As the helicopter banked slightly, a colossal fortress emerged from the mountains, sprawling across multiple peaks like a kingdom carved straight out of stone.
It was not confined to one summit but spread outward and downward, blending seamlessly with forests, cliffs, and terraced slopes.
Most of the man-made structures rested below the permanent snow line, where pine forests thickened and green pastures stretched quietly between ridges.
Yet the academy did not stop there.
Its reach extended all the way to the glacial heights above, where observatories pierced the sky and research facilities clung to ice and rock.
Those upper regions housed focused training grounds and experimental labs, places meant for minds and bodies pushed to their limits.
The helicopter descended toward a concealed helipad housed within a massive retractable dome.
The structure opened smoothly to receive them, then sealed shut once the aircraft touched down.
