Free Good Ogre by Platte F. Clark

harder here.
    â€œReady?” Sarah asked a few moments later. The ­others had lined up behind her, looking very much like an adventuring party from one of their games. Dwight had donned his armor and Dirk had found one of those spiked dog collars worn by junkyard guard dogs and fastened it around Puff’s neck. Nobody had the heart to tell the fluff dragon it made him look like a punk rocker poodle.
    â€œReady,” Max answered Sarah, trying to sound braver than he felt. The others nodded in silence. Max swallowed and opened the door.

CHAPTER SIX
    ALL HAIL THE BARD
    T HEY WALKED OUT TO WHERE the middle of Main Street used to be and looked back at the Dragon’s Den. It was the only original building standing from the row of shops. Where the bakery had been there was now a large fire pit filled with charred bones, and the pharmacy had become a kind of dilapidated old windmill.
    â€œI can’t believe it,” Sarah said, looking around. She had experienced being transported to the far future and had seen her town in ruins before. But this was different.
    Melvin strode up to her, his face stern as he clutched his elf bow. “It is a dark evil that has transformed our once-proud hamlet,” he announced as if reading from the start of one of his role-playing campaigns. “But take heart, fair maiden, for the light shall win the day.”
    â€œYuck,” Dirk said in response, his lute in his hand. “You’re not going to talk like that the whole time, are you?”
    â€œMayhaps,” Melvin replied.
    Dirk frowned, then motioned to the tall, misshapen tower in the distance. “Everyone see the tornado tower over there? That’s a message—when you can put a tornado on your roof, you’re letting the world know that you’re not someone to be messed with.”
    Puff shuddered. “I feel the influence of the Shadrus all around us.”
    Dwight suddenly let out a deep breath. He looked himself over, then seemed to relax. “I was afraid the magic might transform me.”
    â€œI think that part has passed,” Max said, looking at the solid wall of clouds in the distance. “It’s the storm that’s doing the changing now.”
    â€œAnd it’s expanding,” Puff said. “Inch by inch, until the world is consumed.”
    â€œThen we must do no less than to save the world,” Melvin announced.
    Dirk cleared his throat. “You mean, save the world again. Oh wait, you weren’t with us when we did all that.My mistake. I don’t want to take away any of your noob excitement.” Melvin shot him an annoyed look.
    â€œLet’s head toward my house,” Max said. “It’s close and we can see what’s happened to everyone.” In addition to his mom, Max wondered about Princess and Magar. Princess had decided Madison High School was to her liking and had stayed. Magar had tagged along and been hired as a chemistry teacher. If anything was powerful enough to fight off the storm, it was Princess and her wizard. But then again, if the storm had changed her into something else . . .
    â€œA quick detour to your house and then to what’s left of the school,” Dwight said. “That’s where we’ll find the portal.”
    The group agreed and they began walking in the direction of Max’s old neighborhood, passing the remains of the strange black trees that reminded Max of power lines. Not long after they found themselves at a bridge—but instead of water, the river beneath was a black liquid with white specks. It bubbled in places and spewed foul-smelling steam into the air.
    â€œThat’s a messed-up river,” Dirk announced.
    â€œIt’s evil,” Megan pronounced. Her long white robecontrasted with the black of the river, and she was holding a large, ornate staff that doubled as a walking stick. “I don’t like how it makes me feel.” Max wondered how far their