In the sky above Jodtenheim, the energy barrier was collapsing at a speed visible to the naked eye. On the west side of the plaza, Berrien was gasping for breath. His breathing was a little ragged, and beads of sweat the size of beans dripped down his forehead and down his nose.

In order to break through that layer of energy in the sky, Berrien had spent an entire three minutes focusing the terrifying energy through the constant fission of electric ions. The coordinates of the ...