Page 48 of Fire's Storm
Not revenge. Protection. Not jealousy. Salvation.
The operation commences with silent determination amid festive surroundings.
The disruption device activates with silent efficiency—harmonic interference initiating without visible indication. No flash, no sound, no warning. Only Metu feels the vibration against his scales as the device begins its work.
Crystal arrays throughout the grand cavern react immediately—power fluctuations beginning with subtle intensity, energy variations starting with gentle manifestation. The celebratory light displays flicker almost imperceptibly, colors shifting slightly outside their programmed patterns.
Most clan members remain oblivious—the celebration continuing without interruption. Conversations flow, ceremonial wine circulates, traditional dances begin in the central space.
Those with electrical sensitivity respond with increasing awareness—storm dragons showing progressive discomfort, lightning-affiliated members displaying gradual uneasiness. A few look up at the crystal formations with puzzled expressions, sensing something not quite right but unable to identify the source.
Vulcan demonstrates the most pronounced response—discomfort evident through subtle movements despite maintained control. His jaw tightens. Sweat beads on his forehead. His muscles flex beneath ceremonial robes as he fights the device's influence. Blue-white scales begin to emerge along his forearms as his dragon half responds to the perceived threat.
The human female shows unexpected awareness—concern visible through attentive observation, attention evident viaenvironmental scanning. Her hazel eyes narrow, head tilting slightly as she registers the change in atmosphere. Her hand reaches for Vulcan's arm, steadying him.
Predictable. Connection amplifies sensitivity. Bond enhances perception.
Crystal arrays progress from subtle fluctuation toward noticeable instability—power variations increasing with deliberate progression. The celebratory light displays falter more visibly now, colors bleeding into one another, patterns losing coherence. Sparks begin to dance between smaller formations.
Vulnerable clan members react with predictable distress—fledglings showing visible anxiety, younglings displaying apparent concern. A young female begins to cry, her undeveloped scales providing insufficient protection against the growing electrical disturbance.
Metu watches it all with clinical detachment despite the satisfaction burning in his chest. His dragon half purrs with anticipation as the trap unfolds exactly as planned.
Not monsters. Saviors.
The crystal array hits its breaking point. Power fluctuations ripple through the cavern, threatening collapse without tipping into true danger. Blue-white energy crackles between the great formations, miniature lightning snapping across the display nodes. With a violent flicker, the celebratory lights die, plunging the cavern into darkness before the emergency systems flare to life.
Vulcan reacts instantly. His storm-born instincts seize control, impulse overwhelming reason. Energy gathers in his hands, arcs of lightning racing between his fingers as scales surge across his arms and chest. His eyes blaze electric blue. His dragon side takes over.
At the same time, the human woman tries to anchor him—her voice sharp with urgency, her gestures crisp and deliberate. She shapes patterns in the air, demonstrating the sequence he must follow, but he falters under the interference tearing at their bond.
The disruption works perfectly. The device against Metu’s chest hums with violent intensity, amplifying the dissonance between them. Their connection fractures. Where her precision once guided his strength, where her control once directed his force, now there is only chaos.
Vulcan’s lightning flares unchecked. Pure power bursts from his palms, striking the crystal formation in a blinding surge. Instead of stabilizing it, the energy feeds the instability, magnifying the threat.
Bolts of lightning rip through the grand cavern, splitting into wild, jagged arcs. Smaller crystal clusters explode in bursts of shards, stone walls blacken with scorched scars, and erratic strikes crash dangerously close to the gathered clans.
Decorative arrays shatter overhead, raining fragments. Dragons throw their wings over the fledglings, shielding them from the storm. Panic surges through the crowd—ceremony collapsing into chaos, order dissolving into retreat. Exactly as Metu intends.
The operation exceeds every expectation. His dragon half roars with triumph, obsidian scales spreading beneath his robes. He forces his face to remain calm, concerned, the mask of composure hiding the savage satisfaction burning inside him.
The storm only escalates. Vulcan strains for control, but each effort sends more lightning lashing across the cavern. His face twists with horror as the power rages beyond him.
The woman clings to his arm, shouting into the chaos, her hair lifting with static. Her dormant abilities spark faintly under the disruption’s pressure.
“Stop fighting it!” she cries. “Let it flow through, not out!”
But the warning comes too late. Vulcan’s energy crests past control, exploding outward in a devastating surge. The shockwave hurls dragons to the floor, shatters the last of the crystal formations, and scorches a jagged pattern across the cavern ceiling.
Only then does Metu deactivate the device. It cools against his chest, silent now, its purpose fulfilled.
Slowly, the arrays stabilize, their energies dampened by emergency containment fields. Safety protocols seal off the damaged sections, the chaos shrinking to embers.
Vulcan stands at the center of it all, chest heaving, shoulders sagging with exhaustion. His body trembles with depletion. Shame and confusion shadow his face. The sight sends a sharp thrill of pleasure through Metu’s veins.
Perfect. Exactly as predicted. Exactly as required.
Most significantly, clan members observe the aftermath with obvious horror—expressions showing clear apprehension, faces displaying evident trepidation. The moment of truth has arrived, the reality of inherent instability demonstrated beyond dispute.
