Ethian Glory (Closed)

Prologue

Tirol Fortress

Old Maloria

In the age following the waltz of lions​

CRANE

September 22nd, 2025

The Empire of South Ethia

New Bergum

Office of State Security ​

Light streamed in from the open windows, the morning sunbathing the room in blinding yellow, it was a spectacle that reflected the impractical design of the entire building. The headquarters of the state security suffered from the same contradiction that so many secretive organizations seemed prone to, it was a wholly conspicuous mass of glass and polished steel that speared the new Bergum skyline with all the subtlety of a drunkard waving about a pig sticker.

E’vika Crane had been fortunate to have rare occasion to visit, her assignments with diplomatic protection ensuring she was carried to locations across the wider Eras. Now though, something had changed, official summons had necessitated her presence here and that usually meant either a promotion or more likely an inquest and dismissal.

If director Muller noticed the blazing sunlight, he made no show of acknowledgement or annoyance, he was almost unmoving as he scanned over countless folders. He had been a great man once, his career a storied one, however the liver spotted diminutive sitting before E’vika was little more then crumbs after a banquet. He seemed shriveled and shrunken by age, as though an invisible hand had twisted and wrung him out many times over and yet his focus seemed sharp as ever.

His office seemed as ancient as he was, how old was the director? 60? Early seventies? Either he was ancient, or he was wearing his years very poorly. The room décor spoke of an antiquated taste, lots of varnished teak and countless portraits of yesteryears monarchs, a cavalry sabre even lined the corner wall, the entire room seemed determined to exist in defiance of the modernity that defined the rest of the building.

“You can relax agent Crane, if this was a disciplinary, we wouldn’t be meeting personally” Muller set as he set aside another folder, almost as though he had read E’vika’s mind

E’vika felt her stress start to dissipate at that, though that still didn’t answer the question of what she had been summoned here for. Muller finally seemed to conclude whatever inspection he had been carrying out, the final folder returning to the stack with a shaking hand. The director removed his spectacles and regarded E’vika with a withering stare, a look that made crane feeling like the director was trying to dig into her very soul.

“You have a long and impressive career behind you agent, your superiors in the army, the VIPs you’ve protected, even General Nguyen, they all had nothing but praise for your methods and skills”

“General Nguyen actually consented to discussing classified intelligence?” E’vika exclaimed in genuine surprise

“I got a name and a censored copy and only after I explained I was speaking on behalf of the imperial house, whatever you did with taskforce “black lion” is still largely a secret, but the praise was there even without the details” Muller explained

If Muller had asked about black lion this had to be something important, that entire deployment had been off the books, a deniable asset to be used and then hidden behind a mound of paperwork and official obfuscation. Clearly imperial authority still carried some weight; Nguyen wasn’t known for being so accommodating.

“If I may ask sir, what did you call me here for?” E’vika asked

“I have been asked to assign you to the emperor’s personal security detail” Muller said in a businesslike tone, almost akin to voice someone would use when offering a sandwich

“It would be an honour sir! But…” she said excitedly before trailing off

“Why you?” Muller replied with a knowing smile, he leaned back in his chair for a moment to consider his response, he looked shrunken as he rested in that tall, backed recliner

“The Satraps rampage had consequences” Muller explained matter-factly

“With respect sir, the Satrap is dead, he failed” She replied regretting not keeping quiet as she did so

“Did he? His rampage exposed how vulnerable every leader in Eras truly is, ambassadors killed, multiple heads of state either murdered or placed in immense danger, he has made Eras more dangerous then ever, alive or no. its prompted a review of our security apparatus and we have decided that the emperors detail needs an upgrade, your record speaks for itself agent, the only question is will you accept the offer?” Muller said leaning forward and pushing an open folder toward Crane

She would be stupid to turn it down, she knew, but still the imposter syndrome creeped to the surface. Was she really deserving of this high honour? what if they were just using her, mixed race and a pretty face to make the state look progressive. What if she failed? Or worse what if the emperor depended on her and she was found wanting? The thoughts assailed her like a horde of phantoms.

“Agent” Muller asked in a quizzical voice, pulling her out of the rumination

“Sir, it would be my honour to serve” she said without any further hesitation

“Good, your flight leaves in two days, once we have completed the security checks you will proceed to Bad Kessel, congratulations agent” Muller replied approvingly, a parchment-like hand reaching out

She took it, the man’s grip surprisingly strong despite his aged appearance, she promptly signed the papers and then was dismissed, she slumped in the elevator as the turbolift descended back to the lobby.

“Oh Vika, what have you gotten us into now” she muttered somewhere between amazement and panic​

LUTHER

South Ethia

Province of Vossland

Bad Kessel

September 24th, 2025

Early mornings at Bad Kessel were normally sedate affairs, time for the imperial house to gather for breakfast and settle into a new day. The old estate was a far cry from the cold formality that defined the imperial palace in New Bergum, life in the country running to a loose and more languid pace. Today was not like the others, the sound of drills and marching feet filled the air as the household guard readied itself for the sovereign’s review.

In the master bedroom the emperor was presently finishing dressing, he could hear the commotion from the window, the bellowing of noncommissioned officers shattering the serenity that typically defined life here. The intrusion of pageant and parade into the emperor’s private home felt tantamount to an invasion and the marching did little to dispel that assumption.

Luther shifted uncomfortably as he regarded his reflection, the man that stared back had an appearance and bearing that seemed threatening and unassuming all at once. Physically Luther was every bit an heir of the Severyn’s, he bore the telltale gauntness and raven black hair that had long distinguished the great northern dynasty, only his eyes marked him as an offshoot of the parent house, two cold orbs of grey stared back a reminder of his Tirol ancestors.

