THE FIRST FATHER

Chapter 100

The First Father

The door slammed shut.

Darkness swallowed Kael and Lyra.

“Lucian!”

Lyra's voice echoed through the void.

No answer.

Kael reached for her hand.

“I've got you.”

She gripped him tightly.

“He took our son.”

“I know.”

“We have to find him.”

“We will.”

A faint golden light appeared ahead.

Kael and Lyra moved toward it.

With every step, the darkness became thinner.

Then they heard something.

A heartbeat.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

Lyra stopped.

“That's Lucian.”

Kael nodded.

They followed the sound.

The golden light grew brighter.

Then they entered a vast chamber.

There was no floor.

No ceiling.

No walls.

Only endless darkness.

And in the center—

Lucian was floating.

His eyes were closed.

Black energy surrounded his body.

Lyra screamed.

“Lucian!”

She tried to run toward him.

Kael stopped her.

“Wait.”

Someone was standing beside their son.

An old man.

Long silver hair.

A black robe.

His face was covered with scars.

But his eyes…

were exactly like Lucian's.

The man looked at them.

“You came.”

Kael stepped forward.

“Release my son.”

The old man smiled.

“You sound like your father.”

Kael froze.

“My father?”

The old man nodded.

“You don't remember him.”

“I never knew him.”

“That isn't true.”

The man raised his hand.

A memory appeared.

Kael saw a young boy.

Himself.

Standing beside a man.

The man was holding his hand.

Teaching him how to use a sword.

Teaching him how to read the stars.

Teaching him how to survive.

Kael stared.

“That was…”

“Your father.”

Kael's breathing became unsteady.

“But I remember him dying.”

The old man shook his head.

“He didn't die.”

Kael's eyes widened.

“He was taken.”

“By who?”

“By me.”

Lyra stepped forward.

“Who are you?”

The old man looked at her.

“I am the First Father.”

Kael tightened his grip on the Key.

“The First Father…”

“The first consciousness.”

“The first king.”

“The first creator.”

Lyra stared at him.

“Then the First World…”

“Was my mistake.”

The old man looked at Lucian.

“I created existence because I believed something could live forever.”

Kael frowned.

“What?”

“Love.”

Silence.

“I created the first world.”

“I created the Moon Wolf.”

“I created the First King.”

“And I created the laws that held everything together.”

Lyra whispered,

“But something went wrong.”

The First Father nodded.

“I discovered that love could not be controlled.”

His gaze moved to Lyra.

“You chose freedom.”

Then to Kael.

“You chose her.”

Then to Lucian.

“And together, you created something I could never predict.”

Lucian's eyes opened.

Gold.

He looked at the old man.

“Grandfather.”

The First Father smiled.

“My grandson.”

Lyra stepped forward.

“Don't call him that.”

The First Father looked at her.

“Why?”

“Because you're the one who caused all of this.”

“Yes.”

“You separated us.”

“Yes.”

“You destroyed our worlds.”

“Yes.”

“You made Kael die countless times.”

“Yes.”

Lyra's eyes filled with tears.

“And you still expect us to forgive you?”

“No.”

The First Father looked at her.

“I expect nothing.”

Kael stepped forward.

“Then why take Lucian?”

The old man's expression became serious.

“Because the end has begun.”

“What end?”

“The end of creation.”

Kael looked around.

“What does Lucian have to do with it?”

The First Father placed a hand against Lucian's chest.

“He carries the final fragment of me.”

Kael frowned.

“You said he was the future.”

“He is.”

“But you also said he was your heart.”

“Yes.”

“Then what happens if you take it back?”

The First Father looked at Lucian.

“I die.”

Lyra froze.

Kael stared.

“What?”

“The First Father cannot exist without his final fragment.”

“And that fragment is Lucian.”

“Yes.”

“Then you're killing yourself.”

The old man smiled.

“I already died long ago.”

The chamber shook.

Cracks appeared in the darkness.

The First Father's body began breaking apart.

Kael stared.

“What is happening?”

“The thing beyond creation has awakened.”

“The three-eyed being?”

The First Father nodded.

“It was born from my loneliness.”

Lyra looked confused.

“You created it?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I wanted something that could exist without needing love.”

Kael's face hardened.

“And it became the destroyer.”

“Yes.”

“Then stop it.”

“I can't.”

“Why?”

“Because it became stronger than me.”

The chamber shook again.

Lucian screamed.

The black energy around him exploded.

The First Father stepped backward.

“It's here.”

Kael looked around.

“Where?”

The three eyes appeared in the darkness.

But this time—

they were not outside.

They were inside the chamber.

The First Father looked toward them.

“Destroyer.”

The voice answered.

“Father.”

Lyra's eyes widened.

“You're both connected.”

The three-eyed being appeared behind Lucian.

A massive shadow wrapped around the boy.

Kael raised the Key.

“Release him!”

The shadow laughed.

“You still believe you can protect him.”

Kael charged.

The Key struck the darkness.

A tremendous explosion filled the chamber.

Kael was thrown backward.

Lyra caught him.

“Kael!”

“I'm fine.”

The First Father stepped forward.

“Listen to me.”

Kael looked at him.

“What?”

“You cannot defeat it with the Key.”

“Then how?”

The First Father looked at Lyra.

“The Moon Wolf must awaken completely.”

Lyra froze.

“What happens if I do?”

“You become what you were before creation.”

Kael stared.

“Will she survive?”

The First Father didn't answer.

Kael's expression changed.

“Answer me!”

The old man looked away.

“No.”

Lyra stepped forward.

“Then I will.”

Kael grabbed her arm.

“No.”

“If I don't, Lucian dies.”

“We'll find another way.”

“There isn't one.”

“There has to be.”

Lyra looked into his eyes.

“You once told me you would never let me face anything alone.”

Kael's eyes filled with tears.

“I meant it.”

“Then stay with me.”

She took his hand.

“Until the end.”

Kael shook his head.

“Don't say that.”

Lyra smiled.

“Then let's make sure it isn't the end.”

She turned toward Lucian.

Her golden eyes began glowing.

Silver fur appeared across her arms.

Her crown returned.

The Moon Wolf was awakening.

The First Father whispered,

“She is becoming the first.”

The darkness screamed.

The three-eyed being moved toward them.

“NO.”

Lyra's body exploded with golden light.

Kael shielded his eyes.

The chamber shook.

The Key of Eternity flew into the air.

It moved toward Lyra.

Then—

it disappeared into her chest.

Kael stared.

“Lyra!”

She opened her eyes.

They were no longer merely golden.

They contained entire galaxies.

She looked at Kael.

Her voice was calm.

“Don't be afraid.”

Kael could barely speak.

“What happened to you?”

Lyra smiled.

“I remember everything.”

The First Father lowered his head.

“The First Queen has awakened.”

The three-eyed being roared.

The chamber shattered.

And Lyra stepped forward alone.

For the first time since creation began—

the destroyer was afraid of the Moon Wolf.