As Crixuc’s massive, writhing tentacles surged toward them, Hans acted without hesitation. His ring, Aero Aqua, glowed faintly at first, the soft blue hue reflecting in his determined eyes. With a forceful sweep of his arms, he drew water from the sea, crafting a towering barrier of liquid that surged upward to meet the titan’s onslaught. The shimmering wall stood as a testament to his skill, moonlight dancing across its surface like a silken veil. Yet the moment the water came into contact with the sickly green ooze coating Crixuc's tentacles, a sharp hiss pierced the air. Steam erupted in violent bursts as the water evaporated instantly, the corrosive poison consuming it with a ferocity that left no trace.
“Damn it!” Hans hissed through gritted teeth, frustration flashing across his face. The sea itself wasn’t enough to hold back this creature’s toxic wrath.
To his left, Jun’de sprang into action, he moved with fluid grace, each leap and twist a perfect harmony of precision and power. From his elevated position, he unleashed a concentrated gale, driving back the nearest tentacle with a blast of cutting wind. For a moment, it seemed to falter, retreating under his relentless attack. But the titan’s resilience proved daunting; more tentacles surged forth with renewed vigor, their poison-tainted strikes unrelenting.
Ellie, steadfast and focused, was next to engage. The ethereal glow framed her silver hair, transforming her into a luminous force on the battlefield. Her sword, honed to a razor’s edge, glinted in the dim light as she swung with precision, slicing through one of the flailing tentacles. A moment of triumph was short-lived as the corrosive ooze clung to her blade, hissing and crackling as it ate away at the enchanted diamond. The same vile substance began to dull the glow of her armor, reducing the once-gleaming plates to a patchwork of cracked and faded remnants.
"Ellie!” Hans called out, alarm evident in his voice. His gaze darted between her and Jun’de as the water barrier he struggled to maintain began to falter. His thoughts raced. If this continued, not only would they lose the fight—they could lose everything.
Ellie ducked low, narrowly evading another vicious strike, the ooze splattering dangerously close to her. Her voice cut through the chaos, firm despite the strain. “We have to isolate its core! It’s the only way to bring this thing down!”
Jun’de, beads of sweat trailing down his temple, unleashed another torrent of wind, this time aimed directly at the titan’s center. “Easier said than done!” he shouted, his usual confident tone tinged with exhaustion.
The titan’s massive frame loomed closer, its every movement shaking the frozen platform beneath their feet. Tentacles lashed from every direction, each strike a calculated attempt to crush its enemies. Jun’de, Ellie, and Hans moved as one, dodging and countering with everything they had. But the toxic miasma thickened around them, and the bitter chill of the night was replaced by the acrid stench of poison.
Hans’ eyes darted toward Jun’de, who had ventured dangerously close to the titan’s flailing appendages. “Jun, fall back! You’re too exposed!” he shouted, his voice sharp with urgency. But the warning came a second too late. A massive tentacle whipped across the icy ground, striking Jun’de with devastating force. The monk’s lithe form was sent tumbling through the air, his staff slipping from his grasp as the corrosive ooze scorched his side. He landed hard on the ice, a pained cry escaping his lips as the poison sizzled against his skin.
“Jun!” Hans screamed, panic and rage mingling in his voice. Ellie was already moving, sprinting toward their fallen teammate, her battered armor clinking with each hurried step. But another tentacle lashed out, its sheer force knocking her off balance. Her shield absorbed much of the blow, but cracks spidered across its surface, and her once-resplendent armor dulled further. She rolled to the side, barely avoiding a second strike that splintered the ice where she had just been standing.
Hans’ chest tightened as he watched his closest allies falter. The weight of the moment bore down on him—a crushing reminder that failure here meant the loss of everything he held dear. His breath came in shallow gasps as desperation surged within him, a tide he could no longer hold back.
And then, like a spark igniting a storm, the power of his ring flared to life. Aero Aqua’s soft glow erupted into a brilliant, blinding light, casting Hans’ features in sharp relief. The air around him crackled with energy, and the frozen sea seemed to respond, its surface rippling and shimmering as if touched by an unseen force. Hans could feel it—deep within him—a reservoir of untapped strength awakening. This wasn’t just the power of water; it was something far greater, something primal, ancient, and alive.
