Chapter 65 #3
“If you're thinking of bringing down the barrier with Natali, I'll tell you right now—it's impossible!
She's level 500, totally incompatible with the barrier,” Kaori said while continuing to work.
She knew blocking power well, since the barrier gift was native to Vinturis.
“Yugo, at level 900, could lower the protection because he was in the command center, where there's a centralized sinil device that directs the energy.
But if you're going to bring down the barrier from the side, you'll need at least two blockers above level 800 and some pieces of sinil to handle the power.
Each one has to drain half the energy, or it'll resist.”
Zion punched a table, his desperation reaching new heights. He looked at the screens and saw the drones leaving area 3 and heading toward area 4.
In Jupiter, there were only five blockers: Natali, Breno, Dominic, Zafira, and Yugo.
The first didn't have a high enough level.
The second was trapped, blocked, and drugged inside.
The third was an eleven-year-old boy who had just discovered his power.
The fourth was a royal pillar, and the last one wasn't responding.
It would have to be Zafira—but what about the second blocker?
“Take the heart rate display off the air and broadcast on the big screen that we're having technical difficulties. The last thing we need is an entire city in hysterics,” Zion ordered, pointing to the still-connected screens transmitting images to all of Jupiter.
On the display, the three dead hearts had stopped registering. What must the parents be thinking? A stabbing pain cut through his chest—three lives had been taken, and soon it could be his partner.
“Yes, sir!” Kaori said, already preparing everything.
“Lionel?” Zion called to the director, who promptly saluted. “We need a large amount of sinil. Can you arrange that?”
“I don't know, General, but I'll do my best. My son is in there too.”
Lionel left the room quickly, and Zion wondered where the director would find so much sinil in so little time. The metal was rare and very expensive—even the stores that sold it kept low stock limits to prevent large-scale theft.
Now his mind spun in absolute chaos, trying to think of some other blocker who could do this.
He asked Kaori if he could use Natali and Dominic together, but the lieutenant said the energy wouldn't react well to both of them—it would become unstable, and that could be dangerous.
He exchanged a worried look with her. She was also searching for a solution, but it was clear they were at the mercy of fate.
“Zion, I need to tell you something,” Kyller said from the other end.
“Tell me,” he said, still trying to figure out the other blocker problem.
Kyller remained silent. However, through the bond, he felt the remnants of her feelings coming from her tumultuous thoughts. She was hopeful but feared putting everything into words. Zion was formulating a phrase to calm her when Kyller finally responded:
“Adele already has her power back. I think she can help me unblock mine.”
Zion's jaw dropped. Had he heard her right?
“How is that possible?” he asked incredulously. She explained about the day at the cliff and how Adele's liver had already cleared the blocker's effect.
“That's incredible,” he shouted through the bond. “Yes! Focus on bringing your gift back, and then...”
Zion stopped abruptly, his mind connecting the dots and working through the implications of that information.
At that moment, a path appeared before him—and the solution he'd found had the power to save his partner, while at the same time it could kill her.
He was torn about asking this of her, but it was the only way.
There was no other option. If she didn't do it, everyone would die.
“And then...?” Kyller prompted from the other end.
“We need two blockers to bring down the barrier. I'll go after Zafira, but there's no other level 800 out here.” Zion couldn't voice the request, but it was there between the lines. Waiting for her to absorb the information was torture.
“You need Breno,” she murmured from the other end, understanding what was being asked.
The two fell silent, thinking. Zion knew he was asking a lot—Kyller was safe in the tree, and it was madness to expose her to the dangers on the ground. But there was no other way.
“Do you think you can unlock his power too?” he asked, clenching his fists as he imagined his partner having to deal with such responsibility.
“Yes. I’ll go after him.”
Zion swallowed the lump of fear lodged in his throat.
“Not before your own power returns. We’ll buy you time while the animals are on the other side. We’ll warn you if they get too close.”
They didn’t have time, but without the gift active, the plan was doomed to fail.
“We’ll do our best,” Kyller said, returning her focus to what was happening on the other side. Zion raised his mental barrier and turned to Kaori.
“I’ll get Zafira. Let me know if the drone in area 3 goes down.”
Kaori tossed him an earpiece, which he caught midair.
“Take this. You’re not known for answering your phone,” she ordered, eyes on the cameras. “And try not to get into a fight with the king.”
He raised an eyebrow at her.
“That’ll depend on him.”