Chapter 14: A House Divided
Imperial Senate Building
8:41 am
The boys had just received their rewards for their actions, but they had become under fire from the Pro-War Faction senators, who were outraged by the choice of rewarding the people that were not native to the Empire. One of the supporters of the Pro-War Faction, Lord Arcann, stood up angrily to speak...
"We will not abide by this!" Arcann said.
"The Emperor has spoken." Marquess Casel said.
"Lord Arcann, stand down!" Emperor Molt ordered.
"We will not allow these outsiders taint the purity of our Empire!" Arcann shouted, drawing his sword.
"Watch out, they've brought weapons!" Lord Cicero shouted.
"Guards!" Molt shouted.
Everyone of the Pro-War Faction senators drew swords and they charged the visitors and the Pro-peace Faction senators. Every one of the soldiers in the Senate chamber readied for battle. The Ghosts and JSDF soldiers helped evacuate the other members of the pro-peace faction out of the room, and pushed back the attackers. The Pro-War Faction senators fought back against the guards, but eventually retreated from the chamber after several of their members were killed by either the guards or the visitors.
"I cannot believe that they would do that." Cicero said.
"They won't get far." Molt said as an officer entered the room and walked up to the Emperor.
"Your highness! Are you alright?" The officer said.
"I'm fine, send messengers to all city guard stations, I want them on high alert for the Pro-War Faction senators." Molt ordered.
"Understood, your highness." The officer said.
"That was a tough fight, I can't believe that they would attack us." Dante said, reloading his rifle.
"They've become desperate, they had just witnessed their leader be stripped of his title of Crown Prince and be sentenced to exile." Xavier said.
"He's right, they are becoming more desperate to try to start a war between us." Pinya said.
"Well, they will do anything now to get a war started." Suragawa said as he helped a wounded senator.
"I shall mention this to the Vassal State Leaders. I will also make a formal announcement to the people about this." Molt said.
"Understood, we shall return to Temple Base until you require our assistance." Daniel said.
"Why don't you take a tour of your brand new estate?" Pinya said.
"Yeah, dad, why don't you check out the new home we got?" Dante said.
"Don't be a kiss ass, and I think I'll check out the place myself." Daniel said to his son.
"I shall have a carriage to take you there." Pinya said.
"I'll take the group back to Temple Base." Xavier said.
The group left for Temple Base, while Daniel left in a carriage for the estate that formerly had belonged to the ex-Crown Prince Zolzal. The estate was a large building that was grey and gold color, with statues of Zolzal lining the sides of the road up to the estate.
"He really liked to show off his ego, didn't he?" Daniel said to Panache.
"It was all he could do, the girls are probably going to be relieved that he's going to be exiled." Panache said.
"Girls?" Daniel asked.
"Zolzal possessed a large number of sex slaves. Some were slaves that he purchased at slave markets, others were women from enemies that the Empire conquered." Panache explained.
"So he liked to show off his ego, and he can't keep it in his pants." Daniel said.
"That's a good way to put it." Panache said.
"Well, I can keep it in my pants. So I'll be giving the girls what he denied them." Daniel said.
"You'll be setting them free?" Panache asked.
"Yeah, I want to set a good example for my sons when I am gone." Daniel said.
"So you are going to set them free so that your children will follow suit." Panache said.
"Yeah, it's because of the fact that I'm the only family that they have left." Daniel explained.
"Where is their mother in all of this?" Panache asked.
"She died during the Hell Year." Daniel said.
"What happened?" Panache said.
"She was killed by a Howler that had broken through the settlement defenses one day. Got through while the rest of his buddies were attacking our defenses." Daniel said.
"The Howlers murdered your wife?" Panache asked.
"Yeah, and after that day, Dante developed a strong hatred of the Howlers." Daniel explained.
"Well, it's time to get acquainted with your new home staff." Panache said.
The duo stepped out of the carriage and were greeted by the staff of the estate, which had consisted of over 145 butlers, 30 cooks and bakers, and 206 maids. The sheer number of the people who had worked for Zolzal had Daniel speechless. Panache walked up to the group that was wondering who the man who was accompanying Lady Panache was so she could explain...
"Listen up, I'm sure that you were informed of what has become of your former master, am I correct?" Panache asked the staff.
"Yes." The staff responded.
"Then allow me to introduce you to your new master, this is Daniel Perez, leader of the Ghosts, saviors of Italica, Champions of the Empire, and defenders of the Emperor." Panache explained.
"Greetings, Master." The Staff said.
"Hello." Daniel said.
"The staff of the estate will obey your every command, and the soldiers that patrol the grounds will protect you." Panache said.
