The night before their journey, Belisari sits alone in an abandoned watchtower on the Voyage Wall.
Klein, Arlin, Aurelian, along with several officers and elite soldiers by the afternoon had come to the gate of Konstantine, drinking wine, laughing, and then finally, saying goodbye. The goodbye ceremony wasn’t such a teary and emotional one as portrayed in multiple war movies in our world, where there are flowers, letters, family-gathering meals and people crying all around hugging those who will go to the front. Instead, the ceremony was rather simple, with just some alcohol, and juice exclusively for Aurora (no matter how desperately the girl begged for a cup of wine), and finally, a visit to Lily’s mother's grave. The ceremony party ended with the Archduchess declaring there will be a promise, a promise that they will meet again someday. For Arlin and Klein, that would be around 60 days, for Aurelian, it might take years, but what matters is that they will not die before the next gathering.
Of course, there will be people Belisari will see face for his entire journey. Gerald for example, the knight shall be the Cathedraller representative in this army. His place is simply here, that can be said for sure.
Angela, Americus, a former librarian of a library where Lily used to work there and Belisari usually pays a visit. That flier woman is going to be their scout commander, their valuable eyes of the sky, one that can hardly be replaced.
To state the obvious, Aurora, who the prince had fought to get her into his army. That girl told him earlier that she has to bring her gift for him and Lily, and has disappeared from the party in the middle of it.
Finally, Lily Sobieski Voyage, the true commander of this army and his dearest friend:
“Belisarius?”
Speaking of which, at that moment when Belisari was thinking about her, the woman suddenly appeared behind him:
“Care to explain why you are here?”-said the archduchess comes and sits down next to him-”Shouldn’t you go to sleep? We will go tomorrow.”
“I can’t, I keep thinking about the incoming journey. Besides, I can sleep in the wagon tomorrow instead.”
“I see, privileges of a Marine, it is. I wish I could do that as well, but to be frank, I can sleep on horseback fairly easily.”
“Ahaha, knowing you for so long, I bet you can actually do it.”
The Prince and the Archduchess, at the same time, gazing their eyes toward the window, toward the green plain field beyond the border of their country, for the last time:
“We are living in the final moment of peace in Latilian history.”-Speaking Belisari
Tonight, the sky is clear. Moonlight reflecting on their hair and clothes through the gap of the windows, on their combat attires, on the slumbing Marines and Husaria riders gathering below the wall where they are standing over, undisrupted. The midnight wind blew lightly into their faces, raising smoke on the cigarette Lily is smoking and the Latilian imperial banners hanging on poles over the wall fluttering. Peaceful it is, as if the whole universe is watching in silence as he Belisari, Prince of the Latilians, is about to change the world, for better or worse it might be.
This is it, the final moment before the war:
“It has been ten years, time surely flew.”
“It’s time to recall memories, huh?”
Ten years ago, the Elestovakian Imperial Army laid siege to this city.
Ten years ago, Belisari found Lily lying by a collapsed wall, and gave his bleeding hand to her and together, they fought arm in arm in the street of Latila for their lives, and for the survivability of their Kingdom.
Ten years ago, after the Elestovakians had retreated from the Voyage Wall and the Latilians were recovering from the shock that had just swept over their land. Lily made her eternal promise to Belisari, and for the first time, Belisari called Lily as Liliya.
**
“Do you have any wish?”
In a dark night ten years ago, a peaceful night similar to tonight, Lily suddenly asked to Prince Belisari that question, while they were seeing the Ganeoese mercenaries and Latilian Legionaries removing bodies from the debris that was once the Gate of Konstantine after the Elestovakians had withdrawn from the city.
“Huh? What do you mean by that?”
“I want to do you a favor. Speak to me about your desire, I will help you to achieve it. You helped me once after all, and I cannot live with the burden of owning someone something…”
“I see, but I just help you to get up-”
“You….actually helped me much more than that”
Embarrassed by thinking of how to continue her sentence, the soon to be Archduchess shook her head-”Forget what I said. Say it. I will not repeat. I, Lily Sobieski Voyage, in the name of my parents Theodosius and Konstantina, Saint Morgan Voyage and Joshua Krist, promise to help you to achieve your harboring dream no matter what. Now, please confess it to me, if you will.”
