The past seemed to fade away in the wake of the explosions and the sound of heavy gunfire. Dominic's fists tightened around the Golden Titan's controls, the memories of betrayal and abandonment fueling a cold fire in his chest. The CMC had wronged him, but now it was his turn to show them the price of their cruelty.
As the cockpit systems hummed to life, Dominic's mind snapped back to the present—the battlefield was far from over. The remnants of the CMC juggernauts advanced through the smoke, their colossal forms looming over the scorched landscape. The sounds of battle were deafening, but they were nothing compared to the war inside his head.
The Golden Titan stood tall in the center of the chaos, the towering mech's white armor streaked with dirt and blood. It had taken damage, but it was still functional. For now. Dominic's grip tightened on the controls, his resolve hardening as he refocused on the task at hand.
"Dominic, you with us?" Lox's voice crackled over the comms, breaking through the fog of his thoughts. "You're not alone here. We need you."
Dominic didn't respond immediately. His eyes scanned the battlefield, the massive CMC mechs closing in, their guns raised. They were relentless, pushing forward with no regard for the destruction they were causing. He could see the shadow of a massive titan-class mech looming in the distance, its signature plasma cannon charging.
Not today.
Dominic steeled himself as the Golden Titan's systems powered up. The energy readings were fluctuating, still unstable after the earlier core surge, but it would be enough. For now.
"Okay, Lox," he finally replied, his voice low but steady. "Let's finish this."
With a sharp command, the Golden Titan surged forward. Its massive feet pounded the ground, each step shaking the earth beneath it. Dominic's eyes narrowed as the giant enemy juggernaut locked onto him, its weapons primed.
A moment of tension passed, the silence of the void between them palpable. And then, with a roar, the enemy opened fire.
The plasma blast streaked toward him, but Dominic was already in motion, the Golden Titan twisting and leaping to the side. The plasma shot passed harmlessly to the left, slamming into the ground with an explosion that sent dirt and debris flying. Dominic's fingers danced across the controls, his actions almost instinctual as he fired back with the Titan's pulse cannons.
The shots struck the juggernaut's shields, sparking against the massive barrier. The enemy mech staggered, but it quickly recovered, its cannons roaring to life once more.
"You're not getting away that easily," the enemy pilot's voice crackled over the comms, taunting Dominic.
But Dominic wasn't listening to the taunts. He had no time for words, no patience for games. The battle had gone on long enough.
"Time to end this," he muttered under his breath.
He charged again, the Golden Titan's massive arms reaching out for the juggernaut. With a guttural growl, Dominic activated the mech's combat thrusters, propelling himself forward with terrifying speed for such a massive machine. The enemy pilot was quick to react, raising the juggernaut's massive sword in an attempt to block the incoming strike.
Dominic's eyes locked onto the blade, watching it rise to meet him.
A cruel grin curled at the edges of his lips. This wasn't going to be an ordinary fight. It was going to be brutal.
The Golden Titan's fist collided with the juggernaut's sword, the force of the impact creating a shockwave that sent both mechs stumbling backward. Dominic's fingers gripped the controls tighter, pushing the Titan forward again, smashing the opponent's weapon aside with a brutal backhand.
Now that the juggernaut was unarmed, it was time to end this. Dominic's mind raced through combat algorithms, calculating his next move in the split second it took to act. He brought the Golden Titan's massive foot up, slamming it into the juggernaut's chest with bone-crushing force. The enemy mech crumpled under the assault, sparks flying as its systems faltered.
But even as the juggernaut staggered, the pilot refused to give up. The mech's arms flailed, one of them managing to land a glancing blow on the Golden Titan's leg, causing it to buckle slightly. Dominic's teeth clenched, the pain from the strike barely noticeable compared to the storm raging inside him.
He had to finish it now.
With a roar of fury, Dominic activated the Titan's plasma blade, a massive, glowing weapon that extended from the mech's arm like a sword of pure energy. The blade hummed with power, crackling with electricity as it glowed a fierce blue.
With a single, sweeping motion, Dominic drove the blade into the juggernaut's chest, cutting through the thick armor with ease. The enemy mech let out a screech of protest, its systems failing as the core was pierced.
The juggernaut collapsed, falling to the ground with a massive crash.
Dominic stood over the fallen titan, panting heavily, his body tense with adrenaline. The cockpit's display flickered, warning him that his own systems were beginning to overload. He knew he couldn't keep this up for much longer—not with the unstable core, not with the constant strain.
But he didn't have time to think about that now.
"Lox, get the rest of the team moving!" he ordered, his voice a harsh whisper through gritted teeth. "We need to finish this, or we'll lose everything!"
Lox's voice came through, strained but determined. "On it, Dominic. We'll cover your back. Just... try not to get us all killed."
Dominic's heart pounded in his chest as he watched the remains of the juggernaut smolder on the battlefield. There were more enemies coming. There always were.
But Dominic wasn't backing down. Not now. Not ever.
The Golden Titan's systems flickered again, but this time Dominic ignored the warnings. He was far beyond caring about his own survival. This battle had become personal. The CMC had tried to break him, tried to destroy him.
Now, he would make them pay.