"They all died sister, every single one of them charged wave after wave to take that bloody planet all the while chanting my name, not in desperation or fear. But in unbending faith"
Augurios's final exchange with his younger sister Morugarius.
William walked towards the two people waiting for him, wondering what sort of magic was stopping both factions from fighting each other since the Northen Raiders and the Imperium were constantly at odds with each other.
He knew the 1st legion was solely dedicated to the Silent Soldier, the patron deity of the empire. And that they were a sight to behold in the battlefield, being the only Legion to successfully beat Vermilion's Royal Knights in the battle of Hammer's Rise.
That is until Queen Malphas personally got involved and broke their momentum, squaring off against an avatar of the Silent and besting the thing thanks to her mastery of the Rage-that-Dwells.
William couldn't for the life of him remember the name of the Centurion in charge, he mentally shrugged and focused on the Raider leader.
Followers of Chou’Xin, a part of the clans who raid the shores of the Imperium left their ways to eventually become the Wulfgrem in Vermilion. the War Chieftain had both the tattoos of a shaman and warrior. Weird William thought, shamans rarely leave their islands from what he recalled and only did so when their God tells them to do so, which could only mean one thing.
"A War Blessing, congratulations are in order William" Lucrezia said to him "Still if this is what I think it is we have what? 6 Blessings? you know I think we could really use some sort of game system here, a stat menu would be handy" She trailed off.
"No menus" William really wasn't a fan of those.
Still, he thought to himself, 6 goddamn blessings plus Magnetism? Each blessing would expand his mana reserves and All-Mother's alone would be enough for him to unlock Electromagnetism.
Fucking thunderbolts and lighting! power mages had to train for at the very least 5 years right at his fingertips! If he played his cards right, he would set traps to even cripple the First Prince's army!
That promise of power made William held a moan of pleasure as he reached the representatives.
"Duchess Lucrezia, I'm Meridian, High Priestess and Centurion in charge of the 1st legion" She gave William a small bow.
"War Chieftain Paarthan, Leader and shaman of the men and women you see Lady Lucrezia" He performed a hand and arm gesture that William did not know of. Likely religious in nature.
"It is an honor to meet such esteemed individuals" William bowed and nodded to Hraax "This is Hraax of the Diamond Reefs, Princess and ruler of these seas" Hraax gave a small bow and spoke " It is not often we see Imperium ships in our waters and you people ought to give us a warning if this is to happen again. Standard protocol when it comes to your lot is blowing the war horn" William smiled at his friend ranting at the dignitaries, he raised his hand and Hraax got the hint.
"Forgive my friend here, this amount of men in her waters was nothing short of a declaration of war in her eyes. Good that the truth is another matter completely eh my friends?" William pointed towards a place that Hraax's people had prepared for the talks "Come, let us talk in a more comfortable setting" both followed William and took seats positive to one another, Saa'ryu not missing a beat prepared the table for them and in what William would never believe happening, both partook in the eating of seafood and beverages.
"Nothing beats the crab from the north Silent be praised" Meridian spoke as she sipped Wine "After the war ended it's a nightmare to get those back home" Paarthan on the hand ate and drank without making so much as a whisper, giving his thanks and praying afterward.
Feeling a lull, Meridian spoke again "Princess Hraax, you can rest easy knowing that the Imperium does not plan on breaking the peace with Vermilion, my men and I are here on Orders of the Silent himself" Hraax visibly relaxed. Meridian turned to William and said "Lady Lucrezia, on the Divine Mandate of the Silent Soldier my men and I pledge to assist you in the conflict to come, as a reward for receiving a Greater Blessing from my God"
Everyone at the table stared at the Imperial Woman who smiled "That is Correct my Lady, a Greater Blessing! an honor very few in the world have outside of the Imperial Family and the War Council" William knew the council was how the Imperium called the church, but goddamn another Greater Blessing?! How would Lucrezia's soul handle the power?
"It's not just my soul William, It's yours as well now and that is probably the reason we have 5 where people seldom get 1. Unless the raider God gives us one as well" Lucrezia explained and William agreed with her reasoning.
"Rushing as always eh Imperial" the shaman smirked "Aye Lady Lucrezia, Chou'Xin will grant thee a Blessing and the people I've brought to your friend's lands today. He granted us a vision of a great battle in your lands against your own royals, fire, and smoke blanketing the land as blood flew akin to a dam broken. the pain and screams of the dead and injured echoed across our daydreaming halls" He finished looking at the musket behind Saa'ryu's back, William had his maid bring that to give them a demonstration.
