Chapter four of Radella

All of the sudden Ella's eyes snapped back at the ogre. There was a strident crack from the sky as a bolt of lightning came down from the sky on the flesh made lightning rod. With a groan of more surprise than pain, the ogre fell, shaking the earth one last time. The ogre lay motionless as rain continued to pound down on his body. Ella whirled around and faced her friends.

"I thought we were going to die!" Zandra cried and hugged Ella.

Avery stood in a daze, then slowly came back to his senses and smiled dumbly.

"Now we really are as close as sisters," Ella said to Zandra, "Nothing like a near death experience to make a person realize."

Zandra laughed, though she was still a little rickety, "Why don't we go inside?"

They all agreed to this, happy to get out of the rain.

Back in the visiting room there was a crowd surrounding the three. All who had not run, or had the time to, had seen what happened.

"It was a miracle!" a lady cried.

"No, it was a sign!" A man said.

"Just luck, was all," another man said.

All the same everyone was celebrating. Even a single ogre would take many men to kill. Ella, Zandra, and Avery sat on the couch in the visiting room, wrapped up in blankets.

"I can't believe lightning struck that ogre," Zandra said to Ella, once the crowd had dissolved.

"Well, I don't think it was just by coincidence," Ella said.

"There were no mages there, none that I knew of," Zandra said, "And a wizard couldn't possibly have done that. Only a weather mage."

A thought seemed to have occurred to Zandra, "Are you a weather mage Av-, I mean your Majesty."

"No," Avery said, "Maybe someone in the castle was, of maybe Ella?."

"No way, I don't even know the first thing about mages." Ella said, "And in my world, magic isn't real like this. It's just a bunch of card tricks of pulling rabbits out of hats."

"Well, maybe that changes when you go into a different world." Zandra said, though she never thought she would ever have to use those words.

"Maybe, but how are you so sure you didn't do it then?" Ella said.

"I'm positive it wasn't me, because you must have to feel something. Besides, everyone is examined by a wizard, witch, or mage if you live in the castle. If they find magic in you, you'll be schooled, and they didn't find magic in me. Anyway, do you not remember when you looked up? That's when it started thundering, so it must be you."

"You're mocking me!"

"I am not," Zandra said, "Come, let's eat and forget all of this."

After dinner, with their bellies contently full, they each retired to their rooms. The natural night lights hung luminously in the setting sky. Ella was amazed at how quickly fall was passing. More and more leaves continued to change colors and all to the ground. The sprites were obviously hard at work, and soon winter would arrive.