(eng) Orlando A. Sanchez - Sepia Blue 03 by Nightmare

Author:Nightmare [Nightmare]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-TWO

“Wake up,” Calisto said and gently shook Sepia. “It’s safe for the moment.”

“What happened?”

“You absorbed a shockwave of energy meant for the obelisk,” Calisto replied. “It should’ve killed you, but I can’t say I’m surprised it didn’t.”

“Ugh, I feel like I’ve been stepped on by a herd of angry elephants,” Sepia said as she moved into a sitting position on the floor. “Is that it?”

She pointed at the large obelisk in the center of the floor. Arcs of electrical energy ran up and down its surface, making it look like an ancient Tesla coil. The wards on each of the four sides pulsed with light as the arcs of electric energy touched them.

“That’s one of four,” Calisto said. “They surround the park and power the wards around it. When the second failsafe kicked in, they diverted power to the named blades.”

“And now?”

“You said Jen was dead,” Calisto said. “What did you mean?”

“The rift is below us?” Sepia asked, standing.

Calisto nodded. “Did you feel her die?”

“Why is my head not splitting open like last time?” Sepia said. “How far below us is it?”

“Several thousand feet still,” Calisto replied. “The chasm is closer. Can you tell me what you felt?”

“I felt her sword-bond break,” Sepia said. “That means she’s gone, doesn’t it?”

“Hmm,” Calisto said. “Usually, but we have entered a realm of possibility I don’t quite understand. How did you know it was this Jen who died?”

“I’ve been close to her and her sword before, so I just know it was her sword,” Sepia replied. “It felt familiar.”

Calisto walked over to her and examined what remained of the mask. No light spilled from the cracks and the wards on it were dormant.

“It seems the obelisk siphoned most of the excess energy,” Calisto said. “I don’t know how long it will last, but for now you should feel normal.”

Sepia closed her eyes and felt for her sword. It was there just beneath the surface. She tried to access it and searing pain shot into her face. She fell to her knees, gasping for breath.

Calisto rushed to her side. “I said you should feel normal, not that you are back to normal.”

“I got that,” Sepia said between breaths. “I can feel my sword but I can’t access it without it feeling like my head is being ripped off.”

“The inhibitor mask works like advanced Hunter restraints,” Calisto said and helped her to her feet. “It uses your own power against you, neutralizing it. The more you try and use, the more backlash.”

“I didn’t try and use any that time,” Sepia said. Her breathing was still ragged but she was steady on her feet.

“Every time you try and manifest your weapon, power is used,” Calisto replied. “Now with the artifact in the equation, that power is multiplied by several orders of magnitude.”

“So basically if I try and use my sword, I fry my brain?”

“Something like that, yes,” Calisto said. “At least while you still have part of that mask on.”

“I’m going to have to remember to thank Hep and Gan for this later,” Sepia said.

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