OFS Admiral Andersen, Le Brias, Kingdom of Altaras — November 29, 2019
Alright, listen up! The operation to rescue Ambassador Harling is now underway!
Over the past week, our special forces units have been deployed into the Parpaldia Empire to investigate his whereabouts—yesterday evening, we received intel suggesting that the ambassador is currently being held in a facility somewhere within Eshirant itself. Having narrowed down the number of potential locations to three, HQ has now authorised us to launch an unprecedented mission to strike the heart of the Empire itself.
The carrier Admiral Andersen will split off from the IUN defensive fleet in Le Brias and sail for the territorial waters of the Parpaldia Empire—in six hours, our Marine Corps will be transported via helicopter into Eshirant, where they will locate and successfully retrieve Harling from Parpaldian custody. Your task for this operation will be to secure air superiority and provide close air support where necessary, as well as eliminate any threat to the marines and their transports both heading in and out of Eshirant.
HQ has made it clear that nothing less than total victory is acceptable—a successful extraction of Ambassador Harling will significantly damage Parpaldia’s international standing and signal to the rest of the world what Osea itself is capable of. We’re officially at war—let’s make this engagement a quick and decisive one!
Any questions?
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Eshirant, Parpaldia Empire — November 29, 2019
“Golem and Mage, be advised: we will be entering the AO in approximately ten minutes. Our ESM capabilities will mask our approach, but once the Parpaldians figure out that we’re here, the safety of Ambassador Harling will be up in the air until Sea Goblin arrives.”
“Why can’t we just send one of the Arsenal Birds to these parts? We might have the ability to expand their operational range, right?”
Sky Keeper sighed. “I’m not at liberty to fully disclose this, but that requires resources that we’re already using for a more long-term project in the works. Besides, HQ’s concerned that any further expansion of their operational range might put Oured and Bana City at risk if the Arsenal Birds get hijacked—at this point, we’re the best solution for the problem at hand that doesn’t involve potential collateral damage or something that might bite us in the long run.”
“I’d think Harling getting killed on live television might pose more of a problem to us,” Brownie mused, “but what do I know? We’re pilots, not diplomats—”
“If we get a mission that involves us just wrecking Eshirant as a show of force,” Knocker interjected with a hint of annoyance, “then that’s what we’ll do. Right now, our main objective is making sure Harling makes it out of here alive, got it?”
“Got it.”
Turning to look at a blinking light on his console, Sky Keeper grimaced. “New message from the Osean embassy in Eshirant: Delegate Clarkson’s still currently attempting to stall for time while the remaining staff are safely evacuated, but the Parpaldians are starting to get antsy. The sooner we arrive in the capital, the better…”
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From a cliff overlooking the manor where the former president was suspected to be in, a solitary figure peered through his binoculars at the sight below him.
“Nothing new as of yet to report, HQ. Are we clear to begin our operations, over?”
“Negative, Basilisk Actual—Sea Goblin, Mage, and Golem won’t be arriving for another fifteen minutes. We’ll patch you in to Sky Keeper once they arrive; until then, keep an eye until further updates, over.”
“Copy, out.” Sighing in frustration, the operative refocused his efforts towards scanning the individual figures in the courtyard; the rustle of leaves behind him quietly signalled the arrival of his companions.
“Perimeter’s secure—the patrols were quietly dispatched, and it should be another half-hour before they start to suspect something.”
The man nodded. “Good work. Tell the other teams to remain on standby; ETA for air support is about fifteen minutes at the earliest.”
“Remind me again why we can’t bust in right now? Harling could be on the chopping board right now on the news and we’d know next to nothing about it, you know?”
“We could, but once we make our presence known, every single soldier in Eshirant’s going to be bearing down on us—we need the air cover if we’re going to have even a single chance of getting out of Parpaldia with the President alive…”
The other operative frowned. “Wait a minute—what’s that? Down by the gate…”
A carriage halted right outside the entrance, drawing the attention of the two guards standing at attention; gesturing to another Parpaldian in the courtyard, one slowly walked to the vehicle and yelled something at the driver. Slowly, the individual—a male in civilian garments and burly robes—climbed out, when several figures in clearly non-Parpaldian military outfits—
Gesturing to his companions, the man revealed his weapons to the guards with a flourish and instantly opened fire—
“Wait, what the hell? Reporting MG fire coming from the manor!”
Major Karl blinked in confusion as he hastily pointed his binoculars at the building where Harling was being held—sure enough, the individuals had stormed through the main entrance and were now making swift work of the Parpaldian guards with sharp staccatos of machine gun fire.
“HQ, we weren’t informed about this! Do we have any Osean units within the perimeter of the compound?”
“Negative, negative—we do not have any people within the compound at the moment. Do not launch Lighthouse Keeper, I repeat, do not launch Lighthouse Keeper! Maintain your positions at this time!”
“Well, who the hell are these guys?!”
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“Ambassador Vincent Harling?”
The Osean captive looked up from the table, where he had been calmly reading a Parpaldian newspaper amidst the gunfire. “That would be me. But unless the Osean Federation changed its flag in my absence, you’re definitely not the people I was expecting…”
“Hm?” Glancing at the insignia on his shoulder, the officer replied, “Ah, yes—I’m Captain Vin Heinrich of the Gra Valkas Imperial Intelligence Bureau. I’m here on behalf of my government, with orders to ensure your rescue and safe extraction to either the Osean or Muan Embassy along the coast.”
“Gra Valkas? As in the nation that annihilated Paganda and Leifor?”
Heinrich shrugged. “Guilty as charged, Ambassador. I understand your people may have other plans to retrieve you from Eshirant, but my superiors believe that assisting their efforts might give a better impression of us to the Osean government.”
“Well,” Harling sighed, “who am I to object to a rescue? Do you have a means of getting us to Clarkson or Mugei?”
“There’s a carriage that should allow us to slip through the initial response. We’ll have to be quick, though—the gunfire’s bound to have drawn some unwanted attention.”
“Very well. Lead the way, then, Captain…”
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“We have a visual on Ambassador Harling! I repeat, we have visual confirmation of Ambassador Harling!” Karl peered towards the entrance as the delegate was quickly ushered by the unknown interlopers into a white carriage. “He’s on the carriage—it’s just left the compound, HQ.”
“Copy. Do we know where it’s headed?”
“The road it’s on leads towards the docks—the embassies are located within that area.”
