Chương 228

Magistra Theresa stepped back from the map table, her combativeness fading as she offered a deep bow. Archmages Yunius and Set followed suit, lowering their heads in respect. Orion was the only one left standing, though he lowered his gaze to block the bright light. He had long suspected the High Priestess kept a close watch on the Forward Operating Base through the communication network, but feeling her direct presence was always a different experience.

"Magistra Theresa," Seraphina's voice echoed clearly through the tent, free from the static usually linked to long-distance magical connections.

"I was just reviewing the intelligence you sent, but it seems like more has surfaced." Theresa swallowed hard and kept her head bowed.

"High Priestess. We were just discussing the deployment to intercept the enemy at the coordinates that Mr. Voidwalker managed to decipher."

"I am aware," Seraphina said smoothly, confirming that she had a way to see into the base. Or perhaps she'd just read some tea leaves. It was hard to know with someone so powerful.

"The strategy proposed is sound, as the Iron State's attempt to sever the deep arteries of the forest must be halted before they establish a corridor to our borders. Archmage Valentia, you will assume overall command of the strike force." Yunius straightened, and although she wasn't technically his superior, he didn't make a fuss.

"It will be done, High Priestess."

"However," the voice continued, the silver light shifting slightly as if pondering something.

"I believe it is necessary for young Orion to accompany the detachment." Theresa frowned, her protective instincts battling her obedience, and surprisingly enough, the former won.

"High Priestess, with all due respect, Elder Voidwalker gave me explicit orders to keep him within the mountain sectors. The deep forest is very dangerous, and the enemy forces advancing on that coordinate will be heavily mechanized." Huh, so she's not just a traditionalist. None of those people would have dared to gainsay Seraphina, especially not in public. Maybe I was too harsh in my assessment, although I'd really rather she didn't decide to show a spine now, of all times.

Orion wanted to go, and more importantly, he needed to because no one else understood the Iron State's technology like he did. But he had to admit that he hadn't expected Seraphina to step in for him, and he didn't know how that made him feel. The woman very rarely acted, and everything she did had multiple layers that would take too long to unravel, so he didn't bother trying to see through her, but he made a note to be careful.

"Asteria, like any mother, is permitted to worry about her children, but I lead the Sanctum, and my word is final," the High Priestess declared, refusing to entertain further debate.

"Orion has the exclusive technical expertise needed to extract their terraforming devices without causing a collapse. He is crucial for the success of the mission." Theresa pressed her lips into a thin line, but she nodded. When given a direct order like that, there was really no other choice.

"As you command."

"That being said," Seraphina added, and the oppressive weight in the room eased just slightly.

"He is deploying as a specialist, not frontline infantry. Archmage Valentia, make sure he stays off the field of direct engagement unless absolutely necessary. Secure the mana pools, eliminate the threat, and let him dismantle their work."

"He will be kept in reserve until the area is secure," Yunius confirmed, and Orion silently clicked his tongue, knowing he wouldn't be able to persuade the man. The silver light shimmered, pulsing once more before vanishing completely, and the communication crystal returned to its dormant state as the heavy mana dissipated from the tent, leaving silence behind. Set let out a soft chuckle, breaking the tension.

"Well, it seems the matter has been settled by the highest authority. You have your chance, Orion." Theresa sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose, as if she were thinking of all the annoying ways this would come back to bite her.

"Fine. Go gather your equipment, Voidwalker, and rendezvous with Archmage Valentia's men at the primary launch pad to plan out the path you'll need to take."

"Understood, Magistra," Orion said politely, not wanting to irritate the woman further now that he'd gotten what he wanted, and he gathered his notes from the table. He left the tent, walking through the courtyard toward the medical pavilions. The mages of the Arcane Collegium were still setting up their position in the base, but Orion paid no attention to the activity, too preoccupied with what was coming next. He found Luna and Selene sitting on low stools beside Dorian's cot, who was still unconscious.

The burns on his neck and shoulder were wrapped in fresh, alchemically treated bandages, and a healing array glowed softly beneath the cot. Luna looked up as Orion approached, her eyes red-rimmed from exhaustion, but a small, relieved smile showed things weren't too bad.

"The healers said he's stable. He just needs time to recover from the exposure, and he'll be fine." This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

"That's good," Orion said softly, looking down at his friend. He turned his attention to the girls.

"The High Priestess just authorized a strike mission deep into the Ironwoods. The Collegium is sending a detachment to ambush the Iron State before they reach the next mana pool, and I'll be going with them." Selene's silver eyes widened slightly.

"We're going into the forest?"

"I am," Orion corrected gently.

"With Pauline. You two are staying here." Luna stood up, frowning in annoyance.

"Orion, we're a squad. If you're going, we should be there to back you up."

"This isn't one of our sweeps in the mountains," Orion explained.

"Archmage Valentia is leading a team of elite combat mages against a heavy mechanized unit. The level of firepower that will be exchanged will be far beyond what we have dealt with so far. With Dorian out of commission, we don't have a dedicated tank, and you are both exhausted from trying to heal him." Selene pursed her lips, clearly trying to See something to argue back, but whatever her third eye glimpsed made her pale, and she clicked her tongue in frustration.

"He's right. We'd be dead weight." Luna looked between Orion and the unconscious Dorian, finally slumping in resignation.

