Tower Of Rebirth

Chapter 6: Is that a Dragon?

As the Earth Elemental crumbled, Adrian landed on the ground, his body still infused with the power of his gift. He watched as the shards of green energy filled the air, quickly dissipating. Elara's icicles had found their mark, shattering the elemental's core and ultimately defeating it.

The ground beneath their feet stopped trembling, and the earth creature was reduced to nothing more than a pile of rubble. 

It was over.

Adrian turned to face his companions. He was amazed at how quickly they came together during the battle. Lucas adjusted his glasses, a mix of relief and satisfaction in his eyes. Elara, still holding her hand in the air, slowly lowered it, the icy shards dissipating into the air. 

"That... was intense," she managed to say between gasps for air.

Lucas had returned to his glasses-wearing, scholarly demeanor, his fascination with the elemental clearly undiminished. "Incredible. We managed to defeat it," he mused, his eyes still locked on the now lifeless pile of rocks.

Malik, who had been ready to offer his healing abilities, now wore a proud smile.

"Well, that was an interesting fight," Adrian said, his voice filled with a sense of accomplishment.

Lucas nodded in agreement. "It was a tough battle, but it seems their weaknesses are the cores."

Elara walked over to Adrian, her expression a mixture of relief and gratitude. "You were amazing out there, Adrian. Your control over your gift made all the difference."

Adrian grinned, feeling a deep sense of warmth. "I couldn't have done it without all of you. Especially you Elara."

Malik approached, his gaze fixed on Adrian. "The way you use your gift is most impressive. It's clear that you've come a long way since we started this journey."

“Tell me, what did you do before you came to the tower?” Malik asked, looking at Adrian expectantly.

As he heard the question, Adrian's smile turned upside down even as Malik's energy washed over him. The fatigue that had weighed him down was gone, replaced by a sense of renewed vigor. He couldn't help but feel grateful for Malik's healing touch.

“I was a merc. I killed people for a living.” He replied bitterly. His voice was ice cold.

Malik nodded at him. Elara looked shocked. Lucas barely reacted, but they all moved as if finally ready to leave.

What now? Adrian thought, afraid of looking them directly in the eyes.

Lucas looked around the room. "The Tower certainly has a way of testing us. I wonder what awaits on the next floor." 

Adrian's eyes drifted to the carved pillars and statues that surrounded them. The chamber had transformed once more, just as it had after the battle with the Fire Elemental.

Lucas adjusted his glasses and looked around, his curiosity piqued. "This Tower has a way of restoring itself, doesn't it? It's almost as if it wants to maintain its grandeur."

Adrian nodded in agreement, his eyes still scanning the chamber."It's like it erases all evidence of the battles that take place here, as if they never happened."

Elara, having caught her breath, joined in the conversation. "So, what's next? Are we going to keep facing these elemental trials?"

Lucas contemplated their options. "It seems likely. We've passed two trials so far. There may be more elements to confront. We must be prepared for whatever comes next."

With their determination renewed, a portal opened up in the air ready to lead them to the next trial.. 

***

The portal transported Adrian, Elara, Lucas, and Malik to a new chamber within the Tower. As they emerged on the other side, they found themselves in a whole new different environment—the Trial of Air.

The chamber they entered was a breathtaking expanse of sky and clouds. It was as if they had been transported into the very atmosphere itself. The ground beneath their feet felt as insubstantial as mist, and a gentle breeze played across their skin. Above them, the sky stretched endlessly, an ever-changing canvas of colors, from the soft pinks and purples of dawn to the deep blues of midday.

Adrian couldn't help but marvel at the sheer beauty of this new trial. "This place is incredible," he whispered, his voice carried away by the wind.

Elara's eyes sparkled with wonder as she looked around. "It's like we're floating in the sky. But what's the challenge here? Are we meant to navigate this space?"

Lucas adjusted his glasses, his keen eyes scanning their surroundings for any signs of danger. The group had learned to be cautious since every new trial started a battle unexpectedly.

Adrian could sense the air tingling with an ominous energy. The atmosphere seemed unusually still, almost as if nature itself held its breath. Elara, perhaps because her gift was finely tuned to the elements, felt a subtle disturbance in the air. It was a faint and disconcerting breeze that sent a shiver down her spine. 

She turned to Adrian, her voice barely above a whisper, "Adrian, do you feel that? Something's not right."

Adrian, nodded in agreement. He could sense a subtle shift in the air pressure, like a whisper of danger on the wind. "I feel it too, Elara. We should be on our guard. Lucas… any ideas?"

Lucas, who had a deep understanding of the elements, took a deep breath. His expression grew serious as he whispered, "Stay close, everyone. There's an air elemental here, but it's nearly invisible. I can feel the energy it’s giving off with my gift. We need to make it visible and hit the core hard."

“And, I have an idea for that,” Lucas said, while preparing to do something. He explained more about his gift to them. “I can absorb, and manipulate energy. Right now, it’s super useful when it comes to finding our rogue monster.

