Rothester

“Right side! Right side!”

“Keep firing!”

Within the dense forest of southern Eshe, a battle is raging. The Delta and PJ operators have been ambushed by a swarm of goblins that roamed the forests. Though they were not caught entirely off guard, it is still a surprise to be ambushed by these small vicious creatures. They seem to lack intelligence and mindlessly charge at the Entesian operators.

A wave of bullets cut down every goblin insight. None is spared, and even the Grand Duke himself is able to contribute to the fight. He produces several magical attacks that wipe out many of the goblins before he succumbs to exhaustion. However, this is plenty enough.

The superior firepower wielded by the group demolishes the goblin horde before any get close enough to injure anyone.

Once the gunshots cease, the forest becomes quiet. Everyone scans their surroundings to make sure no other goblins are hiding anywhere. Fingers on the triggers, they are on edge.

“Area clear!”

“Major Barnett. Once again, your people impress me,” Elceran says as he leans on another operator's shoulder from exhaustion.

Every time the operators utilize their weapons, he is always left in awe. He is stunned by how quiet their guns are in comparison to that of the Venesians.

“To destroy such a horde, only elite mages can do this much damage without casualties.”

Barnett and Elceran walk near a dead goblin to take a look at the massacred creature. A maimed sack of green, hairless flesh laying in a pool of strange dark green blood.

“Are we going to run into more of these things?”

“No, at least we shouldn’t. Goblins aren’t seen very often, and large groups such as these are much rarer.”

“Why is that?”

“No one is sure. Legends say that many centuries ago, a massive effort took place to exterminate these creatures from existence. Ultimately, they failed as they are still around. Most archives from those times are lost or destroyed for whatever reason, so all we can do is speculate. What about your country? Do you not encounter these creatures as well?”

“No. At least not recently. Our military did something similar a few decades ago. I suppose they were successful because no one has seen any sort of monster anywhere for years. Anyways, that’s enough of that. We still have a long way to go to the extraction zone.”

Except for the brief excitement of a goblin ambush, the group goes about their travels unhindered the rest of the day. The first day of their trip was difficult enough. Their second day is gruesome but is thankfully near sunset, so everyone will be able to rest. The third day will likely be the most tiresome.

The nearest experience the operators have to this are loaded marches which prepared them for the challenge, but this three-day hike is considerably more difficult. They didn't have to fight battles during a loaded march, nor did they march in this sort of terrain. Some of them are injured, making it more challenging, but they do not doubt that they will prevail. They always do.

Following crude maps, aerial photographs, and a compass, they traverse through a seemingly never-ending forest, only stopping a few times to rest. In addition to fatigue, cold temperatures are a constant obstacle to overcome, but they all push forward.

When the sun sets, they set up camp once more. Another fulfilling meal and a conversation later, everyone goes to bed with their bodies sore.

On the third day, they continue to trek along the remote wilderness. No amount of motivation is enough to lift their spirits at this point as pain runs through their bodies with every step they take. While Elceran is in better shape than when he was in the dungeon, it is still hell. It is as if all the pain and suffering he endured is now concentrated onto his feet to the point that an operator has to help him walk constantly, and breaks are more frequent.

Eventually, the thick forests begin to thin. Density decreases as trees become more sparse, but the terrain worsens. They are now leaving the woods and entering a cold and rocky tundra. In truth, they have been walking ever so slightly uphill and can see mountain ranges in the distance. Wind speeds also begin to pick up, and clouds are more common in the sky as if a storm is coming, but it never came. The ground they step on is more rugged, rocky, and more challenging to traverse. Patches of snow also begin to appear as they travel across the empty wildlands.

As they hike along, up and down hills of different sizes, they all can’t help but admire the scenery despite the pain in their feet. After making their way around a hill too challenging to climb, they spot another hill in the far distance, but something is off about it.

“Major,” an operator says as he breathes heavily from exhaustion, “we spotted something up ahead, seven klicks out.”

Barnett is handed binoculars and directed where to look by the operator. Through the binoculars, he scans the terrain, trying to find what they are talking about. Suddenly he sees something as he panned around. The operator is correct. There is something in the distance. It looks like some sort of stone structure. It is not small either, it is a relatively large structure, but it seems way out of place.

