1979, Nafparekas, Greece.

The heavy rain lashed down in the mild night, the rain water running in small rivers down the cobbled village streets. The gutters were over flowing, unable to contain the volume of water filling them. The winds tore and whistled through the side streets and drove the rain in a horizontal direction.

Dark clouds and flashes of lightning concealed the half-moon that hung in the sky.

The man looked down at the baskets by his feet, at the crying babies. He looked back up at the sky and sighed. She’d be up there somewhere. Looking down on him. He hoped she understood. He hoped the Church could take better care of them. Much more than he could by himself. He bent down and gave one of them a soft toy from the inside of his coat, hoping to sooth the distressed babies. It’s as if they knew. Knew what he was doing to them.

Their mother’s passing during childbirth had left him widowed and overwhelmed and unable to look after them and do the work he did on the farm. No, there was no way he could keep them. Not even one. How would he have been able to choose? They were better off together. At the orphanage in the next town over. Maybe someone else would be in a better position to offer them a better life.

He attached a note to the basket with a tear in his eye and walked off out of the church porch way into the rain.

Behind him, the babies continued to cry. The note flapped in the wind. A note with one word on it written in Greek. Καταραμένος, pronounced kataraménos.

Translated to cursed.

***

Present day. Chicago.

Terri rolled herself out of bed on the fourth time of telling herself that she had to get out. Her and Ferris had been out the night before and had returned home quite late.

Despite the late night, and not having a reason to get up, Ferris was out on a run and had put Terri to shame over not joining him. Normally she would have gone, but the weather was less than desirable for exercising in.

Still, she reckoned she ought to be productive and be up and about by the time he got home. They could make the most of his last day in Chicago.

As she let the shower warm up, she thought about the arrangement her and Ferris had, where they spent time in each other’s countries, crossing the border a few times each month to spend time together. Maybe they needed to discuss what will happen when they get married. Could a marriage work with one in Canada and the other in the USA? At least it wasn’t the other side of the world.

She let the water wash through her hair and rubbed her face. The apartment door opened and closed, meaning Ferris had returned. A grin crept over her face as she anticipated her fiancé coming through to the bedroom and realising what she was doing.

The door slowly opened, and Ferris’ head popped through the gap. He had a similarly goofy grin on his face. He stepped through, already undressed and called out over the gushing water.

“Room for another one in there?” He slid the shower door across and stepped in with his fiancé.

“You stink,” she observed, nudging him back playfully.

“You’re going to need to use a lot of soap on me then,” he teased, embracing her. She squealed in mock disgust and turned up the heat of the water, the steam enveloping them.

***

A secure prison, desert of Australia.

The last one hundred metres to her freedom were in sight. Just two sets of gates to get through. There was something holy, almost heavenly about them and how they glistened in the pure unadulterated sunshine.

Fifty metres left. She maintained her pace, savouring the walk. Her first walk in thirty five years. Her senses were overwhelmed- the sound of her feet crunching underfoot, the sun scorching her skin. Her eyes narrowed due to the bright orange ball of light in the sky above.

She hadn’t experienced a lot of that from her isolation.

Freedom was hers.

The nonplussed detention officer activated the gate, parting slowly to allow her out to her awaiting motorcade.

The government had arranged for a private security firm to take her out and the three vehicle strong convoy of Hummers were there waiting. Also waiting for her were two identical men. Twins no doubt. They were wearing white tee shirts and dark grey cargo pants and black boots. They looked like they meant business, whatever that business was.

“Islea?” one of the men asked, although there was no one else she could be.

“That’s me. Who’s asking?” She was made aware of her welcoming committee, but not exactly who. She liked what she saw though, although after thirty two years, it wouldn’t take much to tickle her pickle.

“I’m Paul. He’s Byron. We’ve been asked to fix you a ride out of here.”

