Time Has Come
Lýmoca, in the capital state of Proteros. Presidential precinct. In the president's office on the main floor.
Luis sat on his wide, beige, sparkly desk. His presidential secretary, Roam, was just beside him. He is a white man, bald from the front, with still some hair on the back and sides. Small brown eyes, slightly fat, with an underchin, and was middle-aged, older than Luis Heartez. Roam stood with his hands behind his back, propping his chin up and looking around the office to check everything was neat and comfortable.
Luis read letters from his desk’s thin screen, with only a thick support exiting from underneath. He was passing the letters on his right into the screen. They weren’t even opened, still unpacked, but the screen presented their info to the screen in detail and instantaneously.
‘Another one?’ Luis wondered. He read the letter with a helpless expression, supporting his head on his left backhand. **Mister President, I am Luciana Becerra. I’d like to inform you, Mr. President, of the recent rising price of honey in all the nation’s stores. As a person in charge of one of the country’s largest honey producing companies, I failed to notice this alarming trend.**
**I have received many letters from all over Lýmoca. All of them have spoken to me with regard to this. Did you know there was a period of 10 days when all honey brands increased the cost by 1 credit per day? Nowadays, the delinquents don’t dare to try such a risky trick again, but I fear they haven’t stopped.**
**This has started propagating to other everyday products every person in Lýmoca could obtain, no matter their income. Yet, it has currently become a difficult addition to their households without ruining their balance. I urgently ask President Luis Heartez to see this matter. The only piece of information I’ve gathered was a suspicious decrease in the efficiency of honey production.**
**With all regards, Lucy. Founder of the Cielo Caído de Miel.**
“Sigh. Why do all of these things happen, Roam?” President Luis asked his secretary before taking a blank paper sheet from his desk’s surface. He pushed his fingers down in a specific stance before it exited the desk. Then, he grabbed it between his fingers.
As the president wrote a reply, Roam looked down and said in comfort, “Some store owners have a strange mindset for money, sir. Even if it… borders breaking the law, they aren’t too exaggerated about it.”
“Mm,” Luis quietly exclaimed. He continued writing. Roam looked around, searching for another answer, not wanting the president to grow annoyed, or feel irritated. But then, the president lifted his head and looked at him with the same silly, positive expression.
“Well, we just have to take care of these matters one by one, right?” Then, the president placed the letter on the top left corner and sighed. “Ah, another day, another pile begins. Okay… ha, look. This one also has evidence of the prices going up by 1 credit… every week… 3 days, sigh…”
President Luis Heartez placed his attention on the letter before writing a response to it. This time, it wasn’t a wealthy figure, with a company behind them, or under their name, but a simple civilian enraged by the stealing the store made towards ‘its own people’.
While Luis wrote the response, Roam smiled, feeling a little contented as he looked at the diligent, changed president. “Sir, if I may. I have no concrete opinion on the store owners ‘syndicate’, but I can see the president’s diligent work, caring for his people.”
“Don’t distract me, Roam. I don’t want to see another cute lady come at me trying to flirt me up with my daughter beside me.” Luis didn’t raise his head but replied. Roam held his belly and crackled, “Kahahaha…”
… Hours went by. The president finished the last letter after several breaks and small meetings with his cabinet, finding time between meals and work. Resting at night, Luis Heartez looked at the pile of 500 letters with a tired expression and drinking a hot beverage from his cup.
“You can come take them now!” The president shouted to the secretary outside. A young woman came in a few seconds after, bringing a large case with her, before asking the president. “Are these the last 500 letters for the week, sir? Congratulations, Mr. President!”
“Ah~, I know. They are going to kill me one day. Are they still doing that trend to, eh… make me increase the number to 7,000 per week?” The president asked. The secretary smiled before hugging the case, nodding at the presidential secretary, and leaving.
“Okay, let’s get on with it. You said something came from the islands?” After the female secretary left, the president downed his cup before asking his secretary. Roam nodded and delivered 4 letters to him on the desk, well organized, all with the symbol of a different nation.
Roam saw the president’s momentary frown and elaborated, “The Pyot and Meztle Islands have sent their thanks to you, Mr. President. Their small ‘strife’ has been quelled. The resources also arrived safely to their storehouses. As we speak, their new government is preparing to distribute them to their population.”
Luis Heartez read them, beginning with the Pyot Island’s letter, of the symbol of an irregularly shaped blade. Then, he read the Meztle Island’s letter, with the shape of a third of the moon, but coarse and dull.
