Unbroken by D. K. Holmberg

Author:D. K. Holmberg [Holmberg, D. K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: ASH Publishing
Published: 2022-08-15T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Zealar nestled around her, offering a measure of protection. Imogen didn’t even look up, but she didn’t need to. She could feel the energy crackling along his feathers, ringing her, and creating the barrier. She rested like that for a few moments until the energy started to build within her, strengthening her, and strengthening her hold on Master Liu.

She looked up at the renral, who was watching her. “Thank you.”

She started to stand, and Zealar spread his massive wings, freeing her. Imogen looked over to see Eleanor standing near an empty crater with a pile of boulders near it.

Eleanor nodded. “Good. You’re back.”

“What do you mean I’m back?”

“Well, the renral decided he was going to protect you, and he wrapped himself around you, nestled with you for the last hour or so. I figured that he was trying to protect you from any other attack, and so I left you alone. I didn’t know if there was anything dangerous in his actions, but given that you and that renral seem to have a connection, I doubted he was going to do anything to harm you.”

Imogen turned to look at Zealar. “Thank you, friend,” she said softly.

Zealar circled around, moving along the ground. He sniffed at Imogen, strangely.

Imogen took a deep breath. “I need to get rid of this fragment inside of me. Master Liu in this form is… more potent. It’s strange. The other fragment was powerful, but this one is dangerous. I can feel violence within him.”

“That doesn’t sound like the man you described to me.”

“That’s just it. I don’t think it is the man I knew. But everybody has different aspects to their personality, I suppose, and even Master Liu, for all his mentoring, gentleness, and compassion, must’ve had a violent side to him.”

Or perhaps it was just that, freed from the other aspects of him, this fragment had taken on a different darkness. Or maybe it was nothing to do with any of that. Maybe the only reason that Master Liu was struggling with her was that he had been turned into a fragment and had been bound to some dark creature and forced to battle.

Imogen focused on the power she was holding down, keeping Master Liu trapped, and didn’t know if Eleanor would be able to help her. Rebecca had been the one to guide her before, and Imogen hoped that Eleanor knew enough to be able to offer her the same measure of help, but if she didn’t, Imogen thought that she was going to have to try, regardless.

“Do you think it will be the same sort of substrate?” Eleanor asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe stone, actually,” Imogen said, looking over the pile of rock. “Mostly because that was what it was bound to. Maybe Aneadaz, assuming Aneadaz is the one responsible for this, knew what he needed, and recognized what it was going to take in order to hold him. Regardless, I need to get rid of this fragment. I can’t keep holding on to it, as this power is lingering inside of me in a way that leaves me uncomfortable.

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