Vitoria, Ahitereiria

August 16, 2526 XY

A woman lazily sat on a bed in a large messy room. The room itself was spacious, but currently, it was covered in bags, clothes, and other items. A middle-aged woman was sitting on a bed in a large spacious room. The room was monochromatic, and one could make out clean lines, everything was rectangular, smooth, and minimalistic. There were only a few pieces of additional decoration, chief among them was the large painting hung on the wall behind the bed. Large glass windows let in ample amounts of light that made the room look bright. The woman's belongings being strewn about the room did not help with its aesthetics, but the woman couldn't care less. She found the lack of colour and all the straight edges dull anyways. She was in the process of turning on her laptop. Within the few seconds that it took, she browsed through her phone. The internet was out, but luckily, she had a full year subscription of 'Kikona' that let her download her favourite songs in playlists. The nature of her work meant that she travelled a lot, so the app was a godsend. After scrolling for a quick second, she hovered her finger over a playlist titled 'Anger Management'. This particular playlist mostly contained songs from the early 2500s. The songs of this era were characterised by their focus on fast paced rhythmic beats accompanied by rhyming vocals, something that had always appealed to her. Tapping on it, she moved onto her laptop as music started to buzz on her earbuds. There, she made a few adjustments to her plan per certain delays. The sudden storm from the previous day had effectively locked her up in her room. Afterward, she quickly turned on the TV which blurred to life. A green-blue logo of a tiger appeared briefly, then came the buzzing static that signified a lack of connection. 'Bloody hell, they still have not gotten the satellite connections fixed?' she thought to herself. With a quick throw, the remote had hit the wall nearly making a crack in a window.

Emilia was not having a good day. Scratch that, she was having a terrible day. She had planned this vacation week, processing various diplomatic dealings and signing a hundred letters, notices, and other official documents just to make the time for it. It was already worse that the storm had forced her to stay in the hotel for two days! Now she could not watch the new episode of 'Grand Arena'. The Ahitereiria reality TV Show had piqued her interest when it started bringing in small actors to compete in a series of challenges. While the format was akin to many other reality shows, the relatability and chemistry between the permanent members set them apart. Aided by the games being specially chosen so that the cast has fun instead of having to act like they're having fun. With a groan, she cranked up the volume of her music. 'Might as well go out now,' she mused to herself. She looked out the window as she changed her clothes. The sky looked unusually clear. That was extremely unusual, it should be cloudy at this time of year. She did not complain however, the sun appeared smaller on the horizon. It was very early in the morning. She figured she could take a walk along the beach before checking out that famous Koresan restaurant she had read up on. With renewed optimism, she had made her way out of her room, down the elevator, and into the lobby wearing a hopeful smile. This smile had only lasted for numbered minutes. She was almost out the large rotating door of the lobby when two men approached her. They wore the dark aquamarine dress uniform of the High Alaxian Army. They had light burgundy shirts underneath their dress uniform that made them out to be Ahitereiran servicemen. They also wore the grey caps commonly associated with army intelligence and the military police corps.

Her smile was slowly replaced by a frown, this could mean only one thing. "Ma'am, are you Lord Minister Emilia Ceres?" One of them asks.

"That's me." She replies in a quick response.

The soldiers raised their arms in a quick salute, "Ma'am, your presence is requested back at base. We need you to come with us."

"Goodness sake," she mutters underneath, with an annoyed sigh she said, "Very well, lead the way."

Without a second word, they guided her to a waiting car. It was a small military truck. She had ridden in one before, they were not made for comfort. From what she had heard, they were modular and cheap to make. This one, it seemed, was refitted to be more spacious, perhaps meant for diplomatic missions. As the soldiers got on, she pulled out a can of Qu-Kola: Chan-Cha lime. So her day was ruined yet again, it was unlikely that she'd be done quickly. Whatever it is that they needed of her, it was dire. 'All for the union' she thought to herself as she nursed her drink. Its citrus taste was of little comfort to her. Emilia's mind drifted to her being called so abruptly. Her journey was a rather long one, and being a tourist to the city, she didn't know where they were going. Before long, the truck had stopped in front of a large building designed for utmost functionality and purpose. Yet that did not steal away from its grandeur. The structure stood tall and proud in the brick-red and green colours of old Ahitereira. Each floor appeared layered on top of each other. The illusion was formed by arches and floral patterns carved into the walls. The front gate had a carving of a large daphne with a giant plaque under it. On the plaque was carved in bold, 'Vitoria de Onortei'.

