Chapter 10 — The Forgotten Sixth
“My little guardian.”
The words echoed through the endless darkness.
Moko couldn't move.
Neither could Tofu.
Rizu stared at Sizububu with wide eyes.
And Chamot—
Chaya—
stood completely still beneath Sizububu's hand.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Moko knew Sizububu.
He knew the way Sizububu laughed.
He knew the way he became nervous.
He knew how he always tried to protect everyone, even when he was scared himself.
But the person standing before them now was different.
His eyes were glowing blue.
His face was calm.
Too calm.
And the smile on his lips wasn't Sizububu's smile.
Moko stepped forward.
“Let her go.”
Sizububu slowly turned his head.
The ancient presence inside him looked at Moko.
“Do you still protect her?”
Moko clenched his fists.
“Yes.”
The presence smiled.
“You always did.”
Moko froze.
“What does that mean?”
Sizububu didn't answer.
Instead, he looked at Chamot.
The cat slowly raised her head.
For a moment, her eyes met his.
Then the blue light around her became stronger.
Moko immediately noticed something.
Chamot wasn't afraid.
She was recognizing him.
“Chamot…”
She didn't look at Moko.
Tofu stepped beside him.
“Something is inside Sizububu.”
Rizu nodded.
“I can see it.”
Moko looked at her.
“What is it?”
Rizu's face had gone pale.
“Not a ghost.”
Nivan stood several steps away, holding the silver bell.
Moko turned toward him.
“Then what is it?”
Nivan stared at Sizububu.
“A soul.”
Moko frowned.
“A soul?”
Nivan nodded.
“An ancient one.”
Moko pointed at Sizububu.
“Whose?”
Nivan didn't answer immediately.
Sizububu's body suddenly shook.
His eyes closed.
The blue light disappeared.
He collapsed.
Moko rushed forward and caught him.
“Sizububu!”
Sizububu opened his eyes.
They were normal again.
He looked confused.
“Moko?”
Moko's heart jumped.
“You're back?”
Sizububu frowned.
“Back from where?”
Moko looked at Rizu.
Rizu stared at Sizububu.
Then she looked at Chamot.
The cat was still sitting beside them.
Moko helped Sizububu stand.
“What do you remember?”
Sizububu rubbed his forehead.
“I remember entering the Hollow.”
“And then?”
“Nothing.”
Moko exhaled.
“Thank goodness.”
Sizububu looked at him.
“Why?”
Moko hesitated.
Before he could answer, a bell rang.
Ting.
Everyone turned toward Nivan.
Nivan's expression was serious.
“You shouldn't have awakened him.”
Sizububu looked at Nivan.
“Awakened who?”
Nivan stared at him.
“The one sleeping inside you.”
Sizububu stepped backward.
“What are you talking about?”
Nivan raised the silver bell.
The bell began glowing.
Chamot immediately hissed.
Nivan lowered it.
“Don't.”
Moko moved in front of Chamot.
“Don't what?”
Nivan looked at him.
“Don't let her hear the bell again.”
“Why?”
“Because the bell calls memories.”
Rizu looked at the silver bell.
“Then why did you bring it?”
Nivan's eyes became sad.
“Because we need the memories.”
Moko frowned.
“Which memories?”
Nivan looked at Sizububu.
“His.”
Sizububu stared at him.
“I don't understand.”
Nivan took a step closer.
“You were not one of the five.”
Silence.
Moko stared.
“What?”
Nivan continued.
“You were the sixth.”
Sizububu shook his head.
“No.”
“You were.”
“No.”
“You were the first person to enter the Hollow.”
Sizububu's face became pale.
Moko looked between them.
“Then who were we?”
Nivan pointed toward Moko.
“You were the protector.”
Then Tofu.
“You were the keeper of the living seal.”
Then Rizu.
“The one who could see souls.”
Then Chamot.
“The guardian.”
Finally, he looked at Sizububu.
“And he…”
Nivan stopped.
Sizububu whispered—
“What was I?”
Nivan answered—
“The creator.”
The darkness became silent.
Moko stared at Sizububu.