The world around him faded, replaced by a vast expanse of roaring waves and turbulent skies. In the center of this ethereal ocean stood a figure—a being both alien and majestic. The man’s azure hair flowed like a cascade of water, shimmering as if each strand was infused with liquid light. His skin, patterned with intricate scales that gleamed like polished sapphire, radiated an otherworldly aura. His eyes, twin pools of deep blue, bore into Hans' very soul.
Hans staggered, overwhelmed by the sheer presence of the being before him. And then he heard it—a voice that was both a whisper and a thunderclap, resonating within his mind.
“Tempest Tear,” the voice intoned, deep and resonant. It was the same voice that had called out to him the first time he discovered the ring. “Now, it is time for you to learn my true name. You are ready to bear the responsibility of protecting the world my father and mother once created.”
Hans tried to speak, but the words caught in his throat. The being’s presence commanded reverence, and Hans could feel his knees trembling beneath him. A blurred image flashed in his mind—two colossal figures standing amidst an endless ocean, their hands shaping the very land and sky.
The azure-haired figure stepped closer, the storm around him calming in his wake. “Now, it is the time for us to forge our pact,” he continued. “Call me by my true name, and my power shall be yours.”
The vision shifted, and Hans found himself back on the icy battlefield, his companions still locked in combat with Crixuc. But the voice remained, echoing within him.
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
“The Tempest Tear,” Hans murmured, the words flowing instinctively from his lips as if he had always known them.
The ring on his finger pulsed with energy, its light piercing the heavens. The name ignited a bond—a connection that surged through his veins like a tidal wave. Aero Aqua was no longer a mere artifact; it had awakened to its true nature.
As Hans spoke the ring’s true name, Tempest Tear, the air hummed with resonance, and the frozen sea trembled underfoot. The ring answered his call, its light surging upward like a beacon, cutting through the darkness with a brilliant azure glow.
Far away, in the Hall of Aurelia, Chris' Thunder Crown and Rena’s Golden Nirvana pulsed in unison, their glow illuminating the chamber with an eerie radiance. To the west, Ai Ignis' Eternal Bastion burned brighter, casting an ethereal light across her surroundings. And from the soldier barrack of Titan’s Keep, Lorenzo turned his gaze to the southern skies. The piercing blue light from Thalassea reached upward, a signal that resonated across the world.
Back on the frozen battlefield, Hans felt the bond between him and the ring solidify, an ancient and unbreakable connection. The storm roared above them, answering his will. Torrents of water erupted from the frozen sea, spiraling around him in a dance of power and defiance. The tentacles of Crixuc hesitated for the first time, the poisonous ooze recoiling under the overwhelming might of Tempest Tear’s power.
Hans raised his hand, his voice steady and filled with resolve. “Not today,” he declared. “I won’t lose them. I won’t lose Thalassea.”
With his newfound strength, the tide of the battle shifted. Hope surged anew, and for the first time, Hans stood not as a mere warrior—but as a true protector.
——
The air around Hans thickened with moisture, and the sea seemed to rise at his command. He drew from both, pulling water and air into his control. A massive water tendrils formed around him, crashing toward the titan with the force of a tempest. Crixuc screamed as the water struck, but the ooze that coated the titan absorbed the impact, neutralizing the attack.
Hans clenched his fists, frustration bubbling inside him. More power. He needed more power.
The ring pulsed against his hand, and he felt it respond to his desperation. The storm around him intensified, the winds howling as the sea roared in sympathy. His connection to the Tempest Tear deepened, and the latent energy within him surged forward, reshaping his awareness. He could feel the water everywhere—in the air, in the ocean, and even in the monstrous titan itself.
He turned toward Jun’de and Ellie, who struggled to remain standing amidst the chaos. Their wounds were severe, and every second they remained in the fight put them at risk.
"Ellie! Jun’de! Get to safety!" Hans shouted, his voice steady despite the ache in his heart. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing them, but he needed to focus on the titan.
Ellie staggered but managed to pull Jun’de to his feet, the two leaning on each other for support. Jun’de gave Hans a faint, cheeky grin despite the blood staining his side. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily, fish boy,” he said, throwing out a new teasing nickname.
Ellie rolled her eyes, though her lips twitched in a faint smile. “We’re staying right here, Hans,” she said firmly. “You’re not doing this alone.”
