THE FIRST CHOICE

Chapter 88

The First Choice

Kael couldn't move.

The figure stood in the distance.

It had his face.

His eyes.

His voice.

Even the same scar above his eyebrow.

But there was something different.

Something ancient.

The figure smiled.

“You finally came.”

Kael tightened his grip on Eclipse.

“Who are you?”

The figure looked at him.

“You already know.”

“No.”

“You've known since the beginning.”

Kael shook his head.

“I've never seen you.”

The figure smiled.

“You've seen me every time you've made a choice.”

Kael's eyes narrowed.

“What does that mean?”

The figure stepped forward.

“I am the first decision ever made.”

The stars around them went dark.

“Before time existed…”

“Before Eternity…”

“Before the Void…”

“There was nothing.”

The figure raised one hand.

“And then something asked a question.”

Kael stared.

“What question?”

The figure looked directly into his eyes.

“Should there be something instead of nothing?”

A flash of light filled the space.

Kael saw the beginning.

Nothing.

Absolute nothing.

Then a single thought.

A single possibility.

A single choice.

Yes.

Creation exploded into existence.

Stars.

Worlds.

Life.

Time.

Eternity.

Everything.

Kael stared in disbelief.

“You created everything.”

The figure shook its head.

“No.”

“I created the possibility.”

Kael frowned.

“Then who created you?”

The figure smiled.

“No one.”

Kael's expression changed.

“I simply was.”

The figure stepped closer.

“I am the First Choice.”

“I am possibility.”

“I am every decision that has ever existed.”

“And I am every decision that could ever exist.”

Kael looked around.

“Then why do you have my face?”

The figure's expression softened.

“Because you are my final form.”

Kael froze.

“What?”

“You are the first choice given a heart.”

Kael's breathing became shallow.

“You were created from possibility.”

“Your mother gave you life.”

“Your father gave you power.”

“And I gave you choice.”

Kael looked toward the younger version of himself.

“So I was created to…”

“To become me.”

The figure smiled.

“But you changed.”

Kael's eyes narrowed.

“How?”

“You learned something I never understood.”

“What?”

“Choice has consequences.”

The figure's voice became quieter.

“I could create endless possibilities.”

“But I never had to live with the consequences.”

Kael stared.

“You did.”

“Yes.”

“You chose Lyra.”

“Yes.”

“You chose Lucian.”

“Yes.”

“You chose your friends.”

“Yes.”

“And every time you chose…”

“I suffered.”

The figure nodded.

“That is why you became stronger than me.”

Kael shook his head.

“I don't understand.”

“You became something possibility could never become.”

“What?”

“A person.”

Silence.

The First Choice looked toward Elara and Eryndor.

“Your mother understood this.”

Kael turned.

“What did she know?”

“That you could become more than your destiny.”

Elara stepped forward.

“Kael…”

He looked at her.

“You knew?”

She nodded.

“I knew the moment you were born.”

“That I was the First Choice?”

“No.”

“That you were the one who could end it.”

Kael stared.

“End what?”

Elara looked toward the First Choice.

“Choice itself.”

Kael's eyes widened.

The First Choice smiled.

“Exactly.”

The words sent a chill through him.

“You want me to destroy choice?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

“I want you to become the final choice.”

Kael's grip tightened.

“What happens if I do?”

“All possibilities end.”

“All timelines collapse.”

“Every version of you disappears.”

Kael's face went pale.

“Even me?”

“Yes.”

“Lyra?”

“Yes.”

“Lucian?”

The First Choice hesitated.

“No.”

Kael stared.

“Why?”

“Because Lucian was born outside possibility.”

Kael understood.

“He survives.”

“Yes.”

“But everyone else…”

“Becomes one.”

Kael looked away.

He thought of Marcus.

Caelan.

Selene.

Aether.

Astrael.

His mother.

His father.

Lyra.

Everyone.

He couldn't sacrifice them.

Not again.

The First Choice smiled.

“Now you understand the problem.”

Kael looked at him.

“You want me to choose who lives.”

“No.”

“I want you to realize there is another option.”

Kael frowned.

“What?”

The First Choice pointed toward Lucian.

“Ask him.”

Kael turned.

Lucian stood beside Lyra.

The child was strangely calm.

He looked directly at the First Choice.

Then he said something.

Not “Dada.”

Not “Mama.”

A word Kael had never heard from him before.

“Beginning.”

Everyone froze.

Elara's eyes widened.

“He remembers.”

Kael looked at her.

“Remembers what?”

“His first life.”

Kael's blood ran cold.

“Lucian has had another life?”

Elara nodded.

“Before this one.”

“When?”

“Before the first timeline.”

Astrael's voice came from behind them.

“That would make him older than Eternity.”

Elara nodded.

“Yes.”

Kael looked at his son.

Lucian smiled.

Then he reached toward the First Choice.

The ancient being slowly knelt.

For the first time…

It looked afraid.

Lucian touched its face.

The First Choice closed its eyes.

A tear fell.

Kael stared.

“Why is it crying?”

Elara whispered,

“Because Lucian is the only being who remembers what existed before choice.”

Kael's eyes widened.

“What existed before choice?”

Elara looked at him.

“Love.”

Silence.

The First Choice opened its eyes.

Lucian smiled.

Then the entire First Flame changed.

The stars disappeared.

The worlds vanished.

Only Kael, Lucian, Elara, Eryndor, and the First Choice remained.

Kael looked around.

“What happened?”

The First Choice stood.

