Suddenly the clear skies darkened with alarming speed, as if the sun itself had been swallowed whole. In the span of a heartbeat, towering storm clouds gathered. The air thickened with tension, and the first crack of thunder shattered the stillness.
With a powerful burst of wind, Elias shot into the sky, his destination: the golem's core.
"After him!" The leader of the Aarakocra ordered, "We cannot let him get to the core,"
Following their leader's orders, the Aarakocra immediately accelerated, zooming after Elias.
The wind roared in Elias's ears as he soared through the storm-ridden skies, his robes whipped violently around him. Above him loomed the Golem, its massive head shrouded in now darkened clouds, the core of its power hidden deep within.
The titanic being moved slowly, each ponderous step sending shockwaves through the air, but Elias could feel its powerful energy pulling him closer—a silent invitation to claim it
But the path was far from clear.
A screech cut through the thunderous sky, and Elias's heart skipped a beat. He twisted in the air just in time to see the group of Skyborne Aarakocra diving towards him, their feathers glistened like steel in the lightning-lit darkness. Their eyes blazed with fury, and their talons gleamed, poised to tear him from the sky.
Elias dipped into a steep dive, narrowly evading the first barrage of arrows that whistled past his head. He could feel the heat of their magic-infused tips as they streaked by, slicing through the storm clouds. The Aarakocras were fast—too fast—but Elias was not about to relent, he wanted that golem by all means. He had to reach the core. He had to touch it, to bind the Golem to his will.
With a surge of power, Elias propelled himself upward, arcing around a spire of jagged stone that jutted out from the titan's shoulder. The Aarakocras shrieked in frustration, their wings beating furiously as they circled, tightening their formation. They moved like a well-practiced storm, their tactics as relentless as the wind they dominated
For a brief moment, everything went silent. The storm, the wind, the cries of the Aarakocras—all of it vanished, swallowed by the overwhelming surge of power that flooded through Elias's body. It was like touching the heart of the world itself, a connection so profound that it left him breathless.
The Golem shuddered beneath him, and for an instant, Elias felt its consciousness brush against his own—a vast, ancient mind, filled with the memories of ages past.
Suddenly, he felt a sudden, overwhelming force surge through him. The connection that was once exhilarating, turned hostile, the ancient titan's consciousness rising like a tidal wave, crashing against his mind with the intent to drown him in its depths.
Elias staggered, his vision blurring as the world around him faded. He was no longer in the storm-torn sky; instead, he stood within a vast, dark expanse, an endless void where the Golem loomed like a shadowy mountain.
The weight of its presence was suffocating, pressing down on him, trying to force him to his knees. The titan's thoughts were a chaotic torrent, ancient and alien, a cacophony of rage, despair, and sheer, unyielding power. It sought to swallow him whole, to erase his existence.
Elias clenched his jaw, fighting back the wave of fear that threatened to engulf him. This was a battle of wills, a struggle for dominance over the mind and soul of the Golem. He could feel the titan pushing into his consciousness, seeking to twist his thoughts, to bend him to its will. But Elias was no stranger to mental battles. He had faced worse demons within himself.
He steadied his breathing, closing his eyes and focusing on the core of his being—the unwavering resolve that had brought him this far. Slowly, he began to push back, his mind like a blade, cut through the thick fog of the Golem's consciousness. He could feel the titan's resistance, a massive wall trying to block him, but he pressed on, and carved a path through its defenses.
The void trembled around him, and for a moment, Elias felt the Golem hesitate, its ancient mind faltering in the face of his determination.
He seized the moment, driving his will forward like a spear, piercing through the titan's thoughts with unrelenting force. The Golem roared, a deafening sound that reverberated through the void, but Elias held firm, refusing to be swept away.
"I am your master now," Elias whispered, his voice echoing through the darkness. He poured every ounce of his strength into that single command, forcing the Golem to recognize his dominance.