Chapter 643 – Under Strain
In the Great War, the White Pantheon came close to surrender at least a dozen times. We had held multiple negotiations with Kings and Queens of the various lands which filled our ranks, it was only through Allasaria’s constant rallying cries, my own schemes and Maisara’s relentless pressure that somehow, this coalition of the unwilling managed to weather the storm. Fortia, Kavaa, the Forces, Iniri, Atis, had little to add, without us three, the Great War would have been a serious of decisive battles led by Kassandora and it would have ended at that.
Arascus’ Empire lost the ultimately, there are many theories upon it now, but I have discussed with Fortia and we have both come to the same conclusion. They did not come half way, maybe not even a quarter of the way, to surrender. Even until the end, when Rhomaion was under siege, there were still daily raids upon our lines. Villages had poisoned their wells to deny us water,
Ultimately, we never brought the Empire to surrender. We may have annihilated their armies and their cities, but in terms of spirit, they were still manning the walls of Rhomaion as they fell. The Legions had to be put down or captured to the last man. For a decade after the Great War ended, we had to endure their constant partisan raids who fought for no other purpose other than to tell us that they were still there. Arascan cults sprouted in every major city we had captured and not razed, in every town and village. They, in no uncertain terms, firmly believed that they were not just fighting for themselves, but for the good of all Arda.
Where they to have the capabilities to, I am certain that there is nothing they would have not done to win the war. The Great War was a simple conflict of attrition, the White Pantheon possessed three worlds on its side, two of those worlds left this world utterly stunned at the fact that even after everything, they did not give up. Tartarian threats of annihilation were laughed at, Paraideisian negotiations for surrender were torn up. And throughout it all, the White Pantheon simply sat there.
I should admit we sat smugly whenever their diplomats turned up empty-handed, for we did. Because we understood what we were fighting, and they did not. The Great War had been the peak of what Arda had to offer. Even now, as I write this, I think it comes through. I have no love for Tartarus or Paraideisius, I have love for my precious Arda. The Great War, they call the Arascan War. Fundamentally, that shows the miscalculation between our mentalities. They think that it was a war against Arascus, for whatever reason it began, it did not matter even a quarter of the way through. The war was against Arascus in the same way that a game of chess is against an opponent. Chess is played against someone, but those who do not have love of the game itself will never make it to the highest rungs of skill.
We call it the Great War, because it was the Greatest War that Arda had to offer yet, because that war galvanized us into the greatest Divines to have ever lived, because it was another great leap forward in Arda’s history.
And, perhaps most of all, although none shall ever say it, because it was damn great.
- Excerpt from the autobiography “Roses, Blades & Blood”, written by Goddess Helenna, of Love.
Paida had been recalled from managing Rancais and pulled into a meeting with Arascus, with Kassandora, with Iliyal Tremali, with Helenna. And that was that. And Paida immediately knew she was the odd one out. It was not a strategy meeting, the Goddess of Rancais had participated in a few of those already. Those had more civilians, more heads of various bureaus. More of everything: More structure, more order, more formality… More… Well, just more.
And now Paida found herself sitting in the middle of a field, a short walk from the closest railstation in Orles. It was a small town, north of Rancais. The high-speed train had only taken a few hours to get here from Aris, Iliyal had needed to make the longest journey. Arascus stood in his uniform, as always, although it was weathered and scrunched. It looked like he had not changed clothes in a few day. Kassandora wore that thick coat of hers, that probably could not bend in the first place. Helenna in the SIS uniform, without a cap. Her hair was dyed black. Paida stared at it for a while, then decided not to ask. Some questions were worth not knowing answers to, that was a thing the Empire had taught her. Iliyal was the only one who looked somewhat tidy, he had rings under his eyes, but his uniform was impeccable.
Paida felt out of place in her standard combat uniform. The letter had come from Kassandora though, what else was there to wear when the Goddess of War had sent the invitation? The black coat was cleaner than Kassandora’s, her sword hung off her hip. “I have arrived, apologies for the tardiness, I didn’t know the exact location.”
“No need.” Arascus said immediately. “We were discussing other things anyway.” Helenna nodded. Paida stood there, trying not to let the curiosity show. Helenna read her.
“I will be creating the IBI, Imperial Bureau of Information.” Helenna said. “But it’s my issue, not yours.”
“Of course.” Paida said. That did not sound like her issue whatsoever, there was no point even asking deeper. “Then may I ask why we are meeting here?”
“Helenna.” Arascus said. “Give the rundown.”
“Arseille is effectively lost.” Helenna said. “We have so many infiltrators there that they send succubi to impersonate hotel receptionists. Every position of leadership bar God Victor has been compromised. Benoit Deferre was being impersonated. I’ve asked his wife, the man disappeared for two days a month ago. She thought nothing of it, just that the stress was getting to him and he needed a drink.” Helenna said coldly. “That gives us the effective timeline for him though.”
