Shawshank hit the ground.
"Shawshank!"
I ran to him.
His body was cold.
Too cold.
I grabbed his face between my hands.
"Shawshank, wake up."
He didn't move.
The golden mark that had once covered his chest was completely black.
My heart began racing.
"No."
I looked at everyone.
"Help him!"
Azrael rushed forward and knelt beside his son.
He touched Shawshank's chest.
His expression changed.
"What happened?"
Celestia stepped closer.
"The darkness entered him."
I looked at her.
"What darkness?"
She pointed toward the sea.
"The thing that was inside Bjei."
My blood ran cold.
The dark girl stood quietly near the water.
I turned toward her.
"You did this."
She shook her head.
"No."
"Then who did?"
She looked at Shawshank.
"He was connected to you long before you knew."
I looked back at him.
His fingers suddenly moved.
"Shawshank?"
His eyes opened.
But they weren't golden anymore.
They were black.
He looked directly at me.
"Bjei…"
I smiled through my tears.
"I'm here."
He suddenly grabbed my wrist.
His grip was painfully strong.
"Run."
I froze.
"What?"
His voice changed.
It became deeper.
"RUN!"
The ground shook.
Shawshank released me and screamed.
Black veins spread across his neck.
Azrael grabbed his shoulders.
"Fight it!"
Shawshank pushed him away.
"I can't!"
I stepped closer.
"Yes, you can."
He looked at me.
For one second, I saw the Shawshank I knew.
Scared.
Confused.
Hurting.
"Bjei…"
"I've got you."
His eyes filled with tears.
"Don't come near me."
"Why?"
"Because I'm afraid I'll hurt you."
I shook my head.
"You won't."
The darkness inside him laughed.
It wasn't his laugh.
"You still don't understand."
The dark girl stepped closer.
"The darkness doesn't want Shawshank."
I looked at her.
"Then what does it want?"
She pointed at me.
"It wants you."
My heart stopped.
"Why?"
She looked toward the golden doorway beneath the sea.
"Because Shawshank is the key."
I stared at the doorway.
The memories began returning.
A baby crying.
A woman holding me.
A golden crown.
A dark shadow.
And Shawshank.
But he wasn't standing beside me.
He was a child.
Watching over my crib.
I gasped.
"You were there."
Shawshank looked at me.
"What?"
"The night I was born."
His face changed.
"I remember."
Azrael stepped backward.
"That's impossible."
Shawshank slowly stood.
The black veins were fading.
"I remember everything."
Azrael looked terrified.
"What did you see?"
Shawshank looked at me.
"You."
I swallowed.
"What about me?"
"You were crying."
He closed his eyes.
"And someone was trying to take you."
"Who?"
His eyes opened.
"Nerath."
The darkness around us suddenly became still.
Even the dark girl looked surprised.
Shawshank continued.
"But there was another person."
"Who?"
He stared at Celestia.
"The Sky Queen."
Celestia's face went pale.
I turned toward her.
"You were there?"
She didn't deny it.
"Yes."
"Why didn't you save me?"
Celestia lowered her eyes.
"Because I was ordered not to."
"By who?"
She looked up.
"The first queen."
Seraphina stepped forward.
"Celestia."
The Sky Queen turned toward her.
"You knew?"
Seraphina's voice was cold.
"I knew enough."
"Then tell me!"
Seraphina looked at me.
"There was a reason the three powers wanted you."
I waited.
"The sea wanted your ability to cross boundaries."
She paused.
"The darkness wanted what was inside you."
Another pause.
"And the sky…"
Her voice became softer.
"…wanted to make sure neither side could ever possess you."
I shook my head.
"So you wanted me dead?"
"No."
Celestia stepped forward.
"I wanted the threat inside you destroyed."
My eyes filled with tears.
"I was a baby."
"I know."
"You all looked at me like I was a weapon."
Celestia said nothing.
I looked at Shawshank.
He stepped beside me.
His hand found mine.
The black mark on his chest suddenly turned gold again.
Everyone stared.
The dark girl whispered,
"No…"
The golden doorway beneath the sea began glowing.
Shawshank squeezed my hand.
"I know where we have to go."
"Where?"
He looked toward the doorway.
"The place where we were first connected."
My heart pounded.
"You mean beneath the sea?"
He nodded.
"But if you enter that door…"
His voice trembled.
"…you may never come back."
I looked at the dark girl.
Then at Celestia.
Then at Angela.
Everyone had hidden something from me.
Everyone had made choices for me.
But this time…
I would make my own.
I looked at Shawshank.
"Will you come with me?"
He didn't hesitate.
"Always."
We stepped toward the sea.
Behind us, Nerath's voice suddenly echoed.
"Be careful, Bjei."
I turned.
Nerath was standing in the darkness.
For the first time…
it wasn't smiling.
"The moment you enter that door…"
Its eyes fixed on Shawshank.
"…you will finally discover why I created him."
The golden doorway opened completely.
A powerful force pulled us forward.
Shawshank held my hand tightly.
I held on to him.
Then we disappeared beneath the sea.
And behind us…
the door slammed shut.
We were trapped.