Bolts

Jaya’s brows furrowed, and she cocked her head, listening intently, but not to Jodah.

“What...?” he started, but she waved him silent.

“Listen,” she hissed.

Jodah was quiet and heard what Jaya had heard: The heavy tread of steel-shod feet outside the door to Gustha’s quarters. The archmage pointed at the passage leading up to the present roof, where Jaya’s aesthir was currently perching.

Jaya managed to get in one nod in response before the door itself exploded and a huge silver automaton strode into the room. Its skin was shaped plates of steel, bound together by a thick tapestry of cable. It was surprisingly human looking, though its eyes were a merciless golden sheen.

Jodah ducked the bulk of the blast, but Jaya was bowled over and carried back several feet. The archmage quickly pulled into his mind the necessary energies and fired off a series of blue-white bolts of magical force. The triple shot laced across the automaton’s front, and the golem staggered backward as well. Parts of its metal hide shattered from the force of the blows, sending shrapnel in all directions.

As Jodah watched, the weave of cables within the mage-blasted hole twisted, and soft metal leaked out of the surrounding pores, causing the creature’s armor to reseal the damage done.

***

The Shattered Alliance, Chapter 12