*Note: The events of Chapters 11-14 all occur much the same as one another. The third year of the war is going to be the most eventful yet...the betrayal of two of Aurin and Zephyr, Corsair`s Gambit, the 1st Battle of the Great Spire and the Cerulean-Vorantine counteroffensive - Operation Butcher - the Seige of Biogi, and the Fall of the Second Republic. Sadly, despite all this, the war lasts fourteen more years.* - Doc
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Anya Orlè had loved to visit the Aurin Province of the 2nd Republic as a young girl. The ancient city of Aurin groaned with Eastern history, serving as the capital of the region for the Colestis Imperii and both times under the rule of Estrin Dominion. The city also had a darker side to it: it had been bombarded severely during the First Coalition War until the populace, spurned by the efforts of Comerade Archie Primrose and his Eastern Revolutionaries, stormed the Palace to kill the Estrin royalty. The mob had been so enraged when told that Gur Khan Temujin had left the mainland that they had lynched 46th Khagan Zultan Estrin and his Wife Khatun Zainara.
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Zephyr was the closest city to Narciss and had once been part of a small Northeastern Marquessate called the Marsh of Tolutan, which had put up a ferocious effort against Earl Egonault Ego`s attempt to incorporate them into Chalcrystis. The reason was largely unknown until very recently, when Trainee Adeptus had examined the DNA of two important figures and made shocking discoveries: Egonault Ego the "Great Unifier" was the younger son of 38th Khagan Ertan III Estrin. A connection to the extinct House of Worce was also found through the father of Ertan III, Kunza II`s daughter, Khani Aliza Estrin - who married High-Exarch Thomas Worce of Worcestershire, the first holder of the role.
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The other cities were much more loyal to Pheasantine. Hestyn, Xystin and Cystin may have had Estrinite names, but they would rather be burnt to the ground than forced to betray Prime Minister Rawrchart or the Aurora Party.
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All in all, Aurin Province was on the verge of being torn asunder by differing historical relationships with the main UEGNA region. Anya and Ego Lieutenant Gemworth were searching for ways to stop that from happening.
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"I'm not exactly familiar with how the East is governed and I'm assuming that your cities aren't governed by Stratocrats...so, who are we looking for?" He asked timidly, his large frame showing uncertainty in the unfamiliar place.
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"We need to find the Mayor, Citizen Mark Davidson, " She began, before falling silent and then whispering fearfully, "Do you hear that?"
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Jovial singing was coming from outside of the city, the sound of many voices becoming one. Soldiers of every region were fond of singing martial tunes, and these - which were likely part of Grand-General Carrier`s Northern Field Army - were no expectation.
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*March! Oh march, through the mud and the grime,
Egonault’s banner, it’s truly sublime!
We’re just young lads, with no fight, no say,
But we’ll do as we’re told, and march all day.
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Forward, forward, sons of the line!
March through the dirt, and we’ll make it shine!
They tell us to fight, but don’t know a thing,
We’ll march through the storm, while they sit and sing!*
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"They must be from the Northern Army Group, it's mostly jaded young conscripts." Dorian mused to himself, before adding meekly,m
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So what?" Snapped the Eastern woman next to him, "If you want to join the ice Narcs and their sing-song then go on ahead. After Navarro, you'll be next!" She threatened images of what young men could do when they put their minds to war filling her mind. They made shells, Airships and bombs, and unleashed them when the bigwigs said so.
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"I'm not going anywhere. Unlike Navarro, I can keep my word."
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*March! Oh march, through the muck and mire,
Our officers shout, but they’re stuck in the fire!
With polished boots and their hands held high,
They send us to die, then wonder why.*
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The marchers were getting closer, their voices belting out the chorus in unison. Anya could scarcely breathe from terror.
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"Dammed Glacites! Why would they join UEGNA and fight against a fellow democracy?" She whispered sadly, her voice carrying a note of slight bitterness - much like the sarcastic lyrics of whatever the conscripts from the Glacier Electorate were singing.
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*Forward, forward, sons of the line!
We march as one, but they’re out of time!
They’ve never bled, they’ve never felt the sting,
But they’ll tell us we’re heroes, without lifting a thing.
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The enemy waits, in their fancy gear,
We laugh at their ranks, they’re nothing to fear!
They think they’re strong, but they don’t know us,
Boys in the mud, soon to make a fuss!*
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"Who knows? My unit loves them, though!" Dorian replied cheerfully, always the optimistic one in a room full of cynics. Empyrea had no shortage of cynics in this war and the last.
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*Forward, forward, sons of the line!
We march through the muck, but we’ll be just fine!
They’ve got the guns, but we’ve got the wit,
We’ll show them soon,
What a Narc it is!*
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Anya crept stealthily around the wall they were hiding behind, knowing full well that the young men would not hesitate to shoot a suspicious foreigner.
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*They lie through their teeth, and smile so wide,
While we march to the front, and wonder why.
They sell us their dreams, but we see the truth,
We’re just pawns in their game, and they’ve got the proof.*
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Where are you going?" Hissed the Ego Lieutenant angrily. Being shot would ruin his day as well.
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*But in the mud, we stand tall and proud,
Brothers in arms, shouting out loud.
They’ve got their orders, but we’ve got our heart,
We’ll do what we can, and we’ll have a lark.*
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"Away from them!" We need to reach the Council Chambers; which they are in the way of!" She retorted, trying to sneak away.
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*They’ll pin their medals, tucked in quiet halls,
Boasting of courage, while the silence calls.
They’ll speak of battles they’ve never seen,
While we bleed here, caught in between.*
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Dorian`s arm - powerful and muscular from years of smashing rocks to uncover gemstones - shot out and yanked her back away from the edge of the wall.
