Soon Douma was met with an angry Nebulas who got up from the ground and prepared his next attack despite the fluctuating energy he depended on for it.
The clearing was now completely unrecognizable. The explosion in Nebulas' strange world had decimated the surroundings beyond it too. Douma had no other choice, Nebulas' cannon would've still led to a fatal outcome for the area around it regardless.
By the second, the floor was covered in piling snow. The storm was raging on, not too long ago its aggression was building up in the atmosphere.
Nebulas stopped in his tracks and narrowed his eyes at the blonde who stood in his spot. The green mass in between the split sections of the giant therapod's skin was pulsing in distress.
"This is the last straw," The monster spoke. "You have ruined everything that mattered to me, it may seem minuet to you but that's because individuals like yourself just don't understand what it takes to find something that can help you thrive in these harsh environments."
Taking out his fan, Douma just listened to what his opponent had to say. Not like it mattered to him anyway, Nebulas deliberately headed towards this outcome. He had a choice and decided to go with the worst options possible.
"Now my world is gone, it was an escape from all my problems." Nebulas continued, clenching his fist that began leaking dark liquid from the contact with his claws. "Not only that but my plans have gone down the drain. Why can't you just understand that I'm giving other lifeforms like myself a chance to flourish on this planet without any human interference? It was all just about putting humans in their place! Isn't this something you were hoping to get across for the sake of other creatures?" Flashbacks of the conversations Nebulas had with the doctor replayed in his mind, he couldn't tell what was missing in his agenda. He swore everything he did was for the greater good.
Well yes but not through violence. There was a different approach to the situation that wouldn't leave Nebulas as the mess that he is now, Douma was certain of that, but it seems Nebulas was still determined to go on with the 'put the humans in their place' ideology because of the events in the lab he was kept in.
"I absolutely despise you Douma. Why on Earth did you decide to get involved in something that has nothing to do with your cozy shrine? My plans won't affect you and I thought you were disappointed with the humans who once appreciated your presence? What is with the sudden switch of sides, this Winter Storm isn't your fault. At least that's what I heard."
Douma covered his face with the radiating golden fan of his. "Don't try to convince me that our perspectives on the good for this planet are even the same. Your intentions are clear, if you had the chance to leave Earth after the destruction you've caused, you definitely would. This isn't about saving lifeforms on Earth, it's about reconstructing the livelihood on Earth to suit your own narrative." The shrine leader narrowed his eyes at the giant therapod who was clearly taken aback by what he just said.
"What are you talking about?" Nebulas roared. "My alliance with Mr Moikawa is proof that I still value humans regardless of what they've done!"
"Alliance with Mr Moikawa huh? That doesn't prove anything, he's got an agenda against humanity and it just so happens that with these scummy plans of yours, the both of you got yourselves a team, a dysfunctional one." Douma was sure Mr Moikawa had something to do with the recent events, not to mention the person leading the operations in Cryptic Sanctuary.
"The current state of the team doesn't matter anymore, in fact this planet's livelihood has already been decided by our cooperation a long time ago and it certainly won't involve anymore flying nuisances."
Sharply pushing outwards, the green mass appeared to be accumulating all the acid circulating within it. Bright glows of fluid raced to the surface of the green mass floating around the steepest point of it.
"It's over Douma, nobody is going to stop me from doing what I can for survival. With the strength and power I have gained, nothing is stopping me now." Clenching his fists, Nebulas let out a bone-chilling scream as the green mass began pulsing rapidly.
He's trying to get something out of that acidic reactor, if the slightest residue from it goes off many won't be able to make it from closer areas. Douma looked around hoping that nobody was roaming around this giant mess of a crater. Should they happen to see it, getting away was the logical thing to do.
To Douma's horror, a burst of acid erupted from the surface of the green mass and rose to the sky, exploding into several meteors that began raining down.
"Even your friends won't make it," Nebulas coughed from the strain on his muscles. "This is what they mean by The Age of Extinction."
Two of the meteors were getting closer to Earth. If all of them land at once it would be a total disaster.
