The garden of the Jade Palace was full of people that had been discussing many different subjects around tables all covered with the finest food Imperial money could buy. Those people mainly were family members of some senators whose daughters were part of the Rose Order, the perfect occasion to either meet them outside of their leave period or to find how they were doing in Italica directly from the Princess.
However, at this moment, a call was the only sound that dared brake the heavy silence currently floating in the air because of a single man.
« Zorzal ! »
The large and muscular men wearing shiny armors that reacted to that call quickly turned their look away from some kneeling senator wives and towards the red haired woman that was quickly making her way towards them with her aide closely following. The one with the shiniest of armors and distinctive blonde hair made a step forward to distinguish himself from his group
« I was not expecting to see you here, she started when she reached him. There is nothing that fits your interests at this party. »
He was largely taller than her, making him look down on the woman, trying to show his dominance.
« Do you think this is the way an Imperial Princess should greet her brother, Pina ? » he asked as a reply, now trying to use his voice as a tool of intimidation, but he only made the princess shrug.
« You only treat me as your sister when it suits you, so I do not know why I should give you such honors. But seeing how you and your friends are equipped, I can only guess that you did not came here to drink wine. »
« Indeed, he replied with a small laugh. I and my men are looking for an enemy of the Empire that is apparently at this party right now. »
Pina frowned in confusion while the aide turned around like she was trying to find out who it was.
« An enemy of the Empire ? What is this non-sense you are talking about ? The only people that are here are senators and their families. »
Zorzal did not say anything at first, simply looking over the party that was still frozen.
« Where is that new friends of yours ? With his hooded guards, he did look suspicious, did he not ? » he asked without even looking at her, trying to speak with a slightly friendlier voice.
« Oh, you mean Sir Costi ? He left a few days ago. And even then, he is not an enemy of the Empire. He is just a rich traveler that I met in Italica before everything happened. I told him that if he wanted, he could stay a little at the Jade Palace if he ever came to the Capital and that I would introduce him to a few senators. But now he left. »
Her explanation was clear, precise, and honest. Almost naive. With her beautiful dress and deep eyes, it was impossible not to trust her.
« But anyway, she continued by changing tone completely. After that horse ride at this hour of the day, you must be hungry. So please, be my guest. »
She pointed towards one table while conversations slowly started to start again all around them. It was covered by many plates full of pieces of meat, cut in different sizes and shapes.
Zorzal picked up a piece of Ma Nuga meat by the bone and started to look at it curiously. It looked like a regular roasted piece of meat, but what was unusual was the set of black lines going along it.
« What is this ? » asked the prince with the voice of a connoisseur facing something new.
« It is Ma Nuga meat, but cooked over a grill in a closed space for a precise amount of time. I do not know how they call this method, but I find it very tasty. Try it. »
Without any complaint, he immediately bit off a large piece and started chewing. And it was everything he had not expected. It tasted like cooked meat, but there was something on top of that. Maybe it was the result of that new cooking technique, or it could have just been the fact that it was not the usual recipes that the cooks of the Imperial Palace always serve. Nevertheless, the prince swallowed and, before taking another bite, waved to his men to come and try.
And shortly after, in the general amazement, their first objective got lost. Nobody cared about any enemy of the Empire anymore.
With the plate, as well as all the nearby jars of alcohol, empty, the loud and now slightly drunken group made their way back to their horses.
« I have to tell you Pina, said Zorzal with now a joyful tone, if you ever meet that cook again, tell him to come to the palace. I want to taste this more often. »
« I sure will, she replied with a large smile. Now go back to the Palace safely. You usually do not leave for that long at this hour of the day. Father may be worried. »
The prince simply nodded before turning around, mumbling to himself probably a little louder that he thought he was.
« Count Marx is starting to become senile… Imagining an enemy here… »
She silently watched as the group rode away on the paved path leading to the gate of the Palace. When the sound of the horse shoes clapping on the pavement faded away, it was replaced by the one of people stepping close to her.
« I think you have guessed who this person was. » she stated without turning around, looking deeply into the distance.
« Indeed, replied the voice of Costi. We also have recorded this from many different angles. It is great that we can finally put a face on that name. »
« I expected him to look like a High School bully, commented the voice of Lieutenant Moreau. Boy I could not have been more wrong. »
« So… What did he said ? Is anything wrong ? » asked the diplomat as the princess finally turned to face him and the soldier wearing a Fantôme cloak over his uniform.
« It is Count Marx, my father's adviser, who sent him. I think he is starting to suspect something. But it does not look like he has any concrete evidence. If he had, the Palace would have already been surrounded by soldiers. »
The two slowly nodded, and she walked back towards the palace. During this entire inspection, her heart had been beating really fast, almost like during the incident involving the Lieutenant a few months back, and she had struggled to maintain a clean a calm face. Now, she needed a truly deserved break.
Meanwhile, the men started to make their way back to the party, exchanging a few words in French.
« We should probably report that up the command chain. » started the Lieutenant to break the awkward silence.
« Hopefully, we already made contact with a few senators. But it is not going to make things easier. »
« Well let's just hope nothing else happens. »
I don't really know how much time I spent here. It could really have been a month or a year since I arrived, but when the only piece of sky you see is through a tiny window high on the wall, it's pretty easy to lose the count.
Saying that I got used to what was going on is completely wrong. Sure, I wasn't crying anymore when the guards came to pick me up, brought me back and especially during what was happening in between, but that's just because I learnt how to keep the tears in.
Most of the time, I had to stay inside that cell, cramped with other girls, only one fourth of them being human. We all endured the same treatment, and you'd probably think that it would put us closer together. But this was a fight. We all perfectly knew that once he got bored of one of us, she wouldn't see the end of the day. I don't know if I should have felt that fear. After all, and that hurts me to say that but, I was too rare of a good to be thrown away on a mood swing.
