The mountain didn't just tremble this time.
It lurched.
A violent, sickening shift that made the entire Ridge feel like it was tilting beneath our feet. Wolves stumbled. Stone cracked. The air thickened with pressure so heavy it felt like trying to breathe underwater.
Rylan grabbed my arm, steadying me. "Lyra—"
"I'm fine."
I wasn't.
None of us were.
Because the Hollow wasn't rising anymore.
It was arriving.
Lucien stood at the center of the arena, shadows swirling around him like a storm he no longer controlled. His eyes — pure void — flickered with something dangerously close to panic.
He whispered, "It's waking fully."
Rylan stepped forward, golden fire blazing. "Then we stop it."
Lucien laughed — a broken, hollow sound.
"You can't stop the Hollow."
He pointed at me.
"You can only feed it."
Rylan roared and lunged.
Lucien didn't block.
He didn't dodge.
He simply stepped aside.
Because the Hollow moved for him.
A tendril of shadow shot upward from the crack, slamming into the ground between us. The impact sent a shockwave across the arena, knocking wolves off their feet and shattering stone.
Rowan shouted, "WHAT IS THAT THING DOING?"
Kade yelled, "WHY IS IT MOVING LIKE IT HAS A BRAIN?"
Lucien smiled.
"It doesn't have a brain."
He turned toward the crack.
"It has a hunger."
The Hollow surged upward — a towering mass of shadow that stretched toward the sky, blotting out the moon. It had no face, no eyes, no form, but its presence pressed against my chest like a hand trying to crush my ribs.
The Ridge pulsed beneath me.
Not fear.
Warning.
Rylan stepped in front of me, golden fire blazing brighter. "Lyra — stay behind me."
I didn't.
Because the Ridge whispered again.
Stand.
Silver light wrapped around my arms, my chest, my throat — not burning, not hurting, but anchoring. Strength surged through me, ancient and wild.
Lucien's eyes widened.
"No. No. NO."
He lunged toward me.
Rylan intercepted him mid‑air, golden fire clashing with black void. The impact shook the arena, sending sparks of light and shadow flying.
Lucien snarled, "She is MINE!"
Rylan roared, "She is NOT!"
The Hollow shrieked — a soundless scream that vibrated through the stone.
And then it moved.
Not toward Rylan.
Not toward Lucien.
Toward me.
A tendril of shadow shot upward, faster than lightning.
I raised my hand.
Silver light erupted from my palm.
The two forces collided.
The impact was blinding.
The arena floor cracked beneath me. The air rippled. The Ridge pulsed violently, silver veins blazing like fire.
The Hollow recoiled — not far, not much, but enough.
Lucien froze.
"You pushed it back."
Rylan stared at me, breath shaking. "Lyra… what did you just do?"
I swallowed.
"I don't know."
The Ridge answered for me.
Conduit.
Anchor.
Balance.
Lucien's expression twisted.
"You're not a conduit."
He stepped closer, shadows writhing around him.
"You're a threat."
Rylan growled, "Come near her and I'll—"
Lucien snapped his fingers.
The Hollow obeyed.
A wave of shadow surged toward Rylan, slamming into him and throwing him across the arena. He hit the stone hard, rolling to a stop.
"RYLAN!"
He groaned, pushing himself up. "I'm— I'm okay."
Lucien turned back to me.
"You don't understand what you're holding."
I stepped back. "I don't need to understand it."
Lucien's voice dropped to a whisper.
"You need to survive it."
The Hollow surged again.
This time, it didn't strike.
It wrapped.
A tendril of shadow curled around my ankle, cold and heavy, pulling me toward the crack. The ground beneath me tilted. The air thinned. The Ridge pulsed violently, silver light flaring around my body.
Rylan roared, "LYRA!"
He sprinted toward me.
Lucien intercepted him.
The Hollow pulled harder.
My feet slid across the stone.
The bond pulsed — sharp, desperate, terrified.
Rylan shouted, "LET HER GO!"
Lucien smiled.
"I'm not holding her."
He pointed at the Hollow.
"It is."
The shadow tightened around my leg.
Cold.
Heavy.
Alive.
The Ridge whispered urgently.
Fight.
I raised my hand.
Silver light surged.
The Hollow shrieked.
The tendril loosened.
But not enough.
Rylan broke free of Lucien's grip, golden fire blazing around him. He sprinted toward me, eyes wild, breath sharp.
"Lyra — take my hand!"
I reached for him.
Our fingers brushed.
The bond pulsed — warm, fierce, unbreakable.
And then—
The Hollow yanked.
Hard.
My body jerked backward.
My hand slipped from Rylan's.
The bond stretched.
Rylan screamed my name.
Lucien whispered,
"Let her fall."
The Hollow pulled again.
And the mountain roared.