Sepia Blue- Nameless: A Sepia Blue Novel- Book 4

by Orlando A. Sanchez

  “His name is Hep—he works for the Gray and is about the size of a small bus,” Cade said. “You won’t miss him. Overalls and ink. Looks like a renegade mountain man, but he’s solid. He’ll be here soon. Stay out of sight and he’ll make sure you two get to safety.”

  “I appreciate it,” Wake said. “Where are you going?”

  “I’m going to go find Sepia.”

  “But she’s in the Park,” Jas said. “Going in there at night is suicide.”

  “I’ll manage,” Cade said, tightening the straps on his rifle. “Besides, some of us senior citizens still have some tricks up their sleeves.”

  He disappeared a moment later.

  “He’s good,” Jas said, looking around. “No trace at all.”

  “I would imagine he’d have to be, to be Sepia’s gunman.”

  “I hope he’s good enough to survive the Park.”

  “Me too.”

  TWENTY-SIX

  “I need to create a ward bond with him,” Rafael said. “It should allow me to coax him out of this stasis.”

  “This sounds dangerous. What do you need me to do?”

  “Do you know how to maintain a ward bridge?” Rafael asked. “I could do both, but it would make this process easier if you could maintain the bridge while I construct the bond.”

  “I’m not supposed to know how to create a ward bridge,” Deb answered. “That level of energy manipulation isn’t authorized.”

  “I think we’ve established that authorization is not the issue here,” Rafael said. “I know you can—in fact, I know you have on two occasions, one of those being the reason you’re still Nurse Stern and not Director Stern.”

  Deborah narrowed her eyes at Rafael.

  “I was assured that incident would be expunged from my records,” she said. “That ward bridge saved a patient’s life.”

  “And relegated you to being passed over for a rightfully earned advancement.”

  “Doctors and their egos,” Deb said with a head shake. “If I had to do it again, I would.”

  “I’m glad you feel that way,” Rafael said. “I need you to do it now.”

  “Even with me maintaining the bridge, this is risky,” Deb said. “He’s gone too deep.”

  “If he had gone too deep, we wouldn’t be having this conversation,” Rafael said. “He’d be gone. He’s deep, but I think I can reach him. If you help.”

  “I’ll maintain the bridge,” Deb said. “I’ve never seen a successfully executed ward bond. It’s not a method that’s used by the Order.”

  “That would be because it’s not from the Order,” Rafael said. “In essence I will be connecting with him through our energy signatures. The bond forms the connection; the bridge allows me to traverse it and hopefully reach him.”

  “What if you get lost trying to find him?”

  “I’ll be tethered.”

  “To what?”

  “Initially I was going to create an anchor, but I have a better 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. “Drama
tic, 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 Anchors on me. That conversation had been theoretical—the change I was undergoing now was real.

  I felt my body expand as I grew. My skin changed and was soon covered in green-tinged scales. My hands had become clawed and my vision shifted, the night becoming as clear as day. I noticed the green glow around my face and realized my eye shone bright with green light.

  A roar escaped my lips and was answered by the horde behind the Blight.

  The Demon Anchors around my wrists fell away and I felt more power course through me. So much for the anchors acting as a limiter.

  “You will not pass,” I said, stepping forward. “The Keep is under my protection.”

  My voice reverberated through the Park, a mixture of bass undertones and the potentiality of lethality. I looked down at my body and realized I was easily twice my normal size and covered in muscle.

  “You’re a Jade Demon,” the Blight said. “Now I understand why I was summoned. It will be my honor to take your life, but not tonight. You’re not nearly strong enough to face me—yet. You’re not quite there, but you will be, once I inflict enough pain upon you.”

  “You fear me,” I said, taking another step forward. “Come face me.”

  “Do not step out of the circle, Sepia,” Calisto said with a groan from behind me. “It’s right. You’re not ready.”

  “The witch is correct this time,” the Blight said, glancing in Calisto’s direction. “I’m impressed you survived my sphere. It should have put you out of your misery.”

  “You’ll find…that I’m not so easy to dispatch,” Calisto said, managing to lean against the wall of the Keep. “Why don’t you come in the circle?”

  The Blight smiled, shook its head and wagged a finger.

  “I think not,” the Blight said. “We still have some time before the dying starts.”

  “Are you running, coward?” I said.

  “Insults. How quaint,” the Blight said, focusing on me. “You may have managed the transformation, but it doesn’t mean you can stand against me. We will meet again, soon, Demon. In the meantime, prepare. I bring death and destruction to your world.”

  It vanished as I took another step forward. The horde that stood behind it dispersed into the night as I made my way out of the ward circle with another roar of frustration. My body reverted to normal a few seconds later.

  “You’re not ready,” Calisto said. “It was right.”

  I whirled on her, eager to lash out at something, anything, when I sensed it—an energy signature was racing across the Park to my location. I turned to face my new attacker.

  The sky had lightened as sunrise approached.

  “Stay in the circle,” I said. “Someone or something is coming.”

  “Come back into the circle, Sepia,” Calisto warned. “I can’t help you, and this energy signature is—”

  A man stood in the clearing before the Keep. He held a dark blade and was surrounded by a cloud of black energy.

