The Storm King

No signs of life surrounded the ingress point. Everywhere around it was wild and untamed, without so much as a shack to reveal the presence of human life.

To Leon’s eyes, it was perfect. Hardly the dense forests of his childhood, but the grassy plains, rocky mountains, and sparse forests of stubby trees that he could sense around them brought such a feeling of serenity to him that he managed to put the three missing arks out of his mind for a few seconds.

The fleet followed Bolt in Shadow through the portal and assembled into their formation about a mile above it. From that vantage point, Leon didn’t even need his magic senses to see for thousands of miles. Despite the lack of signs of human habitation, he could see that the place was teeming with life.

He could see a flock of multicolored birds dispersing in panic as the magic from his fleet washed over them.

He could sense maneless lions hunting amidst the plains and forests, with rabbits, foxes, and deer giving the hunters a wide berth.

In the rivers, he could sense fish of all sizes, and a few bears swatting some out of the air as they tried to jump over a line of rocks.

All of this reminded him of Aeterna. This was hardly all he sensed, however.

The birds radiated fifth-tier magic, each and every one of them. And as they flew away, Leon saw a few taking shelter amongst the trees, only to be grabbed by multi-headed snakes waiting in the branches.

While the lions were hunting smaller prey, Leon saw rock-skinned monsters with six legs and horns like mountains eating the lions in turn.

For the fish in the rivers, bears were a worry, but a larger one that Leon could sense were monstrous horse-like creatures with the faces of men and fish-like tails, who rampaged across the plains barreling through the rivers and scooping up fish in mouths that were much too large for their much too human faces.

Most remarkable was that, like the multicolored birds, all that Leon could sense was powerful by Aeternan standards, which he understood. The Nexus was bathed in magic power, so even the beasts, which were typically understood on Aeterna as having harder ceilings of power, were so strong. Leon couldn’t sense any creature that didn’t seem to be a juvenile beneath the fourth-tier.

‘Mortals would have to adapt quickly here,’ Leon noted. It was easy for him to forget since he largely only dealt with strong mages, but mages who could use elemental magic were still a tiny majority compared to mortals on Aeterna. And he couldn’t help but wonder what a single fifth-tier mage might be able to do against a flock of fourth and fifth-tier birds. ‘Our defenses will have to be strong, if only to prevent attrition…’

As he looked out across this new landscape from Bolt in Shadow’s observation deck, the Jaguar behind him made sure that everyone was accounted for—less those three missing arks—and then gave the order to proceed. While Leon’s maps were woefully incomplete, Ambrose had at least given them directions to where their chosen site was located. Even better, the site was within range of Leon’s magic senses.

Leon lightly chuckled at the thought of any kind of direction existing on the inner surface of a hollow sphere; were it not for the Pillars of Khosrow arbitrarily marking the north and south poles, direction would be meaningless.

As it was, his arks pointed ‘south’ and began flying.

Based on the Pillars, they had emerged about four thousand miles north of Leon’s chosen site. They would be establishing themselves in a remote corner of the Storm Lands, right on the edge of the King’s Ocean, the personal domain of the Ocean King. Despite this region being a border zone between powerful locuses of power, as Leon’s magic senses spread across the land, the more elated he felt at just how alone they were—he didn’t start detecting signs of human life for almost ten thousand miles, and even that looked to only be a small farming village protected by enchanted stone walls that scattered his magic senses on contact.

Intriguing for sure, but Leon would have to put off exploring for later. For the moment, he focused entirely on the journey ahead.

It took most of a full day to fly those few thousand miles, but when they reached Leon’s site, he was energized and excited. As Bolt in Shadow came to a halt over the mountain that would be his new home, Leon, his family, friends, and advisors left the observation deck and launched themselves out into the air through a nearby airlock. Throughout the fleet, others were doing the same thing, though mostly in Ulta suits or fighter arks from the carriers. Until the area was secured, the civilians and other passengers aboard the city ark were going to stay where they were.

As soon as Leon tasted the unfiltered air of the Nexus, he smiled. It was cool and pure, warming as he descended through the air.

Below him awaited the mountain with nine peaks, surrounded by a ring-shaped valley through which flowed a river. Around the valley were mountains that formed a near-complete wall, enclosing hundreds of square miles in safety. Only narrow passes in the north and south, through which the river flowed to eventually join the King’s Ocean about a hundred miles to the south of the southern pass.

Even from the air, Leon could sense the life in the valley, from the animals to the plants. The soil was thick and fertile, nourished by the river and several streams from the mountains, while the nine-peaked mountain was covered in enormous trees almost as large as the ancient Heartwoods in the Forest of Black and White. These trees had red bark and leaves of deep blue. Scattered around the trees were green bushes and shrubs, and flowers of every color, though none grew too thickly. Only the trees, it seemed, could grow tall on the nine-peaked mountain’s slopes.

The plant life thinned considerably as the mountain rose, leaving its nine peaks bare. The tallest one peak was needle-thin compared to the mountains enormous footprint, only large enough for a few people to stand side-by-side. It was to this peak that Leon shot downward to. He hurtled down like a meteor, but landed as soft as a butterfly, not wishing to damage this mountain unduly.

