A large boom shook the ground. People all around him were terrified. And Palo was simply glued in place out of fear..

  “What was that?”

  More footsteps approached the two students..

  Son looked towards Palo. “That’s a bomb… or… what is that…”

  The two people looked towards the source of the sound.

  Suddenly, the wall burst open. A giant, green lizard-like thing ran into the classroom and roared.

  Son whimpered.. “T-that’s… that’s no bomb… what is that… I’m going to die…”

  But Palo wasn’t smart enough to realize his inevitable fate. I could probably take that thing! But… how?

  The monster stomped over to Palo. It struck at him, trying to kill him. But Palo was able to run from its large fist. The monster got angry, and struck at him again, trying harder to kill him. Palo couldn’t run from it this time.

  I’m gonna die.

  The fist smashed down above him…

  But the monster stopped. It pulled its hand quickly away from Palo, as though Palo had burned it or injured it in some way. The monster started to get frustrated, because it couldn’t touch Palo. But the monster tried again to hit him.

  It can’t touch me… Palo had a sudden idea, a thought beginning to take form. If the monster couldn’t touch him, his fists would hurt more to it!

  But getting to the monster wouldn’t be easy. But Palo didn’t know this; he ran up to the monster and punched it..

  The monster lurched away from Palo, screeching from pain. The monster tried to run away from Palo, but stepped on Son in the process. Son didn’t have a very deep gash, but he was still bleeding – a lot..

  The monster picked up a large stick. That’s from my desk, Palo realized suddenly.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  The monster raised the stick as if to strike, and –

  “Overcast Field.”

  That was a new voice.

  The monster’s stick just suddenly… disappeared.

  Both the monster and Palo were confused by this.

  “Lateral Work.”

  That was another new voice.

  The monster stumbled for a moment, then fell fast asleep.

  “H-hello? Who… who was that?”

  A girl, around the same age as Palo, stepped from the hole in the wall. “Are you okay?”

  “Who are you?”

  The girl ignored him, looking towards Son. “He’s pretty badly injured… I don’t know…” This was the person who had said, “Lateral Work” a second ago.

  “Will… will Son die?”

  The girl looked at Palo. “Son… I can’t know for sure… but he could die. That’s not the reason we’re here, though..”

  Palo rushed to Son’s side. “Son…”

  Son looked at Palo. “Run… get… out of… here…”

  Palo started crying uncontrollably. “The… the monster is gone… it can’t hurt us. Don’t die, Son!”

  Son smiled one last time. “Thank you… for… everything.”

  Son’s body went cold.

  The girl cleared her throat. “I need to know one thing.”

  Palo said nothing.

  “Touch that monster’s body.”

  Palo put his hand on the monster’s side. The monster twitched and muttered, but then died. Its body turned to dust. But Palo wasn’t looking.

  A new person came from the hole in the wall. They weren’t a boy or a girl.

  “His power is manifested… he can’t stay here.” They were the one who had said “Overcast Field” earlier. They turned to Palo “What’s your name?”

  “My… my name is Palo.”

  “Palo. You can’t stay here. Other monsters will come, they’ll kill your other friends, too… leaving is the only option. I kno–”

  “I’m coming.”

  “What?”

  “I’m leaving this place. I don’t have any other friends.” Palo looked directly at them. “I’m coming. Teach me about this magical power of yours.”