Annabelle’s Bastion

“The question burning on all your minds is probably, ‘Why has our gracious leader called us together?’”

Jaxon stifled his groan. Alisha had them all on top of one of the academy’s many towers. This specific tower was still in construction but would be used for staff residency.

The wind was annoying, but that mattered little to those gathered.

“Ain’t it obvious? You want my axe.” Thagrin bounced his large battleaxe on his shoulder, a bloodthirsty smirk on his face. “Finally.”

“Is that it, ma’am?” Samir said. He was recovering from an illness, but his voice was still strong and deep. He rarely showed his masked face when it wasn’t to answer Alisha’s summons. Secretive nature aside, his loyalty was commendable. “You want us to fight?”

“I’d hardly imagine you want us going on a killing spree,” Vlasis wryly said as he landed beside Samir. Jaxon hadn’t seen him in months.

Vlasis should cut that long hair, but he said he liked the golden color—even if it was ominous to use. His grey eyes still glowed, perhaps even a little brighter than the last time Jaxon saw him.

“Hmm.~” Alisha hummed. “Where’s Alice?”

“Summoned to headquarters,” Vlasis answered. “Seems a Commander got injured during an expedition.”

What?

How could he say something like that so casually?

“Now, that is something worthy of investigation,” Alisha said. “Commanders don’t get injured.”

Indeed.

Jaxon nodded. “They represent the strongest of us. What more do you have?”

Vlasis shrugged. “Unfortunately, I only know through the grapevine. But we all know that the cores on the corrupted planets are becoming… odd.”

“An understatement,” Samir interjected, his voice grimmer. “They are becoming smarter.”

“Right, that… I suppose.”

“And yet here we are, wasting our time on this stinky planet,” Thagrin grumbled. “My axe hasn’t tasted corrupted blood in over a year.”

“Leave that to the Council to figure out!” Alisha said, clapping once. “I called you all here because there’s a few people I want dead.”

“Give me a name!” Thagrin excitedly shouted.

“I imagine it is of a more secretive nature,” Samir added, dashing the hope of the barbarian.

Thagrin was strong, but he was not subtle.

“Why?” Vlasis asked.

“Because I feel the worms burrowed into my land are getting a bit too big.”

“Is this about Annabelle Frost again?” Samir asked suspiciously.

That was the last time they were brought together.

“Partly.” Alisha lightly shook her head. “But it goes beyond that. I’ve never had a stable hold on the island, mostly due to a few people reluctant to trust me. I thought it’d just be political maneuvering, but…”

“They interfered in our first expedition.” Jaxon finished. “The masked bastard was too strong to be an unknown in Bastion. He has people inside… and those people want this place to fail.”

“A number not in short supply… ma’am.”

“Right! But they’ve been doing things beyond what I find cute and amusing. The gate to Sorana is being delayed due to, what was it, Jaxon?”

“Clerical error.”

Alisha snapped. “Yep, that’s the one.”

“Nonsense,” Vlasis scoffed, shaking his head. “That doesn’t happen for projects of that scale.”

Samir nodded.

“So, do you know who gets to meet my axe? I don’t care about the specifics; just send me somewhere.”

Thagrin couldn’t look more eager for battle if he tried. Such a factor was dangerous—but Alisha had him thoroughly under her control.

“I have something I want each of you to do,” Alisha becoked Jaxon to stand with the others, which he readily did. “But, first, I want to explain a few things. Namely, in regards to Annabelle and Sorana.”

“Is it all about her?” Samir asked, his disbelief clear even behind that mask. “All of this is happening because of one girl?”

He didn’t seem pleased. But Samir was a practical man—he couldn’t see the benefit of something without exact detail. Unfortunately, Alisha did not have those details.

“Partly,” Alisha repeated. “I’m going to forcefully dig into her importance myself, but that will open a can of worms I don’t really care to deal with. That’s why we’re starting before I do that.”

“Is it that easy?” Vlasis asked, somewhat expectantly. He tended to care more for change rather than the means by which it happens. “You can just go get more information?”

No, it wasn’t.

