Sentinel

Chapter 28 - Dreaming Reality

Dedicated to Struggler for the 'Update woman' comment. 

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Chapter 28 - Dreaming Reality

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"What?" said Tayne, not quite sure he'd heard her right. 

"Naisha needs a protector," Skye insisted. "It needs the Silverborn." She shook her head, fingers sliding up towards her marked shoulder. "With me marked, they'll consider me a traitor if I return. They won't let me near it, if they can help it, and Sentinel or not--they'll try to kill me to protect the village's location if they believe me to be a threat."

Tayne couldn't believe what she was telling him. 

"Skye, you're a Sentinel," he said. "Surely that would--"

She cut him off. "And look at how trustworthy the last one turned out. That, combined with my own history, will be enough to convince them I'm no longer pure, but they need a protector." She held his gaze. "I trust you, Tayne, and someone else has to know. The Silverborn have to help more than just the humans."

"I understand," said Tayne. "How do you plan to show me?" 

Skye chewed her lip. "I found something in the library, a... spell I'd like to try if you don't mind."

"I only ask that you try not to blow me up," said Tayne solemnly. 

He caught a smile from Skye. She pressed her palms together in front of her body and in a swift movement, swivelled them around to face them to the ceiling. Between their grip, a small sphere of emerald light blossomed. 

“It’s supposed to be something called a memory drift, if I’ve invoked it correctly. It allows the Sentinel to share a memory with another soul.”

Tayne tilted his head, examining the light. “You’ve just fought off the shadow; wouldn’t it be tiring to do this now?”

Skye shook her head. “I need to do something with the residual energy if I’m ever going to get to sleep. That either means meditating to refocus it, or using it, and I don’t have the focus required to meditate right now.”

“And you’re sure?” asked Tayne.

Skye gave him a firm nod. "I am."

Tayne extended both arms and sank his hands into the emerald light resting atop her palms. 

Electric jolts captured Tayne’s body. His senses refused to reach beyond the coil of colour. Body feeling like it were on fire, Tayne twisted his neck in a desperate search for Skye amongst the blur of sparks. It took his entire focus to complete even that simple task. The light pulsating around him broke down reality and stole his breath. Heart pounding, he squeezed his eyes closed and kicked out with his legs. Flailing and unsuccessfully trying to find purchase for his feet, Tayne succumbed to the shifting green light.

It didn’t work. It went wrong. The shadows were still there.

He couldn’t get the thought out of his head as he spiralled down, further into the light.

Deities, save us. We’re going to die.

He wasn’t sure how he knew that Skye was with him in this maelstrom that threatened to rip his heart from his chest. He just did. It made sense to his mind. If they were in danger, they’d face it together. She was here.

His left foot caught something solid. The ground materialised under his boots. An uncertain step backwards revealed a larger area. Several more carefully placed steps ensued as he tried to regain his ruptured balance. Searching behind him with his hands, he reached for the wall he knew should be there. The rough surface was alarmingly absent.