Byron extended his hand out for Islea’s bag to put in the middle Hummer. There was no physical characteristic that distinguished one brother from the other, but for the couple of hours she was due to be with them, she didn’t care about getting them mixed up.

One of the boys pointed a thumb in the direction of the door she was to get in and they were soon off.

It didn’t look like they had much desire to engage her in conversation either. It was just a job they were there to do.

“Your plane will be waiting for you at the airfield. We’ll take you right up to it and once you’re on, Australian responsibility of you will end.”

“As per the conditions,” Islea responded, letting them know she already knew the score.

“I’m just making it clear for you,” maybe Byron said, looking at her in the rear view mirror.

The convoy were making good progress through the desert. They had two hours of journey time left through the desert but the trouble was, the whole journey was through desert. Boring desert.

“Lucky me getting such strapping handsome boys to escort me out of Australia,” Islea said after a while. “Do I get a kiss goodbye? It’s been thirty two years, you know?”

“We’re just making sure for definite that you actually piss off,” said Paul, who was the one sat in the back with her. “And that no one gets hurt.”

“That’s mighty fine of you, boys. I’m not even sure I’d be able to do hurt anyone myself, not after all this time,” she said, pretending to sound all coy and innocent. Internally, she wanted to roll her eyes. They didn’t look old enough to know the old Islea and what she was truly capable of.

There was an agitated hush in the car and the atmosphere instantly became tense.

“What is it?” asked Islea.

“You’re about to find out,” Paul stated. “You ready, Byron?”

“Just make sure you don’t get hurt,” his brother responded.

With that, he threw open the door and without their vehicle even slowing down, he jumped out. Islea spun round to catch what happened to him but he was hard to see through a cloud of dust.

“Well?! Hadn’t you ought to go out too?” Islea demanded, worried that one half of her only hope for survival was still sat with her.

“No, our job is to stay safe. My brother’s strengths can only work if I’m nearby and healthy,” Paul explained, leaning between the front seats to talk to the driver.

“So what? You can’t actually do anything?”

“I can stay safe and enable my brother. Believe me, when you see what he can do, you’ll be glad I stayed in safety with you.”

“Hell, you better be right,” she muttered, glancing back in the rear window.

What she saw though both scared and reassured her. The convoy banked off the road and into the desert before skidding to a halt.

Chicago.

Terri looked beside her and saw that Ferris had fallen asleep. He didn’t seem to have the stamina to endure the TV binge session. Her phone suddenly vibrating put an end to his slumber.

“Ugh, who is that?” he asked wearily, shifting under the blanket he had over him and wiping his mouth.

“The Secretary,” she said simply, retrieving the phone and answering. “Hello Ma’am.” She walked off and Ferris couldn’t hear any more. A phone call at this time though wasn’t a social one, he knew that for sure.

"Hey Terri. I'll get to the point. Are you aware of Islea Castillo?"

Boy, she was aware of her alright. "Um, yeah the name rings a bell," she lied.

"She was released from prison and the convoy taking her to witness protection was attacked, hurting The Bobber Boys, and to top it off she has gone missing. Can you go there and help find her? She technically still holds American citizenship and my counterpart in Australia has requested we take some of the brunt for looking for her."

"Ok, yeah, I can do that. It'll take my mind off the Don Waters shit show."

The Secretary sighed. "I really need you to forget about it Terri, so yes, hopefully you're right. This will help you do that."

"It just pisses me off Ma'am. It pisses me off that I didn't get him in Texas, and it pisses me off that he just slips through the net again, and no offense, it pisses me off that it's just about the reputation of the Government."

"It's more than that though. It's your reputation. It's Brad's, Dylan's, Tobias', the triplet's. It's Lucas'. If this news was to get out, then it's everything. The press and the politicians and the public will rightly have a field day," The Secretary said. "Look, it's not ideal but with any luck, now that he has had his revenge on Ferguson for his negilgence in turning him into a walking talking pufferfish, he might just slip away and we won't hear from him again. He'd burnt his car out after leaving you, he's no doubt well into the wind by now. It's the best place for him. Please, just forget about it. I can almost guarantee that we won't see him again."

