CHAPTER 92: WISDOM OF THE FALLEN

Marcus woke in the Defenders' hideout to the sound of morning birdsong and distant conversations. Sleeping on a simple cot in the forest felt more peaceful than he'd experienced in weeks. Tom was already awake, quietly practicing enhancement exercises that Han had shown him the night before.

"Good morning, brother," Tom said softly. "The Iron Eater wants to show me combat techniques after breakfast. Real fighting, not just Academy theory."

"That's good. You need practical experience." Marcus sat up, feeling more rested than he had in days. Being surrounded by people who understood the scope of their challenges had helped quiet his racing mind.

Palwin was sitting by the small window, eating bread and watching the hidden village come to life. Her presence seemed less anxious here, as if the focused military environment suited her better than the chaotic streets of Drakmoor.

As they prepared to join the communal breakfast, Marcus reflected on what Tom had mentioned about Master Thymon the night before. The old master hadn't wanted Han and the other Defenders to become involved in the trial where Lord Varek had set them up. Marcus thought he understood why now. Master Thymon had been wise enough to see that direct confrontation with corrupt authority could start a coup, destabilizing the kingdom when unity was desperately needed.

The ancient mage had always been thinking several moves ahead, protecting not just individual lives but the entire social structure that held the kingdom together. Even during his final battle, Master Thymon had fought to save the city from internal threats like Lord Varek while avoiding actions that could tear apart legitimate governance.

Marcus remembered the first time he'd seen Master Thymon giving a lecture at the Academy. The old man had been walking with difficulty, his body clearly failing, but still trying to inspire the younger generation. At the time, Marcus hadn't realized that the master was speaking directly to him about taking charge of destiny and accepting responsibility for protecting others.

With those conflicted thoughts weighing on his mind, Marcus arrived at the large communal eating area. The space buzzed with quiet military discipline as dozens of young adults shared their morning meal.

The long wooden table was covered with greens collected from the forest and several roasted rabbits. Everyone ate with efficient purpose, conversations kept to essential coordination rather than casual chatter. The atmosphere reminded Marcus of military documentaries he'd seen, but with the added element of magical abilities underlying the conventional training.

"We don't have much variety in our meals," Aluro explained as she gestured for them to sit. "We try not to end all the wildlife around here, so we don't hunt every animal that runs by."

Han laughed as he tore into his portion of rabbit. "We used to smuggle a lot of flour and other supplies, but prices keep increasing while we're not earning any money." He found humor in their dire financial situation, though Marcus could see the underlying concern.

"If you're doing all this voluntarily, who funds your operations?" Marcus asked, genuinely curious about how such an organization sustained itself.

"Before King Aldwin took the throne, his late father didn't openly fund us, but he let us exist and didn't mind the Academy providing some support," Han explained between bites.

Aluro's expression grew more serious. "Before a couple weeks ago, some Academy officials used to help us out. But with recent events, I'm afraid we've lost all our assistance."

Han nodded grimly. "Let's be realistic. Other than Master Thymon, no one really wanted us to run a magical military camp. Now that he's gone, they act like..." Aluro interrupted him before he could finish the thought.

"Han, they don't like that we exist. It's just that the city is barely holding on by itself. The kingdom has lost most of its lands and tax revenue." Silence fell over the table as everyone absorbed the implications.

Marcus felt the weight of their financial struggles adding to his growing list of responsibilities. "I'm an entrepreneur myself. Lately we've been earning enough to live a semi comfortable life. If my latest venture becomes successful, I'll send what I can."

"Thank you, Marcus," Aluro said warmly. "It's ironic. We asked you here to help you, and now you're the one offering to help us."

Tom's face lit up with his characteristic enthusiasm. "We all have to help each other. Iron Eater, can you show me some fighting moves? We mostly learn etiquette and theory at the Academy."

"Sure, big fella. Let's go wrestle first so I can see how good you really are. I can't help with portal training anyway," Han replied, clearly excited to work with someone of Tom's physical capabilities.

