Attack (II)

{ Ace }

Pain throbbed in every inch of my body, but I didn't care. Mia was standing there, her golden aura flickering , her stance unsteady yet unbroken. She was still fighting, still pushing forward despite her exhaustion.

' She can't do this alone. ' I thought.

Gritting my teeth, I forced my legs to move, staggering toward her. "Mia, I—"

A golden force slammed into me, knocking the air from my lungs. I stumbled back, arms shaking, only to hit something solid something invisible. My breath came in ragged gasps as I pressed my hands against the glittering wall of energy surrounding me.

A force field.

Mia's force field.

I spun toward her, my pulse pounding. "Mia, what the hell are you doing? Let me out!"

She didn't even glance at me.

Her body was stiff, golden light bubbling off her in waves. Her feirce golden eyes were locked onto the man in front of her. The air crackled between them, the ground trembling under the weight of the power radiating from her.

I had seen Mia fight before. I had seen her push past exhaustion, past pain. But this this was something different.

This wasn't just Mia.

Something else had taken over.

"Mia!" I shouted, banging my fist against the force field, but it was like punching solid steel. "Damn it, let me help!"

She ignored me.

The man smirked, his shadows curling at his feet like living things. "How touching." His voice was smooth, taunting. "You think you can keep him safe from me?"

Mia's aura flared violently, her claws extending, glowing with golden energy. "I'm not thinking. I know."

And then she moved.

Faster than I'd ever seen her move before.

One second, she was standing still. The next, she was a blur of gold, closing the distance in the blink of an eye. Her claws sliced through the air, aimed straight for the man's throat.

But he was fast too.

Shadows exploded from his hands, twisting into a shield just before impact. Sparks flew as Mia's claws met darkness, golden energy clashing against the void. The force of it sent a shockwave through the air, shaking the trees, rattling my bones.

I gritted my teeth, slamming my fists against the force field again. "Mia! Stop this! You're going to burn yourself out!"

She wasn't listening.

She struck again, and again, non-stop, merciless. The man dodged, but barely. For the first time, he wasn't playing with her. He was struggling.

Mia pressed forward, her movements sharper, deadlier. The air around her shone with power, her golden light intensifying with every attack. She was forcing him back, pushing him on the defensive.

She was winning.

But something was wrong.

The golden aura around her was flickering, unstable. Her breaths were sharp, ragged. She was fighting at full force, but I could feel it she was reaching her limit.

And the bastard knew it too.

The smirk returned to his face. "You're strong," he said, his voice smooth ignoring the blood dripping down his arm. "But you're running out of time."

Mia yelled and lunged again, but this time he was ready.

Shadows erupted from the ground, twisting around her ankles. Too fast. Before she could react, they curled around her like chains, yanking her back mid-strike.

Her eyes widened.

The golden light around her flickered again weaker this time.

No.

I threw myself against the barrier. "MIA!"

She hit the ground hard, her body slamming into the dirt with a force that made my stomach lurch.

The man straightened, wiping blood from his lip. "That was fun," he mused. "But let's be honest, sweetheart—" His shadows pulsed, growing darker, sharper. Hungrier.

"—you were never going to win."

Mia struggled against the shadows pinning her, her claws scraping against the dark tendrils, but I could see it now.

She was exhausted.

She needed me.

And I was stuck behind this damn barrier.

I slammed my fists against the force field, pouring every ounce of strength I had left into breaking it.

I didn't care if it was Mia's power.

I didn't care if it was meant to protect me.

Because if I didn't get out—

She was going to die.

{ Mia }

I was exhausted, my body ached ached terribly, sweat dripping from my fur. I was about to give up when Ash roared in my mind." Don't give up Mia ! I'll help!"

" Mia I—"

I swiftly turned towards Ace. " Protect him !" Ash roared.

I extended my arm letting the golden energy fly towards Ace surrounding him in a protective shield.

" Alright now, attack!"

The force field hummed behind me, sealing Ace away, keeping him safe. His fists pounded against it, his voice raw with frustration.

"Mia! Stop this! You're going to burn yourself out!"

I knew that.

I could feel the fire in my veins dwindling, my body screaming for rest. But I didn't have time to stop. Not now.

Golden energy crackled around my fingertips as I lunged, claws slashing through the air. The man's smirk wavered just a little as I closed the distance. He wasn't expecting me to be this fast.

Good.

My claws met shadow, sparks of gold and black colliding in a burst of raw energy. The impact sent a shockwave through the clearing, rattling the ground beneath us.

But I didn't stop.

I couldn't stop.

I struck again, aiming for his ribs. He barely dodged, shadows curling around him like armor. My body screamed in protest, but I pushed forward, forcing him back with every strike.

For the first time, he was struggling.

He wasn't just toying with me anymore. He was fighting to keep up.

I could win this.

I had to.

But then, it happened.

Shadows surged up from the ground, twisting around my ankles. Too fast.

Too strong.

Before I could react, they yanked me back mid-strike.

I gasped as the air was stolen from my lungs, the world tilting as I crashed into the dirt. Pain flared through my ribs, my vision blurring for half a second.

Damn it. Damn it.

Ace shouted my name, his voice panicked, desperate. His fists slammed against the force field again, but he couldn't break it. I made sure of that.

He was safe. That was all that mattered.

I clenched my teeth, pushing against the shadows coiling around my body. My claws scraped against them, golden energy flaring but my strength was fading.

I felt it.

And so did he.

The bastard wiped blood from his lip, his smirk returning, sharp as a blade.

"That was fun," he mused. "But let's be honest, sweetheart—"

His shadows pulsed, thickening, tightening around me like chains.

"—you were never going to win."

I growled, struggling harder, but my limbs felt heavy. The golden glow around me flickered, unsteady. Damn it.

Ace's fists pounded against the force field, his voice breaking.

I shouldn't have trapped him.

I shouldn't have fought alone.

But if I let him out now, he would die.

The man took a slow step forward, shadows rising like a tidal wave behind him.

I tried to push myself up, to summon another surge of power.

But my body refused to move.

And for the first time since this fight started…

I wasn't sure if I could get back up.