“The creator of the Hollow?”
Nivan nodded.
Sizububu shook his head violently.
“No.”
His voice trembled.
“I couldn't have created that thing.”
Nivan looked at him.
“You didn't create the darkness.”
He paused.
“You created the doorway.”
Sizububu stared.
“What doorway?”
Nivan pointed toward the endless darkness around them.
“This.”
The black space seemed to move.
Tiny lights floated around them.
Each one contained a memory.
Nivan continued.
“The Hollow existed before you.”
“Then what did I do?”
“You gave it access to the world.”
Sizububu's breathing became faster.
“Why?”
Nivan's voice became softer.
“To bring someone back.”
Moko suddenly understood.
“Someone who died?”
Nivan nodded.
Sizububu closed his eyes.
A faint memory appeared.
A young man.
Standing in the courtyard of Rudrgarh Mansion.
He was holding a small blue flower.
Beside him stood a girl.
A girl with dark hair.
Her face looked familiar.
Very familiar.
Rizu whispered—
“Chaya.”
The memory changed.
Chaya was lying on the ground.
Sizububu was kneeling beside her.
He was crying.
Moko stared.
“That was you.”
Sizububu opened his eyes.
He was staring at the memory.
“I remember…”
His voice was barely audible.
“I knew her.”
Chamot slowly moved toward the memory.
Her ears lowered.
Nivan nodded.
“Yes.”
Sizububu stared at Chamot.
“Chaya was my…”
He couldn't finish.
Moko looked at him.
“Your what?”
Sizububu shook his head.
“I don't know.”
Another memory appeared.
Chaya was standing in front of Sizububu.
She was alive.
She was smiling.
And beside her stood Arkan.
Arkan was holding an ancient book.
The Hollow's symbol was carved into its cover.
Moko's expression changed.
“Arkan.”
Rizu stepped closer.
“What was he doing?”
Nivan answered.
“Helping Sizububu open the doorway.”
Moko turned.
“Then Arkan wasn't just a Keeper.”
“No.”
“He was working with Sizububu?”
“Yes.”
Sizububu stared at the memory.
“I don't remember him.”
“You weren't supposed to.”
The memory changed again.
Sizububu was standing inside a circle.
Chaya stood outside it.
Arkan was drawing symbols around them.
The Keeper stood behind him.
And something else—
a huge black shadow—
was moving beneath the ground.
Moko swallowed.
“The Hollow.”
Nivan nodded.
Sizububu's voice trembled.
“I wanted to bring Chaya back.”
Moko looked at him.
“What happened?”
Sizububu stared.
“I opened the doorway.”
The memory showed the ground splitting.
Black mist poured out.
Chaya screamed.
Arkan shouted something.
The Keeper raised his hands.
But the Hollow was already awake.
It reached toward Chaya.
Sizububu ran toward her.
But Chaya pushed him away.
The memory froze.
Moko stared.
“What happened next?”
Nivan answered—
“She entered the Hollow.”
Sizububu's eyes filled with tears.
“To save me.”
Nivan nodded.
“And the others.”
Moko looked at Chamot.
The cat was staring at the memory.
A tiny blue tear appeared in her eye.
Moko's chest tightened.
“Then Chaya became Chamot?”
Nivan nodded.
“Not immediately.”
Rizu looked confused.
“What happened to her soul?”
Nivan pointed toward the floating memories.
“It was divided.”
Moko frowned.
“Divided?”
“Her human memories remained inside the Hollow.”
Nivan looked at Chamot.
“And her instinct remained outside.”
Moko stared at the cat.
“That's why she was born as Chamot.”
“Yes.”
Chamot looked at Moko.
He crouched beside her.
“You were Chaya all along.”
Chamot blinked.
Then she licked his hand.
Moko smiled sadly.
“Still a cat.”
Tofu laughed softly.
“Some things never change.”
Suddenly—
THUMP!
The entire Hollow shook.
The floating memories scattered.
Rizu looked around.
“Something is coming.”
Nivan immediately raised the bell.
“Everyone stay close.”
Moko picked up Chamot.
She didn't fight him this time.
