AN: Following the second chapter, where the truth was finally shown, another round of questions arose on the Oceania Accords truly is. The current assumption running right now is that the Oceania Accords is a puppet state of Nazi Germany, who are the main antagonists of the Wolfenstein series. Although I could just tell the truth there and then, I figured it would just confound the confusion so I refrained until the update. This chapter will hopefully clear things out, in addition to the (rough) world map I designed for my Wolfenstein AU. It's not very accurate to what I have in mind, but its just meant to give you an idea; if this story has become popular enough (and the world fleshed out even more), I might consider asking for a commission in Deviantart.

I really encourage readers in to visit Spacebattles, as I'm largely active there.

This has been Beta-read solely by quickdraw101. For some reason, TheDrkKnight12 has been inactive for some time if his unresponsiveness in is any indication. He did, however, contribute a bit to this chapter in its earlier stages so I won't exclude him from being thanked.

"L'État, c'est moi."

– Louis XIV, King of France (1643-1715)

(The large crowd had fallen silent as the sovereign of the Oceania Accords stepped on the podium. Beside her were two Imperial Guardsmen serving as her bodyguards, fully armoured and attentive.)

Citizens of Oceania.

I had hoped that my next speech before all of you would be of good tidings; a milestone, a victory, a reclamation or even just the continued stability of our borders.

Unfortunately, it was not to be.

The Heartland has been attacked. Days ago, the peace in six of our capitals was shattered by an enemy. The perpetrators were not the subversives within our nation nor our adversaries beyond the borders. I doubt that even they would have foreseen this.

The question of whether parallel worlds exist has always puzzled philosophers and scientists alike. The Day of Blood answered that question in blood. The invaders came from another world brought into our own by portals they call "gates". They are known as the Saderan Empire in their world, a polity bearing the likeness of ancient Rome. Though they are a pre-industrial civilisation, they attacked despite the evidence of our superiority, either blind or delusional enough to declare war upon us.

Many of you still disbelieve what you have seen or heard, but I tell you that this is the truth; confirmed by the efforts of Providence. To continue to deny what transpired is to insult the memory of the victims and their families. As Oceanians, we do not tolerate falsehoods; we embrace the truth no matter how grim it is, for it stands a testament of our spirit of perseverance and will to power.

Through means we're still trying to discover, they have disabled all working electronics in the cities. This crippled the capabilities of the Enforcement and delayed our response. We do not know how were they able to journey here, given they are only at pre-industrial levels yet are capable of summoning portals to other worlds. But one thing is certain.

They have immediately defined themselves as barbarians, I am heartbroken that they had time to despoil and desecrate significant portions of the cities before we can respond. The bulk of their forces have retreated when the structures crumbled, taking with them a thousand of our people to their world to be subjected to the terrible fate of enslavement. This is an act of barbarism I will not tolerate, to strip the freedom and humanity of the innocent and faithful is the vilest of all crimes.

These Saderans thought they could intimidate us – subjugate us under their merciless tyrannical heel. They wanted to punish us for our freedom and not being subservient to their rule.

But do not lose hope.

Not all portals appeared in the Heartland. Somehow, one appeared in the periphery of our empire and remained while the others disappeared. The commander in charge has successfully repulsed the incursion and hasn't only secured the portal, but have also begun the construction of a base on the other side. Interrogations of captured invaders have revealed that this particular portal is stable, what concretely anchors their world to ours.

As we speak, preparations are underway for an expedition on this new world. The Saderans sought to subjugate us through the full measure of their depravity, so I will respond in kind. With my blessing, Warden-General Armend Ziegler will embark on a retributive campaign.

(There was an uproar in the crowd as each of them tried to get the Imperatrix's attention. For a few seconds, nothing can be heard by the noisy hollering of reporters and journalists. The Imperatrix raised a hand with a stern gaze, the crowd were slowly pacified.)

Rest assured, I didn't overlook the reputation of the Warden-General and his soldiers. It was for this reason that I have deployed a contingent of the Imperial Guard to safeguard our people from harm's way; be they savages from this new world or soldiers of the Beast himself. I am confident in their ability to rein in the Warden-General and direct his attention at the right target.

Many of you wonder why I am sending the Beast of Oceania into this world instead of our more considerate generals, whom I could send into the Gate. But no. I intend to punish them for their audacity, and I find no one else suited for the task than our own monster.

For their crimes against Oceania, the Saderan Empire shall answer.

– Transcript of the Imperatrix's speech to the press conference.

The horizon was an infinite expanse of darkness dotted by distant stars, numberless and minute in radiance compared to the full moon above. It radiated down an expanse of a flat obsidian floor. Directly underneath the moon was a round stone table suspended in the air at an adequate height. It shared the same colour as the surface beneath, directly connected to it.

Overall, the entire area conveyed a message of mystery and peace. There was no sound, not even the breeze of air, simply overwhelming silence at its bareness and simplicity. It was a place of exchange and deliberation.

But for all the serenity offered, the atmosphere was rife with tension.

Several seats surround the table, sharing its obsidian and lithic attributes. The chairs can be identified as thrones from the armrest and the backrest, each one uniquely ornamented to associate it with its seater.

Seated here were the Imperatorial Court, the ruling council of the Oceania Accords. Each of them a figure of great power, leading one of the superstate's apparatuses in concert with the others and have maintained their station for years through the meritocratic nature of the government.

Now, they must use their powers to deal with the most unusual crisis at hand.

None of them ever conceived of something like this to happen. All semblance of peace was shattered when six of their capitals were plunged into chaos by the emergence of an army in the middle of the cities. They were alarmed by the presence of a hostile force within the Heartland at the initial moment, and their minds quickly listed the potential perpetrators.

Initial suspects were the insidious elements within their society, from nostalgic secessionists seeking to resurrect the flaws of the Old Era to the thralls employed by the World Consortium. But they were never large nor organised, much less organised enough to inflict such a scale of damage.

The next contender would be the infamous Fourth Reich. Ever since the triumph over Nazi Germany in the mid-20th century, the remnants nursed a special hatred for the preceding regime of Europe which unsurprisingly extended to them. This current incarnation was more terrorists than a state, a shadow of their predecessor. They only survive through the leadership of scientific genius of one Wilhelm Strasse, notoriously known as Totenkopf throughout the world. Threatening, but they were an occasional problem. The Fourth Reich is involved in a perpetual struggle with its archenemy, the Kreisau Circle.

Speaking of the Circle, they were immediately disproven. For one, collateral damage is an anathema to them since they style themselves as possessing the moral high-ground. The Circle prided itself as a scalpel, striking surgically at their targets and avoiding unnecessary damage, unlike the Fourth Reich. What's more is that they don't employ large groups, operating instead through a number of agents to carry out their activities. Furthermore, projections imply that they are still to fully recover from their nigh-destruction a year ago. So even if the previous factors were possible, it wasn't possible to carry out attacks of this magnitude.

