Chapter 3

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The entire Tavern building was shaking with the fury of an earthquake. Glasses tipped over and shattered on the floor. Barmaids lost their balance and hit the floor, screaming.

The balance of the Nomad's crew was no better. Sinbad kneeled on the ground, holding Bryn, who clutched to him in pain, while the rest of the crew gathered around them in concern.

"We gotta get out of here!" Doubar yelled above the chaos.

"And go where?" Firouz yelled back, "It's no better outside!"

"The Tavern is gonna calapse!" a barmaid screamed.

Sinbad looked up. He could hear the structure creaking. Pieces of wood were starting to fall and windows shattered. "This place is going to collapse!" he shouted, "Everyone get out!!!" With a firm hold on Bryn, he darted towards the door and kicked it open. "Come on everyone!" His crew was right on his heels. Suddenly a gust of wind and rain blew in there faces. Bracing against it, they ran outside and were hit with hell. The wind blew fiercly and rain whipped sharply against them. Sinbad held Bryn close, trying to shield her. As the barmaids ran out, the crew saw them scramble to maintain balance, but most fell into the mud and slid down the street. The town was flooding and water rushed between their legs. Rongar held to Dermott fast to keep the poor hawk from being blown away.

Suddenly the tavern gave a loud groan and collapsed. Screams filled the air even more and people dashed to avoid the flying debris. Sinbad saw his crew scatter. He darted down and alley and found shelter behind a wall. He was breathing heavily and felt Bryn move in his arms. "Bryn?" he said softly, "are you alright?"

Bryn looked up into Sinbad's eyes. He could clearly see she was in pain. She gasped in horror and reached up, touching Sinbad's forehead. Her fingers turned red with his blood. "You're hurt!" she said.

Sinbad hadn't even noticed a piece of debris hit him as he ran. "It's nothing," he assured her.

"No," she said, "you're hurt! I have had enough of this!" She jumped out of Sinbad's arms and stormed down the ally to the street, ignoring the wind and rain.

"Bryn wait!" Sinbad yelled as he chased after her. Once she got to the street, she saw, to her horror, the chaos the storm was causing.

"I've had enough of this!" she yelled at the sky, "You're hurting my friends and I won't stand for this! Show yourself!"

A low rumble came from clouds. "That's not thunder…." Firouz said warily. As the rumble grew it started to sound more like…laughter! Bryn's face showed no fear. She was angry now and determined. The clouds shifted to form the body of a person. "And that's not Zeus!" Firouz added.

"Well done little elemental girl.. It's not often I'm recognized," the cloud-man thundered.

"What's the meaning of this?" Bryn demanded, "You're hurting my friends and you're enjoying it!"

"Am I not a storm?" the cloud-man demanded, "Am I not doing what I do? I delight in myself. This is who I am!"

Bryn peered at him strangely and cocked her head. "No you're not," she said flatly.

The ground shook with the cloud-man's fury. Everyone who had tried to stand up fell again, except Bryn, who held her stance. "You dare to question me?" he rumbled, "Foolish girl! You shall know my wrath! Know the wrath of a storm!" With that, a bolt of lightning struck a few feet in front of Bryn. The ground exploded beneath her and she was thrown back far down the street. She hit the flooded street hard and skidded through the mud and water.

"Bryn!" Sinbad yelled. The crew scrambled to get to her. Firouz got there first and checked her for broken bones.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I hope I look worse than I am," she winced.

The rest of the crew arrived. "Are you crazy lass?" Doubar asked. "What are you doing questioning a storm?"

"He's not a storm…not a real one at least. That much I can tell."

"Then what is he?" Sinbad asked.

"Something else. He thinks he's a storm, but he's not. I'm sure of this."

"So what do we do?" Firouz asked as he looked up at the clouds.

Bryn forced herself to stand, despite the pain in her hips. "Not we…me. He's hurt you all already. I'm not going to let you all be hurt again, not anymore!" She started to walk back down to the clouds. Sinbad quickly grabbed her and spun her around, his grip on her arms tight.

"What are you talking about Bryn? You're hurt too, maybe more than any of us!"

Bryn's face was wet. Sinbad couldn't tell if it was the rain…or tears. "Sinbad, I have no past…I can’t remember having friends or family. That's what you, and Doubar, and Firouz, and Rongar, and Dermott are to me! You're my family and my friends…and I…I can't stand the thought of seeing you hurt! You especially…when you saved me on that island…you changed everything…and I…I…"

Now Sinbad was convinced they were tears. Keeping a firm grip on her, he pressed her to his chest in a fierce embrace. He could feel her tremble and his lips brushed against her forehead. As they separated, Bryn's eyes were full of tears, but her face full of renewed strength. She whirled out of his arms, faced the cloud-man and yelled, "It's time you learned!" she screamed against the wind. Her eyes lit with yellow fire.

The cloud-man chuckled, "So the little elemental girl wants to challenge me, eh?"

