BOOM!
The explosion shook the classroom, and people screamed.
The teacher tried to keep everyone calm.
“Everyone, follow me closely, grab on to the nearest person, and keep your head down.” The sprinkler system sprayed water over everyone.
The fire alarm was loud, and people were rushing out of their classrooms.
“Zach!
What the hell did you do!?” Zach ignored Fred and pushed him out into the hall.
“You don’t listen very well!
Keep your head down and try not to swallow water.” Zach looked around and saw Henderson stuck in the science lab.
‘Heh, that’s what you get.
The fire won’t reach him, at least not before the cops and fire trucks can reach the school.’ Zach understood the second he realized what universe he was in: death, gore, and betrayal were guest stars, and so if he needed to kill, then he would.
‘I won’t show mercy to those who target children.’ Zach saw Blair getting jostled in the crowd.
He let go of Fred and made his way to her.
She fell into his arms.
“Wow, falling in my arms for the second time?
My lucky day.”
Blair smiled and shook her head.
She had a binder covering her hair.
“I can’t believe you are joking right now.” She tried to take a step but almost fell.
She saw Zach’s face.
“Not a word, I think my ankle is sprained.”
Zach didn’t hesitate and picked her up and followed the wave of people.
Blair made herself as small as possible.
‘Jesus, this dude is strong.
He’s moving as if I am a feather and still has the energy to help people get off the ground.’
Zach was moving on autopilot.
He scanned for Henderson as he reached the bottom floor.
The fire had spread across the entire second floor, which made it hard for Zach to search for him.
He found an ambulance and walked over, holding Blair.
“She said her ankle might be sprained.” The paramedic nodded and began checking her foot.
Zach turned to leave, but his wrist was grabbed by Blair.
“Could you stay?
There are enough heroes already on scene, you don’t need to look for other people.”
Zach was about to leave her, but stopped when he heard cops shouting.
He looked over and saw Henderson covered in burns from his head to his toes.
His hand was wrapped around a girl’s neck.
“Oh my God, that’s Ruby.” Blair clutched Zach’s wrists.
“Do you think that psycho will really kill her in front of everyone?” Zach clenched his jaw.
Henderson had spiraled.
“BACK UP!
I SWEAR I WILL BLOW THIS SLUTS HEAD CLEAN OFF!” He kept twisting and turning around.
“Stop crying, you whore!
I remember girls like you, so fucking pretty and snobby because mommy and daddy have money.
Thinking everyone is just a puppet to be controlled.”
The cops couldn’t get any closer.
“Hey, you fucking pigs, just so you know, even if you remove my hands from her neck, I can still blow her up.” A cop tried to make everyone leave.
THEY DON’T GET TO IGNORE ME ANYMORE!
Let them all watch and see how the real world is.
No longer hiding in your ivory towers, NOW ARE YOU!” Zach’s fists were squeezed so hard that blood started to drip.
The paramedic passed out, and no one was paying them any attention.
Zach sighed and relaxed his body.
“Blair, come here, close your eyes.
I don’t want you to see this.” He pulled her into her chest and glared at Henderson.
‘I understand you are hurt and angry, but this isn’t the answer.
So may your soul burn in hell.’ He focused on the breeze that was blowing and sent it towards Henderson.
He didn’t feel anything until he saw his own body and then black.
Zach started to shake.
He could feel vomit trying to escape, but he stopped it and forced it back down.
People screamed, and the cops moved in to secure Ruby and the body.
Blair tried to lift her head, but Zach stopped her.
“No, don’t look just yet.” He squeezed her deeper into his chest.
The cops put sheets over the body and took Ruby away to get cleaned up.
Zach let Blair go and helped prop the paramedic’s body up.
He could feel her stare on his back.
He looked at her and started to walk away, but she grabbed him and pulled him into a hug.
“Zach, it’s ok.
I don’t know why, but I have this overwhelming sense that if you walk away from me now, then I won’t talk to you again.”
