Steel and Mana

Winter had come early. Again... It wasn't the news I wanted to hear, but it was reality, and nothing could change that now. Previously, Avalon withstood it both times, so I wasn't worried about ourselves but about Markoth and the Third Pass. If everything went as planned, the second Pass should hold out with Lucca there... But... Damn it. I don't know what may come over or what will happen this winter...

Well, whatever happens this time, I will not allow history to repeat itself. So, we will stop them from coming through and ensure we won't be overwhelmed from the East! Not that we had any alternatives if we wanted to live.

Pushing the possible monster attacks to the back of my mind, I turned from the window and called the first of many meetings, waking up everybody in my court and calling in every minister I had, along with any possible diplomats currently in Avalon. We must act before the snow starts to accumulate and cover everything.

Within days, the Knight's Errand was filled to the brim as I was sending more soldiers for Lucca to reinforce him and Markoth's last city. The Eagle's Nest followed behind with two squadrons of fighters because if flying beasts came, I bet they would come from the East. They will do more good there than in Avalon.

Next, I sent letters to the Union's member states through all of their diplomats, informing them what was happening in case the snow had yet to reach them. The last thing I needed was a sudden panic rushing through the region... I ensured they maintained a clear understanding of the situation and regularly communicated it to their people that this time around, the long winter would be different. This time, they had connections and allies, and the trains would not stop moving even if the tracks were buried in the snow. I can guarantee that. We would not allow it, as we can't let our people starve. They just had to keep everything working as if it were a typical winter while we held the Pass. That's all I asked them for, and Elliot also stepped up, sending out letters that he could help supply grain to the three westernmost kingdoms.

But, even then, not everyone believed it... Fear breeds quickly in the cold, and after remembering two harsh winters, especially if it evokes old, painful memories. It began as murmurs on the streets, not in my Avalon, but down south, amongst the Theocracy. As far as I was told, it was used by the other Cardinals to make a move against Cardinal Lubek, saying that it was the punishment from the Gods for letting High Cardinal Damar succumb to his illness without doing anything to save him. Bullshit.

"Maybe I should elevate Lubek to Pope, huh?" I thought at first. Since then, I have learned about the Theocracy's history. For the past three hundred years, they had none and were stuck in a permanent, council-like government, with nobody wanting to let one person become the sole voice again and relinquish their own accumulated powers. "Maybe..."

But for now, my solution was simple. I had sent Arthur and Leyla down there aboard the Stormbringer to bring my exact words and promise of support to the people of the Theocracy. Then, if they were already there, I also tasked them with taking a tour, visiting every capital city, and repeating the same message to the rest of the Union, akin to having a... Grand Tour. If their people can rest assured, then we can avert the worst-case scenario.

As for the more local issues, the only ones who reacted negatively were the girls, Tula-Kahn's daughters. Even if they only heard second-hand stories about the last long winter, being too young to fully remember it or yet to be born, they knew that it was... Catastrophic. Almost as if in response, Meyli's lessons with Morgan grew more intense as my daughter began teaching her proper healing spells aimed at combating the cold and hypothermia.

As for Jila, she volunteered to work inside the Pass. Not as a soldier, we weren't about to let it happen, but still, she was with Dad and Lancelot, helping them out as an assistant. She proved to be surprisingly obedient and began learning about maintenance duties, helping to apply the blood tattoos for the soldiers. Something she was already privy to... thanks to Lancelot telling her one night before realizing what he did.

"Idiot boy..." I smiled to myself because, for my second big surprise, Jila didn't share it with anyone else and even came to me privately, telling me that I needn't worry. She won't tell a soul... I began to like her even more after that.

As for Seltana, she immediately asked Oleg about the last monster tide and then about the history of the two winters. She also quit her job or suspended it, as I heard, following Oleg and becoming his personal attaché, wanting to witness what was about to come to Avalon and gain real experience. I told Oleg privately to let her observe and listen to her ideas. I wanted to see what she was actually capable of, not on a painted diorama, but in actuality. I need generals that my children and I can trust in the future.

Tarsine, on the other hand, began designing quickly and easily made winter clothes, ones that were cheap to produce and were in use back in Khulman. Something that could be distributed without bankrupting those who couldn't afford proper clothing. While doing that, I also told her to make as many as she could, and we would distribute them to places within the Union where they needed them the most, sharing the designs without holding them back.

Lastly, Rashira, still in Markoth, sent word that she would spend her winter there in the new Pass, helping with whatever she could, following Lucca's orders when he gave one. I thought about calling her back, but it may contradict everything she learned about my Avalon so far. So, I simply sent an order to Lucca that if things look grim, she should be dispatched back to the capital city of Markoth, and we would pick her up with the others when evacuating everybody.

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But, of course, that evacuation plan was a last resort. It would mean the new fortress failed, and Lucca and the rest were about to be overrun, dying and slowing the enemy down so we could save the rest. I wasn't about to let that happen, though.

And just like that, before the week was over, the orders were sent out, and then I convened a council of my advisors and family in my throne room.

"We must prepare for the worst," I declared, glancing at the window, seeing the slow snowfall outside, "I will be spending most of the winter on the Camelot, traveling back and forth between the two Passes, depending on which needs more firepower."

They agreed without even one voice trying to dissuade me from it.

