Holy Kingdom Eastern Coast, Darvaza Coastal Town
Kelart Custodio stood at the end of the pier and looked at her fleet of ships. She was looking at the largest naval invasion this realm has ever seen. Twenty battleships with three rows of ballistas on either side. Fifty frigates and countless other smaller ships. 40 000 men were their cargo, they would unload their holy warriors and strike at the enemy's heart. At the centre of the fleet was the pride of the Holy Kingdom's fleet, the great galleon Bessarez named after the house of her queen. It was on that ship that she will command the holy warriors of her nation. The beachhead was only the beginning once established the ships will return to fetch more soldiers to continue their holy crusade.
If this succeeds they would end the war in a month, sparing countless lives to a grueling and grinding conflict. She must succeed for the good of all the misguided souls that lived across the border. Those poor souls who have been led astray by their leaders, they who have been led away from the light of the six and into shadow that is the cult of the 41. In her majesty's name she would make it right.
"Lady Kelart, the preparations are almost ready." her adjutant Alahan said.
Kelart turned to look at her most trusted aid. Alahan was born to a prestigious house and made a name for himself in the war against demi-human filth that lived to the east of the wall.
Eight assaults were thrown against him and eight assaults he repelled. He earned many medals for gallantry and valor. So for his reward he was assigned as her personal adjutant. He was loyal, intelligent and the very model of a paladin officer.
"How long before we can depart?" Kelart asked.
"A few hours my lady." Alahan replied.
"Good, how are we doing for resources?" Kelart said as she peered at her most trusted officer.
"We are as ready as we are going to be, ever since we stopped trading with the Re-Estise Kingdom we have been short on food. We managed to scrap enough rations for the invasion, but we will have to appropriate some food from the surrounding villages." Alahan replied
"We are liberators, food is a small price to pay for their liberation from the tyranny of the old gods." Kelart replied.
"Of course my lady." Alahan assented with a bow.
"We also have a shortage of spare weapons and arrows, we will have trouble resupplying the army unless we take the Capital and seize their weapon stores. In addition we have very little alchemical reserves, we can handle the shortfall of health potions with healing magic but the issue is mana potions. If the invasion becomes protracted we will have issues with mana recovery." Alahan added.
"We will have to make do, we cannot delay any longer. Everyday our chances of success gets slimmer. We need surprise or we will be doomed no matter how much supplies we have." Kelart replied.
"Of course my lady, other than the supply issues, the conscripts are still… less than what it is desired. I am unsure that they can bear the brunt of the 41's fury." Alahan said his brows furrowed in worry.
"They will bear what must be beared. No one said the will of the six is easy to carry out, but it must be carried out for all our sakes." Kelart replied.
"Of course, that is all the major issues. I can handle the minor affairs, please do not worry about them." Alahan said.
"Good, I must send word to the queen. Send for me if any major issues arise." Kelart replied as she turned away and began walking towards her command tent.
She entered the house that she has commandeered as her command post. It was a luxurious seaside house owned by a merchant. When she arrived she had him evicted as she wanted her command post to be close to the ports so she could coordinate the invasion preparations. The merchant was not compensated of course, it is the duty of every citizen to contribute to the good of the nation. Often the masses forget that, so it is the duty of the nobility and the faith to guide them. So the nobility and the faith must bear this great burden and shepherd the masses to the light of the six. For that is the sacred task that they have been entrusted, in that task they cannot fail.
Kelart opened the door and reached for a scroll on one of the shelves. She unrolled the scroll and cast the message spell…
10 000 meters above, Horus Pattern Spy Plane No. 4
The pilot tuned his equipment as his sensors detected a message being transmitted. He expected another standard transmission but as always he put the message to the speaker and began to record the message.
"My queen, this is Kelart your humble servant." Kelart said.
"Yes? Are the preparations finally done? This delay is intolerable, every hour we waste is an hour that we can be discovered." Calca snapped.
"Yes my queen, the preparations are complete. In a few hours we will be able to embark and begin." Kelart replied.
"Good, see that it is done. I will not have another blemish on my legacy, especially after that Baraja girl." Calca said.
"Yes my queen, we will add a glorious chapter to your legacy." Kelart said.
"I hope to see it soon, when you return we must discuss how to deal with the Baraja girl, permanently." Calca said.
"What of my sister, my queen?" Kelart asked.
"Making a mess of things as usual, Pavel Baraja has made an inquiry about the guards at the Ice Gate Valley Internment Camp. He seems to think we must be gentle with heretics." Calca replied with a snort.
"I am sure my sister is trying her best and Pavel Baraja has always championed the downtrodden." Kelart replied.
"We are going to be the downtrodden if we lose this war." Calca snapped in response.
