Taka’s mind went blank, his vision narrowing as the familiar darkness rose within him. He had promised her he would never let it consume him again, but seeing her like this—seeing her on the brink of death—it broke something inside him. The darkness surged, and with it, the full force of his rage.

The air around Taka grew cold, the light fading as the darkness within him took hold.

His eyes, once filled with resolve, now burned with an unrelenting fury. The shadows seemed to cling to him, wrapping around his body like a cloak of death. He had kept this side of himself hidden for awhile, but now, there was no holding it back.

The sight of Monica lying helpless on the ground had shattered the last of his restraint.

With a roar, Taka unleashed his full power, his katana glowing with a dark, ominous energy. The air around him crackled with the force of his rage, the ground beneath his feet trembling.

The mage, sensing the shift in Taka’s aura, took a step back, his expression flickering with uncertainty. But it was too late. Taka moved with a speed and ferocity that defied reason, his blade cutting through the air like a scythe.

The battle became a blur of steel and magic, the mage’s spells barely able to keep up with the onslaught of Taka’s attacks.

Each strike was faster, harder, more brutal than the last. Taka’s katana glowed with an unholy light, the dark energy coursing through it amplifying his power to terrifying levels.

The mage, once so confident, was now on the defensive, his spells faltering as he struggled to keep up with Taka’s relentless assault.

The abominations stood no chance—each one disintegrated the moment the wave of darkness touched them, their grotesque bodies ripped apart by the force of Taka’s attack.

And then, with a final, devastating strike, Taka unleashed his seventh form—a technique he used once in the past unaware he had practiced a sacred form, a technique born from the darkness within him.

“Severing Void,” he whispered, his voice cold and emotionless as his blade cut through the mage’s defenses and straight into his heart.

The mage’s eyes widened in shock as the life drained from him, his body crumpling to the ground in a pool of blood. But Taka didn’t stop. He grabbed Monica’s unconscious body and, with a single swing of his katana, destroyed the entire lab in one fell swoop.

The lab collapsed around him, the walls crumbling as the ground shook beneath his feet. But Taka didn’t slow down. His dark form radiated power and death as he sprinted through the collapsing corridors, carrying Monica’s limp body in his arms.

The dark energy still pulsed through him, amplifying his strength and speed, but deep down, he knew he couldn’t hold onto it for much longer. The darkness was consuming him, and if he didn’t let it go soon, he would lose himself entirely.

As he neared the exit, Taka spotted a young girl standing in the corridor. She couldn’t have been more than ten years old, her wide eyes filled with fear as she watched the destruction unfold around her.

Without a second thought, Taka grabbed her, pulling her to safety as the building crumbled behind them.

Outside, the night air was cool and still, a stark contrast to the chaos that had erupted underground.

Taka laid Monica and the girl down beneath the shade of a large tree, his dark energy fading as he finally let go of the rage.

When Monica awoke, she found herself lying in the grass, the little girl beside her. Her head throbbed, and for a moment, she couldn’t remember where she was or what had happened.

The air was cool, the night calm, but something felt wrong, incomplete. She blinked several times, trying to piece together the fragments of her memory—the battle, the mage, the revelation about her past. Her heart raced as she turned her head, searching for Taka.

“Taka?” she called weakly, her voice rough from the strain of battle.

The little girl stirred beside her, still asleep, her small face peaceful despite the chaos they had just escaped. Monica struggled to sit up, her body aching from the injuries she had sustained.

For a moment, panic gripped her chest—where was Taka? Had he left her? Was he hurt? But before she could spiral further, a shadow moved from behind the trees, and there he was.

Taka stepped out of the darkness, his face calm, his katana sheathed at his side. His dark eyes locked onto hers, and for a brief second, Monica saw something flicker behind them—something cold and distant.

But then, as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone. He offered her a small, almost imperceptible nod.

“You’re awake,” he said, his voice quiet, steady, as if nothing had happened.

Monica sighed in relief, her body relaxing slightly as she leaned back against the tree.

“What happened?” she asked, her voice still hoarse. She remembered the fight, the mage’s words, the revelation that she had been a part of some twisted experiment.

But everything after that was a blur, a haze of pain and confusion. Taka remained silent for a moment, his gaze shifting to the little girl.

“We got out,” he said simply. “The lab is gone.”