"The Excalibur is battle-ready; where should it be stationed?" Galahad asked, standing with Princess Fila, who hadn't been called back to Ishillia yet. Which was a surprise, but I wasn't about to ask Mirian why.

"I am thinking of shipping it to Markoth." I answered after a short consideration, "That is the place that is most open for a two-prong attack from both the Pass and from the East. For now, Oleg is staying here, helping me coordinate everything, but if the worst comes to pass and Markoth is attacked on both sides, I will send him there, too, to defend the city."

"Understood," Galahad saluted, "I will prepare–"

"Hold on!" Luna piped up, shooting to her full height, which wasn't much, "You aren't going anywhere!"

"Mother," he said, looking into her eyes, just as serious as any adult could be, "It is my mech. I know it the best. There is no time to train people to pilot it. I am going."

"Leon! Say something!" Luna yelped, looking at me, her eyes fluttering.

On the one hand... I agreed... But when I looked into my son's eyes and saw the determination... He isn't a kid, even if he looks like one.

"You will follow orders," I said, making Luna tremble, but she didn't protest anymore, holding back her tears. "No questions asked."

"Absolutely." Galahad saluted, nodding at me, not breaking eye contact.

"..." Luna looked at me and then at Galahad before wiping her eyes and pointing a finger at our son. "I'll turn your butt into the sun if you do something stupid!"

"Trust me, Mom," Galahad smiled at her, "You know how I am."

"Well... you are not like Yuri..." She sniffled, making her snort sitting beside her.

"Says you!"

"Galahad, make the preparations," I interrupted them with a half-smile, "You will leave in a week, so don't press yourself because you won't be able to just hop back here if you forget something!"

"Understood." He nodded, sitting down.

"Now," I shrugged, looking at my wives, "Sasha, Merlin, you will come with me. This morning, the scouting platforms we built into the Pass's walls sent back the news that the Gods' Formation showed unusual behavior. By their description, it stilled and even dimmed. I want to go there and see it for myself."

"Interesting, it would be the first time we examine it in the winter." Merlin hummed, interested, and I knew he would be because I was too.

"That is why we need the data. It may have a connection to the winters, so after we finish here, we are boarding the Camelot!"

...

....
......

Watching the Gods' Formation, it indeed looked different than the image in my mind. I could, just with one look, discern eighty-six differences. And it stopped being... fluid. It was stiff as if it had been frozen. Was it really responsible for the winter? Is this... a cool-down period? Because if it is, then it takes it quite literally, damn it!

"How interesting..." Merlin muttered, "Its luminosity is only at 40% of what we recorded when we passed through it."

"And we can see past it more clearly." Sasha nodded, "Should we try to go through it to take a peek?"

"Tempting," I hesitated, looking at Kustov and the others aboard, but nobody was going to object to it, whatever my orders would be. "What if we are stuck on the other side?"

"We can take a detour." Merlin offered and came back on Markoth's end. "Or through the Third Pass..."

"..."

"Well," Sasha stepped close to me, gently holding my arm, "The monsters can come through, no?"

"Point taken. But we are only going to take a peek!" I raised my voice, and Kustov had already begun ordering the ship to slowly move forward. "Yuri will kill me for not taking her for this ride..."

"Don't worry," Sasha giggled, "I'll deal with her tantrum."

"Just don't tell Elena." Merlin murmured, suddenly remembering, "I didn't tell her we would be doing this... I think if she hears it, she would be so angry to pop our child out at the spot..."

"She is close to it, anyway." Sasha reached out, patting his head, remembering how we found Merlin, how he pulled his pants down right before everyone to prove he was not a girl.

"True... True..." He smiled as we all watched how the Camelot passed through the Gods' Formation.

It never changed, nor did it interact with us in any way, and a few minutes later, we were exiting it at the same place as on our last visit.

"Woah..."

It was the only thing I could say, seeing the landscape before us. It was white. Blindingly so! Everything was covered under thick snow, and it was falling from the skies twice as hard as at our end. Looking at the mountain range... it was frozen. All those waterfalls we saw before? Ice. Pure, blue ice. The rivers? Frozen solid.

"The temperature is... below freezing, My Sovereign!" Kustov spoke up, reading the incoming reports from the different clusters of officers guiding my ship. "Minus forty Celsius, as per the last reading..."

"Damn..." Merlin and I both said it at the same time. Winter was no joke on this end... "The mountains," Merlin continued, looking at them, furrowing his brows.

"Yes." Sasha agreed, glancing at me, "An incredible amount of power is radiating straight out of the mountain range on this end, Leon. If I were a monster, it would for sure make me curious. Maybe even hungry..."

"Double damn..." I muttered, but I had only theories of why. And I could do nothing with those. "Kustov?"

"No sightings yet, Sovereign." He reported at once, keeping an eye on our sensors, "If it is an invitation for a buffet, the guests have yet to arrive."

"I see... well..." I muttered, crossing my arms. "It means we have time... Record the surroundings! If we are to build a fortress here in the future, we will need to prepare for this incredible coldness."

"Maybe I can come up with a spell," Sasha joked, watching the panoramic view of the Imaginary, showing nothing but white, which, with no monsters around, looked picturesque, "one that Dorian can add to the armors so our soldiers can keep warm inside their armor~!"