Aria stopped at the edge of the bridge.The abyss beneath her seemed to have no bottom.It wasn't dark.It was filled with stars.Thousands of lights drifted below like memories on an endless night.The cloaked figure didn't move.One hand rested on a wooden staff.The other hung by his side.His face was still hidden.Only his voice was in the air.It was Rowan's voice."Only one of us can cross the gate, " he said.Arias heart started beating"You're not Rowan, " she said.The figure chuckled softly."No, " he said."But your heart heard him, " Aria said.He slowly lifted his head.The hood still covered his face.Aria could see there was no face beneath it.Only shifting light."I am the Warden, " he said."I guard the path between sacrifice and destiny."Aria stepped onto the bridge.The stone beneath her feet glowed faintly with every step."I've already passed the Gate of Sacrifice " she said.The Warden nodded his head."You passed the lesson, " he said."You have not yet paid

The hand was gripping the edge of the crystal. It had fingers and pale skin. Dark mist was curling around them like they were alive. Aria raised the brass key without thinking. The silver light from the key got brighter. Made the mist go back for a moment. Eryn did not move. He was standing in front of the broken sphere with his hands still on it."Stay back!" he shouted. He was not calm anymore."This chamber still holds!"The hand got tighter. Then another hand came out of the darkness. A shoulder came out too. A figure started to pull itself out like it was climbing out of a hole. The air got heavy. It was hard to breathe. Aria felt pressure in her mind. It was not pain. Whispers. Thousands of voices were talking at the time.You were abandoned...You are alone...No one will survive...Aria grabbed Liam's whistle without thinking. The warm wood made her feel better. The whispers got weaker. Eryn looked at her."Don't listen.""It feeds on fear."The figure laughed."So you still r

The room started shaking.The darkness moved back from Arias words then it came together in the middle of the room.It was not laughing anymore.There was silence now.Aster was standing next to Aria. His silver body was moving more than before.Eryn noticed this away."Aster, you are getting weaker, " Eryn said.Aster nodded."My time is almost up, " he said.Orion's face looked sad."If Aster disappears now...""...there will be no one left who remembers how everything started."The darkness was moving.A face was coming out of it.It was not a body.It was changing all the time.Sometimes it was a woman.Sometimes it was a child.Sometimes it was a soldier.Sometimes it was a mother who was very sad.Sometimes it was a king.Every second the face changed.Aria was staring at it."Why does it not have one face?" she asked.Aster answered quietly."Because it never had one face, " he said.The face in the darkness laughed.It was not laughing with a lot of voices anymore.It was spea

The room was completely quiet.The Shadows' soft murmurs had stopped.The only sound was the flow of the silver river below the round opening in the floor.Its light was really somethingIt wasn't too bright.It was warm and cozy.It reminded Aria of every sunrise she had watched with Elias.The old voice spoke again."Keeper...""Come."Aria walked towards the opening.Behind her Eryn said,"Be careful.""No one has entered the River since Aster."Orion slowly came closer, stopping a step behind her.His eyes looked at the silver river"It remembers everything."" what we wished it wouldn't."Aria looked down.The river didn't seem deep.It looked like it went on forever, flowing through stars rather than water.She could see memories moving in it.A child laughing.An old woman singing.A soldier hugging his family before going to war.Thousands of lives flowed together perfectly.Aster appeared beside her again, his spirit now really faint."The River will not show you what you wan

The dark mist went away fast.It was moving faster than the river.Aria held the Keepers Staff tight."We have to follow it, " she said.The River said something away."Not by running, " it said.The shiny water under her feet started to glow more.The map on the staff changed.The path to the First Spring was gone.Now there was a line across the River.Aria looked confused."A shortcut?" she asked.The river moved a little."A memory road " it said.Before she could ask what that meant the water in front of her made a circle with silver.There were a lot of memories inside it.Some were happy.Some were very sad.They were all connected.The River spoke again."Every Keeper must remember...""...before they are remembered " it said.The circle stopped moving.On the side Aria saw a long shiny path above the River.She took a step forward.The Keepers Staff started to glow.The whole road lit up under her feet.Behind her Lyra was standing on the riverbank.She was. Looked really pro