“This should be the last one,” a voice whispered. Three men stacked up near a door armed with trench shotguns. The other one was holding on to a submachine gun with a drum mag on the side.

The one with the submachine gun gestured for the ones holding the shotguns to breach the door. The one holding the submachine gun, walked in, checked the corners first, before the stack followed to dominate the room. Marking the cleared rooms with pencils. The four of them cleared the first floor and went up the second floor where they opened the bedrooms one by one. They found servants sleeping in their bunked beds close to the staircase. Heading to the master bedroom, slamming a foot on the center of the double doors. A figure tried to stab the one with the submachine gun.

He calmly blocked the swing, moved his right foot between the legs, slammed the butt of his submachine gun on the man’s face and clamped his elbow on the man’s right arm to throw him on the ground.

“Good evening, and goodnight for now, Sir,” he slammed the weapon on the man’s face.

The first one with the trench gun whistled. “Nice takedown, as always.”

“Tie his hands and bring all the servants here. Have the rest clean up the house for anything.”

“Aye, Sir.”

He waited while his subordinate tied a rope on the man’s wrist. Then the subordinate pulled the man out of the room with a fireman carry and got him out of the room.

The rest of his men herded the servants to the master bedroom. Seeing the weapon on the man’s hands. They trembled as they started to think of the scenarios that might come.

“Give me all that you can give from this man. I want the documents. I want everything that you have heard from this man’s home. Anything at all. I will listen until morning. You can skip what he ate and shat for the day. Tell me what he had whispered and who he invited.”

“S-sir?”

“I am not going to threaten your lives here. I will make sure that you are all safe. If you had any loyalties to the man that I just hit. Then you need to choose between loyalty and your life. As long as you talk then we may skip the torturer. Everything that you will say will be checked and verified.”

Everyone opened their mouths. Their talks were cross-checked and compared for authenticity. At the crack of dawn the servants were given money and were warned that if they intend to act rashly.

Going back to the street, entering the half-truck. He slung the weapon to his right and watched as the house they just raided got far away. The ones holding the trench shotguns rested with their legs crossed.

“That’s one house cleared,” they turned to him. “So you are going to abandon us after this, Sir?”

“You bastards make it sound like I’m your father. You know how I do things now so make it known to the Imperial Forces. The Colonel will be happy that we have troops who can properly clear a building without making a ruckus.”

“But Second Lieutenant, it’d be easier for us if we have you doing all the shit,” the three men laughed.

Sighing, and taking off the gas mask that had no filter. Mavin looked at three who were one of the soldiers he had known. Brothers-in-arms who survived like he did.

“Marcus, Axel, Josef, I told you sapheads that once this is done. You can go back to protecting the Colonel.”

The three of them arrived at the same time. It pleasantly surprised Mavin that among them, Josef Dorn was alive. After all, Josef had always been one of the few who had been sent to dangerous fields. The last time he heard of Josef. It was when he was stuck in Norad, killing Noradians soldiers for a year before he could get rescued by diplomats. And with five years’ worth of experience, by the time he started his guerilla warfare in the Kingdom of Norad, he was acting as what sappers should do. Destroying emplacements, sabotaging enemy bases, and clearing defensive structures. If the Noradians found Josef Dorn first then who knows what they would have done or what Josef would have done to them.

“Well, someone is skipping work,” Axel said. “Then again it’s good that you didn’t get rusty with all that traveling around, Mav.”

“I can’t imagine doing that shit,” Marcus said. “Going around telling them their son ain’t returning. Here have some fucking flag in exchange for your son. I can’t do that.”

“With that mouth of yours?” Josef snorted. “I don’t think you will ever be suitable.”

“Josef, tell me that you got these sapheads leashed.”

“Aye, I got them leashed. The Colonel wanted an escort and he’ll get one. Just doesn’t make sense he’d throw us around to these Royalists. Think he just wants us to learn some of your ways, considering that this shit happened because you found someone with a loose mouth.”

Mavin couldn’t deny it. After confirming the list, everyone in the city, whether it was a Noradian, Fran, and Athesian. Everyone went and started finding any Royalist bastard and bringing them out from the dark where they were hiding. Mavin wanted to find the important ones first so he had led these trio in securing them alive other than dead. They had encountered resistance in the form of mercenaries guarding their doors, but with the three helping him. It was easy to takedown the mercenaries without them making a sound. Even if they do realize then they would just tear through everything with those weapons of theirs. Not that he wanted these three to slam fire at everyone trying to move in those houses.

