"Indonesia's head of the Nusantara Capital City Authority, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, has released a statement that the construction of the planned new capital city of Indonesia, Nusantara, would be ahead of schedule thanks to a group of Indonesian witches who revealed themselves to the public three months ago. After the turbulent revelation of the group being opposed by many Indonesian Muslim groups, and after the situation subsided after the government officially recognized and supported the witches’ group, they have been collaborating with the Indonesian government on various projects. One of which was in the construction and development sector. Mr. Basuki, who was recently inaugurated in March as the new head of the capital city transition agency, immediately jumped at the offer when the witches group offered to collaborate.

Mr. Basuki stated that by using telekinesis and earth manipulation magic by the Indonesian witches, they managed to tackle various obstacles encountered during the city construction. Such as earth and material hardening, small-scale ground manipulation, plant growth enchantments, and so on. The head of the witches group, Mr. Hendri Widjaya claimed that these magics were used to help the construction of Borobudur temple. Enabling it to withstand multiple earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and ashes that buried it until its rediscovery centuries later. Mr. Basuki stated that with all of these earth magics, telekinesis and witches at their disposal, he estimated that the construction of the new capital city would be finished within ten years maximum from the start of the construction; five years sooner than the previous estimate.

In light of this, private investments for the capital city project have skyrocketed. Various countries have also stated their interest to acquire these magical enchantment technologies. Such as Brazil, the Netherlands, the United States, Egypt, and Russia. Experts speculated that Brazil, Egypt, and Russia would utilize the magic knowledge for their Brasília expansion and development project, New Cairo City project, and Trans Siberia road network, respectively. Some sources also reported that North Korea is also interested in Indonesia's magic knowledge, stating that they wish to utilize the plant growth enchantment to solve the food issue that has been plaguing the country for decades.

Indonesia, being one of few countries to maintain cordial relations with North Korea, has had talks with the North Korean government about the possible knowledge trade through each other’s embassies. But the spokesperson from Indonesia’s Ministry of Trade stated that as of now, North Korea’s request has been put on hold with other nations to wait until the knowledge transfer procedure and regulation has been finalized. However, the spokesperson has emphasized that North Korea ‘Has an equal chance to receive the knowledge as the other nations’. Meanwhile, the United States, when they were asked regarding this trade, despite concerns from many experts, has stated that they will support this trade as part of the sanction easing after Kim Jong Un’s eagerness to accept more peace talks post-2020(8). White House spokesperson stated that they hope that this will be the beginning for a more solid peace in the region in the future." - Timcast

***

--- Fort Legrath, Elies Region ---

Date: August 1st, 2026

"Fortress ATC, this is Raven 2-1. Flight of three CV-22s, approaching Fortress from the east at Angels 5, twelve clicks out. Requesting permission to land. Over"

"Raven 2-1, Fortress ATC. Roger that, we've been expecting you. You are cleared to land on the helipads by the main command wing. Over."

"Roger that, touching down on the helipads by the main command wing. Thanks, Fortress. Raven 2-1, out."

Holding onto a strap to stabilize himself from the intense wind, Sharpe looked out the cockpit of the Airforce CV-22 Osprey.

"We will be landing in three minutes," the pilot said.

"Roger that," Sharpe said.

Gazing out the cockpit window, Sharpe watched their approach to the mighty Fortress of Legrath.

"Can I see?" Pina asked.

"There. We should be able to see Legrath clearer on the side window."

Sharpe then moved from the cockpit and to the left side window as the pilot started to circle the fortress as a procedure to slow the aircraft down for the landing. Pina followed Sharpe to the window. Now, the two gaze at the massive, two hill fortress.

Legrath, the once undefeated fortress of the Empire. Built to protect Elies and the western part of the Empire from dark races' invasions. Built around two hills, two massive walls, and a massive internal system designed by dwarves capable of housing multiple Legions in addition to the original fortress' defenders. Even the two hills had openings for specialized weapons that were long-range. Even for a magical civilization, the feat of the fortress is incredible.

After it fell into NATO's hands, they saw the fortress fit as their main operating base in the Elies theater and refurbished and modified it to their needs in power projection. The inner wall has been removed while the outer wall has been reformed with guard towers, searchlights, gun emplacements of various calibers, mortars, and surface to air weaponry. All covering all sides of the already mighty fortress.

