"We go forward," I said, looking around the command tent.
The ring of soldiers looked at intently, many reflecting acceptance or trepidation. Most were familiar to , but I knew many of the senior squad leaders by little more than face.
With the addition of the different branches, the command structure of the Last Light Company had been consolidated. Commander Bethiv stood at the head, with Jackal and Joel serving as secondary leadership with the assud rank of Captain. Korra and I were outside the command structure, though not a single soldier dared to disobey us.
"I see," Bethiv said, nodding. "In that case, we’ll break camp tomorrow and head toward Brithlite City. Jackal, Joel, see that your n are ready to move by dawn."
"Yes sir," the two captains said with a salute.
"One last thing," I said, looking around again, letting my eyes linger on the faces of each squad leader. "We are going to be marching through enemy territory from now on. Many of those we fight are going to be old friends, acquaintances, or even family. I need to know if you will stand by to the end."
Bethiv let the question sink in, only answering after the last bits of hesitation faded from the eyes of his subordinates. "We’re with you, my lady."
I nodded gratefully and relaxed in my seat. The eting ended with little further discussion, and the others filed away, save Bethiv, Korra, and myself.
"My lady," Bethiv began. His voice was soft and tired, and he slumped in his seat, letting a bit of his exhaustion show. "In all honestly, things aren’t looking great right now. We’ve officially made ourselves enemies of the church and kingdom, with no ho or supply line to speak of. Fortunately, we have enough mages to sustain our needs in the way of food production, but our camp followers are in low supply. We have few blacksmiths, enchanters, and armorers. It’s probably for the best we don’t have a cavalry unit because there’s no way we could care for all the horses, or replace those unable to fight."
It was a fair point, and one he’d clearly been thinking about a lot, but I clasped my hands in my lap and looked at him firmly. "I understand the concern, but there’s nothing we can do about it. If we are ant to press forward, fate will provide for us. Otherwise, a new path will be shown."
"I wish I shared that confidence," he muttered, shaking his head wryly. "But I suppose I can trust you for now. We’ve co this far, already, one miracle at a ti. And you seem to be the center of those miracles, my lady. That’s why I’m officially creating a special unit to act as your personal guards. You’re familiar with the soldiers who accompanied you into the city?"
I nodded, my hands tightening into fists in my lap, griping my skirt. I’d anticipated sothing like this, but hearing it actually happen made a little nervous. Having soone always watching over my shoulder, even for my safety, was an intimidating thought, hitting a little close to my state as a slave.
"Oh, relax Xiviyah," Korra said, patting my shoulder with a friendly smile. "Fable and I will be there too, rember?"
Bethiv chuckled lightly. "Indeed, and I’m sorry this is necessary, but the battle at the shard showed one of our greatest weaknesses. You are the center of our battle, and should you fall, the rest of us will as well. I can only imagine our enemies will attempt to capitalize on the Sun God’s curse and your inability to properly defend yourself. I can’t risk letting you get captured, or, gods forbid, assassinated.
"I understand," I said with a reluctant sigh. "As long as it’s Orion, it’s okay."
"And the others," Bethiv answered with a nod. "I decided to call them the Star Guard if that’s alright with you. They’ll be directly subordinate to you, outside of the rest of the army. I would trust any of them with my life, and suggest you do the sa."
"Even Jenna?" Korra asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Especially Jenna." Bethiv’s voice was unusually sober. "She might enjoy herself more than I appreciate, but she’s the most talented wind mage I’ve ever seen. Her ability is invaluable as well, sothing you should try and make great use of."
I nodded slowly, running through my mories until I found what he was talking about. Whispering Winds, an ability that allowed her long-distance communication.
"Alright, Xiviyah, that’s enough talking," Korra said, standing and stretching. "Let’s get to the training field. Didn’t you have a few things you wanted to show ?"
"Yeah, if you’re alright with it. Elinore banned from casting magic, so I thought I would help you develop a new magical art or two," I said, looking at her hopefully.
She grinned and offered a hand. "Sounds wonderful. I’ve been cooped up for too long and could use a bit of exercise."
