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Old Book Archives: Tinto Edition

 
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Cedric

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 4:34 pm    Post subject: Old Book Archives: Tinto Edition Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

Table of Contents:


Page 1:

"Old Book" Volume 1: In the Beginning
"Old Book" Volume 2: Opposition On All Sides
"Old Book" Volume 3: The New Minister of Tinto
"Old Book" Volume 4: The Birth of the Delta Alliance
"Old Book" Volume 5: During the Darkest Hour
"Old Book" Volume 6: Return of the Republic
"Old Book" Volume 7: An Unlikely Ally
"Old Book" Volume 8: Turning Point
"Old Book" Volume 9: Assistance At Long Last
"Old Book" Volume 10: Cataclysm
"Old Book" Volume 11: Invasion


***


With the help of Tinto's historians, the library is pleased to have an additional archive of another young nation's history. These articles have been kept in the Minister's study for over a span of almost two years, and only recently have been decided to be distributed in public for viewing pleasure.

The books are on reserve due to their rarity in the world. As such, the library workers stress the handling of these documents. Please do not write on or arrange the books. Writing on literature reflects bad manners. As for the order of the volumes, they have been organized by number to reflect the time period mentioned.

This is an ongoing project undertaken by Tinto's members. It will be a work of progress throughout the duration of the country's life.

Any comments, suggestions, and anything else related to the volumes can be directed to Tinto's scholars working in Budehuc Castle.

I thank all readers for their understanding in this matter


~ Eike

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 4:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

"Old Book" Volume 1:


The brief history of the Tinto Republic is traced as far as the unofficial first gathering of the Republic. The first members of this group included the following at the time:

The President of Tinto: iscalio
The Royal Guard General: Leena Fighter
The Magician, Queen
The Wise, Thief
The foot soldier commander, Gil-galad


From that point, the nation grew by leaps and bounds. Several additions included the infantry commanders: Ganon Dun and Ced The Lad. Punchdoll the magician soon joined the ranks of the Tinto Army. It was at this stage of its time that Tinto started to grow. The trend continues today.

The situation of the world was not favorable towards any nation in particular. Due to border disputes, the entire world was calling for war. Some nations wanted to conquer land, while others wished to live in peace. But regardless of the situation, war was inevitable.

President iscalio initially proposed an alliance with Jowston and talk between the Tinto council pondered this course of action. Furthermore, the president's plans also called for expansion.

However, for this campaign to be successful, Tinto had to form allies quickly. After a period of uncertainty, the Republic was contacted by another nation. High Priest Saben of Harmonia reached the President regarding an Alliance with Zexen and Harmonia. Their purpose was to invade Grassland and splitting the spoils among alliance members. The initial alliance called for Zexen, Tinto, Harmonia, and the Nameless Lands as one whole fighting force. However, due to unknown circumstances, The Nameless Lands refused to be in the Alliance. One new nation would take its place.

The Tinto Republic's citizens shared their opinions with this proposed alliance. Tinto's numbers were very limited at this time, so common opinion encouraged the possible alliance. They would join under the condition that the Republic's activity in the said alliance would be kept a secret to outsiders.

After forming ties with Zexen and Harmonia, Tinto continued to buzz about strengthening their ties with the neighboring City States of Jowston, but there was a minor problem. iscalio did not want to form an alliance with them during their times of internal discord. The current leader, at the time, Adrich , was dealing with civil unrest in Jowston. It was not Tinto's intention to get involved it such a matter. But in several days, the conflict subsided. Adrich had stepped down as leader of Jowston and Schala-Kid took up the position of the leader. With the leadership secure, Tinto was now free to exchange relations towards the City State. Representatives from both sides were sent to Budehuc Castle officially asking the City State for an Alliance. Jowston accepted, and word spread on the new compact with Tinto and Jowston. Eventually, with Saben 's request, Jowston was also added to the alliance to replace the Nameless Lands.

The purpose of the alliance was to take down Grassland. Tinto's official position with the "Delta Alliance" was "allied" but the Republic wouldn't take part in the battle initially until Tinto's forces could grow into a cohesive force. Tinto did promise not to interfere against the expansion of their allies.

It was also decided by the Republic that the initial target of expansion would be against the Scarlet Moon Empire and Empress Rheo . Jowston expressed a similar desire to attack the Imperial nation, but they had already expressed the intent to battle Grassland for the moment. Feeling the need for an ally in the attack, President iscalio contacted the Highland Empire and King Fliktor in a "gentleman's pact" to attack the Scarlet Moon Empire. King Fliktor was very supportive and wise towards Tinto and iscalio . He was also familiar with Ced The Lad before the young king ascended to the throne. Though the two nations did not form an actual alliance, both had agreed to fight the Scarlet Moon Empire. As a matter of fact, 3000 Highland Soldiers expressed an interest to join up with the Tinto Republic. They were integrated into Ced The Lad's unit where they continue to serve today.

War eventually erupted throughout many of the various nations. As for the Republic, they along with Highland went at arms with the Scarlet Moon Empire. The current strategy involved splitting the Imperial Army in both sides of their nations at Seifu and Karakas respectively. Because of their two fronts, the Imperials fell victim to the combined assault.

Among the Generals sent to the front were Fayt, Gil-galad, Ced The Lad, Queen , and iscalio himself. The president's unit was the only regiment that was pushed back at the hands of the Empress' legion; however, his unit was recovered and assisted by the others. Eventually, the soldiers recuperated from iscalio's loss. Using their overwhelming numbers, they routed the remaining Scarlet Moon troops. After being trampled by the Republic, the Imperials retreated from Karakas leaving trace of their possessions and rule behind.

Battle reports later indicated that much of the Resistance was located in the Seifu region; however, it was known that the Imperials eventually retreated from the port. Though King Fliktor did not participate in the battle himself, he sent the most able generals to the battlefield. The Scarlet Moon Empire's forces fell back and escaped the port for the time being. King Fliktor immediately ordered the Highland Navy ships to take refuge in the port, leaving the actual siege for another day.
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 5:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

"Old Book" Volume 2


Good news arrived at the Republic as the initial battle reports stating that the area of Karakas had been claimed in the name of Tinto. The populace was pleased by these turn of events and many more soldiers answered the call of duty to defend their mother country.


The citizens of Tinto saw a bright future with the victory in the desert region, yet the Generals and the President knew that the war was far from over. This was a long war, and it could go either way. New issues in world politics already began to resurface, forcing the Republic Council to address them immediately.


The spotlight shone on the Scarlet Moon Empire and they were the hot topic of conversation in the world. Following the loss of Karakas, Empress Rheo was involved with a "monumental decision" according to sources close to the young empress. After endless days of speculation among the citizens of the world, Empress Rheo stepped down as leader of the Scarlet Moon Empire. No official reason was ever given. Shortly after, a new Emperor was crowned the following days ahead. He is Emperor KoRnholio , a former soldier and adept strategist; he solemnly vowed to retake the lost territories and bring prosperity to the Empire.


Riding on the morale of the new leader, the Imperials began to deploy their troops. Republic scouts show that they had moved as far as the Senan region. Tinto's strategists motioned to send the Army to Karakas immediately to counter the movement. However, the Republic encountered a new enemy; one that would continue to pester the Republic to this very day.


The Island Nations had made their move from the south reaching Silver Lake to the surprise of the citizens. Simultaneously with the advance of the Imperials, the Island Nation Army led by Duke Lebenengel stationed their forces outside the city attempting to conquer the territory as their own. It became apparent that the Island Nations had formed an Alliance with the Scarlet Moon Empire with Tinto as their prime target.


Word quickly spread regarding the Island Nation's cooperation with KoRnholio among the citizens, and the heads of state did their best to address this issue and other related matters. They all agreed that there was no choice but to face the Island Nation threat. But they would try to do all they can to make this easier on the republic. One point in the agenda involved Tinto's lack of horsemen in battle. In those days, Tinto had one cavalry unit led by General Fayt . The majority of the Republic was very critical of this glaring weakness. Ced The Lad offered to train his regiment in the skill of horsemanship, but in order to change his regiment, he would have to lose 4500 soldiers (what was then over half of his unit) to leave his regiment and return to the Academy to study up on the subject. This was a sacrifice too costly for Tinto, so Ced The Lad would shelf the idea for the meantime.


Before long, the Island Nations began their initial siege on Silver Lake. General Njord of the Island Nations led the assault on the city. However, President iscalio called for a very special strategy against the Island Nations. The Mountain Fox sent thousands of infantry to the city in order to defeat Duke Lebenengel's Archer unit. The Island Nations had a similar roster as Tinto. Among their ranks were one cavalry unit and many variations of the others. Their leader was also skilled in archery. Iscalio knew his own nation's weakness and used it against the Island Nations. Leading the Infantry, were generals Gil-galad , Thief , Ganon Dun and Ced The Lad . Their infantry numbers made short work of the Island Nation Army. Finally, when the Duke himself appeared, the Infantry regiments of the Republic outflanked his archers. Suffering from an embarrassing defeat, the Islanders retreated back to Lasahn with their morale crushed.


However, the Eastern front was not as favorable. With the heightened energy of a new country, Emperor KoRnholio rallied his troops against a three-pronged attack by Tinto, Jowston, and Highland. The Tinto Army and the Imperial Army met between the border of Karakas and Senan. Both armies drew their weapons, as tension rose to the limit. Iscalio motioned for Fayt's regiment to take the point, and the Cavalry were able to decimate the opposing horseman easily. Iscalio's unit along with Queen's followed shortly afterward, but KoRnholio retaliated with units strong against archers and magicians. From this point, the Republic's numbers dwindled with the loss of Queen and iscalio's assistance. It was only a matter of time before the Republic's Army was forced to retreat. The imperials pushed them back to Karakas continuing their aggressive push. With much of the defense force devastated by the Imperials, the Republic withdrew from the desert. The Scarlet Moon Empire would reclaim their lost land.


As the Republic Army arrived in Tinto, they were met with grave reports. Iscalio announced to the generals that their ally Jowston had claimed the Dana region. But that was the only good news from the battlefront. Another report was sent confirming the loss of naval superiority by the Highland Empire. KoRnholio was victorious at Senan as well.
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 5:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

"Old Book" Volume 3


On the Eve following the loss of Karakas, the soldiers of Tinto returned home to their land. They were greeted with citizens who stayed up late for their arrival and provided emotional support. This cheered up many of the generals, and in return, they promised them that they would fight for the Republic regardless of the unruly situation.


The following morning, confirmation reports were read to the Generals and President iscalio about the situation abroad. Their initial reports concur with the finalized papers, and the council began to discuss the results. However, the council found very few words to say about the situation outside their country. They all realized that they must deal with internal affairs before dabbing with external ones.


iscalio recognized this, and motioned for a very special decree dedicated to strengthening the Republic. This decree would shape the face of Tinto and its future. The Mountain Fox called for a special position to help him run the country. Essentially, this member would assist iscalio in running the nation, particularly in national affairs with the populace, commerce, building projects, and information archiving. This position would be known as the "Minister of Tinto".


The president was quick to point out that he wanted one of the generals to take this position. When he motioned for nominations: punchdoll , Queen , Gil-galad , and Ced The Lad all accepted the nominations. Within days, an election was held in the Republic to determine the new Minister. With a majority of the votes, the Republic had selected Ced The Lad to become their new Minister of Tinto. The consensus was that he was elected due to his multiple projects, his work with the people, and his ability to recruit trainees into the Army. After his promotion, Ced continued on with his current business along with new responsibility in the Republic where he serves as Minister to this day.


Iscalio also assigned his Generals to various cities issuing them as Governors of their respective territories. This power would only activate in times of war and battle. Under regular circumstances, politics were handled by the local council with the constant updating to the General in charge of that particular region. This established a sense of safety for the citizens and they approved the reform.


They then focused on their expansion campaign once more. Iscalio suggested that they attack the Island Nations for control of Lasahn. Reports indicated that the Scarlet Moon Empire was locked by the Army of the City-State, so they wouldn't be able to afford any troops passing Karakas. The generals also saw their opportunity to attack as a measure of payback for their interference; it was agreed upon with an overwhelming majority.


The following day, Tinto's Army marched south to the Islander border. Within time, they arrived at the gates of Lasahn calling out the Island Nation army. Islander cries echoed throughout the city as Lasahn's gates burst open revealing a wave of Islander Troops. The entire battalion emerged from the city and forested region around them ready to give the miners all they could handle. The Tinto Army sent out maken and Queen's magician units as part of the initial siege on the region. With an alarming rate of speed, Islander after Islander fell against the destructive magic. From there, Tinto would push forward.


However, they were met with solid resistance. The infantry troops rushed head on towards their enemies, but it was all for naught. The infantry regiments were either outnumbered or met heavy cavalry resistance. This was the Island Nation plan all along. Using this wall of defense, the defenders of Lasahn were able to push back the republic to their initial garrisons. Maken and Queen's unit tried to follow, but by then it was too late. Hearing of the Islander reinforcements, iscalio signaled the retreat to all of his troops.


