The Capital was a small drop in a sea of fire and chaos that drowned the Empire, and Falmart itself into the depths of hell. No place was unaffected, as the entire continent was covered in a curtain of dust.
And not even the deployment of the SI and Japanese Extrasolar Expeditionary Force would put a stop to it.
Several towns in the periphery burned, attacks by strange beasts that wore the night as their clothing. Their populaces were massacred, eaten, or even worse.
Several coastal settlements were still flooded, probably by the gravitational displacement of the wormhole. Their entire history, culture, and population washed away as a dozen meter waves crash down upon them like packs of wolves.
Mining areas were even worse off, as revolt by slaves, as goblins and many inhuman creatures rose up from their masters, putting their heads on spikes as retribution for such terrible conditions. Interestingly, the men did a desperate last stand as the women and children of the nearby towns were hastily evacuated.
Not all made it.
And some cities were silent. The residents peacefully sleeping on the ground, sprawled out, even as the rot consumed them inside out. Only those who awokened were hounds black as the night and eyes shining like the moon, feasting upon the free meals provided to them
All caught and recorded in the highest resolution.
Primarily a ship designed for interstellar and planetary offensives, NACS Mexico City deployed armies of drones to observe the chaos below with dejected eyes.
Hundreds of Terabytes of footages relayed to one supercomputer, compressed and filtered to one footage in a secret meeting room in Mexico City.
The room was barely lit, as the only sight was the hologram splattered all over the wall, with the individuals in the room, sitting in the U shaped table drawn to it like moths to a flame, hungering for the knowledge presenting itself with interested eyes and hushed tones. Only a few fleet officers didn't dare look at the atrocities showcased.
It was deep into the recording when the man in the front of the recordings spoke up, breaking up the silence with his gruff voice.
"So. This is the people we somehow disrupted."
The fleet officer nodded, ready to fire.
"More or less sir. They're pre-industrialized in several aspects, but surprisingly have large crop fields comparable to our mega farms, as well as instantaneous communications, for their level, at least. Their armor is shown to be very advanced, 15th century level."
The suits in the other side of the room didn't betray their emotions, only looking at one another in solemn faces.
It took an uncomfortable second before the old man spoke up.
"How confident are you in coordinating relief efforts based on this footage."
The officer shook his head.
"This is unfortunately the more tame ones filtered by the Ship's AI. The AI strongly recommends Psychiatric Evaluation post Analysis."
"What happened to the Analyst who conducted the report?"
"The AI wasn't wrong with her assessment."
A pregnant pause as the main diplomat, quietly turned that statement as if it was another agenda, as he turned to the presentor.
"Unfortunately, this is a multinational effort now."
"Both Japan and the NAC have stakes in this world. And soon the other Nations as well. The president expects a briefing soon as we head back to Earth."
The officer nodded.
"Well, our main priority is the understanding of Magic. And we can't do that since the planet is in full FUBAR."
The man nodded, chuckling at hearing the once colorful phrase.
"Based on the data provided to us, do you think there are any nations we can successfully conduct diplomacy with?"
"There's only one Continent that is habitable. The rest are comparable to barely terraformed colonies.. Interestingly, there's a correlation between
The radiation and level of terraforming."
"Did you find any major military units still remaining?"
"Yes. Our units tracked at least several medium sized formations. However, they're too spread out to be strategically effective."
"Any support we can render to them?"
"No." Oakley then pulled up another slide in the hologram, this time showing a globe with wratful storms.
"The storms are too concentrated with dust. Impact Winter. Any flights will be impossible in about a couple hours until the end of this week."
It was then, one of the Japanese diplomats turned to his American counterpart.
"We have to deal with this properly, Mr. Lopez. You know what happened the last time your nation forced open a more technologically weaker one."
The American diplomat nodded.
"Yes. But unfortunately, time is no longer on our side. That's why the president sent me here."
"They may be human, with similarities to baseline fundamental human behavior common from humans back home. But would they be receptive of us?"
"Well, based on recordings, theyre highly militarized in all facets of society. Roman in origin.
"Unfortunately, their fate is in our hands now. What needs to be done needs to be done in this room. Now."
It was then the sound of a chair being forced bacl forced them into silence.
"Sir, if it may please you all."
