“I came to check on the new girl my guys had been talking about,” the boy said, his eyes scanning the three girls.

  “She’s here,” Aisha said, shoving Dakota forward.

  “Not her. In fact, let me clear it up—I wasn’t talking to you, skinny,” the boy sneered. His group erupted into laughter.

  “Who then? Because she’s the only girl who... in fact,” Sky started, looking at the group before cutting herself off. “She’s too good for you. If that’s all, please let us be. We have someone to see.”

  Sky began walking toward the house.

  “Wait, you mean—” the boy started. A smile began to form on his face, but it quickly faded. Everyone watched in shock as Sky suddenly had a firm grip on the boy's neck. She wasn't choking him, but the hold was tight enough to send a clear message.

  “I’m sorry, my body has a tendency of moving by itself,” Sky said coolly. She let go and walked away, Dakota and Anjali following close behind.

  “I’ll forgive you for that,” the boy called out, his friends laughing as they retreated. “And I’ll see you again!”

  “Let’s check on Ben. That boy has issues,” Anjali said. She turned into her house while Sky and Dakota headed toward the other building.

  “I’ve found him!” Anjali shouted a moment later. Sky and Dakota hurried toward her.

  “What's... Ben, are you okay?”

  “Hhhmmm,” Ben replied weakly, forcing himself upright against Anjali’s lap.

  “I’ll be back,” Sky said, turning to leave, but Anjali caught her hand while Dakota grabbed a fold of her dress to stop her.

  “Let’s tell Aisha. She will know what to do,” Anjali suggested.

  Sky agreed and helped Ben up. He was heavier than he looked; Anjali wouldn’t have managed the weight alone. Sky held her own, but rather than dragging him, she waited for Dakota to bring a sleeping bag down to help move him.

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  “You do understand you are... you are pretty strong. I’m jealous,” Anjali said, panting from the effort.

  “Yeah, thanks I guess. I envy you, too,” Sky replied, looking down at Ben as he lay on the ground. “He’s getting better, slowly. Soon he will walk without trouble.”

  “I can help,” Dakota said, looking at Sky.

  “You can help?”

  “Yes, but only if I'm alone with him, and it has to be nighttime,” Dakota replied to Anjali’s questioning look.

  “And how?” Sky asked.

  “A spell my mom taught me. It will help him walk—it reduces the heaviness,” Dakota explained, her eyes drifting as if she were seeing the words written in the air.

  Just then, Aisha appeared, walking in just as Dakota finished her sentence.

  “Is it possible, Grandma?” Anjali asked.

  “What?”

  “To cast a spell that makes one lighter on their feet or body?” Anjali clarified.

  “Yes, I think so. There is a lot to magic,” Aisha replied. “And drop the ‘grandma’ thing,” she added, walking toward a sofa.

  “And Ben—the other Ben—he came around. He talked to his parents before,” Anjali said to Aisha, her eyes flickering toward Sky for a second.

  “I’ll talk to them. There should be a meeting in the late hours,” Aisha replied.

  Suddenly, they all felt it. Anjali didn't quite understand the sensation, but Dakota shivered and moved closer to Ben. Sky and Aisha, however, immediately began scanning the house.

  “What is it?” Anjali asked.

  “Wait here. We will be back,” Aisha said, standing up with Sky.

  They made their way outside to find the other Ben approaching. His small group was with him, only four of them this time.

  “I couldn’t wait,” he started. He reached a hand out for Sky, but she evaded him. He swung again—ten hands seemed to lash out at once. She dodged nine of them effortlessly, but the tenth hand caught her wrist. She came to a dead halt.

  “Leave me,” she said. When the boy didn't let go, she moved in fast, gripped his face with her hand, and slammed his head down to the ground.

  Aisha didn’t even watch the fight; she didn't even slow down. Sky had to run to catch up with her.

  'What is this feeling?' Aisha asked herself. They walked toward the far west side, toward the spot where Sky and Ben had killed the ogres. As they passed through the crowds toward the edge of the small forest, the pressure in the air grew immense.

  “Wait here,” Sky said. Aisha used every ounce of her will not to succumb to the crushing pressure.

  “Stop it,” Sky commanded, looking into the tall green trees.

  “Why not come outside? I need a talk. More are coming,” a voice called out from the shadows.

  “I don’t know you,” Sky said, her hand flinching.

  “We are the same, isn’t that right...?”

  On the far side, Aisha held her ground and listened. The voice spoke a name—a name Aisha hadn't heard in a long time. In fact, she had never heard it spoken by people here.

  “Talk. I don’t have time,” Sky said, appearing totally relaxed. “In fact, what’s your name?”

  “Kaein,” the voice said. “And the other one is—”

  “Leave them out of this,” Sky snapped.

  _ _ _ _

  Nearby, a crowd was gathered, murmurs rippling through the people.

  “Third one in a row,” one man whispered to another.

  “Heard it’s an inside job.”

  “Don’t say that. Be careful, people are listening,” someone whispered over their shoulder. The man instantly paled, taking in a sharp breath.

  “Aaaaaa!” a girl screamed. Blood sprayed across her face before the next gush entered her mouth.

  A short, skinny man punched another person's ribs clean through before squashing a head with both hands, as if he were swatting a fly.

  It was a breakout. The eyes of the attackers turned a dark, blood-red. Out of nearly seventy people, only fifty had survived the initial surge. Those who had turned were now hunting the others, going house to house. The streets quickly filled with blood and screams.

  “Go! There are fifty of them—only fifty! We are knights!” the commander shouted, charging forward with his sword drawn.

  He was the first to reach them. He swung hard, his entire body moving with the momentum of the strike. The force should have cleared the path, but he slammed into a shimmering barrier. The impact was so great that the air itself seemed to crack.