Leo’s heart was still pounding from being face to face, alone in a room with Romus Holgeld. Romus had the money, the magic, and the power to blast Leo off the face of the Earth with a flick of his fingers. Instead Romus tasked Leo with no small mission. To solve a real, dangerous problem that was plaguing Opal Corp. An hour ago, Leo thought he was a dead man walking, now he had to put a task force together to battle a group of anti-magic extremists.
Getting a hold of Bethany was first on Leo's list. Leo wasn’t surprised but was thankful that Bethany agreed to join his team in a heartbeat. She was also instrumental in filling out the ranks with other Security Employees she had met working at the Executive Headquarters. Bethany clearly was able to make friends fast, a skill that Leo was careful to take note of.
Using Romus’ black card, Leo was able to kit out his team with all manner of spell capsules and personal armor for their mission. The anti-magic extremists were going to be using conventional weapons, like guns and grenades, but that made them no less dangerous.
Leo made the bold decision to not purchase any spell capsules for himself. His Sorcerer Magic System would only get stronger the more he used it. Even if it was risky, Leo had to bet on himself.
From the Opal Private Security Campus, Leo and Bethany secured a small fleet of armored vehicles and set off for the Biochemistry Refinement Facility beyond the city limits. Leo didn’t find the ride quite as comfortable as some of the town cars he’d been riding in recently but was grateful for the physical and magical layers of protection between him and the enemy.
On the ride, Bethany checked her hand picked arsenal of spell capsules. “I got three Thunder Bombs, a two hour Supreme Level Shield and a backup in case of a dispel, plus some short range spells if we wind up in a firefight.”
Back when Leo worked at a spell capsule store in the mall, they had never sold this kind of ordinance. “You seem to have taken to this like a pro, Bethany. I never would have believed you only just started working at Opal Corp.”
Bethany got uncharacteristically quiet. “It was my dad who taught me. He served. Lots of overseas action.”
Leo knew not to prod further at this moment. When Opal Corp started contracting with different governments, it sparked a series of wars over the last few decades as poorer countries who couldn’t afford contracts got scared and lashed out. Every country that used Opal Corp tech for their military came out on top, but that didn’t mean there weren’t losses and suffering on all sides.
Sorcerer families rarely got involved in international conflicts before, they always thought they were above such things, so magic coming to the battlefield was an awe inspiring and often terrifying change that reshaped a lot of borders and completely upended pre-existing political structures. But at the end of the day only one thing was certain, whoever won, whoever lost, Opal Corp got richer.
Leo knew that when he took Opal Corp for his own, it was a huge responsibility he was taking onto his shoulders. Opal Corp had the power to make and destroy entire countries.
When the security convoy reached the Biochem Facility, Leo saw signs of the takeover immediately. There were huge banners hung outside with slogans against Opal Corp and for the anti-magic extremists. They called themselves the Bright Future League and were led by a charismatic figure known only as The Light.
The identity of The Light was a mystery, even to the Opal Corp intelligence division who shared all their info on the Bright Future League with Leo. Leo was amazed at the level of access he was given, he felt like a real part of Opal Corp, for better or worse.
Bethany squinted to read each of the banners hung by the BFL. “Follow the Light. Death to Opal Corp. Magic is Devolution. I don’t get it. They aren’t doing a great job of getting across why anyone would want to be on their side.”
Leo braced himself. “It doesn’t matter what they want. They aren’t going to get it. We’re going to stop them.”
Leo gave the signal and his Security Team poured out of the armored vehicles and swarmed the Biochem Facility. Gunfire erupted from many of the windows of the facility. Opal Security returned the assault with an array of offensive spells, mostly concussive and electricity based.
No matter how bad the fighting got, Leo knew that he had to protect the delicate and expensive equipment inside the facility. The fighting was already getting expensive as a RPG launched from inside the facility and connected with one of the armored vehicles.
It pierced the vehicle’s shield and erupted in a huge fireball. Leo was thankful that none of his team was inside when it happened. Leo and Bethany took cover behind a concrete wall near the gatehouse to the facility.
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Leo took stock of their surroundings. “Bethany, I need you to take the Beta squad and circle around to the back of the facility. There’s a secondary entrance that should be unguarded. We’ve been able to draw their attention over here.”
Bethany gave a sharp nod. “Roger, Leo. Stay safe, okay?”
Bethany gave Leo a tight hug and signaled for her half of the team to follow her. Leo got the Alpha team lead’s attention. “Keep the cover fire heavy. I’m going to infiltrate and take out their leader. A disorganized group like this will fall apart if you take out the one person who knows what they’re doing.”
Leo knew this tactic from whenever a new bully would move into his foster home growing up. If a bully was able to shock or scare the foster parents enough, they would be able to get away with whatever they wanted.
