《Returned Protector》


 Returned Protector ch1

    ¡°Are we ready to begin?¡± Orlan asked, striding confidently into the massive heart chamber of his castle. A circle of men and women in long robes stood around the Anchorheart that hovered in the middle of the room, a single test ring of mana flowing around above their heads.


    ¡°We should be, Protector Lord,¡± the oldest man present answered from his spot in the ring, ¡°did the seers verify the rift is large enough?¡±


    ¡°They did,¡± Orlan nodded, motioning the mages who¡¯d been seated along the wall of the round chamber to rise. They were there to take over for any of the head mages that fell, twelve of the most powerful casters in the world took deep breaths as their grandmaster inspected the slip of paper Orlan had handed him, ensuring the spell would be properly attuned to the rift they sought to hitch a ride on. Each of the head mages was an eight sphere mage, the grandmaster the only ninth sphere alive.


    Slowly the Grandmaster lifted his arms, the room falling silent as the other head mages matched his movement. Orlan stepped up to the anchorheart and placed his hand upon it, feeling the power pulsing through the grand stone, his power. The Grandmaster began to chant, the phrases were meaningless serving only to time each action of all the casters. One by one nested rings of glowing light appeared in the air around the Anchorheart, each mage responsible for a single ring. With the last of the twelve rings formed the Grandmaster¡¯s chant changed, and runes began to appear between the rings, the glowing lights being carved from the air itself.


    The third chant began and now it was Orlan¡¯s turn, he began to channel power from the Anchorstone into the spell surrounding it. The pulsing violet light almost seemed to taint the beautiful runes and lines of the spell, several of the mages grunting in effort as they struggled to contain the raw power within the rings. They¡¯d practiced this several times over the last couple months, but this was the first time they¡¯d be powering a full twelve ring spell. As far as he could tell no one had ever powered a twelfth tier spell with power from an Anchorheart, much less using Orlan¡¯s unique mana.


    The rings flickered as the spell construct struggled to manage the rampant, chaotic power of the rift. For several minutes all the mages waiting along the walls held their breath, the head mages sweating as they forced the energy into the proper shape. Then, like the pin of a lock falling into place, the spell stabilized to the obvious relief of everyone in the chamber.


    That was the first hard part, where things could have gone horribly wrong. Rift mana was volatile at the best of times and while the spell was theoretically sound, it hadn¡¯t been tested in full. Taking the opportunity for a short break before they activated the spell most of the head mages pulled a mana crystal out and crushed it, grunting as the energy entered their souls. But a short break was all they got, as the Grandmaster restarted the chant.


    This time the entire island shook as power suffused the area, ripping it from where it hovered over a wasteland far from Last Wall. This was the next hard part, once they entered the rift the spell would be automatic, but until then they were tunneling their way through the void under their own power. Only Orlan¡¯s rift mana even made this possible, but that didn¡¯t make it easy. The head mages struggled to keep their rings stable as forces upon both the spell and the land they stood upon grew.


    The next section of the chant indicated they¡¯d left their world behind and were now in a rift of their own making. Any mistake now could be fatal for everyone on the island. Realistically it was only a matter of time before someone was overexerted, but that was why the extra mages were gathered to take over if needed. Even a less powerful mage was preferable to breaking the circle.


    The newest of the head mages was, predictably, the first to go too far. His outer sphere shattered, releasing a flood of energy as his soul partly broke down. Years, perhaps decades of work gone in an instant, the head mage dropping to the seventh sphere. Despite the pain the man grit his teeth and stayed in, so long as they were at least sixth sphere the mages should have the control needed to manage the spell.


    Orlan was too focused on his own task to notice, while the mages kept the spell active, it was his job to keep the island intact. With each quake new cracks appeared in the foundation of his island, forcing him to draw energy from the already taxed Anchorheart to seal them. As they approached the rift they were planning on joining the instability would only get worse, to the point that even a minor fracture could become a major fault in the structure of the island.


    Two more mages dropped to the seventh sphere as their outer soul shattered, one of them being overwhelmed by the surge of energy and had to be replaced. The injured head mage was rushed out of the room to a nearby ward where some of Orlan¡¯s knights with healing abilities waited. They couldn¡¯t risk other magics in the Anchorheart chamber, forcing them to leave all uninvolved mages a safe distance out.


    Cracks were forming faster than Orlan could seal them by this point, and he was being forced to supplement the power of the Anchorheart with his own mana. He was being forced to prioritize critical damage over less vital areas, leaving him helpless as he watched a landslide take out a small village on the northern side of the island. Thankfully all inhabitants of the island had been evacuated to the castle specifically for this reason. And while the loss of the village would hurt their ability to produce food, it shouldn¡¯t matter in the long run. The other side should have plenty.


    Right when Orlan thought it couldn¡¯t get worse, it did. They¡¯d impacted the outer skin of the rift they were targeting, and were now forcing their way through. Only the Grandmaster had avoided having a sphere shatter, the massive mana being ninth sphere gave him holding out far longer than the others. Now, though, mana flowed from him like water from an overturned cup. Orlan felt as his own outermost sphere shattered, power surging through him into the Anchorstone, dropping him to the sixth sphere. The massive power reserves of the Anchorstone had sustained him until now, but at the end of the day he, too, had limits.


    They were rapidly running out of mages, two of the head mages having fallen below the sixth sphere and being forced out of the circle. Orlan reached out and checked on their progress, hoping they were almost through, only to find they were trapped against the inner skin of the rift. They needed another burst of power to make it through, and Orlan grimaced as pain flooded his body as he dropped to the fifth sphere. Despite the reduced capabilities of his reduced soul he still felt as the Grandmaster summoned enough power to cast another spell.


    Orlan¡¯s eyes popped open, looking to where a single spell circle hovered in the air over the middle of his chest.


    ¡°Grandmaster,¡± Orlan forced out through his clenched jaw, ¡°don¡¯t!¡±


    The old man simply gave a sad smile as the spell activated, and all nine of the man¡¯s spheres shattered at once. Immense energy flooded from his body, more than any single mage could hope of generating. Not even the Anchorstone could have produced such a torrent of power. In an instant the spell stabilized, reinforced by the life force of the worlds strongest mage, and they broke through into the rift.


    Every mage still standing collapsed to the ground, panting, including Orlan. After a few minutes to recover, only the Grandmaster¡¯s body remained unmoving however, the other mages all knew what had happened as soon as power had flooded the spell. But to think the old man would shatter all of his sphere, giving his very soul to ensure their success, took them minutes more to comprehend.


    With the spell cast and the island now safely riding along in a natural rift, Orlan¡¯s knights entered the chamber to tend to the exhausted mages.


    ¡°Lord, you did it,¡± a soft, feminine voice said from next to him. It wasn¡¯t a question, but a statement and congratulations. Orlan slowly turned to look at his head knight, Lady Lialra as she gave him a soft smile. Accepting her help he stood, putting his hand on the Anchorstone once more to inspect the damage. A few more landslides had escaped his notice, the skyship port was trashed and several older buildings in the main town at the base of the castle had collapsed. A small section of the eastern island was hanging on by a thread, and Orlan directed the Anchorstone to send its energy there as it regenerated its now spent reserves.


    That last act completed he allowed Lialra to lead him from the chamber and to a bed.


    -----


    Two days had passed since they entered the natural rift, a short service was held for the fallen grandmaster despite the darkness outside. Without a sun it was starting to grow cold, but they¡¯d prepared for that, and the castle was completely heated by the Anchorstone¡¯s magic. Orlan had recovered from the ordeal in under a day, despite being reduced to the fifth sphere, while the other mages were still convalescent.


    ¡°The seers predict that we¡¯re be emerging in under a day,¡± Kiethara reported, ¡°but even they admit that it¡¯s hard to see the world now, so they could be off by quite a bit.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Orlan nodded, ¡°I want the knights ready for combat at a moment¡¯s notice, we¡¯ll be emerging in the middle of a beast rift. So keep the islands defenses at the ready.¡±


    ¡°Will you be joining us Lord?¡± Nariva, the youngest of his knights, asked hopefully.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Orlan nodded, ¡°I may be only fifth sphere now, but I can still fight.¡±


    The girls winced at the mention of his reduced capabilities, their power was limited as well by his condition. So while the knights at the sixth sphere were still stronger, they wouldn¡¯t be able to tap the powers granted by their bond as easily.


    ¡°Lord,¡± Lialra spoke up, here eyes refocusing indicating she¡¯d just received a message. Orlan suppressed his frustration that he hadn¡¯t been able to sense the incoming message, he¡¯d forgotten how limited his magical sense had been like this.


    ¡°The new Grandmaster thinks he¡¯s located about where we¡¯ll be emerging,¡± she continued, holding a hand up. Three spell circles appeared, rapidly filled with runes and vanished to be replaced by an illusory map. Orlan leaned forward to look at it, then scowled.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll be appearing over a major city,¡± he said, ¡°unless the other side had changed radically since I was there. So I want both lances deployed with healers. Also be prepared for other combatants in the area, I doubt the locals will be able to differentiate us from the beasts. Avoid hurting other people if possible, but, as always, keep yourselves alive. Got it?¡±


    -----


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    It was bright out, despite being the middle of the night, the city lights illuminating the ground as effectively as the sun would. Despite the late hour cars were about and people were working, going about their day, or night as normal. When a couple of massive bolts of lightning silently flashed across the cloudless sky few noticed, only for the thunder to strike the ground like a shockwave. The city shook and the lights flickered out citywide. Even the cars went still and, for a single timeless moment the city was quiet, then the screams began.


    From injuries as a result of glass shattered by the thunder to simple panic at the sudden outage the city refused to remain silent. Another set of massive lightning bolts struck the ground in one of the many city parks, briefly casting the city in stark light and shadow before the thunder blew the ground apart, toppling several of the taller structures nearby. A swirling maelstrom of light was left behind where the lightning struck, no more than a hundred feet across but hardly a stable sphere as it boiled and writhed almost like a living creature struggling to free itself.


    What had been simple panic became outright terror as strange creatures appeared out of the night, first seen only as silhouettes as smaller threads of lightning lashed out from the maelstrom of energy. But before long their roars echoed across the city to match the screams. The strange, bestial creatures, reminiscent of great apes, but with almost stick thin limbs and body. Boar like heads filled with a maw of dagger like teeth bit deep into anything that got too close while razor sharp claws cut through flesh and steel with equal ease.


    Gunfire joined the growing din of the battle, accompanied by pained roars, but these creatures weren¡¯t simple animals and the handguns used by the local police did little more than slow them down. Larger rifles and shotguns, rare within city limits, were able to drop several of the monsters, but there were only so many to go around while the number of beasts only seemed to grow.


    More lightning flashed across the sky, but this time it was partly blocked from sight. More flashes revealed a massive island of stone, easily several miles across, floating in the dark sky above the city. Within moments boats with flattened bottoms and sails protruding out to either side shot out from the top of the island and curved down into the city below. Each boat made for a different spot around the maelstrom, warriors in armor jumping from the copper clad hulls before they even touched down.


    Reports of women in armor were common in the days following the attack. Wielding strange, anarchic weapons they carved through the beasts with the ease the beasts had been killing people off moments earlier. While most of the feminine knights focused on killing monsters, others went out of their ways to help people. People would tell stories of an angel in armor pulling them from the rubble of their houses, a soft yellow glow enveloping them as their injuries healed in real time then the woman pointed them towards safety before running to save the next person.


    They would talk about the other strange powers, throwing balls of fire or light striking out with the power of a tank shell to level entire masses of the monsters. The fighters moving with super human speed and strength were common, but while most reports were scattered there was one that was repeated by people from multiple locations. A man in heavy steel armor, wielding a bladed spear, who seemed to flicker in and out of reality as he tore through the monsters, only to vanish like a dream. He seemed to be everywhere at once, where ever the fighting grew fiercest he would appear. Many assumed it was a group of different men who, despite the different abilities and weapons demonstrated by the warrior women, all had the same powers.


    Whatever the case, by the time the sun began to rise the maelstrom of light at the center of the event had vanished. City streets were littered with the dead, hundreds of people and thousands of monsters. But no bodies belonging to the angelic warriors who¡¯d come to their rescue.


    -----


    Orlan looked at the map displayed on the round table in the center of the room. Many of his higher ranking knights were with him, watching as points of light appeared, marking each detected rift event. While the central rift was the source of largest number of monsters, smaller temporary rifts would appear at random at some distance around the main rift, and each could be the source of one or more monsters.


    ¡°I estimate a 98% effective cordon,¡± Nallia, the strongest mage among Orlan¡¯s knights, explained, gesturing to a set of rift events that appeared on the far side of a river that cut through the city, ¡°while a couple seem to have slipped past us initially the training squad hunted down many, if not all, of the stragglers. Unfortunately between the chaos in the Aether due to the rift and the number of people in the city we haven¡¯t been able to confirm that, any divination is effectively impossible in these conditions.¡±


    ¡°Nothing we can do about that,¡± Orlan shrugged, ¡°what about casualties?¡±


    ¡°We estimate between five and ten thousand injured and around eight hundred dead among the locals,¡± she continued, shaking her head at the numbers. A city in her world had ten thousand people, yet that many being injured here was considered a low number given the sheer size of this city, ¡°for us almost everyone was injured, but only three were serious. The training lance was caught off guard by a series of rift events.¡±


    Orlan simply nodded in reply, the training lance was filled with knights in training, none of whom were above the forth sphere. They¡¯d been placed where the fewest people and monsters should have been, but, as was all too common, the rift proved unpredictable. Thankfully with their healers none of them would be permanently injured, but several were out for several days due to the backlash of healing magic.


    ¡°The monsters were largely second sphere equivalent,¡± Nallia continued, ¡°only a few rising to third sphere equivalent, which likely explains our low casualty count. Based on our estimations of this side¡¯s Aether they¡¯ll be unable to sustain themselves for more than couple days, so if any did escape they won¡¯t last long.¡±


    ¡°Still, I want at least one knight ready to respond at any time,¡± Orlan ordered, several of the knights nodding, ¡°just in case, this is a heavily populated area after all.¡±


    ¡°Our estimation of local defenses is¡­ poor,¡± the mage added as she continued the report, ¡°we figure they delt with no more than a couple dozen monsters. If any more rifts hit this area it¡¯s unlikely they¡¯ll be able to stop them, even with advanced warning.


    ¡°Finally, there are a couple odd flying craft circling the island, I believe you said they were called helicopters. There were five as of last count, but they¡¯ve been coming and going since the sun came up.¡±


    ¡°I suppose I should deal with them,¡± Orlan sighed, ¡°if that¡¯s all I¡¯ll go do that.¡±


    After a glance around the room to see if anyone had anything to add he turned and strode out, followed closely by Lialra. The two walked in silence through the halls of the castle for a minute, until they were far enough from the map room that they were unlikely to be overheard that Lialra spoke.


    ¡°How¡¯s it feel to be back?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Wish it could have been under better circumstances,¡± Orlan admitted, ¡°or better yet, not at all. I was happy with our life in on the other side.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± she asked in a teasing tone while leaning forward, ¡°I seem to remember you being desperate to return when we first met.¡±


    ¡°That was years ago,¡± Orlan rolled his eyes, a smirk on his face despite himself, ¡°before I found myself.¡±


    ¡°When every fight nearly killed you,¡± Lialra added, a playful smile on her lips, ¡°and I had to nurse you back to health for days on end.¡±


    ¡°Miss those days?¡± Orlan returned, glancing at her.


    ¡°Hardly,¡± she snorted, ¡°sometimes I felt less like your knight and more like nursemaid. In fact, I seem to remember you telling me about a kind of outfit they had on this side that would-.¡±


    ¡°Whelp, time to deal with those helicopters,¡± Orlan interrupted, a faint blush on his cheeks, before he stepped forward and vanished through space. Lialra merely smiled for a moment before calling on their bond to follow him, appearing in the courtyard of the castle in time for him to step through space once more, appearing on an outer turret, followed an instant later by Lialra. It was harder to follow him through his jumps due to their weakened bond, but as long as she was near him she could manage it. Though she imagined most of his other knights couldn¡¯t right now, one of the many capabilities lost due to the power lost when crossing between the sides of the world.


    ¡°Looks like news choppers,¡± Orlan commented, having felt Lialra following him through his rifts, ¡°no military yet.¡±


    ¡°Is that good?¡±


    ¡°No idea,¡± he shrugged, a series of runic circles appearing in the air behind him, only to flicker out just as quickly, leaving Orlan scowling, ¡°right, flight is a seventh sphere spell for me.¡±


    ¡°Guess you¡¯re stuck rift stepping up,¡± she said, ¡°like we used to.¡±


    ¡°You coming?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± she replied with a warm smile. Orlan simply nodded and pulled upon the inherent power of his mana and stepped through space once more, a small spell circle appearing under his feet for a moment as he emerged in midair, forming a shield that supported him for an instant before he stepped once more. Lialra a step behind him, summoning her own shield to step on as they made their way towards the nearest of the helicopters.


    It took a dozen steps before Orlan stepped onto the skid of a helicopter, reaching out to grab a handle bar on the door while a spooked camera man scrambled backwards. He said something but Orlan couldn¡¯t hear him over the roar of the blades above them, so he pointed to the man¡¯s head, then to his own ears. It took a couple tries but eventually the surprised man fished a headset out and handed it to Orlan.


    He glanced towards the rear of the helicopter, Lialra was standing just behind him on the skid, but was looking up in wonder at the spinning blades just above them. He¡¯d warned her to avoid them, but she still seemed fascinated.


    ¡°Can you hear me?¡± he asked after slipping the headset on.


    ¡°You gotta move the mic in front of your mouth,¡± a muffled voice replied, and Orlan quickly complied, ¡°that¡¯s it. So, uh, how the hell did you get up here?¡±


    Orlan simply lifted an eyebrow at the man, turning to glance back at his island, a massive mountain of stone that hovered hundreds of feet in the air over the ocean. He¡¯d moved it so it didn¡¯t hang over the city, he knew there was an airport in the city and didn¡¯t know how it would handle his island being in the way.


    ¡°That¡¯s your first question?¡± Orlan asked in response, turning back to the camera man. Behind him someone else was peering out from the front cabin of the helicopter, he also wore a headset but hadn¡¯t spoken up yet.


    ¡°I, uhh, I don¡¯t,¡± the camera man stuttered, and Orlan simply rolled his eyes before looking at the other man.


    ¡°Can you speak properly?¡± he asked of the other man.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the other man answered quickly and confidently, showing experience in dealing with odd situations, ¡°though this isn¡¯t a great place for an interview.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, I just wanted to get a message out,¡± Orlan replied, ¡°first off, tell everyone that approaching within three miles of my island could be risky, it¡¯ll trip our defenses and¡­ well¡­ I¡¯d rather not hurt anyone. Second off, I¡¯m willing to do a quick interview, but in return I want a cell phone, with a plan paid, lets say, a year out, and a radio I can use to speak with other choppers.¡±


    ¡°You want¡­ a cell phone?¡± the man asked incredulously, looking at the simple, if well made, leather brigantine Orlan wore over a dark tunic and trousers. Looking down at his dress he did stick out, perhaps looking like he was in costume or from a renaissance fair. Despite that he was asking for a cell phone and radio, which, he had to admit, was a rather serious juxtaposition.


    ¡°I may not look it, but I am from this world,¡± Orlan explained, looking up, ¡°though it has been a while, are cell phones not common anymore?¡±


    ¡°They are, just¡­¡± the reporter shook his head, ¡°we¡¯ll need somewhere to land.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll put a helipad on the southern end of the island in a couple hours, just be sure to approach from the south so we know it¡¯s you,¡± Orlan replied, ¡°I¡¯ll only answer questions for half an hour for now, I¡¯m expecting the government to show up eventually.¡±


    ¡°No kidding,¡± the reporter agreed, writing something down on a pad, ¡°cell phone, radio, two hours from now, approach from the south, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Orlan smiled, pulling his headset off and tossing it to the still confused camera man before stepping off the skid and vanishing through space, Lailra following him a moment later.


    ¡°Is this wise?¡± she asked as they returned to the ground a couple minutes later, ¡°inviting them here?¡±


    ¡°One way or another we¡¯ll need to talk with someone, best to do it on our terms than wait for them to force the issue,¡± Orlan shrugged, ¡°if the government is anything like it was when I left, they won¡¯t respond well to us appearing out of nowhere.¡±


    ¡°A very controlling royal family?¡±


    ¡°Something like that,¡± he nodded, reaching out a hand and pulling on energy from the Anchorheart and directing his will into the ground before him. The ground flowed almost like a liquid, becoming flat and solidifying into a stone platform a couple dozen meters across. Orlan couldn¡¯t remember how much space a helicopter needed, so he decided to go overboard. Thankfully this side of the island had never been heavily used so there was plenty of open ground.


    ¡°And now we wait,¡± he said after ensuring the platform was stable. He couldn¡¯t make full structures this way, the Anchorheart couldn¡¯t manage that level of complexity without an Earth mage, but he could make foundations and generally alter the terrain.

 Returned Protector ch2

    ¡°Scanning spells have found a minor mana geyser some distance to the south,¡± Nallia explained, even after a couple hours the news helicopter hadn¡¯t shown yet and some of the off duty knights had come to join him and Lialra as they waited, ¡°there are a couple others to the west, but those are all in the middle of large cities. The one to the south is a few miles off the coast.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense,¡± Orlan nodded, ¡°living beings are drawn to mana even if they don¡¯t know it.¡±


    ¡°The geyser is only just strong enough to support the protectorate, but it should be enough to let you relax a bit,¡± Nallia finished, despite her cold exterior it was clear she still cared.


    ¡°Once these news people show we¡¯ll get under way,¡± Orlan decided, then continued seeing the look Lialra gave him, ¡°I can hold on for days more if needed.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Lialra said with a slight sigh, ¡°the thin aether of this side is slowing down all our regeneration, so don¡¯t push yourself.¡±


    Orlan gave her a smile in response, it was true that all of the mana regeneration of both him and the anchorheart had slowed after leaving the rift, but while they¡¯d been inside it there¡¯d been more mana than he could have possibly used. Upon coming out of the rift the anchorheart was as full as it had ever been, but it was true that it was currently using more mana to stay aloft than it regenerated. On the other side, he hadn¡¯t had to deal with that issue for years as even at the fourth sphere he regenerated mana faster than the island consumed it.


    ¡°Do you hear that?¡± one of the younger knights asked, breaking his train of thought. After focusing for a moment he heard the thumping of a helicopter approaching them and he smiled.


    ¡°Looks like our guests are here,¡± he announced, pausing as he looked at what the girls were wearing, all of them were off duty so they had various dresses on, as was typical of women on the other side, ¡°Aila, can we get a wind barrier for you all?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Aila, another of his knights and a user of wind mana.


    ¡°Their flying machines tend to kick up a lot of wind and¡­¡± Orlan nodded to how they were all dressed, causing Aila to blush for a moment before a spell circle appeared before her outstretched hands for a second.


    A few minutes later a helicopter belonging to the same network he¡¯d seen before, though it clearly wasn¡¯t the same vehicle, was carefully settling down on the large flat stone pad Orlan had created some distance from where he stood. The few knights who stood by him had quickly retreated behind the wind barrier once the gusts from the helicopter hit them. Even the one mage from the mage tower who¡¯d joined them retreated when his robe started catching the wind. Thankfully the helicopter wound down soon after landing, a small group of people with bits of equipment emerging before the blades had fully stopped.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one in charge?¡± a woman leading the group asked, approaching Orlan who nodded. Before he could respond she shoved a bag at him, ¡°here, a phone and radio like you asked. Best we could do on short order but should be sufficient.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Orlan nodded again, looking through the bag to find a new, seemingly unused cell phone and a large hand-held HAM radio, still in the packaging, along with a few replacement batteries. With a final nod Orlan put the bag in his personal rift before returning his gaze to the news lady.


    She was paused midway through checking her makeup, staring at where the bag had been before it vanished, seeing his look she shook herself before ensuring she was presentable. A couple others began setting up equipment behind her, Orlan recognized the camera, but the rest was a mystery. He figured some of it was sound equipment, judging from the mic one of them held. A few cables led back to the helicopter, presumably for power and transmission.


    After a few minutes the woman was finished checking herself and straightened again.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯re doing this live so just look into the camera when speaking, that¡¯s the box thing with the lens-,¡± she started only for Orlan to interrupt her.


    ¡°I know what a camera is,¡± he said.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she replied skeptically before schooling her expression and looking at the camera for a minute. Orlan could just barely make out a voice from an ear piece she wore, though he couldn¡¯t understand what was being said.


    ¡°Thanks Kathy, and that¡¯s right,¡± she said in a much peppier voice a moment after a red light came on from the camera, ¡°we¡¯re currently on the mysterious floating island that appeared over Boston during the mysterious attack last night. Joining me is the man claiming to be in charge. So tell us, who are you and what is going on?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Protector Lord Orlan,¡± he said as the camera turned to bring him into shot, ¡°my knights and I came through the rift last night, that was the strange event with the monsters.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± the news woman replied, ¡°you said you came through that ¡®rift¡¯ as you called it? Can you tell us why?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Orlan nodded, ¡°as my title implies, my job is to protect people, specifically from the monsters that the rifts bring. On the other side these rifts are common, but, until recently, they¡¯ve been exclusive to that side. When we realized that rifts were appearing on this side we knew we couldn¡¯t leave you unprotected.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®other side¡¯?¡±


    ¡°The other side of the world, not like¡­ Australia?¡± Orlan paused to think, ¡°the world has two sides, like a coin, one mundane, one magical. These two sides are largely separate, rarely interacting.¡±


    ¡°Are you implying the world is flat?¡± The reporter asked.


    ¡°What? No, don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Orlan shook his head, his smile faltering slightly, ¡°the coin is just a metaphor, clearly the world is a sphere.¡±


    ¡°Does this mean there are an infinite number of worlds like ours?¡±


    ¡°Not so far as we¡¯ve been able to tell, just the two sides.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± she paused, holding a hand to her ear, indicating she was listening to something, ¡°there are reports of your people helping out during the¡­ rift last night, is that true?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Orlan nodded, looking more somber, ¡°as I said our job is to protect people from monsters so as soon as we arrived we, well, did our jobs. I¡¯m just sorry we couldn¡¯t get here sooner.¡±


    ¡°And your people healed some of the victims?¡±


    ¡°Several of my knights are skilled healers,¡± Orlan confirmed, ¡°but even healing magic isn¡¯t, well, all powerful. Most healing takes a toll on the body of those being healed, but it should be minor for the average person.¡±


    ¡°Then are you aware several of the people you healed have suddenly fallen dead?¡± the reporter asked.


    ¡°What?¡± Orlan asked, eyebrows raised in surprise, ¡°if they were able to survive the healing magic they should have recovered just fine.¡±


    ¡°Then you don¡¯t know why several people, who reported being healed by your so-called knights, suddenly fell dead over the last couple hours?¡±


    ¡°Nallia,¡± Orlan said over his shoulder, the blank faced woman quickly approaching while pulling a small book and pen from her personal space.


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    ¡°What were their symptoms,¡± she asked in a monotone, yet demanding voice.


    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m not sure-,¡± the reporter said slowly, looking confused at this development.


    ¡°This is Nallia, one of my head knights,¡± Orlan said quickly, ¡°now, answer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being told¡­ they seemed fine, uninjured, before suddenly having a seizure and passing away,¡± the reporter said, ¡°are you saying you weren¡¯t aware your healing would have this effect?¡±


    ¡°Fine for several hours, then seizing before death,¡± Nallia said, writing quickly in her book, before looking at Orlan, ¡°that sounds like a mana allergy.¡±


    ¡°Blighted soul? From several people all at once?¡± Orlan asked, looking equal parts disturbed and skeptical.


    ¡°So you didn¡¯t realize this would happen?¡± the reporter insisted, shoving the mic in his face.


    ¡°Some people have a¡­ negative reaction to magic,¡± Orlan explained slowly, ¡°just like you described, they¡¯re fine for a few hours after exposure, before having a seizure. It¡¯s a known condition but vanishingly rare only a handful of cases are observed a generation.¡±


    ¡°It could be more common on this side, Lord Orlan,¡± Nallia added, ¡°without constant exposure to magic those with it wouldn¡¯t have been selected out of the population.¡±


    ¡°Damnit,¡± Orlan cursed softly, before looking up at he worried glances the technical people were giving him, ¡°you should be fine, even if you have an allergy to mana simply being on the island isn¡¯t exposure enough. Nallia, anyway we can identify people who have it?¡±


    ¡°Not without a testing and waiting for a reaction,¡± she replied immediately, ¡°something that isn¡¯t practical when dealing with injured.¡±


    ¡°Alright, new standard orders going forward, minimal healing for natives to this side only. Only enough to ensure they survive long enough to receive more mundane treatment, and only if needed.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re healing magic did cause this?¡± the reporter pressed.


    ¡°Yes, though it wasn¡¯t our intent,¡± Orlan sighed, ¡°despite everything there¡¯s still a lot we don¡¯t know, and this mana allergy wasn¡¯t something we considered.¡±


    ¡°But you were aware of the risk?¡±


    ¡°You have to understand, on the other side the condition is extremely rare, and those with it rarely make it past childhood since magic is more common over there. Thinking about it now, it seems obvious but¡­¡±


    ¡°And you intend to keep using your healing magic, even knowing it might kill people?¡±


    ¡°Only if they won¡¯t survive otherwise,¡± Orlan said, ¡°given a choice between certain death to injuries or possible death to magic, I¡¯d imagine the latter is preferable.¡±


    ¡°Still, shouldn¡¯t people be allowed to decide that for themselves?¡±


    ¡°In an ideal world, sure, but since when is this an ideal world?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ll just keep forcing your, potentially deadly, healing on injured people?¡±


    ¡°You make it sound like we¡¯re trying to hurt people,¡± Orlan scowled, ¡°we¡¯re trying to save people.¡±


    ¡°With potentially harmful methods.¡±


    ¡°Would you prefer we stand and watch people who we could have saved die?¡± Orlan demanded, his good nature having rapidly vanished.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you find a way to help people without causing potential harm?¡± the reporter insisted.


    ¡°If you manage to find one, I¡¯ll gladly make use of it,¡± Orlan snorted, ¡°unfortunately there isn¡¯t one. Now do you have any other questions?¡±


    Before she could respond the light on the camera went out and the woman let out a breath, handing the mic back to one of the assistants.


    ¡°Thanks for the interview,¡± she said, her voice considerably blander now that she wasn¡¯t on camera, turning back towards the helicopter while the others began picking up their equipment.


    ¡°You call that an interview?¡± Orlan demanded.


    ¡°Just business hon,¡± she shrugged, only to freeze as a blast of energy shot past her, impacting the side of the hill the pad was built on in a large blast. She looked back to see Orlan¡¯s knights all glaring at her, several having drawn weapons and one with a fading spell circle before her.


    Orlan quickly held out a hand to stop them before things escalated, but the news crew had all frozen at the attack.


    ¡°Is this how you respond to basic scrutiny?¡± the news woman asked after a moment.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize I approached a tabloid and offered an interview,¡± Orlan retorted.


    ¡°I¡¯m just asking questions,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Not here you aren¡¯t,¡± Orlan said definitively, ¡°your news company is no longer welcome on my island.¡±


    The woman simply snorted, before returning to the helicopter.


    -----


    ¡°Want me to take a lance and destroy their house?¡± Aila offered as the helicopter faded into the distance, her eyes filled with rage like many of the other knights.


    ¡°No,¡± Orlan shook his head.


    ¡°You said that¡­ camera thing would allow many to watch that interview,¡± she said, ¡°yet she still had the gall to imply¡­ that.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, not like she, or anyone, can stop us.¡±


    ¡°Lord,¡± Nallia said, the only knight present with a blank face, before pointing into the sky, ¡°is that one of those ¡®fighter jets¡¯ you told us about?¡±


    ¡°I think so,¡± Orlan said, shielding his eyes as he struggled to make out details of the distant object.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know any mage who can fly that high, or that fast,¡± Nallia commented, flipping to another section of the book she was holding before starting to write, ¡°and you said they do that completely without magic?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Orlan nodded, grateful for the distraction, ¡°I¡¯m no expert on how they work though.¡±


    ¡°Any chance we can acquire one?¡± she asked, not looking up from her notes, ¡°if we can incorporate the knowledge that goes into one of these fighter jets with our magic, we might be able to enhance our cutters.¡±


    Orlan simply shrugged, holding out his hands and returning the helipad to simple dirt, no need to seem inviting. Thankfully the knights had been successfully distracted and spent the short walk back to the main castle talking about the various things they¡¯d seen during the battle the night before.


    -----


    ¡°Damnit, it¡¯s worse than I thought,¡± Orlan cursed, he¡¯d managed to figure out how to work the cellphone and found it had an internet connection, which had surprised him. According to the news there had been several rifts over the last couple months, the one the other day simply being the largest yet.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Lailra hummed in askance from across the table, tilting her head sightly.


    ¡°Any progress on detecting new rifts?¡± he asked, turning the phone off.


    ¡°The mages say they¡¯re confident out to about a hundred miles,¡± she replied, ¡°but not beyond that. They¡¯re suffering from the low aether of this side more than the rest of us, though the mana geyser has helped.¡±


    Orlan nodded, the knights had a bond to him that granted them a small portion of the regen of the anchorheart, but the mages were on their own. Normally such a small difference wasn¡¯t noticeable except in extended combat, but here it was drastically slowing them down. It seemed that they didn¡¯t have the energy to fully power the detection array, or they¡¯d have a range closer to a thousand miles.


    He opened his mouth to respond, only to freeze at a tickling at the back of his mind. Lailra seemed to notice this and straightened.


    ¡°Invaders?¡± she asked.


    ¡°A couple objects just entered within three miles of the island,¡± Orlan said, ¡°feels like military helicopters.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get everyone armored up,¡± Lailra said, dashing from the room. Orlan only took a few minutes to swap out his clothing for his full plate armor, one of the many benefits of his rift mana giving him a large personal space. His knights were also granted one, due to their bond, but it was noticeably smaller than his. Moments later he appeared in the main hall, a dozen of his knights already waiting, armed and armored.


    ¡°First lance with me,¡± he ordered, ¡°second and third guard the castle and villages.¡±


    Without waiting for a response he left the castle. He was still tracking the helicopters, and it felt like they were down close to the water, presumably to avoid detected, and would only rise up to the island at the last moment. He quickly identified the best place to greet them if they kept their current heading and ran at superhuman speeds, followed closely by his knights.


    -----


    ¡°Sixty seconds till contact,¡± the pilot reported over the intercom, the dozen men in the back of the helicopter ensured their rifles were ready. No one quite knew what to expect when they landed, they¡¯d been told to treat everyone on the island like a potential combatant, but they were sorely lacking in information. And clearly they didn¡¯t enjoy the feeling, judging from the two fully loaded chinooks they¡¯d assembled, complete with air support holding a few miles out.


    The strike had been delayed as the island had moved once more, but when it settled off the coast of DC those in charge only seemed to grow more nervous.


    The helicopter shifted as they began to climb rapidly, near as recon could tell the island had no radar capability, so they figured approaching from low to the ground with lights off shortly after night fell would ensure an easy approach. Getting off the island was also easy, as everyone was rated for paradrops, they could simply jump off the side of the island and pop their chutes since they wouldn¡¯t be needed for landing. It was an odd situation, helicopter in, parachute out, but it was what they were paid for.


    ¡°Hey Dan,¡± one of the soldiers asked, leaning forward, ¡°do you think this magic man can help you with your ¡®issue¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Maybe he can summon a condom small enough for you,¡± Dan retorted, the squad laughing in response.


    ¡°Quiet back there,¡± the sergeant interrupted their joking as the chinooks cleared the lip of the floating island.


    ¡°What the,¡± one of the pilots stammered.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I think they detected us,¡± the pilot explained, the sergeant opening the door to the cockpit to see what they were talking about. Hovering in the air a third of the way into the island were giant neon glowing letters reading ¡®Hey army man, land here!¡¯ with an arrow pointing to the ground where a large area of flattened land waited them.


    ¡°Oh for crying out loud.¡±


    -----


    ¡°I think they see it,¡± Lailra said, her voice full of mirth, as the two army helicopters seemed to stumble, as if unsure what to do.


    ¡°I should hope so,¡± Nallia replied simply, being the one responsible for the light show with her light magic.


    ¡°Will they actually land here?¡±


    ¡°No idea,¡± Orlan shrugged, a smirk on his face as he imagined the discussion going on. After a few moments the helicopters began moving once more, both in their direction, apparently deciding not to attempt stealth.

 Returning Protector ch3

    Powerful spotlights came on from the helicopters, bathing Orlan and his knights in light. There was more than enough space for both large vehicles to land, but only one chose to descend for the moment. Alia put up another wind barrier without having to be asked, though this time it was less to protect the girls¡¯ modesty than to deflect any debris tossed about by the wind. Of course some of the armor many of the knights wore made it obvious the wearer was female as it was clearly designed for a more feminine frame. Other more magically inclined knights wore ankle length robes, over their more minimal leather armor.


    The chinook landed a good hundred feet from where Orlan and the first lance stood, far enough away that it was possible to have a shouted conversation over the helicopter, but close enough that they could retreat to it in short order. The other helicopter took up an overwatch position, partly opening the back ramp so a couple soldiers could provide covering fire if needed.


    ¡°Are those firearms?¡± Nallia asked, dismissing the glowing sign in favor of a large sun-like ball that lit up the whole field, ¡°they look too small to cause any real damage.¡±


    ¡°Their muzzle velocity and rate of fire is far above anything on the other side,¡± Orlan replied, ¡°even the small bullets are more than enough to kill a normal person, even a tier two might be injured by the rounds.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating, any chance we can acquire one for inspection?¡±


    ¡°I need to show you how to use the phone,¡± Orlan chuckled, watching the soldiers carefully approach them, rifles up and ready, ¡°you should be able to look up lots of things on it.¡±


    ¡°Orlan?¡± the closest soldier shouted, coming to a stop a good twenty feet away, ¡°so-called lord of this island?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± Orlan confirmed, pulling his helmet off and storing it in his personal space, ¡°if I didn¡¯t know any better I¡¯d say you boys were here to kill me.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been ordered to take you into custody,¡± the soldier replied, ¡°come quietly and no bloodshed is required.¡±


    ¡°And why are you trying to arrest me?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not police,¡± the man growled back, ¡°we don¡¯t need to read your charges.¡±


    ¡°And if I say no?¡± Orlan asked simply.


    ¡°Then we take you by force.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve badly misjudged the situation,¡± Orlan said with a sigh, ¡°you¡¯re acting like you have the power here.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got you outnumbered, and we have proper guns not your little toys,¡± the soldier sneered.


    ¡°Alright, how about a challenge then?¡± Orlan said, opening his arms wide, ¡°if you manage to hurt me with your ¡®proper guns¡¯ then I¡¯ll come with. If not, you leave.¡±


    The soldier didn¡¯t even hesitate to pull the trigger, a loud gunshot ringing across the field. A couple sparks fell from where the bullet shattered against Orlan¡¯s breastplate, not even leaving a scratch. Casually, Orlan lifted a hand to brush at the spot the bullet had hit.


    ¡°Nice shot, aiming for the gut? Cause lots of pain, put me down quickly, but unlikely to actually kill me if I¡¯m treated quickly?¡± Orlan nodded, ¡°well, seems like you lost.¡±


    ¡°Take them down,¡± the lead soldier ordered his own men.


    ¡°Don¡¯t kill them,¡± Orlan snapped out an instant before gunfire erupted from the whole squad this time. The battle, if it could be called that, lasted barely a minute, and it only took that long as the knights weren¡¯t aiming to kill. Considering their job was to kill monsters they didn¡¯t have a lot of experience with non-lethal measures. Orlan, for his part simply stepped forward, vanishing from where he stood and appearing among the soldiers, lashing out with his gauntlet covered fists to disarm or knock out one soldier after another. Semi-transparent vines of greenish energy sprung from the ground, pulling any soldier caught by them to the ground despite their ghostly appearance. Bright flashes of light disoriented the soldiers, making it hard for them to tell what was going on until it was too late.


    ¡°There, now we can talk,¡± Orlan said, holding the squad leader by the front of the man¡¯s harness after crushing the man¡¯s rifle with the other hand.


    With practiced skill the soldier pulled his pistol from the holster at his side, lifted it to aim right at Orlan¡¯s uncovered head and fired. The ghostly outline of a helmet could be briefly seen as the bullet was deflected.


    ¡°Expanded Coverage, a pretty common enchantment,¡± Orlan explained on seeing the man¡¯s shocked expression, ¡°it extends the protection of armor to places that would otherwise be uncovered. It¡¯s not perfect, being less effective than proper armor, but still useful. Also some of the girls in the second lance have used it to, well, let¡¯s just say their breastplates could use a bit more plate.¡±


    ¡°Orlan!¡± Lailra scolded him, waving her staff menacingly.


    ¡°So, what now?¡± the soldier asked after a moment, dropping his pistol to the ground in an admission of defeat, ¡°I¡¯m sure our government would be willing to negotiate for our release.¡±


    ¡°Before we get to that, can you tell me what justification you had for arresting me?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re a foreign military force on American soil,¡± the man replied after a moment, ¡°the government can¡¯t simply allow that.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m a US citizen,¡± Orlan said simply.


    ¡°Ah¡­ what?¡± the soldier stammered for a moment, ¡°do you have any proof of that?¡±


    ¡°I should,¡± Orlan said, reaching out with one hand and rummaging around for a moment before coming back with a card, ¡°here, my old driver¡¯s license. It¡¯s a bit out of date but still me.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ changes things,¡± the man said, looking at the card carefully.


    ¡°Now as to what we¡¯re going to do with you,¡± Orlan said, pausing for a moment to build some drama, before simply releasing the soldier, ¡°we¡¯ll be taking your weapons as compensation, call it battlefield salvage, but otherwise you¡¯re free to go.¡±


    ¡°Just like that?¡±


    ¡°Just like that,¡± Orlan agreed with a smile, ¡°I would appreciate it if you gave the leadership a message though.¡±


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°This ¡®internet¡¯ is fascinating,¡± Nallia commented, hunched over the cellphone while a couple other off duty knight crowded around her, ¡°so much information that is so easily accessed.¡±


    ¡°When I left the internet wasn¡¯t so¡­ robust,¡± Orlan admitted, sitting across the small table from her.


    ¡°And immediate access to news from around the world!¡± she added, her mostly mono-tone voice at odds with her excitement, ¡°we might not need the rift detection array if we had a few more of these.¡±


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°They can only report on a rift after it appears, the array should be able to predict them in advance.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention the other data the array can give us,¡± Lailra added, walking into the sitting room and joining Orlan on the couch, ¡°from the power output to the type of rift.¡±


    ¡°All the rifts on this side have been beast rifts,¡± Orlan said, ¡°the mages say the Aether isn¡¯t dense enough to sustain a persistent rift.¡±


    ¡°Nothing is impossible,¡± Lailra shrugged, ¡°the added mana from all these rifts could help thicken the Aether.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, we¡¯re dealing with a lot of unknowns here,¡± admitted Orlan, ¡°any progress on the mana allergy thing?¡±


    ¡°Some of our stealth specialists did some investigations, looks like around one in twelve people of this world have a blighted soul,¡± she replied a certain amount of hopelessness in her voice, ¡°obviously we¡¯re still lacking data so it could be off a good amount.¡±


    ¡°What about detecting people with it?¡±


    ¡°The mages are working on it, but they¡¯re quite busy with attuning the detection array as it is. They did mention it would be easier if they had access to a few people with a blighted soul, said it would help develop a scanning method.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what we can do,¡± Orlan sighed, finding someone with a mana allergy without endangering people was difficult enough. The best method they had right now was the same as people had used for centuries, inject the person with a small, hopefully non-lethal amount of mana, and wait for a reaction. It was effective but risky, not to mention it took time since any reaction to the mana could take hours to show. And that was sidestepping the issue of finding volunteers who would willingly submit to such an examination. With a groan Orlan pushed himself from the couch, taking a moment to stretch.


    ¡°Alright,¡± he said in a slight groan as he stretched, ¡°the anchorheart is about full, so I¡¯m going to work on getting back to sixth sphere.¡±


    ¡°Good luck,¡± Lailra replied with a smile, the other knights looking up briefly before returning to the cellphone, as Orlan walked out.


    The process of tiering up, sometimes called cultivation by the more Asian inspired cultures on the other side, wasn¡¯t an easy task, and being a Protector Lord both helped and hurt the process. The first requirement was a full mana pool, on one hand the added regeneration granted by the anchorheart made that easier, especially in a world with such a thin aether. However, his mana pool included the anchorheart, increasing the size of the pool massively the higher his tier. Combined with the constant drain of keeping the island aloft he practically needed a mana geyser before he could consider tiering up.


    Several of his knights greeted him as he walked the halls towards the anchorheart chamber. Many of them were only pseudo-knights, they lacked combat skill and ability to be true knights but were skilled in management and otherwise running the protectorate. It was thanks to them that he could focus on fighting off monsters and the like without getting bogged down in day to day operations.


    One might have thought that having the grand doors leading to the anchorheart chamber being unlocked would be a security risk, but in truth there wasn¡¯t much that could be done to a stone while it was bound. People have tried multiple times to destroy the anchorhearts for various reasons, and no one ever managed so much as a scratch.


    Sitting on the ground with the anchorheart hovering just before and above him, Orlan took a deep breath.


    The first step to tiering up was having full mana, but that was the easy step. Second was a level of knowledge or insight into your element, something Orlan had in spades. Not only had he already been two spheres higher than he was currently, but he¡¯d spent nearly a week inside a rift. He¡¯d made plenty of observations that would help with the construction of his spheres.


    It was the third requirement that was giving Orlan pause. Once one had enough mana and knowledge to construct their next sphere, they had to decide what, exactly, they wanted to do. Most people started with a single major mana attunement, but with each new sphere they could lean into one aspect or another of that element, altering their mana. This could specialize them in a specific aspect, like an air mage focusing on flight, or grant them access to abilities of other elements, like a water mage incorporating an aspect of rain to grant limited air abilities.


    Not every aspect was created equal, but which were better or worse was hard to tell. Exactly how a given aspect will combine with one¡¯s soul could be influenced by anything from how the user felt about their element to their surroundings. Orlan was in an even stranger position, having a unique mana type, so there was no knowledge about what aspects might be good or bad. For the most part he¡¯d used his early spheres shoring up his weaknesses or leaning into his strengths, restraining the often unpredictable rift mana he used. He could simply reuse his insights from before losing his spheres, but after witnessing the interior of an unstable beast rift for an extended period he had other options. All in all the inherent abilities granted by his lost spheres were middling and he was sure he could do better.


    There was one thing he¡¯d noticed above all else while in that rift, and that was the ambient mana. Despite common belief an element didn¡¯t create mana of its element, a fire didn¡¯t generate fire mana for example. Aspected mana was simply mana with properties similar to the given element. So the ambient mana within the rift was largely unattuned, raw power of the Aether and far above either this world or the other one. Before it wasn¡¯t something he hadn¡¯t thought about much, but now he wondered where that mana came from. The void was exactly that, empty, yet rifts which passed through the void like bolts of lightning carried immense amounts of energy.


    He spent close to an hour pondering this question, thinking of a way he could utilize it in his soul. Eventually he decided to wait on attempting to understand that particular question, there was a limit to what a given sphere of his soul could handle. The sixth sphere was advanced, but far from the deeper truths of the universe. Instead he chose to go with something similar to what he¡¯d had before, the aspect of distance, but using his new understandings of rifts. Rifts didn¡¯t just connect two places, and they weren¡¯t as simple as separate spaces either, they were tiny worlds in their own right. Small and unstable, overflowing with power and destine to collapse, but small worlds nonetheless.


    Focusing on the idea of miniature worlds within rifts he began to crystalize his mana, the final step of tiering up. It was also the most difficult, simply cramming more mana into his body would solidify it, but it wouldn¡¯t become a sphere. Worst case he¡¯d ruin his entire being, becoming a monster. Properly crystalizing a new sphere could take weeks, but thankfully it didn¡¯t need to be done all at once. Which was good as shortly after he began the door to the anchorheart chamber flew open.


    ¡°Lord Orlan!¡± Nallia said, her characteristic monotone somewhat elevated, ¡°there¡¯s a new rift somewhere called¡­ North Carolina.¡±


    ¡°The detection array reaches that far?¡± he asked, scrambling to his feet.


    ¡°No, I saw it on this,¡± she explained, holding up the cellphone, it¡¯s display showing a breaking news report of what was clearly a rift.


    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be too far away by cutter,¡± Orlan said, striding from the room with Nallia following just behind.


    ¡°Lailra is having the knights get ready,¡± Nallia reported, opening her mouth to add more when the phone she held began to ring. This surprised her, not that you could tell from her blank expression, as she looked at it. Orlan snatched it from her and hit the answer button.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Am I speaking to Orlan?¡± a voice on the other side said.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied, ¡°this had better not be a prank call.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a representative of the US State department,¡± the man explained, ¡°have you heard of the ¡®rift¡¯ event?¡±


    ¡°I have and we¡¯re preparing to depart,¡± Orlan said, still walking purposefully through the halls of the castle.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I was calling, to tell you not to get involved,¡± the man said, continuing before Orlan could reply, ¡°the national guard is mobilizing, we don¡¯t need your assistance.¡±


    ¡°All you¡¯ll do is get those men killed,¡± the protector lord snorted.


    ¡°Our generals are confident.¡±


    ¡°Great for them, I¡¯m still going.¡±


    ¡°If you do we¡¯ll consider it an invasion,¡± the government man warned.


    ¡°When I became a Protector Lord I swore to always help save man from the dangers of the rifts,¡± Orlan said seriously, ¡°you do what you need to do, and I¡¯ll do the same.¡±


    Before the man could reply Orlan hung up and shoved the phone into his personal space, where it wouldn¡¯t have any contact with the outside world. Nallia gave him a curious look, but he stepped through space as he started retrieving his armor before she could say anything.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°Looks like some kind of humanoid monster,¡± Nallia said, having retrieve the phone from him shortly after they departed, ¡°no evidence of mages among them yet.¡±


    ¡°Damnit,¡± Orlan cursed, humanoid monsters were always difficult, being more intelligent than mere beasts. There was also an increased risk that some of them had formed something resembling a sphere around their core, which would grant them access to proper magic.


    ¡°How strong do they seem?¡± Lailra asked.


    ¡°Hard to tell, at least second sphere equivalent,¡± Nallia answered, working the cell phone like an expert.


    ¡°What¡¯s the terrain like?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°More like we¡¯re used to, nearest large city is a few miles from the rift, so only a few scattered rift events have occurred within city limits.¡±


    ¡°I want teams of no less than three,¡± Orlan ordered after a moment, ¡°first lance is to focus on protecting the city and surrounding suburbs, second lance gets to hunt.¡±


    ¡°What about you, Master?¡± Lailra asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll move about as needed.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re only fifth sphere, remember, if there¡¯s a core of tier three beasts they can easily overwhelm you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t plan to stray too far, but you know how I fight.¡±


    ¡°Just¡­ be careful,¡± she said with a pleading look.

 Returned Protector ch4

    ¡°This is the nearest major settlement to the rift,¡± Nallia said as she and the rest of the first lance stepped off the cutter almost before it had settled, ¡°there¡¯s something called a ¡®golf course¡¯ southwest of here where the main rift appeared.¡±


    Orlan simply nodded, no changes to the plan were needed. The second cutter with the second lance of his knights was already headed that direction. There were a couple small mountains between the town and the rift, so the main host of monsters hadn¡¯t appeared yet. Being humanoid the monsters tended to stay in groups, ranging from a few members to a couple dozen from what they¡¯d seen so far. Several of such groups had already been cut down by the knights as they spread out through the town, but over all there were too few monsters. A single rift could contain hundreds or even thousands of monsters, most emerged from the main rift with the rest being scattered over a two to three mile radius from there. But it had taken them nearly an hour to arrive at the small town of Jefferson, more than enough time to travel from the rift to the town by foot.


    The terrain was rough, but there were plenty of roads for them to follow. There was another large town some distance to the south, but surely the monsters would prioritize the closest concentration of people, that¡¯s how they always worked. A few would scatter about wreaking havoc, even becoming just another part of the wilderness, but most should be headed here.


    There was one thing that could have stopped them, an alpha monster. Something that could exert some level of control over the hoard. A humanoid alpha was bad, if true, as alphas were both more powerful and more intelligent than their lesser kin.


    Orlan shook that thought from his head, reaching out and pulling his short, bladed spear from his personal space. The weapon sung for blood as he stepped through space, appearing a street over, another step brought him directly before a group of three of the monsters. And these ones truly earned that title, they were vaguely reminiscent of large, bipedal ants, with insectoid limbs and a hard chitin that covered their entire bodies. Their heads had the large, sharp mandibles, oversized compound eyes and long antenna that would be expected, but between the mandibles was a forest of what looks disturbingly like human fingers. Seeming to take the place of both lips and teeth, judging from the razor-sharp nails each ended in, they wiggled unnervingly constantly.


    Each hand was similarly replaced with a mess of fingers, but that didn¡¯t seem to impair their ability to carry weapons. As if things couldn¡¯t be any worse, every one of them was armed with a short sword or spear, all made of bronze if Orlan was any guess. They were low tier three, high tier two, making them far above any normal human. But Orlan was another level higher, he seemed to flow through their attacks like water while his spear lashed out like lightning to cut through bronze, chitin and flesh alike. In a handful of seconds the monsters were all dead, and Orlan vanished in another step before the last of them could even hit the ground.


    He tore four such packs apart before a faint buzzing in the back of his mind indicated an incoming message.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Orlan asked, rift stepping onto a building so he could scout out the surroundings.


    ¡°Second lance has run into a problem,¡± Lailra¡¯s voice said in his mind, ¡°They weren¡¯t able to land near the rift, the monsters seem to be swarming around it, protecting it.¡±


    ¡°Damnit, an alpha,¡± he cursed.


    ¡°That was my guess,¡± she agreed, ¡°doesn¡¯t seem to have emerged yet, but most of the swarm is waiting for it.¡±


    ¡°They look like ants, a queen?¡± Orlan offered.


    ¡°Hopefully, ant queens are large but not exactly built for combat,¡± she replied, ¡°I¡¯m worried she¡¯ll have a royal guard though, would fit with their appearance.¡±


    Orlan simply nodded, while monsters were odd beings, they tended to follow natural roles. If a monster looked like a wolf, it would likely hunt in packs. It wasn¡¯t perfect, monsters tended to have bits and pieces from multiple creatures or things that didn¡¯t match up with anything on Earth, but it was a good guess.