“Siiigh,” the president reclined on the back of his seat. He shook his head and commented, “To think a few groups can just do so many erroneous things trying to make a point. We were lucky to ride a blind, limping tiger back then…. And what of the clues? Did they really show ANS’ involvement?”
“Ah…” Roam was wordless. The president’s expression became serious when changing the subject, albeit not much. Roam gulped saliva, twice, before answering, closing his eyes. “There were, sir. They were careful to not be seen, but we caught notorious hints… 72 rogue participants in the coup were also compliant and confessed.”
“…” Luis showed a pair of indescribable gray-black eyes, returning his attention to the other 2 letters. Roam gestured towards them, “These are from Endessa and Carnge. They’ve spotted more strange abnormalities in their waters. They have asked when Lýmoca will participate in that naval ‘group training’ you spoke to them about before. What is… you answer, sir?”
“…” Luis remained silent, looking at the 2 letters. He lifted his right hand but stopped. Then, he looked at Roam and voiced, “Roam. I’m going to need your help here. If we go forth with this, we might make matters better for our relationship with these 2 neighbors, but ANS will know it. We can find their footprints, but we’re always exposed like clear water in the open to them. Should we proceed, we have to make amends.”
“Does the president worry about something else?” Roam thought before cleverly counter-questioning. The president didn’t react and just said, “If there’s any involvement of their government with Preut, there’s no stopping since a year and a half ago. Then, I wouldn’t have to consider.”
“President, you are Lýmoca’s leader. And, so far, the only person in the south to deny the ANS of being our patron under tables. If only Cors wasn’t so quiet lately. But I’m getting out of the subject… I believe your cabinet will trust your decisions, sir.” Roam said with joined palms.
The president looked at his secretary before writing on the letters. He began with the Pyot and Meztle Islands, replying to their success and congratulating them. Luis offered some words of continuing the relationship that has lasted for hundreds of years, hoping for their acceptance.
Then, writing to Endessa and Carnge, Luis replied he was already considering the dates and procedures with his cabinet; to wait for an answer soon, next week. When the president finished, he looked at Roam, “Bring me a form, I will send some hidden forces in the relief of the current embassy there. Since they’re going to pay for our new one because of the collateral damage, our heroes don’t need to remain there any longer.”
“Yes, sir.” Roam nodded, noting it in his head, and awaited for further instructions.
“About Preut, again,” the president moved in his seat, facing Roam. “What do you think will happen? It should happen tomorrow, and…“
“Sir, it will be successful.” Roam took a few seconds to realize what was this about before comforting the man. Luis tilted his head to the side, somewhat forcefully, “That’s secured. But I’m letting all those people kill each other to gain advantage later on.”
“That is true, Mr. President,” Roam nodded, feeling that was correct, and understood the heavier weight on this ‘growing-new’ president’s shoulders. “Yet, everyone’s watching. We’ve erred yet again in our first 3… 6 years, but Mr. President has started changing his people’s hearts. How many national leaders can say that without manipulation? Hell- excuse me for my wording, sir. But even the opposition’s campaign is only making the people more curious not enraged towards us, at least not for long.”
“Sir, if the people have to believe in you,” Roam stared at his president directly in the eye. “How can you not believe in yourself first? No one else might.”
“…” Luis looked at his secretary for a long moment of silence. He lowered his head and patted his cheeks afterwards, “Siiiigh! You’re right. Mn, your words should be put in boring books and unknown magazines.”
“I’d rater let my president steal them all and grow his self-esteem and popularity with them. Remember, no manipulation allowed,” Roam replied. Luis rolled his eyes and faced his desk again. He scratched the back of his head before commenting, “Let’s hope Preut’s incoming event won’t destroy each other.”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
***
In the night of the 31/08/1,021, a couple of weeks and a few days since Phesx Caolia joined the Prona military camp.
Almost a year and a half had gone by since the start of the civil war. The initial target of all parties in it had been postponed due to the disastrous natural destruction at the central south of Preut, bringing about the fastest, most immediate millions of deaths in human history, excluding previous Sanctum Orders. And from nature itself, not human-made.
When Phesx joined the pronas, he received surgery and some expensive creams to recuperate from it. He spent 3 days after surgery to rehabilitate himself. His wounds were all beginning to heal, and with further treatment, they would continue improving faster than with just his body.
When he joined the recruits, he met with a few ‘instructing’ experienced soldiers, including the female soldier who gained his attention. Rather quickly, the other recruits noticed the difference between them and Phesx Caolia.
At first, it was nothing much worth mentioning. But then, as the recruits realized one of them had the stamina they shouldn’t have, was faster than the rest, and nimbler than even some experienced soldiers, the word ran amok.
