The Imperial Invasion

Xalerion slept that night, slept as if he hadn't in days. In fact, he had hardly gotten any sleep the days before the invasion, as he took up nearly all the nights formulating plans and counter-measures for the battle. Thankfully however, that had so far been quite worth the effort. The entire southern coast of Vurstaria was under New Temperian control. The forces of Vurstaria had either fled underwater to their capital, or left to defend the major towns above the sea.

The night brought out the exhaustion of the soldiers to their peak. All of them wanted to sleep. They had done nothing the entire two days before than battle. Therefore, that is just what they did. Fifty guards were set to patrol the camp.

In the late hours of the night, a lone pair of yellow eyes flickered. It was in the forest ahead of the beach. A hiss was heard, and then the sound of snapping branches. Two hundred and fifty eyes flicked in the moonlight, luminescent on their own. This was the Vurstarian Task Force, sent to infiltrate and to ambush the Imperial base. All wore heavy coral armor and carried the best of weapons available to them. But, their only downfall, was that they had no idea of the number of enemy troops.

The Task Force had been contacted almost a day and a half ago by Vurstarian scouts, that a large enemy force was attacking. They spend that day and a half journeying across the nation to get to the southern side, and counter the enemy.

So there they stood, staring into only the small part of the main camp, watching the many tents that stood before then. Only five guards were seen from their position, watching out for anything suspicious.

"The force is small, P'rossa has guided us well! Prepare for the attack!" One Vurstarian soldier said.

The other soldiers nodded and unsheathed swords or readied their spears. Upon the leader of their Task Force leaping out for the attack, the others charged forward as well, never knowing the doom they had sent on themselves.

That night was cold, the medics had put all the soldiers into bed and have returned to there own quaters. all but Teekeeus, He had stayed up that night and continualy made his rounds across the rows of injured soldiers. as the night progressed he had pulled out a chair and placed it out side the door, he sat and simply stared out into the cold water. he keenly listend in the silent water for a call of a wounded that might need him. none came yet, but all the same he waited. he looked and saw his leg had began to bleed again, he unwrapped it and looked through his bag and noticed that there were only three vials left of solvent. he put them back and simply wrapped back up his leg and delt with it. although his pain had retured as he sat there, he seemed to only notice the small ripples in the cool water that night. the other days battle was rough many soldiers had given there lives for the greater glory of there leader, and for the protection of there lands. but teekeeus only saw the faces of the dead and dieing as he sat there motionless, he took a sighlent sigh and took out a scroll and read it over.

Teekeeus had gotton up to gather more supplies for tommarrows events and to fix up his leg and arm. he had just felt the soarnes from the battle, and rubbed his arms. he was staring out into the night when he saw a dark figure farther down the hall. "hello?" Teekeeuus said quietly as not to disturb the others from there sleep, the night was cold and still just as it was befor the first alarm of an attack was sounded. the patience were sleeping and some snoard as they lay still in there cots. all but this one he thought to himself

Now that I was out of the medical bay, I could move on into the city and confront the king. My chest still burned from the sting of that Temperean's sword, but I ignored it as I wandered through the halls and out the gates of the outpost. I needed to make my way to the heart of the city. I pray that P'rossa understands the reason to my thoughts, it can't be helped.

Swimming off through the lighted streets, I got to the main building. This is what I was looking for. "Who goes there?" A guard called out as he saw me approaching the doors. "Stand down, I request a visit with King S'grasso." I was hoping my rank in the military would've gotten me in without too much of a problem. It seemed I thought right. They looked in a little bit of shock to see me here but they were respectful anyway. "Sir! You're up late. Please, come in. We'll let the king know you're waiting to see him."

My opportunity was up, this was my chance. I don't know what I'd do or where I'd go after I completed this task. But that doesn't bother me at the moment, this comes first. I'll make this short and sweet, enough to cleanse all of P'rossara from his treachery. He will be a great sacrifice to our lord.

Teekeeus sat back down and ingnored the figure pasing through the shadows.
after awile he begun to do another round. as he walked a soldiers hand had reached out to him, he stoped and looked to the soldier. Teekeeus noticed that the soldier was unable to speak "does somthing hurt?" he asked, the soldier noded and pointed to a bandaged wound. Teekeeus could see that he was in much pain and he started to slowly unwrap the banages. what he saw was not good it was badly infected, and teekeeus knew he would not make it till morning, but he could not tell the soldier such a thing as that. he took out another seringe and injected the solvent into the wound "there the pain will be gone soon, i'll see you in the morning" Teekeeus smiled and looked into the soldiers face, he could feel a tear well up in his eye and quickly brushed it away so the soldier could not see. Teekeeus had stood up and continued his rounds.

