Drade and the three others stepped out of the elevator, and he frowned as he saw what had begun in the sky.

Rocks had begun to fall from the sky at incredible speeds, burning in the atmosphere.

“Is that a meteor shower?!” Hana asked with disbelief.

“Why are you so surprised, Mom? And didn’t you say that you’d stop asking questions anytime, ever?”

“I did, didn’t I?”

The other two girls continued to look up while they jogged to the edge of the building, awestruck.

Onei watched as the first meteor slammed into the ground far away, creating a significant crater where it landed.

Then, it opened. It split in two, revealing a steel interior as its two parts fell side-down, and six people in total walked out. She had no idea how they had survived the impact, but she really didn’t care.

Drauko was looking elsewhere, though. Not far away, a man wearing a top hat flew toward them, having seen them standing atop the building.

Who is that guy? Luuko thought. As he approached and the two squinted, she began to recognize him. He looks f...i-is that the weird dude at the park?

Probably. He’s The Druid of Changeton Park or something. I met him the same day we fought the guildies.

Why would you be a druid of a tiny as heck park?!

To-

Their Thought process was interrupted as two people leaped atop the edge of the building, one being the woman who had been chasing them not a minute before and another guy they hadn’t seen, who was similarly dressed.

“That’s definitely him,” the guy said. “Drade Jupiter, our primary target.”

Drade blinked, pointing at himself with surprise. “Me?”

“You’re-”

Suddenly, a familiar woman in a black jacket appeared above them, floating atop a hexagonal platform. Her appearance halted their words as their eyes shot up toward her. As she looked down at Drade, then to the people beside him, her expression didn’t change.

As she spoke, another five soldiers leaped atop the building, surrounding them. “I was under the impression that you would be more difficult to corner,” she said, almost with disappointment. “Given how you are the leader of the ‘most powerful’ group of magic users in Changeton, the magic capital.” She seemed to be very skeptical of her own description of The Friends.

Drade outstretched his arms. “Okay?”

Her eye twitched at his clear dismissal. “Capture them.”

As seven superpowered people lunged at the group, crescent, visible slices of wind collided against them. In an explosion of air, the seven were immediately sent flying into the adjacent buildings, then fell to the ground below.

As Dou descended, he straightened his shirt and hat. “Hello, lady,” he said to the woman. “And hello, civilians. I heard from an acquaintance that you might need my aid?”

“Yep,” Luuko said, smiling. “Mind taking us somewhere real quick?”

Dou frowned. “Of course. Evacuating civilians should always be priority number one. That said, I must wonder why I’ve run into you twice now.”

Drade shrugged. “Fate?”

He chuckled. “Fate, you say? Perhaps. But with pleasantries begun...” He glared at the woman atop the floating platform. “Just who are you?” he asked.

“Hilda,” the woman said, crossing her arms. “And who are you?”

Seeing that his adversary appeared polite, he bowed. “Dou Van Arc, Druid of Changeton Park.”

“Ahh, you,” she said knowingly. “A powerful mage in your own-” A blast of water from the giant elemental far away sliced through the air nearly twenty feet above her, making Hilda shudder in fright. “Eep!” She cleared her throat. “...right.” She glanced between the people before her. “That said, I don’t see any reason for us to fight. In fact, I think that we could resolve this without any bloodshed at all.”

Dou frowned. “Are you not affiliated with...” He glanced to the great elemental still in combat nearly a mile away. “That?”

She hesitated. “No, we are not.”

He shook his head. “My bullshit detector is beeping, lady. I’m not sure what you hope to gain by doing so, but it’s very clear to me that it’s your intent is to level this city.”

“Perhaps that was a white lie, but I assure you, that wave was simply designed to draw out the monster currently in combat with The Great Elemental. We had no intention of unleashing the wave onto the civilians.”

“A ‘Great Elemental’, you say...What is the point of this, then?”

“Simple,” Hilda shrugged. “Destroy the city, then rebuild it from scratch as a utopia of magic.”

