Within the hour, they got new orders, and the Gravewatchers were back on the move as they rode silently through the night, again.
"Sorry, I kinda overreacted." Alucard finally said as Carter snapped. "Sorry?! We nearly got executed because of you! This is exactly what I was worried about!" "Hey, cut the kid some slack. He stood up for himself, nothing else." Emanuel, as Carter, shook his head.
"He killed a base commander, as well as several well-connected nobles!" "Yeah, well, he's got better connections." Cat laughed as Jorge snorted and Emanuel grinned. "Heck yeah, and the Wizard King's son? What are you doing with us? You should be back playing house, not heading to the front line!"
Alucard was surprised they'd already moved on; Carter hadn't. "I'm known in the noble circles as being a psycho already, plus I never back down from a fight. Almost fought with the head of the Vermillion family, actually."
Emanuel was over the moon at that. Turns out, he was the last of a branch family that hadn't been in the Capitol for decades. The others were mildly surprised as Alucard told them of the various fights he'd gotten in over the years, either from snotty brats or Mimosa asking him to step in.
"Heads up, contacts ahead." Carter's voice cut through the chatter as they got into position like a well-oiled machine. Already filled in ahead of time, Alucard flew in front of Jorge and behind Emanuel, as the others brought up the rear.
"Five Crimson Lions ahead, looks like double the number of Diamond Mages, we'd better hurry." Michael gave his assessment as Carter nodded. "Emanuel, take point. Alucard, you and Jorge strike where you can. Kat, you hang back with Michael while I run support."
Everyone nodded as Alucard grinned, a real battle!
"Sir, more mages coming from the west!" A Crimson Lion shouted as his squadmate looked back, "It's the Dawn, keep fighting, help is almost here!" He rallied his men as the Diamond kingdom mages became more aggressive, no doubt already seeing the new mages entering the fray.
"Fire Magic: Flame fist!" Emanuel shouted as he leapt into battle. He threw himself at another fire mage as Alucard and Jorge followed right behind him. "Steel Magic: Stubborn wall!" Jorge placed himself in front of the injured Crimson Lions as Alucard threw several lances of water and created an earth beast.
"Lightning magic: Thunder Strike!" Cat's voice rang out as she threw a bolt of lightning at another mage who raised a shield just in time. "Earth magic: Rolling stone!" The mage shouted as Carter responded in turn.
"Earth Magic:Pilar guard. Earth Magic: Firm ground." The two spells did great work together as the enemy's spell broke across the pillars, and Jorge's barrier became more entrenched in the earth.
Seeing they had Jorge covered, Alucard stopped attacking from range as he coated himself in lightning, charging in after Emanuel. "Fire Magic: Flame Cloak!" Despite going against two mages, he was at no disadvantage as Alucard reached the water mage sneaking up on him.
"ARGH!" The man screamed as he was electrocuted. He kept the shock going for a few moments before an earthen wall rose to block several wind spears, as Jorge cast another spell, "Steel Magic: Iron guard!" Emanuel's skin turned the color of metal as he abandoned defense as Michael fired off his first spell.
"Wind Magic: Spiralling Bullet." The mage he was targeting didn't have time to scream as the spell put a hole through his head. He must have been the commander, as the rest of the Diamond Kingdom's mages disengaged and tried to flee.
Not letting them go easy, Alucard and Emanuel hurled spells after them, with Emanuel spearing one through the gut, as Alucard finished off the water mage from before.
"Any casualties?" Carter asked the Crimson Lions as he shook his head. "No, we were able to fall back some, but more arrived and pinned us down. Thanks for the help."
Seeing them hurt, Alucard went over and cast a spell. "Fire creation magic: Healing flames." The mages around him felt a heat enter their bodies as their wounds healed, and a campfire formed on the ground.
"Not bad, you really are all-purpose, huh?" Emanuel sat by the flames, letting the blood dry as a few scratches healed along his arms. "I could get used to this," Cat said, sitting by the flames as Jorge and Michael kept watch.
After half an hour, the Crimson Lions were strong enough to move, so they took them back to the base, where Carter and the others finally felt the fatigue start to set in. "Well done, Gravewatchers. I've already been filled in by Captain Vangeance. Enjoy your rest. War's not going anywhere soon." The base commander said as they finally got to sleep.