With their plan in place, Lucas began to absorb the energy around them. He drew in the ambient energy of the air, creating localized disruptions that interfered with the elemental’s ability to remain hidden. As Lucas concentrated, the air in front of them seemed to shimmer and distort, like a mirage in the desert. 

Suddenly, the elemental materialized. Its serpentine form took shape before their eyes. Its body was nearly transparent, blending seamlessly with the surrounding air, and its eyes glowed with an eerie light.

Elara acted immediately, creating a barrier of water to trap the creature before it could react. Realizing what was happening, it hissed in frustration as it slammed into the water barrier, yet it couldn’t pass through. It writhed and twisted, its form becoming partially visible within the barrier.

Adrian saw his opportunity. 

While maintaining concentration, he took his dagger. Then, he manipulated the weight, making it super light in his hands. Then, with a flick of his wrist, hurling the dagger towards the unraveling beast towards the eyes. 

Just before the dagger struck, he made it impossibly heavy while still controlling it towards the creature’s visible eyes.

The dagger struck, causing it to wail in pain as it lost control over its form. It became fully visible, a serpentine mass of swirling winds with a menacing core at its center.

"Dios mío! Is that a dragon? Elara's eyes sparkled with wonder, as she got a good look at the elemental. 

“No, that’s a Tempest Wyrm,” Lucas said, preparing an attack of his own, he continued. “It’s basically a large serpent made from air.”

Its massive form stretched across the sky, its body resembling a twisting, serpentine dragon composed of dark, swirling storm clouds. Electricity crackled along its sinuous form, creating an eerie, bluish glow that illuminated the tempestuous clouds surrounding it. Its eyes were like orbs of lightning, gleaming with such intensity that seemed to pierce through everything.

The Wyrm's wings, if one could call them that, were made of the same swirling clouds and lightning. They extended majestically from its body, crackling with energy as they propelled the creature through the skies. Its roar was a deafening thunderclap, a symphony of the elements that struck fear into the hearts of those who heard it. 

But, Elara’s barrier contained as she unleashed a barrage of water icicles from inside the barrier attacking the Wyrm. These sharp, needle-like shards struck the Tempest Wyrm's eyes and other parts of its body, causing it to shriek in pain.

Lucas, now with his energy charged, directed a focused blast of dark smokey energy at the creature's head. 

Elara dropped her barrier in time for the attack to hit.

The Tempest Wyrm recoiled from the energy blast. Its form became even more unstable as it struggled to maintain its materialization.

Adrian, seeing the Tempest Wyrm's silver looking core—hiding just beneath its chin, close to the chest— leaped into action once more. He tried to focus on using his gift to manipulate its core like he did in the battle with the fire elemental but he had to touch it first.

Looking at the creature still wailing under Elara’s barrier, and in pain from Lucas’s attack, he thought I’m not going in there.

The Tempest Wyrm, now weakened and partially transparent, attempted to retaliate with a powerful gust of wind. But Lucas absorbed the energy of the wind, converting it into a controlled burst of energy. He redirected it back at the creature, striking its core.

The serpentine monster let out a deafening wail as its core shattered, releasing a burst of energy that sent it breaking apart. Its form disintegrated, and the once formidable elemental was reduced to nothing more than scattered currents of air.

The group cheered as they saw the Tempest Wyrm's form disintegrate into scattered currents of air, the once formidable serpentine elemental seemingly defeated. Their teamwork had proven effective. They had won!.

Elara, turning around, clenched her fists, frustration and disbelief evident on her face. "No, this can't be happening!" she exclaimed, her fiery spirit undeterred but clearly rattled.

“What can’t be..?” Lucas started asking, before he lost the words

But just as they began to lower their guard and celebrate their apparent success, a collective gasp escaped their lips. Before their eyes, the scattered currents of air began to coalesce and gather, swirling and twisting in a mesmerizing dance. The Tempest Wyrm was putting itself back together.

Lucas, usually the calm analytical one, looked equally shocked. "I've never seen anything like this," he admitted, his glasses askew from the earlier battle. "It's as if the elemental has an innate ability to reform itself."

Adrian's heart sank as he watched the elemental's form slowly reassemble, piece by piece. It was as if the very air itself was defying the laws of nature, knitting the creature back into existence. The Tempest Wyrm's eyes, once filled with pain and fury, now glowed with an eerie determination.

"Then you’ll just have to defeat it again," Malik said resolutely, his gaze unwavering, though uncertainty flickered in his eyes.

As the Tempest Wyrm continued to rebuild itself, the air around them grew charged with tension and uncertainty. The battle was far from over, and their greatest challenge now lay in discovering how to permanently destroy a creature that could reassemble itself with such uncanny resilience.

The group stood ready, and determined in their hearts, but the elemental's reappearance had thrown them into uncharted territory. Now, they had to find a way to defeat the Tempest Wyrm once and for all, or risk being locked in an endless battle with an elemental!