Another pair of hands took me away from the guard holding me. The pendant warmed against my skin.
I lost track of time and where we were until a familiar sensation pulled at me. I cracked my eyes open as Silver maneuvered us through the door.
This control room bore a similar layout to the prototype, but contained only one seat in the center. Instead of the control panel I expected, the orb sat on a stand in front of the chair. My breath came quick as panic set in. I shook my head, my eyes glued to the orb. “I can’t…” I whispered.
“No need to be afraid. With eliminating the console, you should be able to better sync with the system. Right now all we need to do is check to make sure it’s operational. You don’t need to conjure anything.”
Two men stepped forward with their guns raised and another two pulled me away from Silver. I pushed back with my legs, desperate to get away from the orb. “No! Please! You don’t understand what that thing is.”
I was too weak to overpower the men who shoved me into the chair and forced my still bound hands against the orb. Immediately, the sense of calm and balance greeted me. It spun the sensations around, acting as if it was happy to see me. I pushed back against it, but had nothing left to fight with.
All I could see was ocean for miles. The system took my despair at the sight and sent it away. What was I supposed to do?
I spent some time looking around outside to get a sense of where the defense system emitters were. I searched for offensive weaponry, but there was none. I came back inside the ship, going through the ship via the camera network. I briefly wondered if they knew I could access other systems.
This ship was larger than the prototype. A cargo ship? I remained uncertain.
“Kela,” I heard Silver whisper. “It’s time to come back.”
The system blocked the anchor. Something warmed against my chest, creating a clear path back. As soon as I stepped through the gate, I took a deep breath and threw myself against the back of the seat, tearing my hands away from the orb.
Silver was practically on top of me, his hands holding my head. He had a look of relief on his face. “Thank the Gods.”
I turned to the orb and whimpered, the desire to touch it again strong.
“You haven’t fully broken from it, have you?”
I shook my head.
“Curious. I was wondering what caused the earlier reaction from her. In any case, it looks like we can proceed as planned with future tests. You’re dismissed.” The leader waved us off.
The guards took no time in getting us to move. Silver held onto me tightly even after we left the control room. I drifted as we walked, still partially connected to the system. I could still access the cameras, but it was difficult to control and harder to hold onto the farther we walked from the control room.
With more exposure, I might be able to maintain the connection for longer and at a greater distance. I could get Silver to freedom once the circumstances were right. They would have to return to port sometime.
“Can’t you take the restraints off of her?” Silver asked. I came back to the present.
We sat down, but my hands remained bound in front of me.
“No. We have our orders,” one of the guards answered.
The bolt slid home on the door before Silver spoke again. “Are you still under the effects of the system?”
I nodded. “You’re dampening it.” It could be a problem for maintaining control. I sat in a tug of war between Silver and the system.
“Let’s get you free of it and then you’re eating and getting rest. We can talk about what happened after.” Silver did not wait for a response before he put his forehead against mine and the last vestiges of the system disappeared. Once he was done, he kissed my forehead and sat me up against the wall.
“Guess I should be glad I’m not hanging again,” I muttered.
“We even got a cot.”
“Luxury hotel.”
Silver laughed lightly. He went and got the tray from the corner. “Here.” He held up a piece of bread.
I did not fight him this time. My hands might be free enough to get food to my mouth, but the previous strain on my arms and the weight of the manacles kept them immobilized.
How long would it be until I found the opening to get Silver to safety?
~*~
Tests came at odd intervals and I had not seen daylight beyond what the system allowed for however many days we were held captive. They stopped letting Silver come to the tests once they found they could simply pull my hands away from the orb. They took him out to go see the sun rise every morning, but I lost track of how many times now.
More and more was being connected to the system. I managed to get the zonal shielding working and they added some offensive weaponry. I could not get the output they wanted no matter the configuration and I explained over and over that the orb was not an amplifier, but it had fallen on deaf ears.
I hung heavily between the guards as they brought me back to the cell. We were in the elevator when I noticed something on the wrist of one of them. I recognized one of the illusion bracelets I made at some point and stared at it.
The guard saw what I stared at and glanced at his friend. “Soon, kid, okay?”
“We need to figure out a big enough distraction,” the other guard said.
I hung my head and flitted through the system for a moment, analyzing what was connected and what they were in the process of adding. “I can do it. Make sure you get Silver out of here.”
“You’re in no condition…”
“Wait, hear her out. What’s your plan?”
I kept my head down, grinning. “If you can get the ship closer to the ley line, there will be fireworks.” It would be harder for me to be closer, but I would need the constant stream of arcane energy to blow the system.
They dragged me the rest of the way and tossed me unceremoniously through the cell door. I collapsed onto the metal floor and stayed there, the tug of war between Silver’s necklace and the system making it impossible to move.
Silver picked me up, stroking the side of my face gently. “Tell your boss to lay off the tests for a while. She’s absorbed too much divine energy. I won’t be able to break her from it soon.”
