Chapter 17 - Once more unto the breach.

The next morning I geared up again for exploration, mainly only ditching the combat coat for my scouting one trading defence for stealth. And a backpack with supplies, my mission journal and a few more gadgets.

My mood was much lighter after our get together the night before. The team had receive well the news of a new mission, even if a dangerous one. I’m even starting to think that I’m stuck with a bunch of adrenaline junkies. Even Erick didn’t complain about it. I’m starting to think that maybe, the horror, I might be the voice of reason on this team.

As I do a last check on everything, in hindsight and now sober, I can’t not think that Pyralis behavior was strange last night. One could just think she was just having fun with her teammates, and were she human, I’d agree that it is the most likely explanation, but Lis is fae. So I can’t avoid searching for a reason for her actions, what did she gain with it?

As I leave the barracks building and go for the Hall of Ways. The Expeditionary Forces headquarters is actually really busy, lot of people crossing the plaza from building to building and there are other teams forming up near the Hall.

I’ve alredy mentioned that the Hall of Ways is one of the greatest magic feats of the Enclave. But I don’t think I ever explained why. Before the fall, the fae realm was like a shadow to our realm, the one closest to ours both physically and metaphorically, such that there were many connections linking both realms. Reason why, as I explained before there were so many paths that a person could cross on the Fae realm to move from place to place in our world.

Now, when the end came and the Fae cast their big spell so that part of their realm could be preserved, most of those pathways were lost. But many pieces of the fae realm survived the crash, and now existed isolated, like small moons orbiting our reality. After the enclave was established, and it became clear that the power of the Fae Courts alone wouldn’t be enough to maintain and protect it, the plan to search and tap wells of magic was created.

But there wasn’t enough magic close by for the enclave to do more than scratch by, and to range farther and farther from the enclave was too dangerous and costly on lives. To fix that, the courts and the wyld fae lords got together once more, with the help of the strongest mages and other entities that had made their ways to the enclave one way or another to cast another powerful spell.

The spell located every nearby pathway that survived and transported them to inside the hall. A spell on this scale was only possible due to the affinity that the Fae had to the their old realm.

The hall then was built around the gathered pathways and serves as an anchor for the spell, reducing the strain of maintaining it and as a defencive measure if anything comes out of those portals. It’s maintained in equal parts by powers fed directly from each court and in a much smaller part by the net town council.

As I walk toward the hall, I find the team already gathered there. Ignoring all the magic collectors, since I’m on duty again, I move meet them.

Everybody is geared up and ready to go. Erick and Lilian are dressed in long coats similar to mine, Johnson is wearing a chain mail of what looks silver, it’s painted in the colors of the Prince of Frost. It was obvious enchanted for silence since it made no sound as he moved. It was also mostly hidden by a heavy cloak he weared. His war hammer hanging on his back. Pyralis is wearing the same leather outfit she used during our troubles with the vampires.

“Hey everyone.” I greet as I reach them. “Ready risk your lives for honor and country once more?”

“Mourning Cap, not sure about risking my life, but I’m ready to kick some ass.” Johnson answers back. At least someone is optimistic, I admire the kid for managing to keep being so, considering to whom he is indebted to.

Actually, after greeting everyone, it seems I’m the only one who is not really looking forward to this mission. Even Erick looks happy to get out town. The cynic in me can’t avoid thinking that he must have had an argument with his girlfriend.

We enter the hall and after passing by all the security points and the decontamination chamber we finally make to the portals room itself. There we are greeted by both Fae enforcers and Gatekeeper Gustaff. Thankfully Gatekeeper Teresa is busy on the other side of the hall overseeing the departure of another team.

“Wizard Dagworth, right on time for your departure.”

“I wouldn’t dare angering our lords and masters by being late Gatekeeper.” Just a tiny amount of sarcasm on my tone.

Gustaff frowns at my commentary. “Maybe you’ve chosen the wrong benefactors wizard. There are those whose our service is deserved.”

Did old Gustaff just criticize me for serving Winter over Summer? I’m pretty sure the old goat knows enough of my situation to know it wasn’t really a choice at the time. So what is this barb for? We usually have a good enough relation. And plus being a Master Diviner, he should know I won’t just take it.

“Not everyone is lucky enough to be the mage council representative to the Summer Court when everything went to hell Wizard Gustaff.” I don’t use his title on purpose, because I know it would annoy him.

Everyone around hold their breath at us trading veiled insults. As I mentioned before, it’s not healthy to insult the gatekeepers, as they hold a lot o power on the force and on the enclave itself. Unfortunately for them, I don’t give a damn.

After a few more seconds of silence the Gatekeeper gesture for us to follow him.

“This is the portal you will use, it leads to pathway located in part of what used to be the Twilight Forest and the exit will drop you somewhere on what used to be the state of Oregon, from there you need to find ur next portal to your final destination.”

I almost feel like interrupting him, and telling that we were briefed on the mission, considering the stares I was getting on my teammates I decided to keep quiet. I guess they don’t want to enter the gatekeeper shit list by association. Cowards.

“Thank you Gatekeeper.” Erick answer the old man when he stops rambling. “We are ready to depart once the gate is ready.”

“Very well,” the gatekeeper answers “We just need only to wait for the priest team departure.” He gesture for the team that Gatekeeper Teresa was attending.

The comment catch my attention and I look again at the other team. Father Declan is an important figure on the enclave. He is the head of the christian community. I don’t interact with him much, but I admire his stances. Basically, he sees all this as a test from God and that everyone needs to help in order for us to recover our land. And most important of all, he preaches for people to leave mages and fae alone. That there must be a reason in God plans that we exist and that it’s not his or the community job to judge us, but God.

But the biggest reason I respect him is that he lives what he preaches. He leads a Vanguard himself in order to help the enclave. His Vanguard is known as Declan’s Paladins and they use faith magic and artifacts. He’s also one who healed Detective West infection after things calmed down.

Soon the Father and his team crosses the portal to whatever mission they are on and Gatekeeper Teresa closes it. With that the tactical team of marines that were supervising the Paladin’s departure take positions around us in case something comes out when our portal opens.

Fortunately, they move faster than the Gatekeeper Teresa and once they are in place Gatekeeper Gustaff starts opening our portal. With the help of the hall enchantments and a lot of experience the gates open and stabilizes much faster than I or even Pyralis could accomplish.

The other side reveals a pine forest bathed in perpetual twilight. Johnson and Lilian cross first and soon signal for everyone to follow.

"Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more." I murmur to myself as I cross. Hopefully we can avoid filling it with our dead.