"You going to bet your mortgage on that, Ma'am?" Terri said.

"Well, not quite no. Nothing's for certain in this game is it? Look, let's get back onto Islea. Can you go down under?"

"Yeah, I'll be up in the air in less than thirty minutes."

"Thanks Terri. I do appreciate you, you know. I value your opinion and your experiences, but sometimes the picture is far bigger than it looks."

"Thanks Ma'am. I'll catch up with you soon." Terri huffed and walked back into the living space. “Sorry Ferris,” Terri said. “I’m needed.”

Ferris tutted and stretched out. “Go on, what is it this time?”

She then repeated the almost very little that The Secretary had told her.

“Islea? Castillo? That one? What on earth is she doing out anyway? What a mistake that was.”

“Well she served her sentence. She’s done her time,” Terri reasoned, dragging a case out of her closet.

Ferris scoffed loudly. “Is a life in witness protection really going to be enough for her? You know, should someone with her strengths even be out? She’s a danger.”

This last comment from Ferris made her stop. “If she’s done her time, then of course she should be out. Why shouldn’t she? We can’t keep people locked up just because of what they can do with their enhancements. You should be locked up then. I should be. I could be a danger.”

“But we haven’t used our enhancements to commit crime!”

“Neither has she for the last thirty two years! She’s been in prison, Ferris. Look, let’s not get into this now. Regardless, she’s missing and The Bobber Boys were hurt, and now I’m going out there.”

“And why is that? Why are you expected to go? The Aussie Government surely have their own resources. Where’s Boxer? Alice? Or Zip? My God, Zip is the fastest woman in Oceania and they still send you?”

“Islea has American citizenship, Ferris, and The Secretary wants me to assist. We’ll talk no more on the matter, we’re not getting anywhere clearly.”

Ferris threw his hands up in resignation. Or annoyance. Terri had her boots on ready to go by the door.

“Great. Well be safe. Let me know when you arrive.”

***

Terri's link with Isela made this particular mission a personal one, so she was glad that The Secretary had asked her, her not even knowing how she was connected to Islea and her sisters.

Flying west over America, Terri rubbed the medallion on her necklace and got lost in thought as the auto pilot took control.

Islea was one of five sisters who back in the nineties killed a few hundred people globally and brought several industries to their knees for the following years, in the name of geo-political reasons.

Terri’s father and grandfather were two of the many who had died across the globe. Her father working in the oil industry in Saudi Arabia and her grandfather in Australia, whilst on vacation. Terri was only young but their loss was felt. But this wasn’t about revenge. Hell, it had been thirty two years and Terri did believe in the justice that had been served.

Disembarking from her ship after a five hour flight, Terri was met by Zip. She had arrived in a flash of white, kicking up orange dust as she stopped. She wasn’t even out of breath, which is what you would expect from one of the fastest people on Earth.

She stood in her white, all in one lycra-esque suit. The textile was made specifically to make her more streamline, and was white to reflect the sun and to reduce any heat. She had a number two buzzcut hair style, maybe to help her maintain a streamline movement or just because it was more practical when you're running incredibly fast to not have hair whipping around all over the place.

“G’day, welcome to Aus, Terri.” Zip said, extending her hand out. Terri accepted and felt an intense heat coming from the speedster's hand.

“Thanks Brodie. Bit of a mess here isn’t it? How are the Bobber Boys?” she asked.

“Paul's unharmed. Byron has been taken to a military hospital. He was stuck in form for a bit but is now back to normal and being treated.” Terri was relieved.

She looked around her. There were two Hummers scattered on the road, burnt out and completely misshapen. Complete wrecks. Brodie indicated that these two belonged to the convoy vehicles taking Islea out to the airfield.