Dou blinked. After a pause, he cracked up with laughter. “A utopia of magic? What are we living in, a fairy tale?”

“Something similar,” Drade noted.

“Of course, you wouldn’t understand just to what extent magic is spread across our world, druid.” She began to speak somewhat dispassionately, “It is a well-kept secret passed on through the ages, and those with access to it rarely know more than the boundaries of their own power. Magic is the key to an opportunity of an age. Therin wishes to bring the world into a new one and change lives for the better.”

Drade tilted his head, squinting. Therin?

“You don’t sound all that interested in this ‘new age’,” Dou said. “And your drivel explains nothing. What you’re doing here is outlandish. Why not just tell people about magic if it’s so important.” He pointed to her hoverboard. “I guarantee that you could simply show that off to an audience, and it would take days for magic to be recognized by the public.”

Hilda crossed her arms. “I don’t know the details. And yes, frankly, I don’t care about any of my ‘drivel’. I’m simply here to retrieve my daughter. If you want details, speak with Therin himself.”

As the conversation had gone on, more and more soldiers leaped atop nearby buildings, making a total of twenty-five and counting. Dou didn’t seem impressed, despite how they were each strong enough to leap at least fifty feet upward with ease.

“Can we leave yet?” Luuko asked. “You can handle this, right?”

Suddenly, a burst of wind caused the four of them to rise up and float atop tornados, bobbing up and down atop the wind. Hannah was the only one of them who seemed scared of flying, though, as she floundered in the air, trying and failing to balance herself.

“Of course. I will speak with this ‘Therin’ once I’m finished here.”

“Therin is currently quite busy,” Hilda responded, her attention seemingly moving to her nails.

“Then I will make him busy with me,” Dou said before flying off with the group floating behind.

Hilda tapped her earbuds. “Call in Mega on Prio Eighteen. Squads three, one, and zero, chase Prio One.” She put the device back on her belt, then raised a hand.

A hologram appeared with a log of notes and calls made by the other soldiers. Most things were going their way, but quite a few weren’t turning out as planned. Her eyes moved to one note of a kid running through the streets with a chain.

Kaleb gritted his teeth, growing exhausted. He was still a mile away...

But he had to get to his sister. There wasn’t any time to waste.

Suddenly, a woman appeared in front of him, causing him to nearly stumble to his knees, but he caught his fall with his chain.

He squinted at her with distaste. “Another weird-ass girl?”

Hilda twiddled her long brown hair. “Perhaps. Who might you be?”

“I don’t have time for this shit. Get out of my way, or I’ll make you.”

She blinked slowly, then floated out of his way, surprising him. He continued walking forward, glaring at the teleporting woman.

“What are you doing?” she asked curiously.

“Not your buisness,” he replied.

“Do you need help?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?” she asked ominously.

He paused. After some hesitation, he pointed down the street. “My sister is probably still up in our apartment. I need to get her before this place becomes a warzone...like is ain’t already one.”

“I see. And what else do you want?”

He turned back, pausing completely as he frowned in slight fear. A mysterious person asking what he wanted was a bit... intimidating. “Like, in general?”

“In general,” she affirmed. “What do you want?”

“I want to live with my sister in a safe place, with plenty of money to spare.”

“I see. And do you have magic?”

“Yeah, dude.” He rolled his eyes before snapping his chain outward, turning it into a straight line. “Obviously.”

“I see. Our goal here is to create a better world and, moreover, a better city. I would be willing to...make that simple wish of yours if you agreed to join us.” She raised a hand and reached out. As she did, a portal appeared. She reached into it and fished out a stack of bills. She then tossed it at Kaleb, who snatched it with his chain. His eyes widened, seeing more cash than he had ever seen before. “Money will mean nothing in a new world where magic makes all things free, but you can consider that collateral. Do we have a deal?”

Kaleb nervously rubbed a finger against the paper. “You...are the ones attacking the city?”

“Yes.”

