Chapter 250: Breaking Bad 1

Emric picked up his pencil and began making notes.

"Each cannon can fire roughly six times a minute. With twenty-eight of them, that’s over a hundred and sixty shots every minute if they’re all firing."

Renna stared at him.

"Wait, seriously?"

"Yes. That’s nearly three shots every second."

She looked back at the hologram.

"Okay. I officially hate this mountain."

Lyra had also risen from her seat.

She approached the display and examined the narrow road leading toward the summit.

"What about the cliffs?" she asked. "Could we avoid the road and climb from another side?"

Emric shook his head.

"That would be extremely difficult. Three sides are almost completely vertical. We might be able to find places to climb, but doing that while soldiers are shooting down at us would be dangerous."

"And Zahn would expect it," Maeve added. "He has watchtowers overlooking the cliffs. Any movement would probably be spotted long before we reached the top."

Lyra frowned.

"So we can’t use the road, and climbing isn’t much better."

"Exactly," Emric replied.

Renna raised a hand.

"What about flying? We’ve done that before."

Maeve answered immediately.

"Already checked. Eagle Peak has several anti-air enchantments. They’re designed to track and attack anything approaching from above."

"Even the jet?"

"Especially the jet. Flying directly toward the summit would put us within range of their defenses."

Renna leaned back.

"Of course it would."

Maeve continued.

"Even Holden’s Wings wouldn’t make the approach easy. The anti-air systems could detect him, and Zahn would have enough warning to prepare."

Holden nodded slowly.

He had expected the mountain to be well defended, but Zahn had clearly taken his preparations seriously.

This wasn’t some ordinary fortress.

It had been designed by someone who understood exactly how soldiers moved and fought.

Emric turned toward him.

"Holden, there’s something else."

"Go ahead."

"The central fortress is protected by a Rank 4 shield. From what Maeve has shown us, it draws power from several generators buried inside the mountain."

"How strong?"

Maeve answered.

"Strong enough to withstand sustained attacks from Rank 4 cultivators. We could eventually break through with enough force, but doing that while five thousand soldiers are attacking us would be a nightmare."

Emric nodded.

"And that’s assuming we even reach the shield."

He closed his notebook.

"Zahn has made sure every part of the mountain supports the others. His soldiers can communicate between the different defensive rings, and the artillery crews can receive orders almost instantly."

He pointed toward the summit.

"If we enter the approach road, he’ll know exactly where we are. Then he can order the cannons to focus their attacks on that position."

Holden folded his arms.

"So what you’re saying is that a direct assault would be suicide."

"For most teams, yes," Emric replied. "Even with our current strength, I wouldn’t recommend it."

Renna rubbed her forehead.

"That’s a polite way of saying we’d get blown off the mountain."

"Something like that."

She turned toward Holden.

"Please tell me you have one of your ridiculous plans."

Holden didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he kept studying the holographic mountain.

The defensive positions were impressive.

Twenty-eight enchanted cannons.

Five thousand soldiers.

Two hundred war-beasts.

Three separate defensive rings.

A Rank 4 barrier around the central fortress.

And enough communication systems to coordinate the entire mountain.

It was a strong position.

Possibly the strongest they had encountered during their hunt for the Eclipse Syndicate.

But Holden had noticed something important.

Almost every major defense depended on enchanted equipment.

The cannons used magical systems.

The shields needed enchanted generators.

The soldiers relied on communication devices to receive orders.

And the different defensive rings depended on those systems to work together.

His thoughts returned to the small cube he’d received from Draven’s Diamond Chest.

A smile slowly appeared on his face.

Well, isn’t that convenient?

Emric noticed the change in his expression.

"Holden?"

He looked up.

"Yeah?"

"You’re smiling."

"Am I?"

"Yes. And usually when you smile like that, you’re about to do something dangerous."

Renna immediately turned toward him.

"Oh, I know that smile."

Holden chuckled.

"Relax. This time, I actually have something useful."

He reached into his Inventory.

A moment later, the War-Breaker Array appeared in his palm.

The small dark grey cube gave off a faint vibration as Holden held it up for everyone to see.

Emric leaned closer.

"What is that?"

"Something I just got from Draven."

Renna narrowed her eyes.

"That little thing?"

"Don’t judge it by the size."

Holden turned the cube over.

"It’s called the War-Breaker Array. Rank 4 artifact."

Emric’s expression changed.

"Rank 4?"

"Yep. And it has one very useful ability."

Lyra approached.

"What does it do?"

Holden smiled.

"It shuts down magical communication systems, enchanted shields, and connected energy networks within ten miles."