    ¡°Worst case would be a princess,¡± Nallia added, ¡°she¡¯ll still have the royal guard, but her body won¡¯t have changed to focus on reproduction yet.¡±


    ¡°Tell the second lance-,¡± he paused as a pair of fighters screamed by overhead, ¡°tell them to stay away from the main swarm, focus on containment.¡±


    He felt her agreement before the connection snapped, this looked like it was going to get difficult.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    Long gouts of fire erupted from the ground as the bombs dropped by two fighters struck the ground, covering several holes of the golf course in a raging inferno. The napalm covered hundreds of the bug monsters who cried out in rage and pain. For nearly a minute the flames burned before the napalm ran out, leaving scattered brush and trees aflame. The ground was covered in ash and blackened bodies of the strange ant monsters, and for a long moment all was still save the crackling of the random secondary fires. But soon one of the heavily burned ants began to move, pushing itself to its feet, burned chitin flaking from its body like dust. Then another began to move, and another, and soon most of the monsters were standing once more. They were covered in burns, their carapaces cracked in multiple places from the heat, they struggled to breath as the spiracles along their sides were scorched.


    Barely a third of the monsters had succumb to the flames, the rest were injured, but still alive. A circling recon plane reported in, shock evident in their voices, but the imagery they sent back was undeniable. More conventional bombs weren¡¯t any more effective, they¡¯d learned earlier. While the blasts were enough to dismember and kill a handful of the humanoid ants, the shrapnel was largely ineffective, bouncing off their exoskeleton.


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    To the south multiple national guard groups, the ones that had been fastest to respond, were hunkered down behind their Humvees. They¡¯d only encountered scattered groups of the beasts, yet had been forced to stop when a couple ripped a tree from beside the road and threw it at the lead vehicle. Now the rest were pouring fire into the ants from behind cover. The rifles proving to be less that effective, even armor piercing rounds failed to penetrate the chitin. Direct hits to the eyes could still kill, and there were gaps in their carapaces around the joints where the rounds could do some damage, but largely the weapons did little to the monsters. The only reason they hadn¡¯t been overrun was due to the heavy .50 cal machine gun mounted atop each of the vehicles. After several of these rift events the army made sure that some heavier weapons were available to the national guard, and it was proving effective. The heavy rounds broke limbs and cracked armor from their sheer power, it still took a couple seconds of directed fire to ensure a kill.


    A couple of the men had shotguns that, at close range, delivered enough force to force the ants back even if it couldn¡¯t kill them reliably. But they couldn¡¯t kill the monsters as fast as they arrived, and it was only a matter of time before they were overrun. Considering the beasts could run fast enough to keep pace with the Humvees over short distances, running wasn¡¯t an option.


    They had all but resigned themselves to death when three warrior women seemed to drop out of the sky. The largest of them wielding a massive steel axe with enough strength that the ants were more blown apart than cut to pieces. The second woman carried a pair of shorter axes, moving with such speed the soldiers could barely keep track of her. The final woman carried a massive shepard¡¯s crook that glowed with an eerie light, phantasmal beasts sprung into existence around her with each swing of the crook, biting through the monsters with supernatural strength only to fade away moments later.


    The soldiers could only watch in shock as the women tore through the small hoard that had gathered around them, though whether their shock was due to the power on display or the fact that the large woman was laughing as she fought was anyone¡¯s guess. Despite their strength the fight wasn¡¯t entirely one sided, bronze weapons struck the berserker, many of them encountering seemingly transparent armor as they did, but some did manage to draw blood. The woman only laughed harder as she was injured, ignoring the pain.


    A minute later, all three women were covered in blood, most of which wasn¡¯t theirs, the two axe wielders letting out screams of anger as they sprinted north looking for more prey. The woman with the crook paused to apologize to the soldiers in a soft voice before running after her companions.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    Orlan had been fighting for nearly an hour when he got the call in that the rift had collapsed, meaning the alpha had come through. The town of Jefferson looked like it had been bombed, which wasn¡¯t completely inaccurate as the air force refused to give up on dropping ordinance. It seemed they figured that, even if the bombs were of limited effectiveness there was no risk to the plan.


    ¡°All the remaining monsters are retreating towards the ¡®golf¡¯ place,¡± Nallia reported from next to him, ¡°looks like the alpha is calling them back.¡±


    ¡°Damnit, hoped we had more time,¡± Orlan grumbled, ¡°first lance with me, we¡¯re going to sweep south down the valley, second lance is to remain on the south end of the rift zone. Casters with heavy area spells stay back and regenerate mana, we¡¯re going to need you when we hit the main hoard.¡±


    A chorus of agreements answered him as they set off. Protector Lords and their knights were uniquely suited to fighting beast rifts, as even a strong fifth sphere warrior would have struggled to fight at full strength for this long. But with the bonus regeneration provided by the anchorheart, even tempered by distance, Orlan was still going strong. It didn¡¯t hurt that his combat style largely revolved around the inherent abilities granted by his spheres, rather than spells which weren¡¯t as mana efficient. Anyone could learn spells, given they were had enough spheres and the right attunements, but inherent abilities were unique to everyone.


    He and the dozen members of the first lance swept south like a wind of death, culling any monster they found. Even those who weren¡¯t immediately killed weren¡¯t safe, as one of Lailra¡¯s inherent abilities caused her spells to infect those they injured with a terrifying rot. Being sixth sphere herself, a single scratch was often enough to kill these monsters. Being a higher sphere than her Protector Lord meant she didn¡¯t get full benefit of the bond, but by restricting herself to lower tier spells and making liberal use of rot ability had preserved her mana.


    Nallia focused more on intelligence gathering, using her light magic to illuminate the world, as she put it. Alia was the defensive magic user, her winds rebuffing anything that got too close. After long years of fighting together the group almost seemed like they could read each other¡¯s thoughts. While many of them had a telepathic message spell they didn¡¯t need it to fight as one.


    In less than fifteen minutes they¡¯d covered the mile from the town to the golf course, leaving a scattered trail of dead monsters in their wake. But, as they looked down from a ridge top to the mass of ants below, they realized they had barely scratched the surface of the swarm.


    ¡°Look,¡± Nallia said, holding her hand up to display an image to the others, one of her inherent abilities was far light, allowing her to see things at a distance so long as she had line of sight. By modifying an illusion spell she could display what she saw, and what she saw made Orlan scowl.


    In the middle of the hoard, near where the center of the rift had once stood, were four ant creatures that stood far over the smaller monsters. Unlike the main swarm, these four had six limbs arranged in a centauroid fashion, with the four rear serving as legs, while the front two were used as arms. They each wore heavy bronze plate over their upright torso and something that resembled barding over their rear half. Each carried a massive bronze shield in one hand and a long spear in the other.


    The four stood in a circle, facing outward, as if watching for threats, and they were the first to react when the distant scream of a jet engine could be heard. Acting as one they raised their shields and moved to cover each other, clearly intending to defend against the incoming fighters. But another odd looking ant had a different idea. The image projected by Nallia showed as another ant monster, larger than the normal ones but smaller than the four massive beasts, pushed aside one of their shields and held out her hand. The Protector Knights went silent as a spell formed in the air before the dozen wiggling fingers that made up her hand.


    Spears of earth rose from the ground around her and rocketed into the air as the jets cleared the mountain. Without any time to react the spears tore the jets apart, ripping through the metal like it was paper. Only one pilot managed to eject, the other looking like it was hit directly in the cockpit, and both jets slammed into the ground at the base of the mountain moments later.


    ¡°A Princess,¡± Orlan said slowly, ¡°and one that can use magic, great.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s forth sphere equivalent as well,¡± Nallia added, ¡°though I estimate her magic abilities are only second sphere.¡±


    ¡°The those four monsters around her are the royal guard,¡± Lailra finished, then looked at Orlan with a smile, ¡°been a while since we¡¯ve been pushed like this.¡±

 Returned Protector ch5

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    ¡°Dalia, can you deal with the chaff?¡± Orlan asked, one of his knights approaching from where she¡¯d been towards the back of the formation. While all of the knights wore distinctly feminine armor, Dalia¡¯s was on another level, like a strange mix of amor and an evening gown. With a flourish she returned her paired blades to the single sheath they shared.


    ¡°I¡¯ve just the spell,¡± Dalia replied with a feral smile.


    ¡°Try not to burn down the forest this time,¡± Lailra teased.


    ¡°One time,¡± Dalia grumbled in annoyance even as she took a deep breath. Reaching out with both hands five concentric circles of blazing red light flashed into existence in the air. Orlan motioned for the others to cover her while she cast, while magic was extremely powerful it took time to summon, especially when casting spells at or near your limit. As a fifth sphere mage Dalia¡¯s limit was fifth tier magic, it was possible to push past those limits but it wasn¡¯t something you wanted to do in combat.


    Orlan summoned a quick barrier as the ant princess noticed the glowing magic and began casting her own spell. Alia added a wind shield and between them they managed to deflect or block the stone spears that shot their direction. Some of the nearest ants had begun rushing up the slope towards them, but a withering hail of low tier spells forced them back onto the fairway. Given time the ants would eventually overwhelm them through sheer numbers, but all they had to do was hold the mass off until Dalia¡¯s spell finished.


    ¡°Ballet of the Dancing Flame,¡± Dalia said as the spell circles she¡¯d summoned flared, a mass of burning mana shot from the spell towards the ant horde. The Royal guard were quick to pull the princess back and cover her with their massive shields, but rather than impacting the spell seemed to slow down and transform midair.


    The ball of energetic mana burst to reveal a ballet dancer made of reddish energy, as if some kind of off color ghost. The dancer landed gracefully among the ants, at more than double their height she was easily seen even without the bright red-orange light she gave off. She began to dance to some unheard song, pirouetting and spinning across the battlefield at a deceptively slow pace. Any ant her spinning foot or sweeping hands touched was almost instantly incinerated, but the real danger was dozens of flecks of red energy sent flying with each of her movements. Drifting like snowflakes anything they landed upon they burned. Grass, chitin, dirt and rock all burned beneath these sparks of mana.


    Dalia¡¯s main inherent ability was an increase in power for spells or attacks that were beautiful, while the dancer was a fifth tier spell this ability pushed it to match a sixth tier in power. Even as it burned ants by the hundred the Royal Guard were largely unaffected, their shields able to repel the flakes of fire the dancer gave off. The dancer was insubstantial but could still be blown, any time she got too close to the guards they waved their shields, the wind pushing her away as if she were a cloud of mist. This kept a small core of ants around the royal guard safe while the majority of the army burned.


    ¡°Well done,¡± Orlan nodded in approval as Dalia fell to a knee in exhaustion, though her smile never wavered as she took in the destructive beauty of her spell, ¡°Nallia, stay here with Dalia, keep her safe and provide fire support.¡±


    ¡°Yes Lord,¡± the blank faced mage-knight agreed.


    ¡°The rest of you, as soon as her spell ends, we¡¯re going in,¡± Orlan continued, ¡°It¡¯ll be hard to get at the princess while her guard are still up, so we¡¯ll take them down first. Alia, Lailra, you keep the others locked down while Pena and I focus down one at a time.¡±


    ¡°Yes Lord.¡±


    ¡°Yes Master.¡±


    Orlan barely waited for the chorus of agreements before dashing down the mountain, his heavy armor and strength allowing him to plow through the brush in his way. Only occasionally did he seem to flicker in and out of existence as he rift-stepped through a larger bush or tree. Dalia¡¯s dancer burst after a last spinning flourish to kill off the last of the ant monsters remaining near the royal guards, the rest having scattered to avoid the destruction. This left a field of smoldering ash as the stage for the battle, the fairway being almost unrecognizable.


    The princess attempted to fired off another wave of spikes at Orlan and the charging knights, but a beam of light forced one of her guard to pull her back and shield her from Nallia¡¯s spell. Approaching within a hundred feet Orlan drew his arm back and threw his spear without breaking stride, a greenish spell circle appearing in its path as Lailra cast an enhancement spell on the throw. Orlan still scowled as the spear failed to break the sound barrier even as it rocketed through the air towards the ants. Two Royal Guard attempted to cover one another with their massive round shields, only for a gust of wind to buffet one of them, preventing them from stacking up.


    Seeing its partner stumble away the Royal Guard was forced to angle its shield to deflect the spear away, barely managing it before the weapon struck. Despite catching the throw at an angle, the spear left a large dent and long, deep scratch in the thick bronze shield before finally being turned away, rendering the shield nearly useless. Rather than waste time dumping the damaged shield the guard ant drew its own spear back to strike the now unarmed Orlan as he quickly followed his spear.


    The torso sized spear tip lashed out, perfectly timed to meet Orlan just as he entered range, but the protector vanished the instant the ant committed to the attack, stepping through space to appear beneath the massive centaur-like ant. More confusingly for the royal guard was the fact that he was holding the spear he¡¯d thrown in both hands. Despite catching the monster off guard the spear was unable to penetrate the thick chitin of the ant¡¯s leg, while the weapon was sharp enough Orlan¡¯s reduced strength wasn¡¯t enough to push it through, resulting in a modest scratch but no real damage.


    To the side the second royal guard was busy dealing with a confusing maelstrom of winds that constantly pushed it around, Alia¡¯s main inherent ability giving her winds greater force but made them harder to control. This made her perfect for pushing physically superior opponents around, locking them down, even if she lacked the ability to deal them serious harm. A third royal guard was struggling against torrents of incorporeal thorn covered vines, its carapace slowly beginning to rot away from Lailra¡¯s abilities. The final was forced to stay back and cover the princess as intermittent blasts of light or fire lanced down from the two knights back atop the ridge. Neither presented a real risk to the royal guard as Dalia was low on mana while Nallia¡¯s light lacked impact, but the instinct to protect their princess was too great to abandon her.


    Orlan rift-stepped backwards through a shield bash only to be caught in the side by a wild sweep of his opponent¡¯s spear, launching him a dozen feet away. Aside from a slight bruise he was unharmed, his armor absorbing much of the impact, but it was a grim reminder of how much strength he¡¯d lost with his spheres. An instant after he hit the ground he¡¯d stepped through space and was once again assaulting the leg of the royal guard, his spear blurring from a simple attack spell, causing the weapon to strike three times with each thrust. It reduced the force behind each strike by a third as well, but that was immaterial to Orlan. His core inherent ability, the one gained at the first sphere, was his hidden weapon. Not as flashy as rift-step nor as utilitarian as his person spaces, void strike caused the spear-tip to glow with an unearthly black light that was injected into the target with each strike.


    Shifting its weight the royal guard kicked out with the leg Orlan was assaulting, forcing him back while it began to turn its attention away from the seemingly impotent protector. But as it brought its foot back down the entire leg crumbled like it was made from sand, the light of the void corroding the chitin. As the massive ant stumbled Orlan rift stepped into the air, his spear lashing out at the eyes of the great monster. It flinched away so the thrust struck its forehead instead, leaving a nasty gash in the carapace but failing to penetrate. Despite that Orlan summoned a small barrier beneath a foot so he could once more rift-step away from the royal guard, flashing over to the ant being battered by Alia, ignoring it as it had intended to ignore him moments earlier. But it barely got a chance to right itself before the void energies injected into its head damaged its small brain.


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    Its simple mind was unable to comprehend what was happening as its limbs twitched and seized, seemingly ignoring its desires. For several more seconds it struggled to control its thrashing limbs, falling to the ground, before the damage caused by the void strike spread too far and it fell dead.


    Seeing one of her royal guard fall, with another soon to follow judging by the vast swaths of rotting chitin on the one facing Lailra, sent the Princess into a rage. Ignoring the attempts to protect her she summoned several spells and began firing spears of earth wildly at the humans who dared attack her hive. Before the lances could strike anything a beam of light lashed out like a sniper to engulf her head. One of her eyes was instantly reduced to a smoking husk while the other seemed distorted, but Nallia wasn¡¯t a damage dealer, so while the tier three spell had struck directly against the ant princess¡¯s skull it failed to eliminate her. Instead it seemed to drive her even more wild, her sight damaged she threw spears wildly in every direction, even striking her own royal guard a couple times.


    Seeing the opening Orlan stepped past the confused guard, his spear flashing out and cleanly removing the princess¡¯s head in a single strike. A second royal guard falling moments later from a combination of Lailra¡¯s rot and the princess¡¯s spikes. From there it was only a matter of time before the last two guards fell, their protective instinct so strong that they refused to abandon the princess even seeing her dead. The other regular ants had begun to gather once more, but seeing the princess fall they had no qualms about fleeing, scattering into the mountains. Many were cut down by the second lance which had spread out to contain such a scattering.


    Groups of survivors even took their own toll on the fleeing mass, heavy hunting rifles and shotguns brought down at least two dozen of the monsters as the horde fled. With no organized resistance the national guard units finally managed to push north, reaching the golf course as Orlan and his knights finally gave up on chasing the last few ants.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°No way we¡¯ve enough space in the hold for all¡¯a this,¡± the captain of one of the two cutters said, shaking his head looking at the pile of ant monsters fifteen minutes later.


    ¡°Focus on the bronze and the bodies of the royal guard then,¡± Orlan replied after a moment, ¡°I think most of the weapons are imbued to tier one or two which should help repair the damage the island took.¡±


    ¡°You already throw the weapons of the guard in your personal space?¡± the captain asked.


    ¡°Along with the body of the princess,¡± he agreed, ¡°that¡¯s all at least tier three, so hopefully we can get another cutter or two operational with it.¡±


    ¡°Shame there¡¯s no good wood on this side,¡± the other man added, ¡°harbormaster says he can only fix a couple cutt¡¯rs with what lumber ¡®e¡¯s got.¡±


    Orlan simply nodded, the sky docks were hit especially hard during the transit, leaving them with only two functional sky-cutters. Compared to the half dozen they¡¯d had it vastly reduced their transport abilities. It was one of the main reasons he¡¯d been forced to leave the training lance behind, there simply wasn¡¯t space to bring them on the ships they had. Not if they wanted enough room to bring a useful amount of loot back.


    Looting the monsters was the main way Protector Lords sustained themselves, combined with a largely self-sufficient town on their islands allowed them to remain almost completely independent of outside funding. Of course several kingdoms on the other side had issues with the arrangement, to the extent that there had been several wars about it, but it remained the standard.


    ¡°Looks like the local¡¯s wanna talk,¡± the captain said, breaking Orlan out of his thoughts and gesturing with his chin towards where a couple men in camos were approaching. Orlan took a breath and turned to meet them, several of his knights pausing in their work to pay attention.


    ¡°Orlan?¡± the large man asked, holding out a hand in greeting, ¡°Major Williamson of the North Carolina National Guard.¡±


    ¡°Pleased to meet you,¡± Orlan replied, taking the offered hand only to pause as the Major¡¯s other hand came up to slap a cuff around his wrist.


    ¡°I was told to arrest you if¡­¡± Williamson started, only to trail off and Orlan reached up, pinched the cuff between two fingers and, with a simple twist, snapped the metal as if it were cardboard.


    ¡°There going to be a problem¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°Nope,¡± the Major said, sounding almost relieved, ¡°I¡¯ve some friends who live in Jefferson so I¡¯m grateful you were able to save people. I had my orders, though, and this way I can say I did my best.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Orlan shrugged after a moment, then gestured over his shoulder, ¡°my girls have avoided using magic healing where possible, so there¡¯s a number of wounded scattered about. We tried centralizing them where possible, but we don¡¯t have the resources to treat them all.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll handle it,¡± Williamson replied, motioning to the man next to him, ¡°just give the Lieutenant their locations and conditions.¡±


    ¡°Nallia,¡± called Orlan, the blank faced knight appearing and producing a scroll which she handed to the Lieutenant.


    ¡°You going to completely police the field?¡± Williamson asked once that was done, ¡°I¡¯ve got no orders to the effect, but I imagine the brass will be upset if you take everything like you did in Boston.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have the ability to take everything,¡± Orlan snorted, ¡°we¡¯re focusing on the most valuable stuff but there will be hundreds of monster corpses we can¡¯t fit.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡±


    ¡°A word of warning, though, magical materials are dangerous,¡± Orlan added, ¡°just handling them should be safe enough but if you start messing with them you¡¯re likely to release large amounts of mana. Even if you aren¡¯t allergic to the mana it can still cause injuries.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass the warning along, but chances are they¡¯ll ignore you.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll learn one way or another,¡± shrugged Orlan, about to turn away when he paused and reached out to pull some fruit from his personal space, offering one to Williamson, ¡°banana?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± the large army man asked, confused.


    ¡°Passed through a half collapsed grocery store while fighting,¡± Orlan explained, ¡°there aren¡¯t any bananas on the other side so I grabbed some. Will that be an issue?¡±


    ¡°Well, no but¡­¡± Williamson stuttered.


    ¡°So you don¡¯t want one?¡± Orlan asked as the major seemed confused before shrugging and walking away. As he walked he returned the bunch to his personal space long enough to peel the fruit he¡¯d separated, retrieving the bunch to offer one to various knights and sky-cutter crew that had gathered to watch the meeting.


    They all seemed interested, watching as Orlan demonstrated how to peel and eat the fruit before he moved on, retrieving more of the fruit to distribute. The knights ate with a feminine grace that was at odds with their blood-stained armor while the sailors quickly scoffed the fruit down before returning to their work of loading up the flying ships.


    ¡°Major?¡± one of Williamson¡¯s asides interrupted the man¡¯s thoughts, ¡°something the matter sir?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he replied after a moment, looking down at the dark skin of his hands.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°You have been ordered to appear before congress,¡± the voice on the other side of the phone explained to Orlan, ¡°an emergency session has been called three days from now, you are to arrive at the capitol building by nine in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Ordered, huh?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°You claim to be a US citizen, if that¡¯s the case then yes, ordered.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not making this easy for me,¡± Orlan sighed, ¡°Protector Lords aren¡¯t beholden to any nation or king.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been operating a military force on US soil and you expect a polite invitation?¡± the other man asked skeptically.


    ¡°Last I checked the US doesn¡¯t own any floating islands and, before you try to claim this one, we do, in fact, have a flag,¡± Orlan retorted with a smile that slowly faded as the line remained silent, ¡°guess that joke has been forgotten.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d argue that we¡¯re being very generous by having you appear before congress rather than taking you directly to jail,¡± the other man replied after a moment.


    ¡°I hate politics,¡± Orlan groaned openly, ¡°what kind of hearing is it?¡±


    ¡°This is a public hearing.¡±


    ¡°So you want to grandstand at me, great,¡± he sighed again, ¡°fine, assuming there isn¡¯t another rift I¡¯ll be there.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± the other man replied before hanging up.


    ¡°Are you really going?¡± Lailra asked as Orlan dropped the phone back into his personal space.


    ¡°I need to talk with the government one way or another, I¡¯d prefer to do it on my terms but clearly they aren¡¯t going to let me do that,¡± Orlan explained.


    ¡°It¡¯ll make them think they¡¯re in charge,¡± she warned.


    ¡°They can think what they want, I¡¯ll disabuse them of that notion if needed.¡±


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 Returned Protector ch6

    Orlan stood in the large Anchorheart chamber in the heart of his castle once more, a wooden training spear in his hands, eyes closed. Slowly he began to move, spinning the spear through a series of blocks and strikes. There was no set pattern to his training, looking more like he was fighting invisible enemies than a regimented routine, but that was what worked best for him. The pattern the spear tip wove in the air reminiscent of lightning, flowing along a jagged path without slowing before striking the target with all the power of a rift.


    The chaotic yet flowing fighting style was of his own creation, based on his own observations of rifts. It was also utterly impossible without the super-human body granted by the spheres of mana within his soul, performing seemingly impossible lunges, spins and blocks that a normal human couldn¡¯t manage.


    But this wasn¡¯t training, it was an active meditation as Orlan focused on condensing a sixth layer of his soul. Doing so required immense concentration, there were a number of chambers in the castle specially designed to assist in meditation. Some were thick with incense, the burning herbs chosen to heighten focus, while others were almost completely bare to remove all distractions. But Orlan always felt most comfortable in the presence of his Anchorheart, allowing his body and mind to slip into a martial trance. The gentle pulsing of the grand stone granting him a sense of calm even as he danced across the room, spear tip humming through the air, for hours on end.


    Normally he wouldn¡¯t spend so long in isolation, but tiering up was a critical goal for him. Not only would it improve his mana regeneration, increasing the time he could spend in combat before exhausting himself, but it also improved the Anchorheart. It would allow them to move the protectorate to other regions, not as reliant on mana geysers to sustain the massive floating island.


    But, ultimately, he wasn¡¯t some sage of a wizard¡¯s tower, able to shut himself off from the world for days or even weeks at a time. A faint buzzing in the back of his mind broke him out of his meditation, pulling him from the depths of his spirit in an instant. After a moment to ensure being interrupted hadn¡¯t damaged the sphere he answered the telepathic call.


    ¡°Lord, there¡¯s another Rift,¡± Nallia said on the other side as Orlan wiped the sweat from his face, ¡°in a country called Germany.¡±


    ¡°Damnit,¡± he replied, ¡°that¡¯s too far for us to reach.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± she agreed, ¡°even if we were to fully discharge the sky-cutter¡¯s mana we¡¯d only be able to reach Spain. On foot it would take us days to travel from there to the site of the rift.¡±


    ¡°You find out about the rift on the phone?¡±


    ¡°Yes, seems like there might have been another rift in the last week on a continent called ¡®Africa¡¯ but word never got out,¡± she added.


    Orlan simply sighed, he¡¯d known it would happen but hadn¡¯t expected the rate of rift appearance to increase this rapidly. In the year before Orlan returned it looked like there had been one or two rifts per month, only a handful had been reported as most likely happened far from civilization or in the depths of the ocean. In the two weeks since the major rift that brought him, however, there¡¯d been three reported rifts, meaning a handful likely went unnoticed by the world at large. It was a far cry from the two rifts a day that was the norm on the other side, but he was the only Protector Lord on this side. He could only cover so much territory by himself, even with the island and sky-cutters.


    Ultimately there was only one way to help people, and that was to attempt to raise mages in this world. Mundane guns could hold lower tier monsters off, but against a beast rift you needed to do more than simply delay them. You needed to kill them. Even rifts in remote areas could unleash a tide of monsters that could swallow entire regions in the beasts. Thankfully the weak Aether of this world was, for once, working to their benefit. Unlike mages, Monsters needed a constant supply of mana or their cores would break down. The higher tier the monster the more mana they needed. Even on the other side this had restricted what kinds of monsters could appear in which areas, with the strongest often trapped in wild regions where mana filled the Aether like a thick fog.


    The mages at the spire figured that the Aether of this world couldn¡¯t support more than second sphere equivalent monsters for any period of time. Any higher than that and the beasts would slowly suffocate from the lack of mana. It might take days but eventually those ant monsters would grow weak and die. Of course, the amount of damage they could do before then was why they couldn¡¯t simply wait the beasts out.


    After cleaning off and joining Nallia in the main sitting room he simply waited and watched along with several others as reports came in from the rift in Germany. The monsters there seemed to have the bodies of elephants but the head and neck of a heron or crane. Even normal elephants had hides thick enough to be resistant to small arms, and boosted by magic these monsters were almost immune to small caliber rounds. They were slow and clumsy, but had surprising reach with their razor sharp beaks, able to lash out to spear people in an instant.


    The rift was in a relatively remote location, it seemed, and the German army was on the scene fast enough that Orlan suspected that the units had been on standby. Of course, most of their weapons were of minimal effect, only anti-tank weapons seemed to be able to reliably put the beasts down. The knights were especially interested when the first tanks appeared on the streams, such large armored vehicles were unknown to the other side. The tanks did better than Orlan expected, their main gun more than capable of putting a shell clean through one of the monsters. But it was clear they weren¡¯t built for this kind of combat, most rounds were designed with fighting other tanks in mind and tended to pass completely through the monsters. Often they hit something vital on their travels but these beasts were tougher than any normal animal and many times they simply took the hit and kept going.


    The rate of fire of the big guns also left much to be desired, more than once news helicopters witnessed a group of tanks be overwhelmed by a stampede of the elephant like monsters. They would kill a few, but couldn¡¯t get more than one or two shots off before being overrun. Normally infantry would screen for the tanks but no amount of small arms fire would deter these monsters.


    ¡°What¡¯s the policy on recruiting boss?¡± one of the girls from second lance asked suddenly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Orlan admitted, ¡°I¡¯d planned on recruiting as normal, but with the risk of soul blight¡­¡±


    ¡°I think all we can do is make them aware of the risk,¡± the knight shrugged.


    ¡°And conduct a test for mana allergy,¡± Nallia added, ¡°it¡¯s a risk but better than nothing.¡±


    \-\-\-\-\-


    It looked like a small army had gathered in front of the capitol building as the car baring Orlan pulled up to the structure. He¡¯d initially planned on simply landing a cutter across the street, but figured that it was best to not. Instead the cutter had touched down some distance from the city and he¡¯d called to ask for a pickup. The man on the other side sounded annoyed, but when Orlan offered to simply fly over the city in a cutter he became much more amenable.


    ¡°We were only expecting one,¡± the first security guard to approach commented, glancing at the other three with him.


    ¡°Did you actually expect me to come alone?¡± Orlan asked with a raised eyebrow, ¡°honestly, most of my knights wanted to come with me.¡±


    ¡°Knights huh?¡± the man said, glancing at the two women with him, both of whom wore frilly dresses, before shrugging, ¡°we¡¯re going to have to search you for weapons.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s procedure,¡± he shrugged, motioning for them to follow. Of course a half dozen news vans were present as he walked into the capitol building, thankfully security kept them away allowing Orlan to enter unmolested. The next half hour was spent walking through metal detectors and having themselves searched. It was all completely useless, of course, as he could pull his weapon out of his personal space at any time.


    After that annoying process they spent well over an hour simply waiting to be called before whatever committee had called for the meeting. By the time the four of them were finally called it was well past nine, when the meeting had been supposed to happen. The room for the meeting wasn¡¯t the main floor of congress, but a side room. A dozen committee members sat at a long raised desk facing the rest of the room, while Orlan was restricted to a simple table with a few chairs on the ground, meaning he¡¯d be forced to look up at the committee.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Typical, he thought to himself, governments never change, even in other worlds. They just had to feel superior.


    There was only one name plate at the small table and, surprisingly, it had Orlan¡¯s full name. With a scowl, before sitting he ran his finger across the nameplate, a pulse of mana vaporizing the paper that had been fitted to the plate until just Orlan was left. This action drew some raised eyebrows from the congressmen who were still getting settled, but they waited until everyone was seated to begin.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you begin with introducing yourselves,¡± the committee leader offered once the room was quiet.


    ¡°I¡¯m Protector Lord Orlan,¡± he replied confidently, ¡°This is Lady Lailra, my second in command, and Lady Nallia, my personal aide. Finally is Grandmaster Benimar of the Mage¡¯s Spire.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± the committee leader replied, not bothering to introduce himself but there was a nameplate for ¡®William¡¯ before him. Next to him the Grandmaster mage grumbled softly to himself, of everyone he was the only one who hadn¡¯t wanted to come, but Orlan had felt that a representative from the spire was a good idea.


    ¡°According to the ID you showed our men your name is Orlando Eckhart,¡± William continued, ¡°is there a reason you don¡¯t use that name?¡±


    ¡°As a Protector Lord I¡¯m required to give up all familial ties, from names to titles,¡± Orlan explained, ¡°and I¡¯ve always gone simply by Orlan, so I figured I¡¯d just make it official.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± William said, writing something down before continuing, ¡°there are a number of reasons for this meeting. First on the schedule is your actions in Boston and Jefferson.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s where you want to start?¡± Orlan asked, surprised.


    ¡°Please refrain from talking unless asked a question,¡± William warned him with a mild glare over his glasses, ¡°Now, the Senator from New Jersey is first, you have ten minutes.¡±


    ¡°Thankyou chairman,¡± another woman on the committee replied, taking a moment to gather her notes, ¡°Now, Mr. Eckhart, accord-.¡±


    ¡°Call me Orlan,¡± the protector interrupted.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t talk during my time,¡± the woman scowled at him before continuing, ¡°according to news reports you employ quite destructive means during these ¡®rift¡¯ events as you call them.¡±


    ¡°Destructive how?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°As in damaging,¡± the woman insisted, ¡°many buildings in Boston were damaged by your so-called magics.¡±


    ¡°We try to minimize collateral damage, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking,¡± Orlan said slowly, ¡°but there¡¯s only so much we can do when the monsters can punt a person through a solid wall.¡±


    ¡°But you admit to causing widespread damage?¡±


    ¡°The damage would have been worse if I hadn¡¯t been present,¡± countered Orlan.


    ¡°And it never occurred to you to leave the situation to the military?¡±


    ¡°If the military had any chance of helping I¡¯d consider it.¡±


    ¡°I understand you¡¯ve been missing for over a decade, but according to our records you were a college student when you vanished,¡± she pressed, ¡°I find it hard to believe that you, no matter what you went through, and a handful of girls could be more effective than the most powerful military on the planet.¡±


    ¡°Did you see what happened in Germany the other day?¡± Orlan asked, ¡°do you honestly think-.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Eckhart,¡± the woman interrupted, ¡°I¡¯m reclaiming my time.¡±


    ¡°What does that even mean?¡±


    ¡°It means it¡¯s my turn to speak,¡± she snapped, glancing at the chairman before looking down at her notes, continuing after a moment, ¡°now, after the events in Boston you resisted the agents sent to arrest you, is that correct?¡±


    ¡°The two squads of soldiers you sent to my island you mean?¡± Orlan asked with a raised eyebrow, ¡°ya, I wasn¡¯t going to just go with them.¡±


    ¡°So not only did you cause extensive collateral damage, injure several agents while resisting arrest, there are also reports of people dying after being treated by your people. Yet you insist you¡¯re more effective than our own army. I would suggest that this man is as much of a danger to our nation as these monsters are, if not more so. We can¡¯t simply allow vigilantes to go around causing such damage and loss of life,¡± the woman said, turning to the chairman before Orlan could respond, ¡°that¡¯s all I have to say Chairman.¡±


    ¡°Thank you senator,¡± the man in charge said as Orlan stood.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± he growled, ¡°do I get a chance to respond?¡±


    ¡°If someone wants to donate their time to you then you can speak,¡± the chairman replied, looking through the papers on his desk, ¡°those are the rules.¡±


    Next to Orlan both Lailra and Nallia were quite tense, their smiles strained as they clearly struggled to keep still and not draw their weapons. Orlan simply took a deep breath and sat down once more, he¡¯d known this would be frustrating, he just had to deal with it. Eventually the next senator was called to speak.


    ¡°Now, Mr. Eckhart,¡± the rotund man started, the grinding of Orlan¡¯s teeth almost audible across the room as he was once more called by his old name, ¡°based on reports all your so-called knights are women, is that correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Orlan started, ¡°its due to a quirk of-.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Eckhart, but it¡¯s my time,¡± the senator interrupted, ¡°and all of them are white, correct?¡±


    ¡°A few of the girls are from further south but-.¡±


    ¡°Please answer my question, Mr. Eckhart.¡±


    ¡°The majority of my knights are fair of skin, yes,¡± Orlan growled.


    ¡°According to the report, you also committed a racist act following the event in North Carolina,¡± he continued, ¡°Do you have an issue with black people?¡±


    ¡°What are you even talking about?¡±


    ¡°Answer the question please.¡±


    ¡°No, why would I have-.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Eckhart,¡± the senator once more interrupted, ¡°perhaps you can explain why-.¡±


    ¡°A moment senator,¡± the chairman interrupted, ¡°that was quite the accusation, surely Mr. Orlan deserves a chance to respond.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my time, chairman, he can respond on his own time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to pause your time then, give our guest a chance to defend himself,¡± the Chairman stated, nodding to Orlan.


    ¡°On the other side I spent most of my time in northern Eura and Siria,¡± Orlan said after taking another calming breath, ¡°on this side that corresponds loosely to northern Europe and western Asia. Travel isn¡¯t as common or easy on that side, and recruitment mostly comes from local populations, so it¡¯s to be expected that most of my people resemble the populations native to those regions.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t have an issue with recruiting black people?¡± The chairman asked.


    ¡°No, I just never got the chance.¡±


    ¡°Objection, Chairman,¡± another senator spoke up, ¡°but there are no reports of him being in Europe for the last few decades, much less of a flying island.¡±


    ¡°Because I was on the other side,¡± Orlan said dryly.


    ¡°Objection noted,¡± the chairman said with a slight glance at Orlan, before motioning to the second senator, ¡°the gentleman from Michigan has the floor again.¡±


    ¡°So, Mr. Eckhart, you claim to have no objection to recruiting people of color,¡± the round man from earlier said, ¡°then can you explain why you attempted to hand a banana to a black man in North Carolina?¡±


    ¡°Uhh,¡± Orlan started, completely caught off guard by the question, ¡°because bananas are tasty?¡±


    ¡°Are you aware of the racial implications of such an action?¡±


    ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± the senator said, pausing to scribble something down, ¡°I think it¡¯s clear that, in addition to the issues pointed out by the lady from New Jersey, this Mr. Eckhart fails to live up to the values of the US. Hiring so many women is laudable, but completely ignoring people of color, and even showing distain towards them, I think proves he doesn¡¯t value diversity. Thank you Chairman.¡±


    Orlan was once more forced to stew as the chairman looked through his notes, eventually calling a senator from Texas next.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never had to deal with politics like this, have you Mr. Orlan?¡± the senator asked with a sympathetic smile, ¡°I think it¡¯s important that people have the chance to defend themselves, so I¡¯d like to ask you one question, and then donate the rest of my time so you can defend yourself. My one question is, what exactly happened in Boston?¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Orlan sighed, grateful that at least one of the committee members seemed friendly, ¡°What happened there, and in North Caroline and Germany, was what we call a Beast Rift. Basically a poorly understood event that deposits hundreds, or even thousands of magical monsters into the world over-.¡±


    ¡°Objection,¡± the senator from New Jersey interrupted, ¡°this talk of magic is preposterous. Can we stick to scientific terms?¡±


    ¡°I tend to agree,¡± the chairman replied after a moment, ¡°perhaps we should start with that, can you tell us what this so-called magic is?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ magic,¡± Orlan said slowly, ¡°by drawing energy called mana from the Aether we can influence the world in seemingly supernatural ways. For example, the giant flying island I use is kept aloft by powerful spells placed upon it a thousand years ago.¡±


    ¡°And these beasts can use magic?¡±


    ¡°In a sense,¡± Orlan replied, ¡°to put it simply every living thing uses mana, even everyone in this room is only alive thanks to magic, in a sense. Of course most people barely require the tiniest gust of mana in their entire lives, but mages, like my knights and I, and monsters can draw on much greater amounts to empower ourselves. This manifests in a number of different ways, all of which are loosely called magic.¡±


    ¡°You can understand how hard this is to believe,¡± the chairman said, ¡°with how common CGI is today it¡¯s hard to believe what is seen on the news, can you provide an example? Something solid?¡±


    ¡°Sure, I actually prepared for this,¡± Orlan said, reaching out and pulling a small billet of metal from his personal space, ¡°with enough mana it¡¯s possible for inanimate objects to use mana as well, though in more limited ways. This is regular iron, mostly pure, making it rather brittle. Consider it a baseline, now, this is tier two iron,¡± Orlan continued pulling another small bar out, ¡°as iron becomes imbued it becomes stronger and heavier, at tier two it¡¯s weight will have about doubled.¡±


    By way of demonstration he dropped first the mundane iron onto the table, which clattered loudly as it bounced a couple times, followed by the tier two iron which landed with more of a crack. Orlan reached out and pulled a third finger length bar before continuing.


    ¡°This is tier five iron, after tier three or four things tend to become rather¡­ extreme. So while I¡¯m certain you could, and will, try to explain the other bar with mundane concepts. I expect this one to be a bit more difficult,¡± he said and dropped the bar from the same height as the others, and the table bent and seemed to buckle as the bar crashed into it, nearly punching through the wooden top. For a long moment there was simply silence following the demonstration before the chairman spoke up.


    ¡°And are you willing to leave this¡­ iron to be inspected?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Orlan nodded, ¡°I will recommend that, for the tier five bar, you handle it carefully. I doubt you could break it outside of a machine, but if it does break there¡¯s a good chance it¡¯ll release much of the mana within which could be dangerous.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±

 Returned protector ch7

    It took a few minutes for a few aides to retrieve the billets of iron, the final heaviest one causing the most difficulty as it was no larger than a playing card. The small size making the aide think it was light, but the smooth surface and surprising weight caused him to fail to pick it up a few times. Eventually he managed to get it off the table with a grunt of effort, struggling to carry it from the room. Moments after he left a loud crash could be heard as he put the billet down somewhere, Orlan and his two knights smirking in amusement.


    Finally the chairman called the meeting back to order, signaling for Orlan to continue but before he could the lady from New Jersey spoke up.


    ¡°I must continue to object to the claims of magic,¡± she said, ¡°a heavy bit of metal is hardly proof of mystical powers.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Then what would you like for me to do?¡± Orlan snapped, standing up suddenly. With a slight turn to his right and a step he was suddenly on the rightmost side of the committee room.


    ¡°How about teleporting? Is that magical enough for you?¡± he asked, taking a step to the side to appear next to the left-hand wall, ¡°or am I somehow managing this with smoke and mirrors?


    Another step took him to the middle of the hall.


    ¡°Perhaps you want more? How about this?¡± Orlan then took a step forward, a rune appearing in the air just beneath his foot as he did, allowing him to step onto air like he was climbing a set of stairs, he took three more steps stopping when his head was level with the committee, ¡°go on, call this a trick.¡±


    The meeting quickly devolved into shouting from there, forcing the chairman to break for the day earlier than planned.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°It feels like there¡¯s something wrong with the moon,¡± Lailra said later that night, they were back aboard his protectorate after the first day of the meeting, looking up at the night sky.


    ¡°You just aren¡¯t used to it yet,¡± Orlan replied with a smirk, ¡°I remember thinking the same thing when first seeing the moon on the other side.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± she asked, ¡°I remember you running outside that first day after the anchorheart summoned you and falling to your knees when you saw the moon. Don¡¯t think you ever told me what was going through your head.¡±


    ¡°I was terrified,¡± he admitted, ¡°I was kind of like those idiots in that meeting, everything you showed me was somehow a trick. Something that could be explained by hidden mechanisms or slight of hand. But the sight of a purple hued hurricane moving across the face of the moon? The longer I watched the more convinced I was that it couldn¡¯t be faked.¡±


    ¡°Right, there was a purple storm on its surface that night,¡± Lailra nodded, ¡°I wonder if it was caused by the anchorheart summoning you.¡±


    ¡°Who knows,¡± he shrugged in reply, the moon was subject to all kinds of magical storms on that side. Many thought it was a reflection of the movements in the aether on the Earth, or that it was portents of the future, displayed upon the lunar surface. In theory a tier ten mage of the right attunement could go there and check it out, but if one had done so in the past they hadn¡¯t told anyone.


    ¡°Oh, Nallia said some other nations were putting out statements welcoming you,¡± Lailra said after a few minutes of silence, ¡°mostly in eastern Eura and South India¡­ or Eastern Europe and South America, as I guess they¡¯re called on this side. Some places near Juda, er, the Middle East, are calling you a Jin. That¡¯s a stupid name by the way, ¡®Middle East¡¯ makes no sense.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t name them,¡± Orlan chuckled, ¡°Not that your side of the world is much better, I mean, Atlantis really exists, except it¡¯s called Atlia and it¡¯s just the British Isles.¡±


    ¡°I was excited when you told me the Atlians were real on this side, you know,¡± Lailra replied, ¡°one of my ancestors is from there supposedly, her whole family died when the island sunk. Thought I might be able to learn more about them.¡±


    Orlan smiled and nodded, pausing as a message came in from Nallia.


    ¡°Another rift,¡± he reported, ¡°in Australia this time. About as far from here as you can get and still be on this world.¡±


    ¡°One every two days,¡± Lailra replied, ¡°if only it was so peaceful on the other side.¡±


    ¡°If only we had more protectorates on this side,¡± Orlan countered.


    Despite the humor neither of them could find it in them to laugh knowing on the other side of the planet a rift was currently spewing out monsters.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°Now, Mr. Orlan, I¡¯d ask you to refrain from engaging in wild behavior today,¡± the committee chairman said seriously as the meeting began again the next day, ¡°you are here under subpoena to answer the questions of-.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Nallia interrupted, ¡°but point of order, we received no subpoena.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± the chairman asked, looking surprised, his gaze turning to the first senator who spoke the day before, ¡°the lady from New Jersey was responsible for sending the subpoena I believe.¡±


    ¡°We found it¡­ impossible to deliver a written subpoena to Mr. Eckhart,¡± the senator explained after a minute, ¡°the best we could manage was to call him on the phone number acquired from KNF news.¡±


    ¡°I see, then, technically, Mr. Orlan is here under his own volition, not congressional mandate,¡± the chairman said, ¡°given the already unorthodox nature of this meeting, I believe we¡¯ll have to shift to a more open format.¡±


    That alone caused several minutes of argument as senators who¡¯d been in the first few spots to question him argued that their time should be granted regardless. But, eventually the committee calmed down with the chairman promising to allow questions in the order they would have been allowed to speak.


    ¡°So, Mr. Orlan, lets move forward assuming your magic is the real thing,¡± the chairman said, if he was exasperated by dealing with the others, he was good at hiding it, ¡°I assume you know that, while the constitution protects the right to bear arms, there are limitations. Based on reports at Jefferson you, or one of your knights, managed to reduce an entire hole of a golf course to little more than ash. Is that level of destruction common with your magic?¡±


    ¡°Her spell was on the upper end of pure destructiveness for her level,¡± Orlan replied, ¡°but, after tier four or five, spells become far more destructive far faster.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve mentioned these tiers before, could you explain them?¡±


    ¡°Sure, as you cram mana into something, be it a person, object, whatever, it will become more and more difficult to put more mana in. Until you cross a threshold where it suddenly becomes much easier again. Each threshold you surpass is a ¡®tier¡¯ though, it should be noted, for mages we call them spheres as you can¡¯t simply cram mana into a living creature without some structure to it. At best it would cause unexpected mutations, but more likely they¡¯ll become crazed and monstrous. That¡¯s the difference between a mage and a monster, a mage has control over the power within them, a monster is controlled by that power.¡±


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Objection, chairman,¡± the senator from Michigan spoke up, ¡°this talk of monsters is unbecoming of this committee, I move to strike Mr. Eckhart¡¯s comments from the record.¡±


    ¡°Overruled, senator,¡± the chairman said, barely holding in a groan, ¡°terminology can be debated later, for now we¡¯re here to assess the risks of these events.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, you¡¯ve barely seen anything yet,¡± Orlan spoke up, ¡°the rift in Jefferson was a third tier rift, Botson was second tier at most.¡±


    ¡°How high do these tiers go?¡±


    ¡°There is no known upper limit,¡± admitted Orlan, ¡°but to give you a taste, I am currently fifth sphere and, without hyperbole, could likely take on every single guard you have in the building at once. Against most firearms my skin is effectively immune, I can bench press a car and run three-minute miles for over an hour. And that¡¯s just my physical abilities, not getting into my inherent abilities, magical spells and the like.¡±


    ¡°Are all of your knights capable of these¡­ feats?¡± the Chairman asked skeptically.


    ¡°Those who focus on physical ability could likely match me, depending on their sphere,¡± Orlan nodded, ¡°mages can vary much more in specific capabilities than monsters though, we tend to be more focused on certain aspects based on how we attune our spheres.


    ¡°But to the point, the most powerful mage on the other side was ninth sphere, he¡¯s the one, ultimately, who allowed us to bring my protectorate through to this side. Though he perish in the act,¡± Orlan paused, ¡°a man at the tenth sphere, named Noach, built the protectorates a millennia ago. The most powerful rift I ever witnessed was seventh tier, and it nearly wiped out a nation even with four protector lords like me helping.¡±


    ¡°And you expect these rifts to become more powerful?¡± the chairman asked.


    ¡°I do, and more frequent. Seems like rifts are appearing every two to five days apart now, somewhere around the world. The other side averages two rifts a day, I don¡¯t know why rifts started appearing on this side, but I would consider it likely to approach that frequency eventually.¡±


    ¡°And what would you suggest?¡±


    ¡°In the long term raising up local mages is the only real way to counter the monsters,¡± Orlan said, ¡°it can take years to train a single class of mages, and that¡¯s without the difficulty of locating people who can safely use mana on this side. One of the biggest advantages of the protectorates is the mobility it give us, with modern technology that isn¡¯t as big a concern on this side, so a few thousand skilled mages can likely protect a nation with proper support.¡±


    ¡°And in the short term?¡±


    ¡°Honestly? Individual strength and preparedness. A gun can¡¯t kill most monsters, but it can keep a family safe long enough to reach a shelter. I¡¯d recommend every family have a plan ready if a rift appears near them, somewhere to shelter, a weapon to ensure you¡¯re safe long enough to make it. Monsters can appear anywhere up to several miles away from the main rift, but they are unlikely to appear below ground level for whatever reason so a basement with a solid door should keep you safe for at least a while.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your suggestion?¡± the senator from New Jersy scoffed, ¡°a gun and a bunker?¡±


    ¡°To put it simply,¡± Orlan nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s clear that individuals are unable to handle these events, the people should wait at home for government instruction,¡± the senator continued, ¡°no need to encourage people to arm themselves.¡±


    ¡°Do you have similar complaints about his long term plan?¡± the chairman asked.


    ¡°Not as such, a solid military utilizing these new powers could be of great benefit to the United States. In fact, I suggest we move to create a bill to form a special commission to work with Mr. Eckhart in pursuit of such a thing.¡±


    ¡°I hope you realize, Ms. Senator,¡± Orlan said, leaning forward, ¡°I plan to share this knowledge with countries all over the world, my goal is to protect human life, not a single nation¡¯s interest.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a US citizen, you¡¯d give advantages to our enemies?¡± she asked in surprise.


    ¡°I don¡¯t plan to only share with governments, but with people,¡± Orlan explained, ¡°magic isn¡¯t a power you can monopolize, nor would I allow you if it you could.¡±


    ¡°You are a US citizen, sharing arms with national enemies is treason,¡± she pressed, ¡°you could be brought up on charges, and even put to death.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome to try,¡± Orlan snorted a laugh.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± the woman asked, seemingly aghast.


    ¡°It seems you have a false notion of the power balance of this discussion,¡± Orlan growled allowing power to seep from his body, dark lightning snaking across his skin as the room seemed to darken in some imperceptible way, ¡°I am not some powerless citizen you can push around, I am the leader of the most powerful group of mages on this planet right now. Your power comes from mutual agreement, mine come from my strength.¡±


    ¡°You dare threaten this committee?¡± the senator from Michigan stood, ¡°I demand you apologize to us on this committee and to the nation at large.¡±


    ¡°Or what? You¡¯ll use the submarine hiding beneath my protectorate to threaten my people?¡± Orlan asked, nodding to Nallia who placed one hand on his shoulder, with her other she projected a spell that showed a view from the edge of the protectorate island, ¡°you want to see power, this is power.¡±


    Orlan reached out through his bond with his anchorheart, and through that into the space surrounding the island. With a scowl he focused, the ocean shown by Nallia seemed to dance as he expressed his power, a massive circle of purple energies appearing in the air, facing the water. Slowly the circle rose, and with it the ocean water formed a great column, like it was being sucked up a straw hundreds of meters across. Within the pillar of water a submarine could clearly be seen, resting silently, seemingly unaware of what was happening to it.


    After a moment, to ensure the news helicopters that constantly circled the island got a good view of it, Orlan slowly lowered the column back into the ocean. Moments after the spell vanished the submarine breached the water, seemingly having undergone an emergency surface, a perplexed looking navy man poking his head from the hatch for an instant.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have you held in contempt for this threat!¡± one of the senator¡¯s shouted as the display ended, but before he could continue Orlan waved a hand and his voice fell silent despite his mouth still moving.


    ¡°I understand these open session are largely for grandstanding, but I¡¯m done with the show,¡± Orlan said, nodding to his three companions to join him, ¡°if you¡¯re willing to listen to me more openly, without the showboating, feel free to call me.¡±


    With that he turned and swept out of the committee room. Almost as soon as he was out of sight he sagged slightly, his show of power had been costly. Remote casting of a spell on such a large scale took nearly a third of the reserves of his anchorheart. He hated having to resort to such measures but he refused to be belittled, and judging from the aura Lailra was giving off, his action was the less radical.


    ¡°Orlan!¡± a voice shouted as he made his way from the building, causing Orlan to turn and see the senator from Texas who¡¯d been largely silent today.


    ¡°What?¡± Orlan asked, hiding his weakness in an instant.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about those two, they¡¯re part of what we call the Bird Party,¡± he explained, ¡°they got elected through social media, so they like to make scenes constantly in attempts to get trending and boost their profile.¡±


    ¡°So I played into their hands?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about it, they talk big but when it comes time to vote they¡¯ll go party lines,¡± the man assured him, ¡°honestly I¡¯m surprised your missus didn¡¯t kill them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still considering it,¡± Lailra said in a too sweet voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Orlan replied dryly.


    ¡°In any case,¡± the Texas senator chuckled as if it was a joke, ¡°if you want a more friendly place to talk I know a few talk shows or pod casts you might consider.¡±


    ¡°Pod cast?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°Basically a multi-hour interview on the internet, they¡¯re quite popular nowadays,¡± he shrugged, ¡°point is, it might be good for you to be seen in a less confrontational setting.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not opposed to it,¡± replied Orlan after a moment, ¡°feel free to send them my phone number, I can¡¯t commit to anything now but¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll have my people give you a call after seeing who might be interested,¡± the senator nodded, speaking up as Orlan once more turned to leave, ¡°by the way, were you serious about your physical abilities? Bench pressing a car?¡±


    ¡°If anything, I was understating it,¡± Orlan said with a smirk.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°Well that was¡­ shit,¡± the new grandmaster of the mage¡¯s spire commented as they boarded the sky-cutter once more, ¡°why did I have to come again?¡±


    ¡°I thought they might have actual questions about magic,¡± Orlan admitted, ¡°as the grandmaster you-.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m no grandmaster,¡± the man snapped, ¡°I¡¯m only in charge because I passed out upon dropping to seventh sphere, making me the strongest mage. At best I¡¯m keeping the seat warm until a more qualified mage rises back up.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still the strongest mage in the world,¡± Orlan pointed out.


    ¡°My specialty is long range magic and weather manipulation,¡± he snorted, ¡°if you need a light rain shower in the next kingdom over, I¡¯m your man. But in raw power? I¡¯ve spent most of my career working to end droughts, weakening hurricanes and the like. In combat the best I could do is make it slightly uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°You still made it to eighth sphere like that,¡± Lailra pointed out.


    ¡°Because smart nobles are willing to pay a good sum to ensure their lands won¡¯t suffer a failed harvest.¡±


    ¡°Regardless, you¡¯re better positions to answer questions on magical theory than I am,¡± Orlan said.