After he had completed his normal rounds he went to see the severly wounded soldier from the beggining of the battle named Rakem. When Teekeeus had last seen him the skin from his legs were lose and fragile. Now his legs have been bandiged and he could speak now but he still had bad burns across his chest.
"hows it going?" Teekeeus said when he noticed that he wasent asleep
"i'v been better i suposse" Rakem said sarcasticly and atempted to sit up but grinsed in pain and layed back down. "what did the other doctors tell you?"
Teekeeus said as he took out a scroll. "i have a half a chance to live, but i'l never walk again" Rakem said grimly
"well dont worry i'v looked over your chart, you will make it" Teekeeus said happliy before giving him another dose of solvent and bidding him good night.

Upon Et'rivvok's entrance into the throne room, the Royal guards came in with him. The King of Vurstaria looked at him through pale eyes. He had been waiting for him. He stood from his throne, and walked down a short flight of steps to the main floor. In his hand was a silver scepter, and on his side the Royal Blade, a long curved scimitar passed through the generations to the Vurstarian of the next royal bloodline who would become King. With one hand causally leaning on the pommel of the sword, and the other grasping his scepter, he approached his guest.

"Ahh, Warlord Et'rivvok, please come in. What may I help you with? Has the battle gone accordingly?"

I looked at S'grasso with emotionless eyes. He was no longer a leader to me, but I had to play a role for now otherwise things wouldn't go smoothly. Hitting him with the truth doesn't sound like a bad idea right about now.

"King S'grasso," Bowing my head, I wasn't afraid to show my bandaged chest. Standing up properly, I continued. "There has been news that had come to my attention. I wish to speak with you of it if you do not mind." I was getting a little anxious, but I kept myself calm. I could feel a bit of confusion still pulsing through my mind. But I knew what was right and what was fake. The Tempereans showed it to me personally. "I had a little.. 'discussion' with a Temperean commander. A high-ranked commander, mind you. It seems that things are misunderstood to us fighting against the foe."

S'grasso's eyes widened for a second. A hint of surprise and fear emanated through him, but of course, he soon gained his composure. He walked back to his throne and sat back down, one hand to his chin. His tail slithered back and forth as a mindless reptilian would.

"I am guessing that he told you that we seceded from the Empire... something of which none of you ever knew about? I am guessing he told you that I knew that this war would happen? Well, what of it!?" He said coldly. "Yes, I did secede this nation from the Empire, yes... I am a traitor to the Imperial Crown! I would do it again too. Vurstaria should remain isolated and away from the bastard races like those New Temperians! Do you not realize that I did all of what I did for the good of Vurstaria!? What the hell does it matter if a few hundred die here? It is all for a noble cause!" S'grasso finished.

"You don't seem to understand, S'grasso." I wasn't going to be formal with him, he had shown his true colors and now I can also. "They aren't here to take us back into the Empire. They're going to kill us all and take our land for their own. I understand that you lead us away to give us personal peace, but in the end it was a foolish choice to make. To assign the war and let us fight in vain, you have dishonored Lord P'rossa, you have dishonored your own people!"

I lashed my tail against the ground in agitation. I couldn't believe that our own king would betray us like this! He sent us all out there to be slaughtered and for all the wrong reasons. He was insane in his own way, he was only thinking of himself. "Your guards as witnesses, S'grasso, you sent us all to perish for nothing. Those that have died have died in vain. Those that are alive don't realize that they are hollowed by your selfishness! My squad and I read the scroll for ourselves. The Tempereans had shown us first hand. You may have fooled your subjects, but I have seen through your lies."

S'grasso became quite stoic. He stood still, and then his face became quite angry. In a raspy and threatening voice, he spoke back to Et'rivvok.

"You dare to question the Royal Bloodline of Vurstaria!? We of this line have only done what is best for the nation. Those who do not follow like good servants will die in destitute! I would have expected better of you.. warlord. It seems, that one more must be added to the death toll." S'grasso said coldly.

He stood from his throne and grasped the hilt of his scimitar. Looking to his guards, he snapped his fingers.

"Kill him! He is to be purged from this life for treason against his country!"