“One of the convoy vehicles however has gone missing, along with the Weather Girls in it, no doubt. Paul said he didn’t have much choice than to oblige,” Zip explained.

“So they all came out of the woodwork to get her? Why? She was so close to being free,” Terri wondered out loud, confused.

“I guess because she was going to a new location with a new life. Her sisters would never have seen her again.”

“That’s true I guess.”

“But that’s not the most interesting part,” Zip said with an intriguing smile on her face.

“Go on…” Terri invited, following Zip as they walked at normal speed towards the Hummers. Zip tapped the passenger’s side window of one, beckoning Terri to look in.

She did so, and froze. The whole interior of the Hummer was frozen in ice, the occupants encased. Stiff and frosty.

“Pretty cool, eh?” Zip asked, clearly impressed. “Desert heat, burnt out trucks and here they are, still frozen inside within a few hours later.”

***

The boardroom of OrganiTech Greener Renewable Energy Solutions headquarters, Stockholm, Sweden. 1997.

“So these locations will be your assignments for next month’s meteorological displays,” explained the man as he handed out dossiers to the five women sat around the table.

“Huh, so that’s what we’re calling it now, Dad?” the young red head asked.

“Yes Haelee. I felt it sounded better than ‘terrorist attack’ that you keep calling it.”

“Or natural disaster inducement,” suggested Marina chewing on gum.

“Yeah, that was naff, right?” agreed Islea.

“Yes, which is why girls, we’re going with ‘displays’ instead. Can we focus?” he asked with authority. The girls, his adopted daughters, rolled their eyes. “Open your files. Inside you’ll see what it is that you need to do. There’s plane tickets and hotel information for where you’ll be and the aliases you’ll be using.”

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

The girls did as they were told, examining the places they were being sent to.

“Marina, you’ll be going to India and flooding The Ganga. I’m thinking six months of rain fall in two days.”

“Easy. I’ll burst those banks no problems,” she said, arrogantly sitting back in her chair.

“Wylo my dear, I’m sending you to southern China. They will not be used to hurricanes there and I want their agriculture to be crippled.”

“I’ll huff and I’ll puff, Daddy,” responded the Daddy’s girl of the group sweetly.

“Haelee, you’re not going very far. I need you here in Sweden.”

“Cheapskate,” she dryly teased. Her father raised a knowing eyebrow in return. The fiestiest of the quintuplets, he had a lot of high expectations for her.

“There are forests here I need burning down.”

“Right on your own door step? Risky play but I’m sure you’ve thought it through.”

“Quite. I’ll get onto that shortly. Gloriya, I want you in Saudi Arabia wreaking havoc with lighting strikes, disrupting the oil reserves and infrastructure there.” Gloriya nodded in acknowledgement. “And Islea, I want heavy snowfall in Australia. Freezing temperatures they will not be able to handle.”

“Snow problem papa,” she said, indicating her understanding.

“Great. These dossiers aren’t to leave this room so take the time to remember the important bits.”

“So why here in Sweden, Dad? Of all the forests, why the country that the company is based in?” Haelee asked.

“Sweden is almost half dominated by forests and woodland, and it is not used to such dry droughts and forest fires. This is what this venture is all about. Showing the world the impacts that global warming will continue to have if governments and big corporations persist in investing in the energy sources that they currently do. They will soon see after this that they were wrong to dismiss our Organigreenium. Your weather displays will cripple industries and cause expensive damage, forcing governments to re-evaluate their priorities when it comes to their energy solutions. India will not have the resources to repair the damage the floods will cause and the humanitarian crisis that will follow. China is one of the biggest agriculture nations. A few catastrophic hurricanes will set the export of their products pushed back years and years. Saudi Arabia’s oil reserves and infrastructure will cost millions to repair and once Gloriya’s storms devastate them, the prices will hike up worldwide. We’re just showing them an accelerated model of global warming and what could happen if world leaders don’t change their ways.”