A black wave moved through the darkness.
It passed beneath their feet.
Then another.
Sizububu looked terrified.
“What is that?”
Nivan answered—
“The Hollow is waking up.”
Moko frowned.
“But we are already inside it.”
Nivan shook his head.
“No.”
He pointed toward the darkness.
“We are inside its memory.”
Rizu understood.
“This isn't the Hollow itself.”
“Correct.”
“Then where is the real Hollow?”
Nivan pointed at Sizububu.
“Inside him.”
Sizububu froze.
“What?”
Nivan continued.
“When you opened the first doorway, the Hollow marked your soul.”
Moko stared.
“That's why it called him the sixth.”
Nivan nodded.
“The Hollow has been waiting for him to return.”
Sizububu's eyes widened.
“What does it want?”
Nivan's answer was simple.
“Your body.”
Sizububu stepped backward.
“No.”
A black line appeared across his neck.
Moko grabbed his shoulder.
“Sizububu!”
Sizububu fell to his knees.
The blue light returned to his eyes.
Moko shook him.
“Stay with us!”
Sizububu looked up.
But his expression had changed again.
The ancient presence returned.
“Move away from him.”
Moko didn't.
“Give him back.”
The presence smiled.
“You still don't understand.”
Moko's anger grew.
“Give. Him. Back.”
The presence looked at Chamot.
“Ask her.”
Moko turned toward the cat.
Chamot was staring at Sizububu.
She slowly walked forward.
Moko released him.
Chamot stopped directly in front of Sizububu.
The ancient presence reached toward her.
But before its hand touched her—
Chamot slapped it.
SMACK!
Everyone froze.
Moko stared.
Tofu's mouth fell open.
Rizu blinked.
Even Nivan looked shocked.
Chamot stared at Sizububu.
Then she hissed.
The ancient presence slowly looked at the paw mark on its face.
For the first time—
it looked angry.
“You dare?”
Chamot hissed again.
Moko couldn't help himself.
He smiled.
“Yep.”
The presence turned toward him.
Moko's smile disappeared.
“Okay. Maybe not.”
Chamot suddenly jumped onto Sizububu's chest.
The blue symbol on her paw touched his heart.
A massive explosion of blue light filled the Hollow.
Moko shouted—
“CHAMOT!”
He tried to reach her.
But a barrier pushed him away.
Rizu grabbed him.
“Wait!”
“She's inside the barrier!”
“I know!”
Inside the light, Sizububu was screaming.
The ancient presence was being pulled out of him.
Black mist poured from his mouth.
His eyes returned to normal.
The black mist formed a huge figure above him.
It had no face.
Only two glowing eyes.
Moko stared.
“The Hollow.”
Nivan shook his head.
“No.”
Rizu looked at him.
“Then what is it?”
Nivan whispered—
“Only a piece.”
The giant shadow looked down at Chamot.
“Guardian.”
Chamot stood in front of Sizububu.
The shadow laughed.
“You remember.”
Chamot's blue eyes glowed.
The shadow raised one hand.
Chains appeared around Chamot.
Moko rushed forward.
The barrier disappeared.
He grabbed Chamot and pulled her away.
The chains struck the ground.
BOOM!
Sizububu collapsed.
Moko held Chamot tightly.
“Don't you ever do that again!”
Chamot scratched his cheek.
“Ow!”
Moko stared.
“Seriously?”
Tofu laughed.
“She is definitely back.”
Rizu looked at Sizububu.
“Is he okay?”
Moko glanced down.
Sizububu was breathing.
His eyes were normal.
He whispered—
“Chaya…”
Chamot looked at him.
Sizububu reached out.
Chamot walked closer.
He touched her head.
“I remember you.”
Chamot closed her eyes.
Moko felt something tighten in his chest.
But then—
Ting.
The silver bell rang.
Nivan looked toward the darkness.
The smile disappeared from his face.
Moko stood.
“What?”
Nivan didn't answer.
“Nivan.”
He pointed toward the floating memories.
All of them had stopped moving.
Every memory.
Every light.
Everything was frozen.
Then one by one—
the lights began turning black.