However, they were greeted by stupefaction when the true nature of their enemy was revealed at last. The hostile force was straight from the past, in the likeness of Ancient Rome and creatures of fantasy. They killed and pillaged everything within reach before the local forces could react. The armed forces quickly mobilised and repelled the incursion, their equipment and warfighting superior to whatever the primitives brought to bear. The law enforcement deserved equal honour; though grossly outnumbered, their valiance slowed the enemy advance to a crawl until they joined the army in the counterattack. Their efforts enabled many to be evacuated and spared of the barbarism the foes wrought.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the civilians left behind enemy lines.

Though the situation was pacified, the resulting fallout left a lot of work to be done.

The Day of Blood, as the media has already begun calling the incident, saw thousands of innocents subjected to sickening acts of inhumanity and approximately a thousand were missing. The most horrific explanation for the latter would be their abduction by the invaders for no other reason than enslavement; though the Oceanian soldiers triumphed, victory tasted bitter in that they failed to prevent their people's abduction. A salt to their wounds was the fact that the means in which the invaders arrived into their territory disappeared, denying them of the chance to rescue and mete vengeance.

Protests broke out calling for an immediate retaliation for this attack, and violence had broken out in a dozen or so cities including the six that were attacked. Martial law had to be declared and travel was temporarily prohibited within and without the Heartland as the military and police coordinated their efforts to pacify the raging populace. This statement perfectly described the situation in the capitals that were attacked, where some of the invaders have been left behind to contend with the wrath of those they sought to enslave.

Although one can sympathise for the people publicly venting their outrage and despair, it ultimately served no purpose other than a release of intense emotions. The protests and riots hindered the efforts of the military and law enforcement from focusing on other matters. Furthermore, this large-scale social turmoil could be exploited by third-party belligerents such as the ever serpentine World Consortium and other insidious elements.

The military presence remained in the attacked capitals as a precaution should the enemy force return anew. The Court wasn't taking any chances. Furthermore, the military and law enforcement were still scouring those same capitals for holdouts as some primitives broke off from the major formations in an act of self-preservation. The lucky ones were brutally subdued and apprehended for interrogation, those not were either shot in self-defence or lynched by those they sought to enslave.

Everything related to the Day of Blood was displayed in the many holographic projections above the table. The media certainly has a flair for christening events of import, what better way to immortalise events in the minds of the masses.

News reports from media stations and reporters. Post-battle recordings of engagements showing their soldiers neutralising the hostiles. It didn't matter which time it was taken, what does is the content as it provided them with a continuous appraisal of the situation.

Even now, it was all so... surreal. So impossibly logic-defying. How can an army of antiquity resist the march of time and appear all together in the middle of their cities?

A question that circled their heads, but it wasn't long before they found answers.

Interrogations had borne fruit early in the session; they have learned three things about the nature of this attack.

The perpetrator of the incident is called the Saderan Empire, a pre-industrial hegemony that bears a resemblance to Ancient Rome. But just because of the resemblance, these people have nothing to do with their Roman Empire if the creatures of fantasy that accompanied them were any indication. None of those existed in real life, only in the annals of mythology and the imaginative works of fiction people adores in this age. It was impossible, which is elaborated by the second point.

They do not hail from their world, or even timeline as the scientists first assumed and feared – for it would thoroughly complicate things when they traverse forward; it might result in mutual annihilation or nothing at all given the paradoxes involved, but none of them were entertaining the idea. They hail from the continent of Falmart, in a world different from their own. It was the size of Eurasia, its bulk ruled by these Saderans while the rest were unclaimed, uninhabitable or belonged to some smaller polity.

Through their familiarity with Ancient Rome, it wasn't surprising to discover their casus belli. They sought to conquer their world, and bring them under their deluded form of civilisation. Such was a means of economic sustenance and cultural trait of antiquity when wars were the engines that grow empires. Still, the Court bristled with lividity at that piece of information, their people slain, maimed and taken by these self-righteous savages who believe they're entitled to do as they pleased.

"In spite of our discoveries about the nature of our enemy and the world they came from, I strongly advise caution in our approach to this situation." The Grandmaster of Providence informed the Court. The master of the state's intelligence division was dressed immaculately for the meeting. "This world is riddled with unknown factors. Particularly, there's a wildcard that requires more data for analysis and assessment; that is… the existence of magic on their world."

For a few seconds, there was only silence. He could tell the bafflement and incredulity underneath the stoic gazes of his colleagues, though some were more expressive in their reaction to this piece of information.

"Magic? I find it difficult to believe your words, Grandmaster. There was never such a thing as magic, only complex science at work. To quote Arthur C. Clarke, 'Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.'"

The Grandmaster could tell that everyone was in line with the Master of the Regime, a bespectacled woman clad in her own immaculate attire. She wasn't without reason. To argue on the existence of magic in real life was a folly, ludicrous and not worth the time to debate. Such a concept exists only in the minds of the primitive and savage who cannot comprehend the complexities before them, so they simplify it with the notions of the supernatural. To that end, she was potentially accurate.

"Then by your logic, you imply that these Saderans are technologically advanced. Yet we've seen nothing but the contrary so far. Material analyses of their swords, shields and armour show that their material science is on par with the ancients, and dissections – coupled with genetic and biological analyses – show no difference from us… at least for the human invaders."

"Are you certain that this isn't simply superstitious beliefs by a primitive society?" She pressed. "You're sure you aren't being misled?"

"After interrogating 17 prisoners to death on that subject and receiving the same response again and again, yes." The Grandmaster bristled with annoyance, no doubt for reasons he just said. "Considering the world they came from is your archetypal fantasy world, I wouldn't dismiss it entirely. Right now, our only proof is the portals – gates as they call them – since our forces encountered no magical enemies in their attacks, which is why our only source is the potentially dubious words of our prisoners.

The Master relented and gestured to him. "Speaking of these 'gates', what do we know about them?"

"They appear to be localised variations of an Einstein-Rosen Bridge." This time it was the bald-headed Director of Innovation who entered the discussion. With a gesture of his arms, images of the gates appearing on the projector. Around them were the Saderans, guarding it as it disgorged more soldiers or swallowed a train of enslaved Oceanians. "The structure we see is but the shell, a stabilised form of the phenomena while the real portal is the dark interior within. As the Grandmaster said, they function by anchoring two points of spacetime, facilitating crossings between the points. That explains how they were able to attack us, but we have no idea how they were able to conjure portals given their technological level. I can't believe I'm saying this as a man of science, but I must give the idea of magic a benefit of doubt, something higher is at work here."

A pause came before a hint of excitement appeared on his face. "Still, this is a great discovery. This 'gate', and the events of the past days, are proof of the existence of the Multiverse theory. Fascinating, I wonder what other realities exist and the possibility of interacting with them. Is it possible to artificially replicate the effects? I am certainly looking forward to studying-"

A fist slammed into the desk, strong enough to vibrate and echo throughout the room. "This isn't the time to bask over scientific discoveries, Director! This meeting has been called to ponder our next move. How we retaliate and get our people back takes precedence over your scientific exploits. But if you are so inclined, then tell us why did these portals crumble to dust an hour after they appear?!"