The generals felt that they had missed an opportunity to gain Island Nation territory, but they all brushed aside their exasperation. They would try their luck once more at another time.


When the generals met at the capital battle reports from all corners of the world were read to the council: Zexen had engaged battle with Grassland over Amur Plains, but the Grasslanders were able to defend it easily. Grassland also recaptured the territory of Mountain Pass from Jowston. Finally, their enemies, The Scarlet Moon Empire had fared much better than them. They were able to reclaim Dana from Jowston now exposing the Republic from a direct attack once more. They also succeeded in defending Arlus' port from the Highland Kingdom driving them away.


Luck did not fare well for them this time around. The enemy movements increased their pressure foreshadowing massive battle ahead.
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 23, 2006 5:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

"Old Book" Volume 4


Despite the long battle that lasted weeks, the generals of Tinto went to work the next day as if nothing happened. They were always taught not to show too much emotion despite whatever happened on the field of battle. It was the only way to provide a calm and peaceful life for their beloved citizens.


As the Generals made their way to the meeting hall, they happened across two men. They had been recently appointed as Generals to the Academy, and they wanted to meet the president and High Generals in person. One of these men was PF . He specialized in Archery tactics as well as soldier recruitment. He had made his way up the ranks quickly in the Academy, and he would continue to do so as a Tinto General. The other was the cunning philosopher Acheron . Aside from being skilled as a foot soldier, He also had the tendency of keeping his peers humble and in check. Following introductions, the two men took their leave immediately starting their work without being asked.


As President iscalio and the Generals took their seats, the Mountain Fox had an announcement to make. He was pleased with the progress of Tinto thanks to the efforts of his generals, but he was quick to point out that many deep issues of Tinto cannot be discussed in the meeting hall. But he cut his announcement short inviting Ced The Lad , Queen , and Gil-galad over to his mansion for "some tea". Realizing what the president was trying to imply, they all accepted the invitation agreeing to meet in his home in a few hours.


When they arrived at his home, iscalio told them plans of restructuring the government. Such a structure was necessary in order to have all the nations take Tinto seriously. He showed them all a chart that indicated several created positions in addition to the "President" and "Minister" titles. This unique branch of government rewarded the most loyal generals of Tinto with leadership posts. Eventually, this information would be shared with the entire world through the information guild located in Budehuc Castle.


1st Republic Council: (Official)

President Iscalio , the Mountain Fox
Minister Ced The Lad
Queen
Gil-galad


Through votes and recommendations, punchdoll and inko37 were added to the Republic council, shortly thereafter. Iscalio also appointed Thief to the council stating that he is Ced The Lad , Gil-galad and Queen's senior. The council would also need his cunning in the battles ahead.


Though the structuring of the council was at its early stages, if would turn out to be incredibly defined in the end. It was only then that the information was announced to the world.


The first order of business of the Republic Council was to determine the status of the Royal Guard. After a leave of absence, their current Republican Guard, Leena Fighter , had retired from her position and the army altogether. This left the Republic with no Republican Guard, so a decision had to be made. Iscalio told the council that this decision will be held in the public meetings by a matter of vote. So, with the generals present in the regular meetings, it was decided that Queen would become the new Royal Guard succeeding Leena Fighter . Immediately following the decision, Queen 's regiment was fitted with the strongest armor that was manufactured for the old Republican Guards.


On one fateful day, when the Republic Council met in their daily meetings, The generals were surprised to see two men within the meeting. It was none other than PF and Acheron themselves. The Mountain Fox had informed them that they rose through the ranks so quickly, that it was an "absolute necessary" to have them join the council. The decision continues to be a wise one to this day, as both men continue to help guide Tinto.


But whenever the council met officially, there was always news. This was no exception. Iscalio told the generals that a summit of the Delta Alliance (now the official name of the Jowston, Tinto, and Zexen alliance) was going to be held. They had requested that the Minister of Tinto and iscalio himself be present in order to discuss some issues regarding the war. There were no objections from Ced , and iscalio had made up his mind to go as well. But Ced would have to keep a record of the exchanges between the members at the Summit in order to keep the Tinto generals informed of the proceedings.


The second topic of that day involved the creation of the Mercenary Guild by the famed warrior, himself. He went by many names including Blue Moon , SARS and SARS Ad-Minh , but he was well known throughout the land. The mercenary guild was a place where outcasts of a nation and their regiment stayed and worked as hired weapons in the world war. Their demand was increasingly on the rise, as some nations were too numerous and troublesome for smaller countries. Tinto did not need mercenaries at the moment, but iscalio wanted the generals to keep a close eye on mercenary activities.


***


In a week's time Tinto divided its army into three divisions and headed for the Scarlet Moon, Grassland, and the Island Nation borders respectively. With their greatest generals split up, the battle would end up being their toughest of them all. Iscalio and PF led the regiments to the North. Gil-galad , Ganon-Dun , Ced The Lad , Thief and Acheron were all sent to the Island Nation front to defend Silver Lake. Meanwhile, Queen and Punchdoll led the remaining army to Karakas where the Imperial army laid in wait.

Tinto would with from the Northern Front losing the battle. But when the northern army returned to Tinto, they were met with injured troops and silence by their fellow generals. Seeing the low morale of his men, iscalio knew that both the Eastern front and the southern front were lost. They had lost Lampdragon Pass and Silver Lake. Gil-galad and inko37 , both governors of the lost territories, had an anguished look on their faces.

Queen also gave out an additional report stating that the Scarlet Moon Empire had deployed some unknown regiment against them. Their scouts had confirmed that Assistant to Milich had led the fight against Tinto, but he did not deploy horsemen. They called themselves "rangers" which completely confounded Tinto's eastern front. Iscalio ordered an investigation team to find details about this new type of regiment.

The generals made a point that they would show up to work the next day despite the heavy losses. However, many of them asked for the remainder of the day off. They were emotionally drained of their energy. Iscalio had no objections as the soldiers went home to nurse their wounds, both physical and mental.
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 23, 2006 6:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

"Old Book" Volume 5: by PF


Following the recent losses at Silver Lake and Lampdragon pass the people of Tinto were feeling somewhat dejected, it was at this point however that rumor began to spread of a dueling tournament being staged in the mountains just north of Tinto. President iscalio noting the need for a morale boost sent many of his best generals into the mountain territory to participate in the name of the young Tinto Republic.


The early rounds saw successes and defeats for Tinto's generals as they all passed the preliminary fights to the main stage of battling. The cause of much angst for the participating Generals, however, was within the DoReMi Elf Class of fighting where several of Tinto's fighters were pitched against one another. Nevertheless with gentlemanly conduct the battles were played out to see the fighters pass onto the Semi-final and finals stage of the competition.


A notable loss in the quarter finals stage of the competition was sadly dealt to the minister of Tinto Ced the Lad . His victory in the tournament would surely have brought much pride to the nation, especially his own unit which was one of the more buoyant in the nation due to many individual victories in spite of overall defeats.


As the tournament continued on into the semi finals it became apparent there would be at least one victor from Tinto as Punchdoll had fortuitously advanced to the final due to lack of DoReMi Elf class participants and Ganon Dun had battled his way there. The amicable battle between the two warriors finished and saw Punchdoll leave victoriously.


As Tinto's warriors eliminated each other in the TargetLady class, one fighter continued his battle through the lower CutRabbit class. PF defeated the Grasslands Kalidor after a long battle and then made shorter work of the Nameless Land's Benit149 , the most critical injury inflicted upon her being self harm. The final drew him against a friend of sorts, Id the Scarlet Assassin .


When the first final came about, they were found to be a final based upon one of the five Elements. The CutRabbit finals were of the Earth element suiting the man from Tinto and his Earth rune to the ground. Perhaps thanks to this PF was able to triumph and become the first International duel tournament champion.


In a further duel final involving warriors from Tinto Punchdoll was able to against the odds defeat Ganon Dun . The combination of Punchdoll's hard strike and Ganon's misfiring magic proved enough to level both of the warriors from Tinto and only Punchdoll could clamber to his feet claiming victory as a result.


Through alliance sources it was quickly learned of that Harmonia had made a change in its leadership. Nutflush had taken control of the military with Saben still residing in command of the circle rune and the order of priests within Harmonia. Effectively though because of the military's power Nutflush had the final word in governing the powerful nation. Time would tell how his leadership would shape the rest of the world.


After the duels and with the return home of the men and women of Tinto present at the tournament thoughts quickly changed back unto the war efforts against the Scarlet Moon Empire and Island Nations. The Empire made their plans clear to attack when a temporary ceasefire was rejected by them and so the great walls of Lion's Maw were barricaded and many men sent their under the personal command of President iscalio to mount it's defense.


The Empire being a deceitful enemy attempted to assassinate president iscalio using small squads of men in an attempt to catch him unawares but he does not hold the title Mountain Fox for no reason, iscalio was ready for this and made use of cavalry to defeat the insurgents quickly and without loss. Following this failed attempt KoRnholio himself led a large scale assault on the Fortress of Lion's Maw. The cavalry of Doso fought valiantly in defiance of the Golden Emperor but his men were defeated, simultaneously Viktor's cavalry spied another small regiment of infantry their target once more to defeat iscalio personally. Upon locating these men Viktor's regiment obliterated the unprepared fighters once more without a loss. President iscalio waited upon the ramparts of Lion's Maw, a massive 80,000 reinforcements were en route from Lampdragon Pass. Under the command of Himuro these spearmen approached the Fortified walls.


The banners of Lion's Maw and Himuro's regiment waved in unison and the slow and steady march of the spearmen gave way to a full on charge as the first arrow flew from the bows of the archers stationed on the walls. The fervor of the Tintoans defending the walls that day was of epic proportions, as the massive ladders transported by the spearmen were thrown up against the walls arrows sprang forth and forced them back. Even as the spearmen breached the walls and began to make their way into the fortress due to their massive numerical advantage nothing would stop the Knights of the Republic from driving them back.


As the battle looked at it's grimmest and few Knights of the Republic were left standing upon the walls the final ladders were kicked back collapsing atop the wearied spearmen. The 600 men who survived that day celebrated as all of them were now heroes of the Republic for their win against all odds. Eighty thousand defeated by a force a quarter of that size, a battle for the ages and it had ended with iscalio's men victorious.


Almost at the same time the men of Fundertaker and his Darkstalkers made their way to the top of a massive temple in the newly discovered Barko Saywa to the south of Morkata. Fundertaker bore with him a massive flag and as he placed his foot at the near the tip of the temple he thrust the point of the flag shaft down into the surface. As the flag began to fly, it's golden browns visible clearly to those in the battle outside the city; the tide of battle between the nation now known as, Makanakuy along with the forces of Ati-Anyaka and Maken's men swung quickly. The rejuvenated spirits of the miners forced the camel riders and sun shaman back and post haste they retreated. This day continued in the glory of Tinto a vital victory much like that at Lion's Maw had been achieved but with this victory laid consequences.


The Makanakuy were now the enemies of Tinto. This meant that further conflict between the two forces was made inevitable, the news of this victory began to make its way back to iscalio at Lion's Maw, it would still be over a day until he heard the news and in the mean time there were other battles underway.


The Island nations were attacking Huanan's Keep. Having seen this act of aggression coming a long way off the troops stationed around Morkata headed south with the interception of this force in mind. Under the command of the minister of Tinto, Ced the Lad , the forces made their arrival known by issuing the enemy with a challenge. Ced personally planned to duel the island nations, if he lost he would concede the territory of Huanan's Keep. If victorious the Island Nations would abandon the lands of Tinto, including the region of Gil-Galad's Silver lake.


The Islanders refused, Ced returned to his men disappointed today as he had confidence in his skill to defeat any man in the Island Nations with his magic. The battle however was another matter.


The Islanders may have primarily plied their trade at sea but they were still capable fighters. The first round went their way when a large scale cavalry charge was repelled by the unpredictable presence of Rangers and even the ghastly forces of the undead. In the end none including the experienced forces of Fayt could overturn this assault. The Islanders it seemed had turned to black magic in order to try and defeat the mighty Republic, an act that would not soon be forgotten by the people of Tinto, the foray into manipulating the dead may cost the Island Nations in the long run even if not on this day.


The second day of the battle continued on, following the initial loss the Islanders had reached the gates of Huanan's Keep forcing the soldiers of the Republic moving from Morkata to backtrack from their goal of Silver Lake to defend the territory.


