward the sky.

"The eighth symbol."

Arin looked upward.

The silver symbol was beginning to descend.

The First King continued.

"When the eighth symbol touches the ground, the seal will break."

Luna's expression changed.

"And what happens then?"

The First King smiled.

"The First Creation will wake."

The entire First Realm trembled.

A crack appeared across the sky.

Beyond it was nothing.

No stars.

No light.

Only endless darkness.

Something enormous moved inside it.

Arin's Creation power erupted.

The seven Guardian symbols appeared around him.

Kael's shadow power joined them.

Lyra raised her weapon.

Darius stood beside her.

Seraphine summoned golden flames.

Auren stepped forward.

Luna moved behind Arin.

For the first time, all eight symbols were together.

Arin looked at his friends.

"We end this here."

The First King laughed.

"No."

His eyes turned completely black.

"This is where it begins."

The silver symbol suddenly touched the ground.

A deafening explosion tore through the First Realm.

The ancient seal shattered.

Something opened its eyes beneath the world.

And Arin heard a voice inside his mind.

Not the First King.

Not his mother.

Not Luna.

Something older.

Something eternal.

It whispered:

"My Creator..."

Arin's blood ran cold.

Then the voice continued.

"Why did you abandon me?"

The First Creation had awakened.

And it knew Arin's name.

To be continued...