Page 191 of Godslayer
I stare at her, blinking. Trying my best to sort this out. “Take… the source?” My gaze lifts past her, looking at the chain. Maidens connected through touch. Haryet, the end. Delivering a thread of spark.
I can take as much as I want.
I can save us!
“Look again, Little Sister,” Haryet coos—only she’s not pointing to the Source, she’s pointing to my body. All over it are the names of the Factory women. Dull and lifeless, save for one, which is glowing. The symbol Haryet touched. The one that has a tiny bit of spark to make it glow.
“There is a price,” she says. “And you will have to pay it.”
“I don’t care, how do I do it! Tell me what to do! I want to give all the spark to Tyse,right now!”
She tilts her head at me. Almost asks me if I’m sure.
But I am, and she knows this.
Suddenly, that tiny bit of spark thread grows thicker. Becomes a stream of blue-white static. Turns into a wave of lightning.
And then, I’m in the arena. Hovering over a fighting Tyse. Winged mutants are throwing themselves at him. One, after the other, after the other.
He’s losing.
But he’s trying.
“Give it to him!” I order Haryet. “I don’t care what the price is, I will pay it!”
“Done.”
Every symbol on my body lights up in unison as lightning cracks through the arena like a writhing serpent. Raw spark hitsTyse in the back. He folds forward, falling to the ground. The spark stream coming from Haryet is as thick as an ancient tree trunk. As volatile as a blazing sun. It pours into him.
But it’s not saving him! Because while he’s on the ground, the flying mutants are still attacking!
“NO!” I scream, pushing both my hands forward into the air.
Spark pours out of me now too, and I hold them off.
Three things happen at once now.
First, Haryet and the factory maidens have emptied all their spark into Tyse, so she retreats. Floating backwards like she’s being pulled by a string. Before I can even comprehend what this means, she’s gone. And the chain of Factory Maidens go with her.
Second, one by one all the glowing symbols on my body begin to extinguish.
It’s not enough!
Having bought him a chance, Tyse is back on his feet, “Clara,” he begs, looking down at his right hand. “Please, please, please…”
“How could it not be enough!” I scream back. “I gave youeverything!”
Then, I’m gone. Done. Empty.
My eyes open. I’m strapped to a wall plate made of cold, hard metal. I can’t think. I can’t move.
I can’t do anything becauseIT’S NOT ENOUGH!
And I don’t know what more he wants from me! I don’t have anything left.
But then, something.
A noise. Clattering.
