Chương 21: 188. Before the Storm

The first thing to come back to him was the cold. Mage's body wracked with a shiver. He slowly blinked his eyes open and felt a dull, throbbing pain in his head that dredged up memories of hangovers from college. The kind where you swear on everything holy, you're never going to drink again. A groan escaped his lips as he rolled to his side and tried to open both eyes, squinting against the bright lights that seemed to shine directly on him. Rolling the other way, he felt something was wrong with his arms.

Trying to sit up, Mage stopped as his eyes focused enough to see two faces staring back at him. Both had wide eyes and looked at him with fright. He tried to reassure them that everything was okay, but found his lip to be swollen. Even when he flexed his jaw and tried to speak clearly, it would get in the way. Only then did he realize his vision was blurry because his right eye was halfway swollen shut, leaving him with partial normal vision and his mana sight.

It dawned on him, through the fog in his mind, that the team that captured him must have beaten him after he was unconscious.

"Why?" he asked, though it too only escaped as a jumbled moan. Mage sat up, arms hanging by his side, and looked at the two—three that sat across from him. He recognized two of them as the women in the escorted trio from the day before. The third was the man from today's duo escort, though his right arm was heavily bandaged. The man wasn't looking at Mage, just mumbling and looking at his lap, partially turned away.

When he looked back at the women, Mage noticed bile on the youngest one's shirt and on the floor next to her. The stone floor was immediately recognizable as stone, reminding him of his time spent with the spinners in their caverns. He shook his head, frustrated at his flitting thoughts. When he tried to rub his face, there was no response. His arms refused to move, and it was only then that he realized they both hung motionless at his side.

"Th' h'll?" he mumbled. The sound drew attention from nearby and brought Mage's blurry focus to the edge of the "room" for the first time since he woke. He had to squint against the floodlights pointed at the makeshift cage they were in. Lowering his head against the light, he groaned, and his eyes caught the floor. The uneven lines of the bars holding them in were hand done, drilled into the stone floor and fitted with thick metal bars.

Looking up, he saw there was a metallic roof in place, though it didn't look nearly as thick or sturdy as the bars bracing it. He scanned the area once more before standing. It took more effort than normal, requiring him to use his core strength and shift one leg under his center mass, rather than use his hands to help. Once standing, he realized that the ceiling of the cell was only a few inches taller than he was.

He reached up to touch it, curious if it might just lift away with a hefty push—only to remember that his arms weren't working. Mage looked down at his right arm with an accusatory look. Wanting to get out of the bright, foggy lights, he stepped closer to the bars and peered into the darkness. His vision adjusted slowly, and he caught sight of a large open space, lit with a dull blue glow from around a bend.

Taking in their immediate surroundings, he saw they were on a raised concrete platform several feet above slowly shifting water. Overhead, pipes ran along the space and into nearby tunnels, creating a circuit-like pattern at the peak of his view. At the other end of the open space, there was a concrete tunnel that gently curved to the left, where he saw shifting blue light through his swollen right eye. Without a doubt, he recognized it as the ambient glow of a Rift portal.

"Knew you were a tough bastard," came a deep, nasally voice from his left. He shifted his weight and lowered into a half-crouch. As he tried to draw on his mana, his head throbbed, and he found it resistant to his call.

"Eh? None of that, now. The fight's over, pal. You put up a good one, but fighting alone is its own kind of weakness." Recognition dawned on Mage as he locked eyes with James. The warrior's nose remained broken, with a bandage stretched across the middle, lightly stained with blood.

"Huh, he's already up?" Another voice came from the darkness created by the shining light. Squinting, Mage could see a form approaching and recognized Byron. Seeing both men up close, he realized they were easily 10 to 15 years older than him.

"Good thing Angie left that spell on 'im, huh?" James gave the thin-faced man a flat look and seemed annoyed by his presence.

"Oh come on, I'm just messin' with you. You just came over here to gloat, after all."

"Just making sure he's alive. York can be a sick fucker." Both men seemed to agree on that, though Byron looked at Mage with a smile.

"You are a tough one, son. Kinley is gonna love you. Not often we get a mage who is worth a damn."

"Two fighters will mean a good drop for us this haul. Just stay focused and we'll pull them in tomorrow."

"Told you we should come out before the cleanse," a new voice joined. Mage watched as both Byron and James shifted. The armored mage entered the light, only for both the Gladiator and Fighter to walk away with a nod. James was the only one to say something as they passed.

"York," he said. The armored man didn't pay attention to either of them, instead looking at Mage like a cat might eye its meal. His eyes flicked to both limp arms and back up to his face.

"Guess I shouldn't be surprised that you're awake or moving. Those scars tell me you know how to fight more than our little scuffle did." Mage looked down at his arms, and the pieces started to click in his hazy mind.

"You did this?" he asked, stressing the words and syllables. York shrugged, though he looked smug.

"Angie said to make it so you couldn't cast anymore. I saw you weaving that magic with your hands, so…" He let the sentence hang open ended. Mage realized his arms had been dislocated and his arms and hands battered to where he couldn't use them. It was a horrific realization, only made more surreal because he couldn't feel an ounce of the pain.

