"COME."
The word echoed through Ravenshade.
Rohgah stood at the bottom of the staircase, staring upward.
His palm burned.
The fourth circle continued glowing.
Three circles.
Then four.
But the fourth one wasn't like the others.
It pulsed like a heartbeat.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Rohgah pressed his hand against his chest.
"It knows me."
Machir's expression was grim.
"No."
Rohgah looked at him.
"It doesn't know you."
Machir pointed toward the glowing symbol.
"It remembers you."
A deep rumble passed through the building.
The staircase shook.
Seraya immediately pulled Sofia closer.
"We have to reach the surface before the third seal completely opens."
Bella looked at Machir.
"And if it opens?"
Machir didn't answer.
Nicole frowned.
"That's not reassuring."
"If the third seal opens completely," Machir said, "the Hollow will gain access to the vessel."
Ashbel looked at Rohgah.
"The vessel is him."
Machir nodded.
Rohgah's jaw tightened.
"Then why is it calling me?"
"Because it wants you to surrender."
"I already surrendered my power."
"Not enough."
Rohgah stared at him.
"What else does it want?"
Machir looked directly into his eyes.
"You."
Silence.
Rohgah's expression hardened.
"It can't have me."
Machir nodded.
"Then don't answer it."
Another whisper drifted through the halls.
"ROHGAH."
He closed his eyes.
The voice sounded almost familiar.
Almost comforting.
"You are tired."
Rohgah swallowed.
"You lost your power."
His fists tightened.
"You lost your crown."
The voice became softer.
"You lost everything."
Rohgah opened his eyes.
"No."
The voice stopped.
Rohgah looked toward the ceiling.
"I didn't lose everything."
He glanced at Nicole, Ashbel, Bella, Sofia, Seraya, and even Machir.
"I still have them."
The darkness seemed to recoil.
Then it laughed.
"FOR NOW."
A violent explosion erupted above them.
The staircase split.
Rohgah grabbed Sofia.
"Run!"
They raced upward.
Nicole, Ashbel, Bella, Seraya, and Machir followed.
When they reached the first underground corridor, they found bodies scattered across the floor.
Students.
Teachers.
Hollow-born creatures.
Rohgah stopped.
His face went pale.
"Are they—?"
Bella checked one of the students.
"Alive."
Rohgah exhaled.
"Thank God."
Nicole looked around.
"We need to get them somewhere safe."
Ashbel raised her hands.
"I can create a barrier."
"Do it."
Ashbel summoned a wave of water that spread across the corridor, forming a shimmering protective wall.
The surviving students crawled behind it.
"Stay there!" Bella shouted.
A roar came from the end of the corridor.
Several Hollow-born creatures emerged.
One looked like a vampire.
Another looked like a werewolf.
Another carried a wizard's staff.
And the last one looked like Rohgah.
Nicole's eyes narrowed.
"Again?"
The Rohgah-copy smiled.
"Again."
Rohgah stepped forward.
"Leave them alone."
The creature tilted its head.
"You keep protecting everyone."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because they're mine to protect."
The creature smiled.
"Then let's see how much you can protect."
It snapped its fingers.
The other creatures charged.
Bella attacked first.
She moved like lightning, striking one creature across the chest.
Nicole took another.
Ashbel trapped the wizard-shaped creature in a spiral of water.
Seraya raised a silver barrier.
Machir began casting an ancient spell.
Rohgah stood in the center.
The copy approached him.
"You can't fight me."
Rohgah looked at it.
"Why?"
"Because I am you."
"No."
The creature's smile widened.
"I know every thought in your mind."
Rohgah said nothing.
"I know every fear."
Still nothing.
"I know how badly you want your power back."
Rohgah's expression tightened.
The creature stepped closer.
"You miss being feared."
Rohgah looked away.
"You miss being powerful."
"Maybe."
The creature smiled.
"You miss the person you were."
Rohgah looked back at it.
"No."
The creature stopped.
Rohgah's voice was calm.
"I miss who I thought I was."
The creature frowned.
"But I don't want to become him again."
For the first time, the creature looked uncertain.
Rohgah raised his palm.
The third circle flashed red.
The creature stumbled backward.
"You cannot command me."
Rohgah stared.
"I wasn't trying to."
The fourth circle flashed.
The creature screamed.
Black smoke poured from its body.
Rohgah's eyes widened.
The smoke wasn't entering him.
It was leaving the creature.
Machir suddenly shouted.
"Rohgah!"
Rohgah turned.
"What?"
"Don't let it touch you!"
Too late.
The black smoke struck Rohgah's chest.
He collapsed.
"ROHGAH!"
