Terra deo Sol Nascente - Land of the Rising Sun

"A disaster it is, Your Greatness... All of our fleet was destroyed, in a blink!", the Royal Advisor's words echoed across the room while all eyes turned to him. Eron Danifeeh was new in charge, since the previous advisor died due to a mysterious illness, which even the best doctors couldn't treat. Just like Eron, Emperor Gaheel was new in charge, after his mother suspiciously fell from the palace, being another mysterious and unsolved death. His mother idealized the colonization process and, ten months ago, the ships sailed from Olmongeter to reach the most Eastern lands, know by the people as the "Land of the Rising Sun". However, this royal dream was menaced by whatever happened on the seas.

As the advisor explained further what was going on, the morning sun already had shown up in the sky, and the young emperor got more and more angry at this unpredictable turn on the events. Their thought was that, by now, the first contact with the natives or maybe even the first settlement would be ready. This didn't happen, and now they had to deal with that. In the throne room, everyone was nervous, thinking of the outcome of what happened. Could that be the start of a war? Half of the people present was old enough to remember the Reconquer Wars*, bloody battles against the barbarians that were occupying the Tardineanni lands. While the marble palace was already warm due to the current time of the year, what really was boiling up was the emperor's nerves:

- Let me get this straight... - said Gaheel to Eron, while scratching his hair - You said they just huh... Threw up a fire ball from a small device they had on their also small fleet? And that this destroyed our mighty Armathas*, surviving technology from the great, invencible, Trantorian Empire?
- Er, despite being said by me in another terms. - the advisor bows down to hide his shame - Yes, Your Greatness, that's what happened.
- Didn't they tried to talk with them? - asked him angrily - Maybe tried to do the traditional peace signals*?
- According to the survivors, they didn't spoke on any recognizable language nor on a similar one. - still bowed he completes - Apparently, our peace signals were misunderstood as war treats.
- How dare them! - shouted Gaheel while standing up - This means I will need to solve it, myself.
- I wouldn't advise that, Your Greatness. - Eron stood up as well - It could be very dangerous, even for a Emperor.
- Who the hell is you to give me orders? - the emperor almost punches the advisor on the face - I mean, you are my advisor, aren't you?
- Yes, Emperor! - the scared look on Eron's face made Gaheel calm down and go back to his throne - I am sorry for bothering you.
- No. - he looks at the poor advisor - I shouldn't have acted like this... You're right, after all.
- Am I, Emperor? - Eron gets on his knees as the emperor keeps talking.
- Arrange a meeting between me and whatever they call their leader. - he takes the advisor's hands - And get up, you're being ridiculous.
- Yes, Your Greatness. - he gets up and Gaheel releases him - I won't fail you!
- You better not. - the emperor smiles for the first time on the day - Now get outta here, I need to be alone.
- Right, Emperor. - bowing down, he leaves.

The first encounter between the Tardineannen and the Vivanquian, though they didn't know yet who they found, was full of hatred and death. There was only one question lingering on Gaheel's head: would them be able to colonize someone, or were they too late for that? After all, the unknow people seemed to be decades, maybe even centuries, more advanced than Tardine. Was this unknow technology a product of magic*? Only the attackers could answer this question. And him, as the Emperor, would do everything, no matter the costs, to uncover the truth.
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GOING EAST.​

"They are barbarians. The worst kind of them.", thought Eron Danifeeh, when he saw the Contramestre of the Caravel, descending from the small boat that carried a few soldiers? Eron couldn't get past the idea that they were pirates, trying to pillage the Empire's coast. That wasn't his problem, though. He could not care less if the Empire burns down to the ground, or conquers all planet. The only thing that mattered to him was if he and his family were safe. Eron was ambitious, though, and would do everything to achieve his goals, including killing as well. That's why, when the Contramestre approached, he gave the man his earnest smile as tried to communicate with him:

- Terra. - said the stranger while pointing to the land - La terra?
- Nadt. - Eron replied, appointing to the ground as well - Thas nadt!

