“Bye, losers!”

  “Just fucking leave, will you?!”

  “What kind of sendoff is that?! Bitch!”

  “No fuck you, bitch!”

  “Guys…”

  Aki sighed as Katta nearly went to blows with Blackblood, grabbing her friend’s bandaged arm and pulling.

  “We need to go, Katta. Blackblood, fuck off for a bit.”

  “She’s the one who started it!”

  “And it better end here before I rip someone’s jaw off! Katta, let’s go! We’re already late!”

  Aki pulled again, Katta finally giving and following out of the room.

  As they headed through the door, Katta turned around one more time, her eyes seeking out the man standing next to Feiden.

  She smiled and waved, his eyes meeting hers.

  “Bye Ponteck!”

  “...”

  Ponteck slowly waved back, looking confused as Katta was pulled out by Aki.

  The two went to the roof of the hardpoint and boarded a helicopter waiting for them. On it they flew back to the Glass Desert before boarding one of the planes there, a standard propeller transport plane.

  They were soon in the air. Their destination: The Holy See.

  After calming down, Aki lounged back into the plush couch and glanced at Katta.

  She had gone quiet. Her white and black hair was combed and straight, partially draped over her red eye, her blue eye staring into space motionlessly.

  Aki fidgeted a bit. She had gotten a message from John only the night before. Their vacation back to the Holy See had been approved by him, but of natural course, it didn’t come without contingents.

  Aki knew that John was concerned about both of them leaking intelligence. Whether it was on him, on their operations, or the most classified secrets such as that on the Island of Continuance, none of it was something John wanted the Order knowing. Aki had no issues wondering why. They were his core secrets, as significant or not as they were.

  It didn’t help that Polly had been breathing down her neck too. Sector 4 hadn’t been watching them too much but Aki had no illusions about privacy either. If they did or said something they shouldn’t, John would find out about it.

  Aki wasn’t concerned about herself. She had no intentions of betraying John’s trust. Katta was the wildcard though. Not even Aki was sure what she would do when her father started asking questions.

  Aki stared at Katta for a bit before breaking the silence.

  “How do you feel about seeing your father? It’s been a long time.”

  “No different than I would when coming back from extended operations with the Order.”

  “Even those were only a month or so at a time, though. It’s been almost a year since you saw him last Christmas. Before that it had been a year and a half.”

  “It’s not that big of a deal.”

  Katta kicked her feet over and laid down between chairs. Aki glanced at her athletic legs exposed between a few sets of clean bandages. Some of her pale skin was marred by more scars, a consequence of the strenuous battles they had been going through.

  Iron Legion had them in a unique position. Most of daily life was easy and comfortable. Even the battles were easier compared to what the Order’s Tier 1 teams would normally face. At Sector 4, they were supported by missiles, helicopters, special bombs, and a virtually infinite amount of money and resources.

  But that meant that the battles where the missiles and explosive devices didn’t work were that much harder to handle. It was often a precarious balance between trusting the technology they had been given and completing the mission through sheer grit. They were given more, and then they had to accomplish more.

  Was it comparable to the Order’s Tier 1 teams? No, it wasn’t. But not even the Order could compare to Iron Legion’s near-zero casualty rates.

  Katta would argue that the Order made things unnecessarily difficult, whereas Iron Legion had the money to burn to save both time and effort. She was given both challenges and the room for recovery, which meant her rate of Crystallization was extremely low compared to before. She had gotten stronger with Iron Legion faster than she would’ve with the Order, all without the normal burden that demanded constant healing to keep her body together.

  Aki had seen Katta’s growth. She herself had undergone great changes. She didn’t think it was possible to get stronger than she had been while fighting for survival at the Pillars of Creation, given she had taken so many years off. But not only had she reached her previous peak of strength, she surpassed it and then continued to hone herself. Iron Legion provided her with battles against Royals at Authority 10 while making them safe enough for her to learn from and experiment with. That wasn’t something anyone else could do.

  Everyone on the Desert Eagles was growing quickly. Aki sometimes thought they were advancing too fast, but as the war escalated, it demanded greater sacrifices and strength. She knew that better than anyone.

  But unlike at the Pillars of Creation, she felt like she had some control here.

  Aki didn’t press Katta anymore. The two spent the rest of the plane ride sleeping and eating, eventually landing in an airfield where they disembarked and boarded another helicopter.

  They were flown to the Korpela Peerage, landing on top of the massive building and descending toward one of the main floors for the family.

  Finally, they faced a pair of large gilded doors. Katta directly pushed them open, Aki following her.

