Siya barely had time to pull herself out of the weight of regret when Andy's voice echoed through the base.
"Siya… hurry! Come quickly!"
Everyone ran toward the bunker. The moment they reached inside, Andy—torn between excitement and urgency—spoke rapidly, his eyes shining.
"We found it. The elixir. The one that can revive the world. This discovery… it can fulfill your dream, Siya. It can save lives. It can make this broken world better again. But we need to test it. I'm certain it will work."
He paused, then added firmly,
"We need a Screever. And a mutant."
Ali glanced at Siya.
"If you hadn't freed that mutant… maybe today we would have been able to test it on him."
Siya shook her head slowly.
"No. That creature wasn't just one being. It was made of two lives—body, soul, memories—everything had merged. Their thoughts were intertwined. Turning them back into a human or an animal was nearly impossible."
Her voice grew softer.
"Check the medicine first. See if it truly works. Finding a living Screever will be difficult. Search the village—maybe you'll find a body. Mutants… I doubt there are any left."
There was a heaviness in her words. Mann noticed it immediately. Ali and the others did too. Siya needed solitude.
"I'm exhausted," she said quietly. "I need to rest."
No one stopped her as she walked into a room and closed the door behind her.
But Mann couldn't hold himself back.
He gently opened the door. Siya lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, her eyes hollow—lost somewhere far away. She sensed him before she saw him.
"Man… leave me alone for a while," she said softly. "We'll talk later."
Despite her sorrow, her voice carried warmth.
Mann walked closer and sat beside her.
"Sister," he said gently, "I've walked through pain like this."
Sia turned to him.
"When I realized I was alone in this world—truly alone—I almost died. I had no will to live, no strength to face reality. I was just thirteen when the pandemic spread… but my mind had grown older than my age. I survived using my powers. I stole food. I wandered endlessly, exhausted—just like you are now."
His voice trembled, but he continued.
"But then I decided—if I was given these powers, I wouldn't waste them. I had to live. I had to reach the purpose I was born for. I needed answers—who I am, who my parents were, why they left me."
He looked at her, eyes steady.
"When I was completely broken… you found me. You became the light that held my hand. Just like my hope is tied to you, the hope of all these people is too. So you can't lose yourself, Sister. You're strong. No one can break you."
Siya's eyes filled with tears. Mann hugged her gently, wiping them away. He insisted she eat, joking softly until a faint smile appeared on her lips.
Outside the room, Ali, Andy, and Clara watched silently—relieved.
Siya finally lay down to rest. Mann nodded and stepped out.
Meanwhile, Andy was back at work when Clara approached him.
"Eat something," she said softly. "You must be hungry."
"I don't have time," Andy replied, distracted. "Work isn't finished."
Clara said nothing—she just watched him.
After a while, Andy noticed her gaze.
"What is it? Do I look strange?"
She shook her head slightly.
Andy finished his task and stepped outside, calling to Ali.
"Let's go to the nearby village. See if we can find a Screever's body."
Before Ali could respond, Clara spoke quickly,
"I'll come with you. I don't have anything to do right now."
Andy looked at her, slightly uncomfortable.
Ali understood the situation instantly.
"Yeah… I have something else to handle. You take Clara."
"Alright," Andy said.
They reached the village at the foot of the mountain.
The sight shattered them—ruins, fear, exhaustion. Yet many villagers were alive. They sat inside a Hanuman temple, praying in gratitude.
When they saw Andy and Clara, they stood up, thanking them for saving their lives by killing the Screevers.
"This was our duty," Andy said firmly. "You don't need to thank us."
Then he asked,
"Did you see the body of any Screever?"
The villagers nodded and pointed.
"Yes… over there."
Andy thanked them and asked them to stay inside their homes until things were safe again.
As they walked farther, a metallic body appeared in the distance.
"There," Andy said, turning to Clara.
No response.
"Clara?" he called again.
He turned back.
She wasn't there.
Panic crept in as he looked around, calling her name again and again—but she was nowhere to be seen.
His heart sank.
"…Where did Clara go?"