The facility stood hidden beneath layers of earth and steel.
Invisible from the surface.
Silent.
Deadly.
Kael and Ronan stood at the edge of the concealed entrance, their eyes fixed on the barely visible outline of reinforced metal buried into the ground.
"This is it," Ronan said.
Kael nodded once.
"I can feel her."
Stronger now.
Closer.
But something about it—
Felt wrong.
"She's not stable," he added.
Ronan smirked slightly.
"When has she ever been?"
Kael didn't respond.
Because this time—
It wasn't the same.
"Security?" Kael asked.
Ronan crouched slightly, examining the perimeter.
"Minimal on the outside," he said. "Which means…"
Kael finished it.
"Heavy on the inside."
Ronan looked up.
"And waiting."
Silence.
Then—
Kael stepped forward.
"Good."
Ronan smirked.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
They moved.
Fast.
Precise.
Deadly.
The outer defense didn't stand a chance.
The hidden entrance cracked open under their combined force, metal bending under Alpha strength.
Alarms triggered instantly.
Red lights flashed.
"Containment breach," a mechanical voice echoed.
Kael didn't slow down.
Neither did Ronan.
Because now—
There was no turning back.
Inside—
Nyra stood perfectly still in the center of the chamber.
The field around her flickered violently.
Unstable.
The man watched closely.
Fascinated.
"It's happening faster than expected," he murmured.
Nyra didn't respond.
Didn't move.
But her eyes—
They were changing.
Silver—
Dark—
Something deeper.
Something older.
"You were right," the man continued. "You're not just an Origin."
That got a reaction.
Her head tilted slightly.
Slow.
Unnatural.
"Of course not," she said.
But the voice—
It wasn't fully hers.
The doors exploded open.
Kael and Ronan stormed in.
Power filling the room instantly.
The man turned slowly.
Almost… calm.
"You're late," he said.
Kael's eyes locked onto Nyra.
And everything else—
Disappeared.
"Nyra."
No response.
She didn't even look at him.
Ronan stepped forward.
"Something's wrong."
Kael already knew.
Because what stood in front of them—
Wasn't just Nyra anymore.
Nyra finally turned.
Slowly.
Her glowing eyes landed on them.
Unfamiliar.
Cold.
Calculating.
Ronan's voice dropped.
"…That's not her."
Kael's chest tightened.
"Nyra," he said again.
This time—
She smiled.
But it wasn't soft.
It wasn't warm.
It wasn't her.
"You came," she said.
A pause.
Then—
Her head tilted slightly.
"Good."
The containment field shattered instantly.
Without effort.
Without resistance.
The entire room shook violently.
Machines exploded.
Energy surged.
Kael stepped forward—
But stopped.
Because for the first time—
He hesitated.
Not out of fear.
But realization.
"This isn't just her power…" he said.
Ronan's eyes darkened.
"No."
A pause.
Then—
"It's something else entirely."
Nyra stepped forward slowly.
Each step cracking the ground beneath her.
Controlled.
Intentional.
Terrifying.
"You're here to take me back?" she asked softly.
Kael's voice was steady.
"Yes."
Nyra smiled again.
Wider this time.
Darker.
"And if I don't want to go?"
Silence.
Then—
The power in the room exploded.