‘Ben, the humans would win because of their superior weaponry and tactics,’ I argue with Benston as we walk down the halls of the palace, playfully debating the military tactics of other nations and species.

‘It does not matter! What matters is whether you can have easy accessibility surplus of military personnel to overwhelm the target.’

Scenario after hypothetical scenario, we pit nations against each other to see who would come out on top. We compared the Nesthon States against the Perrata Kingdom, Qwells against Goblins and so on. For his age, Benston is relentless and passionate about his opinions and beliefs.

Naturally we will pit the Dodads against humanity. Two barbaric species that breed like rabbits and whose cultures revolve around war. A perfect match up.

‘The humans have the Arch Angel which-‘

‘Which might not be an actual weapon,’ Benston interrupts me.

‘Weapon or not, I don’t care, them having it has a significant psychological advantage against the Dodads who are naturally superstitious.’

‘Superstitious! You clearly haven’t met those bugs in your life.’

‘I don’t need to meet one to know they are cowardly. They couldn’t dare go through the Stighten Walls that kept them in Ishtu because they fear total annihilation.’

Benston sighs as he rubs his face in frustration. ‘That’s because they are fighting among themselves. If they were truly united, they can easily take over the walls. But that isn’t the point. Their unification would be the end to the realms of humanity, Arch Angel or no.’

‘You can’t be serious? Have you forgotten how the Sand Campaigns went compared to the Scarlet Campaign? The humans put up a fight, while the Dodads gave up as soon we got near their capital.’ I retort his argument with false confidence.

The Sand Campaigns is shrouded in mystery because of the lack of documentation relating to the conflict itself. I can only hope that he does not insider knowledge that I am unaware of.

‘That... That doesn’t take my point away,’ he stubbornly replies. His stuttering shows that he is also clueless about how that conflict went.

‘The Dodad cantons have gotten stronger since we forced them to isolate in that wasteland of Ishtu. We made them adapt to the harshest place on the planet and you think now they would lose to humanity?’ Benston chuckles while he waves his hands in excitement. ‘Humanity can’t even decide if they want to be a part of a united human empire. It will be impossible for them to survive against the Dodads in their current state.’

‘That is not a convincing argument, Benston. We traded with the humans for so long that they copied our military strategies, and because of us, they have a centralised language. Humans can easily communicate with each other in the case of a Dodad invasion. The humans can also mobilise to meet them on the battlefield at a moment’s notice. From what we know, the Dodads have a gazillion languages and they are not intelligent enough to invent the wheel or a boat.’

‘Well... Well... yeah, you are correct,’ Benston concedes. ‘But that doesn’t mean the Dodads are not a significant threat.’

I roll my eyes at his comment. ‘Oh please, when we faced them, their only tactic is to charge at us with overwhelming numbers.’

‘And who said they didn’t learn from their mistakes? Their strategy to overwhelm the enemy could work if a competent leader led them. Their command structure is also not centralized, so if one goes, another can take their place. That command structure is difficult is take on.’

‘How so?’

‘We only know how to fight organised armies who have the same strategies as us. The whole world uses our military handbooks to train their armies, for Gods’ sake,’ he responds with venom in his words.

‘Ben, you are talking to one of the top students in their academy. I got top marks in military movements and planning. I think I can deal with those bug brains and the humans at the same time, on all fronts.’ I boast.

Benston laughs as he covers his mouth. ‘Theoretical military movements and planning Volas. Theoretical!‘

I cross my arms in annoyance. ‘Careful old timer, keep that up and I might have to prove you wrong yet again.’

Benston stops his laughter as he puts his hand on my shoulder. ‘Sorry to insult you, friend.’

I smirk while I shake my head. ‘The only reason you apologize is because you don’t want me to start a war.’

A messenger runs up to us. ‘Commander Regali!’

She stops in front of me to stand at attention. We give each other a formal salute as she speaks her message.

‘Commander Earl is ordering you to the war room at once.’

Her words stun me, my mind going blank by the urgency in her voice and the seriousness of her tone. We had one yesterday, and we only talked about how trade is going.

Are we at war? Did someone die? Did the Dodads break through the wall? Was the Arch Angel used?

‘I will go at once. You are dismissed.’ We salute each other again.

Afterwards, she heads down the hall to tell other Commanders of the news.

I tidy myself up, fixing my uniform.

‘Looks like fun is over,’ Benston grimly says. ‘Well, see you tomorrow and tell me about how the meeting goes down.’ He walks off to his library.

