MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO

The day the sky turned blue was the day Aurelia knew the world would end.

She’d never believed in end of the world prophecies. They made no sense and were often told by crackheads. They were impossible. All previous dates had long since passed and Terpola still stood strong in the darkness of Creation around them. There was little doubt in Aurelia’s mind that they would win the War and continue to reign for eons to come.

Oh, how wrong she’d been.

The Terpolite sky was never blue. During the day, it was an eery red. At night, it was black with coloured dots of light coming from all the worlds of Creation visible from here. It was entirely impossible for the sky to go blue. The chemical makeup was all wrong. At least, that’s what scholars said. There was only one person who claimed it would go blue, and that that would be the day the world would end. Aurelia blew off the people who believed that as crazy.

But they had been right. So very right.

The day the sky turned blue was the day the Photon Queen’s power rained down on them with a fury the likes none of which had ever seen. It was the Lyriumians’ vengeance.

Archeron—the Dark King of Terpola—had recently destroyed the city of Lemuria, a small settlement on a strange world the Photon Queen liked. Aurelia couldn’t remember the planet’s name, only that it had been primitive. She’d cared even less when she was chosen by the King himself for a mission, to destroy the city, to kill the inhabitants, to tip Balance. It was a job, nothing more, nothing less, and Aurelia was Archeron’s most loyal follower.

As the chaos begun, Aurelia rushed to her King’s side. She didn’t realise just how depleted her power was—that much destruction and only a day’s rest! As she ran, Aurelia only hoped that she was strong enough to assist her King.

The thought left her mind as she finally reached him.

Archeron was locked in battle with A.K., the Photon Queen herself. And it was something she couldn’t believe.

The power of the Cores was incredible. Unyielding. They stopped for nothing, for no one. The power of only one alone could level cities, destroy worlds, bring life and death. They could do anything. No wonder the chosen Guardians were both awed and feared.

A.K.’s eyes landed on Aurelia. She froze in place. By Naka’s power, this woman inspired a feeling which Aurelia never experienced before. Was this what it was like to be afraid?

Aurelia raised her fist, a golden glow surrounding them in a weak attempt to use her power. She couldn’t run. She refused to abandon Archeron! Even if it killed her.

A.K. raised her arms, summoning a wave of her power. Aurelia held her hands out before her, a weak golden shield flickering to life. There was no way it could stand up to so much power but she had to do something!

The Photon Queen attacked—

Aurelia hit the dirt. Someone pushed her out of the way!

Archeron stood over her with a crimson shield of his own. Aurelia let out a relieved breath. That was way too close.

A flash of red power sent A.K. flying.

Archeron held out a hand and Aurelia took it gratefully.

“You must go to the Chambers,” he said.

“I can’t leave you here to fight alone!”

“You are still weak. You will be safe in the Chambers. I will come wake you hen this is over.” Archeron lifted her chin and kissed her. “Now run.”

Aurelia ran.

A force hit her spine. She tumbled to the ground. A.K. stood over her, eyes burning with the fury of a thousand suns, dark skin glowing with an inner light so bright Aurelia had to look away. Oh, this woman was furious at what they’d done. This was more than vengeance.

Aurelia forced herself to her aching feet, A.K. following close behind. The Castle of Crita was in sight. She was so close! All she had to do was make it through that doorway and—

A blast of white light hit the doorway as she approached. Cracks spread through the arch. It began to crumble. She wasn’t going to make it! Aurelia shook her head. No, she had to make it!

Aurelia jumped through the crumble doorway, rolling out of the way as stones fell around her. She stopped with a cry of pain. Stones now blocked the doorway, trapping her inside the Castle! But that didn’t matter. She had made it to the Chambers.

Hands hauled her to her feet. The world spun around her. Aurelia raised a hand to her head. A steady stream of blood flowed from a large cut. The stone must have hit her. She hadn’t noticed him her hurry to make it.

The same hands who pulled her up helped her to one of the many crystal chambers. The chamber would heal her wounds. She was so tired . . .

Aurelia managed to open her eyes. Looking around, she realised she must’ve fallen asleep. All the preparations had been made and others laid in closed crystal chambers. No longer was there noise outside. The attack must have ended while she was asleep. Which meant!

“Is he here?”

“Who?” asked the woman making the final preparations to her pod.

“The King.”

“I’m sorry,” the woman said sadly. “I doubt anyone outside this room survived.”

Aurelia felt tears build up in her eyes. She reached out to Archeron with her mind only to sense nothing. An ever-lasting emptiness. It was true. He was gone.

“Are you ready?”

Aurelia’s hands clenched, released, and clenched again. “I am.”

The door of her crystal chamber closed. The woman outside pressed a few buttons on the control pad before sealing it. She nodded at Aurelia and walked out of sight.

A sweet smell filled the chamber. It calmed her, dulling her senses and her pain, but the anger remained. Aurelia closed her eyes, drifting into a deep sleep.

Time passed. Millennia became eons. Her life became a blur, a dream. She begun to wonder if it had ever been real. If this life, these memories, were ever real.

But there were things she was certain about.

She was certain her people had fallen at the hand of the Photon Queen.

She was certain the Dark King—her Archeron—had fallen protecting his people.

And she was certain there was nothing she could do in this state. So, she slept, waiting for the day when she would awaken.

As she slept, Aurelia made a vow to herself, to her people, her King. She would finish what he set out to do. She would tip Balance in their favour, bringing an end to the War.

She would be the one to destroy the Photon Queen.