A thick silence filled the ruined laboratory. The only sound was the faint hum of the machine, cooling down after completing its purpose.
Inside the chamber, **Manav and Priya lay still.**
Then—**it began.**
A sudden **jerk** in Manav's body. A sharp **spasm** in Priya's fingers.
And then—**agony.**
---
The pain was unimaginable.
It started as a **burning sensation** deep within their bones, as if their very essence was being rewritten. Their bodies **convulsed violently**, muscles tearing apart and **reforming** at an impossible speed.
Their skin **stretched and cracked**, shedding the frailty of age like a discarded shell. The wrinkles and sagging flesh of their **old bodies peeled away**, revealing something **new underneath**—something **young, strong, perfect.**
Priya let out a **silent scream**, her throat unable to produce sound. Her arms **twisted unnaturally** before resetting into **smooth, powerful limbs.** Her spine **snapped backward**, then realigned itself with a sickening **pop**.
Manav gritted his teeth, his **fingernails digging into the armrests** as his body **shrank and reshaped itself**. His joints cracked and **reassembled**, the old bones disintegrating and being replaced with **fresh ones**. His white hair fell in clumps, replaced by **thick, black strands**.
They were being **reborn**—but through pure **suffering**.
Then—**as suddenly as it began, the pain stopped.**
---
A deep **exhale**.
Priya **opened her eyes** first.
Her vision was sharp—**sharper than ever before.** Every crack in the walls, every dust particle floating in the air—she could see them with **unnatural clarity**.
She lifted her hands in front of her face.
They were **smooth, young, unblemished.**
Priya stumbled out of the machine, feeling her **own body anew.**
Her frail, withered fingers had been replaced with **firm, agile hands.** Her old, aching joints were now **fluid and effortless.**
She looked into a broken **glass panel** on the wall, her **reflection staring back at her.**
A woman of **twenty-seven.**
For the first time in decades, she saw **herself, not as time had made her, but as she had been in her prime.**
Her heart pounded.
*"We… we were successful."*
A slow **chuckle** made her turn.
Manav stepped forward.
He was **different**.
His towering, muscular form moved **with precision**, his body **rejuvenated**, his eyes **sharper, darker, colder**.
He ran a hand through his thick **black hair**, flexing his **fingers**, his lips curling into a smirk.
*"It worked."* He clenched his fists. *"We did it."*
Priya turned to him, her eyes **wide with exhilaration**—but also **fear.**
*"We are immortal, Manav,"* she whispered, still trying to process it. *"We have conquered time."*
Manav gave her a **sharp look**.
*"Of course we have."*
His voice carried an unsettling calmness.
---
Priya turned away, looking around the ruined lab. The room **felt different now**—like something ancient had finally been awakened.
Her gaze landed on the **cliffside entrance**, the spot where Dr. Moraeu had last stood.
A sudden **chill** ran through her.
*"Manav…"* she hesitated, **a horrible thought forming in her mind.**
*"Where is Dr. Moraeu?"*
Silence.
Manav's expression **didn't change.**
*"I threw her off the cliff."*
A beat of **pure stillness.**
Priya's **eyes widened in horror.**
*"You… what?"* she whispered.
*"She was useless now,"* Manav said **flatly**. *"We didn't need her anymore."*
A cold shiver ran down Priya's spine.
*"Manav, she was the only one who understood this machine!"* Priya's voice **rose**. *"She—she made us immortal! And you just—"*
She took a step back.
*"You murdered her?"*
Manav **tilted his head**, his gaze unreadable.
*"Why do you care?"* he asked.
Priya **felt sick.**
*"She was not a threat to us,"* she hissed. *"She gave us what we wanted!"*
*"Exactly."* Manav's voice was **calm, calculated.** *"She had served her purpose."*
Priya stared at him.
For a long time, she had ignored the **shadows growing inside him**. The **cold, ruthless edge** that had sharpened over the years.
But now, it was **undeniable.**
Manav was **not the same man** she had once known.
*"You're a monster,"* she whispered.
Manav smirked.
*"And yet, here we stand—immortal."*
Priya clenched her fists, but before she could say anything else—
---
A deep **rumble** shook the air.
The entire **mountain trembled beneath their feet**.
Dust **rained from the ceiling**, cracks **splitting through the ancient stone walls**.
Priya and Manav **staggered**, the ground beneath them **quaking violently**.
*"What—what is happening?"* Priya shouted.
The tremors grew **stronger**. The very **foundation of Crimson Peak** groaned, as if the mountain itself was **angry.**
Then, from the distance—**a deep, unnatural roar.**
Something **was waking up.**
Something **that should have stayed buried.**
Manav turned his head toward the **lab entrance**, his smirk slowly fading.
Priya's breath was **shaky**.
*"What have we done…?"* she whispered.
And then—
**The mountain roared, and the world shattered around them.**
---