Sofia ran toward him.
Seraya grabbed her.
"Don't!"
"He's my brother!"
"I know!"
Rohgah's body began shaking.
His eyes opened.
They were completely black.
Sofia screamed.
"Rohgah!"
He slowly stood.
Everyone backed away.
Machir stared at him.
"The vessel."
Rohgah looked around.
His voice sounded different.
"I'm not the vessel."
Then he smiled.
"I am the door."
The lights exploded.
Sofia stared at him.
"No."
Rohgah turned toward her.
"Don't be afraid."
She shook her head.
"You're not talking like yourself."
His expression softened.
"I'm still here."
Then the Hollow spoke through him.
"SHE IS THE KEY."
Rohgah's face twisted.
"Stop."
"HE IS THE VESSEL."
Rohgah grabbed his head.
"Get out!"
The blackness spread across his eyes.
Sofia stepped forward.
"Rohgah!"
He screamed.
The entire corridor shook.
The third circle on his palm burned brighter.
The fourth circle began spinning.
Then the fifth appeared.
Machir stared in horror.
"Five."
Seraya's eyes widened.
"The seals are accelerating."
"How do we stop it?" Bella asked.
Machir looked at Sofia.
"We need to break the connection."
"How?"
"Blood."
Sofia froze.
"Mine?"
"Yes."
Rohgah suddenly dropped to his knees.
The blackness around him intensified.
Sofia moved toward him.
Seraya grabbed her.
"No."
"Mother."
"You don't know what it will do."
"I know my brother."
Sofia pulled away.
She walked directly toward Rohgah.
The Hollow screamed through him.
"STAY AWAY."
Sofia didn't stop.
"You're not my brother."
Rohgah looked up.
His black eyes met hers.
Sofia's voice trembled.
"But I know you."
She knelt in front of him.
"You used to steal my food."
The darkness flickered.
"You used to blame me when we broke things."
Another flicker.
"You hated when I cried."
Rohgah's lips trembled.
"You always said I was too loud."
His eyes began returning to normal.
Sofia smiled through tears.
"And you always held my hand when we were scared."
Rohgah whispered:
"Liora."
Sofia gasped.
He remembered.
"You remember."
Rohgah reached for her.
"Sofia."
The blackness shattered.
A wave of silver light exploded through the corridor.
The Hollow was thrown from Rohgah's body.
He collapsed into Sofia's arms.
She held him tightly.
"You're okay."
Rohgah struggled to breathe.
"I heard it."
"Heard what?"
"The Hollow."
"What did it say?"
Rohgah looked at her.
"It was afraid of you."
Sofia's smile disappeared.
"Afraid of me?"
He nodded.
"It said your memories are stronger than your blood."
Machir stepped closer.
"What else?"
Rohgah looked at him.
"It said something about the third seal."
Machir waited.
"What?"
Rohgah swallowed.
"It isn't beneath Ravenshade."
Everyone froze.
"Then where is it?" Seraya asked.
Rohgah looked toward the windows.
"Inside someone."
Silence.
Bella frowned.
"Someone at the school?"
Rohgah nodded.
"The third seal has a vessel."
Nicole looked around.
"Who?"
Rohgah slowly stood.
"I don't know."
Then a scream echoed from the upper floors.
Everyone turned.
Another scream followed.
Then another.
Students began running down the stairs.
"It's in the classrooms!"
"Something is attacking everyone!"
"Run!"
Headmaster Veyron appeared at the top of the stairs.
His clothes were torn.
Blood covered his shoulder.
"Everyone get to the lower halls!"
Rohgah looked at him.
"What happened?"
The headmaster stared at Rohgah.
Then his eyes moved to the glowing circles on Rohgah's palm.
His face changed.
"You."
Rohgah frowned.
"What?"
Veyron stepped backward.
"You've already awakened it."
Machir moved forward.
"What do you mean?"
Veyron's eyes filled with fear.
"The third seal."
He pointed toward the school tower.
"It has found its vessel."
Seraya looked up.
"Who?"
Veyron's voice dropped.
"The person who has been watching Rohgah since the beginning."
Rohgah's heart stopped.
"Who?"
The headmaster looked directly at him.
Then whispered:
"Damian."
Rohgah froze.
"Damian?"
His closest friend.
The person who had warned him about Sofia.
The person who had stood beside him through everything.
"No."
Veyron nodded.
"Damian is carrying the third seal."
A terrible silence followed.
Then, from somewhere above them…
Damian's voice echoed through Ravenshade.
"Rohgah."
Rohgah looked up.
"Come find me."
The lights went out.
And Damian laughed.
"Before I find you first."