The next day, Alucard was up before dawn as usual and found the others already awake as Emanuel dragged him out of the tent. "Let Cat have her space; she might kill you otherwise." He said seriously for once as they went to bathe.
Cat was finished changing by the time they returned, so they put on their uniforms as Jorge and Carter started unpacking what they'd brought with them. "Armor? I didn't think any mages wore that?" Jorge grinned as he patted the leather vests. "It's not armor just yet. I still have to make the steel plates. We slide them in certain spots for better protection against assassins and other mages with strange magic."
"Happens more than you'd think," Michael said, walking in as Alucard nodded. If it saved his life, who was he to complain? "Alright, today is normal patrol. Jorge is staying behind to fix up our armor, and Cat's helping, so it's just us today."
Carter led them out on foot before they took to the sky as they circled around the base once before heading to their patrol route. "Expect combat every few days," Carter said as they slowed near a small cluster of trees, "Although not as dangerous as the main front further north, it's still not safe around here as we get hundreds of mages always trying to break through.
Our job is to make sure that doesn't happen. Our specific job is to be the early warning system in case someone tries to push through. We alert the base, and they send out a response team while we keep whoever is out here occupied."
Alucard listened as he explained that merit and ranks also worked differently out here, away from the main populace. The ranks of the Magic Knights were as follows. Junior, Intermediate, Senior, Grand, and Wizard King.
Although the same occurred out here, there was no need to wait for an annual ceremony to get promoted since the mages who excelled at combat were constantly needed and so were promoted to fill command slots.
All that really meant was that your superiors were actually competent fighters who had been fighting on the front lines, rather than nobles who'd been placed there because they fancied themselves a commander, though some did slip through.
Today's patrol was more relaxed as Carter took time to show Alucard important landmarks in relation to their base. He promised to show him the exact positions on the large map at base later, but for now, Alucard had to remember where everything was.
It wasn't very hard as he was constantly pinging his position with his magic. Carter had tried to stop it, but when he used the excuse of needing a map for space magic, Carter relented. Though they both knew Alucard was just hoping someone would come looking for a fight.
The rest of the week was slow; a few other patrols had chased off some people, but not much happened for them. Carter didn't let them rest, however, as he constantly ran drills to keep their skills sharp.
He even threw in strength and endurance training, having Jorge and Cat make vests that could hold nothing but weight as they jogged around the base. A few mages jeered at them, but most ignored them as the Gravewatchers were known for doing strange things.
Alucard also took the time to get more acquainted with spoken casting. He could already cast spells without needing to speak, but he liked keeping that to his chest; he suspected the Captains noticed during the exam, but it might single him out here, and who knew how many spies were here.
"Compound Fire and Water magic: Dragon gods!"
Just like during the exam, two massive dragons formed. A flaming western dragon, and a coiling eastern dragon. They were away from the base, about two miles out, as Carter didn't want him tearing things apart.
As he controlled the two dragons, making them fly about and saturate the ground in spells, Alucard wondered if he could mix other elements of his as he dispelled the two dragons.
"I don't know how you do it, man. I like watching it though!" Emanuel called him, and the others ate grilled meat."Let the boy have his fun." Cat grinned as Alucard went over and joined them.
"I'm pretty sure I could wipe the floor with you." He said as she rolled her eyes. They faded into easy conversation as they ate. Though one of them was always watching, just in case.
"So, how did you all end up in the Dawn? You don't exactly scream noble heritage to me." The group stilled for a moment as Carter sighed, "I'll go first if this is what we're doing now.
I was born into a small noble family, basically extinct and fallen. When it came time, I joined the Magic Knights and the war effort, nothing else to it."
He nodded at Cat, who pouted at him, but started talking as well.
"I'm a little better off. My mother was the mistress of some fancy noble who didn't want to admit I was his, so I got shipped to the Dawn. That's where the problems came in.
Too many nobles, too many men wanting to take what they want by force, and one stubborn bitch ready to kill. After the first one, the Captain moved me away and locked the perp away.
But it didn't stop, so eventually I was forced to kill a squadmate, and the Captain sent me here to keep me safe from the nobles who were demanding my head."