His captors took his movement and lack of care as a sign of stubborn strength, but as he looked back at the two women in his cage, they took him as some sort of bloodied monster. Panic started to rise in his mind, though it seemed to be capped at a ceiling. The final piece clicked into place. There was in fact a bright light shining toward the cage, but his left vision was struggling to see because his head was actively surrounded by mana, fogging his vision. Is this what's preventing my magic?

He attempted to pull on his mana again, though it felt as if he had access to a fraction of his clone's normal core. His mind and magic felt sluggish and slow to respond, like someone was pushing down on a part of his mind. It was as if his metaphorical consciousness was fighting desperately against the desire to take a nap. Mage blinked slowly and swayed on his feet. A slight figure stepped up behind York, just outside of his vision. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site.

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"Stop talking to him. His mind is hard enough to subdue. Even now it's moving and calculating. Go back to the exit and wait for the next relay." York snapped to a more alert position and agreed quickly before moving away. Angela, her silhouette monitoring Mage's movements, stayed for a moment longer before walking away herself. Mage blinked again, fighting the urge to sink to the floor. Several heartbeats later, he felt his feet go numb, and the world tilted around him.

The last thing he saw was the other man sitting, a lifeless woman's corpse in his lap. He had hollow eyes that looked down at her while stroking the grime and dirt from her cheeks. Alex sat up with his heart thrumming in his chest. The recent memory from Mage's point of view faded, though the intensity of what he'd seen stayed with him. The most immediate difference wasn't the well-lit room, the comfortable furniture, or even the temperate climate of the expensive hotel room.

It was the speed with which his mind moved. For the first time in months, he felt a genuine contrast in his thoughts and had something alter his mind and perception in a way he couldn't fight. In the memory, he'd tried so hard to get his thoughts moving and to give a strategy some sort of traction in his consciousness. As soon as he returned to himself, Alex felt that same desire to hit the ground running, as if the same desperate need were still with him.

He turned over different options for next steps as he felt memories from his first trip into the Celestial Rift emerge unbidden. His eyes flicked around the room, checking the cornerstones he'd set up before forcing his emotions down. He was feeling reactionary and in an area out of his comfort zone, facing more enemies than he knew, that might be hiding around each corner. Other than those base-level factors, he was more prepared in almost every conceivable way than he was when fighting the Shadow Serpent Sect.

Breathing deeply, Alex closed his eyes and pulled hard on his mana. He felt the powerful substance fill his body and drift to his fingertips, ready to be shaped to his will. In the next moment, he pulled it into his core with such force that it jump-started the turning process of Eura's cycling exercise. There wasn't a need to create the filter. He was less interested in cleansing his mana than he was in moving his mana while he thought through the situation. Scout, come to me.

Bring the phone and decline any calls that come in for now. A confirmation came through their bond. Alex knew that in the worst-case scenario, he could dismiss Mage right now and flee the Safe Zone. He had enough information for Matthews, or anyone else trusted from another zone, could come and begin doing their own investigation.

It wasn't the evidence he'd been looking for, as he hadn't found a way to link Angela's team to the HA branch in Philly, but it was certainly enough to start in on, and clearly linked to the disappearances. Getting his personal cell out, he dialed the number he had for the director and let it ring. He stood and paced as it continued to ring. When he got the voicemail, he hung up and tried again, only to achieve the same result. Frustrated, he left a brief message.

Unsure of how much to share, he stressed the importance of a call back before texting Sarah. Alex: Can you talk? No answer came, so he sent Jake a text as well. Alex: See if you can get in touch with the director. I got a voicemail. Have him call me ASAP; it's related to the task he sent me on. Jake: Hey. What's the update? Alex: Sensitive stuff, I think. Should probably talk to the director. There was a pause before the next response came through. Jake: I'm supposed to be your liaison here, bro.

Jake: I'll try to get in touch with him. Alex let out a sigh and rubbed his forehead. Alex: Just keep it close to your chest, okay? I found where they're taking people here, and I think that the HA branch in Safe Zone has something to do with it. I'm not sure how many people, but enough to make me suspicious of everyone. Jake: Holy shit. Alex: Yeah. So, just don't tell anyone other than the director and try to get him to call me. Jake: Ofc. I'll see if I can get him now. Touch base later.

Alex locked his phone and put it back in his pocket. He still paced around the room, cycling his mana through his core while he thought of next steps. At the very least, he'd follow the link to Mage's location. If possible, he felt he could do something to free the three kept in the cage with his clone. His jaw clenched. Did he really need to do something for those three people? Could he really do something for them?

Attacking a coordinated group like those that subdued Mage would be a feat on its own, made even more challenging with someone like Angela there. His thoughts drifted briefly back to his last attack on the shadow sect encampment. That failed attack hadn't been entirely necessary, and he knew it. He could have taken his time and made a slow and stealthy exit; instead, he'd let his emotions get the better of him.