Monica’s mind raced, trying to fill in the blanks. She could feel that something had shifted between them, though she couldn’t quite place what it was.

The way Taka stood, the way he spoke—there was a weight to his presence now, a heaviness that hadn’t been there before. She glanced at the little girl, who was still fast asleep, her breathing soft and steady.

“Who’s she?” Monica asked, her curiosity piqued. “Did she… come from the lab?”

Taka looked down at the girl, his expression unreadable.

“I found her while we were escaping,” he said, his voice devoid of emotion.

“She was in the corridor, alone.” Monica’s heart clenched at the thought of the child being trapped in that horrible place, subjected to the same experiments that had left her with questions about her own past.

She reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair from the girl’s face.

“She looks so peaceful,” Monica murmured. “After everything… she must be exhausted.”

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For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence between them was thick with unspoken tension, but Monica couldn’t bring herself to ask the questions that were burning in her mind.

She wanted to know what had happened in the lab after she lost consciousness—wanted to understand how they had escaped, how the lab had been destroyed. But more than that, she wanted to understand what the mage had said about her past, She wanted answers.

Monica’s eyes searched his face, her mind racing to catch up with everything that had happened. “I… I remember hearing him say…” She trailed off, her gaze lowering as the weight of Malachar’s words hit her once again. “He said I was one of his experiments.”

Taka didn’t respond at first. He didn’t need to. The truth was already there between them, hanging in the air like a storm cloud that neither of them could push away.

“I don’t know who I am anymore,” Monica whispered, her voice trembling.

Taka’s hand reached out, resting gently on her shoulder. “You’re Monica. That’s who you are.”

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with uncertainty. “But what if… what if everything I know about myself is a lie? What if I’m just some failed experiment, just like those things we fought?”

Taka shook his head, his voice firm. “You’re not a failure. You’re not like them. You’re stronger than any of those twisted creations. You’re more than what Malachar made you think you are.”

Monica’s eyes filled with tears, but she blinked them away, forcing herself to stay strong. She had always been the one to keep things together, the one who analyzed, who calculated, who stayed calm under pressure. But now, she felt like she was unraveling, like everything she had built her life on was falling apart.

Taka’s hand tightened on her shoulder, his grip reassuring. “No matter what Malachar said, no matter what your past is, it doesn’t change who you are now. You’ve fought beside us, saved lives, and made choices that define you—not some twisted experiment.”

Monica’s breath hitched as she looked at him, her heart clenching at the sincerity in his voice. She nodded slowly, her body relaxing as the weight of the moment settled over them.

Taka, for his part, seemed lost in thought. His gaze drifted toward the horizon, where the faintest glow of dawn was beginning to appear.

“We should keep moving,” he said finally, his voice distant.

“There’s nothing left for us here.” Monica frowned, her eyes narrowing as she studied him. Something wasn’t right. He was acting too calm, too detached. She had known Taka long enough to recognize when he was hiding something.

“Wait,” Monica said, her tone firm as she sat up straighter.

“What aren’t you telling me? What really happened back there?” Taka’s jaw tightened, his eyes hardening as he glanced at her.

For a moment, it seemed like he wouldn’t answer, but then he sighed, a sound that was more tired than anything else.

“The mage is dead,” he said. “The lab is gone. That’s all you need to know.” But Monica wasn’t satisfied with that answer—not by a long shot.

Monica pushed herself to her feet, her legs unsteady but strong enough to hold her weight.

“That’s not good enough, Taka,” she said, her voice sharper than she intended.

“I deserve to know what happened—especially after what he said about me.” She could feel her frustration boiling over, the confusion and fear from the battle finally catching up to her.

Taka’s silence only made it worse. She needed answers, and she wasn’t going to let him shut her out.

Taka’s eyes flashed with something—anger, perhaps, or maybe guilt. He turned away from her, his back tense as he stared into the distance.

“You don’t want to know,” he said quietly.

“Trust me, Monica. It’s better this way.” But Monica wasn’t having it. She took a step closer, her fists clenched at her sides.

“No,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion. “I don’t care if it’s painful or ugly or whatever. I deserve the truth.”

For a long moment, Taka didn’t respond. The weight of his silence hung in the air like a stone between them, and Monica’s heart pounded in her chest as she waited.

