I love nature, so I blew up rocks instead of trees.

More than likley, the people within the citadel could hear ominous rumbles and earthquakes from inside.

Because I was tearing the mountain down. I started from the top, then worked my way down, sending landslides down the slopes with reckless abandon. I wrenched solid rock from beneath the dirt, threw the stone out, and watched as it tumbled down for about a minute.

It did pass my mind that I could be giving away the location of their hideout, but it wasn’t enough of an incentive for me to give up on my ‘calming activities’. The chances of it actually doing that were low, I figured.

Actually, I began to wonder; how did ‘monsters’ work? The Marionettes talked about them like they were the enemies of humanity, but was it possible it was one of those situations in fiction where ‘monsters’ were actually sentient?

And how did ‘The Monster King’ control them? Fear? He was a child, no doubt about it, so it shouldn't have been-

[You’re exactly correct!]

The boulder I was watching fall suddenly broke into little pieces as Green spooked me. Oh, it’s you.

[Hey, I’m not that unlikable to you, am I?]

[Is that a joke? You tried to kill me when we first met.]

[I feel that shouldn’t translate into unlikability. Anyhow, the Monster King commands the monsters by force. There was already a Monster King before him, but not many people knew. He basically usurped the monster hierarchy through sheer force.]

[So they are sentient?]

[Yes and no. They are the enemies of reality, people from other collapsed universes, corrupted by an ancient evil.]

[Cool premise to a TV show. Are you going to serialize it soon?]

[I’m serious here, girl. I don’t know much more than that about their origin, but they are evil. No ands or buts about it.]

[Great.] I shattered more stone, then created a blizzard with the bit of snow at the top for fun. [But what about the part of their sentience you mentioned?]

[They were human once, and though they are evil, they’re intelligent.]

[What makes them ‘evil’?]

[Magic.]

[Not what I meant.]

[Oh, well, they try to murder everyone and force us gods to remake the world over and over, so...I don’t think it takes an essay to explain.]

[Right.] I said, a little skeptical that a vague idea like ‘evil’ could exist so simply. [So, in that case, could you tell me if I could do the same thing? Turn them against the Monster King?]

[Oh, never thought to do that. Chances are they only follow him because he’s just about as evil as those monsters.]

I laughed, too out of it to act the way I normally would; more reserved. [Figures...Oh, I have a question for you.]

[Take it away. I don’t keep many secrets.]

[So you say. So, the Monster King has psychic powers now that I do, right?]

[Yep.]

[So...isn’t that suspicious?]

[What is?]

[From his perspective, why would you give him his powers back?]

[Because we...oh, because we summoned you...] he thought before his mind trailed off.

-

Our psychic link stopped.

I scratched my head, slowly realizing what he had just said might mean.

-

[So, you need to run.]

[Oh no.]

[Oh yeah.]

[He’s going to come here, isn’t he?] I thought. [If I remember right, they said this place was In the middle of his lands. He was taken to this world here, and I know that guy is smart as fuck. Shit! He is going to come here. THAT’S IT! That’s my dream!]

I looked around, realizing just how bad this was.

The only reason I knew of that would convince the gods to reinstate psychic powers was if a psychic needed them, probably to oppose the king. The Monster King already knew this place’s location and would assume I had been summoned to the most likley place for a psychic to be summoned to.

Where he was summoned.

I didn’t need to ask Green whether I was right because I could hear him panicking in my head.

[You need to get out of there, right now, Psychi.]

I looked around myself, scared that he might arrive any second. [Could I try to fight him? What if I turned this into a trap, and you stopped psychic and magic powers at the same time when he comes?]

[No, and not possible! You need to run for the hills to get out this instant!]

[But there are still people in the-]

[Just tell them to book it, and run away with them! If he catches you, he will slaughter you all!]

[And you gods can’t just trap him like I suggested?!

[Sorry, Psychi, but things don’t work that way. If we cut out magic powers for even an instant, this whole universe would collapse. (well, not really- oh, damn it, I can’t lie!)]

[Dude, you’ve got to be kidding me. You’re lying to me at a time like-]

A dot on the horizon.

Someone was approaching, so quick that I could see them clearly, getting closer and closer at a rapid pace. If people in this world couldn’t fly, and I had no clue if they could, that left only one possibility as to who it was.

[Look, a lot of bad things would-] Green began before noticing what I was thinking.

[Run.] He told me.

[I’m not running. They need my help.]

[Fine, then. Don’t come running to me when you get eviscerated and need a guide to heaven, girl.]

[I’d never ask a shitty god like-] I stopped caring for my comeback and got to thinking, ignoring the god’s thoughts.

I didn’t have much time to think, though. Whoever it was, and by any other god than Green, I wished it wasn’t that boy, was flying at incredible speeds. Maybe even faster speeds than me...

I had to distract him while The Marionettes evacuated, but they couldn’t do that if they didn’t even know...

Knowing he likley hadn’t seen me from so far away, I sped down the hill, hugging the surface as best I could, and entered the ruins.

Vrazel was in the front room, talking to Chara and Katchal with nervous expressions.

When I walked in, they all looked at me, and Chara said, “Pi...uhh, Psychi, what the heck are you doing out th-”

After a second of consideration, I interrupted her with, “I think the Monster King is here.”

They immediately quieted.

“Pack your fucking bags. If it’s really him, I’ll fight my hardest to buy you all time.”

“W-wait, how do you know-SHIT.”

“I don’t have time to explain!” I yelled, not paying attention to what she said. “Just get ready!” I turned around and got ready for takeoff. If Daakyn could fly or something, this would be embarr...

When I turned around, what was hovering in front of me was a brownish boy a few years younger than me, with jet-black hair, brown eyes, and ragged, expensive black clothes covering most of his body. His smile was cynical and cruel, carrying an obvious message within its straight curve. Around him, a black, menacing aura of raw psychic energy pulsed for all to see.

Azad, The Living Catastrophe.