Breaking Point

With his super-speed thought processing activated, Elon's judgment remained unclouded by the intense emotions of anger and grief that raged within him. The madness that had gripped him in response to the pain and fury abated, leaving behind a being of supreme rationality. His priority was clear: Barry needed medical attention, and Caitlin was the key. Ensuring Barry's survival was paramount; he was Elon's beacon of hope.

In the blink of an eye, Cisco's brush with death had come and gone. Snapping out of his daze at the sound of Elon's voice, Cisco's face and back were soaked in sweat, his heart pounding wildly as he fumbled with the car door. Finally stepping out, he collapsed to the ground, his legs too weak to support him. Looking up at Elon's silhouette, he felt an overwhelming surge of emotion for the figure who stood resolutely between him and peril—a memory etched into his soul forever.

Elon's figure seemed immovable, a mountainous presence that instilled a profound sense of safety in Cisco. With a deep breath, he calmed his nerves and dialed Caitlin's number.

"Caitlin... bring the first aid kit to Yordem Street. Barry's hurt bad."

Mardon's laughter, tinged with madness, filled the air as he reveled in the power he wielded. In this domain of pressurized fog, he felt invincible, like a god. But he was oblivious to the fact that his nemesis, Elon, was already one step ahead.

Amidst the electrostatic frenzy, Elon's eyes blazed with an intense resolve. His expression was stoic, save for the silver veins that webbed across his face, reflecting a ruthlessness that was almost inhuman. He unleashed his magnetic field, instantly enveloping Mardon in a dense lattice of magnetic lines.

Elon, in his heightened state of cognition, considered every variable—the environment, himself, the advantages of time and place—all were factored into his strategy. He chose the most secure and effective approach, standing his ground in front of Barry and Cisco. The bleeding from his chest was arrested by his formidable control, and the X-shaped wound sealed by the frantic dance of silver light. His eyes, charged with arcs of electricity, were like the gates of a steel fortress—impassable, cold, detached.

With his left hand outstretched, Elon's fingertip became the epicenter of a gathering storm of electricity. The current hissed as it was released, spreading hungrily through the dense air pressure, transforming the area into a high-voltage cloud. The electrons transferred and flowed, the electrical arcs churning within the fog.

Mardon felt the air pressure shift around him, losing control over parts of it. He was unaware of the cause until a tingling sensation crept over his skin, a harbinger of the impending storm. As pain shot through him, panic set in. The fog in front of him crackled with Elon's electrical invasion, a dire omen he couldn't comprehend.

In a desperate move, Mardon retreated, dissipating the fog and air pressure around him. Had he been more knowledgeable of his powers, he would have realized that he had inadvertently created a near-vacuum—a layer that could be penetrated by electricity under sufficient voltage.

Elon didn't know if the electrical charge he had unleashed was enough to breach the vacuum layer. If given the chance to continue, all the fog would succumb to his influence, turning into a deadly electric cloud that would ensure Mardon's demise. But now, Mardon's fear had driven him to create a barrier, and he was on the verge of escape.

It was time to strike.

Electric arcs crackled fiercely, converging in front of Mardon before hurtling towards his chest with a thunderous roar. The vacuum layer buckled under the pressure and exploded, sending Mardon flying.

The shockwave rippled outwards, clearing the fog for dozens of meters around. Windows shattered, leaves and debris whirled through the air, and Cisco watched in horror, grateful that the blast was not strong enough to cause serious damage.

Mardon's laughter had been silenced. In a world where he once felt like a god, he was now merely a man, fleeing from the wrath of Elon's storm.

As the dust settled and the remnants of the shattered windows clattered to the ground, the silence was deafening. The once chaotic street was now eerily calm, with the dissipating fog revealing the devastation wrought by the battle. Cisco, still reeling from the shockwave, crawled to Barry's side, his hands trembling as he checked for a pulse.

Elon stood, a towering figure amidst the wreckage, his silhouette stark against the clearing mist. His chest heaved with each labored breath, the silver veins on his skin pulsating with the remnants of the electrical storm he had summoned. The X-shaped wound on his chest was a raw testament to the ferocity of the fight.

Mardon was nowhere to be seen, presumably blown back by the force of Elon's attack. But there was no time to pursue him; Barry's life hung by a thread, and every second counted.

"Caitlin, where are you?" Cisco's voice cracked as he spoke into the phone, his gaze fixed on Barry's pale face. "We need you now!"

In the distance, sirens wailed, a welcome sound signaling help was on the way. Caitlin would arrive soon, but in the meantime, they were alone with the aftermath of the storm.

Elon knelt beside Barry, his hands glowing faintly as he tried to stabilize his friend. He could feel the life force ebbing from Barry, the steady beat of his heart growing weaker. "Hold on, Barry," he whispered, "you're not alone."

Barry's eyelids fluttered, a sign of life amidst the ruin. Cisco watched as Elon's hands moved with precision, the silver light tracing patterns over the wounds in an attempt to mend the broken body.

Then, in the distance, a figure approached—a beacon of hope in the form of Caitlin, her medical kit in hand, sprinting towards them. Her face was set in determination, and as she reached the trio, she dropped to her knees, immediately assessing Barry's condition.

"We need to get him back to S.T.A.R. Labs," she said, her voice steady despite the urgency of the situation. "We have the equipment there; we can save him."

Together, they lifted Barry, his body limp and lifeless, and carried him towards the waiting ambulance. The streets were now flooded with the lights of emergency vehicles, the night air filled with the sound of urgent voices and the hustle of paramedics.

As they loaded Barry into the ambulance, Elon's gaze met Caitlin's, a silent exchange of determination passing between them. They would not let Barry die; not tonight, not ever.

The ambulance doors closed, and as it sped away, Elon's thoughts were already racing ahead to the challenges they would face at S.T.A.R. Labs. Mardon's defeat was only temporary; they had won the battle, but the war was far from over.

And in the heart of the storm, the true test of their resolve awaited.