They braced themselves for the next inevitable disaster, tension was high. Everyone prepared their Ornaments and mentally preparing for the unknown threat. They had faced the Forbidden before, but each encounter brought with it its own unique challenges and dangers. With determination they readied themselves for whatever the Force of Nature had in store for them.
As Bard began to drive in reverse, the ground beneath them began to shake, as if nature itself was sending a warning. The faint rumblings grew in intensity, each tremor serving to the impending chaos about to unfold. With every passing moment, the earth seemed to groan in protest, signaling the approaching relentless Force of Nature.
The tremors gradually subsided, coming to an abrupt stop. The sudden end of the ground's unrest caught them off guard, they expected another powerful earthquake and ferocious gusts of wind. They exchanged puzzled looks, uncertainty clouding their expressions as they scanned their surroundings for any sign of danger.
Not long after, they began to hear tapping on the roof of the car, slowly increasing in intensity and tempo. With each passing moment, the tapping grew louder and more hectic, unease settling over them. Without warning, a large hailstone shattered through the front window of the car, its icy mass hurtling through the air with great force. As it crashed into the roof of the car, it left behind deep dents and cracks. More hailstones followed, pelting the car relentlessly.
The hailstorm intensified, shredding the town of Hyacinth with ferocious fury. The icy projectiles tore through buildings, shattering windows, and leaving a trail of destruction. Trees were stripped bare as leaves and branches were ripped away by the relentless assault. People scrambled for cover, seeking refuge wherever they could find it, but there was little escape from the wrath of nature unleashed upon them. The streets quickly turned into rivers of slush as the hailstones piled up, the true power of the Forbidden's abilities became painfully evident, leaving behind a scene of devastation and despair.
The hailstorm was accompanied by powerful gusts of wind. The wind blew through the streets of Hyacinth, hurling debris and sending objects flying through the air like leaves in a storm. It's as if nature itself had been unleashed in a fury of rage. The combination of hail and wind created a perfect combination of destruction, as the town was battered from all sides by the unstoppable forces of the Forbidden's power. The residents of Hyacinth could do nothing but take cover and pray for the storm to pass, knowing that they were at the mercy of forces beyond their control.
Amidst the chaos, Eve and Bard noticed a peculiar sight: one building remained suspiciously untouched by the force of nature, as if it were shielded by an invisible barrier. Despite the surrounding destruction, this building stood unscathed, it was as if the storm itself recognized this building as something to be ignored. Intrigued by this anomaly, Eve and Bard exchanged a meaningful glance, silently acknowledging the significance of this mysterious building.
Eve sensed the presence of void energy coming from the untouched building, a clear indication that the Forbidden was using it as a refuge. With a wry smile playing at the corners of her lips, Eve couldn't help but feel a sense of amusement at the Forbidden's transparent attempt to conceal its presence in the middle of the chaos it had unleashed. It was a predictable tactic, yet one that Eve found oddly satisfying. As she spoke with Bard and everyone else, they acknowledged that their next course of action would lead them straight into the heart of the storm.
As the relentless barrage of hailstones battered the car, making it increasingly dysfunctional, but their resolve only hardened, fueled by the urgency of stopping the Forbidden's attack. The powerful gusts of wind sent uprooted trees and debris flying towards them.Their progress towards the building felt agonizingly slow, with the relentless onslaught of the elements slowing their progress at every turn.
The earth beneath them began to shake once more, causing the foundations beneath the car to shift and sway unpredictably. The earth began to shift violently, sending the car uncontrollably towards a nearby building.
Dazed from the crash, Vulcan quickly regained his composure, grabbing his sword and used his spirit technique to create a protective barrier around the car, shielding it from any further damage. Eve, unfazed by the crash, used her Ornament's power to manipulate the winds, albeit with some difficulty, attempting to create a pocket around them. Finally Mary summoned the radiant power of Michael's shield, reinforcing their defenses. Struggling against the trembling ground, Bard drove the car in reverse, each movement a struggle against the unpredictable shifts beneath them. Despite the challenging terrain, he pressed on.
