On the same day which the AUF high commands took their lives, Light Temple-ordered official, Luhrmann was suffering from grave impatience. He has been pacing in the hall of his mansion, face darkened. The waterdrop-shaped timer in the room was his frequent visiting spot.
As PUF’s chief quartermaster, Luhrmann, entrusted by the 3 red cardinals, returned DC before the war had ended. Now, everything has been arranged. Luhrmann was waiting for the red cardinal’s final news.
Upset had made Luhrmann so anxious that he even harshly drove back his own daughter who merely came to pay her morning greeting.
Years of elaborate, painstaking effort had given Luhrmann more powers than anyone besides the king in Swabia. However, today’s business was a risky move. If it were not for the temple’s full backing, Luhrmann would rather be killed than carrying it out all by himself.
A Luhrmann’s close guard dashed in, he knelt and reported, “My Lord, you have a messenger!”
“Bring him inside!”
“Yes, My Lord!”
A man of a dark cloak covering his entire body entered the hall, led by the guard. He walked directly to the face of this Prime Minister of Swabia. The two shared a look and simultaneously put their hands in their respective robe.
It was an identification gem that has been split into halves. One half for each man. When the two combined, the spell on the broken gem was automatically awakened, thus the stone restored in bright, sizzling light.
Luhrmann was relieved then nodded to the black-cloaked man.
“Master has a word for you. Up until this moment, Cohen Kheda’s troops haven’t made back to the Protoss Alliance. Their doom fate is a foregone conclusion. You’re free to carry out the plan.”
“Duly noted.”
“Now all of my master’s influence within and out of the city are given to you.” The man said, “Their leader is out of the city wall waiting for your orders. You must act decisively. As for uncorrelated matters, my master will take care of them. Needn’t you worry.”
“Good to know.”
“I wish beforehand for a great success.” The man left after having said that.
Seeing the messenger gone, Luhrmann stood at where he was with the gem in his hand for a good while. Then he wiped away the sweat on the forehead, turned and told his servant, “Bring them all in!”
The first who came into the hall was Luhrmann’s most trusted generals and consults, then the priest’s close lackeys. The latter men sent by the red cardinals had served in the army during the War, some of them were actual senior officers from other empires. In order to assist the Prime Minister, they have sneaked into Swabia days earlier under covered identities.
As people that filed into the hall slowly crowded the room, Luhrmann’s eyes turned sinister.
“People, I will not say empty words. Only after we’ve succeeded, all that belongs to me will be shared with you. Everything in DC, imperial palace not included, is yours for the taking!” The Prime Minister nodded to the people while saying, “And we will make it work. I’m counting on you!”
“As you wish.”
“Now I’d like to ask you to see here. It is a plan for DC.” Luhrmann hinted his guard to unscroll a map on the wall, “I’ll personally take charge of the palace. Any resistance within the rest parts rests in your hands!”
“Yes, My Lord!”
“We have 5 hours until the city gate closing time. You must prep for battle within this time!” Luhrmann certainly had full preparation for today’s business, “The city wall duty officer is my man, he’ll send you in…”
After all had devoted their own share of the job, they left one after another.
“Bring that robe of mine.” Luhrmann hesitated, but still, he said so.
Orders had been given, a rebellion in Divine City preluded. From this moment on, no man will be able to stop it from happening.
Though PUF had slacked when confronting the AUF, one had to admit that PUF was somewhat professional in certain aspects. Of course, Luhrmann’s promise of benefits worked better.
During the prescribed time, the troops dedicated to supporting were all in position.
The biggest one was an army of infantries from Symbia Empire. They had arrived a day earlier outside DC with passports issued by the PUF headquarters. And their commander went sick in a very ‘suitable’ time. This army will take charge of any fights at the DC gate.
Another troop came from Rivalz Empire. It was a legion of riders who quartered 50 miles away from Divine City. They also held a passport issued by the headquarters from the United Forces. Their job was to break DC’s outer garrison troops because the Swabian knights who surrounded and protected DC had sworn an oath to be loyal to their king: Climos Summers.
The rest troops including the Prime Minister’s private arms and stooges will take charge of the inner city fight.
Basically, if it weren’t for the support from the 3 cardinals, Luhrmann alone will not succeed to rebel. He will never make it through the 5, 000 royal guarding troops in the palace, let alone the garrison troops out of DC. At the very least, if Luhrmann was lucky enough to take the city, the other Viceroys who were not content with Luhrmann’s ruling will give him a hard time.
