"But Trisha didn't!" Max countered, holding her gaze. "Trisha is innocent! She loved you! She looked up to you! Is this how you repay her? By destroying her body, her mind, her life for your revenge?""She is a means!" Anastasia shrieked, the hatred returning, stronger than before. "A tool! Her life is forfeit for the greater cause! For justice!""This isn't justice, Anastasia!" Sarai said, her voice strained as she held onto Trisha's flailing arm. "This is just more pain! More death! It's what the Bishop wanted! To see us all consumed by hatred!""The Bishop is gone!" Anastasia roared. "And Ronald will join him! He will pay for his sins!"Kael, watching his console, grimaced. "Her spiritual signature is stabilizing within the field, but it's still immensely powerful. I'm trying to fine-tune the frequency, but her emotional state is making it difficult. The hatred is like a shield!"Max tried one last time, his voice filled with desperation. "Anastasia, think about what you're doing!

"Understood," Nathan said, his face grim but determined. "I'll guard them with my life.""Good," Kael said, already moving to set up the neural interface. "This will take some time to calibrate. We need to be precise. Any misstep could be catastrophic."Max watched Kael work, then looked at Luna and Sarai. They were holding hands, their faces pale but resolute. He knew this was their only chance.As Kael began connecting the neural interface to Trisha, Luna, and Sarai, a cold, ethereal whisper filled the room. It wasn't loud, but it was clear, cutting through the silence like ice. It seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere, a voice that was both Trisha's and something ancient and terrifying."You cannot save her," Anastasia's voice echoed, weaker now, but still menacing, filled with an unholy certainty. "Her soul is mine now. And I will drag you all into the abyss with me."Max felt a chill run down his spine. Luna and Sarai flinched, their grip tightening on each other's hands. Na

The shadowy hand of Anastasia tightened around Sarai, pulling her deeper into the swirling darkness. Sarai’s struggles grew weaker, her form flickering as if she were a fading image. Luna, pinned by the psychic blast, watched in horror as Sarai’s voice died in a gurgle, her eyes wide with fear. The faint orb of Trisha’s consciousness, already so dim, seemed to shrink further, a tiny spark on the verge of extinction."No!" Luna screamed, a raw, desperate sound that tore from her throat. Her mind reeled, bombarded by Anastasia's oppressive power. *This is it,* a voice whispered in her head. *You failed. They're both gone.*But then, a strange warmth spread through Luna. It wasn't physical, but mental, like a sudden jolt of clear, pure air filling her lungs. A thought, sharp and undeniable, cut through the despair: *Fight. Don't give up. Not now.* It felt like a whisper, a gentle push, but it was enough.Outside the mind-link, Max’s brow was furrowed in intense concentration. His hand, a

"Kael, her brain waves are… normal," Max said, his voice a mix of disbelief and relief. He was hunched over the console, watching the lines dance across the screen. "Completely stable. No more interference. It's just… Trisha."Luna and Sarai, still a little wobbly from their journey into Trisha's mind, were sitting on the floor, leaning against each other. Nathan stood guard by the door, his sword still at his side, but his posture was less tense now. Ronald sat on an overturned crate, his face pale and drawn, his eyes glued to Trisha's still form."She's been out for a long time," Kael murmured, checking a different set of readings. "It's been almost twelve hours since we pulled you two out. Her body needs to catch up."Just as he spoke, Trisha stirred. Her eyelids fluttered open, then closed again, as if the light was too much. She let out a small groan."Trisha?" Luna whispered, scrambling to her feet. Sarai was right behind her.Trisha's eyes opened again, slowly. She blinked, loo

Ronald pushed open the heavy door of the safe house, the sound echoing a little too loudly in the quiet space. The air inside felt warm, safe, a stark contrast to the cool, damp cemetery air he'd just left. He looked different. The deep lines of anger and bitterness around his mouth seemed softer, his eyes, though still tired, held a different kind of weariness – one of exhaustion, not rage.Luna was the first to see him, looking up from where she was helping Trisha with a warm cup of herbal tea. Trisha was propped up on a pile of cushions on the sofa, looking pale but alert. "Ronald! You're back." Luna's voice was soft, relieved.Trisha managed a weak smile. "How are you feeling?" she asked, her voice still a little thin.Ronald nodded slowly, stepping further into the room. "Better. Lighter, somehow." He ran a hand over his face. "But… not entirely peaceful."Max, who had been tinkering with a small device at a nearby table, looked up, his brow furrowed. "What happened?"Nathan, eve