The next morning, we had everyone meet us in the field to start training. We went through weapon training, survival training, hand to hand combat, and through a few other key fundamentals. By the end of the day we had 40 people in each of our teams. Some people in Sanctuary just didn’t have the ability or the want to fully acclimate into the teams so they stayed in whatever job and position they were in full time.
Once we separated everyone into the teams, Baker, Shyft, and I took our
teams to separate areas for individual training. I took my potential Spectres into the woods for training. I trained everyone in the construction and usage of a bow and arrows. I taught them how to be accurate with any weapon. I taught them how to read sounds and vibrations as if they were lighted billboards. I taught them trapping and tracking techniques. I taught them about medicinal and poisonous herbs and other useful things found in nature. We spent months in the woods training and becoming a cohesive unit. By the time we returned I was confident that each of my Spectres were well trained and ready to work together.
I chose 3 of them as my leadership under, myself and Jasper, each of which were chosen because they exemplified one of the 3 fundamentals of the Spectres. Chase was a darkness user that was the stealthiest and he was the leader of the Panthers, a team based around stealth combat. Lizzie, a water user who was the best at trapping and hunting, became the leader of the Spiders the team of hunters and trappers, and Patrick, a wind user who was my best marksman with firearms and bows, became the leader of the Scorpions, a team based on long range combat. Once I put them in charge I left them to get better acquainted with their teams, whom of which were separated into smaller fighting units chosen by the three that could be sent out into the world to complete missions for us.
A few days after I returned Doran came to my office while I was working on some of my paperwork and writing a few more of my training manuals. “Wingless, do you have a moment I have an idea I would like to run past you?”
I didn’t look up from my papers, but I said, “Sure Doran, what’s up?” He sat down in the chair across from my desk and put a small arcanium pendant in front of me.
“This is going to act as a communication device for our teams in the field and for the leadership. I need your help figuring out how to make them usable in several ways. I want a person to be able to have a telepathic link with people in their immediate area kind of like how you and your brothers can talk to each other.” I nodded I had told Doran after we first met how Baker, Shyft, and I shared a link and we could talk to each other through thought. He continued, “I also want a wearer to have the ability to send out messages to us here at Sanctuary if a problem arises and they need backup or advice. Lastly I want the pendants to have an sos of sorts that once activated draw any member of their team to their location even if the person is unconscious or dead.”
I looked up at Doran. “That will be a great thing to have I should have thought of it myself honestly. I think between the two of us we can figure out how to make a bind rune that will cover all of those things.” I pulled out a sheet of paper and started working on a very complicated weave of magick to create a set of bind runes that would work and with several corrections offered by Doran by sundown we had a usable version of the bind rune.
“This will work perfectly thank you Wingless. I am going to work on it right away. Do you want them all to be pendants? Or should it be different items that can be worn so no one outside of Sanctuary will see anything amiss with different adornments?”
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I thought a minute and nodded. “Yeah, I think different mediums would be best. Rings, bracelets, broaches, pendants, earrings, and other things would make it harder for people to pinpoint how we can interact without talking.” Doran got up from his chair and headed to the door.
He turned back to me and said, “I will get it done and we will offer them up as soon as I can.” Then he left my office headed for the forge, where he spent a majority of his free time.
Shade landed on my shoulder and nuzzled my chin. “So Wingless, it’s about time for us to head back out to find the other Keys isn’t it?”
I scratched his head and said, “Yes Shade, it is about that time we have spent too much time here getting Sanctuary started and we need to start working on getting rid of the demon threat.” I sent by brothers a link to find out what they were doing. Baker was still in the process of training his Ironhides and Shyft was off drinking with his Skyteam. I sent them another link letting them know that it was time for us to start our mission again looking for the Keys. They both almost simultaneously sent back links with regret and agreement. I knew that they had both become comfortable here and it would be hard leaving the first real home we had had in these 4 and a half years.
I got up turned off the lights in my office and headed to my room. I took some time to pack my belongings that I would need for the travel including the obsidian tablet and the bronze polar bear statue. Then I turned in for the night.
3 days later my brothers and I headed to the auditorium to make the announcement that now was the time for Sanctuary to start getting out into the world. We entered the auditorium and took our places on the stage along with Jasper, Chase, Lizzie, and Patrick behind me. Doran and the three that Baker chose as his leadership for the sections of the Ironhides. The Tortoises, the Rhinos, and the Bears. Shyft had his Skyteam leaders behind him and Paige, he didnt have a separation of teams like we did.
The auditorium filled up quickly and there was a murmured tone of apprehension throughout the crowd. Once everyone was seated I took center stage.
“Members of Sanctuary…… My family, it’s because of your hard work and dedication that we have gotten this far with our vision and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” I stopped and gave a bow to the audience. My brothers also did the same thing. The audience erupted with cheers and applause.
I waved them down to calm and quiet them. “Now is the time for Sanctuary to fulfill its secondary goal. Saving and helping the people of this world. My brothers and I will be leaving to fulfill our mission and that is stopping the demons that are invading this world. It will be the responsibility of you, all of you, to help those in need and fight the demons where you can as well. I have the utmost faith that you all have the ability and the heart to take on this task.” I paused again to let that sink in. “Will you take up the mantle of Sanctuary and help it spread into the world? Will you fight with us now that you have the means?” there was silence for a few seconds then one by one the members of Sanctuary started to stand up and ignited their hands with their auras. Soon the entire auditorium was a mix of color with every single person standing in agreement to work with us. “Thank you, family. These are your leaders in our absence.”
I motioned to the people standing behind us. “They are the ones that you will follow in our absence. Please treat them as you treat us. We trust their ability to lead you, trust that we chose wisely.” I motioned to Doran, and he came forward with a large case and handed it to me. “Doran and a few of his artisans spent 3 full days crafting these items for you all.” I stepped down from the stage to the table in front of the seats. I opened the case to reveal beautifully crafted communication items for the members of Sanctuary. “Please line up and choose one of these. Keep in on you at all times. They will take some time to get used to but once you master the magicks in them you will have the ability to send telepathic thoughts to your team mates, you can contact Sanctuary home base at any time for assistance, and if you find yourself in trouble you can send an SOS that will be received by all on your team and it will help guide them to you.” Everyone lined up and chose their comms and then left the auditorium.