"Yes my queen." Kelart replied.
"Send word once you have landed, the rest of the army will move then." Calca said.
"Yes my queen, glory to the Holy Kingdom." Kelart replied as the message was terminated.
The pilot waited for a moment before turning off the sensors. He sent an encrypted message to Ordo Malleus headquarters and turned his plane towards the Tob airfield. A hatch opened and an Elysian Fallschirmjager scout disembarked and continued observation. He had a recording to deliver.
Hoburns
Calca snorted with disdain as she cut the transmission. How she tires dealing with the mewling masses. All this acting the merciful caring queen is so tiring, it's amazing no one has seen through it. They are fools, complaining endlessly about trivial matters not knowing that their suffering buys them their future. All the nobles are the same, all they do is worry about their coin and their prestige. Her whole kingdom packed to the brim with faithless souls. Her citizens are either too stupid to question the faith or question it the moment they get smart enough. Like that Pavel Baraja, a commoner made a lord, if it wasn't for the demi human filth on her border she would never have ennobled him. Yet his title was necessary, every mission of theirs would be considered a suicide mission. They had to go out into the Albelion Hills, live there for weeks and return with information on the next attack. The only way he was going to get volunteers for his suicide squad was if she slapped a title on him.
Well he serves his purpose, his band of common hunters getting chewed up by the filth in the hills and her paladins stay safe behind the wall. Losses were minimal and Pavel's band were cheap to replace. Her kingdom had many mountains and so many skilled hunters, many adepts at concealment and patience. They serve their purpose well, if only they didn't get ideas above their station. By putting the guards on trial, Pavel Baraja challenges the Judicator Courts. It would not do for someone of so low birth to challenge such a holy institution.
Then there was his daughter, that foul demon. Paladin Yara said they knew from the start what lived inside that foul girl. It was their shame and naive hope that pushed them to hide the truth. That naive hope led to her being trained by none other than Remedios Custodio. The undisputed best warrior in the Holy Kingdom and also the undisputed finest imbecile of the Holy Kingdom. How dull do you have to be to not realise that you are training a demon for four years? Now that demon has grown powerful, it will be no easy task to dispose of her. If she has the strength to tear mithril to pieces it wouldn't be a stretch to say she can throw carriages at her soldiers. They simply do not have the strength to contain her, she has become too powerful.
She could contact the Theocracy, she was sure they would have something that could contain her. But then she would be admitting to harboring a demon and the inquisitors would no doubt call for her head. No, the Theocracy must not know, it would be the end of her. She would win this war first then find a way to handle Neia Baraja. With the naval invasion, they can strike a mortal blow right as the fight begins. Not even the Slaine Theocracy can project naval power like the Holy Kingdom, they were the undisputed master of the seas. As long as they can maintain superiority of the sea, the Re-Estise Kingdom cannot hope to defend against them. They can land reinforcements with impunity all along the coast. With half the Re-Estise army busy fighting the beastmen for the Draconic Kingdom, they cannot hope to contest the Holy Kingdom on the field.
Their victory will be swift and total, soon she shall drag that so-called Golden Queen before her. She would watch her beg before she chops off her ugly head. There can be only one Golden Queen and it won't be that harlot.
The great forest of Tob, Tob Airfield
Zaryusu watched as the scout plane landed on the airstrip. He watched as a team of red dressed soldiers rushed forward and began taking out a black box from the side of the plane.
"Priority one message, get the box to Lord Cocytus. NOW!" the pilot roared.
Zaryusu saw one of the soldiers grab the box and stuff into a backpack before hopping onto one of their metal horses and riding off towards the command tower.
"We should go too brother." Sharyusu said from his right.
"Yes, Lord Cocytus will surely summon us." Zaryusu said as he mounted his Cold One. The Cold Ones were bipedal raptors that served as mounts for the Saurians. Although not as fast as some horses, they were much more deadly in melee combat. They had thick reptilian scales that can deflect glancing blows, with razor sharp teeth and claws they were tough opponents on their own. However with a Saurus on their backs they proved a dangerous opponent.
They rode across the wet marshes towards the great tower that was constructed in a single week. The webbed feet of the Cold Ones allowing them to traverse terrain that would bog down horses. Soon they arrived at the tower, it was a large black tower with numerous blinking crystals on the walls. Although it was described as a tower, it was as wide as a small fort while towering thirty metres into the air. At the gate of the tower stood two Lizardmen dressed in ornate armour, each had a long two handed Suarian halberd.
