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Nia glanced at Tharsis, while Cross used his Shadow energy to create a perfectly round hole in the floor. “Did Daphne-from-the-future warn you about this? Is that why you gave Gion the bomb shelter blueprints? And don’t even try to say it was a coincidence.”

“I mean, she didn’t give me specifics. I don’t think she knew specifics. No one could have predicted the Itchy and Scratchy Land Robots.” Tharsis gestured towards Happy Applewhite, whose creepy antennae were twitching around like searching periscopes. “She just texted me and suggested I get some protections in place for the party, because she felt like shit was still going wrong. So I researched this place. A bomb shelter seemed like a lot of protection.”

“You should have told us.” Cross snapped at him.

“No one would have listened to me. None of you trust Daphne. And doing it my way is working out okay. …Kind of.” Eager to shift the blame, he switched tactics. “Besides, Job’s the one who told me to take more control of the future.”

“Nobody wants you in charge of the future, Thar.” Isaacs called from his own cage.

“We’ll discuss this later.” Job promised dourly, as his Earth powers endeavored to reshape the ground.

Unfortunately, his progress was being blocked by the commercial-grade rug. His cage sat on a confetti-patterned, brightly-colored carpet with a lot of synthetic materials in it. Elemental powers didn’t do well against synthetic materials. Job was working around it, but it was taking too much time.

Daven, Julius, and Mannus had picked off all the robots except one. Happy Applewhite refused to die. Metal arms swung at the Light Phases, laser eyes scorching their skin and clothes. Only their powers were saving them from major injuries.

“This damn thing is evil. I told you so.” Daven hacked at Happy Applewhite’s arm.

“I told you it was evil.” Mannus chopped at Happy Applewhite’s other arm.

“Both of you shut up!” Julius took out Happy Applewhite’s mechanical knee, toppling the robot into the nearest table.

Which happened to hold Gion’s birthday cake.

All three Light Phases flinched, as the penguin-shaped masterpiece hit the ground in an explosion of mascarpone, raspberries and a little bow tie. “Sorry, Randa.” They chorused.

“Focus on Happy Applewhite!” She shouted back.

The mechanized monster was already lurching back to its feet, still in the fight. The Light Phases followed it, trying to figure out how to stop something that couldn’t bleed or die. Swords had been enough to get rid of the others, but this one was too strong.

For whatever reason, Mannus looked around and spotted Gion’s new violin. He grabbed the instrument from its case and jammed it neck-first into the whirring gears of the robot’s chest. The wood was instantly crushed, but strings and debris were pulled into the very heart of the automaton.

Gion made a horrified sound. “You couldn’t have used the lamp?!”

Happy Applewhite faltered. Smoke began to pour from its joints. Its movement stuttered to a halt next to the DJ booth, its whole body twitching like it had been plugged into a fritzing electrical current.

“Shit, it’s going to blow up.” Daven muttered, right before it blew up.

Julius knocked the brothers out of the way, as Happy Applewhite went off like a bomb. If robot shrapnel was enough to kill Elementals, they’d all be dead. Springs and sockets careened through the air, bounding off the purple energy cages, embedding in walls, and melting the arcade’s entire record collection of bitchin’ 80s hits.

Randa had no time to celebrate Happy Applewhite’s destruction. Her attention stayed on Kahn. The dynamics of the swordfight had shifted. Her Match was slowly gaining the upper hand against the greatest general in history.

The merciless force of Kahn’s blade had Vandal staggering back. He couldn’t keep up much longer. Kahn had two hands, two eyes, and fought like a man possessed. Randa suddenly remembered Mara telling her that Kahn would give everything for the people he loved. That he would give them his all.

He loved Randa. He was fighting for her.

To protect her and their future. Kahn would win. She knew it.

Vandal knew it, too. The realization crossed his face, just before he extended his hand. A beam of Light blasted out, so bright it temporarily blinded the room.

People screamed and turned away.

Kahn staggered back with a vile curse.

Randa squeezed her eyes shut, dots flashing against her lids.

Vandal’s trick was cheating. Phases did not use their powers on each other in a fight. It proved how shallow all his talk of honor and glory really was.

Asshole.