"Thank you, ma'am." Daniel said.
"I checked with your soldiers, the estate is in close radio contact with your base." Panache added.
"Good, I can contact them should I be on my way back." Daniel said as one of the maids walked up.
"This is Meredith, she is the head maid of the house." Panache said, introducing the young girl.
"Greetings, Master." Meredith said.
"Hello." Daniel said.
"He is here to tour the estate grounds so he can understand the place better." Panache said.
"Understood, I will show him around myself." Meredith said.
"Well, I must return to the others to oversee the other half of the boys' reward." Panache said, walking back to the carriage.
"Other half?" Daniel said.
"The princess has commissioned special suits of armor for them. I'm going to be overseeing the development of the armor." Panache explained.
"That's nice of her." Daniel said.
"Well, shall we begin the tour?" Meredith asked.
"Let's begin, you can lead the way." Daniel said.
Meredith led Daniel into the building, showing him around the massive building that was now his. He walked along with her, passing by potraits of Zolzal (picking up their pace after passing by a nude potrait.), stopping outside of the area where Zolzal had kept his sex slaves...
"These are the holding cells, he would use these to hold onto his slaves and other prisoners that he would torture." Meredith said.
"The sex slaves are all here?" Daniel asked.
"Yes." Meredith said.
"Get them together, I would like to have a word with them." Daniel said.
"I'll have them brought to the courtyard." Meredith said.
"Ok, see you up there." Daniel said.
Estate Courtyard
8:46 am
Daniel was sitting on a chair with 8 stone benches in front of him, waiting for the slaves to be brought up to the courtyard. Two guards came out with the girls behind them in chains, and the girls were sat down on the benches and the guards left the courtyard.
"Ladies, I am sure that you were not informed of the biggest change that was coming to your lives. So let me fill in the blanks for you, your former master is set to be exiled for the attempted murder of his father, and is also disowned from the royal family. So he no longer has ownership of your lives, I do." Daniel started.
"Then what will you do with us?" One of the girls asked.
"Well, what do you want to do?" Daniel asked.
"What do you mean?" Another girl asked.
"I am not going to be like that arrogant bastard of a former master that you had. I'm letting you all go, in which you can pursue the life of your own choosing." Daniel said before noticing that one of the girls looked familiar.
"Are you alright?" Daniel asked the girl.
"I'm just so happy...but I am sad as well." Noriko said.
"Why are you sad?" Daniel asked.
"I don't know how to get home and I miss Hiroki." Noriko said.
Daniel immediately stopped talking and thought to himself as he had seen this girl before. He thought about it for a couple of moments until it came to him, this girl was in fact a Japanese citizen named Noriko Mochizuki who had disappeared from Japan, as he seen missing persons fliers being handed out by her family when he went on a trip to Japan after he won a contest...
"Wait, are you Noriko Mochizuki?" Daniel asked.
"Yes, I am." Noriko said as Meredith walked up with a large book in hand.
"Meredith? Why is there a Japanese citizen here?" Daniel demanded.
"I expected this to happen, so I brought a ledger that Zolzal had kept about his slaves." Meredith said, handing him the book.
"What is this?" Daniel asked.
"The former Crown Prince's ledger, he used it to catalog the locations where he acquired the slaves." Meredith explained.
Daniel opened up the book, seeing all of the places where Zolzal had acquired his slaves from slave markets in Elbe, the names of tribes or small nations that the Empire conquered, but the one location that stuck out was the Ginza district of Japan, which was where Noriko and Hiroki were kidnapped from. He picked up his personal radio, immediately contacting Temple Base...
"Gravekeeper to Temple Base, come in Temple." Daniel said.
"Gravekeeper, this is Kingpin calling from Temple Base." Xavier said over the radio.
"Kingpin, inform our Japanese guests that I have made a discovery." Daniel explained.
"What did you learn?" Xavier asked.
"Apparently, the former Crown Prince was sending scouting parties through a second gate that was located in Japan." Daniel said.
"The Empire was scouting our world?" Xavier asked.
"More than that, they've brought a couple of "trophies", and by trophies, I mean Japanese citizens." Daniel explained.
"What? My god, the former Crown Prince is a diplomatic incident waiting to happen. The Japanese folks are going to be pissed off at this." Xavier said.
"It's more than that, they even kidnapped a few of our own people, I got a few American names on this list that I am looking at." Daniel said.
"If word gets out about this, a lot of our folks will be pissed off to the point that we wouldn't have to worry about Zolzal trying to start a war." Xavier said.
"Anyway, I found one of the Japanese citizens that were kidnapped, so when you come to pick me up, bring a medic and a change of clothes for them." Daniel said.