“What… the hell is that… Your grace, did you know of any structures out here?”

“N-no. I’m just as confused as you are. There should be nothing out here.”

“Could it be a small village? You think we’ll find any people out here?”

“That’s unlikely. The country has many small and medium villages everywhere, but we are too far south. This area is too inhospitable to live in, so no one ever ventures this far.”

“I guess we can take a look. We are heading in that direction, after all. Might be a good place to set up camp for the night.”

For the next two hours, the group is able to traverse all the way towards the strange stone structure that they spotted. They never expected any civilization in these areas, and the Grand Duke himself is just as perplexed. Though the country claims these lands as part of their territory, no one should be living here.

The closer they get, the more confused they are. The stone structure reveals itself to be falling apart and decaying, very roughly resembling some sort of fort. When the sun finally sets, and the darkness begins to cover the lands, the group continues to make their way to the structure out of curiosity.

Once they arrive, it is quiet. Some expect someone to come out of the structure and greet them, but no one does. It is entirely empty and mostly destroyed. Many large areas of the structure have collapsed in on themselves, leaving piles of rubble everywhere. It is clear that whatever the place is, it is long abandoned. No roads can be seen anywhere. There is no other infrastructure; it is right in the middle of nowhere.

“Ruins,” Barnett sighs. “There’s nothing here. Just a decaying fort. You sure you don’t know anything, your grace?”

“No, never have I seen something like this.”

“Perhaps I can contribute?” Eilra interrupts.

“By all means.”

“I’ve spent quite some time indulging myself in literature and various texts. I’ve read some accounts of explorers finding ruins similar to these throughout the continent in various isolated regions. All of them are equally in a state of despair. But I remember one book in particular. It is an old book without an author. I never discovered its origins or how old the book was, but it talked about an ancient civilization long ago whose power was unparalleled. Perhaps these ruins can be connected somehow.”

“It’s an intriguing idea.”

“Interesting, yeah, but we can’t do much about it. We should set up camp outside. This place might collapse on top of us if we sleep in here.”

“Agreed.”

The group sets up camp and goes to sleep for the last night of their journey. The next day will be their last as their extraction point isn’t much further.

When morning comes, they awake to a spectacular view. The area they camped in is near a small cliff that overlooks a valley. It would make sense for a fort to overlook such an area, but the group decides not to delve into the matter too much. Across the valley is another hill with sparse trees and more snow.

“Incredible view, isn’t it?” Barnett says.

“Yes. But very cold.”

“See that hill way over there? With trees and snow? We just need to get over that hill, and our journey is complete.”

“I still fail to see how we will be rescued. The coast is still hundreds of miles from here. How will your Navy ‘pick us up’? Actually, another question has been bothering me lately. How did you people get to Fethalean in the first place?”

“Well, you see, we arrived in Fethalean from the air.”

“What?”

“The sky. We flew there.”

“Major Barnett, I do hope this is some kind of humor.”

“That is no joke, your grace. Entesia has advanced far enough to develop and perfect aircraft. Crafts that fly in the air by combining various scientific and engineering principles together.”

“Major Barnett, the only thing that can fly and transport a person are dragons. But even they are difficult to tame.”

“Not dragons. Aircraft. A mechanical machine that flies. To put it simply, we flew to Fethalean using a large aircraft. Once it flew over the city, we jumped out from the sky towards the ground. The material we used to set up our tents is from something called a parachute. We floated down gently towards the ground from the air using the parachute, so we didn’t just fall and die. That’s how we got to the castle relatively easily.”

Barnett’s explanation sounds more like an imaginary tale told by a child that Elceran is stumped by. There is no way in his mind that they can have created a vehicle that flies. It simply doesn’t make sense to Elceran. His mind is full of doubt, but he is so eager to leave this place behind that he doesn’t really care to argue.

“If this ‘aircraft’ is how you got to Fethalean, how come we must travel so far from the city to be rescued?”

