— GREAT EDRYAN, YEAR: 7294. SEASON: COLOR FADING .

Hearts stopped, paused in that moment, and were unable to beat. Words, once spoken, could not be taken back. Throats swallowed, brows sweated, and hands trembled, not in fear, but in excitement. Many knew it was coming— all —knew it was coming, but… it was one of those things no one expected to appear so soon. This was supposed to be the calm before the storm, and like weather forecasters, those present already predicted when the storm would touch down. Now, unexpectedly, the weather changed, scattering their instruments and predictions.

" PREPARE. FOR. WAR! "

It was three words, three simple words. But to the Edryans present, they were anything but simple.

Livia Abara, first Prime Overseer of the Class-Based Constitutional Monarchy, clenched her hands. Her posture was rigid like an arrow in flight, her purple pupils constricted. Only one thought ran through her mind as those words landed.

It's here!

Amaya Musa paused; she'd wormed her way between Madria and literally everyone else. She missed her best friend dearly, and they had few opportunities these days to be in each other's presence. She turned to Madria, her eyes asking more questions than words could.

Did you know he was doing this?

Is this really happening so soon?

Those, and many more, were silently sent to Madria, who sat there in stunned silence. A silence that answered Amaya's questions.

Not even Madria knew .

Not even Madria knew.

Words, once spoken, couldn't be rescinded. Words from the Chosen of Madris were as good as law to the magi.

Alexandria Indrian blankly stared, her gaze met Lawruthian's, and the youth sent her a silent nod. She sighed, internally rolling her eyes. She turned toward Lily and Ameri, who sat on her left. Another silent conversation passed between the three. Each seemingly passing a message one after the other.

How should we deal with him?

It's Laaaaawruthian… do you really expect him to warn us when he decides on something?

It's not something, it's war.

Lily shrugged, but a hidden worry passed through her eyes. The True Dungeons of Edryan still held many triggers implanted by Realm Lord Elrunian's cult. A simple command would have dungeons spilling their content, releasing hordes of beasts across the nation. Til this day, she hasn't figured out a good method to locate and remove the implanted devices. She silently prayed Lawruthian had a plan.

No matter who they were. Whether they were Ade Oni, whose measured gaze held hints of expectation, or Selene Romus, who turned a steady gaze to her twin. The magi present all held different expectations of this meeting, and no one quite expected this outcome.

It hit them like a truck .

Alexander Indrian rose alongside his two companions, first to take the initiative. "The Bellum answers your command! Four million troops are ready, and two million are reserved, still undergoing training!"

"The Overseers answer your command! We are ready to support our troops with anything to ease their conquest!"

"The Templum answers your command! We have always been ready and will always be ready!"

"The Justiciary answers your command!"

"Good," Lawruthian stated. "I've gathered you for this singular purpose. From today onward, Edryan enters an active state. I will give you two years to prepare all necessary items."

"Livia," Lawruthian called.

"Your subordinate is here!"

"I want you to establish more subsidies for those who have children, reduce taxes, and ensure those who have three or more children receive various benefits. Our population is lacking and must prepare to replace those who will enter the Astral Above."

"Order received!"

"Next, you must ensure three years of dried goods remain in stock at all times for every major city. Can you do it?"

Livia Abara didn't hesitate to answer. "Your subordinate will have it done by this time next year."

"Good.

"Alexander, Temi, Ja'jarrah, what are your exact numbers for each troop? How fast can you sortie?"

Alexander stood first and answered. "The Army holds four million soldiers, and one million are reserved, with an additional five hundred thousand mixed golems for support or attack. We can march on the Empire and Federation within twenty-four hours with a hundred thousand men on each front, deploying immediately—give me your command, and I will leave to begin operations!"

Alexander's strawberry blonde hair waved like a lion's mane. His eyes were fierce, and a rising glow came from their depths. Should Lawruthian say the word, the man would instantly disappear, sortie his troops, and begin the invasion.

"Not yet," Lawruthian smiled. "Not yet."

Temi Drrow stood next, her curly dreadlocks waving like Medusa's snakes. Her voice was excited, and she swallowed heavily before she spoke, eyes shining. "We boast a navy of 2,500 ships—a majority equipped with a mix of low and high Rare-grade cannons. This navy is evenly split between the Eastern and Western seas. Your Royal Navy hosts five hundred thousand mixed golems for support or attack, with thirty thousand built for underwater combat. Lastly, we have five hundred thousand men as reserve sailors."

Lawruthian turned his piercing gaze to Ja'Jarrah. The man stood as Temi Drrow sat. Unlike his counterparts, the head of the Jarrah house remained quite calm.

"The Air Force boasts five hundred thousand soldiers, all trained for long-distance flight and equipped with a golem companion. Most are still training with the latest airships introduced by the North America Research Center and will need a period of three months to become proficient. We, too, have five hundred thousand men as reserves."

"Good, very good. I want our troops to hit a combined ten million by 7297. That's a little less than three years. Can you do it?"

