[center][h3]P R O L O G U E [/h3][/center] [hr] [center] [i][b] The Heavenly Emperor [url=https://i.pinimg.com/originals/5a/e9/3e/5ae93ec92452d1f1d590e4d93c0bf4dc.jpg]Zur-Han, the old imperial Palace[/url] [/b][/i] [/center] [hr] The monkey picked up his sugary fruites directly from the hands of the emperor himself, in a way that always amused the little boy. Giggling with joy, he watched the animal scuttle away from him, before chewing on the red meat of berry, carefully eyeing the son of heaven, as he sat on the marble floor. [b]"You want some more, my little friend?"[/b] Reaching below his silk robes, he produced another berry, before holding it towards the monkey. With a cry of joy, the animal reached out, but this time, the emperor was fast enough. Pulling the berry back, he broke out into laughter over the angry face that the small monkey made, rolling onto his back, before slowly sitting back up. The monkey still stared at him, now with a face that looked sadly at him. For a few moments, the emperor looked at the monkey, before he was reminded of the chain around his neck. The animal was a prisoner in this room, chained to his own amusement, a gift from the wise uncle Sukh, to keep him company in his own cage, that were the royal quaters inside the palace. [b]"I am sorry, little friend. I didnt mean to hurt you by my thoughtless actions."[/b] The emperor slowly reached out, this time truly giving the berry to the animal. Seeing him devour the fruit once more filled the young boy with a strange happiness. [b]"Uncle Sukh says, that the war soon will be won. Then, i can show you my empire. The servants told me so much about it. First i am going to visit the sea. Did you knew that there are cities that have a hundred multiplied by a hundred people in them? Even more! Millions of people. I cant wait to see them all."[/b] The emperor slowly moved his hand, trying to reach for the monkeys head, but the animal screamed at him, before quickly rushing back onto the crude imitation of a tree, made from wood, jade and gold. A sad sigh left the mouth of the monarch, as he slowly rose from the ground, before bowing before the animal. [b]"Good night, dear friend. I hope, i can bring you more sweets tomorrow." [/b] [hr] [center][h3]T H E R U I N E S O F A N E M P I R E [/h3][/center] [hr] [quote][i]"To uphold the law, does not simply require submission to its demands. True obedience to the law, means the total acceptance of a new truth, which is the eternal authority of the almighty law. And if the law states a falsehood, its nature, shall make its a truth!" [/i][/quote] [sub] Baskya Hana "Ethics of Enlightened Legalism"[/sub] [center] [i][b] White Shirt Han Southern bank of the Laugan River, Delsai - Last Day of the Nationalist Delsai Offensive 200 Miles north of Zur-Han [/b][/i] [/center] [hr] Even in the freezing cold of the water, Han knew that it was a body that his feet were stepping on. The water was around his chest, roaring and furious. The river had become a beast awoken, a monster of ancient days, eager to sate its hunger on the small ships that had dared to try to cross it in the middle of the night. But there was no darkness, for fire and fury had brought the day back onto the world, as shells from the other bank ignited in the sky, falling down like meteors, basking the world into a yellow dim, that mixed with the red of the fire, the white of the snow and the burning fires of the flamethrowers. Han did not know, how he did not drown, in his attempt to reach the bank. Cold water, mixed with mud and blood filled his throat, as his hand digged into the wet clay of the other side, he himself remaining blind, deaf and disoriented. Stronger hands then his own grabbed him, tugging him out of the water, into an ice-cold day, before he felt a hot breath onto his face. His hands burned from the cold, as he tried to clean his face of the mud and blood, his belly emptying the cold water he had swallowed. Rolling he pressed his hands against his ears, slamming his fists against them, trying to regain some sense of hearing. Somewhere, very close to him, something terrible hot was shot from the water, onto the bank near him. Slowly, his ears regained their capability of hearing, only to hear the screams of the burning royalists, louder than anything else. Han was sure, that he once had a gun with him, but as he reached over his shoulder, he found nothing. Then, there were the hands again, pushing him down, but this time, Han could see a face with them. A Lavanki, shouting words that he did not understand, before dragging him forward. Han had no choice but to stumble forwards, pulled on by the still shouting soldier. It was an eternity, that Han felt he half-stumbled, half was dragged onto the bank. Then, finally he was pushed down a small slope, into what looked like the remains of a trench. Once more, he spat out water, before finally being able to raise his head. Turning, he looked back onto the river, in awe of the spectacle that unfolded on it. The other side was bleeding men onto small boats, rafts and all kinds of vehicles, attempting to cross the roaring river. What had planned to be a well organized surprise attack, was unfolding as pure chaos, as shells and machinegun fire was still being poured from the other side, the side Han and his Lavankian companion were now on. The whole scene unfolded strangely distantly and Han was almost unable to take his eyes from it. Turning, he saw the Lavanki leaning against the wall, trying to reload his rifle with shivering fingers. [b]"Where are the rest? I am Whiteshirt Han from the 23th company of glorious liberation! Where is the combat line?"[/b] The Lavanki tilted his head, before croaking out another swarm of words, which Han could make no sense off. Cursing his luck, the White-Shirt looked around, before realizing, that the two must have already made it into the enemy lines. A lucky shell, must have cleared off this section of the trench, allowing the two of them to slip into it. It seemed like the Lavanki had reached the same conclusion, as the two suddenly heard shouts coming from the side. In turning, they could see the royalists coming their way. Without a second thought, Han turned to the side. Gesturing to the Lavanki to follow him, the first resounded loudly in the narrow trench, as the Lavanki´s shoulder was turned into a red mist. Dropping his rifle, Han reached for it, yet the high-pitched scream of a woman made him look up, as he saw her charge at him with a lowered bayonet. He picked up the gun, no time to put a bullet in, but instead he used it like a club, to meet the charging woman. The Minga was upon him in seconds, stabbing at his chest with a blade that glittered sharply in the light of the trail of the artillery shells and the flamethrowers. For the second time, in less than ten minutes, Han was fighting for his life, evading the sharp steel, while the woman shouted blue murder from the top of her lungs. An explosion near the trench tossed both from their feet, yet Han lacked the strength to get up in time. Coughing and shivering, he stared up at the Minga woman, her long braid hanging down the back of her head, while the rifle was pointed right at him. Swallowing, Han felt his heart exploding in his chest, as he let out an groaning plea. [b]"Wait...please..wait."[/b] Then, a flash of light, the sound of an automatic weapon being unloaded at close range. The Minga fell in a way, that reminded Han of a crude parody of a dance. [b]"You, get that rifle and get up! You are attached to this combat unit, whiteshirt."[/b] Han stumbled back onto his feet, as he looked at the group of whiteshirts jumping down into the opening of the trench. Finally, he was able to collect his breath, before picking up the rifle from the dying hands of the minga. [b]"Unity above all! Onwards Brothers!"[/b] [hr]