“Major, tail the carriage and intercept any patrols that might cross paths with Harling’s route. However, be prepared to ambush the transport itself if it comes to that.”
“Roger.” Karl turned to his men. “You heard the order—move!”
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The ride was silent, Vin’s companions surprisingly taciturn (though somewhat visibly curious regarding their guest) even as they kept a wary eye on the road ahead and behind them. Glancing towards the officer, Harling decided to speak up.
“Why rescue me, Captain? What does an Empire from across the planet desire from Osea?”
“Hmm?” Realising it was him the ambassador was addressing, Heinrich quickly responded. “Well, Osea’s reputation as a significant technological power spread like wildfire after that broadcast from the Milishials—almost as quickly as Auditor Remille’s public threat to have you killed.”
“Oh?”
“Word also goes around about the Osea’s considerably more benevolent approach towards what passes as ‘non-civilized’ nations, and your current predicament brought back some rather…unpleasant memories of recent events.”
Harling frowned. “While I would definitely be—and am—thankful for your rescue, altruism doesn’t exactly come across as enough of a motivating factor to travel halfway across Elysia.”
“Not entirely. Gra Valkas’s new position in Elysia leaves it in a disadvantageous position—outside of any of the Civilized Areas, our image even in spite of our own technology is that of a barbaric nation unworthy of attention or even basic respect. Regrettably, our retaliatory actions against Paganda and Leifor for what they did to our ambassadors haven’t exactly served to dispel the Elysians’ general notion of us—the Empire hopes that your nation and its organisation might be able to assist us in that regard.”
“And my rescue would theoretically be rewarded with cooperation on my superiors’ part?”
“A positive outlook at the very least would be appreciated, Ambassador. I will say this—there are others back at Ragna who view your style of approach as naive at best, especially with our experiences in Elysia in mind. Others view the tales of the IUN as a more successful attempt at our own failed efforts, and perhaps even a renewed opportunity to turn away from the more militaristic vices of our past. Things have been quietly changing in the Empire ever since Osea made its presence known in Elysia, and most people in our government feel that you may have a role to play in what comes ahead for Gra Valkas.”
“And what would Osea receive in return for assisting you in your predicament?”
“Our gratitude, and perhaps even our friendship. It would not be something we would hold lightly, Ambassador, in the years to come.”
“Interesting.” Harling frowned. “What would I tell my superiors when they bring up Leifor and Paganda? Their cities still lie in ruins and their people dead or exiled, regardless of the generous offers of friendship your Empire makes.”
“The government of Paganda executed our envoys when they came to seek nothing less than peaceful coexistence, and Leifor sought to retaliate against our rightful retribution to that act of diplomatic barbarism. Had Parpaldia done the same to you, Ambassador, could you say that Osea would have not responded in kind?”
“Somehow, I feel that we would have forgone sacking the region and massacring half of the Second Civilized Region in the process.”
Heinrich nodded grudgingly. “Perhaps. If fate had been kind enough to bring us closer to your nation, perhaps our conduct here in Elysia would have been far kinder.”
“Would Gra Valkas have destroyed Parpaldia, if they were in our position?”
“Without Osea? Maybe. With Osea? Maybe not. From what we’ve heard about you, their downfall would perhaps have been far less harsh with your people’s words, no doubt.”
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“Basilisk Team here—we’ve reached the Osean safehouse and picked up Delegate Clarkson and the rest of Mr. Harling’s staff. Do we have confirmation of Harling himself?”
“Negative, negative. By the looks of it, our partycrashers are going to the Mu embassy—you don’t think Mugei arranged for something with his government, do you?”
“Let’s avoid speculation for now, Major. Basilisk, can we extract the rest of the diplomatic staff from the secondary extraction zone?”
“Sky Keeper, that’s a positive. We can bring them to the outskirts of Eshirant where their sensors are weaker and call for a chopper to bring them out.”
“Alright. Figure out amongst yourselves who’s going to extract the embassy staff and who’s tailing Harling, but be quick—we can’t exactly stay here forever…”
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Heinrich frowned. “Odd. We should have seen at least a few patrols pass through this road—either Parpaldia’s got something up its sleeve, or your people might already be aware of your whereabouts.”
“Couldn’t your people have contacted us beforehand?”
The spy shook his head. “We didn’t have the means to immediately notify your government of our plans; for all intents and purposes, this operation serves as the unofficial first contact between Osea and Gra Valkas. Besides, we weren’t sure that you’d agree—”
A burst of static came from Heinrich’s handheld radio, and the operative tilted his head to listen to the information being broadcasted.
“Apologies, Ambassador, but the Osean Embassy was apparently stormed by the Parpaldians right after our attack. Parp comms suggest there wasn’t anyone inside, though.”
Harling’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “They must have left right after the news broke out. You wouldn’t have seen any other Oseans when you came to visit me?”
“We saw quite a few when we were heading along this way earlier—it seems your countrymen’s plans were rather fortuitous when it came to timing.”
“So…what would your secondary plan be? Look for some Oseans and drop me off with them?”
The operative shook his head. “Under the current circumstances, it would only draw more attention to Gra Valkas if our presence was revealed here in Eshirant. We’ll drop you off with the Muans, who should hopefully be able to hand you over to Osea without incident.”
“And if Mu gets dragged into the conflict because of your actions?”
“A war between Mu and Parpaldia would draw attention away from Gra Valkas—the Hawks in our government call for conquest, and the less eyes focused on us, the better.”
“Gra Valkas asks us for peace and yet prepares for war with its own neighbours?”
Heinrich sighed. “Like I said, Gra Valkas stands at a crossroads, and the two paths head off in opposite directions: one towards a world where we stand against all of Elysia itself in war, and one where we stand with Osea as nations of honour and civility. Perhaps you now see the Empire’s current predicament, and why we’ve come here to speak to you…”
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After several tense minutes, the carriage finally drew to a halt as the Gra Valkan spy and the ambassador arrived at the front of the Muan Embassy. Harling cleared his throat and began to shift on his seat.
“Well, I believe this is my stop—”
“A moment before you leave, Ambassador.”
“Oh?”
Reaching into his coat, Heinrich pulled out a brown folder that was visibly stuffed with documents. “Diplomatic materials from Gra Valkas, for your people. Basic geographic data, general information about ourselves, and, if I remember correctly, a formal invitation to Lars Filmyna for an official meeting between our diplomats and yours.”