“Not without letting a whole bunch of people know,” Alisha said.

The methods she would employ sounded mysterious, but it was likely just forcefully requesting information from commanders or higher. Asking questions, collecting rumors, and using her authority to delve into some secrets.

That wasn’t something Alisha usually did, and it would certainly make people curious.

Alisha was reluctantly put in charge of Earth—Bastion’s treasured planet. At least treasured by some in the highest echelons. If she wanted something, she could get her voice heard.

“Are we… leaving the island?” Samir quietly asked.

“You and Thagrin.” Alisha nodded. “Yes—temporarily.”

“Yes!” Thagril laughed, pumping his axe.

Alisha lightly chuckled, like watching the antics of a child. “Thagrin, you’ll be returning to the front lines.”

That was where she found him. Jaxon wasn’t there, but he heard the barbarian simply killed. Even while his efforts saved many lives, he only did it for the sake of killing more corruption.

“Oh? It must be my birthday.” Although he said it like that, Jaxon could feel the anticipation from the barbarian. Of course—he nearly lost his race to the Taint’s corruption.

“What will that accomplish?” Vlasis asked. “Sending the brute to get, what, military standing? Sigils? But the front line doesn’t actively hunt Sigils—merely getting them by chance.” He sounded more like he wanted to reason with himself for Alisha’s motives.

“Military standing and information, primarily.” Alisha raised two fingers. “I’ve been disconnected lately. First, I need to know what the front lines are like these days. More importantly, I want a steady stream of active information of what happens down there.” She lowered one finger. “Second, I want Thagrin to not just be seen as my pet. He needs to have his own squads and operations. That will, well…” She chuckled.

“Building your powerbase?” Samir asked.

“Bingo! In other words…” Alisha pointed at Thagrin. “You aren’t going there to just kill like last time! Follow orders, earn merit, and build connections!”

“Me? All that?” Thagrin looked like a confused child. “I only want—”

“To kill,” Jaxon interrupted. “But your people are only known as mindless brutes for a reason.”

“I don’t care!”

“But we do.”

“Why?”

“You work for Alisha, a Bastion Vanguard. She cannot achieve the commander rank if her people are seen as you are.”

It was annoying that he couldn’t understand such a basic concept. He wasn’t one of Alisha’s fanciful projects; he worked for her. Anything he did reflected on her, regardless of how she felt about it. Often, the only thing stopping Vanguards from advancing were those under them.

“And?” Thagrin was genuinely confused—Jaxon could tell. That only made it more frustrating.

“You fucking moron. If you—”

“Now, now,” Alisha interrupted. “Thagrin’s… matured since then.”

“Exactly!”

If Alisha wanted it, then it was fine. Worst case scenario, Jaxon could take care of any problems the barbarian brought.

“I already signed him up for the next deployment to Trell,” Alisha added. “You can leave within the month. Whenever you want!”

“Right away!”

Alisha chuckled. “That’s fine, too.”

Jaxon had a feeling Alisha just didn’t want Thagrin on the island for the coming months. He was quick to violence, had no respect for authority, and didn’t care if his students died in simple lessons. If someone challenged his authority? He’d simply fight them immediately. It wasn’t ideal when the academy might see an influx of authority.

Thagrin looked like he wanted to jump off the tower right away.

“Well, isn’t that a treat?” Vlasis said, shaking his head at Thagrin’s child-like excitement.

“And, what is my duty?” Samir asked.

He hated sticking in any place longer than necessary, almost like he was always waiting for something to catch up to him. Jaxon observed that trait long ago.

Alisha gathered an odd bunch, but each one was stronger than Jaxon.

“Your task is a bit more subtle; I need you to figure out the identity of a certain… masked man.”

“The one who attacked Jaxon?” Vlasis asked. “Eclipse, was it?”

“Yes,” Jaxon said. He had not forgotten that man, even six months later. While he wasn’t a stranger to defeat, he had never had his duty ruined so easily.

“What information do I have?” Samir asked.