Rizu's face went pale.
“No.”
Moko looked at her.
“What?”
“The memories are dying.”
Nivan nodded.
“The Hollow is consuming them.”
Moko stared.
“How do we stop it?”
Nivan looked at Sizububu.
“There is only one way.”
Sizububu slowly stood.
“What?”
Nivan pointed deeper into the darkness.
“We have to reach the First Gate.”
Sizububu frowned.
“What is there?”
Nivan's voice became quiet.
“The original doorway.”
Rizu understood.
“If we close it…”
“The Hollow loses its connection to the living world.”
Moko smiled.
“Then let's close it.”
Nivan shook his head.
“You don't understand.”
“What?”
“To close the First Gate, the creator must sacrifice himself.”
Everyone became silent.
Sizububu stared at him.
“So I have to die.”
Nivan nodded.
Moko immediately stepped forward.
“No.”
Sizububu looked at him.
“Moko…”
“No.”
“But—”
“We are not doing that.”
Nivan shook his head.
“There may be no other way.”
Moko looked at him.
“Then we'll find one.”
Rizu stepped beside Moko.
“Yes.”
Tofu nodded.
“We didn't come here to lose one of our own.”
Sizububu stared at them.
“You don't understand what I did.”
Moko answered—
“Maybe not.”
He looked at Chamot.
“But we know what you are now.”
Sizububu frowned.
“What?”
Moko smiled.
“Our friend.”
Sizububu's eyes became wet.
For a moment, he looked like he wanted to say something.
But then the darkness screamed.
A terrible sound.
Millions of voices crying together.
The ground split.
A giant black hand emerged.
It reached toward Chamot.
Moko grabbed her.
Sizububu stepped in front of them.
The ancient blue light returned to his eyes.
But this time—
he controlled it.
The black hand stopped.
Sizububu raised his own hand.
A blue barrier appeared.
The black hand slammed against it.
BOOM!
Sizububu gritted his teeth.
“I can hold it.”
Nivan stared.
“You can control the mark?”
Sizububu nodded.
“I don't know how.”
Rizu smiled.
“Because you aren't the same person anymore.”
Sizububu looked at her.
“What?”
“You remember who you were.”
She pointed at Chamot.
“And who you became.”
Chamot moved beside him.
The blue light around her joined his.
The barrier became stronger.
Moko stared.
“They're connected.”
Nivan's face changed.
“Yes.”
Moko looked at him.
“What?”
Nivan whispered—
“The Hollow made one mistake.”
“What?”
“It thought Sizububu and Chaya would return separately.”
He looked at them.
“But they returned together.”
The black hand began cracking.
Sizububu shouted—
“NOW!”
Tofu threw the iron key toward Nivan.
Nivan caught it.
He ran toward the deepest darkness.
Moko followed.
“Where are you going?”
“The First Gate!”
Rizu ran behind them.
Sizububu and Chamot held the barrier.
Tofu followed.
The deeper they went, the darker everything became.
The memories disappeared.
The floating lights vanished.
Only one light remained.
A tiny blue light.
At the end of the darkness stood a gigantic door.
It was made of black stone.
Blue symbols covered it.
At the center was a handprint.
Nivan stopped.
“This is it.”
Moko stared.
“The First Gate.”
Rizu looked at the symbols.
“There are five locks.”
Tofu stepped closer.
“No.”
He pointed.
“There are six.”
Everyone looked.
Six symbols.
Five were glowing faintly.
The sixth was completely black.
Sizububu's symbol.
Moko whispered—
“That's the missing lock.”
Nivan nodded.
“To close the gate, all six must be awakened.”
Moko looked back.
Sizububu and Chamot were still fighting the black shadow.
They were losing.
Sizububu's knees were shaking.
Chamot was surrounded by black chains.
Moko looked at Nivan.
“Then wake it.”
Nivan shook his head.
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Only Sizububu can.”
Moko shouted—
“SIZUBUBU!”
The sound echoed through the Hollow.
Sizububu looked toward them.
Moko pointed at the gate.
“Come here!”
Sizububu looked at the black shadow.