Harling nodded, carefully taking the folder and its contents from the spy. “I will bring this up with my superiors.”
“Thank you. Again, Gra Valkas would be grateful if your nation gave us the consideration that Paganda and Leifor never bothered with, and my people look forward to meeting you in an official capacity.”
“And what about you?”
“We have our ways of getting out of Parpaldia. If the gods allow it, perhaps we might even meet again in another place and time.”
“In another Elysian state with delusions of grandeur, I presume?”
Heinrich smirked in amusement. “Hopefully not, Mr. Harling—if my superiors’ reckoning is correct, Parpaldia might just be the last local civilization to underestimate your nation’s capabilities. Well, apart from some of my own fellow countrymen—but that would probably be for your people to deal with when the time comes, perhaps?”
“Perhaps. Safe journeys, Captain.”
Pulling away into the thoroughfare, Henrich looked back to the entrance to the Muan embassy, where Harling was still watching the carriage slowly trundle down the street; with a grin, the spy stretched out his hand in a typical Gra Valkan gesture of farewell.
“Think kindly of us, Ambassador, from one transferred nation to another!”
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“All callsigns, be advised—we’ve just received a radio transmission from the Muan Embassy! Ambassador Harling was extracted by the unknowns to their offices, but Parpaldian ground forces now are closing in on the facility; no prizes for guessing what they want from them. Operation Lighthouse Keeper is a go—I repeat, Operation Lighthouse Keeper is a go!”
“Shit—Trigger, that’s our cue! Sky Keeper, give us our targets!”
“Mage Squadron, you’ve been tasked with striking Eshirant’s coastal defences. Golem, move for the military installations further into the city—this should delay the Parpaldian reinforcements and buy our teams more time. You’re cleared to engage; get moving!”
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“Metal wyverns over on the horizon! Sound the alarm!”
Watching from the pier, Lieutenant General Mayga observed in astonishment as six metal crafts soared over the waters at breakneck speeds towards the docks. “Men, get your defences ready! They’re coming for the Ambassador—show them that dishonourable deeds against Parpaldia will not be tolerated!”
“General, they’re launching their guided arrows! Look out!”
With a series of thunderous booms, a dozen towers, cannons, and fortifications disintegrated into fireballs before the general’s eyes—even as Mayga leapt for cover, the six constructs shot right above him, narrowly avoiding instant decapitation even as the sky visibly warped into clouds around their surfaces. Arcing upwards and soaring up into the sky in clear formation, the planes’ rears spat out puffs of smoke and glowing balls of orange light in rapid succession, signalling the arrival of the Osean Federation to all of the mighty Parpaldian Empire.
A sharp buzzing noise drew Mayga’s attention as three metal transports with rapidly rotating wings hovered above the ruins of Eshirant’s coastal defences, their noses pointing downwards as they slowly floated towards the Foreign Legations—where Osea’s embassy was located, the general realised.
“By the gods, they’ve actually attacked Eshirant! Bring me my carriage—I need to get to the Defense Base at once!”
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“Ambassador Mugei! We know you are harbouring a fugitive of the Parpaldia Empire—release Ambassador Harling to us, or we will open fire on the Embassy!”
“Damn it, they already know I’m here!” Harling whirled to his counterpart. “Mugei, we need to buy some more time before the rescue team arrives!”
“I know, damn it!” Mugei growled in frustration, “Harling, why did you have to drag my nation into this?!”
“Where else do you expect me to go? The Osean embassy’s burning as we speak, and it’s not like there’s anywhere else that my people will expect me to be if not in Parpaldian custody!”
“Alright, nevermind! Get back inside and see if you can contact your people from the radio room—ask them for help or something! I’ll talk to the Parpaldians—go, go!”
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Nodding to his guards, Mugei reached for the doors to the balcony overlooking the main entrance to the Muan consulate—opening them revealed two lines of musket infantry and several cannons positioned before the gates. Frowning at the sight, the ambassador walked to the handrails and addressed the Parpaldian forces:
“I am Ambassador Mugei of the nation of Mu! To whom am I speaking to?”
The line of soldiers swiftly opened, revealing a singular officer with balding hair and an orange beard. The man stepped forward, his eyes looking up to the ambassador on the balcony as the formation closed behind him.
“Ambassador Mugei, I am Lieutenant Lee Jacques of the Parpaldia Imperial Army. Under the orders of the government of the Parpaldia Empire, with the blessing of Emperor Ludius, we compel you to release the individual known as the so-called Ambassador, Vincent Harling, to our custody at once! Failure to do so will be considered a violation of diplomatic protocol between our nations and will be responded to with force!”
Mugei’s eyes narrowed in anger. “You, soldiers of the Parpaldia Empire, dare threaten the consulate of the nation of Mu? Risk drawing the wrath of a fellow superpower in search of a man who invokes the ancient tradition of refuge?”
“Ambassador Harling and his fellow Oseans spit on the very same traditions they now rely upon as he hides among you, Ambassador Mugei! Do not let their lies and hypocritical falsehoods twist your own perceptions of our righteous actions!”
“Your so-called ‘righteous actions’ have been the very source of this whole madness from the start! Tell Lady Remille that if she wants her Ambassador, she can come and talk to me herself!”
The Parpaldian captain glanced uncomfortably back at his men, before turning to face Mugei. “Ambassador, we are under the direct command of Lady Remille. Her orders are unconditional and cannot be negotiated: return Harling to us, or the Empire will consider Mu to be a co-conspirator with the Osean Federation and treat every citizen and official within its borders with the same consideration. Will you comply with us or not?”
Mugei narrowed his eyes in anger, clearly recognizing the decreasing patience on the officer’s expression yet determined to buy more time for his people. “Very well. Will you allow me to consult my—”
A deafening boom sent shudders across the street as the roar of Osean jets signalled the arrival of Harling’s rescuers; the shockwaves of a fighter soaring right above the embassy in subsonic speeds buffeted Parpaldians and Muans alike with gusts of wind that sent hats flying and knocked down even a few guards from the sheer blast. Recognising the rapidly developing situation was no longer in his favor, Lee Jacques whirled towards his men.
“They’re going to hand Harling over to the Oseans! Open fire on that man!”