Ahead of her stood an old military installation that had a long history. Of course, she was gonna come here, why would it be any place else. As she checked in through security, she had to part ways with her drink, leaving her even sadder. She made her way through a series of doors and checkpoints, eventually ending up at the door of a small conference room. "Please Ma'am, the Lord High Consul is waiting," her guide told her as she entered. This filled her with trepidation, 'The Chief Secretary of Foreign Affairs requested to speak with her. What for?' She thought. The design of the room was not dissimilar to that of her hotel. Yet this place had some of the most modern techs the world had seen so far. As if to prove her point, a segment of the wall near the entrance of the room opened. She inched forward, anticipation at her heels. Behind her, the door shut with a loud thud. Paying no heed to it, she closed in on the wall. It revealed a small hole within which stood a really old looking telephone. After a moment of deliberation she picked it up.

"Hello? Lord High Consul? This is Emilia Caras speaking," she said, speaking into the receiver.

"Ah. Miss Clarke. Apologies for the sudden call up. As I understand, you were on vacation?" a soft voice spoke from the other side.

"N-Yes Ma'am. Just this week." she hesitated.

"Well love, I fear I must put a heavy burden on you. Tell me, how much do you know of the last few days?"

The Lord High Consul's casual tone irked Emilia, she could not place why. "I. What everyone knows I suppose. A storm. The flash. A rare meteorological phenomenon that messed with a lot of our technology."

"I'm afraid there's more to it. I'll have you fully briefed later. We have a new nation that... popped up. We need someone to lead a diplomatic mission to it." her ever-calm voice reassured Emilia. But it did not calm her down completely. She was taken aback.

"But.. surely there are a dozen other diplomats far more experienced for this role," she voiced her concern. Emilia would never have thought she'd be leading a diplomatic mission this early in her career.

After a moment of silence that had seemed like hours, the Lord High Consul spoke again "Listen... Emilia, most of our senior diplomats are... Indisposed. The rest are busy elsewhere. I am afraid you are the only reliable diplomat left in the Foreign Service experienced enough to pull this off."

So this was not as poorly thought out as Emilia first imagined. Yet the weight of it all seemed to gnaw at her. It'd mean a lot of responsibility. Especially since this would be the first diplomatic contact with this 'new nation'. The success of her delegation could very well shape the future of the union's policy with that nation. But then, she thought of the opportunities. This would mean alo-

"Emilia? Listen. It might not seem like it, but I take great interest in all my diplomats. And you have certainly been interesting. I doubt you want a recollection of your deeds here and now. So, despite the obvious grievances. I know you can do this. Now, do you accept?" the Consul's voice had interrupted her.

"I.." Emilia was lost. It was a simple enough question. The answer was a damn hard one. In a moment of impulse envigored by the Consul's words, she finally spoke "Yes. Yes, Ma'am. I accept."

"That's great! We'll have you flown to Esperiy soon. As I mentioned before, you'll be briefed en route. Oh and Emilia? The Union is relying on you."

Esperiy, Ahitereira

August 14, 2526 XY

The headquarters of the Liberal Party was anything but grand. The last decade saw them struggling to make ends meet within the party. Viktoria Brandst's disastrous run as the President saw to that. He cursed his predecessors for not knowing any better. However, deep down, he knew. The present situation of the party was not just any one man's fault. The entire party had elected to go into a coalition with the Red Bloq. Everyone was excited to finally be in Power. Well, be allied to the ones in power anyway. They, of course, didn't know how bad it was going to get. A financial crisis mishandled, multiple scandals and to top it off, an assassination attempt on the King! The gross mismanagement had forced the entire government to resign. Snap elections were called, and to no one's surprise, the Conservatives won. The Red Bloq took most of the fallout, but that didn't mean the Liberal Party was left unscathed. It had been 22 years since Çimon Valena's run as President. The Liberal Party had not ruled for two entire decades. All the while, he was leading them. He looked at a mirror in front of him. He could hardly recognise what looked back. Nothing remained of his youthful looks. Instead, his face was marked by a burn scar on the left of his face. They had offered surgery to fix it, but he had refused. 'It made me stronger as a person,' he reassured himself. He was lying to himself. It was a reminder of all he had given up for the Union and what it had given back in return. It took him years to build the connections necessary to even have any voice in the parliament. Now his party had the majority and all was assured. His party would finally return to power.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

