As Layla pushed closer to the limits of her detection radius, a searing pain surged through her body, causing crimson tears to stream from her eyes.
Each pulse of energy she expended drained her strength, her muscles growing heavier, almost as if shackled by an invisible weight.
Suddenly, a familiar signal pinged in her mind, sharp and distinct against the background noise—Tomi's chip, unmistakable and vital. Layla's heart raced with hope. "Got them! Now—"
But her thought was abruptly severed, a chilling shiver snaking down her spine as a strange, unsettling frequency echoed in her consciousness.
Her eyes widened in alarm, the world around her blurring as a wave of dizziness washed over her. Then, without warning, her ability was snuffed out like a candle extinguished by a gust of wind.
She gasped, feeling her breath hitch, her body growing numb, fingers trembling helplessly against the controls.
"Titi, was that because of my limits?" she asked, her voice strained, but deep down, she feared the answer.
"No, Layla. Your ability was deliberately cut off!" Titi replied her tone grave, adding weight to Layla's dawning realization.
Darkness encroached on her vision, the edges of her consciousness blurring as a feeling of dread enveloped her.
"I see. Then they're in trouble," Layla murmured, determination flaring momentarily in her chest.
She longed to rush out and protect Tomi, knowing he was a primary target for the enemy. But her body betrayed her; the blood trickling from her eyes mirrored the damage of her incomplete abilities, a stark reminder of her vulnerability.
" I need to send this to Captain, and Tijona!" Her thoughts raced as she pressed a button, her fingers barely responding as she struggled to transmit their location to her captain.
The effort felt monumental, and as she dropped her head against the cockpit controls, exhaustion threatened to pull her under.
Just as Layla felt the weight of darkness pull her under, she summoned the last of her strength, instructing Titi to send her current status to the command center.
As Titi's presence faded from her consciousness, a profound silence enveloped her. The cockpit of her mecha opened with a hiss, exposing her to the dim light of the battlefield.
A faint, mocking voice drifted through the air, sending chills down her spine.
"So you're the girl who uses that ability, huh?" Dusk's tone was lazy, almost playful, as he lounged back against the remnants of a shattered structure.
He reached down, effortlessly scooping up the unconscious Layla like a cat with a mouse, the contrast between his nonchalance and her peril stark.
"Impressive ability indeed, young girl," he continued, his voice smooth and condescending.
As he spoke, he activated his suit, and a swirling black hole materialized behind him, the event horizon pulsating with menacing energy that seemed to distort the very air around it.
The dark void shimmered, drawing in the ambient light and creating a gravity that made Layla's heart race.
Dusk stepped into the black hole, his armor—dubbed "Hole"—elegantly crafted for manipulating such power.
The suit radiated an aura of danger, a visual representation of the chaos he could unleash.
"Well, let's see how those four kids will react seeing her!" he proclaimed, a sinister grin stretching across his face as he emerged on the other side.
The scene shifted as Dusk ran out through his black hole near where Tomi and Ace were held captive.
Tomi, visibly injured, was cradled in the iron grip of Nightfall, a dark figure marked with the number two etched along her neckline. Unconscious Ace in the arms of Cassius, who bore the number four on his palm.
"We're done here!" Nightfall commanded, her voice slicing through the chaos like a knife.
She turned her back on the scene, cradling Tomi protectively as she prepared to leave.
The shadows of her murky-colored suit flickered ominously in the dim light, giving her an almost ethereal presence.
"And for those two," she added, glancing back at Dusk,
"I'm sure you can handle them, dusky." Her words dripped with a coldness that hung in the air, her gaze piercing through his helmet as his emerald pupils glinted with a mix of amusement and menace as she looked at Zane and Blaze now down for the count.
As they spoke, Tomi's consciousness began to flicker like a dying flame.
He could hear their voices, but they felt distant, muffled by the throbbing pain in his head.
Slowly, he managed to pry open his eyes, each blink sending a jolt of agony through him as if a knife were stabbing him with every flicker.
"Where am I?"
he thought, panic rising in his chest as he struggled to piece together his surroundings.
The chaos around him pulsed with energy—explosions echoed like thunderclaps, and the frantic sounds of battle underscored the urgency of his situation.
As his vision began to clear, he spotted Layla lying unconscious nearby, blood trickling from a gash on her forehead.
Her body was limp, and she appeared fragile, the sight striking him like a physical blow.
The reality of their predicament settled in, and desperation clawed at Tomi's insides.