I Am Lightning

Although fire boy was 14, already he was a little bit taller than me. He had dark, auburn hair, fair skin and a sturdy, yet rather slim build. His bright red eyes were to me rather beautiful. I’d have to work on toughening him up once I got him out of this place, which was the first challenge. People around us were now pointing and staring, and I didn’t have to feel the current within them to know it.
“I’m Joshua,” fire boy said. Guess I really should call him Joshua, then.
“Nice to meet you,” I said, for I really was glad. “I’m Fulgora.”
At this point Lord Martin noticed us, and I could tell by his shocked expression that he remembered me.
“You!” he cried out, pointing at me. Joshua and I turned to stare at him.
“Hello,” I replied, and grinned at him. I can’t help but think I must have looked quite mischievous behind my scars. Right now I just couldn’t help but feel happy!
Lord Martin looked between his son and myself, then beckoned the two of us forward. He stood from his throne, turned, and whirled away to a door with the two of us following. We paraded through the castle in silence until we reached what I believed were the Lord’s private chambers. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from him now, this in itself being unexpected.

“So,” he said, turning to close the door behind me with a snap. “So you’ve come to claim your prize, is that it?”
“Father, what’re you talking about?” asked Joshua, looking between the two of us. I tilted my head to the side, staring at Lord Martin.
“You came here seventeen years ago with that... that stone, and then when my son was born his eyes were the same colour as it. Then two years ago he stops growing, and only around three days ago he starts playing around with fire without touching it- and now here you are! Pray tell me, what have you done to my son!?”
“I didn’t do anything,” I replied, “he was chosen. Fire has chosen its new Master.” I saw the confusion in Lord Martin’s eyes and sighed. “No-one alive remembers the old days now, other than some of those pesky mages.”
“Yes- you were sent, half-dead, to the mage’s college. How did you survive, and how do you stand here now? There is some trickery about you- I knew it as soon as I saw those yellow eyes of yours!”
“Dad, her eyes are amazing, and I like them! They’re strange like mine!”
“Joshua, be quiet. Girl- explain.”
I hissed at him. “What did you just call me?”
“Just explain to me what you did to my son!”
I wrinkled my face at him. “I already told you, Fire has chosen him to become its Master. The ruby I presented to you was the Fire stone, it holds much of the power to control fire. I have been unconscious for the past seventeen years, somewhere between life and death, and now I return to see if the rumours are true. Your son, Joshua,” I turned to address him instead, “you will become the next Fire Master.”
Joshua stared at me in awe, and I could see I would have no trouble convincing him of what I had told him. Already he believed me. He had every right to.
“Your people,” I said, turning again to Lord Martin, “believe that your son is a mage, and are frightened by the prospect of him becoming the next Lord.” Joshua had to hear this, no matter how much he mightn’t like it. “You need to allow him to come with me. There is much more to this than you know.”
“Go with you? To where?” Joshua asked, his eyes full of excitement. I shrugged.
“Training. Avoiding the dangers of the land while I make you strong enough to protect yourself against them.”
“What make you think,” started Lord Martin in a deep and trembling voice, “that I will let you take my son and do whatever you want with him?”
“Okay, how about this?” I said, whirling on him. “I leave him here with you and let him do whatever he wants. A few years go by and he still looks the same, freaking out every town member and visitor alike. Joshua grows more powerful and eventually, unable to properly control his power, explodes with fire and burns down the whole City. Is that what you want? You have no idea what your son is capable of.”
I noticed Joshua seemed enthralled by my words while his father was shocked and worried. I knew I would get what I wanted eventually. I grabbed the Lord by his elbow before he could protest and dragged a little way away, out of earshot from Joshua who shot me an angry look.
“Lord Martin... I will train your son, and protect him from harm. He is nothing but a danger to you all here, and face it, all of the townsfolk here are scared of him. Why, your guards let me through when they learned that I may be taking your son from here. This is the best thing for him! There are dangers in this world that I fear will overwhelm us unless I train him up to become powerful enough to overcome them. Were you there the night I was taken to the mage’s college? Did you see the condition I was in? That is what your son- no- every person in your city will be facing unless you let me train him. He will become a hero. He will become your saviour. You must let me take him.”

There was more argument and deliberation, but it got repetitive and boring. Eventually, Lord Martin had no choice but to agree.
“So... you still have that Fire stone locked away in your treasury, right?”

And this is where things got really interesting.