Were it not for a slight misreading of the battle's direction things may have been different, Queen's Royal Guard tore through the filthy ranks of the undead cretins and Ced's men moved to the fore backed by a cavalry charge. Sadly for the Tinto troops Duke Lebenengel's men sighted the cavalry first and attacked, there were enough of these bow wielding sailors to deflect the cavalry attack whilst Ced's Mahorans were left stranded to fight Njord's unpredictable Rangers. Without a clue of how to fight these expert swordsmen and magic wielders his troops fell easy prey to Njord and the Keep was unceremoniously lost as the Tinto soldiers were forced to withdraw to safety.


Lost but by no means forgotten.
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 23, 2006 7:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

"Old Book" Volume 6:


The armies of Tinto eventually reached their capital in Sun's Crest, but they were noticeably weary from the long battle. Had they triumphed over their opponent, their wounds would have been treated like red badges of courage. But now, they were painful reminders of a shaken Republic. Silver Lake had been captured ages ago, and now, Huanan's Keep had met the same fate. Not even the Minister of Tinto could save his hometown and his people. President iscalio ordered his Army to rest up for the next day, but he knew that no one could sleep easy.


The Mountain Fox stayed up until the hours of dawn with a predicament in mind. The Islanders would surely advance towards Sun's Crest. With the Islanders so close, there was no chance whatsoever of escaping through the west. iscalio had decided that this was Tinto's time to make a stand. He devised several plans in order to influence fate in Tinto's direction.


When the council met the next day, they found a new general within their ranks. One of the rising stars of the Republic, Harrekki , had been entrusted with the Leadership secrets and position. His enthusiasm with his new role brightened up the mood of the tired generals. They believed this was one of the reasons iscalio had promoted the young man in the first place.


"Finally, we are twelve" iscalio said. *Quoted by a General in the council that wishes to be nameless* When asked what his declaration meant, iscalio revealed his hidden plans. It turns out that the Mountain Fox had secretly finished the body of Government that he had been working on, tirelessly. With the addition of Harrekki , Tinto had its desired twelve. iscalio quickly gathered his full cabinet around a newly-bought, round table and offered various ranks to most of his Generals.





President iscalio
Minister Ced The Lad
General of the Northern Army (main parish: Grassland) — Queen
General of the Eastern Army (main parish: Scarlet Moon Empire) - Gil-galad
General of the Central Army (main parish: Makanakuy) — Harrekki
General of the Western Army (main parish: Zexen Confederacy) — Brecht
General of the Southern Army (main parish: Island Nation Federation) - Ganon Dun
Chief of Commerce — Thief
Chief of Justice (judiciary and taxation) — Acheron
Chief of Mining and Metallurgy — Punchdoll
Chief of Manufacturing Industry — inko37 *Note: inko37 is now retired; Arcana is currently Chief of the Manufacturing Industry*
Chief of Agriculture and Forestry — PF


iscalio added that the point of the official title is to advertise the Nation of Tinto as a true nation. Due to their youth as a new nation, such measures must be taken in order to have the world take Tinto seriously. The short term effect is to lure travelers and new citizens to the Republic increasing their strength. The long term effect is to impress the many nations into forming an alliance with the aspiring country. He then issued a proclamation that the Generals of Tinto should introduce themselves personally to the Tinto Republic. The president felt that those who already knew the generals would remain reassured about the country's standing. Those who are new would get to know their generals and thus form a bond that could be crucial in the future.


Word quickly spread amongst the world with the help of Budehuc Castle's information sources. Tinto's newly structured form of government was introduced amongst the population of the world. The young republic finally looked like an established country; despite their difficulties in the war.


***


Back in Tinto, iscalio turned his attention to the Army's actual strength. For months, Tinto had succumbed to the overwhelming pressure of what has become known as "Advanced Types". The Island Nations and Scarlet Moon Empire discovered these new tactics, and they have been solely responsible for the Republic's lack of success. Tinto did not know how these types work, because they never researched into the subject. But chance favors those who are prepared. Tinto managed to secure a scholar that was forced to fight for the Imperial army. iscalio offered the man *Who refuses to be named* immunity in the nation of Tinto in return for the knowledge of these new types. The scholar agreed to this and was immediately put in charge of the tactics division under Tinto supervision.


It had been months since the scholar had been put to work. New training facilities specializing in the new types sprouted in various military institutions. The President and Minister Ced The Lad 's regiments were immediately converted into these new types. (Crossbowmen and Rangers respectively) These two became the generals of the first advanced types of Tinto. Queen's regiment was also adjusting to the new tactics, but it would take a bit longer to deploy her regiment to full potential.


iscalio had a few more screws to tighten to finish up the grand scheme. He requested generals to act as his escorts for a very special meeting. At his own residence, the visiting general Maximillian Quixote of Harmonia was seated in the backyard with a cup of tea. Immediately, the generals believed that they would be loaning his services from Harmonia for the phase. iscalio confirmed their suspicions stating that he would assist Ced The Lad and Gil-galad at Silver Lake. Once plans were recorded in writing, Maximillian made his way to leave, but iscalio asked him to stay a bit longer stating that "There's additional business to attend to". Max and the Tinto generals wondered what this meant, but it didn't take long to know the full meaning of his words.


Without a whisper, a quiet man suddenly appeared behind the generals. His face was pale but the stronger generals could feel an immense, powerful aura surrounding his body. iscalio 's maids and fellow government officials present didn't know any better, but the other fighters immediately held their ground and slowly brought up their guard. iscalio calmed the men down and reassured them: "Not to worry. I have convinced SARS Ad-Minh to work for us this round." He turned to Max and asked him to inform High Priest Nutflush about this fact along with the declaration that Tinto's Fayt would fight for Harmonia in exchange for Max's services.


***


iscalio had planned all he could. Now all Tinto had to do was deliver.


The Island Nations and Scarlet Moon Empire were already nibbling at Tinto's territories, so when the Republic found out that the newly discovered region of Makanakuy simultaneously invaded Tinto along with the two previous enemies, they weren't very happy about it. Republican strategists did their best to formulate a plan to deal with their enemies. The main purpose was to gain as much territory as possible. In the span of a few months, three of their former cities had already fallen to enemy hands. They had something to prove.


Makanakuy's invasion of Barko Saywa was as expected as the morning sunrise. However, unlike their allies, Tinto was not blessed with an extraordinary amount of soldiers. The main plan is to reclaim the territories to the east, which left Barko Saywa to defend for themselves. Harrekki of Tinto had the unfortunate task of defending his newly acquired territory with little help. Reports also say that Makanakuy hired some mercenaries in order to assist their invasion. With that revelation, Tinto's hopes sunk at the thought of their chances defending their new port. Accordingly, Tinto managed to put up a fight, but soon fell to the Makanakuy forces.


At the same time, Ced The Lad led a Tintoan company along with Maximillian Quixote of Harmonia as his guest. They had intended to invade their former region of Silver Lake and free the captured populace. Reports sent to headquarters and allies by the Minister of Tinto confirmed the initial victory but as the proofreader of messages put it, "It seemed solemn for a win." Further analysis of the report shows that there were only two lone soldiers from the Island Nations guarding Silver Lake. It had appeared that the attack by Grassland on Gaien, and the Islander attack on the capital, left no spare soldiers for Silver Lake. Though Silver Lake seemed like a sure victory, the allies dreaded at the amount of soldiers that were possibly situated at Tinto's capital of Sun's Crest.


President iscalio was readying the troops fortified behind the walls of Lion's Maw when he received the Minister's report by carrier pigeon. Though the results predicted a serious battle ahead, he was always mindful of the current situation. Pushing aside the results, his only concern was the defense of Lion's Maw. The Scarlet Moon invaders sent a small surge of soldiers in order to penetrate the fort. But Tinto held on rather easily thanks to the extra defense Lion's Maw had given to them. Immediately following the battle, iscalio sent another carrier pigeon to Sun's Crest *He had sent one prior to the battle* asking for a status report on the capital.


All eyes were situated on Sun's Crest as an enormous amount of Islander forces gathered at the gates. Duke Lebenengel and General Njord himself were spotted by lookouts. General PF led the remainder of Tinto's army, but along with Tinto's most trusted generals, there was a man that would turn the tide towards their favor. Among the masses, SARS Ad-Minh , mercenary leader looked towards the Islanders, ready for fresh prey. Reports are mixed up from here, but the general consensus goes like so: The battle started ferociously with Leb and PF's regiments wiping each other out. They then crossed swords with the Duke coming out on top. Leb advanced to deal the finishing blow, but the Der Trauerzug and SARS interrupted his battle and ravaged through Njord's regiment. Amidst the chaos, General Queen then broke through a small enemy line and rescued the fallen PF . Following this exchange, Leb orders a massive retreat securing Tinto's victory.


Tinto had the advantage; they were truly winning once more. A brief lull in battle took place before all sides went on the offensive the following week.


***


With the miniscule defense in Silver Lake, Ced The Lad and the Tinto Forces succeeded in flushing out the remaining Islander Soldiers. With the help of former governor, Gil-galad , they were able to enter the city via secret passages. Informants from the army disguised as villagers spread word, subtly, of the nighttime invasion. This was necessary due to the fact that many of these passages ended up in townspeople's basements. After securing the city, Tinto's Army celebrated. No one would sleep for hours.


iscalio remained in Lion's Maw planning out the final strategy for the defense of his home. Using various battle reports circulated by scouts, he surmised the best course of action regarding his remaining generals along with the Imperial Army. Recognizing the deployment of the Imperial Army from a distance, iscalio positioned his troops against the incoming Infantry surge and directed Thief's Archer regiment to attack Keriaku's Magician force. The resulting battle ended in complete annihilation of the Scarlet Moon Empire's 45,000 soldiers. Only Rheo and Keriaku themselves, survived. The celebration of the routing was short lived, however. There was still one last matter at hand.


With the help of the Der Trauerzug commander, Sars Ad-Minh , Tinto succeeded in eliminating two of the three strongest Island Nation regiments. All that remained was to secure a convincing victory and the Islanders would fall back. The remaining Islander soldiers commanded by Futch were determined to capture Sun's Crest. However, the Sun's Crest forces were joined by reinforcements from the capital. With two fresh companies along with the Der Trauerzug, The Islanders were defeated and their expansion came to a halt. They proceeded to retreat to Silver Lake only to learn that the newly liberated army of Silver Lake was already heading towards their direction. Futch automatically called for the Islanders to scatter and somehow meet back at Lasahn. Those who weren't fast enough were captured by the Tinto Army as prisoners. Those who met Sars Ad-Minh in their retreat weren't so lucky. The "Der Trauerzug", befitting of their name, killed any Islander soldiers unfortunate enough to cross their path.


***


Tinto marched home victorious in all of their campaigns. The mood was certainly more optimistic than the previous march home. They were successful in repelling the invasion and pushed the dagger away from their throats.


The gears of destiny turned once more; this time in their favor.
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Cedric

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PostPosted: Thu Feb 23, 2006 11:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

"Old Book" Volume 7:


Parades, celebrations, drinks . . . all these blessings awaited the return of the triumphant republic following their hard earned victory. The wine flowed freely along with tears, tears of joy. Some were convinced that the Republic was pushed to the limit. However, their courageous stand pushed back the invaders. They had impressed their allies and most importantly, renewed the faith within the people.


Yet the heads of Tinto knew that the war would not stop for celebration. The day after, all council members reported to work at their regular time.


None of them would ever admit it to one another, but the council was amazed at each other's conduct. It seemed to them that one day of happiness was all they needed to vent their feelings of victory. But here they all were, ready for business once more.


A clerk read the battle reports to the generals in regards to their various allies. For the most part, they were pleased by the results. The nations they supported gained the upper hand in their own part, while the least fortunate nations didn't concern the Republic very much.


Following the reports, President iscalio stood up and made an announcement of his own. As he spoke, two soldiers entered the great hall where the council meeting took place. iscalio did not bother to introduce the two newest members of the council. They knew each other well:


Arcana , formerly known as a recluse, had recently become more involved the Republic's politics. He had a brilliant mind with the potential to help solve Tinto's innermost questions. When informed of the decision to promote Arcana , his former superiors were very proud of this, knowing that advancement into the council would put his brain to good use.


The man to the left of him had a similar rise of power; the only difference being that everyone saw it coming. Fundertaker never made any attempt to hide his progress from those that watched him; however, like those among the council, he was one of the humblest members. Like Arcana his advancement was no surprise to anyone.


The meeting proceeded as usual with important announcements. A certain air of anxiousness filled the room; news kept increasing in grandeur as the young Republic continued to grow.


With one word, the Mountain Fox had the attention of his council. "Koolok" There were countless rumors stemming from Republican agents, secretly living in the Island Nations, but no one believed them until confirmation arose in the meeting. Details were finally known. These events had spanned almost the entire duration of the world war, but the circumstances were kept under wraps by various Islander officials.


