What the hell?

  It would be an understatement to say I’m surprised. Ms. Grey was absent during 4th period for an unknown reason, at least to me. I wouldn’t be surprised if anyone had seen Ms. Grey leaving prior.

  Shock wasn’t the only thing I’m feeling. There was also a mix of confusion, worry, and fear. I mean, I was staring at someone who looked partially dead, bleeding from various wounds all over her body, ranging from cuts to bruises.

  The sounds of shouting brought me out of my stupor, and I focused on her body to attempt to use my power on her. The crater looked awkward to walk down, and attempting to carry her out using normal means would waste valuable time.

  I levitated her unconscious body, making sure to keep her head straight as she floated. As quickly and gently as I could, I moved her floating form towards me. When she was close, I placed my arms under her back and legs, preparing to carry her bridal style.

  Feeling ready, I released the levitation.

  That was my first mistake.

  Perhaps I’ve underestimated how much my physical capabilities have increased from my past life in my new body. The sudden weight of her body in my arms caused me to stumble forward, almost dropping her into the crater with me falling in after. Luckily, I managed to steady myself, grunting as I struggled. However, the weight of her unconscious and deceptively slender body only further strained my arms.

  Slowly, I lay her down on the ground, making a pillow thick enough to support her head. Next to her, a stretcher appeared. The poles were made of strong wood with handles that I could fully wrap my hands around, and the fabric is tightly woven, made from a combination of the material you jump on in trampolines and my best understanding of Kevlar. I needed it to be strong enough to support her weight, and then some, otherwise I risk dropping and hurting her further.

  Then levitated her body onto the stretcher before moving toward the end closest to her head, grabbing the handles. I looked up, hoping anyone understood what I was doing. She needed medical attention fast, and the only person I knew who could help was that nurse and her miraculous healing magic, and she wasn’t nearby.

  I don’t know this town’s layout, so please take me to someone who can help!

  I decided against making a gurney with wheels, since I might have spent too many precious seconds trying to make it perfect.

  Some knelt to pick up the other end of Ms. Grey’s stretcher. It was my summoner.

  Perfect.

  I felt him tug the stretcher, and I pushed back before we moved, making sure to match each other’s pace.

  We ran, our steps following a rhythm, our strides mirroring each other. I slowed down when he did at turns and sped up when he did at straights. Finally, we reached a different part of town. Up ahead, I saw people moving about, gathered in another open area of town.

  It was an improvised hospital, with brown blankets stretched out on the brick paths. Each had a different person with varying degrees of injuries. Some had little bandaging, and others had a notable amount covering a chunk of their skin. Blood seeped through the bandages of those who had it worse.

  I heard my summoner say something, catching my attention, and he directed us to a newly laid-out blanket. Some people who were helping out, one in a green uniform and one in a pale orange school uniform, lifted Ms. Grey off the stretcher I created and onto the blanket.

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  The whole place felt like a military dorm turned into a temporary hospital in a state of emergency. The ones helping ran frantically, while assisting those providing aid.

  One of the people running around barked at me, snapping me out of my daze. This wasn’t the time for me to be bewildered by what’s happening around me.

  I caught glimpses of labeled small bottles, rolls of gauze, stacks of towels, and the most surprising of all, syringes. Seeing the different characters on the labels and how frantic everything seemed, it’d be best if I left. I can’t read, which would be an immense hindrance to their operations. I’m certain their directions were precise and sophisticated.

  I made a single syllable out loud, hoping it didn’t sound like a word. It caught my summoner’s attention, and I walked away from the improvised hospital. The sounds of approaching footsteps and his voice told me he followed.

  The best thing I can do with my current abilities is help look for survivors.

  …

  Both of us ran, with me taking the lead. I used the scattered debris and destroyed buildings as a measure of how much closer we were to the storm. Of course, I don’t plan on getting closer, despite us nearing the spot below it.

  We stopped when I spotted the first destroyed building. I planned to traverse wherever I could in search of survivors. The temporary hospital seemed overworked, but better that than a lax hospital with few patients to care for in a time like this.

  I used telekinesis to lift big objects and toss them onto the road, and pushed away smaller objects to make a path wherever I needed. Being thorough in survivor rescue is a necessity, and I didn’t plan on leaving someone behind because I forgot to check a corner.

  Doesn’t look like anyone’s here.

  I made an indicator of the cleared building, painting a red X on the ground where the supposed entrance was, before moving to the next building I set my sights on. This continued for a few more buildings, with my summoner speaking words I couldn’t comprehend. Why was he speaking when he knows I can’t understand a thing coming out of anyone’s mouth? It’s pointless.

  It would also be equally pointless to tell him to be quiet, either. At the very least, he should save his breath on helping look for more survivors. I hoped that intention was clear with all the searching and clearing of debris I’ve been doing.

  Maybe I’m wasting my time. This area looks too desolate for there to be any trace of life.

  I recalled the building being lifted into the air by the storm in the sky, and Mr. Blonde’s drawing of some humanoid thing in the center.

  It’s weird. That thing looks capable of destroying the entire town, or at least more than half of it. A lot of buildings look destroyed from debris being shot out by the storm, yet only a single building was taken. If it only wanted to destroy buildings, shouldn’t it have at least taken more and sent the debris? What’s going on?

  Heh. What am I doing, thinking about the specific purpose of a storm? I might just be overcomplicating things, thinking there’s more to it.

  The sound of an explosion interrupted my thoughts. The pillar of smoke confirmed my hypothesis. The storm in the sky can absorb buildings and send debris at will.

  “Kiori,” I called out what I’m 80% sure is his name, still deliberating on ‘Gioni,’ ‘Giori,’ and ‘Giyo-ie.’

  We ran to where the pillar of smoke appeared.

  When we got there, multiple people were lying out on the ground and bleeding, with only a single person staring at the scene with horror on their face. It was a person with a long, black ponytail and shiny-looking armor, although their shoulders and joints looked unprotected, revealing only black clothing underneath, possibly to prevent irritation from metal-to-skin contact. Next to their hand was a spear, a weapon they likely dropped from the sudden attack. In front of them was a large chunk of debris that didn’t match the nearby buildings.

  I looked at the storm overhead. In the center, I could barely make out a dot in the eye of the storm. That had to be whoever is responsible for the storm.

  Suddenly, words came from the storm. It was confusing, hearing something so loud and clear from something that far away. The subtle traces of dust shifting and rising from the ground told me this was the result of magic. The dust moved to the highs and lows of the syllables, reacting to the sounds of the voice coming from the storm.

  We needed to get these people out of here, but facing the ground to help the fallen would make us more vulnerable to another potential attack. I needed to prepare for a possible attack, manifesting on the fly whatever came to mind.

  The loud, reverberating voice continued. I looked to my summoner, who seemed confused. Wonder what words he’s hearing to react like that.

  Then, my summoner shouted.

  There was the sight of debris rapidly getting larger in my field of vision. Reflexively, I swatted at it, focusing on the incoming debris as I did, deflecting it to the right. A boom sounded off in the street next to the one we were in, with sounds of pitter-pattering from smaller debris occurring shortly after.

  The storm’s voice changed, sounding angrier.