The door wouldn't hold.
Another удар slammed into it.
Metal bent inward.
Ava stared at it.
"…They're getting faster."
Rayan reloaded his weapon.
"Or we're getting slower."
Ava shot him a look.
"This isn't the time."
Rayan smirked faintly.
"It never is."
The door shook again.
Harder this time.
Cracks spread across the surface.
Ava took a step back.
Her mind wasn't on the door anymore.
It was on something else.
The system.
The connection.
Still there.
Faint.
But alive.
"I can still feel it," she whispered.
Rayan glanced at her.
"What?"
"The system," Ava said. "It's not gone."
A pause.
"It's deeper."
Rayan's expression darkened.
"…Define deeper."
Ava swallowed.
"Like… it's waiting."
Silence.
Another удар hit the door.
This time—
A piece broke off.
Something clawed through.
Rayan raised his weapon instantly.
"Yeah, that's our cue."
Ava didn't move.
Rayan noticed.
"Ava?"
She looked at him slowly.
"If I shut it down now…"
Rayan cut her off immediately.
"No."
"You didn't even let me finish."
"I don't need to."
Ava stepped closer.
"You said we keep fighting."
Rayan nodded.
"Yeah."
Ava's voice dropped.
"And what if fighting isn't enough?"
Silence.
Rayan didn't answer.
Because deep down—
He knew.
Another crash.
The door split further.
Hands reached through.
Twisted.
Broken.
Ava looked at them.
"They didn't choose this."
Rayan replied quietly—
"Neither did you."
Ava's chest tightened.
"I can end their suffering."
Rayan's voice hardened.
"And yours too?"
Ava froze.
Silence.
"That's not your decision to make," Rayan added.
Ava whispered—
"It might be the only one I have."
The door shattered.
The creatures burst through.
Rayan fired instantly.
Ava reacted—
She pushed them back with a wave of force.
But more came.
Too many.
"They're adapting!" Rayan shouted.
Ava's breathing became uneven.
"I can't hold them all—"
Rayan grabbed her arm.
"Then we move!"
They ran.
Through the corridor.
Turning corners.
Dodging attacks.
The creatures followed relentlessly.
Ava glanced back.
"They're not stopping!"
Rayan smirked slightly.
"Yeah, I noticed."
They reached another section.
Ava suddenly stopped.
Rayan almost crashed into her.
"What now?!"
Ava pointed ahead.
A massive door.
Different from the others.
Stronger.
Sealed.
"…That's it," she said.
Rayan frowned.
"What is?"
Ava's voice dropped.
"The core."
Silence.
Rayan looked at the door.
"…You're sure?"
Ava nodded slowly.
"I can feel it."
Behind them—
The creatures were getting closer.
Rayan made a decision.
"Then we go in."
Ava moved toward the door.
It didn't open.
She placed her hand on it.
Closed her eyes.
The system reacted instantly.
The door unlocked.
With a heavy sound—
It opened.
They stepped inside.
The door slammed shut behind them.
Silence.
The room was huge.
Dark.
But in the center—
Something glowed.
A structure.
Alive.
Breathing.
Ava froze.
"…This is it."
Rayan looked around.
"…I don't like this place."
A voice echoed.
"You were always meant to return."
Ava's body went still.
"…You."
The man stepped out from the shadows again.
Calm.
Unbothered.
Rayan raised his weapon.
"This ends now."
The man smiled.
"No."
A pause.
"This is where it begins."
Ava stepped forward.
"You said I was incomplete."
The man nodded.
"Yes."
Ava's voice hardened.
"Then finish it."
Rayan turned sharply.
"Ava—no!"
The man smiled wider.
"Interesting."
Ava didn't look away.
"I'm done being your experiment."
A pause.
"If there's something left… give it to me."
Rayan grabbed her arm.
"You don't know what that means!"
Ava pulled free.
"I don't care anymore."
Silence.
The man studied her.
Then—
He stepped aside.
"Very well."
The core pulsed.
Stronger.
Ava felt it immediately.
Calling her.
Rayan stepped in front of her.
"No."
Ava looked at him.
"If I don't do this…"
A pause.
"This never ends."
Rayan's voice broke slightly—
"And if you do?"
Ava didn't answer.
Because she didn't know.
Or maybe—
She did.
She stepped forward.
Rayan grabbed her again.
"Don't."
Ava whispered—
"Trust me."
Silence.
Rayan hesitated.
Then slowly—
Let go.
Ava moved closer to the core.
Each step—
Heavier.
The light grew stronger.
The system—
Awakened.
The man watched silently.
"Let's see," he said softly.
"…what you become."
Ava reached the core.
Her hand hovered.
For a second—
She hesitated.
Then—
She touched it.
Everything exploded.
Light.
Energy.
Pain.
Ava screamed.
The system surged into her.
Faster than before.
Stronger than before.
Unstoppable.
Rayan shouted—
"Ava!"
But she couldn't hear him.
Inside—
She was drowning.
Memories.
Voices.
Commands.
Everything at once.
Her body lifted off the ground.
The room shook violently.
The core cracked.
Energy spread everywhere.
The man watched—
Smiling.
"Yes…"
Rayan tried to reach her—
But was thrown back.
Hard.
"Ava, stop!"
Inside—
Ava saw herself again.
The other version.
Stronger.
Colder.
"You came back," it said.
Ava struggled.
"This isn't what I wanted—"
"It is," the other Ava replied.
A pause.
"You chose this."
Ava clenched her fists.
"No."
"I chose to end this."
The other Ava smiled.
"Then you have to become more."
Silence.
Ava whispered—
"…Or lose everything."
Outside—
The energy peaked.
The core shattered.
Ava's scream echoed.
Then—
Everything went dark.
Silence.
Rayan forced himself up.
"Ava…?"
No answer.
The light faded.
Slowly.
And then—
A figure stood there.
Still.
Silent.
Changed.
Rayan's breath stopped.
"…Ava?"
She lifted her head.
Her eyes—
Different.
Not just human anymore.
Not just controlled.
Something else.
Something new.
She looked at him.
And for a second—
He didn't know if she was still the same person.