Magic Resilient

by Kayla Bashe

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  You'd better hurry to the village.

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  Please turn back a page

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  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

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  A few days later, you and your squad decide to take a Wilderness Challenge, just for the heck of it. That’s a day’s hike out, a day’s hike back.

  It’s midday, and you’re walking in the woods, enjoying the fresh air and the sense of well-being it gives you. It just stopped raining an hour ago, and you splash through puddles, feeling the cool water lick at the toes of your boots.

  Suddenly, a crackle of static pulses through the air.

  Char pauses, stops everyone with a manicured gesture. “Radio—who’s got it?”

  Malou unloads her pack, fumbles through everything. “Got it-”

  “Someone must be trying to send a message.” Shani’s soft fingers race over the buttons and dials. “Let me get the signal-”

  At last a man’s voice comes through, loud and clear and terrified. “Mayday, mayday, this is Serendipity Village, right outside the forest, we’re under attack, we only have one magical girl, we need reinforcements-”

  Everyone looks towards you, so you take a deep breath, draw yourself up, and snap into Leader Mode.

  “This is squad leader Verdi Vestri. What’s your location?”

  “Oh, thank Maona, I thought no one would hear us-”

  “You’re using an outdated radio frequency—it’s a good thing we got such old gear. What’s your location?”

  He stammers out a series of coordinates before you lose the connection and it dissolves into static again. Shani, chewing on her lower lip, pushes some buttons to mute the noise.

  “What do we do now?”

  “Head out to help. Drop the gear, we’ll travel lighter without it—we can pick up the tents on the way back.”

  You catch another girl’s eye, and you can tell what she’s thinking: if we get back.

  Because, in a tiny nervous part of your mind, that’s your thought too. An invasion of this scale…it’s serious.

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  Get to the village as quickly as possible!

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  Please turn back a page

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  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

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  AT THE VILLAGE

  The village…it’s a wreck, a deserted wreck. Unconsciously, you and your squadmates draw closer to each other.

  “I’m assuming that the survivors took refuge in the community center in the middle of the town—the building’s warded,” Malou says. She gives you a significant look, and you know what she’s not saying: if there are survivors, that is.

  “Lead the way, Verdie,” Shani says quietly, and Char nods.

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  Turn down Acorn Street

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  Turn down Hazelnut Street

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  Turn down Walnut Street

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  Please turn back a page

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  Please turn forward a page

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  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  AT THE VILLAGE

  The village…it’s a wreck, a deserted wreck. Unconsciously, you and your squadmates draw closer to each other.

  “I’m assuming that the survivors took refuge in the community center in the middle of the town—the building’s warded,” Malou says. She gives you a significant look, and you know what she’s not saying: if there are survivors, that is.

  “Lead the way, Verdie,” Shani says quietly, and Char nods.

  * * *

  Turn down Acorn Street

  * * *

  Turn down Hazelnut Street

  * * *

  Turn down Walnut Street

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  * * *

  Please turn back a page

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  Please turn forward a page

  * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  AT THE VILLAGE

  The village…it’s a wreck, a deserted wreck. Unconsciously, you and your squadmates draw closer to each other.

  “I’m assuming that the survivors took refuge in the community center in the middle of the town—the building’s warded,” Malou says. She gives you a significant look, and you know what she’s not saying: if there are survivors, that is.

  “Lead the way, Verdie,” Shani says quietly, and Char nods.

  * * *

  Turn down Acorn Street

  * * *

  Turn down Hazelnut Street

  * * *

  Turn down Walnut Street

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  Please turn back a page

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  Please turn forward a page

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  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

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  Everything seems deserted. Malou crouches, testing the ground with a palm, feeling the currents of energy. “There was a fight here,” she says in a low voice, straightening up. You can feel that—the breeze carries an odd feeling, charged like the air right before a storm.

  You and your squad stick close together, alert for anything. This place doesn’t feel right.

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  >>

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  Please turn back a page

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  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

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  Everywhere you look, you see things that don’t look right.

  A hovercar that’s been torn in half, each piece tossed to an opposite side of the street. A fire hydrant encased in a block of ice. Vines sprawling from a crack in the ground that hiss limply at you as you pass by.

  You and your squad huddle closer together for protection.

