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Public News Post #19835

Chambers and Tanks

Written by: A scribe in service to Grandue, The Archon Ascendant
Date: Saturday, April 16th, 2016
Addressed to: Everyone


High ranking military leaders were keyed up around the massive table in
the center of the Hall of Archons briefing the Archonate on the moments
that would soon follow. The Ashtani language echoed off the dome high
above in hurried anticipation. Scribes quietly shuffled across the room.
Soldiers brought in chests marked with bold letters, "MINISTRY OF WAR",
and began slipping sigils and bombs into the belts and packs of the
Generals as they talked through the final plans of the assault.

"Here..." a Satyr general said firmly, pointing to a square outline of a
room on the leather map sprawled across the iron table. "...and another
here." General Seragorn rested his finger on a second point on the map.
The four candles holding the corners of the map down sent a cross of
shadows sprawling across the chart. For once "X" truly did mark the spot
in the most literal way possible.

The Ascendant's eyes widened. "Very impressive, Generals. Was another
puppet enlightened or is this something new?"

General Jinsun nodded, a determined look on his face. "Something new.
The warp was completed earlier this morning. The spy that broke in found
the piece of propaganda we left in their Council Chambers four years ago
still sitting there on the ground. They never even touched it."

"The first room will be a distraction," General Jhui said. "Once the
tank is dropped here and the assault has begun we'll send General
Qwindor through the warp to arm the second tank." The retired Warlord's
eyes gleamed hungrily. "We'll leave the second tank unattended. We are
waiting for more warriors to wake up on the islands among the
Silverveil. The more warriors they have the faster this will go."

"Quietly in the heart of their Council Chambers our tank will sit alone,
undefended, until it brings the world around it crashing to the ground
in a fiery inferno. It is almost poetic. Perhaps if they spent less time
canceling warps in Petra they would notice the warp leading into their
own Council Chambers," the Ascendant said. "Hopefully this will provoke
more of a response from them than the flamed scrolls dropped in our
streets. We bring them death and destruction and they respond by
throwing litter in our gutters, though such is a war between a lion and
a rat." A young squire slipped a suit of scale mail over Grandue's head
and began tightening it around him.

An Ashtani corsair entered and handed a dispatch to General Mizik. The
General quickly skimmed the report and returned to the table. "Our spies
have confirmed that the Targossian numbers are sufficient enough now. It
is time, boys." He pulled a trio of handaxes from his belt and turned to
the soldiers on the outskirts of the room. "Let's take a walk."

In unison the Generals slammed their fists against the iron table and
turned to join their troops.

Crushed windpipes. Gurgled screams from blood filled lungs. Limbs torn
from bodies. Flesh melted from skeletons. Those who had attuned their
minds with the deathsight were plagued with images of gore and finality
as the Ashtani Generals led the warriors through the streets of
Targossas. The hours tolled by as warriors from both sides bled out on
the streets and the tanks slowly built with increased fury. In a final
desperate assault the Targossian forces charged the Ashtani troops.
Shouts of bravado and muffled screams erupted as the two factions cut
each other down, but one General's voice was heard above the cacophony
of death, "NOW!"

The tank erupted in a deafening explosion, knocking those nearby off
their feet and sending debris hundreds of feet into the air as the area
was consumed in a fiery inferno of destruction. The Targossian troops
cursed in defeat, though a glimmer of relief was noticeable in their
tired eyes as the battle came to an end.

Then the second explosion resounded in the distance. Horror crept into
the faces of the survivors as the concussion from the blast reached
them, sending their cloaks violently whipping around them and bathing
their cheeks in warm light. Chaos erupted in the streets as soldiers and
citizens realized the extent of the damage. Having destroyed the Council
Chambers, the Ashtani Generals gathered the troops and returned home,
not to celebrate and drink, but to begin preparations for the next
assault. The Generals knew this was not a victory, only another step
toward it.

Penned by my hand on the 13th of Chronos, in the year 710 AF.


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