Though they had turned the tide and saved the stronghold from certain annihilation, Emery and the rest of the new arrivals were given no celebration. Upon landing, they were immediately herded into the outer courtyard, where a shimmering ward dome had been erected to keep them isolated. Protective runes crackled in the air, creating a dense spiritual field.
"Protocol," Feil muttered.
Several spirit-readers stood waiting at the perimeter. Each new arrival was scanned thoroughly for the insidious parasitic infection.
Eventually, a small delegation approached.
At their head walked a man Emery wouldn't have pegged as a military leader. Thin, bespectacled, and dressed more like an administrator than a fighter. Despite his mild appearance, his aura was unmistakably strong—Peak Cosmic Realm.
"Feil!" the man called, "By the gods, you made it!"
