Chapter 182: Ashes and Alliances
At the Headmaster’s private study.
It was late at night, and the only light in the room came from a glowing orb. General Ironwood stood by the window. His face still showing how angry he was.
"He played us," Ironwood said, his voice a low rumble. "The whole mission was staged just for him. We played the parts, and he sat back watching, taking notes."
The Headmaster sat behind his large desk. "Yes," he agreed calmly. "He did. Which proves that we are no longer fighting a man. We are fighting a rival creator whose way of thinking may be even more dangerous than ours."
Ironwood turned from the window, his face serious. "Ideas doesn’t win wars, Headmaster. Armies do. And he is building one."
"Exactly," the Headmaster said. "Which is why we must change our plan. Dr. Thorne is now the biggest threat to this nation’s security."
He moved closer, his eyes meeting the General’s fiery ones. "The secret is out. At least between us. We can no longer afford to operate separately. The Academy and the Military must work as one."
Ironwood raised an eyebrow. "You want to bring my soldiers into your world of... magical oddities?"
"I want your soldiers to back up our magical oddities," the Headmaster corrected him gently. "ASTF-Omega isn’t just a name anymore. It’s now an official, secret joint unit. They will have access to your intel, your resources, your authority. Anything they need, they get. No questions asked."
The General stayed silent for a long time, considering the proposal. Their two rival powers had never worked this closely before. But these were unusual times.
"Agreed," Ironwood finally said with a sharp nod. "They are our ghost unit. Our only weapon in a war no one else can know we are fighting."
A new war council had just been formed.
Just as the decision was made, an urgent knock came at the door.
A worried young aide opened the door without asking. "Sirs," he said nervously. "Sorry to interrupt, but... this just came in".
He was holding a scroll sealed with a wax stamp that glowed with a silver light.
The Headmaster recognized the seal instantly. The Silver Phoenix.
He took the scroll. As soon as he touched it, the seal dissolved and the parchment opened on its own.
The General walked over, reading over the Headmaster’s shoulder.
It was a formal message from the Silver Phoenix Empire. It said that their long-range magical sensors had detected a "catastrophic energy event" in the Shattered Peaks, matching the destruction of a facility built using forbidden Artificer principles.
The Silver Phoenix Empire formally requests an urgent summit to address a rogue Artificer-level threat. This is a matter of global security.
Ironwood cursed quietly. "They were watching us the whole time."
The Headmaster rolled up the scroll, his face calm and thoughtful. "The explosion was too big to hide from a nation that specializes in magical detection. I guess it was bound to happen."
"This is a disaster," Ironwood growled. "Our secret war is about to have an audience. They will want to know everything. They will want access to our assets." He looked at the Headmaster, his meaning clear. "They will want the boy."
"Maybe," the Headmaster said, staring out at the city. "Or maybe they’re just as scared as us."
He placed the scroll on his desk. The secret war he had been fighting was over. Now, a new war has begun. A war of politics and alliances, a war that would be fought in front of everyone, under the eyes of their oldest rivals.
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Hours later, the rain had stopped. The rooftop air was clean and fresh. Jonah stood by the edge, looking out over the city lights.
This was the rooftop where he and Vanessa had first tested Specter. It felt like a lifetime ago. He had been a different person then, playing with something dangerous. Now, he was a soldier in a secret war, the blueprint for an army of monsters.
it was all heavy for him to bear.
"I had a feeling I’d find you up here."
He turned to see Vanessa walking towards him, carrying a soft blanket. She came to stand beside him, the silence between them comfortable and easy.
She followed his eyes to the city below. "It’s so beautiful, isn’t it?" she said softly. "All those lights. It’s easy to forget what we’re fighting for, sometimes."
"I’m not forgetting," Jonah said, his voice low. "I just don’t know if we can win."
He let himself feel the fear that had been chasing him since he’d escaped the fortress.
He turned to her, his face looking raw and vulnerable. "Back at the fortress, When those crystal shards were flying everywhere, and they had you pinned... I was so scared, Vanessa. I thought I was going to lose you."
He shook his head, looking down at his shaky hands. "It wasn’t about the mission anymore. In that moment, I didn’t care about Thorne, or the Gemini. All I could think was that I couldn’t let them hurt you."
Vanessa didn’t say anything for a moment. She just looked at him, her eyes showing for full understanding. She didn’t offer him empty words of comfort.
Instead, she gently held his cold hands. Then she unfolded the blanket and wrapped it around their shoulders, pulling them closer together.
"I know," she whispered, resting her head on his shoulder. "I felt the same way."
They stood like that for a long time, sharing the the blanket, their hands held together right.
"It will never end, will it?" Jonah asked, his voice full of sadness. "He’ll just keep building more. Stronger ones."
Vanessa held his hand tightly. She looked up at him, and from what Jonah saw in her eyes, he did not see fear. He saw a warrior’s promise.
"It will end," she vowed, her voice soft but firm. "Because we will end it."
She moved closer to him, her eyes locked onto his.
"Together."