Meridian spoke first "Your new weapons have already made waves among those who worship the War Gods Lady Lucrezia, hushed whispers of great change in the northern part of Vermillion, and even a few Magical Gods are paying attention to you now" she smiled " those spell slingers always afraid their dusty tomes and outdated schooling methods will be outdone by martial prowess ha! I would pay half my yearly salary to see their faces now" she coughed "Forgive me"
"Deploying Imperium forces even under religious orders would be nothing short of painting myself black and red and singing the anthem, While there's good reason for me to fight the prince I do not wish to break away from the Kingdom or cause a civil war" William explained his side of the story afterward. Telling them his fight and the revelations from his battle against his parents.
He also explained why he needed to kill the Prince, in a way that would make sense to them and their Gods.
"First Prince Galius committed a grave crime, and Queen Malphas together with the Arch-Mage have made the man all but Immune to justice" He explained "Until him and his accused allies set foot in my lands" William finished.
"The Imperium is no stranger to trickery and stealth Lady Lucrezia, we need not brand our flags in the fight if you fear repercussion for Allying with the Imperium" Meridian cleared her throat "I'd say the same for the shaman and his people"
The shaman spat in the ground "Chou'Xin won't be pleased but we do what we must, grant my people the garbs and we will fight all the same Duchess" he took a sidelong glance at Meridian and said "All we require is the right to perform the Ritual of Carnage"
Meridian's face screamed in silent rage but she didn't speak.
"Prey forgive me my ignorance Chieftain Paarthan, but would be so kind to elaborate on this ritual with a very ominous name that made a high member of the Imperial army frown in rage?" Saa'ryu spoke in mock sarcasm
"Savages" William didn't miss the man cursing them in Low Imperial. He smiled as the Chieftain schooled his face and went on to explain the ritual.
"We sacrifice a powerful magical creature to empower our berserkers and shamans. The effects of it can enable them to fight for five days and five nights, shrug off most magic and Ki attacks, and generally wreak havoc in enemy lines. You can ask our Imperial friend here how effective they are in combat.
"Will Lady Meridian ask for any sort of taboo ritual as well?" William asked in Low Imperial, making Paartjan frown at him.
"Nay, It shan't be necessary Duchess"
While William and the others rushed out the finer details of the deal Hraax moved with her people towards their ships, it took a while but they were properly camouflaged and the Royal Spies in Lucrezia city wouldn't be able to rat them out the second those ships came near the shore.
Hraax was worried about said spies, but Lucrezia said it was at most a small unity or even a single operative. Likely with magicks tailor-made to deliver information across long ranges if the readings from Wilson were anything to go by.
Hraax smiled bitterly when she remembered the soon-to-be court mage. It's such a shame the maid got her claws on him but she wouldn't dare to antagonize Lucrezia's staff over some petty dispute of love. She was a Princess after all.
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Meridian looked at the underground city roof she and her people were in, the Duchess granted them a huge garrison near one of the entrances of the place. Her people were amazed at how forward-thinking the Duchess was, the woman wasn't gonna fight the punitive force head-on and was actually looking towards alternative ways to deal with the pesky knights that would be following the army of mercenaries the first prince hired.
She also saw the new weapons she had heard about from the hushed whispers back in the capital, their power was nothing short of amazing, and the fast method of training made every civilian in the region a rifleman ready for battle.
Her people also told her this could be bridged with magic, and that could only mean another magic arms race for spells that are easy to learn and can be cast without taxing the reserves of your regular fodder mage. It was a tall order to be met but the Gods always loved a challenge to spice up their games.
Still to think the "cousins" could have someone so forward-thinking and capable of great change was a shock, Meridian had a gag order placed on her people to stop them from calling the populace savages before they arrived and it had paid a thousand folds, for even the enigmatic Magi-Tech Vanguard had paid them a visit to talk with her paladins, those talks then bloomed into a few combat exercises where the Vanguard got a measure of the Imperium's finest and found then not wanting.
Yet in less than a week the Vanguard presented their brand new armor fit for something bigger than an Orc. The leader called Idun told them it was a prototype suit of armor made with Magi-Tech and meant to act as a Juggernaut of Imperial Lore, the ancient warriors who could weather the fury of a hundred soldiers. Alas the God in question that gave them the blessing was killed by a Fallen and that was a horrible blow to the Imperium.
