Shadow King Clash
by Namu Marupudi
Book Six of The Black Hollow Chronicles Midnight.
Read for Me opens the full-screen reader with narration; titles with read-along timing also highlight the words as they are read.
About this story
At midnight, Alex bolts awake as his bed rattles and a thunderous DONG echoes across Black Hollow. The ground splits open beneath the school, belching black steam: the Shadow King is breaking through. A crack swallows the three friends down into a vast throne room, where the King sits on his wriggling throne, red eyes glaring: 'The bell is my feast.' But Jamie's echo whistle brings fifty glowing spirits in a rainbow blaze — Lila and Theo lead the echo army while vine-jumpers spring from the walls and time-keepers freeze shadows. Then comes the finishing move: 'Map merge!' Alex sprints through tentacle whips to place his blue puzzle map, Jamie cranks her green gadget map mid-spring, and Sam sketches her purple art map on the wall — and when the three maps slam together, KAZAM! A white seal-rune forms, the bell sends a white-hot chime down like a lightning spear, and the Shadow King is erased forever. Dawn breaks over Black Hollow, the tunnels are safe, and on the rooftop three friends fist-bump: 'Guardians forever.' (But deep below, a faint dong echoes... more lurk down there.)
- Guardian — the one sworn to protect a place
- Throne — the grand seat of a king
- Tentacle — a long, whipping arm
- Chant — words spoken together with power
- Merge — to join separate pieces into one
- Rune — a carved symbol of magic
- Dawn — the first pink-gold light of morning
- Forever — for all time — like a guardianship
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