The Truth About AureliaSainz stared at Elyon as blood slowly ran from the corner of his mouth. For the first time since they had encountered him, he no longer looked untouchable. His clothes were torn, his face was pale, and one hand was pressed against a deep wound across his chest.Aurelia stood between them.She was no longer the tiny baby Sainz had been carrying only moments ago. She looked like a young woman in her early twenties, with long silver hair flowing around her shoulders and emerald eyes that carried a sadness far older than her face.Sainz could barely speak."Aurelia."The young woman turned toward her."Mother."Sainz's heart tightened."Is this really you?"Aurelia nodded."Yes.""But you're a baby.""I am.""Then how are you standing here?"Aurelia smiled sadly."Because this isn't the present."Sainz looked around the ruined world."Then what is it?""The past."Elyon slowly stood upright."Don't listen to her."Aurelia looked at him."You've been saying that fo

What Came Through the Door The darkness spilled through the golden door like smoke, slowly covering the empty space between the newborn worlds. It did not attack. It did not roar. It simply moved, silent and patient, as though it had been waiting for the right moment to reveal itself. Sainz felt it before she saw it. She looked up from Aurelia. "Something is wrong." Avarion immediately turned. "What?" Sainz stared into the distance. "I don't know." Elyon, who had been watching the new universe form, suddenly became completely still. Grandfather noticed. "You know what that is." Elyon did not answer. "Elyon." He finally looked at them. "I hoped it wouldn't follow." Sainz stood. "What followed us?" Elyon looked toward the golden door. "The consequence." Kendrick frowned. "That's not an answer." "It is the only answer I have." The door opened wider. A strange sound came from beyond it. Not a heartbeat. Not a voice. It sounded like thousands of people whispering

The Children of PossibilityEvery door opened at the same time.Sainz stood frozen as thousands of voices called her name from every direction. Some were familiar. Some were completely strange. Some sounded like children. Others sounded like adults who had lived long enough to carry the weight of entire worlds.Aurelia moved closer to her mother."Mother, don't answer them."Sainz looked at her."Why?""Because we don't know what they are."The younger version of Sainz smiled from across the empty space."That's not true."Aurelia turned toward her."What do you mean?"The girl stepped forward."We know exactly what they are."She pointed toward the doors."They are the children of possibility."Grandfather's expression changed."No."The girl looked at him."Yes."Grandfather shook his head."That cannot happen.""It already did."Chronos stared at the doors."How many?"The girl smiled."Enough."Kendrick looked around nervously."Can someone please define enough?"The girl answered

The First AureliaNobody moved.The tiny child floated inside the golden heart, surrounded by a soft light that pulsed with every beat of the newborn universe.Sainz stared at her.Silver hair.Emerald eyes.The golden mark beneath her eye.She looked exactly like Aurelia.Yet something about her felt different.Older.Deeper.More familiar.Aurelia stood beside Sainz, completely frozen."No."The baby smiled."Ma."Aurelia took a step backward."Don't call her that."Sainz looked at her daughter."Aurelia?"She shook her head."That's not me."The baby giggled."Ma."Sainz's heart tightened.The voice was innocent, but it carried something ancient.The golden heart slowly opened wider.The baby floated down until she was directly in front of Sainz.Sainz instinctively reached out.Aurelia grabbed her wrist."Don't.""Why?""I don't know."The baby looked at Aurelia.Then her tiny face became sad."You're scared of me."Aurelia swallowed."Shouldn't I be?"The baby shook her head."No

The Last ChoiceThe restored universe screamed.Not with a voice.Not with words.Every star shook at once, every planet trembled, and every living thing that had just returned to existence suddenly felt the presence of something ancient watching them.Sainz stared through the shattered doorway.The Author stood at the center of the newborn universe.Elyon looked at him in disbelief."You."The Author smiled."You should have known I would return."Elyon shook his head."You were defeated.""No.""You were destroyed.""No.""You were forgotten."The Author's smile widened."That was never the same as being gone."Aurelia stepped forward."Why are you doing this?"The Author looked at her."Because you keep creating things I cannot control.""That's the point.""No."His voice became colder."Creation was never supposed to belong to its creators."Sainz stepped forward."Then who should it belong to?""Me."Silence filled the universe.The Author raised one hand.The restored stars beg