"Fine. But you'd better come back in one piece. If you get yourself killed because you didn't have a healer, I'll resurrect you just to kill you again."

"I won't even participate in the fight," Orion promised with a faint smile.

"Look after Dorian. I'll be back before you know it." He left the medical tent and found Pauline waiting for him near the armory, seemingly already aware of everything. Since she had done something to link her shadow to his, he shouldn't have been so surprised. She had already restocked her supplies, so she simply watched as he grabbed a couple of crystals and a potion.

"Just the two of us?" she eventually asked. Orion hummed.

"It's the most logical choice." She didn't have much to say about that, so they quietly walked to the Observatory's launch field, where Archmage Yunius was briefing his team. There were twelve mages total, all dressed in dark combat robes, and even just looking at them, Orion could tell these were professionals. I thought the Collegium was more of a loose gathering of researchers, students, and oddballs, but it seems they have their own security forces.

He hadn't seen them when he went to convince his father to throw his hat in the ring and run for the Speakership, but that had been an internal matter involving Archmages. This was an external threat. Still, he took a moment to examine them, just to make sure there was no spy among them.

Samael Isoa — Warmage of the Collegium Class: Warlock of the Red [B-rank] Level: 129 Mind: 460 Attunement: 901 Body: 89 Traits: Mana Manipulation [B-rank]; Destructive Force [B-rank]; Firebreathing [B-rank]; Awareness [B-rank]; Parallel Casting [B-rank] Hames Ollen — Warmage of the Collegium Class: Warlock of the Blue [B-rank] Level: 123 Mind: 799 Attunement: 617 Body: 54 Traits: Mana Manipulation [B-rank]; Subtle Casting [B-rank]; Profoundity [B-rank]; Awareness [B-rank]; Parallel Casting [B-rank] …...

On and on they went. All in all, they were highly impressive, capable of matching even the more martial Magistrae, and when assembled into a single, cohesive unit under the command of a Tier Four Archmage, they posed a significant threat to any force lacking a Tier Five in their ranks. Surprisingly, Jonatan was there too, checking the straps on his flying harness. He looked up as Orion and Pauline approached, stepping away from his squad to meet them.

"Voidwalker," Jonatan greeted, giving a quick nod that was just shy of being too low.

"Archmage Suketh mentioned you were the one who broke their deployment cipher." He was told who I am, but he's trying not to be too obsequious. I guess that's better than the alternative.

"I have had enough run-ins with the Iron State to develop some understanding, yes," Orion demurred, though he eyed his gear with curiosity. Jonatan noticed and chuckled awkwardly.

"I'm tagging along too. Archmage Valentia is my mentor, so wherever he goes, I go. I guess we'll be hanging out in the back together."

"Gather round," Yunius called out, his voice easily carrying over the wind. Everyone quickly gathered in a semicircle around the Archmage and watched as Yunius produced a map of the Ironwood canopy, marking Grid 51-N with a glowing point of light.

"Our objective is straightforward," Yunius briefed them.

"The enemy plans to drop an alchemical payload into a dense mana pool at these coordinates to clear a logistical path. We will arrive before they do, secure the area, and wait for them to enter the basin, whereupon we will ambush and destroy them." He looked around the group, his gaze lingering on Orion for a moment before moving on.

"When the enemy arrives, we will initiate a synchronized pincer attack. Samael, your forces will provide the hammer, utilizing mixed-element barrages to strip their reactive defenses. Hames, you will be on reconnaissance and flank disruption. Mister Voidwalker is our technical specialist and will be guarded by Magistra Pauline Andrés; he is not to be engaged unless the perimeter is secure or the situation requires his expertise. Are we clear?"

A chorus of affirmations rose from the mages, although from the looks several of them were giving him, Orion was pretty sure they knew who he was and were wondering why such a valuable person was being sent off into danger. Still, they were professionals, so no one brought it up, much to his relief.

"Let's go." Interestingly, the Collegium mages had their own way of flying. Some, like Yunis, seemed capable of it without any artifact at all, as he began levitating under his own power, while the warmages' robes billowed under some kind of command, and they started taking in air, allowing the men to lift off. Spells similar to Orion's [Flight] were cast, and they took off quickly, followed by him and Pauline on brooms.

With Yunius leading the formation, the strike team easily flew over some of the more dangerous peaks, his presence warning off the beasts slumbering there, and within two hours, they launched off the edge of the Silvermount ridge. The descent from the icy peaks into the Ironwood forest was quite stark.

As they dropped below the heavy cloud layer, the biting wind gave way to a humid atmosphere, and the temperature rose significantly until it settled just below comfort, meaning warming charms were only needed while they were flying and would have to be turned off once they landed. That might have been obvious, but after weeks of laboring under their effects, Orion had to remind himself, or he'd cook from the heat. As they got closer to the canopy, he paused to take it all in. The Ironwood Forest was truly enormous.

Some of its trees reached the height of skyscrapers, with trunks as wide as the smaller courtyards in the Sanctum. The canopy was so thick that it almost entirely blocked out the afternoon sun, transforming the world below into a constant twilight illuminated by bioluminescent moss and large-capped fungi. More importantly, the Field here was vibrant. The ambient mana flowed in thick, nearly visible currents, curling around the massive branches and sinking into the deep roots.

It was an environment teeming with natural energy. It was almost impossible to believe that someone was trying to destroy it all, yet that was precisely what they were here to fight.