While the old innermost wall was demolished to make more room for building extensions, motor pool, and helipads. The road connecting the northern end and the southern end had been enlarged to the size of a 4 lane highway to accommodate larger traffic. The buildings also weren't spared from modification as Sharpe and Pina could see lights and communication equipment on them, along with many extensions built or were still being built onto the buildings. On the northern corner, just outside of the fortress, there was an airbase housing various aircrafts from various NATO nations that are under construction. Some aircraft can already be seen such as F-16 fighter jets, the coveted A-10 attack jets, and even a U-2 spy plane and three B-1 Lancer bombers.

"Will say," Sharpe said. "The images do not do justice to this beast."

"I always forget how big it is. Now you guys have made it even mightier than it already was. Now it looks like it would take every army in Falmart to even have hope to take it down." Pina commented while looking at the fortress in awe. "Also, do you remember? This was our first official mission together."

"I remember," Sharpe replied. "I still have the scar on my back from my tango with Taylin(1)."

With a laugh, Pina pointed toward the three cranes built on top of the fortress. "I saw those on Earth. I can see so many changes already."

"Wartime speed," Sharpe said. "It has been our goal to turn it into a major base of operations for decades to come. Its symbolic importance and strategic location are vital for our long-term plans here. However, that does not mean it was well suited for our equipment without massive renovation.”

“I see that,” Pina said. “You people love to change everything to your needs. Feels like your people are always compensating for something.”

“Go big or go home, Princess,” Sharpe replied.

Noticing a sharp glare than a chuckle, Sharpe looked back at the fortress as the helicopter prepared to land. The key difference he saw already was the inner wall being torn down to make more space for vehicles. Reforming the hilltop and turning them into landing pads. On it, he already sees two F-35Bs and two Chinooks. It was ingenious for the Empire to use the natural hill formation as a natural third layer of protection, something NATO does not need though.

With the landing, the ramp opened and both Vanguard-7 and the Rose-Order of Knights exited the ramp. At the ramp, Sharpe saw a familiar face.

“Nice to see you again.” Captain Beluutie said with a salute. “Welcome back to Legrath, Empress Lada and Lieutenant Colonel Sharpe.”

“Hey Pinkie,” Sharpe said after returning a salute. “I assume you are our escort?”

Giving a glare, Beluutie nodded and replied, “Yes. But once again, don’t call me that, sir.”

“If you didn’t like it, you would have gone to HR,” Sharpe stated. “Place looks very different.”

“What is HR?” Beluutie asked, confused.

Andrew walked while laughing, and passingly said, “A communist hellhole.”

Pleased by the humor within the group after their operation in Rondel, Sharpe cannot wait to get back on the field.

“I hate you people,” Beluutie commented. “Please follow me.”

Directing Randy and Bozes to head of the Special Operations Center on base, Pina and him followed Beluutie as they moved through the base. His memory of the interior is fuzzier as so much was happening at the time. The lights and signs along the halls are clearly from Earth. He expected ventilation, pipes, and other equipment you expect in a funnel.

That is when Sharpe noticed a line of green moss moving along the ceiling, the same one he heard about in the news. "Pinkie, what is up with the moss?"

Beluutie suddenly giggled and responded, "If I had a coin for every time people ask that I'd be retiring and living a happy rich life by now. It is how we breathe here. Dwarven works. According to your scientists, this moss creates air for us to breathe despite the fact that it does not get any sunlight. I don't know how it works, but it has been there ever since I was here."

The two entered by the CIC and saw terminals all over the walls. The first impression Sharpe felt was that he was entering the CIC of an aircraft carrier.

The room itself seemed like it was a barracks for the nobles based on its size and wall design.

Beluutie escorted the two of them to a room that said 'conference room'. "This room was once a guest room. Usually for some wealthy prick."

Inside, Sharpe saw the usual personnel he expected. Major General Walter Garcia of the 1st Armored Division, Japanese Colonel Shunya Kengun, and British Major General Mason Arthur. With them is the Special Forces commander of the region, Colonel Alexis Diego. The fact that there are this many heavyweight officers sent a strong signal, something big was about to happen.

To his confusion, he saw two Nekos and a Warrior Bunny. Two of them seem to be in casual modern kevlar armor he had seen on Adventurers who worked with NATO forces while the other was dressed in tattered noble clothing, which was something you didn’t see every day or ever.

"Hello, Colonel."

Looking toward his left, Sharpe saw his friend Albert approach. He knew that the SAS had been operating in this region for some time, taking out terrorist cells, League strongholds, and assassinating persons of interest. After a shake of the hands, he noticed one small bite mark that was almost covered on his lower neck. "Nice to see you again. What is up with the mark?”