But now, while PUF was withdrawing, the 3 cardinal took their chances. They had not only stuffed a huge amount of armies within Swabia but also given a force of mystery cultivated by the Temple of Light to Luhrmann. And of course, they had the Protoss Princess Charlotte’s silent consent.
Assisted by the main battle forces from other empires as well as clique member under Luhrmann’s influence, DC was gravely at stake. Certainly, the Prime Minister of Swabia will not neglect other unyielding domestic powers such as the Kheda family who currently held both Dark City and Darkmoon. Luhrmann had enough homework for these people.
As for his most concern: the temple, the race supreme and other empires, the 3 ‘merciful, righteous’ cardinals will deal. Naturally, Luhrmann was too small a role to know the contradiction between the 2 Protoss princesses.
Climos Summers and Visual Kheda had known Luhrmann’s vicious intentions. Though it never occurred to them that Luhrmann was able to gain so much support on the rebellion day. Almost all forces under the Protoss Alliance were part of it. The unprecedented influence on this continent only to overthrow a single empire had never-before happened. One can well perceive the 3 cardinals’ guts and boldness.
The Divine City, along with the Swabian royal family was left with a solitary form and about to face tonight’s catastrophic event.
Haven protects them. Not all people in this world are this vicious and sinister.
Among which, there was a female general by the name of Winterhard Lennie.
As part of the PUF troops that were on the withdrawal list, General Winterhard Lennie’s troops had way passed DC. Although her troops were not on Swabian Prime Minister’s list, this female general who has spent an enormous amount of time in the PUF headquarters high chair had discovered something fishy. However, suppressed by higher powers, the careful general kept her silence along the route.
Precisely because of it, Winterhard had forgotten to discipline her subordinates, which led to her troops traveling behind schedule. They even went into a strife with one of Luhrmann’s stooges. After the furious soldiers had set fire on dozens of inns and brothels, they broke into the local Viceroy’s mansion.
During that noon, an intractable officer who addressed himself as Winterhard Lennie’s man brought the local havoc news to PUF’s sub-coordination department in Swabia. And as the Chief Coordinator Officer in Swabia, Prince Fischer naturally hasted to intervene with his guards. By the time the Prime Minister had known, Fischer was already hundreds of miles away.
Judged and weighed, the Swabian Prime Minister did not order a chase of Prince Fischer due to the big event at hand. He merely cursed Winterhard as well as all her families and the ancestors. Luhrmann had vowed to account for what she had done at a proper time.
Dusk fell, the DC rebellion had begun.
The first place under attack was the outer DC garrison. Two parties, one was well-prepared, the other hasted to fight back. Their engagement won’t stop any sooner.
But the DC wall duty officer had opened the gate for the rebels; thus infantries from Rivalz Empire entered the city openly. There was already fire and fight in DC. Chaos was all but everywhere.
The fight in DC lasted from that dusk until the grey dawn. The most fierce battle happened at the palace perimeter.
The ones who were guarding the Imperial Palace were the most elite soldiers in Swabia. The king, Climos Summers was all the more so. He’s been through hundreds of wars when he was young. As such, the palace was not breached even after the city garrison was annihilated.
Prime Minister himself thus came to the palace to personally supervise the war. He yelled and cried until the mid of the night. However, all four palace entrances were tightly defended. Had no choice, Luhrmann deployed the force of mystery given by the Light Temple, despite the cardinal’s cautious warning that he must not use this force unless it was absolutely necessary.
In this case, hundreds of members of the ‘Knights of Light’, led by a man who wore white, ripped their disguises and rushed to join the fight. Before this moment, the Light Knights have never been known to the common world. Before today, their doings were mere assassination jobs which took place mostly in the Asmodian Alliance.
Arms from the Light Temple were nothing like common troops. They were even more fearsome than AUF’s special units. On contact, the imperial troops instantly suffered a significant loss. A while later, the gate of the palace had fallen.
Faced by the Light Knights, particularly by the white-wore man who also had a white mask covering his face, the imperial guards cannot persist any longer. They were not to be blamed because they had done their best.
The Light Knights’ leader, he wore white from top to bottom, it was even so for his mask. He was not strong at first sight, but the man was as agile as a ghost. A fingers-wide thin sword was his weapon. His usual move was to lash forward with lightning speed. Once he thrust the sword, men will die despite they were plain soldiers or high-ranking officers.
