Long ago, after the great war that tore the earth asunder and pushed mankind back into a primitive era of chaos and discord, the lands of Mizraea, which were already deserted wastelands where the sun shone so harshly, had only become an even worse barren wasteland after the war had finally concluded: their local temperatures would often fluctuate to incredibly high, inhospitable levels, and at night their lands would often become an ice-cold hell where not even the most resilient, temperature resistant organisms could survive in such terrible conditions.
However, the people of Mizraea, or at least, the remaining ones who managed to survive the disastrous conflict, would be forced to do everything they could to ensure their continued existence, and luckily for them however, unlike most of the other nations that had been torn apart and flung back to the stone-age by the devastating war, the Mizraeans managed to retain most of their archives of knowledge and sciences, and as such they were able to maintain, and even steadily improve their current technological levels to even greater heights as decades passed by.
And because of this, hundreds of years later, the seeds of labour that the Mizraean predecessors planted for the next generations would eventually bear fruit, and the Mizraean Dynastium, an empire that, through the sheer necessity of survival, successfully managed to turn the scorching sand dunes of the Saharus Desert into their lush, wondrous homeland– its civilization relied on the Naelah River as its one and only source of life, a sacred body of water that flowed closely within the vicinity of its capital, Caira, and its people had always revered the river as a symbol of holiness. The empire itself however was incredibly unique compared to that of the other, currently existing empires on this planet they lived on...
Magi-tech, also known as magickal technology, a combination of both expertises that normally wouldn't have been able to coexist: the internal mechanisms of the Mizraean machines used the very energies of the radiant sun, converting it into a form of storable, magick power that they could use for a variety of purposes, the most important of which was to power the greedy, energy-hungry engines of their magick-driven technologies, to ensure the continued existence and prosperity of their glorious empire's existence.
In truth however, the Mizraean Dynastium had already managed to exist for 300 years, a legacy of long-lived power that was all in due thanks to their current leader, who had also been the one responsible for founding their empire in the first place, and her name was Empress Neferet Amenophis, a beautiful, charismatic woman who was incredibly talented in the domains of both science and magick and had extended her normally short, fleeting lifespan due to her brilliant expertise in both magick and science, and it was due to her reign that the Dynastium had managed to become the southern superpower it currently was.
There was one flaw that lied in the deceptive perfection of the Dynastium's existence however, and it was their isolationist policies of minimal contact with their neighbors, as the empress forbade her subjects from communicating and travelling to the other nations, most likely out of fear of their advanced knowledges being exploited and stolen by the other countries, and perhaps even being turned against them in the future...
They held true to their isolationist stance, and in fact, one of the only few times they had chosen to communicate with the other nations, was when they temporarily formed an alliance with the forces of the Neugomian Empire to quell the united expansionist advances of the Tikonglomeran Tribes: this was all in the past however, and by now, many years have passed by since then, and only a few of the warriors who witnessed this unlikely alliance have managed to live until now.
It was due to their isolationist policies however, that the Dynastium's people have remained completely ignorant of the happenings of the outside world, as not even their wise, yet arrogant empress would be able to foresee the swift tide of unfortunate events that would sweep through their lands in the span of only a few days...
...
...
"Hmm... I never expected you to be this... Cute, was that the right term? You're like the more cheery, outgoing version of Whitlea… Well, then again, I was the one who made it that way."
"Well, milady... I completely have no idea what you're talking about, so... I'll just take it as a compliment~"
The morning sunlight dawned upon their faces, as both of them emerged from the gateway behind them, a portal formed by one of Thurien's mass-transportation gateway translocators, and in front of them was a barren desert leading towards a massive body of azure waters– in truth, both Anastasia and Speranza found themselves in front of the Crimson Sea, and although the gateway was supposed to have brought them within the vicinity of the Mizraean Dynastium's capital, the device had instead brought them somewhere a bit too far from the desired location. Perhaps it was due to the device not having been used in this area of the world before, or perhaps it was due to some other error… In the end, both of them couldn't be certain, though regardless, they would still seek to fulfill the task they needed to do, the reason as to why they came here in the first place...
"996... 997... 998... 999... Ah, and 1000. They've arrived complete in number, milady, none of them were accidentally brought somewhere else, thankfully."
"That's good, Speranza... Although, if one or more of them had actually been lost... You do know that I could have just made new ones with my power, right?"
With her dutiful nature and quick, enhanced thinking that was completely unlike that of a normal, human maid's, Speranza would successfully count the number of robotic soldiers they brought along with them for this venture, and fortunately, they had all arrived in complete number, and none of them were affected by the mistake of the gateway's function. It was a useless, yet quirky gesture though, since Anastasia could easily restore any of their losses with a meagre portion of her power to influence reality, yet she still found it quite adorable how Speranza had chosen to do such a ridiculously tedious thing.
"A-Ah... Well... Please pay no heed to what I just did~" Speranza stuttered a bit as she slightly looked down due to her embarrassment. "I apologize for doing something so useless..."
