Suddenly, the entire lab was swallowed in a blaring dark-red light. Sirens wailed as the monitors connected to Es’s chamber spiked violently, warning after warning flashing across the screens.
Ray’s heart sank deeper and deeper with every sound—yet his face stayed cold, unreadable, as his eyes stayed locked on Es.
He knew the truth: the world would never forgive him for this. Not his children, not his in laws, not anyone. But Es would. Because Es knew him. She knew how much he loved her, and she would understand—he had no choice.
Inside the tank, the water began to bubble, churning like it was boiling from within. Es’s body jerked and writhed in the liquid, veins straining under her skin as if they were about to burst.
And then—
Her scream ripped through the lab.
"AHHHHH!"
It was sharp. Piercing. A sound that cut through bone and soul, leaving the air trembling with her agony.
Her eyes remained closed, but every vein in her body stood out like black lightning, crawling over her skin. Her whole form twisted in tornt, her pain so raw it was unbearable to watch.
Ray’s hand clenched hard around the armrest of his chair, his knuckles turning white. He didn’t flinch, didn’t look away—but inside, the sound of her scream carved into him like a blade.
Suddenly, Es’s eyes snapped open.
But they weren’t the familiar, comforting dark purple he knew so well. They were completely white—empty, cold, as if the very color of her soul had vanished.
Doc stumbled backward, her body shaking uncontrollably. She collapsed to the floor, wriggling in horror, her voice cracking as she scread,
"This... this isn’t human!"
Ray’s heart dropped. His chest tightened so fiercely it felt like it might shatter. He could hardly believe the sight before him—the woman he loved, trapped in a shell that was no longer hers.
His brows drew together in grim determination. His voice tore out in a shout, low and desperate,
"Stay back!"
He closed his eyes for a heartbeat, gathering himself. When he opened them, his eagle beast appeared in an instant, massive and unwavering, wings spread wide, body pressed firmly between him and the flying shards of glass.
The chamber glass shattered in a violent explosion, jagged pieces slicing the air like knives. Sparks flew, echoing the chaos of his heart. If not for the beast’s massive body, the shards would have torn through him in an instant.
Ray’s hands gripped the edge of the console until his knuckles turned white. His chest heaved, his breath ragged. And yet, he could not look away from her.
Es’s body writhed in the tank. Veins dark and twisted under her pale skin, her body thrashing helplessly against the bubbling water. And though she scread, the sound was hollow, echoing like it ca from soone else entirely.
’Ugh’
A sob threatened to escape him, but he swallowed it down, forcing his lips into a hard line. Every instinct scread to run, to save her, to tear the world apart around him—but she was beyond his reach.
All he could do was watch.
And his heart broke, piece by piece, with every writhing second of her agony.
Suddenly, everything went silent.
The alarms, the bubbling, the screams—they all vanished, leaving a heavy, suffocating quiet.
Es stood perfectly still in the wreckage of the shattered tank. Her eyes—still completely white—scanned the room. First Dr. ,Ray, then the eagle beast, and finally, she curled her lips into a chilling, terrifying grin.
Ray’s hand clenched into a fist. Every muscle in his body tensed, ready for the explosion he knew could co at any mont.
And then she moved.
Slow, deliberate steps as she walked out of the broken glass. Her bare feet pressed against the jagged shards, the sound of crunching glass muted against the oppressive silence.
Ray’s eyes widened in horror. Blood seeped from her wounds—but it wasn’t red. Not even dark red. It was completely black, like ink bleeding from her body, unnatural, alien.
Yet she didn’t flinch. She didn’t hesitate. She walked as if the pain didn’t exist. As if the world around her didn’t exist.
Ray’s chest tightened. Every instinct scread to rush to her, to pull her back, to stop her—but she was no longer the woman he knew.
She was sothing else.
And deep in his heart, he knew: the Es he loved might be gone forever.
Es stopped a few feet away from Ray. Then, in a motion that was almost gentle, she raised her hand.
The divine beast, loyal and fierce, froze for a mont—then, as if recognizing sothing deeper, it lowered its head like a puppy greeting its owner. Its massive body trembled slightly as Es’s fingers touched it.
She patted its head slowly, deliberately, and the beast’s reaction was almost human in its joy. It let out a low, ecstatic growl, pressing closer to her hand, basking in the touch. Then, suddenly... it vanished. Completely absorbed into her grasp, as if it no longer existed outside of her presence.
Ray’s eyes widened. Fear prickled along his spine. He took a cautious step back, his muscles tensing, heart pounding in his chest.
And then her gaze fell on him.
White, unfeeling eyes—yet filled with a strange, terrifying awareness. Then she glanced at the doc behind him. A slow, chilling smile crept across her face.
Step by step, she moved toward him.
Ray’s breath caught in his throat. He instinctively took a step back... and then another.
Suddenly, he stumbled over the chair and crashed onto it.
Es’s gaze lingered on him for a heartbeat, cold and unreadable, before she slowly turned toward Doc and began walking forward.
Doc staggered backward, pressing against the wall for support. Her eyes never left Es’s, and her voice rang out, steady despite the fear trembling in it:
"I’m not scared of you."
In a sudden motion, she slashed her hand on a nearby shard of glass and flung it into the air.
The room seed to hold its breath for a second... and then, from the thrown glass, a giant python materialized. Its scales glimred under the harsh lights, massive coils rippling as it fixed its gaze.
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