Caught off guard at first, Albert laughed and said, “Just a little fun time.”

Noticed Pina rolling her eyes and sitting down, mumbling how boys only think about one thing. Ignoring the comment, Sharpe whispered, “With Aleisold?”

“How in the bloody hell did you know?”

Aleisold, the orange Warrior Bunny who joined the SAS. Like the Girls, she decided to leave her roots and become a British citizen rather than joining Tyuule. Apparently, she did not like the fact that America had no royalty.

“The way you looked and talked about her,” Sharpe replied. “Besides, being with nearly a dozen women all day, you pick up on things like that.”

“I bet you would, old friend,” Albert said with a laugh.

“Now, back to business,” Sharpe said. “What is up with the locals?"

"Something about a major development but I don't know," Albert said.

"Then sit down and we will talk to you," the Bunny said.

Sharpe and Albert Nelson looked toward the Bunny, confused until he remembered the ears. Then they fully realized that she heard everything.

“Gentlemen, Empress, please have a seat,” Garcia said. Once everyone sat down, he continued, “I know it was sudden but thank you for arriving so quickly. This is an urgent matter. Our campaign in the Elies Region has finally reached a critical stage. Lieutenant Colonel, Empress, I know this has not been your theater of operation but, are you up to date on the current situation?”

“My staff gave us a quick memo on the current events,” Sharpe said. “Operation Trasimene was a success in defeating the bulk of the enemy forces, creating a gap in the southern front. Now you have a safe opening to deploy module bridges?”

“That is correct,” Arthur said. “However, we failed to capture or kill Legatus Fabius Aulus. He is a tricky bastard, living up to his ancient name.” As he spoke the monitor at the front of the room showed a picture from the League's most wanted list. Legatus Fabius Aulus, the Ten of Spades. Sharpe quickly assumed that the picture was possibly taken by the U-2 spy plane that he saw at the airbase.

“Excuse me, what is a module bridge?” Pina asked. “Is it just another situation where you add the word module to everything?”

Hearing a few chuckles from the officers, Garcia spoke, “Normally yes but not in this context. Once Legrath fell, what remained of the Imperial Army in this region retreated but they destroyed all the bridges. Normally, that wouldn’t be a problem except for the fact that Agaront is larger than the Mississippi River. And more importantly, fucking mages.”

“We ran into a problem when we began construction, enemy mages would destroy the bridge with water and ice magic and the Moon Elves would sabotage most of our building efforts,” Arthur added. “Now we understand Alexander the Great's frustration in the Siege of Tyre.”

“Then we came up with an idea to construct pieces of the bridge on land and then deploy them quickly,” Arthur continued. “The idea was to place each piece by a Chinook and quickly join them together. Then dwarves would use their enchantment to harden them together quickly.”

“Dwarves?” Sharpe asked. He understood they specialized in metallurgy and the enchantment for it, but was surprised they had a role in an operation.

“A dwarf named Dulon Loslon offered to help,” Arthur said. “They assisted in coming up with a quick way to bring all the pieces of the bridge together and be durable for our armor to pass through.”

To Sharpe's surprise, the dwarf name sounded familiar. He then realized they had crossed paths before in the Elies Forest, east of here. A Ranger was taken from Vanguard-5 and after a firefight, Dulon agreed to surrender information for his life and possible future business opportunities.

Regarding everything else, Sharpe understands the rest of the problems. The problem isn’t they cannot cross the bridge, Air Assault could easily take care of that however armor and superior fire support have been their key advantage. Without armor, superior fire support, and most importantly, a secure supply line, the infantry would be surrounded and screwed. The Assault Rifle is the superior infantry weapon on both worlds, however, if a soldier runs out of ammo, all it is is a heavy piece of metal.

That is probably why the focus has been on capturing the enemy leader and forcing a surrender.

Which is one reason the Empire changed its strategy midpoint in the war. Switching from open-field pitch battles to trench, urban, and guerrilla warfare, reducing those advantages.

When Sharpe learned of this battle, it baffled him. It made no sense why the League would launch such an offensive as they already learned the hard way that it does not work. Even the reason why the battle on this theater lasted this long was that Legatus entrenched himself and his forces on the other side of the river and avoided open battle. That tactic worked, forcing a stalemate and giving the NATO generals a headache because they couldn't put the conflict in this theater to a resolution. So why now? There is no logical reason why this battle should have happened as it played into NATO hands.

Before he could ask his question, Pina spoke.

