The air split open.
Violently.
The thing that stepped out—
Was wrong.
Not like before.
Not unstable.
Not glitching.
This one—
Was solid.
Real.
Its form was clearer.
Taller than any human.
Its body looked like broken fragments of reality itself—
Dark.
Sharp.
Breathing.
Elena's chest tightened.
"…It's different…"
Her voice barely came out.
The figure stepped slightly in front of her.
"…Yes."
A pause.
"…This one won't disappear easily."
Her heart pounded harder.
"…Of course it won't…"
The creature moved.
Slowly at first.
But each step—
Felt heavy.
Like the world itself reacted to it.
Cracking slightly under its presence.
Elena's instincts screamed.
Run.
Her body trembled.
"I… can't…"
Not because she didn't want to.
But because she knew—
Running wouldn't end this.
Not anymore.
The creature's head tilted slightly.
As if observing her.
Analyzing.
Choosing.
Then—
It moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
"Elena!"
The figure lunged forward.
Blocking it.
The impact—
Exploded through the air.
A shockwave pushed everything back.
Elena stumbled hard.
Falling to one knee.
Her ears rang.
Her vision blurred.
"…They're stronger…"
Her voice shook.
More than before.
Much more.
The figure held their ground.
But Elena saw it.
For the first time—
They were struggling.
"…No way…"
Fear spiked again.
"If even you—"
"Don't panic!"
Their voice cut through her thoughts.
Sharp.
Grounding.
Elena clenched her fists.
"I'm not panicking…"
Her breath was uneven.
Her heart racing.
"I'm just… aware."
The creature attacked again.
Faster.
More aggressive.
The figure blocked—
But slid back this time.
Just slightly.
That small movement—
Said everything.
They couldn't hold it forever.
Elena's chest burned.
That warmth—
Reacting again.
Violently.
"I have to move…"
Her legs shook.
Her body screamed in pain.
But she stood.
"I'm not useless here…"
Her voice trembled.
But didn't break.
The creature's attention shifted.
From the figure—
To her.
Elena froze for a split second.
"…Great."
Her worst fear.
Now focused on her.
"Why me…"
But she already knew the answer.
Because she existed.
Because she shouldn't.
Because she broke something.
"Then come."
The words slipped out.
Without thinking.
But once they did—
She didn't take them back.
Her hands clenched tightly.
Her chest burning brighter.
"I'm right here."
The creature moved.
Instantly.
Straight at her.
Her body reacted.
Faster than before.
She stepped aside—
Barely dodging.
The ground behind her shattered.
"…Too close…"
Her breath hitched.
Again.
The creature didn't stop.
It turned.
Attacked again.
Faster.
Sharper.
Elena's vision struggled to keep up.
"I can't see it—!"
"Feel it!"
The voice came from behind.
"Don't rely on your eyes!"
Her breath caught.
"…Feel…?"
The attack came again.
Elena closed her eyes—
Just for a second.
Trusting instinct.
Trusting that warmth.
That pull.
Her body moved.
Without thinking.
Without seeing.
She dodged.
Clean.
Perfect.
Her eyes snapped open.
"…I did that…"
Shock filled her voice.
But no time.
The creature adapted.
Faster again.
Stronger.
It struck her—
Before she could move.
Her body flew back.
Crashing into the ground.
Hard.
Pain exploded through her side.
"Ah—!"
Her breath shattered.
Her vision darkened.
"I… can't…"
Her body refused to move.
Too heavy.
Too broken.
The creature walked toward her.
Slow.
Certain.
Like it already won.
Elena's fingers dug into the ground.
"…No…"
Her voice weak.
Shaking.
"I'm not… done…"
But her body didn't listen.
Didn't respond.
Her chest flickered.
Unstable.
Like it was breaking.
"I can't lose control…"
Fear crept in again.
Deep.
Sharp.
"If I lose control… I might disappear…"
Her breath trembled.
"…But if I don't…"
She looked up.
At the creature.
Getting closer.
"…I die."
Silence.
Just for a moment.
A choice.
A real one.
Stay safe—
And die.
Or risk everything—
And maybe live.
Her eyes slowly closed.
Tears slipped out.
"I don't want to disappear…"
Her voice broke.
"But I don't want to die either…"
Her chest burned.
Stronger.
Wilder.
"I'm scared…"
The truth.
Raw.
Human.
"I'm really scared…"
The light inside her—
Exploded.
Not stable.
Not controlled.
But real.
"I don't care anymore!"
Her eyes snapped open.
Bright.
Burning.
"I just want to live!"
The energy burst outward.
Violently.
The creature paused.
For the first time.
Elena forced her body up.
Her movements unstable.
But powerful.
Different.
Her eyes locked onto it.
"…Come again."
Her voice was no longer shaking.
Not weak.
But not fully stable either.
Something in between.
Something dangerous.
The creature attacked.
Elena moved.
Faster than before.
Stronger.
She didn't dodge.
She met it.
Her hand collided with its form—
And the air exploded.
A loud crack echoed.
Reality itself shaking.
Both of them pushed back.
Elena stumbled.
But didn't fall.
"…I can hit it…"
Her breath was heavy.
Her body burning.
But she was still standing.
The figure watched silently.
Closely.
"…You're forcing it."
Elena didn't respond.
She couldn't.
Her focus was locked.
Her chest burning too bright.
Too unstable.
"I can't hold this long…"
Her body trembled.
"…Then I finish this now."
The creature moved again.
Faster than ever.
Elena stepped forward.
Meeting it head-on.
Their clash—
Shattered the air.
A blinding flash filled the space.
And then—
Silence.
—
Elena stood there.
Barely.
Her body shaking violently.
Her breathing broken.
The creature—
Gone.
Completely.
No trace.
No sound.
Nothing.
"I… did it…"
Her voice was barely there.
Her legs gave out.
She collapsed.
Hard.
Her vision fading.
"…I won… right…?"
Before everything went dark—
She heard a voice.
Close.
Soft.
"…You survived."
Then—
Nothing.