He shoved the money into his pocket. “Fine.”

Hilda smiled. “Wonderful. I will handle your sister’s evacuation. In the meantime, take this.” She reached into the portal once more, then threw Kaleb a phone. “That is connected to our universal network and, more particularly, the private network for our small army. I will give you your new directive in a few minutes, along with an assurance that your sister is safe.”

“C-cool...” he pocketed the phone with a mixed expression, and as Hilda disappeared, he couldn’t help but feel far from at ease with the deal he’d made.

Then, he shrugged. “Not like I can’t just say no if I feel like it.”

It was only a few seconds later that his new phone lit up, a text sent to it. Inside was a picture of a young girl, her eyes wide with confusion, standing in a cramped apartment.

{Is this her?}

He opened the phone easily since it didn’t have a password, then typed back, {Yeah.}

{Good. Then she will be under our protection.}

He smiled for a moment, but the smile quickly faded away as he realized how stupid he was.

Under their...‘Protection’

“Fuck.”

Earlier that day:

Kaleb woke from his sleep, then yawned. He sat up on his bed, fully clothed. He would have preferred to sleep like a normal person, but, well, he wasn’t normal.

His apartment was tiny and barely enough to suit a single person’s needs. There was a simple nightstand and a kitchen-like area with a microwave, sink, and mini-refrigerator. To call it utilitarian would be an understatement.

In the corner, two plastic bins sat, one filled with books, cameras, and unframed pictures, and another with chains of various sizes, dried food, water bottles, and other necessities.

He stood from his bed and walked to the sink. It was coated in chloride stains and wasn’t in good shape, with grime on the facet’s old frame. He snatched up one of the two toothbrushes on it and slathered a bit of toothpaste on before brushing his teeth.

After he was finished with that, he changed clothes. Today was the big day, after all. His sort of ‘job’ wasn’t the fancy-dancy kind, but it needed some level of professionalism.

As he finished throwing on a new shirt, he heard shuffling and turned to see the bed’s bland white blanket as a young girl’s head poked from underneath.

“Kaleb...are you leaving already?” She was small, barely more than half his age, and looked very frail.

If their lives weren’t piles of shit, she’d be in school.

“Yep. My first day on a job,” he said to her, smiling brightly.

She smiled back, moving out of the cushions with a sleepy expression. “Well, don’t forget to hug me.”

“Yeah, yeah.” As she moved to him, he swept her up into a bear hug, lifting her off the ground. “Love you, sis!”

She snuggled silently with a peaceful, relaxed expression.

While he grimaced.

He let her down. “Well, I need to leave now, so will you be okay here?”

His little sister nodded and saluted. “Even if you forget to lock the door, I will.”

“Good...”

He averted his eyes, looking at the bucket filled with books and pictures with a guilty expression. Deep beneath the piles of books was a letter.

“Uhh...so...sis...” he really wanted to say it, to warn her. But...if he did, she wouldn’t let him leave.

“Yes?” she asked, oblivious.

“If I...uhh...once I’m done with this gig...I’ll get...” Kaleb kneeled down to grab his favorite photo and showed it to his sister.

In the picture, a man and woman stood behind an eleven-year-old Kaleb as he loosely hugged his sister, who held a large, wriggling fish aloft, showing it off like a trophy belt.

“I’ll get this picture framed first, ok?”

“You better!”

Kaleb gently placed the picture back, then fished his dog’s chain from the other plastic bin. As he grabbed it, the chain zipped out of the bin, according to his will. “I’m going...to go now. See you!” Kaleb pulled a backpack from underneath the bed, then walked to the door.

“Love you!”

He looked back at his sister’s face as his hand was on the handle. She frowned at him, pouting.

“Fine, fine, what is it?”

“I love you,” the girl said expectantly.

“But I already said it.”

She didn’t seem to care.

“Fine, I love you. Are you happy?”

She nodded in approval. “That’s what I thought!”

He closed the door and locked it, leaving his sister inside, alongside his regret.