Paida just sat there. Arseille was one of the largest cities in Rancais. There was Aris, there was Ordeaux, now destroyed after Anarchia, there was Arseille, now supposedly lost to the threat of infiltrators. And she had nothing to say, nothing to defend herself with. No way to justify the failure. It was just… “I apologize for failing.” Paida said and looked to the sets of eyes staring at her. Araascus’ narrowed, Kassandora’s, for a moment, rolled with disbelief, Iliyal had no reaction whatsoever, Helenna did not change either.
“There’s nothing to apologize for, we’re not testing you.” Arascus said. “It’s war, these things happen.” Paida allowed herself a deep breath of relief. If it wasn’t going to be used against her… “Continue Helenna.”
“The front will be stabilized, Maisara will come back, Fortia will temporarily take over management of the armies within the Ashfront, Fer will be sent in too to investigate. Maisara will bless her troops, purge Arseille, then return to Esberia. After that…” She looked to Kassandora.
“Fortia will be rotated out for her own order. Either Maisara will be given temporary command or I will go in, or Iliyal, as the situation demands it. Maisara is the least bad option. She’s not made for that sort of mass warfare.” Paida heard the words, but Paida did not care. Everyone knew what Maisara’s purges meant. The words still echoed in her mind.
“You mean she will slaughter Arseille?” Paida asked.
“This is why Fer will be there.” Arascus said. “And I will be close by. Nevertheless, we’re some time off from that operation. You’re being informed so that you know and so that you take steps in Aris to check up on your own men. Blood-tests are mandatory twice a day now Paida, the same is for you if you’re asked.” Paida nodded.
“I know, I’ve heard.”
“That’s why we’re meeting out here though.” Helenna said, indicating to the field, in the distance, there were cars driving down a highway. Orles itself was separated by a unit of soldiers, those were probably Kassandora’s retinue, the sun was beginning to set. Above Paida, the sky lacked the vivid blue shade of Aris’ duvet and was instead smirched with the greyness of ash. “Because at this point, I do not think there is a room safe and secure in Arseille or any of the towns around it.” Helenna raised her hands. “We have a problem Paida.”
“Is it with the Bolfech issue?” Paida asked. It had to be. Helenna turned to Kassandora.
“We managed to remove enough of the cells to prevent a meltdown.” Kassandora said. “It’s not the Bolfech issue though, it’s what caused it.” She stared at Paida. “Discussion has taken place, but there is no way to engage Legion without heavy casualties.” She looked to Iliyal.
“The Eastern Arikan fleet has been passes through the Ashfront, they’ve recently spotted the White Banners of Pax coming north.” Paida just stared at them. Legion in Rancais was bad enough, Pax in Rilia though? Iliyal continued. “Pax cannot be harmed, when the men saw, they refused to pull the triggers. Callaghan reported it himself, he could not press the fire button, nor activate the automated voice command. He said his throat seized. Long-range artillery seems questionable at this point. We will try other ways to hit him but he’s not a stationary target either.” He looked to Kassandora. “That is my part of the report.”
“When Pax hits Rilia.” Kassandora continued for him. “Olephia will stop being able to speak. We have tried this in the past, she just goes silent. The Rilia barricade will fall, she’s buying time now in destroying the landbridge but that can only be a slowdown, not a cessation of Pax.”
“I see.”
Kassandora shook her head. “No. What that means is that we have Legion running rampant, he’s turned towards Arseille, and we have Pax approaching in Rilia. One Prince, we can corral with several Divines, two, we do not have the pure manpower to spare for.” She took a deep breath. “That is why we have called you here Paida and you can thank my father for it.” Kassandora turned to Arascus.
The God of Pride finally spoke, staring down the Goddess of Rancais. “There is a plan to deal with Legion.” He said. “But we have called you here so that you can be told of it.”
“Oh.” Paida said. That was surprising. “Thank you.” She said. The moments the words left her mouth, she felt a weight crash into her stomach. She may not be a minor Divine, but she was not a major Divine either. And whereas she was high up in the Imperial pecking order, being most of the way there still meant that she was closer to the bottom than the leadership at the top, the gap was simply that large. And if she was being warned… She swallowed her own spit. “What does this plan entail?”
Kassandora and Iliyal gave no reaction, Helenna just watched her with apologetic pity, Arascus pulled out a paper from his coat. “The O-Bomb project has successfully tested a prototype.” Arascus said. “The blast area is not large enough to cover Legion in one bomb, so multiple are being manufactured. They will be dropped from high-altitude bombers.” Paida just stared at him.
Oh…
They were going to drop nuclear hellfire on Rancais.
A region would be lost then. They were priming her for that. Arascus looked to Kassandora. She sighed and pulled out a map. There was a map with a dot in the middle, then a half ring of dots, then another semi-circle. Paida counted them. Twelve bombs in total. And they were over a map. A map with a coast. A map with a buildings and a port and a railstation and…
A map of Arseille. “You will help Helenna with the mass evacuations, Legion will hit the city in five days. Our bombs will be ready in six.”