CHAPTER 1132: TWO OF THEM

The storm howled again above the shattered facility and swallowed every sound of people beneath its monstrous roar.

Lightning still coiled restlessly around the being’s body, flickering and writhing, but his movements were uneven and disoriented in the air.

The rain poured even harder, drenching the ground even more, and flashes from the sky around him painted his face in haunting white.

His breath came out ragged. Strange steam started to rise from his wounds as smoke curled from his chest.

Far below, the soldiers on the rooftop slowly lifted their heads. Their ears rang from the thunder. Their weapons trembled in their hands.

The air stank of ozone and burnt metal from their rifles. Sparks sputtered from the destroyed antennae and one of the generators on the east side of the building erupted in a burst of flame.

The captain staggered to his feet in soaked and trembling state, trying to regain his balance.

"Is everyone still alive?" he shouted, his voice hoarse from the ringing in his ears.

A few muffled replies came through the storm. Most of the men were shaken, but they were still alive. Miraculously.

He looked up again, squinting through the downpour to the floating figure.

The thing had not moved since the last strike. It simply hung there, suspended between sky and earth. Its glowing eyes now were dim.

Inside the command room, the atmosphere was tense. The lights flickered, the floor vibrated every time thunder struck nearby.

Adrien stood over the console. His eyes fixed on the screen filled with static and distorted images.

"Status on the target?" he demanded.

"He was still airborne, sir," an operator replied nervously. "Energy levels are... fluctuating. I—I think it looks unstable."

Adrien’s hand clenched around the table’s edge. "You sure he is unstable?"

No one answered. The room fell silent.

Out in the sky, the being suddenly let out a low growl that rumbled like thunder. He turned his head slightly as if hearing voices whispering in the void between his mind and the being that awakened and summoned him here.

The memories of where he came from flickered faintly in his fractured consciousness. He saw Fire. Chaos. Light. A battle long past. Then, silence again.

He felt something like a pulse inside him stir. He remembers the memory of his own name but it slipped away before he could grasp it.

Another surge of electricity burst from his chest. It was unintentional but still ferocious.

The storm responded instantly. The clouds swirling faster and lightning dancing madly. It was as if the sky itself feared him.

"The energy from that being surge again, sir!" the operator shouted. "It’s climbing fast!"

Another bolt split the air and struck the western sector of the facility.

BOOM!

A fuel tank exploded, sending a wave of heat across the compound. More alarms wailed.

Adrien slammed his fist on the table. "Shut down all electrical circuits! Isolate the main power grid before he destroys everything!"

Technicians rushed to comply, their fingers flying over the panels. One after another sections of the base went dark, leaving only the emergency red lights glowing faintly in the storm’s gloom.

Adrien leaned closer to the monitor, his reflection flickering over the distorted image. The drone’s feed shook from the interference but they still can see the figure was still floating amidst the roaring clouds.

His body swayed in the direction of the wind like a puppet with loose strings. His limbs move without clear control. Lightning still danced around him, but they looked weaker now.

Billy stood beside Adrien, his brows furrowed.

"He really looks unstable, captain. Just like the operator said," he muttered. "He’s swaying almost like he’s drunk or something. Why is it acting like that, Captain?"

Adrien didn’t answer right away. His eyes narrowed and it seemed like he was studying every twitch flicker of light around the being’s form.

"I don’t know," he said finally, his tone low. "But maybe this is our chance." He turned toward Billy, his expression hardening. "We need to attack it now, Brook."

Billy blinked. "We? Both of us?"

"Of course," Adrien replied sharply. "You saw it yourself. Those bullets aren’t doing anything to him. If we leave it to them, this thing will regain full consciousness and then we could be done for."

Billy hesitated only a second before his usual grin returned, though there was tension behind it.

"Alright," he said, nodding firmly. "Okay, I’m in."

Adrien gave a single nod of approval before turning to Jessica. She was standing at the other side of the command room, headset still on, her eyes darting between the monitors and the two of them.

"Jessica," Adrien said, his voice steady. "You’re in charge here until we get back. Keep the operators focused on monitoring energy levels. If he starts moving again, you call me immediately."

Jessica looked at both men, realizing what they were about to do. Her lips pressed together for a moment before she nodded.

"Understood, Captain." Her gaze lingered on them for a brief second longer, and she added quietly, "Be careful out there."

Billy gave her a reassuring smile. Adrien grabbed his long rifle from the chair and threw it over his shoulder. His expression was hard and his eyes burning with purpose.

Without another word, the two men who already have their Magic power attuned to their body turned and walked out of the control room.

The heavy metal door slid open with a hiss, letting in the cold wind and faint rumbles of thunder from outside.

As they stepped into the corridor, the red emergency lights bathed them in a dim glow. Their steady and synchronized footsteps echoed through the narrow hall. The soldiers looked at them and the air thick with anticipation.

Behind them, Jessica turned back to the monitors. The figure in the sky was still there swaying and flickering.

She let out a shaky breath and can only hope that everything will be alright. Even though they were now fighting a mysterious powerful being with Magic power.

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