“Your son showed me something I had forgotten.”

“What?”

“That before there was a choice…”

“There was connection.”

Kael looked at Lucian.

The child reached for him.

Kael took him into his arms.

The First Choice watched.

Then its expression softened.

“I spent eternity believing existence began with a decision.”

“It didn't.”

Kael frowned.

“Then how?”

The First Choice looked at Lucian.

“It began with love.”

Kael felt something inside him break.

The First Choice continued.

“Love existed before possibility.”

“Before creation.”

“Before time.”

“And because love existed…”

“Choice became possible.”

Kael looked at his mother.

“Then why did everyone forget?”

Elara looked toward Eryndor.

“Because your father was afraid.”

Eryndor lowered his head.

“I was.”

Kael looked at him.

“Afraid of what?”

“Losing you.”

Eryndor's voice trembled.

“When I discovered that you could choose your own destiny, I realized I couldn't control what you would become.”

“So I tried to control everything else.”

“And created the Void.”

Kael nodded slowly.

“And that destroyed everything.”

“Yes.”

The First Choice stepped backward.

“I cannot continue.”

Kael frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“I have existed for too long.”

“Every possibility has become another burden.”

“I want to rest.”

Kael stared.

“You want me to kill you?”

The First Choice smiled.

“No.”

It placed a hand over Kael's heart.

“I want you to forgive me.”

A burst of light entered Kael's chest.

Kael gasped.

Every possible version of himself flashed before his eyes.

Kings.

Warriors.

Monsters.

Fathers.

Murderers.

Saviors.

Cowards.

Heroes.

Villains.

Every Kael.

Every possibility.

He saw them all.

Then something strange happened.

He stopped judging them.

He understood them.

The First Choice whispered,

“That is the final choice.”

Kael opened his eyes.

“You don't have to choose one.”

“No.”

“You accept all of them.”

“Yes.”

Kael looked at Eclipse.

The sword began changing.

The silver blade became transparent.

Inside it were countless stars.

Then the crown Eryndor had given him appeared beside the sword.

Kael reached for it.

But instead of placing it on his head…

He broke it.

The crown shattered.

Eryndor stared.

“What are you doing?”

Kael looked at him.

“I don't need a throne.”

Elara smiled.

The First Choice nodded.

“Now you understand.”

The First Flame began disappearing.

Kael suddenly felt himself falling.

“Wait!”

The First Choice smiled.

“I will see you again.”

Kael frowned.

“When?”

The First Choice pointed toward Lucian.

“When he makes his first choice.”

Then everything went white.

---

Kael opened his eyes.

He was lying on the floor of the Last Kingdom.

Lyra was beside him.

“Kael!”

She pulled him into her arms.

“You came back.”

Kael laughed weakly.

“I promised.”

Lucian crawled onto his chest.

“Dada.”

Kael hugged him tightly.

“I missed you.”

Marcus rushed over.

“You were gone for three days.”

Kael froze.

“Three days?”

Aether nodded.

“The kingdom was collapsing.”

“We thought you were dead.”

Kael looked around.

The Last Kingdom was damaged.

But standing.

Eryndor was sitting against a broken pillar.

Elara stood beside him.

Kael slowly got to his feet.

“What happened?”

Astrael answered.

“The Void disappeared.”

Kael looked at Eryndor.

Eryndor nodded.

“It's gone.”

Kael smiled.

“Good.”

Astrael shook his head.

“Not exactly.”

Kael frowned.

“What?”

Astrael pointed toward the sky.

Kael looked up.

His smile disappeared.

The seven timelines were gone.

There was only one sky.

One world.

One reality.

The seven histories had merged.

Kael looked at Lyra.

“Who remembers?”

“Everyone.”

“Everyone?”

“Yes.”

Kael's face went pale.

“All seven timelines?”

Lyra nodded.

“Every person remembers their other lives.”

Kael looked toward Marcus.

Marcus smiled.

“I remember dying six times.”

Caelan laughed nervously.

“I remember killing you twice.”

Selene sighed.

“I remember marrying Marcus in one timeline.”

Marcus looked at her.

“You did what?”

She smiled.

“Don't worry.”

“It didn't last.”

Everyone laughed.

For the first time in what felt like forever…

There was peace.

Then Lucian began crying.

Kael immediately picked him up.

“What is it?”

Lucian looked toward the sky.

His tiny face became serious.

“Dada.”

Kael followed his gaze.

A single black star appeared.

Then another.

Then another.

Astrael's smile vanished.

“What is that?”

Elara stepped forward.

Her face became pale.

“No…”

Eryndor stood.

“What's wrong?”

Elara whispered,

“The First Choice didn't disappear.”

Kael looked at her.

“Then where is it?”

She pointed toward the black stars.

“It went somewhere else.”

“Where?”

Elara looked at Lucian.

“To the one place where choice doesn't exist.”

Kael's blood ran cold.

“The Void?”

Elara shook her head.

“Worse.”

The black stars began forming a massive circle.

A doorway appeared.

A voice echoed through the sky.

Not the First Choice.

Not Eryndor.

Not the Void.

A new voice.

One Kael had never heard.

“THE FIRST CHOICE HAS ENDED.”

The doorway opened.

“NOW…”

Something stepped through.

“…THE LAST CHOICE BEGINS.”

Kael drew Eclipse.

Lyra stood beside him.

Astrael raised his weapon.

Eryndor looked toward the sky.

And Lucian…

smiled.

Because whatever had arrived…

He already knew it.