Chapter 1052

Chapter 1052: End of War

Igna returned home, to Orin. Leaving the Shadows felt weirdly right, the people standing guard were competent and ready for the unpredictable. A sharp sensation hit; the portal vanished as the Rosespian cityscape ambered. Evenings were beautiful, especially if one were to stand on one of the many skyscrapers. April X133 said the calendar. ‘-I’m here,’ he poised, sharpening the memories, ‘-the place’s changed a bit. The expansion’s grand, I feel great,’ he watched from atop a Phantom-owned office.

“Young master, welcome.”

“Welcome, young master.”

He turned, turning the colder gaze upon intruding visitors, “-pardon?”

“My master,” bowed entities shrouded in shadows, “-we request thy presence immediately.”

“My presence?” he narrowed, “-Yui and Alta, is that you?”

“Yes master,” they wore masks and seemed unwilling to part with the enchanted gear, “-I must ask for the small talk to be kept at a minimum,” Alta pleaded, “-we need help!”

.....

“Help?” a few confused blinks escaped, “-we’re in Hidros, how in the world would a kingdom I so carefully constructed be in trouble?”

“Not that,” Yui intervened, “-will you please just follow?”

Baffled, he followed. The scenery went from the chill and sparkling ambers to the innards of an observation center. A big screen at the foot of cascading seats, the rows held many intelligence officers and the appropriate gear. ‘They know when I arrived,’ Igna watched from afar, not yet making the presence known.

“Master I have matters to tend to, please excuse me,” Yui formally bowed out of the frame. Alta slotted in Yui’s spot, “-I apologize if the matter comes off as sudden.”

“I don’t mind,” they made their way to central command, an area restricted to many, past the array of displays and constant monitoring. The way the area functioned held the topmost row in relative darkness – ins and outs weren’t so much guarded than unnoticed. They crossed, she tapped, and an entrance slid, opening into an airlock. The previous door closed and another opened, not before a scanner went head to toe, “-protocol,” Alta added in passing.

‘The command room, the screens displayed an ongoing conflict. I have a feeling it’s more than a skirmish...’

“There you are!” the lock opened into a freer space, the décor was minimalistic but clean, “-it has been a while, majesty,” said a grey pair of studious eyes, “-where have you been?”

“Drop the sarcasm, Minerva. What’s going on?” they spoke at a crosswalk separating three corridors.

“What we’ve wanted,” she smiled, “-the end of the war,” came a dishonest wink, “-come, majesty,” she took the center corridor, opening in a viewing area made in the style of a coliseum. A physical/holographic display waned heavily in the center, “-the planet.”

“Correct,” she smiled, “-that, majesty, is the surveillance system working its best. Tis a live display of the end.”

“What end?”

“The end of the war, of course?”

“End of war?”

“Yes, the Allied nation, led by Hidros, has taken the upper hand and is in midst of the final assault.”

“How?”

“Intrigue,” she smiled, “-the Order of Nightwalkers, their presence in the war has revolutionized how nations feel fear. The mere mention of their name is enough to send the bravest into their mother’s arms.” Soldiers held guard, a privileged area fixed onto the side read, ‘-high command.’ Heavy defenses and thus opened a rustic-styled room, “-you’ve made it.”

“éclair, it has been a while.” Not just éclair, the room held members from Marinda, Easel Run Gard, Arda, representatives of the independent kingdoms, and spokesperson for the Rebellion. Familiar old faces were replaced by newer, many of whomst rose unknowingly at the king’s return, “-please, be at ease,” he smiled.

“Esteemed guests, I would request for us to take a break. Matters have been finalized and we need not dwell on what-ifs. We have done what we could have, all is in the hands of our soldiers, with them rests the key to our future, thank you,” said a very vocal éclair.

‘He’s more confident,’ Igna observed, ‘-the mannerisms and way of speech, he’s a different person. I’m glad to see growth. Might have interjected on an important meeting, well, Minerva will take the brunt,’ he side-glanced, she challenged his gaze but was swiftly ignored, “-Majesty,” said éclair kneeling before Igna, “-I have long missed you, my master.”

“My, éclair,” he reached and warmly grabbed éclair’s shoulder, “-you have done a marvelous job, I’m glad, yes, I’m so very glad.” One of the guests hailed, taking éclair’s attention away from his king. The stray gaze echoed in how the king calmly kept composed, “-éclair, do take your time,” came monotonously, “-we can catch up later. Go, duty calls.”

“I’m terribly sorry,” he bowed, “-I shall be back shortly.”

The whole exchange had Minerva hold her breath, “-you okay?” Igna side-glanced and she sharply exhaled, “-what is the matter with you?” from the side, Igna turned fully, “-Minerva?”

“Igna,” she tipped her head, “-have you always been that terrifying?”

“Why?”

“The tension,” she gulped, “-the way you looked at him and the way I expected kindness was stomach turning, I can’t imagine what éclair felt.”

“He’s alright, the man’s grown since the incident.” A quaint Phantom-run cafeteria waited outside the conference room. And here, with a cup of tea overlooking a holographic display showing the outside, Igna took sips with Minerva sharing the table. A hefty meal rested before her rosy lips, “-mind if I eat?” her lashes fluttered.

“Go ahead. Take your time, I’ll need a minute,” the outside was nothing for his interface flashed through report after report – a summary of events lined in bullet points. Documents by the thousands, if not tens of thousands, regardless of the speed, would take a day or a month to finish.

“Delicious,” Minerva’s cheeks reddened, “-the food is to die for,” she wiped her lips, took a few sips, and crossed her fingers in thought, “-care for a summary?”

“Sure.”