  The reception hall greeted them with more people than expected. There were butlers moving about, serving snacks and drinks to the six people lounging on a low table surrounded by couches.

  General Valdemar Korpela, Katta’s father, sat there with three Paladins. The first was Hallowlight, who smiled at Katta when she walked in. The second was Nazarum Medraut, the Paladin of the Medraut Peerage and an Authority 12 Warlock. The third was Anderson, who similarly smiled at the pair with his signature wide grin.

  Katta’s mother, Kaeria Korpela, sat by her husband while General Jori sat in a nearby chair, looking out of place but mustering enough confidence to act like he belonged.

  Aki felt a bit of pressure seeing all of them, and Anderson’s immediate words didn’t help.

  “The ghosts finally decided to show themselves! For a time we weren’t sure that you two existed anymore. I look forward to stories.”

  “I apologize for our lack of reports. The nature of our operations meant that there wasn’t much room for outside communication.”

  Aki smiled back as she and Katta took their seat on a couch. Katta was quick to reach over and grab some sweet treats, a smile blooming as she bit into pastries and candies.

  “It’s been so long! Iron Legion calls itself rich but God forbid we ever get anything sweet.”

  “Katta.”

  Valdemar called, Katta responding while keeping her eyes glued to the pile of treats in front of her.

  “Yes, Papa?”

  “Can you tell me about Sector 4 and your recent operations with them?”

  “Wow, straight into it, huh?”

  “I didn’t think I’d have to beat around the bush with you.”

  Katta shrugged, Valdemar leaning back and watching her.

  “I suppose not. But I don’t know what you expect from me either. Half of what Iron Legion does is keep secrets, and John has no illusions about who I am.”

  “As true as that may be, I’m quite sure you know things we have no idea about. The Order now has a vested interest in Iron Legion’s operations in the northwestern theaters given recent Scourge movements. I was hoping you could shed some light on the situation over there.”

  Katta remained silent, chewing her pastry for several seconds before swallowing and letting out a breath.

  “Iron Legion has established a Maginot Line over 100 miles long in order to deal with the incoming millions of Scourge. He expects that they will be able to rebuff the attack.”

  “Yet there is a Sovereign over there, the same one that brought down the Treehouse. What’s his plan for that?”

  “Dunno. He said he had it covered. That’s all I know because that’s all he tells anyone. I assume he got another Sovereign to help him with the issue.”

  Valdemar frowned and glanced at Anderson, who chuckled.

  “Fuck if I know about his plans. He certainly didn’t come to me.”

  “What other Sovereigns could he have enough of a relationship with that they would help him kill a Scourge Sovereign?”

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  “Question of the year, isn’t it?”

  Anderson chuckled as Valdemar pondered.

  “Not from the Kingdom, not from the Church, a third party we don’t obviously know the identity of. Perhaps a Paragon? But they wouldn’t risk stepping out this early, not even the Dragons.”

  “Hmm.”

  Anderson hummed with a smile, Valdemar eyeing him for a second before sighing.

  “Yet another item to investigate.”

  “Indeed. John Cooper holds plenty of secrets. And we’ve let them remain uncovered for too long.”

  Nazarum Medraut suddenly spoke, both Aki and Katta turning to stare at him.

  He met their gaze and asked.

  “With what technology does he expect to repel millions of Scourge? Unless he multiplies his forces, such an errand should be impossible.”

  “He plans to do it with a large wall.”

  “A large wall? If that were all he had up his sleeve then I doubt you would place your livelihood in his hands.”

  “Well, Iron Legion is rich. They can afford strong walls and plentiful ordnance.”

  “And where are they sourcing these materials from?”

  Katta’s mouth clicked shut, Nazarum smiling.

  “We’ve been getting readings from the area. The mana levels are off the charts, indicative of constant heavy battle. Question is, neither Iron Legion nor Sawn Industries should have the material to manufacture as much ordnance as they have. Especially since they haven’t ordered anything from us. Just by the numbers, sustaining such a war is an impossible endeavor. Yet you seem to have enough confidence in him to stay and fight.”

  Nazarum leaned forward.

  “Where is John Cooper getting his material from?”

  “Does it matter?”

  “Oh yes, it most certainly does. Iron Legion is responsible for half the war on our continent. Yet John Cooper insists on keeping everything secret. Thankfully, we have two individuals who have seen things from the inside, and I’m quite interested to hear about his source of materiel, considering that the mana levels indicate that he alone is fielding more ordnance than the entirety of the Holy See’s forces. It should be impossible, because he is not an entire nation.”