    ¡°Fine, but don¡¯t call me grandmaster like it¡¯s true,¡± he retorted, ¡°though if you want me to ensure the estates of those counsellors suffer some hard weather, I¡¯d be happy to help.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Orlan sighed.

 Returned Protector ch8

    Even though Orlan and his knights had taken care of the ant princess and most of the monsters from that rift, a good number still escaped. Though scattered and weakened form the weak aether of this side they were still quite dangerous to normal people. With only two sky cutters Orlan chose to send one with the third ¡®training lance¡¯ to hunt down as many ant creatures as they could find.


    Three knights in training, followed by an older instructor, swept into a ruined house deep in the forests. At only third sphere they weren¡¯t able to cut down the ant monsters with the same ease as the main knights, being forced to leverage both their innate abilities and magical powers to bring down each beast they encountered. The instructor stayed back, simply watching as the others fought, she wasn¡¯t there to protect them but to protect any civilians who might be present.


    It had been several days since the ant rift in North Carolina had been closed so the training knights were surprised when the instructor dashed forward to stop one of the ants from crashing into a shed. She caught it with one hand before casually throwing it back to the trainees. Both monster and knights paused to see if she followed up, but she merely stood next to small building and watched. Clearly deciding it had a better chance fighting the trainee knights, the ant monster threw itself back into the fray.


    Tired from fighting for close to an hour it managed to score several wounds on the young knights, but out numbered and out tiered it stood no real chance. Several minutes later, with the monster defeated, they approached the instructor as she tore the thick wooden door from the shed with her bare hands.


    ¡°Is there a survivor in there, Lady White?¡± one of the trainee¡¯s asked.


    Rather than respond the older knight crouched down, looking into the darkness of the shed, as if waiting for something. After a few moments a figure slowly emerged, it was hard to tell from the darkness of the shed and several layers of caked on grime but a young woman crawled out from beneath several shelves that had fallen over.


    ¡°The monsters are dead young lady,¡± the Instructor White said in a friendly tone, ¡°are you injured?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the girl responded, slowly crawling to her feet to see the knights around her, ¡°did¡­ did you kill them?¡±


    ¡°We did,¡± White replied with a smile, ¡°we can escort you back to your home if you want, I¡¯m sure your parents are missing you.¡±


    ¡°Pa¡¯s dead, him and Simon grabbed the rifles when the monsters came,¡± she explained softly, ¡°heard some gunshots, saw one of the monsters go down but the rest¡­¡±


    ¡°And your mother?¡±


    ¡°Died years ago.¡±


    The trainee knights exchanged complicated looks between them, as White held out her hand for the girl.


    ¡°How about a neighbor? Family friend? Somewhere you can stay for the moment?¡±


    ¡°Did you really kill those monsters?¡± the girl asked in response, the knights nodding, ¡°can¡­ can you teach me to kill them?¡±


    ¡°Possibly,¡± White said slowly, her smile fading, ¡°it¡¯s not easy, and you¡¯d have to fight monsters like that often.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± the girl replied after a moment, looking up to meet White¡¯s eyes, ¡°I don¡¯t want to live in fear of the monsters¡­ I want to be able to fight back.¡±


    ¡°How old are you?¡± White asked.


    ¡°Twenty-three,¡± she replied instantly, only for the older knight to give her a light glare, at which point she corrected sheepishly, ¡°nineteen.¡±


    White nodded, holding out a hand, a spell circle appearing in her palm for a moment as a floating point of light appeared above it. Once the tiny ball of light was fully formed the spell circle vanished and White held it out to the young woman.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how much you¡¯ve been paying attention to the news, but a good portion of people on this side are, for lack of a better term, allergic to magic. This is a small bit of mana, if you swallow it, and show no reaction by the time the sun rises, then you¡¯ll be able to learn magic,¡± White explained, pulling the small floating ball of light away as the girl reached for it, ¡°this much mana shouldn¡¯t kill you, but it might. So be certain you want to take the risk before eating it.¡±


    The girl nodded, looking at the ball of light as White held it out once more for a long moment before steeling herself, grabbing the ball and shoving it in her mouth. To her surprise it didn¡¯t taste like anything, simply exploding as soon as it was inside her, its power rushing through her body.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± White asked.


    ¡°Amy.¡±


    ¡°Alright Amy, lets get you back to the cutter,¡± the instructor said, turning and gesturing for the trainee knights to lead the way. Amy watched as they dashed ahead, never straying too far, weapons out.


    ¡°Most of us started like you,¡± White explained, ¡°orphans of a beast rift or war. So don¡¯t be afraid to ask us anything.¡±


    ¡°You all work for¡­. Orn?¡± She asked slowly.


    ¡°Lord Orlan is our leader, yes.¡±


    ¡°Will I have to¡­ sleep with him?¡±


    ¡°Ha! No,¡± White chuckled, giving Amy a friendly smile, ¡°the bonding process is quite intimate, but you have to be at least third or fourth sphere before you¡¯ll be allowed to form a bond with him. And you won¡¯t be forced to, but if you want to join his knights proper you should. Even if you do form a bond he¡¯ll just be your leader, nothing like that.¡±


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    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°So you are surrounded by beautiful women and you don¡¯t sleep with them?¡± the podcaster, a man named Bob, asked, seemingly in disbelief. They sat in a series of leather couches and armchairs in a small room, filled with sound equipment and a couple cameras. Bob held a cigar in one hand while his cohost Robert managed the sound equipment while occasionally chipping in. Other than Orlan only Lailra was present as the podcaster had said that only one other person could join them, wanting to keep the number of people talking low to make any conversation easier to follow, or something.


    ¡°Technically, on the other side we are considered his wives,¡± Lailra said unhelpfully.


    ¡°That¡¯s just a legal technicality,¡± Orlan said with a roll of his eyes, ¡°the magical bond we form is quite intimate, but its nothing sexual.¡±


    ¡°Then why are all the women so¡­ hot?¡± Bob asked.


    ¡°Magic improves your body in all respects,¡± Orlan answered, ¡°more than simply become stronger and faster it extends your lifespan and even improves your appearance.¡±


    ¡°Though how much it improves any given aspect depends on a large number of things,¡± Lailra added, ¡°such as what kind of mana you have, how you build the spheres in your soul, your inherent abilities and so on. I¡¯m currently sixth sphere, while Orlan is only fifth due to having to sacrifice some of his power to bring his island over to this side, yet Orlan is likely physically stronger than I am.¡±


    ¡°Magic can make you better looking and longer lived?¡± Bob asked, taking a pull on his cigar, ¡°how do I start?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy,¡± Orlan replied, ¡°and it only gets harder the further you go.¡±


    ¡°The common saying on the other side is that only one in ten people will ever manage to awaken,¡± Lailra added, ¡°many people say that simply awakening is the hardest step.¡±


    ¡°During your last congressional hearing you said you wanted to raise hundreds, or even thousands of mages, is that right?¡± asked Robert.


    ¡°Ya, can you share the method with us?¡± Bob added, ¡°we¡¯ve a hundred thousand or so people listening right now, if you want spread the knowledge now is likely the best time.¡±


    ¡°Bit of a disclaimer first,¡± Orlan said, taking a breath, ¡°magic is dangerous at the best of times, but on this side there¡¯s an added danger, specifically that of mana allergy. From what we¡¯ve seen about one in six people are allergic to mana, violently so. So while I doubt anyone will manage awakening without assistance on this side, if you attempt to do so be aware there¡¯s a one in six chance doing so could kill you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but how do you awaken?¡± pressed Bob.


    ¡°There¡¯s two steps, the first is to become aware of the mana within your body, feel its movements,¡± explained Orlan, ¡°this can be done on your own, but typically an older mage will inject a bit of mana into a pupil, stirring up their own mana so they can feel it. Some people need this done a few times before they can sense their mana even without having another mage stir it up, many can¡¯t even manage that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like learning to feel an arm you didn¡¯t know you had and can¡¯t see,¡± Lailra added, ¡°but even that isn¡¯t the hard part.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Bob said with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°No, the hard part is next, categorizing your mana,¡± Orlan continued, ¡°all mana has a color or flavor, a series of associations or feelings attributed to it. It¡¯s¡­ hard to explain.¡±


    ¡°I use nature mana,¡± Lailra stepped in, ¡°to me nature is gentle and beautiful until roused, at which point it becomes extremely dangerous. When I first felt my mana it was like that, gentle and kind with an undercurrent of danger, it took me nearly two months to associate it with nature when it all clicked.¡±


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s mana is unique to them, even among people with the same element they could feel very different things about it, one fire mage might see fire as hungry, all consuming, while another might see it as beautiful,¡± said Orlan, ¡°that¡¯s why this part is so hard, you need to feel your mana and link it to what element or aspect of the world that feels the same. Once you have that it¡¯s easy to consolidate it into your core, officially awakening and becoming a tier one being.¡±


    ¡°I bet we¡¯ll be seeing lots of people sitting in parks meditating in the next few weeks,¡± Robert joked.


    ¡°Is it possible there are already mages on this side?¡± Bob asked, ¡°while rare it still seems like someone might accomplish it by accident.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible, but unlikely,¡± Orlan admitted, ¡°with how weak the aether on this side is there isn¡¯t really enough mana for anyone to feel their mana.¡±


    ¡°What is this aether anyways?¡±


    ¡°Right, the way it was described to me is, the aether is the air, and mana is the wind,¡± Orlan said, ¡°mana is just spiritual energy, it¡¯s not really a physical thing, and the aether carries it typically.¡±


    ¡°And our aether on this side is too thin?¡±


    ¡°Something like that,¡± Orlan nodded, ¡°it¡¯s not a one-to-one analogy, you¡¯d have to speak with the grandmaster of the mage¡¯s spire if you want a proper explanation.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Bob nodded, taking a pull from his cigar.


    ¡°Ah, super chat from one¡­ Berriton fourteen,¡± Robert spoke up, ¡°thanks for the hundred dollars, it says¡­ ¡®Thanks to Orlan for standing up to those idiots in congress.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Uh, what?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°Right, you¡¯ve been in another world for decades,¡± Bob chuckled, ¡°people can donate to send us messages.¡±


    ¡°A hundred dollars though?¡±


    ¡°Not worth as much as it was when you left,¡± Robert snorted, ¡°maybe we should spend an hour just getting you caught up to the modern world.¡±


    ¡°Ya, have you heard of Game of Thrones?¡± Bob asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a book series right?¡± Orlan said slowly, ¡°I heard of it but never read it.¡±


    ¡°They made it into a TV series,¡± Bob explained, ¡°was a real big thing for a while.¡±


    ¡°Until that last season,¡± Robert added sadly.


    ¡°We need to get you to watch it.¡±


    Orlan smiled at their antics, enjoying this style of interview far more than either the journalist or congress.


    ¡°I doubt your castle has a TV,¡± Bob said, turning to Orlan, ¡°no idea how we¡¯d get power hooked up on a flying island.¡±


    ¡°We can probably manage something,¡± Orlan shrugged, ¡°despite appearances the other side isn¡¯t as technologically backwards as you might think. There¡¯s indoor plumbing, flintlock rifles and the like.¡±


    ¡°Electricity?¡±


    ¡°Not as such, a few cities have some basic electric lighting but it¡¯s rare. I tried to make computers work but didn¡¯t know enough about them to recreate the technology over there. But we¡¯ve managed to recharge the cellphone we got using magic without much difficulty.¡±


    ¡°You can turn mana into electricity?¡± Bob asked surprised, ¡°could you manage a full generator? Power a city?¡±


    ¡°Unlikely, the exchange rate is pretty bad. We might be able to improve it with time but I doubt it will ever be viable,¡± Orlan said with a wince, ¡°it takes the full output of a fifth sphere mage to recharge the phone. Not something that can be done passively.¡±


    ¡°Shame, I¡¯d drive a magic car.¡±


    ¡°Magic cars are actually quite tough,¡± Orlan replied, ¡°strangely it¡¯s easier to-.¡±


    He cut off with a scowl, holding a hand to his ear as if on the phone.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Bob asked after a moment.


    ¡°He¡¯s getting a message,¡± Lailra answered, ¡°I should take the chance to explain Orlan¡¯s mana, for anyone who thinks it¡¯s a good idea to mess with us. He is unique in being the first known person to have rift mana. Rifts, to him, are powerful forces, warping the world to their whim, but unless tightly controlled will tear apart everything.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Robert asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying that, if Orlan gets angry enough to lose control¡­ well, let¡¯s just say there¡¯s a crater the size of a small city in the other world that is still burning with his magic.¡±


    ¡°Why mention it now?¡±


    ¡°Because the message is about one of our knights in training going missing,¡± Lailra replied, ¡°if there is an easy way to make him angry, its to hurt his knights.¡±


    ¡°Is he going to destroy a city?¡± Bob asked in alarm as Orlan¡¯s expression grew darker.


    ¡°Oh no,¡± Lailra assured with a smile, ¡°he¡¯s gotten far stronger since he made that crater.¡±

 Returned Protector ch9

    ¡°You didn¡¯t need to come so quickly my lord,¡± one of the mages said as Orlan watched over the preparation of the divination table. A map of the eastern coast of the united states rested under a pane of glass, bits of dirt and plant matter were scattered were scattered about on top of the glass seemingly at random. A single tall thin nail stuck up from the four corners of the map while the mages pulled out crystals and placed them around the perimeter of the map.


    Orlan didn¡¯t reply, simply scowling at the map as it was prepared. If one of his bonded knights had been taken he could have lead them to her location by himself, but instead they were forced to make use of this arcane divination array. The dirt and leaves had been taken from areas displayed on the map and had been placed as close to that location relative to one another to form a crude representation of the region represented. Crystals of various attuned mana types had been placed that matched the missing knight¡¯s mana, allowing the array to filter out other the mana of others. Finally each of the nails had a single long strand of the knight¡¯s hair tied around it.


    The theory was to fool the aether around the map into thinking the representation was the real world. Then, using the bond between a lock of hair, freely given, and the knight in question, to make the hair attempt to return to its source. It was a crude technique requiring a dozen stacked spells to work in unison without disrupting one another, but it should at least give them an idea of where the knight was being kept.


    The aether map spell had actually be developed originally to detect rifts, the wizard who designed the spell hoping the aether within the spell would also show disruptions indicative of a rift. Surprisingly it did, however the distortion on the scale of a tiny map were too small to detect. The spell with the hair was a modified version of a standard dousing spell, where a mage would use a small amount of a substance to lead the way to a larger amount of that material. Obviously this version was designed to seek out the source or owner of a strand of hair, but the principle was the same, and suffered from a similar issue of scale when used without the aether map. Simply put the further away the source was, the less reliable the dousing was. This was mitigated somewhat by the map set up, but it could best be described as jury rigged.


    Amusingly the spell was first developed by village mages to track down lost livestock, but worked just as well at finding people.


    Orlan simply watched silently as the mages began stacking the spells, forming the aether map and casting the spells on each of the strands of hair. The hairs began to move, as if blown by a light breeze, flicking back and forth in a chaotic motion. Unlike a true wind, however, every one of the hairs pointed inwards, crossing one another in a way impossible for proper air movements.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have enough reference points for a proper reading,¡± one of the mages said as the hairs moved about, referring to the bits of dirt and plant matter, ¡°we¡¯ve only a half dozen points for the aether map, it should work but for a map of this scale I¡¯d normally recommend twenty to thirty samples.¡±


    ¡°And with how weak the aether is the dousing spell is more chaotic than normal,¡± another added.


    ¡°Still looks like it¡¯s settling in around this Washington place,¡± the caster said, ¡°I¡¯d imagine if she wasn¡¯t taken there, she¡¯s in the region.¡±


    ¡°The capitol?¡± Orlan cursed to himself, if true it meant she¡¯d been taken by the US government, ¡°can you redo the test on a map of just DC and the surrounding area?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d need to collect more samples, specifically from that area,¡± the diviner said.


    ¡°Do it, take one of the cutters,¡± the Protector Lord said, turning to leave the room without waiting for a reply.


    ¡°What are you planning to do now?¡± Lailra asked once they were out of earshot of the mages. She knew Orlan well, better than anyone else quite likely, and while he seemed mostly calm she knew, underneath, he was close to boiling over. He¡¯d practically stormed out of the podcast and rushed back to the protectorate, knowing that his presence wasn¡¯t needed to assist the divination.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask them directly,¡± he growled in response.


    ¡°Wait, my lord,¡± she said, placing a hand on his arm to stop him in the hallway of the castle. He spun and his fierce gaze landed on her, anyone else might have frozen in fear from the intensity of his anger hidden within his eyes, but she knew he would never hurt her. He was angry but he trusted her, ¡°these United States don¡¯t seem to respond well to pressure. You might want to try a less direct method.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± he asked, his anger still simmering but he knew better than to dismiss her advice.


    ¡°It seems to me that the representatives who run the government care more about their appearance than anything. Demand they hand her over and you¡¯ll only provoke them, they can easily deny they have her while accusing you of threatening war. It seems to me that it would be better to go after them indirectly,¡± she said with a feral grin, her own anger at one of her sister-knights being taken showing.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the analysis of this Orlan?¡± a tired sounding man asked a room filled with other tired people. Theodor had spent decades working his way up the bureaucracy, assisting in election campaigns, organizing committees and the million other behind the scenes tasks needed to run a government as large as the United States.


    ¡°The background check didn¡¯t turn up much of interest,¡± one of the others spoke up, ¡°his father died while he was in grade school in an industrial accident, his mother passed a year after he vanished from a stroke. His only surviving close family is a sister who currently has a family of her own, including a son named Orlando.¡±


    ¡°Were they close?¡±


    ¡°No idea, he vanished before social media was wide spread so we can¡¯t exactly look online,¡± the younger man shrugged, ¡°I managed to contact a few people who knew them in high school, but didn¡¯t find anything definitive.¡±


    ¡°What about his personality?¡± Theodor asked.


    ¡°A couple of his teachers described him as ¡®intelligent but undriven,¡¯ average grades, no incidents of note. Even in college he went to a local university and hadn¡¯t declared a major before disappearing.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not how he is now,¡± another analyst spoke up, ¡°I¡¯ve been looking into footage of him and he seems very driven now.¡±


    ¡°Something happen on the ¡®other side¡¯?¡± Theodor asked.


    ¡°Probably, not that we could tell if it had,¡± the analyst replied, taking a sip of coffee, ¡°from what little footage we have of him he seems generally friendly but extremely driven to fight these monsters and protective of his knights.¡±


    ¡°What makes you think that?¡± someone questioned.


    ¡°That he¡¯s protective of his knights? There¡¯s video footage of him fighting in Boston and Jefferson, several times he puts himself in danger to protect them, intercepting attacks, drawing attention to himself and so forth.¡±


    ¡°What about his power?¡± Theodor asked, changing the topic to the real reason an entire group had been gathered to discuss one man.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ unreal,¡± a woman said slowly, ¡°we have footage of him running faster than a car, both in short bursts and extended periods, topping out around forty miles per hour at a minimum. His spear easily puts holes in solid steel, he¡¯s been knocked through reinforced concrete walls and emerged uninjured. And that¡¯s just his confirmed strength, we¡¯re having trouble analyzing the footage from his congressional meeting, one moment he¡¯s in one place then, with a step, he¡¯s across the room. It¡¯s not quite instant, there¡¯s a two or three frame gap but in that gap its like he simply¡­ doesn¡¯t exist.¡±


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    ¡°Could he be telling the truth when he calls it magic?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she admitted, ¡°we¡¯ve been trying to figure out his magic, but it seems too inconsistent. Sometimes he, or his knights, need to summon a glowing circle in the air to use their magic, other times they don¡¯t. We think there¡¯s a limited number of¡­ spells for lack of a better term that each individual can cast without ¡®casting¡¯ it, but it seems each person has a different selection.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s supposed to be on Bob and Rob today, right?¡± another analyst said, ¡°maybe he¡¯ll get into it then.¡±


    ¡°He should be on there right now,¡± the woman agreed, ¡°some of our aides are ensuring we have a recording of it but it¡¯ll be a while before we can fully analyze it.¡±


    ¡°From what you know now, how would you rate his combat ability?¡± Theodor asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d put him on the level of a battle tank. He¡¯s fast, durable, and can unleash immense carnage in a short period of time. From the reports from the rangers who encountered him small arms fire is completely ineffective. Oddly, attacks that should have been weaker than a gun have done actual damage to him. They¡¯ve all come from those portal creatures so my only guess is that there¡¯s something that allows them to bypass some of his toughness.¡±


    ¡°Scientists are currently looking over materials recovered from Jefferson, along with what he handed over to congress, but initial reports are they don¡¯t act like normal materials,¡± Theodor said, pulling out a piece of paper, ¡°their words were¡­ ¡®materials demonstrated strength far greater than their material composition would suggest.¡¯ But they haven¡¯t mentioned anything on why that is yet.¡±


    ¡°Then his ¡®magic¡¯ suggestion likely isn¡¯t wrong,¡± the man responsible for analyzing Orlan¡¯s personality said, earning a few glances, ¡°I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s magic, but it could be something not fully understood.¡±


    ¡°Long ago people didn¡¯t understand why cooking food was necessary, but they did it anyways,¡± someone said, ¡°they might as well have called it magic.¡±


    ¡°For the moment we¡¯ll use his terminology,¡± Theodor decided, ¡°but besides that, he¡¯s driven, protective of his people, and effectively a walking battle tank. Anyone disagree with that assessment?¡±


    Theodor asked, looking around the room, waiting for anyone to speak up. A few of them were looking through their notes for anything else important to add but after a minute no one spoke up. Taking a breath Theodor was about to move on when the door was thrown open.


    ¡°Sir! You need to see this!¡± an intern shouted, panting, ¡°put on the news!¡±


    In shock Theodor grabbed the remote for the small TV in the corner of the room and flicked it on to a random news channel. He took a breath when he saw Orlan, in full armor, standing before a growing group of reporters.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he supposed to be on that podcast?¡±


    ¡°Something happened and he rushed out about an hour ago, one of his people going missing. Then¡­ he suddenly calls a dozen different news organizations and calls this conference on the outskirts of DC,¡± the intern explained.


    ¡°One of his people went missing?¡± Theodor asked, a hint of fear creeping into his mind. There¡¯s no way the CIA or anyone would make a move yet, right? Their teams had to be at least as good as his, so they should know he¡¯d be protective. Were they trying to provoke him? While Theodor had no doubt the full might of the US military could take this Orlan out if needed, it wouldn¡¯t look good for them, attacking a man who¡¯d helped them with such force. And if he publicly accused them of kidnapping one of his people¡­ the mere thought of it made Theodor¡¯s blood run cold.


    ¡°A short time ago I got word one of my knights in training went missing,¡± Orlan spoke, his eyes burning with a barely contained anger as he stared directly into the cameras, ¡°she was on a mission to hunt down monsters that escaped the initial battle during the Beast Rift near Jefferson. My knights searched for her but were unable to locate or track her. Through magical divinations we have determined she is likely in the DC area and are currently working to narrow it down.


    ¡°My message is to whoever kidnapped her,¡± Orlan continued, ¡°release her. If, by the time we find you, she isn¡¯t free then you will not survive the encounter. I assure you, nothing you can do will stop us.¡±


    As he spoke the space around him seemed to crackle with the force of his anger, strands of purple lightning snaking through the air. Many of the reporters who¡¯d been closest were taking steps back, the force of his wrath forcing them back. Even through the TV broadcast Theodor felt his heartrate increasing, as if the division between them couldn¡¯t keep him safe.


    After a moment glaring Orlan turned and walked off, a few brave, or perhaps foolish, reporters attempting to shout questions were ignored before it switched back to the anchors who looked a little shaken themselves. Theodor quickly muted the TV before they could speak.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t directly implicate us,¡± he said.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t need to,¡± an analyst replied, ¡°who else has the capacity to kidnap one of his knights and bring her to DC?¡±


    ¡°Assuming he¡¯s not bluffing,¡± another spoke up, ¡°his only evidence was a ¡®magical divination?¡¯ I¡¯d put that at one step up from ¡®trust me bro.¡¯¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s no reason to lie, if anything if he wasn¡¯t certain it would be in his interests to not say she was in DC.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure he¡¯s politically astute enough to act so¡­ calculating,¡± the personality analyst said, ¡°he¡¯s more the barge in first type from what I¡¯ve seen.¡±


    ¡°Quiet!¡± Theodor shouted, silencing the others, ¡°why do you mean he isn¡¯t political astute?¡±


    ¡°In his first interview with that reporter he started good, but blundered into their trap. Part of that was due to not knowing about the people who¡¯d died after being healed, but he held nothing back. Immediately issuing orders and outright demanding information from the reporter. Before congress he was easily angered, and his answers were often short and direct, without qualification. Not something one who¡¯s interacted with politics often would do.¡±


    ¡°But he called this conference and implicated us without outright stating it,¡± Theodor pointed out.


    ¡°That¡¯s my issue, it¡¯s not in alignment with what we know of him.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps one of his knights advised him?¡± another analyst offered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how, in all the interactions we¡¯ve witnessed he cares for them but they haven¡¯t offered suggestions unless directly asked.¡±


    ¡°In public, its often said to not question your leader where others can see or hear,¡± Theodor said, ¡°could they be advising him in private?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± the analyst admitted, ¡°but even if they did, they aren¡¯t from this world so I even if they were political experts on the other side, they shouldn¡¯t be able to come up with a plan like this.¡±


    ¡°So, what, you think he¡¯s hired a publicity firm or something?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not important right now,¡± Theodor stepped in again, ¡°focus on his missing knight, contact the president, the pentagon, anyone you can.¡±


    ¡°To go from Jefferson to DC in a couple hours they¡¯d have to fly.¡±


    ¡°Good, look up chartered flights from near Jefferson to DC in that time, private aircraft, anything!¡± Theodor said, standing up, ¡°we need something, anything. How can we handle this?¡±


    ¡°I believe he¡¯s telling the truth that he¡¯ll tear through anything in his way to get to his missing knight,¡± an analyst spoke up, ¡°he¡¯ll avoid civilian casualties but anyone who stands in his way is liable to be torn apart.¡±


    ¡°What about optics, how should we recommend the government respond?¡± Theodor asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure we should,¡± someone else said, ¡°doing so would tacitly imply we had something to do with it. More importantly, if we are involved, we shouldn¡¯t say anything that would hinder the operation.¡±


    ¡°Damnit,¡± Theodor cursed, the biggest issue with having a big government was that it was hard to communicate with all of it. For now the best they could manage would likely be a ¡®we¡¯re still gathering information¡¯ response.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°We¡¯re still gathering information,¡± the white house press secretary said in the emergency meeting on the grounds of the white house, ¡°this is news to us so I just can¡¯t say any more.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying the US government isn¡¯t involved in kidnapping one of Orlan¡¯s knights?¡± a reporter shouted.


    ¡°I feel I was pretty clear, we¡¯re still gathering information,¡± the press secretary insisted before walking away from the reporters, ignoring the shouted questions.


    ¡°Can they really be this incompetent?¡± Lairla asked, looking over the phone alongside Orlan and a number of other knights in the cutter that currently hovered over the Potomac River.


    ¡°They could be simply pretending to not know anything,¡± Nalia offered, ¡°it would buy them time to come up with another solution.¡±


    ¡°Or they don¡¯t actually know anything, but suspect they might be involved,¡± Lailra replied, ¡°if they were certain they weren¡¯t involved why not say so? This indicates that they at least suspect that someone in the government could be responsible. If there is and we reveal it, then they can claim it wasn¡¯t a sanctioned act and cut ties with those responsible. And if they aren¡¯t involved they can claim no knowledge of it from the start.¡±


    ¡°So we learned nothing?¡± Orlan groaned.


    ¡°We learned plenty,¡± Lailra said with a feral grin, ¡°we learned that they at least suspect that the government is involved, and are afraid of stepping on that group¡¯s toes.¡±


    ¡°I find it hard to believe that he leader of the nation isn¡¯t aware of what is going on,¡± said Nalia, ¡°Can they really do things like this without permission?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve no idea,¡± admitted Orlan, ¡°I wasn¡¯t big into politics on this side and don¡¯t know much about how the government operates.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, no one here thinks of you as a politician,¡± Lailra said with a softer smile, patting him on the shoulder, the gathered knights chuckling despite the situation.


    ¡°What¡¯s the status of the divination?¡± Orlan asked, breaking the good mood.


    ¡°The other cutter is on the way back to the protectorate with the samples. We should have a better location within an hour or two.¡±

 Returned Protector ch 10

    Amy stepped out into the hall wearing a clean shirt and trousers, both made of a light but surprisingly durable cloth. It all felt so surreal, she knew she was in a castle atop a giant flying island, but it felt more like some modernized palace. The bedroom had an attached bathroom, complete with a warm shower she spent a good half hour using to scrub away every bit of dirt and blood that had dried to her skin, desperately removing the evidence of the hours she¡¯d spent hiding in the mud as monsters killed her family. Her clothes had been torn and unrecoverable, so she¡¯d left them in a pile on the tiled floor of the bathroom, opting to change into the clothes laid out for her.


    ¡°Feeling better?¡± asked Lady White who was awaiting her in the hallway.


    ¡°A bit,¡± Amy nodded, looking to see a number of the other knights in training waiting as well, all of them dressed much like she was while looking freshly showered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I took so long.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± White dismissed, ¡°There¡¯s no rush.¡±


    The young girl nodded but didn¡¯t say anything as the instructor lead them down the long, confusing hallways of the castle. Dozens of men and women, all dressed like they were in some fantasy roleplay, rushed down the halls.


    ¡°Normally we¡¯d introduce you to Lord Orlan as a prospective knight, but he¡¯s busy right now,¡± Lady White explained, walking with a calm confidence that Amy found impressive. Maybe it was her recent traumatic experiences but the instructor radiated a sense of cool power that Amy found herself desiring.


    ¡°You said one of the other knights went missing?¡± Amy asked.


    ¡°Yup,¡± White nodded, ¡°he can be quite protective of us.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re so strong,¡± said Amy slowly, ¡°isn¡¯t it¡­ insulting for a man to feel the need to protect you when you can protect yourself?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s our Lord Protector, ultimately he¡¯s in charge of us and, thus, he feels responsible for our wellbeing,¡± shrugged Lady White, ¡°looking out for those you command is part of being a good leader.¡±


    ¡°I personally think it¡¯s sweet,¡± another trainee named Ruby said with playfully overdramatic swoon, ¡°even though we¡¯re stronger than most people he¡¯s willing to rush to our rescue at need.¡±


    ¡°Ignore her,¡± a second trainee who went by Topaz said, giving Ruby a playful push, ¡°my sister is a hopeless romantic.¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s natural for girls to want to feel protected,¡± Ruby protested with a giggle, ¡°just like it¡¯s natural for men to want to protect.¡±


    ¡°I was taught that a strong woman doesn¡¯t need a man,¡± Amy said softly.


    ¡°What a foolish thought,¡± Ruby snorted, ¡°no wonder Master Orlan took to the other side so well, if this one tells him he¡¯s unneeded.¡±


    ¡°Just because we¡¯re strong doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t appreciate a knight in shining armor,¡± Topaz said, giving her sister another push.


    ¡°It¡¯s not an issue of male or female,¡± White interrupted, ¡°he¡¯s responsible for our wellbeing, and he takes that responsibility seriously. Your father did the same when he sent you to hide.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ why take my brother with him?¡± Amy asked softly.


    ¡°He probably insisted he come,¡± Ruby said, clasping her hands together and swooning playfully again, ¡°how touching, father and son working together to protect you, I can just-.¡±


    ¡°Stop it,¡± Topaz snapped, flicking Ruby in the forehead to stop her. Ruby looked about to protest until she saw the tears in Amy¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Ruby squeaked, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°The point,¡± White said slowly, glaring over her shoulder at the two sisters, ¡°is that if you want to protect someone, anyone, you need power. You need the strength to bare that responsibility.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯ll give me that?¡± Amy asked, wiping the tears from her eyes.


    ¡°We¡¯ll show you how to gain it yourself,¡± White said, leading the group out of the castle and into a training yard, ¡°we can¡¯t start your awakening until we¡¯re sure the magic won¡¯t kill you, so for now we¡¯ll do some simple weapon training.¡±


    The older instructor motioned to the side of the hard dirt yard where a number of racks held wooden weapons of all kinds. Amy slowly approached the racks, looking over the weapons. After a minute she reached to pick up a wooden training sword only to grunt as it refused to budge. Grabbing it with both hands she strained to pick it up, only getting it a few inches before losing her balance from the surprisingly heavy weapon. Instructor White¡¯s hand reached out to snatch the weapon before Amy could fall over.


    ¡°That¡¯s a tier three weapon, probably a bit much for you,¡± White said, putting the weapon casually back on the rack, ¡°mundane weapons are at the far end.¡±


    ¡°You can use that thing?¡± Amy asked, looking at White in shock, ¡°that thing had to weigh at least, like, forty pounds.¡±


    ¡°Wood gets denser and heavier as it tiers up, these weapons are specifically made to mimic the weight of steel weapons of their tier,¡± White explained, holding out another wooden sword that Amy gingerly accepted once she realized it weighed as much as a wooden object that size should, ¡°the added weight makes it easier for us to apply our enhanced strength, you can¡¯t strike something as hard with a blade of grass as you could with a stick.¡±


    Amy simply nodded, taking a few awkward swings with the wooden sword. She¡¯d never used a weapon before, but it felt powerful, like she could crush the ant monsters that killed her family with it as she swung the sword.


    ¡°No, hold it like this, keep the blade aligned with the swing,¡± White said, reaching in to adjust her grip, ¡°and fix your stance, you want your legs about shoulder wide with knees slightly bent out.¡±


    Amy did her best to keep up with the flood of instructions, setting her jaw and imagining she was slashing at those monsters with each swipe of the wooden blade.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°You¡¯re certain about that?¡± Theodor asked one of the analysts in a demanding tone, ¡°the white house knows nothing about the missing knight?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what they told me,¡± the younger man said, nodding rapidly.


    ¡°What about transportation,¡± Theodor spun to face another group of interns, ¡°any flights that could have carried the girl?¡±


    ¡°There was a private jet that flew from Jefferson to DC in the right time frame,¡± the intern said, still holding a phone to his ear, ¡°I¡¯m still trying to track down who the owner is.¡±


    ¡°The flying ship is on the move!¡± another shouted, pointing at the TV, instantly silencing everyone in the room as they turned to see the flying ship while Theodor turned the volume up.


    ¡°It seems the ¡®sky cutter¡¯ is on the move,¡± the anchor said, ¡°does this mean the missing knight has been located?¡±


    ¡°Hard to say,¡± another voice responded, ¡°looks like its headed for the south-western side of DC.¡±


    ¡°Will they respect the capitol¡¯s airspace? In the past they¡¯ve always landed outside restricted air, but could they be intending to ignore it?¡±


    ¡°Again, hard to say Casey, it looks like they¡¯re planning to land south of Arlington. Perhaps near the Army Navy Country Club?¡±


    ¡°Damnit!¡± Theodor cursed, muting the TV again, ¡°I hope he¡¯s not headed where I think he is.¡±


    ¡°Where is he heading?¡± an analyst asked.


    ¡°If he lands at the Country Club, that puts him less than a mile from the Pentagon.¡±


    ¡°Shit,¡± the analyst agreed.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    Orlan and the first lance were on the ground before the Cutter even stopped, rushing alongside the highway, nearly keeping up with the traffic even though they were on foot. None of them said anything as sirens began to sound around them, police mobilizing to try and contain them. But caught off guard and headed for somewhere unexpected they weren¡¯t stopped, arriving outside the imposing structure of the pentagon only a couple minutes after landing.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Well?¡± Orlan asked, looking at Nallia who held what looked like a large compass, in it a dowsing rod wrapped in a hair from the missing knight spun lazily. After coming to a stop she pushed some mana into the item and the needle swung to point directly at the Pentagon. It waved back and forth slightly, but this close to the target even the weak aether of this side was enough to give a decent reading. Nallia simply nodded, prompting him to sprint directly into the grand structure. Building security were unable to so much as react as Orlan and his knights tore through the entryway at superhuman speeds. They¡¯d only just begun to receive warning that Orlan was headed their way and were utterly unable to do anything as security doors designed to stop explosives shattered, barely slowing the angry protector lord down.


    Nallia too the lead, guiding them down the confusing maze of hallways that was the Pentagon with the compass. It took them several minutes to navigate the odd building until they reached a dead end where the compass begun to spin in place. Nallia turned the compass on its side and the needle pointed down.


    ¡°A false floor?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°Feels solid,¡± she replied, tapping the ground with her foot, ¡°could be a hidden door.¡±


    ¡°Then there should be a switch around here, right?¡± Lailra asked, feeling along the walls, ¡°that¡¯s what the adventurers say isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve heard,¡± Nallia agreed, starting to put the compass away as Orlan knelt down to inspect the ground where the compass had pointed. Before she could begin searching he lifted a fist, the purple flames of the void covered his gauntlet as he punched down, striking the ground with immense force. The entire building seemed to shake as his fist cratered the ground, the energies of his void strike tearing through the mundane materials, quickly reducing the carpet and concrete to a sandy consistency.


    Unwilling to wait he raised his other fist and struck the ground again, his hand once more covered in the dark flames of his void strike ability. This time the concrete cracked and fell away into another hallway. Dropping down it was virtually identical to the one they¡¯d just been in. Fluorescent lights illuminating plain blue carpeting and dull whitish walls, it looked indistinguishable from anywhere else in the structure.


    Nallia pulled her compass out again and the needle now pointed resolutely down the hallway, they were getting close.


    A minute later Orlan barged through a thick steel wooden door like it wasn¡¯t there, revealing a larger room with steel cells along one side. A man in a normal business suit and tie looked shocked as Orlan rushed him. To Orlan¡¯s surprise, however, the man leaned back, narrowly avoiding the punch Orlan had aimed at him. He hadn¡¯t been planning to kill, the blow had been to knock the man out but for a normal person to dodge was impressive enough that it caught Orlan off guard.


    The man scrambled backwards, pulling a card from its lanyard and pressing it to a reader attached to one of the steel cages. The reader beeped and the cage popped open, revealing a tall, lanky gorilla-like monster with the head of a boar. Orlan recognized it as one of the monsters from the rift he¡¯d come through. The monster was weakened, barely alive, but as its restraints popped open it let out a raspy roar as it charged the first person it saw.


    Orlan ducked the sloppy swing, stepping in and countering with enough force to cave in the monster¡¯s rib cage. Confirming the monster was dead he turned to see to the man, only to catch a glimpse of a door swinging shut. Before he could give chase a hand grabbed his arm.


    ¡°Orlan,¡± Lailra said, restraining him gently and pointing to another cage, ¡°look.¡±


    He turned to see a woman in one of the cages, one of his training knights. The man forgotten he took two steps through space ending up within the cage before where she sat, unresponsive. There was a tube leading to her arm that Orlan pulled out, careful to not injure her. Behind him Lailra ripped the door to the large cage open.


    ¡°Her bindings,¡± Orlan said, pointing at the oddly colored leather straps holding her in the steel chair, ¡°do you feel at too?¡±


    ¡°Feel what?¡± Lailra asked, reaching out to touch the leather, ¡°oh, its magical, tier one? Maybe a low tier two?¡±


    ¡°Tier one,¡± Nallia confirmed, analyzing it with a spell, ¡°looks like it came from a monster. The processing is crude however, the monster it came from was likely tier three.¡±


    ¡°Any enchantments?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Nodding Orlan pulled a knife to cut the leather, freeing the unconscious girl from the chair.


    ¡°She¡¯s uninjured,¡± Lailra said, inspecting the knight with a healer¡¯s eye, ¡°just some mild sedative. She should wake in a few minutes now that no more is being pumped into her.¡±


    ¡°Boss?¡± Dalia called, her and the other knights of the first lance inspecting the other cells, ¡°what should we do with the monsters?¡±


    Orlan scowled, finally turning his attention to the other cages in the large room as he picked the unconscious knight in training up. There were a dozen other cells, and most of them held one or more monsters, all heavily restrained. There were a couple ant creatures from the Jefferson rift, one other gorilla thing from Boston, and some he recognized from previous rifts that had occurred on this side before he arrived.


    ¡°Kill them,¡± Orlan ordered, ¡°if you have room in your personal space take the bodies, but our goal is to get out of here safely now.¡±


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°You¡¯re certain he¡¯s still inside?¡± Theodor demanded over the phone, the harried national guard commander on the other side responding quickly.


    ¡°Yes! He went in ten minutes ago and hasn¡¯t come out yet,¡± he repeated angrily, ¡°I have orders from the President to detain him.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Theodor cried, ¡°if his kidnapped knight is in there, we¡¯re in the wrong.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t answer to congress,¡± the national guard officer snapped, ¡°I¡¯m only even speaking with you because I was told you¡¯ve been conducting an investigation of this Orlan.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m telling you, you won¡¯t be able to stop him.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care how strong this supposed magic is, I have a dozen fifty cals trained on each side of the building.¡±


    ¡°Which might be qualified to give him a back massage,¡± Theodor snapped, ¡°listen, don¡¯t think of him as infantry, he¡¯s a main battle tank shaped like a human. Perhaps even a light cruiser. And that¡¯s alone, he has a dozen of his knights with him.¡±


    ¡°Right, maybe you should leave the combat analysis to the military,¡± the commander audibly sneered before the line went dead.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Theodor roared, throwing the phone across the room, ¡°someone get the president on the line!¡±


    ¡°Afraid they won¡¯t be able to stop him?¡± one of the analysts asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ll force him to respond with deadly force,¡± Theodor said, desperately typing on his laptop, ¡°the missing knight was supposed to be a knight in training, meaning she is likely weaker than him or his other knights. So while they might not be at risk, she might be, especially if she¡¯s injured from being in captivity. And if she¡¯s injured¡­¡±


    ¡°The podcast,¡± the analyst said eyes widening in realization. Clips of the cast had already started going up, and one of the more viral ones was of Lailra explaining how dangerous Orlan could be if one of his knights was injured. If she wasn¡¯t overstating his power, and he really could reduce a small city to a burning crater, he was in the middle of DC right now.


    ¡°No one at the white house is answering,¡± an intern said, already attempting to dial again, ¡°all the lines are busy.¡±


    ¡°does anyone know any personal phone of someone who works there?¡± Theodor demanded, ¡°or knows someone who knows someone? We might have minutes before things get messy.¡±


    ¡°Should we¡­ evacuate?¡± a scared intern asked.


    ¡°We should be safe here,¡± Theodor said, ¡°but if any intern wants to run then feel free, just don¡¯t expect to keep your internship.¡±


    After a tense moment no one in the office moved before Theodor nodded, turning back to his laptop.


    ¡°I have an idea,¡± an intern said slowly, drawing Theodor¡¯s gaze.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    Orlan walked out into the deserted entry lobby of the Pentagon, carrying the still unconscious knight himself. The parking lot to the building was filled with military and police vehicles, dozens of weapons on the exit to the building as they saw movement in the trashed lobby.


    ¡°Looks like about a hundred people out there, all armed with firearms,¡± Nallia reported, ¡°some quite big, I believe you called them machine guns?¡±


    ¡°Those might not be much of a threat to us, but for Sara,¡± Lailra said slowly, gesturing to the unconscious knight in Orlan¡¯s arms.


    Orlan opened his mouth to give orders when a phone in the lobby began ringing. Scowling Orlan looked at the phone, it was directly in front of him, surely the call couldn¡¯t be a coincidence. Seeming to understand his thinking Lailra stepped forward and picked the phone up.


    ¡°Hello?¡± she asked, the person on the other side muffled by her ear. Her eyes seemed to widen slightly in surprise and held it out for Orlan, ¡°it¡¯s for you, my Lord.¡±


    ¡°Hello?¡± Orlan said carefully as she pressed the phone to his ear.


    ¡°Orlan? I¡¯m Theodor from the congressional committee on¡­ well, it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± the man on the other side said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not holding any hostages or anything,¡± Orlan said dryly.


    ¡°I know! Look, I¡¯m assuming you found your missing knight, correct? And that you¡¯ve seen what is waiting for you outside?¡± the man said quickly, ¡°they have orders to bring you in, direct from the president apparently.¡±


    ¡°So what do you want?¡±


    ¡°I want to avoid violence, my team was assigned to investigate you and, unlike many, I believe you are more than capable of dealing with the forces outside,¡± Theodor explained, ¡°but I¡¯m afraid that doing so while protecting your trainee things could get¡­ deadly. I want to avoid that.¡±


    ¡°And why should I listen to you?¡± Orlan growled, ¡°your people took one of mine hostage, bound and drugged her alongside a dozen monsters in a hidden under level. If she was injured I would have already reduced this building to rubble.¡±


    ¡°They what?¡± Theodor gasped, ¡°monsters? Like those from the rifts? They had some held underneath the Pentagon? Why? Wait, it¡¯s not important right now. Look, if you step outside right now, things will turn violent. It could lead to war between us.¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m afraid?¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯ll do anything for your people, while I don¡¯t doubt your power I¡¯m sure you know how powerful the US military is.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re threatening me,¡± Orlan said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not! But surely you can see where this is headed as well?¡± Theodor pleaded.


    ¡°Then what are you offering?¡±


    ¡°I have a way for your people to get out safely and allow us to avoid conflict.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°If you surrender yourself then you-.¡±


    ¡°I refuse,¡± Orlan interrupted.


    ¡°Listen to me! I promise if you let them arrest you, your people will be allowed to go home safely.¡±


    ¡°And all I have to do is become a prisoner?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we have a cell that could possibly hold you,¡± Theodor explained rapidly, ¡°but this is the only way for this to end without violence.¡±


    ¡°So you expect me to surrender myself then break out later? How does that make anything better?¡±


    ¡°For one your people will be safe, but, more importantly, the media is all over the Pentagon right now. If you willingly turn yourself in to save your people, to prevent violence, there will be a massive outcry against the government. I doubt they¡¯ll be able to hold you more than a week even if you don¡¯t break out.¡±


    Orlan paused to think, looking at his increasingly anxious knights. This Theodor was spot on, surprisingly. He wanted to avoid combat, he just wanted his people to be safe. But to let himself be arrested for that, was he willing to sacrifice his pride like that?


    ¡°I agree,¡± Orlan said, it wasn¡¯t even a question, his pride meant nothing if it allowed him to keep those he cared about safe, ¡°but if anything happens to my knights¡­¡±


    ¡°Then at least I can say I did my best,¡± Theodor said, clearly relieved, ¡°now give me a minute to call the national guard and explain the situation.¡±

 Returned Protector ch11

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    Slowly, on national television, before nearly a hundred men of the National Guard, Washington DC police department and Secret Service, Orlan walked out. His armor having been replaced with a dark colored tunic and trousers he looked like someone headed for a fair or convention, and not a person requiring such a massive response. A group of officers approached him carefully, pistols trained even as he kept his hands out to the side, palms out, so show he wasn¡¯t armed.


    ¡°Hands on your head,¡± One of the officers shouted as they stopped a short distance from him.


    ¡°Once my people are out,¡± Orlan replied simply, seemingly concerned about the weapons pointed at him. The officer scowled, about to retort when he froze, someone speaking in his ear.


    ¡°Fine, but you don¡¯t move,¡± the officer said, sounding upset but not questioning the orders from above. With a telepathic message Orlan¡¯s knights, one of whom was carrying the still unconscious knight-in-training, filed out, quickly making their way through a corridor opened by the National Guard. Several of them seemed upset to be letting the armored women go, but they had their orders, even restraining a few police officers who seemed intent to stop them regardless.


    Once they were out of sight, racing along the highway back towards where the Air Cutter had dropped them off and had now returned to pick them up, Orlan lifted his hands to the back of his head. Under the direction of the officers he knelt down and allowed himself to be cuffed. They quickly searched him for weapons, fully aware there was a dozen cameras pointed at them by various media outlets with more arriving every moment. None had a particularly good shot, the guard were keeping civilians from getting too close, and no helicopters were allowed in the airspace.


    Finding nothing, two officers attempted to grab him under the arms and lift, only to grunt as he barely budged. They were forced to order him to walk into the back of the armored truck while holding him under the arms as if they could carry him. Cameras flashed as the truck drove away, flanked by a police escort.


    ¡°What¡¯s he doing?¡± One of the officers in the back of the truck asked. Orlan had sat down in, crossed his legs and closed his eyes, apparently meditating even as he was taken away.


    ¡°I¡¯m more concerned about why his hands are in front of him,¡± the officer replied, nodding to his hands which were folded in his lap, still cuffed, ¡°we cuffed them behind him, right?¡±


    ¡°I thought we did.¡±


    The two officers exchanged confused and worried glances, but didn¡¯t speak any more.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°What do you mean he vanished?¡± the head of security at the Pentagon demanded of the small team in one of the many security rooms.


    ¡°The hallway he went down, it¡¯s a dead end with no camera coverage,¡± the other man replied, pointing to a couple screens, ¡°they¡¯re intentionally placed to give the staff somewhere to hide if the Pentagon is-.¡±


    ¡°I know why they¡¯re there, my question is how did he know about it?¡± the head of security snapped, ¡°and why he punched a hole in the floor there.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know either of those answers sir, but one several cameras you can see one of his knights pull out a device, looks like a compass for a moment. We think it was some kind of tracking device.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± the man sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, ¡°then show me video of him in the sub level.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have that here, section three covers that layer of the underground.¡±


    ¡°They said you guys covered that region,¡± the head of security replied.


    ¡°Look sir,¡± the man pointed at a partial map of the Pentagon on the wall, only showing the locations covered by the cameras controlled by this room, ¡°the hall way he went into isn¡¯t marked on this map, but you can see where it should be if the map was fully accurate. The section of underground below that point isn¡¯t ours.¡±


    The head of security scowled at the map, pulling up his cell phone, an action that made the security personnel nervous, but they didn¡¯t say anything as he scrolled through it. Eventually pulling up a picture of the map he¡¯d taken at the other section and held it up. The two sections matched up, in theory if you had all of the maps you could combine them into a single complete map of the Pentagon, but there were intentional flaws built in such as missing dead-end hallways. The two maps, combined, bracketed the section of the underground Orlan had broken into, but neither displayed anything there. It was like an entire section of the Pentagon was simply missing.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± the head of security swore, cursing the division of information, and not for the first time.


    ¡°What is it sir?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but someone is going to hang for it.¡±


    \-\-\-\-\-


    Hours after his arrest Orlan was motionless in a government holding facility, it wasn¡¯t a prison or jail as those would imply he was a criminal who might have rights. His legs were crossed beneath him, hands folded in his lap as he focused on building up his sixth sphere. He hadn¡¯t used much mana during the raid, which had fully recovered shortly before being cuffed. With nothing else to do he turned inward, only opening his eyes when they arrived at the facility and he was walked to this cell. Even in such a trance he sensed someone approach the heavily reinforced door on the other side of the thick, reinforced glass before it opened.


    ¡°You¡¯d think you were someone dangerous with all of this security,¡± the man remarked as he placed papers on the table, ¡°rather than some cosplayer with a sense of superiority. Even your ¡®magics¡¯ couldn¡¯t get you out of here. If it were up to me you and all of your ¡®knights¡¯ would be locked up for the rest of your lives after that stunt at the Pentagon. But, for whatever reason, the powers that be have ordered me to interrogate you. So let¡¯s make this easy, you tell me what I want to know and we¡¯ll see about getting a reduced sentence.¡±


    Orlan didn¡¯t move a muscle even as the man sat down on the other side of the glass and relaxed. The silence stretched on for a long moment before the man spoke up again.


    ¡°If you cooperate we can even negotiate reduced sentences for your followers,¡± he added, ¡°they were picked up by the secret service before making it back to that flying boat thing of yours. I know how much they mean to you, if you want to help them, then cooperate.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie,¡± Orlan replied simply, barely moving and still not opening his eyes though he had stopped working on his next sphere, ¡°my people made it back to the island.¡±


    ¡°Such confidence,¡± the interrogator chuckled, ¡°did you honestly believe the government would keep a promise to a terrorist?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need belief,¡± Orlan said, his eyes opening to fix the man with a glare, ¡°my ¡®magics¡¯ as you call them allow me to communicate with them mentally.¡±


    ¡°What, like telepathy?¡± the interrogator snorted, rolling his eyes, ¡°whatever you want to believe I guess.¡±


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°How can you people still deny my power?¡± Orlan asked, sounding more confused than angry, ¡°was the giant floating island not enough? The flying ships? Me teleporting around in front of congress?¡±


    ¡°If you have all that power, why are you in that cell, huh?¡±


    ¡°Because I want to avoid conflict,¡± the Protector Lord said, ¡°because that was the deal to get my knights out safely. Because I don¡¯t want to kill normal people. Because I take my vows to protect the innocent seriously. Take your pick.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t seem all that concerned with ¡®normal people¡¯ when you crashed through the Pentagon.¡±


    ¡°Was anyone injured?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Seems like I was thinking about the normal people then.¡±


    The interrogator stared through the glass at Orlan, maintaining his calm exterior through years of practice, but there was something different about this man. Even the most confident terrorist wouldn¡¯t be this calm, in an unmarked building far from civilization. Perhaps it was just an act, but, besides opening his eyes, Orlan hadn¡¯t even moved.


    ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t understand your situation,¡± the interrogator said, leaning forward, ¡°you aren¡¯t a criminal, you don¡¯t have any rights here. No lawyer, no trial, nothing. We can do whatever we want to you, torture, isolation, we could even put a bullet in your brain.¡±


    ¡°Has the country truly fallen this far?¡± Orlan asked, sounding more sad than worried for himself, ¡°Is it this way due to the rifts? The first one appeared in the US a year ago correct? Was that the prompt for all these¡­ draconian laws?¡±


    ¡°Should you really be worrying about that?¡± the Interrogator asked, trying to hide his growing worry, even a mention of death didn¡¯t faze this guy.


    ¡°I suppose not, I¡¯m duty bound to stay out of national politics where possible,¡± Orlan admitted, ¡°still, it¡¯s sad to see my home country like this.¡±


    ¡°I suggest you focus on yourself, rather than worry about things you have no power over,¡± the other man said, trying to get the conversation back on track, ¡°are you willing to answer my questions or not?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been answering them since I returned, on the news, before congress, in interviews. You just haven¡¯t been listening.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear about that magic nonsense, if you try to pull that again things might get uncomfortable for you. Understand? Then first question, where have you been hiding for the last couple decades? According to the records you went missing, only to reappear suddenly claiming to have magic.¡±


    ¡°As I¡¯ve said a number of times, I was on the other side, call it another world, a parallel Earth, whatever you want,¡± Orlan answered.


    ¡°See, this is what I¡¯m talking about, you don¡¯t expect us to believe you do you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit it¡¯s an odd story, but is it any odder than glowing rifts opening up to allow monstrous creatures to pour forth?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°Just because something isn¡¯t understood, doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s magic,¡± the interrogator snorted.


