Burning Thunder
The sky started raining and it didn’t deter them.
My legs felt ready to give out at any time as I had been running for what seemed so long. Climbing trees, borrowing into the ground, even words of persuasion. Nothing stops their fury. My clothes were in tatters from being burned away, crumbling into soot with each step I took.
As I reached a small clearing, lighting lit up the forest. Electricity worked before, how do I channel this energy? I looked around for the tallest object nearby, it was an abandoned watchtower sitting upon a hill. A second, desperate wind welled up within me and I dashed off towards the rocky tower. One bright side to the rain is it was easier to keep my body conductive.
I reached the tower, winds howling and the dracas waiting in the wings to strike. I started ascending it’s uneven steps.
Not far up one gave out from under me. I grabbed on its edge and dracas started searing me again. There was no rain inside to help conduct and parts of my body was now exposed. I pulled myself up and kept going through the pain.
I stumbled and limped the whole way up till I saw the mouth of the roof.
Standing dead center on the tower, I reached my hand out to the dark, distended clouds above. I willed up the last of the magic from my empty stomach, as the wind blew in circles. A tall, burst of sparks shot out of my hand. A dazzling display of red and white shimmers fell around me.
Crack. Lighting struck.
A warm tingling sensation ran throughout my body. I closed my hand and grabbed the newly formed energy, molding it. Smaller bursts of electricity ran around each other till they made the shape of a long hammer.
The swarm of dracas hovered before my. I swung. There was no resistance on the stroke as I spun around and around in circles. I released my weapon and rain poured down around as I opened my eyes and saw the world swirling. Everything came back into focus as I came to a slow tired stop.
They were gone and I was alone high up. Before me was plenty of dead bugs and a charred bird. At least I could eat the latter.
As I finished the bird my mind returned to normal, it dawned on me I never picked up the nest. In fact I had no idea where the nest was or my tribe for that matter. My pain receptors started working as well and I noticed my left arm was fried black from the lightning.
It stopped raining, the sun peaked through and I returned to the top of the tower and looked out. With the Benripe sky cleared I could see the tall tree I grew, my tribe and from there where the nest was. I’d need to stop there. I couldn’t tell if it was supposed to be night or if my body was just exhausted from the ordeal. I never was good at telling day from night during Benripe.
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I reached the hamlet around dawn. Burned, battered and bruised I staggered my way home. With eyes heavy and muscles aching I pushed open the door, falling in face first. I didn’t even feel the pain of my head hitting the floor as I fell asleep.