“Why did the Empire attack? From the reports, it was a large assault. I hate to say it but my brother wouldn’t have been that foolish. And even if he would, there is no way Fabius would have.”

“And you would be the correct, Empress,” Lartia commended, surprising Sharpe, Albert, and Pina.

“That brings us to why you three are here,” Garcia said. He then directed Diego to begin.

“As you figured out we have a developing situation with two closing windows,” Diego said. “First, let me introduce you to Lartia Aulus, the wife of Legatus.”

“The wife?” Albert commented, shocked.

“That is correct,” Lartia confirmed. She then took a step forward and bowed with a noblewoman style to introduce herself to the newcomers in the room. "Greetings. My name is Lartia Aulus, the spouse of the Legatus, Fabius Aulus. Please be at ease. I am not here as your enemy. Rather, I came here to ask for your help."

Sharpe then watched as Lartia took a step back after her introduction was done. Her demeanor was befitting of a noblewoman, despite her kind that was considered as a lesser race which surprised Sharpe. However, he felt that there was a hint of worry that Lartia tried to hide. Not a sense of worry to herself, but about something else.

"Thank you, Ma'am." Diego thanked Lartia for her introduction before turning back to everyone else in the room. “As some of you already experienced, the enemy enjoys having coups against their own forces. And now, we are in another similar situation.”

Then Diego informed the three of what happened in Thaluilas from Lartia's point of view. “The Battle of Becwood Forest was a plot by the Oprichnina to undermine Fabius' leadership because he was planning on surrendering to you, Empress. Once the battle was over, the Oprichnina launched their coup and inaugurated one of the Ticaret forces' leaders to replace Fabius as the leader of the League forces on Elies(2).” Diego explained while pointing at two new pictures shown on the monitor. A Leonoid by the name of Katsuo, the Ten of Hearts, and a dwarf by the name of Gagnog Sandshield, the Eight of Spades.

“I hate to ask but why is this our problem?” Sharpe asked. He saw Lartia give a worrying impression, fearful of her husband's wellbeing. “I don’t mean disrespect, Ma'am. But if the League wants to kill each other, I am fine with that at this point.”

"He's right." Albert agreed with Sharpe. "As Napoleon Bonaparte once said, 'Do not interrupt your enemy when they are making a mistake. This internal feud within the League is nothing but good news for us."

"T-... That's…," Lartia tried to respond but couldn't let the words out while gripping her chest. Sharpe guessed that she was unable to counter his argument.

“Normally I would agree with you Colonel,” Garcia interjected. “But if Madam Aulus is correct about Katsuo and Gagnog, they will throw every single man they can find to fight against us. Normally, I'd be fine with it as we have an overwhelming advantage. But if I have another option other than massacring half of the continent, I'd gladly take that option. And as I said, this is a golden opportunity. Assuming he is alive, capturing him would end the campaign here. Otherwise, I would have to send ten-thousand soldiers across that river and flush the enemy out. Resulting in bloodbaths that we could have avoided.”

"He's right," Arthur said, agreeing with Garcia. "With Congress signing a treaty with the rebel Imperial Senate this has become our exit strategy. As you know Colonel, the primary issue has not been winning the battles but what to do once the war is over. The big fear at the White House was another long and bloody Iraq but on a continental scale. Having elements of the Imperial Army on our side resolves that problem. This is an opportunity General Stanford and the White House does not want us to pass up."

“It would be more than that,” Pina interjected, leaning toward the table as she was not enjoying listening to how they were talking about her people like pawns. “If he was going to surrender to me, that means all of his men would follow. For my revolution, that means two frontline leaders defected against the Empire. In the long term, I would still have a sizable army under the new Republic to effectively maintain order and maintain the sovereignty without having to rely on NATO most of the time, increasing the legitimacy of the New Republic”

Before she continued, she looked around to make sure her point got across as they nodded in understanding. To continue with her stance on the matter Pina added, “I heard about your wars in the Middle East. You disbanded the Iraqi army and their police force after winning your campaign. And that resulted in the entire country falling into chaos, right? I do not want my people to go through that hell. If there is an opportunity to sway my people to my cause then we should try it.”

Diego nods again to Pina's point. “Exactly. We don't wish to repeat that mistake. And it would be a massive PR victory, second only to Rondel as well as be an advantage for your revolutionary efforts. Additionally, we would be able to spread the word across the front that Imperial generals are surrendering en masse. In short, there are simply too many potential benefits for us to miss this opportunity.”

“However, let me be clear,” Garcia said. “If this fails I will not order my troops to be sensitive to their targets. Anyone who continues to fight for the League will still be labeled as hostile.”