Phesx Caolia was granted access to the Prona military and allowed to choose his leader after meeting many of similar age as his. Naturally, he went to the blonde young woman, who had thrashed him around. He didn’t know much, and he knew he had to be low profile, but he intuited she at least used to be from the special forces.
She also showed her worth, even if just a little. Phesx Caolia wanted to be trained by someone with an attitude like hers. Besides, she used the modern rifle, home to the Moonblue supercontinent. Phesx felt he met one of his.
When the young woman accepted him, Phesx Caolia gifted her ‘his’ brand-new large pistol. Even before he did that, that medic soldier, whose name was Adams, had already joined her new team. Indeed, he was that leader of the squad of special forces that arrested him. Naturally, Phesx wouldn’t mistake his subservience towards the young woman as an act.
As for his new leader, the blonde young woman, she was called Maria. After the large pistol was passed to her hands, she had several more soldiers join her, all from the same force quality she went to arrest him with. They were a bit too many, but taking her previous position in consideration, her team evolved into a squad.
Phesx Caolia met hell for the first time of his life. He had never spent a whole day and half the night training, with only part of the morning to wake up and eat before repeating. He was also honed, with his reaction speed increased, and his aiming put to the test with heavy firearms.
For the first day of training under her leadership, Phesx Caolia was made to hold the heaviest machine gun for 10 minutes without moving because his aim wasn’t at least 72% accurate beyond 200 meters with his rifle. He wasn’t given a new weapon, nor did he want it. Phesx only requested for a larger magazine, and better contraptions to hold his guns.
The 10 minutes became 20, then 30. They increased until they became 100 minutes, which nearly dislocated his shoulders and broke his ribs. However, he endured, much to what he shouldn’t have. Phesx Caolia understood her hidden actions, wanting to incapacitate him from the incoming situation, but it was inevitable. No matter if Phesx wanted it or not.
Gaining her recognition, suffering through her hints to quit, Phesx Caolia began training with the others. Maria was always ahead, be it running, shooting practice, brawling, working with wolves such as dog partners, or agility. But as Phesx Caolia summed up to the squad’s training, he became faster and faster, much more agile, and improved his accuracy.
While he was still thrashed by the squad’s best shooters, he was recognized as a soldier who was like a lost, precious treasure. And in one of Maria nightly meetings to tell them of how to follow up with their training, and what to improve, she worded him as ‘a treasure only needing polishing to achieve its greatest splendor’.
Needless to say, unlike ever before, Phesx Caolia felt encouraged to do harder and be crueler to himself. Even more than when he began his military career and hurt his limbs without end. During the last week of his training, he was faster, more agile than Maria, and on par with the squad’s qualified technician.
His shooting was below Maria’s and the other best 4 in the platoon they belonged to, but it had increased immensely. It wasn’t about just standing somewhere and firing a weapon. Nor was it entering a segment and advance through a building to eliminate the cardboard enemies.
Phesx was put under heavy stress to secure his efficiency during the incoming, nightmarish battle, more than his teammate or fellow soldiers in the sub-sub unit. To survive wasn’t enough. The superiors knew it, and Maria understood it. Being flashed with grenades, through smoke with open or closed eyes, and ‘understanding’ more the ‘less severe’ bioweapon explosives like bombs to contaminate the air or water were all put to the test against his body.
It made Phesx Caolia’s situation difficult whenever his tummy brought him to the toilets. It was even worse off when he had to endure 2 hours in such situations with minimum protection and still attain more than 75% accuracy from 200 meters or more. Hell.
But at last, the day has come where the things every party in this civil war had worked to achieve were ready, and the people even more so to ‘go’.
At these moments, while Phesx showered after his last training, feeling some bloody bruises with cream on them clean up and heal, Maria stood atop the mansion he was brought to. She stood beside the commander who incorporated him into the military camp.
“Sir, thank you for letting me have another chance. I know that kid was only the perfect example to put me back where I am supposed to.” She spoke to him. The commander looked in the distance, watching the numerous military vehicles, large, medium, and small, prepared with provisions and to be boarded in several hours. Trailers were loaded with artillery guns instead.
“I would have hoped you’d get away of this quickly.” The commander finally spoke. Maria couldn’t understand his meaning, but she chose not to bother him. The commander turned to her for a moment and ‘advised’ with an insecure, frowning face. “At the first sign or opportunity, leave the fight and don’t return. This is your vocation, as it is for many. But not here, no.”
“…” Maria returned the stare silently. After a minute of watching the sun set from their left, like a space phenomenon with so little lights on around the mansion, she left. The commander remained there for a longer time, sighing as he hoped for this and wished that.
