On a highway connecting the cities of Runepolis and Leiden, a sleek black car smoothly cruised along the left side of the road. Unlike most cars, particularly in 2 and 3 Civilization Regions, the exhaust emitted by this vehicle was a purplish hue instead of black. The color of the smoke indicated that this car ran on magical fuel known as Elixir, rather than fossil fuel.
Looking at the car's license plate and the emblem on the driver's door, it was evident that this vehicle belonged to the government. More specifically, it was the property of a ministry commonly referred to as MOASEC. One could also deduce the identities of the occupants from the license plate.
"Mentos, what do you think about this coup?" someone seated in the rear left seat asked another person sitting next to him.
The person being addressed, Mentos, instead of immediately answering the question, glared at the person who asked, displaying an irritated expression filled with anger, while the questioner wore a mischievous smile. After a few seconds of intense eye contact, Mentos finally spoke up, "For the umpteenth time Walmart, my name is Meteos!"
Walmart, the questioner, burst into laughter before saying, "And my name is Walman!"
Both of them erupted into fits of laughter for a moment. After their laughter subsided, Meteos opened his mouth, indicating he had something to say.
"Fuck you!" Meteos continued.
Walman could only chuckle before asking, "So, what's your opinion on this coup?"
"It's an internal political matter, that's all I can say," Meteos replied curtly, returning his gaze to enjoy the green scenery on the roadside.
"Ah, that makes sense," Walman responded with an equally brief remark.
Observing Meteos's reaction, Walman understood that he was not yet willing to discuss the topic, so he turned his attention to the driver.
"So, hey Robinson, what's your take on this?" Walman asked the driver.
The driver, named Robinson, immediately put on a blank expression before answering, "I don't know, why are you asking me?"
Upon hearing this, Walman shifted his gaze towards the window, taking in the beautiful green scenery on both sides of the road. The well-maintained farmlands were a soothing sight for anyone passing through. The open window allowed a gentle breeze to enter the car. As Walman admired the view, he felt his eyes growing heavy from the increasing drowsiness, exacerbated by the calming breeze.
Bam!
The sudden impact jolted all three of them forward, crashing into whatever was in front of them as the car came to an abrupt halt. Walman, who had lost his drowsiness due to the sudden braking, immediately grew curious about what lay ahead, probably crater caused by artillery strike. He leaned his head out of the window to get a better view, and to his surprise, he saw a military checkpoint up ahead.
"What's going on?" Robinson asked in confusion, as turning back to Runepolis was not an option. It would raise suspicion and possibly result in them being shot.
"We didn't see any signs of this checkpoint when we passed through here earlier," Walman muttered in astonishment.
"It seems like we have to proceed forward," Meteos said.
"Are you sure?" Robinson asked.
"Yes, look at the soldier standing near that pole, he's waving his hand as a signal for us to move ahead," Meteos replied, pointing his index finger in the direction he meant.
Walman, feeling somewhat uncertain, asked, "Are you sure it's safe?"
"Well, based on the emblem on their sleeves, they seem to be IMED forces, so it should be safe," Meteos reassured him.
"Alright then," Robinson responded, accelerating the car towards the checkpoint.
After coming to a stop right in front of the closed gate, a Lieutenant walked towards the driver's window. Robinson, understanding the protocol, rolled down his window and was greeted by the Lieutenant, "Good afternoon!"
"Good afternoon, sir. How can we assist you?" Robinson asked.
"Well, may I know about your destination and why you're leaving Runepolis?" the Lieutenant inquired, standing in front of the window.
The Lieutenant glanced behind and realized that the driver was not alone. Realizing this, he quickly said, "Oh, apologize for not being attentive earlier."
"No worries, sir. Well, we're leaving Runepolis to avoid the ongoing conflict on there," Robinson explained.
"Alright, I understand. Can we verify your identities and those of the passengers in the back?" the Lieutenant requested.
"Of course, go ahead."
Shortly after the verification process, a soldier stepped forward, peering into the folder he held, examining the pictures inside.
