[Neville Capital.]
[Throne Hall.]
"My King, we just got news," the General began, his voice low and somber, "the village closest to Oakhavan... it's gone. Wiped out."
The Queen's brow furrowed, her usual serene expression replaced by a sharp frown. "What do you mean by, wiped out?"
The General stared at the polished marble floor, lost in a moment of troubled contemplation. He finally lifted his head, his eyes meeting the King's with a grave seriousness.
"I… I don't know how else to put it, Your Majesty. The village is gone. Vanished. Just like the Forest. It's… likely the same entity responsible for the forest's disappearance is behind this."
A low "Hmm…" escaped King Monroe's lips. He sat beside his Queen, his demeanor replaced by a thoughtful intensity.
Monroe fell silent for a long moment, his gaze distant as he processed the implications. Finally, he turned to the Grand Priest and the Grand Mage, their figures standing near the foot of the throne.
"You two should attend to this," he commanded, his voice firm. "That stubborn boy, Harold, has already departed with twenty thousand soldiers. Go and assist him. My intuition tells me the one responsible for this will be there."
"Understood, Your Majesty," the Grand Priest replied, and added:
"And what of the demons?"
"Just kill them all," Monroe stated, his tone leaving no room for argument.
The two nodded in unison. Before they could move, a flash of white caught everyone's attention. A magnificent white eagle, its plumage gleaming, flew into the hall through a seemingly closed window, an impossible feat that caused a collective raising of eyebrows.
The majestic bird soared directly towards the Emperor and, with graceful precision, released a rolled parchment from its sharp talons.
Monroe reacted swiftly, catching the scroll mid-air. The eagle, its task complete, dissolved into a puff of white smoke, vanishing as mysteriously as it had arrived.
"What is it, my love?" The Queen whispered, her eyes wide with curiosity and a hint of unease.
"I don't know yet," Monroe replied, his gaze fixed on the scroll in his hand.
He slowly unfurled the parchment, revealing elegant, flowing script. But it was the heading, the words emblazoned at the top, that sent a shockwave through the Throne Hall.
"'War submission letter,'" he muttered, his voice laced with disbelief.
"What?!" roared the General. "From whom?! Is it Gavania? Or Skyborne?!!"
Monroe wordlessly tossed the scroll to the enraged General, who snatched it from the air.
"Read it out loud," the King ordered, his voice now edged with steel.
The General's hands trembled slightly as he unrolled the parchment and began to read, his voice growing in incredulity with each passing word:
"To the esteemed and arguably less impressive Emperor of the Kingdom of Neville,
Let it be known that I, King Nemesis the Magnificent, Sovereign of the Glorious Kingdom of Celestia, have deigned to extend my awareness to your humble domain. While your existence has thus far remained a peripheral concern to my far-reaching influence, certain… developments have necessitated my direct communication.
It has come to my attention – through sources far superior to your own – your recent attempts at expanding your pitiful borders, boasting of a minor harvest, and forging alliances with equally insignificant entities are noted, though they elicit little more than a condescending amusement from me.
Frankly, your continued independence is becoming… tiresome. It is a blemish on the otherwise pristine tapestry of my envisioned dominion."
The General paused, glancing up at Monroe, who gave a curt nod, urging him to continue.
"Your resources, while undoubtedly meager, could be better utilized under my astute guidance. Your people, though likely lacking in the refinement and vigor of my own subjects, could perhaps be molded into something… marginally useful through proper instruction.
Therefore, I, in my infinite wisdom and unparalleled strength, offer you a proposition – though it is hardly a negotiation. Which is; Recognize the undeniable superiority of the Kingdom of Celestia and, more importantly, my own divine right to rule over all and you. Pledge your unconditional fealty, deliver a substantial tribute worthy of my exalted status; I trust your treasurers can manage to scrape together something of value, and perhaps, just perhaps, I will consider allowing your kingdom to continue its existence as a minor tributary, basking in the reflected glory of my reign."
The General could no longer contain his outrage. "What nonsense!!" he bellowed, his face flushed with anger.
"Is that all?" Monroe asked, his own composure remarkably steady despite the inflammatory contents of the letter.
"No, my King."
"Then continue!"
The General took a deep breath and resumed reading:
"Consider this less an invitation and more a decree. My patience, much like your kingdom's military strength, is notoriously limited. I await your swift and unequivocally subservient response. Any deviation from this clear directive will be interpreted as an act of blatant defiance, the consequences of which will be… regrettable.
Humbly, not really, but it seems the polite thing to feignedly include for such lesser beings like yourself.
King Nemesis the Magnificent,
By the Grace of the Heavens, and sovereign of the Glorious Kingdom of Celestia, Scourge of the Weak, and soon-to-be Overlord of Your Entirely Unremarkable Lands offered you this decree… You can see a rune below the scroll, destroy it if you wish to go against Celestia, but once it remained intact for 24 hours, it means you will automatically become my vassal state."
"Who is this King Nemesis?! He is so arrogant!" The Queen exclaimed, her voice filled with indignation.
"Don't know him," Monroe replied, a hint of confusion in his tone. "I haven't even heard of Celestia..."
