The Adler Empire was rapidly fading from its former glory. The once great power that once ruled the four corners of the world was now rotting from within. The vast lands to the north were defenseless against the barbarian attacks that threatened their borders. In the port cities of the south, epidemics raged, the people starved, and the nobles fled the city to live in luxury. As if all this were not enough, hostile kingdoms and empires were gathering forces to reclaim their lost territories.
Emperor Tiberius sighed deeply as he watched the capital from the large balcony of his palace. The sky was covered in gray clouds, just like the mood he was in. His once shoulder-length golden hair was now gray, and the vigor in his eyes had given way to a dull look. The heavy defeats he had suffered had left deep scars on his body and soul.
For a long time, a single thought had been gnawing at his mind: How could he save the Empire? The crises all over his lands did not allow him to blink for even a moment. It was not only his enemies who left him with these questions; his allies had become so dangerous that their loyalty was in doubt.
As he struggled with these thoughts, he heard a voice behind him. “Your Majesty...” said General Cassius, bowing deeply. Cassius had long been the Emperor's most trusted man and the highest ranking man in his army.
"Tell me, Cassius," Tiberius said without turning back, his voice weak but determined.
"Your Majesty,” Cassius said, despair in his voice. "Our fortress on the northern border has fallen. The barbarians have come deep into the empire. Our army is demoralized. We need more time and resources to regroup."
The Emperor nodded, his eyes staring into space, his face devoid of emotion. The Barbarians had been a threat the Empire had been unable to deal with for centuries, but now that they had come so close, it showed just how weakened the Empire had become.
"What else?” Tiberius said. He asked as if he already knew the answer.
"Your Majesty... In the southern port cities, plague continues to spread. The people have begun to revolt. There are no troops left to keep order. There is not enough medicine and doctors are in short supply."
With each passing day, the news from across the empire got worse and worse. Epidemics, revolts, attacks by barbarians... All these problems were eating away at the empire. “So the light is going out...” Tiberius muttered, closing his eyes. Everything was slowly slipping away. For a moment, all the sounds in the world stopped. The Emperor was overwhelmed by the enormity of the disasters he was facing, while despair hung over his mind like a dark cloud.
"What about the other kingdoms and empires? What is their situation?" Tiberius asked, trying to hide the worry in his voice. There were problems outside as well as inside. The Sizat Empire in particular was a major threat.
Cassius bowed his head. "Your Majesty, many kingdoms and empires are in as much trouble as we are. But some have already begun to take advantage of the confusion. The Sizat Empire is provoking our enemies and strengthening its armies."
The Emperor took a deep breath. The Emperor was overwhelmed by the enormity of the disasters he faced, and despair hung over his mind like a dark cloud. But Tiberius could not surrender to this darkness. He opened his eyes, turned to Cassius and spoke decisively:
"Cassius, declare an immediate mobilization. Also send word to the Rhazgords and tell them we want to hire their mercenaries. You can use whatever is in the treasury! Stopping the advance of the barbarians is our first priority. I will also issue an order to collect doctors and medicines from all over the country. We must regain the trust of the people. "
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Cassius bowed his head at the Emperor's command. "Yes, Your Majesty. I will begin the necessary preparations immediately."
After Cassius, Emperor Tiberius remained on the balcony for a while longer. The storm was coming and Tiberius knew he had to weather it. Keeping the Empire afloat was his greatest responsibility.
Days turned into weeks, weeks into months. The mobilization Emperor Tiberius had launched had attracted the attention of other kingdoms and empires. Some worried that the Adler Empire wanted to expand its borders again. Other kingdoms knew the underlying problems behind this mobilization. The continent was slowly descending into chaos.
While Tiberius was doing everything he could to boost the morale of the army and the people, there was one problem that was not going away: Barbarian raids from the north. The barbarians could no longer penetrate deep into the empire as before, but they were still a major threat. The price for this was the life of General Cassius. General Cassius himself went to the front line to keep the army's morale high and stop the barbarians, and died after fighting bravely. The large sums paid to the Rhazgord mercenaries also drained the treasury.
The emperor, who had a very busy day because of the funeral for General Cassius, was walking through the wide corridors of his palace at sunset, seeking some time alone. The old paintings on the walls were reminders of lost glory, but the reality was growing darker by the day. The unrest inside the palace could be felt at every step. Servants whispered to each other with worried looks, a silent panic was clearly taking root among the nobles and diplomats. Tiberius' mind was far away from this quiet storm in the palace, mourning the loss of his friend who had stood by his side for fifty years.
As Tiberius stepped into the royal library, he noticed that the dust that covered the magnificent bookshelves had only increased. Where once there had been visitors seeking knowledge and wisdom, now there were only dusty books and silence. In that moment, he thought about how everything that had once shone so brightly had quickly dimmed. After a long search, he found an old book about the founding of his empire. Taking it, he sat down and began to leaf through the pages. Each line reminded him of the power and glory his empire once had.
When the sun rose, Emperor Tiberius closed his eyes forever. As Emperor Tiberius breathed his last breath, there was a deep peace on his face. All his life he had fought for his empire, he had struggled against adversity. But now, as he answered the silent call of death, he found peace. The death of Tiberius, which came on the heels of Cassius, left a great emptiness in the palace. Everyone wondered what the fate of the empire would be in the absence of these great leaders.
After Tiberius' death, his son Octavius took the throne. From the moment Octavius took the throne, he ruled the empire with an iron fist. In his eyes, his father's peaceful policies of the last two decades had weakened the empire. Octavius believed that the empire could only survive with strong leadership and that anything that did not grow was doomed to fall. He was willing to do anything to expand borders, crush enemies and restore the empire to its glory days. Octavius' ruthless attitude and warrior spirit made him both a feared and respected leader.
As soon as Octavius ascended the throne, he set out to solve the barbarian problem once and for all. He forcibly conscripted many men into the army and executed anyone who disobeyed his decision. The army soon doubled in size. Feeding so many soldiers emptied the empire's treasury. But Octavius' decision could not be questioned. He led his newly formed army against the barbarians and soon pushed them out of the empire's borders. While the forcibly conscripted people thought they would finally return home, new orders came. Octavius did not disband the army but sent it to the borders.
He was creating a climate of fear on the continent with border violations, threatening statements and military moves. Octavius' attitude was worsening an already tense situation. He was attacking small countries on his borders and trying to keep his country's economy afloat through plunder.
A few months after Octavius took the throne, the continent was like a powder barrel. Even the smallest spark was enough to trigger years of war. Those who benefited the most from this turmoil were the merchants. The prospect of war stimulated the arms trade and filled the coffers of merchants. Some greedy merchants fomented tensions between kingdoms to keep the war going. In this dark period, money and power outweighed people's consciences.
But not every corner of the continent was full of crisis. In the southernmost part of the continent, in a small peaceful kingdom, a merchant named Salaz Durin was about to change the fate of the continent.