7 -

The lightning strike and fire sorcery had set tinder aflame, and an unusual smoke began to dim our increasingly tense gathering.
Now, I find myself engaged by dozens of the tribesman's eyes, seemingly glowing at me through the fragrant and colorful smoke, with the "Lord" himself now fixated on me! His figure, tall and imposing, with an elder-warrior's face, long-bearded with dark red eyes, gazing at me through the smoke, and indeed, beaming through my very soul. I felt a supernatural presence brush over my heart! It felt like a hand, scholarly flipping through pages of a book that was my life, family, experience, and even my very reason for being here tonight, in these god forsaken woods.

My usual sense of humor now set aside; the elemental's probe of my being had intuitively revealed just how dangerous this situation was. I gripped the boy's hand; his rescue was my priority, and now the "Lord" was proceeding to raise his glowing staff in my direction....