At the war room in Volkshalle.
Alexander, the Supreme Leader of Valoria, stood at the head of the table, his hands resting on the polished wood as he surveyed his assembled war council. To his left sat Minister Thompson, the Minister of Defense.
"Gentlemen, we are at a critical juncture," Thompson began, his voice steady and authoritative. "The Ruthenian declaration of war is not merely a political maneuver—it is a declaration of intent to crush Valoria. We must be prepared to strike back with decisive force."
Alexander listened intently, his eyes scanning the faces of his top military advisors. To his right was General Brandt, commander of the Valorian ground forces, and across the table was Admiral Reinhardt, fresh from the victory at sea that had sparked this conflict. Julieanne, his trusted chief of staff, stood behind him, ready to relay orders as needed.
Minister Thompson's finger hovered over the northern waters on the map, where dozens of red pins marked the presumed locations of Ruthenia's fleet.
"Our intelligence indicates that the bulk of their naval forces are concentrated here," he said, his voice steady. "Given the distance between Ruthenia and our northern coast, they will require significant logistical support to maintain a full-scale invasion. That buys us time, but not much."
Alexander leaned forward, his gaze fixed on the map. "We cannot afford to be complacent," he said sharply. "Time is on our side only if we use it wisely. How long until their fleet reaches striking distance?"
General Brandt, commander of the ground forces, cleared his throat. "Given their current positioning and speed, we estimate they could be in range of our northernmost defenses in ten to fourteen days, depending on weather conditions and their ability to refuel at sea."
Alexander's eyes narrowed. "That's less time than I would have liked," he muttered. "We need to strengthen our coastal defenses immediately. If they manage to land, it could turn into a prolonged ground conflict, which we cannot afford."
Admiral Reinhardt, who had remained silent up until now, spoke up. "Your Excellency, we must consider an aggressive strategy. Instead of waiting for them to bring the fight to us, we should strike at their convoys while they're still vulnerable in transit. If we can cripple their supply lines, it will force them to retreat or delay their assault."
Minister Thompson nodded, but his brow furrowed with concern. "That's a risky maneuver, Admiral. If we overcommit our fleet, we could leave our own shores undefended."
Alexander waved his hand dismissively. "Admiral Reinhardt's suggestion has merit. Ruthenia's greatest strength is its numbers. But that also means they are heavily reliant on their supply chains. Disrupt that, and their advantage disappears."
Admiral Reinhardt leaned forward, a glint of determination in his eyes. "We could also deploy our newly developed radar systems, Your Excellency. They can detect enemy bombers long before they reach our coast, allowing our fighters to intercept."
"Excellent," Alexander said, a rare smile touching his lips. "Deploy the radar stations at once. Let Ruthenia find out the hard way that Valoria is not the easy target they believe."
Julieanne stepped forward once more, her voice steady. "Your Excellency, shall we also prepare a counter-propaganda campaign? The Ruthenians are likely to use this war to sway neutral nations to their side."
Alexander's eyes gleamed with cold resolve. "Yes, prepare a message for our people. Let them know that Valoria stands united. The world must see that we did not seek this conflict, but we will not shy away from it either. We will show them that Valoria will not bend."
Julieanne nodded, already drafting the speech in her mind. The Supreme Leader's words would be broadcast to every corner of Valoria, a rallying cry to prepare the nation for the storm that was coming.
"Gentlemen," Alexander said, his voice carrying the weight of finality, "we will not simply survive this war—we will dominate it. Ruthenia has chosen to awaken a sleeping giant, and they will pay dearly for their arrogance."
The room erupted in a chorus of affirmations as the war council members saluted and began to disperse, each ready to execute their orders.
As the last of his generals and ministers left, Alexander turned to Julieanne, his gaze sharp.
"Prepare the orders," he said quietly. "We have much to do, and little time to do it."
"Yes, Your Excellency," she replied.
As the heavy doors of the war room closed, Alexander allowed himself a moment to stare at the map once more.
"I couldn't ask for a better debut for the Valorian military."