Maukland, Spring 85
“Don’t shoot, don’t shoot, don’t shoot!” Shouted the Mauklendi ambassador in a grating Maukling accent. He struggled to and fro, trying to wriggle out of the bindings that held him to the entourage’s caravan. He had tried to escape several times out of fear and this was the only solution the Atlesians could think of.
Hyde clenched his fist in anticipation as he strode toward the camp. What first struck him was the unbearable heat: a strange, sticky sort of heat he only felt on the worst days of summer, despite the fact that it was overcast, and drizzling. But surely enough, dozens of miles beyond the camp, he saw a large Mauklendi city, illuminated in the red glow of flame. It had almost been a month of travel, a few days at sea that made him queasy, and another few weeks spent traipsing across long stretches of ground, briefly stopping at garrisons to rest. As they got further and further away from the western coast, their wariness grew evermore as they took sight of the villages left in the Altgardians wake. They pillaged and burned indiscriminately like savages. Even the haughty Mauklings did not deserve such cruel fates. Another thing that struck him was their large banners, streaming over the wooden ramparts. The field was halved vertically, with the left half a harsh yellow and the right a rich crimson and a dark blue circle in the center. The blazon adorning the black banner was a hollow, black eye with eight tendrils snaking out from its edges. What a strange flag to represent one’s nation, he thought. An unnerving one for sure.
He got closer, and saw two soldiers standing at the gates, clutching halberds. They seemed to be discussing something and laughing, but they immediately ceased once they heard the screaming of the ambassador, and saw the envoy approach.
They turned their gaze to Hyde and his fellows and examined the proud, golden wyvern emblazoned on Hyde’s own flag. Their faces contorted into a disgusted visage. Something about the Atlesian flag seemed horribly offensive to them, but Hyde wasn’t sure what.
They opened the gates after a brief word exchanged by them and the ambassador, and the two dozen-strong Atlesian envoy entered the camp. One of the Atlesians smacked the ambassador and roughly barked at him to stop screaming.
The Atlesians felt a distinct lack of respect that they were accustomed to while inside the camp. Nothing but dirty looks, men and women brandishing swords, pikes, muskets, and people in strange masks inhaling copious amounts of... what appeared to be dust.
Hyde was bewildered. These so-called otherland invaders had dust, a drug he had thought native only to inland Atlesia. What’s more, was that they were taking it in dangerous quantities, but somehow held on to their wits. What is wrong with these people?
Soon enough, a bearded, broad-shouldered man with an authoritative air stepped out of a large tent pavilion. Hyde found it a bit peculiar that such a gruff-looking man was wearing what appeared to be a skirt. Hyde hoped that there wouldn’t be a sudden updraft. But his scowl was enough to indicate he was of some repute. He was flanked on both sides by other soldiers, bedecked in gilded armor, wearing almost comical trout-like helmets. They were challenging Hyde’s sense of humor. He decided he would put his foot down, though.
“Tell them to bring us to the leader of this encampment.”
The ambassador nodded, and spoke in that odd, angry tongue. The bearded man grumbled something in the same tongue, and motioned for Hyde to enter his pavilion. Hyde cut the ambassador down from the caravan and motioned for him to follow.
When they stepped inside, they saw a few window holes, a crude wooden table, the insignia of Altgard emblazoned on both sides of the pavilion, and a woman, with brown, flowing locks and a pale countenance, silently watching the city burn in the distance while sipping from a cup.
The Altgardian soldiers pulled up some seats for Hyde and the ambassador, and the woman turned around.
“She’s asking what you want from them, and who you are.”
Hyde furrowed his brows. “Tell her that in Atlesia, it is considered rude to demand so much before you even tell us your name.”
The ambassador translated, and Hyde was taken aback when the woman sneered. She responded in a tone so aggressive that even the language barrier wasn’t enough to shield Hyde from her spitefulness.
The ambassador shivered. “She says… she says she doesn’t give a… never mind that. But she says she will suffer no trespass, and that you state your nation’s intentions or leave.”
“Fine. Tell her I’m from Atlesia and I want a reason as to why Altgard is invading.”
She nodded and began to continue speaking. It appeared she preferred it when people got straight to the point.
“She says that… that Maukland belongs to them. That we ran from them centuries ago. That we turned on their rightful leaders, and their culture. She’s claiming that Altgard simply wants what is rightfully theirs. And now she’s asking. What do you want?”
“We don’t give a damn about some centuries old grudge. We want the immediate removal of troops in Maukland.”
The ambassador heard the woman’s demands, and quivered.
“She says if you didn’t care, you wouldn’t involve yourself in matters that didn’t concern you. She’s willing to call the other generals, and work out a territorial agreement. But that’s it.”
Hyde removed his glasses and polished them on his coat. “Sure, let’s resolve this now.”
The ambassador nodded, and spoke to the woman. She responded in kind. The ambassador quickly interpreted.
“Okay. She says she’s willing to cede at most half of the territory gained, and is willing to also open up a free trade agreement. They won’t expand any further. You keep your lands. They keep theirs. And there will be no confrontations.” The ambassador’s eyes widened in panic. “You can’t possibly turn your back on Maukland?”
“Should have thought of that before invading us. Tell her we agree.”
The ambassador started sniveling and squealing. “No, no! You can’t do this, I won’t, I won’t-“
Hyde ignored him, stood up, and extended a hand. The general extended hers, and discreetly tried to crush Hyde’s hand. He was unfazed and responded in kind. Living with his wife had accustomed him to things like this. “We’ll discuss the finer details at a later date.”
He turned his back, and began to depart, dragging his ambassador with him. But he heard the general sneer something in her tongue once again. Hyde didn’t need to speak her language to know what she said. “Fool.” He heard the distinct crackling of lightning. Training with the finest of mages let him know something was amiss.
First the sound of crackling, then a distinct whistle as he heard the sound of something being launched towards his back. His ward protected him from any harm. He turned around to see the general lunging at him with a greatsword. Solid aether particles swirled around his body as he activated his coat. He caught the sword with one hand, using his aether coat to protect his hand from harm. “What is the meaning of this?” His sleeve extended along his hand and ate away at the steel of the sword, causing it to melt like wax.
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