She looked way too calm for the story she'd just said, but the light tremor in her hands made Carter place a steadying hand on her shoulder, as Emanuel went next.
"I'm a distant relative of the Vermillion Royals," He shrugged, "I've literally never met them other than Fuegoleon when he offered me a place in the Crimson Lions, but I didn't want handouts from someone I'd never met, so I went Golden Dawn instead.
A few fights later, I was sent here since Fuegoleon kept me from being kicked out, apparently."
Michael went next as Carter took his place on Overwatch. "I don't know where I came from, just that I had magic and could shoot pretty far. I was doing some mercenary work a few years ago when my employers got a personal visit from both William Vangeance and Fuegoleon Vermillion.
Needless to say, I was out of a job after that, and William paid more than Fuegoleon. So I joined, and soon after, I was sent here."
Jorge went last as Alucard grabbed another piece of food. "My start isn't the best. Kidnapped by some random psychos who killed my family, and an even crazier lady rescued me.
She trained me, and other children, I think. It's all very blurry, and I can't remember much other than the lady's name, Halsey. She raised me until I got my grimoire, then I joined the Dawn. Captain Vangeance must have seen something in me as he sent me a few years later to the front, where I joined the Gravewatchers."
They sat in silence for a moment before Cat collected herself and nudged Alucard. "Your turn, kid. What's it like being the son of the Wizard King?"
"Annoying," He sighed, "Nobles are constantly pandering or trying to find ways to control me. I've had to kill one who actually wanted to control Father through me, so now I avoid the entire Silva family.
The upsides are great, however. I have access to the Royal Library, as well as Father's personal collection. I was also trained when I was young by Yami, the Captain of the Black Bulls."
"Where's your mother? I thought the Wizard King was single?" Jorge asked.
"No idea. Father told me she died when I was young, and all my early memories are of him or training and reading. I didn't leave his estate until he forced me to go meet the Royals, and the King." He wrinkled his nose at the memory as Emanuel laughed.
"So he's as bad as they say? I thought people just told us wrong for the heck of it!" Alucard shook his head, "I've only met him once, and that's enough for me."
"So what's noble life like? Fancy balls, lots of servants, all the food you can eat. I want to know what I've missed out on." Cat said as he shrugged. "It's full of people who use each other for whatever. Some want power, others want pleasure. They all are all ready to kill at the slightest grievance, it's annoying.
Yes, we have power, but most nobles just coast along on whatever merits their ancestors accumulated; they never train or do anything worthwhile with their lives.
The only exceptions to this would be Father, William Vangeance, the Vermillion, and maybe two in the Silva family. Plus Rill and Charlotte."
They drank that in as Jorge suddenly tapped him, "So, I've heard stories that nobles have arranged marriages. Is that true?" He nodded, "Yes, I'm engaged to Mimosa Vermillion. I'm glad because she's one of the few nobles I respect; she trains diligently and always has a smile on her face."
"Ah, young love." Cat teased, seeing him smile. For the most part, Alucard had been almost as quiet as Michael, usually speaking when spoken to, other than when those nobles got in the way.
"We need to head back, sun's going down," Carter called from above as he circled again before setting down. They swiftly broke down camp as Alucard dowsed the fire with water magic, and they returned to base.
As they are returning to base, Alucard and Michael sense a massive flaring of mana, "AMBUSH, GET OUT OF THE SKY!" They both yell as they throw themselves down to the ground.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ground shakes as a torrent of spells crashes down upon them.
"Earth creation magic: Domed fortress!"
"Steel Creation magic: Iron guard!"
"Earth Magic: Grand Rampart!"
Alucard, Jorge, and Carter throw up their defensive spells as the attacks continue pounding them. "Cat is down, Emanuel, can you fight?" Carter yelled as the two remained motionless.
"Flame Magic: Healing Phoenix robe!" Alucard shouted as he got closer and engulfed them in healing flames. Michael scooted closer as he extended his senses. "Not good, sir. Two groups of mages have encircled us. One's in the air and casting, the other is getting closer on foot!"
"Alucard, leave them to me. Michael will support you while Jorge and I take care of these two." He nodded as the dome around them started to break. "Wind magic: Gale of the oppressed!"
The mages waiting for the dome to fall were thrown like leaves in a storm as Michael killed the closest one. "Wind magic: Guided current. Go, it'll help you." He cast a buff on Alucard, who leaped into the fray.