Seeing the opportunity, Sharpe knew they could not pass it up. What was concerning him was that second window. “Is the mission to sweep in, secure the Legatus and extract him back here?”

“That will be Captain Nelson and Empress Lada's mission,” Diego replied while turning to Albert and Pina. “If possible, you will also secure the Seckin Sanctum commander, Albon Dac Kalv of the Ticaret Conglomerate,” he pointed at a new picture shown on the monitor; an elf named Albon Dac Kalv, the Nine of Diamonds. "And keep in mind. According to Madam Aulus, Katsuo planned to fake his death to smoothly transition the army under Albon's command into Gagnog's. So the time window that he has would be shorter, if not already closed. So if you wanna save him, you’re gonna have to race against the clock. But don’t force yourself to the point of jeopardizing the mission. Remember, your main objectives are Fabius and his men, Albon is secondary."

Now Sharpe was very confused. Looking at Albert, he could see the same confusion in his eyes. The mission itself was simple. The context behind the mission was confusing. Something more is happening, like always.

“What about Vanguard-7, sir?” Sharpe asked. "What will be our mission sirs?"

“According to Madam Aulus here, the Ticaret is split when it comes to the war,” Diego explained. “Apparently, the Seckin Sanctum never wanted to go to war but was forced to, to maintain unity within the Ticaret as the overwhelming majority of the Ticaret houses voted for it. However, there was one house, called the House of Altin, that voted against the war. Your mission is to make contact with them and bring an end to Ticaret's contribution to the war.”

“And how is that a closing window, sir?” Sharpe asked. “Are they under threat?”

“We have no idea,” Diego said. “But that is not the urgent part. According to Madam Aulus here, they discovered an old acquaintance of you two, General Krysist.”

A flow of mixed feelings hit Sharpe like a freight train. A complex man brings complex opinions, and Krysist was no exception. The number of times they fought, all the battles. What felt like an eternity happened only seven months ago. While opposing much of the General's tactics and goals, he grew a level of respect for the man. An incorruptible warrior to the core.

Sensing Pina about to burst from her seat with emotion, Sharpe placed his hand on her shoulder to calm her. He could feel the anger, sadness, anxiety, and excitement, all trying to contain it in front of the other officers.

“Wait, my brother is still alive! How is that possible?!,” Pina demanded. “That son of the bitch, Herm murdered him!”

“That, we have no idea.” Garcia bluntly said. “Ma'am.” He then called Lartia to take over the stage.

“I understand that it is hard to believe.” Lartia quickly said, showing her shyness to her former enemies. “We also had no idea, and my husband was also in shock when we received the news. Sir Albon informed us right before the coup happened, stating that they could use the knowledge of his potential survival to negotiate a surrender with you, Empress. Sir Aldon also said that he guessed that the Sanctum was planning to bring the General to Sadera, so even he did not know the details. I am sorry that I do not know more than that.”

“It is okay, Lartia,” Nelia said, calming her friend. “This already was a big help.”

“That is correct, Ma'am. Your information is really helpful for us.” Diego reassured Lartia before turning back to Sharpe. “And that is your mission, Sharpe. General Stanford already briefed the President on the topic and she already approved the operation. I don’t think I need to explain what it would mean to have him on our side.”

“Then why am I assigned to go after Fabius?!” Pina asked, standing up with her hands slammed on the table. “I should go after my brother! Having him on our side could mean the entire Imperial Army defecting to my cause!”

“Calm down Pina, don’t let emotions consume you,” Sharpe whispered. “This isn’t the place.”

Sitting down, Pina apologized for her outburst. “My apologies. But I still think I should go with Sharpe and go after Krysist.”

“It’s okay, Empress,” Garcia replied. “The reason why we prefer you going with Captain Nelson is that securing the Legatus would bring an end to the war in this theater. They need to keep him alive until the transition is complete so we have a limited time frame. Assuming he is not alive, you could still recruit his army to our side.”

“He is not dead!” Lartia yelled, trying to deny the possibility. She then dropped down on her knees and begged Pina. “Empress, please. I beg of you. You have to save him. He told me to come to find you. I was forced to leave my husband's side, traveled hundreds of leagues, and I almost lost my life to the Oprichnina just to find you! You have to help us.” She was still on her knees, begging Pina as her tears started streaming from her face. "Please… He does not deserve this."

