Inside the Safe House – 3 Minutes After Impact
The walls groaned as smoke poured through the splintered entrance.
Samruddhi crouched beside Arpan's body, her fingers trembling against his neck.
His pulse—shallow.
His breath—ragged.
His skin—cold.
"Stay with me," she whispered, cradling his head. "Don't you dare leave now."
Behind her, the Mirror Moon stepped slowly over the rubble, untouched by the chaos she had caused.
"I didn't kill him," she said calmly. "You did."
Samruddhi turned, eyes blazing. "What the hell are you talking about?"
The girl's gold-glowing eyes narrowed.
"You broke the Accord the moment you remembered me."
Flashback – 17 Years Ago
Two identical baby girls.
A cold chamber. A woman in white—Vasundhara—marking one with a red ribbon, the other with a white mark on her heel.
A nurse whispered, "They can't survive in the same timeline. Their resonance will collapse reality."
Vasundhara only smiled.
"That's the point."
The babies wailed in unison—until one was taken away.
The one marked with white.
Present
Rhea stirred in the corner, her body arching in pain as symbols pulsed under her skin.
Vikram held her down, yelling for Samruddhi.
"She's changing again—whatever was inside her is syncing with that girl! I think she's the bridge between them!"
The Mirror Moon looked at Rhea, tilting her head.
"She was never meant to wake up either."
Samruddhi rose slowly, gun shaking in her hand.
"You don't get to decide who lives."
"But I was designed to decide that," the Mirror Moon said.
She held up a chip, glowing with quantum code.
"This holds your original memories. The ones Vasundhara erased."
"Do you want the truth, Samruddhi?"
Arpan – Inside His Mind
A red corridor.
Mirrors on both sides.
In each reflection—his face, twisted by guilt, rage, love.
And standing at the end of the corridor: his father.
"You made your choice," the old man hissed.
"I tried to save her."
"You killed for her."
"And I'd do it again."
The mirrors shattered. One by one.
Until only one remained.
And in that mirror, he saw Samruddhi standing beside another version of himself—
Smiling.
Happy.
Whole.
"None of this was supposed to happen," he whispered.
Back in the Safe House
Samruddhi reached for the chip.
Her fingers hovered over it.
One touch, and she'd remember who she really was.
But remembering meant pain.
It meant betrayal.
Because something inside her already knew—
She wasn't always the hero.
She was once part of the machine.
And maybe… maybe she helped build it.
Vikram shouted from the next room. "Rhea's heart rate's crashing!"
Samruddhi turned.
The Mirror Moon whispered behind her:
"Only one of us can survive."
Samruddhi clenched her jaw. "Then it won't be you."
She lunged.
The girl moved faster.
A sharp pulse of energy hit Samruddhi's chest—slamming her into the wall.
Meanwhile – Rhea's Mind
Floating.
Silence.
Then—
A voice.
"Rhea. Wake up."
A child's voice.
Her own.
But younger. Innocent. Untouched.
"They put us here so the world wouldn't fall apart."
"But someone lied. And now you're dying for her sins."
Back in Reality
Rhea suddenly screamed.
Her eyes flared open—
One gold, one white.
A symbol etched into her forehead pulsed, glowing.
The Mirror Moon froze, as if stunned.
"That wasn't supposed to happen…"
Rhea stood shakily.
She looked at both of them—Samruddhi and the Mirror Moon.
Then at Arpan, still unconscious.
"I remember everything."
Samruddhi staggered to her. "Rhea—what—what are you?"
Rhea looked through her, not at her.
"Not who you think I am."
She turned to the Mirror Moon.
"And neither are you."
One Must Die
The Mirror Moon stepped forward.
"We're all fragments. And now, we're destabilizing reality. There's only one solution."
She raised a hand again.
But Rhea's hand shot up too.
For a split second—three pulses collided:
Samruddhi's memories.
The Mirror Moon's code.
Rhea's awakening.
The energy cracked the ceiling.
Reality rippled—like a film reel tearing at the edges.
Everything shook.
Then—stillness.
The Mirror Moon collapsed to her knees, blood dripping from her nose.
Samruddhi gasped, falling beside Arpan.
He wasn't breathing.
And Rhea?
Rhea whispered:
"It's happening."
"The Moon Sequence has begun."
To Be Continued…