Mejon, Capital of the Grira Empire. 1st district imperial court.
“The defendant Miles Rian has been accused of corruption and malfeasance; the court will now state their judgment.” Said the court official, taking a deep breath.
Miles Rian sat with his head bowed low. The audience, mostly made up of those who had framed him of his crime, sat restlessly behind him.
Miles Rian was a civil servant, 26, he had graduated from college two years earlier and had passed his civil servant exam one year ago. A junior in his office, he got into the prestigious ministry of finance as an accountant. His supervisor had taken bribes and stolen taxpayer money, and when things were about to be found out, he pinned it all on Miles.
That’s how Miles found himself in his position today. Due to the widespread corruption in government, his jury immediately found him guilty, and now the judge would decide his sentence.
The judge, an older man, had seen many corruption cases and knew Miles was being framed, and felt pity for him, However, he could not do anything to reverse the jury’s decision. He decided to give Miles a lighter sentence.
“I have decided.” He said, with an air of stoic magnificence only experience could provide. “Miles Rian will be sentenced to a fine of 30,000 Hials, he will be banned from holding any position under the government and lose all benefits he might be entitled to as an ex civil servant. However, his punishment will not be extended by blood.”
Miles sighed, he had expected much more in his punishment and was glad he would not have his descendants suffer because of what happened to him.
One month later he took his train to his hometown where his parents lived. As the youngest of three brothers, his family was a wealthy farming family that sent their children to the university so they could gain status money could not provide. His older brothers were already working as civil servants in other departments.
He stepped out of the train, and walked to his family’s house. His father had not received any higher education, however he did have the position of village chief, and he met him at the front gate of the villa.
His father was a good deal shorter than him, with a round face and sharp eyes. “Son,” He started.
“Father,” Miles interjected, “I know what you are going to say.”
His father’s sharp eyes narrowed. “You do?”
Miles sighed, “Yes, I am sorry for losing my job.”
His father shook his head, “Do not worry about that, I am just glad that you came out okay. I always knew this was a possibility.”
“So you are not mad?” He asked.
“Of course not, I am just glad you are home okay.”
They walked inside where Miles was received by his mother, who looked sad and comforted him.
After conversation, it was decided that Miles would take over the farming and look after his parents as they grew old. He would inherit the farm and chieftainship from his father.
The years flew by as Miles got accustomed to life on the farm. He managed the farm and eventually married a local girl.
He felt sad that his education went to waste but did his job dutifully. He had one son with his wife.
That son was named Heil Rian and he grew up as a bright person, inheriting the intelligence of his father as well as the spirit of the villagers. He eventually got sent to the city for an education after his grandparents died and his father fully inherited the farm.
Attending classes, Heil was full of excitement and vigor. He was ready to do what his father could not.
End of Prologue
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Heil Rian entered the university at a turbulent time for the empire. For several generations the empire had been ruled by the head minister and the general council, a group of ministers, generals, and influential men who decided everything for the empire.
One hundred and twenty years ago, a particularly bad emperor committed so many grievances that the peasant populace rebelled against his corrupt regime, joined by the military.
Even his most trusted advisors turned against him and the emperor was ousted. A new government structure was enacted with the revolutionary leader serving as the head minister.
However over the years the new government was racked with the same problems as its predecessors, corruption and abusing authority had weakened the central structure. Although there was a professional army, the army was made up of unqualified commanders and unmotivated, corrupt soldiers.
However, the government was the most stable job as many of the other jobs had no security at all, farmers relied on the ever changing prices of produce, sailors on the hope of clear skies and soldiers on the bare rations provided to them. While the government had many risks associated with it, it had salaries and benefits.
Heil’s uncle had joined the government years before and was now in a position to help him get a job. As long as he could pass the civil service exam and graduate the university he would be able to become an official.
However, in his third year of university everything changed.
The national party, who supported the current head minister, started an armed conflict with the imperial association, the group who supported the imperial family’s return to power.
The national party had taken control of the capital and ousted the imperial family, who retreated to the southern city of Heiden with their forces. Suddenly soldiers were being deployed across the empire, different factions competing for power. The third large faction, called the people’s coalition which had formed around general Lan Ye, a descendant of the revolutionary hero, captured the western lands and formed an army of draftees, something the other factions were quick to follow suit on.
Suddenly, Heil found himself drafted by the national party into the army. Where he got the rank of sergeant and was in charge of a dozen other draftees.
A bombshell exploded to the right of Heil. Heil ducked and covered his ears, rolling. He fell onto the ground of the ditch he was fighting out of. Around him guns fired without break, his squad of soldiers were shooting another ditch full of imperial soldiers only 500 or so meters away. Heil gripped his gun. He had only received a week and a half of training and barely knew how to use it. It had an iron sight and a simple mechanism to swap magazines. WIth a range of 600, it was incredibly hard to see anything due to the smoke and fires around the battlefield.
“Sergeant!” A young man’s voice screamed, it was Fian Dirgy, a young private in his squad. Fian was the most caring of his subordinates, while the others were shooting with desperation in their face, Fian crouched to see if Heil was alright.