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  >>

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  Please turn back a page

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  Please turn forward a page

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  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

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  There was definitely a big fight here.

  Footsteps in the distance. Growls just on the edge of hearing.

  And most of the combatants…they haven’t left.

  Find and protect the human survivors, though. That’s your top priority. And then?

  Once you tend to as many of the wounded as you can, it’s time for a fight.

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  >>

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  Please turn back a page

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  Please turn forward a page

  * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  Everything seems deserted. Malou crouches, testing the ground with a palm, feeling the currents of energy. “There was a fight here,” she says in a low voice, straightening up. You can feel that—the breeze carries an odd feeling, charged like the air right before a storm.

  You and your squad stick close together, alert for anything. This place doesn’t feel right.

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  >>

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  Please turn back a page

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  Please turn forward a page

&nbs
p; * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  Everywhere you look, you see things that don’t look right.

  A hovercar that’s been torn in half, each piece tossed to an opposite side of the street. A fire hydrant encased in a block of ice. Vines sprawling from a crack in the ground that hiss limply at you as you pass by.

  You and your squad huddle closer together for protection.

  * * *

  >>

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  * * *

  Please turn back a page

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn forward a page

  * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  There was definitely a big fight here.

  Footsteps in the distance. Growls just on the edge of hearing.

  And most of the combatants…they haven’t left.

  Find and protect the human survivors, though. That’s your top priority. And then?

  Once you tend to as many of the wounded as you can, it’s time for a fight.

  * * *

  >>

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  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn back a page

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn forward a page

  * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  Everything seems deserted. Malou crouches, testing the ground with a palm, feeling the currents of energy. “There was a fight here,” she says in a low voice, straightening up. You can feel that—the breeze carries an odd feeling, charged like the air right before a storm.

  You and your squad stick close together, alert for anything. This place doesn’t feel right.

  * * *

  >>

  * * *

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn back a page

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn forward a page

  * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  Everywhere you look, you see things that don’t look right.

  A hovercar that’s been torn in half, each piece tossed to an opposite side of the street. A fire hydrant encased in a block of ice. Vines sprawling from a crack in the ground that hiss limply at you as you pass by.

  You and your squad huddle closer together for protection.

  * * *

  >>

  * * *

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn back a page

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn forward a page

  * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  There was definitely a big fight here.

  Footsteps in the distance. Growls just on the edge of hearing.

  And most of the combatants…they haven’t left.

  Find and protect the human survivors, though. That’s your top priority. And then?

  Once you tend to as many of the wounded as you can, it’s time for a fight.

  * * *

  >>

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  * * *

  Please turn back a page

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn forward a page

  * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  Finally, you arrive at what the map on your phone shows to be the center of town. And then you see the community center.

  It’s the one building that hasn’t been damaged. A shield of rainbow light surrounds it. The ward’s wavering, but still holding.

  Malou lets out a slow, shaky breath. “I thought we’d find them all dead,” she says quietly.

  “Well, looks like we got here just in time,” Char replies with a confident smile.

  “Come on, let’s help fix that ward,” you tell everyone, and you head towards the building.

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  go in

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  * * *

  Please turn back a page

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn forward a page

  * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  Finally, you arrive at what the map on your phone shows to be the center of town. And then you see the community center.

  It’s the one building that hasn’t been damaged. A shield of rainbow light surrounds it. The ward’s wavering, but still holding.

  Malou lets out a slow, shaky breath. “I thought we’d find them all dead,” she says quietly.

  “Well, looks like we got here just in time,” Char replies with a confident smile.

  “Come on, let’s help fix that ward,” you tell everyone, and you head towards the building.

  * * *

  go in

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  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn back a page

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn forward a page

  * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  Finally, you arrive at what the map on your phone shows to be the center of town. And then you see the community center.

  It’s the one building that hasn’t been damaged. A shield of rainbow light surrounds it. The ward’s wavering, but still holding.

  Malou lets out a slow, shaky breath. “I thought we’d find them all dead,” she says quietly.

  “Well, looks like we got here just in time,” Char replies with a confident smile.

  “Come on, let’s help fix that ward,” you tell everyone, and you head towards the building.

  * * *

  go in

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  * * *

  Please turn back a page

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn forward a page

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