It keeps trying, but since I am completely immune to lightning it just can't hurt me. When I return the favor the same turns out to be true, it is immune to physical damage. Since my only spells are wind or lightning based they don't hurt it either.

It seems we are both completely immune to the damage of the other. Try as we might, we just have no way of hurting each other, yet it still gets in my way. I try every weapon and spell I have, even my new spear, nothing does any damage.

When I step back to think things through the elemental stops attacking me. If I step to the side it matches me, no matter where I move it stays between me and the orb. I step forward again and try to wrestle it out of the way, but it matches my strength.

That really surprises me, a lightning elemental does not strike me as being all that strong. Just to test it I move to the far side of the room and then race across the room at top speed. As expected the elemental has no problems keeping up with my speed.

Since it is a lightning element its speed comes as no surprise, in fact it is probably faster than me. What I can't figure out is how it is as strong as I am, it makes no sense. An earth elemental I would expect to be this strong, but not lightning.

With no other ideas I start searching the rest of the room looking for a hint. However, despite spending several hours searching, I don't find any hints about getting past the elemental. The walls and the columns are all covered in carvings, but none of them show the answer.

Just to be thorough I go back out into the hallway to take another look at the creation mural. The lightning elemental isn't shown anywhere in the mural or the carvings. In fact only one carving shows the altar, and it just shows figures kneeling before it.

Out of curiosity I move as close to the altar as the elemental will let me without attacking me. Then I kneel down as if I was going to pray to the orb, but nothing happens. After a few minutes of nothing happening I enter meditation to look around with my mind's eye.

Instantly I notice the energy tether that is connecting the elemental to the orb. That must be how it can match my strength, it can pull power from the orb. Unfortunately, that means there is no way I can overpower the elemental.

Not unless the orb itself runs out of power, which doesn't seem likely. There is another slightly smaller tether connecting the orb to the wind wall. There are also dozens of smaller ones connecting the orb to the room itself.

That is probably so that the power of the orb can maintain the temple. However, at least now I have an explanation for the elemental being a match for me. If I can somehow sever the tether then I should be able to overpower the elemental.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

However, when I attempt to reach out to the tether with my will the elemental once again blocks me. Somehow, the elemental knows exactly what I am doing and provides the perfect counter. It is so frustrating I want to grab the elemental and rip it apart with my bare hands.

Of course, if that was an option I would have already done so. As it stands I am back to square one, I need a way past the elemental. There is no way I can destroy the orb until I figure out how to deal with the elemental.

However, I can't see a way to deal with the elemental while it is being fed power from the orb. I must be missing something, but I can't figure it out no matter how much I wrack my brain. Eventually, I think in circles so much that I give myself a headache.

Moving away from the elemental I curl up on the floor to get some sleep. After I wake up and eat breakfast I think through everything again, hoping for a fresh idea. When that fails I decide to give up and ask for some help, so I create a soulscape.

However, Krenocia and Seronia don't respond to my invitation, they probably can't hear me. Once I end the soulscape I realize that it is something I haven't tried. So I move back to the line before the altar and sit down, then I create another soulscape.

However, when I try to pull the elemental into the soulscape I find there is nothing to pull. From that I can tell that it isn't a real elemental, just a manifestation of the orb's power. Which means this whole time I have been thinking about this all wrong.

If it isn't an elemental that means I have been fighting against the orb itself. That also means that I don't need to touch the orb, touching the body should amount to the same thing. It also means there is no will within the orb, it is just power, probably controlled by spells.

Backing off and climbing up one of the columns allows me to get a look at the altar itself. It is completely covered in writing, my best guess is that it is the spells that are controlling the orb. Climbing back down I sit and think for a while, but the only idea I can come up with is rather crazy.

Since nothing else has worked I decide to go ahead and give it a try. Moving back in front of the altar I reach out to grab the body by the shoulder. Since I am not attacking it doesn't react and allows me to grab hold of it.

Then I close my eyes and focus, I gather up all of my sacred power and shove it into the body. The tether becomes visible to the naked eye as a lone of golden power as my sacred power flows down it. When my power enters into the orb there is an explosion and I am thrown away from the altar.

When I look up both the body and the wind wall are gone, all that's left is the orb. Which is now a swirling ball of green and gold, picking myself up, I walk up to the altar. Up close the orb now looks a lot less stable, the orb's power seems to be fighting against mine.

Before it can sort itself out and restore its defenses I bring both fists down and smash the altar. As the altar shatters the orb starts to lose its shape, becoming a mass of green and gold. I am just starting to think running might be a good idea when the ball of energy moves.

Before I can react the ball of energy hits me in the chest and the entire room lights up with lightning. It feels like the ball of energy is trying to suck me in and consume me, but I stand my ground. My chest where the energy is touching me feels like it is burning, and I can smell burning flesh.

Analyzing....

Element: Compatible!

Fusion Commencing!