Heil produced a weak smile, the private shooting next to him had fallen as well. He was on his back, his head nonexistent.
Heil’s smile slid off his face, Fian gulped behind him.
“I’m okay,” Heil said, “Just focus on surviving.”
Heil stood back up and gripped his gun, he lined his sight and started shooting once more, this went on for hours, only stopping to reload and eat tasteless rations.
Finally, Heil’s squadron had finished their time for the day and walked back to the main encampment. It was made up of tents and ditches far from the fighting. Officers there shouted orders while draftees handled supplies. His squad had been reduced to a measly eight people. The dead had been dragged back and were piled up to be burned.
The scent of gunpowder and smoke was pervasive, and the drafted men huddled around shabby campfires.
Heil had only eight men left, he had been fighting for a week, one of the squadrons next to him had been wiped out entirely, while the four men that had been with him had been picked off by bullets and stray bombs. His squadron was considered lucky, but his vacancies wouldn’t be filled until new men came in another week.
He wiped the sweat off of his forehead as he left his men to eat whatever they could find. He found his commanding officer, a lieutenant named Grendian Hulian. Hulian was the surname of one of the generals of the national army, and Grendian was his grand nephew. Being an officer, he often stayed at the encampment. His great uncle was arranging him to be promoted further to keep him safe, so he cared little about his job.
Heil found him smoking a cigar next to a tent while eating rations. Heil’s stomach grumbled and he furrowed his brow Grendian.
“Sir,” Heil started.
Grendian simply raised his eyebrows.
“We lost another man today,”
“Then I will replace him when new men come in. Now run along.” Grendian said impatiently.
Heil’s blood boiled as he walked away. His thoughts filled with the injustice of nepotism and how Grendian was able to stay far from the battle lines while he had to risk his life every day.
Grendian was unique as most lieutenants would be field commanders, however due to his relationship with the general nobody questioned him staying at the camp.
Heil returned to his men and ate some food, nothing could quell his anger over his interaction with Grendian.
His anger made him blind to the fact that he was even planning to join the government through his connection with his uncle. All he cared about was the injustice of the event.
His fist gripped the can he held tight, crushing it.
The next day Heil led his men back out into the ditches, as a sergeant, he was responsible for the lives of his men, who were composed of one corporal and six privates. Fian hopped next to him, Heil had made him the temporary second corporal after the other had died yesterday.
Heil had received the rank of a sergeant due to his status as a university student, students at the elite universities didn’t even have to join the army but Heil had gone to a mid tier school due to limitations with his father’s reputation. However his education counted as something, with slightly increased rations being handed to him.
The fighting rose to new levels of intensity while Heil was on duty. The other army had probably gained a new shipment of supplies the previous night, as they were being quite liberal with their bomb dropping.
Suddenly Fian gave a shout as Heil looked up, a bomb was heading towards him, he immediately ordered everyone to dive as people scrambled.
The bomb exploded as Heil felt an explosive force push his body out of the ditch. His mind scrambled with thoughts as shrapnel shredded his abdomen.
Was this how it would end? Would he never accomplish his goals? Would he never become a top government official? Would he never get revenge for his father’s injustice? Would he never get revenge on Lieutenant Grendian?
His mind was filled with despair. No! He cannot die now! Not when he has so much left to do!
Suddenly everything around him changed, he could see things go back to where they were before.
Suddenly a voice said, “Autosave loaded, time loaded to three minutes ago.”
Everything was the same, people, gunshots, all of it was exactly as it was before.
Heil widened his eyes, he grabbed Fian’s shoulder and shouted, “Squad! Follow me if you want to live!”
Fian yelped in surprise and ran to the side. Heil grabbed the shoulder of one of his men and pushed him forward, the man was in the middle of shooting and dropped his gun, he shoved the two as he ran. The other men of this squad glanced at him, two others followed him but the others continued shooting.
Heil looked over his shoulder, “Hey! Come here! That’s an order!”
The ones too far away couldn’t hear him, but one did. He dropped his gun and started toward Heil. Heil could see the bomb dropping in the corner of his eye. He left Fian and the other man he saved on the ground and ran toward the private running.
He reached him and grabbed his shirt. The private’s youthful face widened in shock as Heil led him. The bomb fell and exploded. Heil wrapped his arms around the private, intending to protect him as they were pushed down by the blast.
Heil opened his eyes. In front of him were Fian and the other man staring wide eyed with shock.
Heil stood up, he patted his body, feeling its intactness.
He was alive!
The private breathed heavily on the ground. A few pieces of shrapnel were lying, smoking around him. Several bodies filled the ditch but Heil had managed to duck and avoid death.
The private’s eyes filled with tears as he turned over and vomited.
Heil grinned a huge grin. Whatever it was, some sort of mysterious power had awakened inside him, he averted death. If he could do it again he might be able to save more people. He had a second chance!
Heil’s mind raced with the possibilities.
Heil looked to the sky in triumph. He would use the new power to survive, and most importantly, he would get power and revenge for his father!212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO8DRZji0Zg
