Chloe stood before Roselle with a wicked smile. Chloe summoned two girls from the shadows. The two girls approached Roselle predator-like. Roselle’s heart beat with fear. They circled around her, and their hands gently traced along her exposed skin.

  One of the girls leaned in close to Roselle's ear. "Don't resist. Embrace the pleasure that awaits you."

  The other girl whispered in Roselle's other ear. "We will show you the depths of ecstasy and torment that will take your breath away. Your body will become a canvas for our desires."

  With those words, the two girls unleashed their powers which apparently amplified Chloe's Shadow Kiss. Pleasure and pain intertwined with Chole who brought her lips onto Roselle’s body.

  Waves of conflicting sensations went through Roselle that blurred the lines between pleasure and pain. The room echoed with her moans and cries. Through it all, Roselle's senses teetered on the edge of sanity. The pleasure, tainted by the torment inflicted upon her left her gasping for breath.

  Roselle's consciousness slipped further into the depths of darkness.

  After a seemingly long time, wailing sirens went off through the area. Chloe’s wicked smile faltered upon hearing the sirens. “Shit, something’s happening.”

  The two girls exchanged anxious glances. One of them murmured, “Who else could have broken in? It certainly can’t be the police, can it?”

  Chloe's eyes darted around the room. “We need to get out of here. Now.”

  With that, Chloe quickly ushered the two girls away from Roselle. “We’ll deal with this later. Don’t worry Roselle, we’re not finished with you yet… Let’s move!”

  Roselle found herself naked on the cold, rigid floor. Her body was marked with wounds and black lipstick from the ordeal she had endured. The sirens outside continued their mournful wail. There was evidence of the pleasure and pain she had endured with two separate puddles.

  Roselle was laden with confusion and agony. "I... I don't understand," she murmured. "How did I end up like this? I'm in so much pain... and yet..."

  Roselle, despite the pain and confusion, saw an opportunity in the departure of her tormentors. She mustered the strength to move cautiously, but her body protested with each motion.

  Roselle spotted a hint of light in the corner of the room. There, partially hidden beneath a discarded piece of cloth, was her cellphone. She reached out and grabbed it.

  Roselle dialed the numbers of her closest friends desperately. First, she called Hashta, but the call rang out without a response. Then, she tried Sarah, her best friend, only to be met with the same disheartening silence. Finally, she dialed Michigo, her reliable friend from karate class, but once again, there was no answer.

  The realization struck her – her friends were likely still in school. The memory of Sadie's words echoed in her mind which reminded her about the potential danger Shadowcroft posed to her by using her friends.

  In a moment of clarity, Roselle checked the time on her cellphone: 6:56 pm. Wait… that meant that her friends were out of school!

  Roselle clutched her cellphone tightly. Her eyes darted around the room and she trembled. “Please, Shadowcroft, please… Don’t have gotten to them yet…”

  Roselle managed to gather herself after taking several deep breathes. She gingerly put her clothes back on, wincing at the pain that coursed through her body with each movement. The girl saw that the room door had been left ajar. She urgently moved towards the partially open door.

  Roselle pressed forward; however, the exhaustion and pain began to take their toll. She staggered and eventually dropped to the ground. She managed to find some strength to stand and peer around the corner. Her eyes widened at the sight that greeted her. Risebelle, was surrounded by Shadowcroft agents that stood infront of her.

  Roselle strained to make sense of the situation until Juliana echoed through the corridor. Juliana’s once-familiar tone now tainted with betrayal. Roselle earlier found out that she was a part of Shadowcroft. Roselle, hidden in the shadows, strained to listen in to Juliana's ominous speech.

  "So, you thought you were fighting against Shadowcroft, but in reality, you were all the pawns from the very moment you were born! I needed you to gather the crucial information I sought. And now, thanks to your unwitting assistance, I have everything I need to execute my plan."

  Roselle's eyes widened in shock.

  "And what is this grand plan of yours?" Risebelle retorted with anger.

  Juliana's laughter echoed through the corridor. "The world is about to evolve, Risebelle. With the information you've provided, I can now unsuppress the magical energy of all human beings."

  Risebelle's anger erupted into a fiery proclamation. "You're insane, Juliana! You can't control the destiny of everyone. This is madness!"

  Juliana, reveling in her triumph, continued, "Oh, but I can. And to test the strength of my own creative abilities, I've devised a little trial for you, Risebelle, Roselle, and Runebelle. You will die, and your souls will become the cornerstone of my new creations, free from magic, in a world ruled by my daughter, Rosebelle."

  Risebelle's rage reached its peak. "You'll regret this, Juliana! No matter what form I take after this, I'll come back, and I'll defeat you!"

