In a room filled with high-tech equipment, Chloe greeted Runebelle Juliana with a confident smirk. "You're earlier than we anticipated."

  Runebelle glared at the woman. "What have you done with Roselle? Where is she?"

  Chloe grinned darkly. "Oh, our dear friend is experiencing the most pleasure she's ever had in her life. It’s a well-deserved reward for all her hard work to get here. See, I’m her friend Chloe, and I think my little bunny needs to relieve some of that ‘stress’ that’s been on her."

  Runebelle stood stunned. Juliana, however, remained composed. Placing her hands behind her back, she coolly asserted, "You have Roselle, but we’re here now. There's nowhere for you to run. This ends here."

  "I beg to differ," Chloe retorted. She proceeded to reveal a stun gun. Juliana, however, stood unmoved.

  Chloe fired the stun gun at Juliana. Juliana was unfazed. Juliana smirked. "You must be wondering why it didn't work. My lab coat is designed to be bullet and stun proof. You'll need more than that to take down the likes of me."

  Chloe looked stunned for a moment. Juliana calmly retrieved two small guns from her pockets, holding them with precision. "These won't kill you, but they'll subdue you for a while. You'll be left unable to move."

  Chloe retorted. "I still have the advantage here."

  Juliana took a step towards Chloe. "You lost every advantage you had the moment I walked in. You can try to play it cool, but you and I both know who isn’t getting out of this alive."

  Chloe grit her teeth. Juliana was about to fire at Chloe, but changed targets to Runebelle and shot her twice in the stomache. Runebelle’s eyes slowly widened, and at the same time, Juliana grew a wide grin on her face. Runebelle muttered to herself, "Why?"

  Runebelle dropped to the ground, her body succumbing to the unexpected attack. Chloe, despite being spared in that moment, couldn't hide the surprise on her face.

  In the realm of Runebelle's mind, her mother Rune's scream echoed in pain . Sadie, Runebelle’s sister joined the chorus of distress.

  Runebelle appeared in her own mind and floated towards them in her spiritual form.” Sadie, Mom, What's happening?"

  Rune responded, "Whatever you were hit with, it's affecting your mind. We need to find a way to counteract its effects."

  Sadie strained out, "Yeah, Runebelle, we can't let this situation escalate. We need full control."

  Juliana’s grin remained on her face. "Did you never find it strange that Shadowcroft's base was conveniently located right next to mine and I had no knowledge of that fact? Or that I had the technology to uncloak them? Shadowcroft's upgrade? I orchestrated it all," Juliana said with a, sinister smirk playing on her lips.

  Runebelle's eyes widened in shock. The person she had trusted, the master strategist, the creator of the memory removal device… She betrayed her!

  Juliana continued ."I hacked Harty's Epic Quest: Realm of Shadows account. I am the leader of Shadowcroft. The Doppelganger Project was my brainchild, designed to create chaos, sow discord, and manipulate the very fabric of reality."

  Runebelle struggled on the floor. Juliana's cold gaze fixed upon her and a twisted smile played on her lips. “Right now, you’re thinking ‘I trusted her, and she betrayed me…’.Betrayal, Runebelle, is just a subjective term in the grand scope of research. From the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew you were the fusion of Rune, Sadie, and Runebelle. This was always the plan, and today marks the culmination of my grand experiment."

  Juliana paced around the room. "Rejoice, Runebelle, for you are about to become part of something far greater—Project Rune. A fusion of souls, a merging of powers. It's the next step in human evolution, transcending the limitations of mere mortals."

  Runebelle's face shifted between disbelief, anger, and horror.

  Juliana raised up one finger. "But what good is progress without competition, without a test run? That's where you come in. I plan to harvest the combined souls of you, Sadie, and Rune, using them to fuel Project Rune. And then, the real experiment begins."

  Juliana's bombshell shook Runebelle to her core. "I will drain the magical essence from those I've collected, unleashing it upon the world. Magic will no longer be suppressed. Everyone will wield its power, except for the lifeforms I create. They will be the foundation of a new world, a utopia where magic reigns supreme.

