**********
The first thing I felt was Shadowstrike. Soon after, I searched for the taint, but it was gone.
Did you do this?
I don’t have the capacity to reverse the taint we possessed.
Then how? Who was that woman?
I can only tell you she was a Samadhi and she somehow accessed a reserve of power you contained prior to your bond to me. She returned you to that state.
My entire body pulsed with a barely contained energy.
I looked around and saw I was in a Mikai home. I was in a large bed that dominated the room.
“Looks like you survived your trip.” It was Meja. “Where did you go?”
Behind her stood Devin, Samir, and Kal.
“Honestly, I don’t know. I couldn’t get in the portal you opened,” I said. “I was still tethered to Lucius.”
“We realized it too late,” said Devin. “When we tried to go back, we couldn’t.”
“Did everyone get out?” I asked.
I remembered the sensation of the plane collapsing in on itself. It would have been a horrible way to die.
“Yes,” said Samir. “Raquel has returned to her home plane with Franca. They both send you regards.”
“Michael and Mouro made it out and are establishing a new hub plane,” said Devin. “In fact, I need to get out there before they decide to follow their own plans. I am proud of you, Dante. What you did…we will always be in your debt.”
“I thought I saw them, but I wasn’t sure,” I said. “Everything happened so fast. How long have I been here?”
“A few weeks,” said Samir. “I must apologize, but I must make my departure as well. I am assisting the Seniors in the rebuilding. It has been my honor to call you a friend, Dante. Please visit when you can.”
Samir left the room. “Is he going to be part of the new school?” I asked.
Devin nodded. “When you get a chance, try to visit,” he said. “Meja can tell you where.”
He took my hand and held it firmly. “Goodbye, Dante.”
“Goodbye, Senpai,” I said.
He laughed. “I think I should be calling you Senpai, Karashihan.”
He opened a portal and left the room. Kal came over to my side and punched me in the arm.
“You scared the hell out of us, especially her,” she said and pointed at Meja. “But she won’t admit it, ever.”
“Those daggers,” I said. “That was you?”
She gave a bow. “I try and do my part,” she said. “Raquel and Franca were the bullets, Ono was the sick green glow, and the orbs were Devin. Did you like the daggers?”
“Those things were fearsome,” I said. “How did you learn to glyph daggers?”
“There was more happening than what you remember right now,” she answered. “Come visit Zen and me and I will try and fill you in.”
She gave me a hug and whispered in my ear, “She is going to wait for you no matter how long. Don’t screw this up or I will hurt you.”
Kal left the room and I could sense a portal being opened in the room adjacent to mine. I sat up in the bed and Meja looked at me.
“I’m not usually given to emotion,” she said. “I know we have had our differences in the past, but I would like us to be closer—that is, if you want.”
“Meja, I have to give the Records a total of thirteen cycles,” I said gently. “That’s one hundred and thirty years. I can’t expect you to wait for me that long.”
She smiled at me then and I could feel my heart pound in my chest. “What is it?” I asked. “Did Raja suddenly get amnesia?”
“I spoke to Raja,” she said. “He will let you pay half the cost if you can find someone to pay the rest on your behalf.”
“I don’t know anyone willing to give up sixty-five years of their…life,” I said. “You told him you would do it, didn’t you?”
The room tilted slightly on its axis as this news sank in.
She nodded and stood quickly. “I gave my word to keep you safe and you are stuck with me now,” she said. “You should get some rest. I will be back in the morning.” She left me alone in the room and I let the memories of what happened settle. For the first time in a long time there was no looming threat hanging over me. I could finally stop and breathe.
I took a breath and let my awareness expand. This time I let it go out past the plane and into the South Watch. It still felt empty and devoid of life. I tried to see if anyone or anything had survived, but I became exhausted after a short time. Sylk had not survived, after all. In a few days, we would head to the Akashic Records. I would use the time to learn about the foci and hone my ability with Shadowstrike. I would study the annihilator glyph and see if there was a way to undo it.
**********
The black sands receded slowly at first and then picked up speed. A circle formed in the center of the Keep. Ji had opened the portal when she received the message from the South Watch. Several of the Gray were gathered along with Luna, the Alpha of the pack.
“Are you sure about this, Ji?” asked Luna. “It could have been a residual distress message.”
“I am certain,” answered Ji. “Once the protocol has run its course and the glyph dissipates, we shall see.”
“And how long will that take?”
“Any moment now,” replied Ji. “You can sense it in the air…ah, there. It is complete.”
Luna felt the plane fill with vibrant chi as the annihilator glyph dissipated. The Solus protocol had run its course and the plane was once again open to the others.
“Did the plane lose its Keeper?” asked Luna. “Can we establish another?”
“I don’t think that will be necessary, Alpha,” said a voice from behind them. It was Sylk.
“You’re the Keeper?”
“It would seem that my workaround the glyph and the bond I shared with the plane found this to be the solution,” he said. “It is an elegant one when you think about it.”
“But we thought you dead,” said Luna. “Dante said he saw you overwhelmed by the darkness, the glyph.”
“And I would like to continue to remain dead for the time being,” replied Sylk. “There is much to be done here and it would benefit me greatly if no one knew I was still alive, albeit in this manner.”
“I will honor your request, but the Destroyer and Samadhi Wheel have been defeated,” she said. “There is finally peace in all of the planes. What could you possibly need to do here besides rest?”
“It is my understanding that first focus is unaccounted for,” he said. “I will do what I have always done: prepare, and plan for its eventual return.”
He bowed to the RahVen and disappeared from sight, leaving them with more questions than answers.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Every book is a group effort. So let me take a moment to acknowledge my (very large) group:
To Dolly: my wife and biggest fan. You make all of this possible and keep me grounded, especially when I get into my writing to the exclusion of everything else. Thank you, I love you.
To my Tribe: You are the reason
I have stories to tell. You cannot possibly fathom how much and how deep I love you all.
To Lee: Because you were the first audience I ever had. I love you sis.
To the Logsdon family: Thank you for everything. You each have made this journey possible.
To you the reader: Thank you for getting on this ride with me. I truly hope you enjoy this story. You are the reason I wrote it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Orlando Sanchez has been writing ever since his teens when he was immersed in creating scenarios for playing Dungeon and Dragons with his friends every weekend. An avid reader, his influences are too numerous to list here. Some of the most prominent are: J.R.R. Tolkien, Jim Butcher, Kat Richardson, Terry Brooks, Piers Anthony, Lee Child, George Lucas, Andrew Vachss, and Barry Eisler to name a few in no particular order.
The worlds of his books are urban settings with a twist of the paranormal lurking just behind the scenes and generous doses of magic, martial arts, and mayhem.
Aside from writing, he holds a 2nd and 3rd Dan in two distinct styles of Karate. If not training, he is studying some aspect of the martial arts or martial arts philosophy.
He currently resides in Queens, NY with his wife and children and can often be found in the local Starbucks where most of his writing is done.
Please visit his site at OrlandoASanchez.com for more information about his books and upcoming releases.
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2016 by Orlando A. Sanchez
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form.
Published by OM Publishing NY NY
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