"Really?" Xavier asked.
"Yeah, girl by the name of Noriko Mochizuki, I found her after I had given them their freedom." Daniel explained.
"I'll have Dustin and Kuribayashi head over to pick you both up. Anyway, I'll be at the Emperor's announcement this afternoon and the folks back at Sanctuary have been working on establishing a open band connection with the surviving military branches and other world leaders." Xavier explained.
"You're going to be at the Emperor's announcement?" Daniel asked.
"Pinya invited me, she said that there were some things that she wanted to discuss with me, mainly the establishment of an embassy for us." Xavier explained.
"Which countries are still intact after COLOSSUS Day?" Daniel asked.
"Well Japan is obvious, but we have picked up radio transmissions coming from China, The U.K, Germany, and the Ukraine." Xavier explained.
"Just them?" Daniel asked in disbelief.
"They were the lucky ones, just the southern half of the UK was devastated by tsunamis created by kinetic bombardment, while the Ukraine was beaten down by Gamma storms coming from Russia." Xavier said.
"I hadn't expected it to have gotten that bad. Talk to you later." Daniel said.
Daniel was flipping through the pages of the book, in which he came across a name that belonged to an American citizen who had disappeared that he had known from his time in the military before COLOSSUS Day. That name was Danica Shepard, and she was a member of the engineering division on the base he was stationed in back then. This furthered his anger at the former Crown Prince for kidnapping a close friend of his.
"Damn you, Zolzal, I hope you don't survive your exile." Daniel thought as a butler walked up behind him.
"Excuse me, sir?" The butler said.
"Yes?" Daniel asked, snapping back to reality.
"There is a truck belonging to your people coming up the road." The butler said.
"Okay, and a quick question?" Daniel asked.
"Yes sir?" The butler said.
"Do you know what happened to this woman?" Daniel asked, pointing to Danica's name.
"Miss Shepard? She died a while ago." The butler explained.
"What happened?" Daniel asked, though he appeared to shaken by the news.
"Prince Zolzal killed her in a fit of rage, he had discovered that she had been pregnant with his child." The butler explained.
"Pregnant?" Daniel asked.
"He wanted both her and the child dead, but the child had disappeared before he could find it." The butler explained.
This made him wonder about it, his old friend has a child out there that Zolzal tried to murder. He was shaken by the news of his old friend being murdered by the former Crown Prince, but was surprised by the news of her giving birth to a baby that was the illegitimate child of him. The butler decided to tell him a possible lead to find the child...
"You know, I know that the former head maid of the estate had recently become a parent of an infant." The butler said.
"Who was the former head maid?" Daniel asked.
"Moira, she lives in the southern half of the Empire." The butler explained before leaving.
Daniel walked out to meet with the truck, in which the duo exited the truck as Kuribayashi exited with a duffel bag slung over her shoulder and Field Medic Dustin Swizdor accompanying her with a medical bag on his back.
"Xavier told us about Noriko, where is she?" Kuribayashi asked.
"She's inside, follow me." Daniel said.
While Daniel was introducing the two soldiers to Noriko, Xavier was about to witness Emperor Molt issue a proclamation to the people...
Imperial Palace Central Plaza
9:01 am.
The Capital's citizens and the Imperial Military gathered in the plaza around the Palace to hear the public announcement that Molt was about to make regarding the recent events. The soldiers were chatting with each other about what the Emperor had to say, while Xavier, Diabo, and Pinya took positions near the ledge where the announcement was going to be spoken to make sure that nothing bad will happen to him during the speech...
"Kingpin, this is Panther, we are in position with a clear line of sight on the eastern side." A soldier said over Xavier's radio.
"Copy that, Panther." Xavier said.
"Sierra is at the South perimeter." Another soldier said over the radio.
"This is Castle team, we're in position in the chapel tower." Another one said.
"Copy teams, VIP Dragon is about to begin the speech, be on standby for the slightest sight of trouble." Xavier said as Molt took his place at the balcony overlooking the crowd.
