The group approached the second base under the cover of darkness, the moonlight casting eerie shadows on the towering stone walls. This was the larger base Ezra had scouted earlier, with its watchtowers and runed spears marking it as a more fortified stronghold. Storm stayed back, rifle in hand, ready to provide cover fire if needed.
Korr rolled his shoulders, his massive frame tensing with anticipation as he turned to Ezra. "You sure about this? Punching a hole in a stone wall might be overkill."
Ezra smirked. "Overkill is the point. We make an entrance so loud they don't know what hit them. Then we mop up before reinforcements have time to react."
Korr grinned, his gauntlets gleaming in the dim light. "Fine by me. Just make sure you keep up."
With that, Korr stepped forward, his muscles bulging as he focused his Aether into his fists. The energy crackled, visible tendrils of force wrapping around his gauntlets. He reeled back and unleashed a thunderous punch against the wall. The stone groaned under the impact before shattering into a cascade of rubble, dust billowing into the air as an entire section of the wall crumbled.
The cultists inside turned, their faces a mix of confusion and terror as Korr and Ezra stormed through the debris. "Let's clean house!" Ezra shouted, drawing his blade, the dark Aether wrapping around it like smoke.
Korr led the charge, his gauntlets glowing with power. The first cultist to step forward was met with a devastating uppercut that sent him flying into a nearby wall, leaving a deep crater on impact. Another cultist lunged at Korr with a blade, but he caught the weapon mid-swing with his bare hand, snapping it in half before delivering a bone-crushing punch to the attacker's chest.
Ezra darted around Korr, a blur of speed and precision. His sword slashed through the air, sending arcs of shadow-infused energy at groups of enemies. The Aether blades sliced through armor as if it were paper, cutting down cultists before they could organize a counterattack.
One of the guards, wielding a spear with runes glowing faintly, tried to flank Ezra. But Ezra was quicker, pivoting on his heel and launching a crescent-shaped Aether slash that cleaved the spear in two and left the guard sprawling on the ground.
A group of cultists charged at Korr with desperation, weapons raised, but it was futile. He roared, slamming his fists into the ground. The resulting shockwave knocked the cultists off their feet, leaving them vulnerable as Ezra darted through the chaos, finishing them with swift, calculated strikes.
Storm, from his vantage point outside, picked off anyone attempting to flee. Each shot was precise, freezing cultists in their tracks as Aether bullets turned their limbs into brittle ice.
Within minutes, the base was silent save for the groans of the injured and the faint crackling of ice. Korr dusted off his gauntlets, stepping over the unconscious body of a particularly large cultist he had knocked out cold. "That was fun. Didn't even break a sweat."
Ezra wiped the blood from his blade, his eyes scanning the base for anything of value. "They didn't stand a chance. But let's not get cocky. Search for supplies and intel. We still have two more bases to deal with, and I doubt they'll go down this easily."
Storm jogged up to join them, rifle resting on his shoulder. "Next time, let me know before you start punching walls. That was a bit… dramatic."
Korr smirked. "You're just jealous you didn't get to make the entrance."
Storm rolled his eyes but grinned despite himself. "Yeah, yeah. Let's hurry up. I have a bad feeling about the last base."
The group set to work, quickly combing through the wreckage for anything useful before preparing to move on to their next target.
As the group prepared to leave, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from the main building. A man emerged, Aether swirling around him like a storm, the energy crackling in the air. His imposing figure and the sheer intensity of his aura made it clear he was no ordinary cultist.
Ezra instinctively stepped forward, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. But before he could act, Korr placed a massive hand on his shoulder, stopping him. "I got this one, boss. Save your strength for the last base."
Ezra hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Don't hold back. Make it quick."
Korr grinned, stepping forward to meet the man, his towering frame growing even larger as he channeled his Aether. His muscles bulged, and his gauntlets glowed brighter, the raw energy radiating from him making the ground beneath him tremble. By the time he stopped growing, Korr stood nearly eight feet tall, an unstoppable force ready for battle.
The cultist sneered, gripping a staff adorned with glowing runes. "You think brute strength alone will save you? I'll show you the power of true Aether mastery."
Korr smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Talk's cheap. Let's see what you've got."
The cultist raised his staff, a torrent of fire erupting from its tip, surging toward Korr like a living serpent. But Korr didn't flinch. He slammed his gauntlets together, creating a shockwave that disrupted the flames, sending embers scattering harmlessly into the air.
Before the cultist could react, Korr charged forward with surprising speed for someone his size. His first punch collided with the man's staff, shattering it into splinters. The cultist stumbled back, eyes wide with shock, but quickly retaliated, summoning jagged spikes of earth to erupt from the ground.
Korr leapt into the air, avoiding the spikes entirely, and came down with a devastating overhead punch. The impact sent the cultist sprawling, a crater forming beneath him. The man groaned, trying to summon more Aether, but Korr didn't give him the chance.
Grabbing the cultist by the collar, Korr lifted him effortlessly into the air. "You're done," he growled, slamming the man into the ground with bone-shaking force. The cultist's Aether flared weakly for a moment before flickering out entirely.
Korr stood over the defeated man, brushing dust off his gauntlets. He turned back to the group, his size gradually returning to normal. "Told you I had it handled."
Ezra crossed his arms, a faint smirk on his face. "Not bad. Remind me not to get on your bad side."
Storm gave a low whistle. "You could've left some of him intact for questioning, you know."
Korr shrugged. "If he wanted to talk, he wouldn't have come out swinging. Let's move. The last base won't wait for us."
The group nodded, leaving the unconscious cultist in the rubble as they prepared for their next siege.