Zach tensed up.
‘Is it Sonya influencing her?
Even now, she is supporting me.’ “The thought of you not speaking to me anymore is strangely more terrifying than some lunatic blowing up the school and almost killing one of my friends.”
Blair pulled him close so that their foreheads touched.
“I think you know why, I hope you tell me one day.
Whatever it is, it has you shaken, even if your body doesn’t show it.
I can feel it, almost like spiritually.”
Zach was about to tell her everything when Fred ran over.
“Zach!
Are you ok?
You didn’t see what happened, did you?” Zach stood up and sighed.
He hugged Fred.
Unfortunately, I did.
I will be ok eventually.
Go to the hospital with Blair and meet me at the south entrance of the park tonight.”
Zach didn’t give them a chance to speak before he literally melted into the ground.
Fred and Blair stared at each other.
“Blair, I swear I didn’t know he could do that.” Blair leaned back and passed out.
“Valid response.”
Zach needed to prepare.
He made it to his little safe space and put down the Nature Domain formation.
He called his grandparents to tell them he was safe.
He checked the system notifications.
[Host has chosen to be a hero and received 10,000oc]
[Host has influenced the weather received 5,000oc]
[Host has saved over 500 people and received 20,000oc]
Zach cleared the page and focused on the area around him.
He focused on the trees, bending and intertwining them to create an arch.
The earth split apart, and a door rose from the ground.
Inside were stairs leading below.
Zach walked down the stairs, expanding and stabilizing them simultaneously.
He drilled small air holes leading to the surface and carved out places for cressets.
As he passed by, they lit up with flames.
Zach could feel the Nature Domain formation settling and already doing its job.
Zach felt he was nearing the edge of the formation, so he started to expand left and right.
He made the lowest floor spacious and tall, just in case it would be needed for something in the future.
He made the fourth floor into a meeting room, with one big, giant hall and a table made of earth.
The chairs were made from wood and had soft moss covering them to make them comfortable.
He also made space for a library, armory, and training hall.
He made sure to reinforce the training hall.
He moved to the third floor and created rooms for people to sleep in.
This floor was covered in grass and different plants to make it seem inviting.
The rooms themselves were big enough for a king-size bed, a table, a nightstand, a closet, and with room to spare.
He made some rooms have showers and bathrooms inside.
He created a community showering area.
One side for the men and the other for the women.
He made the second floor into a dining hall for people to eat.
He let trees, vines, and plants grow.
Each one had a different food item hanging from stems, ready to be plucked.
He finally made it to the first floor.
He took a deep breath.
Sweat was dripping from his head.
‘Holy crap, I’ve never felt this tired, but I am almost finished.’ He focused on the center of the room.
A circular desk appeared.
It was made with oak and redwood.
A wall made of earth rose in the middle, vines grew on the sides, and water softly fell into a hole that went all the way down.
Zach let his hands fall, and he went outside.
‘Is that tree waving at me?’ He rubbed his eyes.
‘Yep, that is definitely a tree waving at me right now.’ Zach walked over and placed his hand on it.
Zach heard a voice.
It sounded like a child’s.
He listened to it and then stepped away.
He placed his hands on his hips and paced in front of it.
‘I feel like a huge dick right now.
Here I am, the ambassador for the All of nature, and what do I do?
Beat up nature, literally.’
Zach sighed.
“Alright, from this day forth, your name is Silas, and you are the guardian of this place.” He gestured to the area around him.
“Anyone who doesn’t have a token or tattoo of the marking I’m going to create, you capture them first and place them at the deepest level.”
The tree, now named Silas, saluted with one branch, then went still.
‘Ok, one last thing to do.’ Zach went to the arch and carefully sculpted a statue of the All of Nature herself.
He used the ambassador token for reference.
Once he was finished, he carved the words Nature’s Sanctuary.
‘Now this is finished and ready to be presented.’