But some girls saw me as the favored one, the one at the safe spot at the top of the list. I had to be eliminated. But one of the girl started to protect me. She was a bunny girl with long and beautiful white hair despite everything going on.
She wasn't just trying to protect me from other violent slaves. When the amount of food we received was lower than usual, she would give me a part of her ration if not all. It was almost like she was trying to keep me alive.
I never managed to understand the language those people were speaking, only getting a few obvious words. But I remember the word they used to refer to her, always with some form of respect.
Tyuule.
But everything changed that night.
It was Tyuule that was on duty that day, meaning that I had to lay low during her absence to not risk anything. As the day moved forward, I stayed in my corner, but I noticed something weird. Some of the animal girls started to look stressed, they started to breathe faster or to sweat despite the relatively cold temperature. And the more time passed, the more it showed.
It was barely passed midday when Tyuule came back. Silently, she returned to her place next to me with her natural grace. I couldn't help but notice the marks on her naked leg, the true testimony of the treatment all of us had to suffer.
As the sun finally set down over this city that I didn't know the name of, the agitation was still growing. It even reached a point where some were scratching the ground, like to dig their way out of the cell.
Personally, I was trying to calm one of the dog girl that was next to me on the bench. She was young, too young even. And I was trying to carry her through this hell like how Tyuule was carrying me. With her fluffy head on my laps, I started to sing the only lullaby I knew with the softest voice I could.
Say your prayers, little one,
Don't forget, my son,
To include everyone.
Tuck you in, warm within,
Keep you free from sin,
Till the sandman he comes.
Sleep with one eye open,
Gripping your pillow tight.
Exit: light,
Enter: night.
Take my hand,
We're off to never never land.
I didn't started to play my guitar that was leaning against one of the wall, not wanting to attract any more attention.
Something's wrong, shut the light.
Heavy thoughts tonight,
And they aren't of Snow White.
Dreams of war, dreams of liars,
Dreams of dragon's fire
And of things that will bite
Sleep with one eye open,
Gripping your pillow tight.
Exit: light,
Enter: night.
Take my hand,
We're off to never never land
In that kind of situation, the only dream you can have are nightmares, something that follows anyone that manages to get out of here alive for the rest of their lives. And the more you try to forget, the more the face of that bastard with his fucking smile comes back to haunt you. Every. Single. Night.
Now I lay me down to sleep,
Pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I die before I wake,
Pray the Lord my soul to take.
Hush little baby, don't say a word,
And never mind that noise you heard.
It's just the beasts under your bed,
In your closet, in your head.
Exit: light
Enter: night
Grain of sand
Exit: light
Enter: night
Take my hand
We're off to never never land
Her eyes closed and quickly fell asleep, and I followed a few minutes later.
Imperial Capital, Collina Meridiana, February 17th 2017, 0210 AT
« Fantôme Two, Fantôme Six. We are closing in on your position. Arrival in around two minutes. Over. »
« Fantôme Six, Fantôme Two. Copy that. Out. »
The end of the radio communication immediately sparked a reaction by Fünf.
« Oh God. Those have to be the most boring observation mission I have ever done. »
The two men were laying on the cold hard stone ground of an abandoned and half destroyed tower of a temple in ruin. They had set up a fully functional observation post, complete with the large photographic equipment, a long range radio, some extra ammunition just in case and a small space for more private needs.
From this tower sitting almost at the top of the hill, they had the best view on the large camp of the Imperial Army, a large gathering of standardized tents surrounded by simple wooden fortifications. In fact, it was not a defense infrastructure but one place to host all the soldiers that could then be deployed as soon as the Emperor orders it.
Within the announced time frame, the two operators relaying Doré and Fünf arrived, and the duo went on its way towards the safe house that The Playful Elf had become.
« Man, I'm still wondering why that whole building is abandoned… Like, the population density is absolutely ridiculous yet there is this empty space… You know what I mean ? » asked Fünf as they passed through the dusty main hall that had suffered from the passage of time.
« Yeah, replied his teammate while opening the door leading outside, I asked one of the girl about that… Apparently it used to be a temple dedicated to Emroy, and soldiers would often come here to pray. But during the riots, it was seen as a symbol of Imperial power and it got looted. One of the priest got killed. Then the district got locked down, and people started to believe the place is haunted. »
As expected, the street was empty through the green shade of the night vision googles, apart from a few rodents eating some random grain lying on the ground.
« Oh… So that's why that broken statue reminded me of someone… It's Black, isn't it ? »
« Yup… And because she's on our side, I'm pretty sure we don't have anything to fear. »
The walk downhill was not really long in distance, but with the few gang members in patrol in their respective turf, they still had to be careful.
« You actually believe it's haunted ? » laughed the youngest of the two, looking on both side of an intersection for any danger.
« Well did Black manage to spit out seven six two and twelve gauge out of her body while carrying around that enormous axe ? » returned the oldest with seriousness in his voice.
« Yeah, good point. »
The two continued forward in a complete silence when suddenly, the glow of a torch and the sound of several men running appeared from another intersection. Silently, the operators moved to cover in the shadows to let the patrol pass.
Said patrol was entirely made of dog men, and saying they rushed by in a hurry would be a clear understatement. And it was not looking like they were hurrying to reach a place or catch someone.
But rather it was looking like they were fleeing away from something.
Only a few seconds later, they disappeared in another street, and the two Fantômes continued on their way.
« Fantôme Actual, Fantôme Two. We are closing in on the safe house. Estimated time one minute. Over. »
« Fantôme Two, Fantôme Actual. Solid copy. Out. »
Within the minute, they entered the small alleyway that lead to The Playful Elf, all under the watch of the operators standing guard on the roof, concealed by the darkness of the night.
