Riven couldn’t breathe.

Something stood behind Kael.

It had his brother’s face.

His brother’s eyes.

His brother’s smile.

But Riven knew immediately.

It wasn’t Kael.

The thing tilted its head.

“Riven.”

Riven stepped backward.

Kael turned around.

His expression changed.

“What are you looking at?”

Riven pointed.

“Behind you.”

Kael slowly turned.

There was nothing there.

Riven’s heart raced.

The creature had disappeared.

Kael looked back at him.

“Riven?”

Riven couldn’t answer.

He kept staring at the empty darkness.

His mother’s voice still echoed inside his head.

Don’t trust Kael.

Riven looked at his brother.

“Who are you?”

Kael’s face became confused.

“What?”

“I said, who are you?”

“Your brother.”

“No.”

Riven raised his knife.

“You’re not Kael.”

Kael stared at him.

Then he laughed.

“After everything we’ve been through, you suddenly don’t recognize me?”

Riven tightened his grip.

“Tell me something only my brother would know.”

Kael’s smile disappeared.

“Riven…”

“Answer me!”

Kael became silent.

Riven stepped closer.

“What did Mom call me when I was a child?”

Kael didn’t answer.

Riven’s heart sank.

“What was Dad’s favorite song?”

Silence.

“What happened the night we left our house?”

Kael looked away.

Riven’s voice became quiet.

“You don’t remember.”

Kael looked back.

“I remember everything.”

“Then tell me.”

Kael opened his mouth.

Nothing came out.

Riven stepped backward.

“You’re not my brother.”

Kael’s face changed.

For a second, his skin seemed to move.

His eyes became completely black.

Then he smiled.

“Very good.”

Riven froze.

The voice wasn’t Kael’s.

It was deeper.

Older.

Riven raised his knife.

“What did you do to him?”

The creature smiled.

“Nothing.”

“Where is Kael?”

“Somewhere safe.”

“Give him back.”

The creature laughed.

“You still don’t understand.”

Riven attacked.

His knife cut through the creature’s shoulder.

Black smoke exploded from the wound.

The creature didn’t bleed.

It simply smiled.

Riven stepped backward.

“What are you?”

The creature’s face changed again.

This time, it looked like Riven.

Riven froze.

The creature spoke in his own voice.

“I am what the city remembers.”

Riven stared.

“You are a memory?”

The creature nodded.

“A memory of Kael.”

“Then where is the real Kael?”

The creature pointed toward the Heart.

“Inside.”

Riven looked at the black tower.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“You’re lying.”

The creature smiled.

“Then ask the Heart.”

The ground suddenly shook.

A massive pulse moved through the city.

The creature disappeared.

Riven was alone.

The streets were empty.

The black tower stood silently in front of him.

Then he heard footsteps.

Riven turned.

Selene was walking toward him.

Her silver hair was covered in dust.

Her red scarf was torn.

Riven immediately raised his knife.

“Stop.”

Selene stopped.

“Riven.”

“Don’t come closer.”

She looked at the knife.

“You’re afraid of me now?”

“I don’t know who to trust.”

“Good.”

Riven frowned.

“What?”

Selene smiled sadly.

“That means you’re finally learning.”

Riven lowered his knife slightly.

“Where were you?”

“Taken.”

“By whom?”

“The Heart.”

Riven looked at the tower.

“Why?”

Selene touched the black symbol on her throat.

“Because it knows I remember.”

“Remember what?”

Selene looked at him.

“Everything.”

Riven stared.

“What does that mean?”

“It means I remember the first night.”

“The first disappearance.”

“The first person the city forgot.”

Riven stepped closer.

“Who was it?”

Selene’s expression became serious.

“Your father.”

Riven froze.

“What?”

“Your father was the first.”

Riven shook his head.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“My father didn’t disappear.”

“You’re right.”

Selene looked toward the tower.

“He was erased.”

Riven felt cold.

“What is the difference?”

“When someone disappears, people search for them.”

“When someone is erased…”

Selene looked directly at Riven.

“Nobody remembers they ever existed.”

Riven remembered the photograph.

His parents.

The underground city.

His mother.

His father.

He had always remembered his father.

Or had he?

Riven suddenly realized something.

He couldn’t remember his father’s voice.