“And in turn, go with your company instead.”

“Exactly Marina. The monopoly will be ours.”

“Well,” scoffed Haelee. “Let’s not kid ourselves, girls.”

“And what’s do you mean by that?” their father demanded to know.

“We’re mere pawns here.”

“You’re being paid,” their father shot back.

“We’re also taking all the risks here.”

“The authorities will be too busy dealing with the crisis’ that you’re going to cause, and besides, you’ll be long gone before anyone even thinks to blame people for causing them,” their father snapped back.

He didn’t take too kindly to insubordination from his daughters. He missed the days when they did as they were told. Now eighteen, they challenged his authority, no matter how loyal they were or how much he had done for them. It just seemed like instinct for them to argue back.

None of the other girls said anything, choosing to look as if they hadn’t heard what Haelee had said. Their father wondered if this was something they all felt. He had to put a stop to the dissent and keep the plan on track.

“Can I still guarantee that you five will keep to your end of the deal? We need you. The board are very hopeful that your displays will change the world for the better. Don’t think of the profit for the board. Think of the good that cleaner energy will have long term for the whole world. You’ve got to break some eggs to make an omelette.”

The girls looked at each other. Haelee nodded and the others followed suit.

“Good. Then-”

“But what about Australia, Daddy?” Why am I going there?” Islea asked.

“I just want one of the hottest countries to know they’re not exempt from freezing temperatures. No one is to be safe.”

***

Present day.

“I can’t believe you actually did that for me!” Islea said excitedly once the chaos had died down and the sisters caught up with each other.

“Babes, there was no way we were going to let you just get taken to some other country and live a life that isn’t yours. You don’t deserve that,” Marina said.

“Yeah, exactly. You already lost thirty two years of your life, you deserve to have it back. And we’re the ones to give it back to you,” said Wylo.

During Islea’s trial she made public that OrganiTech Greener Renewable Energy Solutions were behind the meteorological terrorist attacks, but because of the company’s thoroughness, there were no paper trails to back up her claims, and Islea was left to take the sentence while her four other sisters went into hiding around the world, unable to back her sister’s claims up.

“And girl, didn’t it feel good to flex our weather muscles again? I haven’t done that in ages,” Gloriya said.

“Because you’ve been living in hiding?” Islea asked.

The girls all nodded.

“Well, it’s so good to see you all again. You don’t know how-” Islea was interrupted by an notification Haelee got on her phone. Islea couldn’t wait to get one for herself. “What is it?” she asked when she noticed Haelee look less than thrilled by what she was reading.

“That asshole,” she muttered.

“Who? Go on, what is it?” demanded Gloriya.

“It’s our father. He knows we are with Islea… and he’s put bounties out on us all. Holy shit, he reckons there’s nowhere we can hide!”

“I actually can’t believe he thinks that will work,” Gloriya said through gritted teeth.

“What do we do now?” Wylo asked desperately.

“We go to him, don’t we?” suggested Marina, picking up on what her sisters were probably already thinking.

“Damn right,” Haelee spat.

“What for? He wants to kill us. I just got my freedom,” Islea asked, somewhat naïvely.

“I’ll let you off because you’ve not been allowed to think for yourself for the last three decades,” Gloriya said. “But we go to him and kill him ourselves. No father, no money, no bounties. We finish him once and for all. Then we can all be free.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m in,” Wylo said.

“Me too,” said Marina looking expectantly at Islea.

“I don’t want more trouble. I just got out.”

“And you’ll be living your life constantly looking behind your shoulder if we don’t do anything about it,” Haelee argued. “No, we have to do this. Marina, can we still go to yours in Ushaia and then we’ll hunt him down?”

***

Uluru, Australia.

Terri stood at the base of Ayers Rock, where her grandfather Terence had once attempted to walk around before dying in Islea’s snowstorm. She felt a strong connection to the site, despite never having been there before.

