Forged Destiny [Book 9: Ch. 20]

Something stirred within the rock. Reached out. I felt the faintest touch of metal and then sensed it reaching out for me much like it had when I interacted with Penny. Rock cracked and split as a tiny silver branch sprouted from the surface and coiled about my right hand lovingly. A thicker branch sprouted around my left wrist. I smiled at it. "There you are…"

"JAUNE! LOOK OUT!"

Ruby's scream came with all the warning in the world and it didn't matter. With both my arms being locked in by the Ironwood, I could only look back over one shoulder as Salem battled Blake aside with her bloody stump of a hand and aimed her free one at my back.

"No more, Arc. No more!"

I was already pushing fire into the Ironwood to try and form a shield behind me – ready to etch `Seal` into it – but it was slow. Too slow. Black light coalesced in her hand. It shot out with a horrific blast. There was no chance of escaping it.

—Forged Destiny [Book 9: Ch. 20]