Kismet’s Tale

      Mavin spent time silently in the camper. Gaul would be joined by Wendy in a conversation while Mavin spends his time reading the journal. His face was sterner than usual, and that stony mask he wore cracked.

       15th of Septem, Year 1935.

       Restoration of Lazon had gone well. We lost hundreds of thousands after the census was truly over. The cost of the damages made us use some of the funds of our hounds to recuperate the lost.

       Lady Natalya Tomas, throughout the years had proven herself as a capable matriarch in such trying times. I had thought it would be...different. Nonetheless, the reconstruction effort, the rebuilding, and the restoration of Lazon had been going well. She’s experienced, almost as if she had previous engagement within management.

       She spent her time teaching Lady Elea. Alongside her was Lady Elna who remained steadfast, dedicating her life to Lazons. Lady Natalya however would spend some time on the hill where the young master's corpse was buried, spending time looking at the multitude of stars.

        Rebuilding the tunnels of the hounds was deplorable.

       Alarava’s restoration would take years. Karbid, the last standing base in Lazon of the hounds, were taken by Ike and Martina in order to develop the blueprints left behind by the young master, while also cooperating with the project in which they call an airship carrier that would be the masterpiece. It would take years to build it, and thus they will move next year to Kauta, and use the empty lands there to develop their masterpiece.

       I had argued to them that it was not the best use of our funds. However, they reasoned that the reason many of the hounds fell was because we were not mobile. I agree, but nonetheless I could only consent after Ike designed this turbojet engine that a man from Holmia, called Vans Ohain, helped him with. Because of this, and the profits we made for the patent. I allowed them to continue this multi-decade project which they promised to honor those who fought.

       Though I can not say much about the situation of the continent. The war made a mess of the Empire, with most of the 108 noble families dead. There was a vacuum of authority that was needed to fill. Lady Mildred ordered Prime Minister Tom Bedlam to organize a senate which the regional governors met every month to discuss the changes, construction, and the reconstruction of the Old Empire.

       The Confederate did not lack money with Jorvi, the Industrial Giant of the South of Lazon had started funding after our tons of harvest meat. Instead of letting the meat rot, we had it processed, packaged, and exported to different countries, with most of the products going to Turian Continent, the home of Holmia where they have annexed most of their countries, peacefully, seeing what happened to the Magnar-Azia continent.

       I envy them for their peaceful resolution. Our exports include Champier, Egneia, Turian, and Withamia.

       Champier had been in a cooperative agreement with the Confederate after our massive exports for the last five years, and seeing the advancing neighbors, they decided that it was better to cooperate with the Webman Company, led by General Steelheart, who had personally overseen the construction within the last three years. Rigel still managed the Company we set up, and called the Angelus Company, in honor of the Lady Angelus, Rosa for her dutiful management while Rigel helped Logain stabilize the countryside.

       Mimi stayed in the Ancestral House of the Tomas Family with her children. With most of my Hounds pleading that they must go and serve Lazon’s Matriarch, I had started thinking of the next steps of my plan. Baroness Tatiana had been an instrumental ally, her cooperation proved to be worth her price as she became part of Lazon, and became the Administrator of Lazon’s Commerce of State Treasury, who answers to Lady Natalya, who then reports to Lady Mildred who personally welcomes...Lady Mildred who had become one of her bestest of friends.

       Though not as much as he travels to Sudugar with Lady Elea to meet with Mrs. Maria Otto who she had been fond of. I must say that Kohl Otto has a talent for management hence he had been a good help to the Confederacy ever since he took a position as politician representing the Western Part of the Confederacy.

       I dare say that if the young master had not found Kohl Otto, perhaps no one would have been able to stop Sudugaria, Laosia, Pydontiria from openly revolting. If he had not been there as a clerk..I would have been still fighting. In a way, his right presence there proved to be a blessing. The young master might not have meant it to be, but nonetheless, he was the right man in the wrong time and place to have settled the dispute.

       I must admit that Kohl Otto’s perpetual optimism is what makes him charming to some. Despite all the horrors he saw during the seven-year wars and the civil wars that spread into the continent of Magnar-Azia, the man could not be tumbled. I had the pleasure of meeting him last year during the Augu Festival in Sudugaria. When I met him, and had asked how he felt about the state of the continent, he told me something I could not forget. “The Sun always Shines, no? It may be dark sometimes, but think of the Dawn that always comes.”

       Such simple words, but it matches his optimism. I had shared a drink with him, and we lamented the years that had come for the continent. Perhaps one day there shall only be peace left.

       16th of Septem, Year of 1935.

       Holmia calls for a summit. Inviting the known continents of Champier, Egneia, Turian, and Withamia, and proposing a League of Continents, in which leaders and countries are to join hands to peace.

       It was simply...hard to do without a common scapegoat. The young master had been in contact with Holmia before, and told them of the Demikins, the invaders that had recently landed in the Easternmost part of the world, threatening the nations of Nixia and Cudalvia.

       On the fifteenth of Septem, a League was made, heralded by the Confederate of Athesia, United Kingdoms of Champier, and the Federal States of Holmia. And they decided that to salvage the human race, we must point our united hands to the enemies trying to ravage Egneia.