“That’s a difficult question. The reason we jumped out of the aircraft is that it can’t land. It needs something called a ‘runway’ to land. The Navy will use a different kind of aircraft that doesn’t need a runway but is more limited in its range. It can’t fly too far before it needs to land. So to fix this, we just need to get closer.”

It’s no bluff. They need to hike one hundred and fifty miles southwest from Fethalean to get close enough for the Navy to pick them up. While a helicopter can theoretically make the trip from Newden Air Base to Fethalean using aerial refueling, it isn’t practical. A three thousand mile helicopter ride for all twenty-six people would not be fun in the slightest, and it would also stretch the range of the refueling tankers themselves, so a different solution was chosen. The team would have to journey close enough to just barely be within a Navy helicopter’s range.

“Let’s get going. Just a few more miles, and we’re out of here.”

And so the group packs up and goes on their way. They go around the cliff and descend into the valley before climbing back up onto the other side.

“Major Barnett, I’ve been wondering. What can you tell us about yourselves? Or rather, I’m more interested in your group here. This is not the work of average soldiers, is it not?”

“We’re not conventional, but it’s a touchy subject. I can’t say too much about ourselves.”

“So you admit you are elite soldiers?”

Barnett can only smile without saying anything, which catches Elceran’s and Eilra’s interest.

“Your group must have quite the reputation,” Eilra says. “To undergo such a great risk to save us takes great bravery. People must cheer for the name of such an elite group.”

“Actually, no, they don’t. In fact, hardly anyone knows we exist.”

“What?” Elceran blurts as he is confused. “Why would you not exist?”

“What I mean is that our units are not publicly acknowledged. If anyone outside those given clearance asked, our government would deny our existence. Consider us more like secret soldiers.”

“I don’t understand,” Eilra says. “Many countries have their own elite Knights who are very well known. They portray the nation’s image of strength, power, and pride. Plenty of people look up to their nation’s elite warriors. Even Eshe has the Fethalean Corps, elite Knights who led the defense against the Venesians. They were powerful enough to combine their swordsmanship and magical capabilities to do great damage to the invaders. For a time, it looked as if the battle would be won. Unfortunately, we were far outnumbered and outmatched, but at the least, the Fethalean Corps gave people the hope they needed to continue fighting until the last defender fell.”

“Our military has many groups that are considered elite. Some are publicly acknowledged for a similar reason, but the most trained and experienced groups are kept secret. We just think it’s better if our enemy doesn’t know what our full capabilities are. It's better if they keep guessing.”

“So then, can you tell us what groups there are?”

“Mmm… no. Or not all of them. The most well-known would be the Army Special Forces, or ‘Green Berets’ as that is their famous moniker. Actually, if you remember that certain elf groups fought using Venesian weapons and different tactics, that would be the work of Special Forces. Let’s see… There are also the Army 75th Ranger Regiment, Marine Raiders, Navy SEALs, Air Force Combat Controllers. Let’s just say there’s a lot of elite units out there.”

“Those are all strange names. I would have thought such elite warriors would be known by more—imposing names. So then, which one do you belong to?”

Barnett laughs and shakes his head. “I can’t answer that. But to quell your curiosity, I can tell you that our group here isn’t from one unit but instead from two. Sixteen of us, including myself, are from an Army unit. The other eight are from an Air Force unit.”

“‘Air Force’? Your military has tamed dragons?”

“No. Aircraft, remember? Anyways, I can’t tell you our exact unit, but I can tell you our commanding organization. You might hear in the future about a certain ‘Task Force 66’. This is the temporary organization that our units are tasked to take part in. It’s also the organization that sent us to rescue you.”

“‘Task Force 66’ eh? You Entesians are very strange indeed.”

While the group continues to talk, they eventually reach the extraction area without any issue. It is an open area that is clear of any boulders and foliage, perfect for a helicopter.

As they settle down to wait, Elceran sees one of the operators take out a strange device as he sits down on the ground to rest. Once the operator fiddles with it and sets it down on the ground, he lifts something else right next to his face and speaks words into it. Elceran is looking at a radio. What the operator set on the ground is a small dish aiming into the sky to which it connects to a satellite and, in turn, the Navy, to communicate that they reached the extraction zone.