Doré knocked two times on the wooden front door that opened shortly after and the two entered. Just like at Camp Thunderhead, the room that used to be the main hall had completely changed, now hosting most of the operators' sleeping bags. The bedroom of the first floor were still hosting the girls that were providing key intelligence on the whereabouts of some of Meridiana's key targets, as long as they did not bring any "business" inside the safe house. It was the upper floor that completely changed of purpose, now hosting the supply reserves and the command center.
A call interrupted them when they reached the first floor.
« Fünf ! » said Wulpa's recognizable voice, forcing the two to turn around.
Her head was poking out of one of the bedroom doors, her ears pointing downwards and her eyes full of panic.
« Something's wrong ? » asked Fünf, stepping towards the door.
The wood panel suddenly opened as she literally threw herself into his arms, tightly grabbing his camouflaged shirt.
« We… You all have to go… Something is coming… I… No, we can all feel it ! »
« Wow wow, calm down there Wu… » he tried to reply, but he stopped when he saw what was behind the door.
Almost all the animal girls that lived in the safe house were cramped in the small space, trying to comfort and calm each other under the protective wings of Misery.
« Shit, the fuck is going on ? » asked Doré, taking a look inside the completely filled bedroom.
« No… Nobody knows, answered one of them replied while her whole body was shivering. Everybody started acting strange today… Bu… But now we ju… Just want to run away. »
The noise started to attract the attention of a few other operator and soon enough, the entire safe house that was not on guard duty was trying to figure out what was currently happening.
After several minutes of questions by the medic of the team, it was Sergei's turn to ask.
« Have anyone of you experienced that before ? Because at this point we don't have any clue… »
There was a moment of silence before the faint voice of a terrified bird girl rose.
« My… My mother told me… About a mountain near her village… She told me about that feeling of needing to run away. She said she felt it just before the ground shook violently and the mountain spat out flames… »
« An earthqu… » started to reply Sergei, but he stopped himself as his brain drew the lines in between the dots, just like the rest of his men.
« Putain, cursed Doré in all of his Reunionese Creole accent. Of course it has to be a fucking earthquake. »
As the one having grew up on a volcanic island, nobody even thought about disagreeing with him.
« When could it hit ? »
« I don't know, but looking at how terrified they are, it might be pretty close… »
Without a word, Sergei rushed up the stairs back into the command center were the long range radio was.
« Thunderhead, this is Fantôme Actual. Emergency transmission, we might have an earthquake incoming on our position. I repeat, we might have an earthquake about to strike. How copy ? Over. »
There was a few seconds of silence, tension building up inside the entire safe house.
« Fantôme Actual, this is Thunderhead. Interrogative. What makes you believe that ? Over. »
« A lot of non-humans are acting just like how animals would just before an earthquake, and one of them testifies that it could happen. It might strike really soon. Over. »
Again, a few moments of silence before the voice came out of the metal box again.
« Copy that, Fantôme Actual. Stay on stand-by while we confirm with Overlord. Thunderhead, out. »
With a sigh, Sergei hung back the microphone.
« So what do we do ? » asked Fünf, still trying to comfort Wulpa in his arms, when Sergei went back down the stairs.
« Be ready to evacuate at any sign of tremor. »
Imperial Capital, Jade Palace, February 17th 2017, 0240 AT
Honestly, Soul preferred by miles to be on guard duty rather than staying for hours in an observation post. That way, he could move around and not had to do everything slowly and silently, and in this case, there were other key factors.
The Jade Palace was already heavily guarded by the Knights of the Rose Order, and the dormitories that the operators were living in were way more comfortable than the standard issue sleeping bag they had in their backpacks. What it meant was that it was clearly better to be on the diplomat bodyguard team rather than in the observation team on every aspect, letting Soul to wonder why Fünf insisted to stay longer in the true shithole that was Meridiana.
From time to time, he would look around through his night vision googles into the distance before putting it back in his pocket and walking around on the roof, adding a layer of protection that probably was not really needed, but helped the diplomat sleep at night.
From his position, he had a perfect view of the tents hosting the knights grouped in the park. He could see the shadows of a few guards, patrolling inside that well-ordered grid of cloth, passing in front of torches and campfires. The fact that most of them were the daughters of rich families playing war suddenly being thrown into a real conflict could only put a strange smile on Soul's face. Weird when you do everything to do the awful thing that you were protected from doing at birth, isn't it ?
As he continued to walk around the large dome that was taking an enormous section of the roof, one part of his brain looking around and the other thinking about how this entire conflict was not making any sense, the sound of a door opening and closing immediately caught his attention.
He was at the complete opposite of where the access door was, so he had to go all the way back to see who it was and tell him or her to please go away.
When he finally started to see a woman figure, leaning on the railing, he raised his voice with a slightly intimidating tone.
« Miss, the roof is a restricted area. I must ask you to… »
He interrupted himself as the silhouette turned towards him, the light of a nearby torch tearing apart the veil of darkness that was hiding her face. The only thing he could do was to snap into a salute position.
« Your Highness. » he simply said as the red haired woman turned back towards the landscape.
« At ease, she replied with her look still pointed towards the dots of lights of city in the distance. I am not up so late to follow protocols. »
At this hour of the night, the temperature was very low, probably six or seven degrees Celsius. Yet, the only clothing that was covering her body was a simple white night dress. In fact, it felt like she was wearing it just so that she was not walking around naked.
« With all due respect, Your Highness, you should probably go back inside. This cold is going to hurt you. »
A small smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.
« I have lived through many dangers in the past. Sometimes, I feel like one must live what is dangerous to be prepare himself. »
Soul was not going to insist, so they both stayed there for one long minute, looking at a city that looked so peaceful in its sleep.
She was the first one to turn her head.
« You were at the inn, were you not ? You escorted us back to Paris safely. »
The question surprised Soul. As a simple soldier of the Fantôme team, he was not expecting to be recognized by anyone of importance.
