The forest was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that signaled danger. Eva moved cautiously, her weapon drawn, scanning the shadows for any sign of movement. She had been tracking Elena for days, desperate to find her before the horrors unleashed from the destroyed lab caught up to her.
When she finally spotted Elena, the girl was slumped against a tree in a clearing. Her black hair was now stark white, and her eyes glowed an unsettling pink, the color bleeding into her irises and sclera alike. Eva froze, her breath catching at the sight.
"Elena," she called gently, stepping closer.
Elena looked up, her expression a mix of relief and confusion. "Eva... You found me."
"I did. But we don't have much time," Eva said, crouching beside her. "There's something hunting you. I think I might've led it here."
Before Elena could respond, the sound of crunching leaves and snapping branches echoed around them. A wave of heat washed over the clearing, and the air grew thick and oppressive. Eva and Elena turned in unison to see a figure emerge from the trees—a man wreathed in flames, his body radiating heat and malice.
Project rebirth , stepped into the clearing. His burning eyes locked onto Elena, a twisted grin spreading across his face. "You," he growled, his voice a guttural snarl. "You're one of them." this time it have upgraded his self and abilities
Eva stood, shielding Elena. "Stay back!,i see you've upgraded" raising her weapon.
Rebirth laughed, the sound crackling like fire. "You think you can stop me? I was made for destruction." With a wave of his hand, a torrent of flames erupted from the ground, forcing Eva to dive for cover.
"Elena, run!" Eva shouted.
But Elena didn't move. Something inside her stirred—a power she barely understood but knew she couldn't ignore. She stood, her glowing pink eyes locking onto Rebirth.
"I'm not running," Elena said, her voice steady.
Rebirth sneered. "You think you can fight me?" He lunged, a fiery fist hurtling toward her.
In an instant, Elena's body reacted. Her transformation was subtle but powerful. Her white hair seemed to shimmer in the firelight, and her pink eyes glowed brighter. She caught Rebirth's fist mid-swing, the force of the impact sending a shockwave through the clearing.
Rebirth's smirk faltered. "Impossible..."
Elena shoved him back with a strength that surprised even herself. Rebirth stumbled but quickly regained his footing, unleashing a barrage of fireballs. Elena dodged with inhuman agility, her movements fluid and precise.
Eva watched from the sidelines, awe and terror warring within her. This wasn't the Elena she knew—this was something else, something more than the last time there met.
"Elena!" Eva called. "You have to end this!"
Rebirth roared, his entire body igniting in an inferno. "I'll burn you to ash!" He slammed his fists into the ground, causing a ring of fire to erupt around them.
Elena stepped forward, undeterred. The heat didn't touch her; she felt a strange energy coursing through her veins, protecting her. She reached out, her pink eyes narrowing as she focused. A burst of energy shot from her hands, colliding with Rebirth's flames. The resulting explosion lit up the night, shaking the ground beneath them.
When the smoke cleared, Rebirth was on his knees, his flames want out. He looked up at Elena, fear finally replacing his arrogance.
"Who... What are you?" he rasped.
Elena stared down at him, her breathing steady. "I don't know yet. But I know I'm stronger than you."
With a final pulse of energy, Elena sent Rebirth flying into the trees, his fiery form disappearing into the night.
Eva rushed to Elena, pulling her into a tight hug. "You did it. You stopped him."
Elena nodded, though she didn't feel victorious. "Eva, there's something wrong with me. When I black out, I... change. I become this. But I don't know how to control it."
Eva pulled back, looking her at her in the eyes. "We'll figure it out together. But for now, we need to move. That thing will be back, and there are more out there."
Elena hesitated, glancing at the destruction around them. "Eva... My mom. Is she really gone?"
Eva's expression softened. "Yes, Elena. That creature killed her. I'm so sorry."
Elena closed her eyes, a single tear escaping. When she opened them, her resolve was clear. "Then I'll stop them all. For her. For everyone. because I did this i need to put an end to it"
**
Meanwhile, Daniel poured over the files he'd salvaged from the destroyed lab. The truth chilled him to the bone: the creatures that ravaged Elmwood weren't just mindless monsters. They had been controlled by a neural signal from the lab. When the creature destroyed the facility, it also disrupted the signal, unleashing chaos on the town.
But worse still was the realization that the being, the creature that had destroyed the lab and released the horrors within, was far more dangerous than anyone realized.
"They think Rebirth is the real problem," Daniel muttered to himself. "But this Subject ... That's the one we should fear."
As Elena and Eva moved deeper into the forest, a shadow watched them from a distance. Its fiery eyes glowed faintly in the dark, and its lips curled into a wicked grin.
Meanwhile, Daniel's Discovery
Daniel leaned over the scattered files and notes he had salvaged from the destroyed lab, his mind racing with what he had uncovered. The creatures that had ravaged Elmwood weren't just ordinary experiments—they were modified humans, imbued with a blend of magic and science.
"They weren't free," Daniel muttered, piecing together the truth. "The lab used a neural signal to control them. But when the creatures destroyed the facility, it also destroyed the signal... and unleashed them on the town."
He flipped through more documents, his stomach twisting as he read about Project 3, or Rebirth. This particular experiment had been designed to wield destructive fire magic, its power only rivaled by its insatiable thirst for chaos. But what terrified Daniel more was what he found about Subject 1. the creature who destroyedthe lab
Subject 1 wasn't just dangerous—it was the one that had destroyed the lab in the first place, releasing the horrors that followed. The destruction of the signal was intentional, a deliberate act of rebellion.
"They think Rebirth is the real problem," Daniel said, his voice low. "But Subject 1... It's smarter, stronger, and it's still out there. That's the one we should fear."
He closed the file, his resolve hardening. There was more to these experiments than anyone realized. Some of the subjects had developed unique abilities—fire, ice, even psychic powers. And somehow, Elena was connected to it all.
The Shadow Watching
As Elena and Eva moved deeper into the forest,going back to the car, a shadow watched them from a distance. Its fiery eyes glowed faintly in the dark, and its lips curled into a wicked grin.
The hunt was far from over.