After a few rounds of this awkward guessing game, they managed to successfully achieve some sort of mutual understanding. The Vivanquian came to these lands in search of more markets and land to colonize, as the Tardineannen would do shortly after. However, when asked by the "fire makers", the Contramestre was surprised they didn't have that yet. "We can see that your people are a bit 'antiquated', specially when we talk about these strange clothes you use, though we didn't think you would be that primitive. Those things existed for decades now", said the man.

To them, the Tardineanni cortege seemed so strange they were certain that this was the furthermost part of the world. How did they know about concepts such as having a monarch? It didn't seem like they had any contact with the civilized world before, yet they seemed to have the basic knowledge of how the world works. Their language sounded like none they've heard yet sounded like all at once. What was their origin? Those questions lingered on the crew's mind.

To the Tardineanni cortege, however, their language was so primitive it couldn't explain even their own stuff. It sounded strange, as if they were constantly saying "la". Perhaps it was their mantra? They didn't know for sure. Therefore, about this interesting encounter, Eron Danifeeh wrote this small letter which he sent to the Emperor:​

Eron knew that, despite being technologically advanced, the Vivanquian lacked the strength and numbers to defend themselves from the dangers of these lands. The efficient Tardineanni army didn't need those "fire makers", as their golden armors would throw their fire back at them. Also, there was one thing else that the Vivanquian lacked as well: malice, and this was what would guarantee the Tardineanni victory.​

BLUE, WHITE AND GOLD, A BANNER OF OLD.​

The Vivankianni* sailors did the unthinkable: tried to settle into the Tardineanni land, more precisely, near the preeminent merchant town of Valoria*. They disembarked and started to clear the land, the tropical rainforest that spanned across the entire coast. They already had the first settlement ready when the news reached the palace. The Emperor was furious, so he called a meeting with the noble houses and the Royal Advisor, as he wanted a fast solution.

"HOW DARE THEM?" Gaheel's shout could be heard from the streets, as he couldn't control his anger anymore. We cannot let this absurdity keep going on."

"I agree, Your Greatness", was the response from the Royal Advisor. "We need to send our best soldiers to deal with that and call for Kinbafanni and Valorianni reinforcements."

"What are you waiting for, then?", the Emperor looked at everyone in the room. "Go deal with that, NOW!"

Everyone ran away from the angry Emperor and made the arrangements for what would be the first Vivankianni-Tardineanni skirmish.
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The Sun was already high in the sky when the troops made it to the invaders' camp. They encircled the small settlement, then showed up themselves. When the Vivanquian settlers got a hold of themselves, it was too late. There were at least three Tardineannen soldiers that could go against each sailor now-turned-into settler. This didn't stop some of them to take up their arms, however, Tardineanni General Rikari Akhor shout in broken Vivanquian:
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Realizing that they were outnumbered, everyone put their weapons down and surrendered. They thought this would be their end, however, Rikari spoke once again, this time searching for the captain, Luis de Ponce. He spoke at first to all settlers, then looked specifically at the captain:
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All the arrangements were made to send the others back, while the General personally took care of the prisoners. He approached Alfonzo, who he already knew was the boatswain. Rikari took a liking to the young man and said*: "You're handsome. Don't you think it would be nice if we got to know each other more closely? I bet you'd rather not be imprisoned." The shocked look in Alfonzo's face made the general laugh. "This isn't something you're used to, right?", said Rikari while the young man was facing the ground. "No, Sir. It is outrageous." The general made the man face him and said, with a smile: "I'll give you some time to think about it... Enjoy your time in prison."

A small victory that would mean the start of great days to the Tardineanni Empire. Their hopes were increasing, as it was the Watcher's sign that they were on the right path. Also, now that they were finally able to get one of those firemakers, their engineers would be able to replicate, or even improve, this fantastic technology. It sure would be an advantage for the upcoming battles, be it against the Vivanquian, be it against natives of faraway lands. The time to venture out to the seas has come and the Tardineanni won't lose it.
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