  “Hello, Sepia,” the man said. “My name is Velos and you have something that belongs to me.”

  “I don’t even know who you are,” I said, unleashing my pent-up rage at not being able to face the Blight. “If you think I have something of yours”—I took several steps forward—“why don’t you come and take it?”

  “Sepia, no,” Calisto said. “That blade—”

  “This is Retribution,” Velos said as the black nimbus danced around him. “I’m here for your blade. I’m here for Perdition.”

  I formed my blade with a thought as black-and-green energy raced down my arm.

  “You want to take Perdition?” I asked, holding it by my side. “My mother gave me this blade. If you think you can take it from me while I’m still breathing, you’re mistaken.”

  Velos gave me a small nod and a tight smile full of evil.

  “I never said anything about your continued breathing,” Velos answered. “I’m here for the blade and your life, Hunter.”

  I let the power of Perdition run through my body as I entered a defensive stance. I felt the energy fill me as my eye blazed with green light, and I looked down to see the scales appearing on my skin.

  I smiled.

  “Come take them.”

  TWENTY -EIGHT

  Rafael opened his eyes in the center of a large training hall.

  “A dojo, of course,” Rafael muttered to himself as he crossed the smooth wooden floor and looked around. “Not just any dojo—the Iron Dojo.”

  The training hall in Gan’s mind mimicked the Gray Headquarters dojo, except that it was ten times the size of the actual thing. The hardwood floor in the center dominated the space as it glistened in the low light.

  Candles in lamps adorned all of the walls at regular intervals. Outside one of the windows, Rafael glimpsed a zen garden with enormous stones and raked sand. Around them, weapons of every kind were hung in racks on the walls.

  Rafael remembered spending countless hours sweating and training on the hardwood floors of the Iron Dojo. It was a pleasant memory filled with good pain. Somehow, he didn’t think this experience would be the same.

  “What are you doing here?” a voice asked from behind him. “You don’t belong here.”

  It was Gan.

  He was dressed in a black loose fitting robe with large sleeves and covered with white ward symbols. On the rear, a design of a large dragon drifted among clouds. Rafael looked down and saw he was dressed in a similar white robe with black ward symbols. The symbol of a large tiger among trees dominated the back of his robe.

  “Hello, Gan,” Rafael said, glancing around at the dojo again. “You’ve gone deep, I see.”

  “Who are you?” Gan asked. “Why are you here?”

  “To bring you back,” Rafael said. “I need you to come back with me. You can’t stay here.”

  “Of course I can,” Gan said. “I have everything I need here.”

  “Do you?” Rafael asked, opening his robe top and removing the outer jacket, revealing a thin white silk shirt underneath. “This is not your reality.”

  “Reality is the conscious agreement of what our senses portray to our brains,” Gan said, removing his outer robe jacket to reveal a black silk top. “Who are you to refute my reality?”

  “It’s me, Rafael. Don’t you recognize me?”

  “I recognize that you’re in my dojo without being invited,” Gan answered. “You can leave or I can make you leave. Your choice.”

  “I don’t want to fight you,” Rafael said. “Especially not in here.”

  “Then you can leave.”

  “Gladly,” Rafael said with a short bow. “Just point me to the exit and I will.”

  Gan looked around and, for a few seconds, he looked confused. The dojo was an enclosed space—there was no entrance or exit.

  “How di
d you get in here?” Gan asked. “I removed the door.”

  “How did you?” Rafael asked. “Where was the door before you removed it?”

  “I’ve always been here,” Gan said. “This is my space.”

  “No, not always. You’ve come here because you suffered a mindswipe and then underwent a recall procedure. Right this moment, you’re lying in a hospital bed.”

  “Impossible,” Gan said, looking around. “This is my dojo space. I’ve always been here.”

  “I’m sorry, my old friend, but no. This place only exists in your mind.”

  “If this place only exists in my mind, then how are you here?” Gan asked. “Are you saying I’m imagining you?”

  It was an excellent question, demonstrating that Gan was slowly waking from his stasis. Rafael had to answer carefully or risk sending Gan deeper.

  “No, I came here through our old ward bond,” Rafael said, measuring his words. “Do you recall when we first received our ink?”

  “You jumped into my mind?” Gan asked. “How did you do that?”

  It was progress. At least Gan was open to the idea the dojo was a mental construct. If Rafael handled this incorrectly, however, he would be forced to fight Gan in a mental battlefield where Gan made all the rules and was subject to none.

  “No, I stepped in to get you back,” Rafael said, keeping his voice even. “You need to come back. You can’t stay here, my friend.”

  “I have to stay here,” Gan said. “It’s where I can keep everyone safe.”

  Rafael hesitated before answering, knowing this would be a trigger.

  “Who are you trying to keep safe?” Rafael asked. “Who is in danger?”

  “Everyone is in danger. Only I can keep them safe.”

  “Can you show them to me?” Rafael asked, looking around. “Where is everyone?”

  “Of course, they’re right over…”

  Gan found himself at a loss for words as he motioned across the dojo.

  Rafael took a deep breath and let out a sigh, realizing the futility of taking a breath in a mental construct.

  “Gan?” Rafael asked, tentatively. “Where is Sepia?”