---
If I could relive the moments that led to the calamity, I would. I would not have allowed the army to find an opening in our forces, a weakness within our strengths, a rat in our ranks. And if such a possibility could be obtained, I fear that it will change nothing. Even in our brightest moments, dark shadows were lurking behind us. It was cold there, sometimes scorching hot, and none dare venture further.
And despite all of this, one person braved the darkness to vanquish our fears. But he was unable to do so. Kaiser Rye drew the ire of the army and couldn't escape their grasp. He was aware that conflict was inevitable, but for the sake of our blissful peace, for our Marzanna, he prepared silently. I vividly remember when he told Patriot: "Gather your men. I no longer have mine."
He informed me days before the Ursus Empire attacked. He waited upon a grassy plateau for the impending storm. But did not anticipate the Empire's Blades...
---
Three Weeks Till...
---
A cacophony of shells and rockets burst in the air. Smoke climbed to the vast corners of the sky. Blood flowed into small rivers as it gushed from the bodies of fallen soldiers. One after another, lives were taken by others. A nightmarish battlefield sprouted in a land once untouched by civilization. Now the land was defiled by flesh and bones. The fighting could be heard by nearby cities.
Artillery shells were dropped from above by large drones hovering in the sky. The ground was being unearthed by the onslaught of explosives. Soldiers took cover under artificial dunes and ditches. And out in no man's land was Kaiser Rye fending off an Imperial Striker. The massive siege weapon the Ursus soldier held was a mix of a harpoon and a spear-gun; it was only inches away from impaling the Draco's heart.
"Get off me!" Kaiser Rye roared, kicking the Striker's stomach, grappling with him, snatched the weapon out of his hands and sank it deep into the Striker's chest. Blood oozed out of the soldier's body.
In the distance, Kaiser Rye saw Patriot taking on countless Ursus soldiers at once. The Wendigo swung his enemies away with his spear, destroying them like flies. The tide of battle is in their favor but they have to stop the Ursus invasion quickly. Kaiser Rye grabbed a spear off the ground and charged forward. Patriot's Guerrilla soldiers put their backs and souls into their defense, and they were surviving.
Kaiser Rye charged at an Ursus soldier from behind. He pushed the spear through his enemy's chest; the tip of the spear was drenched in red. He pulled out the spear and went to his next target. Then a blade sank into his back, digging into his skin. He yelled in pain, clenched his teeth, and turned to face his next target. He grabbed the Ursus soldier's sword mid-swing and kicked him in the chest, fracturing his ribs, bursting his heart. Soon he would reign victorious. There were fewer Ursus soldiers within his view; the Imperial Army is thinning. He rushed to Patriot's side.
"We can push forward, Patriot!" He said. "Give the order to your soldiers!"
The Wendigo slammed his spear into the ground, creating fissures in the ground. Countless soldiers were launched into the sky like dolls. He planted his colossal shield into the ground and went into a defensive stance. His red eyes narrowed. He eyed something in the distance. Particularly black snow.
"No. It is not yet time," Patriot stated.
"What? We already broke their formation. Now is time to strike," Kaiser Rye rebutted.
"Look around."
The sky suddenly darkened. The smell of tar and smoke arose; a pungent stench came from the numerous corpses lining the ground. Black lines began to sink into the ground. And along with them came snow, black snow. Figures in black can be seen surrounding them; a total of five could be seen. Each of them an eldritch war machine concealed under cloaks and inside tubes. They stood with their hands to their side. Every step they took claimed a part of the land as their own.
"The Emperor's Blades." Kaiser Rye noticed the remaining Ursus soldiers fleeing. They made a strategic retreat from the battlefield and allowed the Empire's worst nightmare to enter. A singular red light emitted from the helmets of the Blades —or their faces. All of them were looking at the Draco. One of them drew eerily close to him.
The sound of pounding feet roared and came to an end. Heavy breathing was the noise that can be heard. The exhales of tired soldiers echoed throughout the battlefield, growing sore by each passing second. The parched throats of the Guerrillas only grew drier as they eyed their new intruders; the Emperor's Blades stood still. Their breaths were hisses, not from the heaving of their chests, but their formidable physique.
"Kaiser Rye..." One of them called. They dragged their words like steam from engines. Kaiser Rye's eyes darted from one Blade to another. Then, he moved closer to one of them. His expression darkened as he approached one. The glint of his eyes pierced through the sunlight. Patriot's eyes stared ahead. He trusted the Draco's judgement.