From there, he stood and cast his gaze about, watching the arks move into their respective positions. The city ark hovered overhead, protected by the heavy cruisers. Bolt in Shadow wasn’t far away, and Silver Spear and Bright Intent assumed positions above the north and south passes, respectively, aided by the destroyers. The carriers began to patrol over the ring-shaped valley, their fighters and Ulta suits flying around them like a cloud. The frigates, meanwhile, scattered in all directions, using their speed and maneuverability to scout what surrounded the ring of mountains.

Leon, of course, could sense what was around them, but a more in-depth scouting and cartography mission was required to make sure their position was secure.

All around Leon, on the boulders and gentler slopes of the highest peak, Leon’s friends and family landed. Save for Alcander and Sofia, who remained on Bolt in Shadow, everyone appeared in high spirits.

“Look!” Leon heard Alix exclaim to Gaius as she pointed to a particular heavily-wooded slope along the valley wall. “Looks perfect for a villa, doesn’t it?”

“Maybe…” Gaius said with some uncertainty. “Looks a little steep. Not a lot of trees around, either, so not much shade during the day. Better to live down in the valley.”

They continued their debate, while everyone else spoke amongst themselves of similar things.

Anna and Eirene were looking for a good place to raise animals.

Red’s eyes were staring at the mountains as they stretched to the northwest, and Leon imagined she was going to lair somewhere a little more remote.

Helen was quiet, but she was staring at a particularly flat piece of ground next to the valley’s wide river.

Marcus and Lucianus seemed the only ones not actively looking for a place to settle, as Marcus pointed at the mountain peaks in turn and the ridges that connected them while narrating to Lucianus the defenses they’d need to establish upon them.

Anzu was already in griffin form and seemed keen on exploring, though he merely paced about as he waited for Leon to give him leave.

“… and we’ll set up a beautiful pavilion right there just for us, with a large pool…” Elise explained to Valeria and Maia, the latter nodding vigorously at the mention of a pool while Elise emphatically pointed at a high point on a neighboring peak.

Leon laughed quietly, amused that Elise was already planning where certain parts of the palace they’d inevitably build on the nine-peaked mountain would be. Not that he blamed her, of course, as he was already looking to preserve some parts of the mountain as wilderness. Many of the enormous trees he’d already decided had to stay right where they were.

As he stood there watching his people secure what they hoped would be their new home, Cassandra jumped up to the peak with him.

“So,” she said with a wild grin, “we made it. Isn’t that something?”

“That we did,” Leon replied, a mad smile of his own passing over his face. “It’s about time…”

As he spoke, several powerful earth mages landed near the northern pass, cast their magic and brought a wall twenty feet thick and fifty feet tall to block the pass, leaving only as much room as they needed to allow the river to keep flowing. The wall would eventually be replaced with other defensive options, but for a quick and dirty solution, it would do for the time being.

“Seems like Eli’s going to get that palace sooner rather than later,” Cassandra stated. “Those engineers work fast.”

“We’re probably going to get our defenses sorted out before most of the city,” Leon stated. “Many of our people are going to be living in ugly stone boxes while elaborate walls and towers are erected over those ridges.”

“I love a man who has his priorities straight,” Cassandra responded. “Or, I do so long as we’re not living in ugly stone boxes, too. An Imperial Princess has standards, you know?”

Leon playfully retorted, “Would you have a King not lead by example? If our people have to live in boxes, then shouldn’t we join them?”

“No,” Cassandra promptly argued, now more serious than playful. “Our residence is a political statement. You’re a King, Leon, and I’m one of your Queens. We will not be living in ugly stone boxes.”

Leon noiselessly snorted but didn’t argue. Though he wouldn’t admit it aloud, he wouldn’t have minded living in a one-room shack on a flatter section of this mountain, surrounded by the wind and the rocks and the enormous trees. His ladies, however, he wanted living in all the splendor that was due to their station. His portable villa would do for a while, but a sumptuous palace had to be built.

He sighed and held Cassandra close for a moment before she joined Elise’s planning of their future palace, leaving Leon largely alone with his thoughts.

Alone, that is, until he felt the Thunderbird’s attention.

[This is it,] she observed. [This is where you’ll truly start to rebuild the Clan…]

Xaphan immediately corrected, [This is the first place where he’ll try to rebuild your Clan.]

[Watch it, matchstick,] the Thunderbird warned.

[It’s the truth,] Xaphan crackled. [What are the chances that our boy here is going to be kicked out on his ass by some uppity shitstain that somehow figured out how to walk and string two words together? How long will it take? He’s going to offend someone, let’s not delude ourselves.]

[Yeah,] Leon agreed, [but that’s why the defenses come first.]

[Fucking load of good they’ll do against a real mover and shaker,] Xaphan said dismissively.

[Move with caution,] the Thunderbird advised Leon, purposefully ignoring Xaphan. [Take your time planting roots. Grow strong; strong enough that none can touch you.]