    ¡°Then call it something else for all I care.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to tell me where you¡¯ve been or not?¡±


    ¡°Are you going to believe me or not?¡±


    ¡°Fine, you want to play this game,¡± the man said, slamming his hand on the desk, ¡°if you have magic then show me. Right here right now?¡±


    ¡°Very well, what would you like to see?¡± Orlan replied, unconcerned.


    ¡°What, are you going to pull a flower from your sleeve? Maybe grab a rabbit out of a top hat? Tell me what card I¡¯m thinking of?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a summoner or mentalist, my abilities are more combat oriented,¡± Orland replied, ¡°you mentioned that if I truly had magic I¡¯d be able to escape from this cell. Would that be sufficient?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± the man leaned back, ¡°lets see you get out of there.¡±


    Orlan smoothly rose to his feet, took a step forward and vanished. Despite himself the interrogator flinched, not having expected him to actually do anything.


    ¡°Is that enough evidence?¡± Orlan asked from behind the man, causing him to jump again and spin around pulling out his pistol to find Orlan standing calmly behind him.


    ¡°How¡¯d you do that?¡±


    ¡°Magic, you wanted to see magic, so I showed it to you,¡± Orlan replied calmly, even with a pistol pointed at him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you got out but we¡¯re going to wait for security to put you back in.¡±


    ¡°If you want me back in, I can do that too,¡± Orlan sighed, taking another step and vanishing. The interrogator spun again to find Orlan sitting back down within the cell.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way out of there, the doors have multiple locks,¡± the interrogator said slowly, lowering his weapon but not holstering it yet, ¡°and it would take you at least a few seconds to walk from the hallway into this side of the room.¡±


    ¡°Starting to believe?¡± Orlan asked with a smirk, ¡°or should I show off some more? What are these cuffs made of?¡±


    ¡°Hardened steel with a Kevlar covering,¡± the man said slowly, ¡°the chain can take almost a thousand pounds of weight without breaking.¡±


    Orlan raised his cuffed arms and, with minor effort, ripped the chain into two. He then tore each of the cuffs off his wrists with the same level of casual disregard, pausing to rub where he¡¯d been bound before folding his hands back into his lap. Outside his cell door he could hear a group stacking up, clearly his actions had triggered a silent alarm, but they didn¡¯t move to break in.


    ¡°I might need to talk with my superiors,¡± the interrogator said after a minute of silence, Orlan simply nodded and closed his eyes once more.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°Did you feel anything?¡± Instructor White asked as Amy finished off a breakfast of eggs and toast, ¡°and don¡¯t hide anything, if you had even a minor reaction to the mana the training will kill you.¡±


    ¡°I slept fine,¡± Amy shook her head.


    ¡°Then we can start training you today,¡± the older knight nodded after a moment of searching Amy¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Just like that?¡±


    ¡°Just like that,¡± White nodded, ¡°having second thoughts?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Amy said quickly, continuing in a softer voice, ¡°I¡¯m still afraid of those monsters. I can still hear the sounds of them killing my father and brother. I don¡¯t want to be weak.¡±


    ¡°Good, then let¡¯s get started,¡± said White, leading Amy from the mess hall, ¡°there are a few things you should know before we get started. First off, Orlan has decided to train many others to first sphere as part of his plan to raise mages on this side. If all you want is magic you can wait for that and join the first group. That way you can have enough power to raise yourself up while returning to your country.¡±


    ¡°Will that be enough to kill those monsters?¡±


    ¡°By yourself? No, those monsters were third sphere equivalent.¡± White replied, ¡°to reliably kill one on their own a normal mage is expected to be at least fourth sphere. Military mages and knights, trained in combat can regularly kill one of the same tier with minor injuries. Protector Knights, however, are expected to be able to fight monsters a tier above us and win.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯d have to be level two to kill that monster if I train under you?¡±


    ¡°If you throw yourself into the training, and forge a bond with Lord Orlan, then by the time you¡¯re second sphere you should be able to kill one of those on your own,¡± White corrected, ¡°In reality you likely won¡¯t form a bond until you hit tier three or four.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡± Amy asked.


    ¡°Every Protector Lord is different; they get their power from the island we¡¯re on. These islands were near miraculous creations made by a grand mage thousands of years ago, they form a bond with the island much like I have a bond with him,¡± explained the older knight, ¡°but each island is different, from who may form a bond with it, to who may become his bonded knights. In addition, Orlan has a limit to how many bonded knights he can have at once. Going beyond that limit will strain the island and weaken all of us.


    ¡°Ideally, Orlan would keep his number of knights maxed out, only replacing one when they fall. But reality is rarely so kind, so he always has a few openings. That said he isn¡¯t going to just bond anyone. Partly because the bond is such an¡­ personal process requiring great trust and partly because he doesn¡¯t want to risk taking those too weak into the heat of battle.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ what does this bond actually do?¡± Amy asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later,¡± White smiled, ¡°it¡¯s not wise to get too far ahead of yourself. For now let¡¯s focus on awakening you.¡±


    The two walked out of the castle and into one of the training yards where a dozen other knights were already training. A few looked up and nodded their greetings, but most ignored them. White led Amy over to a side of the yard where a small stone structure stood. Inside was a single stool on a bare stone floor, with bare stone walls.


    ¡°This is our low tier breakthrough room,¡± White explained, motioning for Amy to sit in the stool, ¡°breakthroughs can be volatile, so we have places like this scattered about that are easy to replace. You¡¯ll be spending most of your time here until you awaken. The first sphere can come on suddenly so if you find yourself thinking on the nature of your mana, come here.¡±


    Amy struggled to understand what she was being told as she sat. White moved behind her and placed a strong, yet soft hand on her back.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to push a bit of mana into you, more than the pill I gave you yesterday,¡± White explained, ¡°close your eyes and try to feel it moving within you.¡±


    ¡°How will I know-,¡± Amy started only to cut off as she felt energy rushing into her. It felt like a cool breeze flowing through her chest, blowing away cobwebs and dust that had settled without her realizing it. But despite the rejuvenating effect of the gentle wind, there was a hard edge to it, like it was but the herald for an oncoming storm.


    ¡°Was that-.¡±


    ¡°My mana,¡± White interrupted, ¡°what you¡¯re feeling is what my mana feels like, keep focused on the sensation, it will pass shortly and you should be able to feel your mana.¡±


    Amy nodded, closing her eyes and keeping focused.

 Returned Protector ch12

    ¡°Agent¡­ Smith? Really?¡± the interrogator asked, looking up from the ID the man had shown him, ¡°does the CIA have no creativity?¡±


    ¡°Are you going to get in our way?¡± the agent asked.


    ¡°No,¡± he shrugged, handing the ID back, ¡°I¡¯ll warn you though, this Orlan is¡­ different.¡±


    ¡°We have our ways,¡± Smith said, gesturing to the three techs behind him and the cart they were working hard to move through the lobby. Despite it only having a small case, about the right size for a violin, they struggled to move it, ¡°is there space near the subject we can set up?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s an office that shares a wall with his cell, there¡¯s ten inches of reinforced concrete between them though.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± the agent waved for the techs to take the cart further into the building, one of building security offering to lead them to the room, ¡°I¡¯d like to observe the subject.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± the interrogator said, heading for the observation room.


    ¡°Manage to get anything out of the subject?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s sticking to the story about magic and¡­ honestly? I¡¯m starting to believe him,¡± the interrogator admitted, hurriedly adding, ¡°I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s actually magic, but it¡¯s clearly something we don¡¯t understand. I¡¯ve tried everything to get him to break, I told him we have his knights in custody, he told me he could contact them telepathically or something.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°I was skeptical too, until he told me the results of last night¡¯s baseball game. He¡¯s been in the cell, without contact with the outside world, for almost three days now. I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s spoken to him, and even the staff aren¡¯t allowed to access their cell phones here. I had to get my phone from security to check if he was right,¡± the interrogator shook his head, ¡°we tried to drug his food, he asked for the recipe. Not for the food, for the drug. Said it could be useful for training or something, but he showed no signs of it taking effect even after downing the whole meal.¡±


    ¡°What about starving him?¡± the agent asked, following the interrogator through the complex building.


    ¡°We tried that, I woke up this morning to find him eating some kind of trail ration.¡±


    ¡°He snuck in rations?¡±


    ¡°No, he just¡­ pulled them from thin air.¡± The interrogator sighed, unlocking the observation room, a series of screens showed different camera angles of Orlan sitting, cross legged, in his cell, eyes closed, ¡°I¡¯ve witnessed him teleporting through solid matter, he broke the cuffs like they were made of cardboard. Honestly? He¡¯s only here because he wants to be.¡±


    ¡°And he spends most of his time like this?¡± Agent Smith asked, gesturing to the screen, ¡°in... meditation?¡±


    ¡°Yup, unless someone approaches one of the doors or he decides to eat, he just sits there. Haven¡¯t even seen him use the toilet yet.¡±


    ¡°So long as he remains still,¡± the agent shrugged, ¡°the scanner will get something from him.¡±


    ¡°Scanner? Is that was what was in the case?¡±


    Before the agent could respond a muffled voice spoke through his earpiece. Smith tapped his ear and told them to proceed.


    ¡°Everything about my visit is classified,¡± Smith explained, ¡°anyone who needs to know will know, so tell no one I was here.¡±


    ¡°I know how this works,¡± the interrogator rolled his eyes, ¡°I¡¯ve been doing this for- wait, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Orlan¡¯s eyes had opened and his head snapped to the left where he seemed to stare at the wall. On the other side of that wall was the office he¡¯d told the techs to set up the odd scanner.


    ¡°What¡¯s he doing?¡± Smith asked, the other man simply looking confused before Orlan began to stand, vanishing from sight before he was even on his feet.


    ¡°Where¡¯s that office?¡± Smith demanded, the Interrogator nodding and rushing from the room. They ran down a series of halls, past a number of confused looking security. He barely even paused upon reaching the office, shouldering the door open to find Orlan holding what he assumed was the scanner. It was a simple box like device atop a reinforced tripod. One side had some kind of hatch that Orlan was just closing with his finder. The Protector Lord looked up, fixing the two of them with a glare.


    ¡°Where did you get this?¡± Orlan demanded of the Agent and Interrogator, gesturing to the scanner, ¡°you couldn¡¯t have gotten this from a rift.¡±


    ¡°Put the scanner down,¡± Smith snapped, drawing a pistol and aiming it at Orlan.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m keeping this,¡± replied Orlan, lifting the scanner before it vanished from his hand, ¡°do you even realize what it is you have?¡±


    The CIA agent replied by firing his pistol twice, both rounds hitting Orlan in the torso. The Protector Lord jerked back from each impact before stepping forward, somehow covering the distance between them in a single stride. He wrenched the pistol from the agent¡¯s grip, tearing the weapon apart till he pulled the magazine out and eyed the bullets.


    ¡°Teir one bullets?¡± Orlan asked, scratching at the topmost round with a nail, ¡°made from bone? Carapace? You made bullets from the bones of creatures from a rift?¡±


    Shaking his head Orlan tossed the remains of the pistol aside, even the CIA agent starting to look worried. A number of security guards, drawn by the gunshots began filling the hallway behind the agent, rifles at the ready but hesitant to fire with the friendlies in the way.


    ¡°Alright, as much as I¡¯ve ¡®enjoyed¡¯ our time together, I¡¯m leaving,¡± Orlan declared, nodding a farewell to the interrogator, vanishing before the agent could respond.


    -----


    It took Orlan three steps to find his way out of what appeared to be a small, converted office building. The parking lot was small, barely enough for a dozen cars, and a chain link fence separated the grounds from a dense forest. A small sign indicated that the building belonged to some obscure government department. It was exactly what Orlan imagined when thought of hidden government black site, almost frighteningly so.


    But what concerned him wasn¡¯t the bland structure but the armored truck in forest green that had positioned itself in the entryway to the parking lot. A large man in simple fatigues that barely fit over his giant muscles stood next to it, a low profile pack on his back and a large knife in his hand.


    ¡°How are you radiating so much mana?¡± Orlan demanded of the larger man who, by way of responding lifted his arms into a fighting pose. The mana Orlan sensed coming off the man was on par with a tier three, or even tier four monster, yet something was wrong. Mages were more efficient with mana, to radiate the same amount the man would have to be fifth sphere, but when the odd man rushed forward it wasn¡¯t with the kind of speed he¡¯d expect of a fifth sphere mage.


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    It was, however, much faster than any normal human, racing across the hundred feet between them in a few seconds. Orlan swayed out of the way of the first strike with the knife, batted a punch aside and countered with a punch to the man¡¯s gut. His opponent staggered backwards, but Orlan remained frozen in the stance, fist outstretched, knees bent.


    ¡°You¡¯re a tier two, core-ward human?¡± he asked, looking shocked, ¡°But how are you giving out so much mana?¡±


    The man didn¡¯t respond, instead charging back into combat. His arms seemed a blur to the security guards emerging from the office building, but no matter what he did neither his fists nor knife managed to strike anything but air. After nearly a minute of fighting Orlan vanished, appearing behind the man to drive a fist into the plastic backpack. The casing shattered under the force, revealing a series of pouches filled with a glowing red-white liquid. Tubes lead from the pouches, passing through the other side of the pack.


    ¡°Refined monster blood?¡± Orlan asked as the man spun, swinging his knife wildly, ¡°are you some kind of attempt to make a super soldier? You¡¯re basically doping.¡±


    The man seemed to grow angry at this, speeding up his attacks, yet Orlan continued to avoid or deflect them with ease.


    ¡°But with so much mana, how are you still only second tier?¡± Orlan asked as they fought, more staff from the building emerging to watch, ¡°Is it that you don¡¯t know how to break through? Whoever made you clearly knows there¡¯s higher tiers of power, but their best solution was to simply pump you full of mana and hope for the best? Do you realize how dangerous that is?


    ¡°How many died to get one success? Did they even tell you?¡± the Protector continued, ¡°you want to know what happens to most people who absorb the amount of mana you have? Their mind collapses, their body warps under the power becoming a monster. A beast. I bet they don¡¯t even know why that didn¡¯t happen to you.¡±


    By this point everyone from the office building was outside, including Agent Smith and the interrogator, watching in awe at the superhuman fight between Orlan and the large man. Back and forth their battle took them across the parking lot, faster than any normal man could run, all while exchanging blows that left dents in the bodies of cars in the lot, but barely fazed either of them.


    The larger man was more skilled, more experienced, in fighting other people. That much was clear by his movements that spoke to decades of combat experience. Not only was Orlan unarmed but he was more used to fighting monsters. Yet the large man had yet to land a single blow of any significance.


    ¡°Prepare more shackles,¡± Agent Smith said to the Interrogator.


    ¡°For him or us?¡± the Interrogator asked, looking at the agent for a moment, ¡°I¡¯m barely following what¡¯s going on, but even I can tell your man is losing.¡±


    As if proving his point, the large man went flying into the side of a car, crumpling the door into the vehicle with his body. The exposed pouches on his back burst, spraying mana rich fluids over the interior of the car.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, he has decades of experience, combat experience,¡± Agent Smith said as the large man slowly extracted himself from the crumpled metal, Orlan walking towards him with an angry scowl on his face.


    ¡°All you¡¯ve done is pump him up with what amounts to magic steroids,¡± the Protector Lord snarled, ¡°compared to a proper mage he falls far short. Even if he was the same tier as me, he¡¯d still lose.¡±


    ¡°How? How are you so much stronger?¡± Smith demanded, matching Orlan¡¯s fury with his own, ¡°how are you stepping through space? How do you pull objects from thin air?¡±


    ¡°Stay back,¡± the large man grumbled, speaking for the first time before Orlan could reply, ¡°it seems I have to get serious.¡±


    As he spoke, he spat out a mouthful of blood and faced Orlan down, pulling a spare knife from inside his boot. But before he took a stance he pulled a pill from a pocket and tossed it into his mouth, swallowing it and taking a fighting stance. Orlan paused as the mana coming off the man nearly doubled.


    ¡°More magical drugs?¡± the Protector asked, reaching his hands out, gauntlets appearing on them as he pulled them back, ¡°lets see if you can make me get serious.¡±


    ¡°Pull out your spear,¡± the man rumbled, the ground seeming to shiver as he spoke.


    ¡°Prove you¡¯re worth killing,¡± Orlan retorted. With a grunt the large man shot forward, his speed on another level from before. Orlan dodged the first strike with a knife only for the man¡¯s fist to crash into his face, sending the Protector flying. In a nimble flip Orlan landed on his feet, a grin on his face.


    ¡°A mana boost in a pill? Fascinating,¡± Orlan said, readying his fists, ¡°you want to know why I¡¯m so much stronger? Then watch carefully.¡±


    The large man charged in again, the pavement cracking as he pushed off. Orlan stepped forward and vanished, reappearing behind his opponent. Orlan spun, lashing out with his elbow as the man dove forward, avoiding the attack as he turned to face the Protector. But Orlan had vanished through space again, his gauntlet covered fist slamming into the man¡¯s back and sending him tumbling across the parking lot. Before he¡¯d even come to a rest Orlan reappeared, kicking the man in the side hard enough to launch him into, and through, the chain link fence that surrounded the parking lot.


    ¡°Fire!¡± Agent Smith shouted. A dozen security guards lifted their rifles and sent a storm of bullets towards Orlan. Only for a runic circle to appear and form a barrier, blocking every single round. The rounds fell to the ground like rain as the large man shot back into the parking lot, his face bloodied and one arm hanging limp at his side.


    Orlan seemed to flicker in and out of reality, flashing around like a ghost, landing punch after punch on the large man. While their strength and speed seemed to be on par now, Orlan¡¯s magical abilities more than made up for losing his advantage in physical power. Runic circles popped into existence to block kicks even as he beat the man. As skilled as the marine was, he had no experience fighting a proper mage, there was simply no way he could have been. What had once been his greatest strength, the superior skill in fighting people, became his greatest weakness. Orlan¡¯s magic allowed him to move and attack in ways no human could. It was less like fighting a man and more like a ghost.


    Still, the man was tough, taking the beating and continuing to get back up.


    Until he couldn¡¯t.


    Both of his legs refused to listen, the muscles torn from repeated strikes and being pushed too far by the mana booster. Orlan stood over the man, panting.


    ¡°You could have been good mage,¡± Orlan commented, ¡°too bad you¡¯re a dead man walking.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t even good enough to see your spear,¡± the bloodied man said with some mix of a chuckle and cough.


    ¡°I can only pull Kayla out when I intend to kill,¡± Orlan replied, ¡°it has nothing to do with your strength.¡±


    ¡°What am I lacking? Why can¡¯t I match you?¡±


    ¡°Your process is wrong, true magical power doesn¡¯t come from being pumped full of mana. You have to build your power up over time, carefully. There¡¯re many ways to pile stone, but only a few of those result in a tower.¡±


    The man nodded, closing his eyes and leaning back seemingly passing on. Orlan stepped forward, aware of the gazes of the dozen security guards and staff who¡¯d kept him contained for the last few days. He knelt down and reached for the man¡¯s dog tags, only for the man to suddenly lunge up, his eyes snapping open and a small stiletto blade appearing in his hand. The Protector Lord jerked back, which is the only reason the blade missed his heart and instead stabbed into his thigh. He looked down in shock as the blade sunk into his flesh, realizing it wasn¡¯t a normal weapon, it was a tier two weapon, probably made from monster parts.


    In an instant Orlan¡¯s spear appeared in his hand and he thrust it down through the heart of the other man, piercing through his chest and even cutting deep into the pavement below. Returning the weapon to his personal space he reached down to grab the knife in his thigh only to pause. The CIA agent was shouting something and pulling out a second pistol, this one smaller, but radiating enough mana to indicate it had mana infused bullets as well.


    With a wave of his hand a series of barriers spells sprung up, intercepting both the magical bullets from the agent and the mundane ones from the other security guards. Leaping to his feet, leaving the knife in his leg for the moment, he stepped backwards through space. A few more rift steps as he turned and was deep into the forest.


    ¡°We¡¯re on the way, Orlan,¡± Lailra¡¯s voice spoke in his mind, her concern for him evident, ¡°I felt you take a hit, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he replied, he¡¯d called for her to come pick him up as soon as he decided to leave. Even if he didn¡¯t know where he was his knights could sense his location just as he could sense theirs. He quickly explained what had happened as he continued to run through the forest, no longer using his rift step to conserve mana.


    ¡°I thought there was no magic on this side,¡± she asked as he finished the story, ¡°could all of this be the result of them messing with mana from monster bodies?¡±


    ¡°If it was just the man and weapons, I¡¯d say it was,¡± said Orlan, slowing to a walk as he pulled the strange scanner from his personal space, ¡°but this¡­ I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    As he spoke, he ripped the scanner open, revealing it to be far simpler than it appeared. The electronics were all false, designed to make the device look like some advanced technology, but contained within, inside a housing reinforced with monster carapace was the true heart of the scanner.


    Tossing the rest of the scanner aside he looked down at the object he¡¯d found inside it. A human eye, preserved in glass or crystal. Even he felt the weight of it, as it weighed several hundred pounds, far more than a small glass bauble should. But neither the weight nor the fact it was a human eyeball that truly caught his attention, it was the amount of mana coming off of it.


    It was a tier nine item.

 Returned Protector ch 13

    ¡°Sara is recovering well, talking with Theodor, that man from the government who helped us out, the drug used to knock her out was a standard anesthetic. Though he says the amount described should have killed her,¡± Lailra chuckled as she reported to Orlan, despite the ease of communication through telepathy it was still easier to report in person. Not only did it save mana, a real concern with the weak aether of this side, but it was more personal.


    ¡°Does she remember anything?¡±


    ¡°No, just being hit with darts by shadowy figures,¡± Lailra shrugged, ¡°the drug apparently messes with memory as well, so it¡¯s unlikely she¡¯ll remember much of the attack.¡±


    ¡°But she¡¯s recovering well?¡± Orlan asked, seeing Lailra nod before continuing, ¡°good.¡±


    ¡°You need to respond to this,¡± Lailra said before Orlan could ask another question, ¡°I know you don¡¯t like getting political, but it may be too late for that.¡±


    ¡°Protector Lords aren¡¯t supposed to be political!¡± Orlan nearly shouted before wincing at himself.


    ¡°I know,¡± Lailra replied, not sounding offended or scared despite his outburst, ¡°but that was on the other side, this side things are¡­ different. There was hundreds of years of history on the other side, working out how Protector Lords are to be treated. Here, they only have your word you don¡¯t want to be political. They see you as a powerful actor, like the king of a small nation with a powerful army.¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯d known they¡¯d be like that I¡¯d have stayed on the other side,¡± Orlan muttered.


    ¡°No you wouldn¡¯t have,¡± his head knight chuckled, leaning against his shoulder, ¡°you wouldn¡¯t leave people to suffer and die, not when you can do something about it.¡±


    Orland didn¡¯t respond, simply taking a deep breath and gathering himself and thinking. Despite everything the encounter with the magically enhanced soldier had shaken him, more than even the tier nine eye encased in glass if he was being honest. While at first glance the eye seemed the bigger deal, it was possible that it was a relic from the splitting, when the magical and mundane worlds were separated. It was hard to imagine the kind of power such a spell would require, much less that it would be imperfect, but after thinking it was possible.


    The magically enhanced soldier, however, was something else. As far as he knew magic had only begun appearing on this side again a bit over a year ago, when the first rift opened. Even if there was some secret society with access to relics like the eye, to think that they could figure out how to imbue not just items, but people to tier two in under a year? That was difficult to grasp, especially when they seemed so intent on refuting his claims of magic entirely.


    It was almost like he was dealing with two different groups.


    ¡°Think the US is¡­ compromised?¡± Orlan asked, ¡°infiltrated?¡±


    ¡°Like by some kind of mind controlling parasite?¡± Lailra asked, cocking her head for a moment, ¡°it¡¯s unlikely, but possible I suppose. None of the recorded rifts had anything like that, but it¡¯s possible there were other rifts they missed.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I should declare the US infiltrated?¡±


    ¡°No, absolutely not,¡± she shook her head immediately, ¡°not only do we not have proof, but on this side they wouldn¡¯t know what that means. At best they¡¯d see it as some weird magical thing, but more likely they¡¯d see it as you making an excuse to declare war. If we had allies on this side, as well as proof, then maybe, but right now? No.¡±


    ¡°Then, what, just continue as normal?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°I think you should stick with your original plan,¡± she consoled, ¡°get back to the sixth sphere, then the protectorate should be able to travel without worrying about mana. Based on what the seers have been saying it looks like there¡¯s a hot spot in Europe for rifts. There¡¯s likely one here around DC as well but after the last series of rifts it should be quiet for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Any progress on the detection array?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d have to ask them,¡± she shrugged, standing and motioning for him to do the same, ¡°come, lets tour your land.¡±


    ¡°I thought I was in charge around here,¡± Orlan said with a smirk.


    ¡°Of course you are,¡± Lailra replied with a smile, ¡°now do as you¡¯re told.¡±


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°The array has a reliable range of around four hundred miles,¡± the mage responsible for the array explained, gesturing to the mirrored basin in the center of the large room. A grand crystal hung above it, suspended by a dozen chains, light from an unknown source filtering through it down into the basin where a series of irregular, concentric circles moved about the basin. They flowed and warped like water in the sea, seemingly at random, though a handful of mages clustered around it attempting to interpret the movements of the lights.


    ¡°And, unfortunately, that¡¯s about as good as it¡¯s going to get,¡± the mage added, ¡°the aether is simply too weak for anything more on this side. But there is a good thing about this side, while the aether is thin, it¡¯s also calm. While our reliable detection range is limited I believe we can detect possible rifts from further out, for instance we¡¯re seeing the possible precursors of a rift to the South-East right now.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡± Orlan demanded.


    ¡°No idea, we won¡¯t be able to pinpoint it until either it appears or we get closer,¡± the mage shrugged, ¡°best we can do is give you a direction.¡±


    ¡°The south-east? That¡¯s open ocean,¡± Orlan said, ¡°there¡¯s not a lot of places it could be.¡±


    ¡°Or it¡¯s an ocean rift,¡± the mage shrugged, but Orlan wasn¡¯t paying attention.


    ¡°Bermuda,¡± he said, receiving word from Nallia mentally. Rifts were drawn to land, though no one really knew why. Some speculated that the rift was seeking out someplace the creatures within it could survive, while others said that large bodies of water were natural wards against rifts. Regardless islands and coastlines were some of the more dangerous places to live on the other side, since rifts were more likely to appear there. Despite that, the resources and opportunity afforded by a costal location often outweighed the additional risk.


    The ground shuttered under them as the Protectorate began moving under Orlan¡¯s orders.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Lailra asked.


    ¡°Like you said, my job is to protect people, I can¡¯t just let them suffer and die if I¡¯m able to help,¡± he said, giving her a reassuring smile, ¡°besides there¡¯s almost certainly a mana geyser on or near the island.¡±


    ¡°I just wish I could see what the government was thinking right now,¡± she smiled in reply.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®it¡¯s moving¡¯?¡± Theo demanded of the poor staffer that¡¯d been chosen to deliver the message.


    ¡°J-just as I said, sir,¡± the young woman stuttered, ¡°observers reported the island began to move again¡­ away from the coast.¡±


    ¡°What direction?¡±


    ¡°South and¡­ and east,¡± she said hurriedly. Deciding he wasn¡¯t going to get anything more from her Theo dismissed the poor girl and reached for his phone, putting it to his ear as he decided who to call first. In all likelihood the president already knew, if Theo was smart enough to pay someone to sit on a boat off the coast and watch the floating island he knew the military would be well ahead of him. Assuming they hadn¡¯t just left the submarine Orlan had exposed in place anyways.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    The same logic applied to his contacts in the FBI and CIA, they¡¯d likely found out before him. No, there was only one group he was best served by contacting.


    ¡°Hello?¡± a somewhat mono-tone voice answered after ringing a few times.


    ¡°Lady¡­ Nallia?¡± Theodor asked, ¡°I¡¯m Theo, I work with congress, I was-.¡±


    ¡°You helped us at the pentagonal building, yes,¡± the woman said simply, ¡°don¡¯t expect anyone to thank you for that idea.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d take your Lord to a black site, but that¡¯s not why I¡¯m calling,¡± he sighed, ¡°I just got word the island is moving again.¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    ¡°Care to tell me why?¡±


    ¡°Because Orlan decided.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ please, I¡¯m trying to help,¡± Theo sighed, resting his face in his palm, ¡°after the events of yesterday this won¡¯t help you out.¡±


    ¡°Yesterday? You mean when your government accused my Lord of violently breaking out of prison?¡± the woman asked in a monotone.


    ¡°Yes, that,¡± he sighed again, ¡°look, I¡¯m sure he had his reasons, but to move right now makes it look like he¡¯s running away.¡±


    ¡°Because he is,¡± Nallia said, catching Theo off guard, ¡°he¡¯s running because he has a job to do and doesn¡¯t want to kill people who refuse to let him do that job.¡±


    ¡°If you could just tell me where you¡¯re going?¡±


    ¡°Why should I?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to think I¡¯ve earned some level of good will,¡± Theo replied desperately, ¡°I was the one who leaked the reason Orlan was arrested to the press.¡±


    ¡°You were also the one to suggest he let himself be arrested.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m trying to tell you that I¡¯m not your enemy. I¡¯m trying to help.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll inform my lord that you called,¡± the woman said flatly after a moment before the line went dead. Theo let out a long groan, he didn¡¯t exactly blame them for acting like this. He should have known they wouldn¡¯t put Orlan in a normal prison, that mistake was on him, but he was trying to help.


    With another deep breath he reset the phone and prepared to call someone else.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°Have you decided what your name is going to be?¡± Ruby asked, leaning across the table with a conspiratorial smile.


    ¡°My name?¡± Amy asked, looking confused.


    ¡°Clearly White hasn¡¯t told her about that tradition yet,¡± Topaz said, scolding her sister before turning back to Amy, ¡°Protector Lords are required to abandon their past upon becoming a Protector Lord, giving up their family name, any titles, land and everything. Us knights aren¡¯t required to do anything so drastic, but we still can¡¯t hold any land or titles other than that of Protector Knight while we¡¯re bonded with our Lord. So, traditionally, us knights change our names during our time in service to our Lord.¡±


    ¡°You could go by Saphire!¡± Ruby said excitedly, ¡°after your eyes! You can be our little sister too!¡±


    ¡°Wait, you two aren¡¯t real sisters?¡± Amy asked.


    ¡°We are,¡± Topaz said, flicking her sister in the forehead, ¡°and no adopting new knights.¡±


    ¡°Aww, but I¡¯ve always wanted a little sister! You grew up with a little sister, it¡¯s no fair!¡± Ruby pleaded.


    ¡°Unfortunately you were my little sister,¡± Topaz replied dryly, ¡°so we¡¯ll call it even.¡±


    ¡°Rude!¡± Ruby said, sticking out her tongue.


    ¡°In any case, don¡¯t worry about picking a new name,¡± Topaz said, looking at Amy with an amused smile, ¡°focus on awakening your mana right now.¡±


    ¡°Ya! Any progress?¡±


    ¡°I can feel it now, barely, I think,¡± Amy admitted after a moment, ¡°it¡¯s¡­ hard to describe, it feels¡­ like a smothering force, covering everything. Like it can be a source of both tension and comfort, a constant companion or what you fear the most. Something so fragile the slightest touch can break it, yet something you don¡¯t want to break despite your fear¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Topaz said with a friendly smile, ¡°it took me months to figure out my mana.¡±


    ¡°I figured mine out in a day!¡± Ruby said with a proud smile.


    ¡°You got lucky,¡± Topaz countered with a roll of her eyes, ¡°don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll figure it out before long.¡±


    ¡°I thought most people never figured out their mana?¡± Amy asked.


    ¡°Most people don¡¯t spend enough time thinking about it, or they get confused about what their feeling. There¡¯s a million reasons why someone might not decode their mana.¡±


    ¡°Considering the benefits, you¡¯d think people would spend a lot of time working on it.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t see many benefits till you pass the first bottleneck,¡± Topaz countered, ¡°the first two spheres leave you mostly mortal, not until you reach the third sphere and up that you start seeing real benefits. And most people, seeing the effort it takes them to reach sphere one, give up, deciding the chance of them reaching the third sphere isn¡¯t worth the effort.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard these bottlenecks mentioned a few times, what are they?¡± Amy asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re points where your body, as it is now, can no longer contain any more power,¡± Topaz explained, ¡°for most spheres, all you have to do is gather and shape enough mana to form a new sphere, but for the third and sixth a more fundamental change is required.¡±


    ¡°Like having to upgrade to a larger glass if you want to carry more drink,¡± Ruby added, gesturing with her mug.


    ¡°Right,¡± Topaz said, giving her sister a side-eyed glare, ¡°you¡¯ll get more instruction when you get closer to that point. For now, focus on your mana.¡±


    Amy was about to reply when she sensed movement across the mess hall and instinctively turned to glance. Most of the people she¡¯d interacted with over the last few days had been other knights, all female, though she¡¯d seen some mages and other residents of the island who were a more typical mix of male and female. But the man walking into the hall was different from the farmers or robed mages. He wore a dark colored tunic that barely fit over his broad chest and muscled arms, his gait was casual and strong, seeming to radiate power and confidence.


    ¡°Oh, Lord Orlan is back!¡± Topaz said, following Amy¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°That¡¯s Lord Orlan?¡± Amy asked, ¡°he¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Dreamy?¡± Ruby asked in a teasing tone, earning another flick to the forehead from her sister. Before any of them could say anything Orlan turned and met her gaze.


    ¡°You must be Amy, right?¡± he asked after walking over, Amy only able to stare and blush.


    ¡°She is, Lord,¡± Topaz answered for the flustered girl, ¡°I think this is her first time seeing an Ascended person.¡±


    ¡°I suppose even though I¡¯m down to fifth sphere, my body is still Ascendant isn¡¯t it,¡± Orlan said with an easy laugh, ¡°you and Ruby looking after her?¡±


    ¡°Yes sir,¡± Ruby said brightly, practically bouncing in her seat, ¡°she¡¯s going to be my little sister!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll be no such thing!¡± Topaz said, smacking her sister on the head playfully, ¡°behave yourself in front of the lord.¡±


    ¡°Glad to see she¡¯s fitting in, I¡¯ll leave you sisters alone then,¡± Orlan said with a mischievous grin that only grew as Topaz fixed him with a glare before he walked off to rejoin the women who¡¯d accompanied him.


    ¡°I-I,¡± Amy stuttered as she shook herself, nearly collapsing in her seat and covering her face in embarrassment, ¡°what was that?¡±


    ¡°Remember those bottlenecks we were talking about? Each time you go through them it improves your body,¡± Topaz said with an understand smile.


    ¡°I¡¯d seen him on the news before,¡± Amy replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t stare like a schoolgirl with a crush!¡±


    ¡°You mean on those moving pictures? I doubt they can truly capture his presence.¡±


    ¡°For poor young women like us we¡¯re naught but-,¡± Ruby started only for Topaz to flick her forehead hard enough to send her falling from her chair with an indignant cry.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Topaz told Amy as Ruby scrambled to her feet, rubbing at her forehead and muttering angrily, ¡°your reaction was quite normal for teens. You should see how some of the young men stare at Lady Lailra in public.¡±


    ¡°Lady White isn¡¯t that beautiful,¡± Amy commented.


    ¡°Sure, she¡¯s only in the Earthly realm, not the Ascendant like Orlan or Lailra,¡± Topaz shrugged.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t she fail to break through a few times?¡± Ruby asked.


    ¡°Do I have to flick you again?¡± Topaz asked with an amused glare as Ruby shielded her forehead with both hands before smiling, ¡°it¡¯s rude to gossip.¡±


    ¡°But gossip is fun!¡± Ruby whined, but didn¡¯t press the issue, returning to her meal.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°She seems nice,¡± Lailra commented as Orlan returned to her and Nallia, glancing past him at where Amy sat with Topaz and Ruby.


    ¡°I¡¯m more worried about Ruby,¡± Orlan replied, walking over to the buffet and grabbing a plate, ¡°she can¡¯t help teasing, and if it keeps up Topaz might just throw her off the side of the island.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on them,¡± Lailra replied dryly.


    ¡°Is it wise to keep her?¡± Nallia asked, ¡°I don¡¯t think that Theo fellow would be happy if he learned we had her on board.¡±


    ¡°Frankly I don¡¯t care,¡± Orlan shrugged as he began to load food onto his plate, ¡°I¡¯m more worried about how our food stocks will hold out. You said they¡¯re replanting the eastern field that was ruined when we entered the rift?¡±


    ¡°The bigger issue is the growing houses,¡± Nallia replied, ¡°without a good source of imbued glass we can¡¯t easily rebuild them.¡±


    ¡°I saw plenty of glass on the ground,¡± Lailra replied, ¡°couldn¡¯t we trade for some?¡±


    ¡°Assuming we found someone willing to trade with us, maybe, but the glass here is made differently than we¡¯re used to.¡±


    ¡°So we can¡¯t easily imbue it,¡± Lailra realized.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Nallia agreed, ¡°I recovered some shards during the last rift, the mages are studying it but we have a lot going on and not enough help.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still waiting for them to cast an assay on the eyeball,¡± Orlan agreed, ¡°so far all they¡¯ve been able to tell me is its aura isn¡¯t actively harmful.¡±


    ¡°Divine Realm objects don¡¯t need to be actively harmful to be dangerous,¡± Lailra pointed out.


    ¡°Trust me, I made sure they know,¡± replied Orlan, ¡°the issue is to even begin to understand a tier nine item¡¯s powers you need a tier eight spell. At a minimum. And since we don¡¯t have any eighth sphere mages-.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯d need to assemble a few to joint cast,¡± finished Lailra, ¡°a task made harder by all the other things they need.¡±


    ¡°Never thought I¡¯d say this, but do you think we should have brought more mages?¡± Orlan asked with a grin.


    ¡°Considering how much convincing it took just to let us bring the Grandmaster and his entire spire?¡± Lailra joked, ¡°we had to leave some for the other side.¡±


    ¡°Ya, ya,¡± Orlan snorted a laugh out, ¡°maybe I should have learned more about magical theory.¡±


    ¡°When you could have learned about fighting? Nonsense,¡± Lailra laughed, following him to a table to eat.

 Returned Protector ch14

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    Sweat dripped from Orlan as he took a breath, sliding his left foot forward and extending his right arm he clenched every muscle in his upper body while sending a gentle pulse of mana down his outstretched arm. After a moment he sensed a small disruption in the flow of mana. With a scowl he focused his mana down in that area, forming a complex knot of energy he felt the energy grinding away at the tiny imperfection. Physically it felt like someone had implanted a hot coal in the flesh of his arm, which is why he locked up his body, to prevent it from moving. It took a minute before the impurity broke apart under the torrent of mana, his body quickly expelling it as a drop of oily blood that seeped through his pores and dried. It joined a dozen other tiny drops of dried blood on the arm where other tiny impurities had been removed.


    With a sigh he returned to the neutral stance with his fists at his waist and feet together. Slowly the pain in his arm faded, the muscle tissue growing back to replace the tainted cells at an increased rate thanks to the lingering mana. Taking another breath he turned to see Lailra standing at the entrance of the training room, openly checking out his sweat covered torso.


    ¡°Enjoying the show?¡± Orlan asked dryly as he walked over to grab a pitcher of water and take a long drink.


    ¡°Mmhmm,¡± she replied, playfully biting her thumb as she continued to unabashedly stare.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you enjoy about seeing me like this,¡± he continued.


    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re a man,¡± she said with a playful grin, grabbing a towel and walking over to help clean the tainted blood from his arm, ¡°you only enjoy the results, us women, we enjoy the process as well.¡±


    ¡°If you say so,¡± he replied, rolling his eyes, but allowing her to scrub his arm, ¡°honestly, I¡¯d hoped I¡¯d never have to go through this tempering again.¡±


    ¡°Then hurry up and get back to the sixth sphere,¡± she admonished lightly, ¡°then your body will stop attempting to revert.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m working on it, can¡¯t do it while we¡¯re in motion,¡± he shrugged, ¡°so, did you come here just to ogle me or is there something else?¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡± she asked, looking up from his arm with a slight blush, ¡°oh, yes, the mages conducted their initial investigation into the eye you brought back. They¡¯re, hesitantly calling it the Seer¡¯s Price for the moment. So far they¡¯ve only worked out its aura, not any active effects, but that alone is¡­ worrying.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± asked Orlan, taking the towel from her so he could wipe the sweat from his body.


    ¡°Apparently it aids in, call it inspiration of those within the aura. Guiding them to figure things out faster than they otherwise would,¡± explained Lailra, ¡°it¡¯s a subtle effect, but still quite powerful. However, it exacts a price on those who are exposed to it for too long. From what they could tell there¡¯s no limits to what this price could be, a limb, your sanity, even lifespan.¡±


    ¡°I told them Divine items are dangerous,¡± Orlan sighed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they have the eye under lockdown, they attuned a warding box to contain its aura,¡± she assured him, ¡°They also don¡¯t think a few hours, or even a day or two of exposure would have any noticeable effect.¡±


    ¡°And any idea why the US government had it?¡±


    ¡°On that, I¡¯ll admit, we are lacking,¡± she shrugged, ¡°best they could offer is that, on both this side and the other, there are multiple myths of gods or figures that were both immensely powerful and missing an eye.¡±


    ¡°And they think these myths are based on an actual person?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible, but you know how twisted legends can become over time,¡± she replied, ¡°beyond that the US government put out a statement accusing you of murdering a bunch of people during your escape, more than the one you said you did.¡±


    ¡°Wait, ¡®a bunch¡¯ of people?¡±


    ¡°Ya, they say you slaughtered the entire staff of the, uh, off site holding facility,¡± she said flatly, ¡°even had a bunch of pictures of blood on concrete, body parts and¡­. Ya.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ doesn¡¯t make any sense,¡± Orlan scowled, ¡°even if they don¡¯t like, I wouldn¡¯t think they¡¯d want to intentionally aggravate me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it either,¡± Lailra agreed, ¡°recommended we call Theo, he¡¯s our one contact in the government that isn¡¯t¡­ openly hostile to us.¡±


    ¡°And you?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± she paused, taking a breath while Orlan pulled his tunic on, ¡°I don¡¯t know, I feel like we¡¯re missing something.¡±


    ¡°A coverup perhaps? Wanting to obscure that they were holding me at a black site?¡± Orlan offered, ¡°or keep the secret of their experiment with the marine?¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± she said slowly, ¡°I think that talking with Theo couldn¡¯t hurt at the very least.¡±


    ¡°Then lets do that,¡± Orlan nodded.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°Oh, Lord Protector Orlan was it?¡± Theo asked over the phone line.


    ¡°Being awfully formal there,¡± Orlan said skeptically.


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to do what I can to bring in the criminal known by that name, consider yourself informed,¡± the man said, ¡°now that I¡¯ve done everything I can to bring you in, what can I do?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound like you¡¯re taking the charges that seriously.¡±


    ¡°Cause I¡¯m not,¡± snorted Theo, ¡°I¡¯ve seen the pictures, the uncensored ones, and I¡¯ve seen what monsters subject to Orlan¡¯s tender mercies look like. Those people were shot, not¡­ taken apart by a blade or magic.¡±


    ¡°I could have stolen a gun to kill them, to obscure my actions,¡± Orlan replied.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re straight forward, if you wanted someone dead, you¡¯d kill them, but you wouldn¡¯t butcher them. Despite what the official autopsies might say, I spoke with the coroner, they were cut apart after being killed.¡±


    ¡°Ok, so why frame me for all of this?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I can¡¯t figure out, before this the government wasn¡¯t a fan of yours, but they weren¡¯t looking for an excuse to go to war with you,¡± Theo groaned, ¡°especially not to the level of killing a dozen of our own people to fabricate an excuse.¡±


    ¡°Is that a real possibility?¡± Orlan asked, ¡°war?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know,¡± admitted Theo.


    ¡°Any suggestions?¡±


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Start with telling me your side of the story.¡±


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°A marine?¡± Theo asked.


    ¡°Or army guy or something, he was in fatigues, clearly trained in combat and hopped up on magical steroids,¡± Orlan agreed.


    ¡°There was no mention of a marine, or any other soldier being present,¡± Theo said, the sound of shuffling papers coming over the line, ¡°no mention of the armored van either.¡±


    ¡°So they¡¯re covering up their magical experimentation?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°There could be more to it than that,¡± Theo sighed, ¡°there¡¯s a big investigation going on at the Pentagon after your rescue operation. I couldn¡¯t get anything solid, but I have figured out that they¡¯re trying to dig out the original blueprints and design of the Pentagon, considering those should have been destroyed that¡¯s¡­ worrying.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°It means they found something that shouldn¡¯t exist. I¡¯ve been asking around and no one I¡¯ve spoken to works in the section your knight was being held.¡±


    ¡°Meaning what exactly?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Theo sighed, ¡°security is tight around the Pentagon, so it could mean nothing, but I can¡¯t help but feel there is something going on. Something I can¡¯t figure out.¡±


    ¡°I guess that brings me back to my original question, what do you suggest?¡±


    ¡°For one, we need a better way of communicating,¡± Theo said, ¡°something more than this phone of yours.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not letting you establish an embassy on my protectorate,¡± Orlan said instantly.


    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t work anyways, not with your arrest out. No, I want something less formal, not connected to the government.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°You said on that podcast you intended train people to be mages? I can set up a non-profit that will aid you with that, including transporting a group of people to your island along with a bunch of equipment that we could use to talk.¡±


    ¡°Will there be any spies in this group?¡±


    ¡°Almost assuredly,¡± Theo barked a laugh, ¡°from any and every government capable of manipulating someone onto that helicopter. But so what? I assume you have your own security procedures; I doubt anything we could do would compromise you.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re facing a food issue,¡± Lailra suddenly spoke up from beside Orlan, causing Nallia to reach out and put the phone on speaker, ¡°many of our farms were destroyed during our transit to this side. We might not be able to handle a large influx of new mouths to feed.¡±


    ¡°Food is easy,¡± Theo said, ¡°I¡¯ll include a bunch of equipment to set up a satellite internet connection. I might even be able to swing a 5g cell tower if you¡¯re interested.¡±


    ¡°How will we power all that?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°A gas generator should work.¡±


    ¡°And the government will allow you to do all this?¡± Lailra asked, ¡°given Orlan¡¯s status as a fugitive?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll back date the documents to before the arrest warrant was out,¡± Theo dismissed, ¡°besides, it¡¯s not like non-profits refuse to work with nations ostensibly hostile to the US.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not a nation,¡± Orlan said.


    ¡°You might want to rethink that policy, the best outcome here is if the major powers treat you like a nation. Hell, you¡¯ve more land area that some real nations I could mention.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll take your advice into consideration,¡± Lailra said before Orlan could respond.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Theo said, sounding unconvinced, ¡°in any case, I¡¯ll contact you when the non-profit is set up and connect you with the person in charge.¡±


    Orlan simply gave Lailra a look as the phone line went dead and Nallia put the phone back in her personal space.


    ¡°When the first Protector Lords rose and bonded with their islands, they were regarded as kings,¡± Lailra said slowly, ¡°the oath prevented them from claiming any inheritance or family tie, but the other kingdoms still treated the Protector Lords as the rulers of their own nations.¡±


    ¡°And how did that end up?¡± Orlan asked dryly.


    ¡°My point is that there¡¯s precedent for this,¡± Lailra said with a glare, ¡°there¡¯s no framework for the nations on this side to interact with a Protector Lord, but a king of a small land? That they can wrap their heads around.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a king.¡±


    ¡°Nor am I saying you should be one,¡± Lailra sighed, pausing to gather her thoughts, ¡°internally we can abide by the Protector¡¯s Oath, claim no citizens, no land or noble titles and all that. But externally we can interact with others like a nation, speak through ambassadors, negotiate treaties¡­ we¡¯ll never claim to be a nation but that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t pretend to be one until something better is worked out.¡±


    ¡°Is it too late to go back to the other side?¡± Orlan groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose, ¡°all I want to do is be left alone so I can kill monsters.¡±


    ¡°And in time they¡¯ll figure out that¡¯s in their best interests as well,¡± Lailra assured him, ¡°but until then, we need a way to prevent conflict.¡±


    ¡°Might be too late for that.¡±


    ¡°Might be,¡± Lailra admitted.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°You wanted to see me Grandmaster?¡± Orlan asked, joining the older man atop a small mountain on the south-easter side of his island. The man turned to fix Orlan with a glare, making his feelings on the title clear before turning back and gesturing to the sea in the direction the island was heading.


    ¡°There¡¯s something weird ahead of us,¡± he said.


    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Orlan said dryly.


    ¡°No, I mean literally, I can sense more mana in the aether, and the density is growing every hour.¡±


    ¡°How high will it get?¡±


    ¡°Still far short of tier one, but greater than anything we¡¯ve see on this side so far,¡± he answered, ¡°I¡¯m confident we¡¯ll find a powerful mana geyser near our destination, likely one on a ley line.¡±


    ¡°This side has ley lines?¡± Orlan asked, giving the older grandmaster a look, ¡°I thought the aether was too weak for them to form.¡±


    ¡°It should be, my thought is that they¡¯re old channels left over from before the splitting. But even that wouldn¡¯t explain why its active.¡±


    ¡°You think the rifts are causing the ley lines to wake up?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°Or the ley lines waking up is drawing the rifts,¡± the grandmaster replied, ¡°ley nodes are always a hotspot for rift activity.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°Just musing on some questions,¡± the older mage shrugged, ¡°I actually called you because there¡¯s a storm ahead of us, wanted to know if you want it taken care of.¡±


    ¡°Anything serious?¡±


    ¡°Not even a tier one storm,¡± the mage scoffed before sobering, ¡°but it¡¯s close, that¡¯s why I noticed mana levels are rising as we travel. If a rift opens up near that storm, the mana could cause it to reach tier one.¡±


    ¡°And we¡¯re expecting a rift to open up in the area,¡± Orlan said, ¡°then go ahead, take care of it. I¡¯ll talk with the treasurer about payment, might have to wait till we reach the mana geyser for me to condense the mana stones though.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± the grandmaster said, already forming a complex, six ring spell in front of himself, ¡°honestly, I¡¯m just happy to be doing my actual job, managing the weather. It¡¯s far more complex than people think it is. I blame those shamans who claim to be able to do a dance and make it rain, the charlatans. In reality there¡¯s more to the rain, far more. At times I¡¯ve had to shape wind patterns for months just for a chance of rain, directing the air over a body of water before cooling and slowing when above the target area. That required a series of carefully constructed spells to prevent from disrupting the weather across the entire region.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s how you charge the big bucks?¡± Orlan asked with a wry grin.


    ¡°And the wise leaders pay for it,¡± he replied with a chuckle of his own, runes beginning to fill the outer rings of the spell, ¡°but this is what I¡¯ve always enjoyed, what I¡¯m good at.¡±


    With a final touch the spell pulsed, a torrent of energy shooting into the distance before the spell circle dissipated like mist.


    ¡°There, the storm should subside in a few hours, I made sure to scatter the mana within the storm as well, just to ensure there¡¯s no surprises if the rift appears.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Orlan said, patting the man on the shoulder, ¡°you could probably make an easy living on this side as well, you know. I bet there are plenty of wise leaders ready to foot the bill if you can promise them rain, or disrupt storms.¡±


    ¡°And once someone else steps up to take over this damned title I¡¯ll consider it,¡± the man nodded, ¡°but until someone else reaches the seventh sphere I¡¯m the most powerful damned mage on this side, near as we can tell. As much as I dislike the title, I¡¯m not a coward, I won¡¯t shirk my duty until I¡¯m certain there¡¯s someone who can take my place.¡±


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°And¡­ wait, I¡¯m getting word that Tropical Storm Sandra is breaking apart,¡± the weather reporter for a major news network said, hand to his ear, ¡°surprisingly the storm, which was predicted to become a hurricane in the next few days has simply¡­ dispersed. Do we have satellite images?¡±


    After a moment of panic the green screen behind the man flickered and displayed the storm, now seeming to be in the middle of separating into dozens of smaller cloud systems.


    ¡°This is¡­ quite unprecedented, it seems the storm is falling apart, almost like something cut it up,¡± the reporter said, seeming confused, ¡°I¡¯m being told that the odd floating island that appeared over Boston a couple weeks ago is moving in that direction, perhaps it is having some unknown effect on the surrounding weather?¡±


    ¡°Rare that there¡¯s ever any breaking news in weather,¡± the main Anchor chuckled, the camera returning to her desk, ¡°as Mike said the floating island is heading in that direction, and has shown many capabilities, so it might be related.¡±


    ¡°Or it could just be the air mass the island is pushing ahead of itself,¡± the co-anchor replied, ¡°an island that large has to move a lot of air, that could have disrupted the storm.¡±


    ¡°It also could have made it worse, a storm is just a mass of moving air, after all, could this have caused the worst storm in recorded history? We¡¯ll have more for you after these commercials.¡±


    <div>


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 Returned Protector ch15

    It had taken the Protectorate nearly four days to reach Bermuda, the floating island was many things, but fast was not one of them. On the other side each Protector Lord would have a modest area, typically a good chunk of a continent, that they were responsible for. But it wasn¡¯t anything written in stone, they spread out because it was the best way to ensure that at least one Protector Lord was ready to respond to any beast rift. Able to detect incoming rifts up to a week ahead of time and from nearly a thousand miles away allowed even the slow-moving Protectorates to be ready for most rifts.


    On this side, with less than half the detection range and being the only Protectorate Orlan largely had to guess as to where the hotspots were and hope he was close enough to respond. Even during the four day transit another rift had been detected in northern Asia. Thankfully with so few people in the area casualties were low and it was likely the beasts would die either die or down-tier from the low mana levels before they could reach any major cities. Still, it annoyed him at how limited he was on this side. Even the four day trip to Bermuda had strained the mana stores of his Protectorate, leaving him with less than a third of the pool left. Thankfully, as the current grandmaster had predicted, there was a powerful mana geyser off the coast of the island, easily able to support and refill Orlan¡¯s mana.


    The mages predicted they had, at most, two days before the rift hit, and Orlan found himself waiting on a soccer field where his cutter had landed near the center of the island, one of the few places they could land without disrupting anything.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of people here, for such a small island,¡± Lailra noted, watching the traffic passing on a nearby highway, most of which was slowing down to look at the sky cutter.


    ¡°Bermuda has a population of 63,500,¡± Nallia added, tapping at the cell phone, ¡°its owned by either the ¡®British Empire¡¯ or the ¡®United Kingdoms,¡¯ there seems to be some conflicting information on that.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re the same thing,¡± Orlan explained, ¡°not sure of the history but the British Empire was the old name and the United Kingdoms is the new one¡­ I think.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the nation that rules the Aurthurian Isles, right?¡± asked Lailra.