Finally, Taka turned to face her, his expression unreadable. “I… lost control,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“The darkness—my darkness—it came out. I had no choice.” His words hung in the air, heavy with the truth he had been trying to hide.

Monica’s breath caught in her throat. She had feared this, had sensed the darkness in Taka long before today.

But hearing him admit it, seeing the pain in his eyes—it made her heart ache. “You… used it?” she asked, her voice soft now, more gentle.

Taka nodded, his gaze dropping to the ground. “I didn’t want to,” he said.

“But when I saw you lying there, hurt, I… I couldn’t hold it back anymore.”

Monica stepped closer, reaching out to touch his arm. “Taka, you saved me,” she said, her voice filled with gratitude.

“You did what you had to do.” But Taka shook his head, his expression filled with self-loathing.

“It’s not that simple,” he muttered. “I promised you I wouldn’t use it. I promised Zin. But now… I don’t know if I can keep that promise anymore.”

Monica’s heart ached for Taka as she watched him struggle with the burden of his own power. She knew how much that promise had meant to him—how hard he had worked to control the darkness that had nearly consumed him once before.

But seeing him now, so weighed down by guilt and self-doubt, made her realize just how much it had cost him.

She squeezed his arm gently, offering what little comfort she could. “Taka, we all have our limits,” she said softly. “You were pushed to yours, and you did what you had to do. That doesn’t make you a monster.”

Taka didn’t respond at first. His jaw clenched, his gaze fixed on the horizon as if he were searching for answers in the distance.

Monica could see the conflict in his eyes—the war between the man he wanted to be and the darkness that had always been a part of him. She knew that this was a battle he would continue to fight, long after the enemies they faced were defeated. But for now, she needed to help him find some peace, however temporary it might be.

“You saved me,” Monica repeated, her voice firm. “And you saved this girl. Whatever darkness you think you unleashed, it didn’t take you. You’re still here. You’re still you.”

Taka’s eyes flicked toward her, his expression softening slightly. He looked down at the sleeping girl, her small form curled up under the blanket Monica had placed over her.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to make peace with it,” he admitted quietly.

Monica gave him a small, reassuring smile. “Maybe not,” she said.

“But that doesn’t mean you have to carry it alone.” The two stood in silence for a moment, the weight of their conversation lingering in the cool night air.

Eventually, Taka nodded, though he still seemed distant, lost in his own thoughts. Monica knew he wasn’t completely convinced, but for now, it was enough. They had survived, and that was something.

As dawn began to break on the horizon, casting the first rays of light across the landscape, Monica and Taka knew it was time to move on. The destruction of the lab was just one step in their journey, but the real battle was still ahead of them.

The girl who had survived the horrors of the mage’s experiments remained asleep, her small chest rising and falling with each peaceful breath. Monica knelt beside her, brushing a hand gently over the girl’s forehead.

“What are we going to do with her?” she asked, glancing up at Taka.

Taka’s expression was unreadable as he looked down at the child. “She’s coming with us,” he said after a moment.

“We can’t leave her here. Not after everything she’s been through.” Monica nodded in agreement, though the thought of bringing a child into the heart of a war zone made her uneasy.

Still, they couldn’t abandon her—not when they were likely the only ones who could protect her.

The memory of the experiments, of the twisted creatures in the lab, haunted Monica’s mind, and she knew that this girl might hold answers to questions they hadn’t even thought to ask.

As Monica gently lifted the girl into her arms, Taka turned his gaze toward the distant mountains, where the city of Milix lay in wait.

“We need to get to Milix,” he said, his voice firm with determination.

“That’s where the real fight will be.” Monica nodded, though her thoughts were still on the mage’s revelation. Her own past, her memories, were a puzzle that had yet to be solved. And now, she was more determined than ever to find out the truth—about herself, about the experiments, and about the role she had unknowingly played in the mages’ twisted plans.

Together, they began the long journey toward Milix, the girl held safely in Monica’s arms and the weight of their mission pressing down on both of them.

The road ahead was uncertain, filled with dangers they could only begin to imagine. But as they walked side by side, the first light of dawn illuminating their path, Monica couldn’t help but feel a renewed sense of purpose.

They had survived the darkness of the lab, and now they would face whatever lay ahead—together. The final battle was drawing near, and they would be ready for it.