Prologue
Since the dawn of powered flight, everyone knew it was only a matter of time before Earth was doomed. When the first propeller aircraft roared through the skies above the streets of Osea's capital, the nation and indeed the world looked on in wonder. Some, however, looked on and saw opportunities, too, and it wasn't long before planes joined soldiers in the field of battle, clashing with ground forces and among themselves, spawning a new era, an era that the world of Strangereal would never grow out of: the era of aces. From piston-driven prop fighters to the gleaming jets of the modern age, men and women across the continents of the world strove to best each other in the clear, blue skies. Wars could not be won on foot alone now; any country without an air force fell quickly. Aircraft became cheaper to manufacture, and soon most countries could afford at least a few of the best planes world-renowned manufacturers had to offer. Weapons evolved, too, quickly moving away from simple guns and free fall bombs and opening the door for missiles, guided weaponry, and armor-piercing bullets. Of course, the most terrible of all advancements was, without a doubt, the advent of the nuclear age. When the first mushroom clouds blotted out the skies, tensions grew. Armed with the power to decimate entire cities at a time, countries allied themselves with one another, while trying to enforce treaties and pacts to prevent either side from destroying the other. This tension finally came to a head when, on June 6, 1995, the country of Belka detonated seven nuclear weapons on its own soil, yielding immeasurable casualties and damage. It was the first time nuclear weapons would be used in war, and countries scrambled to ensure it was also the last time. Yet while the nations of the world recoiled at the possibility of nuclear holocaust, one small country did not. The Republic of Sotoa, longing for expansion, sought after these devastating weapons as instruments of fear. While their previous leader, High Officer Altaire Shen, bided his time carefully, toying with the fragile peace between the Sotoans and their neighbors, the Verusans, Shen's son, who succeeded him after the High Officer's death in 1997, did not. The new High Officer, Raylen Tocha, needed a demonstration to prove his might to his people, and now more than ever, the advanced, resource-rich country of Verusa looked like the perfect target.
It is here our story begins.