Chapter 14: The Nightmare
The battlefield was drenched in chaos. Peter, Aqua, and Goldie were locked in a brutal struggle against the unknown entity. The air was heavy with tension, and the absence of reinforcements only worsened their odds. Every move the enemy made was precise, as if someone was pulling the strings behind the scenes.
And someone was.
The soldiers all of them had been manipulated. Every command, every delay in support… all influenced by the one who now stood silently in the background.
The duplicate Zimbraya.
Goldie (his breath ragged, eyes scanning the sky): "I'm worried about Fiery... Will he be able to handle him?"
Aqua (blocking an incoming strike with her water barrier): "Can't say anything yet…"
Goldie (turning to Peter): "What do you think, Peter?"
Peter, standing firm despite the chaos, didn't seem fazed by Fiery's situation. His eyes were locked onto the enemy in front of them.
Peter (calm but focused): "Now's not the time to worry about anything else. Fiery can handle himself. We need to take this thing down now."
Goldie (nodding): "Yeah. We've got to figure something out fast."
But before they could regroup, the unknown entity surged forward, overwhelming them with sheer power. In an instant, both Peter and Aqua were hurled to the ground by a shockwave. Goldie alone remained standing barely.
The enemy approached, shadows dancing around him like an aura.
Peter (struggling to rise): "Damn… He's too strong…"
Aqua (gasping for breath): "Peter… Do you realize something?"
Peter (turning to her): "What?"
Aqua (urgently): "This guy… He regenerates too fast. We can't beat him with brute strength."
Peter listened closely now. His voice, though weak, was sharp with clarity.
Aqua: "And he keeps mentioning something… about you. About you having the powers of the Dark Element."
Peter's eyes narrowed.
Aqua (continuing): "He's using it. And worse he knows how to control it better than we do. If you fight him alone, without understanding it… it won't end well."
Peter clenched his fists. The enemy had not only power, but knowledge.
Aqua: "Think about it… He appeared through a portal the same one where we saw Reynolds trapped. That's not just coincidence."
A sudden silence fell between them, broken only by the echo of distant clashing.
Aqua (more certain now): "He's accessing that portal with the power of the Dark Element. The same one you possess."
Peter's breath hitched. The dots were connecting.
Aqua: "If you both share a link to that element… maybe there's something we can do. Something only you can do."
Their eyes locked.
And then simultaneously their thoughts aligned.
Peter and Aqua (together, suddenly): "I have an idea."
But they didn't reveal it.
Not yet.
The battlefield had shifted and now, so had the strategy.