Anastasia would simply giggle as she gave her a light pat on her head. "Hahaha, don't worry, dear. I found that quite adorable... You remind me of Novus when he was little... He was always so focused on the things we did to spend time together. He was quite the dutiful little child, just like how you were counting all the constructs we brought with us."
At first glance, bringing along the 1,000-strong contingent of combat androids behind them seemed to be a useless endeavour since both of them were already incredibly strong by themselves– in reality though, it was a part of the plan that 'Whitlea' discussed with her when she died and went to that pitch-black realm, and although it seemed nonsensical at first, Anastasia had already understood the full intricacies that lied within its multi-faceted layers of complexity...
The plan was simple: after bringing Novus to her realm, Anastasia was supposed to pay a visit to the lands of Mizraea, a land of magick and science whose people have managed to thrive in the desert wastelands of their nation, and even the dragoness couldn't help but feel impressed with how resilient these people of the south truly were.
The purpose for such a visit was the most important goal she currently had in mind though: according to what 'Whitlea' told her during the short meeting they had before her successful 'recovery', there was the presence of dragons lurking in the prosperous nation's lands, specifically right at the very heart of the Dynastium's heart, the capital itself where their empress currently resided, and she also told her that she had to deal with them in whatever way she saw fit. Though it was going to be an incredibly difficult task to deal with those repugnant, secretive creatures, Anastasia's immense hatred for those magickal abominations was the only source of motivation she needed to persevere through the difficulties.
As for why they brought along the large force of automata behind them? They were bringing along something useful with them; potent weapons that were capable of inflicting chaos effectively, which perfectly fit the plans that Anastasia needed to set into motion...
"Hmm, speaking of Novus... I have a rather... Interesting question for you, Speranza."
In response, the white-haired maid made a light bow as she asked curiously. "But of course, milady. What may your question be, I wonder?"
"... What do you think of Novus? Do you see him as a good friend? Or perhaps a... Love-interest, similar to how your sister sees him?"
"...Hmph, I know what you're implying, milady~ But, to answer your question... Nope~ I don't see him as a love-interest at all." this time, Speranza would respond by crossing her arms, a cute, small pout forming on her face as she did, which made Anastasia chuckle a bit as she saw this. "In fact, I actually see him more as a father figure to me... For some reason, it feels like he's an old man who's lived a completely different life other than the one he's currently in, and I feel like I'm more of his daughter than anything else..."
"... You're not aware, are you? Hasn't Whitlea told you yet?"
"Hm? What are you talking about, milady? Am I perhaps not aware of something important about master?"
"... Ahem. Nevermind about that. Anyway..." Anastasia quietly sighed in relief as she quickly dismissed the maid's question, which caused Speranza to slightly narrow her eyes in suspicion. "About Novus' sister... The one named 'Aldyth', correct? I heard Thurien gave her some weapons to help her lead an army for some ork incursion..."
"Hm~ I may know what you're thinking, milady." Speranza replied while raising her index finger upwards. "Are you perhaps worried that this will probably lead to backfiring on us in the future?"
"Well, part of that is the reason..."
"Ah, not to worry, milady, this was actually a plan that my sister made, so I'm incredibly well-versed in it." Speranza began explaining rather eagerly. "You see, since master seems to be really dead-set on conquering the world for some reason, Whitlea's decided to kickstart a new development by slowly building up an army that can support his dreams in the future, so..."
A realisation quickly formed in her mind as she heard that. "Ah, I understand it now... So that was merely a field test... To see how well the soldiers can perform with the weapons they gave them, and to test the limits of their obedience?"
"Exactly, milady~ My sister plans to mould the empire's soldiers into the perfect little servants for master's ambitions, and master's sister will be the mascot, or rather, the hero who will motivationally guide them into their new roles." Speranza explained even further. "I find it quite boring though, since it's such a slow and gradual approach. My sister really loves making these kinds of complicated plans..."
"I see, that's actually quite the detailed plan she has... Although... Didn't Novus' sister nearly die after that battle she led?"
"Well, to be fair, she did jump into a gateway and nearly wipe out an entire army of 400,000 orks by herself... It's quite the impressive feat, even for someone as strong as myself~" Speranza replied. "Currently though, she's recovering within a stasis pod in Miss Thurien's castle. Hopefully she'll be able to make a full recovery within a week."
"Well, that's good, I suppose. I sincerely hope she manages to recover soon." Anastasia said. "Though, I suppose we should get going now. We've been talking to each other for long enough, and I think it's time to move."
"I suppose we should, milady, although... I Don't think there's any need to rush though? You did say a while ago that we should take our time to be careful as much as possible."
A small grin then formed on the dragoness' face. "Hm, we'll be taking our time then. Since we have a lot of time to spare, however..."
"...?"
"... Haah, I haven't been able to move this much in a long time. Now that I don't have that crippling wound on my chest and heart... Would you like me to display the full extent of my powers, Speranza?"
