The Dominance Equation: Unveiling Darkness

Chapter 13: The Search in Darkness

As the three friends savored the last moments of the sunset, the sky gradually transformed into a blanket of darkness. Just as the final rays of light disappeared, signaling the end of the day, Mara's phone pierced the silence with an urgent ringtone. She swiftly retrieved her phone and saw Elise's mother's name illuminated on the screen. A wave of concern washed over Mara as she answered the call.

"Hello?" Mara answered, her voice laced with concern.

"Hello, Mara! Have you seen Elise?" The voice on the other end belonged to Mrs. Fernardo, and it was trembling with worry.

"No, I haven't," Mara responded, a knot of fear forming in her stomach. "Why? What's happened?" she followed up.

"I'm afraid she might have been abducted," Mrs. Fernardo confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "The police report says she was last seen with two female demons. I'm terrified for her safety." her voice began trembling as tears rolled into her face.

Mara felt a chill run down her spine as she absorbed the gravity of the situation. Elise, her former classmate and their dear friend, was in danger. They needed to act fast. They needed to find and help her if she was indeed in danger.

"We'll do everything we can to find her, Mrs. Fernardo," Mara reassured, her voice steady despite the fear gripping her heart. "Stay strong. We're here for you." she added to calm Mrs. Fernardo on the other line.

"Elise is missing," she informed them, her voice steady but her eyes worried. "We need to find her."

Just as the inky darkness of the night began to cloak their surroundings, Eijin underwent a stunning transformation. Without uttering a single word, his ordinary clothes seamlessly morphed into a sleek, specialized suit. His symbiotes' tissues crawled and covered his entire body, leaving his Korean-like hair exposed. A black battle suit with a lining of red and silver was revealed. Majestic wings unfurled from his back, ready to slice through the night sky. The transformation was a silent testament to the urgency of their mission and the lengths they were willing to go to find Elise.

Eijin threw glances at Mara and Rachel before he leapt into the sky.

Understanding the gravity of the situation, Mara and Rachel exchanged determined nods. Their eyes mirrored their shared resolve as they swiftly made their way to the control room, where a network of monitors illuminated the room with surveillance footage from various locations. The screens flickered with images, capturing the city's every corner. With a sense of purpose, they knew their mission to locate Elise had officially begun.

As Mara and Rachel gathered in the control room, their eyes fixed on the network of monitors displaying surveillance footage from various locations in the city. They needed to gather information about the two female demons offering drugs that Elise was last seen with.

"Try searching in that district," Mara instructed Rachel, her voice filled with determination. "I've triangulated all the places Elise was last seen."

Rachel nodded, understanding the urgency of the situation. "She's your former classmate, right?" Rachel asked, trying to gather more information.

Mara's expression softened as she replied, "She's not just a former classmate, she's my best friend." There was a hint of sadness in her voice. "But the last time we saw each other was when I first met Eijin," she continued, her tone turning gloomy as memories resurfaced.

Rachel's face became sad as she shared her own experience. "The last time I saw my brother was when I met Eijin," she revealed to Mara, a hint of sorrow in her voice.

Mara's eyes widened with surprise, understanding the weight of Rachel's words. They looked at each other, both taken aback by the coincidence. "I'm not saying that Eijin brings bad luck!" they exclaimed in unison, realizing the absurdity of such a notion. And then, they burst into laughter, their shared laughter filling the room with a sense of lightheartedness and camaraderie.

While Mara and Rachel scanned the screens for any signs of the demons, Eijin soared through the night sky, his wings cutting through the air with precision. He had transformed into a formidable figure, ready to navigate the city and gather any leads that could help in their search for Elise. And then he suddenly sneezed.

As Mara focused on one of the monitors, she noticed a news report discussing cases of demons selling illegal drugs involving pretty girls. It seemed that the demons they were looking for were part of a larger and more dangerous network. She quickly shared the information with Rachel, who began searching for any additional details or connections.

Rachel declared, "I'll check on that one too," and began typing on the screens in front of her to search for places in the district where Elise was last seen.

Meanwhile, as Eijin soared through the night sky, his wings carrying him swiftly over the city, Rachel established a radio wave communication link with him. The crackle of static filled her earpiece as she spoke into the mic.

"Eijin, do you copy? Can you hear me?" Rachel's voice came through, circling inside Eijin's mask, thanks to the symbiote's ability to create a radio wave link tapping into the satellite for communication.

"What did you find?" Eijin asked, his voice resonating from within his mask. "I am nearing the city districts," he added, indicating his proximity to the area.

Rachel glanced at Mara, who closed her eyes and focused her telepathic abilities to establish a mental connection with Eijin. With the telepathic connection, Mara could provide insights and guidance based on the information they gathered.

"Eijin, Elise was last seen in the Pegasus Night Club, near the Orc-controlled district," Mara conveyed through their telepathic connection. She projected telepathic images, providing insights and guidance based on the information they gathered.

"Understood, Mara. I'll head towards that night club and see what I can dig up. Keep monitoring the surveillance footage for any additional leads," Eijin answered, his determination evident in his voice.