The General's eyes widened suddenly. "My King," he said urgently, "he said he is expanding. Does that mean he is from a different continent?"
"What different continent?" Monroe countered, his brow furrowed. "The Star Continent already made a pact with the Immortal Council to never attack us. The Fire Nation wouldn't even allow it… They are the only ones strong enough to be so arrogant, but they would never go against the Council. Celestia… we don't even know its castle or territories, so we can't declare war."
"Why not investigate first, Your Majesty?" suggested the Grand Mage, his voice calm but thoughtful. "Perhaps it's a rising kingdom in the Golden Continent? We just need to send spies and scouts to all corners of the continent; we'll locate this King Nemesis!"
Monroe considered this for a few tense seconds, then slowly nodded. "Do you think this King Nemesis is responsible for the disappearance of the village and the forest?" he asked, his gaze sharp.
"It's highly possible," The Queen answered, her expression grave.
"The only downside is, we don't know Celestia's full strength." She added, "I think it's wise to investigate before taking any rash action."
"And what about the rune?!" the King interjected, his voice strained. "We don't know how long the investigation will take. There is only one path, which is war! They have knowledge of us, but we have none of them."
"My King, are you saying if they attack, we will simply wait to learn their location?" the General pressed.
"Yes," Monroe stated firmly.
He held out his open palm. The scroll lifted from the General's grasp, floated through the air and land gently in the King's hand.
Every eye in the hall was fixed on Monroe as he carefully opened the scroll again. His fingers found the small, intricately etched rune at the bottom. He dropped the parchment to the floor and, with a swift, decisive movement, brought his heel down on the rune.
CRACK!!
A faint cracking sound echoed through the silent hall as the magical inscription shattered beneath his weight.
"Nemesis," he spat out, his voice low and dangerous, filled with a palpable killing intent. "Just like I crush this rune with my foot, I'll crush you the same way." He turned to the Grand Priest, Grand Mage, and General.
"Grand Priest and Grand Mage, proceed with the original plan and assist Harold. General, send forces to all our major cities. Have them maintain vigilance for any sign of Celestia's troops."
"Yes, Emperor!" the three responded in unison.
Monroe sighed, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly as he relaxed back onto his throne.
'This Celestia are not weak.' He thought inwardly, his earlier mild confusion replaced by a grim understanding.
'Sending a messenger eagle that can bypass all defenses, and a rune imbued with such power… If I hadn't used at least thirty percent of my strength, I wouldn't have been able to shatter it. I need to remain alert, no matter what happens. I must protect my city and my people.'
____
[Skyborne Capital.]
[Helena's Office.]
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Who is it?"
Queen Helena looked up from the stacks of scrolls spread across her ornate desk, her gaze fixed on the heavy oak door.
"My Queen… the weapon is ready," the voice of an elf on the other side of the door replied.
Helena's gaze fell back to the scrolls detailing troop movements and resource allocation. She sighed, a weariness settling upon her usually sharp features.
"Monroe," she murmured, her voice barely audible, "you made me do this… The innocent lives will be on your head."
Before she could issue the order that would unleash, a flicker of white caught her eye. A magnificent white eagle, seemingly materializing from thin air, flew silently into her office, passing directly through the solid stone wall as if it were mere mist.
"Huh?"
Helena stared in stunned disbelief as the ethereal bird glided towards her desk. With a gentle motion, it dropped a rolled parchment onto the polished wood, then vanished as abruptly as it had appeared.
"What is this?"
She murmured, her heart pounding with a sudden, inexplicable apprehension. With hesitant fingers, she picked up the scroll. A sense of foreboding washed over her as she slowly unfurled it and began to read the elegant script. The more she read, the darker her expression.
"'King Nemesis the Magnificent, By the Grace of the Heavens, and sovereign of the Glorious Kingdom of Celestia, Scourge of the Weak, and soon-to-be Overlord of Your Entirely Unremarkable Lands offered you this decree… You can see a rune below the scroll, destroy it if you wish to go against Celestia, but once it remained intact for 24 hours, it means you will automatically become my vassal state.'"
Helena's breath hitched. She carefully folded the scroll and placed it back on the table, her mind reeling.
"General," she called out, her voice surprisingly steady despite the turmoil within. "Have you ever heard of a kingdom called Celestia?"
A moment of silence stretched before the General's voice echoed from beyond the door. "I have not heard of such a kingdom before, Your Majesty. Why do you ask?"
"Celestia just declared war on us," Helena stated, her voice flat.
She picked up the scroll, her gaze hardening. She stood up and walked towards the large stone fireplace that dominated one wall of her office. Without hesitation, she tossed the parchment into the roaring flames.
"Here is my order," she commanded, her voice now laced with cold determination. "Locate Celestia, and deploy the weapon against them. This will serve as a warning. Such an arrogant king must be taught a lesson."
Although visibly confused by the sudden shift in her orders, the General nodded. "As the Queen wishes."
With that, he turned and strode away.
"Monroe," she muttered in a low, almost inaudible Voice.
"You are saved."