Chapter 53.1: Something Like Sleep
Penny’s next couple of days were little more than an oil-smeared blur of dreams and reality. The sun rose and set and rose and set, and she wasn’t entirely sure it hadn’t reversed that course once or twice. Crusader Hope came and went, her image coming into focus a time or two, but only long enough to be left in reflective steel relief, burned into Penny’s vision against the dark backdrop of the tent’s interior.
Chapter 52.4: Just Like That
She rubbed hands up her face, working herself to stillness.
Chapter 52.3: Mounting Exhaustion
Hours passed, and the sun finally peeked its lazy head up over the plateaus that carved out the deep hollow where the Ulta Metamagicals krewe did their work. Penny had inched farther away from the encroaching light as it came up over that too tall horizon, sticking instead to the shadows as long as she had them. After waiting all that time for the night to end, she now realized how much better the darkness had been.
Chapter 52.2: Vigil Order
Hours passed, and the sun finally peeked its lazy head up over the plateaus that carved out the deep hollow where the Ulta Metamagicals krewe did their work. Penny had inched farther away from the encroaching light as it came up over that too tall horizon, sticking instead to the shadows as long as she had them. After waiting all that time for the night to end, she now realized how much better the darkness had been.
Chapter 52.1: Sleepless Night
Penny stared into the inky black of the night sky: past the starlit earth and foliage, past the jagged treeline of the Brisban horizon, and even past the stars, if that were possible. The moon had long since set, and she hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep, glaring fruitlessly at the roof of a Vigil tent for hours before finally grabbing her knapsack and slipping silently outside.
Chapter 51.6: Out of Her Hands
The fight in front of her went on as Penny continued finding what gaps she could, though those gaps grew smaller with every moment as more combatants joined the central fray.
Chapter 51.5: Success?
How Penny could think Jinkke didn’t grasp the situation as well as she did, Jinkke had no idea. None of this was transdimensional matter distribution.
Chapter 51.4: Playing With Magic
“Penny, it’s an admirable approach,” Jinkke said, looking around the scattering of golemite parts and pieces, “but there are only two remaining reservoirs we haven’t divested, and he’s already tapping one of them. Your theory likely necessitates a source large enough to guarantee…”
Chapter 51.3: Eye of the Storm
Chapter 51.2: That Bandit Jerk
In the norn’s wake, they crossed the eastern half of the courtyard. Somewhere along the western cliff face someone had spotted them and started taking shots. Penny heard the whizz of rifle rounds sailing past them, much closer than she was comfortable with.
Chapter 51.1: One Last Hurdle
Every step through the winding halls of the complex pushed Penny’s patience—with herself—one step closer to shutdown. As they jogged, Jinkke swore up and down that she remembered the way in and out of the claustrophobic labyrinth, something her brother had previously taken care of. He’d managed to see them through it seemingly without problem, with a confidence that was new to him but endearing. But he couldn’t help them now, or ever again.
Chapter 50.3: For a Friend
Chapter 50.2: The Truth Always Finds You
“Human.”
Penny vaguely heard the rough demand. She had the feeling it was directed at her, but nothing at all was clear.
Chapter 50.1: Unshielded
Jinkke didn’t feel the shot from Kikka’s energy rifle as much as she heard it, knowing that it had happened. She felt around the point in her chest where it should have struck. The ammunition bandolier was there, her layered tunic was there, and most importantly all the parts of her intact torso were there. What was not there was any evidence of the blast that should have seared a hole through her—or some equally gruesome outcome.
Chapter 49: Ever the Guardian
Chapter 48.3: Truth of the Matter
Ventyr shook his head, wincing to regain his wits. “Situation report?”
He heard Crusader Jindel fire off another shot from the backside of the wagon barricade, and she whirled back, pressing herself into the wooden bed. “It’s not good, sir.” She opened the gun’s loader and shook out empty casings before tossing the weapon to the ground beside her. “It just got worse. The asura are split between us and the bandits, but we’re pinned down and out of ammu— behind you!”
Chapter 48.2: Air and Fire
Ventyr fell to a knee and gasped, his body seizing as another of the asura struck him from behind with some sort of electrical weapon. His hands uncontrollably clutched at his staff, and his body curled in on itself until the current shut off. The asura pulled back a step and waited, eyes wide at what he’d done. He must not have been a fighter.
