Over the next three days, Hanna spends most of the daylight hours in her mystery location, attempting to tap into the power of the Fire Crystal. Each day, she returns with a bit more singed fur. And each day, Rob re-expresses his concern that Hanna is not in as much control as she maintains she is. On the fourth day, Rob decides to follow Hanna and keep an eye on her. But he doesn't want her to know.
"Off again?" Rob asks after breakfast, as Hanna heads to the front door.
"Of course," Hanna responds.
"When will you be back?"
"Sunset."
Half an hour later, Rob decides enough time has elapsed for him to follow Hanna without her knowing. The question is, should I take the Metal Crystal, just in case? I've been doing well; the Crystal has stayed in the safe since I put it there four days ago. But then if Hanna does lose control, I may need its protection. A moment's thought. No, I'll leave it locked away.
Rob exits the house, and pauses as he tries to figure out which way Hanna had gone. Now the real challenge: track someone who is a naturally talented tracker, and trained to hide her own tracks.
The tracking did prove as difficult as Rob had feared, but eventually, by mid-afternoon, he'd finally tracked Hanna down. The old Elemental compound? Interesting choice Hanna. Rob stays hidden in the treeline; he tries to find a good vantage point, but he cannot get a good view. I'll have to watch from the treetops. Rob scrambles up a tree at the front of the treeline; he can finally get a good view.
Hanna is meditating in the centre of the debris of the three former buildings; she has a dozen wooden targets lined up at the periphery of the central area. The targets are unscarred, although there are noticeable scorch marks on the surrounding ground and rubble.
This isn't making me think you're in control of that Crystal. As Rob watches on, he notices a faint glow start to form around Hanna. This looks interesting. The glow intensifies; Hanna rises to her feet as if lifted by an invisible assistant. She holds her hands out in front of her; the glow fades around her body, flowing and collecting between her hands in an expanding fireball. That explains the singed fingers.
Suddenly, with a flick of her wrists, Hanna flings the fireball at one of the wooden targets; it strikes off-centre, but it still hits the target, immolating it in seconds. Hanna's celebration is brief but flamboyant; moments later, she's summoning more fireballs, and firing them with ever-increasing speed and accuracy. Once all twelve targets have been reduced to piles of charcoal and ash, Hanna turns to face the treeline.
"I told you I'm in control!" she shouts, looking directly at Rob. "You can come out now!"