[center][b][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA9cdMt-XNM&list=PL7DDFA627ED316129]Chapter 1: Episode 1 – In Fine Principium[/url][/b][/center]

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The streets had since grown dark and the minutes had since passed into hours. Lucius lost track of time, but amidst laying above the other pour souls, felt the cart fall into motion. He never moved an eyelash, yet felt their direction rolling steadily through the streets as the matron laborers had finally concluded their business. Nearby, his companion remained curled into a tight ball, breathing steadily and quietly as the cart rolled. [i]Poor girl,[/i] he thought, [i]Not a couple weeks out and already torment finds her amongst the dead.[/i] How she had managed to keep her wits was beyond him, however, her hidden silence had thus kept the two alive. To this end, he found her companion virtues respectable and not found in many.
 
The Prince hadn't know Ona for very long, but found her presence comforting even if both her own naive and sheltered notions had notably affected upon her emotions. He surmised that outside the darkened streets, the populace surrounding the city had endured even greater misfortunes, having suffered through repeated famines. Only Yadin-Hamon or Athirat knew how much more the populace could endure before the entire region became a littered cemetary. Troubled, Lucius' eyes fell into an almost catlike motion as the tarp covered wagon slowly rolled through the streets. The illuminations owed to nightly torches and shadows moving across the tarp's ridges spoke of early evening activity; an unusual development during Voltas' after hours. That an audible crowd also shouted nearby greatly piqued his interests and if he hadn't known any better, he could have sworn he could hear the crash of waves.

[i]The Crown Dockyards,[/i] Lucius quickly surmised. Their destination involved a trip through the dockyards and ultimately their resting place. These common Valanians would be denied a proper burial and brought to the open seas where the deeps would form their final resting locations. Mass burials were common, however, the staggering body count spoke of something much more sinister. Cursing, Lucius wrenched a corpse's arm wrapped around his chest before pushing himself away.

As he turned to reach the wagon's outer rims, he offered a silent Augurian prayer towards the pale, skeleton looking corpse that would have once resembled a handsome young man. The poor slob hadn't reached the age of sixteen before what the Prince surmised as starvation claimed his life. Below his back, fresh corpses resembling varying youngsters silently laid at peace amidst their blank, aimless stares. Their attrocious demise and tragedy proved enough to bring tears to the Prince's eyes and as the surrounding street lights illuminated their shriveled faces, he covered his mouth and fought back the urge to weep. That the reigning steward could allow widespread starvation to engulf the city proved an unforgivable crime. These were fellow Valanians ... [i]his people[/i] and the reigning authorities did nothing to ease the state's deterioration as commoners either starved or decayed enmasse. The existence afforded to its peoples was no life at all; merely a death sentenced towards a slowed and painful, mortal end.
 
With every ounce of strength, Lucius swallowed and through gritted teeth, crawled towards the wagon's rear amidst the occasion bone crackling sounds emitted from below. Nearby, shouts continually poured into the streets as he carefully poked his knife through the canvas sheeting. The severing cut unveiled a sight not witnessed during any moment in Voltas' history and through the small hole, Lucius watched as crowds gathered and budged against the city's wharf fronts.

Upon hearing several noticeably immense commotions, his gaze suddenly rested upon large crowds of Sarifen and Valanians alike as they wielded blut and sharp objects of debatable lethality. The unfolding scene before him displayed various scenes of conflicts as the two ethnicities engaged into savage pitched battles in an attempt control the wharf front. Others pushed and shoved into violent throngs and swarmed the piers as the congested docks began to pack into explosion. Out of the corner of his eyes, Lucius attention fell upon a large team of dark-skinned Sarifen merchants as they struggled to drive through a large crowd. Through repeated horse whips and their mounted escort's timely's assistance, they managed to escape the mobs and pitched battles, but not before several crates escaped their caravans. As the wooden cases shattered along the cobbled streets, the contents spilled ripened green melons, attracting starving commoner mobs from every street corner. Amidst the many conflicts' continual devolutions, Lucius spotted a tightly guarded waterfront scattered in large, fully stocked seafood crates, adequately supplied fishing nets, and weary fishermen. Some less fortunate individuals fell as they were trampled under the weight of so many moving bodies while others cried for help as the Paighan Guard companies mercilessly gutted, mauled, or beat many visible trespassers to considerable measures. 

Along one particulary pier section, several ships carrying large crates remained docked. One particular Sarifen deckhand fell as he struggled to defend the stamped crates stacked along various cranes. Following an attempt to secure a stray line, the man tripped, provoking his left foot to strike several crates and barrels before a band of heavily armed Sarifen guard escorts formed a spear wall around his location as they thwarted marauding mobs pushing across the packed pier. During a brief glimpse, Lucius thought he'd spotted the name, [i]Hurrassein Powder Company[/i] along one particular lid while freshly minted firearms lined a nearby opened crate. Several meters away, a toppled barrel spilled grainy black powder across the planks before additional guards brandished their large kite shields to form another gap closing, shield wall. Calmly, Lucius drew his sword and slid through the cart's opening before reaching the streets. Moments later, the Prince poked through the canvas as he silently waved his companion to follow ...