He'd ridden the high of recent hit-and-run victories, a disorganized enemy, and a recently discovered thrill of battle to guide his decisions. That mistake and failure had ultimately led him to Eura and the Celestial Sect. Thoughts of Eura filtered into the stream of consciousness. The celestial's calm, confident presence was immense and felt larger than life to Alex. What would he say? Almost instantly, Alex knew what the advice would be. Practical, smart, and progression-focused.

His mindset shifted again, flowing from one scenario to the next with each breath. A memory discussing the value of a life returned to him, tangled with circular arguments about power and purpose. Rather than thinking that he shouldn't, Alex began to think about how he could. Not that he should, but how he should. A plan started to come together.

"… and the first step will be prep," he said, opening his eyes. Reaching out with his mind, he pulled the mana battery prototype from his spatial ring. He shifted his idle focus from moving his mana in his core to infusing it into the enchanted gem. As his mana filled the stone, the spell circle engraved on its front began to glow to his left eye. By the time Scout arrived at the overpriced rent-a-room in Zone 4, Alex was reaching the bottom third of his mana.

The clone entered with a troubled look on his face, but he was interrupted as the mana battery flew toward him. Scout caught it, his expression shifting.

"See if you can push your mana into that without [Mana Infusion]. Even if it's less effective, we need the practice, and every mana point will count." Scout tossed Alex the temporary phone before starting in on the task. After checking to make sure no calls had come in, Alex moved to the desk at the edge of the room. He removed the leather notebook from his ring and bent forward, jotting down details and a general layout from the memories he'd seen from Mage's cage.

Hours passed quickly with the two of them tossing the mana battery back and forth and brainstorming a plan. Soon after, Scout left to start tracking down Mage's location while Alex dismissed and re-summoned Warrior, bringing his final [Fractured Body] into play. With the extra eyes, hands, and ability to layer his spell circles, he felt significantly more confident in his assault on his captors.

"I feel like we should take some more time," Scout said from behind Alex.

"We don't have more time," Warrior countered.

"I don't know what a cleanse is, but that memory was pretty clear. They'll start moving them into the Rift in the next few hours." The three of them crouched as they moved across the empty street in the early predawn light. Scout whispered a warning as they crossed into the narrow space between buildings.

"I left the lid cracked up ahead." Slowing his pace, Alex found the space he was referencing. A metal latch left slightly ajar awaited them, leading down several stories to a tunnel and open space. Based on Scout's earlier work, they still had twenty minutes of walking to go, but all of them agreed it wasn't worth risking an earlier discovery.

"I think it's getting harder for him to stay awake," Warrior said.

"Stop checking in on him," Alex said while holding up the metal door. The two clones passed him to lead through the sewers, and he continued, "We don't know what Angela can do. She might sense his mind working in a different way. Also, there's no telling how being under that skill's effect is going to affect your consciousness. I'll dismiss him when we're ready. If you're worried about it, let's get into place quickly and quietly."

Both of his clones nodded seriously from ahead, looking like strangers with their masks on. They took the first major split together before splitting at the second minor split in directions. Alex bumped their fists and thought of his friends.

"See ya on the other side," Warrior said with a grin, likely emulating Mark.

"You dropped them the pin?" Scout asked.

"Yep, they've got a timeline and our location. Sarah and Jon only just left, so if we don't reach out by tonight, they'll head this way and start searching here," Alex answered. He turned to the left and ascended a set of narrow metal steps to a side passage, continuing on his own. Alex replayed the steps of their plan in his head. It was a bit more intricate than might be needed, but he felt that an assured victory was the best way to go about things.

A short time later, he was in position, hand holding onto a pipe overhead for balance. His precarious position on a larger pipe over the canal gave him a decent view of the group below. The large pipe he stood on was roughly ten feet off the ground and opened with a filter and machine to pour liquid into the sewer below. The piping overhead, however, continued on toward the bend where the Rift lay. Behind him was the edge of the cement space, giving him a sense of security.

Below him and at a forty-five degree angle to his right was a temporary camp set up for Angela's team. They had expensive camping equipment and a small generator that ran various devices around the space. Most noticeable was the floodlight that was extended and blasting full brightness at a makeshift cage of broken people. Mage lay in there, doing his best to hide against the far side in the shadows without alarming those he was trapped with.

Alex waited for what felt like a half-hour to pass while Warrior and Scout got into position. Carefully, he wove threads of mana as thin as he could, actively adjusting the density of their mana to blend in with the surroundings. He thanked the clones again for the constant practice and exercises over the last two weeks, allowing him to form a large, area spell circle base over the camp and cage below. After he alternated between controlnodes and setting a spark rune, he felt prepared and waited with a held breath.

When he felt a mental prodding as a signal that they were in position, he couldn't tell that anything below had changed. He was impressed with their growing ability to manipulate mana without its being visible to mana sight. Even when intentionally searching for it, knowing it should be there, he couldn't see anything. Alex gripped the pipe overhead, prepared to use his enhanced strength to pull it from its position and empty below.

But, just as he was about to dismiss Mage as the signal for the other two to activate their spells, chaos erupted from around the bend. Sounds of combat, screaming, and spells erupted as if someone had turned on a television at full blast.