The Eye in the Sky
951 Words
The enormous eye opened.
Silence consumed the battlefield.
The volcano...
The lava...
The roaring flames...
Everything became still.
It was as if time itself had stopped.
---
Lyra slowly looked upward.
The eye was unlike anything she had ever imagined.
Its iris shimmered with silver darkness.
Ancient symbols rotated around it like stars orbiting a forgotten sun.
It wasn't merely watching.
It was judging.
---
Ignis remained on one knee.
His body trembled violently.
The golden flames surrounding him had almost disappeared.
He stared at the eye with unmistakable fear.
"No..."
He whispered.
"It woke too early."
---
Fenrir spread his wings.
For the first time...
The First Guardian knelt.
Every remaining Guardian immediately followed.
Even Cassian lowered his head.
Only Lyra remained standing.
---
"My Queen..."
Fenrir spoke quietly.
"Do not meet its gaze."
---
"Why?"
Lyra asked.
---
"Because once it recognizes your soul..."
"...it will never stop hunting you."
---
Those words sent chills through everyone present.
---
Suddenly...
The eye blinked.
A pulse of invisible energy swept across the world.
The mountains shook.
The oceans rose.
Ancient forests awakened.
Hidden ruins buried beneath deserts began glowing with silver light.
Across every kingdom...
Forgotten seals started breaking.
---
Far away...
Inside the Shadow King's palace...
The First King slowly opened his eyes.
He looked toward the sky.
A rare expression crossed his face.
Not anger.
Not satisfaction.
Concern.
"So..."
"It truly returned."
---
Malrik entered the throne room and knelt.
"My King."
"The Queen purified part of Ignis' corruption."
---
The First King remained silent.
Then...
He smiled.
"Better than I expected."
---
"My King..."
Malrik hesitated.
"Should we continue attacking the Guardians?"
---
"No."
The answer came immediately.
---
"The Guardians no longer matter."
---
He slowly stood from his throne.
His crimson eyes reflected the giant eye hanging above the world.
"Our true enemy..."
"...has awakened."
---
Back at the volcano...
The enormous eye slowly began to close.
Before disappearing...
A single silver tear fell from the heavens.
It struck the earth several miles away.
BOOOOOOOM!
A pillar of pure white light erupted into the sky.
The impact created a crater larger than an entire city.
---
Orion stared toward the distant explosion.
His face turned pale.
"It has begun."
---
Lyra looked at him.
"What happened?"
---
Orion swallowed heavily.
"That wasn't an attack."
---
"It was..."
---
"...a key."
---
Before anyone could ask another question...
A voice echoed inside Lyra's mind.
Gentle.
Ancient.
Neither male nor female.
---
"Find the First Key..."
"...before the Void King does."
---
Lyra's eyes widened.
"The Void King?"
---
No one answered.
Because no one had ever heard that name before.
Except one person.
---
The First King.
And when he heard those words...
For the first time in a thousand years...
He looked afraid.
Silence lingered after the mysterious voice faded.
The words echoed inside Lyra's heart.
Find the First Key...
...before the Void King does.
---
The battlefield remained frozen.
No one understood what had just happened.
Only Orion slowly closed his eyes.
"So..."
"It has finally chosen."
---
Lyra looked at him.
"What is the First Key?"
---
Orion knelt and gently touched the scorched ground.
"The Keys are older than the Moon Kingdom."
---
"They existed..."
"...before the First King."
---
Cassian frowned.
"Older than the First King?"
---
Orion nodded.
"There are seven."
---
"Seven Keys."
---
"Each one seals a fragment of the Void."
---
Fenrir's expression became grave.
"If all seven are gathered..."
---
"The prison breaks."
---
"And the Void King walks this world again."
---
A heavy silence settled over everyone.
Even Ragnar, who had been struggling to stand after the explosion, looked confused.
"The Void King?"
He whispered.
"The Shadow King never mentioned him."
---
Fenrir's eyes narrowed.
"Because even he fears what lies beyond the seal."
---
Ignis slowly rose to his feet.
His breathing remained uneven.
The black crystal covering half his armor had stopped spreading.
For now.
---
He looked at Lyra.
"My Queen..."
---
"The First Key..."
---
"...is hidden where fire was first born."
---
The volcano suddenly rumbled again.
Golden flames erupted from the ancient altar behind Ignis.
The molten rock slowly separated.
A staircase descended deep beneath the mountain.
Unlike the Hall of Memories...
This staircase burned with living fire.
---
At the bottom...
A small pedestal stood alone.
Resting upon it...
Was a crystal shaped like a burning teardrop.
Inside the crystal floated an ancient golden rune.
---
Lyra stepped closer.
The moment she reached out...
The crystal began floating on its own.
It slowly drifted toward her.
---
Cassian smiled.
"It recognizes you."
---
But before it could reach Lyra...
The air suddenly froze.
The temperature dropped instantly.
The flames surrounding the altar turned pale blue.
---
Fenrir's eyes widened.
"No..."
---
A shadow appeared behind the floating crystal.
No footsteps.
No sound.
It simply...
Existed.
---
A tall woman dressed in flowing white robes stepped from the darkness.
Her long silver hair reached her waist.
Her beauty was almost unreal.
Yet her icy blue eyes carried no warmth.
Only endless emptiness.
---
She looked at Lyra.
Then at the floating crystal.
A faint smile crossed her lips.
---
"So..."
---
"The First Key has awakened."
---
With a single graceful movement...
She caught the crystal in her hand.
---
Every Guardian froze.
Even Fenrir looked horrified.
---
Orion's voice trembled.
"Impossible..."
---
"One of the Seven..."
---
"...has already crossed into our world."
---
The mysterious woman looked directly at Lyra.
Her smile widened.
---
"I've waited ten thousand years..."
---
"...to meet you."
The First Key had been stolen...
Before the Queen could even touch it.
- Writer