  And to make things interesting, I'll play the role of the ‘underpowered scientist’, allowing Rosebelle, Roselle’s Doppelganger, to revel in her newfound powers she will gain in that world. She can have the fame, the fortune, the adoration of the masses. All while I pull the strings from behind, orchestrating the world she believes she controls."

  Runebelle retorted, "You're insane! You think you can manipulate the very fabric of reality for your own amusement?"

  In Runebelle's mind, her mother, Rune, seethed with anger. The pain had transformed into a burning fury, a protective instinct for her daughter. Rune’s spoke with an overpowering intensity. "Let me take over, Runebelle! I'll crush her! We can't let her get away with this!"

  Runebelle concentrated, initiating the mental swap as she had done before. The pain was intense on Runebelle when she swapped. Her vision blurred and her body trembled.

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  Rune spoke clearer and more authoritative within Runebelle’s mind. “Are you okay?”

  Runebelle managed a strained response. “I’ll be fine. Just…do what you need to.”

  When Rune took control, Runebelle's vibrant, multicolored hair, previously styled in puff balls, cascaded down in wild, flowing waves. Her 6-foot frame seemed even more imposing as now, she was radiating an intensity that Runebelle had never displayed.

  Juliana shifted from smug confidence to startled realization. She stared at the transformed Runebelle with astonishment.

  Rune, now in full command of Runebelle’s body unleashed an aura of wrathful power. Her eyes blazed with a fire that mirrored the fury. “You’ve made a grave mistake, Juliana. You used my daughter for your own sick agenda.”

  Juliana stumbled back. “No… you….can swap minds..?!”

  Rune took a step forward with a cold look. “You think you can manipulate reality for your own amusement? You underestimate the strength of those you’ve wronged.”

  Chloe now watched with apprehension.

  Juliana gritted her teeth. “You’re too late. The project is already in motion. You can’t stop it now.”

  Rune’s eyes narrowed. “Watch me.”

  With a primal ferocity, Rune launched herself at Juliana. Shots were fired by Juliana, but Rune weaved through the barrage of bullets like a wild animal.

  Rune closed the distance with terrifying speed, landing a series of blows on Juliana. Each strike sent blood out from Juliana’s mouth. Rune then landed one punch to the face which sent Juliana flying across the room. She crashed into a bank of high-tech equipment. The impact knocked her unconscious.

  With Juliana incapacitated, Rune turned her attention to Chloe, who stood frozen in fear. Rune stepped closer and closer towards her. “You will tell me where Roselle is.”

  Chloe began to sweat. She started backing away with a fearful look on her face. She continued to retreat until she was pressed against the wall.

  “You can’t hide from this,” Rune warned. “Tell me where Roselle is, or face my wrath!”

  Chloe, pressed against the wall, feigned ignorance. Her eyes widened with faux innocence. “Who is Roselle?”

  Rune’s face darkened. “Don’t you dare do that. Runebelle is…” But then, suddenly, Rune faltered. A haze clouded her mind. Roselle? The name, once vivid and clear, became elusive. Who is Roselle? She struggled to recall the purpose behind her fury, but that was like trying to grasp smoke.

  Rune’s body began to tremble uncontrollably. Her grip on reality slipped further away with each passing moment. ‘What’s happening?’ she murmured to herself. Unable to hold on any longer, she instinctively relinquished control back to Runebelle.

  Runebell was now back in control, but she didn’t feel the disorientation Rune had experienced. “Mom, what’s going on?”

  It was Sadie who spoke up, her tone urgent and worried. “Oh no, Runebelle. That shot you were hit with earlier—it’s having a memory effect.”

  Sadie’s words settled on Runebelle like a cold dread. ‘A memory effect?’ Runebelle thought.

  Juliana’s consciousness returned. She groaned slightly and pushed herself up from the floor. She brushed off her military suit and lab coat with a grimace. “What an impact.”

  Meanwhile, Runebelle clutched her head. She winced upon feeling some of her memories began to slip away. Faces, names, and events blurred at the edges, threatening to vanish into the void. Despite the growing confusion, the core of her purpose—rescuing Roselle—remained anchored in her mind.