« Yes Madam. I was there. » were the only words he replied.
« So this is how war changed as time passed. The humongous destruction of giant machines and the precise strikes of small elite groups… What has become of the grand armies facing head to head on an open battlefield ? »
The question was obviously rhetorical, but Soul could not keep himself from giving an answer.
« You are overlooking one thing, Your Highness. It's true that Armies have changed, but their goals have changed as well. Soldiers don't look for the glory of a heroic death on the battlefield, we are doing all of this to protect our people and keep peace. »
« Is this why you enlisted in the Army ? »
« Yes… To protect my fellow countrymen from the many threats that exists. I don't care about honor or that kind of stuff. Hell, I'm Special Forces, keeping what I do a secret is my job. »
The princess sighed as she looked towards the giant yet distant shadow of the Imperial Palace, almost like the black figure was looking and listening to them.
« My blood is not completely pure, she said to reply to a question that Soul had not even asked yet, but my father still gave me the title of Imperial Princess. I felt like I had to show him he had made the right decision, that I was worthy of such a title. Even though I took all the decision, I do not know if all of it was my choice. »
« You did make choices, though. »
« What do you mean ? »
« Well you chose to open the door to us back in Italica. You chose to accept General LaPointe's proposition. You chose to be the medium between us and the senators. Sometimes, we take important decisions without realizing it. »
She stayed silent, thinking about those words and how they could apply in her past. But this trip on memory lane was short as the cold air finally started to bite her almost unprotected skin. She stepped back from the guard rail and put her hand on the knob of the door leading back inside the palace, leaving Soul still looking at the fading lights of the city.
Before opening, she turned her head back towards the soldier.
« What is your name ? »
The soldier turned around.
« I cannot give my real name, he replied, but you can call me Soul. »
The princess nodded before replying.
« If we ever meet again, call me Pina… »
She was about to say "Thank you" for everything that he and his team had done for her and for peace in the last months, but she was cut by a voice on Soul's radio.
« This is Thunderhead to all units currently inside the Capital AO. Probable earthquake incoming. Evacuate all buildings immediately. I repeat. This is Thunderhead to all units currently inside the Capital AO. Evacuate all buildings immediately. »
« Merde… We have to go, your Highness. »
In an instant, it felt like Soul had disappeared and that the Special Forces soldier had taken back his place, violently opening up the door and pushing her back inside.
The small corridor that leads to the roof also hosted the doors of the several attics of the Palace, and Soul stopped in front of the one leading to the make-shift apartments for the operators and the soldiers of the recon team.
« Give the evacuation order to all your knights, he ordered her. And put on something warm ! »
As he opened up the door, waking up all the soldiers that were asleep, and as she ran down towards her own apartments, none of them were realizing how surreal this scene was under the rising influence of adrenalin.
There already was a group forming up in front of the main entrance of the palace, with confused knights in nightwear trying to understand what was going on and soldiers giving orders left and right.
« Princess ! »
It was Hamilton, starting to run towards Pina just like a girl that finally finds her parents after getting lost in a supermarket.
« Are you alright, Your Highness ? » she asked with panic in her voice.
« Yes, yes, I am fine. Calm down now. »
« But I… I do not understand what is happening. »
« To be honest with you, neither do I. But everything is going to be alright. »
« Your Highness ? »
This time, it was a familiar man voice that called her. Turning around, she quickly found out that it was Lieutenant Moreau, as well as a few of his men, as well as Sir Costi.
« Lieutenant. » she replied as they saluted her.
« Is there anyone left in the palace ? »
« I don't think so… »
« Good. Stay here and don't go close to anything that could detach from the building. »
« But why are we doing this ? What is an "earthquake" anyway ? »
The Lieutenant quickly turned around to give some orders before going back to the princess.
« Well… How to explain it simply… The ground is probably going to shake, and it might cause the collapse of buildings. We evacuate as a security. »
Hamilton reacted quite dramatically to this announcement.
« The ground is going to shake ?! The buildings are going to collapse ?! By all the gods ! »
Anthony quickly rose up his two hands, moving them slightly up and down like to try lowering the panic of the young knight.
« Calm down, miss. As long as you stay with us, everything is going to… »
He stopped.
« You're felling it ? » asked the diplomat that had been behind the Lieutenant.
At this moment, Pina started to feel a light vibration in the ground. And the frequency of this vibration was rising very quickly, too quickly.
« Incoming ! » yelled a voice from the other side of the group.
Before she knew it, everything was quickly moving one way then the other, breaking the tiled floor, shattering glass windows and pushing statues off their pedestals. But the only sound one could hear were the terrified screams of the knights. The only thing the princess was able to do was gripe Hamilton close to her, bracing for what could happen next. Even after witnessing power of more technologically advanced militaries, this was terrifying.
After an amount of time she was not able to describe, the vibration started to slow down. And then, it stopped.
Everyone looked around for a moment, trying to figure out if they were still alive.
« Recon Three, roll call ! » launched Anthony through his radio.
One after the other, all the voices of his team members appeared on the radio, confirming that they were alright.
Seeing this, Pina quickly returned to her position as a military leader and called her officers before ordering them to assess the damages and report any casualty if there were any.
« Is it going to come back ? » she asked to Anthony as they both finished to give their instructions.
« There are going to be aftershocks for maybe one day or two. Not as powerful as what we just felt, but if a structure was weakened, it could crash down. »
She looked over her shoulder, towards the shadow of the Imperial Palace, still standing, before turning to look at her aide.
« I must alert my father. Prepare my armor and my escort. »
« Well then be careful, Your Highness. Don't stay inside buildings if it starts shaking again. »
She stopped in her movement and slowly turned her head around, disbelief clearly visible.
