The wind screamed.
Not just a storm. Not just lightning.
A tempest of power—ancient, violent, and alive—raged across the jagged peaks of the Stormveil domain.
From above, it looked like a world in motion. Below, rivers of lightning arced across the cliffs, striking jagged spires of rock that rose like teeth from the earth.
This was no ordinary territory.
This was a testing ground.
A proving ground.
And now, it was the stage for the next Axis relic.
Arrival
Cael landed lightly atop a frozen cliff, crimson threads wrapping around his body to stabilize against the gale.
Selina followed, her frost aura flickering as it mingled with the storm.
Stormveil landed last, lightning crackling from his arms, seeming to integrate with the storm itself.
Kaelith's shadows stretched behind him, anchoring them all.
Valerius hovered nearby, controlled, calm.
The relic point glowed ahead—pulsing violently, reacting to the approaching Axis.
"This is not going to be simple," Stormveil muttered, surveying the chaos.
"I expected no less," Cael replied.
Selina shivered slightly—not from cold, but from the intensity of the energy radiating from the relic point.
The Faction Ahead
As they approached the central plateau, shadows began moving against the storm.
Not random. Not natural.
Organized.
Strategic.
A group of figures, clad in dark armor with crimson insignias, emerged from the misty lightning.
"They've been waiting," Kaelith said.
The leader stepped forward.
Tall, broad-shouldered, eyes glowing faint red.
The descendant of the Crimson Order—the betrayer's line—had arrived.
"You're late," he sneered. "I thought I'd have the relic to myself before the Axis even realized it existed."
Stormveil growled.
"This isn't your storm!"
The Crimson descendant smirked.
"It's always been mine."
The Race Begins
No further words were necessary.
The relic pulsed aggressively.
Lightning arced. The wind howled.
Cael's crimson threads extended ahead, sensing instability in the terrain.
Selina's ice intertwined, stabilizing surfaces for safe passage.
Stormveil charged forward, lightning surging, every strike clearing obstacles in their path.
The Crimson descendant moved like a shadow within the storm, weaving between lightning and wind effortlessly.
Kaelith's shadows danced, blocking attacks, cutting pathways, assisting the group's advance.
The relic's pulse increased—reacting to each participant.
It was alive. Testing them. Measuring strength.
First Clash
A jagged bolt of lightning suddenly struck near the Crimson descendant.
He barely dodged, only to counterstrike with a blade that glowed with corrupted crimson energy.
Cael's threads intercepted, redirecting the attack harmlessly toward the cliffside.
The impact shattered rocks and sent debris flying in all directions.
"Persistent," the Crimson descendant hissed.
"Efficient," Cael replied calmly.
The storm seemed to respond to their clash—wind gusts twisting with each movement, lightning striking unpredictably.
Selina raised her hand, firing a shard of concentrated frost.
The descendant laughed, deflecting it with his blade.
"Cute," he mocked. "But the storm belongs to me."
Tactical Movement
Cael paused, scanning the battlefield with absolute precision.
His threads now not only stabilizing the terrain—they formed intricate pathways above the storm's chaos, allowing the group to move safely.
Stormveil jumped ahead, clearing obstacles with controlled lightning bursts.
Kaelith followed, shadows wrapping and extending, creating moving barriers.
Selina stayed close to Cael, her ice now interacting with his threads to form dynamic bridges over jagged peaks.
The Crimson descendant scowled.
"How is a junior able to move so efficiently?" he spat.
Cael's crimson threads rippled.
"I'm not a junior," he said.
"Not in this field."
First Relic Obstacle
They reached a cliff directly beneath the relic's pulsing location.
But the cliff itself seemed alive. Rocks levitated, jagged edges shifting positions with every pulse.
The storm itself had become an obstacle.
"The relic is testing us," Kaelith observed.
Valerius nodded.
"Yes. It will not simply be claimed. This is an exercise of skill, strategy, and control."
The Crimson descendant's followers formed a wall, preparing to assault them.
The relic's pulse intensified, and the wind whipped harder, carrying an unmistakable sense of urgency.
Momentum
Cael's threads surged.
Not attacking.
Not defending.
Guiding.
Channels opened in the storm—safe pathways formed. Frost merged with crimson to create stable platforms over lightning-struck cliffs.
Selina's aura amplified the effect.
Stormveil and Kaelith pushed forward, using the pathways to outmaneuver the enemy.
The Crimson descendant frowned.
He had underestimated them.