Even though war was raging across the Europan continent, there were still places where conflict had yet to blossom. Those places were usually quite far from the front lines and deep in the heartlands of the nations participating in the Holy War on both sides, but one place deep inside the Greater Darksol Empire was behaving as if the war was both close to home and yet far away. This place was the ‘Eclipse Military College’, an institution set up to train young men and women into the next generation of high-ranking officers and potentially even generals.

Eclipse Military College was built in what could easily be described as Necrograd’s ‘secondary education’ district. It was not the only college that occupied the area, but it was the only college that had so much space dedicated to it. Entire sections of the Greater Darksol Empire and its satellite states were dedicated to training these future non-commissioned officers. Sections of the Gallows Woods were off limits to anyone, not for fear of the creatures within harming people but for fear that people could run into a training drill and be in harm’s way during it.

Today would have been a day like any other. Despite the war that was still ongoing, there were still classes being held and activities were being engaged in. In fact, it may have even seemed that the war had never started if not for the numerous recruiting offices on each campus.

And, while it may have normally been a quite average day, today there was a special treat for the highest performers of the numerous colleges. This had been a day in the making long before the Holy War had begun, and even though attention was needed at the front the ruler of the Greater Darksol Empire was taking time off from front-line duty to hold a lecture. Only those who were the best of the best of the best were even given the chance of being selected for the possibility of attending this lecture, and when the announcement of the lecture had been given a great many dived headlong into their studies to get the privilege of seeing the Emperor in person.

Now, the selected individuals had gathered here from colleges all over the greater Darksol Empire. Satellite states sent their best and brightest to the Eclipse Military College on expense-paid trips to the capital, every student dressed to the nines and looking their best. Gathering together outside the massive lecture hall the doors opened, and the students piled in. Seats were taken, not assigned, and as the students waited for their lecturer to arrive, they could not help but chat amongst themselves.

After ten minutes had passed since they entered, Kain walked in and took up his post at the podium.

“Settle down, settle down.” he said, his voice reaching even the rear rows. “As you should be aware, this lecture is about military matters. No, it is not about secret military hardware, so don’t worry about needing to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement. Instead, this will be about a subject I am sure all of you think you know about but likely don’t fully understand. That statement may apply even to the students from this very academy.”

At Kain’s words, murmurs began to spread.

“The subject of this lecture is, quite simply, ‘War’. What is ‘war’, and how do you win it? Do we have anyone who thinks they know the answer? Let me see some hands.”

A few hands raised, mostly comprised of the students from the very college that the lecture was taking place in.

“Yes. You. What is ‘war’ and how do you win it?” Kain said, pointing towards a person wearing the Eclipse Military College uniform.

“War is a series of engagements that lead to a military conclusion to a conflict. To win a war you must defeat your opponent on the field in such a way that their military is incapable of fighting. After which, the objective becomes forcing the opposition to submit to your demands, by force if necessary.”

Kain nodded, seemingly in affirmation, but his next words shattered that view.

“A fine answer, but both correct and incorrect. Does anyone else have an answer?”

With the best student of the Eclipse Military College being proven incorrect, no one else was willing to try and answer the question.

“No one? Very well. When I said that your answer was both correct and incorrect, I meant that what was said was the commonly held view of the concept of ‘war’ and how to win at it. If you want to wage it and win that way, then good for you, but you won’t truly win or succeed that way.”

Kain cleared his throat.

“War, to put it simply, is a contest of wills between two opposing factions, places, peoples or ideas. War, therefore, can be won and lost without ever raising a finger to physically harm your opponent. In fact, the greatest way to ‘win’ at war is to overcome your opponent without ever causing a single death, injury or even the slightest bit of property damage. The best way to conquer your opponent is to do so with neither side losing anything.”

A hand was raised, causing Kain to cease his lecture.

“Yes?”

“So, the best way to win at war is not to fight one?”

“War is inevitable, but the best way to win is not to ‘fight’ but to make your opponent surrender without coming to blows in any way, shape or form. In that sense, you are correct.”

Another hand went up.

“Yes?” Kain asked.

“So, when you say that war is a ‘contest of wills’, then could you tell us how exactly would you win a war of conquest that comes to blows? Do you destroy their armies and navies and then occupy their lands, or do you do something else?”

Kain smiled.

“A war of conquest is not just about controlling territory through occupation, nor is it about simply destroying the military of an enemy nation. Wars of any kind are not won on the field of combat; battles are. But those battles are only a single part of the war itself. To win a war, a true war, you must break an enemy’s resolve on every level. From the politicians to the generals to the youngest civilian child, not a single bit of resistance must remain. Only then can you honestly say that you have won.

To occupy a nation or even a city without having won the hearts and minds of the people who originally lived there is to surround yourself with potential foes. Too many conflicts linger on because while the battles have been won, the will of the defeated remains unbroken. While still left intact and not molded into something that serves the victors, the chance of another battle beginning and causing the war to resume exists.”

Kain’s words seemed foreign, but also struck a chord.

“Let me ask you something.” Kain said. “Have you ever been so convinced that you were right about something you were in fact wrong about that it took repeated attempts from others to convince you otherwise?”

The class nodded and a few words of affirmation drifted about.

“Now, imagine that on the scale of a nation. You were beaten in battle, your military is non-existent, you are being occupied by the enemy who says that you are now a part of his nation. You lived your entire life in service to the nation of your birth, and while the battles were lost you never gave up hope that your nation would rise again. Then you hear that there are like-minded individuals out there; those that want to overthrow the occupier and bring your nation back to life. Your will is unbroken, your heart and mind still belong to what once was, and so you join up with the resistance and fight.”

Kain looked over the students.

“And so, just like that, the war continues as if it never truly ended. Remember, the soldier may be the blunt instrument used to win battles, but they are neither the one who started the war nor the one who ends it. It has been and always will be the whole of the survivors on both sides who determine if and when the war will start and end. Thus, to answer my question, ‘war’ is just another word for the act of making a foe submit to your views, completely and utterly, while the way to ‘win’ a war depends on the situation.

You may very well be able to win a war using only words or by simply keeping your foe from acquiring what they desire. Both are as valid a way to win a war as simply crushing your foe and its people into the grave. Just remember, people take time to grow, and you can’t simply rebuild a ruined city in a day, nor restore its populace to life after a genocidal victory. The end goal of a ‘good’ war is to walk away the victor with as little damage having been dealt on both sides to as few people and as few structures as possible. And the best way to do that is to crush their will and reshape it without ever harming a single person. That, you see, is a ‘perfect’ war. No bloodshed, no destruction, just a total victory.”

Kain finished his monologue and scanned the room.

“Now, any questions? Or shall we continue the lecture?”