Chapter Text
The screaming infested the air. Houses burning down as the couple with their baby ran from the scene. Raiders killing on sight, taking the children away. An arrow pierced the head of the father, and the baby was ripped from the arms of the mother before the blade came rushing down to her throat.
War was a constant in every nation. War was the destruction of that which created life. War was that which was used as a last resort. War was that which forged cold-blooded soldiers. War was it's only constant.
War had arrived at their borders a couple of years ago, a conflict started by the flames of conquest, being started by disagreements and lands. The Antarctic Empire and the Kingdom of Eseempee had been at war for a couple of years now, in constant bitter rows for centuries. King immortal and Sovereign mortal were constantly at odds despite the fact that they had known each other since the birth of the mortal Sovereign.
And now they were here, the King on his throne and his two sons at his side. Listening to what their allies had to say, standing in the middle of the huge, imposing throne room. The walls stretched stoically the color of snow and pillars with handcrafted detailing supported the balconies of the expansive and intimidating throne room. Quartz made up the primary building material, accompanied by details made of pure gold, and the flag of the empire hung immovably behind the King's throne... many said that in that room sat a celestial being that protected them from all evil and danger -which was hardly true since the war still hit them mercilessly-.
Guards fiercely protected their leaders; protected by netherite armor with the coat of arms of the empire forged in the center of their breastplates. Each and every one of them swore their lives to the king and the people... they would take a sword to the heart to protect their King.
"We managed to contain the Esemmpee forces on the northern border. We are still counting the casualties in combat and taking inventory of what was lost" announced one of the generals.
The King listened attentively. He knew war, he had been forged in them, he had grown up among them. War was cruel, it was daunting and mostly unjust, taking the lives of the innocent and those forced to fight.
"The city is safe for the time being, and it will not be necessary to evacuate," the general finished.
Niki is one of the oldest generals in the kingdom. A woman who swore her life to the service of the King who was welcomed with open arms after showing her performance as a leader during raids to dismantle illegal underground battle rings. With black hair that reached her shoulders, dark eyes full of determination, and white skin infested with scars... Niki was one of the generals closest to the Commander of the Imperial Forces, being the bearer of intelligence and determination like no other, she was one of the best strategists in the kingdom. She was sweet and kind, soft-spoken, and with a born talent for baking; being -silently- assigned as the person who brought desserts to the high command meetings, all this when she started showing up with sweets and cookies since the first day of her service as General, and since then desserts were not missing at the meeting table.
It was like having savagery and sweetness in the same person.
"Thank you, General Niki" the woman bowed before stepping aside, placing herself at the foot of the throne stairs, just a few feet away from the Lord Commander of the Empire's Forces.
The heavy doors of the throne room were opened, letting in an ally known to all. Those present bowed at the new presence in the room.
"Governor Eret, welcome." expressed the Antarctic monarch, his tone neutral and gentle.
Eret danced gracefully as she made her way in front of the Emperor. Long white dress was accompanied by a black corset with gold embroidery, a heavy and thick red cloak hung elegantly from her shoulders, secured by the strong silver chain that rested on her chest, protecting her from the rugged cold of the north. Soft cloth pants hugged her legs, and heeled boots made of leather reached her knees. Gold jewelry decorated her body, and dark glasses rested on the bridge of her nose. A delicate gold crown rested on her fine, silky brown hair.
The governor was accompanied and protected by two soldiers, both of whom had their faces covered by their helmets, which covered their heads entirely.
"Your Imperial Highness," bowed the ruler gracefully. "It is a pleasure to finally see you after months of communicating through letters."
"Same to you, Eret" they had known each other for years and formalities were not necessary. After all, they were allies in this war for power and land that threatened every existing kingdom on the continent. "I heard that the battle was savage, but that we were victorious without a problem. I must say that your soldiers are efficient in their work."
"That is a compliment, Emperor Philza," he replied in a tone full of respect. "Although we are not many, my soldiers are worth ten men."
The Emperor's eldest son, Technoblade, laughed lowly at such a statement, clearly knowing that L'manburg's soldiers were nothing more than cowards who only cried in the trenches of the battlefield just before they were killed for their clumsiness. Still, he did not comment on the matter, being aware that politics and dialogue were in the lead at the time. Cowards, cowards, weaklings, cowards, cowards , the voices said in unison, mocking the soldiers of their allies.