After over an hour of waiting and expectation, a rumble of distant thunder is heard. Elceran looks around in confusion as he sees no storm coming, but Barnett tells him it is the ‘aircraft’ that is getting near. Over time, the sound gets closer and closer. The noise becomes louder and sounds like a steady, rhythmic heartbeat with the same intervals between each beat.

A while later, Elceran can finally see where the sound originates from. An object is flying in the air and approaching the ground.

“What in heavens is that?” exclaims Eilra.

“That’s a helicopter. The aircraft from the Navy coming to pick us up. Bradley! The flare!”

The Delta operator named Bradley takes out a flare and ignites it. A harsh red light and smoke is emitted as Bradley throws it a small distance from the group.

Now the noise becomes unbearable, and Elceran and Eilra cover their ears. Two helicopters descend near where the flare is. They are Navy CH-46E Sea Knights painted with white and blue camouflage.

“It’s so loud!”

On touchdown, the rear ramps lower, and the operators begin to climb aboard the helicopters.

“Climb in!” Barnett yells amidst the constant noise. “Don’t be scared! It’s fine!”

Eirla climbs aboard the helicopters with a hint of fear while Elceran is carried inside by another operator. The helicopters slowly ascend into the sky once everyone is inside.

“Unbelievable…” Elceran whispers as he looks out through a small window.

“See? Aircraft. We have them.”

“Indeed you do…”

Time flies past while Elceran and Eilra are hypnotized as they watch the world through the helicopter’s windows. They are flying at high speed, and they quickly fly over a snow-covered forest in which they would have never been able to traverse on foot.

Their minds race at how any of what they are experiencing is possible. The helicopter is all metal, and Elceran estimates that it would be extremely heavy. He guesses the spinning blades are the source of their lift but still can’t entirely comprehend or even believe that they are indeed flying in the air inside a metal mechanical machine. No dragons, no magic.

Hours later, the snow-covered forests beneath them are replaced by the ocean.

Did we reach the coast that quickly? Just like that? Elceran thinks. Do I see things correctly?

The Sea Knights have reached a bay on the south coast where an Entesian fleet awaits. In the distance, strange massive structures of neither the Grand Duke nor Duchess have ever seen before. They are hard to see as they blend into the surrounding ocean. It is only when they get closer to the fleet do their eyes pop out in a shocking realization that they are colossal vessels camouflaged with the blue ocean. Nothing makes sense anymore.

The ships consist of two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, two Ticonderoga-class cruisers, a Sacramento-class supply ship, a modernized Iowa-class battleship, a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship where the Sea Knights took off from, and finally, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier.

The scenery is an insane sight for the two elves who have only ever seen ships built with canvas and wood. They are utterly speechless as their minds are completely overloaded.

“Is this… the Northern Republic? This is madness. Just what in the gods is going on…” Elceran quietly mumbles to himself.

The two Sea Knights fly by the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship and go to land on the Nimitz-class carrier.

As they touch down on the massive deck, the ramps of the Sea Knights lower. A large group of sailors and medics approach as the operators start to step out of the helicopters. The air is freezing cold, and some can even see small icebergs floating in the far distance. But it doesn’t matter. They are finally in safe hands, having completed the one hundred and fifty mile march through the harsh forests and taiga terrain. It is less than half the distance the helicopters had to travel to reach the group and a fraction of what they flew in total, which only took a matter of hours.

Elceran is given a wheelchair to sit in as the long journey completely exhausted his ability to stand independently. He would need a long time to recover from everything he has been through.

As the helicopters take off once more to return to their ship, the Wasp-class, several people emerge from the carrier’s island and approach the Grand Duke.

“Grand Duke Elceran and Duchess Eilra?”

They both nod in response. The man in front of them wears blue clothing with strange patterns of tiny boxes of various shades. He can’t really concentrate on the man as he is still hung up on the ship’s sheer size. He also sees that the deck has strange arrow-shaped machines lined up in rows painted with the same color scheme as the helicopters.