“Well, let’s pick up around the creation of the Desok Alliance. Operation Wied’s capture of the IVth King of Estral, Frederick Perret proved a worthwhile endeavor. Estral remains a strong foe, even in the relatively easier battle, Estral proved a harsh beast to tame. Yian-Dho, Konak, the Revolutionist faction, and Alphia. I will keep the details short. Konak’s hold over Old Cray’s territory north was finally cleared by the combined forces of the Greenwhoot army and aid from Marinda’s knights. Let me tell you, the battlefield north is a place worthy of praise. We lost so many people there, reason; choice. The war was being fought on both sides, unlike them, we allowed our soldiers to pick their fate. The combined Allied army’s separation into three leadership, Mine, Minerva, Old Cray, and King Ezel, proved an excellent balance. Old Cray and Ezel ruled the seas in equal measure – despite our lack of certitude when it came to naval battles. The military as well as the air force, the latter of which was supposed to be under the king’s express orders, was transferred to me. And so, we led battle after battle. Word of the tragedy of war resounded with Stephanie’s help. I admit, the first few years of the battle were harsh, we barely made any dent in Iqeavea. Things changed in the past six months. A change whelmed Alphia’s support – we found a vulnerability, the Alphian people revolted; boycotted industries, and forced the kingdom into a standstill. We began our march onto the mainland, fighting back the invaders and freeing settlements, villagers, and towns as we went. Marinda’s generous aid, flying isle, provided the missing piece of the puzzle. We pushed back the Revolution and reinstated the Emperor, that blow alone would have ended the war. Where power resides, so lives cockroaches – the Desok Alliance took the Revolutionist and formally allied with Alphia. Here, I speak of the alliance before the revolt in Alphia, I know, I’m jumping from fact to fact, it’s how I tell my stories,” she brazenly winked, “-where was I? oh yes. Once the sides understood who was on who’s side, we fought and fought. Strategy, intrigue, name it and it was here – naturally, our advantage over surveillance limited casualties on our sides. The war might have taken a strange road if you had led the battles and strategized. Fortunately, I stuck with what I knew worked – and here, as we speak, the final battle rages. We’ve pushed back the enemy to the Desok Alliance’s border from the east and from the north, where Old Cray has reclaimed his land. Konak no longer has free access to the sea – their naval army was wiped out by a series of bombing runs by yours truly. Alphia shook off the alliance and raised their white flag a few weeks ago,” a truly scheming gaze crossed, “-what they don’t know is,” whilst she spoke, the Desok Alliance’s joint effort to protect from the invasion would be shattered by a single entity. Igna covered his mouth, “-I don’t believe it.” Minerva grinned; “-you’ve figured it out.”

“Yeah, you knew what I wanted from the beginning?”

“Obviously. What sort of General would I be if I didn’t understand the hidden meanings of your words, the intent? I’m pleased to inform you, Igna, IVth King of Estral, Frederick Perret, offered to join us as a vassal state. éclair and I decided to seal the news and made him act in cahoots with Yian-Dho and Konak, all the while we gave intel and arms.” As she said, Estral declared independence and headed north, passing Yian-Dho’s borders and cutting sharply left, towards the west, where the Allied forces led their battle against the Desok Alliance.

Words reached the leadership of the respective parties, “-my liege, Estral has forsaken our ancient held pact and turned coat,” knelt officers in aid of Yian-Dho’s matriarch. The queen, stern behind a veil, spoke through a medium, an attendant in her service, “-Queen Vi says to have our forces retreat. Send news to the front lines and to Konak, the battle is lost. Have the ministers regroup, we have to discuss the future of the kingdom,” in her seclusion, the Queen furiously glared at a mirror, ‘-betrayal... I will not stand idly.’

Further north, past the forest and into the alps, a mountainous castle held supplies and a few thousand soldiers. “General Kon, General Kon,” gasped an errand boy.

“Steady yourself boy,” he thundered, “-what is the matter?”

“Urgent news from the Capital,” he held a file.

“All this in the middle of preparation for the counterattack,” he unwound the string-based seal and narrowed, ‘-to General Kon, it is with great displeasure that we, the council of nobles, seeing Estral’s betrayal, the sudden withdrawal of Yian-Dho’s funds and its army, think it appropriate to end hostilities. We mustn’t exhaust ourselves. We hope the news doesn’t come with too much shock.’

“General?”

“Boy, it’s over,” he squeezed the letter and let a desperate roar rattle the hall, “-we have lost the war!”

April 28th X133, a nationwide television broadcast went live. King Igna in the company of the leaders of the Allied Army, rose before a crowd of curious onlookers. He took the stand and paused, the camera’s panned solely onto him, “-to the people of Hidros and friends of Hidros, I have one thing to say, WE’VE WON THE WAR!” firecrackers rattled, the crowded cheers, celebrations went awry from taverns to the streets, the resounding glee came to ease, “-we’ve led the frontlines for more than five years. The strain taken on us mentally, financially, and emotionally has come to an end at last. I say this from the bottom of my heart, without the people standing here today, we wouldn’t have won the battle. If any one of us had been missing, I doubt we could have come out unscathed. I shan’t keep thee waiting, please cheer for our heroes,” the generals took the stage and addressed the various kingdom. Emperor Essin walked to the stand quietly. The cheers deadened.

“Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, thank you, every single one of you, I’m eternally grateful. Especially king Igna. He took a chance and delivered, the Wracian Empire has been secretive... however, from now, I say with heart, Hidros and Wracia will remain friends. I’ve seen how great Hidros’ culture of mutual understanding is. Today’s a new day, a new start – I say this to the foreign factions; war is detrimental. We have lost more than we gained. I only hope for a resolution to be resolved diplomatically, thank you.”