    ¡°It¡¯s called the British Isles on this side, but yes,¡± Orlan nodded, ¡°Also it¡¯s more intact than on the other side.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t get how there are so many shared myths and legends between the two sides,¡± Lailra said, turning towards the parking lot where a handful of cars were pulling in, including several police cars, ¡°there are records of people traveling between the sides, like you did, but it¡¯s not common. Not enough to explain the similarities in any case.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible for seers to peer into this world from the other side,¡± Orlan pointed out, ¡°that¡¯s how we knew rifts had started appearing on this side.¡±


    ¡°Even if that was common enough to transfer knowledge, culture and myth across, that would only explain it going one way,¡± Lailra countered, ¡°the similarities are enough that it has to be both ways.¡±


    ¡°Unconscious sight,¡± Nallia said suddenly, ¡°even unawakened people can catch glimpses of distant locations or events through dreams. Perhaps that can extend between sides of the world as well.¡±


    ¡°It would explain how some stories are similar, but different,¡± Lailra admitted, cocking her head in thought, ¡°but, from what I understand, unconscious sight is¡­ less than well understood.¡±


    Orlan simply shrugged as the group of people emerging from the cars began to approach them. The man in the lead wore a partly unbuttoned short sleeve top and khaki shorts, revealing a good portion of swarthy skin despite his age. But given the temperature and humidity Orlan didn¡¯t really blame the old man, of the approaching party only the police had long pants on and, judging by the sweat soaking through their uniform tops, they¡¯d prefer to be wearing shorts as well.


    While Orlan wore his typical dark tunic and trousers, his ascended body keeping him comfortable  despite the heat, both Nallia and Lailra wore lighter dresses than their usual. By the standards of the other side their outfits would be outright scandalous in public, but compared to what they¡¯d seen people walking the streets wearing on the island they were downright conservative.


    ¡°Not often we get magic men landing in the school soccer field,¡± the older man, who seemed to be in charge, remarked as his group approached Orlan¡¯s, ¡°though I should say the British Government told us to apprehend you for extradition to the US ¡®if the opportunity presented itself.¡¯ After looking at what you¡¯re capable of, I figure all we can do is ask if you want to turn yourself in.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass,¡± Orlan said dryly.


    ¡°Whelp, I¡¯ve done all I can,¡± the old man shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m Scott Lalgie, current governor of this fair island. How can I help you?¡±


    ¡°You not concerned about my status as fugitive?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the governor of a small island in the Atlantic,¡± he shrugged, gesturing to the police officers, ¡°this is the extent of my military assets, and from what I understand guns don¡¯t do much to you. So I figure if you¡¯re here to take over, there isn¡¯t much I can do.¡±


    ¡°I have no interest in taking anything over,¡± Orlan sighed, ¡°I¡¯m actually not allowed to own or manage lands beyond my own island.¡±


    ¡°And my pledge of office still requires me to swear my loyalty to the king,¡± Scott snorted, ¡°guess how much power the king has.¡±


    ¡°I thought England had a queen?¡±


    ¡°She passed away a couple years back, now we have a king.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well, my oath is a bit more¡­ binding. If I break it I¡¯ll suffer significant backlash.¡±


    ¡°From who? The king?¡±


    ¡°From the magic binding me to the island.¡±


    ¡°So magic is real?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Orlan paused, turning to look north where his Protectorate hovered ten miles off the coast of the island, close to a thousand feet off the waves, before turning back to the governor, ¡°certainly seems like it.¡±


    ¡°Who was it that said any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic?¡±


    ¡°Arthur C. Clark,¡± Nallia spoke up, earning a confused look from both Orlan and Lailra, ¡°what? I was researching how this side thought of magic.¡±


    ¡°Right, well, I guess call me skeptical that you¡¯re using magic and not some sufficiently advanced technology,¡± Scott offered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you call it, magic or unknown science or whatever,¡± Orlan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, ¡°what matters is that if I break my oath I¡¯ll be killed or crippled.¡±


    ¡°Great,¡± the governor said, ¡°so, what can we do for you?¡±


    ¡°Our seers have predicted a rift will appear on or near here in the next couple days.¡±


    ¡°And how accurate are these seers?¡±


    ¡°How accurate is the weather man?¡± countered Orlan.


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s fair,¡± the old man chuckled, ¡°but why tell me? There¡¯s no way we can get all 60 odd thousand people off the island in two days, even if we had somewhere to put them.¡±


    ¡°Part of our process on the other side was to inform local rulers of any rifts that might appear on their land,¡± Orlan explained, ¡°this is so they can make any preparations they can, I¡¯ll admit I¡¯m not sure what you can do to get ready but you would know that better than I.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m open to suggestions.¡±


    ¡°There are typically three things rulers do when they hear a rift is coming, first they muster their army, militia and whatever else they can get their hands on. Second they warn the public so everyone can arm themselves if needed. And finally they attempt to evacuate anyone or anything especially important from the region.¡±


    ¡°As I¡¯ve said, the extend of our military might is police officers, firearms are largely illegal here, since we follow British Law, and I¡¯d consider everyone on the island important.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Orlan groaned, ¡°you must have storm shelters? Anything underground to hide people in?¡±


    ¡°Underground shelters? On an island?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a subway tunnel going under the English channel, surely you can have a basement on an island.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised,¡± Scott shrugged, ¡°all I can really do, however, is try and spread the word without causing a panic.¡±


    ¡°Having any hospitals prepared for mass casualties would be good too,¡± Orlan offered, ¡°we¡¯ll do what we can to minimize damage but, well, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen the videos of what the rift beasts can do.¡±


    ¡°Honestly? I¡¯d probably have preferred it if you were here to take over,¡± Scott admitted after a moment.


    ¡°It¡¯s our nature, people don¡¯t like seeing us as it means a rift appearing, but they¡¯re grateful we¡¯re there when the rift appears.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± the governor replied.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°That went¡­ better than I expected,¡± Lailra admitted as the sky cutter flew back to the island, ¡°then again, considering our reception back in the United States was to call us criminals and shoot at us, that¡¯s a pretty low bar.¡±


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    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize how unprepared this side would be,¡± Orlan admitted, ¡°some of the major nations have their militaries ready to respond to any rift, but seems these more out of the way areas are¡­¡±


    ¡°Shockingly unarmed?¡± Lailra offered, ¡°I¡¯ll say, during the rift in Carolina I got to see how people on this side lived. Every house I¡¯ve ever lived in on the other side had, at the very least, a flintlock by the door, if not a handful of spears as well.¡±


    ¡°Until recently there weren¡¯t beast rifts on this side,¡± Orlan pointed out.


    ¡°There are still people, and a flintlock will put down a criminal just as fast, if not faster, than a beast,¡± countered Lailra, ¡°I just don¡¯t see there being an excuse for not having some home defense measures in place.¡±


    ¡°Apparently it¡¯s a big debate on this side,¡± Nallia spoke up, ¡°something called the ¡®gun control debate¡¯ in which one side thinks guns should be illegal, and the other thinks they shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°What would making them illegal do? Keep the criminals from getting them? Call me skeptical that making something illegal would stop people, who are willing to break the law, from breaking the law.¡±


    ¡°I think their argument is that if there are no guns, then the criminals won¡¯t be able to get them,¡± Nallia said, Lailra¡¯s snort indicating what she thought of that.


    ¡°Has that lady from the International Mages¡­ Association? Has she called again?¡± Orlan interrupted, changing the subject.


    ¡°She sent an email, asking how many students we wanted at once,¡± Nallia replied, ¡°and asking if we can put a runway for planes to land on the island.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell her fifty?¡± Orlan asked, ¡°I¡¯m more worried about dealing with blighted souls.¡±


    ¡°Apparently she¡¯s gotten a large number of applications since the non-profit was set up, and she wants to accept more per class.¡±


    ¡°She already has that many applicants? Has she started advertising yet?¡±


    ¡°Not to my knowledge,¡± Nallia replied.


    ¡°Probably a bunch of operatives from various nations who got word of the organization from ¡®word of mouth¡¯ or something,¡± Lailra said, holding her dress down as she walked the gangway from the cutter to the docks, ¡°ask how many of them cite military or government service in their past.¡±


    ¡°Close to one-hundred percent I¡¯d imagine,¡± Orlan agreed, helping her off the gangway, ¡°we¡¯ll have to limit how many potential spies end up in the classes, I want most of each class to be civilians.¡±


    ¡°I imagine that anyone who takes part will be ¡®taken in¡¯ by the government for questioning on their return,¡± Lailra said, ¡°any chance we can keep their identities secret?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask,¡± Nallia replied, already typing away at the cell phone.


    ¡°All we have to do is keep training as many people to be mages as we can,¡± Orlan said, ¡°eventually there will be too many for any government to keep control of.¡±


    ¡°You realize that will only anger them more, right?¡± Lailra asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ll deal with that when it comes to that, for now, I want all the knights ready for the rift.¡±


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°Are you sure your mana type isn¡¯t silence?¡± Ruby asked for the third time, causing Amy to glare at the other woman. The two of them were in the breakthrough room just off the third lance¡¯s training field, Amy sat in the center attempting to ponder on her mana while Ruby sat off to the side, her legs folded under her like she was wearing a dress and not training leathers.


    ¡°For the last time, it isn¡¯t,¡± Amy said, ¡°and shouldn¡¯t you be outside training or something?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re on light training in expectation of a rift,¡± Ruby dismissed her concerns with the wave of a hand, ¡°not that I expect to see much fighting.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you part of the third lance?¡± asked Amy, ¡°which means you should be fighting, right?¡±


    ¡°The third lance is the training lance, typically only the strongest knights in training join the initial combat, the rest of us wait till most of the beasts are dealt with before we¡¯re brought in to get some experience,¡± Ruby explained, ¡°normally there are a lot more people in training than there are now, most of the prospective knights chose to remain behind when Orlan announced he was going to attempt to cross over to this side.¡±


    ¡°How many knights are there anyways? I know there¡¯s three lances but I don¡¯t know how big a lance is.¡±


    ¡°Historically, a Lance was a single knight and a handful of peasant militia from a given region,¡± said Ruby, ¡°for the Protector Lords, however, a lance became a group of Protector Knights that operate as a group. Every lord is different, but Lord Orlan divided us into three, or, technically four, lances. The first lance are the strongest knights that serve as his retinue in combat, they seek out any alpha beasts and anywhere else that is considered ¡®important¡¯ to the fight.


    ¡°The second lance is the majority of the actual fighting force, while there are only ten knights in the first lance, there¡¯s nearly twenty in the second. Their main task is containment and area control, they break into groups of two to four and spread out dealing with scattered beasts and clusters that aren¡¯t large enough to justify the first lance¡¯s attention.¡±


    Amy smiled as the other woman spoke, despite her airheaded personality and silly nature, she was still a trained warrior. And the best time to see that was when she got talking about being a knight. It was just one of many strange contradictions here, her fellow knights were feminine, but spent their days training to fight. They often seemed like average, normal women, until a weapon was in their hand when they¡¯d remind everyone of their superhuman abilities and well honed skills.


    ¡°The third lance, the training lance, is normally the largest, but also varies the most in size,¡± Ruby continued, leaning back against the stone wall of the room, ¡°we can have anywhere from ten to fifty trainees, obviously right now we¡¯re on the lower end. Since we aren¡¯t bonded to the Lord we are often kept out of direct fighting, and when we are involved it¡¯s in search and rescue or security more than anything. Of course, we also take part in post-battle clean up, hunting down as many remaining beasts as we can.¡±


    ¡°Which is how I was found,¡± Amy said softly, Ruby giving her an empathetic smile before continuing.


    ¡°And finally there¡¯s the support knights, they aren¡¯t really a lance but might as well be,¡± she said, ¡°they manage the castle, equipment and everything needed to keep the rest of us combat ready. Most of our healers are support knights, along with any other non-combat people we need. But don¡¯t think that they are helpless, while they aren¡¯t bonded to our Lord either, a number of them are retired from being proper knights due to injury or age. The rest don¡¯t have inherent abilities suitable for combat, and opted to avoid fighting, but many of them are still strong mages.¡±


    ¡°Which lance is Lady White in?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a support knight, technically, though she spends most of her time with us in the third lance,¡± replied Ruby, ¡°apparently her previous Protector Lord died while she was bonded with him, and the backlash¡­ traumatized her. Still wanting to help, but unable to form another bond, she joined Lord Orlan as an instructor. At least, that¡¯s what the rumors are.¡±


    ¡°Are bonds that dangerous?¡±


    ¡°Only if the Lord dies while you¡¯re bonded,¡± Ruby said, ¡°apparently those who are especially close to him can even feel when he¡¯s attacked.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ is it true that all the bonded knights are considered his wives?¡± Amy asked, her cheeks coloring.


    ¡°Oh? Interested in our Lord?¡± Ruby asked with a teasing smile, leaning forward.


    ¡°No!¡± Amy said, perhaps too insistently, ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ I want to know what I¡¯m getting into.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Ruby said with a knowing smile, ¡°don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just legal nonsense. Protector Lords can¡¯t own land or take titles, and that extends to all his bonded knights. Unlike the Protector Lord, however, being a Protector Knight isn¡¯t a lifelong station, we can leave his service. And when we do, we¡¯re allowed to claim any lands or titles that should have fallen to us. Apparently, for stupid legal reasons, that¡¯s similar to if a noble¡¯s child was married off to another family, only to divorce and come back. They can¡¯t inherent anything while they¡¯re married to another family, but after separating they can again, so that was applied to Protector Knights as well,¡± Ruby shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t understand it, but don¡¯t worry, you don¡¯t have to sleep with him¡­ unless you want to.¡±


    Amy rolled her eyes at Ruby¡¯s teasing smile, preparing to return to her mediation when a loud bell tolled loudly enough to rattle her. Instantly Ruby was on her feet.


    ¡°Come on, that means a rift is forming!¡±


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a big rift,¡± Orlan commented as the cutters raced towards the island of Bermuda. The sun was beginning to set when lighting lashed out of the clear skies to strike the ground of the small island. From there a rift had formed, starting out the normal size before quickly growing. By now it was over a hundred feet across and half again as tall.


    ¡°A great beast?¡± Lailra offered.


    ¡°The seers didn¡¯t mention it was a single beast,¡± Nallia said.


    ¡°Given the thin aether on this side, they may not have been able to sense much from it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t sense any rift events elsewhere on the island,¡± Orlan said, due to his mana he was quite sensitive to rifts opening nearby, ¡°I think we¡¯re looking at a great beast. First lance engages, second is to stay back and minimize damage or use ranged attacks only.¡±


    The other knights nodded their understand as the swirling mists of the rift suddenly collapsed, shrinking back into a single point to reveal a massive creature. It stood easily a hundred feet tall, covered in thick carapace not unlike a crustation, a similarity further solidified by the six legs that, oddly, looked like oversized crab claws. At the top of the massive pillar like body were over a dozen further limbs that resembled crab legs, each dozens of feet long. Over all it resembled a strange cross between an anemone and a crab, with an upright body, crab legs in place of the tendrils on top and crab arms for legs. At first Orlan thought it had arrived upside down, given how the legs were on top and the claws on the bottom, but as the beast began to walk, its massive claws crushing what few trees remained standing in the park where the rift formed, it was clear this was simply how it was.


    As he was about to open his mouth to give more orders several of the upper limbs stretched out from the mess and, to his shock and horror, spell rings appeared around their tips.


    ¡°Fuck, go!¡± Orlan shouted, rolling from his seat and jumping off the side of the cutter, still two hundred feet from the ground. One of the spells was aimed directly at the cutter, and they couldn¡¯t afford to lose it. Most of the other knights of the first lance joined him in jumping from the ship, all those who had the ability to control their fall in any case, while the rest began firing off spells in an attempt to disrupt the beast from casting.


    Orlan ran as fast as he could, stepping through rifts and summoning shields beneath his feet so he could take another step. His spear appeared in his hands in a flash, eagerly emerging from his personal space almost without him needing to open it. Bolts of fire, clusters of icicles and other spells shot past him to explode on the carapace of the beast. As he took a last step, slashing his spear through the still forming spell circles of the monster, the tip of the weapon flaring with dark flames as he triggered his void strike innate ability.


    While the spear itself had little effect on the mana within the half-cast spell, the void mana tore at it, disrupting the spell and causing an explosion of wind and lightning. Orlan was sent flying away from the beast for a few seconds before he could get his bearings and form another platform to step off of. The spell had only been third tier, and it seemed the beast as also only third tier, but beasts this large often broke the rules a bit due to their sheer size.


    The world itself seemed to shudder as the massive beast let out a loud groan, dirt on the ground dancing under the force and all the sounds of battle being momentarily drowned out. Despite all the mid-tier spells striking it minimal damage had been dealt, no matter how high the mana density it was like throwing pebbles at a full-grown man, it would hurt but the damage they could do was minimal.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting a scan,¡± Nallia¡¯s voice said in his mind. With a glance Orlan saw that the first cutter had landed and Nallia was standing in an open area with a clear line of sight to the beast, a five ring spell appearing before her.


    ¡°I¡¯m covering,¡± Alia added, a barrier of wind springing up around Nallia, just in time for a bolt of lightning from one of the beast¡¯s spells to strike it and be forcefully bent around the barrier to strike the ground.


    ¡°It¡¯s only casting tier three magic,¡± Lailra said over the link, ¡°looks like wind and storm related spells.¡±


    Orlan took in all the information as he shot back in, still a hundred feet in the air. One of the leg like upper limbs lashed out at him, the tip of it taller than he was, but he managed to rift step through the attack and drive his spear into one of the joints. The limb flinched back in pain, the carapace pinning the spear in the joint, but Orlan didn¡¯t care, pulling himself up to put his feet against the limb and push off as he released the weapon, vanishing as he rift stepped. Reappearing twenty feet away, his spear suddenly in his hands again, he struck at the main body of the creature, the spear tip shrouded in void mana.


    While the spear penetrated nearly six inches, when he pulled it back there was no blood, meaning he hadn¡¯t fully pierced the carapace. Grunting, he once again rift stepped away as one of the beast¡¯s limbs slammed into itself where he¡¯d stabbed it.


    Grinding his teeth he realized this was going to be a hard fight, even with the beast being two tiers below him.

 Returned Protector ch16

    Orlan dashed through the air, spell platforms forming under his feet any time he needed to change direction or had to step off in order to trigger his rift step inherent, but it wasn¡¯t true flying. For one the platforms were stationary, relative to the planet, bringing him to a sudden stop each time he used one to change his direction. It also limited his speed to what he could accelerate to in a single step which, while impressive thanks to his superhuman physique, was limiting. Finally it made him predictable as there were only so many ways he could push off the platforms, and an intelligent enemy that was paying attention to how he angled the summoned shields could estimate where he¡¯d end up. And, despite its appearance, the odd beast was clearly intelligent as it managed to bat him out of the air after he changed direction.


    His body crashed into the ground, sending up a cloud of dirt and debris, stunning him for a moment before he managed to recover. The knights who could fly, or could manage some semblance of flight, were harassing the beast while the girls on the ground protected Nallia. The scan spell had finished a few moments ago, a barely visible disk of light, over a hundred feet across, was slowly passing down the beast, gathering information on the creature, informing the caster as it progressed. Already she was giving a stream of data, but until the scan was completed the tactic was to keep the beast contained and minimize damage while conserving strength.


    Thankfully, while the beast was strong enough to turn Orlan into a makeshift meteor and create a crater with his body, it was still only tier three, and thus wasn¡¯t able to deal critical damage to him in a single blow. While more than a few of his ribs were bruised by that hit, and he likely had some microfractures in his arm, the damage was minimal. Both side found themselves in an odd stalemate where they couldn¡¯t really harm one another, at least for the moment, but the beast could still do massive damage to the island as a whole.


    ¡°The beast is third sphere, it¡¯s a proper sphereward mage,¡± Nallia¡¯s voice went out over the telepathic network, causing Orlan to curse. The data wasn¡¯t particularly surprising, considering the beast was casting spells like a mage, but it meant that, like human mages the beast would have inherent abilities.


    ¡°It has two inherent abilities,¡± Nallia confirmed moments later, ¡°both are passive, it is making use of one right now and the other hasn¡¯t been utilized.¡±


    ¡°Multicasting?¡± Orlan asked, dashing up to interrupt another spell cast from one of the leg like protrusions around the crown of the beast.


    ¡°Partly,¡± Nallia agreed, multicasting was difficult for most mages, yet this beast was throwing around spells like they were going out of style, ¡°I think each of it¡¯s limbs can only cast a single spell,¡± she continued, ¡°its inherent allows it to assign a spell to a limb, that limb can then cast that spell with minimal focus.¡±


    That made sense, it was a powerful inherent, but such abilities regularly twisted, if not outright broke, the rules of magic. Orlan¡¯s rift step shouldn¡¯t have been possible, teleportation was complex, yet he could manage it easily, at low mana cost. Nallia¡¯s spell transmission was even more powerful, depending on who you asked, as it allowed her to manipulate spells after she¡¯d cast them without needing to plan for it. Many mages on the other side, upon hearing of her ability, spent years shattering and reforming their spheres in an attempt to get a similar ability.


    ¡°Only two thirds of the limbs have cast,¡± Lailra spoke up, given her magic¡¯s weakness to large armored targets she¡¯d stepped into a more oversight role normally taken by Nallia, ¡°we¡¯ve only seen lightning attack spells from them.¡±


    ¡°Could the other limbs have defensive spells?¡± Alia asked as her wind barrier deflected another bolt of lightning.


    ¡°I think the second inherent is related to summoning,¡± Nallia said, ¡°the mana of that sphere seems to be related to the relentless oceanic storms.¡±


    ¡°Ok, the plan is to deal with the upper limbs,¡± Orlan decided, ¡°Nallia, get what you can out of the scan spell then mark targets, Lailra see if you can¡¯t limit the beast¡¯s movements. Anyone with powerful spells, target the upper limbs.¡±


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°Come on!¡± Ruby pulled Amy across the rolling hills of the protectorate, ¡°We¡¯re going to miss it!¡±


    After being told the situation on the ground, the majority of the third lance had been told to stand down, with only the strongest of them being put in reserve for search and rescue operations should they be needed. For the weaker trainees, however, they were free to watch the battle. And, apparently, the best place to do that was from the edge of the floating island. Amy was panting, having not realized just how far the edge of the island was from the castle, the Protectorate was just over five miles across, in absolute land mass it was actually larger than the isle of Bermuda they were hovering around. But most of that land was wooded hills and unused.


    For Ruby, Topaz, and the other third sphere knights a two-mile run wasn¡¯t anything extreme, a good warm up if anything. But to Amy, it was too much. Which is why Ruby had been all but carrying Amy the last half mile. The three of them were among the last to arrive, only some of the citizens of the island arriving afterwards. Most of the third lance along with a good portion of the mages were there to watch the battle. Even though the sun had set, covering the world in a thick blanket of darkness, and the rift¡¯s appearance had shut down every light on the island, the battle was still easily visible. Flashes of light cracked the night, casting the island in stark shadows before night took over once more.


    In the air were a half dozen spells that were showing zoomed in views of various things, one showed the odd tree-crab beast lashing out with magic at small specks darting around it. Another showed Orlan dashing through the air, flickering in and out of reality, while working to interrupt spells. A few of the other major knights Amy didn¡¯t know were also shown in different spells.


    ¡°Oh, we got here just in time!¡± Ruby cheered, sitting down on the hillside and pointing towards the spell showing Orlan. Five rings of purple-white magic had appeared in the air behind him even as he kept dashing about, stepping through space and attacking wildly.


    ¡°This is why many of us look up to Lord Orlan,¡± Topaz added, explaining to Amy what was going on, ¡°casting a spell at your highest tier is draining and requires quite a bit of focus, you¡¯ll understand when you finally start casting. Lord Orlan is¡­ something of a monster when it comes to combat casting however.¡±


    ¡°Meaning he can fight and cast minor spells even while assembling a larger spell!¡± Ruby said excitedly, nearly bouncing as she watched, ¡°I can barely cast a top tier spell and walk at the same time, much less fight, in the air!¡±


    Amy nodded, though she didn¡¯t quite understand, taking the girls word for it as runes filled in the five spell rings over the course of a minute. A number of other knights down there were also charging up powerful spells it seemed, but they were all stationary, eyes closed like how one would imagine a wizard casting magic.


    But, in truth she wasn¡¯t completely paying attention to the spell images, but watching the battle on the distant island. Something about the lights flashing was speaking to her in a way she didn¡¯t really understand. Despite her trance-like state she still knew exactly when Orlan¡¯s spell went off.


    A multiple foot thick bolt of black-purple lightning lashed out from the tip of his spear, striking one of the caster limbs of the beast. The magic seemed to tear through the limb, the carapace shifting and shuddering unnaturally as space itself was twisted chaotically. Yellow ichor sprayed from cracks in the limb as the rift bolt ripped down the limb before crashing into the main body, staggering the beast.


    The strange dark-light of the bolt momentarily shattered the fragile darkness of night, forcing Amy to squint even though it was miles away, but the night wasn¡¯t so easily pushed back, quickly covering the world once more as the spell faded.


    ¡°Night,¡± Amy whispered, as, moments later, the distant rumble of the unnatural lightning rolled over the island.


    It felt like she¡¯d popped a joint in her back as energy started rushing into and through her. Ruby and Topaz immediately understood what was happening, holding her down as she jerked with the power surging into her body.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    Unaware of the breakthrough happening on his island, Orlan cursed as he took in the damage his greater rift bolt had inflicted. The limb was cracked and bleeding, but it wasn¡¯t destroyed. The beast was tough, seeing as his fifth tier spell hadn¡¯t caused significant injury. Thankfully he wasn¡¯t alone as other high end spells started going off moments after his spell faded.


    The first looked like a long stem made of fire had pierced through the limb in two places, a rose of flames blooming on one end as the beast thrashed, struggling to free its limb. In moments a massive rose made of magical flames had bloomed, the petals curling backwards and burning back down the stem to scorch the limb.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Alia¡¯s spell was far more straightforward than the showy rose of fire, a simple cannon shell of air exploding within the holes left by the rose, nearly blowing the end of the leg off. The beast groaned in pain, loud enough that the entire island seemed to shake. Before any more spells could strike the wounded limb the beast struck it with several of its uninjured legs, ripping the wounded leg off and sending it crashing to the ground.


    If it was anything like a real crab then it could likely regrow the limb next time it molted, but, hopefully, it couldn¡¯t molt in combat.


    Orlan was about to begin charging a second rift bolt, targeting another of the upper caster limbs, when a new series of spells appeared around a handful of outstretched crab-like legs.


    ¡°Its second inherent ability is in use!¡± Nallia warned, ¡°and those look like summoning spells.¡±


    ¡°Disrupt them!¡± Orlan ordered, worried it was going to summon a magical storm. At third tier a summoned storm wouldn¡¯t be too dangerous for them, and the effects would be somewhat localized, but it could still wreak havoc on Bermuda.


    Orlan managed to rift step to the nearest limb and disrupt the spell with his void strike, the corrosive void mana eating away the spell chaotically and sending him flying away in a gust of wind and rain. A couple of the other summoning spells were disrupted through various means by the other knights, but there were simply too many and a half dozen went off at once.


    Instead of summoning a storm, however, strange creatures emerged from the completed spell circles. Made of translucent mana they resembled deep sea creatures with transparent, glowing bodies. The summoned fish of mana swam through the air as if it were water, long blade like fins slashing at anything they passed. They came in all shapes and sizes, from schools of smaller fish that charged at some of the knights like luminescent clouds, to larger and slower tiger fish with a great number of spines sticking out several feet.


    ¡°Second lance, focus the summons!¡± Orlan ordered through the telepathic network. In an instant the giant crab beast was surrounded by a reef full of glowing sea creatures. It seemed that the beast¡¯s second inherent ability was related to these summons as they seemed more solid and durable than a tier three summon should be. But despite any benefits from the inherent ability, they were still only crafted with tier three mana, meaning that they were of limited risk to all of first and most of second lance.


    That didn¡¯t mean they weren¡¯t a danger at all, mana density was important but it wasn¡¯t everything, as demonstrated by Orlan¡¯s injuries he¡¯d slowly been gathering as the battle went on. He was fifth sphere, but his body was still ¡®ascendant¡¯ since he¡¯d previously been seventh sphere, which put his durability around sixth sphere. Despite that, his armor and ability to roll with a blow he was covered in bruises and likely had more than a few fractures.


    Thick, glowing green vines had worked their way up one of the claw-legs of the beast, clearly Lailra¡¯s work. Her greatest offensive ability was due to her own inherent ability that infected those her spells injured with a powerful rot, against heavily armored foes like this crab beast she was unable to cause much damage. Instead she focused on control, using her nature magic to literally tie enemies down with summoned plants.


    Her other weakness was the need for her plants to originate from the ground, thus the openings in the beast¡¯s armor that were nearly a hundred feet above the ground were out of her reach. Given the rot would be of limited effect on a monster of this size as well meant it wasn¡¯t worth finding a way to break the much thicker carapace of the lower limbs.


    Dalia, the first lance¡¯s fire mage, could break through weakened bits of armor with her highest tier spells, as shown by the flaming rose that had crippled the limb earlier, but chaining high end spells was draining, even for Protector Knights. Alia¡¯s wind magic was powerful, but lacked precision thanks to her inherent abilities, making her a good blocker but not great with heavy armor. Nallia¡¯s offensive power was naturally low, using light mana, and against a beast this durable the best she could manage was to momentarily blind the dozen eyestalks sticking up from the crown of legs.


    In short, this was generally a bad match up for Orlan¡¯s team.


    He was certain they could, eventually, bring the beast down, but it would take time. And the longer a battle lasted the greater the chances were of someone making a mistake that could lead to an injury or death.


    Gritting his teeth he dropped back and began casting a spell.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± the first officer asked, looking at the small screen of the periscope. Around fifteen minutes ago there¡¯d been a giant flash of lightning that struck the island of Bermuda, all the lights on the island had gone out and they¡¯d lost contact with the small US navy port there. Now all they could see was flashes of light on the horizon, their view obscured by the rolling waves and the low height of the periscope.


    ¡°Maybe its another of those rift things?¡± one of the officers of the watch offered with a shrug.


    The captain remained silent as he chewed on his nail. This assignment had been one humiliation after another so far, first was the simple idea of it. His submarine was to spy on a giant floating island used by people who didn¡¯t have radio. They couldn¡¯t intercept transmissions that weren¡¯t there, and they couldn¡¯t see something that was above them. It had still taken the chain of command days to realize why his ship wasn¡¯t getting any intel.


    Then they¡¯d been exposed to the world, on live television, by some stupid magic nonsense. The entire purpose of a submarine was to remain hidden, undetected, yet, somehow, their entire sub had been lifted from the water while he¡¯d been helpless to do anything. He¡¯d hoped that they¡¯d be told to come back to port after that fiasco, but the brass had told them to remain on station. They claimed the island could only detect them at a range of three miles, so they were ordered to back off to five. He¡¯d had them remain around ten miles from the island as he didn¡¯t trust the intelligence, his sub hadn¡¯t been within three miles of the island when it had been lifted from the water after all.


    What followed was a week of watching a lump of rock float in the sky, the only transmissions being the occasional cellphone call that were likely being tapped by the CIA, and slowly following it south towards Bermuda. There were monsters appearing out of thin air randomly across the world, he had crew from North Carolina who didn¡¯t know if their families were okay after the monsters appeared there. But they were told to remain at sea and continue tracking the island.


    Now another monster event, as the government had insisted on calling them, was likely happening right in front of them, and all they could do was watch. It was frustrating in the extreme, even for normally patient submarine crews who regularly went months without contact with the outside world.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± a voice said and instantly everyone was on alert. The crew chief spun and was reaching for his side arm, the bridge staff whipped around in surprise and even the captain found himself on his feet as soon as he heard the voice for one simple reason, there were no women on his ship. Yet now a woman in tight leather armor stood in the corner of his bridge, bowing slightly and looking unafraid even as several pistols were pointed at her.


    ¡°How did you get on board?¡± the captain asked, holding out a hand to get the men to lower their weapons. The pistols were loaded with purely subsonic rounds to minimize the chances of a breach but it was always best to avoid the risk where possible.


    ¡°I apologize, but I¡¯ve been watching you since you surfaced a week ago,¡± she said simply, straightening, ¡°Lord Orlan asked me to watch over you incase you were ordered to remain watching over him.¡±


    ¡°Great,¡± the captain growled, just what he needed, more humiliation, ¡°I¡¯m going to guess you used magic to remain hidden, so I won¡¯t ask about that. But why have you revealed yourself now?¡±


    ¡°My lord wishes to speak with you,¡± she answered, lifting her arms and summoning a spell circle. After a moment a misty figure formed before her outstretched hands.


    ¡°You the captain of the sub?¡± the voice of Orlan asked from the misty construct.


    ¡°You that magic protector guy?¡± the captain countered.


    ¡°Good point, look, I need you to hit this beast with a cruise missile.¡±


    ¡°You what?¡±


    ¡°My knight will cast a spell on your missile to make it effective against the beast, all you need to do is lead her to it and let her do her thing before firing it,¡± Orlan said, ¡°we¡¯re having trouble breaking its armor, but a cruise missile, with some magical enhancement, should crack it enough for us to finish the job.¡±


    ¡°I- you- what,¡± the captain stuttered, clearly in shock at what he was being asked to do, before pausing to catch his breath, ¡°and why should I do as you ask?¡±


    ¡°Because the longer this fight goes on, the more innocent people die,¡± Orlan answered immediately, ¡°it¡¯s my job to minimize losses, you¡¯re in the military, you should feel the same.¡±


    ¡°Even if I wanted to, do you know how much a cruise missile costs?¡±


    ¡°They can bill me!¡± Orlan shouted, several of the bridge crew snorting a laugh despite themselves, ¡°look, blame me all you want, say my knight held you all hostage. I don¡¯t care, are you going to help or not?¡±


    The captain paused, studying the misty construct carefully and thinking. This Orlan wasn¡¯t wrong, he did want to help, sitting here had been frustrating for both him and the crew. But to fire off a missile without approval?


    ¡°How do I know the missile won¡¯t hit people?¡± the captain asked.


    ¡°The beast is a hundred feet tall, set the missile to remain above sixty feet, that way you can be sure it won¡¯t hit anyone on the ground.¡±


    ¡°Alright, first officer, show our guest to the magazine,¡± the captain decided, ¡°bring the crew to combat stations, surface the ship and prepare for shore bombardment.¡±


    ¡°Sir?¡± the first officer asked, ¡°why are we surfacing?¡±


    ¡°Because I want to confirm the target,¡± the captain answered as the crew jumped to life.


    Nodding the first officer lead the young woman away from the bridge as the ship seemed to tilt backwards, quickly crossing the remaining distance to the surface. From periscope depth there wasn¡¯t enough room for them to build up speed for a proper emergency surface, but he felt good simply doing something more than watching.


    As soon as the sub settled he climbed up the ladder to the top of the short mast with a pair of binoculars and a wired handset.


    It took only five minutes for a fresh missile to be enhanced with whatever magic the lady knight had, loaded and prepped for launch. From the distance it was impossible for the captain to get a proper lock on the beast, so he ordered the missile to be flown manually. That should also prevent any chance of the weapon hitting civilians, but even though he couldn¡¯t confirm the target enough for a lock, it was still clear the beast towered over anything else on the island.


    ¡°Captain, we¡¯ve a call from command!¡± the bridge staff said over the handheld moments before an angry voice came over.


    ¡°What is going on captain!¡± the sound of an angry admiral called.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± the captain said innocently as the hatch on a missile tube flipped open.


    ¡°We¡¯re reading that your ship had surfaced, loaded a missile and has a hatch open!¡± the admiral shouted.


    ¡°Strange.¡±


    ¡°Explain captain!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± the captain replied slowly, pausing as a missile shot from the launch tube, roaring into the night.


    ¡°What was that sound?¡±


    ¡°Probably just a mechanical fault Admiral, I¡¯ll have the crew look into it.¡±

 Returned Protector ch17

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    Orlan spun his spear around so fast it was nearly invisible to the naked eye, with every rotation the bladed tip sliced through one or more spectral fish the great beast had summoned. Almost dancing through the storm of flying fish not a single one escaped his blade and, after only a handful of seconds, the entire school had been destroyed, the remains dispersing into the air. Individually the summoned fish and other aquatic creatures weren¡¯t much of a threat, but more were constantly pouring from the casting limbs of the beast.


    The fifth tier spell he¡¯d been preparing while fighting off the summoned creatures finished and Orlan stabbed his spear out, using it as a conduit for the spell. Another bolt of black lightning, limed in white, shot through the air towards one of the casting limbs. The bolt tore any summoned creature that got too close to it to shreds, expending a small amount of energy as it ripped through the swirling cloud of magical fish. By the time it reached the main creature¡¯s limb nearly half of its power had been expended, barely managing to fracture the dense carapace. His knights attempted to follow up on the opening, firing a series of spells at the damaged limb, but the crab monster had learned from the past, spinning its body faster than a beast of that size should have been able to move. Most of the spells either missed or wasted their energy on undamaged limbs, causing minimal damage.


    Protector Lords, and their bonded knights, had greater mana pools and regeneration rates than most mages of their level, but this beast seemed to have a limitless supply. It must have cast nearly a hundred spells at third tier already and was still going strong. Giant beasts like this often broke the normal rules of magic, despite being third sphere Orlan wouldn¡¯t have bat an eye if he was told it was fifth sphere equivalent.


    ¡°Where¡¯s that damned missile,¡± Orlan cursed, looking to the north where he knew the submarine was.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°What are you doing to it?¡± one of the men in charge of the magazine asked as the lady knight used a spell to etch markings onto the outside of the missile.


    ¡°Placing a simple enchantment anchor on this weapon and hoping it allows the spell to stick to it,¡± she replied, finishing half of the etching and reaching for the missile to turn it over. The man moved to help her turn the six-foot missile over, only to watch in shock as she easily managed it with one arm and began etching again.


    ¡°You said this¡­ projectile explodes, right?¡± she asked without looking up.


    ¡°Ya, there¡¯s a sizeable explosive warhead right under where you¡¯re¡­ painting?¡±


    ¡°How is it launched?¡±


    ¡°A charge of compressed air pushes it from the launch tube, then the rocket motor takes over from there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a rocket?¡± she looked up, surprised, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a rocket this large.¡±


    ¡°Technically it¡¯s a missile,¡± the man replied, ¡°meaning it¡¯s guided.¡±


    ¡°A rocket guided to the target without magic, impressive,¡± she nodded, finishing up the etching and taking a deep breath before casting another spell, this one with three rings, ¡°I only know one spell that might work, it¡¯s supposed to be used on cannon shells to enhance and focus explosive force, but it should work here.¡±


    ¡°Ok,¡± the man said awkwardly, simply watching as she finished her spell, the etchings on the missile¡¯s housing glowing slightly.


    ¡°There,¡± she said, standing aside while wiping sweat from her forehead, ¡°the enchantment should hold for at least fifteen minutes.¡±


    The man nodded and, followed by a handful of others, they quickly pushed the missile into the loading arm, turning it upright and finally loading it into the tube. After checking the connections were secure and the hatches were shut he nodded to another man across the tight deck who picked up a phone to inform the bridge the weapon was loaded.


    ¡°So, are you going to stick around after this?¡± the man asked.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m heading back to the Protectorate,¡± she sighed, ¡°I¡¯m not much of a spy, to be honest, I much prefer scouting.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± the man replied, sounding almost disappointed, the room shuttering as the missile was launched, the roar of its engine momentarily drowning out all other sounds. By the time the man turned back to where the lady knight had been standing she was gone, all he saw was a strand of mist flowing out of the room.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°Uhh, is leveling up always like that?¡± Amy asked as she recovered from discovering her mana, lifting an arm to cover her face.


    ¡°Yours seemed worst that most,¡± Topaz replied, ¡°typically its only breaking through the bottlenecks where it¡¯s hard.¡±


    ¡°How long was I out?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?


    ¡°The sun is up, have I really been laying here all night?¡± Amy asked, still covering her eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s still night, you¡¯ve only been out for a few minutes,¡± Ruby said.


    ¡°Impossible,¡± Amy grumbled, pushing herself up and blinking her eyes open, ¡°it¡¯s not this bright at night.¡±


    The two sisters instead of reply exchanged a glance and a grin before Topaz pointed up at the sky. Amy followed the gesture and froze as she saw a sky full of stars, after a long moment of surprise she looked down at her hands and around at the others sitting on the hillside watching the distant battle then back up at the star filled night sky.


    ¡°How?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Seems we already know your first inherent ability,¡± Topaz said with a smile, Ruby jumping in and giving Amy a hug.


    ¡°Those¡­ abilities you get from forming a sphere?¡± Amy asked in surprise, idly returning the hug while looking at Topaz, ¡°mine is¡­ what, dark vision?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s probably more to it than that, you said your mana was Night, correct? Maybe it lets you see as clearly under the night sky as you can during the day,¡± explained Topaz, ¡°so in a dark room you couldn¡¯t see, but outside at night you can. Or maybe the moon is what lets you see, so on a moonless night you¡¯d still be blind. Or it could be that you can simply see in the dark.¡±


    ¡°That seems¡­ kind of lame,¡± Amy admitted, ¡°all this magic only giving me same ability as a pair of night vision goggles.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± Ruby said, pulling back from the hug and meeting Amy¡¯s gaze, ¡°maybe you¡¯re just stronger at night! That would, of course, include your vision.¡±


    ¡°Or more likely it¡¯ll end up being simple but grow more powerful as you form more spheres,¡± Topaz added, ¡°It¡¯s not uncommon for your core innate to grow and change as you get stronger.¡±


    ¡°Ok,¡± Amy said, not sounding quite convinced, before looking down at her body, ¡°I don¡¯t feel any different either, wasn¡¯t this supposed to make me stronger?¡±


    ¡°It does, but it doesn¡¯t happen right away. The sphere will enhance your physical abilities, which Orlan calls ¡®stats¡¯ for some reason. What aspects are enhanced and by how much vary, but they don¡¯t happen immediately. It takes time for the mana to augment your body.¡±


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    ¡°But now you can do magic!¡± Ruby nearly shouted, earning glares from some of the other spectators, with a sheepish smile she continued in a quieter voice, ¡°it¡¯ll be hard at first but we can start teaching you some basic spells later!¡±


    ¡°With Night mana, I¡¯ll probably have an easier time teaching her than you, dear sister,¡± Topaz said, smiling at the pout Ruby gave her, ¡°I use Moon mana, so there should be some overlap in what we¡¯re capable of.¡±


    ¡°I use Sun mana!¡± Ruby added cheerfully.


    ¡°For now let¡¯s¡­ wait,¡± Topaz started only to pause and turn as something flew past the floating island on a tail of fire, rocketing towards the beast, ¡°what is that?¡±


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°Looks like there¡¯s a rocket incoming,¡± Nallia reported in her usual monotone voice through the telepathic link.


    ¡°That¡¯s our support,¡± Orlan replied, ¡°light the beast up, clear away those summons!¡±


    Moments after he gave the order a swirling column of wind enveloped the beast, it didn¡¯t do any damage but the summoned flying fish shot into the air. They dove down but struggled against Alia¡¯s powerful wind magic. Bursts of fire, exploding like fireworks, among the cloud of glowing fish sowed even more chaos among the artificial beings. While slightly smarter than the normal fish, due to being made of magic, they still didn¡¯t understand fire, scattering from the bright lights.


    The large missile screamed into the chaos, moving erratically as whoever was guiding it struggled to keep it on target, before slamming into the side of the beast. The explosion was sudden, ripping into the carapace of the giant creature, strands of mist being driven deep into the armor by the force. The beast staggered, groaning in pain, and fell over. The limb Lailra had covered in vines cracked loudly as the beast fell, tendons tearing and cartilage snapping under its own weight, the entire limb ending up at an odd angle.


    As the smoke and mist cleared one side of the beast was clearly damaged, a ten-foot-wide crater blasted into the carapace while yellow ichor leaked from cracks that covered almost the entire side of the beast. All of the spells it had been casting were disrupted, the caster limbs flailing in confusion for a few moments.


    ¡°Keep it down!¡± Orlan shouted, running across the ground and then into the air towards the fallen monster.


    He could sense his knights agreeing, spells raining down on the beast. Shackles made of light, more entangling vines and hardened air all prevented it from rising as Orlan landed next to the crater left by the missile. Taking a deep breath he lifted his spear over his head with one hand.


    ¡°Kayla-Dorn, spear of two worlds, I call upon you and request your aid in my endeavor,¡± he intoned while channeling mana into his void strike inherent ability. For a moment nothing happened, and Orlan was briefly afraid the spirit of his weapon had refused to help, only for the blade of the weapon to erupt in purple fire. With a wide grin he felt as more and more of his mana was siphoned away, with each passing moment the purple flames of his weapon growing denser and more chaotic.


    The beast shifted under his feet, and he struggled to keep his balance. He couldn¡¯t move until the attack was completed, and even with his immense mana pool it took time to channel it all.


    Rings of dark mana appeared around the tip of his weapon, each sparking with barely controlled power as his inherent ability was combined with a spell, something which should have been impossible. Void strike worked only with weapons, he couldn¡¯t use the void mana to cast a spell as he didn¡¯t truly wield the corrosive mana, only creating it and pushing it into his target. But the spirit of his spear could make use of the dangerous mana, and though he had little control of what spell the spirit decided to cast, he trusted the weapon.


    The fourth circle filled with runes only for a fifth to appear. It seemed the spirit was going all out, normally she was more reserved, perhaps she was upset with how her wielder had been treated recently, or she simply wanted to show off, Orlan couldn¡¯t tell but he didn¡¯t care.


    Sensing something was going on the crab beast lashed out with its upper caster limbs, slamming into its own carapace and cracking it more in an attempt to crush Orlan. Despite the danger the Protector Lord remained still, while willing to injure itself, the beast still instinctively avoided hitting itself right on the wound where Orlan stood. The limbs were awkward and had a hard time sweeping side to side. It¡¯s first attempt to do so passed a dozen feet over Orlan¡¯s head. Becoming desperate the beast groaned loud enough that the entire island seemed to shake, small stones dancing on the ground while concrete fractured and trees shivered.


    Finally becoming desperate enough, it brought a limb down directly atop Orlan, intent to crush him even if it made its own wound worse. Yet Orlan stood still, trusting in his knights, and not without reason as, moments before the giant limb smashed into him, the air above his head solidified, taking the blow like the skin of a great drum.


    The fifth circle of the spell locked into place, the spirit could only cast spells up to his own tier, so this was it. Taking his spear in both hands he inverted it, the point aimed directly at the wound. Lifting the weapon up he took a breath and drove it down with a roar.


    A massive spear of purple fire flashed into existence as he began the attack, mimicking the motion and driving down into the wound. Five feet thick and over a hundred feet tall the magical weapon plunged into the creature, what remained of its carapace dissolving under the powerful void mana in seconds. The flesh of the beast provided even less resistance, turning to dust as the column of purple light stabbed downwards.


    The magical weapon continued to plunge into the beast¡¯s depths even as Orlan reached the limit of how far he could thrust the weapon, ripping through organs and muscle tissue alike. The beast¡¯s groans became deep panicked whines, its limbs tearing at the ground, unable to escape its death. The final bit of the great purple spear vanished into the beast and for a moment all was still, but Orlan held his breath, sensing the void mana gathering in the center of the creature, even with all the damage done the beast was still alive. But the spell wasn¡¯t done yet.


    In a flash of dark purple light the void mana exploded, ripping chaotically through the interior of the beast. Its entire body seemed to glow with a dark light and expand, pushed outward by the force of the magic. The damaged carapace on which Orlan stood gave way, the dust that had once been the creature¡¯s internals combined with the remaining void mana ripping out of the beast in a slow-moving explosion of light and magic.


    Orlan stood in the middle of the torrent of energy, unharmed, watching as the last of the spell spent itself before finally dispersing. Now standing on a platform of mana, since the carapace he¡¯d been standing on had dissolved in the explosion, he stepped through space to reach his knights. Seeing the tired looks in their eyes he grinned.


    ¡°Call the cutters in for pick up,¡± he said, the girls letting out sighs of relief as he confirmed the beast was dead.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°What¡­ the hell¡­ did we just watch?¡± Theo asked the other congressmen. He sat in a meeting room of an office building near the capitol building with a dozen of his colleagues, watching footage from a surveillance drone the military somehow had in the air over the site of the battle.


    ¡°A sub launched missile barely cracked that thing¡¯s armor,¡± someone else said slowly, ¡°yet he tore it open like¡­. Like¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°I think that missile was enhanced with magic too,¡± another added, ¡°see that mist in the explosion? That wasn¡¯t normal.¡±


    ¡°Does our military have magical weapons now?¡±


    ¡°Maybe one of the wizards cast something on it?¡±


    Theo groaned, leaning back in his chair as the other speculated. There were two ways this could go, as he saw it.


    The government could come out saying that it assisted the Protector Lord in protecting the people of Bermuda, hinting that it had magical weapons in the process without outright admitting it. It would show that the US government was still ¡®the good guy¡¯ while extending an olive branch to Orlan. After that kind of display of power that should be in their best interests as well.


    But more likely the government would say the missile was their attempt to clean up the mess Orlan made, they¡¯d edit the footage so it was their munition that took down the beast and not the powerful strike by the Protector Lord. They¡¯d use this to argue he wasn¡¯t as strong as he seemed, attempting to bring internation pressure down on him. What exactly they hoped to gain from this was hard to say, maybe they hoped he¡¯d somehow end up in their custody again, where they could force the secrets of his magic out of him. Perhaps they were hoping to simply reclaim an appearance of strength, an appearance that the rifts and Orlan had damaged.


    Walking out of the meeting room Theodor pulled his cellphone out and, after struggling to unlock it for a moment, began looking through his contacts. Maybe if he moved fast enough he could get ahead of the story, he knew several ¡®fact checking¡¯ websites that he could warn of ¡®misinformation¡¯ that the government was likely to release. Even better, maybe he could get his hands on the footage of the battle and leak it.


    ¡°Theo?¡± a voice interrupted him before he could even dial the first number, looking up he found a thin, rather nondescript man in a modest suit standing in front of him.


    ¡°Do I know you?¡± Theo asked, searching his memory for the man.


    ¡°We¡¯ve never met,¡± the man smiled, ¡°I work with a-.¡±


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m busy,¡± Theo interrupted rudely, stepping around the man and starting to walk away, he didn¡¯t have time to deal with another political action committee attempting to bribe him.


    ¡°I see,¡± the man said, walking alongside Theo and pulling out a card, ¡°when you feel like talking, give us a call.¡±


    Theo took the card without looking up, selecting a number from his phone and, about to press the call button, looked at the card.


    ¡°Sons of Kayan?¡± Theo muttered, the card was simple, dark with soft white lettering and a symbol that looked like the moon. He¡¯d never heard of that group, it almost sounded like a cult more than a PAC. Looking up to ask the man about the group he found he was alone in the hallway.


    ¡°The fuck,¡± he cursed.


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 Returned Protector ch18

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    ¡°Everyone had some level of injury, but nothing serious,¡± Nallia reported as Lailra tended to Orlan¡¯s wounds with some magic. A hovering cutter bathed the entire battlefield in bright light allowing the knights and cutter crews to gather up the remains of the beast, ¡°a few knights were hit with lightning, which resulted in moderate burns and muscle damage. Almost everyone who engaged in close combat with the beast got hit, suffering widespread bruising and several fractures, yourself included.¡±


    ¡°Anything bad enough for them to suffer healing backlash?¡± Orlan asked as Lailra¡¯s healing magic soaked into his bones.


    ¡°No, my lord,¡± Nallia shook his head, ¡°the worst most of them will suffer is a few days of lethargy.¡±


    ¡°Good, what about locals being injured?¡±


    ¡°Several, uh, police officers were struck by a stray lightning spell from the beast. They were in a car attempting to observe the battle, two of them died instantly, the other two are in critical condition suffering from major burns. Considering they were struck with a spell already our healers are currently treating them with magic.¡±


    Orlan nodded, agreeing with the logic. If they had a mana allergy they¡¯d die anyways, so their best option was to receive healing magic. He tried to turn towards where the body of the beast rested only for Lailra to grab his shoulder causing him to hiss in pain.


    ¡°Hold still,¡± She said, fixing him with a glare, ¡°you somehow got a fracture in your shoulder joint, and I need to ensure it¡¯s properly aligned.¡±


    Orlan quickly stilled, giving Nallia a pleading look, silently asking for help.


    ¡°Most of the beast¡¯s organs were destroyed by your attack, along with a good deal of the flesh of its bodies, but most of the limbs are fully intact,¡± Nallia continued, ignoring his silent plea, ¡°the carapace is all high-third tier, even after the damage suffered in battle. And some of the mages think its blood can be used to treat glass up to third tier.¡±


    ¡°Ensure none of the blood reaches the local water table,¡± Orlan said in a resigned voice, realizing no help was coming to save him from Lailra¡¯s ministrations, ¡°even if it isn¡¯t toxic the mana could still hurt people.¡±


    ¡°I already have most of the second lance burning out any blood splatter,¡± Nallia told him, ¡°Given the low mana levels of this side it¡¯s not hard to locate bits.¡±


    ¡°Any movement from the locals?¡±


    ¡°No, my lord, and no response from the US government either. Vellin returned to the protectorate after ensuring the missile was launched so we don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on there either.¡±


    ¡°Well, proceed with the clean up, I¡¯ll lift the main body to the protectorate,¡± Orlan said, slowly looking at Lailra, ¡°as soon as I escape this-.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lailra interrupted him with a dangerously sweet smile and a stiff poke at one of his injuries, ¡°you were saying my lord?¡±


    ¡°As soon as my lovely, loyal lady knight is done tending to my injuries,¡± Orlan finished.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± she smiled again before returning to healing him.


    ¡°Help me,¡± Orlan whispered to Nallia.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry my lord,¡± Nallia replied flatly as Lailra rolled her eyes.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°The¡­ Sons of Kayan?¡± One of Theo¡¯s orderlies asked the next morning, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of them. Is it some kind of cult?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Theo shrugged, holding up the card, ¡°can you look into it?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± the orderly nodded before leaving his office. Surprisingly the government had yet to release a statement about the events of the night before. They were keeping quiet about it as well, which made some amount of sense. One of their own attack subs had launched a missile at Bermuda, a British territory. It had hit the giant monster, but apparently the British were trying to decide if they were angry or grateful at what had happened. Given the weakness of the current administration, having both houses of congress filled with members of the opposition party, they had to carefully consider their stance.


    Theo had tried to get some messages to the White House through various channels to urge them not to further antagonize Orlan. But he imagined everyone in congress was doing the same thing, several of the ¡®birds¡¯ from congress, who were somehow popular on various social media platforms, had already begun releasing their own statements. Or, to be more accurate, rants. One side claimed that Orlan was a dangerous wild card with too much power while the other called him every name in the books from racist to sexist to whatever other trending form of bigotry they felt like accusing him of.