I head off to the war room, my heart racing as worry consumes my mind. But duty calls, and I am obligated to join the fight, whatever that may be.

I pry open the door of the war room. In the middle is a horseshoe shape table, with the painting of the world directly at the centre. Commanders and officers whisper and mumble to one another, speculating on why they were summoned in such a peculiar time. Human, Dodads, the Stighten Wall. Those words echo throughout the room.

I move to the middle of the crowd to eavesdrop on their conversations.

‘It’s the bugs, isn’t it?’ One man whispers.

‘Can’t be. The Dragon Fleet stationed there would be here by now,’ another replies.

Similar conversations repeat, all confused as everyone tries to make any rational conclusion.

I doubt it would be humanity again. The Dragonna Empire wouldn’t dare invade our colony Eupria again after their defeat. Nor can it be the Dodads. They have done nothing remarkable in years. It has to be something different. Something none of us would have ever expected.

A Pretorian guard with his light spear enters the room. Light spears are weapons made during the Forgotten Era. A spear with a curved blade, it can cut through anything with ease. If the enemy is afar, the spear can fire a beam of light that can make steel boil. A perfect weapon for the warriors of the church and the faith.

‘All shall be seated! The Commander in charge, by orders of her majesty, shall enter this room.’

He taps the butt of his spear into the ground twice, symbolically ordering us to our seats.

He taps the ground again as Commander Earl and the human Handcock enter the room. I don’t know why the simplistic human is here. Perhaps we are here to fight on his lands again.

Handcock stands in the room's corner, leaning against the wall while he smokes his pipe.

Rommel reads a document from the middle of the horseshoe table, nodding his head in disbelief.

‘Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I am sorry for bringing you all here at such a strange time. One of our forts on this island has been attacked. Everyone who was stationed there, are brutally killed.’

Everyone in the room erupts into a chatter. An attack! On our island? Who and why would anyone do this?

But it doesn’t matter. We are under attack. By the Gods! Why would they do this? This shouldn’t be happening.

The chatter grow louder as people ask questions about the attack, demanding answers as to who has done this, to who deserves our wrath.

The Pretorian taps his spear on the ground again, causing the room to instantly go silent.

‘The fort I am talking about is Fort Balis, located in the south-west region of the island. The fort was in the process of being replaced. In the meantime, a skeleton crew was stationed there to overlook the southern region and to be as a resupply station for the caravans from the mine that is further west of the fort.’

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Rommel clears his throat as he reads the next page. He seems anxious. But why? Why would a legend feel anxious about this? What is really going on?

‘When a courier arrived at the fort to deliver a message to the head guard of the mine. He discovered a gruesome sight. They stacked the bodies of our fallen brethren on top of each other, some having their limbs cut off as trophies while they remove their dead to bury them in the forest.’

This is strange it doesn’t sound like the doing of Dodads, for they would stay at the fort and hold on to it. It couldn’t be the humans, for they would attack from the north. It couldn’t be the Rethanie, for they don’t have the means to get to the island, and if they did, we would have known beforehand. Those reptiles have a habit of boldly announcing that they are going to war.

‘We believe the Dodads committed the attack. Their barbaric style of warfare and the dismembering of our soldiers is a clear sign they are here. We know it must be only a small scouting force hiding out in the nearby forest. We’ve sent a small task force to deal with them. In the meantime, I would ask you all to be prepared to be stationed overseas to organise another counter-offensive against the Ishtu Empire.’

‘What is the evidence that they were here?’ I ask.

The crowd turns to face me in disgust.

‘We have every right to speculate that the Dodads are planning some sort of attack on our nation after we forced them into Ishtu so many centuries before. Let alone evidence of their involvement. Are you doubting they’re involved?’ Rommel replies sharply.

‘Yes, I do, sir,’ I stubbornly respond.

Wait! No, that is stupid of me. I need to think of something to explain how and why they are not the ones that attacked the island.

My brow sweats as my throat dries up. I gulp; I can’t make myself look like a fool here.

‘If the Dodads did attack, we would have found their dead in the fort.’ Rommel doesn’t seem convinced, frowning at my basic claim. I need to explain why without messing it up. I can’t let him down.

‘This attack is also against their naval tactics, that we know and have observed while being at war against them. They usually stay where they have attacked and use that place as a base of operations to birth more troops to recuperate their losses before heading out again. Dodads attack with casualties in mind, so it would make sense to see their dead. They also don’t believe in the concept of burying the dead, it would be out of character of them to do it all of a sudden.’