Now that was a rather surprising remark... Speranza had indeed heard of Anastasia's incredible power from Whitlea, as she was apparently capable of influencing reality itself by merely uttering a few words from her mouth– now that she was about to do it in front of her though, it brought a bit of excitement within her synthetic mind, and the white-haired maid couldn't help but smile in complete glee as she responded to her question.
"Please do so then, milady~ I'd love to see how strong you are~"
"Alright then... Don't take your eyes off from what I'm about to do, okay?"
Anastasia's eyes began lighting up with an orange radiance as she uttered a few words, which quickly reached the maid's ears as the effects of her powers materialised without fail in an instant...
[Part thine waters into two.]
The massive body of water before them would rise into the air, its waters parting ways and splitting into 2 halves, leaving a sizable gap of dry land between them, a space where even a large army could cross through and make their way to the other side of the waters– what was even more impressive was how the waters remained parted due to her single command, and although she was only using a small, insignificant portion of her ability just now, it was still a testament to how powerful Anastasia was when she was at her full potential.
"Let's go then, my power will be able to keep them split long enough. Let's continue our little chat while we walk."
"If I may ask though, milady... Why didn't we just calibrate the gateway to bring us to their capital directly? Doing that would have made things easier, in my opinion."
"And teleport us to a place we aren't completely familiar with? A bold, but dangerous move, dear. It would be more viable for us to march there instead, since we'll at least be able to observe their capital from afar if there are any dangers." Anastasia explained briefly.
"Now let's go. I think it'll be a fun little stroll for the both of us..."
________________________________________
It was a chillingly cold night time, and the pale shine of the moon lit the dark space of the sickly woman's lofty bedroom, and as the girl lied down on the soft embrace of her bed, her mother would sit on the chair beside her, her face full of worry and concern, which was completely unlike the normally cold expression of her face when she was out in public.
"... How are you doing, sweetie...? The physicians said that you got a bit more sick recently."
"... I'm... My head hurts more than usual... My body feels so weak, I'm even having trouble with breathing sometimes..."
The name of the young woman resting on the bed was Neferet Amunet, the first and only child of the Dynastium's sole empress, and it was 2 months ago when she had first gotten sick from the terrible, arcane-borne illness that was currently plaguing her body– the sickness would push her near death's door in a few, yet notable amount of times, and it continued to drive the empress into a further state of ever-growing concern and distress, as not even the medical magicks and sciences that were available to her could cure her child from her mysteriously resilient disease.
"... I-I'm sorry, sweetie... It's all my fault... All those spells and medications I used to try and make you better... They aren't working at all..."
"Don't blame yourself, mom. It's not your fault..."
The entire situation was a complete and ever-present moment of despair within Amenophis' life: to think that she, the wise and powerful leader of the Mizraean Dynastium, an empire that even the other nations of the continent dared not to rouse its fury, would be completely helpless against the illness that was tormenting her child every day without respite... It was a tortuous experience that the empress couldn't do anything to find a solution for it, as the only thing she could do was to try and make her miserable, yet beloved child's life as comfortable as she could possibly make it be...
Amenophis loved her daughter after all, and it was only Amunet who truly mattered the most in her life: although she did value the lives of her empire's subjects and its subordinates, she would gladly sacrifice all of them if it meant saving her child, because Amunet was the one and only remaining connection she had to the man she once loved in the past.
Her beloved was a warrior named Aamon, once a high-ranking, greatly-trusted general of the Dynastium who loyally served Amenophis as her right-hand man and husband, though unfortunately, after the empress gave birth to the child they lovingly sired and gave life to, as Amenophis awaited her beloved's return from the battle he had to partake in to ensure the empire's safety, instead of him returning safely and in one piece, it was only a terrible news that would reach the empress' ears, and it came in the form of a messenger and several soldiers returning the weapons and armour of the man she had completely opened her heart to...
Aamon, the one and only man she loved so deeply throughout the years, had perished in the battle against the savage brutes of the Tikonglomeran Tribes, a terrible conflict where they momentarily formed an alliance with the Neugomian Empire to finally put a stop to their warmongering ambitions… Not even a piece of his body would return to his wife after his death, as he had been reduced to ashes by a powerful magick that burnt him away into soot, and the only things that his men could recover from him were the armour and weapon he used in battle.
Many have forgotten about the events of that terrible war since then, as it had been more than 20 years after the war finally reached its conclusion, yet despite that, Amenophis had never forgotten a single bit about that horrible conflict– it was the reason why she refused to form an alliance with the Tikonglomerans in order to prepare for the newly-risen threats from the north who managed to subjugate the Neugomian Empire, as the death of her husband by their hands had forever caused the empress to view them as nothing more than irredeemable savages, and there was nothing else that would convince her to let go of her undying hate for them.
"... By the way... While I appreciate how much you're caring for me... My head's starting to hurt again, mom... My surroundings feel so dizzy, it's like everything is spinning around me..."
