Mirror increases power

Jaya was at his side now. Jodah tried to push her back, out of the way, but she would not budge. Instead she reached inside his vest and grabbed his reflecting mirror, holding it up as a protective talisman against the automaton.

Jodah howled a warning, but the creature unleashed another of its lightning bolts.

The bolt struck the mirror and rebounded, stronger than when first cast by a factor of four. The errant bolts slid in all directions, scarring deep chasms into the walls.

The bulk of the energy returned back on the automaton, catching it full in the chest. It let out a shrieking howl as its entire chest was vaporized, the arms cast to either side, the head pitching forward like a child’s ball. The legs, still mounted to the shreds of the trunk, rocked back and forth, then fell backward.

For a few moments, the arms and head hissed, and the tendrils beneath the surviving part’s skin flexed and flailed in an attempt to recreate vital parts that were now nothing more than hot steam.

Jaya stood there, still clutching the mirror.

“Woo,” she said.

Jodah placed his hands on his twisted leg. A white glow surrounded the limb, and it straightened. The archmage staggered to his feet and put his hand to his forehead, pulling it away to see blood. Though woozy, he mentally dived into the mansion where he kept his spells and, summoning the mana as if it was second nature to him, rubbed his forehead. The long, jagged gash above his eyebrow, traced moments before by an errant stone shard, healed over without scarring.

“You looked off balance,” said Jaya, handing back the mirror. “And I knew you always have your mirror. I thought it could reflect the blast and buy you some time, but I never saw it do that before.”

“It didn’t do that before,” said Jodah, shoving the mirror back into his vest, pulling out the reliquary from the opposite side with the same move. “I haven’t been using the mirror. Freyalise did something to it. I’m not sure what, but it’s more powerful. Dangerously so.”

***

The Shattered Alliance, Chapter 12