-Break-
Location: The Bastion Kingdom, Dá; Capital City Jīnyínqì, Golden Moon Palace; Emperor's Room
Φ I am the emperor, the one true king of the nation, of this continent.
It has been like that since time immemorial, ever since my bloodline has ruled over this country, time and time again, saving it during eras of untold destruction and pain. If it wasn't for the efforts embedded in our souls, in my blood, in my legacy, this world that my ancestors called home would have vanished, and I take the greatest of pride knowing what I've done for it.
Guided by the voice of the Messiah, I moved forward towards the goal of returning Dá to the hands of my bloodline, reforging the sword that was taken from us. And I know deep in my heart that it was righteous, that it was true, that the balance they stagnated this land, and kept everyone from clashing and growing from each other, was a false peace that would fade when those who live west of us would attack.
Yet Dá wasn't enough; the powers in all our lands need to be united for the sake of destroying the battles that are to come, for the sake of allowing those we pass on our hearts to continue living the lives we love.
We can't allow the future to be ripped from our hands; I must never allow it to fade. Even if blood spills now, even if pain is unbearable now, I can never allow the suffering of the present to rob those who will exist of their future.
So even if the voice has left me, I will wage war, I will conquer, I will unite all of the lands that lie in between here and Terrafide into my country, and pass on the grand legacy to our descendants no matter what.
No price is too steep, no action is too far, no amount of blood is too much. I must keep moving on and stepping on those who defy my will, those fools, those idiots, those selfish bastards, those scavenging rats, those all-consuming beasts, those ghouls, those demons, those walking parasites of the future that aim to stop my conquest.
Step on them, crush them, defeat them, annihilate them. Over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, AND OVER TILL THERE IS NOTHING LEFT BECAUSE THEY BARELY DESERVE TO LIV-.
Φ Walking up to the door dressed in finery with a series of attendants by her side, a woman carrying her baby boy, rubs his head before directing all of the women around her away as she walks into the room in front of her.
And there, standing at the door, she sees a man dressed in equally extravagant finery crunched over a desk, and says, "Emperor, I thought it would be good for you to see your son, since we're both back from the battlefield."
She takes a few steps forward, and then hears him slam his fist against the table as he says, "Why would you bring this book to me?"
"I thought you'd like it?"
"ANSWER ME, QUEEN CONSORT! WHY DID YOU BRING THIS TEXT TO ME?"
Smiling, she pats the scared child on the head and says, "Because I feel like your soul needed to read his words again."
As tears fall from his eyes onto the pages in front of him, the emperor says, "Is this who I have been killing? Are these the people my feet have been stepping over like ants? Are these who wish to live lives of love and joy within their lands, those whom I have branded as demons, as merely pawns for the future? If these words are naught a fabrication, then my sins overflow beyond what my mind can handle. Why, my wife, have you branded me with such pain as you know I wage a war that I must?"
Bringing herself closer to him, she says, "Your sight was perfect long ago. It never missed its mark in perceiving fate itself, and through that perception, you, that arrogant pest, Captivant, towards you. I feared he might have died when he disappeared, as he foolishly attacked someone other than me who would restrain themselves.
Yet the words that flow from his books have never been stronger, and I think that the stories he has published in this land all remind me of a feeling I had, the feeling of when we first met each other, and I saw you. The feeling of how you made others feel, and I think he is returning it to you. I have a duty as your wife to always allow you to see your heart when others can't."
"But what value does this have? I must do this, or otherwise the future will become clouded by the present. A day of war is coming, and an era of suffering lies in the future, over a 100 years from now; I've heard the words of the Lotus. If I do not unite the country now, we won't have the ability to fight and resist the pain that is to come. So tell my wife, tell me, my general, tell me, Fu. What am I supposed to do?"
Turning his seat to face her, Fu places her child up against Weilai, as she says, "Trust in him. Trust that the love you feel on those pages will exist in the hearts of all those who lie across this country.