For all the sharpness of his features, Luther had always seemed…underwhelming, his receding hairline, horn rimmed spectacles and self-effacing nature tended to cause people to view him as a harmless academic. His lip curled in an expression of momentary irritation as he adjusted the collar of his uniform.

“Like a college academic in a costume” he muttered

He despised wearing military uniform, though not for the reasons one might expect, he wore the uniform well, the sea blue field marshal’s blazer with its golden trim seemed to augment his otherwise unassuming looks with an air of cold authority. It was this affectation that Luther felt the most uncomfortable with, he wore military attire too well and he knew intimately how easy it was for his family to adopt the shape of autocrat.

He pushed the thought to the back of his mind and reached for the tricorn that rested on the dresser, he did not put it on instead letting it sit in the crook of his arm. He sighed and again began to fidget with the collar.

“Too stiff, all of this too bloody stiff” he thought wearily

He had brought his family to Kessel in an attempt to shield them from the rigid formalities of court life, life at his ancestors country estate was peaceful, dignified, happy even. However some traditions could not be avoided, the changing of the household guard amongst them. Whatever his misgivings about displays of power, Luther understood that the arriving agents were sworn to give their life in his defense, the least he could do was to honor their arrival.

“You’ll break that collar if you keep pulling at it” Claudia said softly, brushing his cheek with a delicate white hand

His queen, the mother of his children and the love of his life, theirs was not the fierce romance that defined other couples, not the fiery passion of ancient lovers. They had married for practicality but over time found they complemented one another, both calm and analytical. Years of respect, two children and mutual support had bloomed into something deeper than passion, an abiding love that seemed to weather every challenge.

The Empress was every bit her husband’s equal, though where he was dark and somewhat unimpressive in outward appearance, Claudia was practically aglow. Her wheat gold hair was bound up in a delicate bun and a diadem of simple rose gold rested on her brow, her eyes were the same he had fallen in love with, warm green ovals framed by high cheek bones and a mouth whose edges were marked by slight but endearing laugh lines.

“I will be happy to return this monstrosity to storage!” Luther replied tugging impotently at the collar

“It suits you; you spend so much time trying to convince the world you are anything but an emperor, its not always a bad thing to remind them” she said her voice sincere, encouraging even

Luther paused his fidgeting and regarded Claudia with a painful look that hinted at the deep insecurities that wracked him. He set the tricorn down and leaned against the dresser, massaging his temples with a gloved hand. He seemed to sit there for a long time, as though recovering from an unseen blow.

“Do you remember what I told you when we moved here? “Luther asked after a long silence

That had been over a decade ago now, first child newly born and the joys of a young marriage still fresh. It had proved to be a wise move, far from the stifling atmosphere of the royal court the family had thrived, and Luther’s marriage had blossomed.

“That you wanted to give the children some normalcy and that you couldn’t do it at Graffenburg*, why?” she asked repeating their ancient conversation verbatim

“I wasn’t lying about my reasons, but there was more to it then just giving the children the most normal upbringing possible” he explained tone calm but the pained undercurrent never fully dissipating

“What then?” she asked softly

He paused again, memories of stiff pageantry and endless lessons flooding his mind, the span of his entire youth a roll call of one ceremony after another. He sometimes wondered if there had ever been a child at all, the memories all seemed to contain the heavy weight.

“My mother turned me into her pet project, she wanted to shape me into the perfect ruler, my childhood was the cost she paid to attempt that” Luther explained, feeling the weight lessen somewhat as the admission flowed from his lips

Summers in Maloria spent hunting with his Great uncle, moral tutelage from the metropolitan, endless lectures on duty and the need to maintain tradition. His mother had sought to make him the savior of the Tirol dynasty, a would-be restorer to counteract the decline she saw in the bloodlines, a decline that seemed to exist only in her mind. He could almost hear her disparaging voice, the telltale mix of chastisement and cloying affection.

“You are a grown man now, she can’t control you anymore” Claudia said in a determined voice, reaching out to squeeze his hand

Perhaps not, but the damage was done, he would always chafe against the imposed skin of duty and obligation that his mother had forced upon him. He understood the necessity of his position, he was justifiably proud of his families’ achievements, but his mother…she had taken tradition and driven it to heights of obsession only a Severyn could achieve.

“No, but I wasn’t going to allow her to do the same to our children” he said a brief flash of anger filling his words

His mother would not have them, that was an oath he had made, she would not have any opportunity to repeat her project. He had brought the children to Kessel, to a place of warmth and happiness and it had served its purpose admirably, but now here they were, stiff ceremony invading their peace even in faraway Kessel. Complete escape would never be achieved, once a Severyn, always one.

“Very, every time I put on this uniform, I feel like I’m being pressed into a mold” He said his voice low and pained

“So, all this ceremony is, triggering?” she asked

Like canned meat forced through a strainer, everything unique or worthwhile cast aside in order to better fit the stiff and tradition bound expectations his mother had long ago established.it was an odd situation in truth, she was not Emperor and he was not a child, he had succeeded in making his own life, but the blue uniform with its weight and pomposity would always drag out the child denied and all the suffering a son of Katerina Severyn seemed destined to inherit.

“You will always be your own person Luther and the children will be fine, this is just a formality and the sooner we attend to it the sooner we can get back to normal” Claudia said her voice soothing

“You’re right, as always darling” he said after a long sigh, a grimace approximating a fragile smile moving across his features briefly

“Someone has to be, now come, the bugle is about to sound!” She said offering her him a gloved hand

He reached out, accepting the offered hand, together they walked out of the room and out into the waiting parade ground.

*Graffenburg Palace, the traditional fortress and home of House Severyn Tirol​