The staircase seemed endless.
Daniel descended first.
Mara followed.
Michael carried Elias over his shoulder.
The deeper they went, the colder it became.
Then Daniel saw the walls.
Names.
Thousands of them.
Every hunter who had ever encountered the book.
Some names were centuries old.
Others were recent.
Daniel stopped.
One name caught his attention.
JOHN CROSS.
His father's name.
Beneath it were two words.
REFUSED PAYMENT.
Daniel touched the stone.
A vision appeared.
His father stood in the chamber.
He was holding the book.
Across from him stood the entity.
His father looked exhausted.
"I won't give him to you."
The entity answered:
"You already have."
Daniel watched as his father removed the black substance from his son's chest.
The same substance he'd later seen inside the glass container.
His father placed it inside the chamber.
Then he drew a circle around it.
The entity screamed.
John turned toward the doorway.
Daniel could see Mara standing there.
"You'll keep him safe."
Mara nodded.
John looked toward the entity.
"And if it comes back?"
John's voice broke.
"Kill me before you let it reach him."
The vision disappeared.
Daniel stared at the wall.
Mara looked away.
"You knew."
"Yes."
"You knew my father planned to sacrifice himself."
"Yes."
"And you never told me."
"He made me promise."
Daniel shook his head.
"Everyone keeps making promises."
Michael interrupted.
"We're here."
The passage opened into a massive chamber.
At the center stood a black stone door.
It was covered in the same symbols as the book.
Daniel stepped toward it.
The door whispered.
His name.
"Daniel."
He stopped.
Mara grabbed his arm.
"Don't answer."
The door opened.
Not outward.
Inward.
Darkness poured through.
A voice came from the other side.
Come home.
Daniel raised his weapon.
"No."
The darkness moved.
A woman stepped through.
His mother.
This time, she looked completely human.
Daniel lowered his weapon.
"Mom."
She smiled.
"I've been waiting for you."
Mara raised her gun.
Daniel looked at her.
"Don't."
His mother stepped closer.
"The entity is afraid of you."
Daniel stared.
"Why?"
"Because you can kill it."
Michael shook his head.
"That's not what the book says."
His mother looked at him.
"The book lies."
Daniel frowned.
"Then tell me the truth."
She reached for his hand.
"The entity cannot exist without a vessel."
Daniel looked down.
His mark began glowing.
His mother whispered:
"And you are the last vessel."
Daniel pulled his hand away.
"No."
She looked toward the door.
"Then we have to destroy the book."
Michael shook his head.
"We've tried."
"Not like this."
She pointed toward the black door.
"Throw it into the First Door."
Daniel looked at the book.
"What happens?"
His mother smiled sadly.
"The door closes."
"And me?"
She didn't answer.
Daniel understood.
The sacrifice was still required.
He looked at Mara.
She shook her head.
"There's another way."
His mother looked at her.
"Then find it quickly."
The door began closing.
His mother stepped backward.
"Daniel."
He looked at her.
"Don't let your father have died for nothing."
The door slammed shut.
Daniel stood in silence.
Then the book began to burn.