The alarm did not stop.
It echoed through every corridor of the Astra facility, turning the calm, controlled environment into something unstable and tense.
Red emergency lights flashed again and again, painting everything in a dangerous glow.
Aarav stood still, his eyes fixed on the end of the hallway.
He could feel it.
That same presence.
Cold. Heavy. Unnatural.
It was him.
The man with black eyes.
Every instinct inside Aarav told him to run.
But this time… he didn't move.
Beside him, Meera took a slow step forward.
Her calm expression had changed. There was tension in her eyes now, but not fear.
"You can feel it too, right?" she said quietly.
Aarav nodded without looking at her.
"Yes."
The agents quickly moved into position. Weapons were raised. Orders were shouted.
"Secure the sector!"
"Evacuate level three!"
"Do not let him reach the core!"
Everything was happening at once.
But none of it felt like it would matter.
Because deep down, everyone already knew—
This was not something they could stop easily.
The figure stepped closer.
Each step was slow, controlled, almost effortless.
The lights flickered violently as he moved.
The temperature dropped.
Aarav could see him clearly now.
The same dark coat.
The same still posture.
And those eyes…
Completely black.
The man stopped a few meters away.
Silence fell instantly.
Even the alarm felt distant for a moment.
"Still hiding behind them?" he said, his voice calm and almost disappointed.
Aarav stepped forward slightly.
"I'm not hiding."
The agents reacted immediately.
"Stay back!" one of them shouted.
But Aarav didn't listen.
The man with black eyes tilted his head slightly.
"Good."
Suddenly, one of the agents fired.
A pulse of energy shot forward.
It never reached him.
It stopped mid-air… and disappeared.
No impact. No sound.
Just gone.
The agent froze.
The man didn't even look at him.
"You still think this will work?" he said.
Then, without moving—
The ground beneath the agents cracked.
A force pushed them back violently.
Some hit the walls. Others fell to the floor.
Chaos returned instantly.
Meera grabbed Aarav's arm.
"Don't go closer," she said firmly.
"He's not like us."
Aarav looked at her.
"Then what is he?"
Meera didn't answer.
That silence was enough.
The man's eyes shifted to Meera.
For a brief moment, something changed in his expression.
Recognition.
"Interesting…" he murmured.
"So they kept you alive too."
Meera's grip tightened.
"You don't get to talk about us."
Her voice was no longer calm.
It carried anger.
Real anger.
Aarav noticed it.
"You know him?" he asked.
Meera didn't look at him.
"I know what he becomes."
The words felt heavy.
Too heavy.
The man stepped forward again.
This time, Aarav didn't step back.
A faint blue glow started forming around his hands.
His heartbeat slowed.
His fear was still there…
But something else was growing over it.
Control.
"You said I'll become you," Aarav said.
"Then tell me how."
The man stopped.
A small smile appeared.
"By losing everything."
The answer came instantly.
No hesitation.
No doubt.
For a second, Aarav couldn't breathe.
Those words felt real.
Too real.
Suddenly, the lights went out completely.
Darkness filled the corridor.
Only two things were visible now—
Aarav's blue glow…
And those black eyes.
"Let me show you," the man said.
A wave of dark energy spread across the floor.
It reached Aarav in seconds.
The moment it touched him—
Everything changed.
Aarav's vision shattered.
He was no longer in the facility.
He was somewhere else.
A ruined city.
Buildings broken. Sky burning red.
Smoke everywhere.
And silence.
A terrifying silence.
He looked around.
His breathing became heavy.
"What… is this…"
Then he saw someone standing ahead.
A figure.
Familiar.
Aarav slowly walked closer.
And then he stopped.
It was him.
But different.
Older.
Stronger.
And his eyes…
Completely black.
The future version of Aarav looked at him.
"You finally see it," he said.
"This is what you become."
Aarav stepped back.
"No… this isn't real…"
"It is," the future version replied.
"You try to save everyone."
"You try to control it."
"And in the end…"
"You fail."
Aarav felt something break inside him.
"No…"
"Everyone leaves," the future version continued.
"Or they die."
"And you're left with nothing."
A pause.
"Except power."
Aarav clenched his fists.
"I won't let that happen."
The future version smiled slightly.
"That's what I said too."
Suddenly—
The vision shattered.
Aarav was back in the corridor.
He fell to one knee, breathing heavily.
Sweat covered his face.
His hands were shaking.
Meera rushed to him.
"Aarav!"
He looked up.
His eyes were glowing brighter than before.
Not just blue.
Stronger.
Unstable.
The man with black eyes watched him carefully.
"Yes…" he said softly.
"Now you understand."
Aarav slowly stood up.
This time—
He wasn't confused.
He wasn't scared.
He was angry.
Blue energy burst around him.
The floor cracked beneath his feet.
The air itself felt charged.
"I'm not becoming you," Aarav said.
His voice was steady now.
"Not like this."
The man smiled.
"That choice… was never yours."
For the first time—
Aarav moved first.
He stepped forward.
Energy building around him.
Ready to fight.