Dark Crow Rising

Flinching at the voice calling out to me, I settle down and grip my desk. This is it, the big day that tablet warned me about. The Union flew into the city and have barely met any resistance, just like the prince said they would. All over the city's news channels is their triumph over the Ibenoroccons, everyone is turning on me.

"I can hear you, what do you want?" I ask a bit pointlessly as I already know. The prince wants to add this country to the imperial grip of his own. Our weakness left us wide open for him to walk right in. No, my mistake turned the country against my efforts.

"Right now, an in-person conversation." the prince answers as I bring up my security screens. Those where my troops are falling vanish and it's just him, a cripple of unimaginable power. It's hard to comprehend how someone this strong can look the way he does. I've seen the reports, even his younger brother ranks incomparably high on all sorts of nonsensical magic metrics.

"No, I will stay where I am." I tell him and his tired body puts in what effort it can to shrug off my response.

"No matter, I shall have what I want." he comments as I frown.

"And what do you want, Prince?" I ask, noting the tendrils of magic securing themselves on my office's ventilation. So, that's how he's able to talk to me, huh? His aura has spread throughout the entire Gnomon like a parasite and now it is stealing the nutrition of our words. Orders being spoken, sections being cut out, he can hear it all in real-time and react with an army of slaves. The way the Union army has changed since this prince took charge is known to me.

These past few years have been quite the detailing in how beneficial his efforts have been. Soldiers who will keep on fighting until they have truly died, overpowering all pain and instinct. There are so many analogies I can think of and the one that sticks to me the most is those of a story. The characters within and what they do, he is their author and his hand is supreme even above the gods and goddesses.

"What I want, Grandguard Inerish, is to save my homeland. It is in danger, so much danger and I must supplant the current powerbase to save so many." he waxes grandiosely as his physical behaviour starts to edge on seeming timid. But, no, I know better. Whatever ails him so, that is what is dictating his posture right now, not doubt. How can anyone doubt themselves as they swoop in without a stiff breeze to stop them?

"And to do so, you want me to surrender the Dual-Republic of Thrurstradtur-Suhurlodst over in its entirety."

"Precisely." he answers, a slight jump in his sword shaking the whole building. It hasn't been that long in reality since the last fight that left a chunk of this place lying in the rubble.

"I do no-"

"But you do! The Emergency Powers Act, the right to a dictatorship. The people cannot stand against you, they can only listen."

"You have only gotten so far because they have turned on me." I remind him and I can hear his chuckles.

"Yes, you made quite the mistake. But, I cannot blame you, I can only thank you. Even His Lunar Majesty obliges the Grand-Kingdom of Ibenorocco. I know first hand..." the prince admits, one hand clutching the other as he remembers what must be so humiliating to him.

"And what makes you think you can stand against them? The war I sought to avoid you have now brought to all of Jherikra. Your country is the undisputed master of the continent, the Ibenoroccons only have one target." I point out, glaring at his magic while I watch him smirk on the other side of the screen.

"But, what I have will save us all. Let their battleships roar, let the marines pack the landing craft. Let them come, let -The- Royal Navy shatter upon the crags of my homeland. Let the world break their dominion apart. After all, only one needs to be strong enough to allow the carrion to finish off the great beast." he explains and I shake my head.

"You won't have much of a force to fight them with by the time the giant reaches this mountain." I snort, hedging on my pessimism and the unstoppable nature of the unknown monster. What could this prince possibly hope to bring to the field that we have not already?

"We shall see. The full military might of the Seven-Peaks Union of Jherikra has never been seen. Total war is not something the world has seen from us just yet. I am no fool despite what you all might be thinking. The Valkinvar will not rip out my army's spine. You will not trip us. The giant will not see us fade to dust. We will never drown again. Not the land, not a single household who dared to spit in the presence of an invading foreigner of a watery land." he insists and I sigh on my way to my chair. Collapsing into it, I look at my reports.

"Can you do it, can you accomplish what I have failed at?" I ask him, recalling too many names in this flashing minute alone. All that has been lost under my stewardship, it's too much to bear.

"We shall see. Surrender the country into the folds of His Lunar Majesty and I promise you shall see the resources of the Greats at your disposal. Airshipyards, factories and farms. Your problems will be dampened on the bountiful breast of our nearly four-millennia-old kingdom." he assures me and I look once again to the path of the giant. The Union somehow managed to push it back onto its old route. The giant is back in line with our prior projections, before the leap.

Its old, manageable pace...

Covering my face and sighing into it, I feel the prince's magic draw closer like a comforting hand. It slithers against me, tendering my soft skin with an unending reminder of how little I am in comparison. I should thank the heavens that hold the gods and goddesses that this power is here to save. If it were to destroy, everyone here would be dead, never to be found by Undwote.