"Meteos Roguerider?!" he exclaimed after a few minutes.
Instantly, the surrounding soldiers crowded around their car.
"Sorry, but you all need to step out now!" the Lieutenant commanded firmly.
Not wanting anything untoward to happen, Robinson, Meteos, and Walman quickly exited the car. They were swiftly escorted and directed into a tent on the right side of the road.
"What have we done wrong? We are merely scientists at MOASEC!" Meteos asked the Lieutenant walking ahead of him.
The Lieutenant continued walking as if ignoring his question. But after a while, he spoke up, "You are important assets. That's all I can say, as I don't even know why we were ordered to apprehend you," the Lieutenant replied, leaving Meteos still puzzled by the situation.
Runepolis
Runepolis, the capital of the Holy Mirishial Empire, is divided into 14 districts, with one of them serving as the center of government. That district is known as Albion, where the Emperor's castle is located along with the Parliament building. On days like these, the district is usually quiet. However, in a situation like this, the chaos and panic have brought a bustling atmosphere here.
Along Theodorus Street, which passes right in front of the Parliament building, there are numerous makeshift defense positions set up both inside the building complex and outside. Some soldiers even dug up parts of the asphalt in the courtyard to create defensive trenches.
"Is this really necessary?" a member of Parliament asked himself. However, his colleague next to him decided to answer.
"You know, in situations like this, what may seem excessive is actually quite common. There will come a time when they will establish defenses inside of this building as well," his colleague replied.
He nodded in agreement, but upon hearing the last sentence, he couldn't help but be taken aback.
"Inside the building too!?" he exclaimed.
"Yeah, if it becomes urgent and necessary, it will definitely happen. Moreover, almost the entire military force is against us. The likelihood of that happening is not small," his colleague explained.
He fell silent upon hearing the explanation. A shiver ran down his spine as he imagined this magnificent and pristine building before him transforming into a battleground filled with corpses and the stench of blood.
"Oh well, it's better to think about this later once we're inside the room. Let's go!" His colleague invited, and he agreed.
The Mirishial Parliament building is a grand and majestic government structure. It is a symbol of the country's Parliamentary Democracy, highly cherished by the Mirishial society for hundreds of years. The council present in each meeting represents a combination of civilian and noble representatives, further divided into various categories. While it is typically filled completely by all members, this meeting consists of only three-quarters of the total members, at the very least.
"What is actually happening? Why is the military rebelling?" a member asked.
"I've been saying it for all this time that weakening the military is a terrible idea, you stupid pacifists!" replied another member angrily.
The Parliament quickly split into two factions regarding this issue, those who blamed the military weakening and those who blamed the new regulations regarding the IMED Commander of the Armed Forces.
"What does race even have to do with the coup?" asked a member.
"Half-Elves can never be trusted, and that's common knowledge!" the respondent replied.
"Then what about His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor himself? His Imperial Majesty is also a Half-Elf, will he betray the country too, if that's the case?" the opposing faction asked, striking a nerve.
Seeing the situation escalate, the Prime Minister, who was leading the proceedings, banged the gavel and shouted, "Order! Order!"
Immediately upon taking action, the atmosphere in the room turned silent within seconds. The Prime Minister then said, "Thank you!" with a firm tone.
"Now, the situation is dire. We don't have much choice, let alone time for debates. I hope that we can unite to defend this legitimate government from the coup attempt. Some factions within the military are still loyal to us, so it would be better if we ask all those who remain loyal to move to the capital as soon as possible," the Prime Minister continued.
"Agreed!" shouted a member.
"Agreed!" responded another member.
"I also agree!" echoed another member.
While everyone seemed to agree with the plan, one parliament member could only stare in disbelief. Something made him feel that it wasn't a good plan, but he didn't know why, and he could only remain silent until the Prime Minister moved on to the next agenda of the meeting.
The Province of Almonia is a province in the Mirishial region located between the Special Administrative Area of the capital city Runepolis and the Kingdom of Torquiea. Not much is special about this province, aside from its industrial district that housed some well known corporation and of course, the famous division.
