It was, all things considered, a good day. The sun beamed down from a cloudless sky onto the white marble buildings in the square, bathing all of them with a pleasant warmth that was desperately needed here.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy36PS7qHNL
People lay on towels, limbs splayed out lazily, soaking up the rays while they could. City and regional officials talked in tired, breathless voices amongst themselves, reluctant to completely let go of all worries while Empyrea was still reeling from the players behind the curtain making their moves all at once.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgLYTuf6C9r
Today was a holiday, the Heliac Zenith or the midpoint of summer.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NOHyX3LHg
Marshal Blücher, his wife, and the
Grand Vizier sat together on a bench enjoying the weather.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMt2qijN6JZ
"Silvery old Narcester, proud and arrogant; no wonder they moved the Crown here for protection." Blücher mused to himself.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt35CAB3L5q
"Yes," murmured Rachel in reply, her face partly obscured by a light-grey, wide-brimmed hat. Rêverie-Montclair squirmed a little when a wry man with fake ivory glasses strutted past them, "I can't stand journalists; the sneaky rats close in so damn quickly if they get a whiff of anything private" She explained, shooting a scornful glare at the back of the man presently hounding a plump, sweaty man who fruitlessly tried to escape.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1PGiRBupC
"C'mon, friend! The rumour mill never stops, ya hear me? Yeah?"
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzKNh6kKsB
Blücher watched in disgust as the flamboyant, enthusiastic journalist clapped his unfortunate victim on the shoulder and resumed his onslaught, "Listen, buddy, I *know* you work for Banks!" He accused, his counterfeit smile swapped for a sadistic grin. The act was dropped, the gloves were off, and any pretence of civility had vanished.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOVV6wMOEJH
"My employer needs his dirty little secrets, and you're gonna give them up!" The journalist snapped viciously.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjTNqihD8Dx
Blücher exchanged a look with the Grand Vizier and whispered, "Only Larke would be so merciless."
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW0id3P7bjZ
"I-I'm...just a clerk, I know nothing," he gasped, "let me be!"
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzzUhhrX9kW
"Gimme something, fatty!"
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgzHfrkkvbC
"Banks and Suncore frequent a club, s-sir. It's called the Risqué and it is a...hedonistic establishment."
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJOiGdvCoR
"You can go now." The journalist said as the snitch scurried away as fast as he could.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrsvpMy0bx
The Grand Vizier looked disappointed, "Viziers Banks and Suncore must be in the crosshairs, I've a good mind to resign just to never see Mary Larke and her smirking face for the rest of my life."
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4JWfG8jEPr
There was a faint clinking sound in the distance, which none of the three could hear.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKX3VRK76N0
"Vizier Larke is a bloodhound, but Anuax is dead, so who holds her chain now?" Nina wondered aloud.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYxBnDQJTJr
The clinking grew louder until at last one of them turned around to see a large group of armoured men on horseback wielding cavalry rifles and lances.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Sr5PxFrXy
"Er...Mikal, did you invite the Lancers by any chance?" Rachel Rêverie-Montclair asked, adjusting her hat nervously.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOzFmmuqQXe
"Those aren't lancers." He said simply, reaching into his pocket to withdraw an Æther pistol.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvn4lNkCbUr
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeHlMAgCyUu
"Then what are the–" There was a short, bright flash of blue light and a hole appeared between her eyes. Blood trickled from the wound as she rolled in her skull and she slumped to the ground. Dead.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1d0QtCeHkC
The Marshal sprang to his feet with a roar, pelting the incoming threat with bursts of Ætherical energy.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6AckTmAb0m
Click. Empty.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWXfpR8YqqY
Blücher, full of adrenaline, leapt in front of his wife. His arms stretched outwards as if accepting the Lance that pierced his heart.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX61uocKOmI
The Old Man was dead almost instantly.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPeCfbAjDa8
"Who sent you?!" His wife shrieked at the rider, tears streaming down her face.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnWW0z8RGe
"That," came the reply, slightly muffled, "you already know."
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIVU9q84YGr
When the Grand Army unit stationed in Narcester (the 1,025th Company) arrived at the square, they found it full of corpses yet empty of riders. The only clue they had was the last words of Anastasia Carly van Blücher, repeated over and over again.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFSS2mKSqv9
"Xauna..." She said weakly to the private trying to stop the bleeding, "Get Erzherz...." she fell silent without finishing what she was trying to say.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQW5YYv9g82
The private tried to ask her and then his superior when he realised she was dead. "Erzherzogin? Like Xuana Hessen-Rostova? Captain?" He said, confused and frightened at having a woman die in his arms.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4v8r5Z4ROQ
"This is no task for us, lad. Two big fish are dead so I've called for the Adjutant-General Corps to handle this mess."
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUBSrQN4O6I
A dark-skinned woman with narrow eyes walked up to him. She wore a dark crimson uniform with brass highlights on it. She spoke with a harsh, growling voice. "The Adjutant-General won't be coming, Captain."
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnh38plOGWC
"Why not? Who the 'ell are you anyhow?" He said carelessly.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfiYK8ZOUoV
"Lieutenant General of the 4th Western Field Army and Massaena's Aide. I'll be acting Adjutant-General until further notice."
