reinforcements

The mountain temple was silent save for the quiet rustle of robes and the occasional crackle of an enchanted lantern burning pale-blue fire. The room itself a domed inner sanctum beneath the shrine had been magically expanded into a war chamber. Its ceiling shimmered with faint constellations, and in the center floated a large, translucent projection of the valley: the stronghold, the outer base, and the surrounding terrain.

Morpheus Everglade stood near the edge of the illusion, his hands folded behind his back, dark eyes flicking over every detail. Across from him, Kazuki Headmaster of Mahoutokoro, stood beside the projection, robes pressed and precise, a lacquered pointer in his right hand.

He tapped the edge of the illusion. The whole valley rotated slightly.

"We've stationed approximately four hundred and thirty combat-capable witches and wizards within the valley perimeter," Kazuki began, voice calm and clipped. "Roughly seventy percent are from Asian nations—Japan, China, South Korea, India, Thailand, Vietnam while the rest include reinforcements from Eastern Europe and select international volunteers from South America."

The illusion shifted again, this time highlighting glowing dots along the slope of the valley.

"There are twelve tiered defense rings," Kazuki continued. "The outer four rings are fortified with a rotating patrol schedule six-hour shifts. We've placed concealment wards layered with blood-binding runes keyed to local fauna, making it difficult to detect magical presence unless one crosses the inner threshold."

He gestured to the center of the projection. A massive, domed structure shimmered faintly just beneath it, invisible in the image but known to all present, lay the anchor.

"The temple is the heart of the defense. Beneath it, the anchor chamber remains sealed. Only wardmasters approved by both Mahoutokoro and the ICW Defense Assembly may enter."

Kazuki turned to another glowing section—hovering crates and supply icons.

"Current rations are sufficient for one hundred days under siege conditions. If cut off from all portals and apparation, our stockpiles are tightly preserved with stasis charms and triple-encoded summoning triggers. Water is drawn from the mountain spring enchanted to replenish daily and there's a backup aquifer spell should the spring become corrupted or tampered with."

Morpheus gave a slight nod, but said nothing.

Kazuki tapped again. This time, lines wards flared across the image like geometric veins.

"The ward shape is hexagonal, layered vertically and laterally. Each node is anchored to a carved obelisk built into the mountainside. There are seven active magical ley conduits running beneath the valley, and we've diverted three to feed the ward core."

Someone to Kazuki's left an elderly Thai enchanter interjected, "We built the core to absorb and re-direct excess magical energy. If they try to overload the defenses again like they did in the Americas it will instead charge our countermeasures."

"Are there weaknesses?" Morpheus asked softly, his voice low but commanding.

Kazuki didn't flinch. "One. The ley lines, while powerful, cannot be fully suppressed. If our enemies find a way to reverse-draw from them, they may use our own energy against us. Our safeguards should prevent that, but…"

"…the Veil-touched feed on instability," Morpheus finished for him. "They turned wards into blood-leeching fonts in Brazil."

There was a long pause.

A few in the room exchanged glances.

Kazuki's voice grew quieter. "Which is why we've included both offensive and decay runes in the outer matrix. If the ward line starts to fray, it will collapse rather than be inverted. Controlled detonation over corruption."

Morpheus stepped toward the floating image, studying the overlayed lines his gaze scanning for the fault lines that hadn't been spoken aloud.

"No structure is perfect," he murmured. "But this is the strongest one yet."

Kazuki inclined his head. "That is the hope."

One of the Mongolian summoners spoke from the edge of the room, "We've had a few reports of movement in the air above the southern cliffs. No contact. But it may be reconnaissance."

Morpheus's gaze flicked toward the southern edge of the projection. "Keep the fliers grounded until I've re-inspected the perimeter myself. No one flies alone."

He looked back to Kazuki.

"Anything else?"

Kazuki hesitated just a moment before adding, "We've stationed a unit of Kirin-riders along the eastern ledges. And we've begun enchanting the lake."

That caught Morpheus's attention.

Kazuki elaborated, "If they try to breach from beneath or by portal inside the lake bed, they'll find themselves entering a mirrored dimension instead. A trap."

Morpheus hummed softly, "And the merpeople have approved of this?" 

"Yes, only for the sections they have allowed we are enacting the plan."

Morpheus gave a rare, approving nod. 

"Good. I'll see to it personally."

The room began to shuffle, conversation spreading in pockets as lieutenants and wardmasters stepped in to ask about rotations and updates.

the door opened with a quiet click.

All turned briefly out of habit, not alarm as a young woman stepped through. She wore simple robes of soft gray, her dark hair tied in a careful knot at the base of her neck. Balanced in her arms was a lacquered wooden tray bearing a tea set: three delicate porcelain cups and a pot still steaming gently.

She said nothing. Her steps were practiced, unobtrusive. She moved to the stone table near the edge of the floating diagram and lowered the tray with smooth precision. As she turned to leave, Morpheus's gaze followed her not openly, but with a sidelong glance that lingered longer than expected.

His eyes narrowed not in suspicion, but thought.

There was something… familiar.

She left without a sound, and the door eased shut behind her.

Kazuki had returned to marking something on the southern section of the valley map when Morpheus spoke.

"Who was that?"

Kazuki paused, glanced up.

"The girl?"

Morpheus nodded once.

Kazuki stepped back from the illusion and answered quietly, "Hoshino Mayu. She's from a lesser-known magical family in Nagano. A squib. Her siblings attended Mahoutokoro. She offered to serve when the defense efforts began."

Morpheus's expression didn't shift, but his eyes returned to the now-closed door. "She's been here long?"

"Since the third month of fortifications," Kazuki said. "Reliable. Quiet. Keeps to herself."

Morpheus gave a single, soft nod, then turned fully back to the illusion hovering above the table, the trace of a frown still ghosting along his brow.

He extended his hand, and the image expanded to include glowing emblems surrounding the perimeter each symbol denoting the crest of a wizarding nation or coalition.

"I want the reinforcements staggered," he said, voice low again but laced with precision. "If the ICW sends them all at once, they'll make too tempting a target for a preemptive strike."

Kazuki gestured with his wand, causing the icons to separate.

"How many are confirmed?"

"Eighty from the French magical forces, led by duelist Captain Marceau. Forty-five from the Delhi Enchanters' Battalion. Twenty-five Ilvermorny specialists—traps and kinetic magic, mostly. And thirty-two Icelandic rune-casters."

Kazuki raised an eyebrow. "A disparate mix."

"I'm not even touching on the soldiers that will join us from different outpost, I heard the soldiers at the pyramid are looking to join in again," Morpheus replied 

A murmur of astonishment passed between the officers nearby.

Kazuki nodded slowly and added, "We'll place the rune-casters along the northern ridge. It's too exposed for direct combat, but ideal for reinforcement layering."

"And the Americans?"

"Two days out," said one of the assistants near the wall. "They've delayed twice already."

Morpheus made no comment on that.

Instead, his eyes returned to the base camp hologram.

And for just a second, his gaze flicked once more toward the door where Mayu Hoshino had exited his face still unreadable, but shadowed by thought.