The Saurian halberd was different from the rest of the halberds used by the other races. It was made for a user with much more raw strength. It had a long handle for use with two hands, at the top was a long rectangular metal block. From the sides of the block protruded curved serrated blades that ran down the side of the block. It was designed to be both a puncture and impact weapon. If the spikes stuck the halberd could be pulled backwards tearing flesh and armour in a rending attack. It was a weapon designed to deal with heavily armoured foes. Unarmoured targets tend to be just smashed to a pulp so it mattered little. This weapon design harkens back to the Saurian's history, in the past Saurians often battled each other for supremacy. The Saurians had natural armour in the form of their scales so their weapons have evolved to counter the Saurians scaly skin. Of course when a weapon design can wound even a Saurian's hide, the defences of the more fragile races tend to crumble much more easily.
The Saurians have a long history of war and bloodshed. For their creator and patron god was part of the original nine supreme ones. Their creator was known to all other races as Ancient One, he is the serpent god of Feral Instinct. The elusive and ever quiet Ancient One predated Tabula Smaragdina but came just after Peroroncino. So his creations like those of Touch Me's dogmatic Seraphim Angels and the powerful Dovah Primal Dragons are ill suited to sentience unlike the younger races. Trading complexity for raw power, the Saurians like their lord Ancient One were brutal warriors with a tendency to frenzy when in combat.
To the other races, their lord was the Ancient One. To the Saurians however, he was Sotek, god of instinct and the apex predator. His form was a massive serpent that could devour worlds, his rage was said to be so great it could drive entire worlds into frenzy and rage. The Saurians were not brave; they merely forget to be afraid when in the heat of combat. They hold their instincts closer to their heart and everyone knows a cornered dog bites the hardest. So the saying goes, never corner the Saurians because when push comes to shove, woe betide those that behold the rage of the Ancient One in all its terrible glory.
The two guards were Temple Guard, in the swamp there were three great temples. The first was dedicated to the Ancient One for he is the patron god of the Saurians. The second was dedicated to Touch Me, the god of the dragons who the Saurians believe their form was based on. The third temple was dedicated to the fiery eyed god of war, Warrior Takemikazuchi. For the Saurians are the defenders of the 41's great plan. They knew that the 41's plans must be allowed to come to fruition so the Saurians guard their swamp and wait. In the past the armies of the Theocracy attempted to take this swamp, they lost 4 armies in three campaigns. Over the course of 200 years they lost 100 000 men in these swamps. Their armies made slow and bogged down bore witness to how swiftly the Saurians can move in such terrain. They were doomed the moment they stepped into the swamp.
The Temple Guard were the finest warriors that the Swamp had to offer. They guarded the sacred temples and are unflinching in their faith and duty. Often in times of conflict and strife the Temple Guards will command cohorts of Saurian warriors into battle. The Temple Guards were veterans one and all, often leading forays against the Goblins and Trolls that threatened their lands. Some were ancient and still remembered the last battle with the Re-Estise Kingdom 150 years ago. They are easily distinguished from the rest as they wear golden helmets that were only granted to the Temple Guard.
As Zaryusu approached the doorway, the two Temple Guard struck their halberds against the stone floor below them eliciting a clear metallic sound. The metal door then groaned open revealing the path through. Zaryusu and Sharyusu ascended the tower to find Lord Cocytus and Zenberu listening to a recording.
The pair joined them as they listened to the full recording, it appears the time is finally at hand.
"Zaryusu Shasha. It. Is. Time." Cocytus said as he turned his huge boreal frame to face the pair.
"Yes Lord Cocytus." Zaryusu replied with a bow.
"Rally. Those. Worthy. Zenberu. Will. Be. Joining. You." Cocytus said.
Zaryusu turned to look at his friend Zenberu who towered four and a half meters in half. He was not a Saurian, he was a Kroxigor. The larger brethren of the Saurians, who served as heavy shock infantry. If the Saurians were lizards, the Kroxigors were Crocodiles. With massive frames they often swing heavy weapons and snatch up unfortunate opponents in their jaws before swallowing them whole.
"I. Have. Heard. Rumors. Of. Naga. Near. The. Coast…. Investigate." Cocytus rumbled.
"We have passed down stories of the Naga as well. We had heard most of them were killed in the great war. In the past most of them lived at the coast of the Roble Kingdom. But the seas are vast with many dark depths to hide in, it is unlikely that they were all wiped out." Sharyusu replied.
"Investigate. And. Ready. Your. Positions. In. The. Water… Give. Them. No. Quarter." Cocytus rumbled as jets of frigid air exhaled from his mouth.
"Yes my lord." Zaryusu replied.
The Next Day
Zaryusu stood next to an Ordo Malleus Major. They were a kilometer away from the shoreline.
"Your men will be here and here, we will send the signal when it's your turn to fight." the officer said.