“Welcome aboard the ERS Caspar Weinberger. I am Eugene Haines, Captain of this ship.”

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.

Throughout the few days Elceran spends on the aircraft carrier, he is utterly amazed at what he is experiencing. His previous view of Entesia has completely changed as he slowly realizes just how vastly different they are. Those warships alone are far beyond anything he could have ever imagined.

At first, he and his wife spent some time in the ship’s medical bay so their people could assess their health and help them recover from their journey. Strangely, he was requested that he not speak of what he sees in any detail, and he agrees as he feels it isn’t anything compared to saving his life.

The fleet sails along the eastern coasts of the Weslec continent. While on the ship, Elceran is informed that he was rescued as direct defiance against the Venesians. He is told that Entesia has always been involved in the war but has been doing so in secret and that they planned to coordinate a stronger resistance with other nations in Weslec. The successful Operation Riposte is to serve as an example to potential allies that Entesia is not only capable but willing.

Launching off in a C-2A Greyhound, the Grand Duke and Duchess are transported to Newden Air Base before taking off again in a UH-60L Black Hawk to fly a few hundred miles east. Somewhere along a road, the Black Hawk lands next to an Entesian convoy of carriages headed towards a nearby city.

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The Kingdom of Ravia is predominantly an elven Kingdom with a large human population who is amongst those worried about Venesian aggression.

Before Operation Riposte happened, ambassadors from Entesia contacted the heads of state of many Kingdoms to come together for an emergency conference. Expressing urgency in the defense against Venesia, everyone was interested in what the Entesians had to say, especially since the Entesians claimed to possess crucial information that everyone should know.

Snowtar was selected as the place to meet for its central location on the continent. Representatives from Naritlume, Enalos, Oranil, Tlind, and Karithian agreed to attend the conference in addition to Ravia’s own representative. It is not, however, a high-profile event. In fact, it was requested that the event not be made public. Entesia’s call for the conference was met with a lot of doubt and dismissal, especially from nobility and royalty. It is mainly the curiosity that people are drawn in by.

Within a grand palace in Snowtar, the multinational conference has just begun inside a grand hall. Everyone sits around a massive table, itching to know what the Entesians have to say.

Entesian ambassador Theodore Walker sits in his seat as the other representatives also take their seats. On the sidelines, Knights and guards stand at attention to maintain peace or protect their respective countrymen in case anything happens. Ambassador Walker himself is accompanied by a squad of special agents from the Bureau of Diplomatic SecurityDSS))))) in elegant suits. Everyone has so far thought the DSS agents to be a joke of a security force as they wear no armor and carry no visible weapons. Nevertheless, the attention is still on the Entesians.

“Welcome everyone,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Ravia says. “We here in Ravia are honored to host such an important event for the security of our nations. As you all are well aware, a foreign aggressor has made a sickening conquest of our lands. The Kingdom of Eshe has fallen not too long ago, and the Imperial armies are gathering on the border of the Republic of Naritlume as we speak. And while we can only do so much to help, we watch as war comes closer to our own homes. But today, it seems that we have been called upon to take action. Ambassador Walker, may you elaborate?”

Everyone’s attention turns to Walker, who in turn stands up to speak.

“Thank you. Good evening everyone. I am Theodore Walker, ambassador from the Federal Republic of Entesia. The reason we have called for this conference is, of course, to discuss the war that rages in the south. My intention for this conference is the cooperation between our nations to coordinate an effective resistance by sharing strategic and tactical information of friendly and enemy forces. An intelligence alliance of sorts.”

“I think you should know we have already been doing just that, have we not?” someone says. “At least, most of us here have sent military aid to fight the invaders. Do you expect us to mobilize the entirety of our armies?”

“Not at all,” Walker replies. “Military cooperation should indeed be a priority if we are to drive them out, and I advocate for it. However, my nation recognizes that some of you may be more conservative in this respect, as are we.”

“Then how exactly does the great Northern Republic intend to drive off these invaders?” someone says with a mocking tone followed by giggles.

