Cyber Chronicles 2: Prime Voyage

Chapter 2: Present

Shadow spikes burst from the ground in a deadly line heading straight for Edgar. The spikes moved with lethal speed, but for Edgar, who could manipulate time, evading them was effortless. He slowed down time, watching the shadow spikes crawl at a snail's pace, and stepped out of their path with ease.

As time returned to normal, the spikes struck the tree behind him, splintering its trunk. Without missing a beat, Edgar charged toward the shadow manipulator, his wrist guards humming with electrical energy. His eyes darted between the ground and his opponent, assessing every possible threat as he ran.

The disparity in their abilities was stark. Cresent's shadow manipulation was a formidable weapon in combat, while Edgar's time manipulation, though powerful, was more suited for support roles. Alone, Edgar was at a disadvantage, yet he chose to face the powerful shadow manipulator head-on. Cresent, who thrived on the chaos of battle, welcomed the challenge with a smirk.

Cresent's eyes gleamed as he transformed the tree's shadow into a spear, launching it towards Edgar's shadow. Edgar slowed time again, the world around him becoming a silent tableau. He leaped aside, avoiding the shadow spear by inches, but a nagging doubt crept into his mind. Had he made a mistake in challenging Cresent alone?

Regardless of his doubts, Edgar focused on his upgraded wrist guards, knowing they were his best shot at offense. He stopped running and leaped into the air, aiming his right wrist guard at Cresent's head. He fired a blast of electrical energy with the speed of a bullet, but Cresent deflected it effortlessly. His shadows, invisible but tangible, swatted away the shadow of the blast.

The electrical bolt struck a nearby tree, splitting it in two. Smoke curled from the charred wood, but Edgar's attention remained on Cresent. He realized he had no clear plan to defeat his opponent. All he had done so far was dodge and miss, while each use of his time-slowing ability drained him further. Meanwhile, Cresent seemed unaffected, his confidence growing with each passing moment. Edgar grinned in frustration, beginning to regret his decision to fight.

Cresent used his shadows to propel himself backward, avoiding another blast of energy. He landed beneath a canopy of trees, appearing almost serene. But to the keen observer, the unnaturally elongated shadows merging with his own were a clear indication of his power.

What Edgar feared most was Cresent's ability to make shadows tangible weapons, capable of inflicting real damage. As another line of shadow spikes erupted from the ground, Edgar sidestepped them, a growl of frustration escaping his lips. Cresent's shadow manipulation was proving to be a formidable challenge.

Unbeknownst to Edgar, each of Cresent's attacks consumed a significant amount of his charge and stamina, especially when his shadows became tangible. Cresent planned to exploit this, keeping Edgar unaware of his own limitations while steadily wearing down his confidence.

Cresent unleashed shadowy tentacles from the ground, which stretched upwards before striking down towards Edgar with terrifying speed. Each missed attack left gaping holes in the earth. Edgar barely dodged the last one, which scraped his ankle before retracting back to Cresent. Seizing the moment of Edgar's midair vulnerability, Cresent launched another attack.

The tentacles froze just inches from Edgar's neck. "Ah, shit, I panicked," Edgar muttered as he landed. There was no wind, no rustling leaves, no sound. Everything in the world had stopped. Edgar had frozen time.

He had done this before. During his previous escape from jail, Edgar had halted time just before Lincoln's clones attacked him. His former allies, unaffected by the frozen time, had then broken into his cell. Dawson, who could control sound waves, had created an escape route. It was their contingency plan against Lincoln's overwhelming power.

Their powers came from a meteor fragment called Mod Cytron, which had been replaced with Lincoln's DNA. Lincoln's ability to manipulate energy was unparalleled, making him the most powerful being in the universe with such capabilities.

Knowing he couldn't maintain the time freeze for long, Edgar rushed toward Cresent, his wrist guard forming an energy blade. As he closed in, he prepared to strike, aiming to behead his opponent.

But Edgar never reached Cresent. An invisible force held him in place, paralyzing his body. Suspended in midair, he gasped in shock. "How...?" He realized Cresent's shadows were holding him, even in frozen time. Could it be that Cresent's ability was more complex than he had thought?

As soon as Edgar released his time freeze, everything went black.