The connections that lie with one another are enough to propel them even further than we were able to do. I don't deny the path you walked down, but it was a path of someone who never believed others could find another way.
Built a sword to wield, yet you need to trust in those who come after that they will be able to succeed your imagination, that they will overcome what you see as impossible."
Grabbing the young boy, Wèilái says, "But his arms are so tiny, his legs can barely support his weight, the sun rays against his skin are painful for him; am I supposed to burden him with such? Am I supposed to allow such a frail, pitiful existence to be sent through what I can barely handle?"
"You're right, but are those eyes the eyes of a weakling? Look at them, filled with wonder beyond what can be found in each and every existence that stands in front of them. It is not our job to judge them on what they can or can't do, but to give them the tools to use to accomplish what they wish to do. The end goal of all who exist is to be a teacher, yet you have veered into the path of a god, so for this little one here, I ask that you descend from your heavenly court, down to our mortal plane."
His hands reach for the child, and the child leans forward, grabbing its father, as it smiles and launches itself into its father's arms, and as he holds his son, Wèilái's eyes fill with tears.
Fu, comforting him, mumbles, "Thank you for your words. I guess the next time we see each other I won't have to beat you again."
-Break-
-Age 34-
I had wished to return the hope given to me in that land far east towards those who gave it. The strength and desire that gave me, the hatred that rejected it all, and the hope that had continued moving throughout every aspect leading into the future were returned to wence it came, and my heart only knew joy at the thought of such a miracle.
Continent: Molstoria
Φ "Have you heard that Mister Wèilái has stopped his warfare in the east?"
"It seems that something similar can be said for the northern lands of Terrafide; many of them have rapidly calmed down military expansion."
"It must be a trick, a delusion to wear us out. It cannot be trusted no matter what."
"But trade might start opening up again?"
"We need to stop trading with them and start trading with each other; the more we link ourselves to them, the weaker we become when they betray us."
"But isn't the opposite true as well. If we become so linked, wouldn't they become less likely to fight us?"
"It doesn't work for animals like them; at the drop of a hat they would kill us all if they could. We must never become overly reliant on beasts like that."
"Are you really saying someone like Mihály would be willing to do anything other than write poetry for his wife, or even someone like Yoko doesn't just want to spend his days with Osaki?"
"Stop talking about weird expectations from Captivant's stories; you should know that everyone from those places isn't like that."
"And you'd know that how? When was the last time you left this land?"
"Regardless of how nice it sounds, for a tiny island like us we won't get to get all of the benefits of such a plan. We would just be crushed and squashed as our labour loses the ability to compete with bigger, stronger forces."
"I don't think that's true, especially because of the Havryttare."
"The shipbuilding country?"
"Do you know of the Champmans?"
"The descendants of the guy who revolutionised shipbuilding for the military. Everyone knows him for those giant warships that his family maintains are the symbol of power for everyone in the union."
"Apparently one of his descendants, Sven, has started building smaller ones?"
"We already have smaller boats."
"No, these ones are specifically made to help smaller islands transport shipments to larger cargo ships that move on specific lanes. It's being done for the sake of helping smaller islands like ourselves cut shipping costs."
"Why would he do such a thing?"
"Greed."
"Huh?"
"According to Captivant, it is a market that is mainly unexplored, so he wanted to dominate it to compete against foreign trade."
"Why the hell should we trust him?"
"Why do you trust the people from the bigger countries not to blow us up? Because it barely benefits them to do so."
"Economics isn't always about the parties being nice; it's that both have incentives they can use to benefit from each other."
"So are you saying we should trust in those incentives?"
"Hell no, they change all the time. We should work with him, and build up our own power as we do."
"You know for a fact that Grandfather hates all types of new technology; it's too much work for him in his old age."
"Then he can start making his own food if he wishes for us to starve! No way in hell am I going to allow the legacy of our island to die for those old farts!"