“Hmm…”
Belisari placed his cotton-wrapped hand on his head and made it look like he was thinking of something important, but then he spew:
“Then…can I address you as Liliya?”
“What sort of payment is that? Is that a joke?”
Lily confusingly spoke. She couldn't understand why Belisari said so to her, risking the only time she might do this favor to him.
“Haiz….fine, you may call me Liliya”
“Thanks-”
Seizing while Belisari was off guard, the girl quickly drew out her sword and pressed its dull tip into his chestplate-”As a friend, but not as my favor to you. You still must confess to me about your wish, and don’t hide it, Your Highness, you clearly want something, don’t you?”
“Hey hey…be calm Liliya.”
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“Just tell me and I will be calm…”
The 14-years-old prince stepped back, half-afraid, half-surprised considering the positions of their titles. He was hoping if anyone who sees this might come help, but with all people around him were already busy, and as Lily applies more pressure on the sword, Belisari, with a hesitate voice, let out a sigh and said:
“Well, then….fine, I do have one, that is…
To restore Latila back to its former glory, to create the Empire of Latila, and he, Belisari, will become its emperor.
….
“I was actually terrified when you pointed your sword at me.”
“You haven’t forgotten it?”
The prince shakes his head-“Never did I, not even when I slept. It haunts my dreams from time to time, how could I even forget? And even if I could, I will not forget that an Archduke’s daughter once dared to point her weapon at me, yet I still supported her to be the next Archduchess.”
“Sorry about the former, but if I didn’t do it it would take me a million years to know about your dream.”-The archduchess smiles lightly-”And thank you about the latter.”
Ten years after that day, they are about to make that dream come true. This kingdom is going to strike back from the ashes the Elestovakians had burned them into. Once they go, there will be no step back. Either they go and win, or would die together in a battle. Whatever the possibilities are, they will not live to regret it.
“May God bless us and our army, for us to make this ancient nation flourish again...”
This time next week, they might sleep together in a camp, probably close to the city of Voyage, and far away from Latila, and will not return until their dream has been fulfilled.
…
“Ah, you are here- what the heck is that?”
While the prince and his friend were going down the stairs, they encountered Aurora. That girl, for whatever the reason is, is carrying a black great sword as massive as her body with both hands, and on her back is a crossbow- no, something that resembles both a crossbow and a musket. The sword is for Lily, and the crossbow is for Belisari, that is for sure.
“Good evening… you two”-Aurora lowers the sword showing them an expression of exhaustion on her face-"Luckily… they arrived….on time….Hey, may you be….kind enough….to…help me…”
Right before the girl trips over, Lily has rushed out to prevent Aurora from falling down and during that short extension of time, takes the sword from the girl to relieve weight.
(Huh?)
As Lily grabs the blade with one hand, she realizes something odd. This sword, despite its property as a great sword, is surprisingly light for one, just around half of a sword this size, if made of steel. In fact, she can hold it, though it might be a bit tiring, with just three fingers as fulcrums. It can be carried by horse riders, one thing that would be impossible for a conventional giant blade:
“I know what you want to ask”-Aurora says, winking one eye-”I made this with Ceramic Matrix Composite, a material tougher yet lighter than steel, but extremely complicated to work with, so I just made one for you, as a favor.”
“Ceramic…what?”
“You will not see one like this in…eh….the year is 1463….at least five hundred years later, I guess?”
Seeing the prince and the archduchess’s face turns incomprehensible from what she just said, Aurora can’t help but chuckles, and she still chuckles a lot while handling the crossbow to Belisari:
“And this is for you, a pistol crossbow. The second one will not be available in three hundred years.”
Unlike Ganeoese crossbows, the universal weapon of the Latilian Marine Corp, the pistol crossbow Belisari is holding is significantly lighter, with a handle to help the albalist to has a better grip on the crossbow, and a fire mechanic just like a musket, allowing scope and protection to be equipped onto the weapon:
“Hope this will fit your combat style.”