“Five things!” Alisha held up her hand and lowered them as she counted her points, “One, he certainly is the leader of some group that wants a harsh change in Bastion. Two, he used to work for Bastion—someone of notable power. Three, his people have a vested interest in the academy; you can look there. One of their names is Shadow, but that’s about all we know about that. Fourth, he has a few students working for his group. Finally, he has access to the method of teleporting to planets.”

“That’s… not really too useful, is it?” Vlasis asked. He shook his head. “I suppose the easiest way to find him would be the students.”

“No,” Alisha immediately said. “Students are a special class—we have to be incredibly careful how we handle most of them. We’re already watching, but I want things to play out on their own.” She shrugged. “Besides, they likely communicate through a mental ability or when they can confirm we aren’t watching through their own abilities.”

Jaxon nodded.

He investigated it when the expedition fled. Ashton Wells claimed that a masked man gave him a teleporter on Sorana and told him to get everyone out. Further, he claimed he was threatened to keep it a secret—something the investigators believed. Ashton Wells was a decent actor, and Jaxon left it at that.

After that, they waited.

Students were a protected class—actions against any normal one from Earth couldn’t be done lightly. If someone were to catch them investigating one based on suspicions… it would get annoying.

“Where do you want me to start?”

“Return to Bastion and look into the development of the teleportation devices. Who was part of that initial team, if the designs leaked, prototypes… things like that.”

“Understood.”

“Ah,” Alisha said, stopping Samir from disappearing. “Also, collect a conclusive list of full names and information on those staunchly opposed to my hold on my island. All of them. Even if it’s in the thousands. Do not miss a name.”

“A dossier?” Vlasis asked.

“Yes.”

“Understood.”

With that, Samir dispersed into a cloud of dark yellow smoke.

“Not one to dally, is he?” Vlasis chuckled.

“Can I go too?” Thagrin excitedly asked.

“Go ahead.”

“Yes!”

“You—” Jaxon was interrupted by Thagrin immediately running and jumping off the tower.

“Well,” Vlasis chuckled. “I suppose his body is strong.”

“Now it’s just us!” Alisha clapped, getting both Jaxon’s and Vlasis’s eyes back.

“Duties for little old me?” Vlasis rubbed his hands. “I was beginning to think I had been left out.”

Alisha pointed at him. “You’re going to get rid of the so-called investigation unit. They’ve been an annoying thorn in my side lately.” She lightly scoffed. “How can I have a department on my island not beholden to me?”

There were plenty, but that one could be the most dangerous.

“Oh? Murd—”

“No, not yet.”

“Boring.”

Alisha lightly chuckled. “If it were that easy, I wouldn’t have any enemies.”

“Why am I the one doing this, though? Samir, the slithery snake, is much better at covert operations.”

“Because I want you to integrate into the department.”

“Me? A wannabe investigator?”

Jaxon stepped forward. “If they insist the organization exists, then we have the right to put our people in it. You are the only one we can trust wholeheartedly.”

“Aw!” Vlasis tried to pat Jaxon’s back, but the latter dodged it like the hand was poison. “Awww.~”

Way too chummy.

“Basically that. Don’t get me wrong, I think such a department can exist…”

“…Just not when it’s under another’s banner.” Vlasis finished. He sighed and ran his hand through his long hair exaggeratedly. “You’ve always been like that, I suppose.”

Alisha shrugged. “Will you do it?”

Vlasis was a bit of a special case. While entirely loyal to Alisha, he wasn’t one to do a task he despised. Jaxon didn’t know his past—why his eyes glowed, why he looked like those typical ancient Greek depictions, and… why he kept his hair long.

“Actually, I have a better idea.” Vlasis suddenly looked enlightened. “How about you make it so that I run that department?”

“Sure,” Alisha immediately replied, nodding. “But that requires you to appeal to the Bastion investigators.”

There was a history there. Vlasis used to be an investigator, and that was all Jaxon figured out before Alisha told him to stop looking into it.

“Results, right?”

“Yes.”

“I feel that will be dreadfully slow,” Vlasis said. He sighed and sadly shook his head. “These students are too new to magic to cause something worthy of investigation.”

