Diamonds: Part 3

DARO
You'll be learning to control our nature's most basic manifestation. Lightning itself.

Tayo starts laughing. Thunder rumbles.

TAYO
You're serious.
DARO
The goal is to get lightning to strike the sword before the storm ends.
TAYO
This is wickedness.

Daro starts to leave.

DARO
Meditate and concentrate. Remember, heart and mind.

EXT. BONFIRE, EALAO - NIGHT
Hiro and Henry are laughing by the fire roasting a fish as gusts of wind blow and thunder roars. Daro see the flames dwindling.

DARO
Watch the fire.

Henry holds a log of wood, closes his eyes, his hands then radiate with heat and some moments later the wood bursts into flames. Hiro claps for him. Henry sees his hands on fire and quickly puts it out.

DARO
(to Hiro)
Your turn.

Hiro picks a piece of wood and focuses but nothing happens.

HIRO
Why can't I do it?
DARO
Here. Practice with this.

Daro hands Tayo's bow over to her.

DARO
The bow helps you manifest your ora and convert it into an energy nature.

Hiro concentrates and draws an imaginary arrow, but nothing appears. She lets out a sigh of disappointment.
We hear thunder in the distance.

HENRY
You'll get it eventually. Where is Ray?
DARO
He's training.

EXT. ROCK PILLAR, EALAO - SAME TIME
Under the rainless storm, Tayo is practicing swings with Daro's sword and shield. Intermittently, he pauses and points the sword to the skies.

TAYO
I call on Thorrr, Zeus, Jupiter?
Sangoooooo.

No sound apart from that from a slight wind echoes. The area for a moment has become quite for a bit. He plants the sword in the ground and stretches and all of a sudden lightning strikes. Except it wasn't the sword that was struck, it was his groin, he falls down moaning in pain.

EXT. FOREST VALLEY, EALAO - LATER
Tayo limps through the trees. He stops to take a look at his groin. It's still there, he lets out a huge sigh of relief. Not that he ever intends to use it in this world but it's nice to know his body is complete. His one and only wish is to leave this world as soon as possible.

EXT. BONFIRE, EALAO - CONTINUOUS
Tayo shows up to the bonfire, his clothes charred.

HENRY
What the hell happened?
TAYO
Lightning happened.

Tayo looks at Daro angrily.

DARO
Great. All that's left now is to reach 35.

Tayo limps to the fireside and sits.

TAYO
It didn't work. I'm sure I can't use lightning. I should be practicing water instead.
HIRO
Are you hurt?
I can help. I've been learning how to heal since I entered.
TAYO
I'm alright now, thanks.

Hiro knows he's lying. He was limping just now. Tayo tries to reassure her.

TAYO
It was the sword that got struck. Second hand electrocution.

His sword looks fine to Hiro. She decides to let it go, he's a tester after all. Maybe he knows something she doesn't about how the game works. Maybe injuries make a person's level rise faster? Even if it does, she has no intention of using such a method.

HENRY
(to Hiro)
Please continue.

Hiro prepares to continue the conversation she was having with Henry. There are some moths beginning to fly around them given that the wind is no longer intense. Tayo grabs a grilled fish from the fire to eat.

HIRO
My boyfriend, Haruto, he lost his leg. That's why I joined.
HENRY
How's he doing?

One of the moths has landed beside her, she stretches out her hand to it, it flies away. She glances at Daro. He's not paying attention. She was hoping to use this opportunity to see if he truly didn't have any full recovery potions. She'll try later.

HIRO
He's stable. I need an item that can restore him, that's all.
TAYO
That's nice of you.

She stretches out her hand to another moth but it flies away too, this one almost flies into the fire.

HIRO
It was my idea to come into this game. I wanted to see its beauty and experience the possibilities.

She smiles a sad smile, one aware of the irony, now that she's trapped in here. She's deep in thought.

HIRO
Once I find it I'm done.

She flinches, she messed up. She looks at Daro. Did he hear that? He wants them to fight to the bitter end. She improvises.

HIRO
I'll be able to focus and help everyone search for a way out.

Henry smiles. He realizes what happened.

HIRO
(to Tayo)
How about you? Why did you enter?
TAYO
I came as a guide for the boy that was with me. Outside, in the real world he was bedridden and dying.
HIRO
Is he alright?
TAYO
He's... dead.

Hiro's eyes widen with sadness, she's about to offer her condolences when Tayo moves on.

TAYO
What about you Henry?
HENRY
I too came in because of friends. They wanted to meet the girls.

Henry smiles. Tayo smiles too.

TAYO
Jim told me it was the other way round.
HENRY
Who's the one with the girlfriend?
(a bit serious)
I came in here to meet someone special and for the adventure.
(pondering)
I didn't know my life would be the price. It may have been a mistake that we entered but I'm glad I met you guys.

Daro suddenly speaks.

DARO
Be glad all you want. You won't be here much longer if you don't get stronger.

He gets up.

DARO
Get some rest. You'll be having your final test soon.
HIRO
And what is our final test?
DARO
Facing me.

Daro puts out the fire.

INT. TEMPLE, EAKI - NIGHT
There are a lot of Kilobons and goblins in the temple. They are all following their master Gotar. The black scars on Gotar are less visible now that he has his armor on.
He gets to the front and kneels before the statue of Ea and holds it's hand.

GOTAR
You were always so kind to me my lady. I'm sorry. I just couldn't crouch in the dark any longer.

Gotar crushes the statue's hands and looks straight into its eyes.

GOTAR
This is our world not theirs. 

A kilobon hurries into the temple. That snaps Gotar back to reality.

KILOBON
(beast speech)
My lord, we searched all around, we still don't know where they went.

A gust of wind extends like a shock wave from Gotar and wind shaped like a blade stops just short of the kilobon's neck. Gotar calms down.

GOTAR
(beast speech)
Let's go over the area again, together.

The blade of the wind returns and destroys Ea's statue instead.