Chapter 2578: Story 2579: The Birthplace of the Dawn

The crimson star burned alone beyond the Gate of Origin.

Its light was not warm.

It was wounded.

Golden energy flickered beneath its crimson surface as though something ancient were struggling to escape.

Victoria Kane stared at it.

"The First Dawn was born there?"

Nox’Rath nodded.

"Before Asterion."

"Before the First War."

"Before the Crimson Throne."

Lyra stepped closer to the Gate.

"Then that’s where the Void is taking the stolen world."

The First Creator appeared behind them.

"Not the world."

Victoria turned.

"What do you mean?"

The Creator pointed toward the crimson star.

"The memory of the world."

Victoria’s expression hardened.

"If the Void corrupts that memory..."

"It can corrupt every Dawn that follows."

The realization spread through the group.

Cole Mercer lifted his rifle.

"Then I suggest we stop talking and start moving."

Victoria smiled.

"Agreed."

The Gate of Origin opened again.

Victoria entered first.

Nox’Rath followed.

Lyra, Cole, Evelyn, Cassian, Valerius, and the seven successors crossed behind them.

Azrakar remained at the threshold, watching the newborn worlds.

Victoria looked back.

"You’re staying?"

The ancient guardian lowered its head.

Nox’Rath translated.

"He says someone must guard the beginning."

Victoria nodded.

"Then guard it well."

Azrakar roared.

The Gate closed.

The birthplace of the Dawn was nothing like Victoria expected.

There was no planet.

No civilization.

No sun.

Instead, an endless golden ocean stretched beneath a sky filled with enormous floating fragments of memory.

Each fragment contained a moment from the earliest days of creation.

A first sunrise.

A first heartbeat.

A first voice.

A first dream.

Evelyn whispered,

"This place remembers everything."

Nox’Rath looked toward the horizon.

"Everything except one thing."

"What?"

"The first choice."

A distant sound interrupted them.

A heartbeat.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

The entire golden ocean moved with it.

Lyra suddenly dropped to her knees.

"The Dawn is alive."

Victoria rushed toward her.

"What?"

Lyra pointed ahead.

A gigantic golden sphere rose from the ocean.

Inside it floated a single flame.

It was tiny.

Yet its light reached across eternity.

Victoria felt the Living Dawn inside her heart respond.

The two lights recognized each other.

Then the crimson corruption struck.

Black cracks spread across the sphere.

Victoria drew the Dawnblade.

"Hold it!"

The seven successors formed a circle.

Golden energy surrounded the sphere.

But the corruption continued spreading.

A voice emerged from within the crimson star.

"The Dawn was never meant to belong to anyone."

Valerius stepped forward.

"I know that voice."

Everyone turned.

His face became pale.

"The First Betrayer."

Cassian tightened his grip.

"Impossible."

Valerius shook his head.

"Not impossible."

"Forgotten."

A figure emerged from the corrupted sphere.

It wore golden armor covered in black cracks.

Its eyes burned crimson.

The First Creator’s voice echoed faintly through the realm.

"The one who first tried to possess the Dawn."

Victoria raised her blade.

"Who are you?"

The figure smiled.

"I was the first Keeper."

Lyra stared at him.

"What happened?"

His smile disappeared.

"I believed the Dawn could make creation perfect."

"I was wrong."

He looked toward the corrupted flame.

"So I tried to control it."

Nox’Rath understood.

"And the Void found you."

The figure nodded.

"It offered me what I wanted."

"Order."

Victoria stepped forward.

"And you gave it access to the Dawn."

The First Betrayer laughed softly.

"No."

"I gave it something far more valuable."

He raised his hand.

The crimson cracks across the golden sphere widened.

"I gave it a choice."

The Void suddenly erupted from the corrupted star.

Thousands of black tendrils spread across the golden ocean.

The First Betrayer vanished into the darkness.

Victoria raised the Dawnblade.

"Everyone together!"

The seven successors attacked.

Golden light collided with the Void.

But the corrupted Dawn began changing.

Its golden flame turned crimson.

Evelyn stared in horror.

"If that flame falls..."

Nox’Rath finished the sentence.

"Every future Dawn becomes corrupted."

Victoria looked toward the burning sphere.

Then she lowered her weapon.

Cole stared at her.

"What are you doing?"

Victoria walked toward the corrupted flame.

"I’m going to remind it what it was."

She placed her hand against the sphere.

The Living Dawn answered.

A single golden heartbeat crossed the universe.

The corrupted flame stopped.

For one moment...

It remembered.

Its crimson color began fading.

Then the First Betrayer’s voice whispered from the darkness.

"If you restore the first Dawn..."

A terrible smile echoed through the void.

"...you will awaken the one who destroyed it."

The golden ocean suddenly split apart.

Something enormous began rising from beneath the birthplace of the Dawn.

Victoria looked down.

Her eyes widened.

The true enemy had finally emerged.

And it had been sleeping beneath creation since the beginning.