Nancy couldn't breathe.
Not in the real world.
Not in here.
Darkness stretched endlessly around her, cold and suffocating. The ground beneath her feet didn't feel real—like she was standing on something that could disappear at any moment.
And that presence—
Closer now.
Watching.
Waiting.
"You're weaker than I expected," it said calmly.
Nancy clenched her fists. "Then why are you still hiding?"
A pause.
Then—
The darkness shifted.
Not outward.
Inward.
Forming.
A silhouette began to take shape in front of her. Tall. Vague. Not fully human—but not completely monstrous either.
Something… in between.
"I'm not hiding," it replied.
"I'm letting you understand."
Nancy's heart pounded. "Understand what?"
It stepped closer.
"You opened the door."
Images slammed into her mind—
The boy.
The command.
Stop.
The power.
Her breath hitched.
"No…"
"You felt it," the entity whispered. "The control. The connection. The way they all bend when you reach far enough."
Nancy shook her head, backing away.
"That's not me."
"Then why did it feel natural?"
Silence.
That question hit too close.
Too true.
Outside
Nancy's body lifted slowly off the ground.
Not by choice.
Power surged around her violently—wind spiraling, trees cracking further under the pressure.
Her eyes—completely silver now—glowed brighter.
Unstable.
Dangerous.
"She's losing," Evan said under his breath.
Kai stepped forward again. "I'm not waiting."
The Alpha didn't stop him this time.
Because now—
There was no time left.
"Then don't go alone," the Alpha said.
Kai glanced at him sharply.
A silent understanding passed between them.
Leo exhaled. "This is insane."
Evan gave a short, humorless laugh. "Yeah. Let's do it anyway."
The Alpha stepped closer to Nancy, placing a hand against her forehead.
"Find her," he said.
"Or next time she opens her eyes—"
His gaze darkened.
"…it won't be her."
Kai didn't hesitate.
He reached for her—
And everything went black.
Inside
Nancy gasped—
And suddenly, she wasn't alone anymore.
Kai appeared beside her first.
Then Leo.
Then Evan.
Even the Alpha—standing slightly apart, already observing.
Nancy's eyes widened. "You—how—?"
Kai didn't waste a second.
He grabbed her shoulders.
"You're coming back."
The moment he touched her—
The darkness reacted.
Violently.
The entity's form sharpened instantly.
"Oh," it said, amused now. "You brought them in."
The air shifted.
Heavy.
Hostile.
Leo stepped forward, eyes scanning the space. "Yeah… I don't like this place."
Evan muttered, "That makes all of us."
The Alpha's voice cut through quietly.
"This isn't just her mind anymore."
Nancy swallowed. "What does that mean?"
The entity answered for him.
"It means," it said smoothly, "you're standing in my domain now."
The ground beneath them cracked.
Dark energy pulsed outward like a heartbeat.
Kai pulled Nancy slightly behind him.
"Stay back."
The entity laughed softly.
"You still think you can protect her?"
And then—
It moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
A force slammed into Kai, throwing him backward across the void.
Nancy screamed. "Kai!"
Leo lunged—but the space twisted, warping his movement, sending him off balance.
Evan cursed as shadows lashed toward him like living things.
"This thing is controlling everything here!"
"Of course I am," the entity replied.
"This is where I was born."
Nancy's chest tightened.
"…born?"
The Alpha finally stepped forward.
Calm.
Unshaken.
Eyes locked on the entity.
"No," he said quietly.
"You were sealed."
That changed something.
The entity stilled.
Just for a second.
But it was enough.
Nancy noticed.
"You're not supposed to be here…" she whispered.
Its gaze snapped to her.
Dangerous now.
Sharp.
"I am exactly where I belong."
The shadows surged again—stronger, angrier.
Outside—
Nancy's body jerked violently mid-air.
A shockwave exploded outward again, stronger than before.
This time—
It knocked all of them back.
Even the Alpha staggered.
Her voice echoed—but distorted.
"LEAVE."
Not a request.
A command.
Trees snapped completely this time.
The ground split deeper.
Kai forced himself up, breathing hard.
"No."
He wiped blood from his lip.
"I'm not leaving you."
Inside
Nancy dropped to her knees as the pressure built again.
"I can't hold it—!"
The entity smiled.
Cold.
Victorious.
"You were never meant to."
The darkness surged toward her—
Ready to consume.
Ready to take over completely.
Kai pushed himself up again, ignoring everything else.
"Nancy, look at me!"
She shook her head, tears streaming now. "I can't—!"
"Yes, you can!"
His voice cut through everything.
Raw.
Desperate.
"Fight it!"
The entity's voice dropped.
Dangerously quiet.
"Or don't."
It stepped closer.
"Let me take the pain away."
Nancy froze.
For just a second—
The offer tempted her.
No fear.
No confusion.
No losing control.
Just—
Peace.
And that was the most dangerous part.
The Alpha's voice came next.
Low.
Steady.
Cutting through the illusion.
"If you give in…"
Nancy's eyes shifted to him.
"…you won't disappear," he said.
"You'll be trapped."
That did it.
Her breathing stopped.
"Watching," he continued.
"While something else wears your face."
Silence.
Heavy.
Terrifying.
Nancy's fingers curled into the ground.
"…no."
The entity's expression darkened.
"You don't get to refuse me."
Power exploded again.
Inside and outside—
At the same time.
Nancy screamed—
And this time—
She pushed back.
The darkness cracked.
Just slightly.
But enough to prove one thing—
The fight wasn't over.