Xinn climbed out of the floor grate and stood on the grass of the soccer field. The air here was freezing, and the smell of purple mist was thick. He felt thousands of eyes on him. The survivors in the stands didn't move or speak; they just watched like statues.
On the bone-throne, the little girl swung her legs back and forth. She looked like a normal kid, but the way she looked at Xin made him feel like an insect under a microscope.
"You brought friends," the girl said. She pointed a small finger at the floor.
Suddenly, the concrete exploded. Captain Han and Mei were forced upward by a pillar of purple light, landing hard on the grass next to Xin. Han immediately pulled his rifle, but the girl just giggled.
"The metal sticks don't work here, Captain," she said.
Han’s rifle glow
