Page 52 of Nazab

“Open fire on them!” someone inside the town hall shouted, then a barrage of gunfire came flying from the windows. Now sluggish and weak, the intruders didn’t stand a chance against the townsfolk.

Monica aimed her magic at the people inside the building and funneled the extra energy into them. They didn’t even notice the influx since their adrenalin was already so high.

Spilling out through the doors, men and women who’d been corralled inside slaughtered their attackers. Shouting in gleeful triumph, they gathered on the street to celebrate their victory.

“Another town has been saved,” Monica said, pleased with their efforts.

“I can hear more trucks coming,” Nazab said when he detected vehicles approaching. Exchanging a look, they hurried outside.

Someone spotted them and lifted his rifle to his shoulder. “Who are you?” he asked suspiciously.

“We’re not with them,” Monica said, holding up her hands and pointing at the corpses. “We spotted their trucks and came to help.”

“More of them are coming,” Nazab said, gesturing behind the mob. “They’ll be here at any moment.”

Some of the townsfolk turned and peered at the road. The others kept their weapons trained on them.

“How the hell did you know more were coming?” a female asked suspiciously when the trucks finally came within their sight.

“The Mad Prophet sent us here,” Monica said. “We’re just here to help.”

“Are you one of the good aliens?” the man who’d pointed his rifle at them asked. He lowered his gun, eyes wide.

“I am,” Nazab admitted. “My female and I assisted you by weakening your attackers to make it easier for you to defeat them.”

Murmurs spread through the group, then they all turned to face the new threat.

“We could really use your help again,” the human who seemed to be their leader said.

“No problem,” Monica said with a cheerful smile. “We’ll slow them down and you guys can pick them off.”

In reality, Nazab merely watched his female’s back as the marauders screeched to a halt. She stole their energy as they opened fire. They instantly became slow and lethargic as the townsfolk took shelter and returned fire. There were only twenty bandits this time and none of them survived the assault.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

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MONICA FELT PRETTY proud that she’d just managed to siphon energy from so many bad guys. The trick was to take just enough to make them slow and clumsy so she didn’t become overloaded with power. Having nearly a hundred people to distribute the energy to had been a big help. She’d kept just enough to top up her reserves as usual.

“I can’t believe one of the good aliens is in our town,” a young woman said in awe as the survivors gathered around them. “Shouldn’t you be fighting the bad aliens in Manhattan?”

“We’re looking for someone,” Nazab said without going into detail. “We’ll join up with my squad when the time is right.”

“You two really saved our butts,” their leader said in gratitude. His soul was light gray, but Monica sensed it had once been darker. It seemed being in charge of these people was enabling him to find redemption for whatever wrongs he’d done in the past. “We were thinking of going to Manhattan to join up with the good aliens,” he said.

Monica spoke and again felt as if she’d been taken over by someone else. “It isn’t time to travel to where the war between the two alien factions will be waged yet,” she said. Several people shivered as if her voice spooked them. “For now, go to a town a few hours away. Tell them what happened here. More people will join you. Don’t turn any of them away. When the time is right, the Mad Prophet and other signs will guide you where you need to go.”

“That was freaky,” someone in the crowd muttered.

“Fate just spoke through my mate,” Nazab said. “She’s the entity who guides my brothers and me each time we’re sent to this world to wage war with our enemies.”

“If Fate guides you, who guides the bad aliens with red eyes?” the leader of the townsfolk asked shrewdly.

“Anarchy is their guide,” Monica said. “Be glad he doesn’t expend as much effort on their behalf as I do with my knights.”

Nazab put his arm around his female when she sagged a bit. “She’s gone?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Monica confirmed, then looked at the awed humans. “We all have a choice,” she said, raising her voice so they could all hear her. “Most of you are heading in the right direction and will be redeemed for the things you did wrong. Anyone who doesn’t want to fight for the side of good should walk away right now. The war will be brutal and bloody and it will determine the fate of mankind for eons to come. It will be the most important decision of your life to either stand with the Knights of Order, or to succumb to the evil rule of the Soldiers of Chaos.”