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQhoAPnKbZ
"Yes, Ma'am." The Captain replied sheepishly, clearly embarrassed at mistaking such.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ59gJRQjOi
"Who is that?" Asked the soldier innocently to his commander once they had moved out of earshot.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmM8TPdwvr
"Ranquis Zhao, someone who only climbed so high up because Seebhom Massaena is fucking her." He grumbled unhappily, though he soon lit up when he spotted a group of Vivandières – female messengers with the additional role of supplying units with food – nearby.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WuaWclwlB
________________________________________
Conclave shattered (Vizier Fedor Corru) 90 EH
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBj5Vm0Uy9
Fedor Corru was Urlic's Vizier for Progress and therefore his chief advisor on all matters educational, scientific, cultural, and ideological.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkbcSZoJSEi
In more simple terms, Corru helped Urlic manage the research and teaching within the Archregion. He was the gatekeeper of information.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fNkOoyP2t
But he was no liar. Corru, a lifelong optimist, tried to look on the bright side of everything. He was the moral counterweight on the Conclave, a beacon of light in a dark place.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqu4PyGJfA
Ten others sat in the temporary headquarters of the Conclave of Viziers. On both of Fedor's sides sat friendly faces. Logico Lothete was Vizier for Logistics –representative of the Adjutant-General as well as her Vivandière and Quartermaster's Corps – while William Noro was Vizier for Technology. Both were thin, thoughtful men with a preference for solitude.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKxxy7aZ5k
Scattered around the round table was a handful of those neutral to Corru: Vizier for Diplomacy, Olaris De Rio; Vizier for Commons, David Cosminè Learner (who represented the interests of common folk); and Vizier for Administration, Marlo Narcester (who advised on issues regarding the civil service.).
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBYU5Nhzv3
Olaris was charismatic, David was down to earth, and Marlo was excellent at organising things. All three generally meant well.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbSygUQJQg
Vizier Corru, if he was honest with himself, had no idea what to think of Temple Banks, Vanto Suncore, and Lord Bruno Niobite-Tantalite. Banks – Vizier for Commerce – was greedy but not ruthless, Suncore – Vizier for Industry – was ruthless but not greedy, and Niobite-Tantalite – Vizier for Aristocracy – was arrogant, elitist, and yet neither materialistic nor brutal. Fedor trusted the latter the least.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgWswGNfdIa
The final two were actively hostile for vastly different reasons. The Vizier for
War, or what was left of him, was a former Lord Sergeant-Major who had retained all of his intimidating presence in retirement. He had a sort of uneasy calm to him as if nothing in Empyrea could frighten Lorzo De Petrov anymore.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXEc3kZH9l
That left the Vizier for Media, the worst of all. Mary Larke was a name synonymous with blackmail, leaked secrets and lies. Without a master, she became dangerously unpredictable.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpXFHZ8fX4
"Welcome friends, today we must resolve an internal conflict between ourselves." Learner announced, flexing his temporary leadership of the Conclave. Everyone knew why David Cosminè Learner had been chosen: he had no ambitions of his own.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxfZqzxiva
"What is it now?" Complained Vizier Narcester – whose family had been named after the city and not the other way around.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUHeabi2Cl
"This!" Barked Suncore as Banks furiously slammed a newspaper down on the table.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj7TnkGGRL8
The publisher was, unsurprisingly, the Northeastern Broadcasting Corporation, which Larke conveniently happened to be Director-General of.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJjoHGtHUf
The ultra-inflammatory headline proudly exclaimed: "Risqué Club faces scandal after Viziers found in member list!"
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjImuZle6ng
"Ignoring that there are deviants in the Conclave," Bruno chimed in, smirking while pointing at the accused, "Urlic, who has been far too soft on the media right from the start of his reign, has seen the daggers in the dark for decades now! That useless, lazy dolt is merely a disgrace to his family name but also a dire threat to everyone around him, including us!" He cried in outrage, his face turning pink despite the blue, ego-feeding, Niobite-Tantalite blood that ran through his arrogant veins.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFClRz3jysa
Larke remained unaffected, showing very little emotion amidst the heated debate unfolding around her.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZbDODRKeR
"I believe," Muttered Olaris– his voice just barely audible to Vizier Corru – to his trusty confidante, the ever-attentive Vizier for Administration, "that my approach is better in this situation."
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlSdCjd3ZPT
Marlo frowned and leaned in to whisper, "Are you going to tell me what it is – or did you just want to gloat?"
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeqxcfUHJk
"Simple, we employ the diplomat's favourite tactic," De Rio sniggered a little at the irritation displayed at this non-answer before sardonically elaborating with, "Do nothing at all."
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhBiNlkswJ
Marlo Narcester sighed in but nodded in agreement after some thought.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MfPravNUh
"Vizier Larke, do you have anything to say in your defence?" David Cosminè Learner asked, the simple question slicing through the noise in the room with ease. The irate comments withered and died away as everyone waited in dusty silence for a reply.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6hI5JxLwB
She got up and smoothing made her way to the doorway.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMo5JCdIKei
"Well, I do have two small things to tell Fedor Corru, Marlo Narcester, Olaris De Rio, Vanto Suncore, and William Noro..."
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5VRiCiXci
"Firstly, there are rumours that someone may have tampered with your seats." She said flatly, rolling her eyes at the panic when they found semicircular metal discs under their chairs.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2p7uhdMlsq
"And secondly, I and those discs have something in common: you'll find us both an explosion of joy!" She giggled madly at the abject horror on their faces as she pressed a button on her ring.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb0ss1Rx11W
For the unfortunate quintet, Empyrea dissolved into a blast of phosphorescent light, searing heat, and thunderous sound.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6nqfKJeG2L
The remaining five –Bruno Niobite-Tantalite, David Cosminè Learner, Logico Lothete, Lorzo De Petrov, and Temple Banks – were stunned into silence, their collective gaze locked onto the charred remains.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcCU5J9yn91
Larke had won the trust of the people holding both metaphorical and literal daggers, who lurked patiently for their chance to use them.
They would get their chance soon enough.
ns13.58.149.106da2