  Juliana observed Runebelle’s struggle with a satisfied smirk. “I came prepared for every outcome, but I didn’t account for one thing: your ability to shift minds. That little trick almost had me.”

  She paused, shaking her head with a wry smile. “If Rune had gone for the kill, I wouldn’t have had a counter to that. But she decided to focus on Chloe instead. That was your biggest mistake.”

  Juliana revealed her two small guns, spinning them with a flourish before pointing them at Runebelle. “These weapons are tailored for situations like this. The shots you took? It was specifically designed to disrupt and erase memories, making you forget who you are and why you’re here.”

  Runebelle, despite the pain searing through her head, forced herself to stand tall. Her vision blurred slightly, but she kept her gaze locked on Juliana.

  Juliana chuckled softly. “I’ve always been ten steps ahead, Runebelle. But I’ll admit, you surprised me today. Unfortunately for you, surprises are only amusing for so long.”

  Turning to Chloe, Juliana barked a command. “Snap out of your spell, Chloe! Runebelle’s subdued, and we have a tight schedule to keep.”

  Chloe shifted from fear to compose. She nodded and spoke steady. “You’re the boss.”

  Runebelle watched as Chloe began making her way over to a console in the room. Suddenly, two shots echoed in the room. Runebelle felt a searing pain. She screamed out loudly.

  Chloe, unfazed by the chaos, began tapping away at the console with practiced efficiency. Her fingers moved swiftly across the keyboard, activating complex systems with each keystroke.

  Within the recesses of Runebelle's mind, the echoes of Sadie and Rune’s pain in Runebelle’s mind increased.

  Sadie spoke strained and sorrowful. "Runebelle, it's a battle against time. The memory erasing shots are eroding our presence within your mind. We're doing everything we can to preserve what's left of us."

  Desperation clawed at Runebelle's heart. "No, no, no—this can't be happening!” The images of Sadie and Rune began to blur and fade.

  Rune panted within her mind. "I can't save myself from having my own memories deleted, but Sadie and I can save yours. To do that, we have to break ourselves apart."

  Runebelle’s mind reeled at the thought. "But I can’t lose you…please…no…don’t leave me…”

  Rune spoke with love. "You won't lose us entirely, honey. We'll always be a part of you, even if our presence in your mind fades."

  "I don't care about my memories if it means losing you both! Please! Don’t do this!" Runebelle exclaimed with tears running down her face."You're a part of me. I can't let you go."

  Sadie chuckled with a sad smile. "Runebelle, your emotions are what make you who you are. They're the essence of your existence. Losing us would be devastating, but losing yourself to the void of forgotten memories would be an even greater tragedy."

  Rune added, "We've seen you grow and saw your development as a capable young woman.”

  Sadie spoke next, "We're proud of you, Runebelle. Trust in the strength within you. The bonds we share are eternal. Nobody can take away our bond."

  With a collective resolve, Sadie and Rune within Runebelle's mind made the ultimate sacrifice. They willingly surrendered the remnants of their presence, using their fading essence to shield Runebelle's memories from the encroaching destruction of the memory erasing shots. The glow of their forms enveloped Runebelle's consciousness. And shielded them from a mind destruction.

  In the Aftermath, Runebelle stood alone. A profound sadness settled in her heart. The sacrifice of her beloved sister and mother had spared her memories, but now, a void was left behind. In the silence of her own mind, Runebelle wailed.

  TIME:???

  Runebelle slowly opened her eyes. She found herself in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by white walls. Unshed tears lingered on the edges of her eyes.

  Soon, she heard a familiar person speaking out. "Oh, dear, you're finally awake."

  Dr. Lorraine. Her friendly demeanor was at odds with the dark nurse outfit she now donned. Her brown hair was pulled back into a neat bun.

  "How are you feeling?" Dr. Lorraine inquired with a smile.

  Runebelle, still disoriented, took a moment before responding. "Where am I? What happened?"

  Dr. Lorraine's smile widened. "You're in a safe place, dear. You had a bit of a fainting spell, but don't worry, I'm going to take good care of you."