"All I have to do is give you my word and this will all no longer be my problem?" I ask, choking back my emotions with a wipe of the eyes.

"No, not entirely, Grandguard Inerish. You will remain, just not as dictator." he explains and I look up to face his magic. If he can feel out for me, he can see me. Right?

"If I surrender this city, I will be killed. The people want my blood, they have had for years. For every life I have failed to keep warm in my time as grandguard, more and more have come to resent me."

"You will not, after all, I have many uses for a woman of your talents. The victory at the Field of Spikes and Geysers is something we'd all be wise to pay attention to." he explains and I frown at his reference. My victory at some formerly unnamed place, one simply a part of the greater Moltenbelly Hills. It was so early in my career as well. How'd he even find out?

"Of all the things to reference, you speak of something not even those in my homeland found to be impressive. I too, think little of it."

"Because you have much to learn, Grandguard Inerish. You took such bare supplies and achieved a victory with barely a scratch upon your forces. The very power of your home brought you peace."

"There's nothing unique about it, cracker spikes are not some ingenious invention by me. They're long-serving, common tools used by every force. If you're trying to flatter me, you are failing." I want to snarl but the fact he even knows about such an obscure, early victory is... Strange. I don't know what to think of it.

The prince tuts, "Oh, Grandguard Inerish... I am disappointed in you. Nonetheless, I have uses for you. You are a very experienced commander with a record well worth talking about in study."

"The only thing worth talking about is my failure which is all the world shall hear about."

"Do not be so harsh on yourself, people are quick to judge without knowing everything anyway." he encourages as my posture grows weak and I melt into the chair. Putting its hinges to the limit, I frown and then sigh. He's not wrong but when people are like that, the truth means nothing, only the belief of it.

"What assurances do I have that you will follow through with my duty as you suggest you will? As Grandguard Inerish, I have my word and honour to keep to. Thrurstradtur-Suhurlodst is in my care."

"Has the blood of Jherikra not already been spilt to push the giant back onto its path?" he reminds me and I start to nod.

"Very well, make your way to the command centre. I will surrender the city to you and we can begin with..."

"Annexation." he finishes, his magic slipping away like slime on a drain opening. Another sigh escapes me and I override much of the Gnomon's security. Disabling and reversing all that comes between the Union's forces and full dominance of the building and its charge. Stepping out to the front of my office, my secretary snaps up, her arms frantically gesturing to the magic keeping all doors wide open.

"Do not worry, please, just wait." I tell her and the confused woman returns to her seat as the last echoes of gunfire reach us. The noise we were once hidden from is now free to come all the way to the top of the Gnomon. The screams are coming to an end and I can hear each little yelp and noise. 'What's going on!?' they all ask.

Arriving at the command centre, many of them turn away from their locked-out terminals. They look to me for answers and I have only one to give in a time like this. Minding my heavy heart, I approach my chair and begin to prepare the Gnomon for its new master. There is no future for the Dual-Republic, today, it falls.

"I swear on my name, Inerish Dakrid of Errakur to protect and hold all of the Dual-Republic of Thrurstradtur-Suhurlodst dear to my heart. I shall sweat, bleed and cry in her defence and those of her people. Its lands shall be treated as my own and those who farm, mine and build upon it are to be my brothers and sisters. Let all who would threaten this land face my sword on the field and my mind on campaign. Let no option be withheld from me or beyond my approach. I shall give my all to ensure the lands are saved, I will give my all..." I recount, letting my initial oath to becoming the Grandguard take me over.

They all watch me in disbelief, their insults cannot stop me.

"In the defence of this country, I shall take on any burden. To ensure the continuation of the repub-... The survival of the people and their way of life, I shall do what needs to be done." I finish, growing increasingly quiet as a few guards step in to keep me safe. Somehow, despite what I have done and what I am doing now, some of my men are still willing to stand by my side. They keep those turning on me away and one, a veteran of many years looks me in the eye. He gives me a little nod, his mind already aware of what I must do.

The Dual-Republic will fall.

"Attention all who can hear me. You will lay down your weapons and cease fighting. This is Grandguard Inerish and through the powers given to me through our state of emergency, I announce the immediate surrender of the Dual-Republic of Thrurstradtur-Suhurlodst. By my word and the backing of Union troops, all remaining lands are now..." I stop before I can even finish, my hand slipping from the button. Covering my eyes, I start to whimper and then cry for all to see. The noise around the room begins to stop and I can hear them step away.

I'm sorry...

"I'm... I'm sorry..." I tell this proud people as marching thunders down the halls. Lightning the sound of a swordly cane strikes and a prince steps foot into the command centre. His hand grips my shoulder and even he gets to see how pathetic I am. He squeezes gently, a reassuring and triumphant smile on his face as shadow-faced soldiers move past.