The Prototype

Chapter 24

The winds howled around them, a cacophony of chaos and violence that made it hard to think, hard to breathe. The storm Maia had unleashed was relentless, a swirling vortex of dark energy that seemed to tear the very fabric of reality. It was as if the world itself was holding its breath, teetering on the edge of destruction.

Ethan's heart pounded in his chest as he wiped the sweat from his brow, his hand still burning from the contact with the prototype. The pain was a constant, but it was nothing compared to the weight of what was happening before them. Maia, still suspended in the air, was completely consumed by her power, her eyes glowing with an unnatural light. She had become something else—something they couldn't control.

"Ethan," Solace whispered, her voice barely audible over the winds. "We have to stop her. She's not going to stop until everything's destroyed."

Ethan nodded grimly, his eyes scanning the skies for any sign of weakness. Every instinct told him that Maia was beyond reason now—that this wasn't just anger driving her, but something darker, deeper. The prototype, the energy coursing through her, had consumed her completely. But he couldn't stop. Not now.

"She won't stop," Ethan said, his voice hoarse. "But we have to keep trying. We can't let this go on any longer."

Behind them, the countdown on their watches continued its cruel march. Ten minutes. The ticking clock was a constant reminder that every second they wasted, Maia's grip on reality tightened. They were running out of time—time they didn't have.

Maia's voice sliced through the storm, shrill with fury. "You think you can stop me? You think you can save her?" She flicked a wrist, and the dark tendrils of energy crackled outward, sending a shockwave that knocked Ethan off his feet. "This is beyond saving. I am the storm now."

Ethan scrambled back to his feet, his body sore from the impact. He could feel the weight of Maia's words—she had already given herself over to the darkness, and every word that came from her now was laced with venom. Yet, beneath that anger, there was something familiar, something that tugged at his heart. He could see the Maia he once knew still fighting beneath the surface, but the force of her wrath was too great.

"We'll see about that," Ethan muttered through gritted teeth, his eyes narrowing.

At his side, Rowan and Nathan were already preparing to engage. They hovered slightly above the ground, their levitation devices keeping them afloat, each of them watching Maia with focused intensity. Their own watches ticked on, counting down the final moments, but it was clear none of them would back down.

"Get ready," Rowan called out, voice strained. "We need to hit her all at once, catch her off guard. If we can disrupt the flow of energy, maybe we can break the hold she has on the prototype."

But even as he spoke, Maia's energy flared, and another pulse of dark power sent them scattering. The blast knocked Nathan back a few feet, but he quickly recovered, determination hardening his expression. The sky above them darkened even further, the air growing thicker with energy.

Ethan's hand trembled as he gripped the prototype piece that Maia had once worn, but now it lay in pieces in his bag. The pieces were all glowing softly, but their energy had been fractured. He knew that if he could somehow piece them together, they might have a chance at disrupting the chaos Maia had unleashed. But every second spent thinking, every moment of hesitation, brought them closer to failure.

"Ethan, the clock," Solace urged, her voice full of desperation. "We don't have much time left. We need to act, now!"

Ethan's eyes flickered to his watch. The countdown was nearing the end—the final five minutes. No more time for hesitation.

He turned back to the group, voice tight. "We need to pull her down. If we can break through the prototype's energy, we can weaken her. It's the only shot we have left."

Rowan grinned despite the danger. "You know, I was hoping we could just talk this out over tea and biscuits."

Ethan shot him a sharp look. "Not the time, Rowan."

"Just saying," Rowan shrugged with a half-smile, trying to lighten the mood. "Could be worse, right? Could be stuck in a tunnel with no snacks."

But the humor was short-lived. The ground trembled beneath their feet as Maia's fury grew. She snapped her head in their direction, her eyes glowing with an unholy fire, and the storm around them pulsed violently.

"No more talking!" she screamed. "You've wasted enough of my time."

With a violent movement, she sent a wave of dark energy surging towards them. The blast hit like a freight train, and Ethan found himself flung backward, his body crashing into a nearby tree. He gasped as the air left his lungs, pain radiating through his chest. He barely managed to keep his footing as the wind picked up again, pulling at his hair, his clothes.

"Ethan!" Solace shouted, her voice full of panic.

"I'm fine," Ethan muttered, struggling to stand. His vision blurred, but he pushed through it. He couldn't afford to lose focus now.

Rowan and Nathan charged at Maia once more, their bodies soaring through the air as they launched their own attack. Energy crackled from their levitation devices, amplifying the force of their blows. But Maia was too fast. She blocked every attack with ease, her control over the storm growing stronger by the second.

"She's unbeatable," Nathan gritted out, his voice tight with frustration. "We can't get close enough to land a blow."

Ethan's heart thundered as he looked at Solace. She was standing by, her face pale with worry, but something in her eyes had changed. There was a newfound resolve in her expression. She knew—just like he did—that they had no choice but to keep going.

"This isn't over," Ethan said firmly, rising to his feet again, his determination making him stand taller. He glanced at the bag containing the prototype pieces. "We still have one chance. If I can get those pieces back together..."

Solace nodded. "I'll help you."

They moved quickly, their eyes on Maia as she hovered above them. The storm around her had reached a deafening crescendo, and the pressure in the air was so thick it felt like they were drowning. But Ethan focused on the fragments in the bag, gathering them into his hands. His heart raced as he felt the pieces pull together, the surge of energy from the prototype pieces overwhelming him.

"Ethan," Solace urged, her voice tight with fear. "You need to do this quickly. We don't have much time."

Ethan nodded, his hands trembling as he tried to connect the pieces, but every time he got close, a shockwave of dark energy from Maia hit him, pushing him back. Sweat poured down his face, his body shaking with the force of it.

Suddenly, as if in slow motion, the prototype pieces clicked together, a pulse of energy flashing between his hands. The storm above Maia flickered for a split second, a weak spot in the storm opening up. This was their chance.

"Rowan, Nathan!" Ethan shouted. "Now! We have one shot!"

Both Rowan and Nathan immediately responded. They darted through the air toward Maia, both of them launching everything they had at her. They tried to focus the power of their attacks into a concentrated burst, aiming at the weak point that Ethan had uncovered.

The energy from the prototype reacted, sending a pulse of light through the storm. But Maia was fast, and before their combined attacks could land, she shielded herself with a powerful burst of dark energy. Her eyes burned with anger.

"Enough!" she screamed, and the ground beneath them trembled as a final, destructive wave of energy exploded outward.

Everything around them went white.