A large stone. The size of a washing machine, burning like a meteor.

What happened next was fast, fast.

I jumped up, shoving Mandy behind me. Raised my arms. Sent Bonus Content arms up, up, trying to stop the stone.

And of course Mandy shoved me behind her, because she was a goddess and got into fights a lot more than I did.

The rock struck my soul-shield and pushed. Pushed. It was being pushed hard by someone else, I could feel it, feel the rage and hurt and sorrow behind it. The one sending this stone was using all of it, all of that pain.

My defense wasn't working. The stone was adorned with Runes of some sort. Strength and Fury and Heat and others. They weren't good Runes, but there were several of them. I remembered the feel of the printed rune Friday had been using for Stealth. These were like that. Neat, precise, and also sloppy and inexpert.

Mandy standing next to me, bringing up a shield of her own. Holding her chunky arms up as if to push the meteor away. So tough. My good friend Mandy, who also was the hottest girl in the world. Here with me, defending my guys.

The Humans at Cassie's Dinner and a Movie stood, looking up. Some began their own casting. Shields sprouted above the theater.

The stone, the meteor, the attack, was fast, but I could see it just before it struck. It had four stumpy legs splayed in a goofy plus-sign, flailing, burning. I recognized it as Ezras' animated rock creature.

It hit. It wasn't a boom as much of a whip-crack. A cloud of dust blossomed, filling the picnic area. Shouts of alarm, curses and crying. Leaves, branches, gravel flew into my face and eyes.

That wooden stage with the blanket curtain collapsed. It whirled away, bits of it into the trees. The blankets people had been using for their picnic went flying, whipping in the wind if people where huddled on them.

I patted Mandy's hip (jiggle), looking her in the eye. She nodded: she was okay. I hurdled over the other moviegoers. None of them seemed seriously hurt. Scratches, abrasions, dust in the eyes. Coughing, people waving away the dust.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

"Owen," Mandy called. "Owen get over here!"

She was by the music section. Ezra and Elanor were down. They'd been the target of the boulder. Their faces were covered with dirt, cartoonish and silly. Elanor sat up. Okay, good. She shook Ezra. He groaned, but hopped to his feet, face under the dust a red mask of fury.

Mandy was holding something that looked like a bedsheet, draped over her arms. It was a mass of bony limbs, a reef of randomly-placed eyes. And a punctured balloon. Mandy's sweet round face was blank and terrifying.

"Gary," I said. And my vision went red, red as Ezra's face.

The Radio: "A four-dimensional incursion!" And splinters of fear in the Radio's voice: "Lowered defenses!"

What? I amped up my shields again. You want to send another idiot robot, Harrigan? That's fine, it's your money.

But nothing arrived. No Ai weapon platform, no troops, no Circle K or Taco Bell. We all waited, ready for battle. Ready to kill.

As I watched them, I was impressed. Schmendrick's Monster School had been working for these Humans. They were dangerous. They could defend themselves.

"This was about me," Ezra said incredulously. "It was because of what I said to him. And … and everyone here was … because of me!"

"No," I said.

"Owen I…I need to find him," Ezra said. His face was a sketch of pure rage and disgust. "This is about me."

"No, this is my fault." Elanor said. "I told him no."

Ezra and Elanor, the E-Minors. They were linking their souls, likely on accident. The air around them was sharp, filled with the tang of ozone. Like lightning had struck nearby. A droning noise, like a cloud of bees coming to kill. Heat shimmer flickered above their heads.

"No," Mandy said. Her newly Human form went dark. Not like it was painted, more like it was a hole in the world. Wind swirled around her, putting her at the center of a tornado. Clouds were forming overhead. Black and heavy. She cradled Gary's floppy body, his broken limbs and shattered membrane.

I touched his deflated balloon. "Is he still alive?"

One of his limbs twitched. "Owen," he said.

I held one of his armored hands.

"I hate you so much, Owen. I've always hated you."

"Oh thank god. Let's get you fixed up, amigo."

I ran to everyone, checking for injuries. I was Steward of the Aegis Medelae, the Shield of Healing. I would see to this. I'd studied for it. My mom had been a nurse, after all. And these were my guys.

"Everyone, sound off when I call your name." And I went down the list. I realized I knew the names of everyone here; even the Humans. Everyone was more-or-less alive and whole.

One person didn't answer, though.

"Radio, Radio, where's Schmendrick?"

Schmendrick was gone. She wasn't anywhere. She was gone.

A four-dimensional incursion, the Radio had said. Nothing had arrived. Something had been taken.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.