Sepia Blue- Nameless: A Sepia Blue Novel- Book 4 by Orlando Sanchez (small books to read .txt) 📕

“Let’s find out,” Calisto said. “Do not draw on your sword, whatever you do. Do you understand?”

“I do,” I said, wondering how I was supposed to deal with an attack unarmed. “What if they attack? You want me to use my words?”

“How can they reach you, if you remain behind the ward circle?”

“Good point,” I said. “Didn’t you say the stronger Unholy would be able to get through the protective wards?”

“Only the most serious threats,” Calisto answered. “Chimera and those close to his power level can do so with difficulty.”

“Are you sensing him outside?” I asked. “I’m not feeling that kind of threat.”

“No, but let’s pretend the Unholy outside are fairly strong,” Calisto said, stopping at the main door. “Then you go out there with your Sepia thickheadedness and manifest your incredibly powerful sword, releasing more power into the currently powerful Unholy. What do you think will happen?”

“I’m hearing plenty of power being thrown around.”

“Precisely. The currently strong Unholy become even more formidable thanks to the power you have bled out into the Park,” Calisto said. “Not only that, but any of the Unholy attuned to higher levels of power, like Chimera and those close to him— the real threats—will feel drawn to your location. Could you see how that would be a bad thing?”

“Completely not a good idea.”

“Excellent,” Calisto said with a sigh. “So glad we have an understanding. Remain behind the ward circle and we should be able to resolve this without much difficulty.”

“That actually sounds great. Unrealistic considering my history with the Unholy, but great,” I said. “Let’s do this.”

Calisto opened the large main door just as the ward circle exploded with violet light. A large pack of Dreadwolves bounded toward the Keep, behind some creatures with four arms. Each of the large creatures were armed to the teeth, figuratively and literally, and were currently trying to shish-kebab a short man who impressively dodged or parried all of the incoming attacks.

Crouched at the edge of the ward circle I saw a woman, probably the one responsible for the wards failing. She looked up, glanced at me, unsheathed a pair of blades and ran off toward the man dodging the four-armed creatures.

She jumped into the fight and managed to hold her own against the creatures, while avoiding becoming dog food for the Dreadwolves.

I took in the scene. The pair were good—better than good, but they were outnumbered and out-armed. The three large creatures had some kind of invisibility power and were fading in and out of sight.

It was difficult to fight at any time, but it was a serious disadvantage, facing them at night in the Park. Calisto put her hands together in the fashion of prayer and separated them, forming her own sword. I started to reach within for Perdition.

“No,” Calisto said, smacking me with her voice. “Do not even think about creating your blade. The ward circle is down. Why not fire a flare and announce to the entire Park that the Jade Demon is visiting?”

“I just wanted—”

“If the Unholy know you are here, we are in for a siege—one we will lose. Stay inside the threshold of the Keep. If things get worse, step back, secure the door, and call Mercy. Repeat my instructions.”

“If things go south, I go inside and close the door, and then call Mercy.”

“Good,” Calisto said and whistled low. A loud roar filled the night as an enormous polar bear bounded in from the other side of the Keep. “Stay close to the Keep.”

Calisto ran towards the Unholy with the enormous bear by her side.

TWENTY

I stood at the doorway, anxious to get out there and help. I was so focused on the attack that I didn’t hear Mercy approach.

She sidled up to me and gripped my arm with a vise-like grip of destruction which took me by surprise. The tall woman appeared frail and delicate as I looked at her.

Her white silk robe flowed with the evening breeze; the wards inscribed all along its length pulsed with deep blue energy. Mercy, her long blond hair pulled back into a tight braid, stood majestically next to me, her dark expression one of quiet resolve.

She was a healer, but for a brief moment I sensed she wanted to go out there and wreak havoc on the Unholy. The impression lasted half a second, but I could sense the threat she posed.

Mercy was dangerous.

She quickly composed herself, glanced at me and gave me a tight smile, before returning her focus to Calisto and the Unholy. Mercy was a picture of calm grace even as mayhem and madness were being unleashed into the night several hundred feet away.

“You should be out there,” Mercy said, quietly. “They need your help.”

“Calisto was adamant about the ‘Sepia not participating’ part,” I said. “She said it would attract more Unholy.”

“Really?” Mercy asked, turning her head to look into the Park. She pointed beyond Calisto. “Listen and tell me what you hear.”

I remained still and focused my hearing. In the distance, I heard the rumblings of small earthquakes, followed by more howls and roars.

Behemoths and more Dreadwolves—those were the creatures I could hear. There were plenty of the Unholy that could approach silently.

“Shit, that doesn’t sound good.”

“Do you really think your presence out there will make much of a difference now?”

“But Calisto—”

“The ward circle is compromised, which means the Keep is in danger,” Mercy answered. “Do you intend to watch as we get overrun?”

“Calisto specifically wanted me to stay back.”

“She is looking out for your well-being,” Mercy said. “She can be as stubborn as a certain Hunter I know”—Mercy glanced my way—“refusing to see the obvious. She needs help. Are you planning to watch her die?”

“No,” I said. “I won’t let that happen.”

“From here?” Mercy asked. “How? The battle is,” she said, pointing to Calisto,“over there. Do you have some new Hunter skills I’m not aware of?”

“No,” I said through clenched teeth. “Unless you count the Jade Demon.”

“You can’t use the Jade Demon, but you can