Kiran's last punch landed squarely, a sickening crack sounding out as his fist connected with Dr. Koval's jaw. Her head snapped back, her eyes wide with shock, the serene look on her face finally breaking. The Eclipse Codex on its stand pulsed wildly, its light flickering like a dying heart. But the victory felt hollow. The power he had used, the constant bending of time, had pushed him beyond his limits. The fine cracks that had begun on his arm now spider-webbed across his chest and up his neck, glowing faintly with an angry, internal light. His muscles screamed, feeling torn and useless. His vision blurred, the brightly lit chamber twisting into a kaleidoscope of pain. A harsh, metallic taste filled his mouth – blood.
He tried to stay standing, tried to push forward, to reach Elena, but his legs gave out. The cold, sterile floor rushed up to meet him. He hit it hard, the impact jarring every aching bone. Darkness swirled at the edges of his sight, a thick, heavy blanket pulling him down. He heard Elena's choked cry, distant and worried, and Dr. Koval's soft, unsettling laugh, but the sounds faded quickly into a low, buzzing hum, like a distant, dying machine. Then, there was nothing but a profound, overwhelming blackness.
He floated. Not in liquid this time, but in a warm, comforting peace. The darkness lightened, becoming a soft, golden glow. He was no longer in the cold, dangerous base. He was home. A small, sun-filled living room. The scent of fresh-baked cookies filled the air. His mother laughed, a gentle, musical sound, as she chased a younger, much smaller Kiran around a worn wooden table. His father, strong and kind, sat by the window, a book in his hands, smiling warmly at their play. It was a perfect moment, a forgotten memory of pure joy and safety. The kind of life he had lost, the kind he had fought so hard to find again. He felt light, innocent, untouched by pain or fear, for the first time in what felt like forever.
But the warmth suddenly vanished. The light faded, replaced by a terrible, crushing darkness. The scent of cookies turned to ash and smoke. His mother's laughter became a piercing scream, his father's smile twisted into a mask of pure terror. The world around him shook violently, the walls cracking, the floor falling away. A deafening roar filled his ears, not a building collapsing, but something far worse, something tearing the very air apart. Through the chaos, a blinding, emerald light ripped through the scene, splitting the sky. And from that terrible light, something descended. It was not a shape or a form, but a pure, raw essence, like a burning ember, twisting and pulsing. It moved with a terrifying speed, unstoppable, driven by an unseen force. He tried to run, tried to scream, but his small, dream-self was frozen, helpless. The burning essence plunged into him, entering his small, dream-body through his chest, like a terrible seed finding fertile ground. A searing, cold pain exploded through him, then a surge of power, vast and unknown, followed by absolute silence. The dream shattered, fading into deep, empty blackness once more.