"... Is that so, dear? I think you're going to have to sleep for a while again..." Hearing what her daughter said, Amenophis quickly stood up from her chair and placed her hand to feel the temperature of Amunet's forehead: as expected though, it was incredibly hot to her sense of touch, and it was apparent that she needed to rest for a little while longer.
"I don't know... Should I really? I've been asleep for so long already..."
"None of the medications I gave you are working... Even my healing magicks aren't doing their job either, so the best option we have for you is to just sleep it off..." the empress explained patiently. "If you really can't though, just ask me for help, I'll try to put you to sleep with a spell of mine. It's better than feeling all that bothersome pain while you're awake, right...?"
"Well... I am starting to feel a bit sleepy, but... Fine, I'll try to rest, if that's what you need me to do. Don't worry mother, I'll eventually get well soon from this, you'll see."
A quick, yet evidently-somber chuckle came from Amenophis' lips. "Of course you will, dear. However, before you close your eyes..." Amenophis paused, as she would then lightly place her hand upon her daughter's shoulder. "You've eaten already, right..? Your body needs nutrients to fight off that illness you're feeling, so we can't afford you to skip your meals..."
"Of course I did. You're the one who fed me a while ago... Did you forget?"
Yes, she could vividly remember that she did it... How could she have forgotten? There were many things running through the mind of the empress right now, and the ever-growing fear and worry sprouting in her heart continued to bother her without end. Could it be that she...?
"... Are you worried too much, mother?"
Amenophis quickly snapped from her temporary distraction of inner thoughts. "... A-ah... Well... I guess I am, sweetie. But... What kind of mother wouldn't be...? 3 days ago, if I hadn't used my magicks to lower the heat of your fever by force, you definitely would've died back then..."
"Well... I suppose you're right. I really should be resting again, huh..."
"Yes, sweetie. Now please... Since you've eaten already, it's best for you to close your eyes and rest for a while." Amenophis uttered with a stern, yet gentle and motherly tone at the same time. "I'll stay for a while... I'll be here with you until you fall asleep..."
"Alright then, mother... I'll be sleeping for a while then..."
"Would you like me to use a sleeping spell to make it easier, dear?"
"No need for that... I think I can fall asleep by myself this time..."
The young woman closed her eyes, and due to the fatigue of her weakened body, she would find no difficulty in slowly falling asleep, her consciousness quickly fading away as her eyes eventually firmly shut their lids, all while Amenophis returned to her chair and waited patiently for her daughter to fall asleep– she was incredibly concerned for her well-being, and even though there was nothing she could do to alleviate Amunet's sickness, she would at least try to take care of her for as much as she could.
"..."
"... There we go, now rest your weary body, sweetie..." Amenophis whispered quietly. "... Please get well soon... Don't die on me... I don't want to lose someone important to me again..."
The empress slowly stood up from her chair again, as she would once more gently place the palm of her hand to feel the fluctuating heat of her daughter's body temperature... Was there truly nothing else she could do other than to wait for her to recover from her dreadful illness? It was such a hopeless situation, and if only there was a way she could save her child from the anguish she was feeling...
Suddenly though, as her eyes worriedly observed her daughter's resting, unconscious body, a few knocks would come from the golden, regal door behind her.
KNOCK... KNOCK... KNOCK... KNOCK...
"... What is it? You may enter at once."
Upon her confirmation, a warrior adorned in golden armour entered the room and quickly knelt before her without hesitation; it was one of Amenophis' royal guards, the highest ranking warriors among the Dynastium's soldiers, whose only purpose was to safeguard the empress' life as well as that of her only family member, her daughter Amunet... If one of them had actually dared to disturb her in such a grievous and terrible time to interrupt, then surely the man must bear some sort of important news?
"Speak. Do not waste my time." as she spoke, her voice shifted into the cold, authoritative tone she usually used. "I am here to comfort my sick daughter, and I do not want to waste my attention on lesser matters."
The guard humbly lowered his head. "Forgive me, your majesty, however... The news I bear with me is something that is of utmost importance."
"... Sigh... What is it then? Did some foreign nation send some delegates? Didn't I tell you lot to simply dismiss them away whenever they-"
"N-no, your majesty... It's someone who's incredibly important. She's requesting a meeting with you, and it would be most advisable for you to listen to her request."
A frown formed on the empress' face... While she was known for being arrogant and a bit haughty, Amenophis was also incredibly wise and could see into the bigger pictures of seemingly insignificant scenarios– who was this important figure that the guard was talking about, and why did his face have a slight look of fear when he spoke of this individual?
"... Who is this important one you're talking about then? If it's those loathsome martialist envoys from the east, then don't bother. Dismiss them at once and make them leave postehaste."
"... Actually, your majesty... It's the western dragon... That monstrosity who takes on the form of a human woman." the soldier replied, the fear in his tone completely evident. "She's come here with one of her servants, as well as an army of automata that they left just outside the capital's walls... She said she wants to meet you as soon as possible, your majesty."
