Thunderstorm

With an earth-shattering roar, lightning cleaved through the sky and bit viciously into a towering tree. The massive conifer burst into vibrant flames; the only light in the wind-lashed forest. Torrents of rain poured on to it, causing gouts of steam to fill the air. The other trees moaned in the furious wind, as if they mourned the loss of their fellow.

An unfortunate traveler slowly backed away from the tree he had been sheltering under. Raindrops the size of bullets and slabs of sleet slapped onto his back, but were immediately shaken off by his shivering. He cursed his ill-fortune under his breath as he stumbled to the edge of the forest.

A vast field lay beyond the trees. The gale was causing great waves of grass to roll across it. Dotting the plain were small, scorched pits that billowing smoke. The man eyed them warily – there seemed that nothing was safe. He figured he would freeze to death soon enough and ran under a pair of gnarled trees. Streams of rain poured down from the branches and down the trunks – however, it shielded him from the worst of the gale. With a thump, he dropped to the sodden grass. He stuffed his hands into his soaking wet pockets and waited for his trembling to subside.

Light gleamed through the leafy branches as lightning arced through the sky. An annoyed grimace passed the young man’s face as it faded. He slipped off the knapsack he was carrying and poured out about an inch of water from it. A few small spheres plopped onto the grass – 6 of them in a variety of colors. He glowered at one of them – the one with large green spots surrounded by black with red button. There was another crack of lightning, causing the man to flinch. He scooped up the green and black ball as well as a white ball ...

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.... She could defeat those many times larger than her and was well aware of the fact.

Dan stroked her head, trying to calm her furious trembling. Maybe it was because of the frigid weather.

He yelped as something singed his left toes. He fumbled with and finally managed to tear off his boot and toss it into the underbrush. He peered anxiously at his sock – it was seared black, and flaked off at his barest touch.

Dan’s head snapped up – Tetra whimpered and pressed against him, trying to keep him back. The blackness slowly consolidated into forms, but they were only phantasms.

Or so he hoped.

A seared, steaming trail was left in the ground. The grass directly around his had been burned to a crisp, but the trail itself had torn up the ground a good meter down. A crackle of electricity caused Dan’s heart to jump, but it was just Tetra, gathering her energies.