Technoblade received a warning glance from his father, who - being basically beside him - noticed the suppressed laughter that erupted from his side. But Niki also seemed to suppress her laughter at Eret's statement, for when the Commander fixed his gaze on the General, amusement and derision was certainly manifest in his eyes. Both leaders looked at each other for a few seconds, trying not to laugh at that statement.
The Antarctic Empire was extremely well known, not only for its vast territory that extended for miles conquering the entire north, or for the inclement cold weather that reigned over the land for six months of the year. But also for how difficult it was to defeat one of their soldiers, who were fierce on the battlefield, and a clear death sentence for those inexperienced in the art of battle. For this and many other reasons, the Empire has stood firm for centuries if not millennia since Philza assumed the throne.
It was better to be allies of the Empire than enemies of the Empire's Emperor.
"I have to admit that Prince Technoblade did an impeccable job leading his troops and-" continued Eret, who was immediately interrupted by the Emperor.
"Spare me your flattery, Eret," the Emperor's voice went from as soft as cotton to as cold as snow, causing the atmosphere in the hall to change drastically, making one of the soldiers protecting the governor tense up. The other remained immovable. "Everyone here knows that my eldest son, Technoblade, is one of the best or perhaps the best combat leader on the entire continent, and that he has never lost a battle."
Philza, the Emperor of Antarctica, was a leader with a heart of gold who burned with passion for his people. Despite holding the throne for centuries, his passion for leadership would not weaken or pay for anything in this world we barely know. Always invoked dialogue to resolve conflicts, and if necessary, he would resort to bloodshed to protect his family and people. Still, one of the things he hated most in this world were leaders who practically kissed the ground where he and his children walked, flattering them at every opportunity just to keep afloat alliances that would sooner or later sink to the bottom of the ocean of politics.
In this case, Eret was the governor of a small kingdom that had barely even declared its presence in the power game. Presenting such shaky foundations that at any moment the little country would sink into ruin, and Philza had decided in the silence of his office, that he would not reach out when L'manburg asked for help in the midst of collapse. After all, one less ally would make no difference to the Empire's forces.
Eret smiled nervously, tense at the sudden change in the atmosphere due to her comment. "Do you have anything else to say?" the soldiers of the King's Royal Guard taking a defensive stance. His Imperial Majesty's irritated tone was enough to let them know that the governor's presence was no longer welcome in the throne room and that he was to be removed immediately if he refused to leave or was simply stupid enough not to understand the Emperor's silent threat.
"Before I retire, I have a small present for you." The tension remained present, "It was a gift from an old friend, but I believe I would serve more efficiently under your command."
This caught the attention of the Emperor's second son, Wilbur, who was reading nonchalantly, sitting on his throne right next to his father's. The prince's throne was less extravagant and ostentatious, but he was still doing his duty to let those present know that he was the Crown Prince of the Empire.
"We don't need you wasting your soldiers, Eret" Technoblade spat in a monotone voice that bounced off the high walls of the hall. He simply did not want L'manburg soldiers among his ranks, not after witnessing such a disheartening sight on the battlefield.
"This is not one of my soldiers, Prince Technoblade," the governor clarified, trying not to sound brusque. "It is more of a weapon than a soldier, even so, it is of no use to me and would be better off under the command of the Antarctic Empire."
"This... gift, is it a person?" the voice of Crown Prince Wilbur made its presence known for the first time, dancing in the air like a siren's song or fragile silver threads ready to become needles that would stick in the body of whoever heard it.
"It's more of an object, an attack dog so to speak." The Emperor's wings flapped slightly in distaste at the use of the word object to define a person. "Come closer, dog."
Technoblade's lips were pressed into a tense, disgust-filled line at that command, Wilbur's eyes were invaded with venom, and Philza's body language changed from irritated to disgusted. Niki on the other hand, was ready to give the order to remove the governor from the room. So many years fighting for the freedom of humans and hybrids, only for there to still be living beings that were treated as objects.