Naturally born fighters. What did these three right in the war was raiding enemy trenches and cutting them down without giving a single inch. If there was anyone that could truly be called the Hammer of the Emperor. Then it would be these bastards.

 

---

After separating from the three sapheads.  Handing his equipment to the person-in-charge of it. Mavin returned to his room located on the 14th floor. The penthouse was too big without Old Tom sticking around.

The Empire was getting praises from the people of Flost for their ‘determination’ to end the conflict that the three nations had started against the Empire of Athesia.

 The Republic of Frans, the Federation of Hellion, and the Kingdom of Norad’s invasion of the Athesian Empire had started to bite them.

If the Empire could even rat out their ‘royalists’ in favor of peace. Then what does it make for the Federation who couldn’t ‘destroy’ these royalists planning to kill them while shaking their hands for peace.

“A piece of paper, and a few bribes could turn the favor to the Empire,” he took a piece of newspaper with a headline that read ‘Empire Seeks out Anti-Peace Forces’.

It was a slap to the face for the three nations. Ever since they started the war against the Empire. There have been many chances for them to proclaim superiority to the Empire. But they have been losing in many fronts that it was becoming too sad.

The successful defense of the Empire against the invaders who demanded ‘liberty of the masses’ turned out to be people who could not back their words. The ‘unstable’ and the supposedly ‘unjust’ Empire was starting to look like they strive for peace more than anything else.

He didn’t know what schemes entailed for the three nations to go against the Empire and its Hundred Nobles. But he did know that beyond the ‘Righteous Crusade’ against a ‘despotic’ Empire, there are desires other than ‘freeing the masses’ and letting them become free.

From what his ‘memories’ told him. The Republic and Federation, though, consisted of nobles. Have become a nation where the rich and influential merchants have started to control things. With their influence starting to reach the masses, the people who aspired to become like them started to think that they can do better than this. That beyond ‘serving’ under someone’s rule they can be better than this. With the invention of the presses and education becoming more relevant to the Magnar-Azia Continent. The ‘uneducated and weak-minded’ masses become more than men and women plowing fields. Beyond knowing a certain set of skills meant for trade. The men and women of these nations aspired.

They separated from the Empire because of these lofty ideals. Though what these people forgot was that the Empire itself had allowed this secession to happen. The Emperor who had allowed it was called ‘weak’ but he knew that he needed to separate the tumor that was festering in the Empire before they could decide for themselves on what they wanted to do. To give time, allow the Empire to control this growing ‘enlightenment’ in the favor of the Empire who had seen the recent growth of the commoners.

Even now, despite the recent advances, Mavin thought how the Commoners of the Empire didn’t want to have the same rights as the nobles. The Commoners wanted nothing more than to exercise their right to live free from the ruling classes. They do their work while the ruling classes do theirs and will continue to do as long as the Nobles that govern the lands they worked on and respect their ‘Commoner Rights’ that have been one of the Founding Laws of the Empire.

The reason that the Empire didn’t have trouble with the Commoners was because the Hundred Nobles of the Empire considered it as their ‘rights’ to rule the commoners. The ‘Commoner Rights’ that the Empire had didn’t allow for ‘Nobles’ and ‘Commoners’ to interact to begin with. Though there are rebellions from the Commoners once in a while when these ‘Commoner’ rights are trampled. The change in combat and education had allowed these ‘Nobles’ to understand that in order to ensure that their ‘Noble’ status continued. They must act on what their role destined role was.

The Emperor had realized this when he saw the changes in the flow of power. Capitalism had allowed influence and power to consolidate to these educated commoners who then became Merchants and Bureaucrats because of their money. The nobles had started to realize that ‘power’ that came from their castles and armies didn’t do much when these people could hire professional armies, armed mercenaries that could act as a shield from these nobles.

These nobles started to usher words such as ‘you’re just a filthy commoner’ at every chance they could get and as time passed and ‘influences’ from these people had allowed this tumor to grow. That was why the Emperor had decided to let them secede and earn the ire of the Hundred Nobles who were against these Secession, but if they had allowed these tumors to grow then these ‘sympathizers’ would have infected the rest of the Empire and allow them to grow in the Empire’s soil. The former Emperor was wise enough to see these changes and so he had decided to integrate these beliefs. An Empire that could not adapt would fall. That was one of the main reasons why the Athesian Family still rules the Empire. They know how to adapt against these changes and anticipate it.