A grin formed on Nebulas' face, he anticipated the result of these two meteors landing on Earth. There was nothing anyone could do to stop them. A timer isn't even needed for this. Nebulas stood there and observed the oncoming acidic meteors.
In a short span of time, both meteors landed, one of them crashing into a field wiping out everything in the area. The noticeable absence of the trees being the only aspect of it left. The other plummeted into the ocean sending large towering waves that swept the shore of an active coastal area. Items and the remains of infrastructure were floating on the surface of the rising water.
Residents of these areas came out of their homes in alarm. Those indoors looked out of their windows to see the aftermath of the meteors' landing and a few more raining down in the sky. Some still had time to take pictures of this hazardous phenomenon, while others began running for their lives in the freezing storm but they didn't know where to for their safety wasn't guaranteed at this point.
Quickly, Douma flew to the sky heading towards the meteors that were bound to land in the next few seconds.
"It's pointless, nothing you do is going to stop them they're locked on." Nebulas laughed he was amused by the angel's decision.
The safest way is to get rid of all of them at once so no one gets hurt. Douma braced himself as the meteors were nearing the areas they were heading to.
"Wintry Icicles!" Numerous icicles began raining down in the sky above the falling meteors, impaling them at that instant.
Douma observed the effects the icicles were having on each meteor, as time went on the meteors began crumbling away disappearing midair.
The meteors that were inches away from the area they were about to collide with had disintegrated. Eventually the icicles had vanished too. The sky was now clear of any acidic meteors there was not a single one in sight anymore.
Just as Douma was about to finish off his vile opponent in the clearing, the giant therapod appeared in front of him like lightning and fired a meteor towards him.
"I can create as many as I want." Nebulas sneered.
Douma unleashed his radiant slash of burning light that collided with the meteor, creating a large explosion in the sky.
"This monster just doesn't know when to quit-"
Nebulas had fired a strange-looking acidic torpedo covered in green flames at the shrine leader sending him backwards in the sky, leaving a trail of smoke that covered the surroundings.
"This is what happens when you can't even concentrate enough." The giant therapod remarked confidently.
The silhouette of Douma appeared in the cloud of smoke as the shrine leader emerged from it and got his golden fans ready.
"I didn't sign up to be directly hit by some weird aircraft." Douma never expected Nebulas to come up with a technique like that. It wasn't impossible but Nebulas was the kind to attack first before giving it any thought. Regardless, the impact from the torpedo felt like having one's legs tied to falling metal spheres and Douma wasn't looking forward to such humiliation again. There was no way he was going to let an attack like that slide, not with those around them being defenseless against these threats.
Despite the miserable attempts at finishing off his opponent, Nebulas fired another torpedo which Douma immediately sliced into two with his fan.
"Is that all you've got?" Douma smiled with a calm demeanor.
Nebulas flew towards him with each jaw on his arms wide open with acid leaking out of them. "This battle is nearing its end yet you still have time to make snarky comments? Pathetic."
Stealthily, Douma unleashed his two ice shards that flew straight into the mouths of the jaws that ignited upon contact with the freezing cold.
But that didn't stop Nebulas from slamming his arm at Douma who dashed out of the way and fired a gust of frost at Nebulas sending him to the ground below.
Douma landed on the floor of the clearing. He watched as Nebulas rose from the cracks on the ground caused by his disastrous landing. The giant therapod still wanted to go on with this fight.
"This is just the beginning it isn't over yet."
"More like the end."
The ground was almost fully covered in snow. Douma looked up and saw the storm's formation which was more intense than the previous occurrences. The sky was dark and there was no sign of life at all, not even in this clearing.
"No matter what I do, this storm is always going to tag along as a barrier to my good intent." If only people knew the truth of the matter, those who did refused to admit it, leaving Douma suffering in silence. Others might think that his resilience will help him overcome it, but even the toughest out there can get affected by such and Douma was certain that even if the Winter Storm eventually meet its demise, the rumors will still go on.
