“I agree with the Elder’s analysis. This unit is heavily armored with metals never before used by humans. It has powerful shields and equally powerful counterweapons. The risk is acceptable,” Omega said.

“Declan,” Senka said, smiling, “ I really like your computer.”

“He’s not mine. He belongs to himself,” Declan said.

“While that is a true statement, Father, I do belong to you in the same sense that family members belong to one another.”

“Okay, that’s true. Yes, Elder Senka. He’s a bit of a handful,” Declan said.

Just then, a bolt of white energy flashed out of the jungle ahead, impacting Omega’s forcefield in an overwhelming stab of eye searing light. Instantly, the battle orb returned fire with four equally strong beams of coherent energy, the result being a short but intense explosion within the vegetation that threw shredded plants everywhere.

“She has the ability to create energy weapons,” Nika noted. “I mean beyond charged, explosive crystals.”

“That’s basically just a much more refined version of my bracelet,” Declan said.

“Way more refined,” Lydia said.

“How do you know? You weren’t even here to see it,” Declan said.

“It almost goes without saying. Just going on what I know about you and what I can see about her,” the little vampire said with a straight face. Declan gave her a frown and then turned back to the action and thus missed the wink she gave Chris, Stacia, and Tanya.

“Listen, Bug’s Life, I’ll show you. I’ll pimp out my version. Massive crystal, something more volatile like a big-ass chunk of smoky quartz. Then I’ll tap into Robbie and power the shit out of that bitch,” Declan said, giving his vampire nemesis a sideglance. “Then you can ride it like a rocket right over to Fairie and compare how refined it is.”

“Easy there, big ticket,” Stacia said. “She’s just yanking your chain. She doesn’t know shit about your bracelet.”

Lydia was laughing silently, and as soon as he looked her way, she reached out a hand and flipped an imaginary lever in front of her. “And just like that, ladies and gentlemen, the switch is turned on.”

“Maybe. But I’m still rebuilding that thing. Time for some serious overpowered magser action.”

Lydia opened her mouth to reply but Nika reached out and covered it with her hand. “He’s not kidding. And the more you poke him, the bigger his plans for the weapon get. At this point, even he is uncertain about its stability. Let’s not blow up Arcane.”

“Father, I am entering the box canyon. My thermal sensors are picking up heat within the cliff at the back of the canyon. Weapons fire has ceased, with one party moving off into the jungle. The other arcane source has stopped all motion, right by the end of the canyon.”