"So we hide when the fight starts? It is not our way to hide from the fight." Zeneberu asked disgruntled.
"Yes, think of it this way, if they still have the will to fight after this, you will know they are worthy opponents. Let us filter out the weak and the cravens." the Major replied.
"Hmm very well, then we shall impose on you for this battle." Zeneberu replied with a nod.
"They will arrive approximately a week from now, we have scouts scanning the entire body of water near the coast. We'll know where their location is at all times. We will make them land at the preparation zone and after that we will have a free fleet." the Major said.
"How will you make sure they will land here?" Zaryusu asked.
"It's simple, the port city of E-Nairu is nearby. That is the sane, most sensible place to land." the Major said.
"Then won't they land there instead?" Zaryusu asked, perplexed.
"We will send out a fishing boat to… stumble across them. We will spot them at a precise location on the coast. From there they will have to make a choice, retreat and have war declared on them which will sacrifice their only major advantage in this war, which is their naval power. Or at least the advantage in their minds, it's not really an advantage, we already have submersibles prowling the waves." the Major said as he traced the retreat path of the fleet on the map.
"Or they can press on, they will assume we have no eyes on them because the only way to scout for ships that far out to sea is with other ships. Or so they think, so they will assume that word has gotten back to the Capital. With their spotted position the most likely landing point will be E-Nairu. It will take them four days to reach E-Nairu from the spotting position, which is enough to marshall a force to meet them. They will be caught in a pitched battle which if they lose they will be wiped out." the Captain said as he plotted the interception point to the plains between E-Nairu and the Re-Estise Capital.
"So their only choice is to land here, the terrain is the most forgiving for a naval landing, there are no nearby reefs and the beach is a long flat stretch making it easy to organise a landing. So instead of the best location they will choose the next best thing to maintain the initiative in the campaign. In their eyes if the Re-Estise army travels to E-Nairu they will have a 1 week headstart to storm the capital, the siege would be easier as well as the capital would no doubt send some of their local forces to intercept the Holy Kingdom's army. They will attempt to turn their discovery into an advantage but it will be their undoing." the Major said.
"What if they go for E-Nairu and decide to hold the position and wait for reinforcements?" Zaryusu asked.
"Then we sink their fleet enroute back to the Holy Kingdom. Then we just starve them out in E-Nariu. We won't even have to commit forces to fight." the Major replied with a shrug.
"Hmm you Ordo Malleus are as capable as the legends say." Zaryusu said, nodding his head.
"We are as we must be, we are the shield that guards the realms, we cannot fail. To fail is to doom countless souls to darkness." the Major replied.
"I hope you may pull us from this dark age then." Zaryusu muttered in reply.
"That's the idea Warmaster Zaryusu." the Major replied.
"Very well, I will speak to my men, thank you Major." Zaryusu said as he bowed his head slightly. Zaryusu turned his tail swishing behind him as he exited the tent.
When he left the tent he saw his gathered his warriors. They waited outside the tent, weapons in hand as always. The defenders of the great plan are always ready for war.
"Warmaster, your commands?" his best lieutenant said as he trudged forward.
"We hide." Zenberu replied.
At those words the Lizardmen let out hisses and growls. Their tails tensing and smashing into the earth in outrage.
"We do not hide." his lieutenant said.
"No we don't but we wait, we wait for when the time is right. Let the warmbloods cull the meek and the frail. When we emerge we will face only worthy opponents." Zaryusu replied.
"We will hide beneath the waves, the heretical warmbloods will try to land on that beach. They think the waters are safe but we will be waiting. When the time is right we shall seize their ships and strike at them from behind. The sands will run red with heretic blood." Zenberu growled.
Hearing this the Lizardmen let out hisses and growls of approval. This plan was acceptable, let the warmbloods cull each other, the defenders of the great plan shall battle only the worthy. The warmbloods have proven to be ineffective in aquatic battles. Only the coldbloods like the Saurians, the Kroxigors and the Naga have proven to be effective aquatic combatants.
When the humans attempted to take the swamp, many a soldier was pulled into the deep marshes of the swamps. The lizardmen prowling the waters of the marsh emerging where the humans least expected. Every patch of water was a potential ambush point, the attrition rate just from marching through the swamps was truly staggering. Some of the humans foolishly tried to fire arrows into the water. However, if a normal arrow fired above water could not pierce a Saurian's hide what chance did the arrow have under water? Those fools thinking the waters now safe continued their march and found more of their comrades pulled under to die in the murky depths.
"Scout the waters, there may be more in the depths than the warmbloods know." Zaryusu commanded.
Not even an hour later did one of his soldiers approach him in the command tent, the soldier was dripping wet from the sea water but he did not care even if he could sense the displeasure of some of the other Ordo Malleus officers.
