Phase III

"Trial two is complete. Now begins the really dangerous part of the challenge," Una informed me.

"Water is a poor conductor of electricity, it is the impurities that are found in water that actually allow the liquid to act as a conduit. Salts, metals, these substances suspended in the medium allow it to conduct. It is the impurities that actually form the bridge that allows ions to charge.

"Kelpies, for the most part, make their homes near or in freshwater. Because electrical storms can be deadly to those that are caught in discharges or strikes that hit the water, we have learned to compensate. Kelpie can generate a field that purifies and filters out those impurities. This field allows us to negate the conductive properties of water and ignore lightning strikes by creating a membrane of distilled water that surrounds our bodies and works as an insulator.

"Belisama has changed the water for this challenge. Infusing salts and minerals in vast quantities to make electrical conduction and ionization not only possible but more efficient. The ion trails that will be generated will create the perfect solvent that will allow for a savage lightning storm. Electrical arcs that will be generated within the globe itself are powerful.

"To survive. Kelpie must be able to extend an energy field that filters out those impurities and salts, surrounding themselves in a bubble of non-conductive pure water. Even the slightest deviation with filtration or lapse in mental energies will allow billions of joules of energy to target their flesh. Chain lightning and ball lightning can and will be released as the energies are released to test the ability to maintain their distilled insulator shields.

"They would probably survive one or two of these strikes, perhaps even all of them, Sidhe have always been adept at healing damage done by nature. But they would be in no condition to enter combat after this phase of the trial was concluded if they were unable to protect themselves. Their shields must hold, in order to be in the best condition to enter combat."

The effect Una described began almost as soon as she finished explaining this phase. The lightning generating fierce displays of pyrotechnic wonder. It was beautiful. It was almost as if Belisama had fashioned a giant-sized snow globe. But instead of snowflakes cascading as the globe was shaken, bolts of lightning were released in dizzying displays of static sparks and electrical discharge.

Better still, she had created a giant plasma ball. Blayney the negative, Lord Haygan the positive. And the arcs of energy released between the two a lightning storm display of motion and energy.

The sparks and electrical strikes were contained completely within the globe. A Faraday cage on an epic scale. The smell of ozone permeated the area, but the light show was non-threating, soothing somehow in its display of destructive might. Those gathered to watch had complete faith that Belisama's arena would contain the storm that raged, and safeguard any, even the most daring that actually reached out to touch the waters, from being harmed.

A few of the Kelpie colts played games of dare as they dashed quickly back and forth to prove their bravery. Reaching out to quickly touch the waters that harnessed such power. The adults ignored their childish displays of daring, knowing full well, that the energies were contained, their children safe.

I reached out with my perception, curious how the enchantment was powered and to see if I could decipher any runes that may have been used in construction. My mental 'eyes' slammed shut reflexively, not quite fast enough to protect me from the glaring profusion of magic that was blasting and emanating from the water construct.

The magics were like nothing I'd ever seen. Even when dealing with the Wild Hunt or Wild Magics, the intensity hadn't been as pronounced. Those magics had been more like background noise. Part of the cycle of the world. Currents and eddies of motion that fit seamlessly into the natural whole.

This was different. A will so immense that the laws of nature were suspended. Instead of working within the framework of the laws that weaved together the patterns of creation and reality, this construct overwrote those laws. It broke what should be, and inserted patterns and weaves of what would be.

Divine will.

The ability of Gods to suspend the rules and transform what was possible to what was desired.

"We should have warned you about that," Una informed me, the smile evident in her voice. "Belisama can be prideful. Of courses, all the Gods can be. But she also jealously guards her creations.

"She doesn't mind people taking a peek at the wonders She can produce, but Her secrets are Hers to share. A quick glance is all anyone has ever been able to gather when trying to understand how the arena functions," Una explained.

"Someone from every generation makes it their life's work to try to unravel the secrets of the arena. No one has ever succeeded," Irvin responded proudly.

The mental blindness cleared quickly. Still, I was hesitant to extend my perception again while Blayney and Lord Haygan were being tested. At least, I decided not to extend my awareness towards the arena, where the challenge was taking place.

Perception was an interesting skill. It could be exercised like a muscle, extending and flexing as I directed, but it also had a passive effect. A subtle awareness of events and environment around me. It must be tied to intellect in some manner. A way to nudge and direct my actions so that I was capable of identifying the 'wrongness' for events transpiring near me.

When I noticed the patterns of Kelpies weaving in and out as to monitor our progress, and spy on us earlier, my perception had nudged my awareness and was done subconsciously. Those subtle hints to hidden clues or the sense of wrongness I detected were disruptions that focused attention, coalescing into a whole that transformed the subconscious to the conscious.

Perception didn't work exactly like the skill clairvoyance, but it did increased insight. I didn't suddenly see or know something was going to happen, to know if something was about to go wrong. My perception wasn't capable of predicting what would happen or how to respond. Often, I wasn't even sure exactly what my perception was responding to. But my senses began to scream at me to notice, that something had changed, something that may impact me and those I would protect. Some event had triggered my awareness and heightened my instincts to prepare.

And my perception and those nudges to my awareness were active. As I tried to decipher the triggers that my perception had identified, I noticed that some of the surrounding Kelpie seemed to be less focused on the challenge taking place in the arena and more on those Kelpie that stood near me. Especially those Kelpie that were members of Blayney's family.

This scrutiny, this intensity and the magnitude of attention on these few individuals made no sense. They had not acted in any way different than others in the crowd. And except for Una and Irvin when they had answered my questions, they had remained silent. Observing and only engaging in conversation with me.

So, why were they suddenly the object of such fierce attention?