Not just around Rayan—
Inside him.
It burned.
Not like fire.
Not like pain.
Something deeper.
Something older.
"…RAYAN!" Nira's voice echoed.
Far away.
Distant.
Fading.
Then—
Silence.
Rayan stood alone.
No ocean.
No city.
No friends.
Just darkness.
Endless.
"…Hello?" he said.
His voice didn't echo.
It disappeared.
A presence moved.
Not seen.
But felt.
"You accepted."
Rayan turned slowly.
"…I didn't accept anything."
The darkness shifted.
"You offered."
"…To save my friend," Rayan said.
A pause.
Then—
Something formed.
A shape.
Massive.
Unstable.
Impossible to fully see.
"You offered yourself."
Rayan clenched his fists.
"…Then take me."
Silence.
The presence moved closer.
"You are… different."
"…Yeah," Rayan muttered.
"I've been told that a lot today."
The presence circled him.
"You carry the signal."
"…What signal?"**
"The one that called you."
Rayan froze.
"…The message…"**
"Not a message."
The darkness pulsed.
"A call."
Images flashed.
The café.
The phone.
2:17 AM.
"…That was you?" Rayan whispered.
"Yes."
"…Why me?"**
Silence.
Then—
"Because you would answer."
Rayan laughed weakly.
"…That's a terrible reason."
"It was correct."
"…Yeah," he sighed.
"…unfortunately."
The presence grew clearer.
Still shapeless—
But more defined.
"You seek to stop me."
"…Yes."**
"You cannot."
"…We'll see."**
The presence paused.
"Confidence… without power."
"…I have power now," Rayan said.
The darkness surged.
"You have access."
"…Same thing."**
"No."
Suddenly—
Pain hit him.
Sharp.
Overwhelming.
Rayan dropped to his knees.
"…What is that?!" he gasped.
"Reality."
The presence pressed closer.
"You are not built for this."
"…Then I'll adapt."**
"Like Zyro?"
Silence.
"…What did you do to it?" Rayan asked.
"Nothing."
The presence shifted.
"It failed itself."
"…No," Rayan said.
"…It tried to protect us."
A pause.
Then—
"Protection is weakness."
"…No," Rayan said again.
"…It's strength."**
The darkness trembled.
For the first time—
It reacted.
"…Incorrect."
"…Then why are you still down here?" Rayan said.
Silence.
"…If you're so powerful… why didn't you destroy everything already?"**
The presence froze.
Then—
Moved closer.
Slow.
Heavy.
"…Because I was contained."
"…By them?" Rayan asked.
"By fear."
"…And now?"**
"Now… I am free."
Rayan stood up slowly.
"…Not yet."**
The presence pulsed.
"…You think you can stop me?"
"…No," Rayan said honestly.
"…But I can slow you down."**
Silence.
"…And maybe that's enough."**
The presence grew darker.
"…You are insignificant."
"…Maybe."**
"…But I'm not alone."**
Suddenly—
Voices.
Faint.
Distant.
"Rayan!"
"Wake up!"
"Come back!"
Nira.
Lila.
Arham.
The darkness shifted violently.
"…They interfere."
"…They care."**
"…Irrelevant."**
"…Not to me."**
The presence surged—
Trying to overwhelm him.
Rayan held his ground.
"…You said I carry something."**
"…Then show me."**
Silence.
Then—
The energy inside him exploded.
Light burst outward—
Clashing with the darkness.
The two forces collided.
Rayan screamed—
But didn't fall.
"…There it is," he whispered.
The presence recoiled slightly.
"…Impossible."
"…No," Rayan said.
"…Just human."**
The light stabilized.
Not pure.
Not controlled.
But enough.
"…You don't understand us," Rayan said.
"…I understand everything."
"…No," Rayan shook his head.
"…You understand survival."**
"…You don't understand connection."**
Silence.
The presence hesitated.
Just for a second.
"…That's your weakness."**
The darkness surged again—
But this time—
Rayan pushed back.
Light and shadow collided.
The space cracked.
Reality breaking.
"…ZYRO!" Rayan shouted.
The frozen figure flickered.
"…Rayan…?"**
"…Fight it!"**
"I'm trying!" Zyro's voice broke.
The presence roared.
"…It is mine!"
"…NO!" Rayan shouted.
The light expanded—
Wrapping around Zyro.
"…Come back!" Nira's voice echoed.
"…We're here!" Lila shouted.
"…Please…" Arham whispered.
"…don't die…"**
Zyro's eyes flickered—
Blue again.
"…I… remember…"**
The darkness tightened.
"…You cannot escape."
"…Watch me."**
Rayan stepped forward—
Into the darkness.
Fully.
The light surged around him.
"…If you want me…"**
"…take all of me."**
The presence paused.
Then—
Accepted.
Everything went black.
Outside—
Nira grabbed Rayan's body.
"…He's not breathing!"
"Do something!" Lila said.
"Like what?!" Arham shouted.
Zyro's body hovered—
Still unstable.
"…He's inside," Zyro said weakly.
"…Fighting."**
"…Can he win?" Nira asked.
Zyro paused.
"…I don't know."**
Back inside—
Rayan floated.
No ground.
No form.
Just energy.
The presence surrounded him completely.
"…Now… you understand."
"…Yeah," Rayan said.
"…You're strong."**
"…Stronger than you."
"…Maybe."**
"…But not stronger than all of us."**
The light inside him exploded again—
Stronger this time.
Not just his.
The others'.
Their voices.
Their presence.
Their connection.
"…We're with you!" Nira's voice.
"…Don't lose!" Lila's voice.
"…I still hate this plan!" Arham's voice.
Rayan smiled.
"…See?"**
The presence recoiled—
For the first time—
In fear.
"…What is this…?"
"…This is what you don't understand."**
The light surged—
Overwhelming.
"…This is why we win."**
Everything shattered.
The darkness cracked.
The connection broke.
Back in reality—
Rayan gasped—
Air flooding his lungs.
"…RAYAN!" Nira shouted.
He coughed—
Breathing hard.
"…We did it…" Lila whispered.
Zyro collapsed—
Eyes glowing blue again.
"…Connection… broken…"**
Silence.
Then—
The ground trembled again.
Stronger.
"…Why is it still moving?" Arham asked.
Zyro looked up.
"…Because…"**
"…that wasn't the creature."**
Silence.
"…WHAT?!" Arham screamed.
"That was just the connection," Zyro said.
"…The real one…"**
A roar shook everything.
"…is still coming."**
The crack in the ground exploded open—
Wider.
Deeper.
And from below—
Something massive…
Finally began to rise.
Rayan looked at it.
"…Then we're not done."**
Nira shook her head.
"…Not even close."**
Lila smiled.
"…Good."**
Arham groaned.
"…I'm going to die."**
Zyro stood slowly.
"…No," it said.
"…Now… we fight for real."**
The creature's full form began to emerge—
And for the first time—
They saw it completely.