I charge straight at the monster and launch into a round kick. My foot makes contact with the monster’s body and it stumbles backwards. Encouraged by the effect of my blow, I continue kicking the monster.

Unfortunately, there’s barely any damage done to its body, and in the middle of my 4th kick the cicada dodges my leg and slices its sharp foot upwards, creating a deep gash on my leg.

I collapse on the grass in pain.

I can’t move. I can’t run. My leg’s too hurt. I can only watch as the cicada gets closer and closer to me, its large red eyes blankly staring at me.

My limbs freeze up in fear.

I can’t move. I can’t-

Something slashes through the air and slices the cicada’s wing body in two.

I watch in awe-struck fear as unnaturally bright green blood spurts from the cut on the monster’s body. Its wing slowly falls to the ground. The monster shrieks in aggravation.

“I came just in time,” a smooth voice says behind me.

For the first time in my entire life, the sound of that voice causes a tiny smile of relief to appear on my face.

It’s Kris.

“I thought you were at a football game,” I say.

He shrugs. “I sensed the monster with my avastama, so I left early. We were just having an after-party anyway.”

“Ahh, how it must feel to be athletic and popular. Afte-parties sound so delightful. Girls, beer, and sweaty jocks.” I sniff in a mock-haughty voice. Kris raises an eyebrow.

“You seem extremely cheerful for someone who nearly got her leg ripped open,” he tells me. I chuckle.

“I guess near-death situations do that to you.”

An angry clicking noise interrupts our conversation. The cicada has recovered from its injury. It rises up again, preparing to strike.

“Hana, we don’t have much time,” Kris mutters quickly. “I’m going to try to temporarily heal you with some of my chi. Then we need to attack this thing together. You have to try your hardest. Got it?”

“Got it,” I gulp. Kris places his hands on my leg, which is sticky with blood, and closes his eyes.

A warm breeze flows from his hands and travels through my body. All of a sudden, I feel a lot better, like I've just regained all my strength.

Kris’ eyes are the size of saucers. “What’s wrong?” I ask.

“Your… your leg. The cut’s gone. I was only halfway through sealing the cut when it just…,”

My eyebrows pop up. Although I'm surprised, I'm too freaked out about the cicada getting closer and closer to us. “We’ll talk about this later. Let’s think of a plan now.”

“Okay, Hana. What you do is you try and harm it in some small way- like, rip one of its wings or something. While it’s distracted, I’ll slide under it and slice it through the stomach. Got it?”

“Got it.” I give him a determined nod. “Let’s go.”

And we run straight at the monster.

I think it might be an aftereffect of Kris healing me with his chi,  but I feel light and airy, like every step I take is actually a leap in the clouds. It makes me feel powerful, totally in control. You can do this, Hana, I tell myself firmly. 

I throw myself at the side of the cicada and dig my fingers into its disgustingly slimy wings. The monster hisses and attempts to one of its legs into my stomach. I twist to the left and dodge it just in time.

Concentrate, Hana, I instruct myself calmly, closing my eyes. Just channel some chi into your hands. It doesn’t have to be a lot. Just enough to affect this thing.

And all of a sudden, a great burst of heat travels to the palms of my hands and flows out my body. The monster’s wing goes up in flames like a mini Moltov cocktail. The cicada goes into a frenzy, crazily scurrying around in a futile attempt to put its wing out.

“NOW!” I yell to Kris and he runs behind the monster and slices his sword upwards like he’s hitting topspin with a tennis racket. The monster makes a sickening squishing sound, and it wails one last time before hitting the ground with a loud thud! Its blood oozes out of its body and dissipates onto the grass. 

Within a few minutes, the cicada begins fading away into swirling black silt, and it sinks down under the ground.

It's gone forever. 

A/N: HELP