The Battle OF The First Blood

The mountain shook violently.

Snow poured from the cliffs, covering the ground in a thick white cloud. Massive stones broke loose and crashed into the valley.

“GET BACK!” Ronan shouted.

The warriors scattered.

Kael didn't move.

Aurel stood before him, surrounded by golden light. His wings stretched behind him, casting a massive shadow across the battlefield.

Kael's silver eyes burned brighter.

Aria watched them face each other.

The First Guardian grabbed her arm.

“Aria, we have to move.”

She pulled away.

“No.”

“It's too dangerous.”

“I can't leave Kael.”

The Guardian stared at her.

“You don't understand what you're watching.”

Aria looked at Aurel.

“The First Father.”

“Yes.”

“And Kael carries the blood of the First Alpha.”

The Guardian nodded.

“Those two bloodlines have not faced each other since the beginning of the First World.”

Aria looked toward Kael.

“Then this battle isn't really about them.”

The Guardian's expression darkened.

“No.”

“It's about the twins.”

A deep rumble came from beneath the mountain.

Thump.

Aria froze.

The heartbeat.

Thump.

A second heartbeat answered.

Her hand instinctively moved to her stomach.

Eden's voice whispered inside her mind.

Mother.

“Eden?”

Do not let them awaken completely.

Aria's heart tightened.

“How?”

Nyx answered.

The Crown of Choice.

Aria looked at the mark on her palm.

The strange symbol began glowing.

“What am I supposed to do?”

Choose.

“Choose what?”

There was silence.

Then Eden whispered:

Which world deserves to survive.

Aria stared at the battlefield.

Aurel raised his hand.

Golden energy gathered around him.

Kael lowered his stance.

“Kael!”

He glanced toward her.

“Stay back!”

Aurel smiled.

“You protect her exactly as the First Alpha did.”

Kael's expression hardened.

“I am not him.”

“No,” Aurel replied. “You are his blood.”

Kael charged.

Their powers collided.

A wave of energy swept across the valley.

Aria shielded herself as the ground cracked beneath her feet.

Ronan and the others struggled to remain standing.

The First Guardian raised his staff.

“Everyone behind me!”

A silver barrier formed around them.

Inside the barrier, Aria watched Kael and Aurel continue their battle.

Neither seemed willing to retreat.

But something was wrong.

Kael's silver light was changing.

Golden streaks appeared inside it.

The First Guardian noticed too.

“No…”

Aria turned.

“What?”

“He's beginning to awaken the First Alpha.”

“What happens if he does?”

The Guardian hesitated.

“He may not come back.”

Aria's eyes widened.

“No.”

The Guardian looked at her.

“Aria—”

“No.”

She stepped toward the barrier.

“I won't let that happen.”

The Guardian grabbed her shoulder.

“You can't interfere.”

“I have to.”

“Aria, if you enter that field, both bloodlines may react to yours.”

“Then I'll take the risk.”

The Guardian stared at her.

“You truly are the Forbidden Bride.”

Aria looked at him.

“What does that mean?”

“It means you're the only person capable of standing between them.”

The barrier disappeared.

Aria stepped onto the battlefield.

“KAEL!”

He turned.

For one brief moment, his eyes returned to normal.

“Aria?”

She smiled.

“Come back to me.”

Aurel's expression changed.

“You shouldn't be here.”

Aria faced him.

“Neither should you.”

Aurel raised his hand.

The golden energy stopped inches from her.

Something prevented him from attacking.

His eyes narrowed.

“The Crown.”

Aria looked at her palm.

The mark was glowing.

“You recognize it?”

Aurel slowly lowered his hand.

“The Crown of Choice was never meant for you.”

“Apparently it disagrees.”

Aurel's expression hardened.

“You don't understand what choice means.”

“Then explain it.”

Aurel looked toward the mountain.

“The First World is dying.”

Aria frowned.

“What?”

“The gates are breaking. The ancient bloodlines are awakening. The balance between worlds is collapsing.”

He looked back at her.

“Your children can restore it.”

“They aren't tools.”

“I never said they were.”

“You called them a chance.”

“They are more than that.”

Aurel's voice became quieter.

“They are the beginning of something that existed before the First World.”

Aria felt a chill.

“The Origin.”

Aurel nodded.

“The first power.”

The First Guardian stepped forward.

“That power must never awaken.”

Aurel looked at him.

“You said the same thing thousands of years ago.”

The Guardian lowered his eyes.

“And I was wrong.”

Aurel smiled bitterly.

“Too late.”

Suddenly, the mountain split open.

A golden line appeared across the stone.

The Fourth Gate.

Aria stared.

“No…”

The First Guardian raised his staff.

“Everyone move!”

The ground shook again.

The gate began opening.

Golden light poured through the cracks.

But something else came with it.

A voice.

Ancient.

Deep.

And unmistakably familiar.

Mother.

Aria froze.

Kael stepped beside her.

“You heard that too?”