    The ¡¯moles¡¯ of congress, like Theo, who didn¡¯t have a social media presence but quietly did their jobs without drawing attention were typically more reasonable. It was harder to gauge their views on the issue, but they also had their own agendas. Only a few congressmen could be relied upon for good, reasonable policy.


    Then there was this weird card he¡¯d been given, despite thinking it was some obscure PAC, Theo had been unable to find anything on it online. All he¡¯d found was that the Kayan were a cultural minority in Myanmar, but they had no connection to the moon symbol or to any political action committees in the US. Looking at the card one more time he sighed and grabbed his phone, holding it to his ear and dialing the number.


    ¡°Theodor?¡± a voice greeted him on the other end.


    ¡°This the ¡®Sons of Kayan?¡¯¡± Theo asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s pronounced Kah-yeen, but yes, I¡¯m glad you decided to call,¡± the other man replied, ¡°are you available for lunch? We can meet anywhere in DC you wish.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me who the hell you people are first?¡± Theo demanded, ¡°all I got was some guy handing me a card and walking off.¡±


    ¡°I can explain more at lunch, but for now I¡¯ll say that we¡¯re a group that is quite interested in the arrival of Protector Lord Orlan.¡±


    Theo scowled, few people referred to Orlan by his title in the US government, using only his name if they were being respectful, or his old full name if they were trying to annoy him. But more than that, the way he said Protector Lord felt like the man knew something about it.


    ¡°Fine, lunch it is.¡±


    \-\-\-\-\-


    Orlan stood at the edge of his protectorate, looking down on this small island of Bermuda. As soon as the sun had come up he¡¯d ordered the island to float in closer, practically hovering over the other. With a deep breath he held out his hands, a four ring spell circle appearing in front of him and, moments later, a far larger one appeared in the air over the carcass of the crab beast. The body was too large to load into a sky cutter, even two of them working together was risky. To keep his remaining cutter safe he chose to instead lift the beast himself.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    The achorheart was designed to keep things floating in the air, that was its primary purpose. By channeling his own power through the heart of his protectorate he could lift things nearby into the air, much like he had with the submarine before. He could even add to his island like this, assuming he was strong enough to expand the spells of the anchorheart to more territory. The rough math was the protectorate could be one mile across per sphere of the Protector Lord, at only fifth sphere his island was at the limit of what he could manage right now.


    Slowly the massive carcass of the crab-beast rose into the air, mana flowing like water through Orlan and into the spell. Thousands of people on the island watched in awe as the spell lifted the crab beast hundreds of feet into the air. With complete focus Orlan guided the beast over his island and carefully set it down in a clear space near the edge of the island. The body landed with a loud thump, sending up a cloud of dust as the lift spell dissipated. As soon as it settled Orlan was ordering the island back out away from Bermuda to settle atop the mana geyser again.


    Dozens of workers and mages were already descending on the body as he made his way back towards the castle, eager to cut it up and harvest anything useable from it.


    ¡°Got another call from the director Kery,¡± Nallia reported, referring to the bland woman who had somehow been put in charge of the non-profit that would enable him to teach people magic, ¡°She wants to send the first aircraft out this week. Have you decided where you want to put the landing strip?¡±


    ¡°On the southern end of the island,¡± Orlan said immediately, ¡°same place we welcomed that reporter. Any reason why she wants to move that quickly?¡±


    ¡°Apparently the paperwork went through faster than expected,¡± Nallia shrugged.


    ¡°Theo?¡±


    ¡°I assume,¡± she shrugged again, ¡°regardless the first few aircraft will bring supplies and equipment along with people to set it up. So long as we provide the facilities they claim that, by next week, we¡¯ll be able to accept students.¡±


    ¡°Can you find out how long it¡¯ll take us to build a useable dormitory and classrooms?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°If you set the foundation we should be ready just in time,¡± she replied immediately, apparently having already asked around about it, ¡°the mage¡¯s spire has offered to oversee the construction so long as they can take part in teaching the students. They also want to accept apprentices if any are found among the students, keeping them on the Protectorate long term.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Orlan nodded, ¡°have them select a spot and I¡¯ll level the ground later today.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Any word from Theo?¡±


    ¡°No, I tried calling him earlier but the call¡­ I believe it¡¯s called ¡®going to voicemail¡¯ or something,¡± she shrugged.


    ¡°He¡¯s probably busy, anything else of note?¡±


    ¡°Our newest recruit, Lady Amy, awoke last night, becoming first sphere.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Orlan asked, perking up slightly.


    ¡°Her mana is related to the Night, and her core inherent seems to be the ability to see at night,¡± Nallia reported, ¡°I planned to do a more in-depth scan, with your permission, once my mana recovers.¡±


    ¡°Think there¡¯s something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, my lord, but simple night-sight is too simple for a core inherent. Not to mention that, if she should reach sixth sphere, it¡¯ll be almost completely useless.¡±


    ¡°It could evolve.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± she acknowledged, ¡°but I¡¯m also interested in the soul-runes, and if they are different for those on this side.¡±


    ¡°Mine aren¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°But you were forcefully awoken when you were taken to our side, your body remade with mana. She¡¯ll be the first, known, mage who is properly of this side.¡±


    ¡°So long as she agrees,¡± Orlan said after a moment.


    ¡°Of course, my lord.¡±


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°You wanted to see me, Lady Nallia?¡± Amy asked, nervously approaching the older woman. Ever since she had ¡®awoken¡¯ her senses had been odd, before Nallia had been an oddly beautiful woman with a monotone voice and expressionless face. But now, it was like she could sense the power behind her, a scorching light that burned away the shadows to leave all bare to be seen.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, little sister!¡± Ruby said cheerfully, patting Amy on the back and ignoring a glare from Topaz, ¡°she just wants to see the words of your soul.¡±


    ¡°My what?¡±


    ¡°Whenever you form a sphere, the mana crystalizes within you,¡± Nallia answered calmly, ¡°patterns form in the crystal, these are called the ¡®soul-runes¡¯ ¡®words of your soul¡¯ or ¡®the divine language¡¯ depending on who you ask. They are the basis for all magic.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll make more sense when we begin your training properly,¡± Topaz assured her, ¡°basically she wants to check on your first sphere and see the patterns formed on it. She should be able to determine the full ability of your inherent.¡±


    ¡°Is this necessary?¡± Amy asked after a moment, looking nervously between Nallia and the sisters.


    ¡°Oh, your mana is opposed to hers, isn¡¯t it?¡± Topaz said suddenly, ¡°you feel scared and exposed looking at her right? That¡¯s because she uses light mana while you use night mana, which are opposed.¡±


    ¡°Ruby uses sun mana, and I don¡¯t feel anything like that from her,¡± Amy pointed out.


    ¡°She''s barely third sphere and you''re friends, so you know she''s not a threat instinctively. But Lady Nallia is sixth sphere, and you don¡¯t know her as well,¡± Topaz said.


    ¡°It could also be that I have a fully formed Aura,¡± Nallia added, ¡°you could be reacting to that.¡±


    ¡°Regardles, I promise she isn¡¯t going to hurt you,¡± Topaz added. With a last glance between the two sisters Amy sighed and stepped forward and nodded to Nallia. The expressionless woman lifted her hands and a massive series of spell circles appeared before her.


    ¡°You said these were the ¡®runes of the soul¡¯ or something right?¡± Amy asked, distracting herself with questions, ¡°does that mean the soul is real?¡±


    ¡°Yup!¡± Ruby answered instantly.


    ¡°If you are referring to the immortal soul that goes to the afterlife, we don¡¯t know,¡± Nallia said more helpfully, ¡°from my studies of the culture of the United States, when we refer to the soul or spirit, we¡¯re talking about your consciousness. The undefinable spark that makes you who you are. But if some part of you persists after death, going to an afterlife, is impossible to tell.¡±


    ¡°So you mean my mind?¡± Amy asked.


    ¡°Not precisely. It¡¯s possible to copy your mind and memories to an artificial construct, but no matter how perfectly the transfer is done the result always lacks something critical,¡± Nallia explained as runes filled her spell, ¡°research into the subject of souls is highly taboo, but what studying has been done indicates there being something impossible to define or measure that is required to make a person. Whether that¡¯s a soul, or your consciousness or something else doesn¡¯t really matter.¡±


    ¡°Most people on the other side believe in a soul,¡± Topaz added, seeing her sister¡¯s confusion, ¡°but Lady Nallia knows more about the scientific side of things. We just call it a soul.¡±


    Amy simply nodded, uncertain how to feel about the information. Her family had been religious, but hearing about your soul in an old book was one thing, to have evidence of something that resembled a soul is another. Eventually she simply filed it away along with the ¡®magic is real¡¯ as something odd that had turned her view of the world upside down. Despite all the evidence part of her still didn¡¯t want to believe in anything in that part of her mind, from magic to now the possibility of souls due to how in conflict it was with her world view.


    Nallia¡¯s spell suddenly completed and a shimmering sphere of light appeared before Amy¡¯s chest, starting at the size of her heart before growing to several feet across. The surface of the sphere was largely translucent but wasn¡¯t even, with crystalline lines crossing over it. These lines formed complex patterns that, oddly, felt very familiar to Amy.


    ¡°This is a visual representation of your first sphere,¡± Nallia explained, slowly walking around the glowing sphere, ¡°the lines are the soul-runes that grant you an inherent ability and other magical powers.¡±


    ¡°They make sense to you?¡± Amy asked, looking at the sphere in wonder.


    ¡°Only in a broad sense, the runes we use when casting are a crude imitation of the real thing. For example, this section,¡± she pointed to a series of crisscrossing lines that almost resembled stars in a bright sky, ¡°likely increases your agility and speed. But that is only one of its functions most likely. Unlike with our spells, the soul-runes interact with each other in a system so complex no mind can understand it and no spell can simulate it. So while I can recognize some runes, I can only give you broad impressions as to what they actually do.¡±


    ¡°Ok,¡± Amy said slowly, ¡°so¡­ what do they do?¡±


    ¡°This one is the core rune, and generally refers to night or starlight,¡± Nallia pointed to a section, ¡°this one here seems to be aura¡­ or possibly cloud. You said you could see clearly after you awoke, even at night? I don¡¯t see any rune corresponding to vision or sight. If anything I¡¯d guess your inherent was an aura of night.¡±


    ¡°I knew it!¡± Ruby declared, bouncing up and down and holding up a fist, ¡°my younger sister couldn¡¯t have anything so simple as night vision for her inherent!¡±


    ¡°It did seem odd,¡± Topaz agreed even as she flicked Ruby in the forehead, ¡°any idea what it does?¡±


    ¡°My guess would be that, under the light of the stars, she is able to draw on ambient mana as if it were her own,¡± Nallia said, ¡°she instinctively used it for sight, but I imagine it can be used for more than that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite the powerful inherent if true,¡± Topaz said, smiling at Amy.


    ¡°But difficult to use, in accordance with the law of balance.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand,¡± Amy said slowly as Nallia continued to inspect the glowing sphere, ¡°but I am hungry, are they serving breakfast yet?¡±


    ¡°Oh! Of course! You just tiered up, you need food!¡± Ruby said, what had previously been an upset glower while rubbing at her forehead instantly became an excited smile, ¡°come on! We can get you some proper magical food now!¡±


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 Returned protector ch 19

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother with that,¡± Topaz said as Amy reached for the pitcher of orange juice, she felt unusually hungry but the gem sisters had assured her that was normal after tiering up. Something about her body needing more nutrition to aid in the restructuring of her physiology, Amy didn¡¯t understand but it was all the excuse she needed to put an extra helping of eggs and bacon on her plate for breakfast.


    ¡°Ya, you get to have a special drink,¡± Ruby said with a mischievous grin, leading her towards a stand in the corner of the mess hall. She¡¯d seen a few people heading over there before but the sisters had never brought her here so she hadn¡¯t thought about it.


    The counter was set up like some mix of a tea stand and laboratory with vials and pouches filled with various substances covering most of the table, most of which were protected by glass in a kind of display case. A few tea pots were scattered about, one of which had some steam gently wafting from the spout despite not being on anything like a heated surface.


    ¡°Oh, you girls,¡± an older woman said, glaring at Ruby and Topaz as the three of them approached. She was probably the oldest woman Amy had seen on the island, with wrinkles beginning to form on her face and her once brown hair dusted with grey and white hairs.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, Lady Woodward,¡± Ruby said with a smile.


    ¡°If you two knock boiling water onto me again.¡±


    ¡°That was one time!¡±


    ¡°Or try to trick me into giving you more drinks.¡±


    ¡°I promised I wouldn¡¯t do that again!¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± Woodward snorted, glancing at Amy, ¡°you¡¯re the new girl right? You better not turn out like these two.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here because Amy here awoke to her mana last night,¡± Topaz explained, gesturing to Amy, ¡°and she intends to become a knight so-.¡±


    ¡°Ya, ya,¡± the older woman interrupted, beckoning Amy closer to look at her. After a moment of inspecting Amy, Woodward reached out to swipe her finger through the air a few inches from Amy¡¯s face before bringing the finger to her nose, ¡°interesting,¡± she mumbled, taking a sniff, ¡°a delicate but all covering mana¡­ hints of both fear and safety¡­ what kind of mana do you use?¡±


    ¡°Uh, Night, Ma¡¯am,¡± Amy said, confused by what was going on.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Woodward nodded, looking down to search through the supplies, picking up things seemingly at random while muttering to herself. Some she returned after inspecting them while others she took a small pinch of and added to a tea strainer.


    ¡°Lady Woodward is the best alchemist in the castle,¡± Ruby explained, ¡°every time we sphere up we¡¯re allowed a few of her concoctions.¡±


    ¡°Alchemist?¡± Amy asked, looking surprised, ¡°am I going to have to drink some¡­ weird potion or something?¡±


    ¡°Only if you go to those alchemists at the mage¡¯s spire,¡± Woodward snorted, not looking up from her work, ¡°they¡¯re focused entirely on utilitarian alchemy.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just upset that only Orlan would hire her,¡± Ruby said in a whisper that the old alchemist clearly heard based on her scowl.


    ¡°Those ¡®real alchemists¡¯ ignore half of what alchemy really is,¡± the older woman said, ¡°Lord Orlan is the only one to recognize and understand what alchemy can and should be.¡±


    ¡°What is that?¡± Amy asked, ignoring Ruby as she desperately signaled for her to stop.


    ¡°Alchemy is cooking,¡± Woodward explained while grinding up some kind of seed pods, ¡°half of it is getting what is needed into the person, and half is the taste. What good is a potion if someone doesn¡¯t want to take it? What I¡¯m making you will aid your body in adapting to the new power running through you, making you stronger faster, all while easing the burden such changes will place on you. But to see the most benefits you need to drink all of it, if it tastes bad then you might not be encouraged to finish it.¡±


    ¡°Which nearly doubles the cost of the potion,¡± Topaz added, earning a glare from Lady Woodward, ¡°most people prefer to choke down a bad tasting potion if it¡¯s half the price.¡±


    ¡°And most people are idiots,¡± Woodward countered, ¡°and it¡¯s not just potions, meals made from the meat of beasts can aid in strengthening the body if properly prepared. Doubly so if the meal is good enough to make someone come back for seconds.¡±


    ¡°But many still see it as a needless luxury,¡± Topaz shrugged, ¡°making beast meat tasty is difficult and expensive.¡±


    ¡°Which is why most people settle for ¡®good enough,¡¯ putting the meat in a stew and overwhelming it¡¯s flavor with seasonings.¡±


    ¡°I think what you¡¯re doing is incredible,¡± Amy spoke up, earning surprised looks from the other three, ¡°good food can sooth the soul, give people a reason to fight. If that food can be healthy as well as taste good, all the better.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, my dear!¡± Woodward said with a sudden smile, putting the strainer in a cup and pouring hot water over it, ¡°good to see someone gets it.¡±


    ¡°My Pa never had to tell me to eat my veggies, since he was a good cook,¡± Amy added, her smile falling a bit, ¡°I was always confused when others told me they didn¡¯t like vegetables until I realized they weren¡¯t making them like Pa did.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a good man,¡± Woodward said, sprinkling a last few things into the tea as she removed the strainer, ¡°wise, like Lord Orlan.¡±


    Amy took the teacup with her free hand, taking a sip of it before putting it on her tray, only to pause as the flavor hit her.


    ¡°It tastes almost like¡­ hot chocolate,¡± Amy said, a tear forming in her eye, ¡°like¡­ my mother used to make.¡±


    ¡°Come back tomorrow morning for another drink,¡± Woodward said with a motherly smile, ¡°you¡¯ll need one or two more to get the full effect, but only one a day.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Amy smiled back, wiping the tear from her cheek as the three of them turned to walk to a table.


    ¡°So,¡± Ruby said after a moment of silence, ¡°what¡¯s hot chocolate?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have chocolate on the other side?¡± Amy asked.


    ¡°We do, but it¡¯s a luxury drink for rich people,¡± said Topaz, ¡°we didn¡¯t think you were a noble.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not, chocolate isn¡¯t that rare, when my brother and I were kids my mother would make us hot chocolate using a secret recipe,¡± she said, still smiling as they sat down, ¡°even Pa didn¡¯t know what she put in it and after she passed I we couldn¡¯t figure out how she made it. Still, hot chocolate remains one of my favorite drinks.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s for sale in markets on this side, we should get some!¡± Ruby said excitedly.


    ¡°Assuming Lord Orlan gives permission, I don¡¯t see why we couldn¡¯t go shopping,¡± Topaz added, ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to look at the clothes of this side since we got here.¡±


    ¡°I could use a few more Bra¡¯s,¡± Amy agreed after a moment.


    ¡°What¡¯s a bra?¡± Ruby asked.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°Any reason why Governor Scott wanted to meet us?¡± Orlan asked, inspecting the long flat expanse of stone he¡¯d formed from his island to serve as a runway. The first plane wasn¡¯t supposed to arrive for several days yet but he¡¯d been hard at work between laying the foundations for the dorms around the mage¡¯s spire and working to reach sixth sphere.


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t specific over the phone,¡± Nallia said, looking at the landing helicopter.


    Shrugging Orlan turned to look at the craft as it settled on the stone. It wasn¡¯t like the news choppers that had first landed here, or like the twin rotor army helicopters that had come later. It was a small two person aircraft, more designed for air-tours or personal use than anything else. The large glass bubble canopy showing the Governor sitting in the side seat while the pilot carefully set the heli down, shutting off the engine even as the Governor got out.


    ¡°To what do we owe the pleasure, Mr. Scott?¡± Orlan asked as the engine began to wind down.


    ¡°Well, for one I wanted to thank you and your knights, the US is claiming their missile put that monster down, but I saw the fight myself.¡± Scott explained, ¡°without you I don¡¯t know how much damage that¡­ thing would have caused. Instead of thousands of dead all I have to deal with is a torn-up park. Expensive, and my treasurer has been complaining about that, but I¡¯d rather pay to fix the landscaping than bury people.¡±


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Orlan said with a smile, visibly relaxing as he realized the governor wasn¡¯t here to make any silly demands or accuse him of something, ¡°killing beasts is our job, and I¡¯d like to think we¡¯re pretty good at it.¡±


    ¡°I wish we could end it there, but, unfortunately, I can¡¯t,¡± Scott sighed, Orlan tensing up slightly again, ¡°don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve been told not to try and arrest you anymore. The English government isn¡¯t sure what, exactly, happened, as the claims made by the US directly contradict my own report about who killed the monster. So they¡¯re sending down a ¡®fact finding team¡¯ to investigate the situation. As part of that they want to interview you and I¡¯ve been tasked with getting you to agree to an interview.¡±


    ¡°A straightforward politician?¡± Orlan said in surprise, ¡°not going to ask me to come to a meeting and ambush me with the interview? Insist I go to London and testify before parliament?¡±


    ¡°I made it clear to them that I couldn¡¯t, and wouldn¡¯t force you to do anything,¡± Scott said with a chuckle, ¡°and I find it¡­ distasteful to use such trickery against someone who helped us without asking for pay. Either you show or you don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to think about it,¡± Orlan said after a moment, ¡°I¡¯m going to be quite busy for the foreseeable future so I can¡¯t give anything definitive.¡±


    ¡°Fine by me,¡± Scott shrugged, beginning to turn around, ¡°expect the crown to keep hounding you though.¡±


    ¡°Oh, before you leave, some of my knights have expressed interest in, well, call it shore leave on your island,¡± Orlan added as the man turned back, ¡°I wanted to make sure that was alright.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve no complaints, assuming you follow our laws, but¡­ do you people have money? Might be hard to enjoy our island without some cash.¡±


    ¡°I doubt you want mana stones¡­ we¡¯ve gold and silver,¡± Orlan offered.


    ¡°You might find a pawn shop to trade that for cash¡­¡±


    ¡°Would you be willing to pay if we fixed the park that was damaged in the battle?¡±


    ¡°Could you do that?¡± Scott asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Lailra?¡±


    ¡°The landscaping would only take us a couple hours,¡± the lead knight replied, ¡°we¡¯ve plenty of earth mages who can move stone and dirt without much issue. The plants will be more difficult, as I¡¯m the only real nature mage. I can try to save any trees that were uprooted or damaged, which would take the better part of a day, but if they don¡¯t make it the best I could do is germinate new trees. I know a couple spells to encourage growth but it will still take years for them to grow.¡±


    ¡°And you can do all that in, two days?¡± Scott asked, looking surprised, ¡°my treasurer has been complaining that such a job would take over a week and cost us tens of thousands.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re willing to provide my girls with some spending money then I don¡¯t see why we can¡¯t fix the damage,¡± Orlan said with a smile, ¡°say, half the price your treasurer quoted?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t promise anything, but I believe I can talk him into hiring you instead,¡± Scott nodded.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°This is so much more comfortable than a corset!¡± Ruby said from within a changing room, marveling as she tried on a bra at the clothing shop.


    ¡°And there¡¯s so many¡­ styles,¡± Topaz added, looking at the racks.


    ¡°Too many,¡± Amy sighed, picking through the garments, ¡°it¡¯s hard to find something in the right size that isn¡¯t too¡­ lacy.¡±


    ¡°The lacy ones are pretty,¡± Ruby called, her voice echoing slightly from within the changing room.


    ¡°I want to be comfortable, not pretty.¡±


    ¡°Why not both?¡± Topaz shrugged, holding a particularly frilly garment to her chest before glancing at the price tag and wincing, ¡°ah, they seem to cost quite a bit more.¡±


    Amy smiled, it felt like it had been years since she¡¯d done something so normal as going shopping with some friends. But it had likely only been a few months, of course she¡¯d spent the last couple weeks training on a flying island with magical lady knights.


    Even now the three of them had drawn quite a bit of attention due to their odd, archaic outfits. Even beyond being just odd tourists everyone knew they were from Orlan¡¯s Protectorate and stared with some mixture of awe and interest. Thankfully the knights from the first lance had drawn most of the attention, largely due to their magically enhanced beauty and aura of strength that set them apart. Only one man had been brave enough to approach the three knights in training, but quickly left after realizing they weren¡¯t interested.


    Apparently someone had tried to grope Lady Nallia, being too drunk, high or both to think about it. After nearly losing his hand word had quickly spread that the knights weren¡¯t to be messed with and most locals gave them space.


    The only exception, of course, was the shop owners, who were eager for money no matter the source. Ruby, in particular, spoke excitedly with a worker of the clothing store they were in, discussing styles and sizes. Amy was afraid the other girl would spend all of the cash they¡¯d been given at the first store they went to, but Topaz told her not to worry about it. The two of them came from peasantry, and were good with money. Ruby was just easily excited. Amy was skeptical but, while each of them left the store with a bag of garments, they hadn¡¯t spent too much.


    From there they sampled various foods from chocolate to ice cream and other local street foods. By the time they were heading back to the sky cutter Amy felt better than she had in a long time, since her family¡­


    Shaking that thought off she focused on the meaningless conversation Ruby and Topaz was having, the older sister putting on a show of keeping the younger one in line, all while they licked ice cream cones and walked down the streets. Beyond their odd clothing it was impossible to tell them apart from any other group of girls on spring break or vacation. No one would guess that Ruby could bench press nearly double her own weight and Topaz could run fast enough to keep up with the cars passing them.


    ¡°Is this common?¡± Amy asked as the conversation the other two were having wound down, ¡°going out like this, I mean.¡±


    ¡°Lord Orlan tries to give us time off whenever he can, but there can be long stretches of time between when we can relax like this,¡± Topaz said, ¡°thankfully it¡¯s not like the castle is uncomfortable. Still, it¡¯s nice to get some girl time.¡±


    ¡°Feels odd,¡± admitted Amy, ¡°going from high intensity training, magic and combat to¡­ girl time.¡±


    ¡°You get used to it,¡± Ruby assured her.


    ¡°Lord Orlan cares about his knights, even those of us who are just in training,¡± Topaz added, ¡°and we look out for each other, so if you ever have any concerns feel free to talk with us, or any of the older knights.¡±


    ¡°Do knights often¡­ die?¡± Amy asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re in a dangerous job,¡± Topaz said with a gentle smile, ¡°so injuries and even death are possible, but it¡¯s not common. Because Orlan has so few knights he ensures we are well trained and equipped when we do go into battle. And he is quite willing to risk himself to save us if we get in trouble.¡±


    ¡°A true knight in shining armor,¡± Ruby said with a playful sigh.


    ¡°Is that not common on the other side?¡±


    ¡°Depends on the Protector Lord, some are good about caring for their knights, like the Mage Protector,¡± Topaz said, ¡°but others, like the Imperial Protector, aren¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard he has nearly four hundred knights,¡± Ruby added, shivering, ¡°and that he doesn¡¯t really care about most of them.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say we¡¯re glad we picked Orlan to work for,¡± Topaz agreed.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°Theo?¡± Orlan asked, taking the phone Nallia handed him.


    ¡°Orlan? We need to talk,¡± the congressman replied.


    ¡°So talk.¡±


    ¡°No, in person,¡± Theo said.


    ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ complex, I¡¯ll tell you more when we meet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to DC, best case they try to arrest me,¡± Orlan said dryly, ¡°doubly so since they¡¯re claiming their missile took out the beast.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s, uhg, I¡¯m doing what I can but the White House is calling the full video, which mysteriously got released by, ahem, unknown actors, edited,¡± Theo groaned, ¡°while claiming the one that shows the missile killing the monster to be the real one.¡±


    ¡°What about other handheld footage of the battle?¡±


    ¡°Apparently the lightning bolt that starts a rift acts like an EMP, so while there are a lot of eye witness reports agreeing with your side there isn¡¯t any real footage of the fight.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I should get camera crews embedded with my knights,¡± Orlan grumbled.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea!¡± Theo said.


    ¡°It¡¯s a terrible one,¡± snapped Orlan, ¡°it¡¯s hard enough to fight those beasts while evacuating locals, we couldn¡¯t look after a civilian following us around.¡±


    ¡°What about those flying boats you have,¡± Theo asked, ¡°couldn¡¯t we use them like a news helicopter?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have enough to waste space on non-combatants.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a rumor some of your knights were seen repairing a park on Bermuda,¡± Theo said slowly.


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°Any chance I could commission a flying boat from you guys and pay to station it on your island.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ hmmm,¡± Orlan started only to pause and think, ¡°I¡¯ve no idea how much even a small sky ship would cost on this side. Even on the other side they¡¯re quite expensive. I brought a small shipyard crew with me through the rift, mostly to maintain the cutters I have, but they can, in theory, build new ships.¡±


    ¡°Great-.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s not that simple,¡± Orlan interrupted, ¡°we need magical materials, specifically tier three or four wood, in order to handle the flight enchantments. And, well, we don¡¯t have enough.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s just a matter of lumber, I can swing by the local hardware store.¡±


    ¡°They only have mundane lumber.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just, I don¡¯t know, wave your hands at it or something and make it magic?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple,¡± Orlan sighed, ¡°imbuing materials with mana is complex. It¡¯s like¡­ let¡¯s see, imagine you asked for steel and I offered to get you some iron ore.¡±


    ¡°Ok¡­ whatever, if you aren¡¯t coming to DC, there¡¯s a flight headed to your island with technical crews in a few days right? Mind if I hitch a ride?¡±


    ¡°Why even ask? Don¡¯t you run the group that operates the plane?¡±


    ¡°Because I feel that showing up on your island, unannounced is, at best rude, and at worst bad for my health.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ fair, alright fine. If this is really important, and can¡¯t be done over the phone, we can talk then.¡±


    ¡°I promise you it is,¡± Theo assured him before the line went dead.


    ¡°Speaking of the shipyard, the dockworkers should have the third cutter repaired in a few days,¡± Lailra said as Orlan sighed.


    ¡°Good, any more issues with shore leave?¡±


    ¡°Scott called earlier, apologizing profusely about that one guy who tried to grab Nallia¡¯s butt,¡± Lailra said with a slight smirk.


    ¡°I feel like I should apologize to him, after she nearly removed his arm,¡± Orlan snorted.


    ¡°His reply was, I quote, if he doesn¡¯t know to keep his hands to himself, eventually he¡¯ll stick it somewhere he won¡¯t get it back from,¡± Lailra giggled, covering her mouth with a hand, ¡°Nonetheless, I¡¯ve told the girls to not hurt anyone if they can avoid it. Still, there haven¡¯t been any more reports like that. Actually, we¡¯ve had quite a few people asking to join, men and women.¡±


    ¡°They understand I can only take on women as knights, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not sure,¡± Lailra admitted, ¡°people on this side seem quite oblivious to the differences between the sexes. Still, should we accept anyone?¡±


    ¡°How is that girl, Amy, doing?¡± Orlan asked after a moment.


    ¡°She¡¯s good, went shopping with the gem sisters on the island, came back with something called a ¡®bra¡¯¡± Lailra smirked, ¡°after trying it on, suddenly every knight needs some.¡±


    ¡°Even you?¡±


    ¡°I may have asked Alia to get me a few,¡± the head knight admitted, eyeing Orlan with a hint of mischief, ¡°any reason you never mentioned this invention before?¡±


    ¡°Because I know nothing about them,¡± Orlan said dryly, matching her gaze, ¡°and, if I had brought it up, you would have teased me about how I know so much.¡±


    ¡°If you say so,¡± Lailra smirked.

 Returned Protector ch 20

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    ¡°November nine two three Tango Golf to, uh, the giant floating island,¡± the radio in Orlan¡¯s hands crackled, ¡°I was told to treat you as an uncontrolled airfield, but there would be someone with a radio, do you copy?¡±


    ¡°Yup, I hear you,¡± Orlan replied, covering his eyes against the sun as he spotted the approaching aircraft. There were two of them, though that wasn¡¯t surprising, one was purely cargo while the other held the technical staff needed to set up the equipment along with more stuff. A good portion of the cargo was supposed to be bulk foods like grain, but most of it was communications equipment including a cell tower that would, in theory, allow the entire island full coverage.


    ¡°Great,¡± the pilot replied after a moment, the two aircraft beginning to circle the island, ¡°I was also told there was a runway on the southern end of the island, but I don¡¯t see anything. Over.¡±


    ¡°The runway is basically a large expanse of stone, but it¡¯s flat and hard with no gravel or anything,¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great, but it¡¯s hard to land when we can¡¯t see a runway. Over.¡±


    ¡°One moment,¡± Orlan said, looking over at Nallia, who was already busy tapping at the phone. The signal on top of the island wasn¡¯t great, but being near to Bermuda had ensured they could at least get a passible one. After a minute she held up the phone to display a typical runway.


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle the markings, you do the lights?¡± Orlan asked, to which the blank faced woman simply nodded holding up her hands to begin casting. Orlan mimicked her, a spell circle forming first in the air before him, then a larger one half hidden under the ground where the runway started. It passed over the ground, the stone shifting becoming lighter or darker as needed to mimic the paint of the runway. Several lights, largely unneeded in the day, popped up thanks to Nallia¡¯s light magic.


    ¡°How¡¯s that?¡± Orlan asked over the radio once they were both done.


    ¡°Well I¡¯ll be, that wasn¡¯t there a minute ago,¡± the pilot said after a moment, ¡°looks good, giant floating island, November nine two three Tango Golf entering pattern for landing, over.¡±


    Moments later a second voice, presumably the other cargo jet said something similar as both aircraft began their approach.


    ¡°I¡¯m still impressed they can make such large things fly without magic,¡± Lailra commented as the cargo jets began their approach, ¡°they look more like birds than ships.¡±


    ¡°That is intentional,¡± Nallia replied, ¡°the wing design creates lift when moved through the air at the right angle, just like a bird¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything you haven¡¯t researched on that thing yet?¡±


    ¡°It seems to have access to the majority of knowledge on this side, why wouldn¡¯t I make use of it?¡± Nallia countered, cocking her head. Before they could continue, however, the whine of the jet engines became to loud to easily carry on a conversation. Another wind barrier kept them safe from any wind kicked up as the first cargo jet landed, pulling off to the side to allow the second to land as well. Orlan and his knights approached the first aircraft as the door swung open, revealing a man who glanced down at the ground, over five feet below him and scowled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we thought this through,¡± he commented but, by way of replying Orlan lifted a hand, casting a quick spell to reshape the stone of his island into a stairway, ¡°or¡­ never mind. Can we get another one of those by the cargo door?¡±


    Orlan followed the man to the rear of the aircraft where, upon being shown another door, he created another set of stone stairs. The crew of the first aircraft began unloading while Orlan made his way to the second to assist them as well. The second jet was the one with passengers and one of the first figures to make their way down the stairs was a rotund man in a sweat stained suit shirt.


    ¡°Fuck, shoulda known it would be hot,¡± the man cursed as he walked over to Orlan, ¡°Orlan, is there somewhere we can talk?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re Theo?¡±


    ¡°Ah, right, we¡¯ve never met face to face, yes, I¡¯m Theodor, congressman, whatever, we need to talk.¡±


    ¡°Once I get everything here going we can head back to the castle,¡± Orlan nodded.


    ¡°Do you have AC there?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s cooler there,¡± Orlan replied dryly, about to continue when a loud gasp caught everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Orlan?¡± a woman who was halfway down the stone staircase asked softly, looking at the Protector Lord in shock.


    ¡°Em?¡± Orlan replied, his eyes widening in shock as well. The woman, wearing a technician¡¯s uniform for some phone company nearly ran the rest of the way to the ground and over to Orlan where she paused, looking him over, as if ensuring he was real.


    ¡°I thought you were dead, we all thought you were dead,¡± she said softly.


    ¡°Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated,¡± Orlan said with a slight grin.


    ¡°You¡­¡± she stared her expression of shock shifting slightly to one of surprise before she laughed, throwing herself forward and hugging him, ¡°you¡¯re definitely Orlan,¡± she said, crying and laughing.


    ¡°You two know each other?¡± Theo asked, sounding surprised.


    ¡°This is Emily, my little sister,¡± Orlan replied with a grin.


    ¡°Your older sister,¡± she corrected without breaking the hug.


    ¡°Older, but smaller.¡±


    ¡°We all thought you were dead,¡± she said again, finally pulling back enough to look at him, ¡°when you vanished¡­ we¡¯d no idea what happened.¡±


    ¡°Turns out I got sent to another world, cool huh.¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°And you became¡­ what, some magic wielding super hero with a giant flying island?¡±


    ¡°Basically.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Theo interrupted, ¡°he¡¯s been all over the news for nearly the last two months, how is it you didn¡¯t realize it was him?¡±


    ¡°You think I have time to watch the news?¡± Emily asked, raising an eyebrow, ¡°I¡¯ve three kids, a job and a house to look after.¡±


    ¡°Three?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°I wanted two, but the second was twins,¡± she explained, before turning back to Theo, ¡°but I heard about some magic knight guy named Orlan, but, honestly, I never imagined it would be my brother!¡±


    ¡°What are you even doing here?¡± asked Orlan, looking his sister over.


    ¡°I work for a phone company, was told we¡¯re going to be putting a cell tower up here,¡± she answered, gesturing to her uniform, ¡°I live in Florida now, so we¡¯re close, but I thought it was odd they asked for me by name. At least, I did until now.¡±


    ¡°Who asked?¡±


    ¡°The government? Whoever was deciding who to send here.¡±


    ¡°Theo?¡± Orlan asked after a moment in a flat voice, ¡°is this what I think it is?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Theo stuttered, scrambling for his own phone, ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware of it in any case, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Orlan?¡± Emily asked, starting to look worried.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen the news, but the US has a bit of a beef with me,¡± replied Orlan.


    ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°I did nothing! I just appeared over a major US city in a magical floating island to fight off a bunch of monsters!¡±


    ¡°You broke into the Pentagon,¡± Theo added.


    ¡°After they kidnapped one of my knights!¡±


    ¡°And made a fool of congress.¡±


    ¡°Like they needed me for that.¡±


    ¡°And beat up a bunch of spec ops guys.¡±


    ¡°Who were trying to invade my island,¡± Orlan sighed, ¡°they started it!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you lift a submarine out of the water or something?¡± Emily asked.


    ¡°Only for a moment.¡±


    ¡°But you touched one of the US¡¯s boats.¡±


    ¡°Oh shit,¡± Orlan swore.


    ¡°You¡¯re already dead¡­ again,¡± Emily said with a slight grin.


    ¡°What?¡± Theo asked, seeming confused.


    ¡°Never mind,¡± Orlan sighed, shaking his head before looking at Theo, ¡°if this is an attempt at intimidation or manipulation¡­¡±


    ¡°You think the government is willing to use me against you?¡± Emily gasped, ¡°what about my family?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the government is directly involved, but¡­¡± he paused, glancing at Orlan, ¡°can we talk? Somewhere private?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Orlan nodded, pulling away from his sister¡¯s embrace, ¡°you¡¯ll be here for at least a day setting up the tower, so we can catch up over dinner.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that,¡± she nodded, stepping back and saying goodbye before heading over to her confused looking colleagues.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°Oh thank god,¡± Theo sighed as he settled into a plush couch, ¡°walking over a mile, in this heat, you couldn¡¯t have teleported us to the castle or anything?¡±


    ¡°I can only teleport myself short distances,¡± Orlan answered, ¡°would you like a drink?¡±


    ¡°Got any cold otherworld beer?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do,¡± the Protector Lord smirked, speaking to one of the support knights before sitting down across from Theo.


    ¡°Do they have magical beer over there? On the other side as you call it?¡±


    ¡°They do, but it would likely kill you, alcohol is a poison and mana only makes it more potent.¡±


    ¡°After that walk I¡¯m tempted.¡±


    ¡°So, what did you want to talk about?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°Is it secure here?¡± Theo asked, looking about the small sitting room.


    ¡°Only my knights come here, anything you can tell me you can tell them.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­ I was contacted by someone a couple weeks ago, belongs to some group called the Sons of Kah-yeen,¡± Theo said, awkwardly pronouncing the odd name.


    ¡°The first mage?¡± Orlan interrupted.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Kayan, the first mage,¡± explained Orlan, ¡°it¡¯s a story, or maybe a myth, on the other side. Kayan had a brother named Hevel, back before the world was split in two. Kayan became the first mage and accidentally killed Hevel. As the myth goes, God then punished Kayan by splitting the world between magic and non-magic.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ odd,¡± Theo scowled, pausing as a young woman brought in a couple frosty mugs of beer, smiling his thanks as he took a long sip of the cool drink, ¡°according to the man I spoke with the story is that Hevel was the first mage and Kayan, in jealousy, killed his brother. Apparently, it¡¯s the origin of the story of Cain and Abel. But he said it¡¯s actually true, not just a myth.¡±


    ¡°So, what, they¡¯re some secret all powerful group that¡¯s actually controlling the government or something?¡± Orlan asked, ¡°these Sons of Kayan I mean.¡±


    ¡°What? No, they are a secret organization but they were supposed to be more of a preservationist society. They¡¯d remember the sin of Kayan when no one else would, or something, I¡¯m still not completely clear on that.¡±


    ¡°But they¡¯re the group working against me through the government?¡±


    ¡°No, they have no real power, like I said, they¡¯re a historical preservation group, a few steps up from a book club,¡± Theo shook his head, ¡°they¡¯re only real job, beyond remembering the true story of Kayan and Hevel, was to be on watch for magic returning to the world. Over the last, however many hundreds of years, they grew lax in that duty. They knew magic was real, but I guess they figured it would never return.¡±


    ¡°Until the rifts started opening.¡±


    ¡°Until you showed up,¡± Theo corrected, ¡°they suspected the rifts of being magical in nature, but they weren¡¯t sure. But when you appeared with your great floating island, slinging spells and fire and whatever, they were certain.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°And they actually took the situation seriously, apparently, they have some kind of secret archive or vault full of stuff that was supposed to help them keep watch. And¡­ some items were missing.¡±


    ¡°Like¡­ an eye encased in glass?¡± Orlan asked slowly.


    ¡°Yes, how did you know?¡± Theo asked, looking up, ¡°they called it the Eye of Providence, yes, like the one on the dollar bill, said it was supposed to reveal the truth of anything or something.¡±


    ¡°When I broke out of that government prison, it was because they attempted to use that on me,¡± Orlan said, ¡°it¡¯s sealed in my vault¡­ I¡¯m not giving it back.¡±


    ¡°If they want it back they can ask you for it,¡± Theo said, raising a hand in surrender, ¡°I¡¯m not here to get their shit back, I¡¯m here to deliver a message from them.¡±


    ¡°What message?¡±


    ¡°That they believe there¡¯s another secret group that stole those items and, for some reason, don¡¯t like you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it? That¡¯s the message?¡± Orlan asked after a second.


    ¡°And to warn you of some of the other items that went missing,¡± Theo took a breath, ¡°there was Gandiva, a bow, the most powerful weapon they had. Apparently arrows it fires can¡¯t be blocked or dodged. Brisingamen, a necklace that can influence minds¡­. Let¡¯s see¡­ and the Eternal Cup, otherwise known as the Holy Grail¡­ a cup that can supposedly create infinite mana and turn anyone who drinks from it into a powerful mage¡­ if it doesn¡¯t kill them anyways.¡±


    ¡°¡­ fuck,¡± Orlan swore.


    ¡°A bunch of historical records were also stolen, including those that document how to use the items,¡± Theo continued, ¡°according to the guy I spoke with, all of them are equally powerful in terms of magic.¡±


    ¡°Any idea who the people who stole them are?¡±


    ¡°Not really, they determined the items were stolen a few hundred years ago, by someone who had magic.¡±


    ¡°And they didn¡¯t realize until recently?¡± Orlan asked, half in shock.


    ¡°Like I was told, they really dropped the ball on watching for magic, with the rise of technology they got distracted. Not to mention some of them began wondering if magic was actually real.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d think that, considering they had access to a literal vault of magical artifacts they¡¯d be sure it was.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you,¡± Theo shrugged helplessly, ¡°even I find it hard to believe at times.¡±


    ¡°Anything else I should know?¡±


    ¡°The Sons of Kayan wanted me to tell you that they believe these unknown mages are responsible for magic returning to this world, this side, but-.¡±


    ¡°I made that connection already,¡± Orlan said dryly.


    ¡°I figured, it¡¯s not a hard conclusion to draw,¡± Theo nodded, ¡°beyond that they said they¡¯d like to meet you. In secret. I¡¯m a public figure, if not a well known one, who¡¯s known to interact with you so me coming here isn¡¯t too surprising. But they can¡¯t approach you so directly. And doing so without invitation seemed like a bad idea.¡±


    ¡°Is there a point to them remaining that hidden now?¡±


    ¡°They seem to think there is.¡±


    ¡°Fuck¡­ I¡¯ll have to think about it,¡± Orlan said after a moment.


    <div>


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    <div>

 Returned Protector ch 21

    ¡°So you actually live in a giant castle now?¡± Emily teased her brother as he led her into a private dining room.


    ¡°One with temperature control, indoor plumbing and magical lighting,¡± Orlan replied dryly, ¡°I actually considered having and electrical system put in, but the technology on the other side wasn¡¯t up to my standard.¡±


    ¡°So you came back to this world just so you could have access to a computer again? All these beautiful warrior maidens not keeping you entertained?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, and you know it,¡± the Protector Lord sighed as he offered his sister a seat a the small dining table.


    ¡°We are his wives though,¡± Lailra added with a mischievous grin as she sat down as well.


    ¡°Only by legal technicality,¡± Orlan groaned.


    ¡°I was going to ask what kind isekai you got, the dark brutal kind or the power fantasy one, but if you have a whole harem of hotties, guess that answers my question,¡± Emily smirked as Orlan sat down.


    ¡°Despite appearances, it was pretty brutal on the other side,¡± Orlan admitted, ¡°coming back to this side has been more of a power fantasy than when I was dragged over there.¡±


    ¡°The first couple years were quite difficult,¡± Lailra confirmed when Emily shot her a glance, ¡°he was only first sphere upon arriving and I often had to drag him back to the protectorate half dead.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Emily replied, her smile fading, ¡°sorry for making light of it. How did that happen? The whole ending up in another world thing that is.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ partly my fault,¡± Lailra said with a grimace, ¡°my village had been destroyed by a beast rift, with only myself and a few other survivors seeking refuge in the forest. There was an Absent Protectorate near our village and we¡¯d hoped one day it would be claimed.¡±


    ¡°An Absent Protectorate is one that lacks a bonded Protector Lord,¡± Orlan explained, ¡°there¡¯s about two dozen Protectorates on the other side, with only half active at any given time, at least in modern history. The others are called Absent.¡±


    ¡°And a Protectorate is this floating island thing?¡± Emily asked, receiving a nod from Orlan, ¡°why not just find someone to activate them, if they¡¯re that useful?¡±


    ¡°Because magic is never simple. Magic is heavily reliant on emotion, feelings and willpower. There is no scientific method when it comes to magic as it works differently for everyone. A spell I might be able to cast at first sphere someone else might not be able to cast until third. Even enchanted items are altered by their user. For something as powerful and complex as one of these Protectorates there are often quite specific requirements for forming a bond. And for many of them, those requirements are partly or entirely unknown.¡±


    ¡°Which is why when a group of mages approached us, claiming to have a spell able to summon a Protector Lord for the Absent Protectorate, I jumped at the chance,¡± Lailra continued her story, ¡°They needed more mages of at least forth sphere to assist with the casting. I was the most powerful mage in my village at forth sphere, so I jumped at the chance. I was angry, there was someone out there who could have saved my friends and family but they were absent. So even when they told me the summoning spell would enslave the Protector Lord I was happy to help.¡±


    ¡°I take it the spell didn¡¯t work as advertised?¡± Emily asked as Lailra paused to pour a cup of tea from a steaming mug on the table.


    ¡°Actually, it worked almost perfectly,¡± Lailra replied, ¡°we think that it¡¯s only because of the nature of this Protectorate that it worked, since our theory is that it requires someone born on this side of the worlds. The name for it on the other side is now the ¡®Otherworld Protectorate.¡¯ So, because of it¡¯s nature the spell worked, and summoned Orlan.¡±


    ¡°So he was a slave?¡±


    ¡°He would have been, but his inherent ability is Void Strike, which gives him access to void mana,¡± Lailra said with a slight smile, ¡°instinctively he activated this ability to burn away the slave mark. Seeing this the other mages would have killed him, but they were exhausted from casting the summoning spell and a Protector Lord on his Protectorate is practically a god. Even without knowing how magic worked, and thinking this was some kind of nightmare, he killed or chased off the mages.¡±


    ¡°And you?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t care that he wasn¡¯t enslaved, that he had bonded with the Protectorate was enough for me, and I stepped in to help him when the others turned on him.¡±


    ¡°It took her hours to convince me it was all real,¡± Orlan said with a bit of a smirk.


    ¡°And stop you from running around the keep naked,¡± Lailra replied, Orlan having the good grace to look embarrassed.


    ¡°Turns out those mages were part of a cult or something, and wanted the power of a Protectorate, when they learned their spell worked, they tried to kill me. Presumably so they could retry it and get a proper enslaved Protector Lord,¡± Orlan added, ¡°between that and fighting beasts with only Lailra for support¡­ I¡¯ll just say I¡¯m not proud of how I acted.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Emily said slowly, taking a sip of her own tea as a couple maids entered to serve them. From what she remembered of her brother, he hadn¡¯t been the most stable or mature when he vanished. Suffering from depression and a lack of drive, thrust into a situation that stressful she could easily see him shutting down completely. That was how he¡¯d been after their father died. Like that, in a strange world, persued by murderous cultists and terrible monsters¡­


    ¡°It seems I have to thank you for looking after my idiot brother, Lailra was it?¡± Emily said, giving the other woman a warm smile.


    ¡°Nallia also joined us in the first year,¡± Lailra demurred, ¡°so I wasn¡¯t entirely alone.¡±


    ¡°Nallia is busy tonight, by the way, I wanted her to be here, but she decided to do some research,¡± Orlan answered the question before Emily could ask.


    ¡°She got lost in playing with that phone thing you mean,¡± Lailra replied, ¡°she¡¯s always been a bit of a bookworm but with access to the ¡®internet¡¯ she¡¯s been¡­ obsessed.¡±


    Orlan didn¡¯t add that she was attempting to find more information on what he¡¯d heard from Theodor. Perhaps he¡¯d been na?ve to think that this side wouldn¡¯t have any secrets, but to find there were a number of divine level relics controlled by an unknown group who was unfriendly was worrying to say the least. They could only hope that those items had very strict activation requirements like the Protectorate did.


    ¡°Anyways,¡± Orlan said, changing the subject as they began to eat, ¡°now you know what I¡¯ve been up to, what about you? You have children now?¡±


    ¡°Yup, three,¡± Emily nodded, ¡°the oldest is fourteen and the twins are twelve. I only have one husband but I¡¯m happy.¡±


    ¡°The whole married thing is only legal convention,¡± Orlan insisted in an overly dramatic strained tone, Emily smiling that she still could still annoy her brother.


    ¡°We also moved to Florida, couldn¡¯t stand the New York anymore. The traffic, crime, poor public schools¡­¡± she shook her head, ¡°not to mention everything is so expensive up there. Not as exciting as being pursued by some magical cult in another world, but¡­¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Sounds like things have gotten more exciting over the last year though,¡± Orlan commented, ¡°since the rifts started appearing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been worrying, but the government has been assuring us we¡¯re safe. Paul, my husband, did get a shotgun a few months back though.¡±


    ¡°Not a bad idea, the most dangerous part of a rift event is the first few minutes, when the beasts first start appearing. Even a nonmagical weapon can be the difference between life and death.¡±


    ¡°If you find a magical shotgun that allows a middle aged mother of three to use it let me know,¡± Emily smirked.


    ¡°Oh, no, not an enchanted weapon, just a magical one,¡± Orlan said after a moment, ¡°a magical item is one imbued with mana, it¡¯ll be stronger, and heavier than a mundane item, but typically won¡¯t have any additional effects. My shirt is a magical item, imbued to tier four but beyond being more durable than normal cloth it¡¯s still just a shirt. The Protectorate and my spear, on the other hand, are enchanted items. They have special abilities and unique powers, making them far more powerful and useful, but that also comes with them having a¡­ call it a personality. A will of their own. That¡¯s where the requirements for use come from.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ think I understand,¡± Emily said slowly.


    ¡°Anyone can use a magical item, but enchanted items are alive and pick who can or can¡¯t use them and when they can or can¡¯t be used,¡± Lailra offered.


    ¡°Like I said, magic is weird,¡± Orlan shrugged, ¡°normally I¡¯d offer you a magical weapon or two but a modern shotgun is probably better than a magical musket.¡±


    ¡°Could you teach me magic?¡± Emily asked with a grin.


    ¡°We could, but it¡¯s risky,¡± replied Orlan, pausing for a moment before continuing, ¡°we¡¯ve found that a number of people on this side are, to put it simply, allergic to mana. We think it¡¯s because there hasn¡¯t been much mana on this side so the condition has gone unnoticed.¡±


    ¡°And the only way to test for it is to have you absorb some mana and wait for a reaction,¡± Lailra added, picking up a bit of fruit from her plate and focusing on it, the grilled fruit glowing with a soft green light, ¡°I¡¯ve imbued this fruit with a tiny amount of mana, enough to get a reaction if you have the allergy but probably not enough to kill.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ see,¡± said Emily, eyeing the bit of fruit, ¡°what are the chances I have a mana allergy?¡±


    ¡°Around one in twelve from what little data we¡¯ve gathered,¡± Orlan said.


    Emily nodded, hesitantly reaching out towards the piece of fruit, pausing just short of it before sighing and lowering her arm.


    ¡°I can¡¯t take that chance,¡± she said, ¡°as much as I¡¯d like magic, being a parent changes things. I won¡¯t risk leaving my kids without a parent.¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s the wise answer,¡± Lailra said with a grin, popping the fruit into her mouth, ¡°looking after your children is, in my opinion, a calling at least as great as being a Protector Lord.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any kids?¡± Emily asked.


    ¡°Nope, someone¡¯s been too focused on his job to think about children,¡± replied the other woman with a subtle glance at Orlan.


    ¡°But he¡¯s the one you¡¯d have them with?¡± Orlan¡¯s sister asked, a devious glint in her eyes, ¡°does he even realize?¡±


    ¡°He can be dense but he¡¯s not stupid.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve also got plenty of time,¡± Orlan interrupted with a dry stare at the two women, ¡°at our level we can expect to live several hundred years.¡±


    ¡°I was wondering why you looked so young, I was planning to ask what your secret was,¡± Emily said, ¡°that makes it more tempting to learn magic.¡±


    ¡°Once your children leave the nest you can come back,¡± Lailra said, ¡°then you can teach them.¡±


    ¡°By then we should, hopefully, be able to identify those with soul blight, a mana allergy, without harming them,¡± Orlan nodded.


    ¡°Something to look forward to then,¡± Emily nodded, taking another bite of her meal before looking up with a serious expression, ¡°tell me honestly, is my family safe? Will people be coming after us to get to you? I¡¯ve been thinking about it ever since this morning and I can¡¯t stop worrying.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know,¡± Orlan admitted, ¡°I¡¯m not even sure who my enemies are, much less what they want.¡±


    ¡°If you want, you and your family could move into the castle for a bit,¡± Lailra offered.


    ¡°And take my kids out of school? No,¡± Emily shook her head immediately, ¡°it¡¯s kind of you to offer but, if our world is changing and magic is real now I want them to get as much normalcy as they can while it lasts.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Lailra nodded, smiling warmly at the other woman, ¡°but the offer will remain if you change your mind.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. But that¡¯s enough serious talk for now, it¡¯s been years since I¡¯ve seen my little brother, so tell me,¡± said Emily, leaning towards Lailra, ¡°would you like to know some embarrassing stories about him?¡±


    ¡°Oh, do tell,¡± Lailra replied with a conspiratorial grin as Orlan sighed, nearly banging his head into the table.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°Alright, focus,¡± Topaz said as Amy held out her hand, ¡°feel for the energy within you, and imagine it flowing down your arm and out your palm.¡±


    Amy nodded, closing her eyes and reaching inside herself. Her mana was soft, yet all covering, like a thick blanket, and moving it was odd. Simply imagining it moving wasn¡¯t enough, she had to immerse herself in the feeling before encouraging it to move. She¡¯d been practicing for the last week, but now was her first attempt at summoning a spell circle. Apparently, you had to let a sphere settle before using it or you risked damaging it.