“Wrong, Vlasis,” Jaxon said. “As the island fills with more students and more staff members, conspiracies, boundary stepping, and murders will not be unusual.”

Vlasis snorted. “Really?”

“We typically loosely enforce rules on the students themselves,” Alisha explained. She stepped beyond Jaxon and Vlasis, looking out from the edge of the tower. “Bastion wants them to fight amongst themselves and for us to only intervene if things go too far.”

“We aren’t preparing them for a rosey life,” Jaxon added.

“Yes.”

“Hmm.” Vlasis joined Alisha’s side. “Would you do it differently?”

“Well…” Alisha chuckled, her eyes not leaving the distant buildings and people wondering about the ground. “I think this entire place is a waste of time.”

“Oh?”

Alisha turned around. “I think Bastion only sees this as a testing ground for Earthling students. This time, we only intervene if we must, and our job is just to teach and make them compete. Once this iteration is done, they’ll want to change their methods. That will repeat on a cycle until they can create…” she trailed off.

“…A factory.” Jaxon finished.

Some believed Earthling humans would be above any other human in magic if taught properly.

“And that is why it will end with my tenure—I will not have my planet’s people being used to test their crappy methods.”

Jaxon nodded.

Bastion loved Earth… but it wasn’t simply because the planet was the origin of humanity. The academy was likely being used to confirm if the Earthlings were special. They wanted to see what would happen if no biases or notions were instilled and the students learned magic freely.

What would they become? Would they be more inclined toward magic discovery? Or would they make better soldiers? There were thousands of questions they would answer through their iterations.

This time, it was just to train them in magic without telling them anything too deep—a hands-off approach. Competition, jealousy, cliques… it was all encouraged.

“I feel like I just heard treason,” Vlasis said.

“Well, I do use Bastion as a whole unfairly. Some want it, others don’t.” She sighed, shaking her head and looking into the sky. “It’s a melting pot of other people’s desires. We only stay as one because there wouldn’t be a future for our whims if the universe was dead.”

Vlasis scoffed. “Ain’t that the truth.”

“For now, though…” Alisha lowered her head and looked into the eyes of Vlasis and Jaxon. Within them, Jaxon saw powerful greed. “I want this island, and I want this planet.”

“And that starts by… me joining the Investigator team.”

“Yes. They’re going to hold quite a bit of authority with the coming expansion.”

“Won’t the new board disagree?”

Alisha scoffed. “I’ll deal with that later, and it starts with me being able to weaponize an official investigator.”

“Ah.”

It might have sounded childish, but Jaxon knew how much Alisha resented the idea.

The board was a recent thing. It hadn’t even fully formed yet, but it intended to be a balancing weight against the headmaster so that she wouldn’t have sole control. Its members were still being chosen, but many vied to put their people in it.

Alisha was one, but she didn’t have enough who were wholly loyal to her and were fit for the position.

“I’ll join it now, then—before it fills,” Vlasis said. “Dismissed?”

“Yes.”

Vlasis nodded, then left the tower like a normal person—walking down the stairs. Jaxon heard him say something about curing boredom on his way down.

“And what of me?”

“You marked Eclipse.”

“Yes. I did it while we fought.”

“Good.”

Jaxon didn’t feel the mark because it wasn’t that deep. Due to Eclipse’s own secrecy methods, his mark wasn’t as effective—but he would know when the masked man returned to Earth.

“I need you to come with me off the planet for a bit,” Alisha added, turning toward him. Jaxon could feel her smirking behind that mask. “A week, probably.”

“Won’t that be suspicious?”

“I set this up—officially—a month ago. People wanted me for some annoying official things.”

“Is it… to find out more about Frost?”

“Yep!” She raised a finger at him. “But also, what better way is there to lure out rats than to make them think the landowners are away?”

Jaxon nodded heavily. “Understood—I can depart once I get a substitute for my combat class.”

“By tomorrow, preferably.”

“Yes.”

“I hope Aria takes the hint,” Alisha mumbled as she disappeared into a puff of violet fog.

Jaxon chuckled, shaking his head at his leader’s actions.

If Alisha was interested in someone, her eyes would never leave them.