It was not to be. That dog and his party somehow won the elections. Worse still, he was made the Premier. A cheap consolation prize, a backhanded attempt to mock him. Always standing two steps behind the man with all the power, all the love. Now they had given him emergency powers. What had he done to earn that? A cushy job of a noble? An easy term as the Kiavalari Prime Minister? No, he had done nothing to earn it. He looked back into the mirror, "I am Zalaşar Valena." he said to himself. He deserved better than where is. He fixed his suit, making sure everything was shaped properly. It was his duty to make sure the Union remained strong in these uncertain times. He would ensure it.

Footsteps echoed through the hallway he was standing, an aide walked towards him, "Sir, they are here." With a nod, he makes his way toward a room. As he stood at the doorway, he forced a smile on his face.

"Gentlemen, glad you could join us," he exclaimed. In front of him, sat a few government officials. He had picked them with great care, most were his party members. It made things easier if things went wrong. "I'm sure you're wondering what we are doing here..." he continued, shutting the door behind him.

In the same city, Gerard was sitting in his office, reading a report. On the other side of his desk sat the Chief Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Gerard had always admired her. To him, she had been a realist with a heart. And just like him, she wished to see the Union succeed in all its endeavours. To that end, she had served as one of the most decorated diplomats of her Era. Yet, her Peryziumite features shined through and a question began to form on Gerard's head. Meanwhile, the Secretary drank a cup of 'Jin! Co', which she enjoyed a lot. "Alright, do I have something on my face? Or are you just staring for the heck of it?" she asked with a sly smirk upon noticing his gaze.

This had taken him aback, "What? No," he managed to say. "No, I got lost in thought. That's all," he said with brisk confidence. "Say, Agrippa. Hypothetically speaking, if circumstances called for it. What would you pick? The Union or Peryzium?"

Agrippa nearly choked on her drink. She had not expected the question. After recovering, she started to laugh. It was a light laugh, charismatic and kind, the perfect tool for a diplomat. "You daft? I won't even speak about how that's a stupid question, to begin with. Making me choose between the two is like asking 'Would you rather only eat or drink.' It is silly and I refuse to answer such a question," she explained, still partly laughing. "Honestly, where's that come from?" She asked, somewhat seriously, her laughter dying down.

"I don't know, just a random thought," he said, defensively. "Nevermind that now, let's finish the report, I have work to do," he added. It's true enough, his duties had expanded quite a lot after Executive Order 66. But he, in turn, gave a great deal of authority to his cabinet ministers and certain agencies. This allowed for things to run faster, albeit with less precision than he would have liked.

"Wyvern-like creatures? Cities with Old Ceironian architecture? Teleported? You know how this sounds, right?" He asked, more to himself than her. The flying creatures reminded him of Oeleors found in northern Kiavalar, but the rest of it seemed so absurd. Yet, the answers were within the report file, with multiple pictures, sightings, etc.

She only offered a shrug, "That's what it looks like. RARI is dumbfounded apparently. Something with the stars being all wrong. I am afraid we are no longer in Oikia."

It was a lot to take in. They'd be suffering food shortages soon, not to mention the general chaos from such information. But first things first, "What about this nation? What are we currently doing and what do we know?"

"Intelligence has yet to gather anything concrete, they seem to be a civilisation still in the late Middle Ages. The defense minister ordered an expedition to be organised. They are preparing as we speak."

"Erik already ordered an expedition? That's good." Normally, such a thing would be impossible, downright unconstitutional. However, Gerard was pleased. He had chosen his cabinet well. They'd see this through, he was sure of it.

He stood up with renewed optimism, "I'll take a look at how things are going."