Sharpe watched as Lartia broke down while her fellow Neko friend calmed her down. Seeing the sight of her begging for help, Sharpe had a flashback of the daughter of the Mexican family begging for his help before she was set ablaze by the cartel. Sharpe shook his head trying to push that memory away. Now Sharpe's question about the 'help' Lartia wanted to ask was now clear. She wanted to save her husband, and yet she was powerless to do so. And thus she was here, begging the enemy to save her husband. Turning to Pina, he saw her remain silent but it was clear to him that she was trying her best to hide her emotions, clearly reflecting on the recent information along with Lartia's beg for help. Sharpe fully understood what was going on in her head. The battle between duty and personal desires was never easy for a leader.

For Sharpe, he could already tell this was going to become complicated, like always. Temporarily pulling Lelei from active duty for her mental recovery meant he was down one mage support but also forfeiting his greatest asset in the team, and Tuka was on a mission with her father in the newly formed Coda Woodline State army in the Dumas mountain. While Yao’s magic has been advancing so far, she and Tuka are still nowhere near Lelei’s level of magical support. However, with this news, he knew someone who might be willing to replace her temporarily.

“Colonel, Vanguard-7 will be para dropped behind enemy lines,” Diego said. “Most of our support assets cannot reach that far, being close to three thousand kilometers away. B-1 Lancers will be on station to provide air support if needed, and the Japanese 3rd Recon will be dropping in advance to secure an extraction point. The Space Force has also diverted one of their spy satellites to stay above the Ticaret's airspace, providing you long-range comms and real-time IMINT(3) and navigation support for the entirety of this mission. Get there, and make contact with the House of Altin and Seckin Sanctum as soon as possible.”

“What about native support?” Sharpe asked. “Will we have a guide?”

“Miss Malena here will be your guide while the Legrath Knights will be your melee support,” Diego said. He then directed the meeting to the Warrior Bunny.

“Thank you for the opportunity,” Malena said. “Sharpe, Aldon, and I will be coming with you while the rest of my brethren will be going along with the British guy and the Empress. I have familiarity with the Western Desert so I can be your guide.”

Finding the informal civilian talk humorous. Sharpe experienced it throughout his career. Just two different lifestyles. “Alright.”

---

Once the meeting ended, Pina quickly caught up with Lieutenant Colonel Jackson Sharpe. “Sir. Can I speak with you for a moment?”

Wishing Albert goodbye and good luck, Sharpe looked toward her and said, “What's up?”

“Why are they splitting me off?” Pina asked. “I should go with you! They know he is my brother, so I don’t understand.”

Looking up at Sharpe, watching his calm manner. Pina could see he was thinking very carefully about his response, which she has grown to expect. Everything is always carefully said.

“You are the Empress, Pina,” Sharpe said. “You have the power to go in there and request to be on my team.”

“Then I should,” Pina said. “After everything he has done for me. He trusted me to carry on his dream, his vision for the Empire(4). I owe him.”

“And what about Fabius and all of his men?” Sharpe asked. “Everything that they said in there? Are they wrong?”

It took a moment for Pina to consider the general's point of view. The truth is that saving a Legatus and his forces from doom is important. Bring another army to her cause and with that, it would be her people taking over the Empire, pleasing many of the future nobles she will need support from. On the other hand, it is Krysist. He himself could yield that result.

“Bringing him to my side, being the head of my armies, would send a powerful shockwave throughout the Empire,” Pina stated. “I understand with Fabius, he would bring a massive benefit to my cause but so is Krysist.”

Sharpe remained quiet, and Pina wondered if that was intentional. She had come to learn that when he did not quickly respond, he was trying to allow that person to think on their question and points.

“You're right,” Sharpe said. “The thing is, they are also right and you know it. If you didn’t think that, you wouldn’t be talking to me about this but to them.”

Hearing that confused Pina as she was hoping for clear direction. “What do you mean?”

Sharpe crossed his arms, taking a deep breath. “Exactly what I said. Both have merits but the issue is, which one is more important. You are an Empress now, not that naive Princess I met in Italica. When you chose that title, you accepted everything that came with it but most of all you must be willing to put aside your personal desire for the greater good.”

“Now, both priorities have merits but for different reasons. You need to decide which one you think is important for your cause and image. Whatever one you choose I will support but you need to choose. Now, I have to go talk to Captain Sarah and Pinkie.”

Before Pina would ask follow-up questions, Sharpe left. She felt much frustration ripple throughout her body as she was struggling to decide.

Heading to her barracks, Pina passed her fellow Rose Knights, confusing many of them. She then sat down on her bunk, pulled out her notepad, and started thinking about the pros and cons.