I heard nothing but the sound of doors shutting.
“Dammit! I swear I’m going to kill every last one of them on this ship.”
I leaned as much into my partner as I could before I said, “Friends.”
“I think you’re delirious.” It had not taken him long to learn my dialect as it was what I primarily spoke to him here, though he never spoke it back.
Taking his hand from the side of my face, I put it over where his necklace resided and pressed until I knew he felt the watch between us. “Time.”
Silver pulled my head to him and muttered against my lips, “Certainly took their’s.”
The effect had become too strong for Silver to break the last of the connection, even with me not touching the orb, without a more intimate connection between us. He previously voiced his concern he would eventually have to do more.
Until it came to that point, I refused to ask what more was.
I closed my eyes as he kissed me, letting the sensation of his power removing the last holds of the system bring me some measure of peace. His sun pendant warmed against my skin and resonated with his power.
“Maybe someday we can share a kiss without it being an extenuating circumstance,” Silver said quietly.
I let out a soft huff.
“May the Gods help me. I’m not sure how much longer I can watch them torture you like this.”
“Free you soon,” I said, my voice not making it above a whisper. I was content here.
Silver curled around me and cried just as he had the past few tests. I worried this place had broken him. The sooner I could get him out of here, the better.
Chapter 23
I stayed curled up tightly on the cot. Being in so much concentrated arcan
e energy made me sick. Silver sat beside the cot, stroking my hair. He backed away and I cracked open my eyes to see my power manifesting itself across my skin again. The iridescent tendrils disappeared quickly.
My body kept doing it to burn some of the excess off. Soon it would not be enough to keep the overload in check. Especially as we continued moving into the ley line.
Silver returned to stroking my hair. I let myself drift.
“No! I can’t break her out of it if you make her connect again,” Silver pleaded. “Can’t you see she’s also sick?”
I opened my eyes to see the same two guards as before standing at the open door to the cell. Mustering the strength, I pushed myself up into a sitting position. “It’ll be okay,” I said.
Standing took more effort and I suddenly became lightheaded, making me want to sit back down. I managed to put one foot in front of the other and followed my escorts.
We were in the elevator when one spoke softly, “We’re ready whenever you are.”
I hung my head and rubbed the bridge of my nose. “On my signal after I get back.” I could not risk Silver’s safety.
“What’s the signal?”
“Trust me, you won’t be able to miss it.” It would be hard, but I needed to overload one of the arcane guns.
The remainder of the walk was silent. I dragged myself through the door to the control room. The leader folded his arms.
As typical, I took a seat in the chair in front of the orb and waited for directions.
“You've been so cooperative, I’ll have to consider giving you an upgrade to your accommodations, but I fear it won't happen today.”
I sighed and stared at the orb. The thought of another test made me weary, but it would help with the excess arcane energy.
“Today will be short. I want you to bring the four new cannons online and run diagnostics on them. My people will review the information at the terminals.”
I sighed and reached for the orb. It again greeted me with some level of enthusiasm. I pushed it aside, determined to get on with my task. I had grown too used to the calm and balance it offered to be affected by it anymore.
I first pulled up the camera for our cell. Being able to see Silver kept me focused. He paced and tugged on his braid.
Moving on, the cannons were simple to locate. I picked one and ran the startup sequence I found. It appeared as if these could be run by either myself or someone at a control station for the cannon. These would not require me to put energy into more than controlling it. Curious, I poked around a little more while it started up.
These cannons were still energy driven, but would draw from an internal power source. The system pushed its calm and balance at me. I noticed it did when it thought I was getting off-task. I ignored it.
Once the first cannon was up and running, I ran the diagnostic and moved onto the next one to repeat the procedure. With each cannon, I gathered more information, learning how they worked, and more importantly, how to wreak havoc with them.
As soon as I ran the last diagnostic, someone pulled me away from the orb. My vision would take a minute or so to readjust back to where I was.
“You’ve done good work today. I think you’ve earned a reprieve for a day or so from further tests,” the leader said.
I was hauled from my seat and out the door, my bare feet tripping over the lip on the door frame. I cringed as I hit the bruises already there. We were in the elevator again before I could pull enough of myself back to be able to see.
“You okay, kid?”
“Will be.”
“I don’t think she’s up for it.”
I flitted through the system, watching to see what the others were doing with the cannons. They seemed only interested in the diagnostic reports. “Will be. Need Silver.” It was as far as I wanted to share my plan. This all depended on how much I could hold onto the system from a distance, but the enemy certainly made it easier with adding those cannons.
A guard stood in the hallway outside of the room for my cell. He shoved a box at me when I got close enough. I took a step back to steady myself. “A gift from the boss.” Then he opened the door.
They shoved me through the big metal door and again through our cell door. Only staying upright by running into Silver.
