By afternoon, the Temple of First Light appeared.

It was not a temple.

Not anymore.

It was a ruin suspended above the clouds.

Broken towers rose from a massive floating island.

Ancient bridges connected enormous stone arches.

Golden vines crawled across statues.

Thousands of dead lanterns hung from the sky.

Lyra stared.

"How old is this place?"

"Older than Aetheria."

"That's impossible."

"Most important things are."

They landed.

The moment Lyra stepped onto the island, her lantern ignited.

Not blue.

Gold.

The ruins responded.

One by one, ancient lanterns began glowing.

Kael stared.

"I've never seen that."

"You've been here before."

"Yes."

"Then what happened?"

"I came here with your mother."

Lyra turned.

"When?"

"The night she disappeared."

She walked toward him.

"Tell me everything."

Kael looked toward the temple.

"I will."

"Now."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because if I tell you before we reach the Heart..."

He hesitated.

"...you may not go."

Lyra stared.

"You're assuming I'll be afraid."

"I know you'll be afraid."

"Maybe I want to be afraid."

Kael looked at her.

"Why?"

"Because I'm tired of everyone deciding what I can handle."

He nodded slowly.

"Fair."

They entered the temple.

Inside was darkness.

Then the lanterns came alive.

Thousands of golden flames illuminated a colossal hall.

Murals covered the walls.

Lyra walked slowly.

The first mural showed people building the floating islands.

The second showed the first lantern.

The third showed a woman standing beside it.

The Lantern Keeper.

Lyra stopped.

The woman looked exactly like her mother.

She stepped closer.

"What is this?"

Kael didn't answer.

Lyra turned.

"Kael."

He was staring at the mural too.

"The first Lantern Keeper."

Lyra looked back.

The woman held a lantern in her hands.

Beside her stood a guardian.

A man.

Lyra looked at Kael.

"That's you."

"No."

"The armor."

"The Guardian Order existed for centuries."

"But that face..."

Kael looked uneasy.

"The first guardians were chosen from certain families."

"What families?"

"Mine."

Lyra returned to the mural.

At the bottom were words written in an ancient language.

She touched them.

The letters rearranged themselves.

Now she could read them.

WHEN THE HEART FAILS, THE KEEPER AND THE GUARDIAN SHALL WALK TOGETHER.

Below that:

ONE WILL CARRY THE LIGHT.

ONE WILL CARRY THE SHADOW.

Lyra whispered:

"That's us."

Kael looked at her.

"I was afraid it would be."

A deep sound echoed through the temple.

BOOM.

The doors slammed shut.

Lyra spun around.

The black storm had reached them.

Lightning illuminated the windows.

Kael drew his sword.

"Stay close."

Lyra raised her lantern.

"I can fight."

"I know."

"Then don't tell me to hide."

"I wasn't going to."

He looked at her.

"Stay beside me."

For some reason, that sounded different.

Lyra nodded.

"All right."

They walked deeper into the temple.

Behind them, something began scratching against the doors.