The Corinthian Empire no longer grew. From the Borosil mountains in the south, through the archipelagos of the west, and up into the resistance of the north, the empire spanned. In the east, the borders faded where the empire’s hold wouldn’t solidify: the unimaginable vastness of an unpopulated land left nothing to conquer.

Some argued that the Corinthians should march south as the first settlers had decades earlier, seeking the other side of the mountains. Some argued that the western islands must extend further into the mists, and should be settled. Few argued that the north could be pressed further, holding the only force that was able to resist the empire’s push. Only one had ever argued for expansion to the east, and that interest had ended with his life.

As ever, though, it would be the constructs that determined the empire’s path. In the endless range of rugged mountain roads, the constructs gave little advantage, as they could not repair a wagon or carry a load. In the mists and fog of the islands, the diffuse light left the most researched fields of study useless, and with it a large portion of the creations themselves. In the north lay an enemy whose practice for years had been to target the constructs first, and the soldiers second. No researcher would design constructs for the north, save to reconfirm their brittle nature.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

In the east, though, there lay empty land, fertile soil, and plentiful sunlight. Expeditions there could use the devices without fear of damage, and the artifacts helped the problems of long travel in unmapped lands significantly.

But past expeditions eastward had been far from productive. When the first expedition returned, claiming to possess powerful foreign mages, they surrendered emaciated slaves, senseless with pain, who died within months of delivery. Later expeditions reported few inhabitants and quiet lands, unworthy of notice when cities lay waiting for conquest. The most recent simply hadn’t returned at all, perhaps unwilling to place their mediocrity into recorded history.

Yet all citizens knew Corinth’s heraldic words, his directive to ensure the longevity of his empire: “Expand, conquer, and search; our future is ever further.” The Trifecta, ever wary of the ill will of their subjects, sent orders to their northern armies, drafted messages to be placed on public notice, and met with their treasurers. The Empire had fought to create itself, fought armies to expand its borders, but could not fight its nature: the Corinthians marched east.