A certain group of men and women within the Island Nations started a declaration of Independence from the Island Nations and Duke Lebenengel of Gaien. The faction started out as an underground movement, but quickly gained in support. Eventually, they vacated the old ruler of Koolok City, who was charged with "conspiracy against his common men". A small civil war in the surrounding areas unfolded, but it was never groundbreaking. However, after Gaien attacked the Tinto Republic in order to assist the Scarlet Moon Empire, the Republic pressed their attention to the Island Nations, who were obviously weaker than their ally due to their proximity from the capital. With the battle serving as a distraction, the confederates succeeded in rallying the surrounding areas, affected by the corruption, to their cause. They soon noticed the dwindling numbers sent to quell the Koolok forces and avidly stepped up their resistance. Before long, the Eastern portion of the Island Nation mainland had been "liberated" by this faction calling themselves the New Koolok Army, named after the town that housed the faction since its inception.


The Koolok planned their stand well. Knowing that the Tinto Republic would continue taxing the Island Nation resources in the war, they theorized that the Dukedom could not afford to spend resources on both fronts for long. They also predicted that the Tinto War was more important to the Dukedom than the eastern mainland. The region held by the Koolok Army was responsible for almost a third of the supplies used in the war. After stopping the reinforcements, altogether, the Dukedom began to pull out troops in the Koolok region. Soon after, Koolok started efforts to form their own government. Despite starting an Empire, their citizens were in favor of this type of government, stating that nothing could be worse than their old predicament.


It is said that a young man led the Koolok Army since the start of the rebellion, but this man left without a word following the successful victory of the Koolok. No one had ever seen him since. The new officials wished for an Emperor that had no prior relations to Island Nation politics. They felt that any Islander history could lead to sympathizer feelings. This young man fit that category perfectly and he was successful at rallying people for the war. Had he not left, he was surely the next in line as emperor.


After a lengthy period of silence, the country succeeded in naming an acceptable successor. The people admired this man as well; he had the blessing of fighting alongside the hero of the Koolok Liberation War. Elc , the mercenary commander and former high official of the Queendom of Falena was named the first Emperor of Koolok. His advanced political mind, high leadership, unwavering confidence, and battle prowess reassured the new nation's expanding growth.


With that abundance of news as the only major announcement, the Mountain Fox sent the council home with orders to prepare for deployment in a week's time.


***

Tinto forces under General PF rode into Barko Saywa in an attempt to reclaim the city after the Makanakuy attack. But when the Tinto forces arrived at the battle lines, they were met with considerable resistance in the form of Mercenary forces that numbered in the thousands. General PF led the preliminary assault, however the Mercenary mages wiped out his unit. But the day was not lost. With Arcana and Acheron remaining in the battlefront, they were able to organize a way to cut off the Makanakuy army into several sections and take them out one at a time. After securing Barko Saywa under Tinto rule, the remaining forces headed home, battered but victorious.


Meanwhile in Seek Valley, the exploration corps stumbled across an old ruin which was home to an old magician. After a brief scuffle from a misunderstanding with Republican forces, they made amends and shared their intentions with another. Sigismund , the magician, had intended to seal the monsters spawning in Seek Valley. Because the Tinto forces were on the way to the valley, they agreed to assist one another in their ascent to the mountain.


When they arrived at the location, they were immediately swarmed by hordes of monsters aiming to kill anyone in their path. Tinto forces and Sigismund eventually found themselves fighting for their life. However, it seemed that whenever a monster was slain, three more would appear ready and fresh to annihilate their prey.


Casualties began to mount in the thousands when an unexpected force arrived. Tinto forces immediately recognized their armor, and they thought that they were done for. However, the Scarlet Moon Expedition force and their Dragon Knights swept in out of nowhere and obliterated the monster rear ranks. The Tinto army did not complain about the unusual turn of events and ignored the temptation to ponder about the assistance; soon they fell within the ranks of the Imperial forces but continued to defend themselves to the death.


But even the Scarlet Moon force was not enough to stop the overwhelming beings. Sigismund had to destroy the source, which happened to be a Crystal Core that continuously summoned the unworldly beings. But the two army's forces were sharply decreasing with all the casualties. Unless they could get to the core, they were done for.


But suddenly, several thousand arrows rained on the incoming monsters from an unknown source. Upon further inspection, three mercenary captains: Sadness , Arenegeth , and Barbarossa Rugner happened to travel upon the area just when the battles took place. Sadness and Arenegeth swarmed the monsters while Barbarossa's Cavalry assisted the two countries' army. Within moments, they all swarmed and integrated into one cohesive unit and pushed towards the Crystal Core. From there, Sigismund succeeded in sealing the remaining monsters and sent them away from the world for good. The three forces, then took arms against one another, but in the end, they left peacefully without swinging a sword. They owed each other and on that day, there would be no fighting amongst them.


The bulk of the Tinto forces set forth towards Lasahn in an attempt to further advance on Islander territory. The Mountain Fox himself headed for this front along with an extraordinary amount of troops. Scouts indicated that a bulk of the Islander deployment would arrive at Lasahn. As the battle started, both countries did not hold back, sending their most powerful regiments from the offset. Both sides lost a considerable amount of men and women on the battlefield. The toll was the greatest amount in the history of the conflict. Even both Nation Leaders had much of their men wiped out from the mortal world.


After a lengthy push, the Miners of Tinto proved to be too numerous for the declining forces in Lasahn. As Duke Lebenengel's unit frittered away, so did the Islander resistance. Within time, Lebenengel called for the massive retreat of Lasahn. The islanders had repelled the Republic from Lasahn before, but the second time was the Republic's charm.


The tired soldiers returned home, once more, to cries of celebration. The Republic's citizens were extremely pleased at their continuing success. But the generals were only satisfied that they could return home to their families and live for another day. War was brutal, but they had a duty to their country to ensure its growth and defend it with their lives.


The generals reached the town square and met before heading to their homes; tradition after battle regardless of the result. The fact that everyone was present and accounted for was all that mattered to them. They didn't say a word, not needing it to show their thankfulness for their great fortune.
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Cedric

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PostPosted: Fri Feb 24, 2006 12:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

"Old Book" Volume 8:



The fortunes of the republic have fared well for them in recent months. National pride was at an all time high, and the people continued to support their beloved generals each day. Children would gather and act out stories of the men's bravery. The ladies of the Republic exhausted all their connections in an attempt to court their daughters to the many generals. But while the people and their feelings for the war vary upon the outcome of their battles, the duty of the Republic's warriors were not as fickle. This was tested the very next day the soldiers arrived at Sun's Crest to plan their next strategy.


For some time now, Tinto had maintained its alliance with Jowston, Harmonia, and Zexen despite their many misfortunes. All the nations in the Delta Alliance were continually bombarded by multiple nations hindering their full potential. At the current state of the Alliance's nations, no one could really help out one another, short of loaning generals to help fend off the invasions.


There was a message to iscalio from Grassland stating that they plan to invade Vinay Del Zexay, the capital of the Zexen Confederation, immediately. In addition to the capital, Grassland would also invade the holy land of Mt. St. Loa; The Nameless Lands would also attempt to take the port city of Gwydrik. If successful, this would leave the Yaza Plains at a pincer attack between the two juggernauts.


But aside from Yaza, there was another city belonging to Zexen which was unscathed from the way. Located in the marshes, Strelesau remained as the lone Zexen territory that never saw traces of the war. The Nameless Lands and Grassland could very well invade the city on their own eventually. But there was talk amongst Tinto leaders to invade the city and leave the Delta Alliance altogether. The topic was debated furiously with all sides unsure whether or not to follow such a controversial plan.


iscalio brought this possibility to his fellow generals. They were quit split on the idea at first. They did not wish to open up another front in addition to their three enemies to the south and east. Supplies were too limited for such an attack to be successful. Proponents of the attack argued that if the status quo had remained, they would continue to be locked in an endless and solitary battle against three nations. They felt that an attack on the city will create relations with new nations who were in a much better geopolitical position to help out the Miner Republic. Furthermore, the attack on the Zexen capital and their other remaining port city indicated that no spare resources, whatsoever, could be spend on an adequate defense at Strelesau.


After constant debating, the council eventually came to a decision. After hearing the opinions of the generals, iscalio and the council made up their minds. Tinto would attack Strelesau hereby informing to the world that they would no longer be in the Delta Alliance. He explained that in the short run, this is the best chance to take over Strelesau. Had they attempted a siege on the marsh at another time, there is a chance that Zexen defenses could be more concentrated. At the current time, chaos reigns in the fronts belonging to Zexen. Now would be as good time as any to advance into Zexen Territory. In order to achieve their goals for expansion, Tinto would have to risk tense relations and move on as well.


***


The Empire had built up quite a number of soldiers due to the lack of casualties on their recent battles with Jowston. Though Scarlet Moon continued to advance into City-State territory, Jowston placed emphasis on their northern fronts with Highland. Hardly any lives were lost because there was no fight at all! Furthermore, after failed attempts to seize Lion's Maw, they completely stopped moving in on Tinto. This disgruntled the Island Nations, who were left to defend Lasahn alone, which led to the loss of the city.


iscalio felt that the republic should attack the Imperial forces immediately. Without opposition, they could grow to a giant force capable of opposing Tinto. The decision was then made to attack the Imperials, but they still didn't know where. There was an idea to reclaim the republic's former territory of Lampdragon Pass after nearly a year of being under Imperial rule. But Lion's Maw proved to be invaluable in Tinto's defense in times past. There was no need to attack the Empire from there.


But then came another idea . . . Seek Valley. The mountain was the site of the historic conflict including Tinto, Scarlet Moon, and a band of mercenaries. Other than that, the mountain was known for its treacherous peaks and hostile environment. After exhausting resources in the previous battle, there would be no way for the Imperial Army to assume that Tinto would brave the mountain once more. Access through the mountain would also cut through Dragon's Den and then the heart of Kunan. With Kunan under siege, the northern Imperial territories would be cut off from their capital. After thinking things through, the Mountain Fox believed an invasion into Seek Valley to be the best course of action.


Focus then shifted towards Makanakuy. Lately, they have focused on fighting a defensive war with Tinto. Their actions have confirmed their intentions. Reports also indicated that a makeshift fort project was underway in the Makanakuy territory known as Yawar-Oqho. The completion of the fort would mean a substantial rise in defensive prowess of the jungle warriors. The council wished to not have this happen. They established plans to invade Yawar Oqho. The Republic had hoped to surprise the busy warriors building the fort as well as cut off the newly discovered Azure Plains from the remainder of Makanakuy territory.


With their plans set, the Republic and its soldiers readied themselves and prepared for the upcoming battle.


***


Several weeks to that day, Ced The Lad and Brecht visited Toza Marshes at the request of the governor Kurt Angle , the "Mystic". It was his intention that the two prestigious generals would teach military tactics to the soldiers stationed in the marshes. Not only would their skills rise at by teachings of powerful men, morale would increase as well. The minister focused on combat training while Brecht taught some valuable lessons in strategy. The troops were enlightened.


But suddenly, they heard alarming shrieks of horror in the direction of the city. Soon, people in hoards stampeded into the military outpost. Some civilians, soaked in blood, collapsed at the gates. Governor Kurt Angle was among the refugees, gasping for air, but he was unharmed. It appeared that he was out of breath from running. His soldier companions told Brecht and Ced that Makanakuy soldiers began to raid Toza unexpectedly. They had already killed numerous civilians and made off with valuables. Instinctively, the generals of Tinto took their weapons and made their way to the town square. The soldiers of Toza followed them behind.


The two armies met at the town square, but the scene was too chaotic to follow orders. It was a battle of survival and nothing more. The troops behind the two generals eventually broke their ranks and scattered from one another. Ced and Brecht had a very difficult time containing the Toza troops. Because the men weren't their true soldiers, few had listened to their orders. The tense moment also clouded their judgment. By Brecht 's count, their soldiers numbered only 85,000 strong while the jungle warriors numbered over 100,000. Try as they might, Brecht and Ced's forces fell to the Makanakuy warriors. Things looked grim.


It was only by sheer luck that reinforcements from Strelesau came to the rescue after seeing the jungle warriors in the distance. Sigismund , Fundertaker , Ganon Dun , and Thief along with their soldiers quickly routed the remaining Jungle warriors. The Makanakuy did not intend to fight 188,000 additional troops. They proceeded to help the remaining survivors and tended to Ced and Brecht 's wounds. Ganon Dun told the two men that Strelesau was taken without any opposition at all. The soldiers had apparently left towards the Zexen capital. Only a small garrison was left at Strelesau in order to keep the peace. The four generals had then planned to assist iscalio at Barko Saywa, but quickly made haste to assist the Toza forces when they found out what was happening. After leaving Brecht and the Minister at Toza to recover, Ganon Dun led the remaining army south towards the Makanakuy border.


