White Eagle

White Eagle, originally called the Shield of Life, is a self-moving divine shield containing the power of the elder dragon Ainkel. After recognizing In-gong as its new owner, it also becomes Green Wind's principal vessel and one of the core elder-dragon artifacts in his equipment.

History

Ainkel's Shield and the Centaur Tomb

Ainkel gives the Shield of Life to the bravest and most righteous centaur warrior, who survives many battles with its protection but is murdered while not carrying it. Because the shield accepts only its chosen warrior, neither the murderer's desire nor the warrior's loyal followers grants a new user. The followers therefore bury it with him, and the centaurs eventually remember the relic by his name, White Eagle. More than a thousand years later, Green Wind locates the tomb during the battle with Balkarova and awakens the shield using the Ainkel power already active in In-gong. White Eagle recognizes him as its new owner, flies to the battlefield, and immediately joins Earth Quaker in defeating the undead giant. (Chapters 52 and 56–58)

Reconstruction and Independent Defense

White Eagle initially consists of a left-arm gauntlet and a kite-like shield whose white metal plates spread like wings. It can detach, move through the air under Green Wind's direction, and protect people away from In-gong, including Felicia and Caitlin. Amita later tunes the relic and adds last-flame-blessed black components that can separate as Black Eagle. The reconstruction expands its defensive area, strengthens the combined configuration, gives its force field an offensive edge, and makes the joined shields stable enough to serve as a flying platform or stretcher. This greater versatility does not make it invulnerable: the barbarian king can drive it backward, and the Balkarova battle leaves In-gong's concentration exhausted after he uses White Eagle alongside other costly powers. (Chapters 57–58, 68, 78, 100, 107–108, 129, and 141)

Abseltur's Heart and the Final Campaigns

In-gong later gives White Eagle to Amita temporarily so Abseltur's heart can be embedded in it. The new heart lets the shield generate magic power, vary the size and hardness of its field, provide power to In-gong, and fire magic bullets; Black Eagle is also divided into two subunits. During the Shutenberg battle, hostile enchantments leave both shields tattered and transmit pain to Green Wind. White Eagle lies unresponsive while In-gong is near death, but it reappears during his resurrection ceremony and is operational afterward; the text does not describe a separate repair process. Against the red dragon, its Absolute Area redirects a destructive light pillar back toward the attacker, and it remains active after victory, catching the falling Carack. (Chapters 183–184, 191, 215–216, 223–224, 226, and 228)

Abilities and properties

• White Eagle contains Ainkel's life power and recognizes a compatible owner rather than functioning as an ordinary transferable shield. Its strength was initially restricted to match In-gong's level, so early performance did not represent its complete capacity. (Chapters 52, 56–58)
• Its metal plates unfold like wings, allowing the shield to fly, intercept attacks at a distance, ram targets, carry riders, and transport injured people. Green Wind normally directs these movements, and In-gong can supply aura and magic power to increase its speed. (Chapters 57, 68, 78, 108, 138, and 141)
• It creates a green force field that can block breath attacks, project a cutting edge, and become stronger when combined with Black Eagle. Extremely powerful impacts can still push it back, and hostile magic can damage the shields while hurting Green Wind through their connection. (Chapters 57, 108, 128–129, and 215)
• Abseltur's embedded heart supplies additional magic power, supports adjustable field size and hardness, and enables a magic-bullet muzzle. White Eagle can pass that stored magic to In-gong, but the corpus does not quantify its reserve or recharge rate. (Chapters 184 and 191)
• Absolute Area reflects and divides a massive incoming energy column rather than merely absorbing it. The technique is identified as White Eagle's super special move, but no repeat-use interval or precise cost is stated. (Chapter 226)

Ownership and custody