Deep inside his mind, the faint, comforting, brilliant blue pulse of Valerie's astral tether violently sputtered.
*KZZZT... POP.*
"Valerie?" Sebastian gasped, his head snapping around. He completely ignored the white light actively burning away his right shoulder. "Seattle, what's going on? Talk to me!"
The audio feed in his head was a chaotic, horrific mess of screeching metal, popping mana conduits, and a woman gasping for air.
Millions of miles away, deep beneath the ruined, ash-choked streets of Earth, the Sanctuary command center was officially dying.
*WHRRRRRR-BANG!*
A massive, thick titanium pipe on the side of the Astral Spire violently ruptured. A geyser of superheated, blinding blue steam exploded across the grand hall.