… A little over 2 hours later, Phesx Caolia lied his back on his bed in a small room of the guest hotel building within the mansion’s perimeter. Prona wasn’t wealthy just because of the money they make, but what they did with it, in their rich residential districts, of course.
It was comfortable. Cold, a little soft but actually tough, and his pillow was like an elastic rock. He lived in the main floor, with the garden and green, short grass outside shining by the moonlight. Today was a clear, bright, full moon after its 10 parts teased the world for a whole month. Tomorrow was another month, and another history page for the Phesx of the future.
With his forearms beneath his head, he breathed in and out comfortably. It was the first time he slept ‘early’ and not when the first lights were already coming out. Thankfully, his door faced the west, so he wouldn’t be here when the sun hit his door.
This room had no windows and was small, with only an individual bed and a refreshing, cool temperature. Just as Phesx Caolia enjoyed the peacefulness and quietness, he heard very light footsteps walking towards his room. He just watched the door with a startled, silly expression.
A few seconds later, a silent Maria walked into his view, with her uniform already on her, and all her equipment readied in her hands. She threw her bags and backpack on his floor before walking to Phesx Caolia’s bed. He wanted to stand up, but a hand to his chest kept him sat down, then further pushed him to lie on his back again on his bed.
Maria sat on his left, watching him as he lied comfortably on his bed. Second after second, Phesx Caolia relaxed and breathed at ease. That’s when this sudden ‘invader’ talked, “You know about bedding… I’ve read about it.”
“In my… spied report?” Phesx Caolia asked, lifting his left eyebrow and with his wrists beneath his head. She nodded, then asked, finding a glint in his light black eyes. “What? Do you want me to tell you your IKs?”
‘I only read 4 out of 5. Mmm, how high was her position before to know that?’ Phesx Caolia thought, but he shook his head in the real world and tentatively went to the first matter, “I do… have some experience. Is there… something I can help you with that?”
“Bold,” Maria worded, rather simply. Phesx Caolia gulped down a bit, but he didn’t keep his eyes off from his squad leader. She voiced in her voice of every day; always, “I’m requesting you to have me. In this battle, not even I am sure I’ll survive. I don’t think humanity should be animalistic when sex is involved, but those are my wishes. What say you?”
“…” Phesx Caolia blinked while Maria’s breathing became slightly heavy and her belly moved a little faster. He obviously noticed she was trying hard to not sound like she was seducing him, making the situation more like a trade to distance each other. He nodded, “I accept.”
“Good for you,” Maria commented, lifting her left leg before kneeling it on Phesx Caolia’s right, under his waist. Her breathing heaved as she unbuttoned his military pants, unblocking his belt with her face near his groins. Phesx Caolia felt the blood rush, no doubt.
“You gifted me a large pistol, I wonder if there’s another here,” Maria commented, already visualizing the forbidden lines while caressing his slender, slightly defined abdomen and pelvis. Phesx Caolia widened his eyes, feeling very tight somewhere. ‘Oh! She’s in the mood!’
Phesx Caolia became emboldened, and how could he not? Such a fine young woman with a teenager, he is lucky. When Maria freed the truth to her eyes, she went silent and grabbed it, doing some massaging without saying anything with slightly pouting lips.
“Disappointed?” Phesx Caolia casually asked, showing her a hint of a smile when she looked up. Maria didn’t shake or nod her head, but let go of him before going up his body, murmuring across. “You have no idea how many are doing this tonight. So, don’t mind me and my…”
“…” Since she didn’t finish her words, Phesx Caolia tilted his head to the right. Maria closed in to kiss him but stopped with just a few centimeters separating their lips. She was on top, but she was the most heated of the two. With his eyes widening, Phesx asked, “Your moans?!”
“…” Maria narrowed her eyes, nodded slightly, and finally kissed down on his lips. After a few pecks, she experimented, caressing his cut-short, strangely smooth/flat hair. “It’s not disappointment, it’s just… it felt perfect.”
Phesx Caolia nearly sharpened his nails and teeth. Trembling after hearing her seductive words time and again. Maria wasn’t finished, though. As he kissed her, grabbing the back of her head and caressing her sides and back, down to her bum and narrowly close to her mound of venus, she separated and whispered to him.
“But I did find a couple of big things down here,” Maria immediately went down after licking up the middle of his lips, letting Phesx watch her oh so submissive, giving image of her head going down his crotch, then up, and down again… nonstop.
‘Fucking fucks!’ Phesx Caolia released a few ‘pu pu pu’ sounds from his mouth as the night just commenced.
…