[quote=@ThatOneNewGuy]
Drikdarok was annoyed. Here he was being ordered around by a former human! And a slave at that, his slave in fact! But in truth he was glad. There was a reason to declare war now, and against Xian too, whom had been unbreakable since the second age. He rode on his long-strider back to Xian. In truth he only had time to stay in Bubgruk for a few days before he got an order from the High Darok. He had complained of course, about how he could just announce it on one of the border cities and they'd deliver the declaration for him, but he supposed that was dishonorable, and Sanukdarok seemed to think so too. So he rode back to Nanking to Deliver a message. It read.
[center][i]To Ling, Emperor of Xian
The Great Empire of Ocrad officially declares full-scale war on Xian. Know that our army to has demons and we won't be defeated by the likes of you! You thought the Demon Lord was making empty threats? Well then come onto the battlefield against us and see how empty they were!
Sanukdarok[/i][/center]

A small note was attached to the bottom, it read.

[center][i]Ling, I give you one more chance to join me, you and me both know you cannot hold out against my and Theolagius' armies together, so I offer you one more time. Utter the words 'Shedanaran unhzero' and the war will end, I even offer to fight Theolagius on your side. But reject this and I will make sure that we fight personally.[/i][/center]
[/quote]

Ling calmly read the letter, as his advisors looked on nervously. Xi'an had been an impenetrable fortress, surrounded by steep and deadly mountains, ever since his ancestors had driven out the orcs three thousand years ago. Between their raw power as demons and natural geography they had not faced any serious challenges in over a thousand years.

"It seems that in our isolation we have backed ourselves into a corner" Ling noted

"Your Majesty Theos stands no chance. It's winter and they are humans, half their army will die before they even get to the first City" interjected one general

A female general followed up "Yes, but by sheer numbers we'll still have a challenge. They outnumber us ten to one even if half their army dies, and they've been stockpiling poison for generations. Enough to at least cripple us enough to make the take over by Ocrad a cake walk"

The emperor rose his hand to silence the debate "we could win either war, but not both. Especially with demons on the opposing side we'd only barely scrape by."

Ling wrote down a message and had it dispatched

'I will agree to an alliance, if you can physically promise that Xi'an and her people remain under my sole authority. Demon and human beings. I do not care about hell and will not oppose you. I am the emperor of Xi'an and the elemental demons, beyond that I will not oppose you or your plans'

Before even a single shot had been fired, Xi'an offered surrender terms. Autonomy and independence in exchange for Xi'an not impeding Ocrad.