Despite the boy's supernatural nature, the plants themselves were completely ordinary, and when the fire burned them they fell, unable to continue their assault. But still more came. Their intent: Ensnaring Decade and either squeezing him to death, strangling him, or ripping him limb from limb. So many options, after all.

It would be easy to make them stop if the fake Fletcher were to fall. He just stood there, several feet away from the carnage, a disturbingly serene smile on his face.