It was Major Lindhall, the most lowest rank in the room, yet his air of experience wrapped him around like a coat from the glaring eyes pointed at him.
"Our Ground Forces, while limited, are inheritly the best course of action."
"Deploy all the drones you want." He said, avoiding the look of Lieutenant Colonel Taylor. "But we don't know shit from shit."
Lopez smiled, before putting his elbows on the table, signalling his interest.
"What do we propose?"
"Deployment of Ground troops.
Specifically, the STT."
A pause, which Lindhall continued to march across.
"No troops were killed by their magic. And even then, the rewards are higher than the risks."
Lopez smiled, fangs glinting in the dim room.
The Japanese delegate chuckled.
"Would you be sending their Emperor a white flag as well?"
Lopez, paused, before baring his fangs.
"If the situation decrees it so."
He stared into the open ground beyond him, seeing the fertile grass coated in a fine layer of grey a sea of chaos as the army was recovering from the firestorm that rained down on them, leaving a once proud expeditionary force turned to writhing, remnants.
He walked past the numerous rows of dying, uncountable men covered in numerous burns and blind eyes scarred with the flash, unable to get any reprieve as the healers were stretched thinly.
He saw that the dead sprawled on the ground, the benches, and among the living.
He approached the ramshakle tent, it's resplendent colors dashed by the looming hatred of the stars.
He stared at the remaining commanding officers quietly huddling round the table, looking solemnly at one another, faces covered in a layer of dark soot and ash.
"Well, we got our scouts to Sadera proper."
He announced the remaining high military ranks.
The messenger then stood up straight, gathering strength as he held it behind his teeth, as much of the command wanted him to spill it as they waited anxiously.
"Captial is under revolt. No one greeted us as we approached, and the gates awe wide open."
That news struck them down like a hammer, as an image of the symbol of the Empire burning down to the ground spurred a swirl of feelings that rose immediately from their depths, as the decor and professionalism began to burn away as the chaos began to start.
A chorus of shouting began, each men with different topics, but all spoke in one agreement.
"The Capital needs our assistance."
The other assembled nobles murmured at once, lauching tirade and argument at one another, their chivalry and mannerisms dissolving instantly like candlewax.
But one of them bellowed, the acting quartermaster, a man with burns across his skin.
"We lost a lot of our supplies to the falling stars, we can't make an expedition with 15 thousand troops, with several thousand more wounded. Mobilize at least a week."
Herm shook his head, glaring at the lowly supply officer to know his place.
"No, we need to leave, now. I will instruct our troops to conduct raids into Italica and the surrounding regions."
Another voice, a more beastly and aggressive voice came out.
His armor held burns and numerous scratches, with one of his arms now cut off, with him not allowing any mages to help him out. Save it for the less fortunate, he said.
Yet that generosity did not hold any weakness, as Herm looked at the man's face that rivalled a lion's mane, his eyes strained by years but burnt as if it was young flesh.
King Duran looked at him, sweeping away the other voices to lower theirs, as he let go of the words in his mouth.
"What you're asking is insanity."
Everyone then bursted out their thoughts, with a wave of hesitation crashing down on them.
But Herm stood his ground.
"If the Captial Falls, then the Empire Falls. They will be grateful in knowing that their sacrifices are for the greater good."
"We are in service of Sadera and the Emperor. And the Emperor needs our help."
The rest of the nobles and military officers stopped. The word of the Emperor stopped their momentum in their tracks.
It was the Herm turned to King Duran.
"You may leave Duran. You have your own affairs to handle."
Duran nodded, and left the tent, grumbling.
And Herm nodded to his aide, which he then went to his personal legion.
He yawned, eyes bleary and bloodshot, brain barely holding together as it couldn't even form a peaceful sleep in the overpowering grey skies.
He stared at the legionnaires that were now his now his, their faces also bleary-eyed, eyes manic with fatigue and fear. Blood stained their armor, not from combat, but from mercy and court-martials.
"Ave Augustus! March men!"
Circling above in low earth orbit, a satellite monitoring the situation watched carefully as a large mass began to move slowly from the site.
Immediately, the AI flagged the real time footage, classifying it as 'For Immediate Review' to the TacOps operator, who dashed down to Polaris Actual's day room.
"How many?"
"A couple division's worth."
The older man paused.
"Make this high priority. They could turn the tide of this war."