Alright, it looks like we're finally back on track.

Now, there's a lot of problems I'd like... I need to address. I don't "like" to address problems, because that just reminds me of the problem.

Anyway, you'd think that with all this super powerful Elemental power, an invasion of the Academy is nearly impossible. Well, you're correct. What's happening is that Elementals are being abducted when found alone on the edges of the Academy. There are two ways to solve this. Either we ban the edges or ban traveling the edges alone. I mean, Elementals do nothing on the edges but walk, and it's not like there's actually anything to do on the edges. I'm sure Professor Elemental will address the solution tomorrow. There's been what, 50 cases of abduction so far? It's way more on the east side of the Academy and not the west side, where the Electrics are, so they need to look into that real soon.

Angel visited me while I was under a tree in the Grass Fields. What was I doing?

Taking in all the struggles that we have to deal with each day...

Ok, maybe not. Well, I kind of was. I was mostly just watching Elementals play in the Fields and didn't notice Angel until she pushed me a few inches away from the tree.

"Ow..."

"Oh, shut up. You handled accusation of murder. You can handle a slight push."

"A slight push? That was a push you use to move heavy things!"

"No... Anyway, what's on your mind?"

"You know those kidnappings that's been going on?"

"Yeah?"

"That."

"Oh... um, I learned something about those."

"Really?"

"Yeah. The Elementals that are abducted..." She leaned in and whispered, "They're harassed, Zap, not just kidnapped. Some of them came back from our side, and... and they were all bruised and traumatized."

I stared into the sky. Harassed? That's odd... "Angel, what rank are the abducted Elementals?"

"Bronze through Gold."

"Ok, so we know that whoever... or whatever's behind this, is that they're targeting younger Elementals. So all we need to do is bait them."

"But who will be bait?"

"Easy..."

⚡️ Later ⚡️

"No way."

"Well, even pairs are abducted."

"This is crazy!"

"But will you help me?"

"Definitely n—" Pacifia stopped and looked into my eyes. "Fine. Don't get us killed."

"I'll try, but no promises."

"Good enough."

"Remember that we do not know who is behind this and that this operation is critical, but it is also very dangerous," Professor Elemental said. Professor Electric and Professor Water looked concerned, but they also looked encouraging.

"Got it," I said. "Where should we go?"

"Go to the cliff. They should take you there."

⚡️ Cliff ⚡️

"So... we wait?"

"Probably." I looked into the sky. It was nearly sunset.

"The sun is beautiful, isn't it?" Pacifia muttered.

"It probably would be, if I could look at it."

Pacifia nudged me. "You know what I mean! You can clearly look at it during sunset. And I'd think, with all the light and heat radiating from lightning, you'd be able to withstand Light and Fire."

"But that isn't my Element."

"Hmm. You know, I could bet you that a clear wave in the ocean could be as beautiful as this."

"Really?"

"Definitely."

"Fine. Show me sometime."

"Sure."

"Wait. Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Hear—"

Before Pacifia finished her sentence, the world turned black, and I lost track of where I was.

I woke to hear Pacifia calling my name.

"Zap? Zap?!"

"Here!"

"Where are we?!"

"I don't know! It's dark!"

"Summon lightning, then!"

"I can't! My hands are bound!"

"Why can't you?"

"I can't freely move my hands!"

"Shock the bonds off!"

I shocked my body with lightning and felt something sizzling off my hands and legs. I quickly let lightning spawn from my hands.

"Okay, I can see now. Can you release me?"

"Alright, but it might hurt."

"I don't care!"

I walked over to Pacifia. Slowly, I ran my hand over Pacifia's bonds, sizzling each inch off, careful not to hit her wrists. I moved onto her legs and accidentally touched her. She yelped. "Sorry! Sorry." I finished sizzling off the rope. Pacifia breathed a sigh of relief. "That seemed oddly easy."

"Didn't it? I thought the bonds would be tough metal and inescapable."

"Well, we still need to find the—ouch!" She put her hand to her arm, where a red mark appeared. "Where'd that come from?"

"I don't know. Nothing hit me."

"That's strange, I—ow!" Another red mark crossed the first, allowing small drops of blood to escape.

"It's like something's hitting you... a whip, maybe?"

"Whatever it is, I—" Pacifia made no noise, but I could see a red mark appear on her face. Small tears began to well up in her eyes. She said nothing. Then the tears started to fall faster, and I could see another mark on the other side of her face. She leaned on me. "Don't expose your—" Too late. The middle section of the back of her shirt ripped off, and a dark red mark appeared. I was still unharmed. Pacifia began to soak my shirt with tears. All I could do was try to console her while she continued to get hit, over and over again. I wrapped my arms around her back, trying to protect her as much as possible. I spawned my special sword, the Shock Blade, and let the flat of the blade rest upon the mark on Pacifia's back, muttering, "Zeus' Protection." Pacifia began to glow in yellow, and I could feel lightning from her. Her shirt ripped vertical, crossing with the other rip, but there was no sign of any red mark. Pacifia slowly rose and began to search for an exit. She said nothing. She kept lining the walls until she ran over to me and dragged me to a small button. I pushed it. The world was black again.

⚡️ Hospital ⚡️

"You say she was whipped?"

"That is what it seems."

"You were unharmed?"

"I believe so."

"As I said, this mission was dangerous, and I thank you and ClearPacifia for assisting us with the mystery of the abductions. She will be treated as expertly as possible, so you should worry not. While we still do not know what or who abducted the Elementals, we do know a little bit about the abductions." I bowed to Professor Elemental and went to Pacifia. She was already awake, and when she saw me coming over, she stared into my eyes. I let one hand touch her cheek, where the first mark on her face appeared. "You haven't said anything for a while." She still didn't say anything. A  Love Elemental doctor came over and looked concerned. "She hasn't said anything at all."

"That may be because she's too traumatized to say anything," I said, remembering what Angel told me.

"Some of them came back from our side, and... and they were all bruised and traumatized."

I ran back to Professor Elemental. "What is it?" he asked.

"I think... whoever or whatever is abducting the Elementals... is trying to lower our strength for... some reason."

He considered this. "I understand. Thank you." He walked out of the hospital, and Angel walked in, looking at me with concern. "Is she alright?" I wanted to lie, but I shook my head. As Angel walked to Pacifia, I walked back to the Electric Zone, trying to clear my mind.