The Muan ambassador found himself being grabbed and hastily dragged into cover by his guards as a sharp blast of musket and cannon fire shattered brick and glass and sent the entire front facade of the consulate tumbling down onto the ground. Even as the Muan soldiers present began to return fire at the intruders, Mugei could hear the angry shouts of the Parpaldian officer below as the screams of the injured and dying echoed amidst the smoke and rubble throughout the courtyard.
“Glory to Parpaldia! Bring me Mugei and Harling, and execute everyone else you find! Move, men, move!”
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“Basilisk Team here—we’ve linked up with the Muan Embassy from the rear entrance, but we’ve got another Parpaldian patrol hot on our heels! Sea Goblin, how long until you arrive?”
“Stand by, Basilisk Team; ETA is one minute. Do you have Mr. Harling himself?”
“Affirmative, we’ve reached Mr. Harling! We’re ready for extraction, but we’re going to help the Muans defend their consulate from the Parpaldians until you arrive. Sorry, hang on—”
A verbal argument broke out amidst the static, between Basilisk Actual and another individual in the background. Sea Goblin Actual frowned, listening in anticipation for whatever development was clearly taking place—a minute passed before the Osean operative spoke into the radio once more.
“Sea Goblin, Sky Keeper, be advised: Ambassador Harling apparently won’t agree to be airlifted out of Eshirant until the Muans themselves are also safely evacuated. What are our orders?”
“What?! Does Harling seriously expect us to wait until Mu picks up every one of their citizens in the continent?”
“Negative, Sea Goblin. Mu apparently ordered a full evacuation of its citizens from Parpaldia, so most if not all of its citizens are currently sheltering here in the consulate or attempting to board Muan vessels along the docks—if we can get them, Mugei, and his staff onto their ships, Harling will agree to be extracted from Eshirant.”
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Sky Keeper gave a disgruntled sigh. “Copy that, Sea Goblin. Can you use your choppers to ferry the people in the consulate to the docks?”
“We’ll have to be economical with our resources—we don’t exactly have a lot of fuel, and we’ll be defenceless without Mage and Golem Squadrons if we run out of ammunition.”
“But can you do it?”
“…yes, Sky Keeper, we can do it.”
“Damn it. All right, we’ll make another change to our plans—Sea Goblin, get going before more reinforcements arrive!”
“Copy; we’re arriving at the embassy shortly—crap! Basilisk Team, are you seeing this?!”
“We’re literally in the middle of it, Sea Goblin! Get down here now—we’re barely holding on here, and the Parpaldians might just charge our position if the Muans take any more casualties!”
Looking down in horror at the carnage below, Sea Goblin Actual hastily reached for the radio once more. “Sky Keeper, the embassy’s under heavy siege by Parpaldian infantry and light artillery units. Basilisk Team’s at risk of being overrun without air support!”
“Copy, Sea Goblin. Do you want Mage Squadron to provide CAS?”
“Negative, negative! The Parpaldians are too close to the embassy itself for even danger close—we’re going to use our choppers to provide fire support before touching down!”
“All right, Sea Goblin, but let us know if you change your mind, out!”
Sea Goblin Actual turned to the helicopter crew. “Roach, use those MGs to suppress the Parpaldians! Pilot, get us into range for close air support!”
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An unholy roar burst through the din of musket and rifle fire as Mugei saw the machine guns on the Osean transport’s sides burst into life—flames erupted from the rapidly rotating muzzles as hundreds of rounds ripped through the Parpaldian soldiers surrounding the embassy in a matter of seconds. The effect on the surviving would-be besiegers was almost instantaneous: most of the Parpaldians broke formation and scattered, either seeking cover or fleeing in terror from their newly-arrived assailants.
Mugei turned to a nearby officer. “Captain Anderas, how many casualties do we have?”
“Three critically injured, ten wounded—a few of the civilians were also hurt in the fighting, but none have died yet. The Oseans are currently providing medical assistance where they can, but they’ve also got their own men to deal with at the moment.”
“Alright. Get the civilians and wounded on the transports first, then the diplomatic staff and your own men. Where’s Harling?”
The captain frowned. “He’s downstairs in the radio room, coordinating with the Osean forces providing air support for us. Shouldn’t we also commit our own local assets along with the Oseans in our evacuation efforts, Ambassador?”
Realising the logic of Anderas’s suggestion, Mugei nodded in approval. “Good point. Stay here and send someone to inform me when the next wave of Parpaldians come in.”
“Yes, sir!”
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“This is Ambassador Vincent Harling to the Osean birds above the Embassy, do you hear me?”
Brownie gasped. “Mr. Harling?!”
Sky Keeper was similarly awed even as he quickly responded. “Ambassador Harling, this is the AWACS Sky Keeper. What are you doing on this channel?”
“One of the members of Sea Goblin handed me this radio to communicate with you. Listen, Ambassador Mugei has offered the services of a Muan battleship currently anchored on the docks—Parpaldia’s opening fire on every Muan they can find in Eshirant for harbouring me in this embassy, and they would appreciate your assistance in helping them in return for them helping us.”
“Copy, stand by while I contact HQ…stand by…stand by…stand by…alright, we got approval from Bright Hill itself. Does Mu have encrypted radio communications?”
“Errrr…negative, but Ambassador Mugei’s reassured me that even Parpaldian comms shouldn’t be able to intercept our radio frequencies.”
Clown sighed. “Parpaldia’s magic isn’t something we’re all too familiar with, Sky Keeper. There’s a chance that they might be able to intercept whatever actions we take if they listen in while we talk with the Muans.”
“It’s a risk we’re going to have to take, Mage One. Ambassador Harling, tell the Muans to switch to the frequencies I’m sending over to Sea Goblin’s terminal—I’ll coordinate with their forces on where they’re needed.”
“Affirmative, Sky Keeper. Oh, and Ambassador Mugei would like to extend his thanks for your cooperation.”
“Just doing our job here, Mr. Harling. Mage, splash that patrol along the western avenue before it links up with the besiegers!”
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“Osean aircraft! This is Captain Fraser of the Muan La Kasami-class battleship Ramayana—we’re currently assisting in the evacuation of our people from Eshirant, but we’re ready to provide fire and anti-air support to your men while Ambassadors Harling and Mugei clear the embassy! Just tell us if you need anything, alright?”
“Copy, Ramayana. This is the AWACS Sky Keeper, in charge of the IUN peacekeeping air forces in Eshirant; we’ve got wyverns incoming from the Naval Headquarters that pose a threat to our transports—can you shoot them down before they reach the Osean and Muan embassies?”