The pacing enabled the white man to continue thrusting. He ripped countless breaches on the palace defense line. Due to his attack, the rebels made into the rear palace: the last defense line holding the emperor couple.
After a few dull voices, the imperial guards fell at the garden door. The white man glanced his arm. His sleeve was touched by his early opponent’s blade which nearly touched his skin.
“You closed my arm, you’re good.” The white man watched the guard officer who stood by the wall, and spoke for the first time, coldly.
The officer gasped and his chest was pouring blood. Powerlessly, he raised his eyes and spat with contempt. The white man frowned and in a blink of an eye, the officer dashed towards the white man. The latter dodged slightly but remained standing at where he was. The White Knights members behind him lost their lives, killed by the dying officer’s last strike.
“You’re good,” The white man raised his blade, said coldly, “But I’m better.”
Then he walked into the garden by stepping on the dead officer’s body.
The king and the queen were encircled in a gazebo where the queen met Cohen Kheda for the first time.
The white man wiped the last few imperial guards and found himself a lonely place to stay. Later, a man’s figured rushed into Climos Summers’ face. It was Luhrmann who wore a suit of royal robe, unable to hold himself any longer.
The Prime Minister reddened his eyes, gasped, nostril flapped.
“Luhrmann, you and your wearings,” Unexpectedly, Climos Summers commented only lightly, “look like a clown.”
“Do I? Then who had the last victory? The clown!” Luhrmann laughed wildly with thrilling voices, “Did you see? I am laughing! I’m the one that laughs at last!”
The queen was wrapping bandage for her husband. On finishing, she raised to face Luhrmann. She, too, said with a light tone, “Keep on laughing all you want. I doubt you can laugh until the end.”
“You two…” Summers couple’s ignorance enraged Luhrmann. He was furious so with one finger, he roared to the man and woman, “You! You’re my prisoners now! If you beg me for mercy! Now, kneel and beg! I’m ready!”
“Turns out you do have things you want!” Climos laughed, “What? With so many men and this spectacular rebellion. Is this what you really want?”
“Why don’t you ask me why I did this?” Luhrmann roared, “Ask! Why do this to me!?”
“Do what to you?” Climos rose.
“Ask me why I rebel? Ask, now! Even till this moment, I’m still underrated!” Luhrmann was on the verge of losing himself.
“Not necessary.”
“Huh, I’ll just tell you!” Luhrmann nearly bit through his tongue. He had been tortured by this mental monstrosity for quite a while.
“You ARE the king. You’ve been the king for 20 years. You can be the king since the day you were born, without effort!” Luhrmann rattled, “And me!? I was sent to the temple as a child! I’ve suffered so much and I ended up being a petty white priest! What do you know about being a white priest? Do you know the sufferings!?”
“I’m not obligated to.”
“Sure you’re not. You’re a king!” Sparkles of spit spilled over in the air, “And me, no matter how hard I tried, I stopped at the Prime Minister! Everything I’ve done, every decision I made, I had to consider your feelings! And those viceroys, they pretended to obey my will only because of you! I’ve had enough! OF THIS LIFE!”
“All empire officials are more or less the same way.”
“NO! I’m not like others! I came from the respectful temple! I’m smarter than everyone else! I shouldn’t be bowing to you!” An extreme narcissistic look expressed on Luhrmann’s face, “I’ve devoted my 20 full years of my youth to Swabia! Twenty years! What do I get?”
“Are you not content to be a Prime Minister?”
“NO! I’m not! I’m not satisfied with this mediocre title! I’m only one step away from the throne and I was only taken as Minister by others! I’ll always be one if I don’t act! I must change it!” He declared harshly, “It is different now. I will be king of Swabia today and forever.”
“Those are all excuses.” The queen laid bare of the Minister’s lies, “You just want to fulfill your selfish desires. And you pretended to be the victim. Eventually, you’re afraid. You’re afraid of revenge and death.”
“I do, as you said. So what?! I have you two now, as do your son sooner or later! I have powerful allies, powerful enough to eliminate all enemies targeting me! HAHAHAHA!” Luhrmann made nasty laughter, “Beg me! I will let you live. I even readied your new noble titles!”
“Didn’t you read history books? No Summers ever surrendered.” Climos Summers answered while peering his wife with love, “Can you still use magic, my darling?”
“Certainly.” The queen took her husband’s hand, “Thank you, my love, for the joyful days you gave.”