    So as eager as she was to attempt magic, actual magic, something part of her still couldn¡¯t believe, she¡¯d waited. But now she guided the energy up her arm, it felt like her blood had turned cool and thick, branching at random as it traveled along the limb. She had to be careful, trying to force the mana would only cause it to seize up and retract back into her soul, she was simply guiding the energy, not controlling it directly. This process was different for every person, apparently, so the sisters couldn¡¯t offer much advice beyond the general. But they were helpful enough that, with Lady White watching on from a distance, she felt the energy reach her palm.


    Grinning she pictured it flowing out of her hand and into the air before her and, after a moment, a single circle of energy appeared before her outstretched palm. Amy smiled and opened her mouth to say something, but as she did the circle flickered and vanished.


    ¡°Wait, damnit!¡±


    ¡°Well done!¡± Topaz said with a smile, ¡°you got he full circle to appear, that¡¯s good!¡±


    ¡°But why form a circle? I wasn¡¯t imagining a shape.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t call your soul ¡®spheres¡¯ for nothing,¡± Topaz answered, ¡°what you¡¯re doing by pushing the mana out is projecting your soul. But the projection is flat, so what does a sphere look like if you flatten it?¡±


    ¡°A circle!¡± Ruby cheered, hugging Amy, ¡°you¡¯re a natural!¡±


    ¡°How do you two cast so quickly?¡± Amy asked as she returned Ruby¡¯s hug, ¡°I¡¯ve seen you cast spells in an instant, but it took me nearly a minute to coax my mana out. Is it just practice?¡±


    ¡°Partly,¡± replied Topaz, glaring at her sister, ¡°as you get better with mana you¡¯ll be able to summon it faster and easier, but mostly it¡¯s that you¡¯re only first sphere. The more spheres you have, the faster you can cast the lower spheres. The difference is quite stark too, Lord Orlan, who¡¯s currently fifth sphere, can cast multiple first sphere spells at once almost without thought.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get there!¡± Ruby added.


    ¡°Alright, so, what¡¯s next? Going to teach me a spell?¡± Amy asked, stepping away from Ruby and lifting her arm again.


    ¡°Nope, now you are going to keep practicing summoning the spell circle till you can maintain it for thirty seconds,¡± Topaz shook her head, ¡°If you want to be a Protector Knight, first you have to master the basics.¡±


    Amy took a breath and, suppressing a sigh, nodded, calling upon her mana once more. Despite magic being, well, magic, it still required practice it seemed.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°Lord, you¡¯re here,¡± Nallia said, barely looking up from the projection of Amy¡¯s first sphere.


    ¡°You missed a fun dinner,¡± Orlan replied.


    ¡°I found something,¡± the woman spoke, pointing at a part of the projection, ¡°it¡¯s very slight, but there¡¯s a spike right there.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°I looked through the Grandmaster¡¯s library,¡± she said, gesturing to several large tomes opened on a nearby table, ¡°spikes don¡¯t form with soul runes. In every example I¡¯ve ever seen soul spheres are smooth, rounded. No hard edges much less spikes.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± Orlan asked, leaning in to squint at the area she¡¯d pointed to, ¡°could just be a flaw in the spell.¡±


    ¡°I considered that, but no, the spell completed successfully.¡±


    ¡°So there is a difference between the soul runes of this side and the other?¡±


    ¡°Possible, but unlikely, the other runes are the same,¡± she shook her head, ¡°no, I found another explanation, but it¡¯s not one you¡¯re going to like. These spikes can form when someone creates a new sphere while a spell is affecting them. As the mana crystalizes it follows the spell link, forming a spike. Thankfully the spike will collapse after a few days, and have no lasting effects.¡±


    ¡°But a spell was cast on her? One of the knights cast something maybe?¡±


    ¡°No, this was an active spell that was influencing her. It might still be in place.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I don¡¯t like this,¡± Orlan said after a minute pondering the possibilities, ¡°have you tested her for active spells?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, I wanted to inform you first.¡±


    ¡°Do it, according to Theo there might be other people on this side who can use magic already.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it now,¡± Nallia started only for Orlan to grab her shoulder.


    ¡°No, go eat first,¡± he ordered, meeting her eyes. Despite her outward lack of expression he was good at reading her, so while she might look normal to anyone else he could tell she was stressed. She didn¡¯t like secrets, likely one of the reasons she had light mana, so learning of such a big, and dangerous secret as the bomb Theo had dropped on them had sent her into a researching craze.


    ¡°Of course, my lord,¡± she nodded after a moment, turning to walk the other way, the projection flickering out behind her.

 Returned Protector ch 22

    ¡°There is, or rather was, an active spell effecting Miss Amy,¡± Nallia reported a few hours later to Orlan and Lailra along with several other members of the first lance and the Grandmaster, who Orlan had asked to be present, ¡°awakening alone was enough for her to be able to sever the connection.¡±


    ¡°Any idea what kind of spell it was?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°No, just that it was extremely subtle, otherwise we would have sensed it,¡± Nallia answered.


    ¡°There¡¯s little that can be learned from a spell spike unfortunately,¡± the Grandmaster agreed, ¡°from what I read after being informed, spell spikes are more of an oddity than a serious topic of study. A hint into how mana crystalizes within the soul as one forms a sphere, but that¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°All we can say is that the spell would have to be extremely carefully designed, to have such a subtle connection,¡± added Nallia, ¡°meaning a skilled mage of, at a minimum, the Earthly realm.¡±


    ¡°What about when the spell was cast, or its origin, can you give me anything?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°Actually, I can,¡± the Grandmaster spoke up, leaning forward, ¡°Lady Nallia and I went around checking other people on the protectorate, just in case we were compromised. No one who was awakened was affected, but among those un-awakened in the village¡­ all of them had a very subtle spell on them.¡±


    ¡°All of them?¡± Lailra asked in shock.


    ¡°Everyone I tested in any case,¡± the older man shrugged, ¡°but that¡¯s not all, I did a wide area scan of the entire island, and there are a number of identical mana threads leading to our protectorate. Hard to get an exact number with a large scale spell but there were easily more connections than there are un-awakened here.¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t anyone hiding on the Protectorate, I¡¯d know if there were,¡± Orlan stated.


    ¡°Of course not, no, I actually found the source of them in your vault, the glass eye.¡±


    ¡°I thought it¡¯s aura was contained.¡±


    ¡°It is, this isn¡¯t its aura, it¡¯s another effect. A proper spell not an aura as well,¡± he sighed, ¡°I haven¡¯t had a chance to investigate closer but I¡¯ve called in several of the other mages to conduct a proper assay into the eye.¡±


    ¡°Did Theo say anything about what the Eye of Providence did?¡± Lailra asked, looking at Orlan.


    ¡°Only that it revealed the truth,¡± Orlan shrugged.


    ¡°The Eye of Providence is often used in reference to the Eye of God,¡± Nallia spoke up, ¡°often used in iconography related to the religion ¡®Christianity¡¯ and, in the modern day, is the subject of much conjecture and conspiracy.¡±


    ¡°Might be more to that than I thought,¡± Orlan groaned.


    ¡°It is believed the origins of the Eye of Providence date back to Ancient Egypt, before the splitting, where the Eye of Horus was used as a form of protection,¡± the blank faced woman continued, ¡°in mythology the God Horus had his eye cut out by another god, Set. From there it was eventually picked up by these Christians, who depicted the eye within a triangle, which they claim symbolizes God.¡±


    ¡°Why would the eye of a god be considered a protective emblem?¡± the Grandmaster asked.


    ¡°Because it represented the watchful eye of Horus, supposedly whatever his eye could see he was aware of, even after it was removed,¡± Nallia said, ¡°they believed that this property extended to symbols of his eye.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think¡­¡± Orlan said slowly.


    ¡°There¡¯s an easy way to test it,¡± Lailra replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m confused,¡± Alia spoke up, ¡°how would an eye be related to the spell cast on Miss Amy?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s actually a good point, the eye might be linked to other items that carry a symbol of it, but not to people,¡± Lailra agreed, ¡°but this was only one of the items they had, maybe another one links to humans?¡±


    ¡°The other items were¡­ let¡¯s see, a necklace, a bow and the Holy Grail,¡± Orlan said, glancing at Nallia, ¡°you did all that studying, find anything?¡±


    ¡°The Holy Grail¡¯s abilities appear limited to those who drink from it, granting eternal life, healing, nourishment or even restoring life to a dead land. There seems to be two competing myths that both related to the Holy Grail, one related to King Arthur and his story.¡±


    ¡°King Arthur? Like the Last King of the Arthurian Isles?¡± the Grand Master asked.


    ¡°So it seems, they seem to believe seeking the Grail to be the main goal of King Arthur,¡± Lailra nodded, ¡°and the second myth relates to it being the cup which the son of god in Christian mythology, Jesus, drank from, and the power relates to his bloodline.¡±


    ¡°Does myth refer to effecting large groups of people?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°No, my lord, if you really stretch the writing, you might conclude that there is a compulsion to find the Grail, but I find that to be unlikely,¡± Lailra shook her head, ¡°the next item is Gandiva, a bow used by Arjuna, a hero of Hindu myth, crafted by the god Brahma, the creator deity and god of knowledge according to the Hindu. It¡¯s stated effects are the granting of self-confidence, the power of a hundred thousand bows and that arrows it fires can¡¯t be blocked or dodged.¡±


    ¡°Another reference to a creator deity and source of knowledge,¡± the Grandmaster mused, ¡°maybe there¡¯s a link?¡±


    ¡°Unknown, this is just what I learned from my research,¡± Nallia explained, ¡°but I consider it likely that this Brahma and Horus were linked, if not the same figure. Regardless, the last item Theodor mentioned was Brisingamen. There is little actual writing about this item, besides that it was the necklace of Freyja, the goddess of love, war, gold and knowledge of the future in Norse Mythology. The extent of writing I could find that wasn¡¯t pure speculation was that Brisingamen was stolen from Freyja by Loki, another Norse god associated with trickery and fire. The exact reasons why he stole the necklace are disputed, from simple whimsy to trying to get Freyja to marry him. It was later returned by Heimdallr, who¡¯s associated with keen senses and foreknowledge.¡±


    ¡°According to Theo, Brisingamen can influence the minds of others,¡± Orlan added, ¡°but, before the Grandmaster points it out himself, there seems to be more connections to sight and knowledge. What about on the other side, anything we know about these figures?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to go through the archives, but I believe Horus and Brahma are mentioned, but under different names. Likely the result of linguistic drift,¡± the Grandmaster shrugged, ¡°but I seem to remember a Haroeris, an important mage in ancient Egyptian history. A king of theirs, unless I misremember, who had his eye cut out. I¡¯ll have to confer with Lady Nallia about the stories, make sure they¡¯re related.¡±


    ¡°Will you have time while setting up the academy?¡± Lailra asked.


    ¡°The other¡¯s are handling basically all of it, it¡¯ll be harder for me to find other mages to assist with the assay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see if some of our knights can help out,¡± Lailra offered, ¡°but I figured you¡¯d be super busy with the academy, how did you get the others to do it without your help?¡±


    ¡°I threatened to actually help them,¡± the Grandmaster laughed, ¡°trust me, they¡¯re better off without me poking my nose in.¡±


    ¡°Alright, keep me informed,¡± Orlan said as he stood, ¡°I¡¯ll go try to get more information out of Theo.¡±


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°I was actually just about to come find you,¡± Theo said, stepping out of the guest room he¡¯d been assigned at the castle to find Orlan walking towards him, ¡°is this a magic thing? Did you sense I needed you?¡±


    ¡°Yup, turns out I¡¯m completely omniscient,¡± Orlan said dryly, ¡°I was actually hoping to get more information about the artifacts the Sons of Kayeen lost.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°I already told you everything they told me, if you want more you¡¯ll have to meet with them.¡±


    ¡°Figured, after some recent developments on my end, might have to set that meeting up sooner rather than later.¡±


    ¡°Soon as they contact me, I¡¯ll set up a time,¡± Theo nodded, ¡°Now, about what I wanted to talk to you about. You know people have been posting images of your island and castle on social media since they arrived, right?¡±


    ¡°You mean the workers here to set up the cell tower and generator? I figured they would,¡± Orlan dismissed with a wave of his hand, ¡°they aren¡¯t allowed anywhere sensitive, I thought a social media presence would be good for our image.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right there, no I mean, I just got a call from my aides¡­ do you have a young woman named Amy staying here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, what about her?¡±


    ¡°She was MIA after the Jefferson event, rift, whatever, thought dead,¡± Theo explained, ¡°or at least she was, until one of her friends spotted her in a picture one of the workers here took. Now her family is up in arms.¡±


    ¡°Family? Her immediate family was dead when we found her,¡± Orlan replied, turning and walking down the hallway back the way he came, ¡°she wanted to join up and help us. It¡¯s not an uncommon way for us to recruit.¡±


    ¡°Apparently one of her aunts is demanding her back,¡± Theo sighed, as he followed, ¡°at least we think she¡¯s an aunt, not a lot of information yet.¡±


    ¡°If Miss Amy wants to go back she¡¯s welcome to, but I¡¯m not going to force her.¡±


    ¡°That might be how it works on the other side, but here she¡¯s still a minor. An orphan at that,¡± Theo said, ¡°where are we going?¡±


    ¡°To speak with Amy,¡± Orlan said as he pushed open a door, stepping out into a training yard where a dozen women were practicing. Many of them stopped and waved as Orlan walked out of the door, only to pause as Theo followed him, starting to huff at Orlan¡¯s pace.


    ¡°Lady White,¡± the Protector Lord said, walking up to an old warhorse of a woman, ¡°any idea where Amy is?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s with the gem sisters who are teaching her the basics of magic,¡± the woman replied, nodding over her shoulder towards the gate leading into the castle, ¡°I asked them to stay in the castle, but they went out, likely into the forest.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Orlan nodded before closing his eyes and freezing for a moment, Theo took the opportunity to catch his breath before looking at Orlan in askance, about to ask what was going on when Orlan suddenly opened his eyes again, ¡°alright, found them. From now on, keep the trainees inside the walls while we have outsiders on the island.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lord,¡± White nodded, turning to shout at the knights in training who were watching the interaction. Orlan turned and began walking towards the castle gate, causing Theo to jump to catch up.


    ¡°Must we walk?¡±


    ¡°Normally I¡¯d teleport there,¡± Orlan said, ¡°but I can¡¯t take others with me, so yes, we¡¯re going to walk. It¡¯ll be good for you.¡±


    ¡°If I survive it,¡± Theo muttered but didn¡¯t complain any further, kind of excited to see more of the island. The road from the castle was in quite good condition, feeling almost paved in concrete with how smooth it was. Only the slight gradation in colors indicating that it was actually stone, as they walked down towards the village the stone changed color several times, like they were passing through different layers. For all Theo knew, that was exactly what was going on. The road was cut from the stone itself, likely using magic, so why wouldn¡¯t they just use the local stone, changing colors and all?


    ¡°Lord Orlan!¡± a man called out, looking up from some kind of woodwork to wave at them.


    ¡°Hey, how¡¯s the daughter?¡± Orlan called back with a smile.


    ¡°Still dead set on becoming one of your knights,¡± the man, a carpenter replied with a laugh, ¡°despite my wife¡¯s attempts to talk her out of it.¡±


    ¡°Once she¡¯s fully grown and awakened, I¡¯ll be happy to have her, but don¡¯t tell your wife that.¡±


    ¡°Be our secret,¡± the man agreed with a grin before returning to his work. Several more villagers called out as Orlan and Theo passed through, all happy to see him even if a few shared their concerns about the events of the past few weeks. One family was wondering when the growing houses will be functional again, a blacksmith asked about getting some ore for his forge and a few others.


    ¡°They seem to like you,¡± Theo commented as they continued along the road leading out of the town.


    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t be here if they didn¡¯t, these people aren¡¯t my citizens or anything like that, as a Protector Lord I can¡¯t claim a peasantry, receive or give titles of nobility, collect taxes or anything like that. Everyone here is free to leave, and quite a few did when I announced my plans to come to this side, so only those who really trust me remained.¡±


    ¡°But they live and work here?¡± Theo asked, ¡°do they work for you directly?¡±


    ¡°In effect, while I can¡¯t collect taxes, I can enforce some laws on my island, punishments for crime, that kind of thing. One of the laws is that everyone must assist the mission of the protectorate to save people in some way. Often that means providing supplies or services, often that means they grow food, make things or whatever.¡±


    ¡°And how is that different from taxing them?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t force them to give me anything, or demand a percentage. I can ask them for more, but can¡¯t force them to give it to me.¡±


    ¡°And if they refuse to give you anything?¡±


    ¡°They I¡¯ll drop them off at the next port,¡± Orlan said, ¡°think of the island less as a small city-state and more of like a ship. I¡¯m the Captain here, so ultimately anything I say goes, but there are limits. You¡¯re only onboard with my permission, and if I revoke that permission you have to leave.¡±


    ¡°And if someone doesn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Trust me, if I want someone off the island, one way or another they¡¯re leaving,¡± Orlan smirked, ¡°there¡¯s little I can¡¯t do on my island.¡±


    ¡°Except teleport,¡± Theo groaned as Orlan turned off the road, walking into a forest, ¡°there aren¡¯t like, magical beasts in these forest are there?¡±


    ¡°Beasts? No, but there are a few monsters.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡±


    ¡°Beasts come from the rifts, monsters are native,¡± Orlan replied, ¡°beasts are universally aggressive, but once they have offspring, those are less so and settle into more natural roles.¡±


    ¡°So there could be some ant things from Jefferson out in the mountains creating little monsters?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible, but unlikely,¡± Orlan replied, ¡°we killed the princess, so they have no queen and probably can¡¯t reproduce. Not to mention the mana here is too weak, the aether too thin, to support monsters that are very powerful. So even if they did breed, the offspring wouldn¡¯t be much stronger than most people.¡±


    ¡°What about past Rifts? Before you arrived?¡± Theo asked even as he panted, following Orlan through the forest, ¡°I doubt the military got everything from them.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re probably out in the countryside, messing up the local ecosystem,¡± nodded Orlan, ¡°Thankfully monsters typically don¡¯t get much stronger than what the local aether can support. On the other side there¡¯s an entire profession of monster hunters who, well, hunt monsters. Hopefully the mages we train here can go on to start up something similar on this side.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ wait¡­ is that a waterfall?¡± Theo asked, cocking his head at the distant rushing of water. Orlan simply smirked, continuing to walk. A short distance later they emerged from the tree line to a good sized lake of crystal clear water, on the far side of which a waterfall crashed into the surface.


    ¡°How is there a waterfall on a floating island?¡± Theo asked.


    ¡°Probably magic,¡± Orlan shrugged, turning to wave to three figures who were sitting on some rocks, their feet dangling into the water, ¡°how are you three sisters doing?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t encourage her, my lord!¡± came an exasperated reply as the three young women, all of whom looked quite young, early twenties most likely, with the radiant beauty brought by either their youth or magic, began hurrying over to them.


    ¡°You need something, my lord?¡± another one of them asked as the two groups met.


    ¡°How¡¯s the magic coming?¡± Orlan asked with a smile.


    ¡°I finally managed my first spell!¡± the girl replied with a beaming smile, a slight blush on her cheeks. Not that Theo could blame her, even as a guy he had to admit Orlan was quite handsome. For a girl like her, at the tail end or just coming out of puberty it was no wonder she was excited to see him.


    ¡°Good to hear, those other two teaching you well?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    ¡°Great, unfortunately I didn¡¯t come here just to check up,¡± Orlan said with a sigh, nodding to Theo, ¡°this is Theo, he works for or in congress, he just got word that one of your aunts found out you¡¯re alive.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Amy replied, her face falling, ¡°what does she want?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s demanding we give you to her.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what that old harpy wants,¡± Amy spat, ¡°she never helped after my mother passed, never even called to help Pa. Now she''s suddenly conserned? Probably just wants a check from the government for child support.¡±


    ¡°Well, that seems pretty definitive,¡± Orlan said, looking at Theo.


    ¡°If only it were that simple,¡± the other man sighed, ¡°I can try to push for her to be declared an adult, at her age, with her parents¡­ it¡¯s not uncommon. But are you sure this is that aunt? Do you have more than one?¡±


    ¡°Nope, my Pa was an only child, my mother had one sister and three brothers, they all disowned my mother after she married my father because he was Catholic,¡± Amy sighed, ¡°only my aunt ever spoke to her. So either it¡¯s Aunt Judy or it¡¯s another woman claiming to be an Aunt. Either way, I want to stay here.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll see what I can do, but¡­ I have to ask, have you been treated well here? Orlan hasn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t done anything to me, nor has anyone else,¡± Amy sighed, rolling her eyes.


    ¡°Amy might go for it if it were Orlan!¡± one of the other girls said cheerfully, only to be smacked over the head by the other.


    ¡°Ruby! Not now!¡± the taller girl snapped.


    ¡°Ow, that hurt,¡± Ruby complained, rubbing her head and looking up with a dramatic pout.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome to interview her if you need,¡± Orlan said, shaking his head at the antics, ¡°but I promise she hasn¡¯t been treated poorly.¡±


    ¡°The worst they¡¯ve done is exercise,¡± Amy agreed, her face red from Ruby¡¯s comment, ¡°I thought I was in good shape before I got here. But after this training¡­¡±


    ¡°Would you be up to speaking later?¡± Theo asked the young woman, the taller girl clamping a hand over Ruby¡¯s mouth before she should say anything, ¡°I might need to follow up with this.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sure,¡± Amy nodded, ¡°my phone is back in my room though.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ oh right,¡± Theo shook his head, struggling to reconcile the fact that this young knight in training was also a girl from this world, of course she had a phone, ¡°guess we have to walk back then.¡±


    ¡°My lord,¡± the older of the sisters said, looking at Orlan, ¡°don¡¯t suppose we could get a ride back?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Orlan smiled, a ring of greyish light appearing under them and gently lifting all five of them from the ground before flying back towards the castle.


    ¡°You¡­ you said we had to walk!¡± Theo said, looking at Orlan in shock.


    ¡°I said I couldn¡¯t teleport another person, that¡¯s still true,¡± Orlan grinned back, ¡°but so long as we¡¯re over my protectorate I can fly us.¡±


    ¡°Then why did we walk out there!¡±


    ¡°I wanted to walk,¡± Orlan shrugged.

 Returned Protector ch 23

    Orlan paused as he took a sip of the coffee on his meeting room table, at least once a week he liked to have these meetings just to ensure his protectorate was running smoothly without issues. The kitchen staff usually provided breakfast and drinks for the meeting, but there was something odd about this coffee.


    ¡°It¡¯s coffee we got from the locals, my lord,¡± one of the staffers explained, seeing his expression.


    ¡°Quite a bit¡­ stronger than what we have on the other side,¡± Orlan commented.


    ¡°The knights have been split on the taste,¡± the woman agreed with a knowing smile as she finished setting a platter of pastries, ¡°everyone has approved of everything else though, my lord, the chefs were especially impressed by the sugar.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Orlan nodded, returning her smile as he grabbed a roll and sat down. The rest of the senior staff filing in, from his own senior most knights to the grandmaster of the mage¡¯s spire and a few elders from the town. The last to arrive was Theo, who¡¯d been invited as a guest by Orlan, partly so he could see how the protectorate functioned, and partly because one of the issues was Amy and her Aunt.


    ¡°Adalee broke through to the third sphere a couple nights ago,¡± Lady White reported, ¡°so far she¡¯s doing well with the changes.¡±


    ¡°She uses dream mana right?¡± Orlan asked, the old warhorse of a woman nodding, ¡°makes sense she broke through at night then.¡±


    ¡°She was asleep at the time, my lord,¡± White agreed, ¡°nearly destroyed her bedroom unfortunately, nothing valuable was lost though. Other than her, I think the gem sisters, Ruby and Topaz are ready to push for forth sphere, both of them have stabilized in the Earthly Realm, but¡­¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid they might hold off to wait for miss Amy to catch up, they¡¯ve really taken to her.¡±


    ¡°Any suggestions?¡± Orlan asked, eyeing his coffee suspiciously as he debated whether to refill it or not.


    ¡°Offer Topaz a bond if she makes it to forth sphere,¡± White said immediately, clearly having anticipated the question, ¡°Ruby is still too¡­ immature to bond safely, but seeing her sister do so should motivate Ruby to work at it.¡±


    ¡°Any chance it¡¯ll drive a wedge between them?¡± Lailra asked.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m certain that, if miss Topaz bonds with you successfully, she¡¯ll immediately turn around and assist both Ruby and Amy in moving forward.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll want to test Topaz before allowing the bond,¡± Orlan said, ¡°but beyond that I¡¯ve no objections.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve a question,¡± Theo spoke up for the first time, on his third cup of coffee and having gone through several pastries, ¡°this bond you speak of, how long until Amy is¡­ considered ready for it?¡±


    ¡°At least a couple years,¡± Orlan replied, ¡°she has to be at least third sphere, but I¡¯d prefer if she made it to fourth before testing her.¡±


    ¡°So not an immediate issue, alright,¡± Theo sighed, ¡°her Aunt is applying quite a bit of pressure through the media to get her niece back. I¡¯ve told my staff back in Washington to get the paperwork started to declare her an adult, but we¡¯ll probably need to go to court.¡±


    ¡°Anything we can do on this side?¡±


    ¡°I heard the bond thing was akin to marriage, if she was going to bond soon she could apply for dual citizenship,¡± Theo shrugged, ¡°other than that, she might have to appear in court.¡±


    ¡°For one, the bond isn¡¯t a marriage, the other side just puts them on the same level legally,¡± Orlan sighed, palming his forehead, ¡°it¡¯s a technicality my knights love to tease me with.¡±


    ¡°Oh calm down, honey,¡± Lailra said with a teasing smile, ¡°surely you aren¡¯t implying you don¡¯t want to be married to us.¡±


    ¡°See what I mean?¡± Orlan asked, giving Theo a dry look.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m hurt!¡± Lailra replied in mock surprise, holding a hand to her chest, ¡°to think you¡¯d be so rude to your wife!¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Theo said, equally confused and amused as he glanced between the two, ¡°in any case, Amy might need to appear in court if her aunt really pushes the issue. And if that happens you know the media will be all over it.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t ya just ignore ¡®em Lord?¡± one of the older men at the table asked, he was one of the village elders and possibly the longest non-magic wielding inhabitant of the protectorate, ¡°let ¡®em squawk.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately the US has quite a bit of military power that can be deployed even against us here,¡± Orlan replied, ¡°including some explosives of, well, apocalyptic potential. Even I don¡¯t know if I can protect the island from a nuke.¡±


    ¡°That you might be able to at all scares me,¡± Theo commented, ¡°regardless, avoiding conflict is in everyone¡¯s interest, so I¡¯ll do what I can. All I need to know is, if she needs to appear in court, will she be able to?¡±


    ¡°Depending on where the court is, probably,¡± Orlan replied after a moment, ¡°our cutters can reach North Carolina from here, where I assume the court will be, but just barely.¡±


    ¡°She could take a plane, drop her off at whatever airport is closest and I should be able to get her a flight back,¡± Theo offered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to think about that, I don¡¯t want to put her at risk of being kidnapped or attacked.¡±


    ¡°Could we send some other knights with her?¡± Lailra asked, ¡°for security?¡±


    ¡°Not sure how the media will play that, but it¡¯s possible,¡± Theo said after a moment¡¯s thought, ¡°the final option is a remote appearance, using facetime or something. Apparently, they allow that now, I¡¯d have to talk to some of the youngsters in my staff about it though. The judge might not like that however.¡±


    ¡°You can call in to court appointments now?¡± Orlan asked, looking surprised, ¡°technology. Anyways, anything else to bring up Lady White?¡±


    ¡°No, my lord, I saved the issue of the gem sisters for last because I knew we¡¯d be derailed,¡± Lady White replied.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°Great, next up¡­ Master Henri?¡±


    ¡°Been a couple complaints about the god-awful racket that gen-er-a-tor thing been makin,¡± the old villager drawled as the meeting moved on.


    -----


    ¡°Alright,¡± Orlan said a few hours later, ¡°last issue, Grandmaster?¡±


    ¡°Right, I¡¯ve got two things,¡± the old wizard said with only a slight scowl at the title, ¡°first off, the others tell me the academy is ready for an initial class of twenty at any time. We should be able to take on twice that number if we get some apprentices from the first.¡±


    ¡°You teaching?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll consider an apprentice if someone awakens to weather mana,¡± the old man snorted, ¡°students will be arriving in a few days right?¡±


    ¡°Assuming everything goes well,¡± Theo nodded as Orlan gave him a look.


    ¡°Great, second issue¡­ I got some mages together and we did a complete assay of that eye.¡±


    ¡°Ifn yall are gonna talk magic, can I go?¡± Henri asked, standing and bowing to Orlan after getting a nod before walking out along with the two other elders.


    ¡°Should I stay?¡± Theo asked.


    ¡°You got us into this,¡± Orlan said, nodding for the Grandmaster to continue.


    ¡°Alright, first up, our initial assay was correct, the item¡¯s aura provides insight at a cost,¡± the Grandmaster said, a spell circle appearing around the coffee pot with a wave of his hand, causing the now cold drink to heat up once more, ¡°beyond that the item seems to have four active abilities.


    ¡°The first is the one alluded to by the stories, it can form a spell link with any representation of itself, within a narrow band of allowed deviation. A ritual is required to ¡®attune¡¯ the eye with a specific symbol, such as the ¡®eye of providence¡¯ or ¡®eye of Horus.¡¯ Only one symbol can be ¡®attuned¡¯ at any given time, we think, but it can link to any instance of that symbol, anywhere in the world.¡±


    ¡°Even if I were to simply draw an eye in a triangle, it would link with it?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°Yes, assuming it¡¯s attuned to that symbol. At the current time, we¡¯re pretty sure that¡¯s what the attunement is,¡± the Grandmaster confirmed, ¡°the second ability is based on the first, basically any magic effecting the eye is passed on to any linked symbol, though at a greatly diluted strength.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Orlan stiffened, ¡°the aura?¡±


    ¡°Yes, anything carrying the Eye of Providence symbol will have a weak aura of insight,¡± the old man nodded gravely, ¡°based on research by Lady Nallia and I, the Eye was adopted by the United States as part of its seal shortly after the nation was founded, and was placed on the one dollar bank note close to a century ago. But it would have been common on government documents before then. And, based on what we can tell, the United States have been at the forefront of technological development for the last few hundred years.¡±


    ¡°A lot of other nations have also kept up or pushed science forward,¡± Theo replied.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s hard to tell how much of the technological advancement is thanks to the Eye of Providence or just human ingenuity,¡± the Grandmaster nodded, ¡°but I will point out that government documents, and later bank notes, will have spread to other countries beyond the United States. Best I can tell, all the discoveries and advancements likely would have happened eventually, this magic simply sped the process up. It would also explain why this side is so much more advanced beyond the other.¡±


    ¡°And the cost?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°Also hard to tell, the cost can be literally anything. For all I know the Great War that happened on this side a bit over a century ago was part of the cost, or maybe it wasn¡¯t. I don¡¯t know, even the direct aura is very subtle, but spread across so many people in a diluted fashion?¡± the Grandmaster shrugged helplessly, ¡°but that¡¯s not what worries me the most. What concerns me, is that there is a spell active on the Eye. It¡¯s weak, enough that it was hidden by the aura of the item, but it¡¯s there. And due to the Eye¡¯s property, it will have spread to every representation of the Eye.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the spell do?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s surprisingly simple,¡± the Grandmaster said, lifting a hand, summoning two spell circles and filling them with runes, ¡°it¡¯s a mental magic spell that introduces a single thought, very subtly to anyone who comes in contact with it.¡±


    ¡°What thought?¡± Orlan asked, leaning forward to inspect the spell, ¡°and that¡¯s a mind magic spell? It looks like baby¡¯s first spell from how it¡¯s set up.¡±


    ¡°Ya, like I said, it¡¯s very simple and shows very poor understanding of runes, likely because they don¡¯t have access to as many mages on this side,¡± the Grandmaster nodded, ¡°all it does is whisper very softly in the back of someone¡¯s mind, gently nudging them towards a thought. And that thought¡­ is ¡®magic isn¡¯t real.¡¯¡±


    Everyone froze at the implication, their minds racing.


    ¡°Why that thought?¡± Orlan asked after a moment.


    ¡°My best guess? To hide themselves, they didn¡¯t have the knowledge to manage anything complex, so they used it to cover up their own influence. From what Master Theo has told us, the group who had this item has been using magic, but we don¡¯t know to what end. Exposing enough people to this spell, no matter how subtle the influence, for long enough can cause people to rationalize even the most blatant magic. It might be why people have been so hard to believe in magic, even after encountering us,¡± the Grandmaster said.


    ¡°That actually makes sense,¡± Lady White spoke up suddenly, ¡°when she first came here, miss Amy had trouble believing in magic, even as we demonstrated it to her. It took her effort to avoid attempting to explain it away. I figured it was just due to growing up in a world without magic, and that may be part of it, but¡­¡±


    ¡°What about after awakening?¡± Orlan asked, ¡°she still show the same difficulty?¡±


    ¡°No, she still expresses disbelief on occasion, but hasn¡¯t had the same issue. That could be due to breaking free of this spell, or because she now has her own magic she can feel.¡±


    ¡°The human mind is complex,¡± the Grandmaster agreed, ¡°I spoke to several mages who study mental magic, and they concluded that we¡¯d likely never know the true extent of how this spell effected the world.¡±


    ¡°Can we shut it off at least?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°We can, but I¡¯m not sure we should,¡± the older mage said slowly, ¡°for one, most people have lived under the effects of this magic for their entire lives, we don¡¯t know what will happen if we suddenly remove it. The others agreed with this, the effects could be minor and subtle, but we don¡¯t know. The more pressing issue is that, while the spell is so weak that it doesn¡¯t really harm those with a mana allergy, if we disable it suddenly the mana could backwash into people.


    ¡°Secondly, we don¡¯t know how the sudden loss of the insight aura will change the world. Most likely it¡¯ll continue collecting whatever debt it¡¯s built up, but won¡¯t provide any more insights. My suggestion is we study the item to find a way to safely dispel both effects.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Orlan said, not sounding happy about it, finally giving up and reaching for the coffee pot, ¡°you mentioned two other abilities?¡±


    ¡°Right, those are less troubling, the third allows it to break down the aura of a person or another item and display its component parts. Like how a prism breaks apart light. If read properly it can be used to tell quite a lot about something. I think this is what they were going to use on you when you were captured. The final ability allows the user to see through any representation of the Eye, basically shifting your point of view to that of an attuned symbol. This works over any distance, as long as you know where you want to look the Eye will put you in the place of the closest symbol.¡±


    ¡°Why risk such an important item on me?¡± Orlan asked after a moment, ¡°clearly this item was central to their operations, why use it?¡±


    ¡°It may have once been important, but it lost value recently,¡± Theo was the one to speak up this time, earning looks from everyone else, ¡°you said its making people think ¡®magic isn¡¯t real¡¯ right? Well, how long will that hold out when magic is becoming more and more common? You¡¯re promising to teach it to people, more rifts are appearing every month. Any value it had in hiding their magic whatever is diminishing quickly.¡±


    ¡°They may have also thought the aura decomposition ability would allow them to learn more about magic,¡± the Grandmaster added, nodding at the other man, ¡°clearly their knowledge of practical magic is lacking, using an item that is rapidly becoming less effective to try and learn something seems like a bet worth taking.¡±


    ¡°Could it have actually helped them?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°To an extent, it helps with mana types, affinities and the like, but you can¡¯t use it to view Soul Runes, which is what they¡¯d actually need to expand their spell casting. It might have helped them find out how to do that, however.¡±


    ¡°Well, for now look for a way to safely disable the item,¡± Orlan said after a moment, sipping at his coffee, ¡°anything else?¡±


    ¡°Actually, yes,¡± Theo spoke up again as everyone else shook their heads, ¡°got a call from¡­¡±


    ¡°The Sons of Kayeen?¡± Orlan offered as the congressman glanced at the others in the room.


    ¡°Ya, they¡¯re willing to meet you here if you pick them up.¡±

 Returned Protector ch 24

    ¡°Theo?¡± the voice on the other end of the phone call said, seeming somewhat surprised, ¡°we thought you would be in the air still, or did you land early?¡±


    ¡°I chose not to take the first plane out,¡± Theo replied, ¡°all the cell tower workers filled it, and it was going to Florida anyways. Second plane is heading further north.¡±


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t inform us?¡±


    ¡°Until a few hours ago the cell tower wasn¡¯t fully functional, couldn¡¯t call out.¡±


    ¡°Did you try email?¡±


    ¡°I consider myself lucky I can dial on this damned thing,¡± Theo grumbled, ¡°anyways, got some time, so any updates on the Orlan thing?¡±


    ¡°I sent you an email the other day, but¡­¡± the staffer on the phone trailed off, as if he could hear Theo¡¯s glare through the line, ¡°but I¡¯ll summarize it for you. China is insisting Orlan is some kind of international threat, word is they¡¯re planning to introduce something to the UN about it soon. Beyond that, not much out of China.¡±


    ¡°So as we expected,¡± Theo nodded, scribbling down a note on a pad. Since the rifts first appeared China has been constantly antagonistic, claiming the US and other western powers were incapable of handling the issue while also saying they were doing fine. The firewall had slammed closed hard, travel in and out of the nation was restricted to the point that even trade had been temporarily disrupted. Based on intelligence Theo had seen China wasn¡¯t handling the rifts any better than anyone else, satellite imagery showed chaos and mass destruction, but China insisted they were doctored images. To find them being hostile towards Orlan wasn¡¯t a surprise either, perhaps they were afraid Orlan would side with the US, or they just didn¡¯t like having another powerful player on the board, but as they were currently on the other side of the planet they couldn¡¯t do much more than hiss.


    ¡°Russia has been oddly quiet on Orlan, at least publicly,¡± the staffer continued, ¡°they have no official stance. But myself and a bunch of other staff here have been getting emails, supposedly from other government offices, asking for his phone number. Cybersecurity traced the emails to Russia.¡±


    ¡°So they¡¯re trying to get into contact with him,¡± Theo muttered to himself, ¡°maybe they want to recruit him? Secure his assistance? I take it no one has given the number out?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think so, we¡¯ve warned the private groups who have his number to keep it to themselves as well. The news will probably do as they¡¯re told, harder to say with Rob and his podcast. Though we don¡¯t know if they even have his number,¡± the man said, ¡°unfortunately the first to know if they get his number will likely be Orlan himself.¡±


    ¡°Right, anything else?¡±


    ¡°Nothing of note, EU is still squabbling, panicking over the monsters that appeared in Germany the other week.¡±


    ¡°Beasts,¡± Theo corrected, ¡°apparently monsters are born in this world, beasts come out of the rifts.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll inform the staff,¡± the guy said dryly, ¡°most interestingly has been England, I¡¯ve tried calling some contacts of yours in the English parliament, but they¡¯ve refused to comment on Orlan¡¯s actions in Bermuda beyond ¡®the crown is conducting an investigation¡¯ and that kind of thing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make some calls on my end, they might be more willing to speak to me.¡±


    ¡°Might want to wait till you¡¯re back in DC, the chances that cell tower is tapped is basically one hundred percent.¡±


    ¡°Wish I could say I was surprised,¡± Theo groaned, ¡°anything else?¡±


    ¡°Not on our end, you doing already sir?¡±


    ¡°Other than a rather acute case of culture shock, I¡¯m fine, now that the tower thing is up, call me if anything important happens,¡± Theo replied before hanging up. He¡¯d thought he¡¯d been immunized to culture shock in his years as a congressman, while the job didn¡¯t technically require travel, in practice he often flew across the world on various tasks. Of course, most of his time was spent in DC, but he still considered himself a well-traveled individual.


    Which made the culture shock something of a surprise, part of him wanted to attribute it to the strangeness of seeing people dressed like they¡¯re headed to a renaissance fair and living in a castle that somehow had running water. The odd dichotomy of modern amenities combined with the ancient surroundings. But that wasn¡¯t it, he¡¯d spent a week in an old Japanese castle that had been retrofitted with running water once, and the shock hadn¡¯t been this bad. And here everyone spoke English.


    No, he suspected it was the odd way in which Orlan ran his little island. Theo¡¯s mind insisted Orlan was some king or provincial leader of a small island, but he ran it more like a military operation. There was no red tape, no bureaucracy or anything like that, when Orlan wanted something done, he simply got it done. He¡¯d had an entire magic academy built in under a month, and it wasn¡¯t some cheap prefab structure. Theo had been to the campus and it was well built with a mix of stone and wood, runic murals covered the walls giving the buildings an odd feel, but other then that it looked like any small local college across the nation. To build something similar in the US would take nearly a year, and most of that would be trying to secure the land rights for a school or educational facility. Then he¡¯d have to find contractors willing to do the work, and wait till blueprints were drawn and checked to ensure they complied with all local building codes.


    To see him just say ¡®get it done¡¯ and for it to get done was something he more closely associated with the military. Yet his mind told him that Orlan wasn¡¯t military, he didn¡¯t march around, his knights didn¡¯t salute when he passed, nothing like that.


    With a sigh, Theo took a long drink from the beverage one of the castle servants had gotten for him, it was refreshingly cool as he sat on a balcony overlooking the island. Orlan had gone to pick up the contact from the Sons of Kayeen, he¡¯d asked if Theo wanted to come but Theo had taken one look at the small sky-cutter and said no.


    Instead he chose to sit out under the hot tropical sun, overlooking what seemed to be a European castle village while drinking what he was sure was some kind of cool tea. Nodding to himself, he decided he¡¯d made the right decision. For the next half hour he simply sat there, enjoying the view, sun and drink, only standing from the comfortable chair when he saw the sky-cutter cresting the island¡¯s edge.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°Theo! Wasn¡¯t sure if you¡¯d still be here when I got here!¡± a lanky man in a hawiian shirt and khaki shorts shouted, waving as Theo met him by the castle entrance.


    ¡°Figured I¡¯d stick around for the introduction,¡± Theo shrugged, greeting the younger man who he¡¯d spoken to a week or so ago, ¡°didn¡¯t think it would be you though Tom, thought they¡¯d send someone else.¡±


    ¡°We thought this would make things easier,¡± Tom shrugged in reply and grinned


    ¡°Get much of a chance to speak with Orlan?¡± Theo asked, glancing at the imposing Protector Lord who had been just behind Tom, speaking with some of his knights.


    ¡°Not really, hard to talk on that flying ship, so we didn¡¯t get much beyond introductions.¡±


    ¡°This way,¡± Orlan said, interrupting the two and nodding to a side room that lead into a small sitting room, ¡°so I take it this is the guy you met Theo?¡±


    ¡°Ya, though I thought they¡¯d send someone else,¡± Theo replied as they all took seats around the room. Both Tom and Theo were on their own, sitting on opposite sides of the coffee table while Lailra and Nallia joined Orlan on one of the long sides.


    ¡°Alright then, first things first, we recovered the Eye of Providence,¡± Orlan said, looking at Tom.


    ¡°Oh, really? That¡¯s good,¡± Tom nodded.


    ¡°Not going to ask for it back?¡±


    ¡°If I thought it would be safer in our hands I might, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, then did you bring any more information on the missing items?¡±


    ¡°Not really, as I¡¯m sure Theo told you, most of our records were lost so I already told him what we know,¡± Tom shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ve contacted some of the other sons to see if they have any copies but I¡¯m not confident.¡±


    ¡°So you aren¡¯t here to get the Eye back, and you don¡¯t have any information for us,¡± Orlan said slowly, looking Tom over, ¡°why are you here?¡±


    ¡°To speak with you, specifically about how you intend to teach people magic,¡± Tom replied.


    ¡°What about it?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d prefer it if you didn¡¯t,¡± Tom said, pausing while the others stared at him before holding his hands up as if in surrender, ¡°not forever, of course, just until we track down whoever has the other items.¡±


    ¡°And your reasoning?¡± Orlan asked sharply.


    ¡°To put it simply, we suspect our rivals aren¡¯t very skilled with magic, likely being only slightly better than us Sons of Kayeen,¡± explained the lanky man, ¡°but if you start spreading knowledge of how to use magic, that information will reach them. That could make it much harder for us to recover the items.¡±


    ¡°Just how much magic do you know?¡± Orlan asked suspiciously, leaning forward and all but glaring at Tom.


    ¡°Myself? Not much¡­¡± Tom said slowly, Orlan¡¯s glare hardening, ¡°alright, I don¡¯t know any. To be honest, until about a year ago I didn¡¯t even think magic was real.¡±


    ¡°Are there any mages in your group?¡±


    ¡°Not that I know of.¡±


    ¡°None at all?¡± Orlan asked in disbelief.


    ¡°That I know of,¡± Tom corrected, ¡°we¡¯re a secretive group, other than the odd meeting it hasn¡¯t been till the last year that we¡¯ve really done anything.¡±


    ¡°How many people are in your group.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s important.¡±


    ¡°How many!¡± Orlan shouted.


    ¡°A couple dozen,¡± Tom admitted softly.


    ¡°A couple dozen non-mages, are all that¡¯s been protecting some of the most powerful items on this side?¡± Orlan demanded.


    ¡°We were much larger a century ago, but since the wars our numbers have dwindled,¡± Tom explained slowly, ¡°like I said, many of us were unsure magic was real, if any of the stories or records we had were true until recently.¡±


    ¡°Wait, do you think¡­¡± Theo asked, sitting up suddenly to look at Orlan.


    ¡°As trash as the design of that spell was, the usage was masterful,¡± the Protector Lord sighed, ¡°the Eye of Providence, do you know what it does Tom?¡±


    ¡°It allows people to see the truth, according to what records we have.¡±


    ¡°It links to a symbol, and any magic cast on it propagates through to all instances of that symbol,¡± Orlan explained slowly, ¡°when we examined it, we found a spell on it that whispers in the back of people¡¯s minds that magic isn¡¯t real.¡±


    ¡°Using Brisingamen?¡± Tom asked, cocking his head.


    ¡°That could be where they got the knowledge to cast the spell,¡± Orlan nodded, ¡°I¡¯d imagine that, if Brisingamen is on the same level as the Eye then it¡¯s actual effects would be much more potent.¡±


    ¡°So, you think that they used the Eye to try and convince us, the organization tasked with keeping the history of magic, that magic wasn¡¯t real?¡±


    ¡°Of other uses,¡± Orlan replied, ¡°it would also help conceal their actions, make it hard for people to accept magic when they did see it.¡±


    ¡°What about the other missing items?¡± Tom asked after a moment¡¯s thought, ¡°if they used the Eye to hide themselves and weaken us, and they got the magic for it from Brisingamen, what are they using the others for?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I was hoping you¡¯d have more information about the items for us,¡± Orlan said dryly.


    ¡°All I can do is ask the others again, see if they have anything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also going to ask you to turn over all other relics,¡± Orlan said, it wasn¡¯t a request at this point and his tone of voice made that much clear, ¡°clearly you are unable to either protect or utilize them.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ might be difficult,¡± Tom said slowly, refusing to make eye contact with Orlan.


    ¡°Why is that?¡± Orlan asked through ground teeth.


    ¡°We, well, don¡¯t have access to them¡­ you see while we know about where the vaults are, they¡¯re in places we can¡¯t access them easily. The largest vault is in the Vatican, for example. But it¡¯s been decades since the Sons have had anyone there.¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t even know if those vaults are still intact,¡± Orlan growled.


    ¡°That¡­ would be a fair assessment, yes sir,¡± Tom nodded quickly.


    ¡°Then I want a full list of every vault you know of, and what you think it contains. Then you¡¯re going to contact the others and¡­¡± Orlan started but trailed off, his eyes growing unfocused, ¡°Shit.¡±


    Without a word Nallia stood and rushed out of the room, Orlan standing as well.


    ¡°Theo, keep an eye on our guest,¡± Orlan barked, turning to walk out.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Theo asked, hurrying to follow the man.


    ¡°A rift just opened in Florida,¡± Orlan replied, ¡°the mages just reported it.¡±


    ¡°Shit,¡± Theo agreed, pulling out his phone just as it started ringing.


    ¡°There¡¯s a rift thing near Orlando!¡± the staffer nearly shouted over the phone as soon as Theo answered it.


    ¡°Ya, where exactly?¡±


    ¡°Orlando internation airport.¡±


    ¡°Can you make it there?¡± Theo asked, looking up at the Protector Lord,


    ¡°No, our sky cutters have a max range of around eight hundred miles,¡± Orlan growled, ¡°Florida is over a thousand away. Even if we could reach, the cutters are too slow to make it in time.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ wait¡­ isn¡¯t the aircraft with all the cell tower crew landing there soon?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Orlan nodded, ¡°including my sister.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re just going to sit here?¡±


    ¡°The cutters can¡¯t make it in time, and it¡¯s not like we have a¡­¡± Orlan froze mid-sentence before taking a step and vanishing into thin air.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°I mean, preflight would take at least an hour,¡± the pilot of the second cargo aircraft said slowly, ¡°if we did it properly anyways.¡±


    ¡°And if you rushed it?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°Ten minutes? Corporate would get angry at us.¡±


    ¡°Good thing we inexplicably started preflight an hour ago for no particular reason,¡± the co-pilot said with a slight smirk, glancing at the other man, ¡°unless you have an issue with that?¡±


    ¡°If we do this, will you be able to help?¡± the senior pilot asked, looking Orlan in the eye.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Orlan replied immediately.


    ¡°Great, then if anyone asks us, we¡¯ll tell them you threatened us,¡± the man said before looking around, ¡°I mean, honestly, I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s even a lie.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste any time,¡± Orlan shrugged as the magical spell holding the three of them in the air brought them to a stop right next to the parked aircraft and set them down.


    ¡°The hard part will be turning the plane around,¡± the senior pilot said as the co-pilot took off to begin a walk around of the aircraft, ¡°Your people are suppose to be strong, right? Think you could push it back so¡­¡±


    The pilot trailed off as the ground under his aircraft lit up and, seemingly of its own accord, began to turn. Stone ground on stone and the aircraft slowly turned around to face the makeshift runway.


    ¡°Or you could do that,¡± the senior pilot said.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to grab my knights,¡± Orlan replied, taking a step and vanishing.

 Returned Protector ch 25

    Officer Cuthbert hadn¡¯t had a good day. It had started out well enough, heading to the station to meet with his partner and hop in the patrol cruiser. The first sign of things going wrong was when the supervisor had assigned them to foot patrol in Orlando International Airport. Foot patrols were always annoying, people constantly bothered you about minor things that really didn¡¯t need police attention. Some lady complaining her drink was too cold, or claiming the price of airport food was somehow illegal.


    It wasn¡¯t all bad, of course, plenty of kids would rush up and excitedly ask them about all kinds of things, giving the two of them the chance to play the cool police officers for a bit. Oddly it had gotten better over the last couple years, since the portal things started appearing people were more accepting of having armed officers walking around in public, overshadowing the previous scandals that had dominated the news. But while the public was more welcoming in general, new policies were worrying. Officers were always to patrol in pairs, and when patrolling critical areas like airports they were required to bring their patrol rifles. In theory they also had to have the special ¡®anti-creature¡¯ rounds loaded, but after two years only a few made it to individual police stations. Most, apparently, were being sent to the national guard and military.


    As such, when the power shut off and creatures started appearing he was glad to have carried his rifle and magazine of AC rounds for the last few hours.


    Unfortunately one magazine was all he had, and it was barely enough to take down one of the strange creatures that emerged from a swirling ball of light. Cuthbert and his partner had been in one of the disconnected wings of the airport, and the creatures appeared right in the walkway leading back to the main terminal. They, along with a couple airport security who¡¯d also been armed, had been forced to retreat into a corner of the gates along with several hundred people.


    The AC rounds were a disappointment, barely seeming to harm the first creature to appear, but after seeing what normal rounds did he found himself wishing he had more AC bullets.


    And, of course, he was in the one place where even the masses of Florida men behind him weren¡¯t armed. Meaning it was down to him, his partner, and the two surviving airport security. They¡¯d managed to push back the two initial creatures, though not before his partner was injured and several civilians were killed. Any thought of trying to make it to the tramline leading to the main terminal was quashed by the grisly sounds echoing through the halls. From fading screams to a wet tearing and crunching that he was trying really hard to not imagine the source of, they weren¡¯t escaping that way. And going out onto the taxiway wasn¡¯t any better, packs of the creatures appearing from swirling masses of light and wandering between the wrecks of aircraft they¡¯d torn though.


    All he could do was hide, women struggled to keep their kids silent while men grabbed anything they could that might be useful as a weapon. His partner was struggling to clear a jam in his sidearm without making any noise when everyone heard the clicking of a creature¡¯s claws on the tiled floor.


    Peering out from behind the overturned table, Cuthbert saw one of the creatures prowling in their direction, pausing to sniff and mess with each store it passed. The head, rear legs and body of the monster was cat like, if a cat was the size of a small car, massive eyes with vertical pupils scanned the area with a bestial intelligence while large triangular ears swiveled back and forth. The creature¡¯s front legs most remind him of a sloth, overly long with massive fixed claws that he¡¯d seen tear apart metal. While everything else was covered in a thin layer of whitish fur, the creature¡¯s tail transitioned to large overlapping scales of a slightly darker color. Towards the tip of the tail the scales bunched up, sticking more outward than laying flush with the tail. More than once he¡¯d seen the creatures snap their tails forward, launching a handful of those scales like clusters of thrown knives.


    Looking across the hall at his partner, they made eye contact as the monster slowly came closer to where they hid, it was only a matter of time until they were found. They had to fight, but any gunfire would assuredly bring more of those creatures running. The only other choice was for one person to stand and distract the creature, he could see his partner pleading for him to take that role, but he was hoping his partner would do so. His partner nodded to his injured leg as if to argue that he wouldn¡¯t be able to lead the creature far. He replied by glancing at the creature, expressing disbelief that anyone could outrun that thing for long.


    A deep growl broke their silent argument, it was too late, they¡¯d been found. Peeking out the creature was growling as it approached the gates where so many people were hiding. Gritting his teeth and saying a prayer, Cuthbert leaned out from cover, leveled his rifle on the creature and began firing. His partner and the airport security quickly followed suit, but they could have been throwing rocks for all the effect the weapons had. Still it gave the creature pause as it shook off the annoying pinpricks, a couple spots of red appearing in its white coat, not nearly enough to kill.


    By the time the last of his ammo was gone the thing seemed more confused and angry than hurt, wondering what had been striking it.