But when they arrived at the Barko Saywa garrison, they saw their President's clothes tattered and torn. He also had some salve applied to his shoulder. He sent them into the command tent to hear the situation. Before any of the generals could speak, iscalio quickly told them of the battle. They had perfectly scouted the Makanakuy's numbers up to this point, but they were hit with a very surprising move. For some reason, among the Makanakuy ranks lie Duke Lebenengel and Emperor KoRnholio . This has led the Mountain Fox to believe that an alliance has been established between Tinto's enemies. The additional Imperial and Islander soldiers confused the Tinto Army. Acheron and PF had already retreated to Barko Saywa in order to rest from the harsh battle. iscalio 's knights also took heavy losses.


Yet, the battle was not over. And iscalio seemed reenergized at the news of Strelesau's capture. Under his orders, Sigismund and Harrekki succeeded in eliminating a separate Makanakuy contingent led by Ati-Anyaka during the dead of night. Scouts had found the Makanakuy camp and decided that it was best to defeat them there, to stop reinforcements for the real battle.


The following day, the Makanakuy army and KoRnholio's Imperial troops arrived at the border to finish off the conflict. [i] iscalio [/b] devised a strategy for Sigismund 's mages to poke at the enemy forces, picking off a small gathering of soldiers group to group. As the remaining Makanakuy drew closer to the Tinto Army, he ordered his own regiment to fire volleys of arrows into the invaders. KoRnholio fired back, but Ganon Dun 's summoned corpses quickly filed in the ranks. Makanakuy horns sounded for reinforcements, but they never came thanks to the previous attack. With no assistance left at their disposal, the Republic pushed away the Makanakuy forces into retreat. The Tinto Army quickly followed suit and flushed the remaining jungle warriors in hiding out of Yawar Oqho. The city was theirs.


***


The victorious army arrived at their capital to the familiar sounds of joy and approval. Many soldiers broke rank to be greeted by their families. They had much good news to share.


Exhausted himself, iscalio dismissed his own men and sluggishly walked to his home. As he arrived at his door, he received two messages. The first one indicated that both Ced and Brecht [/b] are making steady recoveries and should be fine in two weeks. The second note came from Seek Valley. Like Strelesau, there was no resistance up the mountain area. The garrison remained in the peaks to establish a small colony for the nation of Tinto.


With pleasant results all around, everyone slept much easier than usual.
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PostPosted: Thu May 11, 2006 6:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

"Old Book" Volume 9



By the following day, word of victory had spread among the various cities of Tinto. The people knew the harsh realities of war and they knew better than to expect great fortune forever, but not many could contain their jubilation. Strelsau, Seek Valley, and Yawar Okho were now theirs.


The council briefly discussed the three areas in the morning meetings, ending debates on troop assignment and relief provisions. The generals wanted to discuss other matters.


The issue of Imperial and Islander help on the Makanakuy mainland disturbed the council. Under their own watch, it seemed that both nations arrived to Makanakuy from an Island Nations port and somehow managed to communicate with the locals. Likely playing off the Jungle people's fears of the "Miner Plague", they quickly allied with one another to stave off the republic's expansion. Though this attempt was thwarted, Iscalio and his cabinet stressed the importance of subjugating any attempts at an allied-front war against his nation.


To start, the Mountain Fox immediately called off any and all potential cease-fires with the Scarlet Moon Empire and the Island Nations. He concluded that any animosity shown between both nations for past acts, have been struck down with conviction in their latest group effort to stifle the Republic. Such a force understands only strength and Tinto was prepared to show them they were capable of playing their game as well. Iscalio quickly brought in a man who was a member of the Koolok envoy. They had arrived shortly after the Army's return to the capital. The man had relayed a message from Elc, sovereign of Koolok, that he was very impressed with the Republic's gains in the war. He also added that if Koolok wishes to extend their influence to the world, allying with the Republic is a must. The man finally vowed that the Koolok Empire would assist Tinto in their fight against their enemies. With the reassurance spoken, the man took a seat at the council table listening eagerly to any plans that involved his nation.


This was all that Iscalio needed to order an attack against the Island Nations. The President knew Koolok would be grateful if their first battle involved a weaker target. The Scarlet Moon Empire was rich in resources due to their current advance to the north, so common sense indicated that an attack on the Island Nations was the best benefit to all desired parties. Kooluk's advance from the east would set up a historic meeting in the town of Vrasny, but the Republic had two choices on their own side. After quick deliberation, the council decided to attack Asra over Dazin. Their reasoning was that a capture of Asra would cut off supplies from Dazin, crippling the city for a further siege.


Iscalio wanted his generals to have more of an influence in troop deployment, so he gave the task of the Asra campaign to Brecht . Though his demeanor would never reveal it so, the opportunity excited him. He quickly requested for Ced and Ganon Dun to lead the campaign, which they both accepted before Brecht could finish his sentence.


Makanakuy was next on the agenda. Their newfound ability to communicate with Tinto's enemies was not to be taken lightly. The Mountain Fox thought that the best way to counter the jungle warriors was to split up their country and isolate their villages in order to misdirect information and troop deployment. Doing so would prevent outsider help from assisting in their defense. They came to a conclusion that the best way to eliminate the Islander and Imperial threat was to stop passage through the water. After the fall of Barko Saywa, Ankon Chayay remained the only port city of Makanakuy. It was essential that the Republic capture these waters, not only to stave off future skirmishes with their foreign enemies, but to also render the Makanakuy vessels useless.


However, the plan would be complicated by reports confirming the death of Shak Shain , the former head of Azure Plains. Shak Shain expressed his desire to overthrow Kamui Otopshi , and underwent subtle efforts to assist the miner republic. But the latest news informed the council that he was sacrificed in the name of the God-Emperor. This was further proved by the disrupted contact between Tinto and Shak Shain's faction. If that weren't enough for the weary council, messages from the soldiers stationed on the outskirts of Azure Plains reported that a number of Makanakuy regiments were readying a move. Iscalio had surmised that the Jungle warriors were heading to Toza to finish the work they had started months ago. Much to his dismay, the only alternative was to split the force attempting to siege Yawar Okho, and reassign about half of the soldiers to Toza's defense. Taking the port town would be nearly impossible, but the Mountain Fox and his council agreed that the citizen's safety outweighed anything else.


The discussion then turned to Scarlet Moon. Their presence in Makanakuy indicated their nation's priorities in battle. Despite hostile borders with Jowston and Grassland in the north, they continued to send their best generals to battle the Republic. Even after numerous failed attempts at Lion's Maw, they were intent on claiming the advantage they once had on the Republic. The council agreed to ensure this would not happen without consequences. They concluded that the best way to act in that accord was to strike at the Imperial heart itself. If the Republic made fall at the area known as Kunan, the northern territories and sub sequential attacks on Lion's Maw would cease, due to supplies being cut off. The council was unsure of this decision, however. Such a plan would meet extremely heavy resistance, and their nation was taxed as it is. But Iscalio reassured his cabinet, that with help, it would be taken care of.


At that moment, two men entered the council room with the wave of iscalio's hand. They wore no clothing or insignia distinguishing them from any particular nation. Everyone had guessed that they were mercenaries.


Immediately, Ced quickly rose out of his chair and greeted one of the men. Covered in wolf hide, he towered over the Minister, but he returned pleasantries and shook hands. It was an odd sight; they laughed and talked very casually. It appeared that they knew each other, yet many of the council members were confused. Iscalio explained that Ced and Axiose the Abhorsen, knew each other long before either had even set foot on Tinto's land.


The other man didn't say much. After shaking the Minister's hand, he walked over to a wall admiring the scenery. He gazed at a painting by one of Tinto's most famous artists and merely stood there for the remainder of the meeting. It didn't take an introduction to know that the man was Synchysi one of the strongest magicians in the entire world and a very adept general.


Iscalio confirmed the council's suspicions. Indeed, both men were going to help in the campaign against their enemies. Axiose was asked to assist several Tinto generals in the Toza campaign, while Synchysi would accompany the Mountain Fox and the main Tinto Army to Dragon's Den. Iscalio then turned to his other strategist PF and informed him that the battle planning of Dragon's Den would be up to him.


Thanking him for the honor, PF let iscalio know immediately, that he would place the highest priority on this battle. Due to the magnitude of the upcoming fight, he also requested that the Mountain Fox request foreign help from the Republic's allies. Iscalio mentioned that he will do all he can.


With no further business, the council was dismissed to prepare for the battles ahead.


***


The looming conflict between the Imperial Army and the Republic escalated tensions to an all time high. Yet, it was hard to tell with both forces firmly planted in Lion's Maw and Lampdragon Pass, respectively. Throughout various parts of the week, both sides continued to send a scout to survey each side's activity. Each time, soldiers were routed resulting in a stalemate. It appeared that both factions were determined in defending their respective areas, but not exactly willing to move their armies at all. With the majority of the forces stationed at the Seek Valley-Dragon's Den border, they were more concerned waiting for news about battle.


***


The forces in Toza had comparable excitement. The Makanakuy force headed towards the city turned out to be smaller than they had anticipated. In fact, they were almost non-existent. Acheron and Axiose's armies easily dispatched the opposition, if one could really call it that. They believed that the Makanakuy army remained in Azure Plains, in hopes that reinforcements will break through Tinto's occupation and liberate their ranks. The men entertained the idea to go after the hostile forces in Azure Plains but thought better of it.


***


In Ankon Chayay, The Republic Army did not fare well. Already taxed from the journey and separation of troops, Generals Arcana and Queen were extremely overwhelmed by the opposing enemies. To add to a dire situation, somehow, the Harmonian commander Deloseth and the Zexen Knight Drummsta were on the battlefield assisting the Jungle warriors. The Republic Army was quickly picked off by the vast enemy and was unceremoniously trounced off Yawar Okho.


***


Meanwhile, in the Mountain region of Asra, Brecht found himself very comfortable amongst the high slopes and winding trails. The other miners were definitely used to the environment seeing as many of their caverns required traversing through similar types of land. With confidence, he ordered Ganon Dun to summon a magnitude of Undead Zombies and skeletons to take the offensive. The young general relished his recently new-found abilities and did as he asked. With a glimmer in his eye, he spotted the Duke of Gaien, himself. Ordering his bloodthirsty army forward, Leb's company was immediately blanketed in a sea of death and rotting flesh. The Duke quickly made a hasty retreat following this encounter leaving many soldiers to their fate. Few were lucky to escape intact.


Yet something was amiss concerning the troops filling the Duke's ranks. Brecht immediately recognized them as Makanakuy soldiers. The men of Tinto yelled out in anger and screamed for vengeance, but the strategist remained calm. He turned to the Minister of Tinto and pointed his hand towards the Makanakuy Blowgunners.


Ced's entire regiment swiftly sprinted to the Makanakuy warriors with untraceable movement. Not one member of the magic-wielding swordsmen followed the same pattern as another. With the Minister and his forces running on the slopes, flipping, spinning, and twisting in the most random locations; the blowgunners were barely able to pick off most of the regiment advancing on them. When the rangers arrived at range, they slew the entire Makanakuy regiment without a fuss. It was only months ago that Brecht and the Minister suffered from a sneak attack by the jungle warriors. The additional redemption made the victory more satisfying.


After the Islander retreat, Brecht informed the two generals that his scouts reported utter chaos within the enemy camp. This led him to believe that the remaining force within Asra were either small or non-existent. With confidence, he gave the task of finishing the campaign to Ganon and Ced. He on the other hand, had already gathered his belongings and readied to set out to the direction of Dragon's Den. With Asra virtually theirs, Tinto needed him there more than anything else.


***


Simultaneously the battle for Dragon's Den was one of the bloodiest this edge of the world had seen. The fight had lasted weeks with no side ready to give up soon.


Synchysi's undead monster horde steamrolled through the Imperial cavalry to start off the conflict. Many of the horsemen were eaten alive. Those that survived the initial attack fell victim to Synchysi's deadly magic. On another precipice, President Iscalio was preoccupied with the former Empress of the Empire Rheo. Both regiments sprayed volleys of arrows over one another with deadly accuracy. The President's forces succeeded in wiping out Rheo's archers, but not without many casualties on their own side.


As this was happening, a second wave of imperial generals overran the Republic Army. Their reinforcements completely outnumbered the secondary line of Tinto. Dragon Knights also rained on Synchysi's army from above whittling down his numbers. The Spearman commander, Himuro saw this chance to decimate the undead warriors. But Synchysi kept his composure and obliterated the Spearmen. Still, the damage had been done. As powerful as he was, much energy had been spent to stave off the enemy. He was forced to retreat back to the Tinto camp leaving the Republic to fend on their own.


This left Harrekki's own Spearmen and Grassland's Highwind to back up Synchysi's force. However, Harrekki's men were immediately picked off by Emperor Kornholio himself. The Spearmen did all they could, but were only able to fell a percentage of the Royal Army. Highwind had similar misfortunes. Milich Oppenheimer , the flower general, completely trampled the less-numerous horsemen. One by one, the horses and their riders fell victim to magic and swords. The Scarlet Moon Royal army pushed the Republic near the border to Seek Valley.