Keeping his annoyance in check for the sake of professionalism, the Chief Director met the harsh glare of the leader of the Oceanian military. The Lord Strategos is defined by a staunch straightforward attitude and doesn't take kindly to diversions no matter how small or mundane. To him, time is a precious resource to be used efficiently; a small thing as a second can determine one's fate.

He dared not question the wisdom of one of the longest members of the Court, and as well the first holder of his title. He was there when the Accords were founded and it was he who oversaw its armies against the Consortium for twenty years. For this reason, being the strongest proponent of the Armistice was the greatest irony.

"That I do not know, Lord Strategos. Perhaps the Grandmaster may have something from his interrogations?"

Attention was returned to the head of Oceania's intelligence agency, who cleared his throat. "The energies of the portals were unstable and were bound to collapse on itself. Rank and file and humanoids alike were shocked when they disappeared, most likely hidden from them in case they refuse to march forward. So I turned my attention to their noble overlords. Progress was stifled by their hubris and delusions, but proper motivation was enough to make them speak."

"It appeared that the nobility knew what would happen and most of them fell back, but some got too caught up in the battlefield to remember. The portals that manifested in the Heartland were called 'lesser gates' by the savages, due to their transient nature. But the glory-seeking warmongering mentality of their leaders of this army from exploiting this limited window as well. Manpower wasn't a concern for them, only glory and plunder does. When the portals crumbled, these men were content to die in battle and rallied the stranded otherworlders."

"But there's no reason to lose hope." The Grandmaster voiced. "One of the portals remained." The projector showed images of another Gate, showing a perimeter of soldiers around the structure. Not Saderans, but Oceanian soldiers wearing the trademark black armour. An image of Japan appeared next, bigger than those of the gate. "According to the captives, this is the main Gate and it manifested in Japan. Due to a considerably lesser risk, the expedition deployed most of its assets in here, all of which were destroyed in the ensuing battle, the survivors surrendered after the Gate was taken while automated units were sent to secure a beachhead on the other side. I wasn't going to bring this up until later because of… well… you know."

In his brief silence prior to concluding his explanation, the Grandmaster summoned another display that replaced that of Japan. It was a swastika, yet dissimilar to the one used by the Fourth Reich. A swastika in an identical 45-degree angle shaped like an octagon made visible in the dark background only through the crimson lines of the latter.

The realisation set in among the Court, as talking about Japan inevitably refers to its administrator. The symbol before them was a personal sigil, appropriated from the Nazis for no other reason than to spite them. The result was an uncomfortable veil of silence shadowing the discussion, everyone kept their mouth shut and unwilling to talk. But given the circumstances, it was unavoidable to include him in the subject at hand considering the portal was within his jurisdiction.

The Island of Japan was a dark place, a nightmarish charnel house universally acknowledged to be the closest thing to hell on earth; its land poisoned, beauty ravished, and people subject to unending torment as punishment for their crimes against the world. All made possible by the bearer of that swastika.

"So." The Master slowly resumed after a lengthy silence. Gone was her directness on the meeting, surmounted by unease. "What part will... he play in this?"

If anyone has an idea, none of them wanted to speak. They were about to enter an unpleasant territory. Often, they prefer to ignore his existence. But this time, it was impossible.

"He will be given command of this theatre."

Those words lacked the hesitation shared by the Court, spoken with conviction and the power of indomitable will. All members turned to the speaker. It was the leader of the Imperatorial Court and the Oceania Accords, her gaze fixed at the various projections showing the Gate.

The face of Lady Oceania was unreadable, there wasn't anything on her visage to imply her current thoughts. If not for her ivory skin, her black dress would've made her blend with her throne. By all accounts she was a beauty to behold even for one past her prime, her pitch-black mane reaching past her shoulders and crimson eyes radiating a mystical look as if afire.

In a way, her taste for dark clothing equates her to a raven as it often covered most of her body like the black feathers of the bird. It was her choice of attire that the media had affectionately taken to calling her the Raveness. Although the response of the more zealous portion of the population was negative, it was something she appreciated. It was an endearing title from an appreciative population, and It did help reinforce a connection with the citizens as an empathic ruler as opposed to being distant and cold.

"Warden-General Armend Ziegler shall spearhead this campaign, and I am giving him full authority over military operations." A new image appeared. It showed the aerial view of a base, under construction on the other side of the Gate with the most integral facilities prioritised; the scope of the base meant it was to host a large army. Figures dotted the landscape, the machines sent to establish the beachhead were now standing over the construction process and the Japanese slaves brought to labour. The Saderan camp was torn down and gathered on the far side to be torched, along with the corpses slain during the capture.

"That base is huge." The Lord Strategos remarked. "He must be planning large-scale operations to construct a base this big. How many is he deploying?"

"He's assembling a legion-sized task force for this campaign, composed of elements drawn from the preexisting legions in Japan." Lady Oceania revealed nonchalantly. "However, he prepared three more in reserve if the situation unexpectedly escalates."

The Master of the Regime raised an eye. "An entire legion? All to subdue the hegemonic power of this continent? A force of ten thousand should've been enough for this conquest, him sending tenfold of that number will be wasteful in material and manpower even if he's paying for all of it."

"That's because conquest isn't his end goal." The Grandmaster answered. "He's going to turn the place into a charnel wasteland like most of Asia. Not just this continent, this whole world. While a force of 100,000 may seem inadequate on paper, take note that this theatre is set in the... antiquity; the civilisation is largely agrarian with a widely distributed population in many villages, while urban settlements are few in number given their limitations. With Armend's technological advantage, he can butcher entire swathes of the land without opposition with minimal numbers."

"You're certain about that?"

"This is Armend Ziegler we're talking about, not your typical commander."

"I concur with the Grandmaster. Ziegler informed me that he won't limit his operations to this empire, he's going to strike everything."

All were silent as they digested the Imperatrix's words. The campaign was heavily lopsided to their favour due to the backward nature of their enemy, but the natives' predicament is made worse by the fact that they're going to be fighting someone that can only be described as a monster incarnate. Armend Ziegler amassed a dark reputation throughout his military career, having secured his place in history for orchestrating the most horrific atrocities in the current age.

The Genocide of the Philippines. The Barrier of Fire in China. The Mumbai Massacre; just to name some of the horrors he's responsible for.

With the appearance of this… Gate, his attention will turn to the world beyond.

"To what extent would this Court be involved in the affairs of this… Falmart? Outside searching for our people of course." The Master of the Regime inquired, gesturing dismissively at the image. Despite the infamy it brought to the state, it was a backwater not worth their time. The world was definitely a paradise compared to their own ruined world, but it was lost at the doorstep of the Warden-General.

"As minimal as possible. Despite their audacity, these Saderans don't warrant our attention. They are an irritant compared to the state of affairs in our world. The Warden-General can handle this, his military forces are sufficient for the operation."