After all, his new kind of work had no place for either.

Kaleb leaned on the wall outside a hotel building. It was still dark out, so very few cars passed by.

Not far from him, a shaggy-haired man a few decades older leaned on the wall in a nearly identical fashion, hands in his pockets.

“Seriously, they’re recruiting teens for this sort of thing now?”

Kaleb rolled his eyes, not happy to be disregarded.

After he didn’t respond, the man sighed. “Sorry for my attitude, I don’t wanna get off on the wrong foot with ya’.”

“Huh?” Kaleb said, looking to the man with surprise. He didn’t expect criminals to be apologetic.

“I just don’t like to see kids go through this sort of thing, you know?”

“I’m not a kid,” Kaleb responded, though without much punch behind his annoyance. “And there’s a good reason I’m here.” He brandished his chain, then flicked it. In what appeared to be an instant, it swiped through the air in a sonicboom, stopping taught in midair before it hit the ground.

“Oh, jeez, you have magic?”

“Yeah.”

“I guess that explains why they hired you.”

“You don’t look very surprised,” Kaleb said. Most people freaked out when they realized magic existed, even if his own magic wasn’t too impressive. He’d never seen anyone use magic besides himself. It still seemed strange to use since he’d only awakened to his power two years back when...he’d avenged his parents.

“Nah, I’ve seen magic just two times, and they were both my son’s friends.”

“You have a son?”

“Yeah, but he ran away a long time ago...he’s why I’m here, actually.”

“No wonder he ran, given what you’re doing now.” Kaleb looked forward, then cringed, realizing the irony.

If he survived this, would the same thing happen to him and his sister?

The man didn’t respond for a moment, then suddenly yelped in surprise. “Oh jeez, who are you!?”

On the man’s other side, a short person in black and gold robe was similarly leaning on the wall, his face entirely obscured in the hood’s darkness. “I’m your employer, doofus.”

“Wait, really? I couldn’t see your face through the hood. And why in Chaos’s name are you wearing that?”

“Hmm? Oh, because I’m a necromancer.”

There was an awkward silence as the others stared at him incredulously.

“Yeah, everyone reacts-”

“But why does that mean you get to look like a bafoon on the job?”

The dark-robed figure placed his hands on his hips. “Well, excuuuse me, gunman. Wearing ominous dark robes is kinda in my job description.”

“Yeah, but why?” Kaleb asked, agreeing with the other man.

“Okay, well, if you don’t like it, bring it up with the myths and legends and stories where necromancers wear this stuff. Besides, they’re magical robes that make us nearly untraceable.”

“Well, why didn’t you just say so, boss.” The man said, shaking his head. “So, while we’re waiting for the ride, I’m Jared. What’re your names?”

“I’m Kaleb.”

“You should already know mine, but you can call me Zivos.”

“That’s an ass name, dude. What’s the real one?” Jared said with annoyance.

“Yo, just chill, its fine if he gives us a fake name,” Kaleb said with a shrug.

Jared looked back to Kaleb. “No, it isn’t. Let me teach you a lesson: don’t give people unnecessary power over you. By using a fake name, he’s got more power than us because while he can trace us down through our name, we wouldn’t be able to. Now...” he turned back to the necromancer and leaned over the shorter man. “What’s your name?”

Kaleb nodded in understanding. It made sense.

The man didn’t make any move and just stared up at Jared with a shadow-cloaked expression. “You know...that’s literally my name. I would prefer if you didn’t shame it.”

“Yo, that’s a blatant lie, nobody’s called fuckin’ Zivos. Changeton’s got the craziest naming sense, but yours is the shittiest I’ve heard my whole life here.”

“I’m called Zivos, and I sure as Chaos don’t come from Changeton.”

“Then where do ya come from?”

“Vanvaltjorn.”

“Valvwhattaborn?”

“Van-val-yorn. The t’s silent.”

“There’s a t in there!?”

“Yes. My hometown is in northern Europe.”