« You… You are not coming with us ? »
The knights that had been standing around with torches, ready to accompany their superior to the Imperial Palace, all had terrified looks on their faces. It felt like they could be safe only if NATO soldiers were around. But said soldiers, as well as the diplomat, could only look at each other completely dumbfounded.
« Well… Huh… Your father is the Emperor… He is the guy we are trying to arrest. I am not really sure that it is a really good idea. » replied Anthony, scratching his uncovered head.
With the force of despair, she grabbed the Lieutenant arm, trying to think of a good argument to get him to accompany her.
« May… Maybe you could have the occasion to see how it is inside. The guards are probably terrified and not carrying out their duty. It is a key occasion for you. »
This idea left her lips as soon as she thought about it, almost not even realizing it. However, she clearly noticed the impact that her reflex idea had on the Lieutenant and the diplomat.
« One moment please. » he said as the soldiers of the reconnaissance unit and the Fantôme team started to debate between each other.
Some were clearly approving, other shook their heads to say no and arguments were flying left and right as the information was making its way up the command chain.
When the instructions finally arrived, Pina did not had to ask them what they were, as Anthony, two of the Recon Three soldiers and several Fantômes put their cloaks on.
« Alright, started Anthony loudly to brief everyone, this is what we are going to do. We are going up there, we take a few pictures, Costi says hi to the Emperor and then we go back here as soon as possible. As of now, this team has the call sign Alpha. Understood ? »
Several « Affirmative » and « Yes sir » quickly followed.
« Good. Now let's hope everything goes smoothly. »
When the earthquake hit and I realized what was going on, the first thing I did was diving under the bench. It was the only piece of furniture we had but it was obviously not enough to protect me or anyone for rubble. I tried to grab and pull some other girls with me, but there was not a lot of space and most of them were panicking or paralyzed by fear.
Oddly enough, even though the wall did not really look solid, nothing fell from the ceiling. But it did create a crack in the ceiling, large enough to really be menacing. Good thing that at this time, I had not forgot yet my High School geology class, I knew that aftershocks were coming.
So when it calmed down, I jumped out of my cover and I ran to grab and shake the metal door, yelling to the guard to let us out of here. I could only yell at them in French, but at the time I was pretty sure it was enough to get my point across.
But the guards were as terrified as the slaves. Some had already fled while other were on their knees, praying to whatever god was forsaking them. So needless to say that my calls went unanswered.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the motherfucker arrived, wearing his luxurious night wear. Some of his friends were with him, holding torches and acting as an escort. They all had tough faces and huge muscle, but I like to think that in reality they were scared shitless that night.
He yelled at the guards, probably promising punishment for abandoning their duty. To give an example, he grabbed the key of the cell and a huge pile of chains and collars used for prisoner transfer.
He opened the cell and, quickly, we all ended up with a collar around our necks before he pulled all of us out. I could have run for it, but without any idea of where I was and how to survive outside, I did not do anything. I was better off following Prince Douchebag to the closest thing to safety that I could hope.
But as we walked down the corridors that had sadly became way too familiar, I realized something. He was not leading us outside, but rather back towards the Palace. It was suicide. So with all my strength, I pulled on my chain to attract his attention.
The thing is, when you are a musician sex slave in a place with an unknown language, there is a word that is quite easy to pick up.
Again.
With signs and a few badly pronounced words that I hope were carrying the message I wanted, I tried to warn him about the danger.
And, surprisingly, he stopped and listened. Sure he looked more annoyed that I was interrupting him than truly concerned, but it felt like he at least acknowledged what I wanted to say.
But we still continued in the same direction, walking through corridors that I had never seen before. If one thing was sure, it was that he was not leading us in his apartments.
He started to go walk quicker, still holding our chains, and we were starting to feel tired. Many of us fell down on the ground when he finally stopped in front of the largest door I had seen in a while.
Without much protocol, he almost kicked it open, calling a name while dragging us inside, his escorts following.
When the pain on our neck stopped and he stopped again, I had a chance to look around. The place he had led us to what was some sort of throne room with an old man was sitting in his large chair. It looked like he was in some sort of audience with a lot of hooded men before the Prince interrupted them.
As he started to explain something to who I believed was his father, I started to realize that some of those guys with hoods were looking at us, disgusted by what was probably for them an awful sight. But I felt like most of the looks were turned towards me in particular. In a way, I was standing out of the bunch of rag wearing slaves.
But there was something wrong with those hood wearing men. Over the last months, I had only seen faces of locals, and I somehow started to get used to it. But them, they looked different, cleaner, more… How to say it ? More… modern.
Suddenly, the motherfucker in chief pulled me out of the group of slaves and grabbed me by the collar before lifting me up. I know he said something, but my neck was hurting so much that I was focusing on trying not to choke to death.
Then, one of the guy with a cloak yelled something, causing Prince Dickhead to let me fall back on the ground. After coughing and taking back my breath, I look around to realize what was happening.
I think seeing a gun had never made me this happy before.
Imperial Capital, Imperial Palace, February 17th 2017, 0320 AT
As expected, nobody was guarding the throne room, or the rest of the Palace for that matter. What it meant was that the quickly formed Alpha team had all the time it needed to take pictures and map the overall layout of the palace, following the princess around.
Despite the rubble and the destroyed statues, the palace still had its splendor and was still an impressive piece of architecture, considering the people that built it only had simple tools of wood and iron.
Like any other palace, the main purposes of almost every room is to receive guests, host parties and serve banquets. But in the case of an armed assault, the placement of said rooms was more important to know that their true purpose.
Then, the princess stopped in front of what was probably the biggest door in the entire palace. While the undercover diplomat and his escort contemplated this literal piece of art, she turned around to face them all.
