𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀 𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘. 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐀 𝐑𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍.
It's the beginning of a new age when Jaylah Imperatrix seemingly returns from the dead to reclaim her throne. And in perfect timing.
In her absence, evil has be...
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Act 4 Chapter 147 ALEXANDER
Alexander's head snapped up when Ermalai slammed down his glass of wine, nearly sloshing it onto the papers he was examining. "I need Kopsov Larion gone. The mongrel is pushing back against the war effort, and I need complete power over the southern coast."
The only reason the governor was hesitant to give Ermalai what he wanted—hesitant to engage deeply in the war at all—was because his civilians would starve even worse with occupying soldiers stealing their commodities. Battalions of their men would travel in and out from Oceana, and each time, the people there would be extinguished a bit more until there were none left to leech off of.
Still, Alexander asked, "Do I get to enjoy myself or does it need to be fast?"
Ermalai chuckled into his glass. Took a sip. "Take your time."
"Thank the Hounds. I'll leave as fast as possible. It will be done by tomorrow night." He stood to leave, trying not to appear to eager to get away. He always counted down the seconds before he would be able to escape Ermalai Morokov's radius of physical contact.
"You are a good man, Khan." Ermalai held his gaze for a long beat. How rare was it for such a despot to find someone truly loyal? Alexander inclined his head in gratitude before turning away to go about his bloody business.
The doors slammed open, creaking on their hinges with the force of it. Ermalai's lip curled at the interruption and Alexander knew the newcomer was about to lose his head. But the horrified advisor gasped out, "Imperatrix just killed every single one of our men on Oceana's mainland. Her army is now fitted with rifles like the ones in the West!"
So she had done it. She promised she would, and now she had. All her recent losses hadn't been unplanned.
Ermalai gave no response other than hurling his empty wine glass at the wall, where it shattered into a million glistening fragments. Alexander had gotten good at hiding his flinch.
"She made a deal with Tilana?" he asked, careful to not say her name. "I thought they were determined to stay out of this."
"No! I don't know when or how, but she made them herself." He sucked in a deep breath as the direness of the situation hit him at once. "We might have the advantage in numbers and cannons, but they have that water-resistant fire. She razed Fas Kaling to the ground in a day. She's insane enough to come for us next!"
Ermalai's erratic anger had inexplicably seeped away, leaving only a stillness that alarmed both of them. "She is. And she is ill prepared for the final piece I have not yet placed on the board."
Aegeus Imperator.
His face still shrouded in uncertainty, the advisor took his leave to spread the news to the other officials. As soon as he did, Ermalai turned to Alexander. "He will crush her and water the Oceanic throne with her blood."