Her eyes would widen as she heard what he said, as Amenophis was all too familiar with that monstrous being who held a power that transcended even her own ability over the concept of time: they'd met each other in the past after all, and that woman was the reason why she was so well-versed when it came to the likes of science...
Why had she suddenly decided to pay a visit, now of all times? There was no reason for her to do so anyway, unless it involved that small argument they had in the past... The reason why they decided to part ways from their temporary relationship as mentor and student.
"... Very well then. I'll meet with her at once. If that woman decided to come here herself, then the reason behind her visit must be truly important..."
...
...
The situation quickly became tense as the 2 of them met each other face to face– 2 figures who held a respectable degree of authority and power, with the empress sitting on her golden throne as Anastasia stood in front of her with Speranza by her side.
"... It's been a long time since we've last met... Miss Anastasia..."
"Hm, I suppose it has, Amie... Has it been a few decades since then?"
The 2 quickly exchanged only a meagre sum of words, and yet most of the people within the throne room could already tell how tight the tension was becoming: it was evident that there was a mutual dislike that both of the women had for each other, and fear struck their very hearts due to the possibility of a sudden battle occurring right at this very moment.
Fortunately though, both of them were incredibly logical individuals who preferred reasoning as their way of communication, and the throne room wouldn't be torn asunder by the chaotic battle that would ensue if both sides chose to duke it out with everything they had.
"I must say... I didn't think that you'd actually reach this far by combining the filth of arcana with the beauty of technology..." Anastasia pondered as she placed one of her hands on her chin. "Tell me, have you finished that little project you had in the past? That staff that could allow you to fiddle with time like a toy?"
"Indeed I have, it's the golden stave that I'm holding right now." Amenophis flaunted a bit as she slightly raised the staff she held with her right hand. "... I never understood why you hate magick so much... Combine it with technology, and the results become incredibly unprecedented... Then again, you were always so close-minded when it came to new ideas, hm?"
An annoyed expression visibly formed on the dragoness' eyes; magick... yes, she hated the very concept of its existence, and it was like an anathema that brought a sense of disgust within her heart whenever she heard of it with her own 2 ears.
"Magick is an abomination, a disgusting, fetid stain of shit that no human on this planet should ever wield. It's a force of chaos that doesn't belong to this world." Anastasia snapped back, the memories of the past coming back to haunt her as she shouted. "It's the reason why humanity regressed into this pathetic age of primitivity... Once, we had the potential to reach for the stars, now look at what it's become... Nothing more than monkeys who desperately cling onto the very force that destroyed its golden age..."
"... There are some things we can't change, and the past is no exception." Amenophis reasoned. "However, what we can do is to adapt to the current changes that've beset us. For the sake of my people's survival, I chose to rely on the arcane power of magick, and it has brought an unending age of prosperity to my nation."
"What about you? You say that we mustn't rely on the likes of magick, but you haven't done anything to do about it yourself?" the empress followed up. "With the vast knowledge you have, you could've changed the entire world and slowly restored it to that so-called 'golden age of the past' you've always bragged about."
"But I did do something... Lots of things, actually." Anastasia argued. "When I met you and your helpless people, I gave you the knowledge and materials you needed to rise from the depths of your suffering. Now look at you lot; you've become a nation that not even those arrogant fools from the empire could match... It's a shame that you had to turn your back on me by using that filth..."
"... Sigh... Why do you even think I betrayed you? Why must you remain so adamant in being against magick?"
Hearing this, Anastasia simply scoffed in response. "I've lived for hundreds of years, quietly observing the outside world with my watchful gaze, and I've seen countless people like you who sought to control the chaotic energies of the arcana... Lo and behold, all of them ended up being twisted by their own efforts, each of them reduced to monsters who no longer resembled what they once were."
The dragoness then pointed her index finger towards the empress, almost as if she was heavily emphasising something.
"The same will eventually happen to you if you keep using its unpredictable power. It's not something that's meant to be controlled." Anastasia mentioned sternly. "Even if you try to understand it with the principles of science and combine it with the essences of technology, you will end up being unable to control its power and meet a fate that's worse than death... And it won't come from my hands, most assuredly."
"... Enough of our useless bantering. Let's just proceed with the most important topic at hand..." seeing that their previous conversation was going nowhere, Amenophis would instead choose to get straight to the point. "Why did you come here? What's the exact reason for your decision to visit us all of a sudden?"
"Ah, about that... Hm, I suppose I'll just say it right here and now, hm?"
Anastasia took a moment to pause for a while, as she would then bluntly state the exact purpose of her arrival...
"There have been rumors that there are dragons hiding away in your capital, abominations of a magickal kind that are completely unlike my artificial, scientific self." Anastasia said rather bluntly. "Because of this... I have an incredibly bold request that I want you to fulfill. I strongly believe that it'll make things easier for me to deal with the main issue at hand, so..."
