"Ah! Ah! Ah!"
The sound of fists slamming into metal rang violently through the abandoned factory, echoing off rusted walls and broken machinery.
Ryan stood alone in the center of the vast space, his breathing steady but heavy. This was the place. As always, he was waiting for Juliet—it was her training time. Since that day, this factory had become their routine, their refuge… and his prison.
Until she arrived, he trained alone.
His movements were swift, sharp, almost inhuman. Every punch was precise, calculated—yet empty. His mind was clouded with anger, but his face showed nothing.
No emotion.
No hesitation.
His eyes were hollow, lifeless, as if something inside him had shut down long ago. Each strike felt automatic, like a toy that only moved once the switch was flipped—no will of its own.
Then—
Someone entered.
A purple-haired, beautiful girl stepped quietly into the factory, her presence light yet strangely heavy. She moved with complete silence, as if the world itself had parted to let her through.
"Hi," she said.
Her voice was soft, melodic—and completely out of place in this cold, broken world.
Ryan froze mid-motion.
His head snapped toward her, surprise flashing across his face before he could hide it.
"Ah… yes… do you want… something… ahm, I mean—how can I help you?" he asked, his voice uneven.
But then—
He stopped.
His eyes locked onto hers.
Something shifted inside him.
His instincts screamed.
A pressure settled in his chest, unfamiliar yet undeniable. He could *feel* it—an aura flowing from her, quiet but overwhelming. Ryan's expression hardened instantly, his posture stiffening.
"Wait…" His voice dropped, heavy and tense.
"…you are—"
"Oh, so you can sense it," she said, cutting him off.
"Yes. You got it right," she continued calmly.
Her smile faltered, just slightly, as if she had expected this—but hoped she was wrong.
"My name is Isobel," she said. "There are a lot of things I want to tell you… I know at first it will be difficult to believe, but you have to—"
Ryan didn't let her finish.
"After all that happened to me…" His voice trembled—not with fear, but with restrained fury.
"…nothing feels unreal anymore."
He stared straight through her, not at her. His anger was raw, exposed. He wasn't happy she was here—not even close.
His thoughts raced, fragments of memories clawing at his mind.
Then he spoke again.
"So… *he* sent you. Ahh…"
His fists clenched tightly.
"Now tell me—where is he…? NOW."
Isobel's eyes widened.
"Wait, wait—calm down. How do you know he sent me…?" she asked, confusion breaking through her composure.
Ryan took a step closer.
"So I was right."
His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper.
"Now tell me—WHERE HE IS?"
The air between them felt sharp, suffocating—like standing before a predator ready to strike.
"Wait, let me explain everything in detail. Just calm down," Isobel said quickly, her voice soft, almost pleading.
But Ryan didn't relax.
"I am listening," he said coldly.
"I am not emotional. I am not furious. Go on."
Neither of them noticed the third presence.
Behind a broken metal door, Juliet peeked through the crack, holding her breath.
"Who is she…?" Juliet wondered.
"And why is Ryan so angry?"
Her eyes lingered on the girl.
"…By the way, she's so pretty…"
Juliet frowned slightly, completely unaware of the danger unfolding.
Suddenly—
Sparks flickered from Isobel's eyes.
She froze.
"What just happened…?" she thought, panic creeping in.
Ryan noticed her trembling immediately.
"Why are you trembling?" he asked sharply.
"I—I don't know…" Isobel replied, her voice shaking.
Her body began to glow.
The air vibrated violently. Windows shattered all at once, glass raining down as the ground shook beneath them. It felt like the world itself was cracking.
Ryan stepped forward instinctively, eyes locked onto her.
A blinding light erupted from Isobel's body—and surged straight into Ryan's.
They were pulled toward each other, as if bound by an invisible force.
"What's happening?!"
"What's happening?!"
They shouted at the same time.
Juliet gasped.
"Hey! You there!" she yelled, running forward.
"What are you doing with Ryan?!"
A glowing circle formed instantly around Ryan and Isobel.
Juliet crossed the boundary.
A lightning strike descended from above.
The impact was catastrophic.
Everything went white.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Their screams tore through the factory as the light swallowed them whole.
When the brightness faded, a massive **triangle of balance** was etched into the floor behind them—its surface glowing with intricate, ancient patterns. Ryan's powers surged uncontrollably, flooding the symbols with shifting colors.
None of them understood what was happening.
Ryan had no control.
The three of them were positioned at different edges of the triangle.
Light sparked once more—
Then—
Silence.
Their bodies collapsed to the floor.
Moments passed.
Ryan stirred first.
He pushed himself up and immediately rushed to Juliet, lifting her carefully.
"Are you okay…?" he asked, his voice filled with fear he couldn't hide.
Juliet nodded slowly.
"Yes… but what just happened…?"
Ryan turned toward Isobel, ready to demand answers—
And stopped.
She looked just as lost.
"I'm sorry…" Isobel whispered.
"I—I don't know what just happened either…"
Ryan exhaled sharply.
"Ah… it's okay," he said quietly.
"Now explain—why are you here?"
"Wait—stop!" Juliet suddenly said.
She stared at her hands.
"Why is there ice on my hands…?"
Ryan and Isobel looked at each other.
They understood instantly.
Something had gone terribly wrong.
"Okay… okay," Ryan said after a pause.
"Let's stay silent for a moment. Listen to each other. Let's process this."
Isobel nodded.
The three of them fell silent.
Ryan and Isobel struggled internally—where to begin, what to say, how to explain something they didn't even understand themselves.
None of them knew—
This moment wasn't just an accident.
It was a turning point.
Not only for the three of them—
But for everyone.
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