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The ground trembled beneath their feet as the first of the statues lunged toward them. Its massive stone hand came crashing down with a speed that belied its size. Garak swung his sword up, the blade clanging against the stone like metal striking iron.
"*Damn!*" Garak grunted as he slid back a step, barely avoiding the crushing blow. "*These things are tougher than they look.*"
Lira wasted no time. With a flick of her wrist, she unleashed a bolt of lightning, the crackling energy arcing toward the statue. It struck the stone, sending sparks flying, but the creature barely flinched.
"*It's no use,*" she shouted. "*These things are resistant to magic! We need to hit them harder!*"
Kaelen felt the storm surging inside him again. The crystal in the center of the room was pulsing with a dark energy, feeding the statues, empowering them. But he couldn't give in—not yet. Not until they had a plan.
"*Garak, Lira, fall back!*" Kaelen ordered, his voice cutting through the chaos. "*Dorian, get ready to distract them!*"
Dorian, who had been lounging against the wall a moment ago, suddenly sprang into action. He dashed forward, drawing his twin daggers, his movements fluid and precise. The statues' attention shifted to him as he danced around their legs, nimbly avoiding their attacks with the grace of a seasoned fighter.
"*Hey, over here, you oversized rockheads!*" Dorian taunted, drawing their attention away from Kaelen and the others.
Kaelen moved swiftly, his eyes locked on the crystal. He could feel the storm inside him pushing harder, but he fought it down, focusing instead on the task at hand. He wasn't going to let the storm control him—he needed to control the storm.
With a deep breath, Kaelen summoned the power he had so carefully cultivated over the past weeks. The anger he had absorbed from every battle, every encounter, all of it was here, waiting to be unleashed. He could feel the energy crackling around him as he called it forth, drawing on the deep well of rage and frustration that had built up over time.
A glowing aura surrounded Kaelen, his eyes flickering with a dangerous intensity. The storm inside him was still there, but now, it was his to command. His power surged outward, rippling through the room, the air thick with the heat of his anger.
"*Now!*" Kaelen shouted, his voice laced with power.
With a single motion, Kaelen released the gathered energy in a massive shockwave, the force of it slamming into the nearest statue. The stone creature staggered back, its cracked form groaning under the weight of the blast. It wasn't enough to destroy it, but it certainly weakened it.
The statues, their movements jerky and erratic, turned to face Kaelen. Their eyes glowed with the same dark energy that emanated from the crystal, but now, something else was happening. Kaelen could feel it—the energy from the crystal was being redirected, drawn to him.
"*It's feeding off me!*" Kaelen growled, as the storm inside him fought to take control. The pull was getting stronger, but this time, he was ready.
Lira stepped forward, her hands raised. "*Kaelen, don't—!*"
But it was too late. The storm, no longer a mere flicker of energy inside him, began to swell, rising with a fury that Kaelen had never felt before. The power was intoxicating, like fire rushing through his veins, overwhelming every sense.
He could feel his body shaking, his vision narrowing. The storm was alive, a part of him, and yet it was something else entirely. He was no longer sure where he ended and the storm began.
"*I can do this,*" Kaelen muttered to himself, clenching his fists. "*I won't let it consume me.*"
The statues were closing in, but Kaelen barely noticed. His mind was focused on the storm, on the power building inside him. He could hear the crystal's call, could feel it beckoning him closer.
"*Kaelen!*" Lira's voice was sharp, filled with warning.
But Kaelen didn't listen. Instead, he turned to face the crystal once more. With each step, the storm inside him flared, growing stronger, more uncontrollable. His vision blurred, and all he could think about was reaching the crystal, absorbing its power, finally mastering the storm that had haunted him since the moment he had first felt its touch.
"*Stop him!*" Garak shouted, rushing forward, but the statues had already surrounded them.
The massive stone figures swung their fists, but Kaelen didn't flinch. He raised his hand, the storm bursting from him in a violent wave. The statues recoiled, but the energy surged past them, heading straight for the pedestal.
The crystal pulsed, its dark tendrils of energy wrapping around Kaelen like chains. His body jerked, caught in the grip of the power he had so desperately sought to control. For a moment, it felt as if his very soul was being torn apart, but then, something changed.
Instead of being consumed, Kaelen absorbed the energy. The storm inside him erupted in a blaze of light, brighter than the sun, filling the room with a deafening roar.
"*Kaelen!*" Lira cried, her voice filled with fear. "*What's happening to him?*"
Kaelen's mind was a blur. The storm, the crystal, the temple—it all seemed to merge into one single, overwhelming force. He could feel the darkness within him, pushing, pulling, trying to take control. But Kaelen fought back, his will stronger than ever.
In that moment, he realized the truth. The storm was not just a part of him—it was a manifestation of his desires, his anger, his power. He wasn't merely controlling it; he was becoming it.
The crystal shattered with a deafening crack, its dark energy dissipating into the air. The statues froze, their forms crumbling to dust.
Kaelen stood there, panting, sweat dripping from his forehead. The storm inside him had quieted, but it was still there, lurking, waiting.
"*Is it over?*" Dorian asked, his voice uncertain.
Kaelen didn't answer. He could feel the weight of the storm, still present, still threatening to take over. But for now, he had won the battle.
But at what cost?
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