After the two giants left to begin training, Aluro turned her attention to Palwin. "Marcus, to what degree can we communicate with Palwin?"

Marcus considered how to explain Palwin's unique condition without revealing the cosmic complexities that even he didn't fully understand. "She's not independent in the way we are. From what I've observed, she can do anything if given proper direction. She just needs clear commands to focus on specific tasks."

"What do you mean exactly?"

"Let me demonstrate without being offensive. Palwin, I want you to tell us about your days at the store."

Palwin immediately began recounting her experiences at Thorne and Company in chronological detail, her voice taking on the mechanical precision that characterized her responses to direct commands. While she spoke, Marcus picked up several branches from near their seating area.

"Palwin, break these branches in half," Marcus instructed.

Without hesitation, Palwin stopped talking and began methodically breaking each branch into two pieces, completing the task with focused efficiency before returning to her previous posture.

"She acts like a golem, but she's clearly human. What has been done to her?" Aluro asked with obvious concern.

"Whenever natural instincts take over, like eating, drinking water, or basic survival needs, she prioritizes them appropriately. But for everything else, she requires specific commands," Marcus explained.

Aluro leaned forward with professional interest. "You mentioned she escaped from Malachar conquered territory. Was her mind captured by his magic? Han was affected by it too, but he recovered. Well, mostly recovered."

"No, it's not that kind of mental control. It's affected by something else I can't fully explain. I understand it must be incredibly difficult to work with someone like this every day." Marcus thought about how challenging it was to exist as a singular consciousness switching between two worlds. How could he explain that Palwin also lived part time in a group mind and had to function here as an individual?

"I've never encountered someone with her condition combined with such unique abilities. It's going to be challenging to test her limits, let alone help her master them," Aluro admitted.

"Tom has been working with her and mentioned syncing with her thoughts. He can communicate with her mentally, not through real conversation but more like intuitive signals."

"Fascinating. All right, Marcus, leave her here with us. Tom can help us understand her capabilities better, I think."

Marcus felt reluctant to leave Palwin, but he recognized that he didn't have much choice. The Defenders represented her best chance for developing the portal abilities that might be crucial for whatever missions lay ahead.

"I guess I don't have many alternatives. Now I have to go back and warn everyone about our other problems," Marcus sighed deeply, feeling the weight of responsibilities pulling him in multiple directions.

"When our scouts and spies bring back intelligence, I'll send someone to notify you immediately," Aluro promised.

Marcus prepared to return to the city alone, leaving Tom to continue his combat training and Palwin to begin her magical education. As he walked back through the forest paths toward Drakmoor's walls, he reflected on Master Thymon's wisdom and the delicate balance between action and restraint that true leadership required.

The old master had understood that saving people sometimes meant accepting temporary setbacks and working within flawed systems rather than tearing them down. Marcus was learning that cosmic responsibilities required the same kind of patient strategy, building capabilities and alliances while avoiding actions that could destabilize the very foundations he was trying to protect.

But patience was becoming increasingly difficult as threats mounted from multiple directions. Malachar's army was approaching, the city faced potential famine, and cosmic missions demanded immediate attention. Marcus would need to find Master Thymon's balance between urgency and wisdom if he hoped to succeed where others had failed.

The Defenders represented hope, but they also represented another group of people depending on his leadership and resources. Every alliance created new obligations, every capability came with new expectations. Marcus was beginning to understand why Master Thymon had carried himself with such gravitas despite his physical frailty.

Leading people through impossible circumstances required bearing weights that couldn't be shared, making decisions that affected thousands of lives, and maintaining hope when logic suggested despair. As Marcus emerged from the forest and saw Drakmoor's walls rising before him, he felt the full burden of becoming the kind of leader that Master Thymon had seen in him from the beginning.

The question was whether he could grow into that role quickly enough to save everyone counting on him across multiple worlds and dimensions. Time was running short, and the stakes continued to rise with each passing day.