The 6th Froura Merarchia, one of the elite divisions that fought against the Muan forces directly on the Heakrolina Island, the most contested island during the war. According to the most trusted historical records, particularly the Mirishial version, the 37th Milishian Motor Rifle Division, a regular forces, were unable to withstand the advance of the well-armed and better-trained Muan Marine forces. The first line of defense on the coast was defeated, and they continued their advance until, temporarily, they were halted by the Milishian Air Force. However, as soon as the Muan aircraft arrived, somehow the air superiority started to shift. But Mirishial regained the upper hand after the 6th Froura Merarchia forces were deployed to assist, as approved by the stubborn Parliament. Subsequently, they were stationed in this province.
And now, once again, this division is being called upon by the Parliament to fight. Not against the Mu this time, but against their own comrades in order to defend the legitimate government.
A sight that would awe and terrify anyone, hundreds of armored vehicles called Atmata filled the main highway. These vehicles, with seven wheels on each side, were equipped with a 125mm cannon and several additional machine guns. They were more than enough to surpass the inferior Muan Atmata in all aspects. Despite weighing 48 tons, these vehicles, equipped witht legacy Ancient Sorcereus Empire engines, could move faster than the fastest Muan cars.
After admiring the Atmata formation, the convoy was followed by combat vehicles called Ometon, which carried some soldiers, then the Patmo, and after that, trucks carrying soldiers, logistics, and others. And all of this did not escape from the attention of Pendagonia.
"You say the 6th Froura Merarchia will pass through us!?"
The person asking with a surprised and worried tone was General Ioannis Koryzis, the leader of the 89th Motor Rifle Division. Although he was initially confident in the strength of his troops to stop any passing forces, this was different, very different from what he had imagined.
"Yes, hold your position as best you can!" came the command from the other side.
"Are you kidding me? They will crush my forces in no time!" Koryzis retorted, feeling a mix of emotions.
"Stay calm, we have obtained some Superweapons from Area 48!" replied the voice from the other side, sounding somewhat casual.
Hearing that, he felt relieved, but confusion immediately replaced the previous worry and panic.
"What do you mean by that?" he asked, somewhat puzzled.
"Good luck!" the voice from the other side said before ending the call.
"Hello? Hello? Hello!?"
On the other side, the frontline defense led by General Koryzis was well-built despite the short amount of time. Utilizing the hills along the Main Highway, or commonly known as Edo, trenches and various positions were constructed on top and below the hills, while tunnels below were ready to be detonated anytime if necessary. Cannons were placed on the hilltops, and howitzers were positioned far behind. On the other hand, the Atmata vehicles were placed in designated trenches to be in a Hull Down position.
"They seem ready," a soldier wearing binoculars remarked.
"Yeah, this doesn't look good," his companion replied.
Both of them, identified by the unit logo they wore, belonged to the 6th Froura Merarchia. They were sent as a recon unit to check the situation ahead in case there were any obstacles. After confirming, they immediately took cover behind a rock and activated their communication radios. One of them then began reporting.
"Aetós reporting in, enemy ahead, HQ do you copy?"
While his comrade was reporting, he looked around again. What he saw was no different from before - the lines of cannons, defensive trenches, and the Atmata vehicles in a Hull Down position. Although some vegetation covered parts of the area, most remained uncovered. As he pondered why, he suddenly heard something from the sky.
That sound was undoubtedly an engine. An aircraft engine, for sure. His eyes searched for the location of the aircraft but couldn't find it. Eventually, he decided to pull his comrade to take cover behind a larger rock.
"I've called for artillery fire, estima-wait, what are you-" He hadn't finished his question when his comrade spoke.
"Shut up, there is an aircraft over us!"
Area 48
This is the most secretive military base in the entire Milishient continent. Although it is a center for weapon research and development, including Superweapons, the authority of this headquarters falls under MOASEC instead of Pendagonia. Something that the military never protested, even during yesterday's negotiations before the coup.