« I must ask you to wait here for a little moment. I will be back in a few minutes. »
Without any other word, she slightly opened the door, just enough to have space to get inside, before closing it. The sound of the pieces of wood hitting each other echoed in the large corridors, hammering down how empty they were after the events of the night.
« Fucking hell, left out Marc as he looked up to the colorful ceiling. Is it me or is this more over the top than Versailles ? »
« Maybe, simply replied Anthony while he examined an engraving depicting armies clashing on the battlefield. Do you think that's how those Chinese tourists are feeling when they visit Paris ? »
They both laughed, getting some serious looks from the operators that were doing their jobs seriously. What was Danpré thinking when he gave that simple Lieutenant the lead of such a special team ?
« When things are going to calm down, imagine the number of archeologists and scientists that are coming to come here to answer all the questions. »
« What questions ? »
« Well, huh, I don't know, maybe "how does a portal link to different worlds ?", "Is this another dimension?" or "Why are there Romans here?" It's kind of the first thing that comes to mind. »
« I have a theory about all of this. » said Karl as he was trying to keep his G36 from poking out of his cloak.
« A theory ? » asked Anthony, not really seeing where his private was trying to go.
« Yeah. Those guys are basically Romans, they say they came a long time ago from a Gate and they at least know the names of the gods from Roman mythology. It's obvious that a Gate opened somewhere in the Roman Empire, some colonists came in, the Gate closed and a dozen of century later here we are. »
Anthony nodded, but Marc was clearly skeptical.
« But we never found anything about a magic portal transporting people. That's kind of a big deal, no ? »
« Maybe we didn't find it yet, or we can't because all traces have been destroyed… I don't know, I'm just a German guy that only went through High School. »
This brought a smile on Anthony's face, but it quickly faded away when the door opened again. This time, both panels moved at the same speed, pushed by slaves, revealing the princess standing in the middle.
« His Holy Grace the Emperor Molt Sol Augustus is welcoming you in his home. Now step forward and kneel in front of him. »
Her tone was marked, following the protocol despite the lack of music or guards in shiny armor. But it was enough to send a shiver down Costi's spine. Before proceeding, she quickly winked, a gesture she had learned from watching the operators at the Jade Palace. It was her own way to say that everything was going to be fine.
She then turned around and started to walk down the large and impressive throne room at a precise pace with a walk she had already performed dozens of times before. The diplomat and the escort quickly followed her, every one of them taking a deep breath, ready for anything.
At the end of the throne was said seat, looking like it had been carved directly out of an enormous rock before being outfitted with various decorations of exotic wood and precious gems. It was standing in front of an enormous window made of several pieces of gold, red and purple colored glass that formed what vaguely looked like a wyvern.
But the most important was the person sitting on the throne. An old man with grey hair, some deep wrinkles on his face showing his high age. Like all the other local nobles and aristocrats, his clothes were similar to togas and he was wearing a piece of jewelry on his forehead. However, his clothes and his jewelry were the most complex and the most expensive looking that the soldiers and the diplomat had seen yet. On both side of the throne, there was a guard, holding a long spear and wearing an armor that had obviously been made more for looks than for combat effectiveness. At this point, no doubt was possible, this man was the Emperor, the man that ordered the attempted invasion.
The man at the source of everything.
When Pina arrived at the level of the last column, she stopped and knelt down. Costi did the same, unsure of the protocol to follow, while the soldiers of Alpha team stayed still, ready for everything.
« Father, she started. This is the man named Costi that I talked to you about, as well as his escort. »
Costi felt the look that the old man launched at him, even if his own eyes were still pointed towards the red carpet that was under his feet.
« Thank you Pina, he replied with a heavy and powerful voice for a seventy year old. You can stand, sir Costi. I would have received you with the proper honors, but as you can see, the time is not for music and dances. »
The diplomat's heart started to beat faster and faster as he thought of the first words that were going to leave his mouth.
« Just being able to talk to the Saderan Emperor in person is way more than what I ever expected, your Highness. »
« After the ground stopped shaking, my beloved daughter came to me saying that she brought a man knowledgeable in such events. I hope that you are this man and that you will be able to answer all my question. »
« Indeed I am, your Grace. I had already left the Capital when I found that such a disaster was going to happen, I rode back here as fast as I could. Sadly, it was too late. But as I felt, there is still time before the next tremors, meaning that there is still time to evacuate. »
The Emperor's face immediately lit up in a fearful surprise.
« What ? There are going to be more ? By the gods. »
« Sadly, there are. I know that I am just a simple traveler, but I must suggest… »
« Father ! »
Costi could not finish his sentence as the doors were slammed open and another large group entered. The man that led the group needed no introduction as he was immediately identified as Zorzal El Caesar, Crown Prince of the Empire. This quick identification was possible thanks to the man's distinctive large musculature, short blond hair and obnoxious look. But there was something else that was fitting to the character yet had not appeared on the pictures of him that had been taken earlier that day.
The grape of chained women that were following him.
Or rather that he was dragging along.
« Oh putain… » silently reacted Anthony as he watched him quickly walk up the room before pushing away Costi.
« Father ! Are you alright ? We must leave the Palace at once ! »
« Calm down, Zorzal. Are you unable to see that Father is currently receiving someone ? »
While the Princess answered, everybody else was looking at the slaves, wearing nothing more than rags covered in various stains. What they all noticed immediately was that only a few were humans, the majority of the women being the females of various species, some of which they had never seen before.
« Silence, you. We do not have time for this kind of meetings. I know that the ground will shake again. We must leave. »
It was Marc that noticed the next interesting detail. One of the human slave was facing away from him, but it allowed him to see the tattoo that was on her back. It was the image of a bird opening its wing, something that modern tattoo artists would consider standard and almost cliché. But in the middle of the capital of a medieval fantasy empire, it was clearly out of place. But they were in a world with dragons, women with animal ears and magic. A well-made tattoo was clearly not the weirdest thing he had saw during his deployment.
