Author's Note: Unedited Chapter
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In the void of his own consciousness, Gustav's focus was razor-sharp. He could feel the darkness spreading through his core.
It pulsed like a living entity, ready to consu him the mont he let his guard down. Isolating it was his only option, and he worked tirelessly to curb it.
"I have to keep it contained."
Gustav's mind flickered with the mory of—E.E, Endric, Aildris, and Falco.
The danger ahead based on the visions. He didn't even know if it had happened yet but he knew he had to find a way to help them. He concentrated harder, pushing the darkness to one side of him. It felt like trying to hold back a flood with a fragile dam, but he was determined.
With a monuntal effort, he finally managed to isolate the darkness to a corner of his consciousness. The pressure eased slightly, but he knew it was only temporary. The darkness thrashed against its ntal prison, desperate to break free.
Gustav knew he couldn't regain consciousness yet because he risked letting it free but there was sothing else he could do right now...
"Ti to reach Jack," his consciousness voice rang through the space.
Using his ntal transmission ability, Gustav extended his consciousness outward, searching for a link.
The effort was taxing, especially with the darkness constantly pushing against his ntal barriers.
He could sense every living being in close proximity with his body at this mont but he couldn't sense Jack.
He further spread his ability outwards enveloping a gargantuan range just to find Jack.
"Jack...Jack, can you hear ?" Gustav projected his thoughts as strongly as he could.
In the physical world, Jack was sowhere in the MBO tower.
His mind was a fortress due to his incredible strength but as he walked through one of the corridors, he suddenly felt a faint ntal touch.
Jack determined that it wasn't malicious and decided not to block it out.
-"Jack, it's Gustav. Can you hear ?" The voice was faint but unmistakable.
Jack paused as his eyes narrowed while he focused on the ntal link. "Gustav? How are you contacting ? You're supposed to be unconscious."
-"I don't have much ti," Gustav's ntal voice ca through albeit strained. "I need your help. My friends...they're heading into the Alliance's base. E.E, Endric, Aildris, and Falco. They don't know what they're walking into. I saw a vision so I know they'll be in trouble, I need you to save them."
Jack's expression hardened. "What are they doing there?"
-"They went to save Ria. You must have heard how one of my friends just captured."
"That wasn't a smart move. The alliance isn't a place to just waltz into even for ... It would cause too many problems," Jack replied while shaking his head.
"Please, Jack," Gustav pleaded as his ntal voice wavered with desperation.
"They're in danger because of . I would have done it myself but you know why I can't."
Jack sighed. "Alright, Gustav. I'll see what I can do. But if they get caught, that's it."
-"Thank you. How many days has it been?" Gustav inquired.
"Four days since you lost consciousness," Jack responded.
-"Damn it! They left on the sa day I interrupted you and Angy's battle. You need to go now!*
"I'll do my best," Jack replied while severing the connection.
Back in the void, Gustav felt the strain of the effort. The darkness surged against its confines, sensing his montary lapse in focus.
He quickly reinforced his ntal barriers, pushing the darkness back into its isolated corner. His consciousness was fatigued but he couldn't afford to let his guard down.
"Now, it's up to Jack," he muttered.
---
Angy stood in the facility where Gustav was being held. She seed to have been summoned here.
Scientists in white lab coats moved around purposefully as one would expect, noting down all sorts of data.
Gustav remained unconscious behind a transparent glass wall. His body was strapped to a and invisible wall force with restraints. Dark marks continuously moved across his skin like living tattoos.
The sight was still heart-wrenching for Angy, but she forced herself to stay composed.
She had been giving the scientists details of what she rembered since her own ordeal began, hoping it might help them find a way to aid Gustav.
Her mind was a whirl of fragnted mories and the haunting, dark voice that had driven her actions.
"Can you tell us more about your ti in the other plane? How exactly did you feel?" one of the scientists asked while hands glided across a tablet.