“You speak fluent English though...no accent either,” Jared said, narrowing his eyes as he tried to see past Zivos’s hood, to no avail.

“Like most of those with strong magic, my life has been...interesting.

Anyway, I’ll recap each of you on our simple plan. We’re breaking into the change factory in the center of the city. With Kaleb’s chain, he will break the wall down, then you will cover our backs. That facility is covered in countless magical defense systems, but our cloaks should stop them from noticing us, at least for a while. Once we enter, we break our way to its center. From there, I just need to draw a pentagram. Once that happens, we book it back to the car and call it a day. If all goes according to plan, we will get you all out unscratched.”

“Yeah, just two small questions,” Kaleb said.

“Yes?”

“Why the fuck are we raiding a high-security, magically protected change factory to draw a doodle?”

“It is the center of the city, and my magic needs me to place it there.”

“And more importantly, what cloaks?”

“The ones in the van.” Zivos pointed to a grey van as it rolled up to them. “They’re enchanted the same way as my own. Now, once we are out, I can’t guarantee there won’t be casualties.”

“...” Jared and Kaleb glanced at each other, then shrugged reluctantly. Nothing they weren’t prepared for.

“For the police, that is.”

“Err, but how do we fight them off, though?” Kaleb asked, looking into the van, which a single person manned. “I can’t exactly swipe away bullets...reliably.”

“They’ll drop dead the instant they try to shoot.”

“How?”

“I control death itself.”

“Wait, do you not use zombies?”

The necromancer sighed in annoyance. “N-no.”

“Lame.”

The van door opened, so Zivos jumped in with an annoyed frown and took a seat, strapping himself in on the last chair. “You coming or what? I can always do this by myself if I have to, but I’d rather keep my body count to a minimum.”

“Pfft! Body count.”

The two adults tried to ignore Kaleb as he tried not to crack up at the phrase.

Jared stepped in. “Let’s just get going. If there’s one thing I don’t want you doing...” He paused as Kaleb sat in the other seat and closed the door.

...

An awkward silence ensued as he looked at Kaleb’s waist like he was waiting for something.

“What?”

“Seatbelt, please.”

Kaleb met the man’s eyes, then rolled his own as he lost the staredown, making his chain pull the strap down for him.

Jared cleared his throat. “If there’s one thing I don’t want you doing...” He timed his sentence so it would end just as Kaleb snapped in his seatbelt, “its slowing us down.”

Kaleb picked a black and gold robe off the ground. He’d cast it aside as he ran from the cops after their operation, and since he hadn’t been given a directive from his new employer...

He picked it back off the street, a use for the magical item forming in his mind.

“‘protect’ her against this...bitch...” he said with a smirk as he stashed it under a pile of rubble created from the elemental’s attack.

His new phone buzzed. He picked it up and read the message.

{Capture Drade Jupiter.}

“Felix, look at this!” Sara said as she pulled out a shirt on its hanger from an array of clothes set on a clothes rack. She held it in front of herself and smiled like it was a photoshoot. “Isn’t this cute?”

He had tried not to let it show, but he was growing more and more nervous as time went on. “Oh, yeah. It’s pretty,” he said, glancing at the shirt. It was very glittery and pink. Sara tended to like more ‘girly’ things, particularly with pink and sparkles, or maybe it was more accurate to say that she thought they were ‘cute’. It was difficult to tell if that meant she thought they looked good or simply that they appeared endearing. Or perhaps they were both?

Such questions were quite existential in nature.

Anyhow, Felix couldn’t help but feel nervous as the building rattled once more. “Y-you know, should we really be...doing this?”

Sara raised an eyebrow as she chucked the shirt into her shopping cart. “What do you mean?”

He looked around the supermarket they were in. It was devoid of anyone else; empty but for the evidence of those who had run from it in a hurry. “It’s just...should we really be looting right now? There’s a giant water elemental destroying the city and...y-you know, we should probably leave.”