"Why would my own power go against me? It should be cooperating with me, not the other way around." Douma was still trying to figure out how it came to this when he unleashed the storm, it was supposed to be temporary and elevating, not a threat to the lives of others.
That was when he thought of something. In fact, it was linked to the current events happening as of lately.
This might work, there's no other way to get rid of this storm completely it will always return worse. Douma looked at Nebulas who was struggling to stand on his two feet. The frost must've left him shivering in pain, it was a direct hit after all.
"The storm is still my power. It's under my control, why leave it lost and stranded when I can get it to fight alongside me against this foe." Douma glanced at Nebulas who clenched his aching arm.
"Nebulas is one problem and so is the storm, and it seems the storm poses as a danger to the livelihood of Nebulas, for a threat is one to another." Douma ran towards the giant therapod who was now too weak to defend himself.
What is he trying to do? The monster stood there in confusion. Once Douma got close he grabbed Nebulas' arms and flew to the sky, dragging his opponent with him.
"Let go off me you pathetic fly. Don't even think of disrupting our battle!" Nebulas demanded in anger. The pain in his left arm wasn't getting any better, making it difficult for him to get out of Douma's hold.
Douma continued flying pass the clouds and horizon. Space was the next destination and the shrine leader was planning on carrying out his plan away from Earth. The outcome was going to be a danger to the planet.
The surroundings of space became clearer in view, Douma sped up and tightened his hold on Nebulas. They were leaving Earth and entering a new area.
Outside their home, Shinobu, Eiko, and Reiji fought through the storm. The violette looked up and noticed a glowing light in the dark sky.
"That must be Douma." Shinobu stopped in her tracks she was getting worried. Douma was far away from them, even though he could handle just about anything thrown at him, Shinobu couldn't be there to help if the worst were to happen unexpectedly.
Eiko was coughing from the intense cold as Reiji unlocked the door of the house and led her inside the remaining warmth within.
"Don't worry Eiko we'll get your medication." Reiji reassured her, the teen was trembling from both the cold and anxiousness overwhelming him. "Shinobu we have to get Eiko's medication quick. There's some in the kitchen. Don't stand outside it's dangerously cold now." Footsteps began stomping towards the kitchen however Shinobu was still standing outside looking at the sky.
"Please be OK." Shinobu was getting increasingly worried, as long as the glow of light was still moving up the sky she wasn't going to leave this spot. "Come back once you've fixed this."
Like what's been stated in the reports, the Winter Storm was active in space too. Douma flew away from the Earth's boundary and sped past a few planets that were going through the same wintry events as Earth; Freezing surroundings and snow-covered grounds.
Nebulas started thrashing at Douma's wings with his back arms but it did nothing. The shrine leader noticed that Nebulas was able to adapt to space's climate. Impressive as it was, it showed how dangerous a creature like Nebulas was with such adaptability.
At the speed Douma was traveling, he had already passed locations, planets, and stars that took years to reach from Earth. The storm was still ongoing and from the distant view, it was expanding, engulfing the universe in its glacial wrath.
Slowly, Douma started absorbing the storm. The surroundings around him were enveloped in treacherous winds and frost.
Nebulas widened his eyes and retaliated by flailing his arms around to fight Douma's hold as if he knew what the blonde was planning. "No I won't let you do this!"
There's no getting away Nebulas, not this time. It's over. Douma absorbed the storm at a faster rate, ignoring Nebulas' threats. It was too late for Nebulas and he probably knows that by now.
"Do you even know what I'm capable of doing? I'm surprised you still haven't grasped this yet. After this the next time we stumble upon each other, you won't even recognize me because-"
The thunderous sounds of the storm closing in left Nebulas in a state of inferiority. "Such blasphemy you can't even manage this storm... Why should I be afraid? It's not like you're getting anywhere." Even though it was clear that Nebulas was about to meet his demise he still tried to prove his confidence with insults that Douma paid no attention to, because there were really no other options for his opponent. The storm had already decided on its target and Nebulas was in its bounds of the deadly cold.