The Force of Nature seemed to increase every obstacle in their path, amplifying the intensity of the shaking ground and the hail and wind. It was as if the very elements conspired against them. Soon after, bolts of lightning began to streak across the sky, targeting them with precision. A rare phenomenon occurred, as balls of lightning, normally a rare occurrence, now bombarded them with alarming frequency. The sky crackled with energy as these spheres of light homed in on the car.
Their defenses strained under the ferocious assault, the combined efforts of Vulcan's spirit technique, Eve's wind manipulation, and Mary's light magic barely managing to hold back the endless attacks. Despite the barrage, the resilience of their defenses allowed them to inch closer to the building with each passing moment.
Lust observed the struggle from atop of the building, admiration flickering in her eyes as she watched their resilience against the chaos. She glanced at her ally, the source of the destruction, but chose to remain on the sidelines, intrigued by the unfolding battle.
As Lust looked at the sky, she sensed a surge of intense electrical energy crackling through the air, indicating her ally's next move. It was the telltale sign of a sprite, a massive discharge of electricity between a thundercloud and the ground, capable of great destructive force. However, she noticed that Eve was neutralizing each surge of electrical energy with the use of her Ornament, stopping the destructive potential of the sprites. She glanced at her ally once more, searching for any reaction, but he remained emotionless as ever. Lust wondered why her ally didn't summon tornadoes in the area, a tactic typically associated with his power. She assumed that perhaps even he couldn't fully control such a destructive and unpredictable force.
As Lust watched them drawing nearer to the building, she felt a sense of amusement. This wasn't her problem, nor her fight. She wondered what her ally would do once they confronted him. Would he unleash his full power and bring down this entire building with them. Or would he hold back? With a sly grin on her face, Lust walked down to the entrance of the building, her footsteps echoing despite the chaos around them.
Despite the onslaught of the Force of Nature, Bard pushed them closer to their goal. With their defenses holding strong, he skillfully drove through the treacherous terrain, inching the car closer to the building. Without warning, the air crackled with electrical energy, charging more rapidly than Eve could neutralize it. The sprite struck the car completely rendering it useless. Fortunately, they were practically at the entrance of the building, but getting there was easier said than done amidst the chaos of the Force of Nature.
Bard and Eve quickly formed a plan. Eve created a pocket of air between everyone in the car to shield them from the powerful gusts of wind. Vulcan used his spirit technique to shield each person individually. Meanwhile, Bard, Mary, and Simon used their Ornaments to destroy any incoming debris, clearing a path for them to make a dash for the building's entrance.
On the count of three, they ran out of the car and made a dash towards the building. Almost immediately, the hailstones intensified, becoming more jagged in an attempt to penetrate through their shields. Trees came crashing down in front of them, but Simon quickly reacted, turning them to ash before they could stop their progress. The ground beneath began to split apart, but Eve using her Ornament to lift herself and the others into the air, avoiding the danger of falling into the gaping chasms that formed beneath them. Eve carefully lowered each member of the group to the ground. With the building just ahead, they were determined, only a few steps more and they'll have made it.
During their sprint, a massive truck flew towards toward Bard with alarming velocity, catching him off guard. Frozen in the face of danger, Bard seemed momentarily paralyzed until Mary, used the power of her light magic, summoned the Hammer of Judgment, smashing the oncoming truck into the ground. However, that split-second diversion left Mary vulnerable. A jagged hailstones tore into her arm, a sharp cry of pain escaping from her lips.
Undeterred by the injury, Mary pressed on, finally, after what felt like an eternity, they reached the entrance of the building, battered but unbroken. As they entered the building, the weather outside gradually began to subside, the fury of the storm giving way to an eerie calm. Relieved, they all took a moment to catch their breath, their hearts still racing from the intensity of the ordeal they had just endured.
Footsteps echoed through the room, the group instinctively snapped into a defensive stance in anticipation of the approaching figure. Everyone readied their Ornaments.
Lust slowly approached them, a mischievous grin on her face.
"Are you ready for the final challenge?"