The entire sanctuary stood still.
Even the war paused.
Vaelthoros the Devourer of Realms, the ancient Primordial feared since before the First Balance was bound.
Golden chains made from living Balance wrapped around its colossal form while creation's laws themselves pressed against the monster like the weight of existence.
The Primordial screamed in fury loud enough to fracture distant floating towers.
But it could not move.
And at the center of the Heart Chamber stood Luke.Glowing that everyone noticed the Change.
Golden currents spiraled around the seven-year-old child like flowing galaxies while his eyes burned with ancient dawnlight. The Heart of Creation pulsed behind him in perfect rhythm with his heartbeat now.
Not master and servant.
Partners.
Lucien stared at his son in stunned silence.
The infernal flames around him slowly dimmed as disbelief battled with pride and fear inside his chest.
This was still Luke.
Still his son.
Yet the presence radiating from the boy now felt ancient enough to make even primordial corruption hesitate.
The Spirit Guide lowered its massive head slowly.
The Balance has fully accepted him…
One of the Dawn Sentinels dropped to one knee immediately.
Then another.
And another.
Soon every surviving Sentinel in the chamber bowed before Luke in complete reverence.
"The Heir of Dawn," the lead Sentinel whispered.
Luke looked uncomfortable instantly.
"I'm not a king," he said quietly.
The Heart pulsed warmly behind him.
The Sentinel raised its glowing eyes toward him.
"No," it answered softly.
"You are hope."
The words settled heavily across the chamber.
Especially for Lucien.
Because for the first time since Celestia died…
he finally understood what she had seen in their son.
But Vaelthoros was far from defeated.
The Primordial's countless eyes suddenly burned brighter with hatred.
Then the darkness surrounding its body began expanding violently.
The golden chains trembled.
Luke frowned immediately.
"It's resisting the Balance."
The Spirit Guide's expression darkened.
No…
Its silver eyes widened slightly.
It is feeding on the sanctuary itself.
Everyone froze.
Across the floating city, primordial corruption spread rapidly through the broken districts. The ancient sanctuary had awakened fully when the Heart chose Luke… which also meant its energy was now exposed.
Vaelthoros was consuming it.
The Primordial laughed darkly as cracks spread slowly across the golden chains restraining it.
"ALL THINGS FALL TO CHAOS EVENTUALLY."
The sanctuary shook violently again.
Large portions of the floating city began collapsing into the void while the eternal sunrise overhead flickered dangerously.
The Heart Chamber itself started destabilizing.
Luke's eyes widened.
"It's destroying the sanctuary from inside."
The Father of All appeared beside them instantly, his ancient expression grim.
"The sanctuary cannot survive prolonged corruption."
Lucien looked sharply toward him.
"Then we kill the thing now."
The Father of All's silence gave the answer before he even spoke.
"It cannot truly die."
Lucien cursed furiously.
The ancient being continued quietly:
"Primordials are fragments of imbalance itself. They can only be sealed… or purified."
Luke slowly looked toward the struggling monster.
Purified.
The same way he had purified the void creatures earlier in the pathway between realms.
The Heart pulsed softly as realization spread through him.
"I know what I have to do."
Lucien immediately turned toward him.
"No."
Luke looked up calmly.
"Dad—"
"You're not touching that thing."
Vaelthoros roared again as another chain shattered apart. Primordial darkness exploded across the chamber violently.
The Spirit Guide growled urgently.
The restraint will fail soon!
Luke looked toward the collapsing sanctuary sadly.
"If I don't stop it now, the corruption will spread into the realms again."
Lucien grabbed his shoulders firmly.
"You are seven years old."
Luke's expression softened slightly.
"I know."
For one painful moment…
Lucien saw both Celestia and himself inside the child standing before him.
Her compassion.
His stubbornness.
A dangerous combination.
The infernal king closed his eyes briefly.
He had already lost Celestia protecting existence.
The thought of losing Luke too.
No.
Absolutely not.
Then Luke suddenly stepped forward and hugged him tightly.
The action caught Lucien completely off guard.
For a second, the King of Hell simply froze.
Luke's small voice came quietly against his chest.
"You won't lose me."
Lucien's breathing became uneven instantly.
The child pulled back just enough to look at him properly.
"You taught me not to run away anymore, remember?"
Lucien almost laughed bitterly at that.
Using his own lessons against him.
Very Celestia-like.
Luke smiled faintly through lingering tears.
"I'll come back."
The promise terrified Lucien more than anything else.
Because promises meant nothing against primordial beings.
Yet when he looked into Luke's glowing eyes…
somehow he believed him anyway.
Slowly, reluctantly, Lucien released him.
But not before pressing his forehead gently against Luke's one final time.
"If anything happens to you," he whispered darkly, "I will personally destroy fate itself."
Luke actually laughed softly at that.
Then he turned toward Vaelthoros.
The Primordial had nearly broken free now.
Golden chains shattered one after another while primordial corruption swallowed more of the sanctuary every second.
The Heart pulsed urgently behind Luke.
And this time…
Luke answered it willingly.
Golden Balance energy erupted around him magnificently as he slowly floated upward into the air.
The sanctuary illuminated like a second sunrise.
Vaelthoros screamed in fury immediately.
"YOU CANNOT ERASE CHAOS!"
Luke looked at the monster calmly.
"No," he answered softly.
The golden threads surrounding him spread endlessly across the chamber like stars weaving together.
"But maybe…"
The Heart of Creation blazed behind him.
"…I can remind it what it used to be."
Then Luke reached toward the Primordial.
And the Balance touched chaos directly.