Angy took a deep breath. "It was... sinister. I can't rember much but my thoughts were mosyly driven in one direction. Everything was dark but even in the dark I could see..."
Any continued to talk about what she could recall while Wnother scientist scribbled notes furiously. "And do you rember any specific instructions or monts of clarity during that ti?"
Angy shook her head. "Not really... it was all a blur. Just flashes of command and an inbuilt reverence to the Lord..."
As the scientists continued their questioning, Jack entered the room.
The room seed to hold its breath as he walked in. He approached Angy with an unreadable expression while asking the scientists to leave.
"Jack," Angy said with a look of curiosity. "Did sothing happen?"
Jack leaned in closer with a low tone. "Gustav reached out to . He said he needed help."
Angy's eyes widened. "Gustav contacted you? How? He's unconscious."
"Through ntal transmission," Jack replied. "He warned about his friends heading into dangerous territory. I'm leaving soon to assist them."
Angy frowned, feeling a pang of frustration as she wondered why he didn't ask her. "I want to help, too. Let co with you."
Jack shook his head firmly. "It's not necessary, Angy. Stay here and focus on helping Gustav. I just decided to inform you because I believe they're your friends too and for you to be careful since I will be briefly off the planet."
"But I—" Angy began, but Jack cut her off.
"This isn't up for debate," Jack said, his tone leaving no room for argunt. "Gustav needs you here. If there's anything that can be done to help him, it's making sure he has soone on his side within these walls."
Angy clenched her fists. "Fine. But promise you'll bring them back safely."
"I will try."
As Jack left the room, Angy couldn't help but feel useless.
She decided she would try her best to assist from the sidelines.
---
Within the alliance,Endric, Aildris, Falco, and E.E. moved through rows of high rectangular shaped structures.
Their footsteps echoed softly against the mirror like floors as they passed another checkpoint using their fake identification.
It turned out that the more deeper parts needed clarification and access. Fortunately, they hadn't been figured out yet.
After moving for ages, yhey finally arrived at the cell they had been searching for.
"There it is," Falco whispered while pointing towards a reinforced glass cell at the end of the corridor. "Cell Block d-7 That's where they're keeping Ria."
E.E. nodded. "Let's get him out of here."
They approached the cell cautiously, avoiding the others that had unknown mixtures of species within.
They saw Ria, appearing calm but sowhat weary within the cell.
The sight of him brought a wave of relief to the group.
"Ria!" E.E called softly, not wanting to alert any guards. "We're here to get you out."
Ria looked up as his expression softened into a smile. "You guys made it. I knew you would."
E.E. quickly moved to the control panel beside the cell, his fingers flying over the holographic interface. "Hold on, just a second. I'll have you out of there."
As he worked while making use of the high grade tech he had swiped from the MBO tower, Aildris and Falco kept watch for any sign of approaching danger.
"Got it," E.E. said, as the rectangular transparent door vanished. "Let's move."
Ria face bead up as stepped out. However, just as he did, his form flickered and then vanished, revealing nothing but empty space behind him.
"What the...?" Falco started, but he was cut off by the sudden blaring of alarms echoing throughout the facility.
"Attention! Intruders detected in Sector 7. All units, converge imdiately," a disembodied voice announced over the intercom.
"It was a trap!" Endric shouted. "That was just a hologram!"
"No it wasn't a hologram... He was here and then he wasn't. That was spatial abilities... Shit, they knew we would co," E.E voiced with widened eyes.
The realization hit them hard. They had been duped, and now they were surrounded. The walls themselves seed to pulse with the alarm, and they could hear the sound of approaching footsteps—lots of them.
Aildris looked around as his eyes narrowed. "We need to move, now!"
They sprinted down the corridor, but it wasn't long before Alliance corps mbers appeared at the other end.
mbers with blue uniforms and emblem of a hand holding the universe...
"Hold it right there!" one of the corps mbers shouted, raising his blaster.
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