“Looting?” Sara put a hand to her chest like she was ashamed, then walked to Felix and put a hand over his shoulder, a smug smile on her face. “Dear, hun, Felix, this isn’t looting. It’s only looting if you aren’t stealing from a big company. This,” she patted their shopping cart. “ Is proletariat usurping.” She stepped back and shrugged. “Tsk tsk tsk.”

“U-huh...but even then-” The building rumbled again, this time accompanied by more rumbles, which were accommodated a moment later by a whizzing sound. “We should probably ev-”

Before the boy could say something quite reasonable, they saw a gold ring with a black portal inside of it suddenly appear, and someone suddenly leaped out of it. A moment later, the ring flew onto his finger, and he took cover on a wall beside the glass doors. It was Datai, the official leader of The Friends, looking quite serious as he held a hand on a taser at his belt. After glancing around, and briefly resting his eyes on his two associates, he reached for an umbrella-filled box and pulled one out.

“See? We’re not the only person doing it, even Datai is.”

“It looks more like he’s fighting for his life,” Felix noted.

“I am,” Datai added. “But you two can feel free to continue chatting it up, I’ll be fine.” Felix couldn’t tell if he was sarcastic or serious.

“See? He and Drade and everyone else will take care of things. We’ll be fine. That’s what Drade always says.”

“If he always says that, then why don’t we just ask him?” Felix brought out his phone, annoyed by the argument, and called Drade.

Drauko seemed rather comfortable, flying high on a current of wind. While Drade’s mother was floundering in fear, grabbing their foot for stability, the new girl seemed rather bored, and Onei was just having fun bouncing on the air.

“Wheeee!”

“You sure don’t hold back on having fun, huh?” Luuko said.

Onei shook her head, somersaulting with a smile. “Nooope~” she said, her voice distorting as she flipped.

“And what about you? What’s your name?” Luuko said, swerving to speak with the new girl.”

“You can call me Tabitha.”

“Who’s called Tabitha these days?”

“Who decided that Lukko was anything but an abomination of a name?” she replied thornily.

“I dunno. Modern standards, I guess? I’m not the only Luuko I know, you know.”

The woman’s mouth fell agape and she turned her head away and mouthed, ‘how’.

“Are you hanging in there, Mom?” Drade asked.

She looked at him with a pained expression. “I don’t like flying.” she said pleadingly.

“Sorrry, Mom.”

“A-and where are we going, anyway?” she asked, having not paid attention to the conversation that happened once they were flown away by Dou Van Arc. They had begun flying in the direction opposite of the shore, and she wasn’t sure if they were simply running or doing something else. “Are you planning on stopping whatever’s happening in the city?” she asked Drade.

As practically normal as it seemed, it was more than less a given to her that her son would try to save the city when it was in danger. She didn’t like wondering if he’d be okay, but...I mean, he’d been doing it since he was a kid. She got used to it eventually, as humans tended to.

“Yeah, probs,” Drade said. “I don’t really disagree with that girl’s ideology, but it’s really misguided. Besides...” he frowned. “I might be one of the few people Therin would listen to.”

“Therin...why is that name familiar...” she muttered.

He nodded. “He’s one of Dad’s subordinates. He was kinda like Uffy’s guardian, I think.” Drade had heard a bit about Therin from Uffield, but he didn’t know to what extent they were acquainted.

“And he’s attacking the city with her in it?” She shook her head. “Sorry, I won’t ask questions. Just stay safe, okay?”

Drade sent her a deadpan expression that somehow surpassed all his others.

“Try to, I mean.”

“Wait, then shouldn’t we call-” Luuko began. Suddenly, Drade’s phone rang, and they put it to their ear.

“Yo, what’s up?” Drade said.

“Hey, is it fine if we loot Target while you’re off saving the city or someth-”

“Proletariat Ursurping,” Sara butted in.

“Is it fine if we proletariat usurp clothes from Terget while the city’s being destroyed?”

