Chapter 1145: Return to Artorion
Watching the Seventh Iron Order ready themselves for battle was inspiring. Even Leon’s most professional forces could learn a thing or two from the way the order’s warriors went about their tasks, handling their logistical needs and methodically servicing their kit. They were an order with singular dedication, and it showed, their hands practiced in the ways of war.
Leon couldn’t help but wonder just how practiced they were, though—their familiarity and professionalism spoke to long years spent on the warpath, but he hadn’t heard that much about other Ocean Lords attacking the Far West. Either the order was highly trained to a degree he found admirable, or they were constantly dealing with threats that the rest of the Far West didn’t care enough to notice.
No matter the reason, he found a growing admiration for the Seventh Iron Order as they readied their three local arks and a host of several thousand warriors to follow him back to Artorion. The orders had sprung from a need to defend the Storm Lands in the absence of a strong Storm King, but he couldn’t help but imagine a time when he wore his Ancestor’s crown, Storm Diamond glimmering above his brow, accepting offers of fealty from all the Iron Orders. If they were anything like the Seventh, then they would be powerful allies to have.
Leon’s party observed the order from the guest tower for a short time, intending to head out into the main courtyard once Nestor was ready to recall them. Leon had contacted Artorion to let them know of his successes thus far, and Nestor had set about readying the Lumenite gateway to bring them home.
“A matter of hours,” Nestor had said. “I’ll message your comm slate when it’s ready.”
And so, Leon waited. He’d finished all he’d set about doing with a week to spare, though there was so much to do back in Artorion that resting on his laurels upon his return never once occurred to him. He had to integrate the Iron Order into his command structure, inspect the repaired defenses, the arks that were battle ready, and the new Aurichalcum Lances that were already being completed. He also had to catch up Elise and Cassandra, as well as plant Mir at the highest point on the nine-peaked mountain. On top of all that, he still had the branch and seed from the Stormborn Oak to handle…
Finally, he had to find some way to thank Clear Day, Eva, and Anastasios for their diligence in maintaining the shield over the valley. Not once had they faltered, even when Terris’ fleets had heavily bombarded the shield, hoping to cause enough strain to shut the thing down. Those bombardments had been unsuccessful, but despite this stellar service on their part, Leon wasn’t sure he could find a way to properly thank them until after this siege had been well and truly lifted.
He couldn’t help but softly chuckle as that thought ran through his head.
“Something funny?” Valeria quietly asked him. She and Maia were the only two that were that close to him, the rest of his party remaining close by but not within comfortable muttering distance. With a cheeky, if subdued grin, Leon’s silver-haired wife said, “I’d like to laugh to, please share with me.”