Following the joining of Area 48, even before being informed by MOASEC, this base is ready to assist whenever needed. And this time, they were asked to help by using a never before used secret weapon.
A giant submarine named Marine Fortress Pal Cowne, one of the Ancient Sorcerous Empire's Superweapons that had been successfully reconstructed by Mirishial, began to slowly sail out of its hidden headquarters behind the hills through a special tunnel. The submarine, which was over 300 meters long, started to reveal itself as soon as it felt sufficient. The seawater began to shift as the massive ASE legacy submarine emerged to the surface, exposing its cylindrical hull that slightly widened at the rear. The anti-aircraft weapon positions and a special lane were still closed, indicating that the submarine would not be deployed to open sea for now.
"I didn't expect Pal Cowne to be assigned so soon," said a researcher who was invited to witness the submarine's operation inside a special room.
"Well, maybe they are interested in its missile capabilities," his companion replied.
"The burst missile, right?" he asked.
"Yup, but that missi-..." His companion hadn't finished answering when they were interrupted by a sound.
The disturbing sound was an alarm, indicating that the launch was soon. All the attendees turned their gaze to the window that displayed the submarine. One part of the submarine shifted, signaling that the missile was about to be launched. And then, a few seconds later, smoke erupted from the opening, and something that was undoubtedly the burst missile launched into the sky towards its intended target. The attendees applauded enthusiastically, celebrating the successful and proper use of the ASE Superweapon's for the first time on its operation after the infamous Pal Chimera deployment.
Back to A Certain Edo
The artillery regiment, part of the 6th Froura Merarchia, continued to bombard General Koryzis' forces defensive positions. While the artillery provided cover fire, the armored forces advanced to assault the Pendagonia's defense line.
"General, why are we changing our tactics?" asked a curious Major General a few moments before the decision was made.
Normally, they would bombard the enemy's defensive positions with artillery, especially the Patmo, for several hours before the main attack commenced. Even during the assault, the Patmo would continue to shell the enemy's rear defense line. But here, that was not happening. Instead, the assault was launched after 10 minutes of bombardment.
"You should know that our ammunition is limited, unlike what we had hoped or even needed. On the other hand, we need to reach the capital before its defense is breached. We are being chased by time and an unfavorable situation," explained the General, stating the reasons behind the change in tactics.
The Major General, standing on top of an Ometon transport vehicle, could only swallow his saliva as a regiment successfully broke through what appeared to be the enemy's first defense line. He had not anticipated this happening so quickly, especially when he witnessed the speed and accuracy of the artillery regiment's fire.
However, something caught his attention. It wasn't from the battlefield but the sky. Something resembling an asteroid was descending towards the ground, but this seemed different. Several personnel also diverted their attention to it. Gradually, it became clear that it was actually a missile heading towards...them!
"Run!" shouted an artillery officer who immediately sprinted away.
The soldiers followed suit, while the drivers rushed to their vehicles to escape, although many opted to hide behind the available vehicles. The Major General, meanwhile, took cover behind the Ometon. Shortly after, before the missile made contact with the ground, it exploded, creating a large white cloud. And from that cloud, hundreds or even thousands of materials fell, hitting the 6th Froura Merarchia forces. Many unprotected soldiers were killed, and some vehicles were even penetrated as well.
"What the hell was that? It was like molten steel raining down on us!" exclaimed the Major General, witnessing the devastating effects of that attack. Hundreds or even thousands of soldiers died from that single attack.
"Argghh..." The groans of the soldiers filled the location, a sound that was heart-wrenching and painful.
The surviving General, who had taken cover under the Atmata, could only gaze at the aftermath of the attack.
"I...never expected them to use it..." muttered the General.
He immediately emerged from under the Atmata and issued a new order, "Retreat!"
Notes:
IMED = Ierés Mirísial Énoples Dynámeis (Holy Mirishial Armed Forces)
Atmata = Néa Tethorakisména Ochímata (New Armored Vehicle)
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