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"You are certain they're on their way to Guyana?"
"Indeed. They're playing right into our trap"
"A cliche line to be sure, but an accurate description of what we have planned for them. You are sure Jaguar is up for the job?"
"Yes. He has the support of Star-Maiden and the Horseman. Together, the Latin Hegemony will assure our dominance in South America, and soon, the North"
"That is good. We have waited decades, centuries, to set this plan into motion, Elk. We cannot fail now"
"Another paperback novel cliche, but I assure you, it is doubtless the plan is foolproof, Dragon"
The man called Dragon exited the room and began planning the second step of the prelude to war: With America amnesiac and Germany in their clutches, only one power remained who could rally the Allies to challenge the Hegemony.
The United Kingdom.
"You are to spring Operation Juno Moneta now, Elk"
The man called Elk nodded, and curtly left his presence.
Now, Dragon would handle his own theatre of the war: Operation Rising Twin Dragons was simple and sweet: A two-pronged invasion of his most obstinate daughter. An aerial bombardment followed by an amphibious invasion.
In a few days, two dragons will fight in the skies above the Taiwan Strait, and he was to make sure he was the one left standing. For his plan to succeed, he would have to eliminate Mei, but not before giving her one last chance to swear her allegiance to him. Though the probability of that happening was low, he did not wish to preclude it.
Yao Wang picked up an old thangka painting, showing a man with his daughter. Him and Mei, almost centuries since then.
"I am sorry, little one" he murmured to himself in the cold darkness of the secret war room.
Arthur woke up to nightmares of the Bad Days long since past. He started having them again after Henry's death. He decided to get up and make himself some tea. The moonlight glinted across the interior of his abode, casting eerie shadows.
Arthur walked down the stairs slowly, considering what brew to make.
A meadow, flooded with sunlight as rabbits ran across them and birds sang in the air.
He went into the kitchen, rummaged around the cabinet and the fridge.
Arrows whizzed past them. Screams in the village. Fire spread all around the room.
He turned around, almost sure there was a presence behind him.
It was the way of all nations, especially in a crowded island, to root out newcomers. All the lies we've told about newborn nations. Trade routes? Peace treaties? Many Polisaiads did not live past their first decade. He almost didn't. It was a nigh-immutable law of nature.
One of the shadows moved.
Lumos, he intoned, and there was light.
Arthur squinted at the figure for a second, then relaxed. "Oh, it's just you. For a second I was worried-"
He never finished the sentence. Arthur Kirkland fell into a deep darkness that never seemed to end. No time to defend himself, only to send an emergency signal of help. A signal he hoped was not in vain.