It was also probably the reason why the ‘educated masses’ of the Federation and the Republic couldn’t convince the masses of the Empire to turn against the Empire. Why would they turn against the Empire when they were experiencing good times and prosperity?

Nobles and Commoners wanted different things and in the Empire they had developed a cordial balance of rulership and fealty that allowed them to retain their rights while enjoying the new changes. The difference was that the ‘nobles’ of the Federation and Republic had allowed themselves to bicker against these Merchants and Bureaucrats, therefore leading into an unstable relationship that had allowed these Royalists to believe that they want to go back to the days where they have power over these successful Commoners.

Their mistake was to assume that they could do the same thing. Even now they are starting to lose ground. The Empire wanted nothing more than get this ‘treaty’ signed and be done with it

“Still, it looks like they want to change the tune to their favor in front of the neutral nations that are present.”

Holmia is an independent nation from the Turian Continent. They were one of the few who had nothing to do with the war between the Empire and the Three Alliances.

Though Holmia had become a trading partner of the Lazon Region. They are still ‘neutral’ in regards that they would be the one watching over the signing. Though it may look fine, the continent itself was drowning in debts because of the recent war two years ago. The Empire is still stable because of its own resources being able to lift the aftermath of the war.

Nonetheless the tensions of the war still persist. Mavin even started to wonder how the Imperial Prince could handle all of these seemingly without missing a beat. He had guessed that the Imperial Family truly had a knack for adapting to changes and maneuvering around them.

 

---

 

Mavin Tomas had always distanced himself from the affairs of the High Society. That was why he couldn’t understand why in the world Old Tom would give him an invitation to one of these parties.

“You’re kidding me.”

“Nope,” Old Tom rejected immediately. “The Crown Prince demanded this from you after learning that you were the one who provided this. Mavin, you had let go of a man who had schemed to put a bomb near the Crown Prince. If it weren’t for the results that followed because of this choice. You would have been punished and disgraced in front of the Empire’s Presses.”

“So he wants me to attend this party? He does know that I am nothing more than a part of the Tomas Family.”

“You are. Don’t think that the Imperial Family is blind and deaf, boy. Count Derrick and Countess Elma hold the seat of power, but you are still part of the family.  It’s merely a party of nobles.”

“Nobles that come from the three alliances butting heads against one another. I know that they’ll be disciplined about it, but I don’t like who the guests are.”

Memories told him that even though there were changes that had happened. The ‘party’ that acted as a prologue for that strange game with text boxes and portraits of beautiful individuals were going to start in this party. Though he believed that it can be changed and it isn’t set on stone. He couldn’t help but feel the anxiety knowing of what may entail.

Paths are meant to be crossed and trudged over. He had to walk this path sooner and later, but that doesn’t mean he feels good about it. He wanted nothing more than to stay away from such things, but he didn’t have a choice.

“Do I have to look formal in this?”

“I got you a suit with a jacket.”

“Fine.”

“You gave up so easily. Don’t worry, lad. You just need to stand, drink, and let loose while you are at it.”

“There are troubles then.”

Old Tom shuts his mouth. He looked at Mavin with a rather complex expression. Like he was a fool who had tried to push Main into accepting this while hiding his true intention. Mavin would have thought so too if it weren’t for the fact that he had the ‘memories’ guiding him.

“At least you know that we ain’t sending you there just for anything. We now know that there is a faction that is trying to harm the guests. Not to mention that this party has important members that have been called here to act as witnesses. You may have forgotten, but the ‘kids’ of the Empire, who are alive, are now part of Society, working their part in their family business. Titles are for show now, and with 108 nobles working hard to make more money than ever. These young adults should be here to make connections. War might have happened, but business remains business. Also works that they’ll bring their ‘businesses’ to the people who have provoked and attacked the Empire. Isn’t it great how kind we are for doing business with them despite all of their provocations and insults to the Empire.”

“Yes, how kind we are,” Mavin held the invitation with two fingers. There was a placid expression on his face that showed how ‘elated’ he was for this party.

“Who knows? You need to have some fun while in there. Though I’m guessing you’d be on the side watching them. Also, you might find someone who you might fancy in the event. It’s either work or fighting with you since I met you back then.”

“I do care about that.  It’s just that I like seeing people get together more. Honestly, Old Tom, I think I might be lost in this regard.”

“You do have a strange hobby of being a matchmaker. You were even more pleased than the Count and Countess when they got together. Anyway, you go to this party, have fun, and watch out for anyone that might try to mess with the people there.”

