Zalan felt the moment that Rep was struck by the lightning. Zalan was using Rep as a crutch and the electricity flowed through Rep like a missile tearing into Zalan’s soul. The energy was overwhelming, a burning, straining sensation, easily enough to kill both Rep and Zalan.

Except that Zalan felt the muscle of Elemental Power now.

It was so clear in that tiny moment. Like putting one’s hand on a hot stovetop and having to draw it away, Zalan felt the instinct of the power of lightning. And just like he would react without thinking to the hot stove, he acted without conscious thought. The fluke of him drawing sparks earlier with the Elemental was nothing compared to this real experience. He knew exactly what muscle this was.

He drew all the immense energies of the lightning into himself, ensuring that it passed harmlessly through Rep. Then he thrust a hand into the air to throw all the lightning away at once. The lightning that had come down exploded from his fingertips, going back to the clouds that dealt it.

The force of throwing lightning skyward was immense, driving Zalan down into the sand all the way up to his waist. The sky flashed a brilliant blue as the clouds were forced to accept the offering of lightning and throw it away elsewhere. Rep looked up at the sky, then felt himself up and down, amazed that he didn’t feel any pain after being certain he had just been struck by lightning. Zalan had saved his life.

“That was incredible!” Rep laughed, looking down with an astounded smile before becoming horrified. “Zalan!!”

Zalan had lost consciousness, sinking slowly into the sand. Rep dove forward to keep Zalan’s head above the sandy water pooling up in the desert floor and fired a dozen small flares into the sky, unable to carry Zalan into a shelter himself. Worse yet, it seemed every building around them was falling apart in the rain or being hit directly by lightning and exploding. There was nowhere to hide and he knew he was unable to run. He strained himself, trying with all his might to drag Zalan out of the sand, but his companion was too deep within. It was all Rep could do to keep Zalan’s head above the elements trying to cut off his air flow.

“Help! Someone! Dear God, save us! Please!” Rep cried into the night. He was crying freely now, unable to mask his fear of Zalan perishing in his arms. He held a flame close to Zalan’s face, trying what little he could to keep him warm and alive. Rep felt Zalan breathing, but it was frail and felt as though it could stop at any moment.

Rep was out of ideas, slowly sinking into the sand, himself. He tried desperately to keep himself and Zalan above, but struggling only brought them both lower into the earth. Rep was almost glad that Zalan wasn’t awake to witness his grisly fate. The sand consumed them, now up to Zalan’s chest and Rep’s stomach.

“I apologize, Zalan,” Rep said to him. “I never should have brought you here.”

Just then, faintly, he heard something that did not sound like the storm. A voice?

“Elemental?” Rep raised his head to look around. “Have you returned? Stop the storm!”

The voice called back and the way it didn’t send a shiver down Rep’s spine made him certain it wasn’t the Elemental.

“Hello!” Rep screamed, squinting through the winds and rains, igniting a fire in his palm to try and see far enough.

“...coming to help! Keep your flame active!” the voice reached him. A man’s voice, sounding impressively loud and cutting through the storm.

“We are here!” Rep yelled, elated to hear another person’s voice. He pulled Zalan as hard as he could from the grip of the sand. “This way!”

“I hear you! We will be there soon!”

Rep couldn’t tell from which direction the voice originated from. He looked all around, then gasped as he saw a figure. A human approaching with points jutting out of his shoulder like wings, a light behind him making it impossible to make out the features in the front.

“The Angel of Death?” Rep asked, his earlier elation dissipating. “Not yet! This is all my fault! He does not deserve it!”

“Is that you, Rep?” the man spoke, the points on his shoulders revealing themselves to be two swords.

“Gorb?” Rep asked, dumbstruck. “What are you doing here?”

Lightning flashed around them, revealing that behind Gorb were two young women. One was Gorb’s sister, Fran, who was emitting the firelight for the three of them by way of her Elemental Power. The other companion, Rep didn’t recognize.

“We should get out of here, first!” Gorb said.

“Do you not want to experience the awesome power of this storm!” Fran exclaimed, looking up in awe.

“What if there is an Elemental here?” the other girl asked.

“These men are dying,” Gorb said, chastising them both.