  Aki kept her neutral face. She hadn’t thought about things like that. It was clear that these conclusions were speculation, but there was always a certain degree of sound logic attached.

  John was operating Iron Legion as if it were backed by an entire nation of wealth and resources. While his technology could make up a portion of the gap, there was still an obvious discrepancy left behind.

  That discrepancy was obviously the Island of Continuance. That island was providing Iron Legion with an inexhaustible supply of air, water, earth, and fire Mana Crystals. If it were factored into sheer wealth, Iron Legion was currently several times richer than both the Holy See and Kingdom combined. What they had fielded, and what was sitting in supply depots waiting to be spent, was just a small portion of what Continuance offered, and they were consuming those resources like children in a room full of candy.

  That wasn’t even mentioning the technology John had found there. He had obviously kept the details from them, especially regarding the Anomaly. Nobody was sure what it did, but it had already spawned a new line of tech that Sector 4 had benefited from massively.

  And if Aki knew anything about John, it was that he enjoyed keeping secrets. What he exposed was the mere tip of the iceberg. She couldn’t imagine what he was brewing in Wonderland. Hell, the only reason she knew about Wonderland was because that’s where the tech they got came from, and where a few of the Desert Eagles got to visit. Most of Sector 4 knew it was a place. Nobody knew what went on over there.

  As Aki struggled to figure out what to say, Katta let out a groan.

  “Jeez, did you fail to understand John’s tech? He’s given the Church how much and you’re still asking questions? Besides, what makes you think he didn’t keep secrets from us?”

  “We know you were in Sector 4. You may not know everything but you still know far more than we do. This is a matter of ensuring the success of the war. We need to know John Cooper’s capabilities.”

  “No, you want to know his capabilities because you want to know whether he’s enough of a threat or not. And I think all the tech he’s given you is enough of an answer to that question. Papa, how many Superheavy Tanks do you have operational?”

  Katta turned away from Nazarum, tilting her head at her father while he answered.

  “Two hundred and sixteen, so far.”

  “That’s it? You’ve had all this time and you’ve only rolled out a quarter of what John has on the frontlines?”

  “Are you saying he has nearly a thousand Superheavy Tanks on the battlefield?”

  “Well duh. Granted, they aren’t doing much more than acting as emplacements since the Line was built but that's still a couple thousand cannons to use against the Scourge.”

  Valdemar frowned again.

  “We only built as many as we did because more tanks mean greater expenditures. We’ve got an entire industry for generating Mana Crystals running around the clock but given the rates of fire, we can’t produce enough to keep up, nor can we justify the expense compared to the efficiency of our armies. And you’re saying that John Cooper is able to sustain a mechanized army multiple times larger than ours?”

  “I know, crazy right? It’s pretty amazing watching them.”

  Katta suddenly smiled at her father.

  “You’ve got some competition, Papa. I wonder what you’ll think when John wipes out the incoming army of millions.”

  “His strength and measure of resources would have to vastly exceed our expectations. Even with his technology, an army of fifty thousand shouldn’t be able to stand against such numbers, not unless he has an unlimited supply of Crystals.”

  “That would be the logical thought, wouldn’t it?”

  Katta laughed a bit and lounged back, Valdemar and Nazarum looking at each other.

  Nazarum had an ugly look on his face.

  “We need more information, Valdemar. And I have a feeling your daughter is insisting on being defiant.”

  “My daughter’s business is mine, Nazarum. But yes, John Cooper obviously holds more secrets than we initially thought. Don’t press him now, however. Success or not, his focus needs to be on the upcoming battles.”

  “He’s been given too much power. I know you want him to help hold the River of Desolation, but we can’t give him this much freedom. By the time the battle ends, his incentive to reveal information will be low. He’ll have no trouble shrinking back into his dark corners. This is exactly the time to start prying, while he’s in the open, while things are more obvious than not.”

  Valdemar went silent, not immediately answering.

  That’s when Anderson suddenly turned his head, looking straight at Nazarum and catching everyone’s attention.

  “Your efforts will be counterproductive.”

  “He would dare resist us?”

  “The only reason you ask that question is because you know nothing about him. Leave the kid alone, and let him do his work. Waiting and watching will show you more than attempting to look where you shouldn’t. Because unless you decide to step out personally, the only thing treading on his turf will do is earn you corpses and eyes on your dirty laundry.”

  “He doesn’t have the balls to spy on a Sovereign, let alone the ability to.”

  “Hah!”

  Katta suddenly barked a laugh, looking at Nazarum with barely concealed derision.