  Juliana's cold laughter resonated through the corridor. "Your dear Sadie is already gone, Risebelle. The details are unnecessary, but rest assured, it wasn't my hands that ended her existence."

  Roselle's heart sank on the words “Sadie is already dead and gone”. It echoed through her mind like a cruel joke. Her vision blurred as tears streamed uncontrollably down her face. She tried to muffle her sobs with her hand. She didn’t want to give away her position, but the grief was overwhelming.

  Risebelle screamed. She lunged at Juliana, but the Shadowcroft agents held her back with an iron grip. Her eyes burned with fury. "WHAT DID YOU DO?! WHAT DID YOU DO?! TELL ME, JULIANA!"

  Juliana replied with a dismissive wave, "You don't need to concern yourself with the specifics. Just know that Sadie served her purpose."

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  Roselle dragged herself closer to the unfolding scene. Risebelle struggled against the grunts. Her eyes locked onto Juliana. "YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY WITH THIS, JULIANA! TELL ME EVERYTHING! NOW!”

  Juliana gestured for the grunts to tighten their grip. “Risebelle, you’re in no position to make such demands. You’ve outlived your own usefulness as well. The details of Sadie’s demise are irrelevant now. What matters is the dawn of a new era.”

  Juliana pointed at a grunt. “Take her away. Risebelle is not to be seen again until the new world is born—a world where I hold all the power.”

  Risebelle’s eyes were wet with tears of fury and sorrow. She locked onto Juliana. “I don’t care what time it is, Juliana. One of these days, I swear, I’ll have your head. Mark my words!”

  Juliana’s lips curled into a smug smile. “Such bold words for someone who’s about to be rendered irrelevant for likely a century. The dawn of my new world will come soon enough, and you’ll be but a distant memory until then.”

  The grunts tightened their grip on Risebelle, who struggled with diminishing strength. “You can’t silence me, Juliana! I’ll come back—”

  Her strength gave out, and with a final, futile attempt to break free, Risebelle was overpowered. “You’ll pay for this! I promise!”

  …

  In a surprising turn of events, Jess came out of a secret room with a flirtatious grin. She sported a pair of tech-enhanced knuckle gloves she had stumbled upon. With swift movements, she engaged the Shadowcroft grunts, delivering a flurry of electrifying punches that sent them sprawling.

  "Need a hand, My Sweet Scrumptious Risey?" Jess said, extending a gloved hand to her.

  Risebelle was in shock from the unexpected rescue, but she managed a wry smile. "Never thought I'd be glad to hear your flirting, Jess." She gratefully accepted Jess's hand.

  After Jess helped Risebelle to her feet, Roselle staggered forward. Each step was a struggle, but her pure will kept her moving. She arrived beside Jess and Risebelle.

  Risebelle’s eyes widened in shock and relief. “Hell, Roselle… you’re still alive!”

  Jess glanced at Roselle with concern. “Yeah, but look at her. The poor thing is in bad shape.”

  Roselle, though barely able to stand, raised her bloodied fists with a defiant glare. “Don’t worry about me. We need to get out of here. I’ll…help you make it out!”

  Juliana cut through the chaos. “Shadowcroft, attack!”

  With her order given, the corridor erupted into a frenzy of movement as a large number of Shadowcroft henchmen surged forward. Jess, Risebelle, and Roselle braced themselves for the imminent battle.

  Jess’s knuckle gloves crackled with energy. “Let’s make this quick. We’ve got to get out of here, then tackle Juliana later!”

  Risebelle clenched her fists. “Agreed. Let’s show them what we’re made of!”

  Roselle, despite her injuries, nodded resolutely. “Right. For Sadie… for everyone.”

  Risebelle’s rage fueled her strikes. Each punch hit the grunts with an explosive force that sent Shadowcroft members hurtling through the air. She charged into the fray with unbridled fury. Her attacks cleaved through the ranks of enemies in front of her.

  Despite her fierce efforts, the sheer number of Shadowcroft henchmen began to take its toll on Risebelle. She found herself surrounded. The overwhelming numbers began to push her back.

  “Over here!” Jess called out. She executed a playful spin. Then she used her tech-enhanced gloves and slammed her fists down, sending shockwaves through the ranks of Shadowcroft members. The henchmen stumbled and fell, momentarily disoriented.

  Seeing her opening, Risebelle seized the moment to finish off those who had been thrown off balance. With swift, decisive movements, she took down the remaining attackers.

  When the immediate threat was neutralized, Risebelle and Jess shared a brief, triumphant smile.

  But their respite was short-lived. More Shadowcroft grunts poured into the corridor. Roselle, despite her weakened state, stepped forward and fought against the new wave of attackers.

  One of the grunts, adopting a stance of Aikido, laughed derisively. “You’re outmatched against me. Let me show you the elegance of Aikido. It’s about redirecting energy, not fighting brute strength.”

