The Elder Saint brought Kiera to a workshop within the spire. It was orderly and clean, with pure white light and white paint on the smooth walls. A witch awaited for them when they arrived, and Kiera estimated that she was even weaker than Fiona. She had the same purple hair as Diana.

"Thank you for answering my summons," Annatiki said. "This is Sophia the Engineer."

Kiera waved to her. "Are you related to Diana?"

"I am," Sophia said. "She is a cousin."

"I have asked Sophia to fly here for a special task," Annatiki said. "She excels at this work with ease."

"Come with me," Sophia said. She led Kiera to a table with a tall wooden box. The top of the box was open.

"Stand on this stool and let your arm rest inside the box," Sophia said.

As Kiera's hand dangled inside the box, Sophia began to mix two liquids together in a large bucket with some type of hand-held mixing machine. Then she poured the mixture into the box around Kiera's hand. The mixture began to grow out of the box and turn into a solid.

"Make your arm and hand immune to physical trauma," Sophia said. "Annatiki assures me that you know how to do it."

Kiera did, though it was still unnerving as Sophia used a mechanical saw to slice through the box and the solidified mixture. After the entire box was cut in half, there was a perfect mold of Kiera's hand.

"That's all I need for now, come back in a few days."

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When Kiera returned to the workshop Sophia gave her a gauntlet resembling the one that Annatiki used to kill Edwin. It had the same long, razor sharp, claw-like fingers. Upon closer inspection the tips the fingers had tiny holes, almost like a syringe. When she tried it on, it fit perfectly.

"Press the button on your forearm," Sophia said. It took a while for Kiera to find it, but when she pressed it, the forearm popped out, revealing a deep round compartment hidden inside.

Sophia handed her a vial. The vial was filled with a swirling ruby-silver liquid. Kiera slid it into the compartment and snapped it shut.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

"Don't make your arm immune to physical damage this time, but feel free to remove the pain. Rake your fingers along the top of your forearm hard enough to break the flesh."

While it make Kiera extremely uncomfortable, Kiera did so, and the gauntlet left four trails of the ruby-silver liquid along her bleeding arm.

"Try to heal the wounds," Sophia said. Kiera claimed ether and attempted to repair her arm. She was met with a shifting, maze-like trap that prevented healing. It felt similar to the time Annatiki allowed her to attempt to draw sien from the spikes.

"I cannot," Kiera said.

"Indeed," Sophia said. "This gauntlet dispenses a liquid crysien alloy. It is designed specifically for killing witches. Throughout the entire war, Annatiki never failed to kill a single one of her targets using this weapon. There is enough of the liquid in each vial to be used about five times. I will give you a supply of the vials, be sure to keep a spare vial with you at all times."

"Um, how do I heal my arm."

"I will do it," Annatiki said. She pressed her hand against Kiera's arm. Kiera felt the other witch claim ether and perform some incomprehensible etherweave. Suddenly Kiera could heal her arm again.

Kiera bowed to Annatiki. "Thank you!"

Annatiki thanked Sophia and they left. As Annatiki led Kiera through the spire, she said "the one you must meet next will deeply disturb you. But understand that this is critical for you. You must quell your instincts."

They arrived in a circular chamber lit with pale blue light from ethersteel stone deposits in the walls. In the center of the chamber, a man knelt on the ground, as if he was being knighted. Annatiki approached him. "What is your focus?" she asked.

"I heal myself," the man said.

Kiera shivered. "No, please no."

"You must gain real experience using the gauntlet," Annatiki replied. "This thrall is stronger than you. You will not be able to suppress his powers and therefore you will not be able to harm him."

Kiera felt relieved. Until she saw the Aura Maiden enter the room.

"I am going to teach you how to burn sien to gain a temporary advantage against witches that are stronger than you," Annatiki said. "You are going to practice killing this man until it's as easy as breathing. I will be here to remove the liquid from his wounds."

"Listen, Annatiki, this makes me deeply uncomfortable."

"I know. But you are my friend, and I want to make sure that you can defend yourself if you end up facing a strong witch when I'm not around to help."

Keira resigned herself. Annatiki was right.

"There are a few more details. First of all, you must only view the target in the vendark spectrum. This is to prevent you from seeing a family member or an old friend. When I killed my father I did not even see his face. Second, you should be moving very fast. We will practice high speed flying while under the effects of burning sien. Finally --and this may seem pedantic-- you will need to surround all your clothing with a barrier to allow you to move fast and not end up naked by the time you kill your target."