"Attention, I am sure that you all have heard the stories of the people of the world beyond the Gate and their presence in our world. To all citizens, the stories of these men and women in the dark clothes are just stories. These people are real, and they have experienced tragedy, suffering, and loss just as we have when our mighty Empire had first began many centuries ago. But what they had suffered was far greater than any suffering that we have encountered, as a dark event had destroyed the world that they had called home for a long time. This event was caused by a dark and powerful COLOSSUS, which had destroyed their civilization before their very eyes, and transformed their landscape. But they have overcome the tragedy, and they have remained strong. During their time in our world, they have preformed a great many actions that have been kind to our people, such as defending the city of Italica from the bandit army, aiding the people of Coda Village, and combating the monstrous Fire Dragon are all achievements of theirs. But the time for me to tell you, that just 1 hour ago, members of the Senate have attempted to stage a coup attempt against me after I had delivered punishment to Zolzal for a heinous crime that he had committed. The crime that he had committed was the betrayal of the people, as he chose to pursue war than peace. The duty of a leader is to know when there is a time for peace and a time for war, and he has failed to learn that lesson, betraying the Empire in the process. The Senate members involved in this coup have also betrayed the people of this nation, as they had spilled the blood of their defenders, the proud Imperial Army, on the floor of the Senate chamber in this attempt." Molt said.
Shouts of outrage and anger sounded through the massive crowds of people, including angered remarks by the Imperial Military forces that were gathered in the plaza. Xavier was surprised by how many people were angry...
"Traitors are the ones who allow their thirst for violence, their bloodlust, to control them which can bring civilizations to ruin. It is traitors like these that will be the ruin of our nation, we are a nation that doesn't fight against itself, a nation that remains strong when we are united, an Empire that stands as one! These people of the world beyond the Gate need a new home, and we must be willing to take a chance and accept these newcomers as I firmly believe that they will be the greatest allies that we have ever made before! So I ask of you now, when you tell your children years from now, what will be the story you tell them? Will it be a tragic tale of how the Empire fell to madness and arrogance? Or will it be a tale of how the Empire rose to new heights as it became a new nation with the power of a new ally by its side? Follow my banner and we shall write the greatest tale for your children!" Molt exclaimed, raising the Imperial flag above his head.
The crowd exclaimed with excitement and every soldiers let out a chant that echoed throughout the Capital, in which it gave hope to the people. Xavier went to the side with Pinya in order to discuss the business she had wanted to discuss...
"What did you want to talk about?" Xavier asked.
"Just a couple of things, such as the location of an embassy for your people." Pinya explained.
"What did you have in mind?" Xavier said.
"There is an unused palace, just a couple of miles away from the West Gate to the city. It is called the Jade Palace, and it's original owners had passed away, leaving no other heirs to claim it." Pinya said.
"So you are offering to allow my people to use it as an embassy." Xavier said.
"Yes, it will belong to your people once the relocation is complete." Pinya said.
"Thank you, your highness." Xavier said.
"The next matter is regarding the Pro-War Faction senators, they have hidden in the shadows and only a few of them have been captured." Pinya said.
"So you want our assistance?" Xavier asked.
"My father wants to create what you call a" task force" to hunt down the traitors for their actions." Pinya said.
"Why does he want our assistance with this task force?" Xavier said.
"He wants the Ghosts to train the recruits for the group." Pinya explained.
"He wants the best of the best for this job, then?" Xavier asked.
"Yes." Pinya said.
"I'll talk to Commander Perez when I get back to Temple Base, though I think that he's probably gone to Sanctuary to speak with the surviving world leaders." Xavier said.
"I look forward to the future that awaits us." Pinya said.
Xavier and the security detail that he brought with him in order to prevent any attacks on the Emperor as he had given the announcement of the betrayal by Zolzal and the other members of the Pro-War Faction of the Senate. While Xavier was at the Emperor's announcement, Daniel had returned to Sanctuary to speak with the surviving world leaders about the relocation of their people to the other side of the Gate...
Tombstone Communications Hub
Sanctuary, Old New York
6:39 pm
The technicians of the Tombstone spent their time working on establishing a open band connection with the surviving world leaders so Daniel can inform them of the results of the negotiations with the Empire. The surviving world leaders were Interim Prime minister Damien Thatcher of the UK, President Duchong of China, German chancellor Tobias Merkel, son of Angela Merkel, and Sarah Paliskova of the Ukraine.
"Gentlemen, ma'am, by now you are probably aware of the existence of a Gateway to another world appearing here in the United States." Daniel said.
"Yes, American, we have heard of this Gate, and how the Japanese have aided you in the study of the world beyond it." Duchong said.
"Why would it open up on your soil, I wonder?" Thatcher said.
"Prime minister Thatcher, we are all on the same sinking ship, now is not the time to be making accusations." Daniel said.
"He's not accusing the United States of anything, Commander Perez, he's been under a lot of pressure as he looks out for his people" Merkel said.
"Anyway, we have made contact with an Empire that resides across the Gate, and they are willing to take us in as they are aware of the fact that our world is dying." Daniel explained.
"What is their military status?" Sarah asked.
"They are not as advanced as we are, as they have a militarized stature similar to the Roman Empire." Daniel explained.