“The Federal Republic of Entesia has been observing the war ever since it started. In fact, you may all be surprised to know that we have been actively participating in secret. Mister Naeric.” Walker gestures towards the representative from Naritlume. “I’m sure you, amongst everyone here, have heard rumors about unknown human soldiers in the south?”

“Yes, I’ve heard,” Naeric says hesitantly. “They call themselves ‘Green Berets’ after the unique hat they supposedly wear. Rumors of them started when officers within our ranks created elite groups of soldiers that functioned with autonomy. Of course, they have only been rumors.”

“Those are not rumors, Mister Naeric. They are real.”

“Real, you say? How are you so sure?”

“They are members of our military.”

“You expect us to believe that these warriors, of which no one is sure even exist, belong to the Northern Republic?” another questions.

“Yes. Officially they are the Entesian Army Special Forces. ‘Green Berets’ is more of a nickname.”

“‘Special Forces’? Now ain’t that a tad bit conceited? What makes them so special?”

“Special Forces specialize in what we call unconventional warfare. They fight the enemy by helping their foes.”

“So what are you trying to say? That we can’t fight for ourselves?”

“I’m saying that we are trying to help. Special Forces are not the only units we have deployed, but they are the only ones who interact with your soldiers. Others elite groups have been conducting assassination, sabotage, and reconnaissance, and they are very good at it. So good are their skills that they’ve yet to fail a single mission.”

One of the representatives immediately scoffs at Walker’s self-praise and says, “If your assessment of your army’s capabilities is so great, why have the Venesians continued to advance?”

“These forces are categorized as ‘Special Operations Forces’. We sent them not to defeat or drive back the enemy but to weaken and exploit them. Here’s our proposal: Entesia’s role in this war is to aid defending nations by exposing Venesian weaknesses and strategies for you to integrate into your own war plans. Our special operations forces have been conducting reconnaissance, among many things. We can inform your militaries of every movement the enemy makes, what battles will happen, how many forces they use, where, how, and when.”

“That’s preposterous! The capability to collect such information is near impossible, assuming any possibility at all. How do we even know if you tell the truth? Ramblings of a madman are what can describe such dubious claims.”

“Settle down. I, for one, am curious as to the true strength of the Northern Republic.”

“Fah! Strength is what they lack. Tell me, ambassador, why bother with these ‘Special Forces’ you speak of? Why not just send an army to fight alongside us if you’re so keen to help?”

“Because our military is currently small, lacks capability, and is unprepared for such direct confrontation. We fight in a very different way from everyone else. For us to fight to our full capacity, we’d effectively need to establish permanent military installations within your territories, of which I’m sure none of you would agree with.”

“You’re right. We wouldn’t. I also question the necessity of such a prerequisite to enable full strength.”

“Bottom line, it’s logistics. The details of which are Restricted, and I can’t disclose them here.”

One representative sighs and says, “You’ve yet to show us anything useful, ambassador. All we have is your word and insistence that your country is helping. If we are to cooperate, we need something more definitive.”

Walker turns to signal one of the DSS agents, who nods in acknowledgment. The agent leaves the grand hall, leaving some of the occupants confused.

“My country has every intention to help,” Walker says. “So much so that we decided to take a great risk a few days ago. To embarrass the Venesians and to show that they are not invincible, we will be resurrecting the Grand Duchy of Eshe in defiance.”

“They capitulated, did they not? How do you intend to revive a fallen nation?”

The door to the grand hall flies open, and the DSS agent returns with other agents. Soon after, another person enters the grand hall, which shocks everyone in attendance.

Elceran enters in a wheelchair as he is still recovering, destroying any preconceived notion that the Venetians killed him. Jaws drop, and a commotion stirs among the attendees.

“Grand Duke Elceran? Y-you’re alive?!”

“That I am,” Elceran responds.

“H-how is that possible? Were you not killed?”

“I was imprisoned within my own dungeon. By the tip of the Venesian blade, I should have perished. But by the act of the gods, I was instead rescued by a hidden ally.”

“You mean to say the Entesians rescued you?”

“Correct. Their elite soldiers raided my castle in Fethalean and saved my wife and I from the enemy’s grip.”

