The air in the maintenance hub tasted of ozone and copper, the distinct, metallic tang of a life-force being bled dry. Ravien’s vision pulsed in rhythm with the violet lines snaking up his neck. He reached for the obsidian valve, his fingers locking into the grooves of the freezing metal. It was as if he were trying to rotate a mountain. The resistance wasn’t just physical; the mana-conduit was fighting him, sensing his intrusion, actively trying to purge his presence like a foreign virus in a bloodstream."I can't hold the dampeners much longer!" Liyana shouted from behind the bulkhead, her voice strained to the point of breaking. She was fighting a losing battle against the feedback loops, her own mana reserves nearly depleted. "The Custodians are at the blast doors, Ravien! I can hear the cutters!"As if on cue, the heavy reinforced steel of the bulkhead groaned under the assault of thermal lances. Sparks showered the corridor, illuminating the frantic dance of the steam. Ravien sn