« But how do you know ? Father just learnt about it from Sir Costi that came back here tonight. Who told you ? »
But then, the slave turned around, and there was now another important detail that was feeling out of place. Quickly, he gave a small nudge to the Lieutenant with his shoulder to catch his attention.
« They had Asians in Rome ? » he asked, discreetly pointing out the slave in question.
« Uh… What the fuck ? »
« I have a bad feeling about this. »
Zorzal looked down to the many chains he was holding in his hand, like if he was trying to find which chain was whose.
« She might not be able to speak a lot in our language, but it is Emili that told it to me. »
That new name that suddenly appeared in the discussion confused the Princess. Meanwhile, the Emperor watched as the two siblings were almost yelling at each other like he knew something was going to happen.
« Emili ? I do not know a person named that way. Who is this Emili ? »
Before answering, the Prince used his other hand to grab one chain in particular and violently pulled on it, forcing one slave out.
And that slave was the tattooed Asian.
Without really realizing it, Anthony tightened his hold on the pistol grip of his FAMAS while Zorzal handed all the other chains to one of the man that was accompanying him.
« This girl is Emili, he launched with a vicious smile all across his face as he lifted her up. And I have all the reasons to believe that she is right. »
« And why so ? » asked Pina, not really getting his point.
« Because she comes from the other side of the Holy Gate. »
« Put your hands up, enculé ! »
The last few words that had left the Prince's mouth had been enough for Anthony to spring up from his positon, stepping in the middle of the room and rising his rifle towards the large silhouette.
With confusion, the escort of the Prince unsheathed their swords while the rest of Alpha team also rose up their guns. The situation had changed in an instant from relatively peaceful talks to a tense Saderan stand-off. Even the two throne guards started to shift to a combat position, but a simple hand movement from the Emperor ordered them to stay in position.
The prince turned around, dropping the woman back on the ground, with a much defined confusion in his eyes. Those eyes were asking who could have possibly tried to defy the great Zorzal El Caesar. Before he could say anything, Anthony yelled again.
« Hand the woman over and put your hands up ! »
Obviously, he did not comply. Instead, he started to laugh.
« Are you threatening me ? he asked with an amused tone. You fool. I do not have my sword with me, but you can be assured that my fists will be enough. »
As a way to challenge them, he put the chain down on the ground before and stepped on it before stretching his newly freed hands.
Meanwhile, each group had changed position. Zorzal's friends had formed one line that went across the room, wanting to see the fight as clearly as possible, while Alpha team had shifted into a defensive formation around Costi and the Lieutenant.
« I'll handle it, sir. » launched one soldier.
Anthony turned his head to see Soul, stepping closer. The Lieutenant nodded before stepping on the side, letting the Special Forces soldier do what he knew best.
Dramatically, the operator detached his cloak, letting the piece of cloth fall on the ground and revealing his combat uniform. He then tightened the sling of his P90, causing the submachine gun to stick to his torso. In the last step of his theatrical preparation, he opened one of the pouches of his plate carrier and pulled out a pair of hardened combat gloves.
This spectacle only made the prince laugh harder. He was taller and more muscular than this ridiculous man that did not had any visible protection. For Zorzal, the fight was over before it had even started.
Soul slowly stepped forward, rising his two gloved fists in front of his face like a boxer while his opponent stayed in position, his foot still on the chain, preventing the slave from running towards the soldiers.
« Come on, Zorzal ! »
« Show him ! »
« Who wants to bet ? »
« I give him one minute ! »
Despite all the yells coming from the public, Soul was focusing on his target as he made the final steps into punch range.
Zorzal closed his right hand and with a large movement, he launched a single punch that he thought would be enough to reach his opponent's face. But he had given too many clues too early, and the operator only had to raise his left arm at the right time to deviate the attack and cause the prince to lose balance. Keeping his left arm up, Soul started to move his right fist towards its target. What he needed was to launch a quick attack that would be enough to neutralize the prince's fighting capabilities for a short instant.
And just as he thought, Saderan nightwear doesn't really protect anything between the legs.
In the middle of his action, Soul did not see Zorzal's face contract because of the pain, but all the spectators definitively saw it, and all the cheers suddenly stopped. Then, still holding the extended arm, Soul turned around and used it as a lever.
A second and a judo technique later, the prince was on the ground and the chain was free of any weight. The woman started to drag herself on the ground towards her saviors, and one of them picked her up. The only thing she could do was crying, grasping the cloth of the soldier's cloak while one of his colleague cut the leather collar, revealing the bright red of her burnt skin.
Meanwhile, as Soul sat down on the prince's torso in such a way that none of his large muscle could move, all of his friends grabbed the weapons they were carrying. This demonstration did not intimidate them. In fact, it had the complete opposite effect.
« You have hurt the Prince ! »
« You are going to pay ! »
« They must be punished ! »
Now, all the barrels were directed towards them.
« Drop your weapons or we will have to use deadly force ! » barked Marc as Anthony grabbed his radio and requested a medical evacuation.
« Thunderhead, this is Alpha Actual. We have secured a French civilian inside the Palace ! I repeat, we have secured a French civilian ! Requesting MEDEVAC. Over. »
Before any reply could come back to them, the angry mob started to step forward, seeking vengeance for their beaten lord.
« Last warning ! I'm going to shoot ! » yelled Marc again, quickly flipping the safety switch of his FAMAS to the "automatic" position.
All the member of Alpha team did the same and rightfully so as some of their targets started to charge towards them.
« Fire ! » ordered Anthony as he put his right index on the plastic and squeezed as hard as he could
A strange music suddenly filled the large space of the throne room. Gunfire, rounds piercing flesh and bones, empty cartridges bouncing lightly on the ground, bodies falling heavily on the red carpet, injured men screaming and crying, all of those mixed to create an almost perfect ode in honor to a god of battle that was probably watching the scene with great satisfaction.