"I'll be the one testing the armor" Meridian didn't want no one under her command to be a victim of any sort of trickery and in the heat of the moment made a less than a tactically sound decision.
30 Knights lined up on top of a secluded hill inside the lands that the White Dragoness Kallista ruled over. Meridian stared at her enemies with fire in her eyes and belly as the armor whirled to life in pings and cracks. The smell of pure mana crystals being consumed floating inside is akin to a warm breeze on the beach she thought. She then picked a huge Warhammer that was tinged with Earthen mana thanks to the crystals at its base, making the weapon powerful enough to stop a Direhorse without harming the beast.
The Knights charged her and she held her ground, when they crashed over her she felt like raindrops were hitting her entire body, and with each swing, the horses went down.
"Great for charges but the lack of mobility is a huge issue, get the Imperial outta there" screamed Idun after the test.
Meridian was helped by her personal squad of paladins and bowed to Idun as she stared at the suit of armor licking her lips.
"The Raider scum was right, after all this will be a good war to fight"
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War Chieftain Paarthan was pleased. When his god told him the good war was coming he couldn't even begin to hope it would be this good.
The new world savages had weapons that defied everything he knew. And from what his men had heard from the civilians more weapons were being built every single day. It would get to a point every single living being in the city would be armed and ready to die fighting for their Duchess.
And the Duchess? All-Father and Chou'Xin above what a monster! Paarthan had yet to see someone fight with the sheer ferocity and anger she did in this strange new land, he had seen the Knights and while they were decent warriors they lacked the freedom his people and the Imperial army had when it came to rules of engagement. Bound by oaths like Paladins and Clerics. Powerful oaths mind you, chains that bind the men and women fighting.
Lucrezia had no such binds, one of the clan's bands of warriors had challenged her for a duel, 6 grown men against a womanchild, and she said yes.
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Paarthan saw her mighty dragonbone Ax cleave the first men the second the go-ahead was given, when the two nearest warriors tried to gang up on her she fired iron spikes that nailed them in the courtyard's walls and blasted them with Ice Spears the size of a pike for good measure.
Her face flushed red and a maniacal grim formed in lips, panting and moaning followed as she floated upwards to dodge a grab and landed on top of the warrior, kicking his head and knocking the man out in a flash.
"Magnetism" Paarthan whispered, his old master was a user of that unique brand of magic, the boosts it could give a man were so great many a clan would rather invest in an all-out magical attack than send their warriors to get slaughtered by those rare individuals.
Not just that, but the womanchild had Battle Lust running through her veins, the combat ended and the warriors thanked her for the honor, she gave them goodbyes and went to perform a series of rituals and potion drinking.
"Trying to repress it" Meridian walked up to him silently as a wraith. Paarthan grew to like the woman this past week, she had some unique ideas when it came to war. Speaking in Low Imperial he responded " I've seen Lust driven Warriors before, they tend to die fast" Once he saw a lady warrior explode in gore so strong was the lust. That was one sight that would haunt the man every once in a while.
"I don't think she's going to die fast" Meridian spoke and left.
Paarthan found it weird the Imperial woman held hope for the Duchess but he wouldn't poke her about it. Less headache that way.
Another week had passed before Lucrezia dragged the biggest Dire Wolf into their keep Paarthan had ever seen in his life. The thing was the size of a godsdamned house! the womanchild herself was full of dirt, blood, and sweat. Her armor was torn in places no High Born would allow others to see. The workers and Knights patrolling the streets around Paarthan's camp all cheered her on like a hero of yore. With the blood of the Dire Wolf, he was able to perform the ritual and empower his men.
It felt weird, watching people cheer a noble. Paarthan's people and most of the Imperials who lived in the northern shores hated their rules and were born to a fault. Hearing her story of liberation was one thing, but to hear the people speak of it, the Knights and even the dwarves it was something else.
Kinslaying, defying divinity, and allying with anti noble Gods all in a mad dash to free her people and duchy from the insanity of her parents. One thing that was very clear to his people was that Lucrezia Wulfgrem was the right person for the Blessing.
And when Prince Galius arrives, he will see true warfare. Brough by the blades and axes of the North and its Raiders.
