The Way of the Future: Age of Machines(Completed)

Dioz

The pounding barrage of artillery echoed in the darkness and under the moonlight they came in the hundreds. Thousands of metal demons surrounded the once proud Senadate Theocracy, confining them into a small stretch of land a few kilometers that surrounded their territory.

Their capital, the city they were most proud of and once housed the most powerful magic user in the entire theocracy, was getting reduced to nothing more than heaps of rubble and scrap.

The grand pillars of their cathedral collapsed during the first onslaught. The collapse killed a tens of thousands of worshippers and frightened commoners who sought shelter inside. The Pope's Estate was never recovered, before the first onslaught even began, it was thoroughly scrapped and its materials used for barricades.

They barricaded themselves in, every nook and cranny of their houses, shops and buildings were emptied. They got anything they could lay their hands on, anything they could use to protect themselves.

Alas, everything was in vain. Their efforts mattered not for their enemy has made it so they were indeed doomed. Not even their goddess whom they worshipped with all their hearts and poured their energy to came to save them.

The heroes she called upon received her gifts but did not answer her calls, all of them went their own way, abandoning her and the Theocracy. The Blue Goddess, as she was known, watched from the heavens above as all her efforts were crushed beneath her.

"It can't be.. it cant be!" She said to herself.

"These demons, these vile demons! I should have listened, I should have listened to the Higher Deities. I was a fool"

The ruling magic council of the Theocracy sent word to the other countries, even sent a magic message to the Republic and the Empire. Their neighbours replied in scorn, they did not want to get dragged into a war they knew they would lose. The two superpowers? They said they will look into it but no indication that they would send even the slightest of assistance.

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The Dioz Kingdom to the south suffered its fair share of problems. The Senadate Refugees clogged their roads and swarmed their frontier cities and towns. Banditry became rampant and a severe famine took hold in several frontier provinces.

"Your majesty, dissent is spreading amongst the populace here in the capital! They demand that you prevent the Senadate refugees from threatening our borders further!" The chief advisor told his king. His king was sitting on his throne, quiet and blank.

He opened his mouth to speak only for him to utter a single word.

"No"

The entire courtroom went abuzz with whispers. Several influential nobles raised their voices and voiced their objection to the king's decision.

"This is outrageous!" One of the nobles shouted while he pointed his finger to the direction of the window behind him.

"Beyond this wall, beyond this castle and beyond our capital lies our citizens! Our people, be they the lowly peasants to the riches of the merchant class, we need to protect them! We need to secure them and ensure our own future! Why must his majesty let these people from another country who had harassed us, mocked us, insulted and killed our people entering into our kingdom...?"