01.40 - The Heart of The Storm

The two Greater Sandstorm Elementals drew closer, while the Elder one followed Aer away from the group.

“Actually,” Luc hesitated for a few seconds before answering Esmeralda’s question, “why don’t we team up on this? It might save us some trouble.”

“Huh?” Esmeralda asked. “No longer starved for points?”

“How do you know about my…” Luc began to ask.

Esmeralda pointed towards their observer. “Remember, everything is live on the Wired. Well… not live, but we examiners get to watch the feeds without the one-hour delay.”

“Oh… Right,” Luc said. “Anyway, black hair…” He paused to think, then remembered his name. “Zafiro, and you, have some protection against the wind and debris. We’ve got my projectiles and Ga… Heison’s mobility. We lack protection, you lack range. We should take them out without wasting resources. Mission first.”

“Mission first, huh?” Esmeralda asked. “I like your priorities. You coordinate the group. I’ll only interfere if I deem it necessary. Let’s take care of those two Greater Sandstorm Elementals.”

“Great,” Luc said. “We’ll deal with the close one first. Everyone, follow my lead. Weir… Electra and her group will deal with the remaining Lesser Sand Elementals and protect the wounded. The rest will join the attack force and take care of the sandstorms ahead.”

The winds began to increase in speed as the first Greater Sandstorm Elemental almost reached the split-off attack force.

Luc dodged a wayward dried branch caught in the torrent as they got close.

Zafiro created a large forcefield around the whole group to protect them from the storm ahead. It kept the winds at bay and sheltered them from the stream of small sand particles that would normally chip away at anything and everything in their path.

A larger piece of debris hit the shields.

A second followed, almost shattering through.

“How long can you keep this up?” Luc asked.

“Without wasting too much Aura? A few dozen more seconds,” Zafiro said. “It’s not exactly a cheap effect to maintain. It consumes a lot of Aura, and the shields get weaker with each hit.”

The heart of the storm came into view as the chaos around them subsided. It was a weirdly calm environment, with winds rushing violently all around them, but the center remained in serene silence, with just a central core hovering lonely about ten meters above the group.

Luc took aim at the Core and accelerated a projectile toward it.

It collided violently, but it wasn't enough to sever it from the body or destroy the Core itself, only enough to make the Greater Sandstorm Elemental aware of the intruders.

The wind walls around them closed in.

“If you have another plan, you better hurry,” Esmeralda said.

“Just give me another second or two,” Luc said while channeling as much Aura as he could into a delayed explosion spell for his second projectile. “Whatever you do, don’t close the shield before I’m done, or I might blow us all up to the high heavens.”

“We might not have that much time,” Zafiro said while preparing another shield spell, already establishing a protective layer behind the group and slowly expanding it to the front as the wind currents closed in on them.

Luc accelerated the second projectile just before the shield closed in front of him.

The Aura-charged metal ball collided with the Greater Sandstorm Elemental’s Core. The following explosion violently ejected it from its place in the heart of the Elemental.

Slowly but surely, the winds around them dissipated, and most of the carried debris fell to the ground, except for a few parts that were picked up by the second Elemental’s air currents as it drew too close for comfort.

“I can’t keep this up for the second one,” Zafiro said with exhaustion in his voice.

“Change of plans then,” Luc said. “We need something or someone to get into the center for Heison to exchange my position with them. Can you keep the shields up for just yourself?”

“Maybe,” Zafiro said.

“No need to,” Rubi said. “I’ll do it. I can cut short distances through space.”

“Is that what you did when you suddenly appeared next to me during the match?” Luc asked.

“Guilty as charged,” Rubi said. “The other Elemental is about as big as the first one. I’ll cut through blind.”

“I’ll exchange your position with Luc’s right after,” Gabe said. “It’s a bit of a gamble, but it should work.”

The storm had almost reached them when Rubi disappeared from view and Luc began to charge his next explosive projectile.

A fraction of a second later, Luc was in the calm center of the second storm and took aim at its Core.

The aftermath of the explosion's blowback could be seen and heard outside.

The wind torrents slowly dissipated moments after.

Electra and her group joined them shortly after eliminating the last regular Sand Elementals.

“Good job,” Esmeralda said as she gave him a pat on the back. “Let’s collect the Cores and get going. Wanna join?”

“Get going where?” Luc asked.

“There are a couple more hotspots that sent a distress signal,” Esmeralda said.

“And the Elder Sandstorm Elemental that’s following Aer?” Luc asked.

“Wouldn’t worry about that one,” Esmeralda said. “He should be dealing with it any minute now. The intermediaries of the rulers are not to be taken lightly.”

In the far-off distance, Aer slowly ascended higher and higher, finally flying above the center of the Elder Sandstorm Elemental before diving right into its center.

Shortly after his speedy descent, the giant storm lost momentum, and Aer soared upward once more.