Now everyone glares at Rommel waiting for his response.

‘So who would be the aggressor of this brutal attack? So far, we only had the Dodads to blame.’

With the mine located further west of the fort. Why didn’t the caravans from the mine report the incident? It is a supply station as well. The couriers only go to the fort once a week, when the mine transfers goods almost daily. There is only one conclusion.

‘The Diamond Dogs, sir,’ I say aloud.

It has to be them. It explains why their dead are respected with more dignity than our own.

Rommel and the other Commanders burst into laughter. I look around to see Handcock with his blank expression, shaking his head while smoking his pipe.

‘The slaves? How could creatures that are dumber than cattle take over the fort?’ Rommel sneers.

‘Perhaps the slaves made the guards laugh to death as they talk about their culture,‘ one Commander mocks while he laughs at me.

‘So why didn’t the caravans from the mine report the incident? They would be the first ones there. It is a resupply station, after all.’

The crowd’s laughter dies down, seeing my train of thought makes sense. Rommel bites his bottom lip, his eyes darting around the room.

‘That is a good point. In that case, we will halt our plans to strike against those bugs. If your claims are true Volas, that would mean the slaves and their species on the island would have committed treason against our nation. We will have to exterminate every last one of them, for they-‘

The war room’s door slams wide open as wind gushes in like a tornado, with light so blinding that even shielding our eyes with our hands is pointless.

Everyone, including me, jump out of our chairs to prepare to bolt away, or fight this intruder.

The light dies down. An old man hunched over with a long crocked stick decorated with strange symbols and charms walks into the room.

‘You will not!’ The old man croaks, his voice sounding like crackles of thunder from centuries of yelling. ‘These Dogs who are your slaves, will not be exterminated!’

It couldn’t be. The Shaman of our island, our sole protector. The only person left alive who could use magic, an immortal who watched our Empire rise from nothing.

No one knows who he is or how he can still use magic. His life is a mystery, as well as his motives. No one dares to force him to be their ally, for he never cares about our politics. He only cares if his home is endangered.

‘Why not?’ Rommel demands.

‘They are under my protection, they are equally a Cinari as much as any of you.’

‘You dare betray the Empress! By helping them, I will gladly-‘

‘Enough!’ The Shaman interjects, his eyes glowing bright blue with lightning shooting out of them. His voice booms like thunder, making some people cower before him. ‘Don’t think I am aiding them, Commander. I am stating my neutrality in this conflict, and for me to stay neutral I will put forth my terms, which you will follow.’ His eyes go back to normal.

‘The Dogs have attacked the fort, I have seen it.’

The room stares at him in silence, waiting for what he has to say next.

‘This marks the beginning of a civil war. I will not battle for any side, or aid anyone, regardless of what it is. I do not care how much blood is spilt, if one side is planning on enacting genocide. My neutrality will be broken and it will involve me. Do I make myself clear, Commander?’ The Shaman stares down at Rommel. Rommel frowns at the Shaman, not speaking a word, eventually he gives a single nod to tell the Shaman he agrees to his terms.

‘Good. Now, what are your plans to deal with the Dogs?’

‘We already sent a force to deal with the slaves. I doubt they will have any resistance, and if they do, they’ll be reinforced by Commander Clyth and Commander Jackie. I’ve already gave them the order to head out. However, I don’t imagine their services will be needed.’ Rommel replies.

I stand up from my chair. ‘I doubt that, Commander. Taking a fort is no small feat. I suggest we call them back and organise a counter-offensive.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ An old Commander shouts at me. ‘Those slaves got lucky. They won’t be able to handle our forces on a battlefield.’

‘Commander, we can’t-‘

Rommel raises his hand to silence me. ‘That is enough, Commander Regali. Don’t worry about this. The slaves can easily be dealt with. They are animals, and animals get lucky sometimes. The relief force will deal with them. I’ve picked a Commander that would be a perfect fit to deal with these kinds of small threats. You have nothing to worry about.’

I sit back down. Are they not seeing what I am seeing? This threat isn’t small.

Rommel pulls out a map and lays it down. ‘Commanders, even if the relief force deals with the Dog threat. We will have to make sure other mines or plantations don’t also rebel.’

The Shaman watches as we discuss our war plans. We conclude that the best course of action is to take it easy. Slaves shouldn’t be too hard to face, so, it is all decided that we can either volunteer to go south, or stay here.

It doesn’t sit right with me. How could it? They are slaves, they shouldn’t be difficult to deal with. Well, I hope they aren’t.