He couldn’t remember his face clearly.

He could remember photographs.

But not memories.

“Why do I remember him?”

Selene answered quietly.

“Because you were the one who saved his memory.”

Riven stared at her.

“How?”

“You put it inside the Heart.”

Riven looked toward the tower.

“The Heart contains my father’s memory?”

“Yes.”

“And my mother’s?”

Selene shook her head.

“Not yet.”

Riven froze.

“She’s alive.”

“Yes.”

“Where?”

Selene looked at him.

“Inside the city.”

Riven’s heart jumped.

“Take me to her.”

Selene didn’t move.

“Not yet.”

Riven’s anger returned.

“Why does everyone keep saying that?”

“Because you don’t understand the danger.”

“I don’t care.”

“You should.”

Selene stepped closer.

“Your mother is the reason the Heart exists.”

Riven stared.

“What?”

“She built it.”

Riven couldn’t speak.

“She built the Heart?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“To save your father.”

Riven looked at the tower.

“From what?”

Selene’s eyes became dark.

“From death.”

Riven felt a chill.

“Then why did she erase him?”

“She didn’t.”

“Who did?”

Selene looked at him.

“You.”

Riven froze.

“No.”

“Six years ago, you made a choice.”

“What choice?”

“You wanted your father to live.”

Riven remembered.

The Heart.

The question.

WHAT DO YOU WANT?

I WANT MY FAMILY TO BE SAFE.

Selene continued.

“The Heart offered you a deal.”

Riven whispered.

“What deal?”

“Your father could live.”

Riven looked at the tower.

“But there was a price.”

“His memories.”

Riven’s eyes widened.

“You gave them to the Heart.”

“Yes.”

“And my mother?”

“She tried to stop you.”

Riven’s mind filled with fragments.

His mother screaming.

His father reaching for him.

The Heart opening.

Kael crying.

Riven touching the black tower.

Then darkness.

Riven fell to his knees.

“No.”

Selene stood beside him.

“Riven.”

“I didn’t do that.”

“You were twelve.”

“I couldn’t have known.”

“You didn’t.”

“Then why?”

Selene looked at him.

“Because you trusted the Heart.”

Riven looked up.

“Why would I trust it?”

Selene’s voice became quiet.

“Because it looked like your mother.”

Riven froze.

The memory returned.

The Heart wasn’t a black tower.

Not at first.

It had appeared as a woman.

A woman with silver hair.

A woman who looked exactly like his mother.

Riven had believed it.

He had walked toward it.

And he had made the deal.

Riven stood.

“Where is my mother?”

Selene pointed toward the eastern side of the underground city.

“At the House of Names.”

Riven immediately began walking.

Selene followed.

“Wait.”

Riven turned.

“What?”

“You can’t go there.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s where the Heart keeps the memories it doesn’t want anyone to find.”

Riven continued walking.

“Then that’s exactly where I’m going.”

They walked through the city.

The underground world was waking again.

People appeared in the streets.

Some looked normal.

Others looked like shadows.

Some had no faces.

Riven noticed something.

Every person was watching him.

Selene saw it too.

“They know you.”

Riven frowned.

“Why?”

“Because you’re the one who created this place.”

Riven stopped.

“What?”

Selene sighed.

“Not all of it.”

“Then what did I create?”

“The first memory.”

Riven stared.

“What does that mean?”

Selene pointed toward the city.

“Everything here began with one memory.”

“Yours.”

Riven looked around.

The forgotten people.

The black tower.

The empty streets.

All of it had started with him.

“Why?”

Selene answered:

“Because you were afraid of losing your family.”

They reached a massive building.

Its doors were covered in names.

Thousands of them.

Riven recognized some.

Mira Voss.

His father.

People he had never heard of.

And one name at the very top.

RIVEN ASH.

Riven stared.

“Why is my name there?”

Selene looked at him.

“Because the city has already forgotten you.”

Riven’s heart stopped.

“That’s impossible.”

Selene shook her head.

“Look around.”

Riven turned.

People were watching him.

But nobody approached.

Nobody spoke.

Nobody called his name.

A little boy walked past.

Riven stopped him.

“Excuse me.”

The boy looked up.

“Yes?”

“Do you know who I am?”

The boy shook his head.

“No.”

Riven felt his stomach drop.