"Warmaster, we have made contact with Naga beneath the waves." the soldier said.
"How many?" Zaryuss asked.
"Few, they say most of their people have taken refuge in deeper waters. They are sending word to their hierarchy." the soldier replied.
"Good we have waited for 600 years, it is time for our cold blood kin to join the fray." Zaryusu replied as he let out a hissing laugh.
2 days later
"We are going to the beach, they said. It will be fun, they said. Feel the sand between your toes, they said." Varian grumbled as he sat in his fox hole. His uniform now dyed with a spotted green pattern thanks to some magic dye.
"Stop complaining, the fox hole is done. The Holy Kingdom should be coming in the next one or two weeks. At least here we are digging holes in the warmth we will probably be going to the Holy Kingdom next. It's going to be freezing when we dig foxholes in the snow." Genji replied bluntly as he gazed out at the beach before them.
"You know the thing is… I haven't even stepped on the beach yet!" Varian replied hotly.
"It would expose us, we can't risk detection." Genji replied, still looking at the beach.
"Well those Lizard guys look like they are having a great time, jumping in and out of the water." Varian grumbled in response.
"They are probably doing some task, if you notice they don't come up for air. It's less obvious, they just get in the water and stay there. None of the splashing around the rest of us get up to." Genji replied.
"Yeah, yeah just mouthing off. The boredom is killing me." Varian muttered as he checked his rifle for the umptheenth time.
"It's about to get interesting." Genji replied as he stood up straight.
Varian looked up sensing the change and stood back up. He looked over the crest of the foxhole and saw a group emerge from the water.
The group looked so surreal to the human soldiers. It was a royal procession that emerged right out of the water. The Lizardmen with the gold armor and long strange halberds marched in the front in formation. Behind them followed strange aquatic beings, their top half was vaguely humanoid. Some were more bestial with coarse rugged scales and fins protruding from their spines. Their lower half was those of a serpent, their tails slithering along the sand. In their four arms they clutched tridents and shields that glowed with a sickly green glow. Their weapons were made of a strange pale gold metal that's surface seemed to dance in the sunlight. These numbered two dozen and they flanked what looked to be a female. Her torso was much more familiar, seeming more or less like a beautiful human woman. But her skin was a pale green and she wore a set of ornate revealing gold armor. On her head instead of hair was a crown of fins that furled out behind her giving her a regal appearance. On her forehead was a beautiful golden crown that seemed to cascade down the sides of her head like waves of gold. In the centre of her forehead sprouted a long appendage that glowed at the tip.
While her guards gave the aura of a roiling storm, she gave off the aura of a calm and still sea. Which in itself rang with danger, for although the sailors fear great storms, what they fear the most is a calm windless sea. This occurrence is rare but when it happens the result is certain death for the sailors. For without wind there is nothing for the sails to catch, the ship is dead in the water. At least in a storm you can fight it but on a still sea there is nothing to do but pray and hope the winds pick up before hunger and thirst takes you. In a way it is almost poetic for that is a Siren and it is said that a Siren's song will still even the most tumultuous of mortal hearts. It will still that great ocean and beckon you into the deeps. Most mortal hearts once enthralled will willingly dive down into that great depths never to rise again.
"She's beautiful." Varian muttered.
"Yeah…" Genji replied enthralled.
"Steady boy, that's a Siren Matriarch she may look like a fair maiden but they can cast powerful magics from the Lore of the Deep." an officer replied his face scrunched into a grimace as he tried to resist that beautiful lantern's lure.
Genji hearing this shook his head and snapped out of it, his head clearing. He looked to Varian who was still ogling at the Siren, clearly having not heard a word from the officer. In response Genji slapped the back of Varians head eliciting a dull thud from his helmet.
"Ow!" Varian cried, turning to Genji in indignation.
"Snap out of it!" Genji hissed in reply.
"Ok, ok… geez, did you have to hit me that hard?" Varian grumbled as he turned and saw the Siren slither past his foxhole. The Siren looked into Varian's eyes and once again all thoughts fled from his mind. The Siren cracked a gentle smile on her beautiful face as she slithered past before looking away and continuing towards the command camp.
Varian's body turned and followed her form hypnotised again, his body robotically turning on the spot to keep her form in his gaze. There was a sigh from beside him…
*Smack*
Ow!
Really?
The face?
"Ahhhhh ssssuch weak and puuuure hearts." the Siren sang with a laugh.
"The waaarrm bloooods caaaannnnooot ressssist youuu myyyy queen." her guard said from the right.
"Annnd I have yeeet to siiiinnnggg a notttteee." the Siren replied with another laugh.