  Roselle’s heavy breathing grew more labored, but she briefly smirked. “Thanks for the lesson.” In a swift move, she tripped the grunt’s feet, sending him stumbling.

  Before the grunt could recover, Risebelle delivered a powerful kick, sending him crashing into several other grunts who were charging in,

  Roselle’s breathing grew more labored. Her vision blurred and then sharpened. The power of seeing future events triggered in the midst of the chaos. The sight that unfolded before her was a grim one. She saw the remaining Shadowcroft grunts—only a few left—one of whom was clutching a grenade with a sinister intent. The scene played out in a flash: Risebelle, in her relentless fury, charging towards them, heedless of the imminent danger.

  In the vision, the grenade was thrown. The explosion consumed everything in its wake, and the scene ended in a catastrophic blaze. The fire and smoke were all that remained.

  When the faded, Roselle’s heart pounded with urgency. She knew what she had to do. She staggered to the front of the group.

  The last wave of Shadowcroft grunts appeared. One of them stepped forward with a smug look on his face. “You think you’re so brave, but let me assure you, you’re nothing but insects before us. This is where your journey ends.”

  Roselle, despite her weakened state and the heaviness of her previous vision, met his gaze with unwavering resolve. “Not if I can help it,” she rasped.

  The Shadowcroft grunt’s hand moved towards the grenade. Roselle, sensing the impending danger from her vision, surged forward with a burst of desperation.

  “Roselle, look out!” Risebelle cut through the chaos with eyes locked on the grenade.

  In response, Roselle’s aura flared. It was a yellowish energy that emanated from her with a blinding intensity. This was a sight Risebelle had never witnessed before.

  Roselle nimbly evaded the explosive device with an agility that belied her condition. Risebelle, acting on instinct, yanked Jess out of harm’s way when the grenade landed on the ground.

  Roselle summoned every ounce of her remaining strength. She charged at the Shadowcroft grunt with a loud roar. Her fist glowed with the residual power of her aura. Her punch struck with immense force, driving straight into the grunt’s chest. The impact sent him hurtling through the air. His body slammed into the other Shadowcroft members with a resounding crash.

  The defeated Shadowcroft agents tumbled into a heap. The corridor was now littered with the fallen.

  Roselle, panting heavily and barely able to stand, looked over at Risebelle and Jess.

  Risebelle was standing in awe, but managed a shaky smile. “You did it… You actually did it, Roselle.

  Juliana watched the aftermath of the battle unfold. Her eyes narrowed with irritation. "Impressive.”

  Risebelle glared toward’s Juliana. “You’re going to jail.”

  Juliana's lips curled into a sneer. “Don’t count on it. I’ve just summoned the elites, including our top enforcer—‘Bossman’.”

  Risebelle’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Who the hell is that?”

  Juliana’s smile was cold and dismissive. “Do you really want to stick around to find out?”

  Risebelle turned to Jess. “Jess, carry Roselle on your back. We need to get out of here. Now.”

  Jess nodded with urgency. Without hesitation, she hoisted Roselle onto her back with ease. “Got it. Let’s move!”

  Juliana’s face softened into a smirk. “Wise move. You wouldn’t want to be here when the ‘real’ trouble arrives.”

  With that, Risebelle led the way through the labyrinthine corridors.

  Roselle's vision blurred. The corridor around her became dimmer with each passing moment. She could barely muster the energy to focus on the faces of her friends.

  Roselle whispered to herself, “I can feel it. I don’t think I’m going to make it.” Her voice was lost in the throbbing pain and the disorienting rush of their escape.

  Tears slipped down her cheeks while watching Risebelle and Jess struggle to make it with her. “I’m sorry... I didn’t... I couldn’t...”

  Before her eyes closed completely, she heard Risebelle’s desperate shout. “Roselle, hang in there! You have to hold on! Don’t give up on us now!”

  The last thing Roselle perceived was the sound of Risebelle’s shouting echoing through the corridor. “ROOSEEEELLLEEE!!!!!!!!”

  Roselle's consciousness faded, and the echoes of her heartfelt words lingered in the air.

  In the realm of her mind, Roselle found herself enveloped in a landscape where colors danced in abstract patterns. In the midst of this dreamscape, the System manifested in it’s bold form

  "The data collection for Project Mage is complete," the system intoned.

  "What happens now,” asked Roselle.

  The System responded, "You have played a crucial role in the past. The collected data will be utilized to shape the next phase of Project Mage. Your experiences, emotions, and choices have been integral to understanding the human essence. You have now unlocked the 3rd Stage Transformation.”

  “3 rd…Stage….Transformation?” Roselle said with her eyes widening slowly.