Thunder

Fred

The two face each other, waiting for the other to move. Both want to counter-attack. Jarleth raises his hands, and Checkers closes in. I now hear a crack and boom of thunder coming from the inside the circle. I do not see any lightning, though. Checkers is falling to the ground, and has brought her hands to her ears. She must have been struck by Jarlath. And now there are sharp echoes of the boom. I felt a buzzing passing through my body in the time it takes for my heart to beat twice. Time seems to stand still. The referees and Jarlath himself seem to be rooted where they stand. What is all this about?

Jarlath

This is not what I planned. The spell should have been just a little pop, and she should suffer no more than a slight dizziness that would allow me to walk over and get the rope. It looks as if I have unleashed something with far more power than I had intended. But I did not put that much effort into it! And I am just getting feeling back in my legs; I still cannot move. I hope that I have not killed the poor creature. She is splayed out on the ground, and she is not moving! Please let it be that you are just stunned a little. I move my left leg forward a little, but it feels like dead weight. Give it a few seconds. I will try to read her mind. Nothing. Please move, think, do something. I didn’t mean this spell to go nearly that far.

I think that I have caught her thoughts. I hope that is what it is. I am not sure. It is like trying to catch someone talking on the other side of a pond when there is a driving rain roiling its surface. She's alive! I do not know what she is thinking, but she is alive. I will move my right leg forward. It does not feel quite as numb as before. My left leg goes forward easily. Oh, now I can see her crawling toward the rope. She is not moving fast, and is not able or willing to stand. I move my right leg forward. It is still numb, and I hold it steady for a few seconds. Left now. I can walk toward the rope. She is still crawling toward it, but I am going to get there first. I reach down, and pick it up. I tie the rope around my neck now. I look to the referee. She nods. But I do not feel triumphant. I am afraid. My powers - are they slipping from my control?

Astra 9 Cistyrgia

What has happened? Has Jarlath summoned a lightning strike? There was no flash, though. At first I felt numb and paralyzed. Now I can move, but my hands still tremble. It looks like Jarlath has won, although I need to see if Checkers has been hurt as a result.

I speak, "Are you both whole?"

Jarlath responds, "I am. Something happened. I do not think that I could do that again even I tried to. Checkers, can you hear me?"

Checkers stays on the floor of the cave, and her eyes are now closed. She answers softly. "Yes, I can hear both of you. My ears hurt. I am having trouble getting to my feet. The thought of trying to rise makes me dizzy and sick to my stomach. I just want to stay here for a minute. Maybe that feeling will go away."

"I can try to cast a healing spell," Jarlath offers.

"Please don't! I have had enough magic for one day. Just let me rest."

Belboz and the two light elves quickly returned to the cavern to see what the noise was about. Astra Transtyrgia was nodding in agreement with something Astra her twin from the Champions said.

1. Astra 9 Cisstyrgia spoke...
2. Astra 9 Cisstrygia spoke... [Alternate version]

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