The wind had the power of ancient gods it seemed, and moved the boulders like grains of sand caught in a whirlpool.

Rocks were shooting into the sky, everywhere, moving and revolving and taking position. A particularly large one lifted into the air, and floated over to the spot where I had imagined the tower and settled to the ground. Another rock came over and landed on top of the first one. By now all the boulders were floating in the air above us, joining together in a bizarre waltz of gravity-defying lumps of stone. One by one, they moved to the ever-lengthening tower of rocks, each settling on top of the one that preceded it.

It grew like Jack's beanstalk, higher and higher, no thicker than one boulder in any place. By the time the last rock had disappeared high above, it was the tallest structure I had ever seen.

“Okay, now,” Farmer shouted, “Obliterate them all into fine sand, and blow them into the passing winds, never to be seen again.”

I looked up, straining my neck in an attempt to see the top, but it was impossible.

“All right,” I said.

With a flicker of thought, with a conjured image in my head, I did exactly what he instructed. The rocks exploded with a loud puff into a mist of fine sand, and were whisked away by the wind, a thick cloud of red quickly passing into oblivion.

I turned and faced Farmer, a huge smile on my face.

“Don't get too excited,” he said, standing and walking over to where I stood. “Do not forget I have not told you everything.”

“You mean the second condition?”

He nodded.

“What is it?”

He paused, making sure I understood that he was about to say something very important. Then:

“From this second on, you can only use the Anything four times.”

“Four times,” Farmer continued, “and it is gone forever. You will have to choose wisely.”

Still overwhelmed by the sheer amount of newness regarding this Gift, I sat down on the sand, ignoring how dirty it was. Farmer had been right when he said that it would be different from the Ice and Shield. I could never have imagined it, or even dared to dream it. And the Fourth Gift was more powerful?

But I could only use the Anything four times. That made me nervous. How would I know when to call upon it, when it was important enough? Farmer sensed my questions.

“You have many trials still ahead—far more than four, I am afraid. You have grown and learned so much, Jimmy—I have much confidence that you will choose the times wisely that you call upon the Anything. But remember this, my friend: you must save one for the very end of this conflict. No matter what happens, no matter what terrible thing may occur, you must not use the last chance of the Anything.”

He paused for a moment, his shaggy face hairs waving in the hot breeze.

“Therefore, choose how to use the first three with great caution.”

The magnitude of the Gift was so fascinating, creeping to the forefront of my thoughts, that the worry of when to use it seemed secondary.

“Are there any limits to what I can use it for?”

“Well, I have already told you that it cannot be called upon to hurt or kill or even alter living beings. Not even the Shadow Ka. Other than that, its possibilities are endless. You could move a mountain, empty the oceans, turn your shoes into cheese. I don't recommend the latter—not much value.”

He smiled, as if he were my grandpa telling me the best way to hook a worm.

“I have one more question,” I said. I pointed to where the rocks had been. “What about the thing I just did, stacking then destroying the rocks? Would that have been one usage or two?”

“Oh, it's not as complicated as it may seem. It is however your brain interprets it, I believe. In the case of the rocks, I would guess that would have counted as one time.”

“You would guess?”

“It's your mind that controls it, child of the Gifts. You will know.”

He slapped me on the thigh.

“Now, since nothing catastrophic has happened yet, perhaps we have time to discuss a few things.”

He looked at me, his gaze needling into my eyes.

“It is time to tell you about the Stompers.”

His face grew long and a haunted look shadowed his eyes.

“I am afraid they are entering your world even as we speak.”