"...?"
"You see, my son has this terribly big dream. To make my little investigation duty easier while helping my child in achieving his ambitions..." Anastasia continued. "I would like your nation to submit to us... Of course, I'll be using force if it's proven to be necessary."
"... What the hell did you just say?"
"Well, to start off... My child has this ridiculous desire to conquer the world, and I came here to make it easier for him to achieve this." Anastasia continued. "It was through his leadership that those fools of the Neugomian Empire were finally humbled, so I believe that he has a rather good shot at achieving his dream..."
"And so, by making your nation submit, I'll be able to help him get one step closer to his ultimate goal, and it'll make it easier for me to rid this world of those verminous abominations. It would be like striking down... Ahem, 2 birds in one stone... Was that how they used to say it back in my day?"
"..."
Of course, it didn't take long for Amenophis to become baffled, and eventually, completely enraged by such an outlandish statement... How dare this woman, who had come out of nowhere all of a sudden, try to tell her to do such an unimaginably ridiculous request? Had she gone insane after all the hundreds of years that passed by? And who exactly was this son she mentioned just now? That cold monster of a woman who normally kept to herself... Did she actually manage to sire a child who she truly cared about?
"... Obviously, I won't do such a preposterous thing... First of all, those rumours you've heard are completely false, I swear that on my own honour as an empress. I also understand that you love that son of yours, and that you'll do anything to make his ambitions come true. I am a mother myself after all, and I'd do anything to make that naive daughter of mine live a happy life..."
"However..." Amenophis trailed off with a heavy hint of seething anger in her voice.
"...?"
"That doesn't give you the right to act all high and mighty. Have you perhaps gone senile already, you old hag?"
"... Ahaha, don't call me old when you're quite the aged woman yourself~"
The tension in the room immediately became worse... The royal guards in the throne room tensed up greatly in incredible fear, and even Speranza found herself worried for her own safety as the 2 stared fiercely into each other's eyes... Would their argument eventually escalate into an all-out battle that would see the throne room destroyed and everyone within the vicinity caught dead by the resulting chaos? Surely, that wouldn't be the case, since many lives would be lost if the 2 were to fight each other with all their might all of a sudden...
... Thankfully though, it was Anastasia who would first relent from their tense showdown, as her face would return to a calm, neutral expression as she began to speak once more.
"... Well, I was expecting this kind of reaction from you anyway. What kind of ruler would relent after being requested by someone to surrender all of a sudden?"
"You... I'm beginning to wonder if that was simply an attempt to rile me up... What exactly are you planning?"
"Oh, don't worry. I actually do want to fight you here and now, but that would cause too many unnecessary losses to the both of us, and neither you nor I would actually want that to happen, right?"
A quick realisation would dawn on the empress, as she then immediately began calming down as well. "... Well... I suppose you do have a point. Although... Ahahaha, I can see it now... You were merely testing to see how strong my resolve is, huh? How dare you try to probe me for any weaknesses, you senile old hag..."
"It's good that you caught on so quickly, it would've been so dull otherwise."
Another tense silence befell the room, as the 2 strongest people in the room would once more stare at each other with their sharp gazes, making every other person within their vicinity feel a great fear for their lives... It was as if a violent storm was about to materialise at any moment, and the only thing they could do was to watch it transpire before their very eyes...
"... Well, since asking you nicely didn't work, and since using force right now won't do me any good either... I'll be taking my leave for now... But that doesn't mean we're done here." Anastasia would relent once more, much to the surprise of the Dynastium empress. "This battle hasn't ended yet... It's only just begun, and my plan to defeat you has already begun its first steps."
"Hm? You were so confident a while ago? What made you lose it all just now?"
"Oh, I didn't lose my confidence at all. Like I said... Fighting you here would be pointless. I only came here to try settling this matter peacefully in one go... Of course, if you want to fight, I'll gladly oblige, but... Unless you want everything within your capital city to be destroyed, then don't, since our battle will most likely result in that outcome." she shot back confidently. "And besides, I don't need to fight you directly to defeat you. I have countless other ways to do so..."
"Hmph. Take your leave and try your best then. I assure you however, you'll have a great difficulty in trying to escape from here, and you'll never be able to make me submit, no matter what."
"Hahaha... Let's see then, shall we?" Anastasia uttered with a grin as she turned around and prepared to leave with Speranza by her side. "Farewell for now... Do take note that you'll be defeated eventually, and the victor will definitely be me."
A blinding series of white lights would radiantly light up the throne room's massive space all of a sudden, and as it disappeared just as quickly as it had materialised, both Anastasia and the white-haired maid to her left were nowhere to be seen anymore, as they had taken the time to leave the chambers as the dazzling lights filled up the room...
"... And here I was expecting to get some more answers out of that old coot."
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Thanks to the dragoness' power, the 2 of them would safely manage to be brought outside of the Dynastium's capital, and they found themselves at a place that was right near the Naelah River, where their army of automations stood by while awaiting their return.