“Already on it! We’ll hold them off, don’t you worry about it!”
Sky Keeper quickly reached for his console, switching to another frequency. “Golem Squadron, we need CAS on the wyvern runways and hangars in the Naval Headquarters—if we can disable their air capabilities, our choppers should be relatively unimpeded in their evacuation efforts.”
“Roger, on it. Ready your AGMs and UGBs, folks—let’s bring this party to an end!”
A stream of missiles and explosives detonated throughout the facility, sending magic-enhanced fireballs billowing into the afternoon sky—the screams of wyverns and dying Parpaldians were deafened by the roar of jets shooting past the burning wreckage. Watching the targets disappear from the display, Sky Keeper nodded in approval.
“Good effect on target, Golem. Mage, how’s the capital looking?”
“Trigger’s making quick work of whatever wyverns manage to escape both Golem and the Muans’ line of fire,” Clown responded. “I’m seeing some Parpaldian naval vessels approaching from the east, though—”
“Leave that to us, Sky Keeper! Our cannons should make quick work of whatever boats approach us—keep shooting at whatever’s marching on Mugei, will you?”
The crackle of the Muan battleship’s guns echoed throughout the capital as their shots found their mark; each Parpaldian ship that dared approach the docks cracked and burst into flames as their hulls split in half, even the mighty ships-of-the-line proving to be no match to the metallic might of Mu’s vessels.
“Good hits, Ramayana. Sea Goblin, how’s the evacuation looking?”
“We’ve ferried over half of the Muan civilians to the docks—we’re also getting contacts from the Parpaldians in the docks itself. Looks like they’re aware of the evacuation—they’re going to start targeting the Ramayana itself shortly!”
“Mage, redirect your efforts to the docks and strike any patrols you see headed towards the Ramayana. Remember to avoid damaging non-military infrastructure—we’re looking to avoid civilian casualties, do you hear?”
“Trigger, look out!”
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A singular creature, greater and swifter than anything the Parpaldian Empire had seen before, swiped hard against the Osean craft—the claws of the beast scraped hard against the surface and sent fragments of its stabilisers flying, as rider and beast soared past like a knight in a joust finding its mark. With a grin, Dragon Knight Reckermeyer glanced back at his prey in glee.
“That’s one Osean out of action! Did you see that, boss?!”
“Brilliant work, Reckermeyer; that barbarian never saw you coming! Do you see that, men of Parpaldia? These Oseans can be hurt and brought down, just like any other savage brute from beyond the realm of our beloved civilization!”
The dragon knights cheered, enthusiasm and an eager desire for retribution flowing through their veins. Their trip from the north had been long and desperate as the reports of the carnage in Eshirant flooded in, but they had finally arrived to avenge the fallen: forty-five of the finest wyverns, with five of the most powerful creatures ever to have graced Elysia since the fall of the Ravernals taking the lead. Their wings outstretched, the beasts swooped down from the sky, their passengers whooping in bloodthirsty anticipation as they swiftly descended upon the harbour and the numerous troublemakers disgracing the capital of Parpaldia with their presence.
“All units, move in to engage these traitorous Muans and their Osean lackeys! For Parpaldia, and for our boys in Altaras!”
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“Multiple contacts inbound! Move to engage before they strike our ground forces!”
“Crap, that creature managed to slash Mage Two! Trigger, are you alright?”
Clown stared in abject horror at his wingman’s vertical stabilisers—three ugly scratches had all but shredded the emblem proudly displayed on the structure, yet the rookie’s F-16 still flew as if seemingly unimpeded by the near mid-air collision, even as it arced around and began spewing missiles and gunfire at its foes.
“Three strikes on him and yet he’s still up and about! How the hell did Trigger survive that?!”
“Mage Two, get out of there!”
Knocker growled. “Sky Keeper, what the hell is that?! That thing’s definitely a lot bigger than the regular wyverns we’ve dealt with!”
“Be advised: it’s a Wyvern Overlord! That’s one of Parpaldia’s fastest air units—it must have deployed from another facility that we didn’t hit—”
“If we don’t take that thing out, it might pose a threat to Sea Goblin’s choppers! Mage, shoot it down!”
“This is Ramayana to Sky Keeper—we’ve got wyverns from the west heading towards us, and our guns can’t swat them all from the sky! We need some help here!”
“Don’t worry about that! This is Captain Rubiso, currently inbound with the 23rd Mu Air Squadron—we deployed from our airfield in Altaras as soon as we heard what was happening! We’ll cover the Ramayana, Osean fighters; go take out those Overlords!”
“Copy that, Captain! Golem, Mage, reposition to cover the Muans and take out the Parpaldian wyverns. Mage Two, move out as soon as possible—”
“Trigger, what the hell are you doing?! Disengage from that Overlord!”
“Mage Two’s going at it! Mage Two, Fox Two!”
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Reckmeyer watched from the skies above Eshirant in abject frustration as Mu’s Marin fighters swept into battle, the remarkable biplanes zipping back and forth across the sky as the regular Parpaldian wyverns struggled to keep up. Unable to strike either the front or rear without getting caught by the fighters’ machine gun fire, the beasts were forced to move in from either above or below or coordinate with the bulkier Overlords in engaging the Muans—compounded with the anti-air fire from the Muan battleship and the rapidly approaching metal wyverns from Osea, the situation was not exactly panning out as the Parpaldian knights had envisioned.
“I’m hit, I’m hit! My wyvern’s dead, bailing out!”
“Watch out for that Marin fighter on your six! He’s got you in his sights!”
“They’re shooting guided arrows at us! We just lost five men to a salvo of those—”
“That Osean craft’s going faster than even my Overlord can keep up! Damn it, there’s another one behind me—”
“All units,” Delius bellowed, “regroup and reform attack formations! These Marin fighters are going to tear us apart if we get split up! Reckermeyer, on your six—”
A whizz of gunfire gave Reckermeyer only seconds to react as another metal craft shot past at breakneck speeds—the very same craft his Overlord had managed to strike, which now began for some unknown reason to turn back towards him. Leaning forward as he narrowly avoided instant decapitation and gestured for his beast to move faster, the knight smirked and shot forward as the creature stretched its arms to swipe at the offending craft once more. These were the Wyvern Overlords, the finest of Parpaldia’s wyvern fleet ever to be created in the past few centuries—
—wait, how the hell did that craft manage to go so fast?!
