The sky above the Windy Stronghold was gradually sinking into a black ash hue. Dark clouds rose, wisps of red smoke glinting like sparks, carrying with them the scent of iron, blood, and smoke.
Eren and Leylin stood on the walls of the stronghold, watching the horizon as the ground began to shake, as if the wind itself was gasping for air.
"It has begun," Eren said in a low voice, the wind swirling around his hands, preparing to be summoned.
On the horizon, waves of black shadows appeared, creeping across the ground, swallowing the grass and leaving behind burning ash that pulsed red.
In the forefront stood Nazar, his hand covered in black ash, smiling coldly:
"Heir of the Winds… Princess of Fire… The time has come to an end."
Leylin cried, flames flaring in her palms.
"You will take nothing more!"
Nizar struck the ground with the palm of his hand, unleashing a wave of black ash, hurtling like a dark tornado toward the walls of the stronghold.
"Now!"
Eren shouted, opening his wind wings, unleashing a powerful storm that slammed into the black tornado. The wind and ash clashed in a clash that shook the air.
The wind mingled with the ash, making strange screeching sounds, as black smoky arms formed within the storm, attempting to break through the wind and enter the stronghold.
Leylin stepped forward, raised her hand, and unleashed a golden flame that entered the storm, mingling with the wind to form a golden-purple tornado that devoured and incinerated the black arms.
But the arms retreated only to return stronger, forming smoky, red-eyed faces, their mouths wide open, screaming, as black ash fell like rain into the valley.
Below, the Wind Stronghold's warriors battled the infiltrating shadows, using the winds as swords to cut through the black arms, while golden sparks flew from the Leylin to incinerate the encroaching shadows.
Nazar stood far away, watching the fight, before raising his hand again and saying in a low voice, "Shadow spirits... devour their fire and wind."
A massive column of black ash rose into the sky, forming a massive dark dragon with wings of red smoke, roaring with an earth-shattering roar as it charged toward the stronghold.
"Leylin! Get ready!"
Eren shouted, unfurling his wind wings and carrying Leylin into a rising storm, flying toward the black dragon.
Leylin fired golden fire from her hands, striking the dragon in the face, but the flames vanished within its dark body as the dragon drew near and opened its mouth to devour them.
Leylin cried out in fear, "It's consuming fire!"
But Eren closed his eyes and summoned all the winds within him, forming a rotating wind shield around them, momentarily blocking the dragon's jaws.
"I won't let you take her!"
Eren shouted, the winds swirling rapidly until the shield became a violent storm.
Eren opened his eyes and said,
"Leylin, trust me... release your fire within me."
Leylin hesitated for a moment before closing her eyes and unleashing a powerful golden flame that entered Eren's chest, merging with the winds within him.
At that moment, Eren's body glowed gold and purple, and the winds around him glowed with flames. He extended his hand forward:
"This is our power!"
Eren launched a giant spear of wind blazing with golden fire toward the black dragon's mouth, piercing its head and tearing it apart from the inside.
The dragon roared loudly before exploding into black clouds, scattering ash across the entire valley.
Eren and Leylin fell slowly to the ground, their bodies gently carried by the wind, while small pieces of burning ash fell around them like meteors being extinguished.
Leylin stood with difficulty, the flame still burning in her hand.
"We... succeeded."
But on the horizon, Nizar stood watching them, his eyes shining. His voice cold, he said, "This was just the beginning... the real storm is coming."
Leylin raised her head and said firmly, "We will be ready."
As the last ash rose into the sky, the wind blew, carrying with it the scent of fire, announcing that the real war... had begun.