Odyssey Of Survival-Chapter 69 The Eye Of The Storm I

The sun was setting, casting an orange hue over the cave as Madison, Alice, and Bella walked back together, their laughter echoing softly against the stone walls. They had just finished a long training session, sweat still glistening on their skin, but the camaraderie between them made the exhaustion bearable.

"So," Madison said, stretching her arms over her head, "who's up for another round tomorrow?"

Alice groaned. "Please, no. I'd rather take on the whole camp than fight you. You're too slippery and annoying."

Madison smirked. "It's not my fault you can't keep up."

As they turned a corner, a familiar voice called out.

"Well, well, where are you lovely damsels heading off to?" Axel stood leaning casually against the wall, his grin wide and cocky. "Don't tell me you're visiting Sleeping Beauty again."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Fuck off, Axel."

"Aw, come on," he replied, placing a hand over his chest in mock offense. "Don't I even get a hello? A little smile, maybe?"

Bella shot him a withering glare. "Not in this lifetime."

The three girls walked past him without another word, but a little girl passing by laughed mockingly at the scene.

Axel turned to her, his grin replaced by a scowl. "What the hell are you laughing at, you damn brat?"

The girl stuck out her tongue and dashed off before he could say anything else.

Madison chuckled. "You really have a way with people, Axel."

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," he muttered, shaking his head.

As the girls approached the health center, Madison spoke up again. "You know, we should go out sometimes. Shake things up."

Alice snorted. "I'm not going out with you again." Alice remembered what happened a week ago when Madison told her that they should go out and have fun. She would intentionally go looking for trouble with the beasts and the moment she smells danger she would disappear.

Madison laughed, pushing the door open. "Suit yourself—"

Her words froze in her throat, her smile vanishing.

Nate's bed was empty.

The room was eerily silent. The three of them exchanged panicked looks before fanning out to search the room. They checked every corner and even searched beneath the bed.

"He's not here," Bella said, her voice trembling.

Madison swallowed hard, already moving toward the door. "We need to tell the others."

---

The news of Nate's disappearance spread like wildfire through the camp. Everyone mobilized, searching every nook and cranny of the cave and even the surrounding forest. Ryder barked orders, his tone sharp and urgent, while others scoured every possible hiding place.

Madison ran through the outer edges of the camp, scanning every bush and shadow. Her heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing with possibilities.

"Nate!" she called, her voice breaking.

She turned sharply when she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Bella, her face pale but determined.

"Take me to the beach," Bella said.

Madison frowned. "The beach? Why?"

Bella hesitated for a moment, then said, "When I was in his head, he called the beach his perfect world. If he's anywhere, it's there."

Madison blinked, processing her words. Then, without hesitation, she placed a hand on Bella's shoulder.

In a flash, the two of them were gone.

---

When Bella opened her eyes, the salty breeze hit her face. The waves crashed rhythmically against the shore, the golden sand stretching endlessly before them.

They were on the beach.

Bella's gaze swept across the beach, her heart pounding in her chest. When her eyes landed on the water, she froze. Standing on the bank, with his feet just brushing the edge of the waves, was Nate.

"Is that him?" Madison asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Bella nodded slowly. "Yeah, it's him."

They called out to him, their voices cutting through the sound of the waves. "Nate!"

But he didn't respond. He remained still, his back to them, his figure silhouetted against the darkening horizon.

Bella hesitated, then began to move toward him. Each step was slow, deliberate, her heart hammering louder with every inch she closed. Madison quickly joined her, her hand on her bow, ready for anything.

When they finally reached him, they stood mere feet away. Bella's hand hovered in the air, trembling as she reached out to touch him.

"Wait," Madison whispered, grabbing her wrist. "Don't."

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Bella turned to Madison, her expression confused but laced with fear. "Why not? He's just—"

"Look at his face," Madison interrupted, stepping cautiously around him.

Bella moved to his front as well, and the sight made her breath hitch in her throat.

Nate's face was emotionless, his eyes flickering with streaks of lightning that sparked and danced in their depths. His expression was distant, as if he didn't see them at all.

"What's happening to him?" Madison asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Bella shook her head. "I don't know. I can feel him, faintly, but inside..." Her voice faltered. "It's chaos."

Madison's gaze darted between Nate and Bella, her brow furrowing. "Step back," she said suddenly.

"What? Why?"

"Just do it!" Madison snapped, teleporting Bella a few feet away before she could argue further.

The moment they were clear, the atmosphere shifted.

The sky darkened, heavy clouds rolling in almost instantly. The air became thick and charged, a low hum vibrating in their ears.

Then came the rain.

Thick, heavy droplets began to fall, soaking them within moments. The wind howled as lightning cracked across the sky, illuminating the scene in bursts of blinding light.

"Nate!" Bella screamed, but her voice was drowned out by the deafening roar of thunder.

Madison grabbed Bella's arm, pulling her closer. "Look!" she shouted, pointing at Nate.

Bella squinted through the rain, her eyes widening in horror. The lightning wasn't just striking around Nate—it was striking him.

Again and again, bolts of blinding light crashed into his body. Yet he didn't flinch, didn't cry out. He stood there, unshaken, as if the storm was a part of him.

"They're not hurting him," Madison said, her voice shaking. "He's... he's controlling them."

Bella's mouth went dry as she watched the terrifying display. "What do you mean controlling them?"

"Just look!" Madison said. Her sharp eyesight allowed her to see what Bella couldn't. "The lightning—it's not random. It's hitting him, but then it's moving like... like it's alive."

Another bolt struck Nate, and the sound was deafening. Bella and Madison both covered their ears, wincing in pain as the ground beneath them seemed to tremble.

Nate's body was enveloped in light, the storm raging around him with a fury neither girl had ever seen before. Lightning coiled around him like serpents, darting and crackling as if they awaited his command.

Bella's heart raced, her fear almost paralyzing her. "What's going on?" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the storm.

Madison didn't answer, her focus locked on Nate. Another bolt struck him, the sound shaking the ground beneath their feet. Continue your adventure with novelbuddy

The storm raged on, and Nate stood at its center, a figure of unimaginable power and chaos.