Leo summoned his Sorcerer Magic System. “I need to cast Ocean That Moves. I want to do it on the ground right below my feet.”
Leo’s Magic System wasn’t sure about that. “You’ll sink into the ground, Leo. You won’t be able to breathe under there. Just like real water.”
Leo was ready for this. “That’s okay. I just need to stay down long enough to get through the facility’s outer wall. There was no one at the community pool who could hold their breath longer than me.”
The spell took hold and Leo sank into the ground, just like it was water, he took a deep breath and went completely under. Leo made huge strokes, swimming through what used to be solid rock and concrete. Just as his lungs felt like they were about to burst, Leo finally popped up for air.
Sure enough, Leo had made it inside the Biochem Facility. Not a single one of the BFL fighters had seen him come in. Now Leo had to find the leader. He called his Magic System again and cast Ears of the Master.
Leo listened and could pick out a voice among the chaos of the fighting. “Don’t give up, my brothers and sisters. This Opal Corp scum is fighting only for money, we are fighting for the future of humanity.”
That must be him. Leo kept his magical listening trained on the voice and worked his way through the facility. With everyone inside focused on the Security Forces at the front gate, Leo found little opposition.
Leo couldn’t help but be disgusted by what he saw inside the facility. A large number of Opal Corp scientists and researchers were lying dead in the hallways and in their offices and labs. These were people with families who were just trying to earn a living and maybe make the world a better place through magic and science.
Leo found the room where the BFL leader was holed up. The leader had two other men with him. Leo didn’t want to take on all three of them if he didn’t have to. Luckily, it was then that an alarm went off.
The leader looked at a notification board in the room he was in. “Someone is trying to come through the back door. You two, go stop them.”
The BFL foot soldiers obeyed. “Right away, Edsel.”
The men left, the leader, Edsel, was on his own. Leo made his move. “Edsel, I just want to talk.”
Leo readied flaming hands as he stepped into the room to face Edsel. Leo was shocked to see that Edsel wasn’t holding a weapon, he was holding a detonator. “You must be in charge of these Opal thugs. Before you use any of your inhuman magic on me, you should know that this entire building is wired to this detonator. I press the trigger, all your Opal Corp property turns into rubble.”
Leo turned off his flaming hands. “I’m serious. I only want to talk. Whatever your group is trying to achieve, Edsel, this isn’t the way to go about it. You’ve killed innocent people.”
Edsel shook his head violently. “No way. No one who’s ever accepted an Opal Corp paycheck is innocent. They had more blood on their hands than half the armies that ever existed. I don’t expect a brainwashed Opal goon like you to understand.”
Leo did not appreciate being called a goon, but he let cooler heads prevail. “I’m probably more open minded than you think, Edsel. Tell me, are you The Light?”
Edsel bent over laughing. “Yeah right, man. Even if I was, I wouldn’t tell you. The Light must be protected at all costs. The Light is the only one who knows the bright singular path of humanity’s future. That’s a future without Opal Corp by the way.”
Leo rolled his eyes, Edsel had clearly been brainwashed by the BFL in a way that there was no coming back from. Leo knew that he had to take Edsel out before he activated the detonator.
Leo put up his hands. “Peace can be an option, Edsel. A peace with both the Bright Future League and Opal Corp.”
Leo’s Ears of the Master spell was still active, he could hear Bethany’s team making their way through the facility. He just had to keep Esdel talking.
Edsel, though, was getting jumpy. “Opal Corp destroyed the balance of the universe, man. Magic was always meant to stay in the hands of the few. Too many people using magic is dangerous, The Light has shown us. It’s going to destroy everything.”
Bethany was right around the corner, this was Leo’s chance. “Edsel, this is your last warning. Drop the detonator now.”
Edsel’s hand was shaking. “Die, Opal Corp scum.”
Edsel’s thumb hovered above the detonator. Leo signaled to Bethany. “Now, Now, Now!”
Bethany stormed the room behind Edsel. Esdel spun around to face her. Leo took this opening to cast Hammer of the Ancients. He swung the spectral hammer straight up to shatter the ceiling above Edsel. The rubble buried Edsel and knocked the detonator from his hand.
Bethany lowered the spell capsule she had ready. “Awesomely done, Leo. We got him.”
Leo leaned down to check Edsel’s pulse beneath the rubble. He was dead. Leo took a deep breath. He wished it didn’t have to come to this, but Edsel left him no choice.
The rest of the operation went smoothly, the remaining BFL fighters either fled or surrendered. Leo received a short message from Romus Holgeld that simply said. “Well done.”
Leo and Bethany were quiet on the ride back to the Security Campus. Leo showered and shook off the adrenaline from the day. He was surprised when his phone rang and he saw that Surya was on the other end.
He answered and she wasted no time in letting Leo know why she called. “I have proof Leo. Undeniable proof that you’re a Holgeld.”