Several mages threw spells from above as the ones on the ground started getting back up. "Fire magic: Bursting balloon!" He threw an orb of fire at a mage, who sneered and tried to bat it away, only for it to explode in his face.
"Wind Magic: Spiral bullet!"
"Earth Creation Magic:Nemean lion!"
"Water creation magic: Sea serpent!"
Two magical constructs manifested and charged as Alucard took the time to assess. 'Two dead, one to me, the other Michael. Carter and Jorge are holding for now, but I need to hurry. 13 mages left, I see mostly long range, but plenty of tanks getting closer. Cowabunga it is!'
With no hesitation, he engulfed his body in flames as he charged in. Another flame mage tried to grapple with him, only to get swatted aside as Alucard threw a lance of water into the chest of another mage.
He was then shoved aside as an earth mage tried to force him to the ground with a massive hammer. 'Gravity magic: Weightless accent!' Gravity weakened its grip on him as he shoved the hammer off and formed claws of lightning, using them to rip open the earth mage's throat.
'Another down.' He then staggered as the fire mage from before started throwing fireballs at him. "Earth Creation Magic: Tower shield!" He used the shield to bulldoze his way closer as another mage joined the fun, the one who'd been lanced.
"Vine Magic: Frenzied AGH!" He cut the man off, slicing him in two with his claws as the fire coating started to wear off. He cursed as the flame mage got away, but made sure to finish off the vine mage.
He then saw a massive skeleton fighting his earth beast, and finding the caster, he beelined it to him. "Skeleton magic: Undead army!" The mage shouted as Alucard cast another spell, "Wind Magic: Tempest fury!"
A veritable hurricane ripped apart the skeletons as he got within striking distance of the mage. "Fire Magic: Pillar of flame!" A massive pillar of fire threw him into the air as Alucard spotted the mage and ordered the earth beast to kill him next.
As the flame mage became occupied with not dying, Alucard then combined different magic types as another Compound spell formed inside his grimoire. Clouds rolled in as thunder boomed, "Wind Lightning Compound Magic: Thunder Storm!"
Dozens of bolts of lightning streak down, striking five unprepared mages in the sky as Michael killed another who tried getting closer to Jorge. 'That makes 6.' He thought as he killed the skeleton mage, as he unveiled another element he'd kept under wraps.
"Bone Magic: Dragon blaster!" A dragon skull formed as it blasted a beam of destructive mana towards a group of mages, who managed to erect a barrier in time. "Bone Magic: Undead wheel!" A group of five skeletons trapped in wheels then wreaked havoc as the earth beast was finally killed, and the water dragon ran out of time.
"Fire magic: Pillar of flame!" Another pillar shot out of the ground, but Alucard emerged unscathed as he chased after the fire mage. Seeing him trying to lead him away from Michael and the others, he stopped.
"Wind Creation magic: Longbows." Several longbows formed and loosed a volley of arrows; they all tracked the mage as Alucard returned to Micheal, who'd managed to kill another pair of mages.
"Six dead, Nine to go." He grunted as he landed next to Michael and started healing him. "I'm almost dry. How much do you have left?" "Plenty to kill, how are the others?" "Alive, but we need a dedicated healer."
They didn't get to say anything else as the nine remaining mages hurled a volley of spells. "Wind Magic: Tempest Barrier!" Michael threw up a shield as dozens of fireballs, water lances, and wind blades lashed out.
Seeing them turtled up, Alucard got an idea as another bone spell formed, "Bone Magic: Dragon Blaster x3!" As the mages threw up another shield, he kept up the pressure as he cast another spell.
"Flame magic: Flaming god of death!" The fiery western dragon manifested with a roar as it charged the mages' measly defense. "RUN A DRAGON!" A few screamed as the broken ranks and the defensive spell fell apart.
With the dragon blasters and flaming dragon working together, none of the mages survived as Alucard felt their mana become his. 'How strange, I can feel the sparks so close to igniting, but they remain sparks. Maybe if I…' He then tested and found he could guide the 'dormant' magic sparks into his existing magic types.
He did this quickly as he returned to Cat and Emanuel, healing them until reinforcements arrived from base, taking them back home.