"I have to object to your decision." The Supreme Judicatrix of Oceania Enforcement quickly spoke up. "With respect, Your Holiness, Ziegler's infamous for a reason. The last thing we need is for the enslaved civilians to consider suicide once they learned that their saviour is none other than the Beast of Oceania himself. Five years ago showed us that he's very indiscriminate when it comes to his victims."

The Beast of Oceania. Armend has amassed a plethora of dreadful titles in his infamous career, yet it was that title that always stood as the most fitting. A runner up would be the Butcher of Asia, seeing as that was his previous jurisdiction prior to his fall from grace and being responsible for culling large swathes of the continent.

The Imperatrix turned her gaze to the female head of Oceania's law enforcement. Among the Court, the Judicatrix stood out. For one, she developed a habit of eschewing immaculate apparel in favour of her armour. It was futile to convince the woman otherwise. If anything, she'd feel what a naked woman would in an open street without her armour. Her armour wasn't just that, it has grown to become a part of her body as well.

She lacked, from poise to personality, the hallmarks of a belle. She was an Amazon in mind and body, a militant warrior-woman with impressive martial prowess. Her blonde hair ending above the nape with a fringe curving around her head, and her green eyes burning with the bitterness of her heart.

Similar to the Lord Strategos, she stood out for her martial nature. Though unlike him, the Judicatrix retained the 'action' aspect of a warrior instead of supplanting it with 'authority'.

It was for this reason that she played an active role in the crisis and subsequent pacifications if her damaged armour was any indication. She joined the enforcers in the field, their equipment resistant to the gates' manifestation. They were its valiant defenders until the army arrived, but their equipment and training weren't enough since the enemy had the element of surprise and numbers. Lividity and bitterness consumed them as they beheld the sacrilege and inability to retaliate, and in the aftermath they vented their fury.

Following the conclusion of the attacks, there had been numerous incidents with the enforcers brutalising and murdering captured Saderans and even letting crowds lynch disarmed prisoners, who had been softened to not resist. These led to on-field altercations between them and the intelligence community that often had to be broken by third-parties, culminating with the verbal spat between the Grandmaster and the Supreme Judicatrix over the loss of potentially valuable information and the latter's sense of justice.

It was apparent that the Judicatrix looked the other way on these incidents.

"Your fears are unfounded, Judicatrix." the Imperatrix said softly, trying to soothe the woman's mood. "I would be a fool to entrust the safety of our people in the hands of the Warden-General, nor expect him to keep them all safe; untouched and alive. Their search, safety and well-being will not be under his purview, it will be under the Imperial Guard I'm sending in this campaign."

If that tidbit of news meant to deliver relief, it was superseded by surprise instead. After all, the Imperatrix deploying her protectors was circumstantial and only for developments that had warranted her attention. Mostly military campaigns, but not restricted to it. The Imperial Guard answer to her alone, and each wield a fragment of her authority. Still, it makes sense; the legions of Japan shared the infamy of their commander, and were utterly despised by the wider military. No soldier of Oceania would want anything to do with the soldiers of Armend, for good reason.

Frequent excessive force. Proclivity for war crimes. Massive collateral damage. These are the hallmarks defining the soldiers of Armend Ziegler, and the source of extreme hostility latent in the armed forces.

The further down the command chain, the more evident this hostility was. While commanders tend to turn a blind eye to more pressing matters worthy of their attention, the rank-and-file weren't so restrained. Before the Armistice, during joint operations on areas of operations, there had already been dozens of violent altercations between them and soldiers from separate military units; it led to numerous fatalities for both sides. More often than not, the fights weren't caused by Armend's own soldiers, but by those provoked by the atrocities they inflict on the field.

To prevent any more incidents, the Lord Strategos declared those legions to be "operationally incompatible with the overall military structure." and silently ordered the others to distance themselves from those legions, steering clear from battlezones where they're active. It was a double-edged sword; further fatalities ceased at the cost of Armend cementing his hold on the already loyal legions.

A force of the Imperial Guard, though small compared to the legions in Japan, was a different case. Though a loose cannon, if the term was appropriate, Armend is still a commander of Oceania, subject to the authority of the Holy Imperatrix. Her protectors bear her a fraction of her authority that was enough to even overrule that of the Court, and those soldiers know better than to cross them.

They would serve as the shield of the innocent and the sword to ward off beasts.

After all, it was she alone that spared him from execution despite the overwhelming call for such action in response to the atrocities he had wrought in the war. The whole Court save for her had been unanimous for his death during that time, and was shocked by her decision.

"What of the World Consortium?" The Lord Strategos asked out of the sudden. Ah yes, what of their cherished neighbour on the planet – whom they have warred with for a good two decades, and now tolerate for the past five years – be doing concurrently? "They could see this as a violation of the treaty and may act."

"Unlikely on both counts, Lord Strategos. They did offer their condolences for the attacks, and reassured that they have had no part in it. They are equally confused and concerned as we are." The Grandmaster explained to the head of the armed forces. Typical diplomatic exchanges; reassuring that they have nothing to do with something and shallow commitment to the Armistice. Of course, they have been alarmed by the large-scale military movements during OMEGA: BLACK and enacted their own alert levels in preparation for an armed conflict. For some time, many thought that the war would begin once more and it no doubt got the warmongers of both superstates thrilled. "They won't do anything, the treaty stipulated that Armend's military authority be restricted within Japan." The penal colony was highlighted in the globe. "Since the only stable portal leading to where the otherworld Romans hail from lies within, it is part of his jurisdiction and is therefore not an infringement of the treaty."

"A loophole – clever." The Lord Strategos remarked. He honestly didn't expect that.

"Ziegler must have tried to object over your decision, Your Holiness. He dislikes the idea of military units outside his authority since he can't control them." The Director of Innovation mused with visible humour. "I guess it spoiled his fun, no doubt he desires to expel his bloodlust and escape the stultifying administrative duties he's given. I hope he's still fit for duty, seeing that his responsibilities are catalytic to senility."

Lady Oceania turned to him. "On the contrary, he agreed as long as there's no operational friction between our forces. This decision is beneficial in that it compartmentalised the operation's objectives; Armend's forces will mount the punitive campaign while the Imperial Guard concentrate on locating the Taken."

The tension in the chamber diminished. A wise decision had been made and brought relief to the Court, especially the Judicatrix. The further that monster is away from their people, the better.

Their people mattered. They could care less about the denizens of this Falmart.

"You mentioned him transporting Japanese to the new world." The Master of the Regime changed the subject. "Given the size of the theatre, the influx will increase and subsequently diminish his tithe to the Penitence Initiative. His contribution makes about 60% of the input, any decrease will slow down reclamation efforts to heal the damaged biosphere."

Although humanity survived the onset of the Third World War and re-established civilisation, the planet was yet to fully recover from ecological devastation. The extensive chemical warfare enacted by the Japanese Empire had saturated most of the landmass, and despite continued restoration efforts by both the Oceania Accords and World Consortium – even with the war between them, restoring the planet's health remained a priority – the planet was still far from recovering.