One of the soldiers accompanying the governor took two steps forward, but not enough to get in front of Eret. His movements were robotic, inhuman somehow. "Take off your helmet," the governor ordered in a firm voice. The soldier held the helmet in both hands, sliding it out of his sight, leaving his face exposed; causing obvious gasps and low screams filled with disgust. The helmet rested on the side of his hips, being held firmly by one of his hands. "This is my gift, an attack dog. Loyal and obedient, a killing machine on the battlefield. Any command you give will be carried out efficiently, he would even throw himself off the highest balcony of the castle if ordered to do so."
Whispers of disgust turned to shouts, demanding justice and release for the soldier who was offered as an object as if he were property. The Emperor's hands became fists fueled by the rage he felt, resting in his lap, keeping his integrity intact. Wilbur gasped in outrage, watching the soldier with pain and guilt. Niki's dark eyes were wide with horror at what was present before her eyes, hand firmly on the hilt of her sword and ready to give whatever orders were necessary.
The screams turned into chaos, demanding the execution of the governor, demanding order. Kill him, kill him, blood, protect, blood, blood, blood for the god of blood, the voices cheered, making the bloodlust begin to take hold in Technoblade.
In front of them stood a soldier... a bloody teenager. His face was emotionless, completely frozen in an expression of indifference and coldness, his eyes were blue... but they were extremely opaque, absent of any life, cold as a tundra forest.
It was as if life had been completely drained from his body, leaving only a puppet that was effortlessly controlled.
Scars were present on his face, but the most striking were the scars that were exposed on the soldier's neck - since the rest of his body was covered by armor - which had an ancient appearance, as if they had been caused years ago and with constancy. Gold locks were pulled back into a low ponytail, keeping his hair out of his face with the exception of a few locks that framed his pale skin.
What infuriated the Emperor most was not the fact that he was being given a human being, no, no, no, no, it was the fact that this one was breathing so slowly and carefully that it looked as if he wasn't breathing at all. As if it were a living dead body. By simply raising his hand, the cries of the nobles and witnesses present were silenced, making the silence feel suffocating.
He was just a child, a damned child.
"What's your name, kid" Philza asked, trying to disguise his growing anger with kindness. After all, the soldier was just a kid.
But he received no answer.
" It has no name." Eret replied, causing Wilbur to speak up, almost rising from his seat.
"What do you mean he has no name?!" despair was present in the crown prince's voice. "Don't tell me you didn't even have the decency to give it a name."
"There's no need for that… Prince Wilbur." Eret suppressed the obvious fear coursing through her veins. She knew that the Emperor and his troops did whatever was in their power to ensure the freedom of both humans and hybrids alike. But this... this wasn't even human, it was just a battlefield weapon. "It needs no name, after all, it's nothing more than a weapon."
Technoblade, blinded by the screams of the infernal chorus in his mind, was stopped by his father before he did anything stupid. "We will accept your gift, Eret."
The governor's body seemed to relax at the acceptance of her gift. Relief washed over her mind, and it seemed she could finally breathe. She hadn't expected the Empire to accept her gift, much less knowing the history of dismantling subway battle rims.
"Although, I am certainly curious," the Emperor expressed calmly, projecting his words cautiously. "How is it that you obtained in your possession such a... weapon."
"I am sorry to be a disappointment, Emperor. As I said, it was a gift from an old friend who no longer saw any useful use for it so decided to dispose of it. And I'm afraid I possess no information about its history or much less its provenance."
Philza studied the situation cautiously. One of the goals of his reign was to destroy all human and hybrid trafficking networks used to supply illegal battle rings and the mere fact that a soldier who was barely a teenager was standing motionless and showing no signs of reactions made his blood boil with rage. The Emperor was currently navigating blindly, treading familiar but unfamiliar ground.
"Well," the Emperor stood up, causing everyone present to straighten up to dispatch his majesty. "I think that's all for today. Again, thank you for witnessing today's convocation. And Eret," the governor listened attentively to the Emperor. "I would like to see your little... toy in action."
"With pleasure, your majesty. You may report to our camp tomorrow or the day after, I assure you won't be disappointed."
Phil nodded in response. "Then we'll see you tomorrow, Governor."
The Emperor and company descended the steps of the platform that held high the throne of the king and his sons. Niki and the other guards escorted the Emperor off the scene, making sure everything was secure.
The Royal Family was determined about one thing, bring freedom to this child soldier that they just met.