Whether it was he grandfather’s spiritual presence of her absorption of the rock’s energy that coursed through her own sedimentary altered genetic structure, she felt a sense of belonging and found it difficult to pull herself away.

“You ok?” Zip asked, observing Terri’s silence.

Not wanting to let her emotional guard down, and reveal an inappropriate personal interest on this mission, she zoned back into the presence.

“Of course. Couldn’t come to Australia and not see this, right? It’s breath taking.”

“It is, but sadly I don’t have time to be tour guide, Terri. Maybe return on your honeymoon.”

“Of course, yes. Thanks for this diversion though,” Terri said.

Zip’s phone started to ring and on answering, she put it on speakerphone, letting Terri know it was ok to listen on to. It was Paul of the Bobber Boys.

“Zip, we’ve just got wind that bounties have been put on the Weather Girls.”

Terri frowned. “By who?”

“Their father,” Paul responded.

“Has anyone accepted the bounties?” Zip asked.

“Looks like The Purists have. That’s how we found out anyway. The Secret Service boys have informants inside the Australian cells,” Paul explained.

“I suppose after all this time it seems he hasn’t forgiven Islea for outing him as being behind the attacks. I just don’t know what them all being dead now actually achieves,” Zip wondered.

“If they’re alive, there’s always a chance they’ll speak up again. Together,” suggested Paul. “Oooh, Brodie. Look at your phone. I’m going to send you something I’ve just got through.” Zip opened her message from Paul and made sure Terri could see it too.

It was a direct mention that OGRE Solutions had received on social media from a newly registered account. But from the message, it was obvious who was behind it.

UR ‘SOLUTIONS’ WONT B ENUF TO STOP US. WE R COMIN FOR U NOW.

“So they know that there are bounties out on them,” Zip said.

“And they’re going after him. I need to stop them,” Terri said. “The killing has to stop. And I need to prove to my fiancé that I was right…”

***

Terri raced back to her jet, following the trail of the quintet. Now they were back together and possibly on a vengeance mission, the race was on to stop them.

“Do you need any help?” Zip asked Terri, before she had set off.

“No thanks, Zip. I’ll be alright.”

“Against five? You don’t have to be the hero,” Brodie countered.

“I’m hoping I won’t have to fight any of them. Besides if I can’t stop them, there’s no need for you to get caught up in it. Thanks for all your help and time, Brodie.”

Using flight data from the plane that Islea was due to be taking, Terri was able to follow it as it now headed on course for Argentina. And after pushing her Falcon-One jet to its limit, she was hot on their tail and gaining on them.

After a long while, it came into view further north of Ushaia, perhaps after a refuelling stop. Terri considered shooting it out of the sky but the pilots were civilians and innocent.

She thrusted, pushing the jet faster to come side by side with the plane. Piggy backing on the plane’s radio airwaves, Terri commanded the plane to land.

“Take it down now. I demand you to land this plane now.” Terri could see five faces look out through the windows of the plane and they didn’t look too happy to see her or have their plane land.

All of a sudden, Terri’s controls started warning her of hazardous conditions ahead. She was flying directly into a storm. Just her jet. It must’ve been Gloriya.

Bitch, Terri cursed mentally. Game on, she thought taking a sharp bank towards the plane, out of the path of the isolated stormfront targeting Terri. She deliberately connected with the plane’s right wing, damaging it enough to cause it to bank itself and head for an emergency landing in the Valle de la Luna below.

The magnificent and unusual rock formations stood proud and erect in the valley, carved over centuries by searing desert winds.

The private plane descended sharply as planned and Terri followed right behind, ready to meet them after their harsh landing on desert. Terri watched as the plane skidded to a halt in a cloud of orange dust. For good measure, she pinned the plane to the ground with an arching column of earth that came up on the left side and up and over, planting into the ground on the plane’s right side.

Coming into land herself, she could see The Weather Girls piling out.