She nodded.

Then another voice followed.

Father.

Kael's face changed.

The two heartbeats inside Aria became stronger.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

The ancient kings who had gathered around the valley suddenly dropped to one knee.

Aurel stepped backward.

For the first time, fear appeared in his eyes.

“No.”

Aria looked at him.

“What is it?”

Aurel stared at the gate.

“The twins aren't opening the door.”

The First Guardian whispered:

“They're coming through it.”

The mountain exploded with golden light.

Everyone raised their arms to shield their eyes.

When the light faded, the Fourth Gate stood completely open.

Beyond it was not darkness.

It was another world.

A vast golden land stretched beyond the gate, filled with enormous trees, silver rivers, and floating islands.

But in the distance stood a massive palace.

Its doors were already open.

Aria stared at it.

“Who lives there?”

Aurel didn't answer.

The First Guardian did.

“No one.”

Aria looked at him.

“Then why is the palace open?”

The Guardian's face became pale.

“Because someone is waiting.”

Aurel suddenly turned toward Kael.

“You have to stop her.”

Kael frowned.

“Stop who?”

Aurel pointed toward the palace.

“The Queen.”

Aria's breath caught.

“The First Queen?”

Aurel shook his head.

“No.”

His voice dropped to a whisper.

“Her mother.”

Silence filled the valley.

Aria stared at the gate.

“My… great-grandmother?”

Aurel nodded.

“The woman who existed before the First Queen.”

The First Guardian looked horrified.

“She was supposed to be gone.”

Aurel gave a bitter laugh.

“Nothing is ever truly gone in the First World.”

Aria looked at her palm.

The Crown of Choice mark suddenly changed.

Three symbols appeared.

Gold.

Silver.

Black.

Then a fourth symbol appeared beneath them.

White.

The First Guardian dropped his staff.

“No.”

Aria looked at him.

“What?”

He stared at her palm.

“The Fourth Blood.”

“What is that?”

He looked directly into her eyes.

“You.”

Before Aria could respond, the palace beyond the gate began to shake.

A figure appeared on its highest balcony.

A woman.

She wore a long white gown.

Her hair was silver.

Her eyes were golden.

And behind her stood hundreds of ancient warriors.

The woman raised one hand.

Every ancient king in the valley bowed.

Aurel lowered his head.

Even the First Guardian dropped to one knee.

Only Aria and Kael remained standing.

The woman looked directly at Aria.

Then she smiled.

“My descendant.”

Aria's heart raced.

“Who are you?”

The woman stepped closer to the edge of the balcony.

“I am the First Mother.”

Kael moved closer to Aria.

The First Mother looked at him.

“And you…”

Her smile disappeared.

“…are the blood of the First Alpha.”

Kael raised his sword.

“I won't let you hurt her.”

The First Mother laughed softly.

“Still protecting her.”

Her eyes moved toward Aria's stomach.

“But you should be protecting yourself.”

Kael frowned.

“What does that mean?”

The First Mother pointed at Aria.

“The children have already chosen.”

Aria shook her head.

“They haven't chosen anything.”

The First Mother smiled.

“They chose you.”

The two heartbeats sounded again.

Thump.

Thump.

The golden light around Aria became brighter.

The First Mother raised her hand.

“Come home.”

Aria stared at her.

“This isn't my home.”

The woman's smile vanished.

“Then I will bring the First World to you.”

The gate suddenly expanded.

A powerful wind swept across the battlefield.

Aurel shouted:

“RUN!”

But it was too late.

The Fourth Gate began pulling everything toward it.

Warriors lost their footing.

Weapons flew through the air.

Snow spiraled upward.

Kael grabbed Aria's hand.

“Don't let go!”

“I won't!”

The First Guardian anchored himself against a stone pillar.

“Aria!”

She looked at him.

“Whatever happens, remember one thing!”

“What?”

“THE CROWN DOES NOT CHOOSE THE STRONGEST!”

The wind grew louder.

The Guardian shouted:

“IT CHOOSES THE ONE WHO CAN SACRIFICE POWER FOR FREEDOM!”

Aria looked at her glowing palm.

Then she looked at Kael.

He was holding her hand tightly.

And suddenly she understood.

The Crown wasn't asking her which world should survive.

It was asking her what she was willing to give up to save both.

Aurel shouted something, but the wind drowned his voice.

The First Mother watched from beyond the gate.

Then she spoke one final sentence.

“Choose, Forbidden Bride.”

The Crown burned brighter.

Gold.

Silver.

Black.

White.

Four lights collided inside Aria.

And the two heartbeats became one.

Thump.

Aria's eyes widened.

Kael looked at her.

“Aria?”

She stared toward the Fourth Gate.

Something was coming.

Something far older than the First King.

Far older than the First Alpha.

Far older than the First World itself.

The First Mother smiled.

“The final blood has awakened.”

Then the gate closed.

Not outward.

Not inward.

It closed around Aria.

And she disappeared.