The Command Tent
Queen Peisinoe has ruled the Naga of the deep water Citadel for over 200 years. Her people now resided far from the coast, in the past they had many settlements along the many reefs of the coast. That was in the age of the gods, the warmbloods destroyed them all, now her people live in the deepest parts of the ocean. Always waiting, waiting for their chance to strike at their ancient enemy. The Roble Holy Kingdom, the nation that won their Naval Supremacy at the cost of thousands of Naga lives. Now for the first time in hundreds of years Naga's have come ashore not as combatants but as diplomats. It appears the Great Plan draws near and Queen Peisinoe awaits the plan eagerly.
Zaryusu looked up to see a Siren Queen enter the tent, she was as beautiful as a Siren should be. No doubt many of the officers would be picking their men's jaws off the floor after this was done.
"Greetings cousin, it is good to see another child of Sotek alive and well." Zaryusu greeted.
"Yesss. Ittt hassss been toooo looonggg siinnnnce weeee sawww ouuuur kinnnn." the Queen greeted with a smile.
"I am Warmaster Zaryusu, the Saurians of the Tob Marshes are ready to retake this world alongside our kin." Zaryusu said with a firm nod.
"Yesss, I ammmm Queeeen Peisinoeeee, theeee Nagaaa alssooooo seeeekk theeee warm bloooods deathhhhs." Peisinoe hissed with a laugh.
"The warmblood kingdom will be attacking this beach soon. Can you offer support?" Zaryusu asked.
"Cerrrtainlyyy, but weeee arreee illl suitttted to figghhhting oonnnn laaaand." Peisinoe replied.
"That won't be a problem, we plan for you to seize their ships once their troops have made landfall. Afterwards we wish for you to attack their coastal towns and their shipping routes." the Major said.
"Whaaatt isss thisss invaasssion? Weee haaaave beeeen heldddd out innnnn deeepper watttteeeers becaaause offf theeiiir fleeeet." Peisinoe replied.
"The invasion is an all out attack on this stretch of coast, the vast majority of their fleet has been gathered for this task. If we take over their fleet we destroy the Holy Kingdom's ability to project force out to sea. You will be unchallenged on the coast, reave their trading routes and coastal towns as you see fit." the major said as he traced his finger over the coast of the Holy Kingdom.
"Annnd thee Theooocracyyy? Theeeeyy haaave a fleet as weeeelll" Peisinoe replied.
"That's what the Holy Kingdom's fleet is for, we use their own fleet against their allies. We also have a few of our vessels prowling the waters right now. They are submersible ships… ships that sail underwater, making them hard to detect without proper countermeasures. With superior Naval power we can pin down the Theocracy Fleet and leave the Holy Kingdom's coast undefended." the Major said.
"Veeeryy shreeewd sirrrr. Youuuuu must beee theeee Majorrrrrr we haveeeee heardddd abouttttt." Peisisnoe said.
"Yes the Ordo Malleus has returned to put this world right." the Major replied.
"Theeee Ordooo Mallleussss fooughhht wellll innnn the elddeeeerr dayyysssss. Theee Nagaaaa willl aidddd yooouuu." Pesisnoe replied.
"Thank you, we will brief your commanders on how they should proceed. Send them here, I expect the fleet will arrive in a week. Please make haste." the Major replied.
"Myyyy foorrcesss areeee allreeaaaady stanndingg byyyyy aattt theeee coooast." Pesisnoe replied.
"Hmmm, I thank you for your trust and faith. My officers will organise your troops. 41's blessings upon you Queen Pesisnoe." the Major said.
"Deeeep one guideeee youuuu." Pesisnoe replied with a regal nod.
As the Queen left the room, Major Kirahee watched as Zaryusu left to escort the Queen back to the safety of the shore. He turned to Zenberu who towered over him almost twice as tall as he was.
"This is why I like you Lizardmen." Major Kirahee said
"What do you mean?" Zenberu asked.
"It's so much simpler with all of you, with humans and the other humanoid races it's always negotiate this, negotiate that. Sign this treaty, sign that agreement but before that you have to talk to this noble and that house. Make sure everyone agrees, if not there will be rebellions here and uprisings there." Major Kirahee replied with a sigh.
"We do not understand the warmbloods, we do our duty to Sotek and the 41. That is all, we have no other purpose." Zenberu replied.
"Yeah, we can be a complicated bunch. Great in peace time but in war, we are unwieldy and inefficient." Major Kirahee replied.
"That is why the 41 created us no? We will be as we always have been, defenders of the 41's great plan. Tell us when the ships are coming, the warmblood heretics will know our fury." Zenberu said as he turned and exited the tent.