"I will inform him of this." Lady Oceania said. "I believe this is everything for today. Interrogations are to be continued, the more we know about this world the better. There's also the matter of more of these portals appearing in our territory, I want the Military and Enforcement on high alert effective immediately for any disturbances similar to what happened in the Incident."

The Grandmaster gave a wordless nod whereas the other two were more vocal in their affirmation.

"It will be done." The Lord Strategos nodded. "There won't be another Day of Blood. Not on our watch."

"As would we." The Supreme Judicatrix gave her vowed. "The Armed Forces have our support."

All is set. The crisis still remains, but they now control the situation.

"This meeting is adjourned. Dismissed." Lady Oceania watched impassively as the Court vacated her presence. One by one, they vanished in a flash of white, leaving her alone to contemplate in solitude.

In the newfound solitude, she loosened her composure and sighed. The last few days were stressful unlike the regular days. Ruling a superstate encompassing half of the world was a great burden for one person, but she must soldier it. It was a duty she embraced, a monumental test of her will to attain her ambitions.

"I must admit." bright particles coalesced into a figure beside her. "I'm surprised the meeting went well when the subject turned to me, save for the Judicatrix's brief protestation."

Lady Oceania glanced at the newly materialised figure on her side. The man had opted to remain in the shadows, observing the meeting instead of being a participant and offering his opinion. "You're not exactly welcome anywhere, some even treat your name as a taboo."

"It doesn't bother me." Armend dismissed it with a wave of his hand. His countenance withered by age and duty, but his eyes still blazed with the madness and cruelty he was known for and a poise showing fitness for command.

"Anything relevant to report, Warden-General?"

The Warden-General began pacing around the table. "I finished assembling a task force for the operation, as well as conducting reconnaissance on the other side to get an idea on our position. Our position complicates things. The Gate opened on an island not far from the coasts of the continent, in the Falmartian Far East according to my interrogations. This meant that we're in the frontiers of their empire, far from the heart of their power. Since our foothold is an island, I had to expand my infrastructure to include airstrips and shipyards in order to deploy my forces." He reported, caressing the nearby thrones every often.

"Interrogations on your own?"

"I don't trust the Court with the exception of yourself. You of all people know of my tense relationship with them. Better get intel on your own than receive it tampered."

Lady Oceania scoffed. "How meticulous, but ultimately redundant. Try to rein in your paranoia, it's not good for you."

"Yes, that's a good idea when practically everyone wants your head on a platter." Armend retorted sarcastically, stopping at the opposite side of the table to face her. "You should temper down the Director's behaviour. While the position is indeed stultifying to a degree, I'm still able to torment vermin responsible for all of this. Japan is the prize I desire, my thanks for keeping it in my possession even after you stripped me of my previous position."

"You should be." Lady Oceania shot back in annoyance. "Many still question me for sparing you of execution in favour of an… undeserving punishment, even the Court. People still clamour for your head, nothing else can appease them."

"Let the dogs bark, only a few are brave enough to bite. Those that did attempt, I dealt with." He let it hang in the air ominously. Of course, not all who wished for his death didn't see the impotently. A brave few attempted to enact their vengeance upon him. He had lost count, and no matter how many he thwarted the frequency remained. One of the lessons he learned in his lifetime was to never underestimate the power of will. It repels all considerations and concerns in favour of achieving one's goal; the less tied one is to the world, the stronger it was.

Such was true to the people whom his atrocities have given nothing left to lose and everything to gain, they were shells of the men they used to be – filled with nothing but hatred, determination and tenacity in their path of vengeance. Despite their unbridled hatred for his very being, Armend respected them enough to award their efforts. A clean death with his gun, to join the souls he had cruelly snuffed from the earth.

"Tell me something." Armend began. "Why send a detachment of the Golden Legion when others can fulfil the criteria?"

Lady Oceania frowned. "Haven't you been listening in the shadows? They are there to safeguard our abducted people from the predations of your forces."

Armend chuckled. "I'm not easily deceived like the others, your holiness. We both know that isn't the truth. You only deploy the Imperial Guard for two reasons; either to secure the matters important to the state or your personal interests. As much as you wanted to argue otherwise, the abducted civilians aren't really important enough to warrant their deployment are they? So tell me, why are you really so interested in this campaign of mine. This campaign is a backwater operation compared to state affairs, yet your deployment of the Imperial Guard implies personal interest. Why?"

The Imperatrix didn't respond and instead glared at the face of the Warden-General for trying to decipher her true rationale. The boundless expanse around them was momentarily forgotten as both figures of power stared each other down. Their eyes were upon one another; majestic crimson and monstrous gold met in a clash of wills, neither faltering against the other…

At least until one of them dropped it.

"As much as I'm curious, I believe this isn't the time to ask. There are other pressing matters after all." Armend withdrew the inquiry. "As long as it wouldn't impede my campaign, I will not mind it."

Lady Oceania returned to the topic at hand. "Regarding your… geographic problem. Shouldn't you have already prepared for this?"

"I prioritised establishing a foothold over this world first and foremost. I need a secure position If I'm going to conduct a prolonged military operation. I will immediately expand my infrastructure once all core aspects have been established. Despite this limitation, it provides us with a natural barrier in the form of the sea. I'm going to turn the island into a fortress, while using my maritime and aerial assets to both attack the enemy and deploy land forces into the continent.

"Excellent." The Imperatrix nodded. "As soon as we're done here, I will deliver a speech to the Oceanian nation. I will be addressing the people in the wake of this tragedy first before revealing the existence of your Gate and your subsequent deployment along with my Imperial Guard."

Armend chuckled darkly. "I'll appreciate the fanfare with the media. Such insatiable parasites, they keep the Incident in the headlines to get most of the attention and yet they always hunger for more. Such sensationalism. For once, the world's attention will turn to Japan. I'll be happy to oblige them with a speech of my own.

Aside from being a competent commander, Armend was an excellent public speaker. The Imperatrix would've admired such talent had the speeches been not spoken by a psychopath; each statement bearing vicious undertones and promises of cruelty. There was never justice, glory nor righteousness in his words, only the passion for carnage and chaos regardless of the cost; tapping into the primal instincts of humanity.

The Imperatrix grimaced at the memory of some of those speeches. Passionate in the wrong way. "Your speeches are twisted in context. Entertain yourself however you desire; just do not do anything that will smear me in front of everyone. Many still clamour for the death you so deserve and question my decision for sparing you."

"Trust me, you will not have to worry." He reassured her. "For now, let's turn our attention past our own people. Our enemies will take note once you've announced the existence of the Gate."

"The World Consortium falls under national purview, let me and the Court. Other than that, few third-parties have the capability to interfere with your operations. Two of which are the most prominent." With a gesture, Lady Oceania summoned two symbols above the table. On the left was a swastika and the right a pair of wings; the former a dying vision barely surviving in the current world order and the latter a hopeless endeavour still clinging to life.

"The Fourth Reich and the Kreisau Circle." Armend muttered.