"... I must admit, it nearly went out of control back there. I apologise for nearly taking things too far, Speranza. That must've worried you quite a lot."
The maid would quickly reply, relieved to be no longer under the stress of the previously oncoming disaster that was about to erupt. "I-It worried me quite a lot, milady, but... Was it truly necessary for you to rile her up that much?"
"I wasn't actually trying to annoy her or anything. I initially had my suspicions that she was colluding with the dragons we came here for." Anastasia began to explain. "However, after talking to her for that long... No, I don't think she is. Since I'm a dragon myself, I can practically smell the taint of those abominations, as well as the filthy touch they leave on the humans they conspire with. It's safe to say that she's safe... She's probably not even aware herself that those creatures are infesting the capital."
"I see... Although, what do we do now? How are we going to make them comply with the demands you made?"
"Simple, dear. Very, very simple." Anastasia responded. "Have you ever read the Bible? Specifically the book of Exodus? Ah, I suppose you haven't, given how incredibly young you are by technicality..."
"Actually, milady, I'm aware of what that book is, though I'm not entirely knowledgeable about its contents. May I know what it has to do with what we have to do right now?"
Dim, orange radiances began illuminating from the irises of her unnatural eyes, as the dragoness slowly walked towards the streaming river near to them. "As much as possible, I'd want to avoid any direct battles, since I'd also prefer not to sustain too many losses ourselves... Therefore, we'll be fighting them indirectly instead."
"... Uhm... May you please elaborate further, milady?"
"I'll use my power to send some 'calamities' into their lands... Hm, I guess the word 'plagues' would fit them much better." the dragoness uttered as she knelt towards the river and lightly dipped her index finger into the streaming waters. "I'll start off with something simple... Then it'll cascade into a series of disasters that'll definitely force them on their knees."
[May the rivers turn themselves into a flowing stream of crimson ichor.]
With only a few short words that came out of her lips, the waters of the Naelah River rapidly shifted their very chemical and physical compositions, an impossibility that never would have taken place if it weren't for Anastasia's power: in only a few seconds, the water would be turned into a flowing stream of blood, and it would merely be the first among the many disasters that would sweep through Mizraea's lands like an unstoppable plague...
...
...
There came nine days of chaos that tormented Mizraea and forced its people to their very knees, and in those days arrived disasters that none could have foretold of their advent...
In the earliest dawn of the first day's beginning, the flowing waters of Naelah turned into crimson blood, a disaster that poisoned the fish and turned their once holy symbol of life into a vile, blasphemed pool of poison and death– the water had become undrinkable due to its intolerable stench, and their mages did their best to restore the river back to its normal form, yet whatever effort they attempted ultimately resorted to nothing, and thus the Mizraeans found themselves unable to satisfy the rising thirst that slowly built up within their throats.
In the dimmest evening of the second day came the next disaster that would soon erupt: the teeming numbers of the amphibians who once thrived within the river's waters, they could no longer live in peace in their toxified homes, and so they surged into the dry grounds of Caira's open lands, swarming into their houses, their beds, and ovens, and the Mizraeans found themselves unable to even rest upon the comforts of their pillows. Though they were eventually able to rid themselves of the swarming frogs, the other disasters that resulted from the river's contamination would prove even more difficult than the previous disasters that came before it.
Next came another catastrophe upon the arrival of the third day– the floating, sprawling corpses of the Naelah River's perished marine life became hideous breeding dens for countless maggots, and in only a few hours did they take to mature and wreak havoc throughout the air and skies, swarming into the Mizraean cities and biting upon their skins to feed on the freshness of their warm blood. There were too many of the insects for their magical technologies to sufficiently deal with, and because they had chosen to eradicate the amphibians that amassed into their cities, the Mizraeans would suffer immense difficulties in ridding themselves of the verminous pests.
Soon however, in the next day that followed, which was the fourth day, a new wave of infesting swarms came to bring further torment upon the pitiful Mizraeans: swarms of flies filled the skies with their endless numbers, each of which were born from the washed-up corpses of the Naelah similar to the gnats that came before them, and as they flew into the capital, their untold numbers blotted out the sun and filled their houses with their verminous, black bodies, which only drove the people into a further state of madness and despair.
And then came the plague of the fifth day; every livestock within the Dynastium's capital perished in anguish, as they had all fallen prey to the endless swarms of gnats that bit their hides and fed on their blood, which left festering wounds where the flies spread the hideous diseases stored within their bodies into, and eventually the Mizraeans had no more meat for them to consume and satiate their hunger with.
The sixth day came just as mercilessly as the last, and the disaster that followed suite happened incredibly quick– like the livestock who had been infected due to the swarms of insects that came from the previous days, a contagious plague soon began to spread among the Mizraeans, a disease that tormented their skin with infectious, painful lumps and boils that left them constantly in pain, and although their mages would be able to mitigate the suffering of their infected thanks to their healing magicks, the combined chaos dealt by the previous disasters had gradually taken its toll upon the Dynastium's people, and by now they were already desperate for a way to put an end to all of their unnecessary suffering.
