The Aeterna Empire

Chapter 5 - Plans and Schemes

The sun dimmed the day after I had arrested the high priest. Judging from the candles and markers, it would have placed us at midday, which turned night. As much a relief as it was, the sun underwent a change upon us by not lighting for a full day. It was quickly becoming difficult to judge what day it was or what time.

My ministers and I stood in the war room, stooping over a map table. The map showed Ire as best as we could determine with brief allowances for all other nations around its borders. Ire occupied the center of the continent, and all others, whether Cynn, Kes, Ne, or Soran, bordered Ire on one side or another. The maps showed rivers and mountains, hills and valleys, towns and castles and plantations and outposts, and finally, the previously known position of various armies.

We hadn't known the position of armies or occupied territories until now. The Ire diplomat had come in haste since my message of aid and bore intelligence we could use. I knew the Ire was desperate, but to reveal the position of their own armies, when I had only offered aid and had yet to provide it, showed how dire it was for them.

The Ire diplomat shifted a flag onto a hill closer to the Ire capital near its center, a flag I did not recognize. Since the Aeterna united them, they had changed their flag and name. They were no longer the disorganized Ne tribes with dozens of flags but a sole force under one banner and with one title.

The Aeterna Empire.

The new flag was a series of three-part circles around an orb. The part-circles did not connect. Each part-circle extended from its circumference towards the center orb with an elongated triangle, not adjoining it but close. Three part circles, three triangles, one sphere. It was an odd design, but the imagery was explicit. The triangles represented towers extending to the sun; the part circles represented the land, and the shape of the entire ring was the same as the world. It was a message of intent. The Empire presented its claim to the world.

I felt dread as a viper encircled my heart. I hated being right in thinking this prophet's ambition was dangerous.

The part-circles could represent cages around the sun as if to say they had captured the god, but since none of the circles connect, the enclosure is incomplete. I was hesitant then if I had guessed the imagery right.

The Ire flags were of an orb encircled by six orbs of contrasting colors, where the six spheres connected to the former. As the flag represented, they comprised a nation of seven regions given holdings from their king.

Our own flag was of a golden bird with a golden orb in its talons it had taken to flight, portraying our hunting god, Kasus.

There was an Aeterna flag next to the Ire capital. Near the Ne -Imperial- border was another Imperial flag. Three other Ire flags scattered around their eastern half, standing tall, and two Ire flags were knocked over on the western half. Clearly signs of defeat. Subsequently, there was a Kes flag near the Cynn border, a Kes flag to the north, a Kes flag on our capital, and a final Kes flag near the Ire border.

The Empire had dispatched a single army, defeated two of Ire's, and approached their capital and its defenders. The rest of Ire was scattered and distant, and reinforcements were coming from the Ne border. The Kes army was scattered, but we possessed the most at this stage of the war.

With the pieces set, the Ire diplomat stepped back for us to peruse. "Thank you for coming," I said again. "This information will be a big help."

"Let us hope so, your highness." The Ire-Blood nodded. He gulped, his frightened eyes tracing the map. "As you would expect, he has surprised us. His war is unlike anything we have seen."

"How long ago did you learn of the Aeterna approaching your capital?" Fereren, my friend and general, asked.

"The day of my departure... four days ago?" He answered after taking a moment to consider. He shook his head. "I don't know. It is difficult to determine the times anymore."