--
The force of Kaelen's attack exploded outward, a surge of dark energy so powerful it seemed to warp the very fabric of reality around him. The storm itself shrieked, its winds howling in protest as the concentrated power tore through the air. The entity that had been manipulating the storm recoiled, its form flickering wildly as Kaelen's energy slammed into it.
But the creature did not die. Instead, it absorbed the attack, its body contorting as it consumed Kaelen's wrath like a feast. For a moment, Kaelen felt a wave of dread. The creature was too strong. It was made of the storm, and the storm was its lifeblood.
"You can't defeat me, Kaelen," the creature crooned, its voice slithering through Kaelen's mind like a whisper in the dark. "I am eternal. You are nothing but a fleeting spark, a speck of dust in the face of eternity."
Kaelen gritted his teeth. "I'm not alone anymore," he said, his voice firm despite the storm's weight bearing down on him. "I've fought alone long enough. You won't break me, and you won't break them."
The winds howled again, a roar of fury as Kaelen felt the storm's grip tighten. But there was something new—something different. He could feel his power shifting, expanding. The storm that had once been his enemy, the force that had been trying to control him, now seemed to be responding to him. It was as though the storm recognized him now. It was his power, not the creature's.
And with that realization came the rush of understanding. The storm wasn't just his burden. It was his strength. The creature had tried to use it, tried to turn it against him. But Kaelen had learned to control it. To wield it.
The winds shifted again, this time in Kaelen's favor. His power surged, more intense than ever before. The ground trembled beneath him as he raised his hand, the storm's energy swirling around him like a vortex of raw might.
The creature screeched, its form warping as it tried to pull away from the storm's power, but it was too late. Kaelen's eyes blazed with fury, and with a single, focused strike, he released everything he had. The ball of dark energy he conjured was not just an attack—it was the culmination of all his anger, all his power, all his fury. It was the storm itself.
The creature howled as the attack slammed into it, the energy ripping through its form, tearing apart the very essence of the being. The storm twisted in agony as the entity's power shattered, its control over the tempest breaking in an instant.
Kaelen stood there, his breath coming in ragged gasps, his body drenched in sweat. The winds began to die down, the storm weakening with each passing second. The creatures that had been summoned by the storm's will dissolved, fading back into nothingness.
It was over.
---
"Did you... do it?" Lira's voice echoed from behind him, filled with uncertainty but hope. Kaelen turned to see her, Garak, and the others emerging from the remnants of the battlefield, their expressions a mix of exhaustion and disbelief.
Kaelen nodded, his voice hoarse. "It's over. The storm is done."
The army had won the battle, but the cost had been steep. Many lives had been lost in the struggle against the storm's creatures, and the land around them was scarred by the battle. But the storm's presence was gone, and the world seemed to breathe easier.
Kaelen's legs buckled beneath him, the strain of the battle and his powers finally catching up with him. Lira was at his side in an instant, her hand supporting him as he collapsed to one knee.
"You pushed yourself too far," Lira said softly, her concern clear in her eyes. "You need to rest."
Kaelen shook his head weakly. "I'll be fine. I... I just need a moment."
But as he caught his breath, a strange sensation washed over him. It wasn't pain—it was something else. A sensation of wrongness, as if the very fabric of reality itself had shifted.
Before he could speak, Garak's voice called out urgently from the edge of the battlefield. "Kaelen! Look!"
Kaelen's eyes darted toward the horizon. There, just beyond the ruined landscape, a strange light flickered. At first, it seemed like a flicker of lightning, but then it grew brighter, more intense, until it illuminated the entire sky in an otherworldly glow.
The ground beneath them trembled again, and Kaelen felt a deep, gnawing sense of unease. Something was wrong. This wasn't part of the plan.
"What's happening?" Kaelen whispered, standing up despite the dizziness that threatened to overwhelm him.
The light in the sky grew stronger, and a voice, distant yet clear, echoed in Kaelen's mind.
*It was not meant to end this way.*
---