“Fine,” Fran said in disappointment, granting a large firelight able to withstand the rain to Zalan and Rep.

Rep noticed that the rainfall had decreased drastically immediately around them, making it significantly easier to hear one another. Gorb held a fist above his head, his Elemental Power creating an umbrella of air to push raindrops away from them. It also had an incredible drying effect. The only thing left wetting his face were his final tears.

The other girl rushed to Zalan and looped a rope under both of his arms, then with Fran’s help they gently pulled him from inside the sand. Gorb grasped Rep’s hand and pulled him out of the sand with considerable strength. Gorb looked over Zalan, who was opening his eyes in half-consciousness, not truly acknowledging what was happening around him.

“Who is this?” Gorb asked Rep.

“My friend, Zalan. Who is she?” Rep replied, pointing to the girl he was unfamiliar with.

“That is our temporary companion, Yelsa,” Gorb hoisted Zalan over his shoulder. “Can you walk on your own?”

“I think so. Just keep a fire going so I do not have to use any more energy,” Rep said, pulling himself upright and shaking his legs free of sand that tried to remain behind.

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“I can manage the fire,” Fran said. “Yelsa can get you some food if you are hungry.”

“Thank you. You saved his life!” Rep said gratefully. “Our lives!”

“Not yet,” Gorb said, as thunder rolled above them. “Move quickly and we may earn your thanks.”

The four of them walked as briskly as they could through the rains. Gorb’s air power made it astoundingly easy to deflect rainfall and keep a fire going within the storm. They traveled in silence, moving as quickly as they could to escape the worst part of the storm. After about forty minutes of travel, they had put enough distance between them and the Lost City of Xagon to breathe easy, the lightning only striking the city and area immediately surrounding it. The rains were weaker at this distance and the sand no longer clung to the travelers, threatening to pull them below. Zalan lay limp over Gorb’s shoulder, occasionally drifting out of sleep long enough to be surprised by his new surroundings, then falling back asleep.

At an hour’s distance, the rain had all but dissipated into a light mist and Rep requested that they stop so he could rest.

“Of course,” Gorb said, gently placing Zalan down on a piece of laid out fabric.

Fran started a fire for them and looked out over to the area where they came from, inspired by the edge of the storm.

“Is there an Elemental in there?” Yelsa asked Rep once it seemed he had settled.

“There was. It left after granting its power to Zalan,” Rep answered, placing his hands up to the fire to warm himself.

“Gone? It migrated elsewhere?” Yelsa asked.

“Indeed,” Rep nodded.

Yelsa groaned and began cracking the joints of each of her fingers in succession. She breathed out in frustration, then followed up,

“What manner of Elemental was it?” she asked.

“A Storm Elemental.”

“A what?” Yelsa turned to Gorb who sat across the fire. “You never said anything about Storm Elementals!”

“I did not know they existed,” Gorb shrugged.

“Who…” Zalan had suddenly become lucid, but began coughing before he could form the complete question. He looked between the new travelers surrounding him, first with uneasiness, then with curiosity once he saw that Rep was comfortable among them.

Gorb was massive, his shoulders broad and the swords on his back large. He was easily a head taller than Rep and Zalan and looked upon him phlegmatically. Fran, who looked related to the large man, watched Zalan with an interesting grin. The expression made it seem like she was always in the midst of plotting a joke she wanted to reveal that would be to the detriment of everyone but herself. The last girl, Yelsa, was covered in cuts and bruises, mostly over her face, like she recently got in a fight and lost. There was a bow and quiver of arrows settled at her feet.

“You need food,” Rep said, standing immediately and feeling his pockets. All he had within was mush, the storm having drowned their rations.

“Here,” Yelsa stepped forward and offered Zalan some dried meat.

“Thank…” Zalan began coughing once more and Rep offered him a waterskin to drink from. Zalan drank its entire contents, then grabbed the meat and ate it ravenously. Yelsa offered another piece and Zalan treated it the same, downing it in seconds. He pulled himself up slightly, leaning back on his arms to get a look at the newcomers. “Who are these people?”

“This is Gorbonifus, his sister Fran, and their companion Yelsa,” Rep said, pointing to each of them. “They saved your life.”

“Wow, thank…” Zalan trailed and looked up. “Your name is Gorbonifus?”

