I have a hard time about chapter titles so I just temporarily use numbers.
Here's another one. Enjoy.
__________
At the emperor's throne room, a man in his fifties sitting in a glamorous throne with carvings of dragons. He wears a golden crown which is beautifully designed that reflects their empire's greatness in craftsmanship. The crown has different jewels and many too precious stones attached to it. If any thief successfully steals it, he cannot sell it as its price is too high or too precious that even ordinary kings or merchants cannot able to afford to buy it. It is just too expensive and precious.
The throne room also gives off the feeling of majestic and wealth of the emperor as the ceilings and walls is beautifully carved and design by greatest crafters of all time, the dwarves. If any ordinary people or strangers will visit this room they will surely forget how to breathe as this room will take your breath away. It is not like that this room has no windows or proper ventilation that can suffocate people, this is just the result of the combined art elements that anyone here will suffocate to its greatness.
The man sitting in the throne room is not pleased after hearing the messenger's report. The advisors or ministers nearby have mix expressions and emotions whirling up in their hearts. This room can make any problems go away but hearing that report, the room is unable to ease the tension given off by every person present here. The air is so heavy and only the smashing of expensive glass can be heard that breaks the silence in this room. The glass is shattered to pieces because it is an expensive fragile glass that takes time to craft and used only by high ranking officials especially the emperor.
“THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE!”
“…”
The crowd go full silent as this is their first time seeing their emperor acting this way. This is their first time they see his face full of red and somewhat they can imagine some hot steam is coming out from his head. This expression means that a very grave news reached unto the emperor's ear. His subordinates who listen to the report are silent, some clenched their fists, and others just control their feelings. They understand how bad the situation is.
“Messenger you can go"
The messenger bows and exits to the room while trembling. The guards are also slightly shaking but they control it. It is a shameful thing if a guard trembles but no one in this room has a capacity to withstand the pressure that the emperor emits. It is a mix of pressure between bloodlust and blood boiling expression, hateful anger. The emperor sitting in the throne is the alpha, the dictator, the strongest warrior of the empire.
He is the Mataliit Emperor, Emperor Ghamai Mataliit.
Rumors state that he can fight a dragon, can kill millions of men, no steel can penetrate his body, he eats chili peppers which is dislike by common people because of its hot spiciness and one of the latest rumor is that he can divide a mountain or the sea in two. Well they are just rumors and rumors that are passed by other people tend to exaggerate and the result is the ridiculous rumors to the point that it will become a humor. Rumor into humor? His citizens have so much free time talking about their beloved emperor.
Well to summarize it. He is a strong person that’s a fact. Capable to lead thousands of armies that’s also a fact and his ambition is to conquer the continent is also a fact. And the rest of the rumors are a bit on the questionable side. Well his personality is more or less the same with other emperors who holds too much power that they will think of the most cliché ambition of all time: world domination.
“Ministers and all of you spread false rumor regarding this case or else some idiots will start to revolt.
Why the hell is this happen? Did they encounter monsters?”
“Certainly sir"
The ministers bow and agree. Even them, must need to spread rumors or hell will break lose in the empire. Internal conflicts are hard to resolve and that’s one of the reasons why many empires and nations falls or fails. Citizens are the heart of the nation. If this very foundation is shaken and turned against them, a lot of problems or chains of troubles will erupt and surely the other nations will take advantage of it. For many years of war and conflicts plus this era, medieval, they learn about these things.
Soldiers have family, generals have family, officials have family, and they are prepared to desert or revolt for the sake of their love ones. That’s why dictatorship only last for a short time. Harassing citizens equals cutting and ripping your own heart and the nation will cease to function. But will they able to deceive the people where it already reaches in their ears? And the news is spreading like wild fire. Will they able to stop it?
And don’t forget that this age is in medieval times where opportunists, ambitious people and schemers are roaming around waiting in the shadows to strike a delicious situation or take advantage and may cause a great factor in collapsing an empire. Mataliit empire cannot afford to lose its people as territorial threats are still active both internal and external. The barbarians located at the south. The monsters periodic attacks in west and south; and their longtime rival, the Batia Empire in the east.
“I thought that they will just encounter natives in the west.”
“In the past, we didn’t traverse there as its near to the dreaded Great Phatag plains and security is costly if we occupy that area"
The ministers are talking while walking in the hallway. Their emperor is out and needs a fresh air. Their jobs are to counter that grave news that the messenger relays to them.
While walking they are talking about west. They are unable to conquer the western area because of conflicts and its location. Wars and skirmishes in their borders and rebel activities that threatens the empire. And the west is a dangerous location which is near to Great Phatag plains which is famous for high level monsters. Added to that, it is the closest neighbor to the deadly and cursed islands, the Devils isles.
These two locations are one of the deadly places in this continent as people will encounter high leveled monsters that easily kill armies of soldiers, the unfamiliar terrain results to unusual death accidents occur and the last reason is that the air is poisonous. Or in scientific view, the environment is infected meaning it houses deadly viruses, not poison but works similar to poison as it kills its victims like they have time limit. In simpler terms, the area is home of airborne deadly viruses.
“That’s the case for monsters. We are talking about natives building a nation there!”
“We thought that if we invade them and use them, we might get valuable resources. Remember that area is full of trees, forests, mountains and rivers. Imagine how many resources we can gather. If we can monopolize it then someday we are able to beat Batia Empire"
“But still natives are weak you know, barbaric, ignorant and acting in their instinct as they are like animals on human form”
“According to the reports, they use weird weapons that doesn’t emit mana or ki.”