Hans felt a pang of gratitude that steadied him even as the battle raged on. “Just stay back,” he said, his tone softening for a moment. “I’ve got this.”
As Hans turned back toward Crixuc, Ellie took a steadying breath, extending her hands forward. Brilliant diamond-like energy shimmered from her fingertips, forming an unbreakable barrier in front of her and Jun’de. The translucent shield glinted in the chaotic light of the battle, an impenetrable fortress of crystal to protect them.
“Stay behind this,” Ellie instructed Jun’de, her voice firm despite the strain in her posture.
Hans, meanwhile, dashed onto the frozen sea, his boots skimming over the icy surface as he propelled himself forward with bursts of water and air. Each step was calculated, a delicate balance of agility and power as he closed the distance between himself and the titan.
Raising his hand, Hans summoned shards of ice from the moisture around him. They materialized mid-air, sharp and jagged like spears forged from the storm itself. With a sweeping motion of his arm, he launched them toward Crixuc. The shards glimmered in the light as they shot through the air, striking the titan’s oozing form with deadly precision.
The impact sent ripples through the titan’s grotesque body. Black sludge splattered across the ice, hissing as it dissolved the frozen surface. Hans didn’t stop. He zigzagged across the battlefield, creating more ice projectiles with every motion. Each one flew with calculated force, embedding itself in the titan’s form.
But Crixuc was relentless. The ooze coating its body absorbed the attacks, neutralizing the ice as if it were nothing more than steam against its corrosive skin.
Hans skidded to a stop, his chest heaving as he assessed the situation. His ice shards weren’t enough to pierce through the titan’s defenses. He needed a new approach—and fast.
Behind him, Ellie’s diamond barrier shimmered as Crixuc’s tentacles lashed out in their direction. The barrier held strong, deflecting the blows with a resonant chime, but the sheer force of the strikes caused Ellie to stagger slightly.
“Ellie!” Hans shouted, glancing over his shoulder.
“I’m fine! Focus on the titan!” she called back, her voice steady but strained.
Hans gritted his teeth and turned his attention back to Crixuc. He could feel the storm within him, the ring pulsing against his skin as if urging him to dig deeper.
There had to be a way to turn this fight around. Hans bit back a curse. The titan’s body was impenetrable as long as the ooze protected it. But then, an idea struck him. He closed his eyes, blocking out the chaos and tuning into his senses. He focused not on the ooze but on what lay beneath it—the moisture within the titan’s form.
The ring hummed in resonance, its light intensifying as Hans' will connected with it fully. He could see it now, in his mind’s eye—the intricate web of water molecules threading through the titan’s body, sustaining its movements.
Hans' eyes snapped open, determination blazing within them. He didn’t need to destroy the titan from the outside. He could dismantle it from within.
The air around him shimmered as he concentrated, drawing out the moisture from the titan’s body. Slowly, the ooze began to thin, its sickly sheen fading as the water drained away. Crixuc let out an ear-piercing screech, its tentacles flailing wildly as its form started to collapse.
Jun’de, watching in awe, whispered, “C’mon, Hans. Finish it.”
The strain was immense, every fiber of Hans' being screaming in protest as he pulled harder, forcing the moisture to obey his will. The titan’s movements slowed, its once-massive form shriveling as the water left its body. With a final, guttural roar, Crixuc crumbled, its remains dissolving into a lifeless puddle of black sludge that stained the frozen sea.
Hans fell to his knees, his chest heaving with exhaustion. The tempest calmed, the wind dying down as the sea returned to stillness. The light from his ring dimmed, its power retreating as the battle ended.
Jun’de and Ellie limped toward him, battered but alive. Jun’de smirked, his voice weak but teasing. “Not bad, fish boy. You just saved the whole town.”
Ellie knelt beside Hans, her diamond armor cracked but still holding together. “You did it, Hans,” she said softly. “Thalassea’s safe because of you.”
Hans managed a faint smile, his exhaustion evident. “We did it,” he murmured. “I couldn’t have done it without you two.”
As his friends supported him, the weight of the battle finally lifted. For the first time since the fight began, Hans allowed himself to rest, his body slumping into the comforting arms of his companions. Above them, the sky cleared, the ominous clouds retreating as the light of dawn broke through.