Anthony fired again and again with a rage he had not felt since he had entered the subway station that day, the kind of anger you only feel in front of atrocities committed against your peers. It wore off only when pulling the trigger caused the weapon to click, begging for a fresh magazine. Suddenly, his look met all the bodies of those that just died, and it felt like the final slap that pulled him back on the ground.
« Alpha team, what's your status ? Please respond ! Over. » he finally heard coming from his radio as the survivors threw their swords to the side, completely terrified.
« This is Alpha Actual, he replied as he took deep breaths and looked around to assess the situation. We had to engage hostile swordsmen in self-defense. No friendly casualty. Over. »
« Copy. MEDEVAC chopper is on its way. Find and indicate a clear LZ. Out. »
A heavy silence suddenly fell on everyone when the sound of the radio faded away. The only thing that was breaking that silence was the slow sobbing of the former slave.
« It's alright ! It's alright ! You're going to be fine ! » said Marc, trying to calm her.
« Others… Don't know where… Please… »
In the middle of a sentence completely drowned in tears, those were the few words that the soldiers could understand.
« What do you mean ? »
With the cloth she was still holding, she wiped the tears that had rolled down her face before looking directly in the eyes of the Caporal.
« I'm not alone. There were other… But I don't know where they are. Please… »
All the soldiers stayed silent as they heard her before turning their looks towards Soul, still sitting on top of Zorzal. The operator simply nodded under all the looks of his teammates before turning towards the Prince.
« Where are the other people that you have captured ? » he yelled, pointing his gun directly towards his face.
After seeing what had happened to his friends, needless to say that he was utterly terrified.
« No ! No ! Please ! » he yelled, trying to escape.
« That's not the answer I want, fils de pute ! »
Soul let go of the P90, the gun still attached to its sling, and then he punched him.
And he punched him again, and again, and again and again.
Pina could only watch in horror. The brother that she always knew has strong and obnoxious getting beaten savagely by a peace-seeking soldier she had just met earlier in the night. In a way, she was feeling every hit in her heart.
Soul only stopped when Zorzal's eyebrow started to bleed, adding to the already reddened skin. He then grabbed him by the collar, pulling him closer like to scream even better.
« Where are they ? »
« D… Dia… Diabo. I sold them to Diabo… He sent them to his mines… Please stop… »
Without even trying to be careful, the operator let go of his neck, and the prince's head violently hit the ground, before backing off and regrouping with the rest of the team.
The group of slave was still there, not really knowing what to do or where to go, but one of them rushed out towards the body of the prince and grabbed him in a protective manner. It picked one operator's attention, and he discreetly took a picture of the scene, framing the bunny ears and the long white hair.
However, everyone's attention was attracted by the ruckus of a group of generals and their escorts, loudly entering into the throne room before immediately drawing their swords and rising their shields on the sight of the corpses.
« Enough ! »
One single word launched by a powerful voice immediately broke the stand off.
Everybody lowered their weapons and turned towards the Emperor, his soldiers even saluting him according to protocol.
« I do not wish to see more blood in front of me, he continued as he stood up from his throne. Sir Costi, it would be madness to deny how strong your soldiers are. But it showed me what seems to be a major weakness. »
« A what is this weakness ? » asked the diplomat with all his confidence.
« Look how you have reacted when you discovered this woman was one of your own. Like an animal whose offspring is being hunted, you became aggressive and ready to kill. One day, it will be turned against you by strategists that know that attacking from the front is not always the best way to win. »
Costi could not help but smile slightly as the words for a perfect answer appeared in his head.
« Your Highness, it truly hurts me to prove you wrong, but brotherhood is, alongside liberty and equality, one of the three words that define France. The mission of our soldiers is to protect the people of their own country as well as other's, and they train day and night to not fail them. And that is why we are here, to end this conflict as soon as possible to protect not only our population, but also yours. I could go on about all the wars and atrocities that we have witnessed on our side of the Gate, but I am afraid that we are running out of time. I just hope that we will be able to agree on a cease fire very soon. »
« Then I will not force you to stay here any longer, Sir Costi. I also will send an envoy to the Jade Palace to initiate proper negotiation. »
As soon as he finished his sentence, the Lieutenant's radio came back to life.
« Alpha team, this is Rider One. We are inbound to your position. Mark the LZ a flare. Over. »
« Copy that, Rider One. We will mark the LZ with a red flare. Alpha Actual, out. »
Costi simply bowed before his escort started to leave the throne room, heading towards the large gardens of the Imperial Palace. And as they made their way into a large and open path surrounded by colorful flowers and lit up a sparkling red flare, the Emperor watched them.
He watched as a grey flying machine appeared from the darkness of the night. He watched as it came closer to the red light rising towards the heavens. He watched as it landed in a cloud of smoke. He watched as all those men climbed aboard without any fear. And he watched as it flew away and disappeared into the sky, the blinking lights mixing in with the stars.
They had come and gone into the heart of the Empire, in the middle of his own home, without any difficulty. If they had wanted, they would have killed him while he was still sitting on his throne.
Silently, he picked up the empty tube that they had left behind, empty of all its smoke before looking silently at the bright moon.
« My Lord, are you feeling well ? » asked Count Marx that had watched the entire scene from behind a pillar.
« So this is how it feels to be weak… »
The time has finally come for me to say thank you for reading chapter 25 of Marteau de Justice.
I know that it has beed a long time, and I really wish I could have released it sooner, but my classes are taking me a lot of time. However, I reward patience, and thus I offer to you the longest chapter of the story by far at more than ten thousand words. By the end, I just couldn't stop writing, and now here I am with this mastodon of a chapter.
Anyway, I really hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter, and see you in three months hehe !