Story:Kings of Strife/Part 36

Part Thirty-Six
Empiria was in shambles. The sight of the city, so unorganized and chaotic yet rushing headlong into near martial law, made Karilyn uncomfortable. Empiria was supposed to be a proud city, proud of its history and significance and power, but now all it exuded an air of reeling vulnerability rather than confident hubris. The city was wounded, healing, and nowhere near its full power.

It sent a disturbing message. Inusia, the strongest nation in the world for almost a thousand years, was not invincible. It could be wounded, and perhaps even toppled.

These were the least of Karilyn’s worries as she stepped out of her truck in front of a military roadblock. Soon after, Luther Vinahkman – the “doctor” she had saved – also exited and fell in behind her. He was healing rather fast, and to be walking after just a few days of travel was immense progress for him. His body, even wrapped in the dirty cloths and robes she could spare to dress him, completely towered over hers’.

“We’re too late,” Vinahkman stated.

“Wouldn’t have guessed,” Karilyn stated. As she adjusted the large mantle of fur around her shoulders, the two of them walked towards the small outpost stationed at the side of the road. In front of them, the city was full of bluecoats running about and frightened citizens milling about anxiously. Smoke had been visible from the heart of the city earlier, but now the skies were clear. Dark, gray, and fading into twilight, but clear.

“Can I see your IDs? What’s your business here?” questioned a tall, handsome bluecoat as he walked towards Karilyn and Luther. He had basic Inusian good looks with a powerful chin and wavy brown hair, but he found himself completely eclipsed by Luther’s broken form.

“Our business is official,” Luther stated as he pulled out a small ID card from his pants pocket and showed it to the soldier. It was stamped by a high-ranking Inusian emblem, and the soldier’s eyes widened slightly as he turned and waved the two visitors to follow him.

“Sorry sir,” the man stated as he hastily allowed the two through the gated barrier blocking all roads into the city. “Security has been all types of crazy after the incident from earlier. We’re not supposed to let anyone in the city except VIPs and certified bluecoats.”

“And what exactly has… transpired here?” The road before the checkpoint was crowded with parked cars, buggies, trucks, and materials from all the stopped people who presumably had to leave their vehicles behind when entering the city. Luther looked about in distaste, Karilyn in curiosity.

The young Inusian soldier looked at Luther with confusion. “Where have you been, sir? Have you not heard?”

Luther looked at the bluecoat with a clenched jaw and quickly made up an excuse. “I’ve been… Traveling. My mission is classified, soldier.”

“Yes, of course, sir. Well… Empiria was attacked. A warrior killed every soldier he encountered on the last train coming from Shorica to Inusian soil, and rode it here to Empiria. He then went on a massacre… Between citizens and bluecoats killed by his wrath, theres a death count in the hundreds. Even more were wounded. We have reason to believe this terrorist was the same thief that the Crimson Death was hired to take out months ago… And apparently that mission has failed.”

Luther’s countenance exploded in rage upon hearing that Silverius truly had come this far and caused so much damage. He looked away and his knees trembled – his mental turmoil was beginning to affect his body, and he shook in agony. Karilyn, noticing the stress Luther was going through, stepped forward and took charge of the situation.

“Surely this terrorist didn’t cause all of this damage? Does one man require the complete shutting down of entrance to the city? We saw smoke – how much structural damage could he really accomplish by himself?”

The bluecoat looked at Karilyn with suspicion, but eventually swallowed and decided she was worth speaking to. “No… That wasn’t all. The ICA headquarters were attacked by Vainia Sestrum, the rebel who destroyed Phenicks and laid siege to Shorekeep. She brought her terrorist views here and somehow managed to give an entire speech while her followers held the place hostage. When she escaped in a stolen airship, she was pursued by our remaining air forces, but Empiria’s air harbor is still recovering from its audits, and the resistance wasn’t what it should have been. Not only did she escape, but people around the country – especially here – are rioting in response to her words. A damned agent of chaos, she is.” Veins became visible around the soldier’s temple as he cursed Vainia.

Karilyn turned and breathed deeply, stunned by the developments she had heard about. The world truly was changing.

“Crono,” muttered Luther. Both Karilyn and the bluecoat looked back at the old former soldier who had by now regained his composure. He turned and looked the Inusian soldier in the eye. “The terrorist boy. Did he escape here?”

The soldier reddened in the face. “Yes, sir, he did. We… couldn’t stop him, not with all our forces focused on Vainia.” Silence took hold of the checkpoint’s small outpost for a moment.

“Well?!” growled Luther, his fists tight with impatience. “Where did he go?!”

“Er, east, sir. Our last sources reported him heading south-east, but we lost contact with our scouts somewhere in the forests just north of the Mirage, sir.”

“Icarun…” Luther’s mind raced and he fiddled with a pair of black sunglasses he had left in his free pocket. Icarun, far southeast of Empiria and directly south of Morshia City, was Inusia’s biggest fortress besides Inusia City itself, and was located at the innermost point of the Queen’s Bay. If Silverius was targeting the military, he would undoubtedly head to Icarun. Icarun was one of Inusia’s strongest bases. Icarun was where Luther and Silverius had clashed for the final time, all those years ago.

Icarun was where Silverius was headed. “You know General Draizen, correct?”

The bluecoat looked stunned. “High General Draizen? Of course, who doesn’t know him?!” A slight smile tugged at his lips.

“Tell him I’m not going to fail him. He won’t be happy once you mention me, but tell him the situation is under control. As under control as it gets.”

“Wha… You are close to the High General like that? You want me to speak to the High General?” The soldier almost dropped the clipboard he had been idly scribbling on while the group was talking, so great was his awe.

Luther only frowned at him and readjusted his cloak. “Let’s go, Mrs. Red,” the old soldier stated as he donned his dark glasses and quickly started towards her discarded truck. “Our business is not here.” He only hoped that they would not be too late once again.

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