Lady Oceania turned to him. "I'm unsure whether to be amused or not given your history with these enemies of the state; you were in a brief partnership with the Reich's own Wilhelm Strasse, something punishable by treason under normal circumstances if not for our agreement. You've been a target by the Circle for as long as we can remember. Assassinations. Sabotage. Subterfuge. At least until you retaliated… cruelly. Further Circle activities diminished in the Asian Region after your rebuke, but not for all of the Accords."

He chuckled. For a moment his mind ventured briefly to memories of that particular affair. "I've been quite thorough with my deterrence. The Circle is still reeling, but it is foolish to believe they will stay idle in this development."

"Must they be treated to the full brunt of your reputation." The Imperatrix inquired with distaste. An understatement, she can only use such a euphemism to describe the horror he wrought against those slippery band of revolutionaries. "I have no love for those subversives given the existential threat they pose. But your punishment was so atrocious that I actually felt a twinge of sympathy for them."

An amused Armend raised an eyebrow, smiling. It wasn't normal and was a tad unnerving to witness such an expression crept its way across his face, exuding malicious amusement over the pain and terrors he'd unleashed. "You've gone soft. Is your ruthlessness fading?"

"Trust me, it's still there." She retorted, bristling that the man would compare herself to him. She may have been responsible – directly and not – for a number of questionable actions, she had committed them in the name of a higher purpose incomprehensible to the selfish masses and inward elites. She is a visionary and a messiah, having saved the decadent Europe from collapse through sheer will and ambition, but she isn't a monster like the one before her. "I just have standards… unlike you."

The Beast of Oceania chuckled even as his smile faltered weakly. The tone was bitter this time, devoid of amusement that was once there. "Because unlike me, you're not broken. You were laying the foundations of a new order in Europe while I crawled out of the abyss, reborn as who I am now."

"True." With a gesture, she vanquished all holograms. "I believe that would be all. You may depart and continue your preparations for this campaign. When the Imperial Guard arrives, you may deploy."

"Very well." Armend nodded. His business was finished here. Now he can return to more pressing matters than converse with an old ally and accomplice in the form of a self-styled godling. "I will put a halt to the influx of Japanese immediately when I log out. That would please the Master, seeing she's the driving force for the Reclamation. She'll get her tithe, she certainly loves her quotas being fulfilled."

He was a second away from logging out when The Imperatrix spoke.

"And Armend."

He stopped and saw her lips curve into a small smile. Though his face remained unchanged, he became suspicious. He had seen that expression of hers several times; the way she smiled and the strange glint in her eyes warn him of something devious.

And he wasn't wrong when the next words followed.

"The Angel descends."

–TWG–

The Sandbox – Japan – Oceania Accords

A bisecting cut. Parry the sword on the right then slash. Stab to the chest.

It took Isak three seconds to kill his foes, striking them in a surgical manner with the blade in his hands.

Three fresh corpses fell, the blade's edge having cleaved a fatal path on their body. They fell not with the squishy sound of flesh on the solid floor, but with an audible thud of a dense object before it was swallowed to the ground. No remains were present to provide evidence of the kill in the first place.

While his superior was occupied in the meeting with the ruling council of Oceania, time was his to use for the day at least until the meeting was adjourned. Anyone of his position would be tempted to indulge in sedentary or simple recreations since the job of a protector is ever demanding. However, circumstances robbed him of such inclination. Almost everything was in place for this operation. The task force was assembled, logistics secured, their hold on their other side consolidated and the surrounding vicinity scouted. They could start the operation whenever they want, but Armend informed him Her Holiness forbade their deployment until a detachment of the Imperial Guard arrived.

The inclusion of Her Holiness' Legion was a surprise, but not unexpected. The relationship between them and the Oceanian Armed Forces was defined by mutual hostility, not to mention utter revulsion of the latter against them. The military would vehemently oppose that the campaign will be conducted exclusively by Armend's forces out of concern for the Taken, as the media have begun calling the abducted Oceanians, without any oversight from an external unit.

And thus, the Imperial Guard was the logical choice. They are the only force that their soldiers wouldn't dare antagonise – or at least treat with caution – due to their status as the Imperatrix's personal army. Each of them carries a sliver of her authority. It's something even the Warden-General recognises and submits only to the Imperatrix and no one else.

With that in mind, better put his time to productive use.

It's been two and a half hours since he entered the Combat Simulation Chamber, informally called the Sandbox by the personnel. Despite having the appearance of a hollow chamber with a large surface area and a height of a hundred meters, its purpose was more sophisticated than one can imagine. Truly, nanotechnology is a wonderful innovation with limitless potential; this entire chamber consisting entirely of it. The Simulacrum, the AI overseer of the CSC, can manipulate the material to simulate battlefields; not only creating environments specific to military exercises ranging from jungle combat to urban warfare, but also forming nano-fabricated representations of people that it controls.

That part explained the lack of 'corpses', the AI simply assimilated any dead nano-construct. The default setting was to leave the 'corpses' untouched for the sake of realism, but he deactivated it for this time.

He charged towards the next group under a volley of arrows, which he expertly avoided or cut down depending on the circumstances. Even clad in his armour, he moved fast. He leapt from a nearby wall and cut them all with two swings, five dismembered Romans disintegrated down to the ground.

Or maybe, he should start using the term 'Saderan' to distinguish them from Ancient Rome. The universe certainly possessed a twisted sense of humour to pit a fantastic pastiche of one of history's civilisations against one of the two most powerful polities in existence in a clash of civilisations. Even now, the scientific community were having a field day on how to explain this occurrence.

The broader implications of this event weren't for him to contemplate. To him, it was simply another enemy to fight, albeit one that was most peculiar.

The constructs were being animated based on the cross-referenced data on the Roman and Saderan Empire. It was as accurate as it can get, from the ranks to the battle tactics they used. The problem was that he wasn't certain if it was wholly representative of their enemy, since these Saderans hail from a very different world. Maybe the eventual engagements with the Saderans on their homeworld will provide more data for future simulations.

He went over several scenarios against the Saderans. Assassination or capture of HVTs. Rescue of Captives. Sabotage of military equipment, both domestic and pilfered Oceanian weapons. And even battles involving Saderan legions and allied Oceanians. He'd taken time to finish each simulation then take a brief rest prior to starting anew, after that he would either restart to hone his performance or move to another scenario.

Right now the simulation was set to extermination. The Simulacrum recreated the ruins of Tokyo, containing about a thousand enemies for him to kill. The bulk of the constructs are Saderans, while the rest imitate their bestial auxiliaries. His HUD showed that it's been 50 minutes since the simulation started, and the number of hostiles left numbering to two digits.

Compared to their conflicts with the World Consortium, this campaign will be largely lopsided due to the technological inferiority of the Saderans. Their military organisation was built around numerical superiority and close-quarters engagements like any army of antiquity, but it was nothing against the contemporary art of war practised by modern armies.