The metal wyvern spat gunfire as it released a guided arrow from its hold—
Reckermeyer’s eyes widened as he swerved out of the projectiles’ paths at the last second, narrowly dodging the explosion behind him—
—no, no no—
The Overlord roared in agony, a limb and a significant chunk of its left wing cleanly bisected at subsonic speed even as it writhed in flames—
Reckermeyer winced as he struggled to regain control of his beast, his prey-turned-hunter ignored for the briefest of moments as wyvern and rider slowly came into a controlled descent—
A rapidly roaring noise drew the dragon knight’s attention; the Parpaldian turned to his right as the metallic wyvern bore down upon his flank—an eldritch, curvilinear vehicle with a glistening cover and a pointed nose, a round glass canopy revealed its passenger: a singular individual with a helmet that obscured his face as he glanced back at Reckermeyer. Raising his left hand to reveal a singular finger extended towards the rider and his beast, the Osean yanked back on his craft as it turned upwards and rapidly cut its speed, manoeuvring to the rear of the Wyvern Overlord in a matter of seconds—
—that thing’s going to—
The guided arrow found its mark and slammed right into the Overlord’s chest, detonating with a force that exceeded even the most powerful magic-enhanced cannonballs Reckermeyer had ever experienced. Even as the knight seemed to be frozen in the air amidst the sky-splitting speeds he was travelling in, the Parpaldian found himself pushed forward as the mighty beast burst apart, the chemical reactions within the grisly remains causing the creature to ignite in an eerie, green cataclysm of fire.
Reckermeyer’s mind went blank as the sounds of war and battle disappeared into the faint periphery; his fingers found themselves reaching for his chute even as his vision rapidly alternated between the sky and the water—
His chute opened, and a sharp rush of pain on his chest brought the knight back to reality as he gasped for air. His eyes wandered across the sky as the burning remains of Parpaldia’s wyverns fell into the sea, before he himself splashed into the cold waters of Eshirant’s harbour. Even as he struggled to remain afloat, his eyes could spot the singular craft he had managed to strike, bringing down his wingmen with ruthless efficiency in the span of a few seconds—almost as if his actions had amounted to nothing, Reckermeyer realised.
“Delius! Is anyone still alive? Can anyone hear me?”
Several of what Reckmeyer suspected were the Oseans’ transports flew overhead towards the Muan battleship as the last of Eshirant’s wyverns fell from the sky—six metal wyverns and a dozen Marin fighters on their flanks shot right above, victorious against all odds in their audacious act of insubordination against the might of the Parpaldia Empire. With no chance of rescue from the Navy, the knight slowly and wearily began what would ultimately be a cold swim back to shore.
Defeat, Reckmeyer realised for the first time in his life, was a very bitter pill to swallow.
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“Mission complete! Parpaldian air assets are retreating or no factor, and both Sea Goblin and the Ramayana are making their way out of the AO as we speak. Well done, everyone—this couldn’t have gone any better, even with everything else that happened. RTB at your leisure.”
The comms burst into cheers, both Muan and Osean, as the exhausted men and women heading out of Eshirant celebrated the chaotic yet ultimately opportune turn of events that had brought each and every one of them to the battlefield. Yet even amidst the revelry, Clown glanced uncertainly at his wingman as his F-16 moved once more into formation.
“Trigger, are you alright there? Those are some pretty-ugly looking scars on your vertical stabilisers—now that I think about it, how are you still airborne?”
“Sheer determination, by the looks of it,” Knocker drily supposited, grinning even as he turned to Trigger. “That’s going to be the stuff of legends back at home, Mage Two—the ace that got scratched by a wyvern with three strikes and lived to tell the tale. Make sure you land back on the carrier in one piece first, do you hear?”
From his cockpit, the young nugget gestured back at Golem One’s plane—a thumbs up of acknowledgment, by the looks of it.
“Sky Keeper, isn’t Osea going to retaliate at Parpaldia for this? Even by Elysian standards, kidnapping and nearly killing someone as well-recognized like Harling is pretty much an incredibly low blow—”
Sky Keeper’s voice was audibly grim, even as he smirked in response to Clown’s query. “HQ’s way ahead of you, Brownie. They’re deploying their best pilot from the Vulture as we speak, for some kind of retribution strike on Eshirant itself—let’s just say tonight might be far more eventful than the Parpaldians might have already anticipated…”
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Message to Lars Filmyna — November 30, 2019
VICTORY STOP DOVE RESCUE AND DIP MATERIALS GIVE TO OSEA STOP MU BUSY WITH PARPAL STOP GVE CLEAR TO CON SOLID POS CONTINENT STOP EVAC ESHR WITHIN HR STOP
AWAIT FTHR ORDERS STOP
GLORY TO GVE
HNR
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Osean Broadcasting Corporation — November 30, 2019
Ambassador Harling returned to Oured today following a dramatic rescue operation in the Parpaldia Empire involving a coalition of Muan and Osean forces under the IUN banner. In a shocking development, the former President was able to escape his Parpaldian captors and ultimately sought refuge in Mu’s consulate in Eshirant—in another violation of international law, the Parpaldian government deployed troops to assault both the Osean and Muan embassies in search of Harling, forcing both governments to work together in order to safely evacuate their respective citizens and diplomatic staff from the capital.
A combination of Muan naval assets and Osean air units directly engaged the Parpaldian Army and Wyvern Air Force throughout Eshirant, dealing major damage to the city’s defences and military installations while a special forces unit ferried Ambassadors Harling and Mugei to safety. Over two hundred Muan citizens were also evacuated by the impromptu coalition in the process, and will be brought to the Kingdom of Altaras where air transport back to Mu has already been arranged.
In a public statement, Muan Prime Minister Sinclair publicly condemned the actions of Parpaldia and confirmed that his nation would be joining the new IUN peacekeeping mission against the so-called superpower if it did not comply with the Assembly of Nations’s resolution prior to the Battle of Le Brias and cease hostilities with Mu, the Kingdom of Altaras, and the Osean Federation:
“The actions of the Parpaldia Empire in response to Le Brias may or may not have been legitimate or justified, but their hostile manoeuvres towards our people in Eshirant were in no way acceptable, nor were they even in compliance with the very same traditions they themselves have held for the past three centuries. Our sympathies may have been with the Empire for their unfortunate losses in Altaras, but our gratitude now lies with the Osean Federation for their own painstaking efforts to help us even as Eshirant dragged our country into the crossfire!”
