Chapter 336: The storm

To an untrained eye, the scene appeared unremarkable. A casual observer would notice nothing amiss, except for the occasional gusts of wind that seemed to materialize and vanish unpredictably. The grassland stretched out peacefully, adorned by a winding road that meandered into the distance, leading to a forest on the horizon.

To me, however, the scene that extended before me was anything but normal. As my trained eyes surveyed the unfolding scene, a deep sense of unease settled within me. What lay before me was far from the ordinary. The sky was marred by a turbulent maelstrom of swirling mana, invisible to the uninitiated. The elements clashed and coalesced, forming an intricate dance of unseen forces. It was an unsettling sight, for the expected abundance of earth mana was replaced by a chaotic mix of wind and water elements. The balance had been disrupted, and the disarray spoke of unnatural interference.

While Breta lacked the same level of perception as me, she could sense the underlying disturbance in the mana. The unease mirrored in her expression indicated her recognition of the abnormality. As for the minor deities, their senses were attuned enough to detect that something was awry, yet they remained unaware of the full extent of the disruption.

"Is it here?" Zeph's voice was barely a murmur as he voiced his uncertainty.

"I can feel that something is not right, but I'm not sure," Serenia, acknowledging the disturbance in the mana, expressed her own uncertainty regarding the source of the anomaly.

Ravensong, the bird-like deity, remained silent throughout, his expression inscrutable and his thoughts undisclosed.

Breta turned to me with a question, her voice filled with concern. "How do you want to handle this?"

I took a moment to assess the situation, my brows furrowing in thought. Finally, I replied in a serious tone, "It seems like the elements have become tangled together because of something, and can't disperse properly. I'll try to figure out what's causing it, but I'll need you guys to protect the surroundings. Untangling the mana could have some unpredictable consequences."

Breta nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Alright, don't worry about it."

"Then I'll head out first," I declared, wasting no time. With a powerful sweep of my large wings, I propelled myself towards the eye of the storm, where the density of mana was at its peak. The turbulent winds whipped around me as I ventured deeper into the chaotic tempest.

While others might have experienced a subtle increase in mana density as they approached the eye of the storm, I, with my heightened sensitivity to mana, felt a profound discomfort. My entire body trembled, every fiber of my being protesting against the abnormality. It was as if all my senses were collectively shouting that something was terribly amiss.

As I soared through the air, I reached out to the water elements I encountered, attempting to guide them. Most of them responded to my presence, their movement influenced by my energy. However, a fraction of the elements seemed to be locked in place, struggling against an unseen force that prevented their natural flow.

As I ventured deeper into the storm, an unsettling realization dawned upon me: there was no discernible presence other than the elements themselves. No malicious entity or external force seemed to be causing the disturbance. I furrowed my brows, my focus intensifying as I navigated through the chaotic currents.

The closer I approached the storm's core, the more resistant the elements became. It was as if an invisible force was obstructing their natural flow, making it increasingly challenging for me to control them. With a determined frown, I relied on my instincts and honed my gaze, scanning the area for any signs or clues that could explain the problem. Meanwhile, the frenzied elements continued their wild dance around me.

As I delved deeper into the storm, my instincts led me to the very heart of the disturbance. With a mixture of shock and concern, I came face to face with a colossal wind element. It exerted a gravitational force that drew the other elements toward it, creating an unnatural imbalance. But what truly alarmed me was the sight of another massive water element intermingled with the wind.

As I floated in the air, my eyes widened, and my frown deepened in response to the unsettling scene unfolding before me. The fusion of the wind and water elements was highly irregular, and it became evident that this union was not the result of a natural occurrence. It seemed as though some external force had attracted these elements to each other, but their fusion had reached a stalemate, unable to fully manifest. This discordant fusion had a profound impact on the surrounding mana, creating an imbalance that permeated the entire area.

As I observed the unsuccessful fusion of the elements, a thought crossed my mind. 'Is this the aftermath of the battle they mentioned?' The signs certainly pointed in that direction.

Determined to rectify the situation, I made the decision to intervene. Separating the wind and water elements seemed like the most logical approach. While my control over the wind element was non-existent, I still retained some influence over the water elements. It was my hope that by manipulating the water, I could successfully disentangle it from the wind element, restoring balance to the area.

With caution, I extended my influence towards the colossal water element, hoping to establish a connection and convey my intentions. As I made contact, a stirring reaction emanated from the element, but it remained unyielding.

However, the moment I attempted to communicate with the water element, a disturbance seemed to ripple through the wind element. It responded with increased turbulence, causing powerful gusts to sweep through the grassland below, unsettling the surroundings.

"Ah, this doesn't look good," I muttered, sensing the the growing instability of the situation.

Breta, Serenia, Zeph, and Ravensong swiftly detected the shift in the atmosphere, their divine senses attuned to the disturbance. Reacting swiftly, they summoned their divine shields, forming protective barriers to safeguard the land and avert any potential havoc caused by the unleashed power of the wind element.

Undeterred by the chaotic winds, I focused my attention solely on the water element, determined to separate it from the wind. Ignoring the gusts that buffeted me, I persisted in my attempts to manipulate the water element, refusing to let its stubbornness deter me.

'Damn it, stop being so stubborn and listen to me!' I inwardly cursed. Frustration welled up within me as the water element continued to resist my attempts. With each resistance, the wind element grew more agitated, unleashing a stronger backlash of winds. It was an infuriating cycle, but I refused to give up. The more the water element stubbornly held its ground, the harder I pushed against its resistance, determined to bring about a resolution.