Simple and no nonsense, that's what is to be Ordo Malleus. Fancy nomenclature and unnecessarily grandiose traditions are frowned upon. They are only as regal as they need to be to inspire the soldiers. Most of all they must be efficient and ruthless. They are a machine of war, they are the mailed fist of the 41 and a velvet glove serves no purpose. Their military doctrine is as simple as it is effective. Be swift and decisive, strike with purpose and with no respite. Break the enemy at every opportunity, leave them no room to recover. Wars are decided before they even begin; that is the Ordo Malleus way.
Ice Gate Valley
Neia leaned back into her bed, well you can call it a bed if you just mean a place to sleep. Her bed was just a wooden board. Recently however, they prisoners received wool blankets to sleep in. No doubt due to the request of her father, what's more their food had improved as well. In addition to their bread and cheese, the prisoners now got a bowl of hot vegetable soup. It wasn't much but considering what they had previously this was a significant improvement.
Neia pulled the wool sheets up and relished in the cosy warmth. Sure it would have been better to have a mattress but they had rags for sheets previously. Some of the larger prisoners couldn't even cover their entire body leaving their hands or feet out in the cold. Not that the rags did much, rags did very little when it was minus 20 outside and you lived in a wooden shack.
"Hey you still awake?" Eudico said from the side. Eudico had swapped with one of her roommates so that they could discuss things easier.
"Yea, a copper for your thoughts?" Neia replied.
"You know I was thinking, I've been in here for years. I've seen people here waste away in this boreal valley. For the first time, I can see some of the weaker ones having a chance. They have you to thank for that." Eudico replied.
"I just did…" Neia began.
"I know, I know. You did what anyone would have done. In truth Neia that's not true. In fact there's a part of me that doesn't believe you." Eudico replied, cutting her off.
"You don't believe me?" Neia asked, furrowing her brows, slightly hurt but mostly perplexed.
"What anyone would do… that's a perfect phrase isn't it. You can flip it any which way you want. Any six loving man wouldn't blink an eye to a heretic getting the noose. It's just what anyone would do… hahahaha." Eudico replied with an almost desperate laugh.
"I don't follow…" Neia replied as she sat up turning in Eudico's direction. Neia felt disconcerted, as if she was about to hear something that wouldn't sit well with her.
"It's what anyone would do, by the six we should put that on our money." Eudico said.
"Is it really that strange?" Neia asked.
"You have no idea my lady. The common folk or as this one unpleasant noble said, the unwashed masses. We live day by day not sure where our roads will lead, right now conscripts have been snatched from their homes and given weapons. They will die in the snow not unlike many of us here, they will never see their thresholds again. All this for six dead and silent gods, they watch in silence as the world burns." Eudico replied.
"The six are still with us, they live in each one of us, telling us what is right and what is wrong. Telling us what must be done." Neia replied.
"Tell me Neia, do I come across as a villain, some beast who knows not right from wrong?" Eudico asked.
"No, of course not." Neia replied.
"I spurned the six long ago, does that mean I know not what is right and wrong?" Eudico asked.
"No…" Neia replied.
"We have nothing Neia, we live in villages afraid to start new lives. Afraid to find love because we may be grabbed at any moment to serve on the wall. How can you find love and start a family when you can die in the next month? Leaving behind a broken family and parentless child. We are poor and we have no certain future, the only thing we have is ourselves… and the six want to take that away too. All the good we do is because of the six but every sin is ours. Do we truly not have the right to anything at all?" Eudico asked softly.
"I… I don't know." Neia replied.
"Just wanted you to know how the rest of us live, we don't have fancy last names or prestigious orders to join. If the six had their way, we would have nothing." Eudico said.
I believe that's the point
Keep the sheep dependant
Powerless, toothless
Easy prey
"Noah please." Neia replied mentally, her heart weary from the trials before her.
The six brands me a monster
My existence a mistake
Your existence a mistake sister
But I am no monster
I am no monster because I choose not to be one
I am better because of me
Not because of some do nothing god
True gods need not ask for our worship
We give it willingly…
Last night
Noah sat alone in the darkness, his mind was troubled. In the past he knew the gods were false, he thought there were no gods. For what gods would watch in silence at the chaos of the world. This senseless writhing, the pain, the suffering and for what?
"For what?" Noah muttered.
You are troubled dark soul
Noah raised his head, this time not quickly and not in shock. He had learned by now, his thoughts are an open book. When he needed it the most, the first primordial would arrive in his mind. Teaching him, guiding him, with the smallest tastes of the truth while still not giving it in whole. Leaving him to struggle and grow. Yet each time the dark god asks, cordially, he asks for permission when he can take with impunity.
"Yes, I am. I was just thinking…" Noah began
What is the point of all this?
