Viral Awakening

In the woods, Elena and Eva walked towards the car parked on a clear road, the morning light filtering through the trees and casting dappled shadows on the ground. Elena, with her white hair cascading down her shoulders, strolled beside Eva, whose curly brown hair bounced with each step.

As they conversed, Elena's unsettling appearance drew occasional glances from Eva. Her eyes, a deep pink devoid of distinguishable pupils, seemed to absorb the surrounding light, giving her an otherworldly presence. Despite her eerie look, she smiled warmly as she and Eva reminisced about their favorite books and shared inside jokes.

The crisp morning air was refreshing, filled with the earthy scent of pine and damp leaves. The deeper they ventured into the woods, Elena's unease grew apparent.

"I am so sorry for everything I did; if not for me, none of this would have happened in the first place," Elena said with a low tone. "Thinking we were like gods, we wanted to create something unique, a life without ever being under the weather, a life where thinking about dying was never a concern. Look around you now, I believe you must have heard about Elmwood Town by now. It's all my fault," she added, disappointment evident in her voice.

Eva looked at Elena with a somber expression for a moment. "Chill out, baby girl. We all know it's not your fault. It all happened because of Lucas; he's the one who set these events in motion. I can't believe I once looked up to him, but he turned out to be a liability," Eva said before Elena interrupted her.

"It's okay, I get it. I know what you're trying to do."

"What?"

"Making me feel better," Elena replied, a smile on her face.

"I'm not good at making people feel better, but worse, so did it work?"

"Maybe," Elena replied, her voice melodic yet slightly haunting. "Like I've said before, chill, we are in this together." Eva placed her hand on Elena's shoulder with a smile.

They paused for a moment, taking in the serene surroundings. Birds chirped cheerily in the canopy overhead, and the rustling of leaves filled the air. Just ahead, the car sparkled under the emerging sunlight.

As they approached the vehicle, Elena felt a shiver run down her spine, but she brushed it off as just the morning chill. Little did they know, the woods held more than just nature's whispers.

Eva twirled a dagger in her hand, the blade catching the light. Elena watched her closely, her heart racing. "Why aren't you afraid of me?" she asked, a mix of curiosity and concern in her voice.

Eva looked into her eyes, a smile flickering across her lips. "This isn't the first time I've seen you like this," she replied, her tone surprisingly calm. "You're just... stronger than before, that's all."

A warmth spread through Elena's chest at Eva's words. The tension between them shifted as she smiled back, grateful for Eva's unwavering presence. "Thank you for being here," Elena said sincerely, her eyes reflecting the depth of their connection.

Eva's expression turned somber. "I'm really sorry for what happened in the past two years. I was just following others, and I lost myself along the way," she said softly, putting the dagger down. "...so sorry," her voice barely above a whisper.

"Being locked up or staying out, I could never have stopped them," Elena said with a smile, looking ahead.

"Meaning?" Eva asked with a confused expression.

"It was a secret project assigned to Dr. Lucas and some others, including my mom," Elena explained, looking at Eva. "I just learned that yesterday; I got involved after hearing Lucas's sweet talks." As Eva heard the last words, she rolled her eyes.

As they walked on, Eva wanted to know more. "By who?" she asked.

"I don't know," Elena replied with a low tone. With a smile, she added, "Anyways, how did you find me?" she asked curiously.

"I got help from a friend," Eva replied, relief evident in her voice.

But as they neared the clearing where the car had been parked, an unearthly roar pierced through the sunny morning. Suddenly, a fireball shot from behind them, striking the car with a deafening explosion. The blast sent them both sprawling to the ground, shards of metal and flames lighting up the area.

It was Project Rebirth—the very creature Elena had fought not long ago. They turned, their eyes widened in horror, as the creature emerged, a sinister smile spreading across his face.

Before them, Rebirth transformed Before their eyes, growing to a towering six feet. Flames erupted around him, intensifying as he stood there like a living beacon of destruction.

"Going somewhere?" he taunted, his voice deep and resonant.

Elena's breath caught in her throat as adrenaline flooded her veins. "What do you want?" she demanded, trying to keep her voice steady despite the fear coursing through her. 'He looks more powerful than before, I did it before I can take it down again,' Elena thought.

Rebirth laughed, a bone-chilling sound that echoed through the trees. "Oh, I'm not going anywhere, I am just getting ready to take you down again."

With defiance, Elena took a step forward, determined not to show weakness. "You can't just destroy everything in your path, mother nature is going to be angry with you. You know that," she said.

In a low tone, she added, "We need to leave, this is how he looked like the time he killed your mom, but he was not on fire."

"After seeing your powers, I was afraid," she continued, smiling. "But it looks like it's the other way round now."

Elena's heart raced as she felt the heat radiating from the creature. Rebirth stood before them, a towering figure of ember and fury, and the forest around them seemed to dim in contrast to the fire that flickered across his skin.

"Going somewhere?" he echoed in a voice that rumbled like thunder, each word dripping with menace. "I've had enough of hiding in the shadows. Now it's time to unleash my true form."

As Rebirth's flames danced higher, Elena could feel the ground beneath her tremble. She glanced at her companion, her mind racing to formulate a plan. "We need to get out of here!" she hissed. But curiosity held her in place.

"What do you want?" Elena called out, her voice steady despite the rising fear.

"Oh, just a little fun," Rebirth replied, his smile twisting into something more sinister. "You think you can defeat me again? I'm not the same weakling you faced before."

The trees around them crackled as if they too were afraid of what was about to unfold. Elena glanced back at Eva. "Run," she said.

Looking at Elena, Eva said, "You're not facing it alone this time. We'll fight together."

"Don't make me laugh, Eva. You know you'll burn. Go, I'll hold it until you're far, then I'll let the dark thing take over and stop fighting myself. I'll just have to let everything go." Elena said, looking at the creature, her eyes already turning dark pink and the light color flowing out of her eyes as if she was crying, but she was not.

"Don't die," Eva said with care.

She turned her face to Eva, losing it, seeing her fading and everything going darker every second. "I'm losing it," looking at Eva. "Run," she added with a cold tone.

Rebirth, smiling, said, "Are you crying? Don't start now; we haven't started yet, okay?" with his hand opened with fire shaped like blades on it.

There was nothing in Elena's vision but just darkness; her fingernails grew sharp like mini blades.

**Dear Readers,**

I hope this message finds you in great spirits. I want to take a moment to sincerely apologize for the delays in posting chapters lately. I truly appreciate your patience and unwavering support during this time. Your presence here means the world to me, and I am incredibly grateful for each and every one of you.

Thank you for sticking with me and for sharing this journey. Your encouragement motivates me to keep creating, and I couldn't ask for a more wonderful community.

I'm excited to share that starting February 10th, I will be posting chapters every day! I can't wait to dive back into the story with you all, and I hope you're as excited as I am.

Thank you for being you and for being here. Let's continue this adventure together!

With heartfelt gratitude,