Nearly 1,300 meters long, the Holy Light Pilgrim rested on the surface of Origin Star like a graceful dragonfly. Its state-of-the-art Void Engine gave the beautiful starship unimaginable performance. Even after descending swiftly from space and hovering five meters above the ground, it did not tremble in the slightest or make so much as a stray sound.
It was so peaceful that it seemed not to belong to this world, so elegant that it resembled a watcher beyond all living beings.
Click.
The tightly sealed landing hatch on the starship's lower deck slid outward, like a crack appearing in the most exquisite eggshell.
Huron and Gleis emerged from the cabin in combat uniforms, while Colonel Kelman and Second Lieutenant Baslon were fully armed. Although these two important figures possessed great power, the escort itself was a statement of attitude. In fact, even if danger arose, the colonel and the major would not be allowed to take part in the fighting.
As these important figures set foot on Origin Star, teleportation light opened behind the starship, and an Iron Guard three hundred strong filed out. These loyal, fearless Iron Warriors, counted among the Azeroth Federation's finest warriors, would provide the expedition's defensive force.
Compared with two thousand years ago, the changes to the Iron Burning Legion lay mainly in improvements to their bodies' materials and weapons systems. For instance, the bodies of the elite Iron Warriors assigned to special missions, such as those Huron led this time, were made from materials sourced from the distant Ignis Star Domain. Named in memory of the fallen Forge Master, it was also one of the Federation's most important sources of minerals.
The metal, its surface shimmering with a jet-black sheen, could withstand many extreme environments. When necessary, it could even be reshaped a second