S'grasso however looked dumbfounded when the guards failed to move on his command.

"It seems even your guards understand that what you've done is against Lord P'rossa's words, S'grasso. You have betrayed us, you said it yourself." Pulling my scimitar from its sheath, I looked into the steel as it revealed my reflection. It revealed the one that would silence this unholy prophet.

"The people of this land may not understand why, but the word will spread. Your end has come, S'grasso. And I am your executioner." I glared coldly at the once great ruler of our city. I held my scimitar tightly in my grasp, my tail thwacking against the ground. I refused to let him live for what he has done. I will not let him lead us all into nothing. "I am Et'rivvok, Warlord of the Sea. I fight on behalf of Lord P'rossa and I follow his word. S'grasso, you will be a sacrifice as debt for your betrayal."

S'grasso's sword clanged to the ground. He was stricken with fear. Cowardly, he moved up the stairs backwards on hands and feet like a lech. He grasped the arms of his throne and stared into the literal face of his impending doom.

"Come no closer! I am your master!" He screamed at the top of his lungs.

From the throne room gates, a slam came. Three guards had slammed them shut, so as to close the room off for any escape and to not let anyone here this deed. They bore their spears, ready for if their ex-lord attacked them.

I moved closer purposely, he wasn't going to run anymore. Not only was he selfish but he was a coward. I watched our "king" trembling in fear before me. He knew I was much more powerful in every way, the only thing he held over me was his "royalty". But even that now is down the drain and lost.

"No, you're no one's master." My tail slammed him forcefully into the chair, making sure he couldn't move. The spikes along my tail guard pierced through his classy outfit and painted it indigo. My scimitar to his throat, I whispered in his ear. "You no longer exist."

A swift slash from the edge of my blade and that was it. S'grasso was no more and our lands were free from his grasp. The deed was done, I turned around to see the guards smiling. In a way, it was humorous to see that they approved of this. To think they protected the king all this time and now he was nothing more than useless to them. I praised them for locking him in here. "S'grasso will no longer taint this land. Thank you for your help. But there's just one problem now. The Tempereans have invaded our lands and are taking over our cities."

One of the guards looked forlornly to the dead King, and then again to Et'rivvok.

"I think that we should let the Imperials take the land above for now. I have a feeling that even if we fought with all we had for it, we would still lose. And what's worse, we would be forfeiting too many lives. The entire population is able to live down here in P'rossara easily. I say let them invade, take the land above... and then once the war is over with and done, we make diplomatic negotiations with the New Temperians, and maybe we could end up with some of the land back. It is the best that we can do now." The guard stated.

Teekeeus had seen that the moring was on its way from his chair and he had once again made his rounds. most of the soldiers were awake by now, and some of the other doctors were up and about as well. he stopped by the spot were the dieing soldier was laying just last night, the body was gone taken out by another medic an hour ago. Teekeeus was overwhelmed for that second, lives here one moment and gone the next. He sat in the spot of that soldier and began to think of the past days events. they had seemed like a dream in his memories, but as he looked over the rows of the wounded it was all too real. Teekeeus then past by where Et'rivvok was put last night, he was gone "what the..." He said looking around then rememberd seeing the figure last night "hmmm" He though but had no reason to worry for a man like him and continued his round

"An excellent call, we must get the word out to call back all Vurstarian milita to P'rossara." With that said, the guards had escorted me out through the gates and away from the heart of the city. It was time to call off the fighting, we'll let the Tempereans take the land. Maybe afterwords we can negotiate within reason.

Returning to the base, I could feel the sting in my chest returning. I looked at my bandages, there wasn't a lot of blood. It's probably just healing, I need to adjust to this. I reached my quarters, I'm so tired... The guards had been sent to the messengers to spread the word the bring all Vurstarians underwater. Hopefully this will work out, I don't want anymore suffering upon my people.

Teekeeus was operating on a soldiers leg when a soldier came through the door.
"hey guys! i heard there gunna stop the fighting" the soldier said aloud
the room then filled with loud talking were you could not here your self think, then there was clapping before everything settled back down. "well, i hope thats true" Teekeeus said to another medic before finishing and wrapping back up the leg
He had noticed that it was only been around three days, and already soo many lives lost, but that ends soon. Teekeeus then felt extremly tired and felt that he could relax, the injured have been helped the dead buried, and the living safe.He sat in the chair he set up earilier and immidiatly fell asleep.