While Dun-a-din, Paloe, and Puncak were the major powers of the Padri, they were not the only members. A minor power was the Despotate of Leste, ruled by Despot Drusus. Yes, that Drusus. I learned this fact in Puncak when I finally got the time to make small talk with him. This came as a surprise as I did not expect someone as servile as the warrior without equal to be a sovereign himself. But Drusus explained to me that Leste had been a vassal of the Kingdom of Dun-a-din for centuries.

Furthermore, the Royal House of Leste was a Khmerian House. After the Tionghoa Empire conquered Santara, they imported their own people and many others from around the world into the archipelago. Many of them intermixed with the local Yakobinians, resulting in a race known as the Khmerians, so-called because it was in Khmer, Tionghoa’s colonial capital, where the mixed marriages began. Thanks to their heritage, the Khmerians were hated by the Yakobinians who saw them as traitors to their own people.

After I learned that Drusus was a Khmerian (and what Khmerians were, for that matter), I understood why Kochba hated him so much. I also understood the tension between the Sultan and the King. Their approach to the alien question could not be any more different. I also understood Lord Aron’s various actions now, from taking me – a complete unknown at this point – under his wing to having musketeers (mostly Tionghoa) in his army.

I mentioned Leste because after we crushed the Helot Revolt, we learned that the Tionghoa colonial authorities had sent a fleet and an army to conquer the Despotate. Their plan was clear as day: to use the island of Leste as a jumping ground to attack Dun-a-din, which was located in the Australis Continent, south of the archipelago.

We learned of the enemy’s movements from the Sea Peoples allied to the Padri. I will address the Sea Peoples more in later chapters. For now, readers should keep in mind that the seas of Santara are filled with nomadic sailors, making their living through fisheries… and piracy.

From our nomadic allies we also learned that the Governor General was sending an army to Paloe in order to retake Mocasar.

Thus, the Padri had to split up. Kochba and the Sultanate’s troops sailed west to defend Paloe. Meanwhile, we (being King Aron, Drusus, and the soldiers of the Kingdom as well as the Despotate) sailed southwest to defend Leste.

As for Inferna and Paradisa, they both stayed in Puncak with their flyer mercenaries. With the helot revolt still fresh in their minds, the Puncakians did not want to leave Iryan any time soon.

Lord Aron hated to leave Paradisa behind. He was understandably worried for her wellbeing. But Inferna put those concerns to rest:

“Worry not, king,” she said to Aron, “I’ll keep her safe for you. As will my father, he knows how important she is to you. He is a lot of things, but he’s not a fool.”

Aron bowed in response. “Thank you, Inferna. I am in your debt.”

With that weight of worry off our minds, we sailed for Leste in good spirits.

We never reached our destination. Not on this voyage. On our way to the Despotate, our fleet was engulfed by a huge storm. It was my first time experiencing such a thing, and I was terrified. I wondered if I would die in the ocean. Onboard the Leviathan, it was where I first truly thought of El Shaddai, the God of the gods.

It was not the thought of dying that brought it on – I was already familiar with the battlefield by this point. No, it was the thought dying in the sea. Something about the high seas, especially during a storm, made us human beings feel so small.

But we survived. The Leviathan was a sturdy ship and got through the storm unscathed. On the other hand, our fleet was battered and most of our ships needed serious repairs.

Things seemed bleak. We didn’t know it then, but this was the hand of El Shaddai guiding our destiny.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

The closest place for our fleet to land ashore was Nanmadol, an uninhabited island about halfway between Leste and Iryan. I felt the nerves in the air. Everyone was well aware of Sea People stories about the island, about the ghosts and demons inhabiting it.

Everyone but me. Personally, I was just itching to get on land, and some ghost stories did little to dampen my enthusiasm. In fact, I was the first to step foot on Nanmadol, much to Lord Aron’s anger.

I should have been grateful that he was so concerned for my safety, but his fears seemed unfounded at first. Our first few weeks in Nanmadol was uneventful. Our soldiers were making good time as we made use of the woods of Nanmadol to fix our ships.