Everyone is at a loss for words. Elceran is right in front of them while every previous thought considers him dead. To say that the Entesians are responsible for his rescue is even more shocking.

“As the Grand Duke said, our military conducted an operation to extract him from enemy hands. I believe this alone should at least show we are very serious about this war,” Walker says.

“So you are…” a reply comes with visible astonishment.

“Grand Duke Elceran, what is your opinion of the Northern Republic now that they’ve rescued you? How could they have possibly rescued you?” someone asks with curiosity.

“Unfortunately for you lot, I made an agreement to keep their methods a secret and not speak about what I saw in any detail. But rest assured, friends, I can say for certain that Entesia is a mighty nation indeed. We will need their help if our people are to be kept safe.”

“Even you refuse to shed light? It’s unheard of for a nation to be so secretive. Why?”

“I know not myself, but I will respect their wishes. After all, they saved my life. Now, with my new chance to fight, I will be reviving the Grand Duchy in exile while our lands remain occupied. Regarding ambassador Walker’s proposal, I will personally say now that cooperation with Entesia is the best chance we have to expel the invaders. They have my full support.”

It takes some moments for everyone to digest Elceran’s words and gain some acknowledgment of Entesia’s deed. Many are still caught up on the fact that Elceran isn’t dead and continue to struggle to understand the events unfolding.

“Considering that the frontlines are now on our borders, my country is willing to cooperate,” the representative for Naritlume says.

“I’m also willing,” the representative for Enalos says. “Skepticism aside, your proposal can be beneficial if true.”

One by one, the representatives agree to cooperate with Walker. Though some are still suspicious and doubtful, Elceran’s praise is enough to sway their opinions. At the very least, it will allow them to see just what Entesia can do.

“Excellent,” Walker says. “Before we conclude the conference and inform our respective governments, I would like to add a crucial piece of information that we have.”

Everyone's ears perk up at Walker’s words.

“As stated before, Entesia has been active in secrecy. Our intelligence body, the Entesian Intelligence Agency, or EIA for short, has been conducting espionage within Venesia’s mainland across the oceans. We have confirmed that the war will intensify significantly. Venesia established an alliance called the Alitic Alliance with several other nations. One of many massive fleets is on its way to wage war throughout the rest of the continent.”

“That’s impossible! Your people have traveled to the other side as well?!”

“Yes. A thousand ships, over a hundred thousand fresh Venesian troops, will reinforce those already here. We think much more will be sent.”

“It can’t be… Even if we had an advantage in intelligence, we’d get annihilated. Do you Entesians have a plan for this?”

“We do, but it will take time before it takes effect. If it works, Venesian forces should suspend the war and recall most of their forces back to their country. If we’re lucky, they’ll withdraw entirely.”

“That sounds very optimistic. How exactly will you do that?”

“I’m not at liberty to say. The effort is currently ongoing and is highly classified; I don’t even have the clearance to know the name of the project.”

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.

In a once luxurious bedroom, stains and debris litter the floor and walls. Mayhem has unfolded. The crowd of soldiers, Knights, and mages surround a single large bed. Ambassador Vopiscus traveled from the Venesian embassy in Narazar to witness a disaster. He is filled with anger because his empire has just been embarrassed.

On the large bed that once belonged to Elceran, a body lays without movement. Mages and healers exhaust their stamina to bring forth their magical prowess. Their hands hover over the body with bright lights. They’ve been attempting to save the person from death for days now.

Any average person would have died either instantly or within minutes. Two bullet wounds would make anyone bleed out without any hope for survival when no assistance is nearby. Given his status and importance, General Russus benefits from owning magic crystals in any event that his life is threatened as a precaution. The crystals he wears activated when he was shot and kept him alive all this time, but only barely.

Bandaged and bloodied, General Russus has not awoken since the incident. The healers work day and night to bring him back at all costs. The rings on his fingers have been glowing continuously without stopping. That’s where the crystals are.

Finally, after endless waiting, the eyes twitch before slowly opening. The claws of death have let go and retreated.

“Tell me everything you know, Russus.”