“Can I have a small arm?”

“Of course you can, just keep that holstered under your suit and keep it that way unless there is a need for it.”

“Three mags?”

“Got it. Again, this might be a social greeting, no need to mingle, just keep watch, entertain if needed, and make sure it goes smoothly,” Old Tom patted his hat and stood up.

“You sure are busy these days, Tom.”

“Busier now that I have Axel and Marcus to keep a leash on. I appreciate the lads watching my back, but damn those sapheads can be annoying as shit. I might have to make Josef my second if he is this good.”

“I’d recommend it.”

Old Tom cupped his chin. “Now you really are making me think this through.”

Old Tom left the door with his mind still considering raising Josef’s rank. Mavin thought that Josef was suitable, it’s just that he dreaded the thought of having that man as his superior officer.

 

---

 

He had dressed up with a sack coat, a waistcoat, and trousers tailored to him. He had tried to wear his service cape but to make sure that the party won’t have conflicts. Those who have statuses were asked to place nice. Under his sack coat he had a shoulder holster with a 9mm ready to be drawn just in case.

Tapping the toes of his wingtip shoes. He got out of the room and went down to the lobby where he met fellow goers ready for the party. With the party being held in the Upper Town’s center. There were many who were going in cars. Taking a step out of the hotel, he found Axel standing to the side of a car. He sized up Mavin from head to toe and gave a toothy grin.

“Sometimes, I almost forget that you are one of them young masters, Sir.”

“Hope you don’t start kneeling then.”

“Fat chance, but you never one to act like one. Guess all the lads from Lazon whether red or blue always act like this.”

Axel took the driver’s seat and Mavin on the back. “I was near the Lazon borders. Had me the pleasure of seeing Border General Logain Strom in command. Man could wrestle a bear with that grit of his.”

“Ay, Cousin Logain had always been one of the few who had this uncanny aura around him. Shit, you weren’t rude, right?”

“Course not, who’d want to piss off a general? Bloody man was handling the artillery, cutting down the Frans with an MG while they bloody tried to charge the fucking hill.”

“What were you doing at the borders?”

“Same thing, cutting down enemies, raiding trenches. Lads are used to firing from distance so they couldn’t handle someone waving a club and a trench knife up their asses. That trench shotgun is useful when you want to clear the trenches in a jiffy.”

“Heard you were shot.”

“Aye, some dumb lad thought he could take on five trench raiders with a saber. Thought he could kill us with it and one of my mates just shot him dead in the chest. Got myself knick because of a small arm. Nothing serious though.”

“You okay with this? Fighting all your life.”

“Got used to it, Mav. Can’t even remember knowing how to make a damn pie now. My Pa always said, ‘Son you get this recipe from me, continue the business, make some pie and continue it until we die’.  The recipe is fine and all, but I don’t think I can start making pies again. Five years and I learn how to handle a gun better. Don’t see no point in going back to them.”

Mavin just nodded. The car traveled through the spacious streets of the City. Passing by blocks and street-lined buildings. Waiting for pedestrians to cross and watch the flow of people watching the roaming soldiers as if they had gotten used to them.

The car was stopped by a checkpoint before the gated area. Handing his papers to the guards. They checked it up and allowed the car to pass through the line without making a fuss. Inside the gated area there was a different ambience that was far too different from the usual gray and white buildings around the city of Flost. Flost City itself was built from hard concrete that allowed their buildings to continue to endure throughout the years. Even the broken arches and pillars remained standing despite the damage it had taken from the war.

There are two buildings that were the first to catch Mavin’s eyes. The first was the marble building that towered over some of the buildings. It was the assembly and the offices of the ruling government of the city-state. Inside that building was the grand hall where they planned to hold the signing of the treaty. Not far from this marble building was the Centre where they are going to hold the party. It was tall and opposing and yet the beautiful pillars on the front and banners of five nations showed that they were finally trying to be nice to the Empire despite the recent events favoring the Empire.

Arriving just outside of the Centre, Mavin got out of the automobile. He bid Axel goodbye and went in front of the older gentleman waiting on the guests. Presenting his invitation to the party, Mavin went inside of the hall and found himself amazed by the decorations that were on the ceiling. The matted floors. The elegant white and gold patterns of the walls and the soothing scent of the halls made Mavin feel like a bum. Though he had attended a few balls. The halls of the Centre attracted his gaze.