In the nick of time, Iscalio and his remaining Crossbowmen, slid down Kornholio's side of the mountain raining death from above. The Emperor quickly noticed the blitz and ordered his own soldiers to fire at will. An exchange of Crossbow belts ensued resulting in the slaughter of both companies. As soon as Iscalio managed some footing on the flat surface, Kornholio dived towards the President with n overhead swing from his sword. Iscalio avoided the clumsy strike and pushed the Emperor back a few feet.


PF saw all this ordered his troops to assist iscalio. His rangers immediately made a mad spurt to the President's location, but out of nowhere, Milich Oppenheimer and his own men blocked off the advance. Feeling that Milich was there to help his emperor, PF made every effort to keep the general busy. His company outnumbered the Imperial army, so he succeeded in driving Milich away from iscalio's fight. However, the casualties on his own side were more numerous than the Imperial army. Against his own feelings, he made the decision to retreat from the scuffle. He only hoped iscalio could hold on by his own might.


The Emperor and Mountain Fox continued their fight, but both men grew expressively weary. Kornholio's moves were starting to become predictable, and iscalio's defensive strikes appeared sluggish as the fight wore along. Kornholio knocked iscalio to the ground twirling his blade for a finishing blow. But with quick thinking, The Mountain Fox unleashed several crossbow bolts right through the Emperor's wrist. Immediately losing footing, he fell on his knees. Kornholio dropped his blade and pounded the earth with his good hand. Iscalio quickly escaped away from the sight.


But the Mountain Fox heard yells of anger in the near cliffs. General Wiseman and his archer regiment witnessed the entire duel and were unquestionably riled up in fury. Without warning, their bows locked and were primed to fire. Iscalio looked around, but had nowhere to run.


From out of nowhere, Zombie Skeletons fell from a gate not of this world. The Imperial Army cursed at the missed opportunity as they continued to fend for their lives. Iscalio looked around and saw a Ghost Stallion heading towards his direction. Instinctively, he leapt on the steed as it graced towards him. Eyeing his strategist Brecht, he nodded with approval and safely escaped from the enemies. PF had already returned to the battlefield with reinforcements and were placing the last touches on what remained of the resistance. Despite all the losses, Dragon's Den was now theirs.


***

The Generals from the other fronts were already awaiting news in Sun's Crest. In the council room, Ced informed the remaining members about the successful siege of Dragon's Den. Exuberant relief came over the generals; they would have hated to lose the battle after so many casualties.


And the exploration party was awaiting a conference with the council. They had some news along with "a surprise".


Before the Minister could give them an order to appear, a startled officer barged into the council room.


"A great quake . . . hit our land . . . it's changed our coastline!"
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Cedric

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PostPosted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 4:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

"Old Book" Volume 10: Cataclysm


The council did all they could to revive the man who had now fainted from exhaustion. One of the generals immediately summoned for medics to take him to the hospital wing; they would have to get the story later . . . or so they thought.


Varias Taelas calmly strode into the council room asking to speak with the generals. Remembering that the Exploration Corps were sent near the coastline, Ced asked Varias if he knew anything about what the soldier said. Varias merely replied that he did, but he needed to go over something first.


As he said this, the door to the council room opened and a small figure entered the premises. A pale faced young woman made her way inside and stood behind Varias . The other council members stood up, alarmed, feeling an incredible surge of energy. The Minister own heart rate increased a bit, but he made no distinct movements to scare the woman.


Seeing his comrades in a slight state of panic, Varias calmed his associates down. He would explain the matter about the woman later, but he had more important news to discuss.


Varias told everyone about the Shak Shain Makanakuy loyalists found in the ancient city once called Pak Tor. He also told them that Kurt Angle had taken some minor reports about the Makanakuy weapon technology. At this point of the story, he wasn't very detailed. He seemed anxious to progress the story as quickly as possible.


Finally, he arrived at the part of the story he wished to tell. He mentioned the multiple Water Gems found in the temple's innermost chamber and it was already in the hands of the Bank of Tinto. He continued on recounting the meeting of the Tinto/Makanakuy force and the ancient being. There, they learned that Kamui Otopshi was once a powerful sorcerer that summoned beings directly from the Sun. The exploration corps was told that a certain artifact was able to stop Kamui's summoning. The Makanakuy were present in Pak Tor for the sole purpose of finding any and all artifacts that would help achieve their goals. They had been through multiple ruins with no success. After making their way to the central chamber and finding this ancient creature, she confirmed that what they were seeking was located in the old temple.


A Makanakuy general tried to receive the artifact from her, but he soon passed out in a pool of his own blood from the endeavor. Varias recalled that the Exploration Corps made a decision to ask for this ancient being's help. They believed that this poor creature had been wronged by the sorcerer, and the miners believed that she would like redemption. The soldiers from Tinto pleaded with the woman to help their cause. After a brief deliberation, she agreed to assist the Republic's fight against the Makanakuy.


The soldiers from Tinto eventually parted ways with the Shak Shain loyalists. They planned to continue their search for lost artifacts that could help with the inevitable fight against Kamui Otopshi. As they made their way out of the city, a gigantic quake rocked the country side. Many of the miners lost their footing as the great quake ripped apart the land they stood on. Once the long shaking was over, the Exploration corps were stunned at what they saw.


The land surrounding the city of Pak Tor broke away from the mainland and drifted off to sea. Land from the east and west as far as the eye could see, followed similar patterns. The mysterious woman, reading the startled miners' minds, explained the situation to them. Pak Tor was a city of magic. Once she left the city, the last remaining magical bond was severed creating the tear in the land. She clutched her heart as she said this, seemingly having some sort of connection with the area itself. But what stunned the miners was a roving piece of land quickly drifting away surrounded by light. They could barely make it out in the distance, but the features of the island were recognizable. The woman glared at the glowing island confirming their thoughts. She mentioned that such acts were possible when the land loses energy and spirit. They didn't believe it at first, but the evidence was right in front of them. Part of Makanakuy was lost to the sea. But in their case, it seems to have been the work of shaman magic and not the direct result of the cataclysm in Pak Tor.


The council room murmured in shock hearing about the recent events. After Varias had finished retelling the story in complete detail, he and his entourage were asked to get some rest. They would continue with any more details after the rest of the generals returned from Dragon's Den.


***


Around a week later, the remaining warriors returned home to the capital. They were obviously worn out, but that didn't hamper their desire to work. The meeting would start one hour than usual to allow extra time for the slightly injured generals to make their way to the government building.


The Minister made his way to the council room earlier than the allotted time, but he noticed that someone was there already. She smiled at him which pretty much confirmed what she was doing there in the first place.


She was known to most soldiers as " Dew Dust ". However to a select few, she was Emma . She had made their name known in the Republic as an aspiring artist. She was easily one of the most talented in the nation. At the same time, she took a very keen interest in politics. She juggled her art along with learning the military structure of the miner Republic. While she continued to reveal work after work, she also designed multiple badges for the Republic generals. Emma eventually went on to create the new flag the Republic uses today. She was finally granted entrance into the Republic council after hard work and continuing desire to help the republic as much as she could.


The minister was especially happy about her advancement, but with the generals already piling into the council room, any form of celebration would have to wait until later.


iscalio had some notable cuts across his skin, but none of which made him think about it too much. He was more concerned about the state of affairs in the Republic in his absence. The generals present in Dragon's Den also awaited eagerly to hear the news. Ced recalled the Pak Tor situation to the other group of generals and also mentioned the loss of land to the sea as a result of the city's demise. Numerous scouts had been sent since the initial report by Varias , and they all confirmed the changed landscape. Silver Lake's waters were now extremely deep, and there had been preparations taken to turn it into Tinto's second port city. There wasn't much else to add since the absent generals were given battle reports shortly after they arrived at the capital.


It was iscalio 's turn to give some news. The capture of Dragon's Den led to the surrender of the native Dragon Knights. In exchange for autonomy, they agreed to help out the Tinto Republic during times of war. They had a similar agreement with the Scarlet Moon Empire during their occupancy. The Dragon Knights proved to be very resourceful as well. In a stunning move, they claimed that KoRnholio stepped down as the Emperor of Scarlet Moon. Many of the generals became bewildered and a few of them started to think that Wiseman , the only remaining senior member of Scarlet Moon would take over. But the Dragon Knights have confirmed that the popular general, Parallax , has taken control over the Empire. The generals did not know what to make of this.


iscalio continued on with his own bit of news. In another related development, they had received an official message from Koolok regarding the Island Nations. They wished to form a fighting force with Koolok and Tinto in an attempt to conquer the lands of the Scarlet Moon Empire. Both Kooluk and Tinto were not sure what to make of the situation, but an allied attack would be a great way to save resources. They couldn't let this opportunity slip by.


Getting down to the main point, they wished to form a three-pronged attack against the Empire. The idea suited the Republic's desires. They had planned to take Kunan from the Empire anyway. The possibility of splitting their fronts was good news to them.


From there, the floor was open to discussion. Emma was given her formal introduction to the council but she quickly sat down and listened in on the state of the country.


Acheron expressed his desire to explore Tinto's new landscape and brought out some initial maps of their new nation. He pointed out various places as possible exploration locations while the other generals formed their own ideas.


Suddenly, a sprout appeared out of nowhere on Acheron's map. It quickly bloomed into a little tree completely surprising everyone in the room. The mysterious woman from Varias' exploration group walked up to the map without notice and suggested the location the sprout covered. She said that she remembers a city located in the forest region near the sea. Though the forest itself is smaller than the Great Forest in the Scarlet Moon Empire, supposedly ancient magic has hidden the village from outsiders for generations. However, she seemed unclear of what they may find there. Many of the generals were still amazed that she entered the room without anyone noticing her. Trying to play off his bewilderment, Ced agreed that this was probably the best course of action. iscalio then made the decision to send Varias' explorers along with Emma to search the forest east of Azure Plains.


Finally, the Makanakuy problem was addressed. It was now common knowledge that the remaining Makanakuy nation was now an island off the coast of Silver Lake. This meant that the capture of Ankon Chayay would take twice as long. iscalio saw the need of putting pressure on the Makanakuy while cutting of the resilient force stationed in Azure Plains. The generals thought that Makanakuy would do absolutely anything to keep the Republic on the mainland. iscalio suggested that their most hardy warriors be sent to invade the port region of Ankon Chayay immediately. This was met with general approval and so the plan was set.


They had also wanted to finish off the force still sitting in Azure Plains. However, Ati-Anyaka 's presence there would make it very difficult for the Republic to root them out. Acheron and Harrekki , the Republic's top Spearmen commanders were assigned to clear out the Makanakuy army under Ati-Anyaka .


After working out some initial concerns, the council meeting adjourned signaling the start of the campaign.


***


The various generals and their soldiers lined up outside Sun's Crest in preparation to move out. Usually, the soldiers would move out in the morning in an attempt not to make too much of a scene. But there was an emergency regarding troop deployment.


The Republic had wished to fight three major battles. One in Ankon Chayay, two in Azure Plains, and three in Kunan. Even this, however, was more wishful thinking than an actual reality.


There were numerous reports confirming a large Makanakuy army ready to advance on the city of Toza. Kurt Angle's army stationed in the city, were ready to deploy, but they were calling for reinforcements just in case they were able to hit the city. This complicated matters on the Azure Plains invasion seeing that half of the force that was supposed to attack the Plains would now have to be split up to defend Toza as well. The ranks were already thin enough with many of the Republic's strongest generals heading towards Ankon Chayay where the real battle was supposed to take place. Fundertaker also left the capital with thousands of soldiers to heed the call of a small skirmish near Lion's Maw. The reports coming in during the early morning hours indicated that the attempted raid was stamped out, but Fundertaker was now too far away to provide assistance in the current campaign.


***


iscalio , Ced , and Ganon Dun led their massive navy to the shores of Ankon Chayay. As they weighed anchor, a smaller ship drew right beside them. Various Makanakuy were standing on the deck, but one in particular drew the President's attention. A young boy called out to the Tinto miners speaking in a foreign tongue. However, even the most uneducated person could feel the scathing tone of his voice.


Ced and Ganon weren't exactly sure what to make of the boy's speech, but iscalio seemed to understand completely. He ordered Captain Arcana to lower a platform to the Makanakuy Vessel and told all miners to be on guard.


The boy quickly ran up the platform not waiting for his comrades and drew what looked like a makeshift blade. Instinctively, Ganon and Ced started to chant their respective spells and Arcana gave his men the order to arm themselves. But iscalio clenched his fist in the air stopping his soldiers from progressing any further. He explained that the boy wished to duel him one on one. iscalio surmised that this boy was probably trying to buy some time for the Makanakuy Navy, but the defeat of their leader would go a long way for morale's sake. He accepted knowing that he had the boy outclassed.


