The place was not a place at all.
There were several dimensions floating like shards of crystals separating from the world
Fragments of worlds floated like shards of broken glass in an endless void. Skyscrapers tilted sideways, rivers ran across the sky, and staircases stretched into nowhere. Cracks of light tore open and sealed themselves again, as if reality were stitched together by trembling threads.
And through this fractured dimension, a figure moved.
Her boots landed lightly on each floating shard of land, her long coat fluttering against the void's invisible currents. A device on her wrist pulsed with violet light, guiding her toward something—or someone.
Her eyes narrowed. She whispered a single word.
"The Heart Code…"
---
✦ One Week Later ✦
In the normal world, seven days had passed since Sara's death. But for Ron, each day felt heavier than the last.
He walked to school like a ghost. His uniform was messy, his eyes hollow, his movements sluggish. He hadn't eaten properly in days. Every corner, every street reminded him of her—her laughter, her scolding, her warmth.
She should be here. Smiling. Breathing. Why am I still walking when she's not?
He reached the school gates. And just like before, the shadows of his tormentors closed in.
"Well, well," sneered the leader. "If it isn't the cursed loser."
Another chimed in, grinning viciously. "Heard your girlfriend croaked. Guess she got tired of babysitting garbage."
The words sliced deeper than any punch. Ron's teeth clenched. His fists trembled.
"Shut up…" he whispered.
"Oh? Did you hear that?" one bully laughed. "Looks like the dog wants to bark."
They shoved him, slammed him against the lockers, fists raining down. Ron curled up, but inside him, something finally cracked.
He roared, swinging wildly, and his fist connected—hard—with one of their jaws. The bully stumbled back, blood at the corner of his mouth.
For a moment, Ron's heart surged. Sara… are you watching? I'm not weak anymore—!
But then, the retaliation came. Three against one. Punches. Kicks. His small victory drowned in pain.
He fell to his knees, coughing blood. His vision blurred. The bullies circled, laughing, mocking.
"Still waiting for your girlfriend to save you?" one spat. "Newsflash—she's gone."
Ron's heart screamed. He wanted to shout, to deny, to tear the words from their mouths.
And then—
"Enough."
The voice was sharp, commanding, and familiar.
A figure stood at the end of the hallway. The bullies froze, their confidence shattered by her presence.
She moved like lightning. A fist, a kick, and the three toughs crumpled, groaning in pain before scrambling to escape.
Ron looked up, dazed. His breath caught in his throat.
No… it couldn't be.
Her face. Her eyes. Her hair.
"S-Sara…?"
It was impossible. But she stood there, looking at him with the exact same face as the girl he'd lost.
Ron stumbled forward, tears streaming. He reached out, desperate to hold her, to never let go again—
But she stepped back, sidestepping his embrace. Her expression was cold, unreadable.
"…You're him," she murmured, scanning his face like he was a puzzle.
Ron froze. "…What?"
Her clothes were nothing like Sara's. She wore a sleek, futuristic outfit with glowing circuits running across the fabric, a strange device strapped to her arm. Her presence was… unreal.
"Alive…? But that's impossible." Her eyes narrowed in shock. "You're not supposed to be unharmed."
Ron staggered, confused. "Wh-what are you talking about? You… you're Sara, aren't you? You look just like her!"
The girl tilted her head slightly. "Sara?" She repeated the name as if it were foreign. "No. My name is Seraphin."
Ron's mind spun. Seraphin? But she's her. The same face, the same voice. What's happening to me? Am I losing my mind?
Seraphin studied him for a moment longer. Then, her tone softened with a strange curiosity.
"I'm… on a mission. To find the Heart Code and decode it. The algorithm key is the only chance we have. But…" She touched her temple, wincing. "My memories… are scrambled. Fragmented. I don't know why I'm here—or what I've forgotten."
Ron stared, speechless. His heart screamed Sara! but his mind told him nothing made sense.
Finally, he whispered, his voice breaking: "I don't understand… Why do you look like her? Why do you look like the girl I lost?"
Seraphin's gaze flickered. For the first time, her coldness faltered.
"I don't know."
The hallway fell into silence. Ron's confusion swirled into fear, awe, and a flicker of something else—hope.
---
✦ Meanwhile… ✦
Far away, in the laboratories of Null Walkers, the alarms blared.
"The traveler has breached the dimension!" one researcher shouted.
Another slammed his fist against the console. "If she merges with the host, the Heart Code could awaken too soon. Find them—before it's too late!"
On the holographic screen, two figures appeared—Ron and Seraphin. Their fates, now entwined.
To be continued…
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