       Egneia, who had hoped for this, was the happiest to welcome the help.

       20th of Septem, Year 1935.

       I had an argument with the Lady. She had told me that we would not act on our promises...not until Lazon fully recovers from its wounds. I understand her reasoning, I do, but nonetheless she swore in front of the League that we would help, and I believe that there was a need to do so.

       What I did not like was her willingness to send my Hounds to fight a war that they did not need to fight. Nonetheless, because she was the acting Matriarch of Lazon, and with my men willing to break the backs of the demikins horde as they did with the demifiends. They were eager to be the first in the fray.

       I had little of my hounds left. So I had them armed with all the Vulcan-units and used the airlines we called skytrains to carry our troopers to Antia where we would set up our first planes. Alongside with my Hounds were the magiborne who had become subordinates of the Hounds, acting as the General Officer.

       Tomorrow, I should be able to step into Antia.

       21th of Septem, Year of 1935

       They welcomed us like heroes. We were with Holmia’s Expeditionary Forces to Egneia. Composed of five battalions, about eight thousand troops ready to fight the demikins. Incorporated into these battalions are artillery, armored ground units, and what followed was the Legion of Champier, armed, supplied, and ready for battle.

       By that time all of the League’s forces had come. Seventy thousand troopers had occupied Antia ready to start a crusade against the demikins. Operation Fire Stars will start with a 42-hour bombing run of the region of Culdavia while my hounds would annihilate Nixia from demikin armies.

       22nd of Septem, Year 1935.

       Operation Fire Stars was successful. My hounds saw no resistance from the demikins because of their plated armor, but even the demikins proved to be dangerous with their projectiles.

       We had injuries with our allied forces, but the uncivilized barbarians were under the mercy of our fliers and the armaments. Nonetheless, the demikins were like rabid beasts, and some of them had tough scales, ignoring some bullets, taking too long to be killed.

       A volley of gunfire solved this problem, and a four-man fireteam was enough to destroy most of the charging horde. Uncivilized barbarians who seemed capable of speech, there was no need for mercy.

       However, his Intelligence Forces have discovered that there were factions in Egneia that didn’t welcome their appearances. Worried that they are plotting to use this chance to take over the Easternmost side.

       There were seventy thousand, fully-armed forces, and I had discovered that the one who presented himself in the League was not the same person who was representing the whole of Egneia.

       Half of Egneia, at least the Western Part, was in a civil war. Realizing this, I felt like a fool for listening to these idiots. Nonetheless, the General leading the fighting forces of Holmia had visited them in their mobile skytrain. He was informed of the true plan, explaining that what they were after was the hydroelectric crystals that were reported in the Basin of Pelosia and Pambarca, which was northwest of Nixia and Cudalvia.

       They were also after the deposit of resources of uranium that was needed to create the arsenals needed.

       Champier and Withamia had been starting their nuclear armament and were not aware of this yet so they had to take the initiative and clear the designated places before they noticed.

       That was it. Despite all that talk about humanity’s scapegoat, the true reason was still there.  I had agreed to destroy the enemies, then move our bases to the devastated areas of Pelosia and Pambarca.

       24th of Septem, Year 1935.

       My hounds annihilated the enemy forces in Cudalvia, and entered the eastern coastline of Pedria. The demikins were monsters, they didn’t leave anyone behind. I wished Ike and Martina could help me dissect these monsters, but it seems like I had to focus on our plan to take over Pelosia and Pambarca.

       25th of Septem, Year 1935.

       We moved in the morning, and started cleansing the land. Our skytrain landed in the open plains of Pambarca and we created a campground where most of my hounds have been stationed. The rest of the magiborne scouted ahead, annihilating the enemies, and taking Cadinhel lake for our use.

       Humanoid fiends with oblong heads, and features that are like teeth embedded on their skin, creating a skin-like armor made of teeth. Their rubbery and leathery flesh could sometimes stop a bullet. They had extraordinary strength, but sadly, they faced my hounds and the magiborne armed with assault rifles who despite their inherent weakness, were able to follow orders.

       We settled down, fortified our location, and called our Holmian allies to start the topography survey. I warned my fellow General that Lazon was good to be friends with, but terrible as an enemy. Not to mention that we were supplying them with our industries.

Mavin was about to turn to the next page when he discovered that the rest of the pages were ripped out. He looked at the next entry in Aunger’s journal. From the non-ripped parts, he saw that there were circle spots wetted, the ink spread on the spine of the journal.

       5th of Aperire, Year 1939.

       Lady Elea had succeeded the leadership of Lazon, however, Natalya and her hounds stayed with her. I can understand her reasoning, but Lady Elea favors her, and there was no need to guard the Lady, she’s dangerous enough.

       25th of Maia, Year 1946.

“Another long gap,” Mavin muttered.

The journal said:

       There are only twenty-eight of my hounds left. It seems that they didn’t want us to finish this. She was right, they needed to die, and despite all...I had to do it. The rest of the hounds can serve her for all I care, but I need to leave some of my hounds to the security of the young master’s coffin. Jove, forgive me, I have sinned.