Chapter 400: I Have An Army
Cassian rested his hands behind his back and glanced at Leo.
"Give him the rundown," he said. "Everything he needs to know about the abominations in this sector."
Leo nodded once, moving to a wall-mounted console. He tapped a sequence into the panel, and a moment later, a large holographic map flickered to life above the table. A faint blue glow washed over the room, throwing sharp shadows across Cassian’s face.
"This," Leo began, his voice calm and measured, "is the Western Continent’s western defense sector. Our base sits here." He pointed to a glowing mark at the map’s center. "From here, we operate patrols and hunts across three distinct abomination zones—designated Alpha, Beta, and Gamma."
He zoomed in, each zone expanding in layered detail.
"Alpha is our lowest threat zone, but don’t let the term fool you. It’s divided into five layers. The first layer starts with mortal-level abominations, barely more than beasts twisted by Law-taint but the deeper you go, the deadlier it becomes. By the fifth layer, you’ll be dealing with opponents strong enough to rival low-tier masters."
He shifted the display. "Beta Zone is smaller but far more dangerous. Two layers only, no gradual climb. The first layer starts where Alpha’s third leaves off. The second... that’s where things get messy. Even our most experienced hunting squads rarely go in without backup."
The hologram shifted again, the terrain becoming jagged, dark red highlights flaring across the projection.
"Gamma Zone," Leo said grimly. "Highest-level threat. Two layers as well. The first is brutal enough. The second... is home to grandmaster-level abominations. If you step in there without preparation, you’re not coming back."
I kept my eyes on the map, memorizing the terrain as he spoke.
Leo continued, "Alpha and Beta are where we spend most of our time, culling their numbers to keep the pressure off the base. But sometimes... things spill over."
I glanced at him. "From Gamma?"
He nodded. "Gamma’s denizens occasionally push into Beta or even Alpha. And when they do, everything changes. They don’t just hunt us, they rally the lesser ones. If we’re not careful, we’re looking at a horde attack right on our walls."
The map spun slowly, highlighting terrain details. Dense green swaths represented forest. Jagged gray masses marked mountains. Thin silver lines traced two winding rivers.
"The terrain is mostly forest and mountain ranges," Leo said. "Thick enough to hide entire nests. Two rivers cut through the zones, nasty currents, worse things in them. We’ve got aquatic abominations that can pull a man under in seconds. You can’t fight what you can’t see in that water."
I studied the rivers carefully. "Levels?"
"The highest recorded was two-seventy-nine," Leo answered without hesitation. "Several between two hundred and two-fifty. But most of what you’ll face will be between one-fifty and two hundred."
I gave a slow nod. "Not impossible."
"Not impossible," Leo agreed. "But you can’t afford mistakes. Not here."
Cassian stepped forward, ending the briefing with a curt nod. "That’s enough. We’ll head to Alpha first."
Leo shut down the hologram, the glow fading from the room. The air felt darker without it.
We exchanged farewells.
"Commander Ironhart," Leo said, giving me a firm handshake, "I look forward to hearing the stories when you return."
"Hopefully, I’ll bring you back more than stories," I replied with a small smile.
Then Cassian and I left the central building, stepping into the open air.
Cassian stopped and looked at me. "Let’s move."
He stepped forward and then the world seemed to shift as he took to the air, his massive frame somehow effortless in flight.
I stretched my shoulders, then unfurled my crimson wings. The familiar heat rolled down my back as the feathers flared to life, each one catching the light in a deep blood-red glow. With a single beat, I was airborne, matching his altitude.
The base quickly shrank beneath us, rows of buildings and training yards blurring into the forest edge.
Cassian’s voice carried easily over the wind. "The Alpha Zone starts just beyond that ridge." He pointed toward a jagged line of mountains rising like teeth against the horizon. "We’ll enter at the first layer and work inward. Move fast, strike faster. We don’t have time to drag this out."
The air thinned as we climbed, and the world below became a shifting mosaic of greens and browns. Soon, the ridge fell away beneath us, revealing the start of Alpha Zone.
It was a vast expanse—forests stretching for miles, rivers glinting like silver serpents through the valleys, and, here and there, clearings that looked unnaturally empty.
We hovered at the invisible threshold, the line where the base’s patrolled territory ended and wild ground began. The air was heavier here, tinged with the faint, foul taste of abominations.
I closed my eyes and expanded my perception outward.
The world unfolded in my mind, three full layers of Alpha spreading before me in startling clarity. And they were crawling with abominations.
Shapes moved in the undergrowth, some no bigger than wolves, others the size of houses. Wings beat in the canopy above. Something massive shifted in the river’s depths, slow and patient.
A dozen different predator instincts brushed against my awareness, some curious, some hostile, some simply waiting for the right moment to strike.
I opened my eyes. "It’s full."
Cassian’s mouth twitched into the faintest shadow of a smile. "Good. We won’t have to go looking."
He turned his sharp gaze on me. "I don’t doubt your strength... but tell me, will you be able to handle so many?"
I stayed silent for a few seconds, letting the weight of his question hang between us. Then, slowly, I grinned.
"I’m not alone, General."
I reached inward, feeling the familiar thrum of my core. In the next breath, I unleashed it.
A surge of crimson mist poured from my heart, swirling outward in thick waves until it filled the air around me—front and back, left and right.
Cassian instinctively took a step back.
The sound of great wings cut through the haze as Silver emerged behind me, feathers glinting like sharpened moonlight.
A deep, guttural growl followed, Knight stepped out of the mist at my side, eyes like embers.
And then the mist thickened before me, twisting, condensing until Lyrate appeared, regal and serene, floating effortlessly as if the ground was beneath her notice.
I met Cassian’s eyes, my voice steady.
"I’m an army."