“I am too.” Climos Summers held his wife’s hands and helped her up. The queen thereupon chanted a length of spells quickly.
“STOP THEM! STOP THEM NOW! THEY want to kill…!” Luhrmann was utterly discomfited, roared to the white man, “I’m ordering you to stop them!”
The white man was watching the Summers couple peacefully before Luhrmann blocked his view by jumping to his face. At the Prime Minister’s yelling, without consideration, the white man raised and slapped Luhrmann in his left face then booted him behind.
Luhrmann, so fainted on contact on the ground that his consciousness nearly blacked out. A huge blast of air then exploded merely after he was able to half stand. At that moment, his entire body was thrown away by the magic shockwave.
After the giant explosion, all things from the center of the gazebo within a diameter of 50 arms-length vaporized. All Light Knights who stood on the perimeter gained dust on their faces. The Prime Minister’s royal robe was ripped into rags. If it weren’t for the kick, Luhrmann may have been gone with the royal couple.
Unlike others, the white man who stood at the frontmost was amazingly dustless. After confirming the Summers couple had commit suicide, he turned peacefully and started stepping out.
“Stop!” Luhrmann, after being helped up by his guards, “I’m talking to you!”
The white man seized walking and turned to Luhrmann with cold eyes.
At this moment, Luhrmann’s eyes were full of streaks of blood. Though the king and the queen had died, Luhrmann can’t but feel awful. This easy result just can’t fulfill his thirst that accumulated over the years.
“I… I am the king of Swabia!” Luhrmann clenched his teeth, “And you, whoever you are, you’re a little guy sent by the temple to assist me! How dare you not congratulate me and act recklessly! Apologize!”
The white man’s cold eyes continued.
“You will apologize and beg me for mercy, now!” The success of the rebellion has given Luhrmann a hint of craziness, and the white man’s cold eyes reminded him of the king couple’s attitude earlier, which harmed him more. Thus with a lousy choice of words, he continued, “You’re not!? You white bastard!”
A hint of eager to kill flashed in the white man’s eyes then he sent his leg out.
This kick was less powerful than the first one. After, Luhrmann winded up painfully sitting on the pavement, his bit through his lips. If the white man didn’t intentionally weaken the kick, Luhrmann would have died 10 more times.
“You…” The new king of Swabia barely made a sound.
The white man, still with cold eyes, made one step forward, his right hand was already on the hilt.
Guards around Luhrmann hurried to protect their master. But the white took only one swing to slash the frontmost 5 guards. Blood splashed, 5 equal cuts on their throats, all died without making a sound.
Hence the ones behind dared not to rush forward and started looking at the white man with the earnest eyes. Nobody wanted to search for death since Luhrmann had successfully rebelled.
But coldly, emotionlessly, a pair of eyes fixed on Luhrmann’s face. The white man stepped towards Luhrmann for another inch.
“Are you insane!?” The white’s companion caught his hand, “You can’t kill him.”
“Tell the priests,” The white sheathed the sword, “Business done, take off.”
Then he stepped away on the blood-stained pavement.
“You come back!” His companion yelled, “What are you doing!?”
The white didn’t even bother to look back or say a word, he left the palace gazed by so many astonishing eyes. The other white knights made a bitter smile to the new Swabian king, “You’d better leave him alone.”
When the white man was out of the palace, it was a red sky already. Warfare had nearly come to an end in and out of DC. Troops from all empires were looting in the city. And the uproar persisted for 3 days. A once prosperous DC was now in a state of devastation.
Where was our Prince Fischer?
Duty called, he was traveling instead of resting on the night of the DC rebellion. This was why the chasers that Luhrmann sent did not catch him.
After learning that DC had fallen, Fischer’s first reaction was to rescue his royal parents. Before he could gather any troops, Tennessee hit Fischer from behind. Hence the prince obediently fainted.
Later, Fischer’s fleet changed direction and started dashing towards Darkmoon. Though they were eventually intercepted by the rebels at a small castle. Thanks to the great warrior Tennessee and arch-mage Webster, Fischer was safe and sound instead of being caught.
Three days into holding in the castle, around 4 hundred guards were still standing for the royal prince.
In the morning of the 4th day, the beauty of the sun, freshness of the air, number of the rebels have all increased.
They were regular troops of the Protoss United Forces dedicated to capturing Fischer, the last member of the royal family. Thus Luhrmann gave a generous bounty on him. The price was so fat that anyone will go crazy for it. When the rebels were formulating down the castle. Some troops even started a fistfight to get the front position.