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The Pheasantine citizen and former lover of Reinhart Narravo protested fiercely until he managed to stop her squirming in his strong arms. Anya Orlè may have been small, but she put up a ferocious fight.
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"Shhh. You see the lad wearing the wolf pelt on top of his uniform?" He asked quietly, not expecting her to know.
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*Forward, forward, sons of the line!
We march through the dirt, but we’ll be just fine!
They’ll promise us glory, but it’s all a show,
We’ll march on forever, ‘cause we’re the ones who know.*
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She squinted until she managed to pick him out. "The small man with the big pot drum? That's why you stopped me?" She asked slowly in a puzzled tone.
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For the love we’ve lost, and the dreams we’ve built,
We’ll stand in the sun, though the world’s been spilt.
We’ll laugh at their parades, their medals and fame,
‘Cause we’re the ones who’ve bled, and they’ll remember our name.
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"He's the spotter, the most eagle-eyed soldiers are given wolf pelts to wear. Anya, if you move near him then you'll be seen." He scolded.
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So when the dust clears, and we rise from the fight,
We’ll hold our heads high, and step into the light.
They’ll call us the tools, but we’ll claim the win,
For the fight was ours, and the future begins.
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"Cheerful bunch...right, it's safe to move now!" He called out to her.
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Anya was already in the door before he had finished speaking.
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Inside, the Aurin City Hall was pleasant and welcoming. The walls were panelled in Oak and green plants sprouted from many pots. The East was fertile and one of its main exports was grain. "Empyrea`s Breadbasket," it was called.
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The mayor's office was similar, the well-oiled hinges on the door did not protest as Anya Orlè pushed it open.
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Citizen Davidson, Mayor of Aurin City and 1 of 196 Lateral Alliance members of the Ubiqtorate, sat behind a desk so large that reduced him to a satirical toy politician. The stresses of the Second Coalition War had taken their toll on Citizen Davidson: he was gaunt, with dark circles forming under his eyes and stubble on his weak chin from being unshaved.
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"Who...are you?" He asked, his dull voice quivering with anger at the display of audacity from this random woman: He was Mayor of Aurin dammit!
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"My name," She began, licking her dry lips, "Is Anya Orlè, a Citizeness from whatever`s left of Eyraelynine."
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Councillor Davidson paused. Eyraelynine, the place that the Eastern radio stations had screamed about for weeks on end. Calling for retribution, for the CEDA trial and punishment of Harlo Grosso and Reinhart Narravo, for an end to the war.
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"Reinhart Narravo`s not-so-secret lover? You are aware that Grand-General Carrier is asserting himself in Aurin Province, yes? Lieutenant General Tankori`s 1st Northern Field Army was just deployed in Chalcrystis as a rearguard. Aurin is under the protection of the 180th Division and we are expecting the rest of the 4th C Corps to arrive shortly.
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"Were they the sarcastic conscripts that just went past, Councillor? Because I estimated them at one thousand!" He retorted, proving her lack of understanding of just how complicated the Grand Army was.
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"You don't understand, we can't beat UEGNA, look at this for Oriens' sake!" He lamented, pulling out a file that looked at least semi-important.
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The large uppercase letters at the top read: STRUCTURE OF YOUR SHEILD | 83 EH
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In angry crimson, a stamp marked it as DECLASSIFIED.
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Anya examined what the Mayor had given her.
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■ 180th Division:
□ 896th Brigade:
● 4476th Company
● 4477th Company
● 4478th Company
● 4479th Company
● 4480th Company
□ 897th Brigade
● 4481st Company
● 4482nd Company
● 4483rd Company
● 4484th Company
● 4485th Company
□ 898th Brigade
● 4486th Company
● 4487th Company
● 4488th Company
● 4489th Company
● 4490th Company
□ 899th Brigade
● 4491st Company
● 4492nd Company
● 4493rd Company
● 4494th Company
● 4495th Company
□ 900th Brigade
● 4496th Company
● 4497th Company
● 4498th Company
● 4499th Company
● 4500th Company
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"31,250 soldiers, excluding the logistics and medical personnel. They brought something with them too, developed in Luxequinox as part of a joint Glacian-Narcissian experimental weapons project. The arrival of the other divisions of the 4th C Corps will bring their numbers up to 156,250 and presumably increase how many of those weapons they have." He said in a weak, timid voice. Davidson wasn't a traitor to the East.
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The Second Pheasantine Republic had betrayed him and left him no choice but to pursue something that many in Aurin desired: Union with the Earldom. The Exarchate of Gaurd had been proposed many times but had never before got this close to becoming a reality.
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"I'm...sorry. I know what you want from me, but I as the Mayor of Zephyr commit to protect our cities. I cannot allow you to persuade me from breaking away from Pheasantine." The Ubiqtorate member intoned, his voice growing stronger as he prepared to make a choice that would torment him for the rest of his life.
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He reached beneath his desk and touched something.
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The doors burst open as a squad of six men barged through them violently.
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"Anya runs, those are Brünnhilde Valkyrie-" Dorian was cut off with a brutal blow to the head from one of the men, delivered with the stock of his rifle.
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The Band Service Ego Lieutenant slumped to the ground, his eyes glazed over in unconsciousness.
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Brünnhilde Valkyries were one type of the Grand Army`s elite forces, the others being Róta, Ölŕun, and Sigrún Valkyries. They were mainly logistics personnel but also acted as military police - instilling discipline in rowdy young men by force -, signalers for the Artillery Units, trainers for military schools, and strategists. They had another name...Blücher`s Fist.
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The Squad of six Brünnhilde Valkyries in charcoal grey uniforms rushing towards her was the last thing that Anya Orlè could remember before she awoke as a prisoner of the man that she hated more than anyone else in Empyrea: Lieutenant General Reinhart Navarro, the Butcher of Eyraelynine.
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