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[center][b][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlPOdMXxchs]Chapter 1: Episode 1: Absolutum Dominium[/url][/b][/center]

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The district remained eerily quiet amidst the flickering street lamp illuminations and without guilt or fear, the armed enforcers moved to rip apart the girl's dress. They'd managed to shred the neckline, exposing the poor girl's breasts and as the leading ganger dropped his pants the girl screamed for help. Grinning, Vauquelin cocked the trigger as he prepared his aim only to find a knife sailing towards his face. Flinching, the knife quickly gashed across his nape before rapidly embedding straight into the lead ganger's left breast. As blood poured down his neckline, Vauqelin frantically levelled his pistol before discovering another knife sailing his way. Surprise could barely describe his reaction and he uttered merely a grunt before it sank deep into his throat. Releasing the pistol, various gags escaped the man's lips followed swiftly by the man's collapse.

"If you would please let these girls be," the woman commanded, flashing a dagger. Fearlessly, the curvaceous woman rapidly advanced upon the assembled street thugs and as their twisting leaders choked blood, many immediately brandished concealted weapons of their own. Elsewhere, the assembly's rearward members shouts filled the surrounding vicinity and in the flickering light, footsteps began to echo across the cobble stoned floors. Slowly their numbers swelled until the street packed with over eighty armed men, several of whom fielded loaded crossbows and outdated firearms. In the glooming twilight, a shriek escaped the other adolescent girl lips as the street's other entrance spilled with glowing torchlights. Additional footsteps revealed another mob led by a grotesquely disfigured man wearing a fine silks and sparking silver stationary. Men carrying torches, cleavers, hunting knives, and various bludgeoning weapons filled the other side street.

Several burly gangers wrenched the girl's hair as half sobs continually escaped her lips. “You just made the last mistake o'your miserable life, [i]putain[/i],” one mat haired criminal spat between toothy, glowering grin.

“Well now! I knows a fight when I sees it,” the disfigured man venemously shouted. Limping the man hobbled closer before sighting the gagging leaders and their leaderless thugs. Dozens of gangers followed in his wake, many wearing fine clothes and the infamous red arm patches issued to the regent's paid criminal enforcers. Their steps fell into a rhythm as they surrounded disfigured leader's flanks.

“[i]Mon dieu Vauquelin...[/i] Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk. Tu es completement débile. I hope you petite putes know what sort of farking you've earned my boys ...”

His words cut off as heavily armored arrivals approached along the street's end followed swiftly by sharp metallic rings. The street once again exploded in activity as swinging street lamps revealed over thirty Melitan Shield Maidens armed to the teeth. Their encroachments quickly established a properly disciplined shield line led by a fair skinned, brunette haired Apostle. Flickering orange lamp lights cast across her face to reveal a glowering stare that pierced through the ranks. Surrounding her flanks, her fair faced subordinates silently inched forwards, provoking the remaining gangers to closely tighten upon one another.

''What, by Yadin-Hamon's name, is happening over here,” the brunette Apostle demanded?

“The simple question, Sister Maria, is who dies first,” another voice shouted.

Commotion filled the ranks as additional steel rings filtered throughout the dimly lit streets. Through raised eyebrows, the disfigured leader's head tilted as sight of half a dozen plate armored, cape wearing ladies entered the vicinity. One particularly ravishing woman featuring raven black hair stepped into the light. Various ladies bearing notably visible authority joined her flanks alongside a heavily armed, Shield Maiden retinue. Their swords glistened in the flickering lamp lit, drawing attention towards their location along the street.

“I've seen enough to delcare this streetway under official investigation of the Order of St. Melitas.”

“You're a bit far from your great whore house, aren't we, Grand Master? Thees is our turf,” Bastien spat, “An' you're out of your jurisdiction here. Remove your battle whores an' return t'your sink hole. This does not concern you or the Order's districts!”

“On the contrary! Only minutes ago, the Order saw fit to acquire your local brothel. We now share equal stakes along this section of the city and is now as much our responsibility as it is yours. Kindly remove your swords or severing your manhoods won't prove the only tragedy befalling this evening's quarrels.”

Snorting, the ganger unbuckled his pants and let his trousers drop before exposing his own genitals towards the street's witnessing crowds. The armed thugs and gangers burst into uncontrollable laughter. Bastien's face reared in satisfaction as his arms parted to grant the assembly a jesterly salute. Some howled even as their crossbows remained levelled. Bowing, the ganger retrieved his pants amidst fowl the laughter engulfing the streetlanes. Brazenly, the stern faced maidens remained silent as they preserved the spearwall surrounding their esteemed Master.

“You even know who farking runs this city?” the ganger challenged, “S'not how it works anymore! Not weeth Conqvist's regency. He is not one to take kindly t'power contenders an' I'm not one to theenk you're simply pulling gold out of your arses like eet ees common practice. Face my men and you'll find your Order's curse worse than them Valus sods so whys don'ts yous saves us they troubles an' allow us all the chance to properly fark? We could make it quick, you know? Hau, hau! Boys, if you ever knews a woman wif cold loins, that [i]pute[/i] is solid proof!”