"I'm surprised that you haven't just killed them all and seized their lands, you have the firepower to do it." Duchong said.
"We have already seen enough death and destruction on COLOSSUS Day, we do not need to add any more blood on our hands President Duchong." Daniel said.
"He's right, we have already killed enough of our own people when COLOSSUS Day occurred, we don't need to add the massacre of an entire civilization to the body count." Merkel said.
"What are the terms of the relocation?" Thatcher said.
"We will would become a new independent vassal state under the Empire, with our own military forces, government, and economic structure." Daniel explained.
"What?" Duchong exclaimed.
"I know that it sounds like a crazy plan, but we have no other options on the table." Daniel said.
"Why should we cooperate with this plan?" Paliskova said, sounding not pleased.
"Because I know that you all want what is best for your people." Daniel said.
"Paliskova, Commander Perez is right, we shouldn't be fighting amongst ourselves when the fate of our own people is at stake." Duchong said.
"It's just, if we want to save our own people, we would have to bend knee to an Empire that that is primitive to us." Paliskova said.
"They are not primitive, they are civilized and are willing to help us." Daniel said.
"Even if we were to relocate to the other side of the Gate, we would have no idea how to establish a new government when we cannot get along with each other." Thatcher explained.
"I know, that is why we must try to put our own differences aside, and not make the same mistakes that we made before COLOSSUS Day." Daniel said.
"He's right, if we weren't going at each other's throats, we would have been able to identify the fact that COLOSSUS could easily be turned against ourselves with the push of a button." Merkel said.
"So, do we have an agreement?" Daniel asked.
"The survivors of the United kingdom stand with the U.S and support the plan." Thatcher said.
"I, President Duchong of the People's republic of China, pledge the support of my people to the plan." Duchong said.
"Germany stands with the United States of America and support the plan." Merkel said.
"Well, Miss Paliskova?" Daniel asked.
"The people of the Ukraine stand with the plan." Paliskova said.
"Then let it be known that on this day, we rose from the ashes of our dying world to begin again." Daniel said.
After concluding the meeting with the surviving world leaders, Daniel returned across the Gate to be present at the exile of Zolzal to see it be done...
Imperial Capital Main Gates
Later in the evening...
A large number of soldiers and civilians gathered in the plaza in front of the main gates to the Capital to await the exile of Zolzal, the former Crown Prince. Everyone had looks of anger on their faces, a large number of soldiers stood in a line in order to prevent the crowds from sparking violence as a prison wagon came down the street towards the Gate. Emperor Molt sat on a platform overlooking the crowd, with Pinya, Diabo,Daniel, and the Vassal State Leaders at his side to watch as the former Crown Prince was going to be driven out of the city for his actions. The carriage stopped in front of the platform, and two guardsmen pulled a chained Zolzal out of the wagon, dragging him before the Emperor...
"Zolzal, you are hereby sentenced to exile from the Empire and declared an enemy of the state for your treasonous actions, in which you will receive no aid from Imperial citizens, you will not be welcome in Imperial cities, and will be executed on sight should you make an attempt to return to the Capital." Molt said. "Guards, take the prisoner out of the city." He ordered.
The two men obeyed the command of their Emperor, walking the captive Zolzal out of the city through the massive gates, and leaving him outside the gates with the crowds watching. As they expected him to leave, he turned around to face everyone as he wanted to speak...
"I will return! I will reclaim my Empire from its own stupidity and destroy the barbarians once and for all!" Zolzal shouted.
"Xavier, can you please hurry him up before he starts to monologue." Daniel said into his radio.
"You got it." Xavier responded.
Zolzal began to run as Xavier fired a suppressed sniper rifle at his feet to speed him along with the exile. Zolzal was determined to fulfill the declaration that he had proclaimed, vowing to one day reclaim the Empire and destroy the people of the world beyond the Gate once and for all...
This chapter concludes with Zolzal being exiled from the Empire, but vowing to one day reclaim it from Molt as he believed that the alliance with the survivors of the world beyond the Gate is unnecessary and they are nothing but barbarians. Daniel secures the support of the surviving world leaders for the relocation plan, thus making a new nation from the ashes of their world, a nation that will unify the broken people of the Earth together. The next chapter will start off with the formation of the Watchdogs, an Imperial force of soldiers trained by the Ghosts to hunt down and arrest the traitorous Pro-War Faction senators that hide in the shadows, and the rise of the United Earth Coalition Government, in which they aid the Empire with new advancements in multiple fields. But over the course of the transition, a certain enemy of Phantom Squad's resurfaces...
WAIT AND SEE...