The child exhibited some noticeable energy typical of a young boy, but iscalio 's hardened experience was too much for standard skill to overcome. The small boy sluggishly swung his blade multiple times which iscalio easily parried. The Mountain Fox eventually ended the duel by punching the boy's stomach; the unique motion iscalio used knocked the boy unconscious.


The Makanakuy assistants immediately carried the boy back to their own boat. iscalio told his men not to degrade themselves to the level of the Makanakuy by killing innocents. He then gave them the order to advance to the coast and to prepare themselves for battle.


But when they arrived, they were stunned at the lack of reinforcements. The Miners had easily made landfall without further conflict. Finally, the dread feeling of their operation kicked in. iscalio calm, yet solemn admitted to his men that the wrong course of action was taken this day. He feared for the hardship his soldiers at Azure Plains and Toza would face.


***


Back at the capital, reports indicated that the Makanakuy force heading to Toza and situated in the Plains were a lot numerous than imagined. Strategists PF and Brecht , determined that their initial numbers were not sufficient to mount a considerable force against the Makanakuy in the mainland. They predicted that they had received numerous reinforcements that were thought to have been the main security force of Ankon Chayay. Now that the Makanakuy were so close to their central population, they made a decision to integrate the forces heading for Kunan in the Makanakuy force. Kunan would have to wait another day. It was more important to the Republic that enemies were kept away from their soil. However, they would send a small group of men to feint an attack on Kunan. Doing so would distract the Scarlet Moon troops and help out their allies' siege


***


Casualties were abound in Azure Plains. Despite being cut off from most of their support lines, the Makanakuy proved to be very exasperating. Ati-Anyaka's tactics surprised the Miners. Her regiment whirled around the battlefield eliminating most of the regular infantry. As she did this, she continued to give orders spacing herself from Acheron and Harrekki 's soldiers.


Assisting her was a Shaman commander backing up her units with powerful earth magic. Amidst the chaos, one of the Tinto linguists explained to Acheron that the Shaman was Ati-Anyaka 's uncle. He linguist believed that his name was Hure-Anpayaya .


Acheron continued to scatter and do all he can, but the combined efforts uncle and niece inflicted an extreme number of casualties on Harrekki and Thief's units. Both commanders already signaled for the retreat. Feeling that there was no way his regiment alone could withstand the assault, Acheron, too, ordered the remaining soldiers of the campaign to fall back from the city.


***


Brecht had remembered many of the Makanakuy regiments attacking Toza. He was there when he and Ced were nearly killed by the surprise attack. And here was the one they called " Hui-Hui Teotoxl " once more inflicting his wrath on the city. Brecht saw this battle as a personal one.


One by one, Teotoxl's enraged soldiers jumped into a group of Tinto miners slashing everything in their path. They even killed their own men; seemingly given orders to attack with instinct and not reason. PF was disgusted by this course of action, and he seeked to eliminate this man personally. However, his regiment was blocked off by amateur spearmen. PF 's soldiers dispatched them with ease, but the damage had been done. He and Brecht 's regiment were now separated from one another. He desperately wanted to assist his companion, but when he saw their Griffon allies fall to the might of the jungle warriors, PF knew that the best way to survive this battle was to create an escape route right away.


Tinto's remaining numbers were ridiculously outnumbered by the Makanakuy. Brecht 's undead warriors were left to fend for themselves. And if Teotoxl wasn't bad enough, an extremely strong mage by the name of Sapnekur engaged in a magical duel with Brecht . The witchdoctor continued to unsummon many of Brecht 's skeletons, but Brecht responded by summoning different types of undead warriors. But now, Teotoxl's warriors made their way to Brecht 's location trying to kill the young strategist. This flurry caused Brecht to lose his concentration and power over his regiment. Most of his soldiers were unsummoned right away, while others were blasted to oblivion by Sapnekur .


When it seemed like all was lost, PF came back and assisted Brecht in his escape. Knowing the city very well, the remaining miners used an escape route behind the city to flee in the night. Eventually they met up with Kurt Angle who escaped earlier with many of the soldiers and the remaining citizens that hadn't escaped already.


***

By nightfall, all the generals of the Republic had made camp safely away from their enemies. They all knew that their comrades were currently under the same night sky, but they weren't sure of their status. They had all hoped that the Republic in general fared well, but they were so closely connected to one another, they must have known about what happened.


And despite being away from the conflict, Emma and Varias felt the frustration of their comrades. They felt the result as well. However, they had to be strong for their nation. They were determined to come back with even the least bit of good news.


The woman felt both of their emotions, and she slowed down her pace to ask various questions about the Republic in general. The talk surprisingly made the two miners forget about their inner angst. They continued to share information as they walked through the mysterious forest.
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 28, 2006 4:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

"Old Book" Volume 11: Invasion



Chapter 1: Conference in the Moonlit Night


"And that's the whole story, iscalio ." Sonnenblumen murmured.


The exploration team had been back for weeks already, but iscalio felt that the reports were incomplete. He came across the revelation that this was not the fault of his exploration team. They merely reported what they saw and heard in their own experience. iscalio realized that the only way to make sense of the whole situation was to have a private meeting with Sonnenblumen herself. Only she could fill in the blanks necessary to formulate a correct course of action.


The Mountain Fox stood up from his desk and bowed his head. "I appreciate your efforts milady. I understand that returning there must be very hard for you."


"It was something I had to know," she sighed. "Something I had to remember".


"Regardless," iscalio continued "there will be plenty of time to discuss our options tomorrow in the meeting. I'm sure that even you need rest also. We can continue in the morning when everyone is present."


Sonnenblumen gazed at the glowing moon outside iscalio 's office. Tranced by the stars, she stepped out near the veranda.


"Do you usually ask your generals to meet with you this late?" she asked without turning.


iscalio read the line between her question. "I apologize for hiding it from you. I wasn't sure how you would handle such a turn of events."


The mysterious woman's robes sparkled like diamonds. Despite there being no wind in the office, her silver hair fluttered wildly. "I won't hurt the Makanakuy Princess." She spoke over her ruffling attire. "But for future references, I prefer you keep her kind away from me."


And with that, she vanished.


***


iscalio opened the door for his visitors. "Thank you for seeing me so late, Emma ." The Mountain Fox led them to his desk where chairs were prepared for his guests.


Emma quickly sat down, but her entourage wasn't as quick to act. Even in the near darkness, their insecurity was painted on their faces. Two of the women clasped their spears with their hands almost as if they were anticipating some sort of a trap. Emma laid her Swallow weapon to the ground, visually telling the two maiden guards that their actions were unnecessary.


But it wasn't until their companion scolded them in their native tongue, did the maiden guards rest their weapons. Ati-Anyaka sat down next to Emma and watched Emma and iscalio 's exchange, quietly.


" iscalio , as you know, this is Princess Ati-Anyaka of the Makanakuy nation." Emma used her hands as she spoke hoping that the three women would see what they were saying. iscalio extended his hand to the Princess; however, she wasn't sure what to make of the gesture. Instead, iscalio took back his hand, placed it over his heart, and bowed to her.


Emma recounted the story told by Raycisk Ar. She mentioned Nirmolan's desire for her people along with Ati's desire to change her people's destiny.


iscalio turned to the three women. With his limited vocabulary of the Makanakuy language, he softly whispered "For your people". Princess Ati and her guards imitated the Mountain Fox's "Hand over heart" gesture and repeated the same words.


He then instructed Emma to provide lodgings for their guests. He told the four ladies that their presence would be very appreciated in the following morning. iscalio wasn't sure how much of his words the Makanakuy company understood, but this was a much better problem to have compared to facing the princess in battle.



***


Chapter 2: Weathering the Incoming Storm


There was a noticeable buzz in the Great Hall compared to other meetings. A few of the generals heard rumors about their guests, but only a few of them truly believed it. One by one, when each general's eyes spotted Ati-Anyaka and her friends, each one had to be verbally restrained by iscalio and Emma . After a while, Emma and iscalio became weary repeating the same story to every single general. Ced was eventually put in charge of explaining the situation to whomever requested it.


Things were especially tense when General Harrekki arrived in the meeting room. Ati-Anyaka stood up just as Harrekki had recognized her. The General and the Princess's eyes met with piercing glares. His numerous clashes with Princess Ati were mentioned in every single story about the Makanakuy. They were old enemies; one may have found it unusual for them to be sitting in the same room. Eventually, the rigid attitudes subsided and both sides took their seats. Harrekki sat farthest away from the Makanakuy warriors, mumbling under his breath the entire time.


iscalio didn't feel the need to exacerbate the tensions of his soldiers so early in the morning, so he opted for a quick introduction of the ladies. Ced nodded to them in his seat while the others followed his expression. Harrekki grudgingly recognized the trio last.


"Onward to important business." iscalio raised his voice to catch everyone's attention. A Makanakuy scholar sat next to the princess to translate as much of the meeting as possible.


"We have a problem. As you all remember, the Island Nations dropped out of the Theta Alliance some weeks ago. That much wasn't a surprise, considering the Islanders, but our council was more concerned about Kooluk's side. "He stopped in order to let his council absorb what was just said." And just as we feared, we have received word that the Kooluk Empire has declared war on the Republic."


Ced shot iscalio a ponderous glance. "When did this happen?" he asked.


"This morning." Brecht answered him. "The declaration itself was circulated in the Comment Box. This is for real."


Jossef Kevlar pounded his fist on the wooden table. "For what reason?!" He shouted.


"They didn't state a reason, but frankly, do we ever get one?" General Exile remarked sarcastically.


"Still," iscalio interrupted "we were in a tough situation already. So now we have to split up our resources in order to combat the incoming threat.


"Well, at least it sounds like you have an idea, boss." Fundertaker said as his eyes widened. "What's the plan?"


"I'll take this, iscalio ." Acheron volunteered. "Basically, we're all going to have to be involved this time around. And for regiments not involved in the fighting, they'll act as reinforcements or medical teams. We're now dealing with Makanakuy, Kooluk, The Island Nations, and the Scarlet Moon Empire. We need everyone to intercept the threat these four nations are imposing on us."


Brecht continued his friend's explanation. "We anticipate that the Scarlet Moon Empire will make their way from the east once again. Thanks to their allied help, we expect them to make a serious attempt at both Lion's Maw and Dragon's Den. They won't be scared of us knowing that we really can't send to many soldiers there. So we have to send our most able men there."


"Jossef Kevlar, Ganon Dun , and Thief will be the advanced guard in Lion's Maw. Acheron and I will act as reinforcements for this front. As for Dragon's Den, we have enlisted the help of Grassland's Neclord for that battle. He will be assisted by Gil-galad along with Joshua to defend that region."


iscalio took over the remainder of the briefing. "The Kooluk Armada has also been spotted from the coastline. We predict that they are heading towards Silver Lake. Unfortunately, we don't have enough resources to defend our most vital areas if we send a sizeable force here. I have already mandated the citizens of Silver Lake to prepare fortifications for a shore attack. That's as much preparation as we can do at the moment.


The Island Nations Army has also made their move from the south. Already, our forces are encountering preliminary resistance just a few miles south of Asra. I will head there personally with a friend to see what we can do about stopping their advance."


The generals wondered who this 'friend' was, but iscalio promised them that all will be revealed in due time.


"Regarding Lasahn, that place is a bit complicated, though. That city is known for its extremely loyal Islander citizens. While we may have managed to sway most of the people of Asra, Lasahn has always given us trouble. Numerous security operations have already been deployed to that area alone. It's a very risky place, and in my opinion, it's not really worth defending if our citizens cause more trouble that the Islanders.


We will send a small force to defend the area, but if my company is not enough to stop the Islander advance in the south, we will have to forego Lasahn also.


All is not lost; however, in order to stop the Island Nations from proceeding too far, we plan to make a buffer between our mainland territories. Thanks to Emma 's help, we have hired our old comrade Mitchell in order to help us with this goal. Mitchell possesses the Cross of Mauthe. It is apparently an artifact that summons an ancient keep wherever we desire. As far as I'm aware, the tower of Lepe that embodies most of the Mauthe region is a dangerous place, but if we can secure the area for ourselves, perhaps it can be used as an additional cushion for time."


The phenomenon known as Mauthe was known all over the world now. Mitchell, the mercenary commander and former general of Tinto, had recounted the events in the mercenary guild. A staff member of the Comment Box happened to hear his tale and requested for an interview. After the whole world heard about the story, many have said that nations were knocking on Mitchell's door to examine the artifact. So the generals were pleasantly surprised that Emma had been able to get the upper hand on the other nations. That was the only good news in ages, it seemed.


"And finally, Makanakuy." iscalio said in a low tone. Ati-Anyaka nudged nervously in her seat. iscalio and the generals turned to her. "Princess Ati, we have word that the Hui-Hui clan is making their way to the city you met General Emma . I would like you, Exile , and Fundertaker to assist in the defense of the region." iscalio waited for the translator to finish before continuing. Ati-Anyaka stayed silent, but her guards unquestionably disapproved of the idea.


