Sepia Blue- Nameless: A Sepia Blue Novel- Book 4 by Orlando Sanchez (best self help books to read .txt) 📗

“It’s me, Rafael. Don’t you recognize me?”

“I recognize that you’re in my dojo without being invited,” Gan answered. “You can leave or I can make you leave. Your choice.”

“I don’t want to fight you,” Rafael said. “Especially not in here.”

“Then you can leave.”

“Gladly,” Rafael said with a short bow. “Just point me to the exit and I will.”

Gan looked around and, for a few seconds, he looked confused. The dojo was an enclosed space—there was no entrance or exit.

“How did you get in here?” Gan asked. “I removed the door.”

“How did you?” Rafael asked. “Where was the door before you removed it?”

“I’ve always been here,” Gan said. “This is my space.”

“No, not always. You’ve come here because you suffered a mindswipe and then underwent a recall procedure. Right this moment, you’re lying in a hospital bed.”

“Impossible,” Gan said, looking around. “This is my dojo space. I’ve always been here.”

“I’m sorry, my old friend, but no. This place only exists in your mind.”

“If this place only exists in my mind, then how are you here?” Gan asked. “Are you saying I’m imagining you?”

It was an excellent question, demonstrating that Gan was slowly waking from his stasis. Rafael had to answer carefully or risk sending Gan deeper.

“No, I came here through our old ward bond,” Rafael said, measuring his words. “Do you recall when we first received our ink?”

“You jumped into my mind?” Gan asked. “How did you do that?”

It was progress. At least Gan was open to the idea the dojo was a mental construct. If Rafael handled this incorrectly, however, he would be forced to fight Gan in a mental battlefield where Gan made all the rules and was subject to none.

“No, I stepped in to get you back,” Rafael said, keeping his voice even. “You need to come back. You can’t stay here, my friend.”

“I have to stay here,” Gan said. “It’s where I can keep everyone safe.”

Rafael hesitated before answering, knowing this would be a trigger.

“Who are you trying to keep safe?” Rafael asked. “Who is in danger?”

“Everyone is in danger. Only I can keep them safe.”

“Can you show them to me?” Rafael asked, looking around. “Where is everyone?”

“Of course, they’re right over…”

Gan found himself at a loss for words as he motioned across the dojo.

Rafael took a deep breath and let out a sigh, realizing the futility of taking a breath in a mental construct.

“Gan?” Rafael asked, tentatively. “Where is Sepia?”

Gan’s faced darkened as he searched the dojo floor.

“She’s not here,” Gan said in an almost whisper. “Where is she?”

“How can you keep her safe, if she’s not here?” Rafael asked gently. “Where is she?”

Gan’s hands began to pulse with violet power.

“You took her,” Gan said, looking down. “Give her back.”

“If you want to see Sepia again, you’re going to need to leave this place.”

“Where did you take her?”

“She’s not far,” Rafael said. “All you need to do is come with—”

A fist covered in violet energy nearly removed Rafael’s head as Gan closed the distance instantly. Rafael just managed to evade the attack by sliding to the side and ducking.

“Bring her back,” Gan said as the violet energy slowly crept up his arms. “Bring her back, now.”

“I’d rather take you to her,” Rafael said, backing up slowly. “Can we do that? I can take you to where she is.”

“No,” Gan said with finality. “Bring her back, or I will kill you. You let them give Velos a dark blade so that he could kill her. This is your fault.”

More progress. Gan’s memory was returning in snippets and pieces. Unfortunately the pieces that were resurfacing painted Rafael in a negative light.

“No, that wasn’t me, but Velos does want to hurt Sepia,” Rafael said. “Come with me and we can stop him.”

“Go with you?” Gan asked as the violet energy now covered his entire body. “You sent Velos after Sepia. I will kill you, and then Velos.”

“I didn’t send Velos,” Rafael said, circling around the dojo floor. “That was Regional. Someone else wants Sepia gone. Help me find out who it is.”

“You’re a Director…Raf…Rafael,” Gan managed with some effort. “You’re responsible.”

“At least you remember my name,” Rafael said. “Any chance you remember I saved your life a few times?”

“I’ll make sure to inscribe that on your tombstone when I bury you.”

“Thoughtful of you, but pass,” Rafael said, shaking out his arms. “Fine, you pigheaded fool. You force my hand. I’ll beat you back to reality if that’s what it takes.”

A deep golden light covered Rafael’s hands as he slid into a defensive stance.

Gan stepped forward, leading with an open palm aimed at Rafael’s chest. Rafael parried the strike with his bladehand, forcing Gan’s hand outward in a large arc.

Gan rotated into the parry lashing out with his other arm, slapping Rafael across the shoulder. Rafael spun as the slap sent him across the floor. Gan closed the distance.

His stonehand is stronger in here. I can’t let him hit me again.

“Return Sepia or die,” Gan said, increasing the violet energy around his body. “Now.”

“I’m sorry, old friend, but you leave me no choice,” Rafael said as he traced a ward symbol in the air. “This should be over soon enough.”

The ward symbol flared with golden light as Rafael attacked. His bladehand struck at Gan’s major joints—he made sure to cut, but not sever. Even in a mental construct, Gan would adhere to the laws of anatomy and physics he was familiar with. Rafael intensified his attack until Gan could only react to his strikes.

Gan tried to press an attack, but the ward Rafael had used prevented Gan from advancing against him. Rafael cut through muscle and tendons until Gan could no longer use his arms.

A moment later, he was completely healed.

“Shit, Gan, stop this,” Rafael said, backing up. “You need to stop.”

“Once you bring me Sepia and you’re dead, I’ll stop.”

“You want Sepia?” Rafael asked. “Then come get her.”

Rafael jumped out of the window and into the zen garden. Gan followed him,