Magic Madness™️

Chapter Twenty: Stone

Word Count: 2,649

"We've passed this tree before. I feel like we've passed it before. Have we passed it before?" Alejandro asked, dehydrated and a little dizzy. He had set Elijah down a few hours ago and they searched for their group together, but it proved to be much harder than they thought, when all of the trees looked the same. The weather was beginning to feel like Autumn did back on Earth, and the wind that blew in their faces chapped their lips, dried their throats, and left them dehydrated after they ran out of water.
"I don't freaking know. They're all trees, they all look so similar," Elijah shrugged.
"No, but I swear we've seen this exact tree!" Alex pressed. Exhausted, Elijah flicked his hand in the tree's direction. All of the leaves fell off of it.
+50 EXP
"There. Now we'll know if we pass it again," he said, eyes drooping, head pounding.
"Ugh. We're never gonna find them," Alex said doubtfully, glaring at the sunset like it had personally offended him, "I'm gonna just...I need some sleep."
In video games, the sun going down meant it was very late, and after being woken up so early and having such a long day, both boys were very much ready to go to sleep just about anywhere that had enough space for the two of them.
Elijah stomped, and some ground next to the trail flattened and smoothed out.
+50 EXP
"Huh. I didn't think that would actually work," Elijah said, but he didn't sound all that impressed. He just sat down in the cleared space, took his backpack off, and curled up with his eyes closed.
"You know, I miss my bed a lot. Also, I miss having a roof. And no bugs biting me every two seconds," Alex said mournfully, laying down beside Elijah, "Like don't get me wrong. I love seeing the actual stars, but I like the glow-in-the-dark ones on my ceiling just as much."
Just then, a clap of thunder rattled the trees and it began to downpour.
+900 EXP

Alex's eyes went from mostly closed to wide open as the white text appeared above him. He shook Elijah, who groaned.
"What do you want? I'm tired, it's raining, I just laid down-" he snapped.
"I did that!" Alex exclaimed.
"Yeah, okay," Elijah closed his eyes again. He waved his arm above him, the leaves in the tree doubling and keeping the two of them dry.
"It started raining and like half a second later I got experience points. Like nine hundred. 'Cause I did that. I'm making it storm," Alex smiled, and then frowned, "Oh. But like don't powers reflect personality? So like is being able to make it rain a good thing? I hope it's a good thing. Or is it more about emotions than personality?"
"Oh my god," Elijah shot upright, "Powers reflect personality."
"Um...yeah," Alex nodded slowly.
"How did I not-! I mean I feel like I made the connection, but I guess I never thought about it that way. I'm so stupid," Elijah thought aloud, "It's no wonder I can turn invisible."
"Oh, Elijah, that's not what-.....I'm sorry," Alex said quietly, the rain pounding on the ground.
"And it's no wonder you have super strength. I bet that's why I have plant powers too, huh? Because I'm fragile and useless, just like flowers," Elijah continued bitterly.
"It could also mean that you're pretty and you smell nice," Alex teased, wiggling his eyebrows. Elijah blushed and smacked his arm.
"Shut up," he shook his head.
"No but seriously, I'm sure it means something really cool," Alex assured.
"Yeah, let's hope so. I'm sure being able to cause storms means something cool too, and I didn't mean to dismiss you when I got upset. It's really awesome that you can do that. You're a really powerful guy," Elijah smiled tiredly with a hint of sad.
"Thanks. I'll let you sleep in peace now," Alejandro grinned, laying back down. The sound of rain around them was actually very comforting, and the way Elijah doubled the leaves in the tree above them kept them both almost completely dry.

Alejandro awoke with the sunrise. The rain had stopped, he was still completely dry, and all of their stuff was still with them. Penny was sleeping on top of Eli's bag.
"Eli?"
"Hmmmm"
"Eli. Wake up," Alex shook Eli's shoulder gently.
"What time is it?" Elijah grumbled.
"How many times do I have to remind you that we don't have clocks? I don't know the time, but the sun is coming up and we really have to catch up with the others," Alex replied, standing up and brushing himself off.
"Must you always wake up at sunrise?" Eli complained, sitting up and stretching.
"When we're lost in a world we don't know? Yes," Alex said, holding a hand out for Elijah to take.
"But you still do it anyway. In any world, you wake up too early," Eli whined.
Met with silence, Eli rolled his eyes, took his hand, and stood up.