We walked out of the hallway, gently pushing past the dense crowd in the main area, and walked outside.

  I went around the corner of the building, going somewhere with ample shade. After stopping, I sat down and leaned against the wall.

  What the hell was she screaming about?

  Why did everyone else join in agreement with her?

  I thought back to everything that had happened since this disaster occurred. Everyone panicking. Me helping with the escort by producing balls of light to illuminate the tunnel when flame mages couldn’t. Ms. Grey when she crashed into the warehouse. And that armored woman who was proficient with the spear, who managed to deflect 3 large chunks of debris with the spear I created for her before it broke.

  If I had done more, maybe Ms. Black Ponytail would be safe with us.

  One thing’s for certain. I have the power to make this terrorist storm situation conclude.

  I just need to imagine now.

  I got up, turning to where the storm was. I could tell from how debris was still flying in a circle around the person responsible. It was visible above the roof of intact buildings.

  I don’t think I’ll ever be able to completely explain the reason for my inaction. The language barrier could be a part of it, but a stronger reason would be that I don’t want to mess up my second chance at a new life. Heh… pretty sure I’ve already made a few mistakes.

  A pillar of flames erupted where the storm was. The debris changed too, as I saw a bit of vines, as well as stone I don’t remember seeing on the roads or buildings. I suspected it was remnants of Earth magic, but it could also be parts of a building I didn’t see earlier. What I knew for certain was that whoever was nearby was trying to fight back.

  We needed to go there.

  I looked around, trying to figure out the best way to get to where all the fighting was happening. No obvious route formed in my mind.

  Still, hesitation meant an increased likelihood of others dying. Something I didn’t want to live with, regardless of lifetimes.

  So I picked a direction and ran, ignoring the indecipherable words of my summoner. After a few seconds of running and catching my breath, I produced the same scooter-platform I tried to escape the school with.

  The vehicle construct hovered before me, made of a transparent, orange material I didn’t bother thinking about. I imagined myself stepping on it, wobbling as it responded to my weight, but remaining at the same elevation. A vehicle that couldn’t properly support its driver didn’t deserve to be called a vehicle.

  A small set of stairs that I visualized appeared, its top step being at the same level as the floor of the floating platform.

  I quickly walked up the steps, positioning myself at the steering handles, gripping them like I was riding a regular bike or scooter. Looking down, the floating transparent platform had blue, black, and white thrusters at each of its corners, something that wasn’t there when I had previously created it. Whatever these thrusters I imagined were, or however they functioned, they exerted some force, with rings being produced at each half-second interval, with the rings coming from the unusual thrusters in sync.

  Could I use them to change elevation?

  As I pondered the new thruster, I felt something wrapped around my waist.

  In my past life, being poked there unprompted was something I never enjoyed.

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  The sudden feeling startled me, making me momentarily forget I was on a hovering aircraft of my own creation. When that happened, I fell, my rear hitting the ground. There was also the sounds of someone else groaning in my pain.

  It was my summoner, who was behind me, also sitting on the ground. His upright feet were near my waist. From how he was positioned, and how I’m sitting between his legs…

  Wait, did he…

  Did he wrap his arms around my waist, intending to ride with me?

  I got up, rubbing my behind, intending to soothe the pain I was feeling. With my other hand, I offered it to him, intending to pull him up. He grabbed it, our palms clapping, and our fingers touching the back of the other’s hand. A dap, if you will.

  I’m not sure what he’s thinking, but if he’s planning to come with, then so be it.

  I re-focused on the hovercraft platform that was made earlier, keeping it level with the top stair I stood on.

  On this iteration, more details were added. A rubber motorcycle handlebar grip that was tied to the amount of thrust exerted by the craft’s thrusters. Turned it all the way forward, and it’d be outputting maximum thrust force. How does that work? Don’t ask me, it just does. The orange, transparent platform was replaced with something black and blue, matching the color scheme of the thrusters. Orange didn’t really suit the color scheme, and it was a bit ugly to look at, so I changed it again.

  Feeling satisfied with the design and the impression it gave, I stepped into the driver’s spot, gripping the handlebars, feeling how the right handle has the potential to turn. I looked back, this time anticipating my summoner grabbing my waist. He still grabbed and wrapped tightly. Although I expected it, it still felt a bit weird, having a guy wrap his arms around my waist so casually.

  I shook my head. This wasn’t the time to dwell on homosexual thoughts. We had a disaster to stop, and I’m using this hovercraft to speed toward the disaster!

  I turned the right handlebar, and we sped off. On the way, I used my intuition and experience as a driver to ensure a smooth trip.

  …

  I glanced at the increased frequency of flames, ice, vines, and rocks erupting near the storm as I focused on the path ahead of me.

  We arrived close to where the storm was, and I parked my hovercraft near a building. Since I didn’t imagine an engine on/off switch, I simply visualized the thing deactivating, and it worked.

  The hovercraft haphazardly landed on the ground, making a loud noise as it landed on the ground. I heard my summoner exclaim something as his grip around my waist tightened.

  Note to self, lower it before turning off the vehicle.

  I didn’t park any closer, not wanting to risk being flung into the air. That already happened once, and I didn’t visualize something to cushion my fall, since it caught me off guard.

  After we got off, I erected a set of concrete stairs to reach the roof of the building we were next to, and we climbed up them.

  When we stepped onto the roof, I saw multiple people standing on the roof of the building across from us. It was a combination of students in those pastel orange uniforms and the green uniforms that greeted us when we exited the tunnel through the giant door.

  I erected a thick, concrete wall the height of the building we stood on, and we ran across it, hoping to meet the others who were fighting the storm.

  As we got closer, the wind from the man-made storm became more intense. By the time we got to the other roof, I had to shield my face just to keep my eyes open and protect myself from dust and small flying pebbles.

  Was I seriously considering charging in recklessly? I must have a death wish!

  I quickly listed plenty of reasons I wanted to live, not wanting my power to change my personality and outlook on life.

  My summoner and I got as close as we could without risking ourselves suddenly flying into the air.

  The area of the storm was being contained by the two buildings it was between, along with a wall of ice closer to us, and a wall of earth partially visible on the other side of the storm. It was boxed in on all sides, leaving the top the only opening left.

  Wasn’t it capable of flying earlier? Why settle for sticking close to the ground?

  Earlier, the storm was capable of pulling in an entire chunk of a building. Now, its ferocity was being contained by 4 walls, when it’s clearly capable of destroying them. Did it get weaker?

  Looking at the debris swirling around, they did look smaller.

  Is it a battle of attrition now?

  The ice wall shows signs of wear and repair, as if water was poured over the cracks and instantly frozen. Was whoever making it actively remaking and reinforcing it? Is it the same with the wall of earth?

  I didn’t have to dwell on it as I focused on the storm. Although the storm wasn’t as strong, the smoke covering it became thicker.

  Is there anything I can do to help? Was coming here actually pointless? Things look pretty handled.

  As I thought those things, the wall of smoke and debris fell.

  It revealed the perpetrator and the armored woman!

  What? What is she doing there?

  The moment I asked myself that, the perpetrator moved their arm. In an instant, she was blasted away, being sent through the top of the wall of ice.

  I turned around and looked up, and Ms. Black Ponytail was high above the town.