The Third Heir

The ancient eyes opened.

Aria froze.

The golden forest around her had gone completely silent. Even the strange wind that had been moving through the trees had disappeared.

She could still hear the three heartbeats.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

They were not coming from three different directions.

They were coming from within the same place.

Within her.

Aria slowly placed a hand over her chest.

“What is happening to me?”

The First Mother stood several steps away, her expression unusually serious.

“The prophecy was never about two heirs.”

Aria looked at her.

“Then why have I always heard about two?”

“Because that was the prophecy the First King wanted everyone to believe.”

A cold feeling passed through Aria.

“The First King changed the prophecy?”

“He did not change it,” the First Mother replied. “He hid part of it.”

Aria looked toward the white door behind her.

“What is the third heir?”

The First Mother did not answer immediately.

Instead, she walked toward the four symbols floating above the ground.

Gold.

Silver.

Black.

White.

The gold symbol represented the First Queen.

The silver represented the First Guardian.

The black represented the First King.

And the white represented the Fourth Blood.

“The first heir,” the First Mother said, pointing toward the gold symbol, “belongs to the blood of the First Queen.”

Aria swallowed.

“Me.”

“Yes.”

She pointed to the silver symbol.

“The second heir belongs to the blood of the Guardian.”

Aria immediately thought of Kael.

“And the third?”

The First Mother turned toward the white symbol.

“The third heir belongs to no ancient bloodline.”

Aria frowned.

“Then who is it?”

The First Mother looked directly into her eyes.

“You.”

Aria stepped back.

“No.”

“You are the Mother, Aria. You carry the blood of the First Queen. But you also awakened the Fourth Blood.”

Aria stared at the white symbol.

“That doesn't make sense.”

“It will.”

The three heartbeats sounded again.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Aria closed her eyes.

For a moment, she saw Kael.

He was standing in darkness, surrounded by silver light.

Then she saw herself.

Then she saw something else.

A small figure stood between them.

Aria could not see its face.

But she knew one thing.

The figure was waiting for her.

“Who is that?” Aria whispered.

“The third heir.”

Aria opened her eyes.

“Where is it?”

The First Mother looked toward the distant horizon.

“Beyond the First Gate.”

A deep sound shook the forest.

The ground moved beneath Aria's feet.

The First Mother turned sharply.

“He has found the entrance.”

“Who?”

“The First King.”

A golden crack appeared across the sky.

Darkness began spreading through it.

Aria's heart raced.

“He followed me?”

“He followed the Fourth Blood.”

The First Mother moved closer.

“You must leave.”

“I can't.”

“You must.”

“Kael is outside.”

“I know.”

“I can't leave him.”

The First Mother studied her for a moment.

“That is why you were chosen.”

Aria frowned.

“Chosen for what?”

“To decide what happens to every world connected to yours.”

The golden crack widened.

A voice echoed through the forest.

“ARiA!”

The First King's voice.

Aria turned toward the sound.

“I am not afraid of you!”

The forest shook.

The First King laughed.

“You should be.”

A figure appeared beyond the trees.

Black energy surrounded him, but his face remained calm.

“You have awakened the Fourth Blood,” he said.

Aria stood her ground.

“And you are afraid of it.”

His expression changed.

Only for a second.

But Aria noticed.

“You don't understand what you have become,” he said.

“I understand enough.”

“No.”

He stepped closer.

“You believe the Fourth Blood will give you freedom.”

“It already has.”

“It will give you a choice.”

Aria stared at him.

“Yes.”

“And every choice has consequences.”

“I know.”

The First King lifted one hand.

The trees around them began to tremble.

“But you still don't understand the greatest consequence.”

Aria's eyes narrowed.

“What?”

“The third heir.”

The three heartbeats returned.

The First King's expression became darker.

“That child is the key to everything.”

Aria's breathing stopped.

“What child?”

“The one you heard.”

The First King looked toward her stomach.

Aria instinctively placed both hands over it.

The First Mother immediately stepped between them.

“You will not touch her.”

The First King smiled.

“I don't need to.”

He looked at Aria.

“She will bring the third heir to me herself.”

Aria shook her head.

“Never.”

The First King turned away.

“We will see.”

The darkness around him disappeared.

But his voice remained.

“When the third heartbeat becomes stronger, the Fourth Gate will open completely.”

Then he vanished.

The forest became silent again.

Aria looked at the First Mother.

“What did he mean?”

The First Mother did not answer.

“Tell me.”

“Aria—”

“Tell me!”

The First Mother finally spoke.

“The third heir is not simply a child.”

Aria's face tightened.

“Then what is it?”

“A bridge.”

“Between what?”

“Between the First World and your world.”

Aria stared at her.

“If that bridge opens…”

“The two worlds will begin to merge.”

“And what happens then?”

The First Mother looked toward the crack in the sky.

“Everything that was separated will become one.”

Aria thought of the Firstborns.

The ancient kings.

The First King.

The Underworld.

The First World.

Kael.