  “If it helps you sleep at night, keep telling yourself that.”

  Nazarum’s face darkened, turning toward Anderson with a silent question.

  Anderson shrugged.

  “She’s not wrong.”

  “...It seems like I’ve my own work to do then.”

  He suddenly stood, walking toward the door.

  “Good day.”

  Nobody responded, watching him leave and only speaking when the door closed behind him.

  Valdemar sighed and looked at his daughter.

  “Katta, Aki, you two should retire. I didn’t mean to interrogate as soon as you returned. Still, I hope that two important assets of the Holy See won’t withhold everything they know for someone they hold no allegiances to.”

  “As long as you understand that betraying his secrecy means I won’t get to go back.”

  Katta retorted blandly and stood, Aki following in uncomfortable silence.

  “Goodnight everyone.”

  “Goodnight?”

  Valdemar’s brows raised as they left, glancing at the clock, which pointed at noon.

  Hallowlight chuckled when they disappeared behind the door.

  “Tired children. I’m sure running night missions has their sleep cycle flipped backwards.”

  “I suppose…”

  Valdemar sighed once more, thinking that he was doing so far too often.

  Then he glanced at Anderson.

  “I need to talk to you.”

  “I’m an open book!”

  “There were unauthorized visits to the Gateway. Know anything about it?”

  “Please, I haven’t been there in years!”

  Valdemar narrowed his eyes.

  “Lying is sinful.”

  “So is asking unnecessary questions.”

  “It’s been some time since you’ve kept secrets from me, Anderson.”

  “It’s been some time since there’s been something worth keeping close to the chest.”

  “You don’t trust me?”

  “That’s what I should be asking.”

  Valdemar rubbed his temples, looking at Anderson with a tired gaze.

  “I don’t enjoy politicking.”

  “This is hardly politics, and it’ll stay that way so long as you don’t press. You’re not as uncompromised as you like to think you are, Valdemar. So here’s my warning: Let John Cooper do his work. Don’t pry where you shouldn’t. Don’t give him a reason to turn his attention to you, and don’t let that idiot Nazarum give him a reason to turn his attention to the Peerages. The Kingdom isn’t the only place with dark corners, and if John finds out that his ally might be darker than expected, things will get very dirty, very fast.”

  “And John’s secrets? You don’t think they’re worth bringing to light? What if he’s falling himself?”

  “In a way, he already is. But he’s serving our purposes and as much as you hate to believe it, we need his help. He may have created this mess but that’s because he knows how to clean it up. So let him. Otherwise it’ll be on us, and our three front war will become five and you’ll miss out on the big surprise he’s preparing for us.”

  Valdemar looked skeptical.

  “Surprise? What kind?”

  “The kind that my Tier One teams are really going to enjoy. You will too, of course, but I’m already promised first dibs and I won’t let you take it away from me! So keep your nose out, and if John’s silent threats aren’t enough, then I will have to be.”

  “Fine, fine.”

  Valdemar gave, a final sigh escaping as Anderson stood.

  “Then that’s all the business I have. I’m going to bring Katta out to play later. Do your interrogations before then.”

  Valdemar just rolled his eyes, Anderson finally leaving.

  That’s when he looked over, eyeing his wife and Hallowlight.

  He smirked.

  “You two just love the drama, huh?”

  “Indeed.”

  “Of course!”

  Hallowlight nodded, Valdemar’s wife giving him a big smile.

  He chuckled wryly before turning his attention to Hallowlight.

  “Your College is at the Gateway. Do your Sisters know anything?”

  “They do, in fact. I got quite the earful the other day. The Sisters love their stories and rumors, as you already know.”

  “So? Anything I should know about?”

  “Well…”

  Hallowlight thought for a second, her smile turning to a chuckle.

  “No, I don’t think there is.”

  “Oh how I love being out of the loop.”

  “It’s nothing I hadn’t already seen a long time ago. Don’t worry, it’s nothing you should worry about.”

  “And yet I can’t know about it?”

  “Let’s just say, you wouldn’t like what you heard. Your decisions then would be as muddled as what they saw. But I’ve seen past it, so don’t worry yourself.”

  Valdemar’s face fell flat, his efforts devoted to not sighing for the dozenth time today. He was getting lightheaded already.

  “Fine. Damn it all then. It’s not like I can’t go with the flow, as the young ones put it. Who cares if I know critical intel regarding the direction of the war? So long as everyone but me knows, things will go just fine.”

  Valdemar stood, walking toward the door while muttering to himself.

  The two women just looked at each other and laughed.