Agrippa raised an eyebrow, "Are you sure about that? You already have a lot to do. I'll talk to Erik and let you know of the progress. Not like I had anything better to do now. Besides, I had to deal with the diplomatic detail of the expedition anyways." She said, finishing her drink. Afterward, she got up to leave, "Besides, aren't you forgetting something?" She asked with a chuckle. Not waiting for a reply, she left the room.

"Forgetting something?" He muttered. Nothing came to his mind immediately. Then again, he hasn't been sleeping for a day. Evident by the heavy bags under his eyes. He looked around for his schedule, it was here somewhere. No such luck. "What cou-" he muttered again, stopped by a sudden realisation. 'Oh.' he thought to himself. How could he even forget that? Why didn't his aides remind him? He quickly buzzed them, he needed to move, right now. He had to speak to the King.

Jin-Hark, Rowlia

August 14, 1639 CY

The Royal Palace was large and menacing. A brutal structure, made of black stone and burnt bricks. Directly in front of the Palace was the Capital Square. A large plaza meant for gatherings and prestige. Now, it was filled to the brim with tents of soldiers. Such camps also existed outside the city; a great host had gathered in Jin-Hark. Something its king had spent years creating.

Hark Rowlia III was an ambitious man. He spent the better part of his life building up his military, scheming with foreign powers, and creating networks of spies within his neighbours. All for a single purpose. All that work would finally come into fruition. He took a deep breath as he sat in his council chambers. The dark room was only lit by a few torches emitting a blue hue. There was only one other man in the council room. A tall gangly figure, robed in yellow and purple. He foreign advisor and a useful puppet. He was kneeling in front of his king. Rowlia was enjoying an apple, taking his time. It seemed like he would ignore the advisor. So, the advisor spoke first "My King, preparations are nearly complete. We estimate another month of training and planning would be sufficient. Additionally, the supplies from Parpadia would also be here by them." the

'Good' Rowlia thought, all was going according to plan then. "Have you done as I had asked?"

"Yes, my king, our agent in Qua Toyne is at work as we speak. It is as you had predicted, while they would in all likeliness know we are coming, their army is disparagingly inferior to ours. Our ships, supplemented by those from Parpadia would also overwhelm any naval forces they have."

Rowlia stroked his beard. It was a bushy thing, combed well and tied in a knot. "Our holy purpose shall soon be fulfilled Garjan. Rodenius will soon be rid of all demihumans. Be sure that your effort in it will be rewarded greatly!" He yelled. "The path of the righteous will always be rewarded! The time has finally come. Call upon the War Council. It is time they know of my plans."

"Yes, my lord. I live to serve," he said, before getting up and leaving.

'Sheep, that one is. He'll soon outlive his purpose. Best to end him quietly afterward,' he thought. He made his way to the table in the centre of the room. It had a map of the continent on it. He moved a large wooden marker on a certain spot on the map, "Gim," he said out loud. It was the easiest point of attack. A city of a hundred thousand people, right on the border. It overlooked large tracts of farmland, ensuring ease of supply. Yet, it was also the most obvious. It would be well defended and taking it would take time. He wished to be done with this conflict as fast as possible. Overwhelming the enemy with numbers and speed was his key. So he would take a different approach. He would split his forces into three parts. The smallest one will slowly take Gim. The other two parts will move around into the Qua Toyne heartland. He places two smaller pieces accordingly. This would crush their spirits. To shatter it entirely, his navy would blockade and bombard Maihark.

If things go right, 'Of course things will go right. It is the will of the gods,' he thought to himself, by the end of the year, he would be king of Rodenius. He made his way out of the room and into a large balcony overlooking the Square. There, thousands of soldiers were lined up in extreme discipline. They were the very best his nation had to offer. They wore grey armour and carried long spears. Once they had noticed that their king was inspecting them, they started to slam the butt of their spears on the ground, creating a rhythmic sound that reverberated through the entire city.

"Hail to King Rowlia III, Lord of Shade and Twilight!" One of them spoke, a caption or a commander.

"Hail King Rowlia! Hail! Hail! Hail!" The rest of them followed, soon growing into a chant.