Then Chamot.
He made his decision.
He grabbed Chamot.
“Run!”
They ran.
The shadow followed.
The five reached the First Gate together.
Nivan held the iron key.
“Everyone place your hand on a symbol.”
Moko placed his hand.
Tofu placed his.
Rizu placed hers.
Chamot placed her paw.
Sizububu placed his hand on the sixth.
Nothing happened.
Moko looked at Nivan.
“Why isn't it working?”
Nivan stared at the symbols.
Then his face changed.
“Because one person is missing.”
Moko frowned.
“We are all here.”
Nivan shook his head.
“No.”
He looked at himself.
Moko's eyes widened.
“You?”
Nivan nodded.
“I am the sixth keeper.”
Sizububu stared.
“But there are only six symbols.”
Nivan smiled sadly.
“Exactly.”
Moko looked confused.
“Then what are we?”
Nivan answered—
“You five are the ones who were meant to close the gate.”
He looked at Sizububu.
“And I was the one meant to open it.”
Silence.
Moko's blood ran cold.
Nivan's eyes turned black.
The silver bell fell from his hand.
Ting.
The darkness behind them exploded.
Nivan smiled.
And it wasn't his smile.
The Hollow had entered him.
Moko stepped backward.
“Nivan?”
Nivan lifted his head.
His eyes were completely black.
The ancient voice returned.
“Finally.”
Sizububu stared at him.
“You.”
Nivan smiled.
“I have been waiting for you to remember.”
Chamot began growling.
Moko tightened his grip on the iron key.
The First Gate began opening.
And from behind it came a voice—
a voice that sounded exactly like Chaya.
“Help me…”
Chamot froze.
Sizububu looked at her.
Moko whispered—
“That's not her.”
Rizu shook her head.
“No.”
The voice came again.
“Chaya…”
Chamot took one step toward the gate.
Moko grabbed her.
“Don't listen!”
But Chamot was staring into the darkness.
Because the voice wasn't merely calling her name.
It was calling her with the voice of someone she had loved before she became a cat.
Sizububu whispered—
“Chaya…”
The gate opened another inch.
A hand emerged.
A human hand.
Moko stared.
“Who is that?”
Nivan laughed.
The hand grabbed the edge of the door.
Then a figure slowly stepped out.
A girl.
Long dark hair.
Pale face.
Blue eyes.
Chaya.
Moko stared.
“Impossible.”
Sizububu couldn't move.
“Chaya…”
The girl smiled.
And Chamot—
the little cat—
walked toward her.
Moko reached for her.
“Chamot, wait!”
The girl crouched.
“Come here.”
Chamot stopped.
The girl's smile widened.
“You've been away for a very long time.”
Chamot's blue eyes began filling with tears.
Sizububu stepped forward.
“Chaya…”
The girl looked at him.
Then her smile disappeared.
“You.”
Sizububu froze.
She stood.
“You were supposed to die.”
Sizububu's face went pale.
Moko looked at him.
The girl pointed at him.
“You opened the gate.”
Her eyes became black.
“You abandoned me.”
Sizububu stepped backward.
“No.”
“You left me inside.”
“No.”
“You forgot me.”
“I didn't.”
The girl screamed.
The Hollow exploded from behind her.
Moko grabbed Chamot.
Rizu shouted—
“She's not Chaya!”
Sizububu stared.
“What?”
Rizu's ghost-sight burned brightly.
She pointed.
“Look at her shadow!”
Everyone looked.
The girl had no shadow.
Instead, behind her stood something enormous.
Something with hundreds of eyes.
Rizu screamed—
“It's the Hollow wearing her face!”
The false Chaya smiled.
The First Gate opened completely.
And the darkness whispered—
“Welcome home.”
The iron key in Nivan's hand turned black.
The six symbols shattered.
The Hollow entered the living world.
And the last thing Moko heard before everything disappeared was Chamot's scream.
Not a cat's cry.
Not a human voice.
But the cry of Chaya—
the girl who had been trapped for a hundred years.
And somewhere inside that scream was a message.
A warning.
A single word.
“RUN.”