“What is wrong, my Empress?” Bozes Co Palesti asked.

“You seem down?” Beefeater E Caty added.

“We have our orders.” Pina then explained everything that was said at the meeting except the part regarding Ticaret. The mission is to recover Fabius and Albon from the Oprichnina. The barrack engulfed in cheer, seeing the importance of the mission, except for her.

“Is this not what you wanted?” Beefeater asked. “This brings another general into our fold.”

“Wait a moment,” Bozes said. “Where is Vanguard-7 in all this? You said we are deploying with the SAS.”

“They are going to the Ticaret Conglomerate with the Legrath Knights and the detachment of a group of former adventurers,” Pina said.

Stating that, Pina got the reaction she expected from her close friends, confusion. A debate started as they questioned the wisdom of going that far north so soon. Maybe if they managed to capture Albon first, then there would be a reason. But now?

As the debate continued, Pina stopped it all by mentioning that they are holding her brother Krysist there. The room froze, staring at her. The mood in the room changed as they all wanted to go on the Ticaret mission now. Many of the outspoken girls protested the crime of not going, some even saying it would be a betrayal.

It was Panache who brought calm to the group by saying, “What was their reason?”

“Securing the local Legatus would be a better guarantee of success with the bigger reward,” Pina said. “Sharpe said I can go to the Generals and request that we be transferred to the Ticaret mission. Fabius is an honorable man but-.”

“But your mind states that Krysist is worth more than Fabius in everything but more importantly he is a man that you never thought you would have as a brother?” Panache guessed.

“You are correct, Panache,” Pina responded. “While Fabius is a great general, for me, my eldest brother is still the best of the best. He, along with Sharpe, are the people that ignited the spark in me to initiate this revolution.”

Bozes then got on her knees, grabbed Pina's hands, looked her Empress in the eyes, and said, “We have to go get him. He passed the mantle to you because he knew you could carry on his vision. We would not be here if it was not for him. We have to save him, it is our duty.”

“Let us not forget that bringing him back would discredit your brother, Pina,” Beefeater said. “Everyone in Sadera would tremble in fear knowing their coup last year failed.”

Seeing her friend's support, Pina smiled and nodded in agreement. Deciding that she will go to Major General Walter Garcia and convince him to transfer the Rose-Order of Knights to be with Vanguard-7. “Ok. We are going to go save my brother and bring this madness to an end.”

“By the gods, there is no way you are going after your brother.” O'iloiat Dusses said, moving through the crowd.

“Be careful what you say, O'iloiat.” Bozes said, standing up. “You were not there in all those times we fought in battle and you will obey your Empress’ command.”

“You were not there when Legrath fell and the sacrifices we made,” Beefeater added, approaching him as she placed her index finger on his riot-based-designed knight armor. “We earned our place here. You wear that armor because we saved you at Sadera.

O'iloiat quickly brushed her finger aside and said, “And that gives you the right to sacrifice our comrades? For a single man?”

“And this armor? First off this armor was given to you by the Americans. Second, the only reason you were wearing armor and calling yourselves knights in the first place was that it was given by her father as a joke. You had to switch sides and create a cause to give it an honor.” O’iloiat then unclipped his armor and placed it on the bed. “If the armor is just a fashion piece for your game, then none of us are fit to wear it.”

However, as he ends his statement, many Rose Knights stand up and surround him and pump their fists ready to pummel him for his insolence.

That fact was a bitter pill to swallow for Pina, which even Beefeater couldn’t respond. However, the part regarding their Rose armor history nearly started a riot in the barracks. She could not tell if O'iloiat was expressing his true feelings on how he views the Rose Knights, or something else. It annoyed her that her leadership and honor were always being tested, regardless of past deeds.

To stop the fighting from the building, Pina stood up and interjected, “It is not like we are abandoning Fabius and his people. NATO is sending a task force to save them. But I have to save my brother.”

“And that is exactly what I mean,” O'iloiat boldly stated, showing no fear by the hateful tension against him.

Confused, Pina stopped Bozes from speaking. She then asked, “speak your true meaning or begone.”

“The reason why you are all angry at me is that you know I am right,” O'iloiat stated. “The Rose-Order of Knights was created as a joke to please some spoiled noble girls who had nothing better to do. It was all a game.”

“You misogynist pig!” Panache replied. “After everything we have done? Bozes and I killed our fathers to save you and your father not to mention, we fought like hell with NATO and the people of Rondel to save the city from the giant flaming demon. And yet you still think we are a group of playing knights!?”

