Tower Of Rebirth

Chapter 7: Two Cores

The group stood there. Their initial cheers of victory were now swallowed by the growing uncertainty of what to do next. Usually, shattering the elementals’ cores worked, but this time the Air Elemental continued to reform itself. It gathered its scattered currents of air back together, using the energy to regenerate its body. Its eyes, once filled with pain, now looked at them with an angry determination.

Lucas, spoke with a sense of awe, as he analyzed the slowly regenerating elemental, "I've never seen anything like this. This elemental may have an inherent ability to reform when defeated. We have to find a way to disrupt its core permanently."

Great Adrian thought, as he asked with a sense of urgency, “How do we find out for sure?”

“I’m not entirely sure yet,” Lucas replied.

As the Wyrm continued to rebuild itself, the tension in the air grew. Adrian, his mind racing, knew that they couldn't rely on their previous tactics. He had an idea, but it was a dangerous one. He turned to his companions. "I have an idea, but it's risky. I need your support."

Elara, despite her frustration, nodded firmly. "We're with you, Adrian. Tell us what you're thinking."

Lucas adjusted his glasses again. "I'm listening, Adrian. What's your plan?"

As they formed their plan, the Tempest Wyrm's form was now almost solid. It was almost now a menacing, fully realized creature once more, ready to unleash its fury upon them. The group knew that this time, they had to hit it hard, and fast before they ran out of stamina.

Adrian explained his plan with a sense of urgency. "I can manipulate the elemental's core, but I have to touch it first. Elara, create another barrier when the Tempest Wyrm is reformed enough. And Lucas, if you focus enough, you can feel where the energies are coming from. Then, prepare an energy blast to hit it."

They all nodded in agreement. "We'll trust in your abilities, Adrian. Just be careful." Elara said, smiling as she tucked a hair behind her hair.

With their plan set, the group focused their attention on the Tempest Wyrm. The elemental's eyes locked onto them, and it let out a deafening roar, a mix of thunder and wind that shook the very foundations of the chamber.

“Do it now, Elara.” Adrian said, looking squarely at the Wyrm. The elemental was now almost fully reformed―the other half of its body still regenerating. It loomed before them, as swirling energies made of the very air covered its serpentine body.

“I can feel another core on that side,” Lucas said, pointing to the part of the element still regenerating. “See how that tail forms around it when they should be forming from the rest of the body instead.”

“I see it,” Adrian grinned, as he picked up his dagger. Malik moved as if to support them but beyond washing them in his healing energies, he didn’t do anything else.

“I’ll get the other core.”

Elara, not as freaked out by its reformation, created a barrier of water once more, surrounding the creature in a shimmering cocoon. The elemental hissed in frustration as it slammed into the water barrier. Trapped once again, and unable to escape it.

“Does that mean there’s a third core somewhere else? Adrian shouted to Lucas, while protecting his ears from the elemental’s deafening roars.

The chamber suddenly went silent as the Wyrm paused, speeding up its regeneration. 

“I don’t know. I don’t feel anything apart from those two.”

“Then let’s hit it together. Maybe if we can destroy both cores and its body, we can get lucky and destroy it once and for all.”

Sensing his chance to touch one of the cores, Adrian seized the moment. With his dagger in hand, he moved towards the barrier cautiously, ready to make his move. He didn’t stop until he was standing right next to the barrier. 

His heart pounded in his chest as he prepared to touch the elemental's core.

Lucas, his glasses glinting with determination, focused his energy. Dark, smokey tendrils of power swirled around him as he readied himself to destroy the elemental's core as soon as Adrian made contact.

Here we go! 

As Adrian's hand touched the barrier, he felt a surge of adrenaline. This was it, the moment that would determine their fate. With a quick motion, he pushed his hand through the water barrier and made contact with the elemental's core. It was a sensation like no other, as if he were touching the very essence of the storm itself.

Adrian closed his eyes for a brief moment, focusing all his concentration on the core.  He could feel the elemental's power surging through the core, a chaotic and untamed force of nature. But Adrian had learned to harness his gift with precision. With a mental command, he began to manipulate the core's energy, causing it to grow in mass. He made the core x1000 heavier. So heavy, it couldn’t contain the Wyrm’s energy like it used to. Then it began to fluctuate and become erratic.

The Wyrm's reaction was immediate. It writhed and convulsed within the barrier, its form destabilizing as Adrian's touch disrupted the core's delicate balance. The creature let out a wail of agony, and its once-solid body began to fragment, its control slipping away.

Lucas wasted no time. He directed his stored energy toward the creature's head, unleashing a focused blast of dark power. The attack struck true, hitting the Tempest Wyrm's second core.

Elara, seeing Adrian's success, dropped her barrier just in time for Lucas's attack to hit. The elemental's form became even more unstable, its once-coherent body now a swirling mass of turbulent air.

Then she quickly created a whole bunch of icicles in the air, firing every one of them at the Wyrm’s body hitting and punching holes through the weakened beast even as it attempted to retaliate with a powerful gust of wind. 

But Lucas, quick on his feet, absorbed the energy of the wind, converting it into a controlled burst of dark energy. He redirected it back at the creature, completely destroying it.

The serpentine monster let out a deafening wail as both cores shattered once again, 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 once more. Their teamwork had proven effective, and victory was within their grasp.

Elara, turning around to face her companions, clenched her fists in triumph. "Idios míos. We did it! We defeated the Wyrm!"

Lucas, adjusting his glasses with a sense of satisfaction, nodded. "That was a formidable dragon. I, for one, I’m glad your plan worked Adrian.”

Adrian, his heart still racing from the battle, smiled at his companions. "We make a great team. But let's not lower our guard just yet."

“Wait. Dragon? You called it a serpent earlier.” 

“Yes, well.” Lucas nodded. “I feel like I just fought a dragon.”

Malik, laughing out loud, approached Adrian. "Your plan worked, Adrian. You've shown incredible control over your gift. I wonder when your next one will manifest"

Next one? Adrian, too tired to ask, fell flat on his back. Letting his guard down as he hoped this trial was finally over.

As the group began to lower their guard and celebrate their apparent success, a collective gasp escaped their lips as a portal made from water started swirling in the air.