“What the hell is your problem?” raged Haelee stepping forward.

“I know what your father did. But what you’re going to do isn’t the answer,” Terri called out in response.

“You know nothing about it!” Islea called out this time.

“I know you tried to speak up but no one listened. No one took your word for it. And I know that he’s put bounties on you all.”

“Then you know what we must do,” Wylo simply responded. The wind began to pick up.

“There’s no must about it,” Terri argued in a last ditched attempt.

She looked up at Wylo, the one controlling the wind. It picked up and Terri felt herself beginning to move backwards. She altered to her rock state which grounded her but made her more vulnerable. Then the rain came. Monsoon type rain that was isolated to within a hundred metre area around her.

Terri hit the ground hard, sending deep cracks racing towards the sisters. They had to dodge, but their weather fronts persisted. Her next move was to create a rock shelter that arched over into a screen to keep the rain out but she was still being battered too much for it to make a real difference.

Terri peered round from her barrier to look at the girls. Islea was being urged to make her move, and this scared Terri a little. Wind and the rain she was just about coping with but with the added ice temperatures she would be in real trouble. Did she remain in rock form but suffer from extreme erosion and damage as a result?

She decided to remain in rock form and mentally dug deep. The wind was Arctic, the rain heavy, but she had to move. The wind wouldn’t knock her down, but the rain made her slower.

Stepping out from her shelter, she manipulated five erupting mounds to protrude up from under The Weather Girls, again sending them flying and landing back onto the hard, dusty ground.

But the weather persisted. If Terri could make it closer to the girls, she’d either be out of the weather or the weather would have to follow her.

Terri persisted. She went for the nearest sister, Gloriya, who was picking herself up.

She made it to the edge of the weather front and the girls noticed. Gloriya orchestrated a flash of lightning to land in front of Terri, to put her off.

It didn’t work.

Terri kept on.

With all her might, an earthen mound in the form of a giant hand appeared out of the ground grabbing Gloriya for good measure, bringing her within the storm area affecting Terri.

“Make this stop!” Terri yelled.

“Let me go!” Gloriya yelled back, thunder beginning to rumble, signifying her anger.

Terri could see Islea and Wylo running into the storm front to their sister’s defence, each impervious to their own weathers, but affected by each other’s in the same way anyone else would be.

Terri released Gloriya from her rock confinement and lunged, punching her in the face. She felt the temperature rise as Islea was unable to maintain her attack of freezing temperatures in the wind and rain. Gloriya tried to get back up but struggled as well in the harsh conditions. Her face badly hurt after having the full force of a rock knuckle sandwich to the face.

Islea grabbed at Terri and applied freezing temperatures directly to her arm.

“Now!” Islea shouted.

The rain and wind died down immediately but what followed was the major problem for Terri.

Gloriya summoned another near fatal bolt of lightning and this time, she did not miss. Before Terri could react, she was struck.

By this point, Terri’s rock structure had taken a battering from rain, the cold and the wind, and the lightning strike was the last straw, heating up the moisture and caused an explosion of steam to erupt from within Terri’s arm.

Terri flew back into soggy, drenched mud, screaming in agony and clutching her arm. Her quartz throbbed in response to the pain. She tried to sit up but all the pain was centred to her upper body.

Being stuck in the boggy mud didn’t help either, but after a moment, the rain started to ease to a complete stop. It fell quiet as the clouds lifted and the Argentinian sunshine began to creep back through.

In the distance, she thought she could hear a helicopter. Terri couldn’t do anything to stop it. She was in too much pain. They’d won this one. She waited for the chopper to go, whilst maintaining a tight hold onto her upper arm with her free hand. She dared to remove it, to assess the damage, however she very quickly regretted it.

She screamed in horror. In agony. Tears streamed from her eyes as she tried to keep it together.

This had never happened before.

She slowly lifted her hand off her arm, and a chunk of it came off like a broken piece of rock.