“If that’s true then our forces have slim chance in winning against them."
“We need more information about them and who instigated this madness!”
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They are still walking while cautiously talking. They learn that information is a good weapon before battles. They learn intel gathering from hundreds of years of wars. They also learn various things, discover or experiment something and many more. Fortunately, their economy is stable at the moment and most citizens are loyal out of fear or they just oblige. Their weapons and armors are improving but it takes time to perfect a prototype and many more.
Unlike in common fantasy novels, this world have the word 'progress’. Because of wars, they learn the importance of citizens, demand and supply or economy, experiments, some war tactics and many more. But even then, due to war many of the developments, experiments or prototypes are put to halt or stop due to lack of funds, high risks and worst, death of inventors or people involved in the research. And also their culture is still in Medieval ways but there’s a hint that they are still progressing and improving that part.
In fact, those two empires have imposed and released citizen friendly laws or decrees. And yet, they abuse their citizens which is the core of the nation. It looks like no matter the time and age, citizens are the first to taste the word “abuse".
But still they remain in Medieval time because of excessive wars and selfish peoples. War may make a civilization progress but that also make the progress come to halt or worst, a civilization will progress backwards.
“Ministers. I have urgent to report!”
The messenger before reports a disturbing news again.
“We are too late!”
“Prepare the imperial guards!”
“It looks like whoever plans this, is an amazing tactician.”
The urgent news that disturbs them is that the countries or territories that they swallow before starts a unifying revolt and causes mayhem to their respective territories and borders.
It all starts when the bodies of dead generals or commanders that take part in expedition are crucified in their territories and their respective plazas. Generals own lands or territories. Aside from this, their families are influential people and holds great authority in the empire. Seeing their super class generals hanged lifelessly with tortures and unimaginable injuries and wounds, the people are startled, sad, anger, happy and for the family and relatives, they want revenge. Aside from displaying this horrible and despicable scene, there’s a disturbing note above their dead bodies.
[Your emperor sent them to their own graveyards while comfortably sipping tea knowing their deaths is unavoidable.]
Reading the note, the family and relatives boil in anger. Sending a blood relative to their graveyard is unacceptable except for times of war. But this is a time for peace, all the people know about the cease fire for Batia Empire. They have 1 more year before another war between them will start. If they not obey the cease fire they will taste the War god's wrath which both nations believe in that god.
But this note, shows that the emperor carelessly sent them to an expedition that he knows that they will never return. People will believe in the note posted as the bodies of supposedly first tier warriors are beaten to the point that it’s hard to recognize. Not just one but there are 24 generals hanged in the cross in their own respective territories plus the second tiers warriors who are military officers are also hanged numbering to 112.
The relatives think only one thing, revenge. They reunite with other grieving families and relatives and thus decided to join hands to obtain their revenge. Revenge for their dead member and the emperor must pay. The empire must pay! Thus the civil war in the empire starts.
“We will revenge our dying brothers. The empire must pay and I, the son one of the dead commanders announce our independence!”
“yeah!!!!”
Some people wanted to be independent from empire or they just use this situation as a good reason to gain authority in their respective territories. Either their reason is good or not, there is one thing that is certain, the empire reduces more than half of its territory.
Some unrelated parties partake in the chaos. They started switching sides and only few decides to be neutral or don’t want to partake in civil war. Either they need more time to think, need time to mourn, observe in the sidelines or want to strike and take any advantageous situations. Only god knows what they are really thinking.
The rebels or revolutionists know that the empire forces are formidable and hard to deal with but they have one advantage and that is their numbers. The empire crumbles and becomes small after one hundred plus territories and settlements decided to revolt and become independent.
Despite the declaration of independence or revolution of territories, the empire have 45% left of their own land or territory. Even the settlements or territories that pledged loyalty or swallowed by the empire before cuts off from them, still the empire holds considerable strength and forces. Its forces are still capable for defending the remaining territory and others can go to the civil war campaign.
Everyone knows about the details about the expedition during their investigations and rumors. It reveals about the Mulier and its possible huge amount of natural resources can be found there. Their mouths are drooling and others are counting money and profits ahead but they should focus on the civil war. Even a fool knows which priority must be taken first. They also know that going to Mulier have higher risks than the civil war here. So most of them focus on the civil war, before they decide what to do about Mulier.
“Have you spread fake rumors?”
“Yes your highness, in fact some factions might be killing each other now and others are focused on Mulier"
“How about our borders?”
“It is still intact sir, most of the revolutionist are just third tier warriors and few second tiers so our soldiers have no problem dealing with them"
“Good…any territory that might be siding to us?”
“Yes sir by applying underhanded schemes. Cough…they are loyally oblige to fight for us"
“Good..next is to wipe out the master minds of the revolutionists and found out who instigate the dead generals crucifixion”
“Maybe the Mulier…their religion according to my reports have cross"
“Batia and central nations don’t even get inside our territory so they are cleared of this suspicion. They cannot put 100 plus dead bodies on each territory”
The greatest mystery is who started this chaos. Other nations cannot hang 100 plus dead bodies in one night so it must be a work of other party is what they think. So they focus on the new country with weird weapons and tactics, the Mulier. Adding to lack of information about this country adds to their suspicion. The rebels are thinking of the same thing but they cannot forgive their emperor for sending them into their graves.
Crucifixion of the corpses is not known in this continent. This is their first time seeing this one, the people don’t pay attention to it because they are all focus in the upcoming civil war and that war will shake not just that empire but also the whole continent.