In Oured, Ambassador Harling was greeted by millions of people as his motorcade made its way from the International Airport to Bright Hill, where he was received by President Bartlett and General-Secretary Kanata in a special ceremony; Ambassador Mugei is expected to visit the Osean Federation in a later date, once the last refugees from Eshirant are safely returned to Otatheit. In a surprising announcement, Ambassador Harling also confirmed in a public statement that he would be attending the upcoming Great Eastern Countries Conference on behalf of Osea—the ambassador brushed off claims of ignoring medical advice for him to rest even after surviving the most significant international crisis since the Circum-Pacific War:
“The situation in Eshirant demonstrates the magnitude of the task laid before us—even with the presence of foreign aggressors determined to demonstrate and establish their superiority, our mission remains the same: to establish peace and security throughout Elysia, to dispose of the concepts of subjugation and conquest, and to instead establish and promote the peaceful coexistence of cultures and nations so as to ensure that the horrors of total war cannot be repeated or attempted again.
Our hard work cannot and will not be delayed by the actions of those who would see the old order upheld at the cost of countless lives—”
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Bright Hill, Oured, Osean Federation — November 29, 2019
“Vincent! Are you alright—”
“Jack, listen. We need information about the Gra Valkas Empire, and fast. Those men that brought me to the Muan Embassy? They weren’t Muan, and they certainly weren’t Osean—”
Bartlett blinked. “You…you’ve literally just come back from being kidnapped, and already you want to get back into the action?”
“The situation’s already escalated beyond what we were expecting, and it might just get out of our control if we don’t react quickly, Jack. What do we have on the diplomatic front?”
Suppressing the urge to throw his hands up in frustration (especially with several cameras from the press trained upon him and his predecessor), the President chose to simply shoot the Ambassador a dirty look as the two began to walk back towards the Blue House. “Damned workaholic…”
“Well?”
“Damn it! Fine, several nations of the Third Civilized Region will be holding a special summit called the Great Eastern Countries Conference—none of the superpowers ever show up for various reasons, so it would probably be a good idea to send someone as an observer to shake hands and see what’s going on there. Might win us a few extra good points with the locals for bothering, too.”
“Will General-Secretary Kanata be there?”
“He’ll probably show up along with the new Prime Minister of Qua-Toyne—there’s word that a few of the Conference members might be planning on making a few new proposals for the Assembly regarding the Third Civilisation Area. That reminds me: he’s also arranged for a special meeting in Bana City once you head over there tomorrow—a couple of words about your time in Parpaldia might be in order.”
“All right, I’ll send word to Clarkson once he arrives to get things prepared.”
“And another thing: a couple of representatives in the Assembly want to know what exactly we’re planning to do regarding the new coalition. Some people seem to be concerned that we might demand that they give some of their soldiers to us as a tithe of some sort for the war effort, or something like that.”
“Standard Elysian practice from the other superpowers, I presume?”
“Leifor apparently did something similar back in the day for their campaigns, from what I’ve been told. I reassured them that it’ll be entirely voluntary and not strictly military, but I think you might be able to convince them more thoroughly than I did.”
“Fair enough; I’ll talk to the delegates after addressing the Assembly.”
“Good. Now, about Gra Valkas—I’ll have a word with Mugei once he arrives in Oured, and Nagase will probably get orders to move the Pilgrim Two to the Second Civilisation Area for reconnaissance by this evening. Edwards already told the OIA to keep an eye out for more infiltrators, just so we don’t get a repeat of whatever the hell happened in Eshirant. Oh, and if you’re so keen on getting another assignment, there’s a few more things happening in the near future as well.”
“What, the postwar plan and the peace negotiations?”
Bartlett shook his head. “Apart from that. There’s rumblings from the Milishials about Parpaldia’s position as a superpower after their little stunt—the conflict between the Empire and us might end up with Osea taking their title if we can end the war in our favour. Ever heard of the Eleven Country Leadership Conference?”
The ambassador’s eyes widened in surprise. “How—”
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Eshirant, Parpaldia Empire — November 29, 2019
“—exactly could this happen?! Harling himself was in our grasp, and you simply let him get away?!”
The entire room wilted under the furious gaze of Emperor Ludius, the young man glaring at the diplomats and military officers assembled before him. Seeing as no one dared answer his commands, the emperor turned to Kaios and his fellow staff.
“Director Kaios, you were the ambassador to Osea prior to the incident that led us to our current situation. Why were you unsuccessful in persuading the Oseans to comply with our demands?”
Sighing, the director replied, “The representative on Osea’s behalf appeared to be hamstrung by numerous technical and logistical difficulties between his part and his superiors, all the way up to the point when their spies came to rescue them and Harling; even then, they were rather unwilling to agree with what they considered to be ‘unreasonable’ demands—”
Groans and disdainful murmurs echoed across the room. Ludius raised his hand to silence the noise, before turning back to face Kaios.
“Why wasn’t Harling brought up to the embassy? Why did neither you nor Lady Remile opt to publicly execute him as an example?”
Remile shifted uneasily in her seat, shooting Kaios a fiery glare. “Director Kaios was…rather insistent on waiting until the last moment possible for Ambassador Harling’s execution; I believe he was concerned about how Osea would respond to such an action.”
“I was part of the diplomatic mission sent to gauge Osea’s technological and military capabilities shortly after the Muans and Milishials visited Selatapura—based on the information I gathered, and I have the backing of Director Vindus and Supreme Commander Arde on this, the loss of a figurehead such as Harling would have resulted in a cataclysmic response on Osea’s part. Hardly the capitulation that a standard non-civilised nation would have done, and definitely borderline disastrous for the Parpaldian Empire in the long run.”
Ludius raised an eyebrow. “So you knew something like this would have happened?”
“I was aware of what the scale of Osea’s response could have been if their ambassador was to be hurt in any way. However, Lady Remile herself remained confident over my objections that they wouldn’t dare risk the life of their emissary in a blatant attack on our capital—”
“Well, how was I to know they were idiotic enough to actually try?!”
“Their reputation precedes them, Remile! In every scenario in the Third Civilised Region where a nation was threatened by a hegemonic power, Osea always responded with force! Every nation not under the thrall of our Empire now looks to their glorified alliance thanks to every single one of their interventions—why else did you think we tried to join them like Mu and the Milishials up until you authorised the invasion of Altaras?!”
