The green haired girl flinched, closed her eyes—and unleashed another sonic blast.
It ripped through the air, tearing through the shadows like a buzzsaw.
Tendrils evaporated. Tila staggered, covering her ears.
Lila dropped to a knee, blood running from her nose.
The light pierced the dark for one brutal second.
Then Tila's eyes opened.
The blast was still going—but the green haired girl's aim shifted slightly.
The scream curved—missing Tila's chest by inches.
The shockwave hit her shoulder instead, knocking her back, but not out.
She looked up, eyes burning.
Kitty's eyes met hers. And for just a second—Lila saw it.
Hesitation.
Regret.
Mercy.
Tila didn't care.
"You tried to kill me," she snarled.
Tila's blade-arm gleamed, a jagged crescent of pure shadow, humming with unnatural life.
It was raised high over Kitty's head—just inches from the green-haired girl's sweat-slicked skin.
The girl didn't move.
Didn't scream.
