Chapter 76-The Tempest Unleashed

The winds howled through Wrynne, an unnatural storm that had caught the entire city off guard.

The sky was choked with swirling dark clouds, while flashes of lightning split the heavens, casting an eerie glow over the streets below. This was no ordinary storm-it was an omen, a harbinger of something far worse to come.

Elias stood at the edge of the city's open gates,

watching the storm rage beyond. It was unlike any natural disaster he had ever seen. The winds whipped through the air with a fury that threatened to tear apart anything in its path, and the ground trembled beneath his feet. There was an unmistakable sense of foreboding in the atmosphere, a feeling that something immense was about to break free.

He tightened his grip on the Divine Dagger, feeling the cold weight of it in his hand. He had been granted this weapon after his victory against Solmara, and though it had only been a short time since then, it had already proven to be a vital tool in his arsenal. Its piercing edge could cut through even the toughest of enemies, and it hummed with an energy that felt unlike anything he had encountered before.

Is this the calm before the storm?

He looked back at his companions-Althea and Lyra were by his side, their faces etched with concern. The storm outside mirrored the unease they all felt, though neither of then spoke of it directly. They had been through enough battles. to know when something was amiss, but they were not the only ones who sensed the shift in the air.

Suddenly, a loud crack of thunder rumbled across the sky, followed by a deep, resonant voice that echoed from the heart of the storm.

"You are Elias Vaelthorne..."

The voice was low, commanding, but there was something else in it-something old, something powerful, It carried the weight of an ancient force, and it sent a chill down Elias' spine..

Before he could react, the world around him seemed to warp. The very air shifted, and he found himself standing not on the streets of Wrynne, but in the heart of a vast, storm-lashed plain. The tempest still raged around him, its howling winds and crackling lightning flashing in every direction. And standing before him, illuminated by the blinding flashes of the storm, was a figure that Elias could not ignore.

A tall, imposing figure clad in dark, storm-forged armor. The figure's face was obscured by a helmet, but the aura of raw power that emanated from them was unmistakable.

"I am the one who has been watching," the voice rumbled again, sending another tremor through the ground. "And I have come to test you, Elias

Vaelthorne."

Elias instinctively gripped the Divine Dagger tighter, but he didn't make a move yet. This wasn't just a random enemy-it was a challenge. that the Trial had set in motion.

The figure stepped forward, raising one armored hand. As it did, the storm around them seemed to grow more violent, more focused. A bolt of lightning shot down from the sky, narrowly missing Elias as it struck the ground just in front of him, scorching the earth and sending a cloud of smoke into the air.

"I am no mere phantom. I am the manifestation

of the Trial's will, and I have come to see whether you are worthy of what lies beyond. You have overcome the gods within the Tower, Elias, but can you withstand the fury of the storm itself?"

The wind howled again, as if to answer the question for him. Elias could feel the tension

building in the air, the storm's energy rising with every passing second. He could sense that this was no ordinary battle-it was a test of his very

resolve.

"You stand alone against the storm, the figure. said, voice booming. "But your allies will not save you here."

Althea's voice cut through the chaos. "Elias-what is this?"

Elias turned to look at her and Lyra, Neither of them seemed to understand what was

happening, but both were ready for a fight. However, the storm seemed to be pushing them away, as if the very air itself was rejecting their presence.

"You cannot help me," Elias muttered under his breath. His eyes never left the armored figure, his heart pounding. "Stay back."

The figure's laugh echoed across the field, rich with dark amusement. "Very well. You will face this trial alone, then."

With a sudden, swift motion, the figure raised both hands to the sky. The storm seemed to answer its call, and the winds surged with an almost sentient fury. A swirling vortex of energy began to take form above the figure, a massive cyclone of lightning and wind that crackled with

divine power.

"Prepare yourself, Elias Vaelthorne," the figure intoned, voice tinged with menace. "The storm will test you in ways that no mere mortal can

endure."

Elias didn't hesitate. He was no stranger to danger. If this was another trial-another god trying to test his worth then he would face it head-on. He gripped the Divine Dagger, feeling its power surge through him, and took a step

forward.

The battle had begun.

The figure's hand shot forward, and a bolt of lightning crackled toward Elias at blinding

speed. Without thinking, he activated Phantom Step, flickering just out of the way as the bolt exploded behind him. He could feel the sheer

power of the strike even through his ethereal form, and it fueled his determination to push forward.

Before he could retaliate, the storm began to Intensify. Tornadoes of wind and rain began to spin around the figure, the sky above churning

with dark clouds that seemed to pulse with unearthly energy. The air was thick with static, and every movement Elias made felt like a struggle against the storm itself.

But Elias was not alone in this battle. The Divine Dagger's energy thrummed in his hand, responding to the fury of the tempest. With each

strike, his confidence grew, and the storm seemed to push back against him-just a little.

The figure raised its arm again, and a massive bolt of lightning shot down, aimed directly at Elias. This time, he was ready.

Divine Judgment.

Elias unleashed his power, and a wave of radiant energy erupted from his body, clashing with the bolt of lightning. The two forces collided in a blinding explosion of light and sound, and for a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath.

When the light cleared, Elias stood firm, the storm beginning to dissipate around him. The figure was still standing, but there was a flicker of uncertainty in its stance.

"You are stronger than I expected, Elias Vaelthorne," the figure said, voice tinged with respect. "But will you be strong enough to face what comes next?"

The winds howled again, and the storm intensified. Elias felt the storm's power pulling at him, trying to overwhelm him. The battle was far from over. He was facing a foe whose very essence was the storm itself-a being who could manipulate the forces of nature with a thought.

But Elias wasn't ready to give in.

With a determined look in his eyes, he lunged forward, the Divine Dagger gleaming in his hand. The storm crackled around him, but he didn't flinch. This was his moment-his test. He would not falter.

The storm was fierce, but Elias was fiercer.