“Oh, it's so [i]delightful[/i] you mention this, Bastien,” Eugenia quickly mused, “I remember the days of your youth! You looked just as ugly then as you do now and your farking was equally as glaring. I can't remember if your longest ejaculation topped over a minute and a half. Or was it just a minute ...”

A short temple tapping motion followed the Grand Master's trailing words and through a tight lipped smile, her head shook in disdain. Balthar's expression seemingly shuddered into a violent fluster before suddenly falling into an uncontrollable rage as snickers swept across the shield maiden ranks. Through seething, clenched teeth, the disfigured ganger's face flushed a darkly shaded puce, further enhanced through his tightly clenched fists. 

“[i][b]Alright boys[/b][/i],” he fumed, sweeping an arm towards his subordinate gangers, “I don't care [i]how[/i] you do it; prepare to rip their genitals an' 'ave the time o'your lives! [i][b]Eugenia![/b] I'll fark your corpse until it's coated in b...[/i]”

Interrupted, a stray shot whistled past the ganger's face before embedding along a horribly crafted sign post along the outer street corner. Frowning, Eugenia waved an arm as hammer cocks and creaking strings echoed across the rooftops and windows. Dotting various windows, various firearm and bow carrying Sororitas maidens kneeled as their sights rested upon various gangers. Their silhouettes remained hidden within their covered positions along numerous windows adding further escalation towards the conflict.

“We're short on time Bastien and this little charade proves more than tiring,” Eugenia answered as she offered an arm towards the sky, “I took liberties towards evening the odds and you would do well to take your leave. Of course, should you move another inch, a man shall fall for every second we stand our ground. You [i]do[/i] wish to live another day, don't you? Or are men so thick headed they can't simply rationalize beyond their cocks?”

“Said from King Lothair's favored courtesan 'fore he ate the knife,” the ganger retored, “Oh, oui! I may 'ave scars but I aren't [i]that[/i] thick 'eaded. How often did you suck hees cock 'fore that scoundrel Lothair met 'ees end? That's how [i]all[/i] you whores earned a living 'fore the regent's coming, no? S'why you now live while everyone else starves?”

“Oh don't unleash your own failings upon the Order's reputation. At least the Order has cause! Virtue! And what has your life merited? Do you believe your pathetic criminalities are any more significant than the imposing fangs of a snarling animal?”

Further chuckles flittered through the Sororitas lines as they retained their disciplined spear and shield walls. Quivering, the young adolescent girl crawled along the streets before her hands enclosed upon the renegade pistol laying near the motionless Vauqelin's arm. As she slowly retrieved the firearm, a hand tapped her shoulder and upon glancing upwards, found her gaze matching the Grand Master's quick glance. Winking, Eugenia smiled before shooting her venomous glare back in the ganger's direction. 

“Bien! Qu'est ce que tu en penses, Grand Maître?! You don't suppose the regent's gold 'as anything to do weeth thes, no? Oh, that's right! You never lived a day out here in commons 'ave you? Don't suppose you know 'ow t'beg in the gutter or live off mangled rat stock? Wouldn't 'appen to find any work t'be done 'round this part oof they city? No, I didn't theenk so! You let us know when you've found another trade and in the mean time, we'll keep crackin' skulls for a livin'! [i]Isn't that right, boys?![/i]” 

“Milady, we have clear shots on the lead man,” whispered one crossbow armed Baliff, “Give us the word and our arrows will end his tormented presence.”

“You are to reserve your triggers, Sister Sayyida,” Eugenia quietly answered, “We need not desecrate our Augurian principles or the creed with which this Order follows. Even Yadin-Hamon and Athirat offers redemption and we would do well to avert needless bloodshed!” 

Snickering, Grand Master Eugenia cleared her throat before voicing, “If your survival involves preying on others, I fear your own problems aren't simply confined towards financial shortcomings. You should know that even [i]criminals[/i] have their limits, Bastien, and that the legalities under Lothair would at least have avenged your death. I fear the the regent sovereign does not care whether you live or die; only that you carry his will.”

“Spoken like a true Delacroix lover. We all know [i]exactly[/i] what's to happen t'bleeding 'eart Le Delacroix sympathizers, don't we boys?! The Lord Regent knows. He is, after all, alive while your precious Lothair rots in a silver cauld...”

“Speak his name again and I've legal authority to your open skull,” Eugenia answered flatly, unveiling a fully loaded pistol before levelling the sights towards his head, “These glaring murders have disturbed the city's peace and perversely warranted outright murder against the regent's authority.” 

Pivoting, the Grand Master swept an armored hand towards the dagger carrying woman and shouted, “Sister Maria! By authority of his excellence, the Crown Regent and Sovereign over Valania, I command you to seize this murderous leacher for crimes against the crown. Get her out of my sights and throw her to the pits. Lady Saelova, Isolde, and Christiana! Take these girls to the citadel for questioning before we find more caskets ...”