"As your Highness commands!"

"My Templum!"

"We answer your call!"

Lawruthian paused, looking down at Madria in surprise as she answered.

"How many healers do you boast?"

"Of those able to heal, including Templars and Paladins, we boast two million!"

"Not enough! Work with the Overseers to get an accurate account of those who heal through different paths. Alchemist, Herbalist, no matter, by 7297 you must boast three million—excluding your fighting-based classes!"

"As you command!"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Madria inhaled deeply. Of those two million, around a fourth belong to fighting-based classes. The church would have to double its current numbers in three years. A mass recruitment of the population in all major cities would need to occur. This was…

Archbishop Femi Zubair placed a hand on Madria's shoulder, breaking her away from her thoughts and the rising worry. He smiled, not speaking but showing strength in another way. Madria calmed down. She'd been raised for this, raised to take over the church in her mother's stead. The moment she emerged from G.E.N.E.S.I.S., her responsibilities immediately expanded. Her mother directly announced her as her successor and began to ease her into this position.

Madria gazed around. There were no Path Walkers present, which meant they likely were informed before or not at all. The grand doors to the Hall of Heroes opened, and several figures made their way in. Madria's eyes lit up; she sent a small wave to one of the flying figures, but her eyes focused on her mother and the Path Walkers who appeared. Nearly all were present outside of Kubrat and the Queen.

It seems her earlier conjecture was correct. Not even they had been informed, at least the looks displayed on their faces said as much.

"Lawruthian," Margret spoke after she drew deeper into the hall. Next to her was Liana, who didn't hide the concern on her face. "May we have a word?"

Lawruthian smiled as they entered. He resounded, his voice free of concern. "Of course."

Margret and the rest quickly floated up, and a hazy barrier appeared around the group. Madria turned to Amaya, and the two began to chat, also blocking their voices from the surroundings as many did.

"You really didn't know," Amaya began, eyes wide with a myriad of emotions. Some of it was shock, curiosity, wonder, expectation, and so much more for their coming future. "I'd expect he'd have informed you since you two are dating. I still can't believe it after all this time. Isn't it far too early to start the war? From my understanding of his quest, he had ten years in total."

Amaya ran a quick calculation. "There should be over six years left! The Goddess descended in 7291, the third and final month of New Beginning. It's only 7294… Why…," her voice trailed off, giving Madria a chance to speak.

"I don't know… I don't know where this came from. It's only been a few weeks since SAFE and the establishment of the Treaty of Edrya. I… I don't think he wants to march immediately," Madria said. Her voice began confused but grew stronger the more she spoke.

"He's given us a hard deadline if anything. This isn't the start, but a deadline for us to prepare."

Amaya's eyes widened, and she lightly brought a fist down on her left palm. "So that's it. It makes sense, but can the nation really get everything it asks for in three years? A ten-million-strong combined army, plus his requirement of three million healers. Edryan only has so many people…"

Madria prepared a response but paused as Simra Enlar and Karla Kansun moved closer, their faces held some of the same concern spoken by Amaya. It seemed they came to Madria for answers.

The young woman showed a wry smile, and the conversation between the two turned into four.

"Did you know about this," Simra questioned, direct and to the point. "This… it's too fast, isn't it? I… I've barely been the Light of Hope… it's…"

Madria held a hand up, pausing her. "It's not yet; this is just the early stages of the war effort. We have at least three years from his words. That's plenty of time for us to get more comfortable in our roles."

Simra sighed and made room for her boyfriend, Lorde Drumian, as he settled beside her. Other members of the New Greats were arriving, and soon all were present. They glanced at Madria with expectations, and she didn't know whether she should laugh or cry.

Amaya gave everyone a quick update on Madria's earlier explanation. Once everyone was filled in, she continued to speak. "What do you all think? If anything, this war will start in three years at the earliest. This is all according to the words of Lawruthian."

Ade Oni leaned forward. "It doesn't matter what we think; what matters is what the world thinks. This is… dangerous ," he paused, glancing around. His gaze seemed to meet nearly everyone but Madria's. "These last two years have opened our eyes to what the world has to offer. There are at least a half dozen Prestiges per major city, if not more. For the Empire and Federation, this isn't necessarily true, but I still suspect they have at least two to three dozen. The lands outside of the Lower Kingdoms are vast, and each nation has not just Prestiges but Demigods to worry about. Initially, with the Path of Apotheosis opening, we'd have an even fight on our hands… but now?"

Ade Oni smiled grimly, his arms folded and eyes wide. Some may see the light of Madness within, others may just see a hunger for battle and glory.

"I think it's perfect, but only if it's done correctly," Selene said. "Like Ade said, this is dangerous, but it's also a perfect opportunity to catch the world off guard. A majority of Path Walkers will either be making their way to Mount Redcoomshi in advance or waiting on the power of the Twelve Thrones to teleport them there. Even as we traveled the continent, many Path Walkers were setting sail to the distant volcanic island."