[How many did you offend when you reached the Nexus?] Leon asked his Ancestor. [If you don’t mind me asking, anyway…]

The Thunderbird scoffed. [Many took offense to me. None lived long enough to tell me why.]

[A winged tyrant you were,] Xaphan stated. [A winged tyrant Leon is not. Boy! So long as our partnership continues and our contract remains, I am obliged to light any asshole on fire who tries to harm you! But for the sake of us all, don’t go around sniffing assholes! That’ll only make you sick!]

[I have no plans of making enemies,] Leon said reassuringly. [Someone might make enemies with me, but… we’ll deal with them however we can when they come. For now, we’ll do as we’ve been bid: sink our roots deeply here. We’ll become unassailable, ensuring that no one dares to threaten us.]

[You’ve ignored my point quite splendidly, Leon, well done,] the former Lord of Flame groaned. [Just don’t get too attached to this place. Might turn out badly if you have to run with your tail so tightly tucked between your legs that it’s tickling your chin.]

[What an awful argument,] the Thunderbird spat. [No wonder you lost your title. Leon, ignore everything this old piece of charcoal just said. Actually, ignore everything he’s ever said. Get attached to this place. Invest in it. Make it your home. If a threat appears, you’ll fight all the harder to preserve this place.]

[Setting him up for failure,] Xaphan warned.

[Enough from you,] the Thunderbird scolded, and Leon sensed her power literally slapping Xaphan across the face, silencing the demon for at least the moment. [Best get to work soon, my boy. And prepare yourself to train hard. If you want to truly secure this place, then you’ll need to ascend as quickly as you can.]

[Not like I was planning on slacking,] Leon grumbled as another wall identical to the one securing the northern pass was erected to block the southern pass. With that wall, the valley was quite well cut off, though until the walls were enchanted, even a Bull Kingdom Legion could’ve gotten through it fairly easily.

With the ring-shaped valley now sealed, transports began streaming out of the city ark loaded with passengers bound for the flat riverbanks. Eva and Anastasios, however, flew out under their own power, alongside many other powerful mages, apparently intent on claiming the best spot for a new house that they could find.

In only a few minutes, the sky and the ground were filled with people. Earth mages brought the very stone boxes that Cassandra had railed against into being in seconds, providing shelter down below while land was cleared and flattened. It pained Leon to see it, but much of the natural feel of the valley was cleared to make room for twenty-thousand inhabitants.

Thankfully, it was a large valley, and they didn’t need that much space, relatively speaking. Most of the valley would remain wild, especially closer to the mountain slopes.

As his people worked, Leon let his power spill from his body. Clouds gathered directly above him, attracting the attention of his entire expedition. Leon rose into the air high enough that everyone with strong enough senses could see him. He summoned Iron Pride to his hand, and as he channeled his inherited power through it, the blade began to glow like a new star. He raised his glowing blade to the sky, pointing it directly at the brightly-shining Origin Spark at the center of the universe, still barely visible behind his darkening clouds.

Several bolts of lightning fell upon him, marking his location for everyone who couldn’t see him directly, and he began to speak in a voice so thunderous that it echoed to every corner of the valley.

“WE HAVE ARRIVED,” he boomed. “OUR NEW HOME. THE FIRST STEP TOWARD RECLAIMING THE LANDS OF OUR ANCESTORS. THROUGH THE EFFORTS WE PUT IT IN NOW, WE SECURE OUR FUTURE! THIS VALLEY THAT WE HAVE CLAIMED, THESE MOUNTAINS AND RIVERS AND FORESTS, THIS FIRST STONE IN THE FOUNDATION OF OUR FUTURE, AND THE CITY WE WILL BUILD HERE, WILL BE KNOWN AS ARTORION!”

Cheers erupted below as Leon’s words reached his people’s ears. Their new home had its name.

At the same time, Leon’s people rose into the sky to join him, partly from his prodding. When the peak was cleared of people he cared about, Leon called multiple bolts of lightning down upon it, carving fractal lightning patterns into the stone as a show of ownership.

Then Leon hovered in the air for a little while longer, basking in his people’s excitement while letting his mere presence within sight spur them on to work harder to set up their new settlement.

While he watched from the air, he noticed Justin exit the city ark rather surreptitiously. Justin, perhaps sensing his gaze, turned to make eye contact with Leon. He looked much older now than he did when Leon first saw him, but with his power not only restored but increased from his time in the Bull Kingdom, Justin still looked quite fit and ready for the task he had ahead of him.

The old man’s eyes flickered toward Valeria for a moment before returning to Leon. He nodded pointedly, and Leon nodded back. Neither said a word; enough was said in those brief expressions. Without waiting another moment, Justin turned around, faced the north, and then took off with all haste.

He had his job. Leon’s scouts would find out what was around them well enough, but he’d need more than what they would bring him if he wanted to not just survive in the Nexus but accomplish all of his goals, too. He needed someone with contacts and experience.

Justin was that someone. He would get the lay of the land, especially as it related to Kamran and his subordinates, and then return to Leon with that information.

Such was their plan, anyway. But in his heart, beneath the elation of reaching his destination, Leon couldn’t help but doubt as Justin vanished into the distance.