Page 71 of Omega Sanctuary

"What are you doing here?" His voice was soft, and he stroked his hand through my hair.

I melted against him. "I didn't mean to."

He looked over my shoulder, at my body and Aalina moving around me with sharp gestures.

"You can't come to the spirit world until you've had training."

"I'm trying to train," I snapped. "This was supposed to be a simple breathing exercise."

"Alright." He kissed my forehead. "Let's get you back to your body. I'll do the best I can, but you're going to need a better solution in the mortal realm."

He walked me back. I glanced at him. "What should I..."

"Just relax," he said. "Sit over your body, and I'll do the rest."

I sat over myself, feeling odd. He looked into my eyes, his blond hair falling over his shoulder, and said something I didn't understand.

I blinked and I was back in the mortal realm.

It felt like dying.

I cried out, and magic exploded. The anastatis boxes glowed bright enough to hurt before popping and going black. Aalina sucked in a breath before being knocked back on her butt.

The explosion sent the bench and chair flying back, the circle filled with magic until the entire valley lit up with white light.

Magic flashed. It was going to kill us all, the onslaught of magic. I braced myself but just as magic left the circle, Kivai shimmered into view, standing on top of the valley, his hands raised to the heavens.

He twisted his body, gesturing with his hands like he was the wind incarnate, and the magic followed his call. It raced up into the sky and dissipated.

I collapsed on my side.

Aalina made a wheezing noise.

I crawled over to her, certain the blast had broken a rib or something.

I rolled her onto her back. "Are you okay?" My body screamed in pain, but I fought through it.

Aalina pulled herself into a sitting position. She wheezed again, and I realized what the sound was: laughter.

I frowned. "I thought you were hurt."

"Nothing that won't heal," Aalina wheezed. "I never thought I'd live to see the day."

She broken down into helpless wheezing. I sat up, feeling put out. I just exploded the valley and she was laughing like we were school girls playing pranks.

Aalina finally got herself under control, wiping her eyes. "Oh girl, if you only knew the havoc..." She shook her head and looked at me. "We haven't had a novice this gifted in spirit magic in years. Their own hubris is coming back for them three fold."

"Hubris?" I was lost, but my head was pounding too hard to really make sense of what she was talking about.

"The idea that they can control the flow of magic if they want to enough." Aalina shook her head. "No matter, we'll find you a Void to train with."

I gestured at the anastatis boxes. "But..."

Aalina pulled herself upright. "Voids absorb magic or negate it. Forgive an old lady her hubris. I didn't expect you to be so powerful but in possession of your wits."

I didn't feel in possession of my wits. I blinked at her. "You're not making sense."

"Most people as gifted in spirit magic as you are would have died or gone mad a long time ago." Aalina helped me up, but I swayed the second I stood upright.

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