Selene paused, a decisiveness entering her eyes. She spoke like she already understood the general outline of the decision and the thoughts of the one who enacted it. "Lawruthian should have read our reports by now, and SAFE allowed him an estimation of some of the forces behind the nations of the world. The Prestiges they sent weren't weak, but they would absolutely send those considered upper tier as a show of force. That's not what is important; what is important is our closest neighbors."

Amaya nodded in agreement. She prepared to speak but paused as Simra spoke up. "I don't fully understand," Simra said, frowning. She paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "From what I know, Lawruthian possess a divine quest from the Goddess to begin a war, to start the Game of the Twelve Thrones."

"Correct," Amaya acknowledged.

"Then, wouldn't the game be in its most dangerous state if he started it early? And, wouldn't it be the prime opportunity to…," Simra hesitated but spoke anyway, "to kill him?"

"Yes and no."

This time, it wasn't Amaya who answered but Lorde Drumian. The young man grew in the two years since the New Greats left Edryan. His demeanor seemed more reserved, regal, and held a steady, heroic presence. When he spoke, his voice was measured but commanded attention.

"It's dangerous, yes, but not entirely dangerous. The Game is only begun by Lawruthian. He doesn't dictate who attacks whom and what. The world doesn't just have grudges against the magi ."

Amaya nodded in agreement, adding more to Lorde's words. "When we left Edryan and when we completely left the region called the Lower Kingdoms, we entered a world of muted tension and preparation. Ever since the Gods announced the formation of pantheons, the world has moved differently . Even the hatred we expected wasn't directed unless it was nations like Ivory or Colstia. The world has been building grudges restricted by the Twelve Thrones for some years.

"When Princess Carina, Goddess protect her Sol, was assassinated in the Empire, do you know why the Goddess acted in the way She did?"

Simra shook her head. Although she was privy to more information and knew some stuff about the country and outside of it, it likely wasn't as in-depth as the New Greats who traveled outside.

"From the understanding we gained," Amaya gestured around to the New Greats, "nearly a thousand years ago, the Twelve Thrones decreed fighting between those beyond Mortal to be forbidden and large-scale conflicts between nations to be diminished. The only ones who seem to have an exception to this are the Jedha Plains orcs, but that is likely due to their fast growth cycle and endless production of offspring. Does that help?"

"It does," Simra answered. "But that does bring more questions to light. However, perhaps only the Goddess can answer."

Silence overtook the group, and for a while, each was left with their own thoughts. They weren't the only ones to gather while the Chosen of Madris discussed things with the Path Walkers. Like them, groups and cliques formed in the governing body of the country. Many people theorized the Chosen's announcement and the decision behind it. It was clear from the posture of the Path Walkers that none had been informed prior. Plenty noticed the absence of the Queen and found it strange that she hadn't shown.

Karla Kansun carefully recorded the events. She knew she wasn't allowed to publish them anytime soon, but history had to be recorded and stories written. This was her job, and it was one she took great joy and pleasure in doing.

The silence between the group was broken as a new question was posed. Viviana adjusted her glasses, her fingers lightly tapping against her grimoire. "So, what are we going to do?"

The question was simple, but no one had an immediate answer for it. Eventually, Amaya spoke up, having gotten used to generally directing the group.

"We prepare for war. We should do what we can to help the various branches as members of the Monarchy Branch. Your family will need to produce massive amounts of grain. I will likely help research new technologies, squeezing out every inch of value from the Golden Age: Ardent of the End before its benefits halt. Lorde and Ade will train; perhaps they can gather a group of loyal retainers. And the twins," Amaya looked at them. "Well, Helios should join in with Ade and Lorde, while Selene should join me. Madria… well, I'm sure you'll be alright. What do you think?"

Although she was the leader in a sense when decisions were being made, it was only in the face of outsiders that Amaya would place direct orders for her friends. At all other times, she'd just ask for their opinions.

None had a problem with what Amaya said, and various comments were made.

"The Imperius Army is strong, but it does lack specialized bloodlines from nobles and other groups. Grabbing a few talents from around the nation and forming a group of a thousand or so wouldn't be too hard," Helios commented.

Viviana frowned, "We may have to overdraft the earth in certain places to meet the goal, but… It's doable on a rotating basis."

"I was hoping to take a trip to the North America Research Center," Selene said. "I've heard about all the good things emerging in recent days. It seems like theirs an advancement in a spell or technology every day."

"Good," Amaya said. The barrier around the group dispersed as the figures above once again revealed themselves. The groups below carefully watched their expressions, looking to pick up hints of anything they could.

Lawruthian Imperius Koltius Edryani was smiling, a satisfied expression on his face. The Path Walkers each held thoughtful looks, while some, the newer ones, showed excitement. Whatever he said to them seemed to activate their hopes and dreams for this upcoming future.

The Chosen of Madris gazed down, a smile on his face, but never reaching his eyes. They were cold, indifferent , calculating.

The indifference a King should have was within them. This time, it wasn't from a skill.

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