"What do you want?" Kaiser Rye yelled. He was barehanded, utterly defenseless. He started to infuse his arms with his Arts. From his veins to his bones, he made his arms and hands as hard as a rock.
"What is necessary from a Draco," The Emperor's Blade responded. He took a step forward. The ground beneath him turned to pitch black. All the soil and grass withered away. "We have met before, Kaiser Rye. Do not be mistaken. Do not feign ignorance. We met many, many lunar cycles ago. You show familiarity towards us, the will of the Empire."
"What you said to me then, I do not remember, nor do I care." Kaiser Rye braced his arms and legs. He was poised for battle, but an attack would not be thrown any time soon.
"Hiss! Lies!" The Emperor's Blade roared. "You remember the words that have been spoken. The words came from the Duke Koshchei, the one you dared rebel against with your spouse. For shame, Kaiser Rye. For shame. You do not deserve to die on Ursus soil."
"Koshchei... that's a name I haven't heard of in years," Kaiser Rye stated. His expression showed no interest, but his mind was intrigued by the name. Koshchei was the Pythia duke Talulah killed during their escape from his city, and the start of their new world.
"Duke Koshchei is not deceased, unlike your kin, Draco. You bear much of your lineage. Your blood has tremendous potential, and yet you use it for collusion with rebels. You stand with the Infected. The punishment for such an act is death." The Emperor's Blade drew Patriot's attention. The Wendigo listened closely amidst their standoff.
Kaiser Rye was unfazed. "This does not concern you, Emperor's Blade. What I do should be of no matter to you. Besides, there is no point in you coming here if you weren't trying to kill all of us."
"Quite the contrary. You have spilled much blood onto this soil. Oh, how the son of Kaiser Wheatley tarnishes his father's grave. Your mother, Lystra, would have disowned you. She was a powerful woman. She would have increased her status if she hadn't contracted that... disease."
"Leave my family out of this!" Kaiser Rye scowled. The names were too familiar, yet so foreign.
"You do not remember much, yet they left their marks on you. Your Arts is a set of Arts that can heal, yet harm. Create, yet destroy. The Kaiser bloodline has a terrible name. They have undergone many name changes as time went on until they couldn't."
"Quiet you sack of shit!" The Draco could feel his blood boiling.
"The young Kaiser also possesses a foul tongue. Such a profane descendant. You ruin the name of Ursus for your own sake. You don't even deserve pity."
"What are you waiting for then? I'm right here."
"We cannot. Because one of our own is standing with you."
The Emperor's Blade averted his gaze to Patriot. The latter stood stalwart next to Kaiser Rye. The air became stagnant. The stench of sweat lingered. The ground below the Emperor's Blades began to turn black, from one large mass until it covered the land below everyone's feet. The ground was soft and jagged, exuding a caustic smell.
"Patriot stands amongst the Infected. What a pitiful sight. His hundred years in the Imperial army led to great prosperity for the Empire. The glory in conquest reached fruition in those years. A time that can be called a 'Golden Age' during the reign of His Majesty. The pride and greatness flowing through our citizens, our people, our home. We Blades can only marvel at such history. For history is history."
"As I expected. A young Blade..." Patriot huffed. He planted his spear in the ground.
"Wendigo. It is imperative that you leave this resistance at once and return to your empire. Serve your emperor again and bring back the era once lost. With your strength, you can bring about new life to these rotten lands. We need to eradicate the plagues that run rampant in this land: chaos, the loss of power, savagery. We need to end all of it. Our enemies fell to our blades and cannons. Your prowess can only grant us victory."
"A fool you are," Patriot declared. "I have seen the Empire rise to glory and fall with the death of my liege. His Majesty you speak of is no man; rather, he is a coward. He has enacted no change in this empire; instead, he set out to purge his own people. Such pogroms hold no morals, nor do they make a change. Hatred and spite is the only consequence. Leave, young Blade. Leave. Do not give me a conjecture of the bygone era. I have long lost my Majesty."
The Emperor's Blade hissed. A shallow breath passed through the tubes in its helmet. "Patriot. As I said, you can bring back the bygone era. You know that only through force you can bring meaningful change. Us Blades cut all of the loose ends. We slash away the splinters of this empire to further its prosperity and its future."