He turned toward Selene.

“What happened?”

“You’ve been here too long.”

“How long?”

Selene looked at the black tower.

“Longer than you think.”

Riven’s mind raced.

“But I only came here tonight.”

Selene shook her head.

“No.”

Riven stared.

“What?”

“You came here six years ago.”

“I remember.”

“No.”

Selene’s eyes became serious.

“You never left.”

Riven froze.

The world seemed to tilt.

“What?”

“You think you returned to the surface.”

“But you didn’t.”

Riven shook his head.

“I lived there.”

“You lived in a memory.”

Riven couldn’t speak.

Selene continued.

“Your entire life after the accident…”

“Was a memory.”

Riven stepped backward.

“No.”

“Your school.”

“Your apartment.”

“Your friends.”

“Everything.”

Selene’s voice became quiet.

“Was created by the Heart.”

Riven’s breathing became difficult.

“Then my brother?”

“Real.”

“My parents?”

“Real.”

“Kael?”

“Real.”

“Me?”

Selene stared at him.

“That’s the question.”

Riven looked toward the House of Names.

Suddenly, the doors opened.

A woman stepped out.

Riven recognized her immediately.

His mother.

She looked exactly as he remembered.

But older.

Tired.

Her eyes filled with tears.

“Riven.”

Riven couldn’t move.

“Mom?”

She smiled.

“Yes.”

Riven ran toward her.

He hugged her.

For a moment, everything was perfect.

Then she whispered into his ear.

“Don’t trust Selene.”

Riven froze.

He pulled away.

His mother looked terrified.

Selene stepped backward.

“Riven…”

Riven stared between them.

“Who should I trust?”

His mother grabbed his arm.

“Neither of us.”

Riven’s heart stopped.

“What?”

His mother looked toward the Heart.

“Because the person standing in front of you…”

Her voice began shaking.

“Isn’t really me.”

Riven slowly stepped backward.

The woman who looked like his mother smiled.

Her eyes turned black.

Riven raised his knife.

“You.”

The woman laughed.

Her face began cracking.

Black smoke poured from her mouth.

The creature that had looked like Kael appeared behind Selene.

Riven suddenly understood.

“They’re both memories.”

Selene shook her head.

“No.”

Riven looked at her.

“What?”

Selene pointed toward the House of Names.

“The real ones are inside.”

The building exploded.

A wave of black energy threw everyone backward.

Riven hit the ground.

When he looked up, the House of Names was burning.

Two figures stood inside the flames.

Kael.

And Riven’s mother.

Both were alive.

Both were real.

And both were being held by the same person.

A woman walked out of the fire.

Silver hair.

Black eyes.

The same face as Selene.

Riven stared.

“Who are you?”

The woman smiled.

“My name is Seraphine.”

Selene went pale.

“No.”

Riven looked at her.

“You know her?”

Seraphine laughed.

“She should.”

Riven raised his knife.

“What do you want?”

Seraphine looked toward him.

“I want what your mother stole.”

“What?”

“The First Memory.”

Riven frowned.

“What is that?”

Seraphine smiled.

“The memory of the first person who ever died.”

Riven looked confused.

“Why?”

“Because that memory contains the truth.”

“Which truth?”

Seraphine stepped closer.

“The city of Nocturne was never built above the dead.”

She pointed toward the black tower.

“It was built by them.”

Riven’s heart stopped.

“The dead built the city?”

Seraphine nodded.

“And they have been waiting for you.”

Riven looked at Kael.

His brother was standing behind Seraphine.

His eyes were normal.

“Kael!”

Kael shouted.

“Riven! Don’t listen to her!”

Seraphine raised her hand.

Kael disappeared into darkness.

Riven screamed.

“NO!”

Seraphine smiled.

“Come with me.”

Riven stared at her.

“Where?”

“To the First Memory.”

“Why?”

“Because when you see it…”

Seraphine’s eyes became black.

“You’ll finally understand why the city forgot you.”

The ground opened beneath Riven.

He fell.

Selene grabbed his hand.

“Riven!”

Riven held on.

Seraphine watched them.

Then she whispered:

“Remember.”

The ground disappeared.

Riven and Selene fell into darkness.

And somewhere far below…

the first dead person opened their eyes.

TO BE CONTINUED…