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

idea,” Rafael said with a tight smile. “Something that will guarantee I won’t get lost.”

“What?” Deb asked warily. “What are you suggesting?”

“Your bridge can be my anchor,” Rafael said. “It just requires a minor adjustment. Do you think you can do it?”

“I’m sure I can,” Deb said. “The question is, do I want to?”

“A valid point,” Rafael admitted. “I need Gan to help me stop an entity bent on destroying Regional and the Order. If you help me, you help us all.”

“I’ll do it—on one condition,” Deb said. “When this is over, I get the full story, not some redacted nonsense.”

“Done,” Rafael said. “If we survive to see the end of this, I will make sure you get full disclosure.”

“Also,” Deb added, “I want full ward certification at the best ward school. Covered by the Order.”

“You drive a hard bargain.”

“You’re the Director,” Deb said, crossing her arms. “You can make it happen.”

“Agreed,” Rafael said. “Full ward certification at Lotus Academy.”

“Lotus Academy?” Deb said with a sense of wonder. “Really?”

“You said the best ward school,” Rafael said. “I assumed you meant Lotus. It is the best ward school.”

“No—I mean, yes,” Deb said somewhat flustered. “I just never thought about Lotus. That’s always been an impossible dream.”

“Well, if we survive,” Rafael said, “you will be getting your certification there. Now, are you ready?”

Deborah nodded, serious.

Rafael pulled out a chair and sat next to Gan’s bed. He gestured and formed wards in the air before touching Gan’s temple. Another set of complicated wards were traced on Gan’s chest, and he repeated the process on himself.

“Once the bond is formed, create the bridge and maintain it,” Rafael said. “I don’t need to remind you of the importance of keeping the bridge intact, do I?”

“You just did,” Deb said. “What is the variation for the anchor?”

Rafael traced a ward in her palm several times until she nodded.

“Got it?” Rafael asked. “If the bridge collapses—”

“I know what happens,” Deb said. “It won’t. Get going. We aren’t getting any younger.”

Rafael sat back and closed his eyes. He traced one more ward, creating a sphere of violet energy around Gan and himself. Shortly afterward, Deb traced several wards over the sphere.

A thin, silver beam emerged from Rafael and crossed over to Gan, solidifying and growing thicker when the two were connected.

“Don’t get lost, Director.”

TWENTY-SEVEN

The pain subsided to a dull throb as I remained rooted to the spot.

The power of the ward circle coursed through my body, illuminating me with bright white light. I made to move my body and found it impossible. When I did, a blast of agony shot up my spine, quickly convincing me it was a bad idea.

A tall wall of energy surrounded the Keep, with me as its center. The wall of white energy followed the path of the ward circle and rose at least thirty feet.

“I am…I am not Unholy,” I managed as the Blight stepped back and admired the wall of energy around me. “You must be confused.”

He looked like a young man dressed in a black power suit. A black shirt, accented with a deep gray tie finished the ensemble. His black hair was streaked violet in several places, as arcs of orange energy raced around his body. He may have looked and been dressed like a human, but I could sense the power radiating from the Blight.

It was not human.

“This is an impressive display of power,” the Blight said, peering at me from outside the circle. “Do you think it will be effective?”

“It will suffice to keep the likes of you out,” Calisto said. “Why don’t you go back to whatever hole you crawled out of?”

“I was rightfully summoned, witch,” the Blight said, its voice full of menace. “Can you say the same?”

The Blight paced the area in front of the ward circle while the horde of Unholy remained several hundred feet away behind it. It walked several yards until it stopped directly in front of where I stood.

The Blight stood twenty feet away and coalesced a sphere of orange energy with both hands as it stared in my direction. The orange sphere of menace, which measured about two feet in diameter, crackled with white arcs of energy as it formed.

“Leave this place,” Calisto said. “You will not breach this circle, Unholy.”

“Seems like there’s only one way to find out,” the Blight said, looking at me. “Let’s see what you’re made of.”

It spread its arms wide, releasing the sphere of energy.

The sphere raced at me, and Calisto raised a wall of stone in its path. The sphere punched through the stone easily, showering the area with debris. Calisto ran in front of me and slammed her sword point first into the ground.

“Pointless,” the Blight said. “Dramatic, but ultimately pointless.”

The sphere impacted on Calisto and launched her, sending her flying past me with a grunt of pain. Calisto crashed to the ground, landing on one knee and cratering the area directly in front of the main entrance. She managed to get unsteadily to her feet, and take a few steps, but then slowly crumpled to the ground.

I turned in time to see the sphere slam me in the chest.

The energy of the sphere permeated my body and set my mind ablaze.

The orange energy raced along my body, clashing with the power of the ward circle. It felt like I was drowning in a wave of power; no matter how hard I tried to remain above the crests of energy, I felt myself slipping under.

At some point, I knew I started screaming, and still I couldn’t move. I saw the Blight stand back and observe the effects of the sphere on me, its face impassive, but its eyes alight with a deep sense of satisfaction.

It was winning and it knew it.

Until I felt the cold comfort of Perdition wash over me.

I reached down into the darkness within, wrapping myself in the cold, angry energy of the Jade Demon. Calisto had told me about my transformation before she’d placed the Demon