Our fleet was almost whole again when ran into Livia Delapore. When I first saw her, I was unnerved, to be honest. Her skin tone was very light, only a few shades removed from a corpse’s; this was also accentuated by her hair and garbs, both black as a starless night.

Even so, she was desperate; her haggard looks indicated a damsel in distress. Drusus was the first of us she met, and it was he whom she begged for help. It was dusk when it happened.

Livia began her address very respectfully: “Brave Knight! I need your help.”

Drusus was taken aback by this. “Wait, Fair Lady! Who are you? I thought this island to be uninhabited.”

“You thought wrong, Sir…”

“Drusus. Son of Gaius of the Marius Tribe. And you?”

“My name is Livia, and I wish not to identify myself with my father nor my people.”

“You are not a daughter of Yakob?” asked Drusus, though he already knew the answer.

“I am not,” she responded. “I came from underneath this island… from the Black City, where our ancestors fled after the Yakobinians conquered Santara.”

“But that means…” Drusus pointed his weapon at Livia. “You’re a Nodian!”

“Only in blood!” said Livia. “I wish to save myself from this wicked people. Please, take me with you!”

“We are in a war. We have no place for you.”

“You can use my knowledge.”

“What do you know about Santara?”

“More than you think. The Nodians slither in the dark all around Santara, pulling the strings. They are behind everything, including this war.”

Needless to say, Livia’s revelation caught Drusus’ attention. He brought the mysterious girl to King Aron, who was in his encampment tent. There, she told us everything that she told Drusus. What she told us about the Nodians was shocking enough, but then she turned her attention to me. And she gave me a quizzical look, as if she was studying me.

“Boy,” she said to me. “What is your name?”

“It’s Yuanxi,” I said.

“I see.” She brought her face very close to mine, making me uncomfortable. “A strange name, but you are one of us. There’s no mistaking it.”

“Hold,” Aron interjected. “Are you saying that Yu is a Nodian?”

Unfortunately, our conversation was cut short when a Dunadinian soldier rushed into the tent. He frantically informed us that our encampment was under attack. We immediately knew that it was the Nodians who wanted to take Livia back.

The battle in Nanmadol was my first taste of night battle. And I hated it. The battlefield was always chaotic; this chaos was amplified in the night. At least during daytime, we can be certain where the enemy was coming from. No so at night where it felt like the enemy could strike from anywhere.

Lord Aron helped me keep my wits and reminded me of the enemy’s objective: to retake Livia, dead or alive. Keeping this in mind, I made sure that everyone was placed in such a way that at least one soldier could keep an eye on Livia.

I learned from Livia that the Nodians were not strong soldiers. Instead, they focused on stealth, striking their targets when they least expect it. Obviously why they decided to strike at night. In response, I made sure that everyone was within the range of torches, campfires, or any sources of lights.

I remembered the battle being desperate. Soldiers who were foolish enough to get isolated, especially in the dark, were quickly cut down by Nodian knives. We made sure to carry our torches with us. Drusus and Arphaxad became our scout, looking for assassins in hiding. They were able to draw some out, allowing the musketeers and the archers to shoot them down. But throughout it all, we made sure to keep an eye on Livia. I spotted Nodians who were bold enough to make a go at the girl, allowing Aron cut them down.

We were able to keep the Nodian assassins at bay until dawn. When I saw the traces of the sun and the blue sky, I felt confident, overconfident in fact. It was then that I let my guard down.

At the time, I was close to the edge of our encampment, looking for Nodian stragglers – a huge mistake in retrospect. Having just seen dead Nodian bodies littering our camp, I thought we had driven them off for good. Then, Livia approached me to make sure that my area was clear of enemies. This was also a huge mistake; she should have stayed with Lord Aron or Drusus or Arphaxad or anyone who could have protected her.

I was about to turn around and tell her that everything was clear when I spotted a Nodian assassin some distance away. My first thought was that he was running back to the Black City. I took out my pistol, ready to shoot when I heard a woman’s scream. Then I lost consciousness.