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High Priestess Marathazua cursed under her breath as her carriage broke free from the Highway's first lane and arrived at the way station entrance to the north. She was met by no less than 50 Knights armed to the teeth on top of pitch black fur, red flaming eyes Dire Horses and twice the number of men in some sort of army fatigues with strange thin iron rods.
"Those must be the weapons we heard about" spoke High Priestess Direene "My Goddess told us these new versions of it can pierce the Ki of a Knight-Captain as easy as a hot knife on soft butter."
"And Morugarius won't send her Paladins to stop this madness?" Marathazua asked her childhood friend.
"No, Duchess in Wulfgrem Lucrezia has yet to break any of the rules, even if she's been skirting them mighty often." Direene spoke in a soft tone " The siege of Talos has thrown a wrench in Uumaries plans hasn't it?"
Marathazua spat, opening the window for it. The second she did no less than 15 pairs of eyes turned to her.
She closed the window and spoke "A wrench? a sledgehammer more like! with the news out many Gods and Goddess are opposed to their union on the grounds of us supporting slavery-"
"I told you Marathazua, dealing with those nobles was a going to bite you in the ass, same for that horrible man the first prince, and now you reap the fruits of your labors" Direene spoke steel in her voice as she cut her friend off.
"My brothers and sisters, many of them innocent strung up by their necks? nailed to our church's walls? don't you lecture me I know what my fruits are you good two shoe brat!"
A paladin of Uumaries knocked from the driving seat and spoke "Your Highness, the leader of the Knights wishes to speak with you" Marathazua and Direene didn't miss the fear in the woman's voice.
Knight Commander Erwin was the talk of many noble families Knights of late, a veteran of the war against Grannarius and in numerous skirmishes against the Imperium. The tale of how his family was butchered by the nobles he served and later his own men were being told by every priest of that godsdamned bird obsessed Velkarius and many a Knight couldn't help but sympathize with the man.
The relationship between Nobles and Knights was one of unbending trust, to have that broken was anathema to the very pillar that made Vermilion into the power it was today. And to have Her Goddess hand on this bloody mess was even worse.
Marathazua nodded and opened the door, the chill of the winter blasting at her divine barrier something fierce, and a little bit was creeping in somehow.
Her surprised face wasn't lost when the Commander came on top of the biggest Dire Horse she had ever seen "Winter's End is magical in nature High Priestess, your barrier will blunt its bite but not remove it outright"
Her Paladins moved behind her, flaring their own barriers until the cold was but a pleasant breeze. the Commander smiled.
"My men will escort you towards the castle, by order of the Duchess you are not to leave your Carriages until we reach its grounds, is that understood?" he spoke in a loud and clear tone.
"Any reason why Ser Erwin?" Marathazua asked, wondering why would she need the equivalent of a forward force as an escort
"My Lady believes the people will descend on you, your people will not be enough to stop the tide and many will call upon the Spirits to empower themselves" Spoke Erwin.
Direene coughed inside the carriage as Marathazua spoke "Well then, guess we best make hurry" and ordered her Paladins to get back to it.
As they moved forward into the lands of the Wulfgrem Marathazua and Direene couldn't miss the flocks of ravens and crows flying over them, worse still was when they arrived at a fork in the road and a plain white pitchfork was placed on top of the sign leading to the city.
"Friede...How in All that is holy did A high noble like Lucrezia get that Mad Goddess on her side?" Direene asked no one but Marathazua answered "By sending Talos to the pyre that's how"
Scarier still was the clear signs of trenches, kill zones, and chokepoints, some sort of nasty-looking wire fences, and strange steps being placed in the grounds. Direene's eyes turned white as the woman's blessing worked overtime to understand the finer details of these places. Marathazua on the other hand stared at the many races working in harmony towards this war effort. She even spotted the mermen there.
Direene sighed in pain " We might've bitten more than we can chew here Marathazua" the High Priestess snapped back to her friend and asked "What? what did Morugarius tell you?"
"Sphere Shift" the words came as hushed whispers from Direene and Marathazua gasped. A godsdamned Shift! cursed woman-child! that she would affect the face of war this much was nothing short of insane.
"When was last time? Crossbows right? or those bloody Yari Spears of the shogunate?" she asked Direene.