As Bryn marched down the street, the glow in her eyes spread until her entire body glowed yellow. Sinbad felt his Rainbow Bracelet light with bright red, green, and blue fire. Staring ahead, he saw Bryn's burst into the same fire. "Bryn…" he whispered. With a snarl, Bryn thrust her right arm forward and yellow sparks sprang from her fingertips, searing the clouds. The cloud-man flinched slightly and bellowed.

"Bah is this the best you can do? Pathetic! Face it, little elemental girl, you do not have the strength!"

"I have the strength…" Bryn panted, "I have the strength…" She was pouring all her energy forth and it wasn't having much affect on the cloud. She was throwing all she had into her magicks and she could feel herself weakening, "I have the strength…I have the strength," she kept repeating, almost chanting.

Sinbad saw her wobble slightly. It was all the clue he needed. He dashed foreword, his Rainbow Bracelet aglow, and seized her left hand in his own. Their Rainbow Bracelets glowed even brighter and Bryn could feel new strength, Sinbad's strength, rushing forth into her body and out her fingertips. The clouds roared in pain, feeling this new power.

"I shall not falter!" the clouds thundered. "I am a storm! You shall know this for yourself!" A group of thick green clouds descended upon Sinbad and Bryn. Sinbad felt Bryn's hand tighten around his. Suddenly it felt as though they were in the middle of a cyclone. And then there was blackness…

When the clouds lifted the crew gasped in horror. Sinbad and Bryn were gone.

Chapter 4

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Doubar, Firouz, and Rongar gasped in horror. One second ago, the thick clouds had descended upon Bryn and Sinbad. The next second later, the clouds lifted but the two were gone. Dermott flapped and squawked wildly.

"Impossible…" Firouz said, awestruck, "how could they just disappear?"

Dermott continued to squawk wildly. Doubar walked over and gently laid a hand on the frantic bird. "They'll be alright little one, those two have a bond, they won't let eachother die."

Sinbad couldn't see anything but a greenish-grey haze all around him, but he could still feel Bryn's hand tightly gripped in his own. His other hand fumbled for her and found her arm. "Bryn!" he shouted, "Are you ok?"

"Don't shout! I'm right here!" Bryn said back and squeezed his hand, "I'm ok, how about you?"

"Fine, but I can't see anything in front of me. What happened?"

"We're…we're in the cloud-man! He took us."

"That's right, little elemental girl!" the cloud-man bellowed all around them, "you are inside a storm!"

Bryn frowned, "Why do you keep calling yourself a storm? You're human."

Sinbad cocked an eyebrow, "Human? What do you mean Bryn? Does this look human to you?"

"FOOL!" the cloud-man roared, "you dare contradict me twice?!"

The air began to crackle with electricity. Sinbad heard Bryn scream just as he began to feel his own body searing inside and out. White lightning flashed and he could see Bryn's eyes clenched tightly as she bit down the pain. Their hands clenched to eachother tightly. Sinbad bit down on his lower lip to keep himself from crying out in pain. Crimson blood filled his mouth. And then it was over. The two fell to what surmised as the ground panting. Sinbad could smell something burning and then realized the smell was coming from him and Bryn.

"Are you alright?" he heard Bryn exhale.

He gave her hand a squeeze, "Enough to hear you."

"Don't you dare challenge me again, little elemental girl!" the cloud-man roared, "No one challenges me without punishment! No one defies a storm!"

Suddenly the air was charged again, but only Sinbad wrenched back in pain. His hand was torn from Bryn's as the electricity pulsed in him. "Stop it!" Bryn screamed, "Stop hurting him!" Yellow magick burst out of her body and shot out all around. She could hear a low moan around her. "Stop hurting him!" she screamed again and tempest energy whirled all around her. The wind blew wildly and the clouds seemed to blow away ahead of them. Bryn could see a silhouette in the distance. Sinbad was writhing in pain. Bryn's hand directed at the shadow and yellow energy surrounded him. The shadow arched it's back and fell over. The electricity immediately stopped and Sinbad collapsed. Bryn rushed to his side, taking his hand in hers. "Sinbad? Sinbad are you alright?"

Sinbad groaned, "That phrase is starting to get old." He tried to flash his charming smile at her but blood dribble down his chin. Bryn leaned over and whiped it away with the corner of her dress. She helped him to stand, supporting him with her shoulder. "What…who is that?" Sinbad asked, looking at the fallen shadow.

"I think it's the answer to this madness," she replied as they walked towards it. As the vision became clearer, they saw an old man lying in the mists. "I told you…human."

The man turned around and stood up with a fury. "No! I am a storm! You are a fool to challenge me!"

Bryn could sense energy building again and her eyes flashed yellow, "No, no more tricks of yours again or you'll regret it!" The energy settled.

"What's the meaning of this? Who are you?" Sinbad demanded.

"I am a storm!" the old man replied.

