Chapter 1
“You are one UGLY monster—and that is saying something!”
Andre rolled across the forest floor. Rocks and moss scattered from the impact of a giant green fist slamming into the dry yellow grass.
The troll stood seven feet tall. Its massive frame towering over the clearing as it roared in annoyance.
The hot, dry air forced sweat beneath Andre’s brown wide-brim hat. A red bandana hung around his neck,. Sweat soaked through his white button-up shirt tucked into ripped, faded blue jeans. Brown boots with silver spurs completed the outfit. His weathered duster, decorated with patches from his favorite bands, flapped behind him.
“That’s all you got?”
Andre drew the pistol from his hip holster and aimed at the towering monster 150 meters away.
“Gun Magic: Dark Bullets!”
Energy flowed from him to the pistol. Then the energy ciruculated like air betwenn Andre and the pisto s if they were one body. “DARK BULLETS!”
Three blasts of shadow tore through the air, striking the troll square in the chest. Blood burst from the impact.
Roaring in pain, the monster swung wildly,. Creating a shockwave that slammed into Andre and hurled him backward. His hat floated gently down before landing on his chest.
“Apparently that’s all you got.”
His twin sister appeared beside him, having casually walked over from a nearby tree.
She wore the same outfit as Andre. Except she traded the jeans for a faded denim skirt and tied her red bandana around one knee. Black curls framed her face beneath her hat. Sweat revealed the outline of a red sports bra beneath her vest. Gold chains and hoop earrings shimmered in the afternoon sun.
“Andre, get to steppin’!”
A lone tumbleweed rolled between them.
“Oh, no you didn’t. I know you’re not telling me what to do. You’re the one getting smacked around by the wind. Watch me.”
She drew both pistols.
“Gun Magic… TYPHOON BULLET!”
She fired.
Two shimmering spheres of water raced toward the troll.
They struck its chest.
The troll clutched its throat, choking violently as water poured from its nose and mouth. Its stomach swelled larger and larger.
“Aww… you sure puffed up!”
Andre dove behind a nearby tree alongside Azrielle.
They peeked around the trunk of a tree. The troll continued expanding before erupting from the inside.
Blood, skin, and organs spiraled upward inside a raging water tornado. Then irashing back to the forest floor like waves breaking on a beach.
Azrielle spun both pistols before smoothly sliding them back into their holsters.
Smiling at her brother, she asked,
“What would you do without me?”
“THIS!”
Andre fired.
“DARKSTAR SHOT!”
The shadow bullet screamed past Azrielle’s ear by mere inches. Before striking a figure rising from the ground behind her.
Shadow tendrils wrapped around the creature, forcing it to its knee. s Before sinking back into the earth and returning to Andre.
“A sandbaa? Out here?” Azrielle asked.
“Yup. Out here, Elle.”
Andre kept his pistol trained on the creature.
“We’re being followed.”