There it was again, that omnipotence, that power. Proof of that only fed his curiosity more.
"Yes, why did you make this world so flawed? Why do we hate pain but inflict it so readily, spreading it to every corner of this world? We don't do that for anything else, why do it for what matters most?" Noah asked.
Because for everything there is always a price
It is a necessity for joy to exist
There is no joy without pain
No light without darkness
A world without darkness is, still
Stagnant
No different from a world without light
"So are we doomed? Doomed to destroy ourselves? Is there any hope for us at all?" Noah asked
You are not doomed
To be doomed is to imply there is no hope
There is always hope
For hope cannot be destroyed
Hope is not a force that can be shattered
Hope comes from within
Hope is a belief
And belief is not a choice
Belief is compelled by the experiences of the individual
I do not compel your faith dark soul
I give you the tools
Make what you wish from it
"Tools?" Noah asked
Your life
Your free will
Your soul
That is your tools
Life must struggle
For without struggle life is meaningless
That is why every civilisation that has ever existed follows the same rules
The same patterns
The same tendencies
The same patterns of evolution
The same tendencies for dissolution
Before Noah's eyes images flashed showing the rise and fall of civilisations. The maps of nations splitting and reforming over timescales he can barely comprehend.
Once divided must unite
Once united must divide
Order, entropy a never ending cycle
For life there is only the cycle and the hope to break it
"Is there hope?" Noah asked
I was hoping the mortals could answer that for us
For it is your destiny, your hope
We may be gods
We may have created you all from nothing
We may have shaped the mountain
Filled the seas
Ignited the stars
Filled those worlds with life
But there is no power that can rob mortals of their hope
No power that can break mortals of what they seek
You can be made to bow
You can be made to bend
But you must choose to be broken
And so far the mortals have not made that choice
Countless cycles, the pattern repeating
From glory to ashes
And from ashes you bloom again
Like a phoenix in the dawn
Even we the gods must bow to that
So little dark soul
I watch with great anticipation for the cycle to be broken
You are the only one of your kind I have observed
The only dark soul that has not devoured their twin
You speak as if you care for life
That is an anomaly
For one as dark as you to aspire to the light
Usually light falls into darkness
Not the other way around
One who has never tasted that sweet fruit should not be able to muster the strength to seek the light
For to seek the light one must have tasted it
That has been true
Until you came to be
"What are you looking for? Why do you allow these cycles to spin endlessly? You can break it, just give us everything we want. If there is no lack of resources, there would be no reason to fight. If no one wishes to fight each other then there is peace." Noah replied.
That is a question for another time
For now I leave you with this question
What is life without anything to look forward to?
Is a stagnant world, no different from a dead one?
Think on this little dark soul
May thou thy peace discover...
With those words the presence vanished as suddenly it appeared. Noah looked around this empty black world, this was peace wasn't it? It seemed so still, so empty. He much liked it more out there with Neia, the chaos of life even with all its pain seemed preferable to… this.
Stagnancy, evolution, dissolution, order, entropy, an impossible question? Evidently not, the gods who created this world have no need to torture the mortals so. Burning ants is only entertaining for so long.
A question for another time?
Perhaps he was not ready to hear the answer…
Author's Notes:
Hey guys thanks so much to everyone who left a review. Big fight incoming next chapter, so stay tuned. Also if anyone is wondering, the Sea Naga is a canon race as of writing. If you go to the wiki you will find the Sea Naga's actually live off the coast of the Roble Holy Kingdom. I always felt that was interesting especially with the Holy Kingdom being geographically the only nation where the majority of their border is the coastline. This is why I made them a more naval oriented nation, which fits in canon seeing as they are the only nation mentioned so far to have a militarised fleet presence. So it fits well that the Naga and the Holy Kingdom are natural enemies, seeing as they both contest the same area.
Since we are on that topic, if you go to see the overlord map, you will realise that the Re-Estise kingdom meets the Holy Kingdom along this narrow stretch of coast with mountains on the side. This is the mouth of the Ice Gate Valley, which provides a natural choke point against foreign incursions. So if they control the sea, they can use this choke point as a natural fortress. Lose control of the sea however… well lets just say good luck guarding that massive coastline without a navy.
I will explain more on this in later chapters, there are detailed explanations and reasons why the nations have organised themselves the way they do. I am thinking of creating a lexicon as a side story with files on Realm 235. It will be like excerpts from files within an archive. It would allow me to expand more on the details of this world without drowning you guys in lore.
As for those who are asking about the city state alliance, they do have a role to play in the future… just not in the way you guys think. To put it simply, they don't exist yet. Yet… that's all the hints you are getting from me. So leave a review if you liked it and see you guys in the next chapter!