Looking at the crowd he saw men and women engaging in conversation. The men wore lavish three-piece suits and the women wearing sleeveless drop waist dresses and slip gowns accented with all kinds of accessories. It was a hall full of flowers and the men who were surrounded by such beautiful flowers had bright smiles on their faces as they mingled with the ladies. Without his name being announced, Mavin strode to the side where the ones with no obvious desire to mingle stood or sat silently, gazing at the tables filled with food and punches.

As he watches silently at the sides of the main hall. He heard a rather curious voice speaking. Turning his head to where this voice was coming from. He saw a woman with a familiar platinum blond hair. White skin that contrasted with her sleeveless black dress accented with long black gloves that reached above her elbows. The midi dress covered her long dressed in stockings. The dress fit her thin waist and the way it showed her clavicle stunned him.

“You were the one in that train,” the woman said. Her single violet eye staring at him.

She wore a black leather eyepatch on her right eye. The strap of her eyepatch covered her scar, but nonetheless the scar didn’t stop her sharp and elegant features from being quite a beautiful woman.

“Forgive me for staring,” he apologized. “Indeed, I think we met on the train. Fancy seeing you here, my lady.”

“Hmm, yes,” she offered the back of her hand. Mavin took her hand at the fingers with his right hand, bowed slightly while raising her hand, and kissed lightly. She withdrew her hand gracefully and raised her lips. “It seems that you have quite the status to be invited, Sir?” she said as if unsure of what to address him.

“Ah, yes,” Mavin then realized he hadn’t introduced himself. “I am Mavin Tomas. May I have the honor of knowing your name, my lady?”

She responded with a small bow. “Natalya Wilde. So you are someone of the Tomas Family.”

“It seems that I have the honor of meeting someone of the Wilde Family from the famed Duchy.”

She nodded her head in confirmation. Madam Wilde turned to the party. “Is it safe to assume that you do not want to mingle?”

Mavin raised a brow at such a blunt question.

“I am not the only one, aren’t I?”

“True. Half of the ones in the middle are business men and women. The rest are young representatives eager to connect. Quite a lavish party, despite the events, no?”

“Indeed.”

“You don’t look hostile to me. Half of the men of the Empire that I had met here were rather rude after knowing where I came from. I was beginning to suspect that the men of the Empire are boorish enough to act this way in a party.”

“Forgive them, they do not know manners it seems.”

“I can forgive them. You seem to be amiable, Sir. Are you perhaps alone?”

“Certainly, you could say that they have dragged me here,” he looked at her. “It seems the Madam had been dragged here.”

“My friend persuaded me to attend this party. Though I think she had intended to have me come with an escort. Unfortunately, the man that should be escorting me had not dared to come. It looks like having no partner in such an event is quite troublesome considering the list of activities that we must partake. ”

“That is unfortunate.”

“Isn’t it?” She looked expectant. “It is proper etiquette to participate in these events so I can only implore you to be my escort seeing that you have none.”

“It would be an honor to accompany you, Madam.”

“Thank you, Sir Tomas. You are a lifesaver.”

Mavin responded to her gratitude with a bow. It was then that the one near the door had suddenly taken hold of the attention of everyone in the party. The music stopped and everyone turned to the door with curious eyes.

“Announcing the arrival of his Royal Highness, the Crown Prince of the Athesian Empire, Arno of Athesia!”

Crown Prince Arno entered the hall with his aide, Sir Gunther. Without trying, he became the center of the attention. However, to everyone’s shock the announcement didn’t stop.

“Announcing the arrival, of the Lady, Mildred Anastasia of the Athesian Empire!”

The announcer paused as he nervously looked at the bewitching woman in red and black dress that fitted her body. She wore a headdress and a pearl necklace and long black gloves on her arms. She carried a black feathered fan. Her beautiful red hair resting on her shoulders. Her voluptuous curves and wicked red lips seem to attract every man in the hall.  Her black eyes traveled on the crowd before it landed on the Crown Prince.

However, before she could stride to the Crown Prince. The Announcer bellowed again, eyes pointing to the direction of the door.

“Announcing the arrival, of the Lady, Emilia Shina, of the Athesian Empire!”

The new arrival contrasted the first lady to arrive. Her soft braided hair is held by a blue ribbon. Her slim body enclosed in a sky-blue bustle ribbon-tied dress. Her silk skirt swayed as she entered the room. She was like a doll and her blue eyes hidden behind her long eyelashes met with the Prince before it landed on the woman in red and black dress.

The most troublesome trio of the Empire have finally arrived. And also the prologue of Mavin Tomas’s headache.

---