"How about Toothless? The dragon I just watched...?" Jack's question echoed in the white void.

  Or not? Can I not create a living being? Well, there's no harm in trying and asking, is there?

  The floating words just blinked and blinked.

  But nothing was happening.

  Great.

  Okay... whew...

  "Can you create me a..." he halted and thought back to what weapon he could use to save them from that deadly Lolita.

  Her power isn't just flying; she has offensive power too. What could her powers be?

  Jack tried to assessed her attacks in his mind.

  He couldn't see clearly because he was busy running, but it seemed like she had a long-range weapon and her attacks were fast.

  Jack thought hard for a second and tried to remember what was causing the explosions.

  He tried to imagine it in slow motion in his mind... it wasn't something that just exploded.

  It seemed like it was black and it came back to her... what was it... something long-range...

  He massaged his temples, thinking with urgency.

  His mind raced, trying to piece together the chaotic scene. Then he snapped his fingers.

  Ah! It's a goddamn ribbon!

  "Ribbons... that's it! Black ribbons, like whips, like razors!"

  He imagined the ribbons, dark and sinuous, lashing out with deadly precision.

  The frilly clothes made sense now. That's why she's so frilly!

  But how is she flying? Is it also the ribbons?

  Shit... I don't have time for this!

  "Create me a sword!" Jack said.

  But the floating words just glimmered. And that's it. Nothing was happening.

  Huh?

  HUH? HUHHHH? He scratched his head.

  ?????

  What? What's going on? Oh, right, I have to imagine it.

  "Create me a sharp sword that can cut anything!"

  He closed his eyes and imagined the details of the sharp sword.

  It's long, sharp, like Zorro's sword that can cut anything...

  The hilt should be something I can grip easily.

  The long blade is glinting under the sun...

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  One of his eyes opened.

  What? Nothing is appearing?

  What's going on?

  "Hey, void?" he moved his head from left to right.

  "What's going on?" Jack tried to look past the floating words.

  Both of his eyes has already opened.

  To see if the sword materialized there.

  No dice.

  "It can't be? You've turned into just a void, really?" he can't believe it.

  "You lagged? Do you have Wi-Fi? Hello? Void?"

  Arrrggg! He could feel himself getting frustrated.

  "Come on, void! You don't understand the urgency of the situation! They could be killing me out there in the real world, you know?" he slit his hands to his neck to demonstrate.

  Argggggg!

  Oh, come on!

  "Can you create me a sword! A shield! Anything!" Jack shouted, his voice echoing in the blank space.

  The void remained stubbornly unresponsive. The floating words weren't even blinking or glimmering or anything.

  It got stuck like an Android fucking phone!

  Fuck, fuck!

  Now of all times...!

  Should I try begging? Kneeling?

  Shit, I'm already kneeling.

  "Oh, benevolent void, please grant me a wish... create me a sword... oh, mighty void." he said and prayed, complete with actions.

  He tried to coax it.

  But still nothing.

  Shit, I've gone back to being an anomaly.

  He stood up and acted crazily.

  "Come on! Work, you stupid... thing!" He kicked at the non-existent ground, a surge of anger and fear bubbling up.

  Jack was becoming more and more frustrated.

  Shit... shit, shit, shit!

  I think I've cursed here more than I do in real life.

  "Fuck you, void! Fuck you!" he pointed at the floating words to make a point.

  "Give me anything! I'm in danger! Susan's son is in danger! Come on! Help a little! Please!?"

  But there was still no response.

  He was becoming more and more frustrated.

  "It's not working!" he said.

  "Do you have a fucking battery? I'll crush it on the ground!"

  Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrhhhh!

  Jack, realizing the void wasn't responding, snapped back to reality, his senses returning to the sounds of combat.

  Fuck! What's happening?

  He still clutched Cole in his arms. Still crying.

  "Ssshhh, hush now, Cole, it's alright... It's going to be alright..." he tried to soothe the boy.

  How long have I passed out? he wondered. His eyes immediately went to where Susan's body lay.

  A look of pain crossed his eyes.

  I'm sorry, Susan... I'm sorry for everything... I'm going to take care of your kid. Of Cole.

  Don't worry...

  Then his eyes looked around. A man was busy fighting the gothic villain.

  Their fighting is shaking the ground and the noise is too much.

  The man's back was broad. Built like a bouncer. He wondered how long he'd been gone.

  His hair was short and gray. And he was fighting the villain in hand-to-hand combat. More like he was fighting barehanded while the gothic girl toyed with him with her ribbon.

  So I was right. It's a ribbon.

  Then the man fighting the girl glowed his palms. And an energy blast, colored like an ember, erupted.

  Jack watched how the man took the Lolita's attack in his palms, and how, with even more power, he returned the attack.

  He suddenly remembered. It's Olo!

  But shit, it's not just the girl now; all the monsters in the area seemed to close in on them.

  They attracted all of their attention!

  Jack was still kneeling and hugging Cole on the ground.

  Shit, shit...

  Then the villain looked at Jack and Cole and laughed.

  Her laughter echoed, sharp and cruel.

  Olo turned his back to the villain. A dumb move.

  "Get back!" Olo shouted, his voice strained.

  The villain didn't miss that opportunity and struck Olo's back.

  "Arrrrrrgg" Olo shouted because of the piercing pain.

  He fell to the ground.

  Shit... shit...

  The monsters surged forward, their grotesque forms filling Jack's vision.

  The Lolita villain's eyes gleamed with sadistic glee.

  Jack hugged Cole tightly, shielding him from the horror.

  Is this how I die? he thought, his mind flashing back to Susan's lifeless eyes.

  I'm sorry, Susan. I'll see you in the afterlife.

  He closed his eyes, bracing for the inevitable. Please, he thought, a desperate plea echoing in his mind.

  Please, void. I'm about to die, goddamn you!

  He remembered he asked if he could create Toothless. He laughed despite it all.

  Maybe it lagged because I asked for a ridiculous creation.

  But still, he pictured the dragon, black scales shimmering, electric blue energy crackling around him. The one he watched in the movie earlier.

  Would be nice if I had a dragon like that. Complete with its antics.

  Then, a deafening high-pitched roar filled the air.

  The ground trembled.

  Jack opened his eyes, and the world exploded in a blaze of blue light.

  A black dragon that looked like Toothless, larger than Jack had imagined, swooped in, a living storm of electricity and fury.

  The monsters were incinerated, their screams swallowed by the dragon's roar.

  The Lolita villain's laughter turned into a shriek of terror.