"Crossbows, it was a big shift at that since it took too long for mages to respond in kind, you can't train a mage as fast as you can crossbowmen after all" Direene responded "You don't understand Marathazua, these new weapons? they are only the start of something far far worse... Morugarius showed to me visions of great iron tubes spewing fire and death upon the land, a great metal carriage circling the battlefield like a beast picking off those who survived, and the men and women of Wulfgrem marching with great war drums beating their grim tune of death."
Marathazua wondered if it was too late to jump ship, beg forgiveness at the church of the All-Father, and be redeemed of the horrible deeds she committed. The Paladins that overheard that exchange all had grim looks on their faces too, they knew what a Sphere Shift meant after all.
Total do-over on the domain of a God, with all the chaos and uncertainty that entailed. And you better believe something as big as far Warfare will create loads of both for everyone in the new world.
They went past the city gates and Marathazua gasped when she saw the single form of a Winter Spirit hovering above the gate, Gods above what's next? the fucking Dragoness comes over to fly by their carriage?
They really didn't like Uumaries in these lands it seems.
"What are we doing here again? if the visions are as bad as you say they are, and I don't doubt you for a second on that front how are we gonna petition for the Duchess to surrender herself for a trial at the capital? what's stopping her from chopping our heads off?" Marathazua asked her friend who was meditating.
"She didn't kill the Uumaries priest who was in charge here, and she won't dare to touch a hair on my head, we are safe in that regard Marathazua. She will at the very least hear us" their carriage slowed as it made its way across the streets, the people all spatting in their direction before they reached a more wealthy part of the city. From there on they saw the ravens.
Flocks upon Flocks, cawing in the sky with mad glee, only stopping when the Winter Spirit moved between them.
As for the people, they stared at them with hard cold eyes, and it was a tense few minutes before they arrived at the castle grounds where the Knights broke off and the Head Maid came to greet them, her name was Leanu and she was very prim and proper with Marathazua and Direene. But Marathazua couldn't help but notice deep inside the woman a wave of anger against Uumaries, anger, and feelings of deep betrayal.
The castle itself was brimming with activity, not maids and butlers ready to serve a spoiled brat turned ruler, but soldiers and Knights. forge masters and quartermasters. And a huge amount of magical Acolytes.
She was readying herself for war.
Waiting in the quest room was akin to finding an oasis in the desert, her Paladins visibly relaxed as they ate the strange flatbread with cheese on it and drank their fortified wine. Direene prayed deeply to steel herself for the coming talks but all Marathazua could do is look at the city that once was one of the biggest centers of faithful for Uumaries The Crows cawing in glee as if mocking her and her Goddess.
"Lady Lucrezia will see you now" The same maid told them, Direene and Marathazua were lead to the throne room with their Paladins who with stomachs full and liquid courage in their veins were in better spirits. They changed a war prayer before leaving the room in case things escalated to violence.
As the doors were opened for the throne room Marathazua felt not just Velkarius's Sphere, but five more!
"All-Father above 6 blessings!" Direene face when pale as Marathazua gave her the news.
Marathazua's eyes were drawn to the figure sitting on the throne of enchanted ice. Ashen blonde hair falling like a waterfall, azure blue eyes staring at her and Direene, measuring them and finding them wanting. A face so beautiful it must've been tempered by divine arts or magical means.
Her garbs were tailor-made for war, not a single piece was done for fashion but cold hard functionality on the battlefield. It demanded the blood of its enemies and the woman inside would be more than happy to oblige.
By her side, Longstrider Karl and the Ex Uumaries Priest who know was dressed as an Acolyte of Velkarius. A dwarven male with strange contraptions in his robes that glowed blue and purple and a Dragonkin woman who looked ready to tear Marathazua and Direene limb from limb the second Lucrezia gave her the order.
Lucrezia rose and said "Welcome to my home, Envoys of Uumaries and Morugarius!" she extended her arms and spoke in a booming voice "I hope my humble accommodations were enough for such esteemed guests from the Capital"
Marathazua could feel in her soul how much her Goddess hated the woman child in front of her. Her blessing seething in anger and rage. She was also reminded of the men and women of her church who were burned at the pyre in Talos. not even the innocent were spared and the sacred grounds across the city were razed to the ground with such intensity that the Royal Knights had to get involved.
An entire city was destroyed with but a few words, and if Direene was right that destruction would be but a footnote in what Lucrezia would bring later down the line.