However, their torment would not cease despite everything they've went through, for on the darkest night of the seventh day, an unending hail of fire fell from the sky and descended upon their already-troubled lands, and the city of Caira was quickly thrown into absolute chaos: its buildings and other infrastructures were reduced to rubble, as towering flames bathed the capital with their searing heat, and there was nothing that the Mizraean people could do other than to watch as their once-glorious capital was gradually being laid to waste.
By now, their capital had been left in ruins, and the Dynastium was already beginning to fall into complete disarray, yet despite this, the eighth day would eventually arrive and unleash havoc upon their ravaged lands: a horde of 'locusts', or rather, mechanical swarms of artificial insects that had been brought along and released by the automations that came with Anastasia... These fearsome tides of loathsome vermin soared into the Dynastium's farms and ravaged all their crops and food storages, and now there was nothing left for their starving people to eat, with both their crops and livestock having been taken away by the multitudes of disasters that descended upon their pitiful nation.
The next day arrived with a foreboding panic already building up within their hearts, and at first, no disaster would arrive throughout most of the entire day, and it would seem that their suffering had finally come to an end... However, the new, oncoming disaster would inevitably arrive on the ninth day's brightest afternoon, and it was a catastrophe that completely extinguished the dying hopes of all the Mizraean citizens– the skies became enshrouded in a thick layer of darkness, with not even the sun's wondrous light being able to shine at the hour of its greatest luminosity. Because of this, the brilliant magic machines of the Dynastium, all of which relied on the sun's radiance to power their internal mechanisms, were completely unable to function due to the immortal darkness, leaving the Mizraeans unable to even utilise the greatest strength they had been very proud of ever since their nation's founding.
Alas however, the tenth and final day was nigh, and the Dynastium's people were already fearful of the next plague that would sweep through their lands– even the empress herself would grow increasingly fearful for the next, unstoppable disaster that would come before them, and there was no way for them to prepare for whatever was destined to happen on the next day...
Amidst all the chaos that was transpiring all around though, a man trained in the isolated, dark confines of an endless void, his stay there having already been as long as hundreds of years despite the relatively few amount of days that've passed by in the real world...
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A slash he delivered with his sword... An attack he put a significant portion of his strength each time he used it...
And then another... And another... And another...
"Strike harder, dear, and put a bit more speed into it. You've already done it before, so it shouldn't be too difficult for you..."
The woman known as 'Whitlea' would say this to Novus who was in front of him, and by now, his stay in this otherworldly dimension had been approximately 100 or more years– thankfully though, time here passed differently compared to the real world, as the entire dimension's very being was under Whitlea's complete control. It had even been shifted into a wide, woodland forest lit by the false light of illusion-forged stars to make it easier for Novus to complete his training.
SLASH... SLASH... SLASH... SLASH...
Each downward stroke of the silver blade sent tremors into the ground as both the air and the trees shook from the shockwaves of his slashes, and yet, these already-mighty blows were nothing compared to the ultimate technique that Novus had already mastered: a slash so monstrously powerful that it was capable of splitting nearly anything in its path in one fell swoop... Not only that however, but he also had another technique, one that was so incredibly quick and precise, so much so that the damages it would've dealt would instantly become visible even before the blade would make its cut.
'The Slash That Transcends Causality'... One of the greatest masteries that Novus mastered due to the constant guidance he received from 'Whitlea': it was the simplest, yet most effective of his mastered techniques, and it was a skill that allowed him to cut through his target before his blade would even manage to swerve through the air...
It was a powerful technique that would've already been enough to designate him as one of the world's strongest individuals, and yet it was only one of the other 4 ultimate martial skills he learned due to Whitlea's help.
SLAASSHHHH!!!!
"Ah, there we go~ See, now that wasn't so hard to achieve for the third time, right?"
The ability came into full effect, and the devastation it left in its wake immediately became apparent– the slash's shockwave ripped through all the trees in front of him, and the ground beneath them had been torn and sundered by the powerful forces, leaving a singular, yet massive fissure formed from the sheer power of his downward cut... Shockingly enough though, these damages upon the environment weren't even the greatest devastations of his attack at all.
"Oh? It reached quite far this time... See, I told you it'd become stronger if you kept practising."
The slash managed to reach a distant mountain and cleanly split its stone body in half, an impressive feat of strength that normally wouldn't have been possible due to the mountain being incredibly far away... Not only that however, but the sky itself had also been cleaved through, its thick clouds visibly divided as a result of the powerful slash made by Novus' powerful cleave...
"You're ready now, dearest... Your training's done, and there's nothing left for me to teach you~" 'Whitlea said proudly as she walked towards him and gently patted his left shoulder.
"It's time for you to go back to the real world... I think you'll find your first opponent to be a good match..."