"No, you are human. A powerful human, a wizard," Bryn said.

"NO!!!" the old man screamed, "NO!!! I'm not that! I'm not that!"

The air began to churn and swirl, wind whipping around them. Sinbad's hand found Bryn's and they braced themselves to keep from falling over. Bryn's eyes glowed yellow. She could feel the electricity building again. "No!" she exclaimed, "You're human!" she suddenly felt her mind touch the old man's and visions filled her eyes. "You had a wife! You two were happy, then she- aaaarrrrghh!!!" The electricity seared at them.

"Be quiet you wench!" the old man bellowed.

Sinbad's hand clutched Bryn's tightly. "You had a wife!" Bryn yelled against the winds, "But she was killed in a storm….a hurricane!"

"Quiet I say!!!"

"You felt yourself die with her! You rejected your emotions! Your own humanity! You were a powerful wizard and you used magick to make yourself what you hated!"

"NO! SILENCE!"

Bryn and Sinbad felt as though they were in the very heart of chaos. Bryn felt she was going to loose her balance against the wind. It blew sharply against her and she felt herself falling into it. Sinbad moved behind her and she fell against him. He braced her again him, still holding on to her. "You're getting to him Bryn!" he yelled.

"You loved your wife and you couldn't accept what killed her, so you became your hatred! You have to stop. Other people are getting hurt! Don't be the storm that killed your wife!" Bryn yelled, her voice getting hoarse.

"You can do this Bryn!" Sinbad yelled, then his voice grew soft, "I believe in you. I'm right behind you."

"I feel your strength," Bryn whispered. The yellow glow in her eyes spread to encompass them both. Their Rainbow Bracelets lit up brightly. The wind around them began to subside and the pain was gone.

The old man screamed as the wind and lightning began to surround him. His eyes grew wide with realization. "I am a storm…I am….I am…..human…" Suddenly he wrenched in the pain of his own magicks turning on him, "NO!!!! I’m HUMAN!!! I’m HUMAN!!!" He gave one last blood-curdling scream and the lightning blinded Sinbad and Bryn. For a moment there was only whiteness…then everything was black.

"Sinbad? Sinbad?"

Sinbad moaned and slowly opened his eyes. He saw Firouz bending over slightly, pressed a wet cloth to his forehead. He could see Doubar and Rongar behind him with concerned faces. "Firouz, where…"

"Relax, you're in an Inn. It's over. It's all ok now." Firouz said.

"Has us worried there, little brother," Doubar said, "You're been out all day and night."

Sinbad tried to sit up but Firouz pushed him back down. "Bryn! Where…is she okay?"

Firouz nodded, "She'll be fine. She's still unconscious, but she should be okay." He gestured to the bed where Bryn lay sleeping.

Sinbad sat up, despite Firouz's protests, and went over to her bedside. She lay sleeping peacefully.

"While you two were unconscious," Doubar said, "Me and Kira cleaned and dried you two off."

"The storm kind of imploded, more or less. And then we found you two out cold in the mud," Firouz added.

"Kira and the others, are they-?" Sinbad started.

"Don't you worry about them," Doubar interrupted, "They're fine and they've already set to rebuilding the tavern."

Sinbad smiled and nodded, then looked at Bryn. "Bryn," he said softly as his thumb caressed her cheek, "Bryn wake up."

Doubar motioned to Rongar and Firouz and they quietly snuck out of the room. Except for Dermott, who kept his vigil on Bryn's bedpost. "Bryn," he whispered again. Bryn moaned and rubbed her cheek against his fingers. Her eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Sinbad…where…"

"It's ok. We're at an Inn. We're safe now. You saved us." Sinbad said gently.

"I remember, his grief made his magick turn on him," she said wearily.

Sinbad nodded, "He's gone then."

Bryn nodded, "I guess so. Is everyone ok?"

"They're fine. We're all fine. You saved us all."

Bryn shook her head slightly, "No, not me alone. I couldn't have done it without you. Your strength gave me the power." She lifted a hand and touched his Rainbow Bracelet. He in turn took her hand in his own and smiled. "I told you, I wouldn't let you guys be hurt anymore…" Bryn said softly, looking him in the eyes.

Sinbad smiled warmly and nodded. His hands reached down and scooped Bryn and drew her to him in a warm embrace. Bryn closed her eyes and buried her face in his shoulder. Timespace seemed to freeze there a few minutes until they started to separate. Their faces were a few inches away from eachother. "Ready to catch a tide?" he asked. Bryn nodded and smiled. Sinbad smiled and his thumb brushed her cheek lightly, then his hand drew her face to his in a soft kiss. They remained that way for what seemed like an eternity. They drew away with part regret, part hope for the future. Sinbad held Bryn's hand and his and they walked to the door.

Dermott flew to Bryn and perched on her bracelet. She giggled, "Don't you get jealous now."

Sinbad laughed. "Let's catch that tide!" Sinbad said with and opened the door.

THE END