The training grounds were little more than a designated spacious field west of the camp. The hour was early, we’d done little more than visit Sari and attend the strategy eting, but the grounds were filled with soldiers. Mana saturated the air in visible waves of prismatic light, wavering like water vapor on a hot day. To my eyes, it was a veritable ocean of power, easily enough mana to crush a small city.
It was then I noticed there wasn’t a single soldier below fifth level actually using a magical technique or spell. Plenty of younger recruits and inexperienced mages sat in small groups around the practicing soldiers, watching and discussing the spars and practice forms with excitent.
"Many of these soldiers broke through too quickly," Korra explained, waving to the ones in the middle. "Bethiv set aside the ti in the middle of the day for them to train so they can adjust to their new power levels."
"I guess that’s my fault," I mumbled, rubbing my horn bashfully.
She laughed lightly and pushed her fist against my arm in a soft, playful punch. "Yeah, you bet it us, though the only ones complaining are the ones unlucky enough to be assigned elsewhere during the fight. I’ve heard more than a few arguing with Jackal or Joel trying to get into the Star Guard. I guess they think whatever you did with the shard will happen again."
I shook my head, my tail twitching back and forth. "There’s always a price for power, Korra, and I don’t think I can bear it again. Elinore was right about the sunpurge–if I stress my body and soul out as I did in Bluegate, it’s going to spread even more, and easier too. I might be able to channel that amount of mana after I recover my full strength, but certainly not before."
"And no one will ask you too," she said firmly. "But what does that an for your plan to heal your soul? Won’t you have to channel that much?"
I hesitated a mont, absently curling a strand of crimson hair around my finger. "I’m...thinking about it. If it’s a gate, I won’t be able to channel it raw, anyway. Even a little infernal mana would be enough to ravage my soul, precarious as it is."
"I see." she quiet for a mont, then forced a smile. "Enough about that, what were you planning on showing ?"
I let the somber thoughts drift to the back of my mind, there would be ti enough to ponder it during our march into Brithlite. Taking a step away from Korra, I summoned my staff and raised my other hand palm up to the sky. Letting out a slow exhale, I gathered enough mana for a third-circle spell and manifested it as a curling thread of mana hovering above my open palm. With a little guidance, it split into tens, then hundreds, and finally thousands of individual threads, each as fine and delicate as a strand of hair. Korra’s eyes widened as I began weaving a small sphere about the size of my head, interlocking and laying the fibers together in a complex pattern.
"What the hell?" she gasped as it finished, her mouth hanging open. I knew she didn’t recognize the pattern, but the sheer complexity and depth of the sphere were nearly beyond comprehension, undoubtedly made even more shocking by her previous experience and mastery of high-circle magic.
"Please don’t tell anyone about this," I said softly, looking her square in the eye. "I only recently started studying this, and I’m not certain how safe or applicable it is. ssing it up might have more drastic consequences than ruining an array."
Korra dismissed her shock with a shake of her head and rolled her eyes. "I doubt anyone could even start casting this, much less get far enough to ss it up. But what exactly is it?"
I swiped my hand to the side, moving the shining sphere to the side and allowing to cast another spell, this one a first-circle Aegis. I concentrated the golden light into a ball no bigger than the other one and moved them together. The Aegis rippled as the sphere of mana rged with it, the threads interlocking with the runes of the spell.
"Do you rember the Canyon Crawler?" I asked when it was done.
She nodded, and I counted a single heartbeat before her eyes widened again. "You can’t be serious."
I gestured to the ball and lowered it in the air about chest height. "Hit it."
She spared another disbelieving glance before directly punching the Aegis. Her punch lacked the strength of an Art, yet with her physique carried the weight of a third-level magical technique. Not even one of my Aegis spells should have been able to withstand it, yet the force of her attack dissipated harmlessly through the intricate network of the replicated ability.
Korra frowned, then glanced at . I took the hint and backed away quickly, giving her so room. The Water Hero took a deep breath and embraced her soul, letting water surge around her forearm. A foaming serpent curled around her wrist, its head resting on the back of her hand, the signature aesthetic of her magic arts.
With a low shot, she punched forward with a fifth-level attack, connecting directly with the floating golden ball.
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