Chapter 23

chapter twenty-three Grab, grasp, click Zmmm

"Hey! WIZARD! WARRIOR!" Kimmy cries, as she dodges a vicious swipe from the rampaging Drakkor. "You dudes almost done doing whatever you're doing?" "Kimmy appears to be growing tired!" Skaelka calls. "ALMOST!" Quint calls. He's about to hoist the hastily assembled contraption over his shoulder, when— "Wait!" Dirk says. "That battery against your side's gonna get real hot. You're gonna need some protection..." With a flourish, Dirk reveals the wizard's robe. "I hung on to this. Thought you might change your mind." "But—" "No arguing. This is your hero quest—so put it on." Quint nods. "All right." The Drakkor is just seconds away from crushing Kimmy and Carol, when— "HEY!" Galamelon shouts. "There's a conjurer who'd like to chat with you." The monster turns. Its dark, cold eyes stare down Galamelon. "Oh, not me," Galamelon says. "Him..."

It's not a staff and it's not a cane. It's my own creation. Item unlocked Conjurors cannon. "OK, friend," Quint says to Dirk. "Power me up." Dirk grabs the detonator plunger dangling from the battery pack and gives it a hard tug, like he's starting up a lawn mower. GGRRR-VVRROOM! The Drakkor's killing claws dig into the ground —then it charges. Quint spins the dial on his cane's shortened blaster. His finger finds the trigger-switch.

He doesn't give himself time to think. No, this time—he just acts. Quint sees the full effect of his conjuration: a swirling globe of heat and light that fully engulfes the creature—then erupts outward as a rapidly swelling sphere of energy. The sphere expands, filling the town square, pushing toward Quint. He tries to shut his eyes, look away—but a tingling shock wave is coursing through him, and he's stuck, still as a statue. Then, just inches from Quint's face, the sphere stops—a momentary pause—before it's suddenly

yanked back like an atomic yo-yo, drawn into the Drakkor. There is a small pop—like a snap bang, thrown against the sidewalk. As the energy streams back into the Drakkor, a blinding blizzard of purple vapor explodes outward. It's like a tidal wave crashing in all directions, nearly taking Quint off his feet. How long he stands there, immersed in vapor, Quint doesn't know. But he knows when the cloud is finally gone. He knows because he sees his hands on the cannon, and they are steady. Beneath him is the cobblestone street. Surrounding him is the town. And the Drakkor is gone. "So, uh, where'd it go?" a voice asks. Quint turns—a sudden, jerking motion that softens into relief as he sees it's Galamelon. And behind Galamelon are Dirk, Drooler, Kimmy, Skaelka, and all the monsterfolk—all exactly where they're supposed to be. And Quint breathes the biggest sigh of relief that ever was sighed. I didn't mess that one up, he thinks. Not even a tiny bit. "Vaporized?" Kimmy asks. "Obviously vaporized," Galamelon says. "What you witnessed there was your classic vapori—"

"No," Quint says, his face breaking into a tiny smile. "Not vaporized. Teleported." "Say what?" Dirk exclaims. "You did teleporting stuff again?!" Quint grins. "I did. And now the Drakkor has a new home: Sheboygan, Wisconsin. 201 West Avenue, to be precise." Dirk cocks his head, not understanding. Drooler meeps. Quint gestures to the side of his cannon, where an empty Neat-O Buzz bottle is affixed. "It's their corporate headquarters and main production facility," Quint says with a bashful smile. "The address is on the bottle." Dirk laughs at that. Grinning with the joy of victory, he gives Drooler a gentle, happy pinch. "Now the Drakkor can drink all the soothing Neat- O Buzz its heart desires," Quint says. "Hopefully, that gives it a little peace..."