Isabella's world spiraled into chaos as she crumpled to her knees. Blood seeped from her side, staining the floor as she fought to keep her vision from fading. The figure that had struck her stepped into the dim light, revealing not Malrik, but a warped reflection of him—a shadowy doppelgänger with crimson eyes and a sinister grin.
"You're not him," Isabella spat, clutching her wound. "What are you?"
The creature chuckled, its voice a dark parody of Malrik's. "I am what lies beneath. The truth he hides, the darkness he fears. And now, I am your end."
Behind them, the monstrous entity on the platform roared, its tendrils lashing out as it pulled against the chains holding it. The entire chamber quaked, cracks spiderwebbing across the walls and floor. Caelum, still engaged in a desperate battle with the tendrils, shouted her name.
"Isabella! Fight it!"
The Heartstone lay just out of reach, its light flickering weakly. Isabella's fingers stretched toward it, but the shadowy doppelgänger stepped on her hand, pinning it to the ground.
"Did you really think you could stand against the Hollow?" it sneered. "You are nothing but a pawn in its game."
Summoning every ounce of her strength, Isabella twisted beneath the weight of the doppelgänger's foot. Her other hand grasped a shard of broken stone from the ground, and she drove it into the creature's leg. It recoiled with a snarl, giving her the moment she needed.
She lunged for the Heartstone, her fingers closing around its smooth surface. The warmth surged back into her body, and the light flared to life, forcing the doppelgänger to stagger back, shielding its face.
"Malrik!" she screamed, her voice carrying through the chaos. "Where are you?"
From the edge of the collapsing chamber, Malrik's voice echoed, strained but resolute. "I'm coming!"
The real Malrik appeared, cutting through the shadows with his blade. His crimson eyes locked onto the doppelgänger, narrowing in fury. "Get away from her."
The doppelgänger laughed, its form flickering like a flame. "You can't kill me, Malrik. I am you."
"Then I'll destroy myself if I have to," Malrik growled, advancing on the creature. His blade pulsed with shadowy energy, the two forces colliding in a clash of light and darkness. The sound was deafening, reverberating through the crumbling chamber.
Isabella stumbled to her feet, clutching the Heartstone. She felt its power coursing through her veins, but the wound in her side sapped her strength. Caelum appeared at her side, his face pale with worry.
"You're hurt," he said, his voice tight. "We need to get you out of here."
"No," Isabella said, shaking her head. "We have to finish this. The Heartstone—it's the only way."
Caelum hesitated but nodded, drawing another arrow from his quiver. "Then let's end it."
The monster on the platform let out a guttural roar, its chains snapping one by one. The ground beneath them buckled, and Isabella knew they were running out of time.
"Malrik!" she shouted, holding up the Heartstone. "I need you!"
The real Malrik broke away from his doppelgänger, his blade dripping with shadowy ichor. He sprinted toward Isabella, his expression a mix of determination and desperation.
But the doppelgänger wasn't finished. It lunged after him, its form shifting into a mass of writhing tendrils. Caelum loosed an arrow, striking the creature's core, but it barely slowed.
"Go!" Caelum yelled, firing another shot. "I'll hold it off!"
Malrik didn't hesitate. He reached Isabella, his hand closing over hers and the Heartstone. Together, they raised it toward the platform, its light intensifying until it was blinding.
The monster shrieked, its form unraveling as the Heartstone's energy engulfed it. The chains snapped back into place, dragging the creature into the void. But the force of the sealing ritual was too much for the chamber to withstand.
The walls cracked, chunks of stone falling as the ground split apart. A deafening roar filled the air as the platform collapsed, taking the monster—and the doppelgänger—with it.
Isabella, Malrik, and Caelum barely made it to the edge of the chamber before the ground gave way entirely. They tumbled into a narrow corridor, the force of the collapse separating them.
"Malrik!" Isabella shouted, her voice echoing in the darkness. "Caelum!"
There was no response. She tried to move, but the rubble pinned her down. The Heartstone's light flickered weakly, casting long shadows across the corridor.
From the darkness came a new sound—a low, menacing growl. Isabella's blood ran cold as a pair of glowing red eyes appeared, followed by another, and another. The Hollow's creatures were closing in.
And she was alone.
To be continued...