Chapter 330: Dwindling Defenses

Glenin leaned forward onto his staff. Bright blue mana crackled, accentuating his wrinkled frown. "I ask once again, where is General Alexander Finlish?"

The group's heads turned westwards. Even though the mess hall's wide balcony overlooked the valley, it was covered in transparent crystal. The rays of the setting sun outlined a blurry silhouette of the knight's academy. Under such conditions, they could not see the smoke that they all knew to be rising above the building.

Glenin waited a moment. No one responded. "General Marble, how about him?" The Head Mage asked in a less demanding demeanor. Again, silence. The tight grip around his staff loosened. "General Bernard Von Trike?"

The final, wordless blow made the Head Mage lean his crooked back against the enormous, looming statue of history's greatest hero. As expected of such an experienced individual, he set aside the flash of emotion and concentrated on the present circumstances. While contemplating, he turned his staff over several times while eying the empty hole at the top, looking like it had once carried a small gemstone. "I have been in charge of this academy for fifty three years, longer than any of you have been alive. The Generals have always been flaky but there are always knights at the ready. Why Lance, why did you remain here?"

"I wanted to," Lance stated simply. "It may be a childish reason but it's my reason."

Glenin eyed Lance up and down. "I saw Trenton's state as the student's carried him in. It would indeed be hard for a friend to overlook that however, I know my apprentice is not one to prioritize emotions. For example: you have been blaming yourself for Sozo's death only because you reasoned that if you ever stopped feeling that pain, then you never really cared for her. Your logic, no matter if it is right or wrong, overwrites your emotions. Am I wrong?"

Lance blinked twice. "You are right." he rubbed his forehead and looked off into space. "Unbelievable. You are perfectly right."

Glenin snapped his fingers and a green light shot from Lance's mouth, the color of the gemstone he had swallowed. A second light emanated from a small indentation in Draken's statue. It matched the tip of Glenin's staff. "The Head Mage makes the rules and the rules are always right. Therefore I am always right. You have disobeyed me, bringing the key to the vault here of all places."

"I have never questioned you or your orders master," Lance insisted. "Everything I do is aligning with the rules."

"Then why did you stay?"

Frey reached over, intending to cover Lance's mouth, but he was too late. Lance blurted out the truth: "No knights will arrive."

Glenin scrunched up his lips and pulled on his beard. "That was slow, much too slow. When I ask a question, you will answer it."

"I understand, master," Lance said. It was like hypnosis. His panicked expression morphed back into a calm mask. His posture straightened. He no longer stole glances at the wounded Trenton because his attention was drawn to only his master. There was only the master, room for no other.

Doors opened and closed. Instructors entered and left. Glenin leaned in closer so the rest wouldn't overhear. From the aghast expressions of the closest mages, Frey could tell the cat was already out of the bag. "No one?" The Head Mage repeated. "Not a single knight is coming, other than the three before me? Are you absolutely sure?"

Lance nodded. "I apologize, master."

"Apologies mean wrongdoing, and that leads me to believe you have no acceptable reason to return. Am I wrong?"

"No, you are never wrong, master. I will accept punishment when this is over."

Glenin flashed a faint smile, which eased Lance's tension. "Once this is over, huh?" The room quaked. He winced and clutched at his staff. Frey looked down to find that portions of the crystal had cracked. "Looks like I don't have a choice," Glenin muttered.

The Head Mage reached around his neck and pulled off a hexagonal necklace of familiar transparent crystal. He tossed it at Lance and sneered. "You certainly haven't earned this from today's actions but there is still time to prove me wrong. This artifact is one of three gifts that has been passed down from Head Mage to Head Mage, beginning with Eric Guildri.

"The second gift you are already familiar with..." Glenin pointed to the indentation in Maximus Draken's statue. "And third gift, sadly, I have not the time to teach you." He tapped his cane on the translucent crystal. "Now leave. You serve no purpose here."

Elero stood up before Lance could. Frey may have missed his chance to persuade the Head Mage but she was much more desperate. "If we lose today, there will be no one stopping the demons from breaking the vault open. You saw that spell which obliterated your roof. They can likely do it again." All heads within earshot turned upwards as if the spell would strike once more.

Glenin scowled. "Do as you will." He glared at Lance. "I cannot spare the effort to punish your insolence. Know that you have the blood of your peers on your hands and soon the students."

"No, you're right," Lance said as mana rose from his body. "I should leave. This battle isn't going to be won by my hand, if it can be won at all."

"Reinforcements are coming," Thomas interjected, standing alongside Elero. "You don't have to run. Fight alongside us. Doevm wants that map...in capable human hands."

Glenin fiddled with his cane, growing less patient by the moment. "Yes, I have seen the students you lot have thrown into the fire."

"Not them. Our reinforcements are coming from the third story," Thomas pointed towards the northern, sealed doors. "They will be here so stop wasting your men on protecting this place."

With a collective bang the doors opened. The shift was handed over, and this time only four doors had opened. The other two were sealed shut. Glenin breathed hard. "The demons intend to carve away at our resources. How can you be certain that these reinforcements will come?"

"I've never been certain about him," Frey said, standing alongside the rest of his friends. "It's hard not to distrust an individual wrapped in so many layers of secrets. For all that he's still been my friend, the best one I have. I owe him my trust. He's coming. He would never miss a chance to fight."