The dark cloud of rebels down the castle has given Fischer much regret. He regretted he didn’t choose to stay in DC and by his parents.
Today’s battle was certainly an undoubtfully losing one. 20, 000 rebels vs 400 guards. Even a child knew who was going to win. The rebellion soldiers laughed, made dirty jokes. In their eyes of greed, each person on that castle was made of gold. Such a thought has filled them with wild joy.
Among the rebels, an ugly officer was giving orders. He was certainly satisfied with his men. The soldiers were in such an eager to fight. What a proud army!
“Your Royal Highness, have some water.” On the castle, arch-mage Webster handed a cup, he comforted, “We will make it through.”
“Thank you.” Fischer took over the cup and placed on the wall. The depression in his eyes thickened.
“Your Highness, please lightened your worry. Men’s lives are like stars. There will be prolonged brightness and short darkness.”
“I am not.” Fischer shook his head, “It’s remorse. I shouldn’t have sent Cohen to the United Force. I’m the one who killed him.”
“Your Highness, it’s not your fault.” Spoke of Cohen Kheda, Webster also grew a hint of sorrow in his eyes, “Every man’s fate is destined. Cohen is a good boy. We will remember him. He will not blame you for it, I believe.”
“What about my royal mother and father? Why didn’t they run?”
“This rebellion can’t be done by the Minister alone.” After a short moment of silence, Webster said quietly, “I don’t know much. But I’m sure of one thing, His Majesty was ready for even 10 more men like Luhrmann rebelling against the thrones. In fact, the king had been preparing since a long time ago.”
“Then why…?”
“The rebellion was started by the temple instead of Luhrmann.” Webster said with pity, “The result is certain if the temple wants to kill a man, no matter who and where he is. The result will be the same. The king stayed because he knew you’re safe. He must firmly believe that you can avenge them and recover the empire!”
“Me?”
“Your Highness, it is your responsibility. Bear with it. You’re not a man on the temple’s list so you still have a chance…”
“I will.” Fischer looked at the rebels down the castle, “And Cohen, I want to say sorry to him. Maybe today I can.”
“Your Highness, you can’t lose hope…”
Fischer unintentionally ignored Webster’s urge because his attention was attracted by the cup of water on the wall: ripples surged on the surface and enlarging.
Moments later, Fischer caught a dull sound in his ears, so he started to look at the round environment.
A while later, Fischer began gasping because he had confirmed his idea. It was a considerable amount of riders!
All men on or off the castle have noticed the coming riders. However, the rebels did not worry because it was supposed to be their reinforcements.
Almost at the same time, watchers from all three directions of the castle yelled to report: a huge number of riders are accumulating in all directions!
Tennessee did not hesitate and bounced onto the watch-post. He intended to identify these riders at the first time. But he was speechless after he came back to Fischer.
“Is it Viceroy Visual Kheda’s troops?” Fischer asked wishfully.
Tennessee shook his head and replied with a low voice, “No.”
“Then it must be rebels.” Fischer laughed at himself, “A little more really does not matter now.”
“They’re not rebels either…” Tennessee said word by word, “They are A, U, Fs!”
“AUFs?” Fischer’s eyes were so widened that his eyeballs nearly fell. If something were to make the men in the castle surprise, it must be it.
The riders from all three directions were imminent by the sound of horn blowings. Their army flags were close and clear. They were indeed the Asmodian United Forces!
“Mother fucker, AUFs are coming!” All rebels saw it. The early neat formation instant broke. Soldiers started to run.
“Run!”
“Holy Protoss, AUF riders!”
“Fuck that bounty! I quit!”
These glorious PUF soldiers had spent a considerable amount of time fighting the AUF armies. Especially during the latter half of the War, AUF had scared the crap out of the PUF soldiers. Thus now their first reaction on seeing AUF was to run.
Run as far as they could. They would rather be a coward that lived than a martyr that died.
Breaths later, all 20, 000 troops, from officers to soldiers fled. Armors were thrown; more were wresting for horses. The last who can’t run fast just played dead for good.
As the men down the castle were in general chaos, the ones on it can’t help but shook their heads. Everybody knew that 40 years ago, the mighty PUF troops made AUF cry for mother.
After shaking the heads, they found the AUF riders were besieging the escaping rebels. And of course, after they were done with the rebels, the next target will be themselves.
At another blow of a horn, AUF’s sweeping work began.