    This was it, he figured, I did my best but these things just wouldn¡¯t die. No matter what he did, he was dead. He thought he¡¯d be afraid, but after over two hours of hiding he was out of fear, all that remained was acceptance. He¡¯d always laughed at stories of men who chose to die fighting against impossible odds, if you couldn¡¯t win then why not simply lay down and take it. But now that he found himself in such a situation where death was bearing down on him he found himself feeling differently. He didn¡¯t want to die laying down, he wanted to be able to claim he did his best, right up until the end. He knew it didn¡¯t really matter, but perhaps that was the point, if it didn¡¯t matter if he gave up or fought, then he wanted to go out fighting.


    Drawing his baton and taser Cuthbert stood, snapping the baton open with a flick of his wrist. The creature¡¯s growling got louder as its eyes focused on him. Much to his surprise, Cuthbert felt someone step up along side him, glancing over to see his partner.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Cuthbert said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± the other man replied, ¡°I just don¡¯t think you should die alone.¡±


    Cuthbert simply smiled, raised his baton and prepared to charge. Sensing his intent the cat-creature coiled up on its haunches, bearing its foot long teeth that were still stained by the blood of the last person it killed.


    He started to push off when many things happened all at once, the glass to his right shattered as something shot through it, a wooden pole seemed to sprout from the shoulder of the creature, a man in metal armor appeared out of thin air, grabbed the pole, pulling it free to reveal a foot long blade that had been buried in the flesh of the thing. With cat like reflexes the creature jumped and spun, lashing out with its too long arm and the massive, curved claws cut through the air where the man had been standing. But now, somehow, he was behind the creature and, in a single spin of his spear, cut off the creature¡¯s tail. Two more lightning fast swipes severed its arms like he was butchering it before a final thrust punctured its skull.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    Orlan took a breath, pulling his spear free of the beast¡¯s brain and flicking it clean as he looked over at the two officers.


    ¡°You two would make good mages,¡± he remarked with a grin, they simply blinked at him, ¡°you need first aid?¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°Uh, n-no,¡± the injured officer replied, ¡°plenty of aid kits around.¡±


    ¡°Great, my girls are going to clear the tarmac south of here,¡± Orlan continued as dozens of eyes peeked out from their hiding spots, ¡°as soon as you see an opening, run for it. If you can make it over the highway you should be safe, national guard has been setting up there. Got it?¡±


    The officers simply nodded at him, he gave them another grin before turning and running deeper into the airport.


    ¡°The creatures resemble Clawed Jungle Lions, but with an artic fur for some reason,¡± Nallia¡¯s voice said in his mind, ¡°most of them are tier two, but we¡¯ve seen several that have broken through into tier three.¡±


    ¡°Odd to see such a familiar beast from a rift,¡± Orlan replied, rounding the corner to find a couple more of the beasts feasting on what was, fortunately, unrecognizable as a human. They were a bit smaller than the first he¡¯d fought, and this time when he threw his spear he hit one in the neck, killing it instantly. The second didn¡¯t last much longer as he took it down in a couple swings.


    ¡°It was always suspected that the Clawed Jungle Lions were monsters, not natural animals, due to a lack of related species,¡± Nallia spoke, ¡°this simply confirms it.¡±


    ¡°The Naturalist Guild will be thrilled,¡± Orlan replied over the telepathic channel in a dry tone, ¡°there¡¯s a group of people in the southern end of this building, can you clear a path for them to run to the national guard?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be too hard,¡± Lailra replied, ¡°most of us landed a bit short of where you are but we¡¯ll catch up soon.¡±


    ¡°Be careful, Lord,¡± Nallia added, ¡°my spells are picking up something odd closer to the rift.¡±


    ¡°An alpha?¡± Orlan asked, already dashing down another hall.


    ¡°Perhaps, hard to tell, these beasts are rather hard to pick up with magic, especially at long range,¡± she explained, ¡°could be a pack of tier three beasts, or a few tier four who have a shrouding ability.¡±


    ¡°I can handle a couple tier four long armed cats.¡±


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t,¡± Lailra pleaded, ¡°we¡¯ve no easy way back to the island, meaning we can¡¯t rely on getting back for magical healing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful,¡± Orlan promised, jumping over a crushed counter of a coffee shop and driving his spear into the back of the beast that was too busy rummaging around to notice him. Probably the coffee grounds overwhelming its nose, he figured, not turning down the opening.


    ¡°For survivors, I¡¯m seeing only a few scattered individuals across the main airport,¡± Nallia continued, ¡°there are a few groups in the separate buildings, but you probably ran into the largest group.¡±


    ¡°Should we assist the, you called them National Guard?¡± Pela asked suddenly over the telepathic channel, ¡°their guns are drawing in a lot of the beasts.¡±


    ¡°Lailra,¡± Orlan ordered, ¡°take two others with you to hold the line, we¡¯re going to use the National Guard as the anvil to our hammer.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t have them breaking,¡± Lailra agreed, ¡°then Pela and Nallia, with me.¡±


    ¡°The rest of you, form teams of two or three and sweep the outlying buildings for survivors, avoid large groups of beasts if you can, eliminate or draw away those you can¡¯t,¡± Orlan continued, ¡°once we¡¯ve got as many out as we can we¡¯ll group up and go after that alpha.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Orlan,¡± came a chorus of mental replies.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°Don¡¯t focus too many guns on one target!¡± Lieutenant Leewald shouted to be heard over the roar of multiple fifty caliber machine guns. The heavy, anti-material rounds were enough to drive the creatures back, but didn¡¯t seem able to kill them, or at least not quickly. The idea of a living creature that found fifty cal only painful, but not lethal, was hard to imagine, but he supposed he didn¡¯t have to imagine any more.


    He''d been briefed on ¡®anti creature tactics¡¯ repeatedly over the last couple years, ever since the things started appearing. Every time another portal opened the analysts would alter those tactics, requiring more briefings and more training. He¡¯d listened to the briefings, and done the training, but in the back of his mind he hadn¡¯t actually expected to see a giant cat shrug off rounds from what was considered a light anti-tank bullet. Perhaps ¡®shrug off¡¯ was a bit overstating it, they yelped in pain and dove behind rocks or into ditches, often emerging with a modest wound, but they weren¡¯t reduced to bloody chunks like the bullet should have.


    The chainguns of the Bradelys were better, but it still took a good moment of directed fire to ensure a creature would stay down, and those things chewed through ammo. And it didn¡¯t help that some of the creatures seemed even tougher for some reason, treating the chainguns like the rest of them treated the fifties.


    ¡°LT,¡± a voice drew his attention, ¡°some of the men reported seeing a figure, well, flying through the air and crashing into the southern terminal.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Leewald asked.


    ¡°Said it looked like superman or something,¡± the private shrugged, ¡°we¡¯ve also got a group of people running this direction from the East.¡±


    ¡°More survivors?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ they¡¯re running fast¡­ faster than people should run. And, apparently, they¡¯re killing the creatures,¡± the man said, looking over his shoulder for a moment, ¡°do you think it¡¯s that protector guy?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he way out near Bermuda or something?¡±


    ¡°Our Lord found a way to make it here,¡± a woman¡¯s voice responded and, in a burst of flames, the most beautiful woman Leewald had ever seen appeared next to him. She wore a long red dress that was covered strategically in finely engraved metal plates, somehow managing to straddle the line between evening dress and armor. Arching one of her eyebrows at him she asked, ¡°are you in charge here?¡±


    ¡°Lieutenant Leewald, ma¡¯am,¡± the LT nodded.


    ¡°Lieutenant? You don¡¯t look like navy,¡± she remarked, looking him over before shaking her head, ¡°as I was saying, Lord Orlan managed to arrive in time to assist, I¡¯m here to reinforce your position. From now on your main goal is to provide a secure point for survivors to escape to.¡±


    ¡°With all due respect,¡± Leewald said, shaking off her beauty and sudden appearance, ¡°we don¡¯t take orders from¡­ whatever it is you are.¡±


    Just as he was about to continue a wave of translucent green vines rose up in front of the national guard line, diving forward over the ground. Dozens of the creatures were swept up in the tide, thorns from the almost ghostly vines dug into their flesh, and wherever blood was drawn the flesh and skin would begin to rot away.


    ¡°A secure fallback point? You got it,¡± Leewald corrected himself, turning to the private, ¡°tell everyone to dig in, I want an aid station and space for survivors set up.¡±


    ¡°Sir,¡± the private nodded, finally tearing his eyes away from the woman and running off to relay the orders. Leewald turned back just in time to see the woman rising into the air, standing on a cloud of flames and smoke, a lance of fire made solid shooting out to impale one of the few creatures that escaped the vines. Shaking his head he grabbed his radio to issue more orders.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°My lord,¡± Nallia¡¯s voice came suddenly nearly an hour later, ¡°that anomaly I sensed is on the move.¡±


    ¡°Shit,¡± Orlan swore aloud before asking on the telepathic channel, ¡°where is it heading?¡±


    ¡°Right for you,¡± she answered, ¡°and quickly, you¡¯ve got a minute or two, tops.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going outside,¡± Orlan said as he ran towards the nearest large glass window, stepping through space and reappearing in the air beyond it, falling towards the tarmac a story below him, ¡°can anyone make it here?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got our hands full protecting the army,¡± Lailra spoke up.


    ¡°No one can make it to you before it arrives,¡± Nallia added.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see anything behind me,¡± Orlan said as his feet hit the ground and he continued running, putting distance between himself and the gates.


    ¡°It¡¯s in the building you just left, still on your tail.¡±


    Cursing under his breath Orlan ran, his feet leaving imprints in the solid concrete as he picked up speed. Seconds later he heard a loud crash behind him, glancing back he saw at least five creatures that, while similar looking to the rest of the beasts they¡¯d fought, were each half again as large.


    ¡°Not an alpha, a pack of stronger beasts,¡± Orlan said as the beasts sprinted after him, ¡°looks like they¡¯re easily tier four, I¡¯m not going to be able to outrun them.¡±


    As he spoke he skid to a halt, spinning his spear and entering a defensive stance to prepare for their arrival.


    ¡°My lord! Back!¡± Nallia¡¯s voice shouted in his mind, and Orlan replied without hesitation, jumping backwards five feet. Just as he did he felt and saw something tear through where he¡¯d just been, striking the ground a good forty feet away in an explosion of dust and rock.


    ¡°The hell,¡± Orlan asked, glancing in the direction the attack had come from for a moment, not seeing anything before he was forced to return his gaze to the oncoming beasts.


    ¡°Aira is on her way, should be with you in five minutes,¡± Lailra said in his mind, ¡°hold out until then.¡±


    ¡°I think someone is taking shots at me,¡± Orlan replied, ¡°southwest of my position, a sniper.¡±


    ¡°There was mana in that attack,¡± Nallia agreed, ¡°I could barely sense it though.¡±


    ¡°Great,¡± Orlan grumbled, ducking as the first of the stronger beasts swiped at him, lifting his spear to cut the underside of the long, sloth like arm, barely managing to draw blood before he had to step aside to avoid another attack from a different beast. At least in this melee, the sniper would have a hard time getting a shot, he though dryly to himself as he fought.

 Returned Protector ch 26

    ¡°The lord is engaged with six beasts at early tier four,¡± Nallia explained, pointing at a hovering map of magical lights she¡¯d cast. Golden lights for each of the knights were shown along with red clouds for likely beasts and blue for civilians. By now the map was largely golden dots dashing between red clouds, attempting to hunt down as many of the beasts as possible.


    ¡°Lady Aira is held up here,¡± she continued, pointing at a pair of dots in the middle of a red cloud, ¡°she¡¯s the closest but ran into a group of beasts I failed to detect.¡±


    ¡°And the sniper?¡± Lailra asked, looking over the glowing map.


    ¡°Somewhere here,¡± Nallia said, pointing to a corner of the map, ¡°I haven¡¯t found anything, but that¡¯s on the edge of my detection spell so anything below tier three is unlikely to show up.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that the protector guy is alone, fighting six of these creatures, with someone taking shots at him?¡± the National Guard Lieutenant asked, ¡°and those creatures are stronger than anything we¡¯re facing here?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Lailra confirmed, glancing over her shoulder where a wall of ethereal vines were grabbing at any beast that attempted to rush it. Against enemies this weak her defensive spells were quite potent, the tier two beasts rotting away in moments. Even the stronger tier three beasts were injured by the lashing thorns to the point that the national guard could finish them off without much issue.


    The beasts weren¡¯t stupid, many of them wary of the clearly magical vines after seeing what they did to others, but between the knights slaughtering them back in the airport and the vines ahead of them, many chose to brave the vines. The natural bloodlust of beasts aided in pushing them to take risks rather than sneak away or try to escape.


    ¡°Not sure what we can do to help,¡± Leewald said slowly, ¡°the Air Force guys out of Patrick or Tampa are limited, since this area is so densely built up. The Army reservists are still getting their shit together, and I doubt they¡¯d have any luck unless they bring tanks.¡±


    ¡°Tanks?¡± Lailra asked before shaking her head, ¡°never mind, he¡¯ll be fine for now, Orlan lives for times like this.¡±


    ¡°Outnumbered, alone and fighting for his life?¡±


    ¡°Pushing his skills to the limit to help others,¡± Lailra corrected, ¡°I¡¯m more concerned about those air planes overhead, can¡¯t they go elsewhere?¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard the ones who could, have, but Orlando is the largest airport in the region, the others simply can¡¯t handle all the traffic.¡±


    ¡°If we cleared a¡­ runway? If we cleared one out, could they land?¡±


    ¡°It would help,¡± Leewald nodded, turning to speak with some of his people.


    ¡°Any idea which plane has the Lord¡¯s sister?¡± Nallia asked softly.


    ¡°No, they all look the same to me,¡± Lailra replied, ¡°hopefully she¡¯s on one that went to another airport.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be difficult to get some people to serve as air control, but if you can clear the runway, and keep it clear, we¡¯ll handle that end,¡± the Lieutenant said, returning after a couple minutes.


    ¡°There¡¯s a runway on the other side of that road,¡± Lailra said, pointing to the east, ¡°will that work?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not, not sure if it¡¯s part of the official Orlando International, but if that¡¯s easier for you to manage.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sensing the rift is beginning to destabilize,¡± Nallia spoke up, ¡°it¡¯s likely to close within the next hour.¡±


    ¡°From what I was told, many of the planes above us will have to land, one way or another, in the next half hour,¡± Leewald replied, the two women going quiet for a moment.


    ¡°Lord Orlan says to focus on saving the airplanes,¡± Lailra spoke up after a moment, Leewald looking confused but didn¡¯t say anything, ¡°have everyone move east, that¡¯ll mean more beasts hitting us, but we should be able to hold.¡±


    ¡°Your boss, lord, whatever, he going to be okay?¡± Leewald asked.


    ¡°If I know him, he¡¯ll be the one coming to our rescue if we need one,¡± Lailra said with a fond smile, the golden dots on the magical map beginning to move east.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    Orlan barely had a moment to think, leaning to one side to avoid a swipe from one of the cat beasts before ducking under another coming in behind him. Neither side had been able to land any significant blows on the other as of yet, Orlan only managing a few shallow cuts on the arms of a few of the beasts. The most damaging hit was when one cat tried to pounce on him, Orlan managing to dodge out from under the beast and slam his spear deep into the cat¡¯s haunches, he¡¯d even managed to trigger void strike. Since then none of the beasts had attempted to pounce on him again, the one he¡¯d struck was limping and far more cautious.


    On his end, Orlan¡¯s armor was covered in scratches and dents from glancing blows, but they hadn¡¯t drawn his blood yet. His only saving grace was these beasts were cat-like, not wolves, so their teamwork left much to be desired. Rather than swarm and overwhelm him they stayed at range, circling him and jumping in for a swipe whenever they saw an opening. Of course, with their sloth-like arms being as long as the rest of their body this was an upsettingly effective tactic. It wasn¡¯t often Orlan didn¡¯t have the reach advantage with his spear, but when it did happen his normal recourse was to use magic. While he was skilled at casting mid-fight, avoiding six enemies while casting was too much for him. Any time he tried to start a longer cast they¡¯d all dash in, knowing he¡¯d be somewhat distracted with the magic, and he¡¯d be forced to release the spell before it even cast.


    That left his skill with the spear, his physical abilities and inherent magic. While the beasts were stronger than their tier would indicate, as was common among beasts who almost universally used core-ward souls, Orland was still stronger with his mostly tier six body. In addition his sphere-ward soul provided more unique inherent abilities. These beasts seemed to have some resistance to detection magic, and possibly some magical senses of their own, but Orlan¡¯s own rift step provided more use in close combat by itself. And void strike made even shallow wounds deceptively dangerous as the corrosive mana was injected by each wound. The small scratches he¡¯d landed so far hadn¡¯t allowed him to push much in, but it did mean he¡¯d eventually wear his enemies down.


    Orlan was confident he could win, given time, which is why he sent his knights to secure someplace for the airplanes to land. The only wild card was that damned sniper. If he remained still for more than a couple seconds another heavy round would come rocketing out of nowhere. The range was long enough, and Orlan¡¯s instincts good enough, that sensing the shots wasn¡¯t difficult. But between having to dodge the relentless attacks of the beasts it was only a matter of time before he was in a position the sniper could manage a clean hit.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    And, as predicted, a few minutes after he¡¯d sent his knights to secure the runway he was forced to dance back from a series of attacks from the beasts, putting him off balance when he sensed a sniper round incoming. While he couldn¡¯t manage high tier spells in this frantic combat, he could snap out a tier two shield, which should slow down, if not outright stop, the tier one bullets.


    So he was surprised when the bullet shattered through the shield as if it wasn¡¯t even there, punching through his armor and digging a half inch into the meat of his shoulder. The shock, more than even the pain, caused him to stumble, allowing the cats to score several more scratches across his armor before he got back into the flow.


    ¡°Lailra,¡± he said over his telepathic channel, ¡°that sniper¡¯s bullet just punched right through my shield.¡±


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked, sounding as shocked as him.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, the bullet is only tier one, barely managed to puncture my skin,¡± he assured her, ¡°but it went through my shield as if it wasn¡¯t there.¡±


    There was a few moments of silence, Orlan focusing on the fight but figured she¡¯d was talking with others.


    ¡°Nallia thinks it might be Gandiva,¡± she eventually came back.


    ¡°That¡¯s a bow,¡± Orlan grunted out, forced to rift step away from another bullet, the sniper was getting better.


    ¡°They managed to pull runes from Brisingamen for a mild mental spell,¡± Lailra pointed out, ¡°maybe they pulled some shield piercing runes from Gandiva?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a good counter-mage,¡± Orlan grunted, spinning his spear to fend off one beast even as he dodged a swipe from another, ¡°and I don¡¯t have time to cast anyways.¡±


    ¡°One moment,¡± Lailra said, going silent again for a few minutes, ¡°the Lieutenant of the National Guard is offering to send a team, he calls it a squad, to hunt down that sniper.¡±


    ¡°Against a tier two human their rifles should be effective,¡± Orlan agreed, ducking under a swipe, ¡°and even if all they do is spook him into not shooting, then I should be able to clean up here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take him up on the offer then.¡±


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°Sarge, why are going here?¡± One of the troopers asked as they ran away from the rest of the national guard, ¡°the fight with those creatures is back there.¡±


    ¡°Got orders to hunt down a sniper who¡¯s taking shots at the protector,¡± the sergeant replied.


    ¡°The guy who the government has a warrant out for?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not police,¡± the sergeant snapped, ¡°he¡¯s killing those creatures, we need him to keep killing them.¡±


    ¡°Well, any idea where this sniper is?¡±


    ¡°The protector guy is there,¡± the sergeant said, pointing down the runway where several of the cat creatures could be seen circling a single figure, before turning to point the direction they were running, ¡°and he says the bullets are coming from somewhere over there.¡±


    ¡°The postal building?¡±


    Before he could answer there was a crack as the sniper fired again, now that they were further from the main line they were able to make it out from the rest of the fire.


    ¡°Anyone see it?¡±


    ¡°Roof of the postal service,¡± another soldier replied, starting to pant, ¡°north-eastern corner.¡±


    ¡°Over the loading bays?¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    ¡°And he¡¯s taking shots at¡­ damn,¡± the first soldier said as they crossed the western most runway of the airport, ¡°that has to be at least a thousand meters.¡±


    ¡°Fire and advance!¡± the sergeant shouted, the national guard soldiers lifting their rifles and beginning to fire on the building, quickly forcing the sniper to duck back, ¡°let¡¯s go!¡±


    With grunts of confirmation the squad began running again, hoping to chase down the sniper before he could get away.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°They expect us to land down there?¡± the pilot said skeptically, looking down at what looked like a warzone. Spells and attacks lashed out from the nearly dozen women knights who had gathered to keep the runway clear, supposedly they¡¯d ensure there were no obstructions, like runways, but with the blood splatter, smoke and general chaos it was hard to tell if the runway was actually clear.


    ¡°Unless you¡¯d rather put down in that lake,¡± the co-pilot replied, nodding to a small lake just south-east of the airport, ¡°we¡¯ve got maybe fifteen minutes of fuel left.¡±


    ¡°Well then, here goes nothing,¡± the pilot shrugged, thumbing his radio, ¡°got it control, beginning decent to land.¡±


    ¡°Attention passengers, we¡¯re being told a runway has been cleared,¡± the co-pilot said over the intra-plane at the same time, ¡°we¡¯re going to try our best, but be ready for a hard landing.¡±


    With that the pilot pulled on the yoke, bringing the plane around. They were the lowest in altitude, and likely in fuel, having been circling for the last couple hours. The planes that had been ahead of them had left for other municipal airports, since they hadn¡¯t had the fuel to loiter. Unfortunately those airports could only handle so many airplanes, and his plane had been just past the cutoff. The only reason they hadn¡¯t run out of fuel already was due to them turning off two engines, running the other two alone and maintaining a slow speed.


    Most of the others had done the same, trading speed for efficiency and endurance. Any planes with the range for it had left for Pensecola, but that still left nearly a dozen aircraft stuck over Orlando.


    ¡°Flame out on one,¡± the co-pilot reported as the pilot lined up on the runway and reached for the landing gear only for the pilot to block him.


    ¡°Wait for my signal,¡± the pilot said, struggling to keep the aircraft lined up with only one engine. The co-pilot realized he was trying to preserve airspeed to ensure they made the runway, barely even using his flaps.


    ¡°Now!¡± the pilot said as they crossed over the fence, the other engine flaming out at nearly the same moment. Slowly the massive aircraft drifted down, the gear extending with painful slowness, their speed dropping off. He heard the passengers cheer as they made it over the runway, but that was only part of it. The stall warning went off, they were about to fall right out of the air, gear or no, when he heard the gear lock in place. The pilot immediately pulled the flaps to full and allowed the airliner to drop, slamming into the tarmac, without the ability to reverse thrust they had to rely on the brakes to stop. Both pilots stepped hard on the wheel breaks, wincing at the loud squeal that echoed through the cabin.


    ¡°Turn off there,¡± the pilot said, pointing to one of the turnoff points, and the co-pilot nodded, easing off the brakes and helping turn the plane off the main runway. A few moments later the last of their momentum took them just off the taxiway, but stopped them before they went too far.


    Both men took a long breath, pausing to wipe the sweat from their foreheads while they heard the emergency doors being pulled.


    ¡°Now we just need to run for the national guard,¡± the co-pilot said. The pilot didn¡¯t respond, simply groaning and pulling at his harness.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    Over half an hour after Orlan first engaged with the tier four beasts, and ten minutes after the sniper was scared off, he took the first one down. Both of its front-limbs were eaten away by repeated void strikes, leaving the beast to limp away. As soon as it turned away Orlan struck, rift stepping above it and slamming his spear down into the base of its neck, pumping void mana directly into its spine and killing it almost instantly. The other beasts got the message, if they tried to run, they¡¯d die. Five minutes later a second went down, its front legs ravaged to the point of uselessness, allowing Orlan to stab it in the heart.


    Whether it was fear or anger, Orlan couldn¡¯t tell, but the last four beasts fought even harder, barely giving him a moment to strike back. Both the beasts and Orlan were getting tired by this point, even the seemingly endless stamina of high tier bodies pushed to their limit. Combined with Orlan¡¯s almost literally endless mana, given he wasn¡¯t slinging around major spells, the battle seemed like it would go on forever.


    Once the rift closed, however, it was only a matter of time till Orlan¡¯s knights came to back him up. And sure enough, Nallia and Lailra were the first to arrive, finding Orlan panting, covered in blood, both his and from the different beasts, staring down the last two cat beasts. While lower on mana than him, the two senior knights still had more than enough to handle a pair of injured, exhausted beasts.


    ¡°Damnit, I can¡¯t tell how injured you are,¡± Lailra said as she wiped various layers of dried blood from him.


    ¡°At least I¡¯m conscious this time,¡± Orlan said with a tired grin.


    ¡°Ya, that way you can carry yourself back.¡±


    ¡°On that point,¡± Nallia spoke up, ¡°how are we planning to return to the Protectorate?¡±


    Both Orlan and Lailra looked at her and blinked.


    ¡°Right, we took an airplane here,¡± Orlan said as if remembering, ¡°a cutter can probably come get us eventually, it¡¯ll have to stop to recharge though.¡±


    ¡°And likely take a roundabout course to stay near land while refilling on mana,¡± Lailra added, ¡°between that and how little mana there is, it¡¯ll probably take them a few days to even get here.¡±


    ¡°Meaning we¡¯ll need somewhere to stay,¡± Orlan finished, turning to glance at where the National Guard were busy sweeping the airport for any more of the beasts, even though his knights were already doing that, ¡°any idea what their intentions are?¡±


    ¡°They were helpful during the fight, but once things calm down¡­¡± Lailra trailed off and shrugged.


    ¡°Guess we¡¯ll find out,¡± Orlan said, glancing at where a clearly military jeep was pulling onto the runway and turning in their direction.

 Returned Protector ch 27

    While Orlan and his knights spent most of their time onboard his Protectorate normally, they were used to roughing it once and a while. Each of them had at least one and often several utility spells expressly to make life easier when not at home. Nallia had cast a large disk that floated in the air above them, deflecting much of the sunlight to cast the area in shade while Aira¡¯s magic cooled the air down. Orlan¡¯s main contribution was the personal space inherent that allowed each of his bonded knights to store several items away.


    By the time the National Guard jeep arrived Lailra was finishing her healing, having pulled out several skins of water to clean Orlan off while the other set up various pieces of foldable furniture from their personal spaces. The leader of the guard seemed unable to decide how he should feel upon seeing the setup. Instead his gaze turned to a group of four knights who, after setting up the grotto, had begun walking back towards the ruined airport terminal nearby as a group.


    ¡°Where are they going?¡± the man asked.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Orlan asked, glancing over his shoulder while Lailra was busy fussing over the last of his injuries, ¡°oh, bathroom.¡±


    ¡°Together?¡±


    ¡°They are still women,¡± Orlan pointed out.


    ¡°Right,¡± the man said slowly, clearly unconvinced but deciding to not push the issue as he turned his gaze to Orlan, ¡°I¡¯m Captain Peterson, US National Guard, and I wanted to thank you for your assistance here.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re happy to help,¡± Orlan said with a grin, ¡°don¡¯t suppose we could swing an airline flight back?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately the airport is¡­ not in use,¡± the captain said dryly, glancing over at the building, smoke still emerging from various points where fires had started. Orlan and his knights had gotten most of them under control so they didn¡¯t interfere with the evacuation but they weren¡¯t there to fight fires, as such most of the fires were still smoldering and not truly out.


    ¡°In addition, there¡¯s the matter of the warrant out for your arrest,¡± Peterson continued, returning his gaze to Orlan, ¡°I¡¯ve already gotten calls from various people, from the owner of the airport to a local mayor, calling for me to drag you in. Some of them seem to blame you for the damage to the airport.¡±


    ¡°Of course, blame me, not the beasts,¡± Orlan snorted.


    ¡°Can¡¯t sue creatures,¡± the captain said with a slight smirk, ¡°thankfully I¡¯m National Guard, not police, so unless I receive and order from the President or the Florida state government I plan to focus on search and rescue. But it would be helpful if you weren¡¯t here if, and when, those orders trickle down.¡±


    ¡°Sadly our cutters don¡¯t have the range to make it here in a single leg,¡± Orlan grimaced, ¡°it¡¯ll take a couple days for one to get here to pick us up.¡±


    ¡°I was afraid of that,¡± the captain sighed, ¡°in that case the best I can do is-.¡±


    One of his subordinates tapped his shoulder, interrupting him mid-sentence and holding out a phone. With an apologetic glance Peterson took the phone and turned away to speak on it.


    ¡°Think that¡¯s the arrest order?¡± Lailra asked through their telepathic connection, even though she continued to poke and prod at Orlan¡¯s shoulder, where he¡¯d been shot, she¡¯d already extracted the bullet and cast several healing spells. Now she was just looking busy to remain close to him.


    ¡°No way the federal government moved that fast,¡± Orlan replied.


    ¡°It has been nearly two hours since we landed,¡± she reminded him, ¡°think we¡¯ll have to fight our way out?¡±


    ¡°I hope not,¡± Orlan said, the telepathic conversation ending as the captain turned back towards them.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been instructed to offer you a deal,¡± the captain said, ¡°the Florida Governor wants to meet with you, she¡¯s currently on the way here but is still a couple hours out. She¡¯s promised that you are safe while you¡¯re here and, when I mentioned you had no way back, a flight to Bermuda after the meeting if you desire.¡±


    ¡°Can she really shield me from the federal government?¡± Orlan asked after a moment¡¯s thought.


    ¡°I¡¯m not law enforcement, while I take orders from the President I defer any issues of law to local authorities,¡± Peterson said with another subtle smirk, ¡°and if he orders me to go against local government, that¡¯s an illegal order that I don¡¯t have to obey.¡±


    ¡°And the governor won¡¯t have me arrested?¡±


    ¡°If she intends to, she didn¡¯t mention it to me. In fact, she ordered the local police to assist with search and rescue rather than, and I quote ¡®pursuing minor criminals.¡¯ Take that how you will.¡±


    ¡°I broke into the Pentagon and that¡¯s a minor crime? What do I have to do to get some respect around here,¡± Orlan chuckled, only to grunt as Lailra elbowed him in the ribs, ¡°I¡¯d be happy to meet with the governor, I hope you can understand my apprehension.¡±


    ¡°People break into federal buildings all the time, or, they used to,¡± Peterson chuckled, ¡°hasn¡¯t been much of that since the portals started appearing.¡±


    ¡°Well, in the meantime, since we aren¡¯t being arrested, mind if we assist in the search and rescue?¡±


    ¡°Be my guest, in Florida we don¡¯t turn down disaster aid,¡± Peterson added, ¡°you can also call your knights back.¡±


    ¡°Call them back?¡± Orlan asked, giving him a confused look, ¡°you mean the ones who went to the bathroom earlier?¡±


    ¡°Ya, you mean they actually went to the bathroom?¡±


    ¡°What did you think they were doing?¡±


    ¡°Preparing an escape route or something,¡± the captain shrugged, ¡°they really just needed to use the restroom?¡±


    ¡°We spent the last two hours fighting, and two hours before that on an airplane,¡± Lailra spoke up, ¡°soon as they get back I¡¯m going myself.¡±


    ¡°Women,¡± Orlan said, earning himself another elbow in the ribs.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°Sorry, we aren¡¯t exactly dressed for a meeting with nobility,¡± Lailra said, affecting a curtsy as the Governor met them in a parking lot near the airport a few hours later.


    ¡°I¡¯m not nobility,¡± the middle aged woman said, waving her comment off, ¡°and don¡¯t worry about your outfit, you make me envious enough looking that good even in that armor.¡±


    ¡°I was surprised to hear you want to meet with us, given that we have an arrest warrant out,¡± Orlan commented.


    ¡°Those old men in DC are just upset that you¡¯re upstaging them, but before we continue mind if we find a place to sit? As I mentioned, my knees aren¡¯t what they once were.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Orlan said, following the Governor and her two aides to a nearby caf¨¦ that was, somehow, still open despite the disaster nearby. After ordering some drinks they went to sit down, despite being open the caf¨¦ was empty aside from them so there was plenty of space.


    ¡°In Florida we are used to handling disasters on our own, without federal aid, so things get back up and running with surprising alacrity,¡± the Governor explained, ¡°normally those disasters are hurricanes but they transfer to other things as well, mostly.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°Right, this is the second time your state was hit by a rift,¡± Orlan nodded, ¡°the first one was a bit over a year ago right?¡±


    ¡°Ya, down past Miami, in the everglades, really upset the ecological types but not much we could do,¡± she shrugged, ¡°made it easier to keep the damage contained, but small towns all over the region were damaged, some not until weeks later. But rebuilding is one thing, minimizing damage is another. And it seems you are the most knowledgeable one in that regard. So, I have to ask, are we likely to be hit again, is there any way to predict if we¡¯ll be hit, and what can we do to minimize the damage?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ you don¡¯t ask easy questions do you,¡± Orlan laughed.


    ¡°For me, results matter more than politics,¡± she responded with a chuckle of her own.


    ¡°Well, to start with, yes you are likely to be hit again. Rifts are more common within a hundred or so miles of coastlines, leading theory is that incoming rifts that would appear in the ocean are drawn to land. Not to say they can¡¯t appear further inland, it¡¯s just more common.¡±


    ¡°Would explain why the only other state to be hit twice was Hawaii,¡± she nodded.


    ¡°Second, it is possible to predict them, but it¡¯s not easy. You need a number of mages to create and maintain some very complex spells, and on this side its even harder for¡­ technical reasons,¡± Orlan said, ¡°we have a detection array on the protectorate, but they¡¯re still messing with it to get it working properly on this side.¡±


    ¡°No technological solution?¡±


    ¡°None that I know of, there might be one but,¡± Orlan shrugged, ¡°as for minimizing damage¡­ there are a few things but ultimately the best response is to fight magical beasts with magical warriors. Most things non-mages can do are only really helpful to stay safe until a proper response arrives, like keeping a gun or two ready, having a basement to hide in, they keep you safe initially but it¡¯s not a real solution.¡±


    ¡°So how can we get some ¡®magical warriors¡¯?¡± the governor asked.


    ¡°You believe in magic?¡± Orlan asked, looking at her curiously.


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I? My state was attacked first by six legged crocs, and now by sloth-lion things that appear from whirling balls of light. And so far the only man able to help has called the abilities magic, I¡¯m willing to set aside my bias and go with it until a better explanation is found,¡± she shrugged, ¡°if you called it voodoo, faith, or the power of the dark gods, if it helps my people then I¡¯ll take it.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Orlan said, looking at her with newfound respect. To not only go against the will of the federal government, but also ignore the tiny voice in the back of her mind that whispered that magic wasn¡¯t real, all for the sake of her people.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you know about the magic academy I¡¯m setting up on my protectorate, the first class should start in under a week,¡± Orlan said, ¡°initial class will be only twenty or so, but we hope to ramp up quickly. First mages will, hopefully, be ready in under four months, though they will still be novice mages. They¡¯ll know how to progress but won¡¯t have the same power as my knights or I do. If you want to hire a more experienced mage from the spire on my island you¡¯re welcome to, they are a separate organization that I don¡¯t control. If you want my advice, find some land and offer it to the spire mages on the condition that it¡¯s used to teach magic.¡±


    ¡°Got it, any chance you can recommend someone? Can¡¯t exactly call the references of someone from another world.¡±


    ¡°At the moment, I don¡¯t think anyone will take the offer,¡± Orlan said after a moment, leaning back in his chair, ¡°given the federal government¡¯s position they¡¯ll want to wait to see how events unfold.¡±


    ¡°But making the offer anyway would be testing the waters, seeing how the federal government reacts,¡± the governor nodded, writing down notes on a small pad, ¡°a very elegant and simple way to both see how the fed react without openly announcing any allegiance with you.¡±


    ¡°Uh, right,¡± Orlan said, blinking, ¡°honestly I just wanted people to realize that hiring mages from the spire to start their own schools was possible.¡±


    ¡°Right, the British have been very friendly towards you recently, haven¡¯t they?¡± she asked, looking up, ¡°hoping Bermuda will open a mages school as well?¡±


    ¡°They are in a good position for it,¡± Orlan admitted, ¡°right by a major ley-node¡­ but what do you mean the British are being friendly? I haven¡¯t heard anything.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t? You must not get much news on that island of yours.¡±


    ¡°We just got a cell tower installed,¡± Orlan said dryly.


    ¡°Well, there was a motion in the EU to try and find a way to force you to provide your ¡®creature fighting technology¡¯ or whatever, the British opposed it and, if the gossip is to be believed, outright threated not leave the EU if they passed that bill.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t they already leave the EU? I seem to remember there was a vote like that before I crossed over.¡±


    ¡°There was, and they¡¯ve been in the process of leaving for the last few decades,¡± the governor snorted, ¡°but for now they are still in it. Given British troops were major responders to the¡­ rifts? The rifts in Europe, most of the EU has been falling over themselves to keep the UK in. The other major force is Germany, who actually introduced the bill to force you to hand over whatever technology you have, but after the UK¡¯s hard stance against that¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know how to feel about it,¡± Orlan admitted.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ll be receiving a team from England soon, asking for your thanks.¡±


    ¡°Oh boy,¡± groaned Orlan.


    ¡°Eh, it¡¯s China you really have to worry about, I¡¯m surprised they haven¡¯t tried anything already.¡±


    ¡°They have,¡± Orlan replied, cocking his head, ¡°in fact, they are as we speak.¡±


    ¡°They are?¡±


    ¡°I assume it¡¯s them,¡± Orlan shrugged, ¡°nothing major, looks like they¡¯re just probing.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re okay with that?¡±


    ¡°I have my ways.¡±


    \-\-\-\-\-


    A couple small drones, each under two feet across with four rotors buzzed over the Pacific Ocean having been launched from what appeared to be a fishing vessel. They remained close to the water until they got close to the floating island when they started rapidly climbing. Coming from the west it was expected that they¡¯d remain hidden in the light of the setting sun, combined with the drones being too small to be easily detected on radar they should have been the ideal recon tools. But as soon as they crested the edge of the island spell circles appeared around each one, instantly halting them in place. Another spell circle appeared just before each of their cameras, spelling out in perfect Chinese ¡®these are now the property of Lord Protector Orlan.¡¯ Almost instantly the drones attempted to back away, but were unable to fight against the spells holding them in place. Soon after they shut down, sparking as self-destruction systems ruined their internals while, in the distance, a normal appearing fishing boat turned and began to motor away.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°Well, regardless, I¡¯d like to thank you for your assistance, and promise that you¡¯ll face no legal issues for your actions this day,¡± the Florida governor said, ¡°given the state of the air right now, you might have to wait until morning for me to arrange an plane to take you back, but I will find a way if I have to charter the aircraft myself.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind spending the night,¡± Orlan shrugged, glancing at Lailra who didn¡¯t raise any objections.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll set up some hotel rooms for you all, there¡¯s, what, ten of you? I¡¯ll get ten rooms at the nearest hotel.¡±


    ¡°Nine,¡± Lailra said, linking an arm with Orlan, ¡°we only need nine.¡±


    ¡°I was under the impression you don¡¯t sleep with him,¡± the governor said, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember him saying that,¡± Lailra replied, glancing at Orlan.


    ¡°I only ever said they aren¡¯t obligated to do so,¡± he said, ¡°given that stupid legal convention on the other side.¡±


    ¡°So you do sleep with them?¡± the governor asked.


    ¡°A gentleman doesn¡¯t kiss and tell,¡± Orlan said.


    ¡°Mostly only with me,¡± Lailra said, meeting the governor¡¯s gaze as she tightened her grip on Orlan as if staking her claim.


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± she replied, lifting her hands in surrender, ¡°nine rooms it is.¡±


    Lailra watched her suspiciously as the governor walked away to talk with her aids, her arm remaining linked with Orlan¡¯s.


    ¡°What was that about?¡± Orlan asked through the bond.


    ¡°Good chance she was going to try and set you up with one of her daughters, assuming she has any,¡± Lailra replied, ¡°or someone else in her family who¡¯s close to your age and might be able to tie you down.¡±


    ¡°Really? You think she was going to honeypot me?¡±


    ¡°Either that or she wanted to sleep with you herself,¡± Lailra said, ¡°but trying to bait you with a daughter seems like something a noble would do.¡±


    ¡°Actually, casual sex is more common on this side,¡± Nallia spoke up, having been silent throughout the discussion, ¡°given the ease of access to contraceptives, even to non-mages, it¡¯s easy to avoid risks normally associated with such relations.¡±


    ¡°This side is weird,¡± Lailra sighed out loud.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible she intended to, as Orlan said, honeypot him, but more likely she was just probing for information,¡± Nallia continued, ¡°there¡¯s been rumors on the internet that Orlan is either homosexual or celibate, given his apparent lack of relations. If nothing else your remark should counter those rumors. Though, oddly, there isn¡¯t as much bias against homosexuality on this side either except as a joke or in certain cultures.¡±


    ¡°They aren¡¯t concerned with the lack of children?¡± Lailra asked.


    ¡°Near as I can tell, not having children is considered superior to having them,¡± Nallia replied, ¡°at least in some sections of the population. I think it has to do with population density, as the birth rates are lower in more heavily populated regions.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve been spending too much time browsing the internet,¡± Orlan said dryly, glancing at Nallia.


    ¡°If you are referring to ¡®memetic jokes¡¯ and ¡®video tubes¡¯ I have realized those are largely entertainment and not relevant to anything solid in the world,¡± Nallia assured him, only for Orlan to groan, almost planting his head on the table but pausing as one of the governor¡¯s aides approached.


    ¡°Am I¡­ interrupting?¡± the young girl asked, looking between them.


    ¡°No,¡± Orlan said.


    ¡°Then, if you¡¯ll follow me, I can lead you to the hotel.¡±


    ¡°Lead the way,¡± Lailra said with a slightly too wide smile, linking arms with Orlan once more as they stood and watching the girl leading them closely. Orlan simply sighed and walked along.

 Returned Protector ch 28

    ¡°Wait, so you¡¯re thinking of advancing?¡± Amy asked, looking between the two gem sisters.


    ¡°White said that if I could make it to fourth sphere, I could take the bond test,¡± Topaz said, moving slowly through another swing with the wooden swords, Amy and Ruby mimicking her, ¡°which could mean I could become a proper Protector Knight!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not about to let my sister get ahead of me,¡± Ruby added as they moved through the next strike.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t get the same offer?¡± asked Amy.


    ¡°There¡¯s more to bonds than simple power,¡± Topaz explained, ¡°from what I understand personality, history, magical attunement and a million other things can influence it. But those who have been through a bond never really go into detail about it, not sure why.¡±


    ¡°A condition for the magic to work?¡±


    ¡°Or we¡¯re better off going into it blind,¡± Topaz shrugged, the three moving through the next swings in quick succession to return to where they started, ¡°magic can be weird like that.¡±


    Amy simply nodded, not really understanding as she¡¯d only barely scratched the surface of how magic functioned. The single spell she knew, which she called Wisp of Night, summoned a small dark mote that drifted about at random for a minute. It was effectively a party trick, but even in that she¡¯d found a surprising amount of complexity. How the mote would move changed based on her state of mind on casting, she¡¯d found, if she was angry the mote would move in straight lines, freezing before moving in another direction. If she was tired it would move in general downward curves like a snowflake, and it would move in gentle spirals around her if she was excited. It didn¡¯t change the overall effect but apparently at higher tiers state of mind mattered more and more, to the extent that skilled magic users would alter their spells slightly, on the fly, to account for their mood.


    ¡°Which task are you aiming for?¡± Ruby asked as the three of them started through the set again at an increased speed.


    ¡°Task?¡± Amy asked, already starting to pant while the other two seemed unaffected by the increased speed.


    ¡°A common tradition is for a mage to complete a task, or trial, before they are allowed to tier up. Something to show they¡¯re fully in control of their current power,¡± Topaz replied, ¡°For warriors like us, the favorite is to fight and kill a beast of our tier alone. That might be difficult however, as we lack easy access to rift beasts.¡±


    ¡°Another is to design a spell of your tier,¡± Ruby added, ¡°something unique to you.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a few others, but those are the two most common,¡± Topaz nodded, ¡°and I think we¡¯ll have to settle for designing a spell unless a rift opens that is filled with tier three beasts.¡±


    ¡°Preferably ones your magic is strong against,¡± agreed Ruby as they moved into the third repetition of the sword dance, their arms moving fast enough that Amy struggled to keep up. At least she noted that the other two were beginning to breath harder and sweat.


    ¡°Not too strong, or White won¡¯t accept it. Apparently Lady Nallia once tried to use a fight she had with a shade beast to fulfill the requirement, a single cast of a middle tier spell wiped it out as shade beasts are extremely weak to light magic. Orlan made her find a proper fight.¡±


    Amy couldn¡¯t even respond, being too focused on keeping her sword straight, moving properly through each strike in the sword dance. She wasn¡¯t even particularly fond of swords, after practicing with one for several weeks now, but all knights had to be trained on several weapons. Topaz¡¯s preferred weapon was a glaive where Ruby preferred a staff. It was apparently quite common for most protector kinghts to use polearms, as the added reach could be useful when fighting beasts. But also knowing to use a sword or dagger could save your life.


    Through the fourth iteration of the sword dance even the gem sisters were unable to speak while Amy might as well have been flailing randomly for how well she kept to the movements. By the fifth repetition she completely gave up on trying to follow along, the other two reaching their limits as well.


    ¡°At least you three haven¡¯t been slacking,¡± a voice spoke up, causing all three of them to jump as Lady White approached, ¡°Amy, you messed up some of the swings during the third sequence, focus on that for now, your body should be able to handle up to the fourth, you just haven¡¯t realized it yet. Ruby, you are landing to heavily on your left foot throughout, which is why you were off balance towards the end. And Topaz, it¡¯s a sword, not a glaive, extend your arms further.¡±


    All three of them acknowledged the critique and thanked her, while White could come off as cold, that¡¯s just how she was. After weeks under her training, Amy had learned that White paid close attention to every one of her students, tailoring her training to each of them.


    ¡°Topaz, are you truly intending on fulfilling the mage trial?¡± White asked after walking each of them through the steps of the sword dance to show where they messed up.


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer the warrior¡¯s trial, but without easy access to a tier three beast,¡± Topaz shrugged.


    ¡°Even if we can¡¯t get you to take part in a tier three rift, Orlan might be willing to capture a tier three beast alive,¡± White replied, ¡°I¡¯ve asked him to be on the look out for beasts that he could take alive.¡±


    ¡°Even if all he manages is a few mortal realm beasts that could be useful for Amy,¡± Ruby agreed.


    ¡°Speaking of, which trial are you aiming for Ruby?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about it much,¡± she admitted, ¡°but either the warrior or mage test could work.¡±


    ¡°Should I start thinking about which trial to take?¡± Amy asked.


    ¡°Not until you can go four iterations of the sword dance to my satisfaction,¡± White said, ¡°you¡¯ve only been awakened for a few weeks, most people spend around a year at first sphere.¡±


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°I¡¯ve gotten a hang of casting spells, admittedly I don¡¯t know many yet but that seems an easy fix, will it really take that long?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been learning magic quickly, but you haven¡¯t fully realized your increased strength or speed,¡± White countered.


    ¡°What does that even mean?¡±


    ¡°See that stone over there,¡± White asked, nodding to a large stone slightly larger than her torso off to the side of the training yard, ¡°could you lift that over your head?¡±


    ¡°What? No!¡± Amy shook her head.


    ¡°That¡¯s the issue, you are so set in what you believe you are capable of you aren¡¯t able to fully tap into your strength.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you could lift it without issue, but I¡¯m only first sphere,¡± Amy protested, ¡°can any first sphere lift that thing over their head?¡±


    ¡°Orlan did,¡± White said, smirking slightly at Amy¡¯s shocked look, ¡°you¡¯re right that you, as both first sphere and a woman, are unlikely to be able to lift that stone. Your mana seems more focused on speed and flexibility than pure strength, but the point is you don¡¯t realize what you can do yet. Until you break through the limit you are putting on yourself, I won¡¯t let you form your next sphere.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Ruby said, patting Amy on the back as White walked away to another group of trainees, ¡°everyone goes through this at first sphere. At second sphere you¡¯ll go the other way, learning to restrain your strength, imagine if I was patting you without controlling my strength?¡±


    ¡°Or when she hugs you,¡± Topaz added, ¡°she¡¯d squeeze the life right out of you.¡±


    Amy sighed and shuddered at the thought before taking a breath and lifting her training sword again, getting ready to go through the sword dance again.


    \-\-\-\-\-


    ¡°So the Indias are called the Americas on this side?¡± Lailra asked, leaning over to look at the simple map Orlan had picked up on the walk to the hotel.


    ¡°Yup, and India is over here,¡± Orlan added, tapping the map.


    ¡°In Bharata? But the story is that the man who found this continent was looking for India.¡±


    ¡°He was, but India is here, he just ran into another continent first. Whatever seer caught that glimpse of this side didn¡¯t realize India was a known place already,¡± Orlan shrugged.


    ¡°And he didn¡¯t realize he found the wrong place when landing on an uninhabited land?¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t uninhabited on this side,¡± Orlan said, ¡°there were tribal hunter-gatherers across North America, and several modest civilizations in Central and South America. Been there for thousands of years.¡±


    ¡°Guess none of them came over when the world split,¡± Lailra said, leaning back in her chair. Even though the restaurant on the ground floor of the hotel was long closed, the entire first lance and Orlan were sitting around chatting. It was common for them to debrief as a team after a rift, especially one as chaotic as the one they just went through. Some good natured teasing about Orlan seemingly being named after the airport followed and then a geography lesson since he¡¯d found a proper map that didn¡¯t require them all to crowd around the small cell phone.


    ¡°Or at least not enough to¡­¡± Orlan paused, looking up at the same time as all of his knights did. In addition to chatting they¡¯d been waiting for something.


    Or rather, someone.


    ¡°I see I¡¯m expected,¡± a simple man in a suit said, walking into the restaurant from the hotel lobby, behind him were several men in generic fatigues with rifles.


    ¡°Not a hard prediction,¡± Orlan shrugged as he stood, his knights moving to stand just behind him and to either side.


    ¡°I half expected you to attack me as soon as I walked in,¡± the man replied.


    ¡°You¡¯re the ones who attacked me first,¡± Orlan countered.


    ¡°Fair enough, I suppose. Now, I believe you have something of mine.¡±


    ¡°An eye encased in glass? About¡­ this big?¡± Orlan asked, lifting his hands.


    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t seen it,¡± Orlan replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood for games,¡± the man growled, those behind him tensing, grabbing their rifles.


    ¡°Damn, here I was hoping to play some cards.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re trying my patience,¡± the man in the suit said with a glare, ¡°I understand you are used to being the strongest one around, and perhaps you are strong enough to ignore our weapons. But can you say the same of your girls?¡±


    ¡°Be careful now,¡± Orlan said, his voice dropping several degrees.


    ¡°Seems you realize your position,¡± the man smirked, confidently walking forwards while his guards remained by the entrance.


    ¡°Who are you people anyways?¡± Orlan asked.


    ¡°Ah, right, how rude of me. I represent a group called the Children of Abel, yes as in the story of Cain and Abel. We¡¯re an ancient group that remembers when magic existed in this world, before it was split off. You can call me Abel.¡±


    ¡°For one who claims to remember magic, you are crap at it.¡±


    ¡°Alas, much has been forgotten since those times,¡± Abel sighed, ¡°we only managed to hold onto a few bits of knowledge and some relics, the rest was lost. We¡¯ve been trying to recover our lost power ever since magic returned.¡±


    ¡°So, let me get this straight, you¡¯re some secretive cabal of wizards that has existed, unknown to the rest of the world for hundreds of years?¡± Orlan asked skeptically.


    ¡°More or less,¡± Abel chuckled, ¡°admittedly, until recently we¡¯ve been content to remain in the shadows, largely remaining a historical preservation society with little need or ability to utilize magic. But ever since the rifts, as you call them, started appearing, well, we¡¯ve taken a more active role.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s lying,¡± Nallia¡¯s voice said in his mind, ¡°but about what I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Orlan said out loud, ¡°then why did you attack me?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯ll remember correctly, you were arrested by the US government, we simply took advantage of the situation. We didn¡¯t know if you were actually human or some human looking rift beast,¡± Abel answered, ¡°we hoped to use the eye to tell if you were truly human.¡±


    "Didn''t you kidnap one of my girls?"


    "That wasn''t us," the man said, Nallia quickly informing him it was a lie.


    ¡°And what about the magical bullets, or the guy doped up with magic steroids?¡±


    ¡°Security.¡±


    ¡°The sniper at the airport earlier today?¡±


    ¡°A local agent who was a bit¡­ over eager,¡± Abel smiled apologetically, Orlan didn¡¯t even need Nallia to tell him that was a lie.


    ¡°So, what do you expect to happen here?¡± Orlan asked after a moment.


    ¡°I think we got off on the wrong foot, if you just return the eye we¡¯d be willing to forgive you for the death of one of our agents. From there I¡¯m sure we can come to a mutually beneficial relationship.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with this, what does the eye do?¡±


    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s fair, you don¡¯t want to hand us a weapon back,¡± Abel nodded, ¡°it has two main functions, the first is a subtle effect that aids in research and experimentation, gently pushing those near it in the right direction. The other function allows for the¡­ breaking down of magic. Admittedly we don¡¯t fully understand how it works, but we were hoping using it on you would give us a hint in addition to proving you were, or weren¡¯t, human.¡±


    ¡°Seems an awfully powerful item for just those two abilities,¡± Orlan commented.


    ¡°We suspect most of that power is related to the first function, helping research along is quite the complex task. But I assure you, it has only those two abilities.¡±


    ¡°Lie,¡± Nallia whispered in his mind.


    ¡°Well, regardless, I don¡¯t have it with me,¡± Orlan said after a moment, ¡°I try not to carry divine level artifacts around with me.¡±


    ¡°I see, then you won¡¯t mind if I accompany you back to your island with my guards to recover it.¡±


    ¡°No guards.¡±


    ¡°Two.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Orlan relented, ¡°we¡¯re supposed to have a flight leaving tomorrow morning out of Orlando.¡±


    ¡°I shall be waiting,¡± Abel said with a grin and a slight, almost mocking, bow before turning and walking out of the restaurant, soon followed by his guards.


    ¡°Great, more guests,¡± Pela groaned once they left the hotel entirely, ¡°how many different groups are we going to have on the protectorate by the time this is over?¡±


    ¡°Is it wise to let them come with us?¡± Lailra asked, looking at Orlan.


    ¡°Probably not,¡± he admitted, ¡°but once they¡¯re on the island we¡¯ll have the advantage.¡±


    ¡°Well, at least we didn¡¯t need to ruin this hotel. Ready for bed darling?¡± Lailra asked with a grin, causing Orlan to roll his eyes.