The Broken Song

Chapter Twelve

— Northern Outskirts of the Doom, Svartalfheim —

It was the moment she remembered most clearly. Held captive in Aunt Teryn's arms, her tiny body struggled against her hold as she reached for her dad. He smiled at her as though he was unafraid, the massive gates to the Garden of Starlight closing through the mist as they sat beneath an ancient archway made of earthly brown stone. The ground trembled beneath them. Lulu fought, she cried, she screamed, but nothing could stop this from happening. Her dad was lost before she had a chance to save him.

And it was all her fault. That bitch of a prophet that dared to tell her this was for the good of everyone.

The thought conjured the Prophetess Kellaran, her spectral form flickering, a smile on her face as she, too, watched the gates close. When they clicked shut, Lulu screamed, and Kellaran's form turned to smoke. Aunt Teryn disappeared, the sky turned black, and the ground dropped out from under her. For a moment, there was a terrible, weightless feeling that enveloped her, as though she was slipping through a veil without Idelle to guide her, but then, suddenly, her feet hit solid ground, and she found herself standing in the middle of the Garden, or what she remembered of it, at least.

The sky was dark and stormy, the grass dead and brown, crunching beneath her feet as she stepped over piles of bodies. Her aunt, dad, and all those that had fought in the Garden had faced waves of undead that clamored through the gates. It must have been horrific, fighting with every ounce of will, not knowing if they would live through it. She stood amidst the death and carnage, her stomach twisting and threatening to heave. A slight wind rustled around her. Lulu turned. Her dad stood there, the same smile on his face that she remembered. She choked back a sob.

"Dad?"

"Hello, sweetheart," he answered fondly, a twinkle in his eye as he held out a hand to her. She took it without a second of hesitation, tears welling in her dark eyes. He looked just like the picture her father had of him. "Look how beautifully you've grown."

"Is this...real? Or is this just...a dream?"

His free hand reached up to cup her cheek, his thumb tracing over the curve gently. "Does it matter? It's another moment with you. That's all I asked for at the end."

"The end?" her voice trembled as tears spilled down her cheeks. "No. You're not... No, I don't believe it."

Her dad chuckled. "That's my Elusia. Always defiant, always searching for the truth of things. I'm so proud of the woman you've become. I wish I could have seen it."

"You will. I'm coming for you. I've found a way to pinpoint the Garden's location. I can find you and bring you home."

He shook his head sadly. "The Garden will wait. The path you walk is far from finished. There is more you have yet to do."

"I don't care about anything else. I'm going to bring you home."

A low growl reverberated behind her. A wolf's shadow trailed over the ground, but Lulu didn't look to see it.

"There are far more important things than just the Garden, Lulu. I hope you can recognize them before the end."

She made to argue, to insist she would never give up, but before she could utter a word, the wolf howled, the garden broke apart, and Lulu was sent tumbling into the void.