“You could be more gentle with her!” he shouted at them as they left.
I moved the black material on top and smirked at what had been hidden beneath.
Silver gave up growling at them and moved to kiss me. I shifted away. “Let me at least dampen the effects until I can break it,” he snapped.
“No.”
“You can’t stay connected to that thing. I don’t know what it’ll do to you. Your eyes are still completely arcane covered.”
“Time’s up.” I took my shrunken staff and shoved the box at Silver.
“What do you mean? Oh.”
“They don’t know what they gave me.” I mentally left the room and went to the first cannon, starting up the power core, locking down the firing sequence, and frying the control station for it. While I set up the second, an explosion rocked the ship. I was forced back to the cell after two.
Silver wore his armored jacket and had called the rest by the time I returned. Another explosion rocked the ship.
The guards entered, rushing to get the cell door open. “Well, lady, that was Hells of a signal. Going to have to tell me how you did it later.”
“I need to get to the control room,” I said.
“Gods help me. Ketayl, you can't risk it,” Silver argued.
I extended my staff before looking up at my partner. “I'm not going to stop you. Don't try to stop me.” I strode out of the cell before I got sick on the concentrated arcane energy again.
“Ma’am?” one of the guards asked. “We need to escort you out of here.”
I clenched my jaw for a moment before I ordered, “Get Silver to safety. I'll tear this place apart myself.”
Two more guards ran down the hall toward us with guns drawn. I put up my shield spell and pushed my way down the hall. Being this close to the ley line gave me a constant stream of arcane energy. They would run out of bullets first.
A different shield went flying past me. It took out the two guards and Silver stepped up alongside me to catch it.
My friend smirked. “You're not the only one who wants revenge. Not letting my partner go it alone.”
I jogged to keep up with Silver’s long strides, but slowed after only a few steps. I was too unstable with the excess arcane energy to do more than a fast walk. My feet were also bruised and cut from being dragged around barefoot.
The guards got up and took aim again. Silver rushed them, cutting them down with only a couple of swings. My partner turned to look back at me. “You know it’s kill or be killed, right?”
“I know. I’m done caring.” Then I noticed his sword remained sheathed. Silver wielded a shorter blade - the one he called out rarely.
“I think letting these two burn off some steam is going to be a better bet,” one of our escorts said behind me.
“Boss might get mad, but I’m up for some fun.”
I was about to ask who the boss was when the elevator doors opened and more enemy guards ran at us. Silver engaged with the fastest two and I teleported past them. I brought my staff down on the floor, sending a strong shockwave down the hallway. The people before me were violently thrown into the walls and some back into the elevator. When they hit the floor, they did not move.
Silver caught up with me as I kicked one out of the way of the door. “You really are done caring.”
Our escorts quickly hauled out the two I knocked back into the elevator.
As the elevator moved up, my connection strengthened. “Think I can get one more,” I said before mentally diving back into the system, beginning the overload process on a third cannon. I came back once I completed my task, my connection weakened too much to reach the last one.
The elevator doors opened as anoth
er explosion rocked the ship. Our escorts were off first, shooting down the few in the hall. Silver charged forward as more came out of different rooms. His movements immediately appeared wild, but he was efficient. While he sliced one, he would slam his shield into another until it was their turn to meet his blade.
Blood coated the walls as he went. I levitated through the carnage, needing to burn off some of the excess arcane energy anyway.
I turned when the elevator behind us buzzed, signaling an arrival. I conjured a fireball, throwing it into the elevator before the doors opened enough to let anyone out. There was an explosion and then nothing other than the sound of Silver fighting.
“Hope we didn’t need that,” I commented to our escorts.
“There are other ways up.”
Silver waited for us when he ran out of enemies. “Did you kill the people in the elevator?”
“Probably. The elevator is out of order.”
My partner snorted and opened the door to the control room. “Are you sure about this?”
I sent bolts of electricity at the workers in the room watching them collapse at their stations before responding, “I will destroy this system with or without your help.”
Our escorts moved to haul people out of the room.
Silver grabbed my arm before I could reach the chair. He pulled me to turn around and face him. His lips were on mine before I could protest. There was no power except for his necklace resonating against my skin. “Give them Hells,” he said with a strained smile.
I nodded and took my seat. With what I planned, I would cripple the ship in the process. I slammed the large amount of arcane energy in my control into the system, quickly finding and setting the final cannon to overload before connecting to the arcane guns. I watched the chaos on the main deck as the final cannon exploded, taking out a chunk of the above deck with it.
One-by-one I pushed my power into overloading the smaller guns, chaining them to go off one after another. Once I finished, I turned my attention to the shield emitters, forcing them to overload as well.
Something on one of the cameras caught my attention. Among the chaos I caused, Vince lead a team, taking out those who crossed their path, but otherwise they seemed to be on a particular course.
Conjured Defense (Terra Chronicles Book 4) Page 24