Aanya stood frozen.
The pendant in her hand kept glowing—soft, alive, almost like it was breathing.
Riya's grip tightened on her wrist.
"Aanya… stop this nonsense. There is no voice."
But Aanya didn't look at her.
Her eyes were locked on the pendant.
"Aanya…"
The voice came again.
Clearer this time.
Colder.
But real.
Aanya whispered,
"Rudra… is it really you?"
A pause.
Then—
"Don't let her control the truth."
Aanya's breathing changed instantly.
She pulled her hand away.
Riya stepped forward sharply.
"What truth?! Aanya, listen to me—this is psychological manipulation!"
Aanya finally looked at her sister.
Her eyes were no longer soft.
They were searching.
"You knew he might still be alive…"
Riya froze for a split second.
Then smiled.
Too quickly.
"No."
But Aanya noticed it.
That hesitation.
Suddenly—
the pendant vibrated harder.
The glow spread into Aanya's palm.
And a faint image flickered in her mind.
Dark underground chamber.
Broken glass.
A shadow standing inside a system core.
Rudra.
Aanya gasped.
"…He's trapped."
Riya snapped,
"Enough!"
She grabbed Aanya's shoulders.
"You are letting obsession destroy you!"
Aanya pushed her away.
"No… I'm letting truth guide me."
Silence fell between them.
Heavy.
Tense.
Then—
Riya's expression changed completely.
Cold.
Sharp.
"…If he is alive," she said slowly,
"…then you have no idea what he has become."
Aanya frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Riya stepped closer.
Lowered her voice.
"The system didn't die, Aanya."
A pause.
"It evolved."
Aanya's heart tightened.
"…Rudra stopped it."
Riya shook her head.
"No."
"He became it."
Silence exploded.
Aanya's hands trembled.
"That's not possible…"
Riya leaned in.
"Then explain the voice in your head."
Aanya froze.
Because even she didn't understand it anymore.
The pendant flickered again.
And Rudra's voice returned—but different.
Deeper.
More unstable.
"Aanya… don't trust what she is telling you."
Aanya whispered,
"…Rudra, I don't know what's real anymore."
A new sound entered the voice.
Like static.
Like pain.
"I'm still me… but I'm not alone inside me."
Aanya stepped back.
"What does that mean?!"
Riya noticed her reaction and smirked slightly.
"So… he's confused even inside the system."
Aanya turned sharply.
"You know something."
Riya didn't answer immediately.
Then finally—
"I know where he is."
Aanya's eyes widened.
"…Take me there."
Riya smiled faintly.
"That place doesn't exist for normal people."
A pause.
"But for you…"
Her eyes darkened.
"…it might open."
Suddenly—
the pendant glowed violently.
The ground beneath Aanya trembled slightly.
A voice—not Rudra's—echoed from it.
Deep. Artificial. Watching.
"HEART LINK REACTIVATION INITIATED."
Aanya screamed softly,
"What is happening?!"
Riya stepped back.
For the first time… uneasy.
"…You're being connected again."
Aanya whispered,
"To what?"
The pendant answered for her.
"TO THE CORE."
And far beneath the city…
a forgotten system eyes opened again.