The early light caught on their armor, and the reflection of the sun made them look more elegant and powerful. Each polished piece shone, a testament to their readiness.
Commander Borrin, now wearing a new set of steel-plated armor, approached Luceran, who stood on the side of the field with Kellen. The runes on his armor shimmered faintly as he walked.
"Your Highness, we are ready to depart," Borrin said, his voice firm and respectful.
Luceran gave a short nod, a typical response that showed his calm demeanor. "Hmm," he hummed.
He was confident in his troops. His preparations had been thorough. Just last night, Nelez had made it on time, arriving with a private caravan to deliver the new equipment he had asked for. He had purchased it all with Luceran's resources. The gear was top-notch, far beyond what could be found in a small city like Ironmarch.
Nelez, using the second prince name as an influence and power, was able to buy what they needed.
For Cassandra and her party, he had acquired magic wands and robes at the level of the Mana Engraving realm.
For Commander Borrin, he had purchased a set of armor and a sword at the Blood Refinement realm, and for the lieutenants, sets of armor and weapons at the peak of the Bone Tempering realm, a significant upgrade since they were still only at the peak of the Flesh Strengthening realm.
Luceran was sure this would give them a great boost in power.
The mages, now wearing their new equipment, looked different. Cassandra and her party were wearing dark purple robes. The material was soft, but a closer look would reveal faint, intricate patterns of runes engraved on the fabric. These runes served a purpose; they were not just for decoration.
They amplified their magical and physical defense, making them more resilient to attacks, and they also slightly amplified their mana regeneration, a crucial stat for mages.
While the robes were all the same, the staffs they held were different, each one a testament to their unique elemental affinity. Cassandra's staff was a beautiful piece, made of white oak with a silver crystal on top that pulsed with a gentle, windy energy.
The staff helped her with her wind element control proficiency, making her spells more fluid and responsive, and it also lessened the mana cost of her spells.
Prar held a simple, elegant wand made of iron with a small, transparent orb on its tip. As a force mage, the wand helped him to focus and project his force magic, allowing him to push, pull, and manipulate objects and even people with greater precision. Rhody and Josh, who were both elemental summoners, were holding staffs that looked identical, with brown and red runes respectively engraved on the body. Rhody's staff, with its brown runes, helped him control his summoned earth golems, giving them more stability and power. Josh's staff, with its red runes, helped him channel his fiery magic to summon and control fire elementals. Vena, the most unique of the bunch, was holding a black staff with a dark purple crystal on top. It pulsed with a chaotic, unhinged mana that was perfect to boost her destructive lightning and fire element, helping her channel herlightning and fire spells.
Luceran looked at them and felt more assured. He was sure that the new magical equipment would increase their capabilities a lot. The mage's firepower and defensive capabilities were now on a different level. This would help him with his journey to the ruined city.
Borrin and his lieutenants were also clad in new gear. Their steel-plated armor now shone with dim, glowing runes. These runes were not decorative either.
They helped with their physical vitality, allowing them to recover from injuries faster and fight longer, and they also amplified the hardness of their armor, making it more resistant to damage.
Overall, Luceran was more assured with these preparations. He was thinking whether he had to bring Nelez to the ruined city as he was the strongest man power he had now. But he knew that bringing him would be too much. He had basically brought all of his man power on this journey and leaving Ironmarch with only soldiers would be too risky. So, he decided to leave Nelez behind, as the commander of the army at Ironmarch. Nelez could handle everything.
Luceran walked to the front of the company and faced them, his gaze sweeping over every single person. He then started to explain their objective.
"According to my estimation, it will take us a month to get there if there is no hindrance along the way," Luceran said, his voice carrying clearly to every single person in the company. "The journey will be far, as the ruined city is located to the far west of Ironmarch, past the plains and the mountains."
He continued with his explanation, his voice growing more serious. "Since we are visiting a ruined magical city known for its rune crafting, there will be guardian automatons as the last defense mechanism. It is a different level compared to the bandit fortress that we faced before. This journey will officially be the test whether we pass to become a true army or just some garrison army stationed at a backwater city." He finished, and his words made the company more resolute. "I trust that we will succeed."
Kellen, who was sitting on his horse beside Luceran, moved closer to him, his face filled with excitement. This will be his first journey without any 'security' ready to jump in to defend him like he was still a student at the academy. This will be his true test.
Ian and Liz, as the ones who gave the contract, were situated in the middle of the convoy, heavily protected by the army.
Luceran then raised his hand and gave the command.
"Let's depart!" he said. The army moved forward as the sun slowly rose from the horizon.