"I understand that you all want to defeat your people's tyrannical leaders as quickly as possible, but I have been promised that Ankon Chayay will be taken care of. As your new leader, I have a duty of care to see to it that you and everyone else are placed in circumstances where we all benefit the most. The other part of my job is to make sure that my generals are all alive by the end of the day. Only minor force is needed to take the port. I don't want to be responsible for the loss of unnecessary lives. Tinto wants to spare life, enemy or otherwise."


"But we need your help here, on this mainland. It will help us rally support for your cause. When our citizens see the Princess fighting for the Republic, they will support you. From then it is only a matter of time before they hear why you are with us. And that, my princess, is the best way to help your people."


The translator finished iscalio 's speech and the three women uttered a broken "Yes" simultaneously. iscalio thanked the three for their cooperation.


"With that said everyone, take care of your business now." iscalio rose up from his seat ready to dismiss his troops. "This is a critical time for our republic, so hand your affairs immediately. When you are all ready, report to your designated fronts. Good luck in your endeavors."



***



Chapter 3: Defense Against the New and Improved Empire


"How boring . . ." Neclord licked the blood off his fingertips directly in front of Gil-galad while making satisfied noises. Gil shook his head and ignored the Vampire. The Tinto elf had chastised his comrade, earlier, for such ruthless killing despite the enemy's surrender. Gil was not a fan of unnecessary bloodshed, but at least he and Neclord completed their assignment. And at the very least, he seemed finished with his meal.


He glanced quickly at the drained corpses behind him with disdain. "Our Republic is going to be the one cleaning up your mess, you know. Do take care not to litter my land too much." Gil said as he looked into the distance. He couldn't see any other Imperial troops heading their way.


"I was under the impression that your kind didn't have jokes." Neclord teleported right next to Gil, helping him survey the land.


Gil shrugged. "What can I say? I have impressionable friends."


He fastened his bow to his back. "This is very strange. This is all that there is? There's no reinforcements."


"Apparently, Dragon's Den isn't as important to them as Tinto thought. There's obviously no one else here. Like I said before, how boring." Neclord commented without hesitation. "Maybe this was a feint?"


"That's what I was afraid of." Gil lamented.



***


"How many of them you say?" Ganon Dun asked with anxious ears.


"A little over 25,000 soldiers," said the mercenary general, zincbrain. "Mitchell has already been taken to the medical ward. Even their advanced forces numbered at least 10,000.


Jossef consulted with his friend. "That means that the force in Lion's Maw must have been a decoy . . . That does it then. SOUND THE HORNS!"


Thief and the other Tinto Republic Archers nestled themselves on the top of the Maw. Spotting the advance guard of the Scarlet Moon Empire, Thief gave the order to fire at the incoming charge. They managed to fell quite a number of Imperial troops but the strategists started to realize that the later versions of the imperial troops were heavily armored. They were obviously not of Imperial design. The new force fired crossbow bolts which picked off Thief's archers with fearsome accuracy. Brecht and Acheron took a closer look at their opponents.


" Acheron , do you see that?" Brecht pointed at a towering man with fur all over his body.


"Tsk. Axiose . . ." Acheron shook his head in disapproval. No wonder we haven't been able to contact him for help.


Ganon Dun walked up behind the two men. "Allow me to thin their ranks."


The necromancer released and unworldly light emanating from the mountain. From out of the sky, zombies landed on the Imperial Troops. The undead stench filled the small area and flooded the Imperial troops. The undead scourge roared as they devoured the skin off their victims. Their wails pierced through the stone walls of the fort.


Amidst the chaos, Jossef Kevlar's men charged viciously into the retreating enemy. Ganon's face contorted in shock. Normally, he trusts his friend's instinct. But on this occasion he was running straight into trouble. From his view, he wouldn't be able to see the incoming reinforcements from the Imperial side. But for those on top of the fort, it was clear as day.


" Acheron , he's going to be in trouble." Brecht commented. "You and Ganon try to fill in his ranks. My men will set up here. Axiose is going to be trouble, so we have to plan accordingly."


Ganon ordered his zombie forces to follow Jossef's regiment. As Brecht predicted, Jossef's smaller numbers proved to be a hindrance against the numerous arrows shot by the Emperor of Scarlet Moon. But thankfully for Jossef, Ganon's zombies rescued the injured general and began the process of carrying the berserker back to the fort. Acheron 's Pikemen decimated through the secondary line of the Scarlet Moon empire, but he was given orders to advance as far as Axiose's regiment. The Abhorsen was not an enemy anyone would want to face without a plan. He was much too strong for such tactics.


" I hope this works . . ." Acheron thought to himself. "LET'S GO MEN!!! FALL BACK!"


As the Tinto soldiers raced within a few yards of the enemy, the Pikemen made an about face and raced as fast as they can to the fort. Axiose immediately ordered his men to pursue the fleeing soldiers. They scattered around, avoiding crossbow bolts of Brecht , but they still had quite a distance to reach the fort. Brecht looked onward and smiled. So far so good.


Eventually, Acheron and his men crossed the entrance, Brecht ordered his men to fire at the first wave of Imperials trying to enter the fort. The shots effectively halted enemy advances into the fort itself. But Axiose's men were behind them readying their own crossbows for the second wave of fire.


"Give the signal now!" Brecht yelled. A soldier inside the city fired multiple blasts of runic fire into the sky which exploded in a thunderous bang.


From out of nowhere, the Binders of Orannis were quickly swarmed by vines surrounding the area. Vicious Papa Hollies dug out of the ground and screeched at the disoriented men. The soldiers made room for their commander to fall back, but many of their own comrades were tossed over the mountain by the vines. Axiose called for the retreat of his men, but by then it was too late. The Tinto forces looked on at the chaos; none of their soldiers were outside the fort. The monsters were doing all the damage by themselves.


"Give them the order to surrender." Ganon Dun suggested. "They'll have to comply now."



***


Chapter 4: Islander Retort


iscalio looked outward to the horizon barely making out the thousands of Islander troops. His followers behind him stirred as a group but made no sounds. The nervousness was easily traceable. His lieutenant, Harrekki , was organizing his own troops and preparing for the Knights' inevitable clash against the invaders.


The Armes contingent settled a few yards away from the Knights. Few of the men had ever seen elephants. Some were intimidated by the Behemoths. One of the riders made his way to the ranks. For some of the knights, this was as close as they got to the giants.


Jalat and his massive elephant trudged over to where the Mountain Fox was standing. The massive beast knelt letting his rider step off for a quick moment.


"I fell just a tad bit guilty placing you in this situation, Jalat ." iscalio stretched his arms preparing for battle.


"It's no trouble at all." The Armes man chuckled. "King Timbo and myself were aware of the situation when I volunteered to help out your nation." He looked to the distance with iscalio and shook his head. "You're right about one thing though. There's a lot more than we anticipated."


"Here they come. It's time." iscalio said. " Harrekki , wait for our advance. Give your regiment the signal to advance after us."


It didn't take long for both sides to stampede directly into one another. Thousands of Pikemen and Crossbowmen quickly ripped through the defense force. Tinto's soldiers fought admirably, but their opponents outnumbered them far too much. The Duke of Gaien launched numerous volleys right at the President's regiment. Much of iscalio 's knights fell in the combined assault of metal spear-tips and bolts. The Knights succeeded in felling Leb's troops, but the remainder fell to the Ranger reinforcements. iscalio easily fended off his pursuers but many of his men weren't as fortunate.


"Retreat for now, Mountain Fox!" Jalat 's elephants could be heard crushing the Islanders' bones. "I'll hold them back while you retreat back to Sun's Crest."


iscalio didn't have to be told twice. He was aware of his importance to Tinto, and he wasn't interested in dying there. His generals would never forgive him if he allowed such chaos to ensue.


Harrekki 's Pikemen assisted in their leader's escape, but they too suffered severe casualties in the endeavor. Both commanders fled with their men, but with their back turned, many off them were picked off by the Islander forces. With the help of Synchysi, the Islanders surrounded the Republic soldiers and pincered them into a small group.


Jalat finally ordered the remaining fighting force to follow the President's company. The elephants burst through the human barricade, riding into the distance. Asra was lost, and if they stayed any longer, they could have been lost as well.



***



Chapter 5: The Cursed Tower


Emma , Punchdoll and Destiny's warrior weren't exactly sure what to expect when they summoned the tower. Mitchell tried to brief them about everything that he saw inside. However, he claimed that everything was such a blur. He couldn't remember much.


Emma became increasingly annoyed that Mitchell never mentioned anything about these ghosts and spirits. A word of warning may not help much in terms of weaponry, but the correct mindset would have eased their tensions. The three warriors and their soldiers were doing all they can to vaporize their ethereal enemies. The trapped prisoners of Mauthe stayed near the back, trembling in horror as the Tinto forces battled the ancient dog, Moddey Doo and his apparitions.


An arrow of light shot off Emma 's fingertips and seared a wraith heading for one of her soldiers. "Focus your attacks on the entire group! We need to take them out quickly!" Punchdoll and Destiny's Warrior followed the orders of their commander and chanted some spells to drive the enemies in one concentrated spot.


Simultaneously, the three sorcerers unleashed a torrent of light on the outworldly beings. The ghosts crackled and hissed as their corporeal forms dissolved into the air. Even Moddey Doo was caught in the inferno and howled in pain. But much to the surprise of the three magicians, Moddey Doo raised itself with its crippled limbs. He eyed Punchdoll and quickly leaped; his fangs targeting the young warlock's face.


But Emma was faster than the beast. In mere seconds, she plunged the Cross of Mauthe into the leaping dog's body. Upon further investigation, Emma saw that she pierced the very heart of the dog. Writhing in pain, Emma invoked one final blast of light at Moddey Doo's head, killing the beast.


The prisoners' fears and insecurities vanished as they cheered in approval. They helped the weary generals out of the exit. For the first time in ages, they burst open the door feeling the light of freedom once more.



***



Chapter 6: Heart of the Forbidden Land


Varias Taelas looked at Sonnenblumen who shook vividly. He looked at the fallen boy and held back a gag. His skin lost all its color and shriveled up like a dried plant. Poy-Yaunpe's pupils disappeared leaving only a deathly white circle.


He was slightly traumatized by the entire set of events. He wasn't exactly sure what had happened, but he ventured that she sucked the life right out of the young admiral. He read stories about similar events, but they were legends and tall tales nothing more. No one could really steal a soul, right?


Sonnenblumen and Varias made their way back to the boat after the Revenant Dryad had finished. She could sense her companion shying away from her even as he helped her on the ship.


"Varias, don't misunderstand what I did there." She said almost pleading. "I need energy just like you do. And he was our enemy. He would not have hesitated to kill us all the same."


He looked noticeably bothered. "I know." He replied with a dissatisfied tone. "But there had to be another way!"


"We don't have time to find out, do we?" Sonnenblumen countered. They spoke no word of the situation for the remainder of the day.



***



"Yeah, this is faster." Exile thought.


In an unusual maneuver, his regiment rode horseback with Princess Ati's Mamluks and Fundertaker's Cavalry. The galloping beasts raced through the Golden Arrow fields like a ray of light.


He looked into the side of the princess' eye. Even he could sense the burning desire within her. Her hatred for Kamui was undisputed. But regardless of the God Emperor's intentions, there was no acceptable reason to fight with such emotion in her head. The general was trying to communicate this with the Princess. But she didn't seem interested in any chatter. She merely zoned out Exile focusing on the ride. Feeling exasperated, he reminded himself to keep track of her at all times.



When they reached the Makanakuy forces, the horsemen flanked their enemies at all sides. The shouts of Makanakuy battle cries were drowned out by neighs. They were overwhelmingly outnumbered by the Tinto riders. Exile 's mounted men remained on horseback and assisted in defense as well as attack, alternating roles with their horsemen counterparts.


After a short time, the Makanakuy immediately noticed the princess and uttered what seemed like a curse. Ati-Anyaka seemed noticeably shaken by whatever words they spoke. She shrieked at her enemies, while she slashed through her enemies' bodies. With no remorse, everyone she looked at, died at her feet. Though her loyalist countrymen were no match for her, the tantrum caused much damage to her own forces. Their confusion made them careless. Exile and Fundertaker had to interfere and protect her from attackers trying to take advantage of the situation.


The Hui-Hui family eventually called for a retreat, but Exile and Fundertaker had to restrain the princess from following her people. It took all their power to bring the Princess back to Sun's Crest.



***



The army all returned to Tinto burned out from all the heavy battling. Fighting on so many fronts taxed their resources heavily, and it started to show in their health. iscalio didn't bother meeting with the generals upon their return. He gave an order for everyone to rest immediately after arriving in their homes.


None of them could remember a time when their Republic faced so much restlessness. And the war was far from over.
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