No, lightning bolts do not always travel downward toward the Earth. While the most common direction for lightning is from the cloud to the ground, known as cloud-to-ground lightning, there are other types of lightning as well.
Cloud-to-ground lightning occurs when a stepped leader, an initial discharge from the cloud, travels downward in a series of steps toward the ground. This stepped leader is then followed by the main lightning stroke, which travels upward from the ground to meet the stepped leader. This creates the characteristic downward path of lightning that we often observe.
However, lightning can also occur within clouds themselves (intra-cloud lightning) or between different parts of the same cloud (cloud-to-cloud lightning). These types of lightning do not necessarily involve a downward path toward the Earth's surface.
It's important to note that while cloud-to-ground lightning is the most dangerous in terms of its potential impact on people and structures, all types of lightning can still pose a risk and should be taken seriously.