“Well, it should have been us that they looked up to, not them!”
“And clearly, they’re not! When are you going to get it into your head that we are no longer the most powerful nation in the Third Civilised Region, you fool?! Do you not get it—we might actually lose in a war against the Osean Federation!”
Gasps and shouts of outrage broke out amongst the officers present. Mayga rose to his feet, fury in his eyes as he whirled to face Ludius. “You dare, Kaios?! Balderdash! Emperor, I beg you—execute this man for treason at once! How dare he suggest that our mighty forces would fall in an open war against these barbarians—”
“Well, look outside, Mayga! Look at what happened to the pirate fleet at Fenn! Look at what happened to the actual defences protecting this very palace from aerial assault—”
“They had Muan battleships and Marin fighters assisting them! They took us by surprise! Their capabilities are significant, I grant you, but hardly enough evidence has transpired before our very eyes to warrant us believing your report! What do you have to gain from your treasonous words and actions, Kaios? Let me guess—the Oseans paid you a generous sum to betray your country with your false words, eh?”
“Stand down, Mayga!” Supreme Commander Arde had similarly risen to his feet, glaring at the lieutenant general for his audacious claims. “I also contributed to the report Kaios mentions—would you dare accuse me of treason as well?”
“I submitted my report after my trip to the Osean Federation, which clearly indicated the technological capabilities of Osea and concluded that they significantly outmatched us in every military aspect—whether or not the people present in this room bothered to read it or even believed it is not within my area of responsibility,” Kaios cooly added. “And let’s not forget the very public broadcast the Milishials provided for all of Elysia when they visited Selatapura—Osea wasn’t exactly subtle in the past few months about what they were capable of doing to anyone they perceived to be a threat—”
“But the sheer scale of their abilities—not even the damn ASE could have even come close to matching their technology! Did you seriously expect us to take all that at face value?!”
“And doubt the truth in the Milishials’ words? If they suspected any kind of subterfuge on the Oseans’ end, we would have definitely heard about it ourselves! Listen to the eyewitness accounts from our own merchants and spies about the Lighthouse—if this was an illusion, then even their magical abilities far outpace the ancient terrors of old!”
“Regardless of whether or not the rumours of Osea’s military capabilities are true, we can still salvage the current situation,” Remille interjected, her words slow and measured as she leaned forward on the table, “as long as we can maintain our image amongst our peers—”
“And how exactly do you expect to do that?! We should have listened to what everyone from Otatheit to Runepolis was telling us and met the requirements Oured laid out for us to join their damned organisation in the first place! Not stick our heads into the sand and presume our past glories would give us a straight path to being treated with respect by our fellow peers—”
Mayga stepped forward in anger, seemingly moments away from grabbing Kaios by the lapels. “You would have us accede to the will of our barbarian neighbours?! Out of the question! What we should have done was conquer our neighbours faster and deny Osea a foothold on our realm in Elysia in the first place—not smile and be polite with our already generous offers like you air-headed diplomats did beforehand! Clearly, you’re not a traitor—you’re just a dim-witted fool!”
“Silence!”
His hand outstretched, Emperor Ludius’s command compelled the people present to return to their seats and simmer in silence.
“Clearly, we face an enemy whose abilities and powers far outpace our own—our approach has not only failed to produce a positive outcome but instead exacerbate the situation at hand. We now have two options—to either appease the Osean Federation and seek an outcome that minimises the loss to our Empire’s prestige in the international community, or to meet the Oseans in battle and endure the suffering that may follow for an agreement that ultimately benefits us. We will not survive this crisis unscathed, but we will survive regardless—and we will prosper!”
Ludius turned to the diplomatic staff present.
“Lady Remile, you are hereby instructed to begin negotiations with Mu and Osea for a settlement that favours us and returns our people in Altaras to us. If such an effort fails, we shall bring them back by force—Supreme Commander Arde, begin preparations at once for our defensive plans and punitive expeditions to Altaras and…what the name of the island to the west of the Osean mainland?”
“Sand Island, Your Excellency?”
“Sand Island? As bland as names go, but very well—Parpaldians intruding on their territory should make them think twice about doing the same to us. An adequate test to see how they would respond, as well.”
“Indeed, Your Excellency.”
“Mayga, your concerns are noted and will be addressed in private. In the meantime, begin preparations for a naval defence of Eshirant. If the Oseans are truly as powerful as Director Kaios claims, then we will need every soldier available to fend them off from our shores.”
The lieutenant general quickly nodded. “It will be done, Your Excellency.”
Calmly, Ludius spoke once more, addressing the entire room.
“Subjects, we stand against an enemy that has taken advantage of our own shortcomings and brought along their own deceptions to defy our will. Twice now have we been caught flat-footed by our own overconfidence—these missteps cannot, and will not, be repeated again! We face a struggle unlike any other, and what remains at stake for our Empire and our future could not be any higher—we will match their iron with our blood! We will match their magic with our weapons! We will match their gains with our sacrifices! We will bring our people home, we will avenge their honour, we will defend our homeland, and we will be acknowledged by Rodenius and all of Elysia as the superpower that we are once more!”
“Glory to the Parpaldia Empire! Glory to the—”
The doors to the meeting hall burst open, and a young aide scrambled through the entrance and faced the officials before him.
“Your Excellency, we need to evacuate this room!”
Remile rose up in surprise. “What?! Who dares intrude upon this meeting?”
“Sirs, my lady, Your Excellency, we’re under attack! We need to get into shelter—the Oseans are attacking Eshirant again!”
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A single aircraft shot amidst the clouds, basking amidst the moonlight as it reflected upon its white, black, and blue paint. Silhouetted by the celestial body, its shape was unlike any craft seen in Elysia and even rarely found in the world Osea left behind—its wings were jagged and its fins sharp to the touch as they jotted out of the darkened canopy where the cover of the cockpit would have normally been.
In the darkness of night, the wyverns of the mighty Parpaldia Empire rose up once more to face their foe—dozens upon dozens of wyverns, Wyvern Lords, and Wyvern Overlords alike outstretched their wings in a majestic display of valour. It would be their final moment of glory, a battle that brought the magnificence of the great empires of old against the technology of the distant future.
From below, a woman in flowing robes saw a glimpse of the metal wyvern itself as it turned across the sky to face the enemy—what was that emblem on its wings?
Its mouth opened, and the aircraft rained down blue fire upon the land.