Needless to ask for the price, Belisari is fully aware that the crossbow he is holding and whatever Lily is swinging over there are extremely expensive. These things might be as valuable as a whole fleet, but Aurora just conveniently gives these to them. Where did she have the money to make those in the first place?
“Well, the last diamond I sold gave me a lot of money, so I decided to spend a portion of it to make them for you two.”
That explain a lot.
“I guess….thank you? Can I do anything to repay your deed?”
“Praise my brilliance more, and if you can, nominate me to become a saint, please.”
Some sort of bribery, it is, though Aurora smiled so adorable for either of them to detect that truth beneath those words.
**
Ding!....Dong!*
Night past, as the first ray of sunlight illuminates the highest tower of the Latila Palace, bells rang in a beautiful harmony. On the churches, the military watchtowers, the harbors, the lighthouse, the two palaces of Voyage and Latila and the abandoned castle of Flemton, the people across the street join the resonance of ringing bells by clapping their metal tools together. This sound echoes around the city, scaring away birds from their nests and flying all over the city to fly side by side with the Latilian Flier Corps and independent fliers performing over the city. Had they won the war? They haven’t even fought yet, but the scene of Latila at this moment feels like they were victorious, as Aurora later wrote in her diary, perhaps because she hadn't seen any Latilian victory ceremony. Nonetheless, for one moment in Latilian history, after thirty years, they again were the conquerors. Though it was not as brightful and luxury as the Elestovakian Imperial Army with their purple flags and color papers, this event surely marked a turning point of their country, no matter the result it is:
“Hey, stop throwing flowers! You too, pals!”
Gerald angrily shouts underneath his armor as his stallion he mounted on stops to eat those flowers lying on the ground. Can’t help, the horse needs a lot of food carrying such a heavy person with such armor, a grant of 110 kilograms, on its back.
“How could yours behave so well, Lily?”
By contrast, despite carrying much greater weight (125 kg in total), Lily’s horse keeps moving in the line, seemingly nothing that might distract it, well fed and elegant when combining with the wings and the new sword of its horseman. Looking at the contrary of the two riders, Aurora and Belisari watching from a wagon nearby can’t help but laugh at it, and several of the Marines join their laugh as well:
“No one beats Lily when it comes to fighting skill.”
But then, right before exiting the gate, the entire army halts, Belisari immediately shuts his mouth, and the others follow suit. Aurora is curious, she looks out to the front of the carriage. On top of the gate of Konstantine, there was a shadow, king Justinius of the Kingdom of Latila, his hand holding a speaker made by Aurora for this moment:
“I could not have blamed you for being the first to lose heart”
The king begins his speech
“The enemy is a strong, powerful empire that once defeated our nation. They swept an apocalypse across our land ten years ago, took away our prosperity, our grace, and lives of many Latilians compatriots…while we, the Kingdom of Latila, is no more powerful as we were before…”
Another quiet moment, then Justinius continues:
“But be not afraid just because of that. We are the Latilians, sons and daughters of King Konstantine the Great and mother Licelia. Our kingdom is blessed by the grace of God and the light of heaven shines directly above us. That light will guide us to victory, to the victory we the Latilians deserve…”
From the front of the army, drummers are playing the Latilian Battle Hymn. Aurora looks around, few of the men joins the singing, though the remains be silent to hear the rest of the speech:
“Now, as all of you have prepared your mind, as the king of this country, I wish you the best luck. Let us the Latilians be bathed in glory once again.”
With a quick switch of a lever, the doors separating between Latila and the outside world wide opened. The Konstantine Army, along with their brothers in arms in the north and the south, begins moving. The Winged Husaria go first, then the Latilian Marines, the auxiliary troops will leave the city last.
“Wait!”
Walking in between the Marines, Aurora rushes to the end of the carriage and unveils the cotton cover. Latila, the first city she arrived in after coming to this world, is slowly shrinking in her eyes.
-Project Aurora, Act 1 end-