Another Worldly Summons

Chapter 93: In the Shadow of War

In the coastal city of Erun, nestled within the eastern reaches of the Gra Valkas Empire, a constant, drizzling rain soaked the urban landscape. Erun was home to nearly 100,000 people and stood as a significant industrial hub, specializing in manufacturing war materials for the ongoing three-way conflict. This war had entangled the Annonrial Empire, Mu, and the Gra Valkas Empire in a deadly conflict that the new world have never seen before, consuming the lands of the second civilization into fiery infernos.

The city's thriving factories relentlessly churned out weaponry and machinery, essential resources in this intense struggle for dominance in eastern reaches. The battleground in Leifor, to the east of the empire, bore witness to the brutality of this confrontation. Many of its cities, towns, and settlements lay in ruins, obliterated by neverending bombardment from the three factions vying for hegemony and supremacy.

Erun was one of the crucial Gra Valkan cities in this war effort. Its elaborate and expansive train system efficiently transported the goods and products from the bustling industrial facilities to the heavily militarized ports. From there, these materials were shipped westward to support the ongoing conflict in Leifor. The city thrived amid the chaos of war, its streets teeming with the sound of factory machines and the marching of military personnel, as it played its part in this devastating struggle for power.

Amidst the colossal clash of titanic forces, with thousands of tanks and aircrafts rumbling through the battlefield, ships and submarines creating havocs on the western sea of Mu, and the ceaseless roar of artillery battering the lands of Leifor, it's the small, everyday families who bear the true weight of this war.

In downtown Erun, a line of people stretched out along the rain-soaked streets, all waiting for their turn to request rations. They stood there, drenched to the bone, seemingly oblivious to the discomfort the rain brought. The cold was a minor inconvenience compared to the pressing need to secure sustenance for their families. In their eyes, there was a quiet desperation, a resolve to endure whatever nature or the war threw at them as long as they could put food on the table for their loved ones.

In the rain, a mother named Elara, her clothing tattered and hair matted from the weather, finally reached the front of the line. A weary soldier stood there to check her ration card.

Elara held out her ration card and received her rations but soon noticed the contents, speaking in a voice filled with pleading, "Sir, please, I have a family of five to feed, and this ration is smaller than before. We're struggling to get by."

The soldier, recognizing the plight in her eyes, sighed and replied, "I understand, ma'am. I wish I could do more. Rations are scarce, and we have to distribute what we have as fairly as possible."

With the war kick-started between Mu and the Gra Valkas Empire, the situation within the empire was manageable at first. But as the war dragged on and the newly joined Annonrial Empire entered the conflict, turning it into a three-way frenzy between these titans, the situation became increasingly dire. The death toll reached thousands per day, with dozens to hundreds of aircraft lost in every encounter with the Annonrials. The loss of territory in Leifor only aggravated the situation. With full mobilization on paper, the essential civilian sectors were requisitioned by the government, and thus, life grew more challenging with each passing day, week, and month.

Tears welled up in Elara's eyes as she spoke of her children, "My little ones haven't had a proper meal in days. Please, is there anything you can do? Any extra rations?"

The soldier hesitated for a moment, torn between his duty and his compassion. "I'm sorry, but I can't give you any extra. We don't have much to spare."

Elara nodded in disappointment, her eyes swelling with tears. The soldier reluctantly evaded her gaze. She whispered, "Thank you, sir." She said in disappointment as she left.