“Indeed,” Gorb nodded, his arms crossed. “The strong may call me Gorb.”

“Okay, cool,” Zalan nodded to himself. “Gorb is easier.”

“Gorbonifus to you,” Gorb corrected immediately to Zalan’s annoyance.

“Fine,” he said. “Where did you come from?”

“I am much more interested to know what you two were doing in The Lost City,” Gorb looked to Rep.

“We were in search of an Elemental,” Rep answered.

“In Xagon?” Yelsa asked, astounded. “There was one there this whole time?! Aggh!” She began popping the joints in her wrists.

“It was Zalan’s idea to search there. I did not believe we would find one,” Rep nodded to Zalan. Gorb and Yelsa looked to him, Fran’s attention was still mostly on the distant storm.

“You knew of the Elemental?” Gorb asked, clearly impressed.

“Rep read about the Elemental that drove out the people that used to live there. I just thought it never left,” Zalan shrugged, wincing as he made the motion.

“Reading,” Gorb said with distaste. “I have heard of men that had the same theory, but they could not find the Elemental. Where was it hidden?” Gorb asked.

“Be honest, it was easy to find, yes?” Yelsa said with derision on her tongue.

“It wanted my blood, then it appeared,” Zalan said.

“A simple pinprick of blood was all it took?” Yelsa asked.

“I was bleeding for over an hour,” Zalan replied, raising the raw wound on his hand, the bandage having peeled off in the rain.

Yelsa and Gorb shared a look of revulsion, then turned back to Zalan.

“But then you were granted its power? What manner of Element?” Yelsa asked eagerly.

“Lightning,” Zalan replied.

Again, Yelsa and Gorb looked at one another. Though, to everyone’s surprise, Fran was the first to speak.

“What an incredible power. Lightning. So unique and unpredictable. I think I could be overwhelmed from a blast of lightning and die happy. I should try and kill a Storm Elemental,” Fran said, sounding as though she was speaking to herself.

The others stared at her for a moment, then Gorb shook his head at the others in the circle, indicating she was talking to herself. The conversation continued.

“Lightning?” Yelsa asked, somewhat annoyed. “You never mentioned any Elementals that offered lightning.”

“I did not know they existed,” Gorb shrugged stoically.

“What use are the two of you?” Yelsa snapped, looking between Gorb and Fran. Neither Gorb nor Fran replied and Yelsa began popping her neck. Rep decided to redirect the conversation before it became too awkward to continue.

“How did you know to come and find us? The storm was immense,” he asked.

“We were passing around Xagon on our way back from Pludon. Truth be told, Fran was the first to notice the storm. She wanted to get closer to see it for herself. But we saw flames being emitted from within the storm. We presumed they were from a Flamestriker. But then we witnessed something absolutely incredible. A bolt of lightning flashed downward, then went back up! We were astounded! Fran insisted that we see the source, and I was reluctant to disagree. Of course, now it makes sense. Only an Elemental could do such a thing,” Gorb explained.

Rep looked at Zalan and raised his eyebrows. Zalan began to explain,

“Actually Gorbo… Gorbin… Go…”

“Gorbonifus,” Gorb said patiently.

“Gorbonifus. I was the one that redirected the lightning,” Zalan said.

Gorb’s stoic face went wide-eyed and he looked up at Rep. Rep nodded in confirmation. Yelsa’s face went from sour to astounded. Gorb sat up straighter and cleared his throat,

“I see,” he told Zalan. “What Level have you reached?”

“I’m just at Level One,” Zalan replied.

Gorb’s shoulders slumped.

“I see,” he grumbled, disappointed.

“Why does Zalan’s manner of speech sound strange?” Fran said, turning herself around and finally breaking her attention from the distant storm. “Where does he hail from?”

“He is… not from around this land,” Rep answered nervously.

“I just implied that,” Fran said, annoyed. “But where is he from?”

Rep looked at Zalan who made a face, unsure how to proceed. Rep shrugged.

“I’m from another world,” Zalan said.

Fran blinked and looked back to Rep. Rep nodded. Fran smirked and turned to her brother.

“Good to know we are not the only ones traveling with someone insane,” she said, to which Yelsa protested loudly.