"Silence! I watched your kind grow from little sprouts to rotten trees. You defy death. Blissful pride is your blood. And you will pay dearly for it."
Patriot gripped his spear and pointed it at the Emperor's Blade. Sabers started being drawn from the Blades surrounding them. Kaiser Rye started to emit steam from his pores. He closed his eyes and whispered the words: "Talulah, Marzanna, Haley, I hope you're okay." His fists glowed a blinding white. Without a moment's notice, the sky around them dimmed.
The Emperor's Blade spoke to Kaiser Rye one last time. "Your Arts can rival ours," He declared. "Because if either one of us dies, a catastrophe shall be unleashed."
---
Fifteen Minutes Later...
---
"Make sure Marzanna cannot be seen. And make sure she doesn't see it. Hidden underneath the floorboards, or under the tower, but do not let her get out! Make sure you're safe as well, Haley."
I wish I could have secured their safety earlier. If only Kaiser Rye's warned me sooner. If only we moved fast enough to elude the army. A large city would never leave its sights, but more time would prove beneficial for everyone. Marzanna kept crying ever since Kaiser Rye and I departed for battle. Even Haley couldn't hold back her tears. Then my daughter mustered the words: "Don't die Mamee."
I was shattered by those words...
---
"Even after all the lives you've taken, you still equivocate, and spill more blood from the innocent. You don't deserve a merciless death." Talulah gripped her sword near her body. She faced a single Emperor's Blade that made his way into her city. The Blade drew his sword and clashed with the Draco.
"It is our duty to rid this land of its impurities and burdens. We are simple soldiers loyal to our cause, the empire's cause," The Blade stated.
"Get off of me!" Talulah yelled. She parried a hit and swung her blade to create some distance between her enemy. "Leave my city at once!"
"Your city? This city belongs to the Empire, not a group of Infected rebels. You certainly know this more than anyone. Conspiring against His Majesty is treason, and the punishment for treason is death. However, we Blades deal matters with our swords, not by laws like His Majesty himself. We cut down the weeds that grow in his very garden."
Talulah lunged at the Blade. She watched her sword clang against every swing and every slash. Sparks could be seen escaping the rough collisions of steel. The Emperor's Blade jumped back and conjured a spell that created a black precipice. Talulah gracefully dodged the projectile and thrust her left hand; a storm of fire was expelled from her palm towards the Blade.
A black spear burst through the flames. Talulah blocked it with her sword, but the force was so great she was pushed back. The Emperor's Blade walked through the flames with only smoldering clothes. The two of them locked their hands on their swords and lunged at each other.
---
From under Talulah's shadow crept a silhouette that slithered on the ground. It condensed into a mass of black until it grew into the size of a man. A snake's tail snuck out from under his robe. A sinister chuckle came out of his mouth, one that showed speckles of black blood.
"A Draco from Victoria does not simply end up in Ursus without reason. A Draco from Yen does not end up Ursus the same way. Oh how the times will go. Poor, poor Kaiser Rye. His Arts are filled with mysteries destined to be solved. His blood must be drawn again and again to procure the best results..."
Suddenly, the shadow rocked side to side. A mighty tremor transpired. A dome of white can be seen flashing not so far from it. A child ran in front of his view. An inquisitive hum was made at the end of its arrival.
"However, the blood of his kin shall suffice."
---
Blood was finally drawn. The Emperor's Blade stood in shock, but his resolve was still strong. The tubes connected to his mask were cut from the front. Tiny flames burned through the gaps. A black mist began to leak from his helmet. Talulah spat out a wad of blood and gnashed her teeth to resist her pain. She sucked in a breath and turned to face her enemy.
"How unfortunate," The Emperor's Blade's words came slow, unsteady, and wistful. A tremor started to shake the ground, rocking the city like a toy. Red eyes flared from the Blade's helmet. "My time has come. And you shall perish with me!"
"Mamee!"
Talulah's ears started to ring. Her eyes widened and scoured the land around her. Marzanna was running towards her with tears in her eyes. Haley chased after her and spotted the Emperor's Blade in front of Talulah.
"NO!"
The Emperor's Blade stood still and exhaled. A cloud of black was expelled from its body. A ferocious roar shook the world still. It's as if an evil spirit was released from its mobile prison. Talulah dropped her sword and rushed towards Marzanna. The black clouds formed into stakes flying towards them. Talulah picked up speed, scooped her daughter into her arms, and ducked her body to the ground.