“And for what?!” O'iloiat asked with a raised tone, creating a silence in the barrack before he continued. “You took the Rose Knights from a forgettable joke to leading a revolution where at three different points, three Generals decided to swear allegiance to your cause. Krysist was the first one, then Pepreos, and now Fabius. They all expressed interest in siding with you not because they saw your knighthood as some popularity contest to pretend to be Men. You said Fabius told his wife to find you, Empress. To save his men because they see you as the rightful ruler. And you also said that Fabius' wife begged you to save him. And yet here you are, going to sacrifice all of that just to save a family member? Ignoring the plea of your would-be citizen of your Republic? By the gods, Pina. You gave me an earful back at Fort Minick the other day for ignoring other people's wishes. Let us be clear, going after Fabius means you are prioritizing the future of your Republic. Going after your brother means you are prioritizing yourself over the revolution, especially when others could do it.”

“Okay, you made your point,” Bozes said. “But, this is not some General we are speaking of. There is a reason why they call him the Gladiator General. Even the common grunts in the NATO army hold huge respect for that man. If people find out that Pina had the opportunity to save him but choose not to, her reputation would be ruined among the men. You know how soldiers love legends.”

"And Sharpe is not a legend?" O'iloiat asked Bozes. "I have heard all of his tales. He fought against Taylin twice and won(4). He fought against Giselle and the Flame Dragon and won(5). He fought against Zorzal and won(6). And he also fought toe-to-toe against Krysist in a gladiator match(7), and guess what? He won. So he's clearly not any less of a legend, and he is just as perfect for the job. The Americans know this, and that's maybe why they are entrusting Sharpe with it. If you cannot trust him, then you are discrediting him and his abilities."

O'iloiat then turned to Pina. "So let me ask you again, Empress. Why do you want to do the mission to save your brother so badly?"

Pina stood in silence, thinking about all of the information she just received and weighing all of her options. All the while, her knights were arguing against O'iloiat again.

“Enough!” Pina ordered, silencing everyone in the room. “Either way, we have a long day tomorrow. Everyone needs to get their sleep. I will make my final decision soon.”

The Rose Knights separate, going back to whatever they were doing, Bozes and Beefeater sat across from her.

“What a dick,” Beefeater commented. “Don’t worry about it.”

“We understand how important this is to you,” Bozes said. “We have your back.”

"But still," Another male voice interjected. It was Jalin, the other male member of Pina's knights. He joined the group before continuing. "O'iloiat had a point. Don't take it the wrong way, but I agree with him."

"Not you too, Jalin," Beefeater sighed.

"I told you, don't take this the wrong way. I still respect you girls, and O'iloiat too," Jalin replied. "I admit, I have never met Krysist personally. But from all of the tales I heard about him, I have a good feeling that he would berate you the moment he heard what you would do just to get him. He entrusted his dream to you when you two met in Legrath. I know that I don't have any concrete proof, but I think he would have accepted his fate should he have died during the coup because he had passed the mantle onto you. Now back to O'iloiat's point, the reason why NATO didn't decide to send you to get Krysist was not because you are not dependable, but because you are dependable, they decided to send you to another mission which is not any less important than getting your brother back."

"So, you're saying that Pina should abandon her own brother?" Bozes asked.

"I didn't say that." Jalin defended. "I'm saying that as a future empress, there will be times where she will be forced to prioritize her people over herself. If she doesn't, then what would the difference be between her and Zorzal? Besides, if you ask me, this problem is easy. Everybody thinks he is dead. He had passed his dream of the future to Pina. If he's alive and Sharpe manages to get him back here safely, then that is great; a bonus advantage for us. But in the case of the opposite, we should stay focused on the people who are still alive. We deal with what we have, like usual. Moreover, he is not abandoned. Sharpe and Vanguard-7 themselves are coming to get him, so I honestly don't understand why we are debating about this in the first place."

There was a silence between the three before they turned to Pina, whom they expected to give her response by now. The lack of response by Pina concerned the three. She just sat there, reflecting on what O'iloiat and Jalin said. Now she understood why Sharpe refused to give a direct answer. “Yeah, you and O'iloiat are right. The only reason why I want to save my brother is simply that I want to. I can rationalize it all I want but at the end of the day…”

“That is ok, Empress,” Panache said, placing her arm over her Empress to confront her. “You are the Empress and our leader. It is your will.”

Looking toward Panache and the rest of her friends, she said, “And that is why I should not.”