Chapter 15: Electricity's Current

“Leo, run with the others and find a safe place,” said a grim-looking Gremlin. “Promise me that you’ll protect your mother.”

The teenage Gremlin shook his head. “No! I’ve been working so hard on my toys. I should be able to help! I’ll protect the village!”

“This is not a game, my son. You are still quite young to experience a grueling battle such as this,” the Gremlin’s father said. “My comrades will protect this village. You do your part to protect your mother and the other women and children. I have high hopes for you.”

Packs of wolves and giant bears are relentlessly raiding the village. Grunt and Lillin hurried towards Steeltop to protect the civilians. The battle near the front gate is so fierce, an untrained warrior would shiver just by looking at the battlefield.

“We have to hold our ground until all the villagers have safely evacuated! Fire at will!” shouted the Gremlin commander.

“Sir, there are still a lot of them! Our bullet supply won’t be enough!” said one Gremlin private.

The Gremlin commander gave a sad smile. “We won’t be able to kill all of them. All we can do is keep them from chasing our beloved families. Are you willing to do that, private?”

“Yes, sir!”

Lillin and Grunt approached the evacuating villagers at the rear gate, until they noticed that the Gremlin soldiers are slowly being overwhelmed. At a short distance came a shout.

“Father!!!!!”

It was Leo. His father was mercilessly killed by the wolves, and the other Gremlin soldiers suffered the same fate. It is only a matter of minutes before the raiders could catch up with the escaping villagers. In a desperate act, Leo ran towards the front gate.

“Wait, child, no!” Lillin shouted.

The boy did not hear Lillin, and instead continued running. When he was near the group of raiders, he threw several metal pieces which started to float.

“Are those… tiny widgets?” Lillin asked.

Almost immediately, the tiny pieces of metal started to conduct electricity.

“Father, I will avenge you!” was the tearful shout of the little Gremlin.

The electrical charges of the metal shards started to become larger and brighter. After a split second, the pieces gave a large discharge of electricity covering a huge area. All the wolves and bears were electrocuted and died. Leo fell down to the ground as the tiny pieces of metal started to fall one by one.