"Ahhhhhh!"
Marzanna cried as she held onto her mother's body. Talulah covered her with her body and braced for the projectiles scattered from the Emperor's Blade's body. The black clouds pelted her back, ripping apart her skin. Talulah screamed in pain as a thin stake pierced her shoulder. Many shards slashed Marzanna's legs. Haley ducked under bars of wood, but they have torn apart in seconds.
The onslaught lasted a few seconds. The Emperor's Blade was nothing of its former self; all that was left was a crack helmet. Whatever being was inside of it is now free to ravage the land. Talulah let out a shiver and collapsed. Marzanna cried "Mamee!" and held her mother's hand. Haley sustained minor injuries, but she could still walk. She limped her way to the mother Draco and fell to her knees.
"Hang on Talulah! Hang on!" She cried. Blood oozed out of her side and shoulder. The Sankta tore a piece of her shirt off and wrapped it around the wounds.
"Mamee? Mamee!" Marzanna's eyes were full of tears. She began to wail.
"Urgh! Marr... zaaa... naaa..." Talulah muttered, coughing up blood. She felt Marzanna's fingers in her hand, but she couldn't see her. She rocked her head from side to side. Lines of red came out of her mouth in rivulets.
"Mamee! Are you okay?! Mamee?"
"Talulah, hang in there! Shit. The bleeding won't stop!"
A pair of feet pounded the ground. Restless breaths could be heard from afar. Haley turned her head to her side. Talulah's eyes fluttered in his direction. Kaiser Rye was standing there, with ripped clothes, with shrapnel laced in his skin. His hair was seared and the skin on the side of his head was forcefully ripped off. He rushed to their side and tended to his wife. His arms were cracked. His skin felt like sandpaper.
"Don't worry, Talulah. You're safe with me. Everyone close your eyes."
---
"Thank you, Rye. Talulah has fully recovered, and so have you. How did you manage to heal so fast? You came battered and bruised. Your arms, your skin was all dry and calloused and cracked. Not to mention that you also had broken ribs and lacerations all over your body."
"I'm fine, Haley. I'm fine. Now I have to heal Marzanna's wounds. For some reason, I wasn't able to. Not even the little cuts on her body. Will you help me please, Haley?" Kaiser Rye released a sigh. A heavy sigh was pent up in his lungs. The clouds moved under the sun as he released his breath. "I messed up. I should have told everyone to move earlier. I almost lost Talulah and Marzanna in one day... Dammit!"
"What matters is that we're all alive. Let's go. I'll help you take off Marzanna's bandages."
Haley and Kaiser Rye walked into a small shed where Talulah and Marzanna resided. Haley lit the room with her halo and wings. She knelt beside the bed and smiled at them. Talulah held Marzanna between her arms, cuddling with her on a small bed. Kaiser Rye waved at his wife. Marzanna smiled at him and showed her arms to him, wanting to be picked up. Talulah lifted herself and placed Marzanna on her lap. Bandages wrapped around her daughter's legs. Haley began to take them off.
"Kaiser Rye, can you heal Marzanna this time?" Talulah asked quietly.
"Yes, I can. I'm all healed up. This should work now."
Ugly gashes were littered all over her legs. Marzanna winced in pain as Kaiser Rye prodded her gently. He lifted a palm over the wounds and breathed. A warm light shined over it; his Arts began to flow through her body. Kaiser Rye bit his lips and hoped. Thirty seconds have passed and no progress was made. Her gashes didn't close, nor did the small cuts. Kaiser Rye hung his head low in shame. He tried to heal her once again, twice again, to no avail.
"No. How is this possible?"
Kaiser Rye held his hands to his face. They were no longer glowing white. They were pitch black. Talulah sulked in her bed, brushing her daughter's hair. But suddenly, Marzanna began to cough up blood. Blood laced with black crystals...
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(A/N): Time grows short...
- Thank you for reading my chapter! I'll be putting in more effort to pump out at least 3 more chapters until March 29th. This is the 3rd Week until my goal. I need to brush up more lore again and work harder.
- Episode 8 of Arknights was a nightmare for me, but now I can make it work.
- Expect a chapter from my good friend Energeia_Aiegrene in the near future.
- I'm sure you have been anticipating that chapter.
- Stay safe everyone. Stay safe...