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Then Emric slowly adjusted his glasses.

"Wait. Did you say ten miles?"

"Ten-mile radius."

"And it disables those systems?"

"Permanently."

Emric stared at the cube.

"That’s..."

"Ridiculous?" Holden suggested.

"I was going to say extremely powerful."

"That too."

Renna leaned forward.

"Hold on. So you’re telling me that tiny cube can shut down the defenses on that entire mountain?"

"Most of the important ones, yes."

Holden pointed toward the hologram.

"Look at the cannons. They’re enchanted, right?"

Maeve answered from the speakers.

"Yes. Their targeting and firing systems are connected to the mountain’s magical networks."

"Then those systems will be affected."

He moved his finger toward the central fortress.

"And the Rank 4 shield is powered by enchanted generators."

"Correct."

"Those will go down too."

Next, he pointed toward the anti-air positions.

"And those wards are part of the mountain’s defensive network."

Maeve paused.

"Yes. If the War-Breaker works as described, it should disable them."

Holden nodded.

"Exactly."

He held up the cube again.

"One pulse, and Zahn loses his magical communications, his shields, and the systems connecting most of his defenses."

Emric stared at the hologram.

Slowly, his expression began to change.

The mountain was still dangerous.

The soldiers would still have their weapons.

The war-beasts would still be there.

And some artillery pieces might still be able to fire manually.

But without the magical systems supporting the fortress, Zahn would lose many of the advantages that made the position so difficult to attack.

Emric turned toward Holden.

"That changes everything."

Holden smiled.

"Thought you’d like it."

Emric immediately opened his notebook again.

"If the communication networks fail, the three defensive rings won’t be able to coordinate their attacks properly."

He began drawing a new route on the map.

"The shield around the central fortress would also disappear. And without the anti-air wards, we’d have more options for approaching the summit."

"Exactly," Holden replied.

Renna looked between them.

"So the mountain stops being impossible?"

"Not exactly," Emric answered. "There’ll still be thousands of soldiers, and Zahn is experienced enough to command them without magical communications if he has time to reorganize."

He pointed toward several defensive positions.

"But there would be confusion at first. The different units would have trouble knowing what was happening outside their own positions."

"And that’s when we move," Holden said.

Emric nodded.

"If we strike quickly, we can take advantage of the confusion before Zahn restores order."

"Now we’re talking."

Lyra studied the cube in Holden’s hand.

"Is there a limit to how many times you can use it?"

Holden nodded.

"One use. That’s all."

Renna blinked.

"Seriously?"

"Once I activate it, the cube destroys itself."

She sighed.

"Of course. Something that useful couldn’t possibly be reusable."

Holden laughed.

"Would’ve been nice, though."

Lyra folded her arms.

"Then we need to make absolutely sure we’re using it at the right moment."

"Agreed."

Maeve spoke again.

"There’s another problem we need to consider."

Holden looked toward the speaker.

"Go ahead."

"The War-Breaker doesn’t distinguish between friendly and enemy systems, does it?"

Holden glanced at the System description.

"No. It affects everything within its range."

"Then our communications could be destroyed too."

Emric paused.

"She’s right."

Maeve continued.

"If we activate it too close to the jet, we risk losing our own magical communication equipment. And any enchanted systems we’re carrying that depend on connected energy networks could be affected."

Holden looked at the cube.

That was a good point.

The artifact was powerful, but it wasn’t selective.

If he activated it without thinking, he could end up causing just as much trouble for his own team.

"Then we keep the jet outside the ten-mile radius," Holden said.

Maeve agreed.

"I can arrange that. We’ll also need a way to communicate that doesn’t rely on magical transmissions once you’re inside the affected area."

Emric considered the problem.

"We could use ordinary radios if they’re not connected to enchanted equipment. Hand signals and prearranged signals would work as backups."

"Good," Holden said. "Prepare both. And everyone needs to check their equipment before we go in."

Renna raised her hand again.

"Question."

Holden looked at her.

"Yes, Renna?"

"Will that thing affect my enchanted arrows?"

Holden glanced at the cube.

"Individual enchantments aren’t listed as targets unless they’re connected to a larger energy network. Your arrows should be fine."

"Should?"

"That’s why we’re checking everything before the mission."

Renna looked down at her quiver.

"Right. Because I would be very upset if my arrows suddenly became expensive sticks."

Emric smiled.

"Your bow would still work."

"That is not the point."

Holden shook his head before turning back toward the hologram.

"All right. Now that we know what we’re dealing with, here’s the plan."