Inception
September 27th, 5000. It was night, and a blanket of darkness has already covered the land of Chalcion. One could see the vast expanse of green fields, stretching as far as the eye can see. These fields covered the central part of Chalcion, and were a place where wild animals like to congregate to eat and drink. However, most of the land's animals were sleeping, with only smaller nocturnal critters wandering about. These fields are also locations of burnt Chalcionese villages, which have fallen victim to the wrath of the Hadrianites. Houses turned to ash, smoldering burned hay, the corpses of domestic animals accidentally killed during the village burning, as well as dead people - all are testimony of the ruthless tyranny of Emperor Hadrian VII, a man of vice, who above all else desires dominance, authority, and power. He did not hesitate to hack down innocent villagers, who had never wronged him, only to rob them of their provisions. Since King Akakios boldly declined to be a vassal to such a tyrant, he paid a bitter price, but left all his hopes in the hands of one man that he trusted more than many others, since his son too was captured. This is all the cold, bitter and cruel truth of life: the strong prey on the weak, the weak cannot fight back.
The Chalcivitas knights have spent the year scouting around Central Chalcion and seeking aid up north and in the south. They made sure that most of the villages and minor cities of Chalcion were intact and unspoiled by the Hadrianites, but Chalcivitas was still surrounded. Its people were being interrogated, tormented, even slaughtered, in order to accept the dogma and the tyranny of Hadrian VII, or give information regarding Chalcionese commanders. Among those was the heir to the throne, Alexander, who was captured for interrogation and was being forced to submit his kingdom to Hadrian. Stubbornly, Alexander clung to what his father told him, not losing hope that eventually, the men of Chalcion will have rallied to become strong enough to drive the attackers out of their capital.
The Central Chalcionese soldiers were prepared to take back their capital once and for all, with determination, and some aid from cities that either withstood or didn't see the attack of the Hadrianites. Word spread of the genocide committed by the Hadrianites, at Chalcivitas, Fort Agaroth, Analima and Tentaclus especially, adding even more hatred toward the indiscriminate Hadrianite troops. They were currently stationed at a now cleansed Fort Agaroth, awaiting to rally up and march on Chalcivitas.
Octavius, the new leader of Chalcion's troops, was inside his tent in the camp just a few hours away from Chalcivitas, sitting by the entrance, smoking a pipe and looking out to the sky. He knew that he could delay no longer with a march on Chalcivitas, because retaking it would be very influential and may as well turn the tides of the war in Chalcion's favor. It would also mean freeing Alexander, if he was still alive. According to reliable messengers, Alexander still languished in Chalcivitas, which meant that he may yet be alive and that he could still be saved.
Octavius missed Alexander very much. More so because the two argued on the same day that Hadrian attacked Chalcivitas. He greatly wanted to see his brother again and take back the rash insults and ill words he said to him in anger, because now he was close, so close to losing him forever. He would not allow himself to let his family, or anyone else who were his countrymen to die cowering, afraid of the very air they breathe. He intended to summon up the courage of his men and make them more willing to fight for the freedom of their land.