Optimistically, even a company of 250 soldiers supported by armour or aerial elements has the adequate firepower to rout a legion, which was the largest military formation like in Rome. Still, there was one factor that has yet to be assessed. It was a phenomenon exclusive to the world these Saderans came from.

Magic.

The Scandinavian frowned even as he cut down a werewolf. Ever since he read the reports, his mind still grappled with such information. For it to be real all of a sudden was just… one comes to the point where the veracity of something is questioned. It was so ludicrous to claim that magic exists until now, their collision with another world making it a reality.

While its existence was proven, the extent of its application was debated; post-battle recordings by trooper helmet and body-cams showed no anomalous developments among the Saderan forces. No robed individual was ever glimpsed among the ranks of legionaries, nor the infamous 'fireball' or 'lightning' spells espoused by the eccentricities of the contemporary youth. Only the pastiches of roman soldiers clad in their trademark armour and their Auxilia and warbeasts.

Perhaps their magic was limited only to creating portals? Should one for a minute ignore the technological inferiority of these people and examine it logistically, it was an alarming hypothesis. Distance will not be a problem when you can shuffle not only forces and manpower anywhere through the use of portals. The enemy force will fight at their full strength, unburdened by fatigue.

More data would be good.

An arrow sped towards him from a multistoried ruin, to which he shot with his sidearm before turning his aim to the offending archer. Behind him, he heard the thunderous hooves of horses and turned to see a charging cavalry of ten riders, their spear point to skewer him. It certainly was an intimidating sight, for the cavalry was the dread of every footman. But he was no footman or any ordinary soldier. Every breath wasted on war cries and every gallop by the equine beasts were futile as he dispatched them accordingly.

Only nine more bullets remain on his clip, one had to be killed up close with his sword or some other creative way.

Isak levelled his gun, eliminating the targets with a fatal shot. Only one remained, the equestrian up front was no doubt the leader of the cavalry and instigator of the charge was unmoved by the demise of his men. He has his attention. The Hound closed the distance in less than a second, leaping to catch the spear then kicking the man off his steed. The impact crushed his ribs before he collapsed on the ground whereas Isak landed safely into the ground.

He was in the midst of reloading his gun when he partially dodged a swinging club, grazing his armour instead but the force still hurled him forward. He aligned his position so that he landed on his two feet, facing his new foe.

Beneath his helmet, he smiled. Now, this is a challenge.

The ogre was an imposing creature to behold, as tall as a large statue. Clad in armour and armed with a tree trunk fashioned into a club, it was a fearsome beast to confront especially in his lonesome. Isak was alone to fight this thing, all he has are the weapons on himself. A baseline human would've faltered against such a threat but he was anything but baseline; and so, he adopted a combat stance.

If anything, this situation parodies the biblical story of David and Goliath; a man against a gigantic creature. But unlike David, his weapon was a sword instead of a sling; a melee weapon instead of one that hurls rocks at a fatal velocity. He quickly judged his sidearm to be ineffective in this fight, since the ogre's armour and hide seemed thick enough to withstand the gauss-accelerated rounds. He replaced his gun and gripped his sword with two hands. Bearing in mind that he was part of the force subjugating Japan, many will be bewildered to see its trademark in his hands.

Isak held his katana in a firm grip. It was truly a marvellous blade, famed throughout the East and the whole world for its unparalleled sharpness that eclipsed even the finest swordcraft of Europe. This particular katana was heavily ornamented, consisting of a golden blade and a black hilt with eight beads of ruby encrusted on the guard. A serpentine form of a tatsu was engraved across both sides of the blade and the pommel had the face of a komainu, two creatures that represent power and strength for the Japanese.

This level of ornamentation can be explained by its previous status.

In the long history of Japan, it was known as the Kusanagi no Tsurugi – a part of the Imperial regalia of Japanese Emperors presented upon coronation, to symbolise their rule over the Land of the Rising Sun. For generations, no one but the emperor and his attendants has seen it, always kept within a box with the other two regalia.

Now, it stood as a twisted mockery of its original purpose. It served as Armend's personal trophy, personally receiving it from the Japanese Emperor to symbolise the surrender of himself and his empire to the victors, and he used it in his tortures of the man and the Imperial Family. Having renamed it Triumph to symbolise his victory over the detestable Japanese, the ancient blade remained in his possession until a few years ago when he handed it to Isak. Following the tradition set forth by Armend, he renamed the blade Judgement to symbolise his role as his guardian and executioner.

After being soaked in the blood of many it can no longer be called a regal symbol. It was just another murderous instrument of war, insatiable for blood regardless of who. Blood is blood after all, same for all men regardless of social standing. Innocents, avengers, terrorists, soldiers, traitors and even Terror-Billy himself. The blade carved their flesh and tasted their very essence for the briefest moment.

But soon, he thought as he decapitated a legionary, that status will change. He would venture to this alien yet familiar world with his lord, commanding his army and being his executioner. Plenty of opportunities to soak Judgement in inhuman blood. How strong and skilled they are were questions that fill his mind, the Simulacrum can only do so much with the current data.

He was unable to use it during the counterattack, having remained within the bowels of Hell's Gate commanding the operation alongside the Warden-General.

Isak lept to the side when the ogre slammed its club with a ground-shaking force. The beast dragged it to his direction but he avoided once more. He charged and lept to slash its armoured chest, only to receive its fist. He crashed against the debris before the ogre charged. He jumped to the nearby wall and ran across it for some time before the ogre tried to smash him once again.

He jumped just in time while the ogre was showered by rubble. With Judgement ready, he dived behind and left a long incision on its back. There wasn't a roar of pain nor spilling of blood, as if it didn't even feel the painful wound. It was a construct, meant to mostly simulate a biological equivalent.

But obeying the programming, it staggered and turned to face him with clenched teeth. It tried to smash him again but he dived forward and slashed its feet; dismembering the right foot while severing the left's achilles tendon. The ogre collapsed on its knees and hands, completely immobilised. As it tried to pull its own weight, he jumped to its back and stabbed deep, forcing it back to the ground. He then leapt forward and slashed horizontally to its nape where the spinal cord was, killing it.

He landed on the ground, turning to look at his quarry before it was absorbed into the ground. The ogre was the last nonhuman construct of the simulation after that werewolf he'd slain earlier, the rest were now Saderan legionaries. His HUD showed their number to be in single-digits, and were converging on his position. He had already decided that this will be his last for the day, he was tired and he's already had trained enough for the day.

[Wunderbar!]

His ears picked up the rhythmic sound of smacking cloth before a display occupied his HUD. Armend was smiling and clapping his gloved hands. "Your skill with that blade remains ever impressive, Isak. It's good to see you are practising."

"Sir?" He greeted curtly. "I guess your meeting has been adjourned. Have you been observing for some time?"

[Just recently.] Armend admitted. [I came here to see what you've been up to mein freund and I'm pleased to see you getting prepared. Take your time to get cleaned and dressed, I will be waiting outside.]

With the link ended, Isak sheath Judgement to its scabbard. "End simulation."

