Noah's scream didn't stop. It tore through the forest, raw. In human. Kael was already moving. He grabbed Noah by the shoulders, hey look at me. No response. Noah's body arched violently. Like something inside him was trying to go out. Flash. Not Elara this time. Something else. A room. Dark. Noah not alone. Voices around him. You were the constant. You were the variable that never broke. You were the perfect control. Back to now. Noah gasped. Eyes snapping open. But they weren't his. Too dark. Too still. Noah? Kael said slowly. A smile. Wrong. He's not here right now. Silence.
Kael stepped back instantly. What are you? The thing tilted its head. Something that remembers more than you. Its gaze shifted, locking onto the sky. Something that wasn't supposed to wake up yet.
The forest reacted. Trees bent. Shadows stretched. Like reality itself was responding to Noah. Or whatever was inside him. You shouldn't have broken the system, it said. Kael's voice went cold. She did. A pause. Then, that smile again. And now she's broken everywhere.
That hit. Hard. Kael's fists clenched. Then I will put her back together. The thing laughed. You think you can fix a god? Silence. That word, changed everything.
Kael's eyes narrowed. She's not a god. The thing leaned closer. She made this world. A pause. What do you call that?
The crack in the sky split wider. This time, something came through. Not falling. Descending. Slow. Controlled. A figure, almost human. But surrounded by shifting light. Kael's breath caught. Another one of them. The thing inside Noah smiled. Not exactly.
The figure landed softly. And looked at Kael. Then at Noah. Prototype confirmed, it said. Kael's heart skipped. What? It stepped forward. You were never meant to survive this long.
Kael froze. What did you say? The figure tilted its head. You were built to fail. Silence. Everything shifted.
Noah moved first. Too fast. He attacked the figure not like before. Stronger. Unnatural. The figure blocked effortlessly. Instability increasing, it said. Kael joined in. But this wasn't team work. Not anymore. Three forces. All different. All dangerous.
The moment they collided, everything froze. Flash. A lab. Elara, on the ground. Screaming. Noah standing beside her. Unmoving. Watching. Kael held back. Struggling. You can't interfere. A voice said. She must choose. Back to now. Kael staggered. No, Noah's voice, Not his, you remember now.
Kael looked at him. You let it happen. Noah's expression didn't change. I had to. Rage exploded. Kael lunged. But the figure interrupted. Enough.
Reality bent. All three of them froze in place.
The figure looked at the sky. She is waking up. Silence. And then, the crack shattered. Light flooded the world. Blinding. Overwhelming. And from it, a voice. Not broken. Not distant. Powerful. Familiar. Stop fighting. Everything went still. Kael's heart stopped. Elara? But the voice answered, No. A pause. Not anymore.