“Wow, that does sound impressive,” I said. “The Anything? What … what could that possibly mean?”

Farmer stood up.

“You know the drill. Come, follow me.”

We walked, or stumbled up the dune that he had flown over to greet me when I'd first arrived. When we crested the sandy wall, I was shocked to see a massive pile of enormous granite boulders, stacked as high as a two-story building, and wider than a city bus. We walked up to its very edge, and I scanned the mammoth heap of stone.

“What is this?”

“Jimmy, raise your right arm.”

I looked at him in disbelief. “Are you serious? I think I've learned that point already—that the Gifts are as easy as raising your arm.”

He was not smiling.

“I am very serious. If you cannot be trusted to obey such a simple thing, how can we rely on you to do what it takes to save an entire world? Sometimes we are asked to do things for reasons we do not fully understand.”

Humbled, I did as he asked.

“Now, the other arm. Please, raise it.”

I did.

“Now, listen with great care. This Gift will take much discipline and foresight. You cannot take it lightly. You see, the name of this Gift explains it quite well. My boy, you can literally do anything.”

I said nothing, trying to understand.

“There are only two conditions,” he continued. “First, it cannot be used to maim, alter, or kill other living beings, even against the most malicious of enemies. You will regret that some day, I assure you.”

“What … what do you mean, I can do anything?”

“I mean what I say; I say what I mean. Just as you have lifted your arms to the sky with nothing but thought, you can now do anything. If your mind can think it, the Gift can fulfill it. It is the Anything.”

“But … how can that be? It seems too good to be true, too unbelievable. I'm having a hard time comprehending what you're talking about when you say I can do anything.”

Farmer pointed to the stack of boulders, towering over us.

“I will help you learn how it works, of course. But then I must initiate the second condition, which is where the discipline I spoke of comes into play. Look at these rocks.”

I did as he asked, and looked them up and down.

“I want you to pile these boulders, one on top of another in a single vertical line.”

Then I said the only word one can say in such a situation: “What?”

“Come, now. You heard me. Stack them over there.” He pointed to a flat spot to the right of where we stood. “With the Second Gift, you did not succeed the first time I tested you. I want you to pause and think, now, and succeed on your initial try. I will be over here.” He walked back to the top of the dune and sat down in his pretend chair.

I took a couple of steps back, and felt myself sweating. It still made no sense to me, none whatsoever. Anything? What did that mean?

No, I told myself. Get a hold of things, Jimmy. You're not the kid who opened the door in the woods. Quit being one. Farmer was showing his faith in you, his belief in you. Prove yourself.

I looked at the rocks. I thought about the way my mind linked with the other Gifts, how my thoughts had guided the rebounding action of the Shield. The way they guided the direction and action of the Ice. It was no different with this new Gift—it couldn't be.

With a renewed sense of confidence, I called upon the Anything.

I pictured what Farmer had asked of me—a line of rocks, one on top of the other, starting with one and then shooting toward the sky in an impossible, balanced tower of stone. And then it started.

A great wind came from all directions, and the boulders began to dance.