From Ruins

Chapter 1: An Unexpected Message

Author's Note: Quite a short chapter, but I kept it that way for the reader's easier digestion. I find the exposition necessary to build a logical foundation for the upcoming events. I hope you aren't too bored!

"Out of my way, out of my way!" An Ardoni screamed as soon as he got off his horse, pushing away hordes of soldiers and caterers and healers, weaving through the fields of people in the camp. "I have important information for the Master!"

But before he could set foot into the Master's tent, a guard slammed him onto the ground with a thud! The messenger squirmed, but to no avail, after all, he was not fighter material. Immediately the taste of dirt and grass filled his mouth.

As the messenger painfully readjusted his vision, the Voltaris Master was standing in front of him, with a face painted in-- shockingly-- confusion. The messenger was then hoisted up by the guard, his strained knees dragging on the dirt floor.

"Mashter!" The Voltaris messenger panted, his cheek swollen from the impact. One of his restrained hands was waving an envelope frantically. "Issh from our shpies!"

"Let him go, Viribus."

Viribus nodded at the order. Then the messenger stumbled while he tried to stand. "Shir! You-- you have to read thish! The Nether is planning on an attahk on Oakendale." The messenger smoothed his jaw with the palm of his hand, wincing in slight ache.

"This is... Interesting. King Chronos has surrendered and the Nether forces have received orders of such." Ingressus said.

"And we were notified of this attack right before the Crown Peak Conference," Viribus added. "Looks like we will be having some fun before fight's over."

The Master of the Voltaris pursed his lips. "Summon all Voltaris officers present in this camp."

~*~

The Voltaris officers assembled around the Master in a disorderly manner. From afar, they looked like a sea of shimmering rubies and jewels under the glimmering sunlight. The chittering and chattering in the ensemble were occasionally broken by the groans of annoyance, while voices of the infantry soldiers and the clicking of metal could be heard in the near distance.

All fell silent when Ingressus cleared his throat.

"Prince Pythus, Commanding officer of the Conchord front, is planning to stage a break into Oakendale to access the Beacon on the day of the signing--" Ingressus decoded the cypher,"--And sabotage the signing of the treaty in Crown Peak."

Chaos ensued within the officers present, but the sudden upheaval died down as fast as it was raised.

"Prince Pythus has always been hungry for glory, it would be possible that he would betray the wishes of the Nether King to stage such an attack," A warrior added.

"Regardless," Ingressus clasped his hands together, "Whether it is the forces of the entire Nether or just Pythus' division, it still is too powerful for us or the Oakendale forces to fight alone, even with the use of hit-and-run tactics."

"Ky'Ingressus-- There is an issue-- Our Voltaris units are stationed to hold the northern front of Conchord-- near River Volt," A lieutenant from the crowd said, "We cannot enter the city without permission or order from Conchordian command or from Union command-- both are uncomfortable with us Voltaris."

Ingressus mentally slapped himself on the forehead. Right. How could he be so impulsive? He's supposed to be the Master here, the one who's supposed to know this from the start. After all, he had learnt this the hard way before. How could he forget this lesson so easily? Ingressus tore down the multiple battle plans he formulated in his head in frustration.

Even though he had worked with humans on multiple occasions, they were not exactly trusting of one other, and it was nevertheless an open secret that there were often spies even within allies. Espionage behaviour was also high within the peaceful and harmonious Ardoni Clans themselves. During the early months of the war, the other Clans 'gifted' an advisor to Ingressus, to 'help rebuild the Voltaris rule', but little did young, naive Master Ingressus know, they were sent by the Ardoni Council to spy on him.

"Master Ingressus," Iustian Voltaris said. "There is a way to work around it, but I am afraid you may not be pleased with this special arrangement."

Ingressus pinched his forehead. "Speak, Iustian."

"We could convince the Tidesinger," Iustian said. "I heard... He is an associate of the Voltaris Master."

In a few seconds, Ingressus' face managed to perform more contortions than it had done in the past month. The crowd of officers gasped at such an outlandish thought. Iustian just stood, his eyes low.

Ingressus looked upon the young officer in scrutiny, pacing a few steps back and forth.

Associates, associates, just a lowly Voltaris fraternising with the high and mighty...

Was it the growing mention of the word Tidesinger instead of Achillean Nestoris from more and more of his comrades that infuriated him? A screeching, off-the-tracks train of thought kept on eating at him, unwilling to go away even if Ingressus tried to shove it into the back of his mind. Somehow the Tidesinger had always been the source of many of his problems.

"Hm." Ingressus considered his responsse-- he was not going to let his personal feelings get in the way of a possible victory. "Elaborate."

"His word is of near-empirical status in the Union. He is tolerant of the Voltaris, and he... He could back up our word," Iustian responded. "Then all gates in the world would be open to us."

"That is if he opens his mouth first," Viribus retorted, rolling her eyes.

No Voltaris had ever expected much from the Union Council anyway. They could only hope the Ardoni Council would keep their promise of reintegrating them into Ardonia Proper if they were willing to die for the Ardoni's wars first.

And Achillean... Although he had been friends, even as close as brothers for years, Ingressus still found him to be a wild card. His stance towards the Voltaris could be described as accepting at times, but under the sway of the Ardoni politicians... Sometimes there simply was no luck. Not even virtue could save Ingressus.

Achillean was the most mindful (more like indecisive) person Ingressus had ever known in his entire life, always in the pursuit to do the 'right' thing. That man thrives off of consensus and regulations, of unified opinions and compromises. Achillean thought of this work ethic as elegant. Ingressus considered it inefficient.

Ingressus knew even when an action meant a guaranteed tactical victory, it could still be rejected if it posed a threat to the already fragile Ardonian Union. How important was a nobleman's complaints of soldiers walking through his land without paying the toll-- compared to the threat of the Nether razing the entire state into ashes?

That was not the only time Ingressus was court-martialed for pissing someone off.

Other than that, doubt sprung up in Ingressus' mind. What if the intel from the spy was compromised? What if it was there to distract them from another invasion? Or it was there to paint the Union as the aggressor? On the top of his head alone, Ingressus could already think of a million ways this could go wrong.

But if it was true... Then they would be underprepared. The Union's armies would be too disorganised for another invasion. Ardonia would be plunged into a war that they could no longer fight against.

In both scenarios, the surrender would be revoked either way. The only difference would be the side to blame. Ingressus knew no one in the Union had the shoulder to bear the responsibility for starting another war. Not even the noblest of knights.

Not even the Tidesinger.

A gut feeling told Ingressus to believe in it. His rationale told him to further evaluate the situation. Voltar was silent throughout the ordeal-- no matter how tight his grip on the divine staff was, no matter how hard he tried to call on the advice of the Masters of old. Perhaps this calling was his and his alone.

"Very well. I shall delegate our concerns to the Tidesinger." Ingressus Voltaris said. "You are all dismissed. Continue your packing-- we are leaving for Crown Peak."