Her blood ran cold.

“That would destroy everything.”

“Not necessarily.”

“Then what would happen?”

“It depends on who controls the bridge.”

Aria understood immediately.

“The First King.”

“Yes.”

Aria shook her head.

“Then I won't let him.”

The First Mother smiled faintly.

“That is the answer I was waiting for.”

A white light suddenly surrounded Aria.

She looked down.

The mark on her palm had changed.

The four circles had become one.

Gold.

Silver.

Black.

White.

They were no longer separate.

They had joined together.

Aria gasped.

“What is happening?”

“The Fourth Blood is accepting your choice.”

“My choice?”

“You chose freedom.”

The First Mother stepped back.

“Now you must choose what freedom means.”

Aria looked at the symbol.

“What do you mean?”

“Freedom is not simply refusing the First King.”

The First Mother raised her hand.

“You must decide what you are willing to protect.”

Images appeared around Aria.

She saw her pack.

She saw the forests.

She saw villages.

She saw the First World.

She saw Kael.

Then she saw two small lights.

One gold.

One silver.

And behind them stood a third light.

White.

Aria stared at it.

“The heirs.”

“Yes.”

“They are not here yet.”

“Not in the way you think.”

Aria looked confused.

The First Mother continued.

“The prophecy speaks of heirs, but prophecy does not always mean birth.”

Aria's eyes widened.

“Then what does it mean?”

“It means succession.”

Aria slowly understood.

“The next rulers?”

“Not rulers.”

The First Mother shook her head.

“Choices.”

The three lights moved toward Aria.

The gold light touched her chest.

The silver light followed.

Then the white light stopped directly before her.

Aria reached out.

The moment her fingers touched it, the entire forest disappeared.

She was standing in Blackwood.

Kael was there.

First Guardian was there.

Aurel stood across from them.

The Firstborns surrounded the mountain.

And above them all floated the First King.

Kael looked toward her.

“Aria!”

She ran toward him.

But an invisible barrier stopped her.

“Kael!”

He slammed his hand against the barrier.

“Don't touch it!”

“I have to get to you!”

“No!”

First Guardian suddenly looked at the sky.

“Something is wrong.”

Aurel's face had gone pale.

“The Fourth Gate is closing.”

Aria looked around.

“What?”

Aurel pointed behind her.

The golden gate was shrinking.

First King smiled.

“That is exactly what I wanted.”

Kael looked at him.

“What did you do?”

“I didn't do anything.”

The First King spread his arms.

“She did.”

Aria stared at him.

“What?”

“You opened the Fourth Blood.”

The First King smiled.

“And now the gate has chosen its next guardian.”

The ground beneath Aria cracked.

A white light rose around her.

Kael shouted her name.

“ARIA!”

She reached toward him.

“KAEL!”

Their hands almost touched.

Almost.

Then the white light exploded between them.

Aria disappeared.

Kael dropped to one knee.

“No…”

First Guardian stepped forward.

“Kael, get up.”

Kael looked at him.

“Where is she?”

“She has been taken beyond the Fourth Gate.”

“By the First King?”

First Guardian shook his head.

“No.”

Aurel slowly looked toward the sky.

“The Fourth Blood took her.”

Kael's expression hardened.

“Then I'm going after her.”

First Guardian grabbed his arm.

“You can't.”

Kael pulled away.

“I will.”

“You don't understand. If you enter without being chosen, the gate may reject you.”

Kael stared at the glowing doorway.

“I don't care.”

“You should.”

Kael looked at the gate.

“She is there.”

Aurel stepped closer.

“If you enter, the First King may follow.”

Kael's eyes narrowed.

“Then let him.”

A sudden roar echoed through the mountains.

The Firstborns began moving.

First Guardian turned.

“They are coming.”

Kael drew his weapon.

“Then we stop them.”

First Guardian looked at him.

“You cannot fight them forever.”

Kael's eyes remained on the gate.

“I don't need forever.”

He looked toward the place where Aria had disappeared.

“I only need enough time to bring her back.”

The First King watched from above.

Then he smiled.

“You still don't understand.”

Kael looked up.

“Understand what?”

The First King pointed toward the Fourth Gate.

“The war is no longer about Aria.”

Kael's eyes narrowed.

“It is about the third heir.”

The mountain fell silent.

Then three heartbeats echoed across Blackwood.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Everyone heard them.

First Guardian froze.

Aurel stepped backward.

Even the Firstborns stopped moving.

Kael slowly looked toward the gate.

“What is that?”

First Guardian whispered the answer.

“The beginning of the new bloodline.”

The First King smiled.

“The third heir has awakened.”

And somewhere beyond the Fourth Gate, Aria opened her eyes.

She was no longer alone.

A small voice whispered through the darkness.

“Mother.”

Aria's heart stopped.

Then another voice answered from far away.

“Father.”

Kael heard it.

His eyes widened.

“Aria…”

The third heartbeat sounded again.

Thump.

And the Fourth Gate opened completely.