As he made his way to the exit, the environment around him began to change. The first change was that the light dimmed, then the reconstructed ruins of Tokyo sank to the ground as the nanites composing them were reabsorbed. The process itself was fast enough to span only a few seconds, becoming a vast gray landscape when the last of the ruins sank at last.

–TWG–

There was no destination in mind as patron and protector walked side-by-side in the corridor. It was nothing more than an aimless stroll that was accompanied by a casual exchange between two close friends.

Isak exchanged his battle armour for his black service dress, a straight-collared double-breasted jacket with a white shirt underneath and black trousers along with matching combat boots. Though unarmoured, he was by no means unarmed. Judgement's scabbard remained attached on his left hip, the handle of the aforementioned sword high enough to be reflexively drawn by his right arm.

"I trust that the meeting went well, Armend." The Scandinavian asked. There wasn't the need for professionalism in otherwise casual settings, so he could address him not as a subordinate following his commands but as a confidant and a friend.

"You can say that. Oceania is on high alert. The military and enforcement are on the lookout for any more portals appearing while the regime is preoccupied with reconstruction." Armend answered. "The Imperatrix gave me her blessing for this punitive campaign, we can deploy when the Imperial Guard detachment arrives. I can tell she's interested in this campaign, but for reasons that elude me."

"Did you inquire?"

"I tried to, but she insists on them being here to safeguard the kidnapped citizenry against us. A genuine explanation, but not the real reason. I didn't go further because it wasn't urgent for the time being. Regardless, I will get to the bottom of this." Armend turned to Isak. "But let's change the subject. How were things while I was away?"

Of course, he was away. He had been absent for the day to day affairs for the meeting with the Imperatorial Court, but by no means he physically left the penal colony. He remained in his office, it's just that he wasn't entirely there.

He was away figuratively, not literally.

His office contained a sophisticated device called the Neural SubNet, an advanced computer network developed by a corporation named Connaught Technologies. Using it was akin to dreaming in one's sleep. It projects consciousness out of the body and delivered into a private server where others can be brought. Inside each server is a digital realm that can be personalised by the 'host' user. It eschewed the need for physical presence in a meeting as well as the need to make a video call, since all users are brought together in a virtual environment.

"None, sir. Everything's as you left them. Base construction is still underway on the other side, and the security is already supplemented by a couple of companies. Likewise, I've sent a few of the Elite Guard."

Armend chuckled. "Glad to know they've overcome their superstitious fear without my intervention. It's only a matter of time before we go in."

"Beyond the Imperial Guard, are we going to receive external support? Logistics, I mean."

There was a contemplative pause. "Doubtful, but ultimately irrelevant. I built Japan to be a self-sufficient territory, not reliant on the rest of Oceania nor beholden to its leadership save for the Imperatrix herself. Besides Isak, the world beyond the Gate is a treasure trove of untapped resources we can exploit."

That was certainly true. While the case varies throughout their territories, many administrators have noted the high amount of self-sufficiency Japan demonstrated. Although politically subservient like all others, Armend's predilection for administrative independence led to him making Japan economically and militarily independent. It was a feat he'd achieved primarily through his own megacorporation and, an open secret across the upper echelons of Oceania, nigh-absolute power over the Oceanian underworld. Despite this, Armend was content to behave according to the expectations of his station. Of course, several have addressed his seeming independence. The Master of the Regime had called several times for increased oversight and investigations on his dealings, especially during Armend's brief partnership with the Fourth Reich. But most were willing to turn a blind eye to a productive and compliant territory and It's not like many officials and those with enough money don't benefit from the exclusive indulgences only Japan can offer.

"How many of the Golden Legion is she sending?"

"Three hundred. We're fortunate that detachment is small." Armend answered. It was a legitimate concern. As the custodians of the Imperatrix, the Imperial Guard has an exclusive arsenal of unparalleled power. They use technologies unavailable to the Armed Forces and some were rumoured to be personal innovations of Lady Oceania. More important to remember was that they always remain under the direct command of Lady Oceania, one cannot command them or change their objectives as one would to their subordinates, unless the Imperatrix say otherwise.

"But for all the concerns they present, the last thing Her Holiness said is what troubles the most." Armend disclosed. "The Imperatrix has decided to send one of her Companions."

Isak's eyes widened in surprise. While it was seldom for the Imperial Guard to venture away from the Imperatrix, this was the first time in history a Companion would be operating far from the Imperatrix's presence. This development alone spoke volumes of how interested the Imperatrix was to this campaign.

Despite this, the Hound failed to see the cause of this perturbed his superior. Perhaps a way for Her Holiness to consolidate her authority in the operation? The Imperial Guard detachment were certainly few in number compared to the assembled legion to stroke their authority to a large degree, which would be augmented by the presence of one of the Imperatrix's personal attendants.

"And this is concerning because?" He asked, stopping his pace as Armend stopped and faced him. From how his face changed, Isak figured that it must be a cause of dismay for the Swiss general.

"Because it's someone we know, and one who wants me dead the most."

His heart skipped a beat. Isak was shocked. "You mean-"

"The Angel of Oceana." Armend looked at him, his golden eyes showing the dismay he was feeling. "Elsa Rayne."

Now fully understanding the gravity of the situation, Isak could only sigh. It was troublesome enough that the Imperial Guard were involved, but this news… It simply added fuel to the fire. It wasn't one that would complicate the operation, that he was sure of. But because he was aware of the personal implications brought upon by this companion of Her Holiness, it would cause problems.

A single statement of his summed this overall complication.

"God help us."

"You won't see a trace of humanity in those eyes. Only unbridled malevolence that promises suffering."

– Elsa Rayne, a Companion of the Imperial Guard

AN: That's it for this chapter people. As always, feedback is highly appreciated and I encourage you to write down detailed reviews. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them.

Despite what the wordcount indicates, this is actually a short chapter since events progress rapidly and also containing only two sections. However, both are laden with lore necessary to understand this AU I'm making so I wouldn't dismiss them for lacking in action. I won't break down the events since there's the type of readers who check both top and bottom ANs to get a clue of what happened in the chapter without bothering to read the contents.

There are influences of Warhammer 40k in this chapter. I modelled the Imperatorial Court from the Senatorum Imperialis in Warhammer 40k since they function as the highest authority in the state beneath an absolute sovereign. That absolute sovereign, in this case, would be the Imperatrix, the mysterious woman known only as Lady Oceania (the fact that she named the superstate after herself is a straightforward enough answer). She is a major character in this AU, so we'll be seeing her from time to time.

The section of the Imperatorial Court's meeting was inspired by the scenes of the Illuminati in Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. In response to the game's events, the Council of Five would convene in a virtual setting to formulate their plans. My original idea had been to set the meeting in a physical location deep within the Imperatrix's palace, but playing and finishing Deus Ex: MD by chance impressed me enough to adopt the Neural SubNet into the setting.

The next chapter will be about the Kriesau Circle's response to the Gate appearing. I plan it to be short since I want to move forward quickly.