“Hmm...” Drade’s expression shifted with thought. “Stealing is bad, but if it’s proletariat usurping, I guess it’s fine.”

“See? It’s free stuff!”

Drauko could hear a sigh in the background. “Whatever. Oh, also, Luuko said that Sara might have magic or something.”

“Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention that,” Luuko interjected.

“Hi, Luuko,” Felix said, recognizing her voice.

“Anyway, is that it?” Drauko glanced at the skyline. “I think there’s a magic-powered jet plane heading for us, and Luuko just reminded me that I should call my dad.”

“Sure, sorr-”

“Is Drade on the line?” another voice suddenly said.

“Yeah?”

“Can I speak with him real quick?”

“Sure.”

“Hi Datai,” Drade said as he heard the phone be passed off.

“Do you know what’s happening in the city?”

“No, I don’t see what I guess is The Great Water Elemental splitting mountains in two.”

“Uh-huh. Well, there seem to be grounded units with high-power energy rifles, among other things like bulletproof armor and advanced visors.

“Why does it need to be sci-fi and magic at the same time...” Luuko muttered.

“But more importantly, are they on Therin’s side?” Drade continued.

“Therin, you said? I knew it! I knew he was plotting something. I just ignored it because I thought it wouldn’t affect me...”

“That sounds not very utilitarian of you,” Drade noted.

“Shut it, Eldritch kid! I don’t have infinite patience for these things like you do!”

“I guess that’s what they call the ‘human condition’.”

“But let’s set that aside. Is lethal force authorized?”

“No.”

“Ugh. Whatever you say, Drade. I better not get killed, though. If so, it’s my blood on your hands.”

“You’ll be fine. Oh, the fighter jet is- Bye.” Drauko hung up as they shoved the phone in their pocket. “Dou?!” they yelled.

“You needn’t worry, it’s only a Jet,” the Druid said as it passed overhead, missiles launching toward them.

“Don’t underestimate those missiles!” Luuko yelled, seeing the magic within them.

Dou, being quite experienced with combat, was quick enough to notice her yell and adjust the power of his blades of wind accordingly, if haphazardly.

The crescent blades of condensed air and magic, twice the size of a person, crashed into the missiles, causing them to explode a good twenty meters from them. Even then, the blasts of air and fragments were powerful enough to overpower the current of wind, and smashed into the group.

When the dust cleared, it was clear that they had been shielded by supernatural barriers of wind, which enveloped each of them.

“That was close,” Dou said. “Are missiles usually that powerful?”

Hannah blinked, her heart beating with fear. “I-I don’t know, but I just had my life flash before my eyes.”

“For the fifth time?” Drade asked.

“The fifth time,” his mother confirmed.

That said, Luuko said nothing. D-did I just save us by saying that?

Probably, Drade said like it was nothing of note.

We could have died?!

Again, probably. It wasn’t going to happen, though.

I still don’t get how you’re so sure of yourself.

Seventeen years of these things happening makes you desensitized to it. “It’s coming back,” Drade said, watching as the Jet swerved so sharply midair that it should have knocked out any normal person inside of it in an instant and cut toward them once more.

“I have enough to handle as is,” Dou said with annoyance. “Fine. I don’t think it would be smart for me to continue guarding you all. I’ll take the fight to it. You said you wanted to get to those busses?” Dou glanced to the highway only a mile away, where cars piled up outside the city, trying to escape. Many yellow school busses were scattered about the mess of cars, and just about any one of them could have been the right one. “I’ll float you all down there, but...” He glanced downward. A number of the superpowered soldiers were following them from afar, though they were much slower than Dou’s flight. “You may struggle to handle them. If I can, I’ll take this plane out before they have a chance to catch up, but if I can’t...”

“We’ll be fine,” Drade assured him. “Thanks for the help.”

“No problem.”

As the plane flew back, he suddenly blasted off, meeting it in its flight path.

He smashed into it, sending the plane flipping away. As he did, though, he really didn’t expect what happened immediately afterward.

The plane transformed.