Marathazua saw then the three Winter Spirits who ruled over these lands show themselves not as regalia for their Duchess but as humanoid forms by her left side. Tall as a high elf and with blank faces that betrayed no emotions they stared at her and her alone.
"They are angry" Direene whispered in her mind via a spell. Marathazua could see why they trusted their ancestral land to Uumaries and her goddess let its people suffer without aiding them. The Spirits wanted blood.
Marathazua kneeled "They have been most pleasing Lady Lucrezia Wulfgrem, this humble servant of Uumaries thanks you for your kindness" Direene did the same but remained quiet.
Both High Priestesses steeled themselves and spoke "My Lady, we came here today to avoid further bloodshed and unrest in the kingdom. It is the hope of our Goddesses that you will come with us to the capital so the other High Houses and the Queen can judge you and your actions" Marathazua flared her blessings and braced for an outrage, her Paladins did the same.
Instead, Lucrezia sat on her throne and smiled, a bloodcurdling grim that spooked Marathazua something fierce.
"No" answered Lucrezia.
"Lady Lucrezia, you would risk civil war for childish petulance? Has the north not seen enough war? Do you truly wish to leave the union with both the Imperium and the Mad King at our doorsteps?" Direene spoke fierce and fast.
"Nay, I have no such plans. These lands and their people will always be a part of the Kingdom, a Kingdom my family helped forge a Millenia ago" she cast a sideways glance to the Spirits who remained focused on Marathazua "You can tell the Royals that, for me and my People will always remain loyal to Vermilion"
"Then Surrender yourself! Lady Lucrezia the crime of killing one's kin is one of the highest. By letting the First Prince and his punitive force arrive and fight your words will be naught but the wind for the powers that be in the Capital. Please come with us! My Goddess herself has vowed to protect you should you do so and no one will dare touch so much as a hair in your head"
Direene was trying her best Marathazua felt, but something told her the woman child in that throne wouldn't listen to reason. The more Marathazua thought about the more she felt like it wasn't just the Spirits who were staring at her.
Lucrezia was also doing it too.
"You mean to say the church of Morugarius, Patron of our Kingdom and Knights has the power to stop Galius and his army from razing my city and people to the ground then?" Lucrezia asked her voice cold.
Direene frowned "No, but we can stall him and his faction for long enough that a trial can happen and-"
"He or some of his cronies is made viceroy of my land" Lucrezia cut Direene off "And all the work we did is undone"
Marathazua was about to speak when the spirits finally talked "NO" the room grew cold and dark as their forms trembled in rage and fury "WE WILL NOT ALLOW IT" the dragonkin that was next to Lucrezia also spoke "I won't let my lands and my brood fall under anyone that is not A Wulfgrem"
Marathazua cursed inside her mind, that was the bloody Dragoness!
"And there is your answer" Lucrezia said "Let Galius and his army come. He will find out how the north deals with people of his ilk" she pointed to Marathazua and said "you can ask your friend here what he's guilty of, Lady Marathazua knows all about it after all"
She stared Lucrezia down, yes she knew about the bloody pillars alright. Uumaries had told her before the meeting was scheduled after all. And if she knew about the Pillars...
"I figured I should let you two know by the by" Lucrezia pulled a pendant from her neck, a silver griffin on it "House Wulfgrem is now part of the Arch-Duke's faction"
Direene looked lost but Marathazua could only reel in shock as the realization of Lucrezia's words ringing in her ears. The woman knew about the Arch-Duke's daughter and what Galius and his people had done to her. And she probably promised the Arch-Duke the Prince's head.
The Arch-Duke who once together with the Arch-Mages provided support to the royal faction now was separated from the Royals, and the only reason he hadn't gone to war was that the Arch-Mages and their people decided to stay neutral. A dangerous power balance that Lucrezia was ready to smash with her upcoming battle. And the one who let things get this bad was none other than her goddess Uumaries in her mad bid for power.
A bitter pill to swallow, but one she couldn't say no to, Uumaries wasn't like Morugarius who saw her mortal followers as actual people. Nay her Imperium background meant she saw her people as pawns. fit only to be used and discarded. Only Morugarius mattered for her and she would do anything for her. Siding with despots and scum of the earth was but another stepping stone for her goals.
"Tell the Royals this Marathazua, by the end of the year I will have Galius head nailed to the walls of my city together with his people, his sins are many and it falls to me to be jury, judge, and executioner" Lucrezia spoke iron in her voice " And his sentence is death"